Search results for: robot courses
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 1386

Search results for: robot courses

1146 Autonomous Exploration, Navigation and Mapping Payload Integrated on a Quadruped Robot

Authors: Julian Y. Raheema, Michael R. Hess, Raymond C. Provost, Mark Bilinski

Abstract:

The world is rapidly moving towards advancing and utilizing artificial intelligence and autonomous robotics. The ground-breaking Boston Dynamics quadruped robot, SPOT, was designed for industrial and commercial tasks requiring limited autonomous navigation. Out of the box, SPOT has route memorization and playback – it can repeat a path that it has been manually piloted through, but it cannot autonomously navigate an area that has not been previously explored. The presented SPOT payload package is built on ROS framework to support autonomous navigation and mapping of an unexplored environment. The package is fully integrated with SPOT to take advantage of motor controls and collision avoidance that comes natively with the robot. The payload runs all computations onboard, takes advantage of visual odometry SLAM and uses an Intel RealSense depth camera and Velodyne LiDAR sensor to generate 2D and 3D maps while in autonomous navigation mode. These maps are fused into the navigation stack to generate a costmap to enable the robot to safely navigate the environment without causing damage to the surroundings or the robot. The operator defines the operational zone and start location and then sends the explore command to have SPOT explore, generate 2D and 3D maps of the environment and return to the start location to await the operator's next command. The benefit of the presented package is that it is much lighter weight and less expensive than previous approaches and, importantly, operates in GPS-denied scenarios, which is ideal for indoor mapping. There are numerous applications that are hazardous to humans for SPOT enhanced with the autonomy payload, including disaster response, nuclear inspection, mine inspection, and so on. Other less extreme uses cases include autonomous 3D and 2D scanning of facilities for inspection, engineering and construction purposes.

Keywords: autonomous, SLAM, quadruped, mapping, exploring, ROS, robotics, navigation

Procedia PDF Downloads 90
1145 Can Exams Be Shortened? Using a New Empirical Approach to Test in Finance Courses

Authors: Eric S. Lee, Connie Bygrave, Jordan Mahar, Naina Garg, Suzanne Cottreau

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Marking exams is universally detested by lecturers. Final exams in many higher education courses often last 3.0 hrs. Do exams really need to be so long? Can we justifiably reduce the number of questions on them? Surprisingly few have researched these questions, arguably because of the complexity and difficulty of using traditional methods. To answer these questions empirically, we used a new approach based on three key elements: Use of an unusual variation of a true experimental design, equivalence hypothesis testing, and an expanded set of six psychometric criteria to be met by any shortened exam if it is to replace a current 3.0-hr exam (reliability, validity, justifiability, number of exam questions, correspondence, and equivalence). We compared student performance on each official 3.0-hr exam with that on five shortened exams having proportionately fewer questions (2.5, 2.0, 1.5, 1.0, and 0.5 hours) in a series of four experiments conducted in two classes in each of two finance courses (224 students in total). We found strong evidence that, in these courses, shortening of final exams to 2.0 hrs was warranted on all six psychometric criteria. Shortening these exams by one hour should result in a substantial one-third reduction in lecturer time and effort spent marking, lower student stress, and more time for students to prepare for other exams. Our approach provides a relatively simple, easy-to-use methodology that lecturers can use to examine the effect of shortening their own exams.

Keywords: exam length, psychometric criteria, synthetic experimental designs, test length

Procedia PDF Downloads 272
1144 Development of a Real-Time Brain-Computer Interface for Interactive Robot Therapy: An Exploration of EEG and EMG Features during Hypnosis

Authors: Maryam Alimardani, Kazuo Hiraki

Abstract:

This study presents a framework for development of a new generation of therapy robots that can interact with users by monitoring their physiological and mental states. Here, we focused on one of the controversial methods of therapy, hypnotherapy. Hypnosis has shown to be useful in treatment of many clinical conditions. But, even for healthy people, it can be used as an effective technique for relaxation or enhancement of memory and concentration. Our aim is to develop a robot that collects information about user’s mental and physical states using electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) signals and performs costeffective hypnosis at the comfort of user’s house. The presented framework consists of three main steps: (1) Find the EEG-correlates of mind state before, during, and after hypnosis and establish a cognitive model for state changes, (2) Develop a system that can track the changes in EEG and EMG activities in real time and determines if the user is ready for suggestion, and (3) Implement our system in a humanoid robot that will talk and conduct hypnosis on users based on their mental states. This paper presents a pilot study in regard to the first stage, detection of EEG and EMG features during hypnosis.

Keywords: hypnosis, EEG, robotherapy, brain-computer interface (BCI)

Procedia PDF Downloads 257
1143 Multivariate Analysis of Student’s Performance in Statistic Courses in Humanities Sciences

Authors: Carla Silva

Abstract:

The aim of this research is to study the relationship between the performance of humanities students in different statistics classes and their performance in their specific courses. Several factors are been studied, such as gender and final grades in statistics and math. Participants of this study comprised a sample of students at a Lisbon University during their academic year. A significant relationship tends to appear between these factors and the performance of these students. However this relationship tends to be stronger with students who had previous studied calculus and math.

