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A Roadmap to Industry 4.0: Smart Production, Sharp Business and Sustainable Development (Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation)
by Akshi Kumar Anand NayyarBusiness innovation and industrial intelligence are paving the way for a future in which smart factories, intelligent machines, networked processes and Big Data are combined to foster industrial growth. The maturity and growth of instrumentation, monitoring and automation as key technology drivers support Industry 4.0 as a viable, competent and actionable business model. This book offers a primer, helping readers understand this paradigm shift from industry 1.0 to industry 4.0. The focus is on grasping the necessary pre-conditions, development & technological aspects that conceptually describe this transformation, along with the practices, models and real-time experience needed to achieve sustainable smart manufacturing technologies. The primary goal is to address significant questions of what, how and why in this context, such as:What is Industry 4.0?What is the current status of its implementation?What are the pillars of Industry 4.0?How can Industry 4.0 be effectively implemented?How are firms exploiting the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data and other emerging technologies to improve their production and services?How can the implementation of Industry 4.0 be accelerated?How is Industry 4.0 changing the workplace landscape?Why is this melding of the virtual and physical world needed for smart production engineering environments?Why is smart production a game-changing new form of product design and manufacturing?
A Sampler of Useful Computational Tools for Applied Geometry, Computer Graphics, and Image Processing
by Niloy J. Mitra Daniel Cohen-Or Chen Greif Tao Ju Olga Sorkine-Hornung Ariel Shamir Hao Richard ZhangA Sampler of Useful Computational Tools for Applied Geometry, Computer Graphics, and Image Processing shows how to use a collection of mathematical techniques to solve important problems in applied mathematics and computer science areas. The book discusses fundamental tools in analytical geometry and linear algebra. It covers a wide range of topics
A Science of Operations: Machines, Logic and the Invention of Programming (History of Computing)
by Mark PriestleyToday, computers fulfil a dazzling array of roles, a flexibility resulting from the great range of programs that can be run on them. A Science of Operations examines the history of what we now call programming, defined not simply as computer programming, but more broadly as the definition of the steps involved in computations and other information-processing activities. This unique perspective highlights how the history of programming is distinct from the history of the computer, despite the close relationship between the two in the 20th century. The book also discusses how the development of programming languages is related to disparate fields which attempted to give a mechanical account of language on the one hand, and a linguistic account of machines on the other. Topics and features: Covers the early development of automatic computing, including Babbage's "mechanical calculating engines" and the applications of punched-card technology, examines the theoretical work of mathematical logicians such as Kleene, Church, Post and Turing, and the machines built by Zuse and Aiken in the 1930s and 1940s, discusses the role that logic played in the development of the stored program computer, describes the "standard model" of machine-code programming popularised by Maurice Wilkes, presents the complete table for the universal Turing machine in the Appendices, investigates the rise of the initiatives aimed at developing higher-level programming notations, and how these came to be thought of as 'languages' that could be studied independently of a machine, examines the importance of the Algol 60 language, and the framework it provided for studying the design of programming languages and the process of software development and explores the early development of object-oriented languages, with a focus on the Smalltalk project. This fascinating text offers a new viewpoint for historians of science and technology, as well as for the general reader. The historical narrative builds the story in a clear and logical fashion, roughly following chronological order.
A Scrum Book: The Spirit of the Game
by James O. Coplien Jeff SutherlandBuilding a successful product usually involves teams of people, and many choose the Scrum approach to aid in creating products that deliver the highest possible value. Implementing Scrum gives teams a collection of powerful ideas they can assemble to fit their needs and meet their goals. The ninety-four patterns contained within are elaborated nuggets of insight into Scrum’s building blocks, how they work, and how to use them. They offer novices a roadmap for starting from scratch, yet they help intermediate practitioners fine-tune or fortify their Scrum implementations. Experienced practitioners can use the patterns and supporting explanations to get a better understanding of how the parts of Scrum complement each other to solve common problems in product development. The patterns are written in the well-known Alexandrian form, whose roots in architecture and design have enjoyed broad application in the software world. The form organizes each pattern so you can navigate directly to organizational design tradeoffs or jump to the solution or rationale that makes the solution work. The patterns flow together naturally through the context sections at their beginning and end. Learn everything you need to know to master and implement Scrum one step at a time—the agile way.
