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Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don't Know You Have
by Tatiana SchlossbergFrom a former New York Times science writer, this urgent call to action will empower you to stand up to climate change and environmental pollution by making simple but impactful everyday choices.With urgency and wit, Tatiana Schlossberg explains that far from being only a distant problem of the natural world created by the fossil fuel industry, climate change is all around us, all the time, lurking everywhere in our convenience-driven society, all without our realizing it. By examining the unseen and unconscious environmental impacts in four areas-the Internet and technology, food, fashion, and fuel - Schlossberg helps readers better understand why climate change is such a complicated issue, and how it connects all of us: How streaming a movie on Netflix in New York burns coal in Virginia; how eating a hamburger in California might contribute to pollution in the Gulf of Mexico; how buying an inexpensive cashmere sweater in Chicago expands the Mongolian desert; how destroying forests from North Carolina is necessary to generate electricity in England. Cataloging the complexities and frustrations of our carbon-intensive society with a dry sense of humor, Schlossberg makes the climate crisis and its solutions interesting and relevant to everyone who cares, even a little, about the planet. She empowers readers to think about their stuff and the environment in a new way, helping them make more informed choices when it comes to the future of our world. Most importantly, this is a book about the power we have as voters and consumers to make sure that the fight against climate change includes all of us and all of our stuff, not just industry groups and politicians. If we have any hope of solving the problem, we all have to do it together.
Incorporating Occupational Information in Electronic Health Records: Letter Report
by Linda Hawes CleverEach year in the United States, more than 4,000 occupational fatalities and more than 3 million occupational injuries occur along with more than 160,000 cases of occupational illnesses. Incorporating patients' occupational information into electronic health records (EHRs) could lead to more informed clinical diagnosis and treatment plans as well as more effective policies, interventions, and prevention strategies to improve the overall health of the working population. At the request of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the IOM appointed a committee to examine the rationale and feasibility of incorporating occupational information in patients' EHRs. The IOM concluded that three data elements - occupation, industry, and work-relatedness - were ready for immediate focus, and made recommendations on moving forward efforts to incorporate these elements into EHRs.
Incorporating Occupational Information in Electronic Health Records: Letter Report
by The National Academy of SciencesEach year in the United States, more than 4,000 occupational fatalities and more than 3 million occupational injuries occur along with more than 160,000 cases of occupational illnesses. Incorporating patients' occupational information into electronic health records (EHRs) could lead to more informed clinical diagnosis and treatment plans as well as more effective policies, interventions, and prevention strategies to improve the overall health of the working population. At the request of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the IOM appointed a committee to examine the rationale and feasibility of incorporating occupational information in patients' EHRs. The IOM concluded that three data elements - occupation, industry, and work-relatedness - were ready for immediate focus, and made recommendations on moving forward efforts to incorporate these elements into EHRs.
Incorporating Resiliency Concepts into NFPA Codes and Standards
by Kenneth W. DunganThis brief addresses the contextual definition of resilience, explains the existing resiliency frameworks developed by Federal Agencies, and emphasizes the risk informed approach to applying resiliency concepts to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) documents. In an effort to assess and further define NFPA's position in the realm of resiliency, this brief identifies those provisions in NFPA codes and standards that embody the concepts of resiliency. Additionally, the brief develops an NFPA-centric definition of resiliency and compiles available information to serve as a technical reference for the codes and standards, identifying key gaps in knowledge. Key topics range from engineered features and the built environment to emergency response and risk-informed approaches to disaster events. The brief also includes a comprehensive literature review on multiple resiliency frameworks. Written for fire protection engineers and professionals who handle disaster risk assessment, this brief provides a thorough overview of resiliency concepts and how NFPA procedures strive to meet recommended standards.
