Em um mercado de comércio internacional cada vez mais competitivo existe a necessidade de a infraestrutura do sistema portuário brasileiro modernizar-se, tornando-se mais eficiente do ponto de vista operacional e com capacidade para receber navios de maior porte. Neste cenário, as técnicas de projeto de espaços náuticos precisam ser revistas, utilizando-se de ferramentas mais sofisticadas que permitam otimizar os dimensionamentos sem deixar de lado as questões da eficiência e, principalmente, da segurança operacional. O presente trabalho apresenta uma abordagem experimental para análise do projeto das dimensões de canais de acesso e bacias portuárias, fundamentada no desenvolvimento de um simulador de manobras de navios em modelo físico de escala reduzida, denominado Simulador Analógico de Manobras SIAMA 2014. Além disso, é proposto um sistema completo para avaliação das condições de manobrabilidade de espaços náuticos portuários, desde a calibração da ferramenta de simulação, até a verificação de cenários complexos e situações de emergência. O SIAMA 2014 e o sistema desenvolvido foram aplicados em um estudo de caso, que contou com a participação de práticos e autoridades portuárias na realização de simulações de manobras para verificação das condições de atracação no novo berço do Terminal Portuário Marítimo de Ponta da Madeira, em São Luís do Maranhão. Os resultados deste estudo foram apresentados e discutidos, de forma a mostrar a importância da utilização de modelos físicos reduzidos na simulação de manobra de navios. / In an increasingly competitive international trading market there is a need for modernizing the infrastructure of the Brazilian port system, becoming more efficient from an operational point of view and with ability to handle larger vessels. In this scenario, the port approach channels design techniques need to be reviewed, using more sophisticated tools to improve the design without forgetting important questions such as efficiency and, especially, operational safety. This paper presents an experimental approach to evaluate the design of the dimensions of port channels and manoeuvring areas, based on the development of a shiphandling simulator for physical scale models, called Analogic Manouevring Simulator SIAMA 2014. Besides, it is proposed a complete system to evaluate the manoeuvring conditions of port approach channels, since calibration of the simulation tool to check complex scenarios and emergency situations. The SIAMA 2014 and the system developed were applied in a case study, in which pilots and port authorities performed manoeuvring simulations to verify the shiphandling conditions in the new berth of the Maritime Port of Ponta da Madeira in São Luis, Maranhão. The results of this study were presented and discussed in order to show the importance of using physical models in simulation of ship manoeuvering.

Bumblebees, like other Hymenopterans, perform learning flights when departing their nest for the first few times or when departing from a newly discovered food source. As bees can learn about the landmarks around a flower both on approach and on departure, it is possible that what they see and learn on approach affects what they focus on during their learning flight on departure. In the present study, bumblebees from a commercial colony placed in a greenhouse were allowed to land at an artificial flower next to a single cylindrical landmark in one of three different positions (west, north or east), while all bees departed the flower with all three landmarks present in each position. Bumblebees approaching the flower with the landmark in the west position (WEST bees) faced mostly in a westerly direction and toward that landmark on departure, while NORTH bees faced mostly in an easterly direction and toward the east landmark and EAST bees faced mostly in a northerly direction and toward the north landmark. Thus, each group was consistent but favoured a different direction and faced toward a different landmark compared to the other groups, though these differences were most prominent during the early phase of the learning flight. On the other hand, all three groups faced the flower during the late phase of the learning flight. I therefore conclude that bumblebees do learn about the landmarks around a flower on approach, and this affects the direction they face during their learning flight in a consistent way.

