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A Study on Rapidly Exploring Random Tree Algorithms for Robot Path Planning
No full textRobot path planning is a critical feature of autonomous systems. Rapidly-exploring Random Trees (RRT) is a path planning technique that randomly samples the robot configuration space to find a path between the start and end point. This thesis studies and compares the performance of four important RRT algorithms, namely, the original RRT, the optimal RRT (also termed RRT*), RRT*-Smart, and Informed RRT* for six different environments. The performance measures include the final path length (which is also the shortest path length found by each algorithm), time to find the first path, run time (of 1000 iterations) for each algorithm, total number of sampling nodes, and success rate (out of 100 runs). It is found that both RRT*-Smart and Informed RRT* algorithm result in shorter path lengths than the original RRT and RRT*. Typically, RRT*-Smart can find a suboptimal path in less number of iterations while the Informed RRT* is able to find the shortest path with increased number of iterations. On the other hand, the original RRT and RRT* are better suited for real-time applications as the Informed RRT* and RRT*-Smart have longer run time due to the additional steps in their processes
Recurring Errors in Studies of Gender Differences in Variability
Get PDFThe past quarter century has seen a resurgence of research on the controversial topic of gender differences in variability, in part because of its potential implications for the issue of under- and over-representation of various subpopulations of our society, with respect to different traits. Unfortunately, several basic statistical, inferential, and logical errors are being propagated in studies on this highly publicized topic. These errors include conflicting interpretations of the numerical significance of actual variance ratio values; a mistaken claim about variance ratios in mixtures of distributions; incorrect inferences from variance ratio values regarding the relative roles of sociocultural and biological factors; and faulty experimental designs. Most importantly, without knowledge of the underlying distributions, the standard variance ratio test statistic is shown to have no implications for tail ratios. The main aim of this note is to correct the scientific record and to illuminate several of these key errors in order to reduce their further propagation. For concreteness, the arguments will focus on one highly influential paper
Outdoor Furniture Build for ECHO
Get PDFThis paper outlines the building of outdoor furniture to be placed in the garden at El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO). The outdoor furniture that was built included a couch, two chairs, and a coffee table, all of which were made from redwood. The client requested the construction of the outdoor furniture because they did not have any safe or quality seating in their garden for the residents and staff to enjoy. The El Camino Homeless Organization provides food and housing for homeless residents within Atascadero. The funds required to procure the building materials were donated by Niner Wine Estates. This paper will cover the different phases of building the outdoor furniture, which includes estimating, planning and designing, material procurement, and the building phase, as well as the delivery to ECHO. This paper will also cover some of the challenges that the builder came across during the process, in addition to lessons learned, as well as how this project relates to the curriculum of Construction Management at Cal Poly. This project aimed to give back to a wonderful organization that is extremely significant to Niner Wine Estates as well as the builder
Suppression of National Identities: Ukrainian and Baltic Cultures in the Soviet Union
Get PDFThis thesis defines the formation and consummation of Soviet Bolshevism as another imperialist force rather than its stated objective of freeing the people of the United Soviet Socialist Republics from the clutches of an inequitable elite. Through the policies and objectives of the Soviet government the workers and citizens of Ukraine and the Baltic republics were not liberated or given autonomy over their lives and labor, as Marxist-Leninism would have them believe. I review the Russification efforts found first in the Tsarist Russian Empire and then continued by Soviets in the nature of pursuing or denying cultural, political, and economic self-sufficiency
Hybrid AC/DC House
Get PDFThe Hybrid AC/DC house is a sustainable alternative to preexisting residential power systems. The implementation of a DC bus in current homes will allow inefficient DC-AC and AC-DC conversions to be circumvented. This provides a direct path for current to flow to DC loads from DC sources such as solar panels to minimize power losses. In doing so, this will give users the ability to power their homes strictly from renewable sources and substantially decrease reliance on the utility. For this purpose, the hybrid AC/DC house is also designed in such a way to be completely grid independent to provide power to rural communities that do not have access to the typical AC grid. This project provides a manufacturable model that solves the issue of energy access with a focus on creating a more sustainable future. The hybrid AC/DC house has been constructed with a couple of inputs: solar panel providing the DC energy and AC from the grid. A battery is also added to the system to improve reliability. Tests of the constructed hybrid AC/DC house system demonstrate the functionality of the system by getting the energy from both the AC and DC sources to power loads
Paso Robles Children\u27s Museum Redesign
Get PDFFor this project, we plan to redesign the Paso Robles Children\u27s Museum website, utilizing Squarespace. Currently, the website has an outdated look and feel, and the information is somewhat disorganized. Having intuitive navigation is a crucial part of good user experience, as users should not have to dig through the site to find what they are looking for (Hallman, 2022). In our redesign, we plan to regroup related content into sections that mimic websites of other established museums, so the structure is more familiar. The other main issue we want to address is the site’s aesthetic; our goal is to modernize the website while still retaining its core branding. To do this, we will work with the museum director to find the most fitting template for the new site on Squarespace, and then customize it accordingly with a revamped color palette, new photos, and new fonts. Our project aims to improve upon The Paso Robles Children’s Museum’s online presence and recognition in general. Redesigning the website with a focus on functionality and implementing good UI/UX design will help users navigate the site with ease, minimize confusion, and ultimately increase user retention. Our project will align Paso Robles Children’s Museum’s website with the current market standards and trends, while placing the museum’s educational value and community impact at the forefront
