Search results for ""author john wiley"

This title is designed to provide a clear and comprehensive overview of tribology. The book introduces the notion of a surface in tribology where a solid surface is described from topographical, structural, mechanical, and energetic perspectives. It also describes the principal techniques used to characterize and analyze surfaces. The title then discusses what may be called the fundamentals of tribology by introducing and describing the concepts of adhesion, friction, wear, and lubrication. The book focuses on the materials used in tribology, introducing the major classes of materials used, either in their bulk states or as coatings, including both protective layers and other coatings used for decorative purposes. Of especial importance to the tribology community are sections that provide the latest information on Nanotribology, Wear, Lubrication, and Wear-Corrosion: Tribocorrosion and Erosion-Corrosion.

Read more less

A modern communication network can be described as a large, complex, distributed system composed by higher interoperating, smaller sub-systems. Today, the proliferation and convergence of different types of wired, wireless, and mobile networks are crucial for the success of the next generation networking. However, these networks can hardly meet the requirements of future integrated-service networks, and are expected to carry multimedia traffic with various Quality of Experience (QoE) and Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. Providing all relevant QoS/QoE issues in these heterogeneous networks is then an important challenge for telecommunication operators, manufacturers, and companies. The impressive emergence and the important demand of the rising generation of real-time Multi-service (such as Data, Voice VoD, Video-Conference, etc.) over communication heterogeneous networks, require scalability while considering a continuous QoS. This book presents and explains all the techniques in new generation networks which integrate efficient global control mechanisms in two directions: (1) maintain QoS requirements in order to maximize network resources utilization, and minimize operational costs on all the types of wired-wireless-mobile networks used to transport traffic, and (2) mix the QoS associated with home, access, and core networks in order to provide Quality of Service/Quality of Experience expected by users of new services.

Read more less

This book presents the principles of non-linear integrated optics. The first objective is to provide the reader with a thorough understanding of integrated optics so that they may be able to develop the theoretical and experimental tools to study and control the linear and non-linear optical properties of waveguides. The potential use of these structures can then be determined in order to realize integrated optical components for light modulation and generation. The theoretical models are accompanied by experimental tools and their setting in order to characterize the studied phenomenon. The passage from theory to practice makes the comprehension of the physical phenomena simple and didactic. The book also gives a presentation of the industrial applications of the integrated optical components. The studied topics range from the theory of waveguides and the linear and non-linear optical characterization techniques to photonic crystals. This last field constitutes a major challenge of photonic technologies of the 21st century.

Read more less

Giving an overview of the challenges in the control of bioprocesses, this comprehensive book presents key results in various fields, including: dynamic modeling; dynamic properties of bioprocess models; software sensors designed for the on-line estimation of parameters and state variables; control and supervision of bioprocesses.

Read more less

This book uses MATLAB as a computing tool to explore traditional DSP topics and solve problems. This greatly expands the range and complexity of problems that students can effectively study in signal processing courses. A large number of worked examples, computer simulations and applications are provided, along with theoretical aspects that are essential in order to gain a good understanding of the main topics. Practicing engineers may also find it useful as an introductory text on the subject.

Read more less

Innovation is an essential growth lever for organizations. Like any strategic element, it must be managed to ensure the right decision is made at the right time. When we talk about management, we naturally also consider management control. However, using management tools can be a danger to developing creativity – an essential element of innovation. This book examines the interdependencies between management control and creativity. By comparing two organizational contexts, we highlight the vital role of organizations as generators of creativity. We also underline the acceptance of an imbalance between the elements in tension, which can lead to the questioning and fostering of innovation; and the role of senior management as mediators between organizations and local actors.