The Combined Laser and Scan Sonar (CLASS) system is an extended range imaging system, incorporating both high-resolution laser images and high frequency sonar images. Both the laser and sonar images are collected simultaneously during testing to provide dual mode imagery of an underwater target, displaying both a 2D image of the target (laser image) and a 3D overlay of the target (sonar image). The laser component of the system is a Multiple Overlapping Field of view Serial Laser Imager (MOFSLI), capable of generating high-resolution sub-centimeter 2D images. MOFSLI generates the images by way of a near diffraction-limited 532 [nm] continuous wave (CW) laser beam being scanned over the target. Initial field tests resulted in high-quality images of the ocean floor, but also indicated the need for additional research on MOFSLI. In this thesis, we focus on the calibration of MOFSLI and on the evaluation of the image quality generated by this system, as a function of range, source power, receiver gain and water turbidity. This work was completed in the specialized underwater electrooptics testing facility located in the Ocean Visibility and Optics laboratory at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI). Laboratory testing revealed the operational limits of the system, which functioned well until just beyond five attenuation lengths, where it becomes contrast limited due attenuation of target signal and the collection of non-image bearing backscattered photons. Testing also revealed the optimal settings of the system at given environmental conditions. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Em um estudo prospectivo e randomizado sobre o posicionamento do componente acetabular na artroplastia total do quadril, 20 quadris foram operados com o auxílio da navegação livre de métodos de imagem e 20 quadris foram operados através do método convencional. Todas as cirurgias foram realizadas pelo mesmo cirurgião com o paciente em decúbito lateral. A avaliação do posicionamento foi feita através da medição tomográfica pós-operatória dos ângulos de anteversão e inclinação cirúrgicos e análise da zona de segurança. Os resultados obtidos foram similares em todas as comparações: anteversão média de 17,4o no grupo navegado e 14,5o no grupo convencional (p=0,215), inclinação média de 41,7o no grupo navegado e 42,2o no grupo convencional (p=0,633), desvio médio do objetivo da anteversão (15o) de 5,5o no grupo navegado e 6,6o no grupo convencional (p=0,429), desvio médio do objetivo da inclinação (40o) de 3o no grupo navegado e 3,2o no grupo convencional (p=0,783) e localização dentro da zona de segurança de 90% no grupo navegado e 80% no grupo convencional (p=0,661). A avaliação tomográfica pós-operatória do posicionamento acetabular na artroplastia total de quadril realizada com o paciente em decúbito lateral foi semelhante ao se comparar a técnica navegada com a técnica convencional / In a prospective and randomised study of the acetabular component position in total hip arthroplasty, 20 hips were operated using imageless navigation and 20 hips were operated using the conventional method. The same surgeon performed all the operations with the patient in the lateral position. The correct position of the acetabular component was evaluated with computed tomography performed after the surgeries, measuring the operative anteversion angle and the operative inclination angle and determining the cases inside the safe zone. The results were similar in all the analyses: a mean anteversion of 17.4o in the navigated group and 14.5o in the conventional group (p=0.215), a mean inclination of 41.7o in the navigated group and 42.2o in the conventional group (p=0.633), a mean deviation from the desired anteversion (15o) of 5.5o in the navigated group and 6.6o in the conventional group (p=0.429), a mean deviation from the desired inclination (40o) of 3o in the navigated group and 3.2o in the conventional group (p=0.783), and location inside the safe zone of 90% in the navigated group and 80% in the conventional group (p=0.661). The acetabular component positions tomography analyses in total hip arthroplasty, performed with the patient in the lateral position, were similar whether using imageless navigation or performing it conventionally

This dissertation introduces Inverse Synthetic Array Reconciliation Tomography (ISART), an algorithm that exploits the short-time accuracy of inertial navigation systems (INS) and the time-stability of radio frequency (RF) positioning algorithms to achieve a high level of positioning accuracy. Novel array processing and data fusion techniques are employed to acheive performance far greater than RF and INS algorithms previously developed. This research is directed toward addressing the need for a viable tracking solution for firefighters and other first responders in urban and indoor environments. The approaches in this work are fundamentally different from other RF-INS fusion approaches, in the way we combine INS data with RF data. Rather than simply fusing the measurements from two systems that are estimating position (or states directly related to position) we use the inertial navigation data to improve the accuracy of our RF estimates at the signal level, before integrating them into an overall fusion system through the use of an extended Kalman filter (EKF). This work outlines the theoretical basis for ISART, and shows the results of simulations that support the claimed accuracy improvement of the ISART algorithm over existing methods. The viability of ISART in real world settings is then examined through the results of three field tests what were conducted in support of this research.

