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1
Wang, Yu. "Localization Precise in Urban Area." Thesis, Toulouse, INPT, 2019. http://www.theses.fr/2019INPT0045.
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Récemment, la précision qu’on peut obtenir avec le GNSS-autonome positionnement est insatisfaisant pour de plus en plus d’utilisateurs au terrain. Une précision au-dessous de mètre ou encore de niveau centimètre est devenue plus cruciale pour pleine d’applications. Surtout pour des véhicules dans le milieu urbain, la précision finale est considérablement pire comme les manques et les contaminations des GNSS signaux sont présentes. Afin d’avoir un positionnement plus précis, les mesures carrier phases sont dispensables. Les erreurs associés à ces mesures sont plus précises de factor centaine que les mesures pseudoranges. Cependant, un paramètre de nature entière, appelée ambiguïté, empêche les mesures phases de comporter comme les pseudoranges ‘précises’. Pendant que les mesures carrier phases sont largement utilisées par les applications localisées dans un environnement ouvert, cette thèse s’intéresse sur les exploitations dans un environnement urbain. Pour cet objectif, la méthodologie RTK est appliquée, qui est principalement basée sur les caractéristiques que les erreurs sur les mesures pseudoranges et phases sont corrélées spatialement. De plus, cette thèse profite de la double GNSS constellation, GPS et GLONASS, pour renforcer la solution de position et l’utilisation fiable des mesures carrier phases. Enfin, un low-cost MEMS est aussi intégré pour compenser des désavantages de GNSS dans un milieu urbain. A propos des mesures phases, une version modifiée de Partial-IAR (Partial Ambiguity Resolution) est proposée afin de faire comporter de la façon la plus fiable possible les mesures phases comme les pseudoranges. Par ailleurs, les glissements de cycle sont plus fréquents dans un milieu urbain, qui introduisent des discontinuités des mesures phases. Un nouveau mécanisme pour détecter et corriger les glissements de cycle est du coup mise en place, pour bénéficier de la haute précision des mesures phases. Des tests basés sur les données collectées autour de Toulouse sont faits pour montrer la performanceNowadays, stand-alone Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning accuracy is not sufficient for a growing number of land users. Sub-meter or even centimeter accuracy is becoming more and more crucial in many applications. Especially for navigating rovers in the urban environment, final positioning accuracy can be worse as the dramatically lack and contaminations of GNSS measurements. To achieve a more accurate positioning, the GNSS carrier phase measurements appear mandatory. These measurements have a tracking error more precise by a factor of a hundred than the usual code pseudorange measurements. However, they are also less robust and include a so-called integer ambiguity that prevents them to be used directly for positioning. While carrier phase measurements are widely used in applications located in open environments, this thesis focuses on trying to use them in a much more challenging urban environment. To do so, Real Time-Kinematic (RTK) methodology is used, which is taking advantage on the spatially correlated property of most code and carrier phase measurements errors. Besides, the thesis also tries to take advantage of a dual GNSS constellation, GPS and GLONASS, to strengthen the position solution and the reliable use of carrier phase measurements. Finally, to make up the disadvantages of GNSS in urban areas, a low-cost MEMS is also integrated to the final solution. Regarding the use of carrier phase measurements, a modified version of Partial Integer Ambiguity Resolution (Partial-IAR) is proposed to convert as reliably as possible carrier phase measurements into absolute pseudoranges. Moreover, carrier phase Cycle Slip (CS) being quite frequent in urban areas, thus creating discontinuities of the measured carrier phases, a new detection and repair mechanism of CSs is proposed to continuously benefit from the high precision of carrier phases. Finally, tests based on real data collected around Toulouse are used to test the performance of the whole methodology
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Corominas, Murtra Andreu. "Map-based localization for urban service mobile robotics." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/41555.
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Mobile robotics research is currently interested on exporting autonomous navigation results achieved in indoor environments, to more challenging environments, such as, for instance, urban pedestrian areas. Developing mobile robots with autonomous navigation capabilities in such urban environments supposes a basic requirement for a upperlevel service set that could be provided to an users community. However, exporting indoor techniques to outdoor urban pedestrian scenarios is not evident due to the larger size of the environment, the dynamism of the scene due to
pedestrians and other moving obstacles, the sunlight conditions, and the high presence of three dimensional elements such as ramps, steps, curbs or holes. Moreover, GPS-based mobile robot localization has demonstrated insufficient
performance for robust long-term navigation in urban environments.
One of the key modules within autonomous navigation is localization. If localization supposes an a priori map, even if it is not a complete model of the environment, localization is called map-based. This assumption is realistic since current
trends of city councils are on building precise maps of their cities, specially of the most interesting places such as city downtowns. Having robots localized within a map allows for a high-level planning and monitoring, so that robots can
achieve goal points expressed on the map, by following in a deliberative way a previously planned route.
This thesis deals with the mobile robot map-based localization issue in urban pedestrian areas. The thesis approach uses the particle filter algorithm, a well-known and widely used probabilistic and recursive method for data fusion and state estimation. The main contributions of the thesis are divided on four aspects: (1) long-term experiments of mobile robot 2D and 3D position tracking in real urban pedestrian scenarios within a full autonomous navigation framework, (2) developing a fast and accurate technique to compute on-line range observation models in 3D environments, a basic step required by the real-time performance of the developed particle filter, (3) formulation of a particle filter that integrates asynchronous data streams and (4) a theoretical proposal to solve the global localization problem in an active and cooperative way, defining cooperation as either information sharing among the robots or planning joint actions to solve a common goal.Actualment, la recerca en robòtica mòbil té un interés creixent en exportar els resultats de navegació autònoma aconseguits en entorns interiors cap a d'altres tipus d'entorns més exigents, com, per exemple, les àrees urbanes peatonals. Desenvolupar capacitats de navegació autònoma en aquests entorns urbans és un requisit bàsic per poder proporcionar un conjunt de serveis de més alt nivell a una comunitat d'usuaris. Malgrat tot, exportar les tècniques d'interiors cap a entorns exteriors peatonals no és evident, a causa de la major dimensió de l'entorn, del dinamisme de l'escena provocada pels peatons i per altres obstacles en moviment, de la resposta de certs sensors a la il.luminació natural, i de la constant presència d'elements tridimensionals tals com rampes, escales, voreres o forats. D'altra banda, la localització de robots mòbils basada en GPS ha demostrat uns resultats insuficients de cara a una navegació robusta i de llarga durada en entorns urbans. Una de les peces clau en la navegació autònoma és la localització. En el cas que la localització consideri un mapa conegut a priori, encara que no sigui un model complet de l'entorn, parlem d'una localització basada en un mapa. Aquesta assumpció és realista ja que la tendència actual de les administracions locals és de construir mapes precisos de les ciutats, especialment dels llocs d'interés tals com les zones més cèntriques. El fet de tenir els robots localitzats en un mapa permet una planificació i una monitorització d'alt nivell, i així els robots poden arribar a destinacions indicades sobre el mapa, tot seguint de forma deliberativa una ruta prèviament planificada. Aquesta tesi tracta el tema de la localització de robots mòbils, basada en un mapa i per entorns urbans peatonals. La proposta de la tesi utilitza el filtre de partícules, un mètode probabilístic i recursiu, ben conegut i àmpliament utilitzat per la fusió de dades i l'estimació d'estats. Les principals contribucions de la tesi queden dividides en quatre aspectes: (1) experimentació de llarga durada del seguiment de la posició, tant en 2D com en 3D, d'un robot mòbil en entorns urbans reals, en el context de la navegació autònoma, (2) desenvolupament d'una tècnica ràpida i precisa per calcular en temps d'execució els models d'observació de distàncies en entorns 3D, un requisit bàsic pel rendiment del filtre de partícules a temps real, (3) formulació d'un filtre de partícules que integra conjunts de dades asíncrones i (4) proposta teòrica per solucionar la localització global d'una manera activa i cooperativa, entenent la cooperació com el fet de compartir informació, o bé com el de planificar accions conjuntes per solucionar un objectiu comú.
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Dai, Zhuangzhuang. "Propagation modelling for urban source localization and navigation." Thesis, University of Bath, 2019. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.767609.