A Seat at the Table: IT Leadership in the Age of Agility
by Mark SchwartzAgile, Lean, and DevOps approaches are radical game changers, providing a fundamentally different way to think about how IT fits into the enterprise, how IT leaders lead, and how IT can harness technology to accomplish the objectives of the enterprise. But honest and open conversations are not taking place between management and Agile delivery teams.In A Seat at the Table, CIO Mark Schwartz explores the role of IT leadership as it is now and opens the door to reveal IT leadership as it should be—an integral part of the value creation engine. With an easy style, Schwartz reveals that the only way to become an Agile IT leader is to be courageous—to throw off the attitude and assumptions that have kept CIOs from taking their rightful seat at the table. CIOs, step on up, your seat at the table is waiting for you.
A Selection of Image Analysis Techniques: From Fundamental to Research Front
by Yu-Jin ZhangThis book focuses on seven commonly used image analysis techniques. It covers aspects from basic principles and practical methods, to new advancement of each selected technique to help readers solve image‐processing related problems in real-life situations. The selected techniques include image segmentation, segmentation evaluation and comparison, saliency object detection, motion analysis, mathematical morphology methods, face recognition and expression classification. The author offers readers a three‐step strategy toward problem‐solving: first, essential principles; then, a detailed explanation; and finally, a discussion on practical and working techniques for specific tasks. He also encourages readers to make full use of available materials from the latest developments and trends. This is an excellent book for those who do not have a complete foundation in image technology but need to use image analysis techniques to perform specific tasks in particular applications.
A Selection of Image Processing Techniques: From Fundamentals to Research Front
by Yu-Jin ZhangA Selection of Image Processing Techniques: From Fundamentals to Research Front focuses on seven commonly used image-processing techniques. These are de-noising, de-blurring, repairing, de-fogging, reconstruction from projection, watermarking, and super-resolution. This book is suitable for readers who do not have a complete foundation in the principles of image technology but need to use image techniques to solve specific tasks in particular applications. Hence, elementary knowledge for further study is provided, allowing the reader to discover suitable techniques for solving practical problems and to learn the latest developments in a specific domain. This book offers readers a three-step strategy toward problem solving: first, essential principles, then, a detailed explanation, and finally, a discussion of practical and working techniques for specific tasks. Throughout, the author highlights materials pertaining to the newest developments and trends of the technologies.
A Selection of Image Understanding Techniques: From Fundamentals to Research Front
by Yu-Jin ZhangThis book offers a comprehensive introduction to seven commonly used image understanding techniques in modern information technology. Readers of various levels can find suitable techniques to solve their practical problems and discover the latest development in these specific domains.The techniques covered include camera model and calibration, stereo vision, generalized matching, scene analysis and semantic interpretation, multi-sensor image information fusion, content-based visual information retrieval, and understanding spatial-temporal behavior. The book provides aspects from the essential concepts overview and basic principles to detailed introduction, explanation of the current methods and their practical techniques. It also presents discussions on the research trends and latest results in conjunction with new development of technical methods. This is an excellent read for those who do not have a subject background in image technology but need to use these techniques to complete specific tasks. These essential information will also be useful for their further study in the relevant fields.
A Semantic Web Primer
by Grigoris Antoniou Frank Van HarmelenThe development of the Semantic Web, with machine-readable content, has the potential to revolutionize the World Wide Web and its use. A Semantic Web Primer provides an introduction and guide to this still emerging field, describing its key ideas, languages, and technologies. Suitable for use as a textbook or for self-study by professionals, it concentrates on undergraduate-level fundamental concepts and techniques that will enable readers to proceed with building applications on their own and includes exercises, project descriptions, and annotated references to relevant online materials. A Semantic Web Primer provides a systematic treatment of the different languages (XML, RDF, OWL, and rules) and technologies (explicit metadata, ontologies, and logic and inference) that are central to Semantic Web development as well as such crucial related topics as ontology engineering and application scenarios. This substantially revised and updated second edition reflects recent developments in the field, covering new application areas and tools. The new material includes a discussion of such topics as SPARQL as the RDF query language; OWL DLP and its interesting practical and theoretical properties; the SWRL language (in the chapter on rules); OWL-S (on which the discussion of Web services is now based). The new final chapter considers the state of the art of the field today, captures ongoing discussions, and outlines the most challenging issues facing the Semantic Web in the future. Supplementary materials, including slides, online versions of many of the code fragments in the book, and links to further reading, can be found at www.semanticwebprimer.org.