Read more less

Successive IPCC reports consistently stress the devastating impact of human activity on the climate. An ecological transition seems essential to modify our economic and social system, while meeting the needs of current and future generations. As the main culprits of environmental destruction, companies must modify their production methods to reduce their negative impact on the environment. Eco Design and Ecological Transition presents an innovative approach to eco design, a method that aims to offer products or services with a reduced environmental impact compared to conventional production methods, from the extraction of resources to the end of the product's life. The book also analyzes the potential of the circular economy and frugal innovation. It shows that innovation, to be sustainable, must be both environmentally and socially sustainable. From a systemic point of view, it examines the ability of players, particularly companies, to change their strategies in order to combin

Read more less

Geotechnical engineering is now a fundamental component of construction projects. The first volume of this book therefore paves the way for the development of a lasting partnership between soil and foundations. Applied Geotechnics for Construction Projects 1 first defines, identifies and classifies soils, exploring their complexities and weaknesses, and then outlines the basic principles of stresses and strains that establish and develop within soils. The third chapter of the book introduces and develops methods of soil investigation in order to experimentally determine the geotechnical parameters that are useful in the design stage of construction projects. Each chapter of this first volume is illustrated with photographs of example construction sites and concludes with concrete examples of real projects. The result is a combination of geotechnical expertise and lessons learned from experience, both of which are highly valuable in the field of applied geotechnics for construction projects.

Read more less

This book studies the flow of materials and the influence of strain rates on the relationship between imposed stresses and the dynamic deformations obtained. It provides applications for shaping, molecular molding, shrink-fit assembly and welding, including details of the various specific processes for implementation at high strain rates, illustrated by numerous industrial examples. Rheology, Physical and Mechanical Behavior of Materials 1 presents analyses of plasticity mechanisms at microscopic and macroscopic scales, and of the various forms of stressstrain behavior laws according to working speeds, mechanisms, athermics, viscoplasticity and formability limits at types and speeds of change. It is aimed at researchers involved in the mechanics of deformable media, as well as industrial design and manufacturing departments

Read more less

Most African cities are human settlements that lack the systems needed for effective land use planning. In fact, the disorganization that prevails has become so complex that the concept of urbanism itself has been called into question. This book highlights the need to restore urban planning in African cities through sustainable development and interculturality. Furthermore, it addresses the balance of power between urban planning and sustainable development and explores the historical and postcolonial aspects of urban planning in African cities. A case study focusing on the development of sustainable cities and neighborhoods in the M'Zab Valley is also included, as well as topics such as urban greening, climatic threats and the problem of state agro-industrial land transactions, which compete with sustainable urban planning. Sustainable Intercultural Urbanism at the Service of the African City of Tomorrow is a valuable reference for researchers and practitioners interested in urban issues in African cities. These cities, in particular sub Saharan cities, have long been excluded from any discourse on sustainable cities and urban planning; this book places the focus on these cities and acknowledges their varied urban realities. The intention is to spark a new debate on sustainable urban planning in African cities based on intercultural sustainable urbanism, which is key to thinking about and building ecological, intercultural, compact, intelligent and postcolonial cities.

Read more less

The valuation of the liability structure can be determined by real options because the shares of a company can be regarded as similar to the purchase of a financial call option. Therefore, from this perspective, debt can be viewed as the sale of a financial put option. As a result, financial analysts are able to establish different valuations of a company, according to these two financing methods. Valuation of the Liability Structure by Real Options explains how the real options method works in conjunction with traditional methods. This innovative approach is particularly suited to the valuation of companies in industries where an underlying asset has high volatility (such as the mining or oil industries) or where research and development costs are high (for example, the pharmaceutical industry). Integration of the economic value of net debt (rather than the accounting value) and integration of the asset volatility are the main advantages of this approach.

Read more less

From Euclidian to Hilbert Spaces analyzes the transition from finite dimensional Euclidian spaces to infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces, a notion that can sometimes be difficult for non-specialists to grasp. The focus is on the parallels and differences between the properties of the finite and infinite dimensions, noting the fundamental importance of coherence between the algebraic and topological structure, which makes Hilbert spaces the infinite-dimensional objects most closely related to Euclidian spaces.The common thread of this book is the Fourier transform, which is examined starting from the discrete Fourier transform (DFT), along with its applications in signal and image processing, passing through the Fourier series and finishing with the use of the Fourier transform to solve differential equations.The geometric structure of Hilbert spaces and the most significant properties of bounded linear operators in these spaces are also covered extensively. The theorems are presented with detailed proofs as well as meticulously explained exercises and solutions, with the aim of illustrating the variety of applications of the theoretical results.