Savor & Share
Get PDFAs an avid cook, I take pleasure in experimenting with new dishes and exploring diverse flavor combinations. However, I currently lack an organizational system for my recipes, as most of them remain unwritten. Unfortunately, when friends and family ask me to share my recipes, I often confuse them and make it difficult for them to follow the steps correctly with my verbal explanations. To address this issue, I have decided to compile my recipes into a cookbook that will serve as an organized and easy-to-reference collection. This will enable me to easily alter and share my recipes with others. The completed project includes a cover design, a color palette, various typefaces, and two recipe page designs which will serve as a foundation for future recipes as I continue to augment the book
Amped Music Festival
Get PDFWith so many small and large-scale music festivals and events happening today, it becomes increasingly harder for festivals to stick out among the rest in terms of brand identity, values, and purpose. For my senior project, I’ve created a unique brand identity, marketing assets, and other relevant materials for a fictional music festival happening in San Luis Obispo to drive sales and immerse attendees in the festival experience. This paper explores the effectiveness of different integrated marketing communication materials in the music festival landscape and shares the deliverables and results of the festival branding I created
Ultrasonic Mapping Needle
Get PDFWhen gaining access to a vein or organ for the purpose of ablation or other reasons, the common procedural method of entry is to use the Seldinger technique. This has been the standard entry procedure since its introduction in 1953, and the technique has not been modified during this time. While effective, it is prone to complication as it relies solely on the operator\u27s precision and experience. It is our task and goal to develop a modifying kit for this procedure that would aid the operator in this process. It would make use of mapping technology and standard products used in hospitals and Arrhythmia Centers, including ultrasound and magnetic cardiovascular mapping systems, as well as hypodermic needles and catheters. Ultimately this product will focus on minimizing the time, complexity, and overall complications currently associated with this procedure. This report outlines the ideation process and explains how we came to our concept design. Our concept design comprises of two main components— a handle and tunneller. The handle guides and orients the ultrasound catheter. The tunneller will secure the mapping catheter and guide the needle to the desired spot of insertion. Following approval of the concept design and direction, we moved towards 3-D modeling, prototyping, and testing. This led to the final design of the handle, which comprises of a ultrasound head, handle, and Tuohy-Borst mechanism. The tunneller final design consists of a needle insert, needle shaft, and a Touhy-Borst/Luer Lock mechanism. We outline any changes made from concept design to our final design and describe the final assembly of this project along with manufacturing cost and the next steps to get this project into production
Combatting Abortion Misinformation and Disinformation in Medical Education
Get PDFAbstract Introduction: Although abortion has historically been federally legal, functional access to abortion care has been thwarted by inflammatory political discourse. Abortion misinformation and disinformation have been deliberately intertwined into political agendas and ideologies, widening the gap between the lay public’s perception of and patients’ lived experience with abortion care. The politicization of abortion care has adverse effects on its provision and training along lines of inequity and marginalization established by preexisting systems of oppression and structural violence. Critical feminist pedagogy—an examination of class, gender, and sexuality on patriarchal misrepresentations of abortion information—can guide medical students to recognize and combat abortion misinformation and disinformation. Objectives: We apply critical feminist pedagogy to abortion education in medical school curricula to equip students to recognize 1) motives underlying false abortion messaging and 2) mechanisms to produce abortion misinformation and disinformation. We propose interventions that allow medical students to leverage their professional status and privilege in improving the U.S. abortion discourse throughout their careers. Proposed Approaches: We contextualize two classifications of misinformation and disinformation utilized by the anti-abortion movement. We then discuss how educational interventions addressing both of these mechanisms can be adapted through a feminist lens to teach medical students about the complexity of pregnancy decision-making and empower them to debunk false abortion messaging. First, we explore the hijacking of false sensationalized narratives by anti-abortion efforts to frame care-seeking patients as ‘immoral’ and thereby distort our collective knowledge regarding abortion care. We posit that narrative medicine and the complexity of real patient stories can overpower this misleading imagery and allow students to integrate lived realities within their conceptualization of abortion. Second, we examine the co-opting of medical language by the anti-abortion movement to influence abortion policymaking. We propose that curricula allowing medical students to push back against abortion misinformation and disinformation can help them practice debunking false messages while also supporting the public health importance of safe abortion care. Conclusions: Medical students need to recognize and combat the plethora of false abortion messaging in our current post-Roe sociopolitical landscape. Innovations framed within a feminist pedagogy in undergraduate medical education can help trainees understand the importance of reproductive justice, pregnancy decision-making, and abortion care in the context of the patient experience. Over time, these lessons can train future physicians to engage in equitable, accurate conversations about abortion care both inside and outside the exam room