A Semidiscrete Version of the Citti-Petitot-Sarti Model as a Plausible Model for Anthropomorphic Image Reconstruction and Pattern Recognition (SpringerBriefs in Mathematics)
by Jean-Paul Gauthier Dario PrandiThis book proposes a semi-discrete version of the theory of Petitot and Citti-Sarti, leading to a left-invariant structure over the group SE(2,N), restricted to a finite number of rotations. This apparently very simple group is in fact quite atypical: it is maximally almost periodic, which leads to much simpler harmonic analysis compared to SE(2). Based upon this semi-discrete model, the authors improve on previous image-reconstruction algorithms and develop a pattern-recognition theory that also leads to very efficient algorithms in practice.
A Short Course in Computational Science and Engineering
by David YevickBuilding on his highly successful textbook on C++, David Yevick provides a concise yet comprehensive one-stop course in three key programming languages, C++, Java and Octave (a freeware alternative to MATLAB). Employing only public-domain software, this book presents a unique overview of numerical and programming techniques, including object-oriented programming, elementary and advanced topics in numerical analysis, physical system modelling, scientific graphics, software engineering and performance issues. Compact, transparent code in all three programming languages is applied to the fundamental equations of quantum mechanics, electromagnetics, mechanics and statistical mechanics. Uncommented versions of the code that can be immediately modified and adapted are provided online for the more involved programs. This compact, practical text is an invaluable introduction for students in all undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in the physical sciences or engineering that require numerical modelling, and also a key reference for instructors and scientific programmers.
A Short Course in Digital Photography, 2nd Edition
by Barbara London Jim StoneFor introductory, one-semester courses devoted to digital photography. After a very successful first edition, this second edition returns with the most up-to-date industry knowledge. Modeled after the long-running and widely used A Short Course in Photography, a brief text which presents the medium entirely in its most updated form.
A Short Course in Photography: Digital
by Barbara London Jim StoneModeled after the widely used A Short Course in Photography:Film and Darkroom, the third edition of A Short Course in Photography: Digital presents photography entirely in its current, electronic form. This brief title demonstrates greater emphasis on the most up-to-date learning techniques, allowing students to keep up with modern technology. A Short Course in Photography: Digital teaches readers to emphasize their choices in picture making by presenting in depth basic techniques of photography. In additional to covering the basic techniques of photography, this title covers the impact of computers on this important art form.
A Short Course in Quantum Information Theory: An Approach From Theoretical Physics (Lecture Notes in Physics #827)
by Lajos DiosiThis short and concise primer takes the vantage point of theoretical physics and the unity of physics. It sets out to strip the burgeoning field of quantum information science to its basics by linking it to universal concepts in physics. An extensive lecture rather than a comprehensive textbook, this volume is based on courses delivered over several years to advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students, but essentially it addresses anyone with a working knowledge of basic quantum physics. Readers will find these lectures a most adequate entry point for theoretical studies in this field. For the second edition, the authors has succeeded in adding many new topics while sticking to the conciseness of the overall approach. A new chapter on qubit thermodynamics has been added, while new sections and subsections have been incorporated in various chapter to deal with weak and time-continuous measurements, period-finding quantum algorithms and quantum error corrections. From the reviews of the first edition: "The best things about this book are its brevity and clarity. In around 100 pages it provides a tutorial introduction to quantum information theory, including problems and solutions. ... it's worth a look if you want to quickly get up to speed with the language and central concepts of quantum information theory, including the background classical information theory." (Craig Savage, Australian Physics, Vol. 44 (2), 2007)
A Simple Guide To Vedic Astrology: Preparing Birth and Navamsa Charts Manually
by Aloysius AseervathamThe book provides an insight into the basics of Vedic Astrology and guides how to prepare your own birth chart manually. The book is especially useful to those who have tried to understand Vedic Astrology but failed because of their inability to understand the technical terms used. This book attempts to simplify matters for the interested reader. Self-test questions and Crossword puzzle at the end of the book would help enhance the learning!