Read more less

Equity crowdfunding is a new way for seed stage start-ups to generate initial capital and, as such, raises questions around the choices made by investors within this area. Understanding it is important for investor protection, as investors are generally unaware of the factors that can influence their decisions. However, investing in equity crowdfunding places the investor in a unique decision-making framework, in which resources such as images, videos and storytelling are all mobilized by entrepreneurs and platforms as tools of persuasion. This context thus seems to favor more holistic and emotional decision-making, rather than a process that is rational and analytical. Volume 1 presents a transdisciplinary theoretical analysis, combining different fields within the social sciences, primarily finance, marketing and psychology. In this second volume, an explanatory model is developed on the basis of this theoretical framework, which is then empirically tested using data from laboratory experiments. This book also proposes the original theory of �emotional matching�, which is both justified and substantiated. It personalizes behavior and offers a new perspective based on project characteristics and investor preferences.

Read more less

Elastoplastic behavior has long been part of the constitutive models incorporated in most computer codes, used in the design of civil and mechanical engineering structures. Elastoplastic Modeling offers a compact presentation of the fundamentals of classical elastoplastic modeling, the basis for many engineering applications currently implemented. This book provides a general background to enhance understanding of the modeling assumptions that govern the rationales of these applications. With this understanding comes the ability to assess their validation range and propose possible improvements. An instructive approach replaces excessive mathematical developments with a semi-phenomenological method, where mathematical modeling is driven by − and derived from − experimental observations. A logical track is followed, starting from material behavior modeling and leading to the analysis of the anelastic response of systems, subjected to quasi-static loading processes.

Read more less

This book forms part of the set, Comparative Anatomy and Posture of Animal and Human, and focuses on the skulls of Quaternary mammals and of Man since the acquisition of upright posture. Although the vast majority of the quadruped fossil species have a balanced postural adaptation, with no asymmetries or maxillo-mandibular dysmorphoses, the Hominine species that has acquired this readjustment of the body as well as a bipedal adaptation to the ground, will experience a series of postural imbalances starting with malocclusion in the genus Homo. In order to arrive at this conclusion, the cranio-facial architectural biodynamics of several species of fossil and current mammals have been analyzed over three decades. In addition, hundreds of skulls of anatomically modern Hominids have been examined, highlighting their occlusal offsets, variations, anomalies and pathologies.

Read more less

The purpose of this book is to explicitly describe the daily interactions that need to be implemented to transform these One To One, or One to Many, interactions into tangible (business partnerships) and intangible (relationship satisfaction) value. Through my experience, I will try to give an account of the words and behaviour of the crossed protagonists during all these years. My observations will allow to fully understand the perspectives that everyone gives themselves in interactions, in order to better understand the perceptions that result from them. It is the reality of the interactions themselves that will be exposed in order to know how to make the most of them.

Read more less

Since its commercialization in 1971, the microprocessor, a modern and integrated form of the central processing unit, has continuously broken records in terms of its integrated functions, computing power, low costs and energy saving status. Today, it is present in almost all electronic devices. Sound knowledge of its internal mechanisms and programming is essential for electronics and computer engineers to understand and master computer operations and advanced programming concepts. This book in five volumes focuses more particularly on the first two generations of microprocessors, those that handle 4- and 8- bit integers. Microprocessor 1 – the first of five volumes – presents the computation function, recalls the memory function and clarifies the concepts of computational models and architecture. A comprehensive approach is used, with examples drawn from current and past technologies that illustrate theoretical concepts, making them accessible.

Read more less

Mobile Robotics presents the different tools and methods that enable the design of mobile robots; a discipline booming with the emergence of flying drones, underwater mine-detector robots, robot sailboats and vacuum cleaners. Illustrated with simulations, exercises and examples, this book describes the fundamentals of modeling robots, developing the concepts of actuators, sensors, control and guidance. Three-dimensional simulation tools are also explored, as well as the theoretical basis for the reliable localization of robots within their environment. This revised and updated edition contains additional exercises and a completely new chapter on the Bayes filter, an observer that enhances our understanding of the Kalman filter and facilitates certain proofs.