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This thesis investigates a propagation modelling approach to navigation and source localization. Complex urban propagation environments give rise to severe multipath which impairs the reliability of conventional satellite and terrestrial based localization systems. The motivation is the development of a location determination scheme exploiting multipath propagation. In this thesis a new ray tracing method has been developed to eciently determine channel characteristics. Using a database of channel characteristics, a model is constructed to determine location of a receiver based on a matching algorithm. This thesis also investigates into the inverse problem, i.e., the source localization in urban environments. These methods have been tested against noise and perturbations and is shown to be robust. In the simulated urban environments, navigation errors are typically less than 15m. The proposed source localization algorithm is able to locate a radio source to better than 100m. To evaluate these algorithms a 2.5D ray launching model has been developed, which is able to make use of existing digital map databases. The accuracy of this model has been validated by comparing simulated Received Signal Strengths (RSS) against channel sounding measurements in the city center of Munich, Germany. The ray launching model makes use of parallel computing techniques using Graphic Processing Units (GPU). Key to the success of these methods is a new ngerprinting technique which correlates abstract electromagnetic features with physical coordinates. This takes advantage of data mining and machine learning to study patterns in the ngerprint distribution. The thesis details the implementation of the navigation and source localization algorithms. In particular, consideration is given to the problem of source localization using a small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). In order to eciently solve this problem, the technique of Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) has been explored. All errors have been quantied and their sensitivities are determined.
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Choi, Bumsuk. "Acoustic source localization in 3D complex urban environments." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/27739.
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The detection and localization of important acoustic events in a complex urban environment, such as gunfire and explosions, is critical to providing effective surveillance of military and civilian areas and installations. In a complex environment, obstacles such as terrain or buildings introduce multipath propagations, reflections, and diffractions which make source localization challenging. This dissertation focuses on the problem of source localization in three-dimensional (3D) realistic urban environments. Two different localization techniques are developed to solve this problem: a) Beamforming using a few microphone phased arrays in conjunction with a high fidelity model and b) Fingerprinting using many dispersed microphones in conjunction with a low fidelity model of the environment.
For an effective source localization technique using microphone phased arrays, several candidate beamformers are investigated using 2D and corresponding 3D numerical models. Among them, the most promising beamformers are chosen for further investigation using 3D large models. For realistic validation, localization error of the beamformers is analyzed for different levels of uncorrelated noise in the environment. Multiple-array processing is also considered to improve the overall localization performance. The sensitivity of the beamformers to uncertainties that cannot be easily accounted for (e.g. temperature gradient and unmodeled object) is then investigated. It is observed that evaluation in 3D models is critical to assess correctly the potential of the localization technique. The enhanced minimum variance distortionless response (EMVDR) is identified to be the only beamformer that has super-directivity property (i.e. accurate localization capability) and still robust to uncorrelated noise in the environment. It is
also demonstrated that the detrimental effect of uncertainties in the modeling of the environment can be alleviated by incoherent multiple arrays. For efficient source localization technique using dispersed microphones in the environment, acoustic fingerprinting in conjunction with a diffused-based energy model is developed as an alternative to the beamforming technique. This approach is much simpler requiring only microphones rather than arrays. Moreover, it does not require an accurate modeling of the acoustic environment. The approach is validated using the 3D large models. The relationship between the localization accuracy and the number of dispersed microphones is investigated. The effect of the accuracy of the model is also addressed. The results show a progressive improvement in the source localization capabilities as the number of microphones increases. Moreover, it is shown that the fingerprints do not need to be very accurate for successful localization if enough microphones are dispersed in the environment.Ph. D.
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Kloster, Kyle. "Graph diffusions and matrix functions| Fast algorithms and localization results." Thesis, Purdue University, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10149739.
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Network analysis provides tools for addressing fundamental applications in graphs such as webpage ranking, protein-function prediction, and product categorization and recommendation. As real-world networks grow to have millions of nodes and billions of edges, the scalability of network analysis algorithms becomes increasingly important. Whereas many standard graph algorithms rely on matrix-vector operations that require exploring the entire graph, this thesis is concerned with graph algorithms that are local (that explore only the graph region near the nodes of interest) as well as the localized behavior of global algorithms. We prove that two well-studied matrix functions for graph analysis, PageRank and the matrix exponential, stay localized on networks that have a skewed degree sequence related to the power-law degree distribution common to many real-world networks. Our results give the first theoretical explanation of a localization phenomenon that has long been observed in real-world networks. We prove our novel method for the matrix exponential converges in sublinear work on graphs with the specified degree sequence, and we adapt our method to produce the first deterministic algorithm for computing the related heat kernel diffusion in constant-time. Finally, we generalize this framework to compute any graph diffusion in constant time.
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Himstedt, Marian. "Localization of autonomous ground vehicles in dense urban environments." Master's thesis, HTW Dresden, 2014. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:520-qucosa-126122.
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The localization of autonomous ground vehicles in dense urban environments poses a challenge.
Applications in classical outdoor robotics rely on the availability of GPS
systems in order to estimate the position. However, the presence of complex building structures in dense urban environments hampers a reliable localization based on GPS. Alternative approaches have to be applied In order to tackle this problem.
This thesis proposes an approach which combines observations of a single perspective camera and odometry in a probabilistic framework. In particular, the localization in the space of appearance is addressed. First, a topological map of reference places in the environment is built. Each reference place is associated with a set of visual features.
A feature selection is carried out in order to obtain distinctive reference
places. The topological map is extended to a hybrid representation by the use of metric information from Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and satellite images.
The localization is solved in terms of the recognition of reference places. A particle lter implementation incorporating this and the vehicle's odometry is presented.
The proposed system is evaluated based on multiple experiments in exemplary urban environments characterized by high building structures and a multitude of dynamic objects.
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O'neal, Blaire. "Testing the Feasibility of Bioacoustic Localization in Urban Environments." Scholar Commons, 2014. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/5088.
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Bioacoustics is a relatively new field of research focused on studying the acoustic signals of vocal animal species. The field has been a topic of interest for many years due its passive approach and avoidance of species-level limitations, such as tracking rare or nocturnal species. It has been used to locate birds in terrestrial environments; however, localization in urban environments remains unstudied. This research aims to fill the gap by attempting to estimate the location of 30 discrete calls in eight unique, urban environments. Sites represented two distinct traffic scenarios: moderate traffic and high traffic. Three system arrays of three different sizes utilizing the Song Meter SM2+ units were tested at each site to determine the effect of array size on call visibility and location estimation. An American robin (Turdus migratorius) distress call was played through a loudspeaker at the thirty locations for each array. The spectrogram of each of these calls was examined to determine the number of channels with a visible call signature. If the file contained at least one visible call per song meter (36% of our sound files), cross correlation was used to determine the differences in the time of arrival of calls at all the microphones in the array, called lag values, which were used to calculate the origin location of the call. However, resulting lag values in this study were too large to produce reliable location estimates. This was likely due to imprecise synchronization in the field or poorly defined calls within the spectrograms. Our overall low visibility is likely a result of the high signal to noise ratio common in urban environments. Further research is necessary to continue to test the viability of acoustic localization in urban environments.
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Miron, Marie-Joëlle. "Studies on the localization and functions of the adenovirus E4orf4 protein." Thesis, McGill University, 2006. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=103173.
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The adenovirus protein E4orf4 kills cancer cells but not normal primary cells. The possibility of developing a drug that mimics the killing by E4orf4 for cancer therapy is therefore of great interest but its mechanisms of action first need to be elucidated. Studies over the past decade have shown that E4orf4 induces p53-independent, caspase-independent cell death in a PP2A Balpha-dependent manner. In an effort to better understand its mechanism of action and identify putative cell death targets, the localization to function relationship of E4orf4-induced cell death was investigated. Here, I show that E4orf4 has a predominant nuclear localization following expression even though small amounts are observed in the cytoplasm and that, in addition, it can induce cell death both from the nucleus and from the cytoplasm when artificially targeted to these sites using well-characterized, exogenous localization signals. Furthermore, I identify an arginine-rich signal in E4orf4 spanning residues 66 to 75 (E4ARM) that mediates nuclear and nucleolar localization of E4orf4 and I show that, importantly, it contributes to at least 50% of E4orf4-induced cell death activity. Finally, I demonstrate that wild-type E4orf4 associates with several nuclear bodies such as viral replication centers, nucleoli, perinuclear bodies and PML bodies during adenovirus infection but that association with these structures is not essential for virus growth as mutants that are defective for E4orf4 expression generally replicate as efficiently as wild-type virus. However, I also show that a virus encoding a mutant form of E4orf4 accumulating at PML bodies during infection has a dominant negative effect on virus growth, thus highlighting the functional importance of nuclear bodies during cellular growth and adenovirus infection.