Keywords: education, performance, statistic, humanities

Procedia PDF Downloads 324
1142 The Role of Nurses and Midwives’ Self-Government in Postgraduate Education in Poland

Authors: Tomasz Holecki, Hanna Dobrowolska

Abstract:

In the Polish health care system, nurses and midwives are obliged to regularly update their professional knowledge. It is all regulated by the Law on the nurse and midwife’s profession and the code of ethics. The professional self-governing body (County Chamber of Nurses and Midwives) is obliged to organize ongoing training for them so that maintaining accessibility and availability to the high quality of educational services could be possible at all levels of post-graduate education. The aim of this study is an analysis of post-graduate education organized by the County Chamber of Nurses and Midwives in the city of Katowice, Poland, as a professional self-governing body operating in the area of Silesian province inhabited by almost 5 million citizens which bring together more than 30 thousand professionally active nurses and midwives. In the years 2000-2017, the self-government of nurses and midwives trained over 50,000 people. The education and supervision system over the labour of nurses and midwives establishes exercising control by a self-governing body. In practice, this means that conducting activities aimed at creating legal regulations and organizational conditions, as well as the practical implementation of courses, belongs to the professional self-government of nurses and midwives. The most of specialization courses that were provided from their own funds came from membership fees. The biggest group was participants of specializations in the fields of cardiac, anesthesia, and preventive nursing. The smallest group of people participated in such specializations as neonatal, emergency, and obstetrics nursing. The most popular specialist courses were in the fields of the electrocardiogram and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, whereas the least popular were the ones in the fields of protective vaccinations of neonates. So-called 'soft training-courses' in the fields of improvement of social skills and management were also provided. The research shows that a vast majority of nurses and midwives are interested in raising their professional qualifications. Specialist courses and selected fields of qualification courses received the most concrete attention. In light of conducted research, one can assert that cooperation inside the community of nurses and midwives provides access to high-quality education and training services regularly used by a wide circle of them. The presented results exemplify a level of real interest in specialist and qualification training-courses and also show sources of financing them.

Keywords: nurses and midwives, ongoing training, postgraduate education, specialist training-courses

Procedia PDF Downloads 104
1141 Electroencephalography-Based Intention Recognition and Consensus Assessment during Emergency Response

Authors: Siyao Zhu, Yifang Xu

Abstract:

After natural and man-made disasters, robots can bypass the danger, expedite the search, and acquire unprecedented situational awareness to design rescue plans. The hands-free requirement from the first responders excludes the use of tedious manual control and operation. In unknown, unstructured, and obstructed environments, natural-language-based supervision is not amenable for first responders to formulate, and is difficult for robots to understand. Brain-computer interface is a promising option to overcome the limitations. This study aims to test the feasibility of using electroencephalography (EEG) signals to decode human intentions and detect the level of consensus on robot-provided information. EEG signals were classified using machine-learning and deep-learning methods to discriminate search intentions and agreement perceptions. The results show that the average classification accuracy for intention recognition and consensus assessment is 67% and 72%, respectively, proving the potential of incorporating recognizable users’ bioelectrical responses into advanced robot-assisted systems for emergency response.

Keywords: consensus assessment, electroencephalogram, emergency response, human-robot collaboration, intention recognition, search and rescue

Procedia PDF Downloads 93
1140 Measuring the Quality of Business Education: Employment Readiness Assessment

Authors: Gulbakhyt Sultanova

Abstract:

Business education institutions assess the progress of their students by giving them grades for courses completed and calculating a Grade Point Average (GPA). Whether the participation in these courses has led to the development of competences enabling graduates to successfully compete in the labor market should be measured using a new index: Employment Readiness Assessment (ERA). The higher the ERA, the higher the quality of education at a business school. This is applied, empirical research conducted by using a method of linear optimization. The aim of research is to identify factors which lead to the minimization of the deviation of GPA from ERA as well as to the maximization of ERA. ERA is composed of three components resulting from testing proficiency in Business English, testing work and personal skills, and job interview simulation. The quality of education is improving if GPA approximates ERA and ERA increases. Factors which have had a positive effect on quality enhancement are academic mobility of students and staff, practical-oriented courses taught by staff with work experience, and research-based courses taught by staff with research experience. ERA is a better index to measure the quality of business education than traditional indexes such as GPA due to its greater accuracy in assessing the level of graduates’ competences demanded in the labor market. Optimizing the educational process in pursuit of quality enhancement, ERA has to be used in parallel with GPA to find out which changes worked and resulted in improvement.