Read more less

Often taken for granted, the sense of smell has seldom been discussed or understood. However, since the start of the 20th Century, studies in this area have grown exponentially and today there is a greater understanding of the olfactory system – at both structural and functional levels. Scientists now concern themselves with questions about the holistic nature of our sense of smell and are investigating the role of odors in interpersonal relations, in food intake processes, in the diagnosis of certain illnesses, and many other areas. The beginnings of this knowledge are as fascinating as they are abundant and numerous disciplines are involved: psychology, physiology, genetics, neuroscience, engineering, etc. This book illustrates and analyzes the current state of advances in research about the smells around us, and the way in which they influence our relationship with the world.

Read more less

Digitalization is a long socio-historic process in which all areas of society�s activities are reconfigured. In the first volume of Digitalization of Society and Socio-political Issues, there is an examination of the transformations linked to the development of digital platforms and social media which affect cultural and communicational industries. The book also analyzes the formation of Big Data, their algorithmic processing and the societal changes which result from them (social monitoring and control in particular). Through diverse critical reflections, it equally presents different ways that digital participates in relations of power and domination, and contributes to eventual emancipatory practices. Following on, the second volume examines the transformations that are linked to digital practices that affect the production, circulation and consumption of information, as well as new forms that are taken by social mobilizations. It treats several important issues in the digital era that are more likely to become the subject of public debates, among which one can include the renewed relationship between research and digital. Through diverse critical reflections, it equally presents different ways that digital participates in relations of power and domination, and contributes to eventual emancipatory practices.

Read more less

Digitalization is a long and constant sociohistoric process in which all areas of society�s activities are reconfigured. Digitalization of Society and Socio-political Issues 1 examines the transformations linked to the development of digital platforms and social media, which affect the cultural and communicational industries. It analyzes the formation of Big Data, their algorithmic processing and the societal changes which result (social monitoring and control in particular). Through critical views, it equally presents the various ways in which technology participates in relations of power and domination, and contributes to possible emancipatory practices.

Read more less

We are at a crucial time for the production and dissemination of knowledge – one in which the scientific community is questioning the nature of the digital humanities. Within this context, Learner Support in Online Learning Environments proposes, by taking into consideration the notion of assistance in a learning context, an original method of positioning digital resources for teachers, students and researchers in the humanities and social sciences. Questioning existing theoretical frameworks and prototypes, learner support in digital environments is presented as both a process and a result integrating a variety of resources. Some of these resources already exist, some may be adapted from existing objects and still others have yet to be imagined. The end goal is to facilitate both independent and group-based learning activities.

Read more less

In a context where climate change urgently requires us to alter our paradigms, this book explores the possibilities of cities that are both more energy efficient and more respectful of the environment. Based on the observation that urban planning has been detrimentally affected by the compartmentalization of knowledge and practices, this book is conceived as a dialog between transport and urban planning on the one hand, and between engineering and social science on the other. Systemic analysis and a historical approach, integrating the teachings of the last two centuries, constitute at the methodological level the framework in which this dialog unfolds. Based on examples of good practice, Transport and Town Planning identifies an effective set of levers of action and proposes an original method to guide and accompany urban transition with a large share of the initiative reserved for the actors concerned.

Read more less

This book demonstrates that our daily relations, like our most recognized institutions, are based on a symbolic foundation put in place by rituals. Rituals are present at every level of society and are an expression of the sacredness of society, as much as they are an expression of the cultures and eras that communicate through them.

Read more less

This book is centred about the Principle of virtual work and the related method for mechanical modelling. It aims at showing and enhancing the polyvalence and versatility of the virtual work approach in the mechanical modelling process. The virtual work statement is set as the principle at the root of a force modelling method that can be implemented on any geometrical description. After experimentally induced hypotheses have been made on the geometrical parameters that describe the concerned system and subsystems, the method provides a unifying framework for building up consistently associated force models where external and internal forces are introduced through their virtual rates of work. Systems described as three-dimensional, curvilinear or planar continua are considered: force models are established with the corresponding equations of motion; the validation process points out that enlarging the domain of relevance of the model for practical applications calls for an enrichment of the geometrical description that takes into account the underlying microstructure.

