Archivio istituzionale della ricerca - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna
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Experimental technique for evaluating ADC aperture jitter in the frequency domain
No full textThe internal timing uncertainty of Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs), generally referred to as aperture jitter, is most commonly provided by manufacturers as a single quantitative value representing the total Root-Mean-Square (RMS) jitter. However, for narrow-band applications, only a certain portion of the phase noise corresponding to aperture jitter is relevant to the ADC acquisitions. In this work, a comprehensive experimental approach is proposed for characterizing aperture phase noise in the frequency domain. The utilized measurement setup is based on two nominally identical ADC channels performing acquisitions through a non-IQ sampling scheme, eventually allowing for the separate identification of correlated and uncorrelated phase noise. The impact of the input-stage additive noise is also examined and de-embedded within the proposed measurement procedure. The methodology is applied to characterize a commercial sample-and-hold ADC, separately identifying a white noise component of −147.71 dBc/Hz and a flicker noise component of −113.81 dBc/Hz. The measured jitter value integrated in the full Nyquist bandwidth is well aligned with the RMS aperture jitter reported by the manufacturer
Assistive Technologies, Brain-Computer Interfaces and the Radical Cyborgization of Athletes: Between Performance Optimization and Enhancement
No full textAssistive technologies are now widely used in sports, but what is gaining increasing attention is the integration of these technologies with AI tools. This chapter explores the implications of this trend, particularly in the context of Paralympic disciplines. In the first part of this chapter, we trace the histories of three notable cases where athletes using assistive technologies - Oscar Pistorius, Markus Rehm, and Blake Leeper- faced allegations of gaining an ‘unfair advantage’. For each case, we detail how World Athletics, the international sports governing body for track and field, has employed “strategies of containment” that impose an unattainable burden of proof on athletes with disabilities, ultimately preventing these athletes from competing alongside Olympic athletes. The second part of the chapter discusses advancements in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), and their potential to influence future sports by enhancing performance and affecting Paralympic classification. Throughout, the chapter argues that applying able-bodied Olympic standards to athletes using assistive devices is both problematic and inherently unfair, reflecting broader societal ableist views. We suggest that AI could help address the contentious issue of eligibility for athletes with assistive technology by establishing an equitable and common set of standards not biased toward able-bodied athletes. Additionally, sports federations could consider the fusion of technology and human capabilities - the ‘cyborg’ - as a new benchmark for mixed-performance events
The Routledge Handbook of Policy Advisory Systems
No full textThis handbook comprehensively reflects, presents and summarises both first and second wave scholarship into policy advisory systems (PAS). Bringing together leading scholars to engage persistent as well as emergent themes, the handbook provides a single volume highlighting both classic and new directions for PAS research, summarising both existing knowledge and outlining possible future findings. Covering the activities of a range of advisory system members from think tanks to public services, this handbook examines a broad set of administrative traditions and institutions affecting such systems in democratic, developing, authoritarian political regimes, and in supranational and transnational governance arrangements. It focusses on the systematic interactions of the supply, demand and brokerage of policy advice in different jurisdictions, and shows how these systems operate and evolve. The Routledge Handbook of Policy Advisory Systems is essential reading and an authoritative reference for scholars, students, researchers and practitioners of public policy, public administration, and public management. Those interested in comparative politics and government, international and public organisations and the use, influence and impact of policy advisory systems in a range of policy domains will find its comprehensive scope and coverage of great benefit
Towards a Fair and Comprehensive Evaluation of Walkable Accessibility and Attractivity in the 15 Min City Scenario Based on Demographic Data
No full textAccessibility and the so-called ‘15 min city’ paradigm are critical dimensions in agendas involving urban policies. However, when interested in accounting for accessibility from a formal perspective, researchers and practitioners should use pertinent indicators. Additionally, most of the indicators focus on the number of facilities reachable within a given time window, while the counterpart of the latter, i.e., as a measure of attractiveness, such as the number of users that can reach that given area, is not evaluated explicitly. In this paper, a comprehensive method able to capture accessibility and attractivity simultaneously will be presented. The formulation is based on a refinement of the gravity model. As the main input, the actual number of residents was used and included in the computation. Therefore, the resulting values of accessibility and attractivity are intended to represent the real status of different degrees of walkable accessibility in urban areas. As a test field, three Italian cities were explored. The method proposed and discussed throughout the paper is aimed at providing an operative tool for planners, as well as for private stakeholders, when they are in charge of evaluating the degree of ‘walkable’ accessibility. Furthermore, the use of open and standardized data is intended to be a main strength of the proposed methodology, as it can be easily replicated in other contexts
Low-code design of collective systems with ScaFi-Blocks
No full textScaFi-Blocks is a visual, low-code programming environment for designing and implementing swarm algorithms. Built on the ScaFi aggregate computing framework and the Blockly visual programming library, ScaFi-Blocks enables users to visually compose algorithms using intuitive building blocks, abstracting away the complexities of traditional swarm programming frameworks. This approach simplifies the development of collective behaviours for a wide range of swarm systems, including robot swarms, IoT device ensembles, and sensor networks, fostering broader accessibility and innovation within the field. This contribution bridges the gap between visual programming and textual code, lowering the barrier to entry for non-experts while promoting a deeper understanding of aggregate computing principles
Topics in Corporate Finance Challenges, Opportunities, Debates, and Trends
No full textCorporate finance is an evolving and versatile field that lies at the heart of business decision-making and economic growth. It explores how companies allocate resources, manage risks, and navigate the complexities of global financial markets. Over the years, the discipline has evolved significantly, driven by theoretical advancements, technological innovations, and the growing interconnectedness of economies worldwide. Like the Ship of Theseus, corporate finance invites us to ask whether, after so many transformations, it is still guided by the same principles as in the past, or whether we are facing an entirely new paradigm. This book brings together an array of perspectives to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the critical concepts, debates, and trends shaping corporate finance today.