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Kelpsch, Daniel J. "Defining the nuclear localization and functions of actin in Drosophila oogenesis." Diss., University of Iowa, 2018. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/6598.
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While actin was discovered in the nucleus over 50 years ago, research lagged for decades due to strong skepticism. The revitalization of research into nuclear actin occurred after it was found that cellular stresses both induce the nuclear localization and alter the structure of nuclear actin. These studies provided the first hints that actin has a nuclear function. Subsequently, it was established that the nuclear import and export of actin is highly regulated. While the structures of nuclear actin remain unclear, it can function as monomers, polymers, and even rods. Furthermore, even within a given structure, distinct pools of nuclear actin that can be differentially labeled have been identified. Numerous mechanistic studies have uncovered an array of functions for nuclear actin. It regulates the activity of RNA polymerases, as well as specific transcription factors. Actin also modulates the activity of several chromatin remodeling complexes and histone deacetylases, to ultimately impinge on transcriptional programing and DNA damage repair. Further, nuclear actin mediates chromatin movement and organization. It has roles in meiosis and mitosis, and these functions may be functionally conserved from ancient bacterial actin homologs. The structure and integrity of the nuclear envelope and sub-nuclear compartments are also regulated by nuclear actin. Furthermore, nuclear actin contributes to human diseases like cancer, neurodegeneration, and myopathies. The work presented in this thesis aims to describe the nuclear localization and functions of actin during Drosophila oogenesis.
Drosophila oogenesis, i.e. follicle development, provides a developmental system with which to study nuclear actin. Follicles are composed of roughly 1000 somatic follicle cells and 16 germline cells, including 15 nurse or support cells and a single oocyte. Follicles progress through a series of 14 morphological stages, from the germanium to Stage 14 (S14). Ovary staining using the anti-actin C4 antibody reveals one pool of nuclear actin during early oogenesis (germarium through S9), including in the germline and somatic stem cells, a subset of mitotic follicles cells, and a subset of nurse cells during S5-S9. Cofilin and Profilin, which regulate the nuclear import and export of actin, also localize to the nuclei. Expression of GFP-tagged actin results in nuclear actin rod formation. These findings indicate that nuclear actin is tightly regulated during oogenesis. One factor mediating this regulation is Fascin. Overexpression of Fascin enhances nuclear GFP-Actin rod formation, and Fascin colocalizes with the rods. Loss of Fascin reduces, whereas overexpression of Fascin increases, the frequency of nurse cells with high levels of C4 nuclear actin, but does not alter the overall nuclear level of actin within the ovary. These data suggest that Fascin regulates the ability of specific cells to accumulate C4 nuclear actin. Evidence indicates that Fascin positively regulates C4 nuclear actin through Cofilin. Indeed, loss of Fascin results in decreased nuclear Cofilin. In addition, Fascin and Cofilin genetically interact, as double heterozygotes exhibit a reduction in the number of nurse cells with high C4 nuclear actin levels. Thus, through Cofilin, Fascin positively regulates C4 nuclear actin. These studies identified Fascin as a novel means of nuclear actin regulation.
Having established Drosophila oogenesis as an in vivo, developmental system to study nuclear actin, I sought to identify the functions of nuclear actin. To uncover the functions of nuclear actin, I manipulate nuclear actin levels by blocking its nuclear import (Importin 9) and export (Exportin 6). Knockdown of Importin 9, results in female sterility and defects within the germarium, supporting a role for nuclear actin in stemness. Additionally, reduced Importin 9 levels cause chromatin organization defects. Loss or knockdown of Exportin 6 causes reduced female fertility, abnormal nucleolar morphology, alterations in the nuclear envelope, and aberrant heterochromatin status. These data suggest several functions for nuclear actin in the ovary: nuclear actin is essential for stem cell differentiation, proper chromatin organization and dispersal, nucleolar structure and likely function, nuclear envelope morphology, heterochromatin status and likely gene expression. Ultimately, nuclear actin is absolutely required for the highly conserved process of follicle development.
These studies provide insight into the regulation and function of nuclear actin in Drosophila oogenesis. The data presented here indicate that nuclear actin is critical for chromatin organization, nucleolar morphology, nuclear envelope shape, and heterochromatin status and suggest that nuclear actin ultimately impacts transcription, a process essential for all cells. Considering the high level of sequence and functional conservation of actin, studies in Drosophila oogenesis will provide insight into the conserved functions of nuclear actin in follicle development across higher organisms. The study of nuclear actin in the many cell types of the Drosophila ovary provide insight into the functions of nuclear actin for all cell types across evolution. Further, aberrant nuclear actin regulation has been implicated in several disease states. The studies in Drosophila provide insight into the regulation of nuclear actin and how misregulation contributes to disease states. Together, the data presented in this thesis advance our understanding of the nuclear localization and functions of actin.
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Pavlas, Miroslav. "Ekonomické ukazatele udržitelného urbanistického rozvoje středně velkých měst." Doctoral thesis, Vysoké učení technické v Brně. Fakulta architektury, 2014. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-233268.
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The aim of the thesis is to analyse how to measure an economic pillar of sustainable urban development when it is understood in terms of qualitative city development. This principly means achieving economic prosperity which does not lead to damage of the city areas and decrease the quality of life for its residents. This approach requires the creation of an appropriate set of indicators that will cover qualitative aspects of sustainable economic development. The first section summarizes existing approaches to the definition of sustainable development and ways of measuring both on the Czech and the international level. There are also defined basic characteristics of the urban development which are appropriate to express a qualitative development of the city. The second part is focused on existing ways in which sustainable development is measured, i.e. especially in the context of indicator sets. These are under detailed assessment which aim is to show how useful is to measure the economic sustainability from the qualitative point of view. In this part, the limits of using economic macro aggregates (especially Gross Domestic Product) is emphasized because there are still regarded as one of the key economic indicators of sustainable development. In the next part the thesis deals with the definition of economic prosperity and focuses on the characteristics typical for short, medium and long term perspective. Measurement of sustainable urban development in the short term is based on assessment of financial situation. From the medium-term point of view, it is crucial to assess how the city handles its property, i.e. mainly buildings and land. These property components are substantial for a further direction of city development. In the next section are designed indicators aimed at measuring the ability of the city to maintain a skilled workforce which is one of the most important conditions of long-term economic prosperity. The final theoretical part of the thesis is focused on how the long-term sustainable urban development is to be expressed in an economic way through the assessment of investments in urban infrastructure and its operational efficiency. The designed set of indicators is verified on case studies of three medium-sized Czech cities.
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Richardson, Jason. "Meaning, Functions, and the Promise of Indicator Semantics." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/36636.
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In this thesis, I first present Fred Dretske's theory of mental represent- ations, which purports to show how a physical thing could have (non-derived) meaning. In order to illustrate the applicability of the theory to an actual physical system, I discuss the theory in relation to two theories of audio localization (i.e., the capacity to locate the source of sounds in one's environment). Having clarified the theory, I examine two charges laid against it. Lynne Rudder Baker charges the theory with circularity. Her charge is refuted by appealing to the concept of a "standby function." Stephen Stich charges the theory with vagueness. His charge is refuted by appealing to a general analysis of functions. I conclude that a careful use and analysis of the previously unanalyzed term "function" makes possible the refutation of these two charges.Master of Arts
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Lategahn, Henning [Verfasser]. "Mapping and Localization in Urban Environments Using Cameras / Henning Lategahn." Karlsruhe : KIT Scientific Publishing, 2014. http://www.ksp.kit.edu.
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Chu, Yan-shuen Jessica. "Secretin in the rat hypothalamo-pituitary system localization, release mechanisms, and functions /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2004. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B31367781.
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Chu, Yan-shuen Jessica, and 朱恩璿. "Secretin in the rat hypothalamo-pituitary system: localization, release mechanisms, and functions." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2004. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31367781.
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Hancock, Holly Elizabeth. "Age and functional asymmetry : do lateralized functions decline differentially with age?" Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/28661.
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Webster, Jonathan Michael. "A Localization Solution for an Autonomous Vehicle in an Urban Environment." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/30856.
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Localization is an essential part of any autonomous vehicle. In a simple setting, the localization problem is almost trivial, and can be solved sufficiently using simple dead reckoning or an off-the-shelf GPS with differential corrections. However, as the surroundings become more complex, so does the localization problem. The urban environment is a prime example of a situation in which a vehicle's surroundings complicate the problem of position estimation. The urban setting is marked by tall structures, overpasses, and tunnels. Each of these can corrupt GPS satellite signals, or completely obscure them, making it impossible to rely on GPS alone. Dead reckoning is still a useful tool in this environment, but as is always the case, measurement and modeling errors inherent in dead reckoning systems will cause the position solution to drift as the vehicle travels eventually leading to a solution that is completely diverged from the true position of the vehicle.
