The Climate CoLab: Large scale model-based collaborative planning

The Climate CoLab is a system to help thousands of people around the world collectively develop plans for what humans should do about global climate change. This paper shows how the system combines three design elements (model-based planning, on-line debates, and electronic voting) in a synergistic way. The paper also reports early usage experience showing that: (a) the system is attracting a continuing stream of new and returning visitors from all over the world, and (b) the nascent community can use the platform to generate interesting and high quality plans to address climate change. These initial results indicate significant progress towards an important goal in developing a collective intelligence system - the formation of a large and diverse community collectively engaged in solving a single problem.Cisco Systems, Inc.Argosy FoundationMIT Energy InitiativeMIT Sloan Sustainability Initiativ

Photometric Redshifts of Quasars

We demonstrate that the design of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) filter system and the quality of the SDSS imaging data are sufficient for determining accurate and precise photometric redshifts (``photo-z''s) of quasars. Using a sample of 2625 quasars, we show that photo-z determination is even possible for z<=2.2 despite the lack of a strong continuum break that robust photo-z techniques normally require. We find that, using our empirical method on our sample of objects known to be quasars, approximately 70% of the photometric redshifts are correct to within delta z = 0.2; the fraction of correct photometric redshifts is even better for z>3. The accuracy of quasar photometric redshifts does not appear to be dependent upon magnitude to nearly 21st magnitude in i'. Careful calibration of the color-redshift relation to 21st magnitude may allow for the discovery of on the order of 10^6 quasars candidates in addition to the 10^5 quasars that the SDSS will confirm spectroscopically. We discuss the efficient selection of quasar candidates from imaging data for use with the photometric redshift technique and the potential scientific uses of a large sample of quasar candidates with photometric redshifts.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures, submitted to A

Enhancing Product Development through Knowledge Based Engineering (KBE): A Case Study in the Aerospace Industry

The purpose of this paper is to show with figures the potentialities of knowledge-based engineering (KBE) methods in newproduct development (NPD). It estimates the business value generated by a tool which integrates the handoff between engineering groups of a large aerospace company. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on three years of observation and interviews at a leading Italian firm. A process-based approach is used for assessing business value. Findings – The KBE application automated the preparation of data transferred to computer-aided engineering engineers for analysis by computer-aided design engineers and reduced the time required by more than 90 percent. This allowed time savings which contributed to enhance product quality. Research limitations/implications – The paper is based on a single case, though its findings are consistent with prior studies. Future research will implement like applications in other contexts at the subject firm and other firms. Practical implications – The paper helpsmanagers to understand the uses and potential value ofKBE applications, enhancing the awareness of NPD practitioners in a field which is still partially untapped. Originality/value – The paper combines discussion of the technical aspects of implementing a KBE tool with estimates of performance improvement achieved. It can be a useful illustration of a good practice and a proof-of-concept for further implementations in complex engineering settings

Design of an isokinetic knee dynamometer for evaluation of functional electrical stimulation strategies

The limitations of functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling directly affect the health benefits acquired from this technology and prevents its' full potential to be realised. Experiments should be done on a test bed which can isolate and focus only on one muscle group, namely the quadriceps. The aim of this work was to design and develop an isokinetic robotic leg extension/flexion dynamometer which can mimic knee joint motion during actual cycling to be used for evaluation of novel functional electrical stimulation strategies. Although the main motivation for development of the dynamometer was for application in FES studies, it has the potential to be used for various different muscle physiology studies. A feedback control system with integrated electrical stimulation for isokinetic knee joint torque measurement has been developed and tested for safety and functionality. The leg extension/flexion device was modified and equipped with a DC motor drive system to imitate isokinetic knee joint motion during cycling when the hip joint remains fixed. Real-time bi-directional effective torque on the lever arm was measured by a magnetostrictive torque sensor and a load cell. Closed-loop motor control system was also designed to mimic the cyclical motion at desired angular velocity. A functional model of the robotic dynamometer was developed and evaluated. The dynamometer is capable of simulating the knee angle during cycling at a cadence of up to 70 rpm with range of motion of 72. The magnetostrictive torque sensor can measure torque values up to 75 Nm. The lever arm can be adjusted and the target knee angle was controlled with RMSE tracking error of less than 2.1 in tests with and without a test person, and with and without muscle stimulation. The isokinetic knee joint torque measurement system was designed and validated in this work, and subsequently used to develop and evaluate novel muscle activation strategies. This is important for fundamental research on effective stimulation patterns and novel activation strategies. This will, in turn, enhance the efficiency of FES cycling exercise and has the potential to improve the health-beneficial effects

