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STREAMS: An Assistive Multimodal AI Framework for Empowering Biosignal Based Robotic Controls
No full textEnd-effector based assistive robots face persistent challenges in generating smooth and robust trajectories when controlled by human\u27s noisy and unreliable biosignals such as muscle activities and brainwaves. The produced endpoint trajectories are often jerky and imprecise to perform complex tasks such as stable robotic grasping. We propose STREAMS (Self-Training Robotic End-to-end Adaptive Multimodal Shared autonomy) as a novel framework leveraged deep reinforcement learning to tackle this challenge in biosignal based robotic control systems. STREAMS blends environmental information and user input into a Deep Q Learning Network (DQN) pipeline for an interactive end-to-end and self-training mechanism to produce smooth trajectories for the control of end-effector based robots. The proposed framework achieved a high-performance record of 98% in simulation with dynamic target estimation and acquisition without any pre-existing datasets. As a zeroshot sim-to-real user study with five participants controlling a physical robotic arm with noisy head movements, STREAMS (as an assistive mode) demonstrated significant improvements in trajectory stabilization, user satisfaction, and task performance reported as a success rate of 83% compared to manual mode which was 44% without any task support. STREAMS seeks to improve biosignal based assistive robotic controls by offering an interactive, end-to-end solution that stabilizes endeffector trajectories, enhancing task performance and accuracy. The STREAMS codes and demo videos can be accessed at: https://github.com/AbiriLab/STREAMS
Characterization of the Potential Long-Term Impact from Sedimentary PFAS at a Historically Contaminated Textile Waste Site
No full textPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are pervasive pollutants at historically contaminated sites throughout the United States and beyond. Two such sites in Rhode Island, USA, are textile-mill-associated waste retention ponds known to introduce PFAS contamination to the adjacent river, estuary, and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. Here, we thoroughly investigated the retention ponds as a long-term source of PFAS via water passive sampling, sediment coring, and laboratory-derived partitioning coefficients, Kd, with field sediment and water. Additional studies were performed to assess the mobility and estimate the mass fluxes of PFAS from sediment to water. Retention pond 1 was more contaminated (up to 26 ng/L PFOA in water and 74 ng/g PFTrDA in sediment). Derived log Kd values ranged from 1 to 5 for most PFAS, indicating a shift from relative mobility to high storage potential in sediment. Estimated loss fluxes from the sediment varied between 5 and 228 μg m–2 year–1, resulting in desorption times from 3 years for FPeSA to \u3e100 years for FOSA. The combined evidence suggests that this textile mill retention pond, if left untreated, constitutes a source of long-term contamination to the river.
[Abstract includes a figure and can be viewed in the PDF.
The Venue Shopping Strategies of Atlantic Northeast Environmental Groups: Regulating the Cooling Water Intake of Coal-Fired Power Plants
No full textIn 2011, two massive, closed-cycle cooling towers were constructed at the base of a coal-fired power plant in Somerset, Massachusetts, to mitigate the plant’s contribution to the ecological problem of declining fish populations. The U.S. political system allows for policy problems like this to be solved through a variety of policymaking venues. Of these venues, this case explains how environmental stakeholders in Rhode Island and Massachusetts entered the regulatory venue and seized on the Clean Water Act’s Section 316(b) provisions to regulate the power plant’s intake of cooling water from the Mount Hope Bay. It specifically demonstrates how groups used new scientific evidence, along with the prospect of looming legal action, to convince Environmental Protection Agency administrators to use their “best professional judgment” to regulate cooling water intake from the Mount Hope Bay. A variety of lessons can be drawn from the conflict over declining fish populations along the Mount Hope Bay. This case demonstrates (1) how groups used broad federal statutes like the Clean Water Act during the Chevron Doctrine era to address externalities produced by power plants, (2) how groups mobilize law and science in the policy process, and (3) how groups engage in strategic venue shopping strategies to pursue their policy goals
Usage Statistics: Project COUNTER R5 ir_m1 Report FY2024 - Multimedia Item Requests
No full textProject COUNTER R5 Report IR_M1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024. The IR_M1 report is defined as Multimedia Item Requests. This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.
File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.
Results:
Total Item Requests - 4,67
Alma Link Resolver Subject Report 2023-2024
Full text linkStatistics for 2023-2024 on the number of OpenURL requests by Library of Congress classification code made to the Ex Libris Alma link resolver for items held by the University of Rhode Island Libraries.
Information provided includes Classification Code, Classifications, Number of Requests, Number of Clicked Requests, and % Clicks from Requests
Usage Statistics: Project COUNTER R5 tr_b1 Report FY2024 - Book Requests (Excluding OA_Gold) by Platform
No full textProject COUNTER R5 Report TR_B1 for the University of Rhode Island for the period from July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024. The TR_B1 report is defined as Book Requests (Excluding OA_Gold). This report presents an annual total only and only includes those platforms successfully configured for automated harvesting via SUSHI.
File for download is Excel spreadsheet generated by Alma Analytics.
Results:
Total Item Requests - 130,532
Unique Title Requests - 54,59
Imposed Femininity and Women\u27s Mental Health: The Case of the Hijab in Iran
Full text linkThe construction of feminine identity in Iran is deeply intertwined with the religious and political contexts surrounding the hijab. For Iranian women, the hijab serves as a significant femininity identifier that influences their body image and societal perception. The distinction between optional and mandatory hijab is crucial, as it leads to different outcomes in how femininity is expressed and perceived. When hijab is mandated, it creates a conflict between the official state culture and the popular culture of the people, resulting in a complex social dynamic. The ambivalence surrounding the hijab issue underscores the disparities between the Islamic Republic regime\u27s stance on hijab and the diverse opinions of its citizens. The tension surrounding the hijab issue has become one of the significant social challenges in Iran, raising concerns about women\u27s mental health. The ongoing dialogue surrounding the hijab in Iran serves as a critical lens through which to understand the complexities of Iranian women\u27s identity in a rapidly changing world. By recognizing the diverse perspectives on the hijab, society can strive towards a more inclusive understanding of femininity that respects individual choices and promotes women\u27s rights. This recognition is essential for fostering a more equitable society where women\u27s identities are embraced rather than restricted by rigid norms