Keywords: assessment and evaluation, competence evaluation, education quality, employment readiness

Procedia PDF Downloads 445
1139 Optimizing the Scanning Time with Radiation Prediction Using a Machine Learning Technique

Authors: Saeed Eskandari, Seyed Rasoul Mehdikhani

Abstract:

Radiation sources have been used in many industries, such as gamma sources in medical imaging. These waves have destructive effects on humans and the environment. It is very important to detect and find the source of these waves because these sources cannot be seen by the eye. A portable robot has been designed and built with the purpose of revealing radiation sources that are able to scan the place from 5 to 20 meters away and shows the location of the sources according to the intensity of the waves on a two-dimensional digital image. The operation of the robot is done by measuring the pixels separately. By increasing the image measurement resolution, we will have a more accurate scan of the environment, and more points will be detected. But this causes a lot of time to be spent on scanning. In this paper, to overcome this challenge, we designed a method that can optimize this time. In this method, a small number of important points of the environment are measured. Hence the remaining pixels are predicted and estimated by regression algorithms in machine learning. The research method is based on comparing the actual values of all pixels. These steps have been repeated with several other radiation sources. The obtained results of the study show that the values estimated by the regression method are very close to the real values.

Keywords: regression, machine learning, scan radiation, robot

Procedia PDF Downloads 80
1138 Hydrodynamics of Undulating Ribbon-fin and Its Application in Bionic Underwater Robot

Authors: Zhang Jun, Zhai Shucheng, Bai Yaqiang, Zhang Guoping

Abstract:

The Gymnarchus Niioticus fish(GNF) cruises generally with high efficiency by undulating ribbon-fin propulsion while keeping its body for straight line. The swing amplitude of GNF fins is usually in 60° to 90°, and in normal state the amplitude is close to 90°, only in the control of hovering or swimming at very low speed, the amplitude is smaller (about 60°). It provides inspiration for underwater robot design. In the paper, the unsteady flow of undulating ribbon-fin propulsion is numerical simulated by the dynamic grid technique including spring-based smoothing model and local grid remeshing to adapt to the fin surface significantly deforming, and the swing amplitude of fin ray reaches 850. The numerical simulation method is validated by thrust experiments. The spatial vortex structure and its evolution with phase angle is analyzed. The propulsion mechanism is investigated by comprehensive analysis of the hydrodynamics, vortex structure, and pressure distribution on the fin surface. The numerical results indicates that there are mainly three kinds of vortexes, i.e. streamwise vortex, crescent vortex and toroidal vortex. The intensity of streamwise vortex is the strongest among all kinds of vortexes. Streamwise vortexes and crescent vortexes all alternately distribute on the two sides of mid-sagittal plane. Inside the crescent vortexes is high-speed flow, while outside is low-speed flow. The crescent vortexes mainly induce high-speed axial jet, which produces the primary thrust. This is hydrodynamic mechanism undulating ribbon-fin propulsion. The streamwise vortexes mainly induce the vertical jet, which generates the primary heave force. The effect on hydrodynamics of main geometry and movement parameters including wave length, amplitude and advanced coefficients is investigated. A bionic underwater robot with bilateral undulating ribbon-fins is designed, and its navigation performance and maneuverability are measured.

Keywords: bionic propulsion, mobile robot, underwater robot, undulating ribbon-fins

Procedia PDF Downloads 284
1137 Hybrid Gravity Gradient Inversion-Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm for Motion Planning of Mobile Robots

Authors: Meng Wu

Abstract:

Motion planning is a common task required to be fulfilled by robots. A strategy combining Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) and gravity gradient inversion algorithm is proposed for motion planning of mobile robots. In this paper, in order to realize optimal motion planning strategy, the cost function in ACO is designed based on gravity gradient inversion algorithm. The obstacles around mobile robot can cause gravity gradient anomalies; the gradiometer is installed on the mobile robot to detect the gravity gradient anomalies. After obtaining the anomalies, gravity gradient inversion algorithm is employed to calculate relative distance and orientation between mobile robot and obstacles. The relative distance and orientation deduced from gravity gradient inversion algorithm is employed as cost function in ACO algorithm to realize motion planning. The proposed strategy is validated by the simulation and experiment results.

Keywords: motion planning, gravity gradient inversion algorithm, ant colony optimization

Procedia PDF Downloads 137
1136 Teachers’ Perceptions Related to the Guiding Skills within the Application Courses

Authors: Tanimola Kazeem Abiodun

Abstract:

In Nigeria, both formal education and distance learning opportunities are used in teacher training. Practical courses aim to improve the skills of teacher candidates in a school environment. Teacher candidates attend kindergarten classes under the supervision of a teacher. In this context, the guiding skills of teachers gain importance in terms of shaping candidates’ perceptions about teaching profession. In this study, the teachers’ perceptions related to the guiding skills within the practical courses were determined. Also, the perceptions and applications related to guiding skills were compared. A Likert scale questionnaire and an open-ended question were used to determine perceptions and applications. 120 questionnaires were taken into consideration and analyses of data were performed by using percentage distribution and QSR Nvivo 8 program. In this study, statements related to teachers’ perceptions about the guiding skills were asked and it is determined that almost all the teachers agreed about the importance of these statements. On the other hand, how these guidance skills are applied by teachers is also queried with an open-ended question. Finally, thoughts and applications related to guidance skills were compared to each other. Based on this comparison, it is seen that there are some differences between the thoughts and applications especially related with time management, planning, feedbacks, curriculum, workload, rules and guidance. It can be said that some guidance skills cannot be controlled only by teachers. For example, candidates’ motivation, attention, population and educational environment are also determinative factors for effective guidance. In summary, it is necessary to have prior conditions for teachers to apply these idealized guidance skills for training more successful candidates to pre-school education era. At this point, organization of practical courses by the faculties gains importance and in this context it is crucial for faculties to revise their applications based on more detailed researches.