Organized into four sections, the book offers a thematic exploration of corporate finance, ranging from foundational theories to emerging topics that address the challenges and opportunities faced by modern corporations. Each chapter, written by a leading expert in the field, combines theoretical insights with empirical evidence, offering a nuanced view of this subject, and will be of interest to researchers, students, and professionals in corporate finance
Food choice with increased visibility – A field experiment at an environmental economics conference
No full textFood choices and in particular meat consumption have major impacts on the local and global environment, which is why the topic is gaining attention in environmental economics and other disciplines. In this study, we investigate the effect of increased visibility on food choices, for which there has been little research to date. We present findings from a field experiment among researchers at a large environmental economics conference. When registering for the three-days conference and prior to choosing between vegan, vegetarian, or meat/fish lunches, half of the participants were informed that their choice would be visibly printed on their conference name badge. The remaining half were informed of this saliency only after their food choice (at the conference venue). Despite the conference setting in which environmentally friendly choices and signals are likely to be valued, we find no significant effect of the treatment on lunch choices. We discuss possible reasons for the null effect, including that the consequences of visibility are ignored, discounted, or already factored in
On the surface energy of the Cantor alloy and its relation with surface composition
No full textThe relatively novel family of materials known as high entropy alloys, popular for exceptional mechanical properties, is currently gaining increasing attention also for remarkable surface properties. Nevertheless, due to the intrinsic difficulties that these materials pose to first-principle modelling, there is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the basics principles that govern their surface energetics. In this work the surface energy of the Cantor alloy was systematically investigated by means of density functional theory within a supercell approach that allows to tackle the effects of local atomic distributions. When properly accounting for the effective simulation slab stoichiometry the Cantor alloy surface energy displays an average value of 1.77 J/m2, ranging between 1.65 J/m2 and 1.95 J/m2. Such values for the Cantor alloy's surface energy are well below those of its constituents also taking into account their variability, supporting the use of this material as anticorrosion coating. Finally, by well assessing a slab total energy decomposition, required to account for the overall slab stoichiometry, an expression is derived which allows to infer the HEA surface energy, for any bulk configuration and surface termination, avoiding slab calculations
The role of public policies in promoting healthy diets and preventing malnutrition
No full textThe rising incidence of nutrition-related health issues is a global concern. Malnutrition, encompassing both inadequate and excessive nutrition, affects individuals’ health and well-being and imposes economic costs on states. This chapter reviews national policies aimed at improving dietary behaviors to prevent malnutrition, with an emphasis on excess intake. It includes a historical overview of how healthy eating has become relevant to public health worldwide, focusing on the role of international organizations. Policies are mapped and classified, and detailed examples of implemented measures are provided. The effectiveness of these policies in changing eating behaviors and preventing malnutrition is discussed, highlighting methodological challenges and existing evidence
The infant brain combines emotional information from faces and action kinematics
Full text linkConverging evidence suggests that infants can extract and integrate emotional content from multiple sources (e.g., faces, body postures, and voices). Yet this evidence is mostly based on static representations of emotions, such as photographs, whereas in everyday life, infants are primarily exposed to dynamic input, particularly others’ actions. This study investigates whether infants can link emotional information conveyed in action kinematics and facial expressions. To address this issue, we used an ERP priming paradigm in which 12-month-olds were presented with video primes of actions performed with happy or angry kinematics, followed by target images of faces displaying happy or angry facial expressions. Results revealed a P400 congruency effect over the right hemisphere. Specifically, happy faces elicited a larger P400 than angry faces when they followed an incongruent emotional action. Moreover, the P400 was larger for incongruent than for congruent happy facial expressions. Results suggest that bodily kinematics provide infants with crucial contextual and emotional cues that bias their perception of facial expressions from early in life