The problem considered in this thesis is the development of an autonomous prototype robot capable of gathering sensory information from its environment allowing it to provide feedback on the condition of specific targets to aid in maintenance of hydro equipment. The context for the solution to this problem is based on the power grid environment operated by the local hydro utility. The intent is to monitor power line structures by travelling along skywire located at the top of towers, providing a view of everything beneath it including, for example, insulators, conductors, and towers. The contribution of this thesis is a novel robot design with the potential to prevent hazardous situations and the use of rough coverage feedback modified reinforcement learning algorithms to establish behaviours.

This thesis presents a rough set approach to reinforcement learning. This is made possible by considering behaviour patterns of learning agents in the context of approximation spaces. Rough set theory introduced by Zdzisław Pawlak in the early 1980s provides a ground for deriving pattern-based rewards within approximation spaces. Learning can be considered episodic. The framework provided by an approximation space makes it possible to derive pattern-based reference rewards at the end of each episode. Reference rewards provide a standard for reinforcement comparison as well as the actor-critic method of reinforcement learning. In addition, approximation spaces provide a basis for deriving episodic weights that provide a basis for a new form of off-policy Monte Carlo learning control method. A number of conventional and pattern-based reinforcement learning methods are investigated in this thesis. In addition, this thesis introduces two learning environments used to compare the algorithms. The first is a Monocular Vision System used to track a moving target. The second is an artificial ecosystem testbed that makes it possible to study swarm behaviour by collections of biologically-inspired bots. The simulated ecosystem has an ethological basis inspired by the work of Niko Tinbergen, who introduced in the 1960s methods of observing and explaining the behaviour of biological organisms that carry over into the study of the behaviour of interacting robotic devices that cooperate to survive and to carry out highly specialized tasks. Agent behaviour during each episode is recorded in a decision table called an ethogram, which records features such as states, proximate causes, responses (actions), action preferences, rewards and decisions (actions chosen and actions rejected). At all times an agent follows a policy that maps perceived states of the environment to actions. The goal of the learning algorithms is to find an optimal policy in a non-stationary environment. The results of the learning experiments with seven forms of reinforcement learning are given. The contribution of this thesis is a comprehensive introduction to a pattern-based evaluation of behaviour during reinforcement learning using approximation spaces.

[pt] A presente dissertação tem por objetivo apresentar as bases biológicas do sistema comportamental de apego, apresentado por John Bowlby, e discutir a interação entre biológico e ambiental na construção do psiquismo do sujeito. Isto será realizado, primeiramente, através do estudo do ser humano como proveniente de uma origem animal, utilizando a Teoria da Seleção Natural das Espécies de Charles Darwin. Feito isso teremos então a base para o estudo comportamento humano. Tendo trilhado o caminho da biologia, podemos partir para o estudo do ambiente como fator imprescindível para a formação da humanidade. Não se pode falar do ser humano sem falar de suas relações. Serão apresentadas evidências de como o relacionamento social interfere fisicamente no aparato cerebral. Esta demonstração é de suma importância para a comprovação de que a interação entre o orgânico e o social é o que produz um psiquismo saudável ou doente, foco principal deste trabalho. / [en] This dissertation aims to provide the biological bases of behavioral system of attachment, presented by John Bowlby, and discuss the interaction between biological and environmental construction in the psyche of the subject. This will be achieved primarily through the study of the human being as from an animal, using the Theory of Natural Selection of Species Charles Darwin. Then we have then the basis for studying human behavior. Taking tracks the path of biology, we can go to the study of the environment as a factor essential for the formation of humanity. One can not speak of human beings without talking about their relationship. Will be presented as evidence of the social relationships affect physical apparatus in the brain. This demonstration is of utmost importance to prove that the interaction between the organic and the social is what produces a healthy mind or ill, the main focus of this work.

The main tasks of this thesis are a mapping of the occurrence of the topic prevention of risks arising from encounters with animals in textbooks for primary scholars, a detection levels of scholar´s knowledge in this field, a creation of a tutorial on this topic and a testing of this tutorial. The survey has shown that scholars have got only shallow theoretical knowledge about the way how to deal safely with common domesticated animals as dogs and cats, they have got almost no experience with bigger farm animals (as pigs, cows, horses). The survey has shown that after completing the tutorial the scholar´s knowledge has become much deeper. There is very low rate of this topic in textbooks for the educational area The Man and his World. The domesticated animals (especially dogs) are presented as a thoroughly good, the scholars are not warned of the possible risks during the meeting with this animals. This thesis was created as part of the GAJU 078/2013/S project.