Keywords: teacher training, guiding skills, education, practical courses

Procedia PDF Downloads 447
1135 Intelligent System of the Grinding Robot for Spiral Welded Pipe

Authors: Getachew Demeissie Ayalew, Yongtao Sun, Yang Yang

Abstract:

The spiral welded pipe manufacturing industry requires strict production standards for automated grinders for welding seams. However, traditional grinding machines in this sector are insufficient due to a lack of quality control protocols and inconsistent performance. This research aims to improve the quality of spiral welded pipes by developing intelligent automated abrasive belt grinding equipment. The system has equipped with six degrees of freedom (6 DOF) KUKA KR360 industrial robots, enabling concurrent grinding operations on both internal and external welds. The grinding robot control system is designed with a PLC, and a human-machine interface (HMI) system is employed for operations. The system includes an electric speed controller, data connection card, DC driver, analog amplifier, and HMI for input data. This control system enables the grinding of spiral welded pipe. It ensures consistent production quality and cost-effectiveness by reducing the product life cycle and minimizing risks in the working environment.

Keywords: Intelligent Systems, Spiral Welded Pipe, Grinding, Industrial Robot, End-Effector, PLC Controller System, 3D Laser Sensor, HMI.

Procedia PDF Downloads 297
1134 A Method of Manufacturing Low Cost Utility Robots and Vehicles

Authors: Gregory E. Ofili

Abstract:

Introduction and Objective: Climate change and a global economy mean farmers must adapt and gain access to affordable and reliable automation technologies. Key barriers include a lack of transportation, electricity, and internet service, coupled with costly enabling technologies and limited local subject matter expertise. Methodology/Approach: Resourcefulness is essential to mechanization on a farm. This runs contrary to the tech industry practice of planned obsolescence and disposal. One solution is plug-and-play hardware that allows farmer to assemble, repair, program, and service their own fleet of industrial machines. To that end, we developed a method of manufacturing low-cost utility robots, transport vehicles, and solar/wind energy harvesting systems, all running on an open-source Robot Operating System (ROS). We demonstrate this technology by fabricating a utility robot and an all-terrain (4X4) utility vehicle. Constructed of aluminum trusses and weighing just 40 pounds, yet capable of transporting 200 pounds of cargo, on sale for less than $2,000. Conclusions & Policy Implications: Electricity, internet, and automation are essential for productivity and competitiveness. With planned obsolescence, the priorities of technology suppliers are not aligned with the farmer’s realities. This patent-pending method of manufacturing low-cost industrial robots and electric vehicles has met its objective. To create low-cost machines, the farmer can assemble, program, and repair with basic hand tools.

Keywords: automation, robotics, utility robot, small-hold farm, robot operating system

Procedia PDF Downloads 73
1133 Real-Time Generative Architecture for Mesh and Texture

Authors: Xi Liu, Fan Yuan

Abstract:

In the evolving landscape of physics-based machine learning (PBML), particularly within fluid dynamics and its applications in electromechanical engineering, robot vision, and robot learning, achieving precision and alignment with researchers' specific needs presents a formidable challenge. In response, this work proposes a methodology that integrates neural transformation with a modified smoothed particle hydrodynamics model for generating transformed 3D fluid simulations. This approach is useful for nanoscale science, where the unique and complex behaviors of viscoelastic medium demand accurate neurally-transformed simulations for materials understanding and manipulation. In electromechanical engineering, the method enhances the design and functionality of fluid-operated systems, particularly microfluidic devices, contributing to advancements in nanomaterial design, drug delivery systems, and more. The proposed approach also aligns with the principles of PBML, offering advantages such as multi-fluid stylization and consistent particle attribute transfer. This capability is valuable in various fields where the interaction of multiple fluid components is significant. Moreover, the application of neurally-transformed hydrodynamical models extends to manufacturing processes, such as the production of microelectromechanical systems, enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The system's ability to perform neural transfer on 3D fluid scenes using a deep learning algorithm alongside physical models further adds a layer of flexibility, allowing researchers to tailor simulations to specific needs across scientific and engineering disciplines.