Incorporating Sustainable Practice in Mechanics and Structures of Materials
by Sujeeva Setunge Sam Fragomeni Srikanth Venkatesan Nelson T.K. LamIncorporating Sustainable Practice in Mechanics of Structures and Materials is a collection of peer-reviewed papers presented at the 21st Australasian Conference on the Mechanics of Structures and Materials (ACMSM21, Victoria, University, Melbourne, Australia, 7th � 10th of December 2010). The contributions from academics, researchers and practisin
Increased Biodiesel Efficiency: Alternatives for Production, Stabilization, Characterization and Use of Coproduct (Green Energy and Technology)
by Magno TrindadeThis book advances the use of biodiesel—more environmentally friendly than traditional fossil fuels—by showing how it can be synthesized at a lower cost, with greater efficiency and as a more pure and stable product. It presents methods based on fluorescence spectroscopy, which are less time-consuming than the traditional Rancimat analysis for monitoring stability, and are therefore less prone to allowing oxidative decay in the biofuel. Biodiesel exploits a variety of raw materials, from freshly harvested cottonseed to recycled cooking oil. These are cheap to produce and generate fuel lower in polluting sulphur and aromatic compounds than its petroleum-based equivalent.Beginning by addressing different protocols for synthesis based on fatty acids, methyl and ethyl esters, it then describes chemical analyses essential to establishing the purity of the biodiesel. It highlights in detail the use of multifunctional and synthetic antioxidants, and investigates the impact of synthetic chalcones and their derivatives on the oxidative stability of biodiesel.The author goes on to explain how to ameliorate various influences – UV irradiation and metal contaminants for example – which increase the hazards of oxidation, such as degradation and instability. New pre-treatment procedures performed using ultrasonic energies, thermostatic bath and vortex stirring are not only more environmentally friendly, but cut down on the time-consuming process of determining metal content, and allow for the use of more environmentally friendly aqueous reagents. The book investigates and demonstrates these techniques on the basis of real-world results.Further, it suggests the practical uses of byproducts of biodiesel production, for example, using glycerol as a source of energy and high valuable chemicals. These useful techniques aid any researcher exploring the production process of biodiesel and its stabilization and characteristics.
Increasing Aircraft Carrier Forward Presence: Changing the Length of the Maintenance Cycle
by Clifford A. Grammich John F. Schank Roland J. Yardley James G. KallimaniThe U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier fleet must meet the forward presence requirements of theater commanders. With a decreasing fleet size, planners must balance the timing of maintenance, training, and deployment with presence and surge demands. Evaluating multiple one- and two-deployment scenarios per cycle, RAND examines the feasibility of different cycle lengths, their effect on carrier forward presence, and their impact on shipyard workloads.
Increasing Motorcycle Conspicuity: Design and Assessment of Interventions to Enhance Rider Safety (Human Factors, Simulation and Performance Assessment)
by Michael G. Lenné Lars RößgerIt’s a widely recognised trend that powered-two-wheelers' (PTWs) use has been steadily increasing and is projected to increase further. While providing benefits to the community in the form of reduced traffic congestion and environmental benefits, the risks to PTW riders remain and visibility will always be a key issue. Increasing Motorcycle Conspicuity aims to illustrate how driving simulation, field studies and laboratory experiments can be used to improve rider safety through the design and evaluation of a range of safety measures. The book outlines the factors that contribute to PTW visibility and detection by car drivers, and presents case studies to illustrate how the various methods can be used to explore the contribution of these factors. The final chapter of the book highlights the utility of a simulation-based approach to improving PTW safety and discusses this method’s future applications. The case studies collected within the volume cover phases of the design of conspicuity treatments and provide a broad spectrum of empirical strategies for assessing the interventions. The book is most directly relevant to researchers and applied scientists from the fields of traffic/transportation psychology and human factors, as well as to practitioners from the traffic safety sector.
Increasing Naturalness and Flexibility in Spoken Dialogue Interaction: 10th International Workshop on Spoken Dialogue Systems (Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering #714)
by Haizhou Li Erik Marchi Sabato Marco Siniscalchi Sandro Cumani Valerio Mario SalernoThis book compiles and presents a synopsis on current global research efforts to push forward the state of the art in dialogue technologies, including advances to language and context understanding, and dialogue management, as well as human–robot interaction, conversational agents, question answering and lifelong learning for dialogue systems.