The most widely implemented method of combining the absolute and relative position measurements provided by GPS and dead reckoning sensors is the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF). The implementation discussed in this paper uses two Kalman Filters to track two completely separate position solutions. It uses GPS/INS and odometry to track the Absolute Position of the vehicle in the Global frame, and simultaneously uses odometry alone to compute the vehicle's position in an arbitrary Local frame. The vehicle is then able to use the Absolute position estimate to navigate on the global scale, i.e. navigate toward globally referenced checkpoints, and use the Relative position estimate to make local navigation decisions, i.e. navigating around obstacles and following lanes.
This localization solution was used on team VictorTango's 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge entry, Odin. Odin successfully completed the Urban Challenge and placed third overall.Master of Science
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Dogruer, Can Ulas. "Global Urban Localization Of An Outdoor Mobile Robot Using Satellite Images." Phd thesis, METU, 2009. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12610446/index.pdf.
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In this dissertation, the mapping of outdoor environments and localization of a mobile robot in that setting is considered. It is well known that in the absence of a map or precise pose estimates, localization and mapping is a coupled problem. However, in this dissertation this problem is decoupled in to two disjoint stepsmapping and localization on the acquired map. First the images of the outdoor environment is downloaded from a website such as Google Earth and then these images are processed by utilizing several artificial neural network topologies to create maps. Once these maps are obtained, the localization is done by using Monte Carlo localization. This dissertation addresses a solution for the information which is most of the time taken for granted in most studies
a prior map of environment. Mapping is solved by using a novel approach
the map of the environment is created by processing satellite images. Several global localization techniques are developed and evaluated to be used with these map so as to localize a mobile robot globally. The outcome of this novel approach presented here may serve as a virtual GPS. Mobile phone applications can localize a user within a circle of uncertainty without GPS. This crude localization may be used to download relevant satellite images of the local environment. Once the mobile robot is localized on the map created from the satellite images by using available techniques in the literature i.e. Monte Carlo localization, it may be claimed that it is localized on Earth.
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Obst, Marcus. "Bayesian Approach for Reliable GNSS-based Vehicle Localization in Urban Areas." Doctoral thesis, Universitätsbibliothek Chemnitz, 2015. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:ch1-qucosa-162894.
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Nowadays, satellite-based localization is a well-established technical solution to support several navigation tasks in daily life. Besides the application inside of portable devices, satellite-based positioning is used for in-vehicle navigation systems as well. Moreover, due to its global coverage and the availability of inexpensive receiver hardware it is an appealing technology for numerous applications in the area of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSs). However, it has to be admitted that most of the aforementioned examples either rely on modest accuracy requirements or are not sensitive to temporary integrity violations. Although technical concepts of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADASs) based on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) have been successfully demonstrated under open sky conditions, practice reveals that such systems suffer from degraded satellite signal quality when put into urban areas. Thus, the main research objective of this thesis is to provide a reliable vehicle positioning concept which can be used in urban areas without the aforementioned limitations. Therefore, an integrated probabilistic approach which preforms fault detection & exclusion, localization and multi-sensor data fusion within one unified Bayesian framework is proposed. From an algorithmic perspective, the presented concept is based on a probabilistic data association technique with explicit handling of outlier measurements as present in urban areas. By that approach, the accuracy, integrity and availability are improved at the same time, that is, a consistent positioning solution is provided. In addition, a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of typical errors in urban areas within the pseudorange domain is performed. Based on this analysis, probabilistic models are proposed and later on used to facilitate the positioning algorithm. Moreover, the presented concept clearly targets towards mass-market applications based on low-cost receivers and hence aims to replace costly sensors by smart algorithms. The benefits of these theoretical contributions are implemented and demonstrated on the example of a real-time vehicle positioning prototype as used inside of the European research project GAlileo Interactive driviNg (GAIN). This work describes all necessary parts of this system including GNSS signal processing, fault detection and multi-sensor data fusion within one processing chain. Finally, the performance and benefits of the proposed concept are examined and validated both with simulated and comprehensive real-world sensor data from numerous test drives.
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Reed, Darrin Kiyoshi. "Virtual audio localization with simulated early-reflections and generalized head-related transfer functions." Thesis, Montana State University, 2009. http://etd.lib.montana.edu/etd/2009/reed/ReedD1209.pdf.
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In a natural sonic environment a listener is accustomed to hearing reflections and reverberation. It is conceived that early reflections could reduce front-back confusion in synthetic 3-D audio. This thesis describes experiments which seek to determine whether or not simulated reflections can reduce front-back confusions for audio presented with non-individualized head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) via headphones. To measure the contribution of the reflections, 13 human subjects participated in localization experiments which compared their localization ability with anechoic HRTF processing versus HRTF processing with a single early-reflection. The results were highly subject dependent; some showed improvement while others seemed to be inhibited by the reflections. Statistical analysis of the overall results concluded that a single reflection does not provide a significant difference in localization ability. Although this data rejects the hypothesis of this investigation, some suspicion regarding the contribution of lateral reflections in an auditory environment remains.
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Slater, John Gilmour. "Pictorial images of urban Australia 1919-1945 : attitudes and functions." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.364430.
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Marshall, Charminn Bleuzette. "Exploring the Functions of Alumni Associations at Selected Urban Universities." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1243357520.
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Mattern, Norman [Verfasser]. "Multi-Sensor Vehicle Localization in Urban Environments using Image Prediction / Norman Mattern." Aachen : Shaker, 2015. http://d-nb.info/107408750X/34.
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Hata, Alberto Yukinobu. "Road features detection and sparse map-based vehicle localization in urban environments." Universidade de São Paulo, 2016. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/55/55134/tde-08062017-090428/.
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Localization is one of the fundamental components of autonomous vehicles by enabling tasks as overtaking, lane keeping and self-navigation. Urban canyons and bad weather interfere with the reception of GPS satellite signal which prohibits the exclusive use of such technology for vehicle localization in urban places. Alternatively, map-aided localization methods have been employed to enable position estimation without the dependence on GPS devices. In this solution, the vehicle position is given as the place that best matches the sensor measurement to the environment map. Before building the maps, feature sof the environment must be extracted from sensor measurements. In vehicle localization, curbs and road markings have been extensively employed as mapping features. However, most of the urban mapping methods rely on a street free of obstacles or require repetitive measurements of the same place to avoid occlusions. The construction of an accurate representation of the environment is necessary for a proper match of sensor measurements to the map during localization. To prevent the necessity of a manual process to remove occluding obstacles and unobserved areas, a vehicle localization method that supports maps built from partial observations of the environment is proposed. In this localization system,maps are formed by curb and road markings extracted from multilayer laser sensor measurements. Curb structures are detected even in the presence of vehicles that occlude the roadsides, thanks to the use of robust regression. Road markings detector employs Otsu thresholding to analyze infrared remittance data which makes the method insensitive to illumination. Detected road features are stored in two map representations: occupancy grid map (OGM) and Gaussian process occupancy map (GPOM). The first approach is a popular map structure that represents the environment through fine-grained grids. The second approach is a continuous representation that can estimate the occupancy of unseen areas. The Monte Carlo localization (MCL) method was adapted to support the obtained maps of the urban environment. In this sense, vehicle localization was tested in an MCL that supports OGM and an MCL that supports GPOM. Precisely, for MCL based on GPOM, a new measurement likelihood based on multivariate normal probability density function is formulated. Experiments were performed in real urban environments. Maps were built using sparse laser data to verify there ronstruction of non-observed areas. The localization system was evaluated by comparing the results with a high precision GPS device. Results were also compared with localization based on OGM.No contexto de veículos autônomos, a localização é um dos componentes fundamentais, pois possibilita tarefas como ultrapassagem, direção assistida e navegação autônoma. A presença de edifícios e o mau tempo interferem na recepção do sinal de GPS que consequentemente dificulta o uso de tal tecnologia para a localização de veículos dentro das cidades. Alternativamente, a localização com suporte aos mapas vem sendo empregada para estimar a posição sem a dependência do GPS. Nesta solução, a posição do veículo é dada pela região em que ocorre a melhor correspondência entre o mapa do ambiente e a leitura do sensor. Antes da criação dos mapas, características dos ambientes devem ser extraídas a partir das leituras dos sensores. Dessa forma, guias e sinalizações horizontais têm sido largamente utilizados para o mapeamento. Entretanto, métodos de mapeamento urbano geralmente necessitam de repetidas leituras do mesmo lugar para compensar as oclusões. A construção de representações precisas dos ambientes é essencial para uma adequada associação dos dados dos sensores como mapa durante a localização. De forma a evitar a necessidade de um processo manual para remover obstáculos que causam oclusão e áreas não observadas, propõe-se um método de localização de veículos com suporte aos mapas construídos a partir de observações parciais do ambiente. No sistema de localização proposto, os mapas são construídos a partir de guias e sinalizações horizontais extraídas a partir de leituras de um sensor multicamadas. As guias podem ser detectadas mesmo na presença de veículos que obstruem a percepção das ruas, por meio do uso de regressão robusta. Na detecção de sinalizações horizontais é empregado o método de limiarização por Otsu que analisa dados de reflexão infravermelho, o que torna o método insensível à variação de luminosidade. Dois tipos de mapas são empregados para a representação das guias e das sinalizações horizontais: mapa de grade de ocupação (OGM) e mapa de ocupação por processo Gaussiano (GPOM). O OGM é uma estrutura que representa o ambiente por meio de uma grade reticulada. OGPOM é uma representação contínua que possibilita a estimação de áreas não observadas. O método de localização por Monte Carlo (MCL) foi adaptado para suportar os mapas construídos. Dessa forma, a localização de veículos foi testada em MCL com suporte ao OGM e MCL com suporte ao GPOM. No caso do MCL baseado em GPOM, um novo modelo de verossimilhança baseado em função densidade probabilidade de distribuição multi-normal é proposto. Experimentos foram realizados em ambientes urbanos reais. Mapas do ambiente foram gerados a partir de dados de laser esparsos de forma a verificar a reconstrução de áreas não observadas. O sistema de localização foi avaliado por meio da comparação das posições estimadas comum GPS de alta precisão. Comparou-se também o MCL baseado em OGM com o MCL baseado em GPOM, de forma a verificar qual abordagem apresenta melhores resultados.