A Simple Guide to Retrieval Augmented Generation
by Abhinav KimothiEverything you need to know about Retrieval Augmented Generation in one human-friendly guide.Augmented Generation—or RAG—enhances an LLM&’s available data by adding context from an external knowledge base, so it can answer accurately about proprietary content, recent information, and even live conversations. RAG is powerful, and with A Simple Guide to Retrieval Augmented Generation, it&’s also easy to understand and implement! In A Simple Guide to Retrieval Augmented Generation you&’ll learn: • The components of a RAG system • How to create a RAG knowledge base • The indexing and generation pipeline • Evaluating a RAG system • Advanced RAG strategies • RAG tools, technologies, and frameworks A Simple Guide to Retrieval Augmented Generation gives an easy, yet comprehensive, introduction to RAG for AI beginners. You&’ll go from basic RAG that uses indexing and generation pipelines, to modular RAG and multimodal data from images, spreadsheets, and more. About the Technology If you want to use a large language model to answer questions about your specific business, you&’re out of luck. The LLM probably knows nothing about it and may even make up a response. Retrieval Augmented Generation is an approach that solves this class of problems. The model first retrieves the most relevant pieces of information from your knowledge stores (search index, vector database, or a set of documents) and then generates its answer using the user&’s prompt and the retrieved material as context. This avoids hallucination and lets you decide what it says. About the Book A Simple Guide to Retrieval Augmented Generation is a plain-English guide to RAG. The book is easy to follow and packed with realistic Python code examples. It takes you concept-by-concept from your first steps with RAG to advanced approaches, exploring how tools like LangChain and Python libraries make RAG easy. And to make sure you really understand how RAG works, you&’ll build a complete system yourself—even if you&’re new to AI! What&’s Inside • RAG components and applications • Evaluating RAG systems • Tools and frameworks for implementing RAG About the Readers For data scientists, engineers, and technology managers—no prior LLM experience required. Examples use simple, well-annotated Python code. About the Author Abhinav Kimothi is a seasoned data and AI professional. He has spent over 15 years in consulting and leadership roles in data science, machine learning and AI, and currently works as a Director of Data Science at Sigmoid. Table of Contents Part 1 1 LLMs and the need for RAG 2 RAG systems and their design Part 2 3 Indexing pipeline: Creating a knowledge base for RAG 4 Generation pipeline: Generating contextual LLM responses 5 RAG evaluation: Accuracy, relevance, and faithfulness Part 3 6 Progression of RAG systems: Naïve, advanced, and modular RAG 7 Evolving RAGOps stack Part 4 8 Graph, multimodal, agentic, and other RAG variants 9 RAG development framework and further exploration
A Simple Guide to Technology and Analytics
by Brian J. EvansEveryday technology is constantly changing, and it’s hard to keep up with it at times. What is all this talk about automation, STEM, analytics and super-computers, and how will it really affect my daily life at work and in the home? This book is a simple guide to everyday technology and analytics written in plain language. It starts with explaining how computer networks are increasing in speed so fast that we can do more in less time than ever before. It explains the analytical jargon in plain English and why robotics in the home will be aided by the new technology of the quantum computer. Richly furnished with over 200 illustrations, photos and with minimal equations, A Simple Guide to Technology and Analytics is a ready reference book for those times when you don’t really understand the technology and analytics being talked about. It explains complicated topics such as automated character recognition in a very simple way, and has simple exercises for the reader to fully understand the technology (with answers at the back). It even has explanations on how home appliances work, which are very useful the next time you go shopping for a microwave or TV. Even the Glossary at the back can be used as a quick look-up explanation for those on the go.