Increasing Perceptual Skills of Robots Through Proximal Force/Torque Sensors: A Study for the Implementation of Active Compliance on the iClub Humanoid Robot
by Matteo FumagalliThis thesis proposes an effective methodology for enhancing the perceptual capabilities and achieving interaction control of the iCub humanoid robot. The method is based on the integration of measurements from different sensors (force/torque, inertial and tactile sensors) distributed along the robot's kinematic chain. Humanoid robots require a substantial amount of sensor information to create their own representations of the surrounding environment. Tactile perception is of primary importance for the exploration process. Also in humans, the tactile system is completely functional at birth. In humanoid robotics, the measurements of forces and torques that the robot exchanges with its surroundings are essential for safe interaction with the environment and with humans. The approach proposed in this thesis can successfully enhance the perceptual capabilities of robots by exploiting only a limited number of both localized and distributed sensors, providing a feasible and convenient solution for achieving active compliance control of humanoid robots.
Increasing Productivity and Profit through Health and Safety: The Financial Returns from a Safe Working Environment
by Maurice Oxenburgh Penelope S.P. Marlow Andrew OxenburghIn all workplaces the health and safety of employees is closely linked with the company's profitability. Human resource strategies for improving the health and safety of people in the workplace do not necessarily cost money - in fact they usually save money. A practical book based on the authors' combined consultancy experience, Increasing
Incredible Edible Science
by Liz Plaster Rick KrustchinskyMaking learning exciting for children, Incredible Edible Science includes over 160 hands-on, food-based science activities with a strong literacy connection. The book provides everything needed to teach important science process skills in a safe, developmentally appropriate way. These cross-curricular activities promote brain development and fully engage children through physical involvement-such as exploring balance and texture as they create popcorn ball structures, classifying and patterning different types of cereal, and investigating fractions with biscuits-and participation in literacy and language components such as phonemic awareness, vocabulary development, and following directions. After the activity is complete, children can eat their work!Incredible Edible Science received the Learning Magazine 2011 Teachers' Choice Award.
Incredible LEGO Technic: Cars, Trucks, Robots & More!
by Pawel Sariel KmiecFrom tanks to tow trucks, all the models showcased in this book use LEGO Technic gears, pulleys, pneumatics, and electric motors to really move. You’ll find some of the world’s best fan-created LEGO supercars, construction equipment, monster trucks, watercraft, and more, along with design notes and breakaway views of the truly incredible mechanisms inside.Look closely, and you’ll learn how expert builders use differentials, suspensions, linkages, and complex gearing systems in their creations.Whether you’re a beginning builder or a longtime LEGO fan, Incredible LEGO Technic offers a unique look at the artistry and engineering that can make your LEGO creations come alive.
Incremental Data Converters for Sensor Interfaces
by Gabor C. Temes Chia-Hung ChenComprehensive resource discussing operating principles, available architectures, and design of micropower incremental analog-to-digital converters (IADCs) Incremental Data Converters for Sensor Interfaces describes the motivation for using incremental analog-to-digital converters (IADCs), including the theoretical foundations of their operation, the trade-offs in their use, and the practical issues in the circuit analysis and design of IADCs. The text covers core foundational knowledge such as the key algorithms used, circuits for single-stage and multi-stage IADCs, the design of the digital post filters for single- and multi-stage IADCs, IADC applications in measurement and instrumentation, medicine, imagers, and IoT, and comparison of delta-sigma (D-S) and incremental ADCs (IADCs) in terms of accuracy, latency, and multiplexed operation. To aid in reader comprehension and serve as an excellent classroom learning resource, Incremental Data Converters for Sensor Interfaces includes in-text problems and homework for graduate studies, along with helpful computer codes in MATLAB and Simulink. Additional topics covered in Incremental Data Converters for Sensor Interfaces include: Sensors and sensor interfaces, mixed-mode (analog–digital) communication and consumer signal chains, and ADC algorithms Quantization errors vs. quantization noise, and performance parameters and figures of merit, including resolution, linearity, accuracy, bandwidth, latency, and power dissipation Nyquist-rate and oversampling data converters, noise-shaping ADCs, and basic architectures for IADCs, including single- and multi-stage designs and discrete vs. continuous-time operation Loop filter design, D/A converter design, dynamic element matching and digital calibration, and quantizer design With comprehensive coverage of foundational knowledge surrounding the subject, various real-world examples, and helpful learning aids, Incremental Data Converters for Sensor Interfaces is an essential resource for graduate students in electronics programs, along with industrial circuit design professionals.
