Search results for "operation"
showing 10 items of 2969 documents
Human-Robot Cooperation for Surface Repair Combining Automatic and Manual Modes
2020
[EN] This article develops a human-robot cooperation to carry out treatments such as sanding, polishing, etc. on the surface of a known rigid object. For this purpose, a vision system is considered to get the object location to ensure not only the perpendicularity of the obot tool to the object surface but also a smooth approach of the tool to the surface. In order to add flexibility, the proposal includes the simultaneous combination of automatic and manual modes of operation. Thus, the human user can guide the robot tool to treat arbitrary areas (manual mode) and, when the operator releases the tool, the robot goes into the automatic mode to treat prior established areas. The method uses …
Quantitative atomic force microscopy
2017
A variety of atomic force microscopy (AFM) modes is employed in the field of surface science. The most prominent AFM modes include the amplitude modulation (AM) and the frequency modulation (FM) mode. Over the years, different ways for analyzing data acquired with different AFM modes have been developed, where each analysis is usually based on mode-specific assumptions and approximations. Checking the validity of the seemingly different approximations employed in the various analysis methods can be a tedious task. Moreover, a straightforward comparison of data analyzed with different methods can, therefore, be challenging. Here, we combine the existing evaluation methods which have been sep…
Results of isolated posterolateral corner reconstruction
2010
Abstract Background Isolated posterolateral corner (PLC) tears are relatively rare events. Various surgical techniques to treat posterolateral knee instability have been described; because surgical results are linked to cruciate reconstructions it has been difficult to date to define whether one surgical procedure has better prognosis than another. The goal of this study is to determine the clinical outcome of PLC reconstruction following fibular-based technique. Materials and methods We retrospectively evaluated a case series of patients who received isolated PLC reconstruction between March 2005 and January 2007. Ten patients were surgically treated for isolated injuries and were availabl…
Equity in REDD+: Varying logics in Tanzania
2015
Equity is frequently cited as one of the key design aspects of environmental governance regimes. In the context of Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), a forest-based climate change mitigation instrument, the manner in which ‘equity’ is understood will be of critical importance for the impacts and acceptance of REDD + policies and initiatives. Whereas the concept has been extensively studied in the academic literature, references to equity in REDD + policy debates and documents are often vague, leaving room for various interpretations and modes of implementation. In our case study of the Tanzanian national REDD + policy domain, we provide a conceptual framewo…
SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE: THE ECO-EFFICIENCY EARTH CONSTRUCTION
2017
The appropriate choice of building materials can contribute decisively to reduce the energy consumption of the building sector. The increasing worries for the environmental impact of construction materials is witnessed by a lot of studies The mentioned worries has brought again the attention towards natural materials. The use of more sustainable construction materials and construction techniques represent a major contribution to the eco-efficiency of the construction industry and thus to a more sustainable development. Within this frame the renewed interest for a natural material such as the rammed earth is included; the interest has been in continuous growth from the 80s till today. The ra…
'Participative foresight scenario mapping': adapting an MCM method to appraise foresight scenarios for the long term sustainable development of a sma…
2016
Multi-criteria mapping (MCM) appraisal has been used in projects involving decisions related to specific technologies or policies in risk analysis. In this research, MCM has been adapted for appraising in a participative way holistic scenarios for a small isolated island. The procedural novelty relies on how the scenario building and the criteria selection were undertaken. Two scenarios for Flores Island (Portugal) were developed in a two step process involving, firstly, specialised stakeholders and decision-makers, and secondly, lay citizens. The scenarios aimed at proposing alternative visions of future. This article analyses the methodological aspects of the project (scenario development…
Building Energy Performance: A LCA Case Study of kenaf-fibres insulation board
2008
Abstract The paper presents a life cycle assessment of a kenaf-fibre insulation board following the international standards of the ISO 14040 series. Each life-cycle step has been checked, from kenaf production and board manufacture by an Italian firm, to use and disposal. The aim is to assess the board eco-profile and to compare, on the basis of a life-cycle approach, the energy and environmental benefits and drawbacks related to its employment into a typical residential dwelling. A comparison among various insulating materials has been carried out. The study focuses also on processes and input materials which cause the main environmental impacts of the product, and points out critical issu…
Integrating Holistic Marketing into the Stakeholder Management Approach
2016
The context of globalization and the growing pressures toward sustainable development are nowadays forcing firms to deal with a paradoxical situation: while undeniable engines and major beneficiaries of globalization, businesses are also sources for significant negative externalities that impact on the dynamics of the global system. In these circumstances, the sustainable business should not only represent a major strategic challenge but must also become an effective strategic solution. This is the transformational shift we are advocating for in this chapter, by the instrumentality of a strategic model that integrates holistic marketing into the stakeholder management approach. Based on an …
Sustainable Development Model of EU Cities Compliant with UN Settings
2021
Nowadays, the globally accepted UN concept of sustainable development (SD) is gradu®ally transferred to the city level, including small and medium-sized cities. The implementation of SD settings requires regular measurement of developmental progress to monitor the level achieved in statics and dynamics, and to make strategic decisions for the next period. The existing urban SD indicator systems and indices are not well-suited for the monitoring of specific cities. Benchmarking algorithms and mathematical modelling procedures were applied to create a methodology and mathematical model for measuring the achieved urban SD level and to ensure the most objective selection and proportions of key …
Can international environmental cooperation be bought?
2010
In this paper a two-stage game of international environmental agreement formation with asymmetric countries is analytically solved. The equilibrium of the game makes it possible to determine the size and composition of a stable agreement. Two cases are studied. In the first case, countries differ only in abatement costs, while in the second case, they differ in environmental damages. In both cases, two different institutional settings, one without transfers and another with transfers, are considered. The results establish that the asymmetry assumption has no important effects on the scope of cooperation in comparison with the symmetric case if transfers are not used or abatement costs repre…