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Mambwe, Kelvin. "Mobility, identity and localization of language in multilingual contexts of urban Lusaka." Thesis, University of Western Cape, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/3349.
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Philosophiae Doctor - PhDThis study explores Mobility, Identity and Localization of Language in Multilingual Contexts of Urban Lusaka. By examining data from different sites of language practices of Lusaka urbanites, that include, casual and formal conversations, Zambian popular music, computer mediated discourses and advertisements; the study shows how interlocutors creatively draw on their extended communicative repertoire to make meaning, transform social structures/roles and stylize modern identities. Accordingly, the study consolidates the recent sociolinguistic theoretical position that views language as social practice and privileges speakers as social actors in shaping and recreating language. In this regard, the study foregrounds language as localized social practice and argues against the idea that language is homogenous and a bounded system. In doing so, the study adds to recent sociolinguistic theorizing calling for a paradigm shift to language studies. Therefore, the main research question that the study addresses, relates to how Lusaka urban dwellers achieve their mediated agency, voice and actorhood through linguistic choices during interactions in various social contexts of modern Lusaka. In turn, the question relates to how urbanites use language as localized social practice to maintain, transform and reproduce social structures/roles and identities in modern Lusaka. Owing to the type of data the study collected, a multifaceted methodological and analytical approach was employed for both data collection and analysis. Informed by a descriptive research design, the study used focus group discussions and individual key-informant interviews to collect data from casual and formal conversations. Data from Zambian popular music were purposively sampled from Youtube.com and music CDs. In addition, group/individual interviews with musicians were conducted in order to supplement data collected from music CDs and video sources. Data from online discourses were collected from the Facebook platform and from two Zambian based online news blogs, while data from print advertisements were collected through the capturing of images on billboards around Lusaka city as well as advertisements from newspapers and internet sites. Television and radio advertisements were recorded from the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation TV and radio channels. All the data collected from these sources were generally analyzed using Conversational Analysis, Facework Negotiation Theory, Multimodal Discourse Analysis and its cognate analytical tools such as Resemiotisation, Semiotic Remediation, Intertextuality, Multivocality and Dialogism. The study shows that message consumption is not a function of isolated semiotic resource but a combination of semiotic material drawn from semiotics that people are familiar with. The study thus argues that social meaning is steeped into social and cultural experiences of the speakers and that any study of language practices in such contexts should take into account the multifaceted nature of human communication. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that given the advancements in communication technology and mobility of semiotic resources across modes which have largely contributed to a reconceptualization of the nature of human language, any study of language in social contexts ought to account for other meaning making semiosis in both methodological and approaches to data collection and analysis, respectively. The study further shows how interactants in late modern settings of Lusaka stylize their multiple identities by dissolving the traditional linguistic boundaries through use of the extended linguistic repertoire. In this vein, the study demonstrates that social identity is a dynamic aspect of social life which is actively negotiated and performed through speakers' linguistic choices. In this respect, the study finds that speakers simultaneously stylize translocal hybrid identities which include urban versus rural, modern versus traditional, African versus Christian (Western fused) as well as gendered ones, through their use of different linguistic choices. Furthermore, the study finds that language borders and domains of language use are permeable. In this regard, the study demonstrates how Lusaka urban speakers use localized language forms to colonize the formal spaces thereby challenging the dominant ideologies about language as a fixed, impermeable and a bounded system. In the process of colonizing formal spaces using localized language forms, the study shows how speakers perform acts of humour, role play, face saving, identity and meaning enhancement. In turn these localized repertoires are drawn upon as resources to accomplish different tasks which would not be accomplished if only a 'single' language were to be used. In this regard, the study views language as a resource that transcends the role of meaning making. In addition, the study shows how, through the use of localized repertoires in formal spaces, speakers transform traditions and modernity into a hybrid space which identifies them as having multiple identities. This demonstrates that speakers in such modern settings use language as a resource to accomplish several things at once. It also highlights speakers’ agency in recreating language as well as transforming their social spaces. The findings of the study entail contributions to recent arguments on language that view it not as an autonomous system but rather as embedded in people’s social interactions. It demonstrates that languages have no clear-cut borders.The study also contributes to methodological and analytical approaches to the study of language in recent times. In addition, the study adds new knowledge to our understanding of identity as a performative act which is actively negotiated for as people interact in different social contexts. This implies that identity is not a fixed thing as traditionally conceived. Ultimately, the study calls for a rethinking of our conception of language and identity considering modernity practices.
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Moafipoor, Shahram, Lydia Bock, Jeffrey A. Fayman, Gerry Mader, and Michael Strong. "Collaborative Environment Learning: The Key to Localization of Soldiers in Urban Environments." International Foundation for Telemetering, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/606113.
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ITC/USA 2009 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Fifth Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 26-29, 2009 / Riviera Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, NevadaSeveral navigation technologies exist, which can facilitate the generation of Time Space Positioning Information (TSPI) in urban environments. These include GPS, image-based localization, radio-based localization and dead reckoning. This paper first presents a basic overview of these techniques including advantages and limitations of each. We present an approach to localization in urban environments, based on environment learning and collaborative navigation using multiple homogeneous and non-homogeneous localization technologies, fused to form a multi-sensor system.
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Nehl, Marthe. "Urban Curation - An explorative study on understandings, roles and functions of curating practices in urban contexts." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-22356.
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Curating practices appear in various fields as a common practice of immaterial labour today. To ‘curate’ is an active verb that suggests ‘doing’ something. Seldom if ever are the implications of curating critically discussed outside the arts, and this provides a reason for this thesis to investigate. What does ‘to curate’ mean, imply or suggest in the urban context? How are urban curatorial practices legitimized and where can they contribute to urban planning? Embedded in contemporary urban challenges and the “state of crisis” often referred to, this paper introduces curating as an emerging cultural practice into this field. A vital part of the discussion this thesis opens up, is where art can become part of urban planning. Noting that the relationship between arts and urban environments is ambivalent, since the arts’ symbolic power is recognized within international competition of cities, it is about the margin between the field of arts and urban development. By laying a groundwork of contemporary curatorial understandings in the arts, the paper gives an overview on the existing notions and practices of ‘urban curation’ and highlights that there are strong positions but no existing definition as such. A look into urban planning theory pinpoints the crucial role of economic growth and its implications for the organization of urban developments under the term neoliberalism, a condition in which festivals replace urban development policies and culture becomes a structuring element. The occurrence of projects as organizational structure dominates and challenges long term developments. This constitutes the framework in which the paper discusses three very different project examples from Hamburg, Liverpool and Vienna for closer analysis. Between preservation and management, arranging and staging curating can alternatively be understood as an epistemology producing new knowledge. By cross-referencing between the arts, where the critical discussion on curating is held, and urban planning and architecture, where curatorial practice is applied, the paper suggests strengthening the critical discourse on the relevance and use of cultural practices in urban studies.