Keywords: physics-based machine learning, robot vision, robot learning, hydrodynamics

Procedia PDF Downloads 66
1132 Students’ Perception of Effort and Emotional Costs in Chemistry Courses

Authors: Guizella Rocabado, Cassidy Wilkes

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It is well known that chemistry is one of the most feared courses in college. Although many students enjoy learning about science, most of them perceive that chemistry is “too difficult”. These perceptions of chemistry result in many students not considering Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors because they require chemistry courses. Ultimately, these perceptions are also thought to be related to high attrition rates of students who begin STEM majors but do not persist. Students perceived costs of a chemistry class can be many, such as task effort, loss of valued alternatives, emotional, and others. These costs might be overcome by students’ interests and goals, yet the level of perceived costs might have a lasting impact on the students’ overall perception of chemistry and their desire to pursue chemistry and other STEM careers in the future. In this mixed methods study, we investigated task effort and emotional cost, as well as a mastery or performance goal orientation, and the impact these constructs may have on achievement in general chemistry classrooms. Utilizing cluster analysis as well as student interviews, we investigated students’ profiles of perceived cost and goal orientation as it relates to their final grades. Our results show that students who are well prepared for general chemistry, such as those who have taken chemistry in high school, display less negative perceived costs and thus believe they can master the material more fully. Other interesting results have also emerged from this research, which has the potential to have an impact on future instruction of these courses.

Keywords: chemistry education, motivation, affect, perceived costs, goal orientations

Procedia PDF Downloads 92
1131 Importance of an E-Learning Program in Stress Field for Postgraduate Courses of Doctors

Authors: Ramona-Niculina Jurcau, Ioana-Marieta Jurcau

Abstract:

Background: Preparing in the stress field (SF) is, increasingly, a concern for doctors of different specialties. Aims: The aim was to evaluate the importance of an e-learning program for doctors postgraduate courses, in SF. Methods: Doctors (n= 40 male, 40 female) of different specialties and ages (31-71 years), who attended postgraduate courses in SF, voluntarily responded to a questionnaire that included the following themes: Importance of SF courses for specialty practiced by each respondent doctor (using visual analogue scale, VAS); What SF themes would be indicated as e-learning (EL); Preferred form of SF information assimilation: Classical lectures (CL), EL or a combination of these methods (CL+EL); Which information on the SF course are facilitated by EL model versus CL; In their view which are the first four advantages and the first four disadvantages of EL compared to CL, for SF. Results: To most respondents, the SF courses are important for the specialty they practiced (VAS by an average of 4). The SF themes suggested to be done as EL were: Stress mechanisms; stress factor models for different medical specialties; stress assessment methods; primary stress management methods for different specialties. Preferred form of information assimilation was CL+EL. Aspects of the course facilitated by EL versus CL model: Active reading of theoretical information, with fast access to keywords details; watching documentaries in everyone's favorite order; practice through tests and the rapid control of results. The first four EL advantages, mentioned for SF were: Autonomy in managing the time allocated to the study; saving time for traveling to the venue; the ability to read information in various contexts of time and space; communication with colleagues, in good times for everyone. The first three EL disadvantages, mentioned for SF were: It decreases capabilities for group discussion and mobilization for active participation; EL information accession may depend on electrical source or/and Internet; learning slowdown can appear, by temptation of postponing the implementation. Answering questions was partially influenced by the respondent's age and genre. Conclusions: 1) Post-graduate courses in SF are of interest to doctors of different specialties. 2) The majority of participating doctors preferred EL, but combined with CL (CL+EL). 3) Preference for EL was manifested mainly by young or middle age men doctors. 4) It is important to balance the proper formula for chosen EL, to be the most efficient, interesting, useful and agreeable.

Keywords: stress field, doctors’ postgraduate courses, classical lectures, e-learning lecture

Procedia PDF Downloads 238
1130 Higher Education and Empowerment of Women: A Case Study

Authors: Anupam Deka

Abstract:

Gender discrimination has been considered as a major obstacle in granting equal opportunity for woman in Higher education as education plays a pivotal role in a country’s socio-economic development. To examine the empowerment of women in the higher education field of Assam, a case study has been carried out. In the first stage, an overview of enrolment of students in different courses has been made by considering the whole state. In the second stage a study has been conducted regarding the enrolment of students in various degree and P-G courses for the period 2000-2007 under Gauhati University (which is one of the four universities of Assam) and the relevant data has been collected. It has been found that though the enrolment of students in the degree levels has been constantly increasing, but the enrolment of girls are not proportionately increasing, specially in commerce and law. On the other hand, in the post-graduate level, these proportions are higher in almost all the subjects (except some subjects like M. COM., L.L.M, M. C. A., Mathematics, etc.), indicating that more number of girls than boys are taking admission in the P-G courses.

Keywords: field study, enrolment of girls in degree and P G levels, regression lines, Chi Square test, diagrams and statistical tables

Procedia PDF Downloads 263
1129 A Comparative Study of Twin Delayed Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient and Soft Actor-Critic Algorithms for Robot Exploration and Navigation in Unseen Environments

Authors: Romisaa Ali

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This paper presents a comparison between twin-delayed Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (TD3) and Soft Actor-Critic (SAC) reinforcement learning algorithms in the context of training robust navigation policies for Jackal robots. By leveraging an open-source framework and custom motion control environments, the study evaluates the performance, robustness, and transferability of the trained policies across a range of scenarios. The primary focus of the experiments is to assess the training process, the adaptability of the algorithms, and the robot’s ability to navigate in previously unseen environments. Moreover, the paper examines the influence of varying environmental complexities on the learning process and the generalization capabilities of the resulting policies. The results of this study aim to inform and guide the development of more efficient and practical reinforcement learning-based navigation policies for Jackal robots in real-world scenarios.

