Projeto e construção de um robô móvel AGV/ROV não-holonômico com habilidade para navegação autônoma do tipo wall-following

Esta dissertação de mestrado apresenta o projeto e a construção de um robô móvel terrestre denominado LOGBOT, com tração de movimento do tipo diferencial – com duas rodas motoras e uma roda livre para manter a estabilidade de sua estrutura em relação à superfície. O controle do robô dispõe dos modos de telemetria e autônomo. No modo de controle por telemetria (ROV), a comunicação do robô com a estação de controle é feita por radiofreqüência a uma distância de até um quilometro em ambientes externos, e até cem metros em ambientes internos. No modo de controle autônomo (AGV), o robô tem habilidade para navegar em ambientes internos e desconhecidos usando sempre a parede à sua esquerda como referência para a trajetória de seu movimento. A seqüência de movimentos para execução da trajetória é enviada para a estação de controle que realiza análises de desempenho do robô. Para executar suas tarefas no modo autônomo, a programação do robô conta com um agente inteligente reativo, que detecta características do ambiente (obstáculos, final de paredes, etc.) e decide sobre qual atitude deve ser executada pelo robô, com objetivo de contornar os obstáculos e controlar a velocidade de suas rodas. Os problemas de erro odométrico e suas correções com base no uso de informações sensoriais externas são devidamente tratados. Técnicas de controle hierárquico do robô como um todo e controle em malha fechada da velocidade das rodas do robô são usadas. Os resultados mostraram que o robô móvel LOGBOT é capaz de navegar, com estabilidade e precisão, em ambientes internos no formato de um corredor (wall following).

Ecologia e conservação dos tubarões do arquipélago de Fernando de Noronha, com ênfase no tubarão-cabeça-de-cesto Carcharhinus perezi (Poey, 1876) (Carcharhiniformes, Carcharhinidae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Reintrodução de mutuns-do sudeste Cra blumenbachii (Cracidade) na mata atlântica da Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu (Cachoeiras de Macacu, RJ, Brasil)

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia) - IBRC

Máximo déficit acumulado de oxigênio em corridas livre e resistida em pista

Pós-graduação em Ciências da Motricidade - IBRC

Home range and habitat selection by the tropical screech-owl in a Brazilian savanna

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Projeto e concepção de um quadcopter utilizando o controle PID

The present work refers to the design, conception and development of a quadcopter based on PID controllers, a widespread microcontroller on the market was being implemented, the Arduino. Also made use of LabVIEW programming tool from National Instruments company for the quadcopter control and telemetry. For the control, LabVIEW software acquired the joystick commands, making the necessary adjustments to the perfect interpretation by microcontroller on the quadcopter and adjusts the parameters of PID controllers. For telemetry, data relating to quadcopter behavior are received, interpreted and presented in an intuitive user interface. In the first part of this graduate work presents the theoretical background on the subject, with a brief history about the quadcopters, followed by the main projects in the academic and commercial matters. Also are presented the theories of communications used in the design and PID control. Then an overview of the dynamic and mathematical model is demonstrated. Having done this, the physical and computer components required to complete the project are showed and the results are achieved consequently. Finally, a conclusion is made taking into account the results obtained. In this work will be presented the PID control of quadcopter translational movements only to roll and pitch movements

Padrões de movimentação de sabiás (Turdus ssp. Turdidae) em paisagens fragmentadas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Desenvolvimento de uma rede de sensores sem fio aplicada no monitoramento da variabilidade térmica em casas de vegetação

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Desenvolvimento de um sistema de telemetria para monitoramento térmico em casas de vegetação

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Seasonal home ranges and fidelity to breeding sites among ringed seals

Population structure and patterns of habitat use among ringed seals (Phoca hispida) are poorly known, in part because seasonal movements have not been adequately documented. We monitored the movements of 98 ringed seals in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas between 1990 and 2006 using three forms of telemetry. In the winter—spring period (when the seals were occupying shorefast ice), we used radio and ultra-sonic tags to track movements above and below the ice, respectively. We used satellite-linked transmitters in summer and fall (when the seals ranged away from their winter sites) to track at-sea movements. In the shorefast ice habitat, the home ranges of 27 adult males ranged from\1 to 13.9 km2 (median = 0.628) while the home ranges of 28 adult females ranged from \1 to 27.9 km2 (median = 0.652). The 3-dimensional volumes used by 9 seals tracked acoustically under the ice averaged 0.07 (SD = 0.04) km3 for subadults and adult males and 0.13 (SD = 0.04) km3 for adult females. Three of the radio-tracked seals and 9 tracked by satellite ranged up to 1,800 km from their winter/spring home ranges in summer but returned to the same small (1–2 km2) sites during the ice-bound months in the following year. The restricted movements of ringed seals during the ice-bound season— including the breeding season—limits their foraging activities for most of the year and may minimize gene flow within the species.

An animal movement model incorporating home range and habitat selection

Wildlife biologists are often interested in how an animal uses space and the habitat resources within that space. We propose a single model that estimates an animal’s home range and habitat selection parameters within that range while accounting for the inherent autocorrelation in frequently sampled telemetry data. The model is applied to brown bear telemetry data in southeast Alaska.