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Pham, Hoang. "A perturbation solution for forced response of systems displaying eigenvalue veering and mode localization." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/19120.
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Ward, Nicholas M. "The assessment of behavioural deficits following focal cerebral ischemia." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/14698.
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Evaluating the efficacy of neuroprotective drugs in rat models of focal cerebral ischemia has involved histological and behavioural batteries to examine pathology and sensorimotor function. However, the behavioural tests used provide little insight into the nature of the neurological impairments. In an effort to gain further insight into the behavioural impairment following ischemic lesions, a battery of tasks were used. The tasks included tests of sensorimotor, motor (paw use), motivation, sensory and attentional function. The use of the potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 has allowed cerebral arteries to be occluded. This can be used to occlude the MCA (which is a common target of ischemia research), as well as other arteries, such as the ACA. Typically quantitative volumetric analysis has used nissl stains to assess lesion extent. However, alternative markers of tissue dysfunction are available including GFAP to assess the astroglial response to ischemia. Consequently cresyl violet and GFAP were compared along with different methods for calculating lesion volume. The boundaries of the lesion identified using the two stains corresponded closely providing care was taken when calculating lesion volume to avoid distortion from histological procedures and edema. Following MCA occlusion the rats displayed unilateral somatosensory and motor deficits, however there was no evidence of attentional dysfunction. Performance in the covert orienting task was compared with striatal dopamine depletion and with a posterior parietal cortical lesion. Neither of these manipulations resulted in deficits of covert orienting. Furthermore, the behavioural consequences of ACA occlusion were studied in two experiments using reaction time tasks designed to dissociate response impairments from dysfunction of motivation and attention. The ACA ischemic damage did not disrupt motivation or attention, however, the results were consistent with an impairment in selecting and initiating responses.
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Andersson, Erik. "Managing the urban greens : maintaining ecological functions in human dominated landscapes /." Stockholm : Department of Systems Ecology, Stockholm University, 2007. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-6982.
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Naylor, Gregory Ian. "The Executive Functions of Rejected Children in an Urban Elementary School." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2013. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/214777.
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School PsychologyPh.D.
The relationship between Executive Functions and Peer Rejection was explored. Thirty-Five students in an urban elementary school, (mean 10.7 years of age (sd=2.8), 34% male, and 88% African American) completed measures of executive functions: KABC-II Rover, The Wisconsin Card Sort and NEPSY-II Statue (below age 9) or The Iowa Gambling Task (age 9 and up). Classmates reported who was not a preferred play mate: a measure of rejection. Executive Functions were not significantly related to Rejection across the sample, but among the children with the lowest Executive Functions, The Wisconsin Card Sort was significantly negatively related to Rejection (-0.61, p = .04) suggesting poor Cognitive Flexibility may be a risk factor for Rejection. Performance on the Iowa Gambling Task was found to be positively correlated with Rejection (0.4, p = .008) suggesting that high impulse control may also be a risk factor for rejection among adolescents. This was consistent with a finding of a positive correlation between Office Discipline Referrals and popularity (.4, p = .008) among the sample. Implications for practice are also discussed including the difficulty of managing behavior when bad behavior is related to popularity. Keywords: Iowa Gambling Task, Wisconsin Card Sort, Peer Rejection, Executive Functions, Urban children.
Temple University--Theses
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Bartsch-Heuckmann, Susanne Agnes. "Localization and possible functions of the extracellular matrix molecule tenascin in the central nervous system /." [S.l.] : [s.n.], 1994. http://e-collection.ethbib.ethz.ch/show?type=diss&nr=10484.
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Shih, Wan-Yu. "Optimising urban green networks in Taipei City : linking ecological and social functions in urban green space systems." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2010. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/optimising-urban-green-networks-in-taipei-city-linking-ecological-and-socal-functions-in-urban-green-space-systems(eca36d35-4470-4fdf-a766-ba9eebe5ca63).html.
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With the global population becoming more urban and less rural, increasingly research has argued for concepts such as establish Green Infrastructure (GI) as a tool for enhancing wildlife survival and human’s living quality (e.g. Harrison et al., 1995; Benedict and McMahon, 2006). However, an interdisciplinary planning approach underpinned by ecological and social evidence has not yet been fully developed. This research therefore seeks to integrate an ecological network with a green space planning standard by exploring the use of biotope and sociotope mapping methods. Seeking a comprehensive planning that takes all green resources into account, a green space typology is firstly developed according to Taiwanese contexts for identifying green spaces from land use maps. In order to specify effective features of these green spaces to bird survival and user preferences, an insight was conducted into the relationship of ‘birds and urban habitats’, as well as ‘human preferred urban green spaces’ in Taipei City. Important environmental factors influencing bird distribution and influencing human experiences in urban green spaces are respectively specified and developed into an ecological value index (EVI) to detail potential habitats and a social value index (SVI) to evaluate recreational green space provision. Interestingly, proximity to green space appears to plays a more critical role in human preferences than bird survival in Taipei city; size is important both as a habitat and for creating an attractive green space; and green space quality tends to be a more significant factor than its structure for both wildlife and people. Utilising the bio-sociotope maps, this thesis argues for a number of strategies: conserving, enlarging, or creating large green spaces in green space deficient areas; increasing ecological and recreational value by enhancing green space quality of specific characteristics; and tackling gravity distance by combining green space accessibility and attractiveness in optimising urban green structure. As these suggestions are a challenge to apply in intensively developed urban areas, barriers from land use, political mechanisms, technical shortages, and cultural characteristics are also explored with possible resolutions presented for facilitating implementation. It is clear that optimising a multifunctional GI for both wildlife and people requires interdisciplinary knowledge and cooperation from various fields. The EVI and SVI developed within this thesis create the potential for a more place-specific and quantifiable green spaces strategy to help better link ecological and social functions in urban areas.
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Chuasomboon, Sasit. "A comparison of ranging and localization techniques in indoor, urban, and tunnel environments." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Kommunikationssystem, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-94517.
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Localization in wireless network sensors is an attractive research area nowadays. It is widely used in many applications e.g., indoor/outdoor asset tracking, intrusion detection, search-and-rescue, road traffic monitoring, and water quality monitoring. An accuracy and robustness to noise are important issues for localization which is needed to study and research to find the best solution. This thesis compares a ranging and localization techniques in indoor, urban and tunnel through a high performance ray-tracing simulator, Wireless InSiteR . Ranging techniques are based on two standard distance related measurement schemes e.g., RSS and TOA. A linearized least squares technique with reference node selection approach is chosen to estimate unknown nodes positions. Indoor and urban area are built-in floor plan and terrain available in simulator program, while tunnel is designed. In general, localization accuracy suffers from multipath and NLOS condition. This thesis also observes characteristic of them from ray-tracing method perspective. Firstly, important simulation parameters such as number ofreflections/diffractions, types of waveform, and types of antenna are analyzed oneach environments. Then, the models for distance estimation based on RSS and TOA measurements are created using measurements in simulated environments. The thesis proposes four scenarios for distance estimation model. They are line-of-sight (LOS), non-line-of-sight (NLOS), combination of LOS and NLOS, and NLOS with obstacle. All four scenarios models are derived along with model error distribution to observe characteristic of noise due to multipath and NLOS condition. Finally, the localization using only LOS condition measurements, is tested on each environment and compared results in term of accuracy.
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Philipp, Frank [Verfasser]. "Multiple camera road perception and lane level localization in urban areas / Frank Philipp." Berlin : Freie Universität Berlin, 2021. http://d-nb.info/122943674X/34.
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Jin, Craig. "Spectral analysis and resolving spatial ambiguities in human sound localization." University of Sydney, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/1342.