The aim of this work was to gather and evaluate the evidence about the behaviour of dairy cows during the milking by a robot (including physiological reactions running after the milking). The following parameters were observed: number of milking per 24 hours, the time from onset to the robot and the teat cup deployment, the time between milking, the total time of milking, milk yield with each milking, average and total milk yield per day. The results were measured separately in heifers and in cows on the second and subsequent lactations. In the same time, there was also observed the behaviour of cows after leaving the milking robot - feed and water intake, physical activity and the rest for the time of 30 minutes after the milking. Simultaneously, there was also observed the effect of milking technology for the health of the cows, focused on diseases of the mammary gland. There were three ethologic observations which always lasted 24 hours. In addition to the observed data, there were evaluated the data records obtained from the milking machine (e. g. milk yield per one milking, the interval between single milkings, etc.). There were observed an average of 60 pieces of cows. Throughout the watching the cows in the barn behaved calmly and contentedly. They came to the milking machine spontaneously, only a few cases had to be herded for milking by the caregiver. However, they were all the heifers which did not have the sufficient experience with the milking. The counting of teat cup deployment attempts had to be abandoned because of the close proximity of the observer at the milking robot. In this case, the cows were not quiet and did not want to go in the robot spontaneously. The mammary gland disease was diagnosed at an average of 6.9 pieces of milked cows per one month. This high number of cases is ascribed to a poor hygiene of the stables and a poorer quality of feeding. This work was created in cooperation with the grants NAZV QJ1210144 and NAZV QJ1530058.

The aim of this diploma thesis was to obtain and formulate the knowledge about the process of milking and the activity of dairy cows 30 minutes after milking in the milking parlour with a robot and in the herringbone milking parlour. Three ethological observations took place in three seasons. The observation on the farm with a milking robot took 24 hours continuously. The observation on the farm with a milking parlour lasted for the duration of milking and subsequent observation of the last group of dairy cows. In total, there were evaluated 452 successful milkings on the farm with the robot and 112 successful milkings on the farm with the milking parlour. Crosses of Czech Fleckvieh Breed and red Holstein Breed in the same ratio were observed during the monitoring. Parameters during milking and ethological performance, such as drinking, feed intake and lying down, in the duration of 30 minutes after milking were monitored. The instructions of the thesis are based on the project NAZV - QJ1210144 and NAZV QJ1530058.

The aim of the work was to find out and analyse social interactions and activities of the guinea pigs (Cavia aperea var. porcellus) during 24 hours. Five groups of short-haired guinea pigs were observed. The guinea pigs were filmed. Next, video records were analysed using ethograms and description of social behaviour between group members. Data record was written down to ethograms every 1 minute for a periof of 24 hours. Observed activities were food intake, resting (including sleep), movement and comfort beahaviour (grooming). Generally, eighteen guinea pigs (in five groups) were observed. Guinea pigs are friendly animals, they create stable and well-organised groups. None aggressive behaviour was observed between group members. Besides small conflicts because of age difference, food or interruption during sleep. The oldest sows were dominant and their place was close to food. It was found out that guinea pigs rested the most (726 minutes, half-day). Food intake made up 590 minutes (41 %) and movement 84 minutes (6 %). More active were younger guinea pigs and boar who was housed with two sows. Comfort behaviour took 41 minutes, guinea pigs also took cares of each other.