Incremental Forming as a Rapid Tooling Process (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology)
by Daniel Afonso Ricardo Torcato Liliana Pires Ricardo Alves de SousaThis book discusses the general concept and applications of rapid tooling technologies and introduces the use of incremental forming for the development of rapid sheet tools. Methods and techniques for tool design and development are discussed, considering their manufacture using incremental forming and complementary processes. The mechanical and thermal performance of sheet metal tools is analyzed. Finally, possible applications are introduced, with the description of some case study examples.
Incremental Sheet Forming Technologies: Principles, Merits, Limitations, and Applications
by Ajay Ravi Kant MittalIncremental Sheet Forming (ISF) exempts use of dies and reduces cost for manufacturing complex parts. Sheet metal forming is used for producing high-quality components in automotive, aerospace, and medical industries. This book covers the benefits of this new technology, including the process parameters along with various techniques. Each variant of this novel process is discussed along with the requirements of machinery and hardware. In addition, appropriate guidelines are also suggested regarding the relationship between process parameters and aspects of ISF process in order to ensure the applicability of the process on the industrial scale. This book will be a useful asset for researchers, engineers in manufacturing industries, and postgraduate level courses.
Indacaterol
by Alexandre TrifilieffChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a multi-component condition that results in increasingly limited airflow, usually associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lung. It constitutes a major public health burden worldwide, while only very few effective therapies are available. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the development of Onbrez Breezhaler, a newly approved once-daily inhaled β2 agonist for the treatment of COPD. It reviews the current pharmacotherapy for COPD and discusses topics such as the chemical design and the pre-clinical pharmacology of the molecule, the early clinical development, the INHANCE study (which provides a successful example of the use of an adaptive design in the confirmatory setting) and the Phase III clinical efficacy study, as well as the history and performance of the Breezhaler device. Finally, a list of emerging targets is included that could well offer future treatment options for COPD.
Indentation Fracture: Strength and Toughness for Brittle Materials Design
by Robert F. CookA comprehensive reference with demonstrations of advanced indentation fracture techniques in practical applications to enable better design and more efficient manufacturing Indentation Fracture describes and illustrates advanced applications of indentation fracture in evaluating strength, toughness, and related properties of brittle materials. The book enables better design, manufacture, performance, and reliability of brittle materials as elements in structural components. Emphasizing the practical applications of indentation fracture techniques, especially those of indentation-strength, the book builds on a development of indentation fracture mechanics to demonstrate clear quantitative comparisons and rankings of material fracture behavior, including the behavior of toughened materials. The book includes several case studies linking indentation fracture analyses and measurements to other phenomena including fragmentation cracking, edge chipping and dicing damage, scratching and the Mohs scale, and semiconductor grinding damage. Each case study highlights a different aspect of controlled flaw fracture measurements. The book enables readers to increase the utilization of glasses, ceramics, semiconductors, and similar brittle materials in load-bearing applications by demonstrating experimental indentation techniques to better characterize fracture. A primary focus of the book is demonstration of controlled flaw indentation-strength measurements. Written by an independent scientist with significant research contributions to the field, Indentation Fracture explores a range of topics including: Brittle fracture fundamentals, discussing equilibrium fractures on uniform and localized loading leading to the Griffith and Roesler equationsIndentation strength variation, covering the effects of contact angle, spherical and flat punch contacts, and contacts in stressed and layered componentsToughened materials strength observations in alumina, silicon nitride, glass ceramics, ferroelastics, and zirconiaStrengths of silicon devices determined by wafer backgrinding, covering linear flaws in silicon, including single and multiple scratches, as well as linear, general, controlled, and grinding flaws Indentation Fracture is an essential reference on the subject for engineers across disciplines, nanotechnologists, geophysicists, and environmental scientists, along with graduate students in materials science and related programs of study.
