Recent developments in laser scanning technologies have provided innovative solutions for
acquiring three-dimensional (3D) point clouds about road corridors and its environments.
Unlike traditional field surveying, satellite imagery, and aerial photography, laser scanning
systems offer unique solutions for collecting dense point clouds with millimeter accuracy and
in a reasonable time. The data acquired by laser scanning systems empower modeling road
geometry and delineating road design parameters such as slope, superelevation, and vertical
and horizontal alignments. These geometric parameters have several geospatial applications
such as road safety management.
The purpose of this book is to promote the core understanding of suitable geospatial tools
and techniques for modeling of road traffic accidents by the state-of-the-art artificial intelligence
(AI) approaches such as neural networks (NNs) and deep learning (DL) using traffic
information and road geometry delineated from laser scanning data.
Data collection and management in databases play a major role in modeling and developing
predictive tools. Therefore, the first two chapters of this book introduce laser scanning technology
with creative explanation and graphical illustrations and review the recent methods of
extracting geometric road parameters. The third and fourth chapters present an optimization of
support vector machine and ensemble tree methods as well as novel hierarchical object-based
methods for extracting road geometry from laser scanning point clouds.
Information about historical traffic accidents and their circumstances, traffic (volume, type of
vehicles), road features (grade, superelevation, curve radius, lane width, speed limit, etc.) pertains
to what is observed to exist on road segments or road intersections. Soft computing models
such as neural networks are advanced modeling methods that can be related to traffic and road
features to the historical accidents and generates regression equations that can be used in various
phases of road safety management cycle. The regression equations produced by NN can identify
unsafe road segments, estimate how much safety has changed following a change in design, and
quantify the effects of road geometric features and traffic information on road safety.
This book aims to help graduate students, professionals, decision makers, and road planners
in developing better traffic accident prediction models using advanced neural networks.
Who this book is for
This book is intended for data scientists, machine learning developers, and deep learning
practitioners with a knowledge of Java who want to implement machine learning and deep
neural networks in the computer vision domain. A basic knowledge of Java programming
will be required.
This book will serve as a great resource for learning the concepts related to chatbots and
learning how to build them. Those who will find this book useful include:
• Python web developers looking to expand their knowledge or career
into chatbots development
• Students and aspiring programmers wanting to acquire a new skill
set by hands-on experience to showcase something and stand out in
the crowd
• Natural Language enthusiasts looking to learn how to build a chatbot
from scratch
• Budding entrepreneurs with a great idea but not enough technical
feasibility information on how to go about making a chatbot
• Product/Engineering managers planning for a chatbot-related
project
If you are looking for a book that gives you experiential and practical knowledge of
how to use Python and solve some of the problems in the real world, then you will be
highly satisfied.
Twisted has recently celebrated its sweet sixteen birthday. It has been around for a
while; and in that time, it grew to be a powerful library. In that time, some interesting
applications have been built on top of it. In that time, many of us learned a lot about how
to use Twisted well, how to think about networking code, and how to architect event-based
programs.
After going through the introductory materials that we have on the Twisted site,
a common thing to hear is “What now? How can I learn more about Twisted?” The
usual way we answered that question is with a question: “What do you want to do with
Twisted?” This book shows how to do interesting things with Twisted.
Each of the contributors to this book has done slightly different things with Twisted
and learned different lessons. We are excited to present all of these lessons, with the
goals of making them common knowledge in the community.
Enjoy!
Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017
This book consists of 30 chapters. Chapter 1 presents the theory and application
of actuation of elastomeric micro-devices via capillary force technology.
Chapter 2 provides insight into the fundamental design, working principles, and
practical guidance of MEMS accelerometers. Details of experimental setups, signal
conditioning, and data processing are also provided to construct an integrated
performance assessment system. Chapter 3 gives an overview of the impact of
the change from a focus on analysis, simulation, and modeling combined with
outsourcing hardware design to the use of digital fabrication tools allowing a cyclic
design process inside the lab, using many examples from various projects, and
shares some insights and lessons learned for facilitating and implementing this
process. Chapter 4 presents the design of a family of micro-robots capable of
object manipulation in a fluidic environment. Chapter 5 discusses how state-of-theart
mobile technologies may be integrated into human-in-the-loop cyber-physical
systems and exploited to provide naturalmappings for remote interactions with such
systems. A demonstrative example is used to show how an intuitive metaphor is
uncovered for performing a balancing task through the teleoperation of a ball and
beam test bed. Chapter 6 provides an overview on force/tactile sensor development.
By exploiting optoelectronic technology, two tactile sensors that can be used to
execute both fine manipulation of objects and safe interaction tasks with humans
are designed and realized. Chapter 7 addresses a brief account of issues related
to mechanical properties of MEMS. Micro-testing techniques including microtensile
and micro-fatigue testing along with the hardware are described with typical
sample type, shape, and geometry, depicted with diagrams and images. Chapter 8
studies a type of marmot-like rescue robot for mine safety detection and rescuing.