A Simple Introduction to Python (Chapman & Hall/CRC The Python Series)
by Stephen LynchA Simple Introduction to Python is aimed at pre-university students and complete novices to programming. The whole book has been created using Jupyter notebooks. After introducing Python as a powerful calculator, simple programming constructs are covered, and the NumPy, MatPlotLib and SymPy modules (libraries) are introduced. Python is then used for Mathematics, Cryptography, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Object Oriented Programming.The reader is shown how to program using the integrated development environments: Python IDLE, Spyder, Jupyter notebooks, and through cloud computing with Google Colab.Features: No prior experience in programming is required. Demonstrates how to format Jupyter notebooks for publication on the Web. Full solutions to exercises are available as a Jupyter notebook on the Web. All Jupyter notebook solution files can be downloaded through GitHub. GitHub Repository of Data Files and a Jupyter Solution notebook: https://github.com/proflynch/A-Simple-Introduction-to-PythonJupyter Solution notebook web page: https://drstephenlynch.github.io/webpages/A-Simple-Introduction-to-Python-Solutions.html
A Simplified Approach to the Classical Laminate Theory of Composite Materials: Application of Bar and Beam Elements (Advanced Structured Materials #192)
by Andreas ÖchsnerThis book provides a systematic introduction to composite materials, which are obtained by a layer-wise stacking of one-dimensional bar/beam elements. Each layer may have different mechanical properties but each single layer is considered as isotropic. The major idea is to provide a simplified theory to easier understand the classical two-dimensional laminate theory for composites based on laminae with unidirectional fibers. In addition to the elastic behavior, failure is investigated based on the maximum stress, maximum strain, Tsai-Hill, and the Tsai-Wu criteria. Partial differential equations lay the foundation to mathematically describe the mechanical behavior of any classical structural member known in engineering mechanics, including composite materials. The so-called classical laminate theory provides a simplified stress analysis, and a subsequent failure analysis, without the solution of the system of coupled differential equations for the unknown displacements. The procedure provides the solution of a statically indeterminate system based on a generalized stress–strain relationship under consideration of the constitutive relationship and the definition of the so-called stress resultants. This laminate theory is typically provided for two-dimensional plane problems, where the basic structural element is a simple superposition of a classical plane elasticity element with a thin plate element under the consideration of an orthotropic constitutive law. This two-dimensional approach and the underlying advanced continuum mechanical modeling might be very challenging for some students, particularly at universities of applied sciences. Thus, a reduced approach, the so-called simplified classical laminate theory, has been developed. The idea is to use solely isotropic one-dimensional elements, i.e., a superposition of bar and beam elements, to introduce the major calculation steps of the classical laminate theory. Understanding this simplified theory is much easier and the final step it to highlight the differences when moving to the general two-dimensional case.
A Single Trapped Rydberg Ion (Springer Theses)
by Gerard HigginsSystems of trapped ions and systems of ultracold Rydberg atoms are used at the forefront of quantum physics research and they make strong contenders as platforms for quantum technologies. Trapped Rydberg ions are a new hybrid technology envisaged to have both the exquisite control of trapped ion systems and the strong interactions of Rydberg atoms.In this work a single trapped Rydberg ion is experimentally investigated. A trapped strontium ion is excited to Rydberg states using two ultraviolet lasers. Effects of the strong trapping electric fields on the highly-sensitive Rydberg ion are studied. After mitigating unwanted trap effects, the ion is coherently excited to Rydberg states and a quantum gate is demonstrated. This thesis lays much of the experimental groundwork for research using this novel system.
A Small Matter of Programming: Perspectives on End User Computing
by Bonnie A. NardiA Small Matter of Programming asks why it has been so difficult for end users to command programming power and explores the problems of end user-driven application development that must be solved to afford end users greater computational power. Drawing on empirical research on existing end user systems, A Small Matter of Programming analyzes cognitive, social, and technical issues of end user programming. In particular, it examines the importance of task-specific programming languages, visual application frameworks, and collaborative work practices for end user computing, with the goal of helping designers and programmers understand and better satisfy the needs of end users who want the capability to create, customize, and extend their applications software. The ideas in the book are based on the author's research on two successful end user programming systems - spreadsheets and CAD systems - as well as other empirical research. Nardi concentrates on broad issues in end user programming, especially end users' strengths and problems, introducing tools and techniques as they are related to higher-level user issues. Bonnie A. Nardi is a Member of the Technical Staff at Hewlett Packard Laboratories.