Keywords: Jackal robot environments, reinforcement learning, TD3, SAC, robust navigation, transferability, custom environment

Procedia PDF Downloads 102
1128 Influence of Sports Participation on Academic Performance among Afe Babalola University Student-Athletes

Authors: B. O. Diyaolu

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The web created by sport in academics has made it difficult for it to be separated from adolescent educational development. The enthusiasm expressed towards sport by students in higher institutions is quite enormous. Primarily, academic performance should be the pride of all students but whether sports affect the academic performance of student-athletes remain an unknown fact. This study investigated the influence of sports participation on academic performance among Afe Babalola University student-athletes. Ex post facto research design was used. Two groups of students were used for the study; Student-athlete (SA) and Regular Students (RS). Purposive sampling technique was used to select 224 student-athletes, only those that are regular in the university sports team training were considered and their records (i.e. name, department, level, matriculation number, and phone number) were collected through the assistance of their coaches. For the regular students, purposive sampling technique was used to select 224 participants, only those that have no interest in sports were considered and their records were retrieved from the college registration officer. The first and second semester examination results of the two groups were compared in 10 general study courses without their knowledge, using descriptive statistics of frequency counts, mean, and standard deviation. Out of the 10 compared courses, 7 courses result showed no significant difference between students-athlete and regular students while student-athletes perform better in 3 practically oriented courses. Sports role in academics is quite significant. Exposure to sports can help build the confidence that athletes need especially when it comes to practical courses. Student-athletes can perform better in academics if the environment is friendly and not intimidating. Lecturers and coaches need to work together in order to build a well cultured and intelligent graduate.

Keywords: academic performance, regular students, sports participation, student-athlete, university sports team

Procedia PDF Downloads 159
1127 Building Resilience through Inclusion of Global Citizenship Education in Pre-Service Teacher Education in Pakistan

Authors: Fouzia Ajmal

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Global Citizenship Education (GCED) could prove to be the best solution to prevent violent extremism as it will sustain a respect for all and build up a feeling of having a place with humankind. To meet the target 4.7 of sustainable development goals, it is important to focus on global citizenship education at all levels of education in general and in pre-service teacher education in particular so that the message and practices reach the young masses. The pre-service education is imperative to develop knowledge, skills and disposition of prospective teachers. The current study was conducted to investigate the integration of GCED in pre-service teacher education curriculum of Pakistan. The study was delimited to B.Ed (hons) Elementary Education programme. The curriculum of B.Ed Elementary developed by Higher Education Commission was analyzed through Curriculum Alignment Matrix. 31 course outlines were analyzed, and percentage was used to analyze the level of integration of GCED in courses. The analyses depicted that the concepts of civic sense, tolerance, duties and rights of citizens and fundamental rights of humans are partially aligned in a few of the courses. The tolerance, active citizenship, and respect for cultural diversity and religious harmony are evident in Pakistan Studies and teaching of social studies courses. The relevant books are also mentioned as resources in these courses. The intercultural understanding is not very evident while globalization is mentioned in a few courses. It is recommended that a deliberate effort may be made to integrate concepts of Global Citizenship Education so as to enable the prospective teachers in developing necessary skills to play their active role in promoting peace and building resilience to extremism in elementary school students.

Keywords: curriculum analysis, global citizenship education, preservice teacher education, resilience building

Procedia PDF Downloads 149
1126 Hazardous Gas Detection Robot in Coal Mines

Authors: Kanchan J. Kakade, S. A. Annadate

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This paper presents design and development of underground coal mine monitoring using mbed arm cortex controller and ZigBee communication. Coal mine is a special type of mine which is dangerous in nature. Safety is the most important feature of a coal industry for proper functioning. It’s not only for employees and workers but also for environment and nation. Many coal producing countries in the world face phenomenal frequently occurred accidents in coal mines viz, gas explosion, flood, and fire breaking out during coal mines exploitation. Thus, such emissions of various gases from coal mines are necessary to detect with the help of robot. Coal is a combustible, sedimentary, organic rock, which is made up of mainly carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Coal Mine Detection Robot mainly detects mash gas and carbon monoxide. The mash gas is the kind of the mixed gas which mainly make up of methane in the underground of the coal mine shaft, and sometimes it abbreviate to methane. It is formed from vegetation, which has been fused between other rock layers and altered by the combined effects of heat and pressure over millions of years to form coal beds. Coal has many important uses worldwide. The most significant uses of coal are in electricity generation, steel production, cement manufacturing and as a liquid fuel.

Keywords: Zigbee communication, various sensors, hazardous gases, mbed arm cortex M3 core controller

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1125 Discrete Tracking Control of Nonholonomic Mobile Robots: Backstepping Design Approach

Authors: Alexander S. Andreev, Olga A. Peregudova

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In this paper, we propose a discrete tracking control of nonholonomic mobile robots with two degrees of freedom. The electro-mechanical model of a mobile robot moving on a horizontal surface without slipping, with two rear wheels controlled by two independent DC electric, and one front roal wheel is considered. We present back-stepping design based on the Euler approximate discrete-time model of a continuous-time plant. Theoretical considerations are verified by numerical simulation. The work was supported by RFFI (15-01-08482).

