Operator vision aids for space teleoperation assembly and servicing

This paper investigates concepts for visual operator aids required for effective telerobotic control. Operator visual aids, as defined here, mean any operational enhancement that improves man-machine control through the visual system. These concepts were derived as part of a study of vision issues for space teleoperation. Extensive literature on teleoperation, robotics, and human factors was surveyed to definitively specify appropriate requirements. This paper presents these visual aids in three general categories of camera/lighting functions, display enhancements, and operator cues. In the area of camera/lighting functions concepts are discussed for: (1) automatic end effector or task tracking; (2) novel camera designs; (3) computer-generated virtual camera views; (4) computer assisted camera/lighting placement; and (5) voice control. In the technology area of display aids, concepts are presented for: (1) zone displays, such as imminent collision or indexing limits; (2) predictive displays for temporal and spatial location; (3) stimulus-response reconciliation displays; (4) graphical display of depth cues such as 2-D symbolic depth, virtual views, and perspective depth; and (5) view enhancements through image processing and symbolic representations. Finally, operator visual cues (e.g., targets) that help identify size, distance, shape, orientation and location are discussed

Eight species of whiteflies (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) newly recorded from Korea

Aleuroclava magnoliae (Takahashi), Aleurotrachelus ishigakiensis (Takahashi), Aleyrodes lonicerae Walker, Asterobemisia carpini (Koch), Bemisia afer (Priesner and Hosny), Dialeurolobus pulcher Danzig, Pealius polygoni Takahashi, and Pealius rubi Takahashi are newly recorded from Korea

The DEEWR Monthly Leading Indicator of Employment for Australia - A view from the inside

The new DEEWR Monthly Leading Indicator of Employment for Australia has been in operation since July 2007. While it is too early to conduct a proper evaluation on its performance since it has only been released for around a year and a half, it is an opportune time to make some comments on how it has been performing. There has only been one turning point in the Indicator and in cyclical employment during this time - a peak in the Indicator in January 2008, followed by a peak in cyclical employment in April 2008. While the peak in cyclical employment was correctly predicted by the Indicator, the lead time was only three months, which is insufficient time to be really useful for policy or program responses. The three components of the Indicator with the highest weightings also had a lead time of around three months with cyclical employment. It is not feasible to conduct an up-to-date comparison with the previous version o f the Department 's Leading Indicator of Employment. This is because one of the components of the former Indicator was the ABS Job Vacancies series, which is no longer released by the ABS. The performance of the Indicator in the context of the Global Financial Crisis is discussed in this paper. There are many series that are newly being monitored by economic analysts in Australia to get a better understanding of the Global Financial Crisis and how it is likely to affect Australia. Examples of such series are US housing starts and established house prices, sub-prime mortgage delinquency rates in the USA, the US Treasury-Eurodollar interest rate spread and yield curve and the Baltic Exchange Dry Index o f shipping freight rates. While consideration could be given to including offshore indicators in a future version of the Indicator, it would be problematic to attempt to include most of them at this stage

Strength and conditioning practices of franchise-level cricket trainers

Background: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the strength and conditioning practices implemented by cricket trainers and coaches at an elite level. Methods: An online survey, adapted from previous strength and conditioning questionnaires, was sent to trainers currently working with the franchise cricket teams in South Africa. The survey consisted of four main sections including a general strength and conditioning, cricket- specific and injury prevention category. Results: The results indicated that trainers (n = 5) implement planned sessions throughout the different phases of the season and that certain injury prevention practices are applied. Furthermore, player workload is monitored for all disciplines (batsmen, bowlers and fielders). Conclusion: These results can be used as a tool to educate coaches and trainers to ensure the correct strength and conditioning practices are implemented. Additionally the study showed that strength and conditioning practices at the elite level can be implemented without specialised equipment and facilities, which is important for teams that are constantly travelling. Lastly it showed the importance of looking at all aspects of health and skill related fitness

Intellectual Capital Disclosure Quality Changes in the Biotechnology Industry, 2003-10

The purpose of this research project was to examine the voluntary disclosure quality for intellectual capital by Australian biotechnology companies between 2003 and 2010. Measurement was made in the annual reports of the same 28 biotechnology firms in 2003, 2006 and 2010. Content analysis of narrative and measurement items, based on Sveiby’s ‘Intangible Assets Monitor’ categories (Internal, External and Human Capital) were used to accurately record the quality of voluntary ICD. Although expected, there was no demonstrable increase in the quality of voluntary ICD measured by Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. In fact, the only significant change in quality of ICD reporting in the firm’s annual reports was a significant decrease in ‘Internal Capital’ of the type most commonly recorded for intellectual property, financial relations and corporate culture. Key success factors for ‘Human Capital’ ICD, for example staff qualifications and know-how, or ‘External capital’ ICD, like those about collaborations, licensing agreements and grant funding, were certainly not absent from disclosures, but an expected increase in quality was not detected. A limitation of this study is its Australian context. Financial managers’ distraction by 2006 IFRS harmonization (intangible asset balance sheet de-recognition) and insulation of the Australian equities market to recent global events may partly explain our observation

Validating a Novel New Instrument for Measuring Firm Managers' Intellectual Property Management Practices: A study of biotechnology firms

Purpose: The purpose of this research project was to pilot and validate a new instrument to measure firm intellectual property (IP) management practices.Methodology/Approach: A survey instrument was developed in consultation with a Perth-based firm of patent attorneys specialising in IP management services. The survey was piloted by random mail-out to 357 biotechnology firms, 68 of which returned a useable response. IP managers' responses to the following seven dimensions of extent of IP management practice were measured on a 5-point Likert-scale: 1) Record-keeping and management practices (22 items); 2) IP capture and protection mechanisms (10 items); 3) Use of IP management services or traditional patent attorney services (9 items); 4) Defensive measures (12 items); 5) Business Plan and strategic vision (9 items); 6) Knowledge of the IP landscape (9 items); and, 7) Promoting an IP culture (7 items). Factor Analysis and Principle Component Analysis extraction method with Varimax Rotation were used to identify factors measured by our instrument.Findings: Between two and seven factors were extracted for each of the dimensions measuring IP management practices, explaining between 51% (IP Defensive Measures) to 74% (IP management services and traditional patent attorney services) of the cumulative variance on any one factors. Scrutiny of the Component Matrices for a common thread amongst large loadings indicated thirteen actual measures of IP management practices perceived by biotechnology firm IP managers; with high Cronbach's Alpha reliability.Research limitations/implications: Factor analysis of this instrument revealed that IP managers' responses were loading on 13 factors instead of the original 7 anticipated dimensions to the measure. The spread of 78 item was reduced to a more relevant and economical measure with 56 items. As scrutiny of the factor analysis has revealed increasing heterogeneity to IP management practices in the biotechnology industry, it might be interesting to repeat the study for IP managers in another industry. A limitation of the study is its Australian biotechnology context and also that no concession was made in the measure for the effect of firm vertical disintegration.Originality/value: To our knowledge this is a novel project. We have validated and streamlined a new IP management practices instrument with advice from a practicing firm of IP management consultants. The instrument should be useful to high-technology firms as a checklist of IP management practices for innovation management. It should also be a valuable measurement tool for academics, firms and industries wanting to characterise the nature of firm-level IP management practices