A Social History of Contemporary Democratic Media (Routledge Research in Cultural and Media Studies)
by Jesse DrewThe last few decades have helped dispel the myth that media should remain driven by high-end professionals and market share. This book puts forward the concept of "communications from below" in contrast to the "globalization from above" that characterizes many new developments in international organization and media practices. By examining the social and technological roots that influence current media evolution, Drew allows readers to understand not only the Youtubes and Facebooks of today, but to anticipate the trajectory of the technologies to come. Beginning with a look at the inherent weaknesses of the U.S. broadcasting model of mass media, Drew outlines the early 1960s and 1970s experiments in grassroots media, where artists and activists began to re-engineer electronic technologies to target local communities and underserved audiences. From these local projects emerged national and international communications projects, creating production models, social networks and citizen expectations that would challenge traditional means of electronic media and cultural production. Drew’s perspective puts the social and cultural use of the user at the center, not the particular media form. Thus the structure of the book focuses on the local, the national, and the global desire for communications, regardless of the means.
A Social Strategy: How We Profit from Social Media
by Mikolaj Jan PiskorskiWhat people get out of social media—and how businesses can get more out of itAlmost no one had heard of social media a decade ago, but today websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have more than 1 billion users and account for almost 25 percent of Internet use. Practically overnight, social media seems indispensable to our lives—from friendship and dating to news and business.What makes social media so different from traditional media? Answering that question is the key to making social media work for any business, argues Miko?aj Piskorski, one of the world's leading experts on the business of social media. In A Social Strategy, he provides the most convincing answer yet, one backed by original research, data, and case studies from companies such as Nike and American Express.Drawing on his analysis of proprietary data from social media sites, Piskorski argues that the secret of successful ones is that they allow people to fulfill social needs that either can’t be met offline or can be met only at much greater cost. This insight provides the key to how companies can leverage social platforms to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Companies need to help people interact with each other before they will promote products to their friends or help companies in other ways. Done right, a company’s social media should benefit customers and the firm. Piskorski calls this "a social strategy," and he describes how companies such as Yelp and Zynga have done it.Groundbreaking and important, A Social Strategy provides not only a story- and data-driven explanation for the explosion of social media but also an invaluable, concrete road map for any company that wants to tap the marketing potential of this remarkable phenomenon.
A Socio-History of Internet Policies: Weaving the Digital State in France (International Series on Public Policy)
by Anne BellonThis book examines the development of internet policymaking over the last forty years. Drawing on evidence from France and elsewhere, it adopts a sociohistorical perspective to offer insights into the ways democratic states regulate the internet and digital transformation more generally. Adopting a chronological approach and utilising both policy analysis and interviews with key actors, it retells the changing role of the state in internet regulation since the inception of the internet to the present day. It also explores the complex relationships between public administrations and internet organizations, and considers whether states are really capable of governing the digital space. It will appeal to all those interested in public policy, digital studies, sociology and communication studies.
A Socio-Legal Study of Hacking: Breaking and Remaking Law and Technology (Law, Science and Society)
by Michael Anthony DizonThe relationship between hacking and the law has always been complex and conflict-ridden. This book examines the relations and interactions between hacking and the law with a view to understanding how hackers influence and are influenced by technology laws and policies. In our increasingly digital and connected world where hackers play a significant role in determining the structures, configurations and operations of the networked information society, this book delivers an interdisciplinary study of the practices, norms and values of hackers and how they conflict and correspond with the aims and aspirations of hacking-related laws. Describing and analyzing the legal and normative impact of hacking, as well as proposing new approaches to its regulation and governance, this book makes an essential contribution to understanding the socio-technical changes, and consequent legal challenges, faced by our contemporary connected society.