Read more less

This is the first book of a series aiming at setting the basics for energy engineering. This book presents the fundamentals of heat and mass transfer with a step-by-step approach, based on material and energy balances. While the topic of heat and mass transfer is an old subject, the way the book introduces the concepts, linking them strongly to the real world and to the present concerns, is particular. The scope of the different developments keeps in mind a practical energy engineering view.

Read more less

Using classification, diagrams and crystallography elements, we describe in this book the bonds in the crystals using the basic patterns. The use of various criteria such as ionicity character of the bonds, the use of hard sphere models, the Pauling rules and the spatial availability of ions all together make it possible to better understand the spatial organization of typical crystals. Through original representations, the structure and the nature of the bonds in binary crystals of MX- and MX2- types as well as the ternary crystals of the perovskite and spinel type are studied.

Read more less

Although most people are aware of the value of developing new energy technologies, the importance of assessing such technologies is only just beginning to be recognized in full. This book, illustrated by real-life examples, fulfils two main objectives. Firstly, it provides an in-depth summary of energy system evaluation methods, the result of decades of work in this area, for the use of researchers, engineers and anybody else interested in the energy sector. Secondly, the vicious cycle of neglect towards in situ evaluation is broken. This neglect is due to its unjust reputation for being “thankless work”: longwinded, expensive, difficult to exploit and undervalued. By scientifically organizing experience acquired over more than 30 years, Energy Transition highlights the considerable usefulness of the approach, not only economically, but also from a human standpoint.

Read more less

This book will teach you how to take advantage of the JavaScript language to process data provided on the Internet. Much attention is given to the main JavaScript backbone: prototype based objects, and functional capabilities, while common features (loops, etc.) are summarized in a few cheat-sheets. Only operational features are detailed through the coding of several applications -the second and largest part of the book-, on free-access datasets (e.g. World Bank). It includes: cartography (SVG or API's based), data-sheets access (via Ajax or Jsonp), video data and post-synchronization, and animation examples.

Read more less

"This standard assumes that the structure, after completion, is used as intended in the project and subject to planned inspection and maintenance to meet the expected project lifetime and to detect any unforeseen weakness or behavior" (EN 13670 §4.1) An important decision factor in the design of new structures and repairs to existing structures is the lifetime or expected service life. This concept, which is common for civil engineering works, has been extended to all engineering and building works by applying the European Structural Design Codes. This book tries to take stock of the inspection methodologies related to each type of civil engineering work, the various pathologies of concrete structures, and gives examples of the writing of reports.

Read more less

Instead of outsourcing tasks to providers using labor-intensive countries, libraries around the world increasingly appeal to the crowds of Internet users, making their relationship with users more collaborative . These internet users can be volunteers or paid, work consciously, unconsciously or in the form of games. They can provide the workforce, skills, knowledge or financial resources that libraries need in order to achieve unimaginable goals.

Read more less

Nowadays, tensors play a central role for the representation, mining, analysis, and fusion of multidimensional, multimodal, and heterogeneous big data in numerous fields. This set on Matrices and Tensors in Signal Processing aims at giving a self-contained and comprehensive presentation of various concepts and methods, starting from fundamental algebraic structures to advanced tensor-based applications, including recently developed tensor models and efficient algorithms for dimensionality reduction and parameter estimation. Although its title suggests an orientation towards signal processing, the results presented in this set will also be of use to readers interested in other disciplines. This first book provides an introduction to matrices and tensors of higher-order based on the structures of vector space and tensor space. Some standard algebraic structures are first described, with a focus on the hilbertian approach for signal representation, and function approximation based on Fourier series and orthogonal polynomial series. Matrices and hypermatrices associated with linear, bilinear and multilinear maps are more particularly studied. Some basic results are presented for block matrices. The notions of decomposition, rank, eigenvalue, singular value, and unfolding of a tensor are introduced, by emphasizing similarities and differences between matrices and tensors of higher-order.

Read more less

The aim of this book is the study of signals and deterministic systems, linear, time-invariant, finite dimensions and causal. A set of useful tools is selected for the automatic and signal processing and methods of representation of dynamic linear systems are exposed, and analysis of their behavior. Finally we discuss the estimation, identification and synthesis of control laws for the purpose of stabilization and regulation.