Putting the Pieces Back Together Again: Contest Webs for Large-Scale Problem Solving

A key issue, whenever people work together to solve a complex problem, is how to divide the problem into parts done by different people and combine the parts into a solution for the whole problem. This paper presents a novel way of doing this with groups of contests called contest webs. Based on the analogy of supply chains for physical products, the method provides incentives for people to (a) reuse work done by themselves and others, (b) simultaneously explore multiple ways of combining interchangeable parts, and (c) work on parts of the problem where they can contribute the most. The paper also describes a field test of this method in an online community of over 50,000 people who are developing proposals for what to do about global climate change. The early results suggest that the method can, indeed, work at scale as intended

Uto Ughi all'Auditorium Giovanni Agnelli con i Filarmonici di Roma

Uto Ughi, direttoreUto Ughi, violin

Revision estratigrafica del cretaceo superior del Noroeste peruano y Suroeste ecuatoriano : datos preliminares, consecuencias tectonicas

The stratigraphic revision of the Cretaceous series of Northwestern Peru and Southwestern Ecuador shows that, subsequently to the Albian transgression, three distinct forearc sedimentary basins were formed. These are the turbidity-filled Lancones-Celica Basin (Late Albian to Coniacian or Santonian), the Paita-Yunguilla Basin mainly filled by shales (Middle Campanian to Middle(?) Maastrichtian), and the Talara Basin s.s. (latest Paleocene-earliest Eocene to Late Eocene). This succession evidences the occurrence of three major tectonic-sedimentary events of Late Albian (Mochica phase), Late Santonian-Early Campanian (Peruvian phase) and Late Maastrichtian and/or Paleocene age, respectively. Geological mapping shows that the Lancones-Celica Basin includes at least three different paleogeographic units, the juxtaposition of which occurred prior to the deposition of the Campanian-Maastrichtian shales. The Santonian-Campanian tectonic event was associated with a noticeable deformation. During the Tertiary, the deformation and the Eocene sedimentation seem to have been controlled by major NE-SW-trending faults, which partly control the present-day topography. (Résumé d'auteur

Revision estratigrafica del cretaceo superior del Noroeste peruano y Suroeste ecuatoriano : datos preliminares, consecuencias tectonicas

The stratigraphic revision of the Cretaceous series of Northwestern Peru and Southwestern Ecuador shows that, subsequently to the Albian transgression, three distinct forearc sedimentary basins were formed. These are the turbidity-filled Lancones-Celica Basin (Late Albian to Coniacian or Santonian), the Paita-Yunguilla Basin mainly filled by shales (Middle Campanian to Middle(?) Maastrichtian), and the Talara Basin s.s. (latest Paleocene-earliest Eocene to Late Eocene). This succession evidences the occurrence of three major tectonic-sedimentary events of Late Albian (Mochica phase), Late Santonian-Early Campanian (Peruvian phase) and Late Maastrichtian and/or Paleocene age, respectively. Geological mapping shows that the Lancones-Celica Basin includes at least three different paleogeographic units, the juxtaposition of which occurred prior to the deposition of the Campanian-Maastrichtian shales. The Santonian-Campanian tectonic event was associated with a noticeable deformation. During the Tertiary, the deformation and the Eocene sedimentation seem to have been controlled by major NE-SW-trending faults, which partly control the present-day topography. (Résumé d'auteur