Implantation of Subcutaneous Radio Transmitters in the Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)

Radio telemetry has become a standard tool for studying the behavior, physiology, life history traits, and population dynamics of marine mammals. Radio transmitters typically are attached to the hind flippers of pinnipeds or glued to the fur using marine epoxy or other cyanocrylare adhesives (Fedak et al. 1983, Bengtson 1993, Jeffries et al. 1993). Longterm data acquisition is difficult, however, because radio-flipper transmitters commonly tear from the webbing of the flipper and instruments that are glued to the fur are shed during the seasonal molt.

Regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions

Over the past three decades, the decline and altered spatial distribution of the western stock of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Alaska have been attributed to changes in the distribution or abundance of their prey due to the cumulative effects of fisheries and environmental perturbations. During this period, dietary prey occurrence and diet diversity were related to population decline within metapopulation regions of the western stock of Steller sea lions, suggesting that environmental conditions may be variable among regions. The objective of this study, therefore, was to examine regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions within the context of recent measures of diet diversity and population trajectories. Habitat use was assessed by deploying satellite-depth recorders and satellite relay data loggers on juvenile Steller sea lions (n = 45) over a five-year period (2000–2004) within four regions of the western stock, including the western, central, and eastern Aleutian Islands, and central Gulf of Alaska. Areas used by sea lions during summer months (June, July, and August) were demarcated using satellite telemetry data and characterized by environmental variables (sea surface temperature [SST] and chlorophyll a [chl a]), which possibly serve as proxies for environmental processes or prey. Spatial patterns of SST diversity and Steller sea lion population trends among regions were fairly consistent with trends reported for diet studies, possibly indicating a link between environmental diversity, prey diversity, and distribution or abundance of Steller sea lions. Overall, maximum spatial heterogeneity coupled with minimal temporal variability of SST appeared to be beneficial for Steller sea lions. In contrast, these patterns were not consistent for chl a, and there appeared to be an ecological threshold. Understanding how Steller sea lions respond to measures of environmental heterogeneity will ultimately be useful for implementing ecosystem management approaches and developing additional conservation strategies.

HOME RANGES AND MOVEMENTS OF COYOTES IN THE NORTHERN CHIHUAHUAN DESERT

The coyote (Canis latrans) is among the most studied animals in North America. Because of its adaptability and success as a predator, the coyote has flourished and is still expanding its range. Coyotes can now be found throughout most of North America and south into Central America (Voight and Berg 1987). Studies in recent years have been extensive to understand the interrelationships of prey and coyotes (Shelton and Klindt 1974, Beckoff and Wells 1981), as well as demographic relationships (Davis et al. 1975, Knowlton and Stoddart 1978, Mitchell 1979, Bowen 1981) and feeding strategies (Todd and Keith 1976, Andelt et al. 1987, MacCracken and Hansen 1987, Gese et al. 1988a). With the advance of radio telemetry, researchers have investigated lifestyle characteristics spatially with home ranges or temporally with movements in relation to habitat requirements. Researchers have studied home ranges of coyotes in various regions of the United States (Livaitis and Shaw 1980, Andelt 1981, Springer 1982, Pyrah 1984, Gese et al. 1988a) and Canada (Bowen 1982). Some studies of home range were separated by season (Ozoga and Harger 1966) or relation to nearby food sources (Danner and Smith 1980). Home range analysis in relation to social interactions of coyotes has been either neglected, overlooked, or avoided. Gese et al. (1988a) recognized a transient class of coyote by home range size. Coyote social systems are very complex and can vary by season or locality in addition to some reports of group or pack systems (Hamlin and Schweitzer 1979, Beckoff and Wells 1981, Bowen 1981, Gese et al. 1988b). Coyotes maintain communication with conspecifics through vocal and olfactory signals (Lehner 1987, Bowen and McTaggert Cowan 1980). Social interactions may be by far the most complex and least understood aspect related to coyote ecology. Coyote movements can be related to many factors including food, water, cover, and social interactions. Movements in relation to food sources are well documented (Fitch 1948, Todd and Keith 1976, Danner and Smith 1980) although reports on movements in relation to water have not been reported, probably because of limited research in desert situations. There has been some mention of coyotes' movements in relation to cover (Wells and Beckoff 1982). The objectives of this study were to delineate annual and seasonal home ranges, movements, and habitat use of coyotes in the northern Chihuahuan desert.

Overabundant deer: Better management through research

Overabundance of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) continues to challenge wildlife professionals nationwide, especially in urban settings. Moreover, wildlife managers often lack general site-specific information on deer movements, survival, and reproduction that are critical for management planning. We conducted radio-telemetry research concurrent with deer culling in forest preserves in northeastern Illinois and used empirical data to construct predictive population models. We culled 2,826 deer from 16 forest preserves in DuPage County (1992-1999) including 1,736 from the 10 km2 Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve. We also radio-marked 129 deer from 8 preserves in DuPage and adjacent Cook County (1994-1998). Recruitment was inversely associated with deer density suggesting a classic density-dependent response. Female deer were philopatric and 20% of adult males dispersed. Survival was high for all sex and age classes, and deer-vehicle collisions accounted for >55% of known mortalities. Based upon data from other areas, early attempts to apply population models to deer at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve were not useful. The subsequent quantification of the density-dependent recruitment response and use of other empirical data strengthened the predictive capability of models. Our experience illustrates the importance of understanding demographics of overabundant deer in order to set realistic objectives and make sound management decisions.