The kinematics, maximum stiffness, minimum stiffness, and global stiffness of the
head section of the rescue robot are modeled and analyzed. Chapter 9 presents
a systematic review of key control schemes for reconfigurable robotic systems,
highlighting their benefits and disadvantages, and also reviews the application of
these systems at microscale. Chapter 10 gives a detailed overview of MEMSbased
sensors and actuators. Chapter 11 proposes a novel sensing approach to
in situ particulate material (soot) load measurement in a diesel particulate filter
using electrical capacitance tomography (ECT). Chapter 12 provides an overview
of three actuation mechanisms that are relevant for biomedical applications of
microfluidics. The topics dealt with include dielectrophoresis, acoustophoresis, and
magnetophoresis. Chapter 13 reviews a few mechatronic devices designed and used
in ASD screening and discusses a few devices used for therapeutic purposes. Chapter
14 conducts a critical and thorough review on vapor/gas sensing properties of a
wide range of electrochemically derivedmetal oxide nano-forms as the sensing layer
employing a different device configuration. Chapter 15 develops a wearable blood
pressure monitoring system using ultrasound and a microperfusion system using a
metal needle with micro-flow channel for measurement of subepidermal biological
substances. Chapter 16 discusses the fabrication strategies and materials for the
development of physical, chemical, and biosensors. The emerging applications of
flexible electronics in wound healing, wearable electronics, implantable devices,
and surgical tools, as well as point-of-care diagnostic devices, are also explored.
Chapter 17 presents several MEMS devices where the main application is agriculture.
Chapter 18 shows the design, fabrication, and testing of a multifunctional
MEMS sensor for use in hydraulic systems. The MEMS device is incorporated
into a typical fluid power component. Chapter 19 proposes a piezoelectric-actuated
rigid nano-needle for single cell wall (SCW) cutting. A fabricated tungsten (W)
nano-needle is assembled with a commercial piezoelectric actuator laterally and
perpendicularly. Chapter 20 develops a process planning-driven approach for the
development of a robotic percussive riveting system for aircraft assembly automation.
Chapter 21 introduces photoinduced fabrication technologies for 3D MEMS
devices and examines four technologies and their outcome of applications where
fabricated feature sizes decrease and resolution increases. Chapter 22 presents a
design principle of the OKES by deriving a mathematical model and characterized
the OKES performance in terms of working range, positioning accuracy, resolution,
linearity, bandwidth, and control effectiveness with the nano-positioning systems.
Chapter 23 presents a lab-on-chip microfluidics system for SCM measurement,
related to the force required to drag a single cell and Newton’s law of motion
inside microfluidics channel. Chapter 24 focuses on the characteristics of micromanipulation
in terms of the types and principles of gripping forces. Chapter 25
discusses three important aspects of inertial microfluidics: fundamental mechanism,
microchannel designs, and applications. Chapter 26 provides a detailed overview
of the different types of piezoelectric force sensors and the dynamic calibration
techniques that have been used to calibrate these sensors. Chapter 27 introduces a
magnetically driven micro-robotics system to explain the procedure of developing a
magnetic levitation stage and proposes a sensor switching mechanismthat combines
magnetic flux measurement-based position determination and optical sensor-based
position detection. Chapter 28 applies 3D printing molding methods to fabricate a
miniature magnetic actuator for an optical image stabilizer, and the application of
robust control techniques to actuate the developed miniature magnetic actuators is
discussed. Chapter 29 deals with the concept of biofeedback control systems and
its structure, and various applicable control methods which are designed to fulfill
different system requirements are provided. Chapter 30 develops an inverse adaptive
controller design method for the purpose of mitigating the hysteresis effect in the
magnetostrictive-actuated dynamic systems.
Woodhead Publishing Limited, 2013
This book is arranged in two parts. Part I, comprising ten chapters, deals
with RF MEMS as an enabling technology. This part covers the latest
trends in fabrication and technology: in RF MEMS components including
RF antennas and RF front-ends, and wafer-level packaging and reliability.
All the chapters are in the fi eld that would traditionally be described as
‘RF MEMS’. Also in this part of the book we have included an overview
chapter on wireless techniques and protocols, so that the reader can gain a
comprehensive systems overview and understanding of the protocols and
issues associated with the fl ow of data in present day wireless nodes and
networks.
Part II of the book, comprising eight chapters, focuses on applications
addressing a diverse range of portable, wireless and mobile systems incorporating
all types of MEMS. Chapters in this section cover energy harvesting
for powering wireless systems, and implantable biomedical microsystems
(for ocular and drug delivery applications), combining wireless technology
and MEMS from a historical and present day perspective. MEMS in automotive
radar, in telecommunication systems, and in portable display systems
are also covered.
We believe that we have produced a unique volume which covers both
‘basics’ and ‘applied’. I am very grateful to all of our very busy authors, who
found the time to provide their valued contributions to what we all hope
will be a signifi cant and important book that will expand the knowledge in
this fi eld. I would also like to record my thanks to the staff at Woodhead
Publishing for their professionalism and dedication in bringing this project
to completion.
2018 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
This book aims to cover a broad spectrum and is divided into three sections. The first section addresses typical optical MEMS devices containing microsized features. It also features the use of this technology in imaging, communication, and sensing applications. This section presents a set of devices and systems, including PZT-driven micromirrors for ultra-portable laser scanning project displays, optical phased array technology using MEMS-driven high-contrast-grating (HCG) mirrors for fast beam steering, electrostatically driven programmable mirror arrays for space instruments, ultra-fast laser scanning using MEMS-driven vibratory gratings and their applications in hyperspectral imaging, MEMS-based tunable Fabry–Pérot filters, electrothermally driven micromirrors and their applications in endoscopes, and MEMS-driven tunable lenses and adjustable apertures for miniaturized cameras. The second section of the book covers the recent research in nanophotonics, again with an emphasis on its integration with NEMS/MEMS. This section reports on photonics crystal-based sensors, NEMS-driven silicon nanowire waveguide variable couplers, metasurfaces and ultrathin optical devices, sensors based on nanophotonic resonators, and MEMS tunable THz metameterials. The last section of the book presents particular types of micro- and nanophotonic devices that integrate with biological and/or microfluidic systems. This section reports optofluidic devices and their applications, implantable microphotonic devices, as well as portable microfluidic-based photocatalysis systems. These devices and systems are mostly targeted for biomedical and health care applications.