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Doctor of PhilosophyThis dissertation provides an overview of my research over the last five years into the spectral analysis involved in human sound localization. The work involved conducting psychophysical tests of human auditory localization performance and then applying analytical techniques to analyze and explain the data. It is a fundamental thesis of this work that human auditory localization response directions are primarily driven by the auditory localization cues associated with the acoustic filtering properties of the external auditory periphery, i.e., the head, torso, shoulder, neck, and external ears. This work can be considered as composed of three parts. In the first part of this work, I compared the auditory localization performance of a human subject and a time-delay neural network model under three sound conditions: broadband, high-pass, and low-pass. A “black-box” modeling paradigm was applied. The modeling results indicated that training the network to localize sounds of varying center-frequency and bandwidth could degrade localization performance results in a manner demonstrating some similarity to human auditory localization performance. As the data collected during the network modeling showed that humans demonstrate striking localization errors when tested using bandlimited sound stimuli, the second part of this work focused on human sound localization of bandpass filtered noise stimuli. Localization data was collected from 5 subjects and for 7 sound conditions: 300 Hz to 5 kHz, 300 Hz to 7 kHz, 300 Hz to 10 kHz, 300 Hz to 14 kHz, 3 to 8 kHz, 4 to 9 kHz, and 7 to 14 kHz. The localization results were analyzed using the method of cue similarity indices developed by Middlebrooks (1992). The data indicated that the energy level in relatively wide frequency bands could be driving the localization response directions, just as in Butler’s covert peak area model (see Butler and Musicant, 1993). The question was then raised as to whether the energy levels in the various frequency bands, as described above, are most likely analyzed by the human auditory localization system on a monaural or an interaural basis. In the third part of this work, an experiment was conducted using virtual auditory space sound stimuli in which the monaural spectral cues for auditory localization were disrupted, but the interaural spectral difference cue was preserved. The results from this work showed that the human auditory localization system relies primarily on a monaural analysis of spectral shape information for its discrimination of directions on the cone of confusion. The work described in the three parts lead to the suggestion that a spectral contrast model based on overlapping frequency bands of varying bandwidth and perhaps multiple frequency scales can provide a reasonable algorithm for explaining much of the current psychophysical and neurophysiological data related to human auditory localization.
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Zhang, Yi. "Studies of heparanase (HPA) gene expression, cellular localization and functions in neural tissues of the rat." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2007. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B39634061.
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Cassella, Lucia [Verfasser], and Anne [Akademischer Betreuer] Ephrussi. "Landscape and functions of RNA localization in the Drosophila follicular epithelium / Lucia Cassella ; Betreuer: Anne Ephrussi." Heidelberg : Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg, 2021. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-heidok-289145.
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Riley, Christopher B. "Quantifying the Ecosystem Services and Functions of Forests across Diverse Urban Landscapes." The Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1574414361328737.
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Saravis, Susan Ilene. "Spatial memory in rats with lesions to the region of the mammillary bodies." Thesis, McGill University, 1987. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=75449.
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The objective of this investigation was to determine whether lesions to the region of the mammillary bodies of rats impair performance on various learning and memory tasks. It was demonstrated that such lesions are sufficient to impair performance on tasks that require memory for spatial information. Deficits were found in both working and reference memory paradigms, with more severe impairments in the former. Ability to discriminate spatial location was not affected when delay was minimal, but retention was progressively impaired as delay was increased. A dissociation in the effect of the lesions on performance of analogous spatial and nonspatial tasks was observed. The lesions did not impair the learning of a visual discrimination/reversal, or a conditioned taste aversion. It is concluded that lesions to the region of the mammillary bodies have a selective effect on spatial learning and memory. The relevance of these findings to Korsakoff's psychosis is discussed.
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Dorsaint-Pierre, Raquel. "Revisiting the function-structure polemic : examining the relationship between language lateralization and the neuroanatomical asymmetries in Heschl's gyrus, the planum temporale, and Broca's area." Thesis, McGill University, 2005. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=85153.
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This doctoral work consists of several studies that investigated the relationship between language lateralization and structural asymmetries found in auditory and language-related regions of the human brain. Language lateralization was determined via the intracarotid Sodium Amytal procedure in epilepsy patients. In study 1, three groups of patients were investigated: a left speech group (LSG); a right speech group (RSG); and a bilateral speech group (BSG). Two auditory cortex regions: Heschl's gyrus (HG) and the planum temporale (PT) were labelled on the magnetic resonance imaging scan of each subject. Additionally, an automatic voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis was performed. The overall findings suggested that the structural asymmetries found in the auditory regions did not clearly and directly relate to language lateralization. The VBM analysis, however, revealed a grey matter concentration difference in the region of Broca's area favoring the left hemisphere (LH) in the LSG, and the right hemisphere (RH) in the RSG. That structural difference did relate to language lateralization and was further investigated in studies 2 and 3. Previously collected positron emission tomography data were examined in these two studies. Three regions of interest (ROI) analyses and one group average analysis were performed. Activation related to various speech tasks was examined. The ROI analyses revealed a significant activation difference favoring the LH for two targeted speech-task subtractions but only for the LSG. The group analysis, in contrast, revealed that the LSG showed a functional asymmetry favoring the LH, and that the RSG showed a functional asymmetry favoring the RH. Overall, the present results provided only partial evidence for a relationship existing between structural asymmetry in Broca's area and language lateralization. The structural asymmetries found in HG and the PT, in contrast, did not clearly and directly relate to language
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Weywadt, Christina R. "Lateralization of pragmatic processsing : a visual half-field investigation of speech act processing." Virtual Press, 2004. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1292992.
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The current study utilized a priming paradigm in conjunction with a visual halffield presentation to determine if the right hemisphere contributes to pragmatic processing. Primes included conversational dialogues that either performed a speech act or did not. The targets identified the speech act and were presented to one of the two visual fields (lvf-RH or rvf-LH). It was hypothesized that the right visual field-left hemisphere (rvf-LH) would be more accurate and faster at identifying targets regardless of the script type that preceded it and the left visual field-right hemisphere (lvf-RH) would be significantly more accurate and faster at identifying targets when preceded by a script that performed the identified speech act. Results indicated that the lvf-RH was more accurate and faster at identifying a target regardless of the type of script that preceded it, while the rvf-LH was differentially affected by the type of script.Department of Psychological Science
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Allen, Laura F. "Defining a role for the peduncolopontine tegmental nucleus in striatal outflow." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2673.
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The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) lies within the pontomesencephalon and contains cholinergic and non-cholinergic neurones. It has extensive afferent and efferent connections throughout the brain. Early research suggested a role for the PPTg in the mediation of locomotor activity, and it was believed to form the major substrate of the electrophysiologically identified mesencephalic locomotor region (rviLR). Studies using selective excitotoxic lesions of the PPTg demonstrated that it has no role in the mediation of spontaneous or nucleus accumbens-induced (NAcc) locomotion. However evidence has suggested that the cuneiform nucleus (CNF) and not the PPTg is the main locus of the .MLR. The effects of bilateral ibotenate CNF lesions on spontaneous and amphetamine-induced locomotion stimulated from the NAcc were therefore investigated. CNF lesions had no effect on either type of locomotor activity. Bilateral ibotenate lesions of the PPTg have been shown to influence the expression of orofacial stereotypies following administration of systemic amphetamine. Oral stereotypies can be elicited reliably by direct stimulation of the ventrolateral caudate-putamen (VLCP). This thesis sought to clarify the role of the PPTg in the mediation of oral stereotypies, by combining bilateral ibotenate lesions of the PPTg with direct microinjection of amphetamine into the VLCP. Lesions of the PPTg caused a shift in the dose response curve to amphetamine resulting in an increase in the incidence and intensity of oro facial stereotypies at lower doses. Thus the PPTg appears to have inhibitory control over the expression of orofacial behaviors. It is hypothesised that while neither the PPTg nor the CNF have a role in the mediation of locomotor activity per se they may provide an integrative functional role, which influences motor outflow. The role of the CNF in the transmission of nociception and a role for the PPTg in the mediation of striatal outflow is discussed.
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King, David Andrew. "Exploring the localization of transportation planning essays on research and policy implications from shifting goals in transportation planning /." Diss., Restricted to subscribing institutions, 2009. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1876284401&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=1564&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Ryu, Kun Jin. "Autonomous Robotic Strategies for Urban Search and Rescue." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/19194.