Read more less

“We do not know where Silicon Valley is really located”, Feldman writes, because these types of organization, when they are dynamic, are moving and fluid. Innovation and production ecosystems or clusters are proliferating today because they seem to be adapted to the demands of innovation, growth and employment. The process leading to their institutionalization escapes a summary analysis of the behavior triggered by monetary incentives or, at the very least, makes it richer. The relational aspect becomes predominant, the interactions between the participants testify to the difficulty of separating the geographical and social dimensions. In the most prominent American clusters, public/private linkages and the building of social links express the centrality of networks in the innovation process. The European vision seeks to articulate entrepreneurial discoveries with vertical public interventions. The competitiveness poles in France suffer from the fact that public choices seem to be torn between two contradictory objectives: efficiency and equity.

Read more less

Better known as the "predator-prey relationship," the consumer-resource relationship means the situation where a single species of organisms consumes for survival and reproduction. For example, Escherichia coli consumes glucose, cows consume grass, cheetahs consume baboons; these three very different situations, the first concerns the world of bacteria and the resource is a chemical species, the second concerns mammals and the resource is a plant, and in the final case the consumer and the resource are mammals, have in common the fact of consuming. In a chemostat, microorganisms generally consume (abiotic) minerals, but not always, bacteriophages consume bacteria that constitute a biotic resource. 'The Chemostat' book dealt only with the case of abiotic resources. Mathematically this amounts to replacing in the two equation system of the chemostat the decreasing function by a general increasing then decreasing function. This simple change has greatly enriched the theory. This book shows in this new framework the problem of competition for the same resource.

Read more less

In the automotive industry, a Control Engineer must design a unique control law that is then tested and validated on a single prototype with a level of reliability high enough to to meet a number of complex specifications on various systems. In order to do this, the Engineer uses an experimental iterative process (Trial and Error phase) which relies heavily on his or her experience. This book looks to optimise the methods for synthesising servo controllers ny making them more direct and thus quicker to design. This is achieved by calculating a final controller to directly tackle the high-end system specs.

Read more less

Providing a detailed overview of the fundamentals and latest developments in the field of energy autonomous microsystems, this book delivers an in-depth study of the applications in the fields of health and usage monitoring in aeronautics, medical implants, and home automation, drawing out the main specifications on such systems. Introductory information on photovoltaic, thermal and mechanical energy harvesting, and conversion, is given, along with the latest results in these fields. This book also provides a state of the art of ultra-low power sensor interfaces, digital signal processing and wireless communications. In addition, energy optimizations at the sensor node and sensors network levels are discussed, thus completing this overview. This book details the challenges and latest techniques available to readers who are interested in this field. A major strength of this book is that the first three chapters are application orientated and thus, by setting the landscape, introduce the technical chapters. There is also a good balance between the technical application, covering all the system-related aspects and, within each chapter, details on the physics, materials and technologies associated with electronics. Contents Introduction. Introduction to Energy Autonomous Micro
and Nano Systems and Presentation of Contributions, Marc Belleville and Cyril Condemine. 1. Sensors at the Core of Building Control, Gilles Chabanis, Laurent Chiesi, Hynek Raisigel,
Isabelle Ressejac and Véronique Boutin. 2. Toward Energy Autonomous MedicalImplants, Raymond Campagnolo and Daniel Kroiss. 3. Energy Autonomous Systems in Aeronautic Applications, Thomas Becker, Jirka Klaue and Martin Kluge. 4. Energy Harvesting by Photovoltaic Effect, Emmanuelle Rouvière, Simon Perraud, Cyril Condemine and
Guy Waltisperger. 5. Mechanical Energy Harvesting, Ghislain Despesse, Jean Jacques Chaillout,
Sébastien Boisseau and Claire Jean-Mistral. 6. Thermal Energy Harvesting, Tristan Caroff, Emmanuelle Rouvière and Jérôme Willemin. 7. Lithium Micro-Batteries, Raphaël Salot. 8. Ultra-Low-Power Sensors, Pascal Nouet, Norbert Dumas, Laurent Latorre and
Frédérick Mailly. 9. Ultra-Low-Power Signal Processing in Autonomous Systems, Christian Piguet. 10. Ultra-Low-Power Radio Frequency Communications and Protocols, Eric Mercier. 11. Energy Management in an Autonomous Microsystem, Jean-Frédéric Christmann, Edith Beigne, Cyril Condemine, Jérôme Willemin and Christian Piguet. 12. Optimizing Energy Efficiency of 
Sensor Networks, Olivier Sentieys and Olivier Berder.