Keywords: actuator dynamics, back stepping, discrete-time controller, Lyapunov function, wheeled mobile robot

Procedia PDF Downloads 415
1124 Importance of Mathematical Modeling in Teaching Mathematics

Authors: Selahattin Gultekin

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Today, in engineering departments, mathematics courses such as calculus, linear algebra and differential equations are generally taught by mathematicians. Therefore, during mathematicians’ classroom teaching there are few or no applications of the concepts to real world problems at all. Most of the times, students do not know whether the concepts or rules taught in these courses will be used extensively in their majors or not. This situation holds true of for all engineering and science disciplines. The general trend toward these mathematic courses is not good. The real-life application of mathematics will be appreciated by students when mathematical modeling of real-world problems are tackled. So, students do not like abstract mathematics, rather they prefer a solid application of the concepts to our daily life problems. The author highly recommends that mathematical modeling is to be taught starting in high schools all over the world In this paper, some mathematical concepts such as limit, derivative, integral, Taylor Series, differential equations and mean-value-theorem are chosen and their applications with graphical representations to real problems are emphasized.

Keywords: applied mathematics, engineering mathematics, mathematical concepts, mathematical modeling

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1123 The Impact of Instructing Interpretation Specific Strategies on Interpretation Performance of Undergraduate Translation Students

Authors: Abolfazl Ghelichi, Ghasem Modarresi

Abstract:

The problem with interpretation courses arises from the fact that Interpretation Courses at University levels are presented by most of the instructors based on listening activities and testing listening performance while interpretation strategies have been underrated. The data are gathered from30 students majoring in Translation Studies to fulfill the major aims of the study including. The study aimed at: 1) examining the significant relationship between specific interpretation strategies and interpretation performance of translation students in interpretation courses, 2) investigating the significant difference between males and females in their interpretation performance, and 3) exploring the interpretation strategies which are more effective for the translation students to improve their interpretation performance from students’ opinions. The results of the study revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores for the two groups. The experimental group outperformed the control group in their interpretation performance and the effect size was large. However, there was no significant difference between male and female with respect to their cognition [t (28) =.79, p<.05]. As for the results obtained from the interviews with the students, the commonalities emerged from the students’ responses were analyzed and reported by the researchers.

Keywords: anticipation, interpretation performance, interpretation strategy, shadowing

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1122 A Semantic E-Learning and E-Assessment System of Learners

Authors: Wiem Ben Khalifa, Dalila Souilem, Mahmoud Neji

Abstract:

The evolutions of Social Web and Semantic Web lead us to ask ourselves about the way of supporting the personalization of learning by means of intelligent filtering of educational resources published in the digital networks. We recommend personalized courses of learning articulated around a first educational course defined upstream. Resuming the context and the stakes in the personalization, we also suggest anchoring the personalization of learning in a community of interest within a group of learners enrolled in the same training. This reflection is supported by the display of an active and semantic system of learning dedicated to the constitution of personalized to measure courses and in the due time.

Keywords: Semantic Web, semantic system, ontology, evaluation, e-learning

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1121 Hybrid Velocity Control Approach for Tethered Aerial Vehicle

Authors: Lovesh Goyal, Pushkar Dave, Prajyot Jadhav, GonnaYaswanth, Sakshi Giri, Sahil Dharme, Rushika Joshi, Rishabh Verma, Shital Chiddarwar

Abstract:

With the rising need for human-robot interaction, researchers have proposed and tested multiple models with varying degrees of success. A few of these models performed on aerial platforms are commonly known as Tethered Aerial Systems. These aerial vehicles may be powered continuously by a tether cable, which addresses the predicament of the short battery life of quadcopters. This system finds applications to minimize humanitarian efforts for industrial, medical, agricultural, and service uses. However, a significant challenge in employing such systems is that it necessities attaining smooth and secure robot-human interaction while ensuring that the forces from the tether remain within the standard comfortable range for the humans. To tackle this problem, a hybrid control method that could switch between two control techniques: constant control input and the steady-state solution, is implemented. The constant control approach is implemented when a person is far from the target location, and error is thought to be eventually constant. The controller switches to the steady-state approach when the person reaches within a specific range of the goal position. Both strategies take into account human velocity feedback. This hybrid technique enhances the outcomes by assisting the person to reach the desired location while decreasing the human's unwanted disturbance throughout the process, thereby keeping the interaction between the robot and the subject smooth.

Keywords: unmanned aerial vehicle, tethered system, physical human-robot interaction, hybrid control

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1120 Evaluation of Robot Application in Hospitality

Authors: Lina Zhong, Sunny Sun, Rob Law

Abstract:

Artificial intelligence has been developing rapidly. Previous studies have evaluated hotel technology either from an employee or consumer perspective. However, impacts, which mainly include the social and economic impacts of hotel robots, are unknown as they are newly introduced. To bridge the aforementioned research gap, this study evaluates hotel robots from contextual, diagnostic, evaluative, and strategic aspects using framework analysis as a basis to assist hotel managers in real-time hotel marketing strategy management, adjustment and revenue achievement. Findings show that, from a consumer perspective, the overall acceptance of hotel robots is low. The main implication is that the cost of hotel robots should be carefully estimated, and the investment should be made based on phases.