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This dissertation proposes autonomous robotic strategies for urban search and rescue (USAR) which are map-based semi-autonomous robot navigation and fully-autonomous robotic search, tracking, localization and mapping (STLAM) using a team of robots. Since the prerequisite for these solutions is accurate robot localization in the environment, this dissertation first presents a novel grid-based scan-to-map matching technique for accurate simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). At every acquisition of a new scan and estimation of the robot pose, the proposed technique corrects the estimation error by matching the new scan to the globally defined grid map. To improve the accuracy of the correction, each grid cell of the map is represented by multiple normal distributions (NDs). The new scan to be matched to the map is also represented by NDs, which achieves the scan-to-map matching by the ND-to-ND matching. In the map-based semi-autonomous robot navigation strategy, a robot placed in an environment creates the map of the environment and sends it to the human operator at a distant location. The human operator then makes decisions based on the map and controls the robot via tele-operation. In case of communication loss, the robot semi-autonomously returns to the home position by inversely tracking its trajectory with additional optimal path planning. In the fully-autonomous robotic solution to USAR, multiple robots communicate one another while operating together as a team. The base station collects information from each robot and assigns tasks to the robots. Unlike the semi-autonomous strategy there is no control from the human operator. To further enhance theefficiency of their cooperation each member of the team specifically works on its own task.
A series of numerical and experimental studies were conducted to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed solutions to USAR scenarios. The effectiveness of the scan-to-map matching with the multi-ND representation was confirmed by analyzing the error accumulation and by comparing with the single-ND representation. The applicability of the scan-to-map matching to the real SLAM problem was also verified in three different real environments. The results of the map-based semi-autonomous robot navigation showed the effectiveness of the approach as an immediately usable solution to USAR. The effectiveness of the proposed fully- autonomous solution was first confirmed by two real robots in a real environment. The cooperative performance of the strategy was further investigated using the developed platform- and hardware-in-the-loop simulator. The results showed significant potential as the future solution to USAR.
Ph. D.
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王燕祥 and Yanxiang Wang. "The urban economic functions of the individual enterprises: a case study of Beijing." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1986. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31975185.
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Wang, Yanxiang. "The urban economic functions of the individual enterprises : a case study of Beijing /." [Hong Kong] : University of Hong Kong, 1986. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B12333657.
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Wei, Lijun. "Multi-sources fusion based vehicle localization in urban environments under a loosely coupled probabilistic framework." Phd thesis, Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbeliard, 2013. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01004660.
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In some dense urban environments (e.g., a street with tall buildings around), vehicle localization result provided by Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver might not be accurate or even unavailable due to signal reflection (multi-path) or poor satellite visibility. In order to improve the accuracy and robustness of assisted navigation systems so as to guarantee driving security and service continuity on road, a vehicle localization approach is presented in this thesis by taking use of the redundancy and complementarities of multiple sensors. At first, GPS localization method is complemented by onboard dead-reckoning (DR) method (inertial measurement unit, odometer, gyroscope), stereovision based visual odometry method, horizontal laser range finder (LRF) based scan alignment method, and a 2D GIS road network map based map-matching method to provide a coarse vehicle pose estimation. A sensor selection step is applied to validate the coherence of the observations from multiple sensors, only information provided by the validated sensors are combined under a loosely coupled probabilistic framework with an information filter. Then, if GPS receivers encounter long term outages, the accumulated localization error of DR-only method is proposed to be bounded by adding a GIS building map layer. Two onboard LRF systems (a horizontal LRF and a vertical LRF) are mounted on the roof of the vehicle and used to detect building facades in urban environment. The detected building facades are projected onto the 2D ground plane and associated with the GIS building map layer to correct the vehicle pose error, especially for the lateral error. The extracted facade landmarks from the vertical LRF scan are stored in a new GIS map layer. The proposed approach is tested and evaluated with real data sequences. Experimental results with real data show that fusion of the stereoscopic system and LRF can continue to localize the vehicle during GPS outages in short period and to correct the GPS positioning error such as GPS jumps; the road map can help to obtain an approximate estimation of the vehicle position by projecting the vehicle position on the corresponding road segment; and the integration of the building information can help to refine the initial pose estimation when GPS signals are lost for long time.
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Rohde, Jan [Verfasser], and J. M. [Akademischer Betreuer] Zöllner. "Vehicle localization with enhanced robustness for urban automated driving / Jan Rohde ; Betreuer: J. M. Zöllner." Karlsruhe : KIT-Bibliothek, 2018. http://d-nb.info/1153828618/34.
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Mantzel, William. "Parametric estimation of randomly compressed functions." Diss., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/49053.
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Within the last decade, a new type of signal acquisition has emerged called Compressive Sensing that has proven especially useful in providing a recoverable representation of sparse signals. This thesis presents similar results for Compressive Parametric Estimation. Here, signals known to lie on some unknown parameterized subspace may be recovered via randomized compressive measurements, provided the number of compressive measurements is a small factor above the product of the parametric dimension with the subspace dimension with an additional logarithmic term. In addition to potential applications that simplify the acquisition hardware, there is also the potential to reduce the computational burden in other applications, and we explore one such application in depth in this thesis.
Source localization by matched-field processing (MFP) generally involves solving a number of computationally intensive partial differential equations. We introduce a technique that mitigates this computational workload by ``compressing'' these computations. Drawing on key concepts from the recently developed field of compressed sensing, we show how a low-dimensional proxy for the Green's function can be constructed by backpropagating a small set of random receiver vectors. Then, the source can be located by performing a number of ``short'' correlations between this proxy and the projection of the recorded acoustic data in the compressed space. Numerical experiments in a Pekeris ocean waveguide are presented which demonstrate that this compressed version of MFP is as effective as traditional MFP even when the compression is significant. The results are particularly promising in the broadband regime where using as few as two random backpropagations per frequency performs almost as well as the traditional broadband MFP, but with the added benefit of generic applicability. That is, the computationally intensive backpropagations may be computed offline independently from the received signals, and may be reused to locate any source within the search grid area.
This thesis also introduces a round-robin approach for multi-source localization based on Matched-Field Processing. Each new source location is estimated from the ambiguity function after nulling from the data vector the current source location estimates using a robust projection matrix. This projection matrix effectively minimizes mean-square energy near current source location estimates subject to a rank constraint that prevents excessive interference with sources outside of these neighborhoods. Numerical simulations are presented for multiple sources transmitting through a generic Pekeris ocean waveguide that illustrate the performance of the proposed approach which compares favorably against other previously published approaches. Furthermore, the efficacy with which randomized back-propagations may also be incorporated for computational advantage (as in the case of compressive parametric estimation) is also presented.
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Chalothorn, Dan. "CELLULAR TRAFFICKING PROPERTIES AND PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE á1-ADRENOCEPTOR SUBTYPES." UKnowledge, 2003. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_diss/409.
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The 1-adrenoceptors (1-ARs) serve as an interface between the sympathetic nervous system and the cardiovascular system where they are mediators of systemic arterial blood pressure, initiators of positive inotropy, and regulators of cellular growth responses. There are three subtypes: 1A-, 1B-, and 1D-ARs. This dissertation research investigated the trafficking properties of the 1-ARs at the cellular level as well as physiological relevance of the 1-ARs at the tissue level. In vitro studies using transiently transfected 1-AR/GFP subtypes revealed distinct basal localization patterns and different agonist-mediated activation and desensitization properties. The 1A- and the 1B-AR/GFP subtypes displayed agonist-mediated receptor redistribution, in which rate and degree of redistribution differed. Additionally, redistribution of either of these two receptor subtypes required arrestin-1, a protein often associated with receptor internalization. In contrast, the 1D-AR/GFP did not require arrestin-1 for maintaining the basal receptor orientation pattern. Although these data increase our knowledge of trafficking properties of the 1-AR subtypes, it is of equal importance to determine the role(s) that each subtype contributes to cardiovascular function. The lack of subtype-selective 1-AR pharmacological agents prompted the use of genetically manipulated mouse models with a systemic overexpression of a constitutively active 1B-AR. Echocardiographic analysis of transgenic hearts indicated both an enlarged left ventricular chamber in the absence of hypertrophy and a depressed cardiac function. From isolated transgenic hearts, experimental results suggested a role for the 1B-AR in attenuating the inotropic responses. However, experiments using isolated thoracic aortae from transgenic animals suggested that the 1B-AR does not participate in vascular smooth muscle contractile responses. Additional studies investigated the role of 1D-AR in cardiovascular function by using animals systemically lacking the 1D-AR subtype. Experimental data suggested an 1D-AR participation in vascular smooth muscle function since the deficiency of the 1D-AR subtype affected vasoconstriction in the coronary arteries but not inotropy in the heart. The data presented in this dissertation research suggest subtype specific differences of 1-ARs in cellular localization, signal regulation, and trafficking. Additionally, the data provide an investigation into the physiologic significance of both the 1B- and the 1D-ARs in cardiovascular tissue.