Read more less

The book presents some key mathematical tools for the performance analysis of communication networks and computer systems. Communication networks and computer systems have become extremely complex. The statistical resource sharing induced by the random behavior of users and the underlying protocols and algorithms may affect Quality of Service. This book introduces the main results of queuing theory that are useful for analyzing the performance of these systems. These mathematical tools are key to the development of robust dimensioning rules and engineering methods. A number of examples illustrate their practical interest.

Read more less

Constraint programming (CP) is a declarative programming paradigm with many academic and industrial applications (from n-queens to planning, vehicle routing, and optimization, among other fields). Music composition has been one of these applications since the earliest works on automatic harmonization, and it remains a very special and challenging one due to its artistic (and highly subjective) nature. The early works on CP in music were limited to classical music composition, as the harmonization and counterpoint rules naturally translate into constraints. However, when contemporary composers began to be interested in constraints, CP became an essential tool in computer-assisted composition systems. As several contemporary musical pieces have now been composed "with constraints", it is reasonable to ask why CP applies so naturally to music, and what the particular features of musical problems are. This book presents information about recently developed musical CP systems from both the scientist's and composer's point-of-view. It will therefore be of interest to students and researchers of music technology, composers in the computer music scene, and music software companies-especially those trying to model high level musical behaviors (i.e., intelligent arpeggiation/arrangement on synthesizers, "Band in a Box" software, etc.), perform music data mining, and execute music taste engineering for online music delivery.

Read more less

This book brings together in a single volume various methods and skills for particle-scale or discrete-element numerical simulation of granular media. It covers a broad range of topics from basic concepts and methods towards more advanced aspects and technical details applicable to the current research on granular materials. Discrete-element simulations of granular materials are based on four basic models (molecular dynamics, contact dynamics, quasi-static and event driven) dealing with frictional contact interactions and integration schemes for the equations of dynamics. These models are presented in the first chapters of the book, followed by various methods for sample preparation and monitoring of boundary conditions, as well as dimensionless control parameters. Granular materials encountered in real life involve a variety of compositions (particle shapes and size distributions) and interactions (cohesive, hydrodynamic, thermal) that have been extensively covered by several chapters. The book ends with two applications in the field of geo-materials.

Read more less

Rockfall Engineering is an up-to-date, international picture of the state of the art in rockfall engineering. The three basic stages of rockfalls are considered: the triggering stage, the motion stage, and the interaction with a structure stage; along with contributions including structural characterization of cliffs, remote monitoring, stability analysis, boulder propagation, design of protection structures an risk assessment. Academic contributions are illustrated by practical examples, and completed by engineering contributions where practical purposes are thoroughly considered. This title is intended for engineers, students as well as researchers.

Read more less

Mathematical Morphology allows for the analysis and processing of geometrical structures using techniques based on the fields of set theory, lattice theory, topology, and random functions. It is the basis of morphological image processing, and finds applications in fields including digital image processing (DSP), as well as areas for graphs, surface meshes, solids, and other spatial structures. This book presents an up-to-date treatment of mathematical morphology, based on the three pillars that made it an important field of theoretical work and practical application: a solid theoretical foundation, a large body of applications and an efficient implementation. The book is divided into five parts and includes 20 chapters. The five parts are structured as follows: Part I sets out the fundamental aspects of the discipline, starting with a general introduction, followed by two more theory-focused chapters, one addressing its mathematical structure and including an updated formalism, which is the result of several decades of work. Part II extends this formalism to some non-deterministic aspects of the theory, in particular detailing links with other disciplines such as stereology, geostatistics and fuzzy logic. Part III addresses the theory of morphological filtering and segmentation, featuring modern connected approaches, from both theoretical and practical aspects. Part IV features practical aspects of mathematical morphology, in particular how to deal with color and multivariate data, links to discrete geometry and topology, and some algorithmic aspects; without which applications would be impossible. Part V showcases all the previously noted fields of work through a sample of interesting, representative and varied applications.

