Cost estimates of automatic crash protection in 1987 model year passenger cars. Volume III. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, Washington, D.C.

An agent approach to improving radio frequency identification enabled Returnable Transport Equipment

Returnable transport equipment (RTE) such as pallets form an integral part of the supply chain and poor management leads to costly losses. Companies often address this matter by outsourcing the management of RTE to logistics service providers (LSPs). LSPs are faced with the task to provide logistical expertise to reduce RTE related waste, whilst differentiating their own services to remain competitive. In the current challenging economic climate, the role of the LSP to deliver innovative ways to achieve competitive advantage has never been so important. It is reported that radio frequency identification (RFID) application to RTE enables LSPs such as DHL to gain competitive advantage and offer clients improvements such as loss reduction, process efficiency improvement and effective security. However, the increased visibility and functionality of RFID enabled RTE requires further investigation in regards to decision‐making. The distributed nature of the RTE network favours a decentralised decision‐making format. Agents are an effective way to represent objects from the bottom‐up, capturing the behaviour and enabling localised decision‐making. Therefore, an agent based system is proposed to represent the RTE network and utilise the visibility and data gathered from RFID tags. Two types of agents are developed in order to represent the trucks and RTE, which have bespoke rules and algorithms in order to facilitate negotiations. The aim is to create schedules, which integrate RTE pick‐ups as the trucks go back to the depot. The findings assert that: - agent based modelling provides an autonomous tool, which is effective in modelling RFID enabled RTE in a decentralised utilising the real‐time data facility. ‐ the RFID enabled RTE model developed enables autonomous agent interaction, which leads to a feasible schedule integrating both forward and reverse flows for each RTE batch. ‐ the RTE agent scheduling algorithm developed promotes the utilisation of RTE by including an automatic return flow for each batch of RTE, whilst considering the fleet costs andutilisation rates. ‐ the research conducted contributes an agent based platform, which LSPs can use in order to assess the most appropriate strategies to implement for RTE network improvement for each of their clients.

Automatic Identification of Large Fragments in a Pile of Broken Rock Using a Time-of-Flight Camera

This paper presents a solution to part of the problem of making robotic or semi-robotic digging equipment less dependant on human supervision. A method is described for identifying rocks of a certain size that may affect digging efficiency or require special handling. The process involves three main steps. First, by using range and intensity data from a time-of-flight (TOF) camera, a feature descriptor is used to rank points and separate regions surrounding high scoring points. This allows a wide range of rocks to be recognized because features can represent a whole or just part of a rock. Second, these points are filtered to extract only points thought to belong to the large object. Finally, a check is carried out to verify that the resultant point cloud actually represents a rock. Results are presented from field testing on piles of fragmented rock. Note to Practitioners—This paper presents an algorithm to identify large boulders in a pile of broken rock as a step towards an autonomous mining dig planner. In mining, piles of broken rock can contain large fragments that may need to be specially handled. To assess rock piles for excavation, we make use of a TOF camera that does not rely on external lighting to generate a point cloud of the rock pile. We then segment large boulders from its surface by using a novel feature descriptor and distinguish between real and false boulder candidates. Preliminary field experiments show promising results with the algorithm performing nearly as well as human test subjects.

Equipment quality control

Mammography equipment must be evaluated to ensure that images will be of acceptable diagnostic quality with lowest radiation dose. Quality Assurance (QA) aims to provide systematic and constant improvement through a feedback mechanism to address the technical, clinical and training aspects. Quality Control (QC), in relation to mammography equipment, comprises a series of tests to determine equipment performance characteristics. The introduction of digital technologies promoted changes in QC tests and protocols and there are some tests that are specific for each manufacturer. Within each country specifi c QC tests should be compliant with regulatory requirements and guidance. Ideally, one mammography practitioner should take overarching responsibility for QC within a service, with all practitioners having responsibility for actual QC testing. All QC results must be documented to facilitate troubleshooting, internal audit and external assessment. Generally speaking, the practitioner’s role includes performing, interpreting and recording the QC tests as well as reporting any out of action limits to their service lead. They must undertake additional continuous professional development to maintain their QC competencies. They are usually supported by technicians and medical physicists; in some countries the latter are mandatory. Technicians and/or medical physicists often perform many of the tests indicated within this chapter. It is important to recognise that this chapter is an attempt to encompass the main tests performed within European countries. Specific tests related to the service that you work within must be familiarised with and adhered too.

Mammography equipment

Mammography is one of the most technically demanding examinations in radiology, and it requires X-ray technology designed specifi cally for the task. The pathology to be imaged ranges from small (20–100 μm) high density microcalcifications to ill-defi ned low contrast masses. These must be imaged against a background of mixed densities. This makes demonstrating pathology challenging. Because of its use in asymptomatic screening, mammography must also employ as low a radiation dose as possible.

Optimising container process at multimodal container terminal with automatic straddle carriers

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