Inertial navigation is a relative navigation technique commonly used by autonomous vehicles to determine their linear velocity, position and orientation in three-dimensional space. The basic premise of inertial navigation is that measurements of acceleration and angular velocity from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) are integrated over time to produce estimates of linear velocity, position and orientation. However, this process is a particularly involved one. The raw inertial data must first be properly analyzed and modeled in order to ensure that any inertial navigation system (INS) that uses the inertial data will produce accurate results. This thesis describes the process of analyzing and modeling raw IMU data, as well as how to use the results of that analysis to design an INS. Two separate INS units are designed using two different micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) IMUs. To test the effectiveness of each INS, each IMU is rigidly mounted to an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) and the vehicle is driven through a known test course. The linear velocity, position and orientation estimates produced by each INS are then compared to the true linear velocity, position and orientation of the UGV over time. Final results from these experiments include quantifications of how well each INS was able to estimate the true linear velocity, position and orientation of the UGV in several different navigation scenarios as well as a direct comparison of the performances of the two separate INS units.

For a little over the past decade since the DARPA Grand Challenge in 2004 and the more successful Urban Challenge in 2007 autonomous vehicles have seen a surge in popularity with car manufacturers, and companies such as Google and Uber. Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) has been one of the major sensors in use to sense for acting on the surrounding environment instead of the classic radar which has a much narrower field of vision. However the cost of the higher end 3D LiDAR systems which started seeing use during the DARPA challenges still have the high cost of $70,000 a piece which is an issue when trying to design a consumer friendly system on a family car. This work aims to investigate alternate 2D LiDAR systems to the costly systems currently in use in many prototypes to find a cost efficient alternative that can detect and track obstacles in front of a vehicle. The introduction begins by summarizing some related prior works, particularly papers from after the Grand Challenge as well as some about the competition itself. Detection and tracking methods for point clouds generated by the LiDAR are explored including ways to search through the data in an efficient manner to meet real-time constraints. Some of the trade-offs in going from a 3D system to a 2D system and examined along with how some of the drawbacks can be mitigated.

Thesis. 1975. M.S.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. / Includes bibliographical references. / M.S.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Stephen G. Sifferlen. / M.S.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / Research in rodents and computational modeling work suggest a critical role for the hippocampus in representing overlapping memories. This thesis tested predictions that the hippocampus is important in humans for remembering overlapping spatial events, and that flexible navigation of spatial routes is supported by key prefrontal and striatal structures operating in conjunction with the hippocampus. The three experiments described in this dissertation used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in healthy young people to examine brain activity during context-dependent navigation of virtual maze environments. Experiment 1 tested whether humans recruit the hippocampus and orbitofrontal cortex to successfully retrieve well-learned overlapping spatial routes. Participants navigated familiar virtual maze environments during fMRI scanning. Brain activity for flexible retrieval of overlapping spatial memories was contrasted with activity for retrieval of distinct non-overlapping memories. Results demonstrate the hippocampus is more strongly recruited for planning and retrieval of overlapping routes than non-overlapping routes, and the orbitofrontal cortex is recruited specifically for context-dependent navigational decisions. Experiment 2 examined whether the hippocampus, orbitofrontal cortex, and striatum interact cooperatively to support flexible navigation of overlapping routes. Using a functional connectivity analysis of fMRI data, we compared interactions between these structures during virtual navigation of overlapping and non-overlapping mazes. Results demonstrate the hippocampus interacts with the caudate more strongly for navigating overlapping than non-overlapping routes. Both structures cooperate with the orbitofrontal cortex specifically during context-dependent decision points, suggesting the orbitofrontal cortex mediates translation of contextual information into the flexible selection of behavior. Experiment 3 examined whether the hippocampus and caudate contribute to forming context-dependent memories. fMRI activity for learning new virtual mazes which overlap with familiar routes was compared with activity for learning completely distinct routes. Results demonstrate both the hippocampus and caudate are preferentially recruited for learning mazes which overlap with existing route memories. Furthermore, both areas update their responses to familiar route memories which become context-dependent, suggesting complementary roles in both learning and updating overlapping representations. Together, these studies demonstrate that navigational decisions based on overlapping representations rely on a network incorporating hippocampal function with the evaluation and selection of behavior in the prefrontal cortex and striatum.