SILVA, Renan Saraiva Martins da. Comportamento sexual e materno-filial de ovinos da raça morada nova em diferentes ordens de parição. 2013. 59 f. : Dissertação (Mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Ceará, Centro de Ciências, Departamento de Zootecnia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zootecnia. Fortaleza-CE, 2013. / Submitted by Eric Santiago (erichhcl@gmail.com) on 2016-08-10T15:14:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_rsmsilva.pdf: 736865 bytes, checksum: a78626a5fdbfbefb470f604a1f49d661 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Nádja Goes (nmoraissoares@gmail.com) on 2016-08-10T15:16:22Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_rsmsilva.pdf: 736865 bytes, checksum: a78626a5fdbfbefb470f604a1f49d661 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T15:16:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_rsmsilva.pdf: 736865 bytes, checksum: a78626a5fdbfbefb470f604a1f49d661 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / The aim of this work is to evaluate and characterize the sexual behavior and maternal behavior of females of Morada Nova sheep breed in Brazilian Northeast. The study of sexual behavior of females was evaluated from the behavior shown by females before the breeding during the breeding season. This study was conducted in two consecutive years, and the male effect was used only in the first year. In the two years 59 females were used, with 20 nulliparous, 20 primiparous and 19 pluriparous. The behaviors studied were sniffed or not sniffed the male, urinated in the presence of male or not urinated in the presence of male, reactivity with male approach with score one, two or three, posture acceptance time to cover. In the second year of the experiment added the behavior of vocalizations. In the first year, nulliparous and primiparous had a higher frequency of the behavior of the sniffed the male compared to pluriparous. The results showed that the second year for all categories was the variable most frequently sniffed the male in relation to non sniffed the male, and vocalization was demonstrated by nulliparous females (8%) and primiparous (3%), but pluriparous not vocalized. In both years the primiparous showed more curiosity and also more time to breeding, thus characterizing particular attention to this category at the time of coverage. In the study of maternal-filial behavior, showed 46 births (16 pluriparous , 17 secundiparous and 13 primiparous), in which they evaluated the following variables: time of parturition, number of offspring, eating placenta, water intake, intake food, vocalizations per minute mothers, latency to make the first care, number of cleanings per minute, latency between birth and raising, latency between birth and breastfeeding, number of feedings creates, number of times that creates urinated and vocalizations of pups. Weighed at birth and at weaning of neonates were also performed. The more experienced females had higher number of fetuses, however, secundiparous had a lower mortality rate of their offspring, generating a greater number of weaned. Maternal care of the neonates at birth positively influence the feeding of colostrum and development of the offspring to weaning. / Objetivou-se avaliar e caracterizar o comportamento sexual e o materno-filial de fêmeas ovinas da raça Morada Nova em diferentes ordens de parição. O comportamento sexual de fêmeas foi avaliado a partir dos comportamentos apresentados pelas fêmeas perante o reprodutor durante a estação de monta. Este estudo foi realizado em dois anos consecutivos, sendo que no primeiro ano foi utilizado o efeito macho e no segundo ano não houve a utilização do efeito macho. Em ambos os anos foram utilizadas 59 fêmeas, sendo, 20 nulíparas, 20 primíparas e 19 pluríparas. Os comportamentos estudados foram: cheirar ou não o macho, urinar ou não na presença do macho, reatividade ao macho com escore um, dois ou três, postura de aceitação, tempo para cobertura. No segundo ano do experimento adicionou-se o comportamento de vocalizações. No primeiro ano, fêmeas nulíparas e primíparas apresentaram maior frequência do comportamento de cheirar o macho em relação às pluríparas. Os resultados do segundo ano mostraram que para todas as ordens de parição houve maior frequência da atitude de cheirar o macho e o ato de vocalizar foi demonstrado por fêmeas nulíparas (8%) e primíparas (3%), já as pluríparas não vocalizaram. Em ambos os anos as fêmeas primíparas apresentaram maior tempo para cobertura, desta forma, caracterizando atenção especial a esta ordem de parição no momento da monta. No estudo do comportamento materno-filial foram acompanhados 46 partos (16 pluríparas, 17 secundíparas e 13 primíparas), nos quais se avaliaram as seguintes variáveis: tempo de parto, número de crias, ingestão de placenta, ingestão de água, ingestão de alimento, vocalizações por minuto das mães, latência para realização dos primeiros cuidados, número de limpezas por minuto, latência entre nascer e levantar, latência entre nascer e mamar, número de mamadas da cria, número de vezes que a cria urinou e vocalizações das crias. Também foram realizadas pesagens ao nascimento e ao desmame das crias. As fêmeas pluríparas e secundíparas apresentaram maior número de conceptos, entretanto, as secundíparas tiveram um menor índice de mortalidade de suas crias, gerando um maior número de desmamados. Os cuidados maternos com as crias no momento do parto influenciam positivamente na mamada do colostro e no desenvolvimento da cria até o desmame.

ABSTRACT The thesis called Health and Social Impacts of Human and Dog Co-existence is a paper describing the development of a human and a dog relationship since old times until present. It deals with the origin of a dog and describes the development of understanding between a human and a dog, which lasts up to the present day. The paper offers an integrated survey on the ways the dogs are used at present, especially in health and social areas. It informs the readers on the dog use possibilities, the care for dogs, and also the principles of communication, which enable quality and peaceful life of a human and a dog. The first objective was to find out what is the respondents´ knowledge on the dog use possibilities in the society. This objective was fulfilled and the hypothesis was proved. Respondents do not know even a half of possible dog use in co-existence with people. The second objective was to find out how respondents perceive the presence of dogs in their surroundings in relation to children. The objective was also fulfilled, however, the hypothesis that more than 75 per cent of respondents are careful during the contact of a child with a dog, was disproved. Quite a high percentage of people nderestimate the possible risk during the contact of a child with a dog. The third objective was focused on the awareness of respondents of the dog body signals. The hypothesis was proved in this case and out of the results it is evident that the people lack information on the signals sent by dogs. For finding out the needed data the questionnaire research was used. The questionnaire was composed of 24 questions and handed out to 350 respondents. The result of the research was the proving of three above mentioned hypotheses. One of them was disproved, the rest was proved. The awareness of respondents is not high. 44 per cent of owners are threatened by the risk of wound caused by their own dog. Everything is the result of insufficient education in the area. I see preventive programmes focused on the principles of proper co-existence of a human and a dog, which start in kindergarten, as a possibility to lower the risk of wounds or bites caused by dogs.

Environmental enrichment and welfare are important elements for animals in captivity. This study starts with general introduction in breeding animals in zoos and environmental enrichment for important taxonomic groups. The practical part is following with a research on effect of food on frequency of stereotypic behavior. The theoretical assumption says that the different time of eating the food leads to different behavior. Long-term observation was done to confirm the theory. Eight animals belonging in three species were observed in time of feeding, eight types of food were given. The behavior at the time of feeding and after was evaluated by ethogram. General trends in time used for feeding were confirmed (the shortest time for chicken and opposite the longest for head of a goat). The evaluation of stereotypic behavior mainly showed the individuality of each animal. However, servals exhibit most of this pattern. The relationship between stereotypes and time of feeding was insignificant. Generally most of the results were statistically insignificant because of low number of repetition in the dataset.