Keywords: application, evaluation, framework analysis, hotel robot

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1119 Accuracy/Precision Evaluation of Excalibur I: A Neurosurgery-Specific Haptic Hand Controller

Authors: Hamidreza Hoshyarmanesh, Benjamin Durante, Alex Irwin, Sanju Lama, Kourosh Zareinia, Garnette R. Sutherland

Abstract:

This study reports on a proposed method to evaluate the accuracy and precision of Excalibur I, a neurosurgery-specific haptic hand controller, designed and developed at Project neuroArm. Having an efficient and successful robot-assisted telesurgery is considerably contingent on how accurate and precise a haptic hand controller (master/local robot) would be able to interpret the kinematic indices of motion, i.e., position and orientation, from the surgeon’s upper limp to the slave/remote robot. A proposed test rig is designed and manufactured according to standard ASTM F2554-10 to determine the accuracy and precision range of Excalibur I at four different locations within its workspace: central workspace, extreme forward, far left and far right. The test rig is metrologically characterized by a coordinate measuring machine (accuracy and repeatability < ± 5 µm). Only the serial linkage of the haptic device is examined due to the use of the Structural Length Index (SLI). The results indicate that accuracy decreases by moving from the workspace central area towards the borders of the workspace. In a comparative study, Excalibur I performs on par with the PHANToM PremiumTM 3.0 and more accurate/precise than the PHANToM PremiumTM 1.5. The error in Cartesian coordinate system shows a dominant component in one direction (δx, δy or δz) for the movements on horizontal, vertical and inclined surfaces. The average error magnitude of three attempts is recorded, considering all three error components. This research is the first promising step to quantify the kinematic performance of Excalibur I.

Keywords: accuracy, advanced metrology, hand controller, precision, robot-assisted surgery, tele-operation, workspace

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1118 The Robot Physician's (Rp - 7) Management and Care in Unstable ICU Oncology Patients

Authors: Alisher Agzamov, Hanan Al Harbi

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The timely assessment and treatment of ICU Surgical and Medical Oncology patients is important for Oncology surgeons and Medical Oncologists and Intensivists. We hypothesized that the use of Robot Physician’s (RP - 7) ICU management and care in ICU can improve ICU physician rapid response to unstable ICU Oncology patients. METHODS: This is a prospective study using a before-after, cohort-control design to test the effectiveness of RP. We have used RP to make multidisciplinary ICU rounds in the ICU and for Emergency cases. Data concerning several aspects of the RP interaction including the latency of the response, the problem being treated, the intervention that was ordered, and the type of information gathered using the RP were documented. The effect of RP on ICU length of stay and cost was assessed. RESULTS: The use of RP was associated with a reduction in latency of attending physician face-to-face response for routine and urgent pages compared to conventional care (RP: 10.2 +/- 3.3 minutes vs conventional: 220 +/- 80 minutes). The response latencies to Oncology Emergency (8.0 +/- 2.8 vs 150 +/- 55 minutes) and for Respiratory Failure (12 +/- 04 vs 110 +/- 45 minutes) were reduced (P < .001), as was the LOS for patients with AML (5 days) and ARDS (10 day). There was an increase in ICU occupancy by 20 % compared with the prerobot era, and there was an ICU cost savings of KD2.5 million attributable to the use of RP. CONCLUSION: The use of RP enabled rapid face-to-face ICU Intensivist - physician response to unstable ICU Oncology patients and resulted in decreased ICU cost and LOS.

Keywords: robot physician, oncology patients, rp - 7 in icu management, cost and icu occupancy

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1117 User-Friendly Task Creation Using a CAD Integrated Robotic System on a Real Workcell

Authors: Alireza Changizi, Arash Rezaei, Jamal Muhammad, Jyrki Latokartano, Minna Lanz

Abstract:

Offline programming (OLP) is a new method in robot programming which is used widely in the industry nowadays which is a simulation base method that can produce the robot codes for motion according to virtual world in the simulation software. In this project Delmia v5 is used as simulation software. First the work cell component was modelled by Catia v5 and all of them was imported to a process file in Delmia and placed roughly to form the virtual work cell. Then robot was added to the work cell from the Delmia library. Work cell was calibrated corresponding to real world work cell to have accurate code. Tool calibration is the first step of calibration scheme and then work cell equipment can be calibrated using 6 point calibration method. Finally generated code needs to be reformed to match related controller code instruction. At the last stage IO were set to accomplish robots cooperation and make their motion synchronized. The pros and cons also will be discussed to clarify the presented results show the feasibility of the method and its effect on production line efficiency. Finally the positive and negative points of the implementation will be discussed.

Keywords: robotic, automated, production, offline programming, CAD

Procedia PDF Downloads 388