Read more less

Systems engineering is the design of a complex interconnection of many elements (a system) to maximize a specific measure of system performance. It consists of two parts: modeling, in which each element of the system and its performance criteria are described; and optimization in which adjustable elements are tailored to allow peak performance. Systems engineering is applied to vast numbers of problems in industry and the military. An example of systems engineering at work is the control of the timing of thousands of city traffic lights to maximize traffic flow. The complex and intricate field of electronics and computers is perfectly suited for systems engineering analysis and in turn, advances in communications and computer technology have made more advanced systems engineering problems solvable. Thus, the two areas fed off of one another. This book is a basic introduction to the use of models and methods in the engineering design of systems. It is aimed at students as well as practicing engineers. The concept of the "systems of systems" is discussed extensively, after a critical comparison of the different definitions and a range of various practical illustrations. It also provides key answers as to what a system of systems is and how its complexity can be mastered.

Read more less

This book provides a detailed and up-to-date overview on classification and data mining methods. The first part is focused on supervised classification algorithms and their applications, including recent research on the combination of classifiers. The second part deals with unsupervised data mining and knowledge discovery, with special attention to text mining. Discovering the underlying structure on a data set has been a key research topic associated to unsupervised techniques with multiple applications and challenges, from web-content mining to the inference of cancer subtypes in genomic microarray data. Among those, the book focuses on a new application for dialog systems which can be thereby made adaptable and portable to different domains. Clustering evaluation metrics and new approaches, such as the ensembles of clustering algorithms, are also described.

Read more less

This book reviews the state of art in the field of chemical sensors for analyses of ionic or molecular species dissolved in liquid media, mainly in aqueous solutions. The transduction of such devices is based on chemical, biological and physical phenomena. The fundamental phenomena involved in these sensors are described in the different chapters by specialists having a good expertise in the field. Numerous recent bibliographic references are given. Most of the devices could be miniaturised using modern technologies allowing a fabrication on a large scale, for a mass production at low cost. Moreover, such devices could open the field of applications in a near future (environmental, biomedical, food industries, domotic and automotive applications etc.).

Read more less

The scientific and technological upheavals of the 20th Century and the questions and difficulties that went along with them (climate change, nuclear energy, GMO, etc.) have increased the necessity of thinking about and formalizing technoscientific progress and its consequences. Expert evaluations and ethics committees today cannot be the only legitimate sources for understanding the social acceptability and desirability of this progress. Responsibility must be shared out on a wider scale, as much in society as in the process of research and innovation projects. This book presents the main works of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) from a moral responsibility point of view, for which it calls upon no fewer than 10 understandings to bring out those which are positive and to support an interpretive and combinatory pluralism. In this sense, it demonstrates moral innovation. It analyzes numerous cases and proposes perspectives that are rarely discussed in this emerging field (current practices of ethical evaluation, concerns of the integrity of research, means for participatory technological evaluation, etc.). It contributes to the pledges of RRI, which largely remains theoretically undetermined even though it reorganizes the relationships between science, innovation and society.

Read more less

This book aims to present a systemic perspective to energetic transition to a discarbonated society implying an increase of energetic efficiency of current production process, new way of energy production - integration of renewable energies, re-use of wastes. Main societal functions are analyzed in order to highlight the ongoing process of technological and non-technological innovations: transport and mobility, food, building. The purpose of this book is to analyze from a global perspective the energetic innovative system on building and to understand the limits of its development and potential new actions.

Read more less

In a perspective of sustainable management, the balance between ecological dynamics, social and economic are now at the heart of ecological modeling and environmental strategies screenwriting. Diversity and marine ecosystems function illustrates biodiversity, habitat diversity, structures and food webs in various oceans of the world and systems: pelagic and benthic ecosystems, coral reefs and seagrass beds, oasis of hydrothermal vents ridges or areas rich upwelling. Appropriate observation methods, long-term monitoring and modeling reveal the complexity of systems, trophic interactions and spatiotemporal dynamics. The ecosystem approach is a prerequisite to assess the state of these systems, their living resources and ecological services involved in local and global environmental changes.

Read more less