Indentation Testing of Biological Materials (Advanced Structured Materials #91)
by Gennady Mishuris Ivan ArgatovThis book presents a comprehensive and unifying approach to analytical identification of material properties of biological materials. Focusing on depth-sensing indentation testing, pipette aspiration testing, and torsion of soft tissues, it discusses the following important aspects in detail: damping, adhesion, thickness effect, substrate effect, elastic inhomogeneity effect, and biphasic effect. This book is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, researchers in the area of biomechanics as well as for biomedical engineers interested in contact problems and involved in inverse materials parameters prediction analysis.
Independent Component Analysis of Edge Information for Face Recognition
by Sanjay Talbar Kailash Jagannath KarandeThe book presents research work on face recognition using edge information as features for face recognition with ICA algorithms. The independent components are extracted from edge information. These independent components are used with classifiers to match the facial images for recognition purpose. In their study, authors have explored Canny and LOG edge detectors as standard edge detection methods. Oriented Laplacian of Gaussian (OLOG) method is explored to extract the edge information with different orientations of Laplacian pyramid. Multiscale wavelet model for edge detection is also proposed to extract edge information. The book provides insights for advance research work in the area of image processing and biometrics.
Independent Energy Regulation in a Developing Economy: Stakeholder Perspectives and Legal Interpretations
by Sudha Mahalingam Kapilan MahalingamThis book is an introduction to the challenges of independent regulation, a new governance institution introduced in developing economies in the wake of liberalization, to perform the role of a surrogate for competitive markets. It examines, in the Indian context, regulatory interpretation of key provisions of energy laws and regulatory statutes, as manifest in the adjudicatory orders of India’s petroleum and electricity regulators. The objective is to assess regulatory interpretations for consistency with the stated objectives of independent regulation. Comparing regulatory interpretation of energy laws with those of the higher judiciary, this study highlights the divergent perspectives of regulators and the higher judiciary on the role of independent regulation in a liberalized economy. In the process, this research attempts to gauge, not only the extent of regulatory expertise and independence in India’s energy space, but crucially, the Indian government's commitment to independence of regulators. The book also offers a glimpse of the operation of checks and balances in a relatively new institution situated outside the scope of the conventional Madisonian framework. Framed against the backdrop of extant regulatory theories, this book is of interest to regulators, policy makers, utility executives, students of law, economics and regulatory studies as well as lawyers interpreting regulators’ remit and role in a liberalized economy.
Independent Metering Electro-Hydraulic Control System
by Ruqi Ding Min ChengThis book shows an independent metering electro-hydraulic control system involving its flexible hardware layouts, complex software control, representative products and applications. The book includes one chapter introducing the background and motivation of the independent metering electro-hydraulic control system. It also includes one chapter to summarize various hardware layouts involving the utilized hydraulic components and circuits, as well as analyze their advantages and disadvantages. It emphatically consists of four chapters demonstrating the detailed multivariable control strategies from three levels: load, valve and pump, together with fault-tolerant control under the fault condition. It includes a last chapter, in which products of independent metering control valve and their applications in some typical heavy-duty mobile machinery are collective works of reviews illustrative of recent advances. This book is interesting and useful to a wide readership in the various fields of fluid power transmission and control.
Independent Variables for Optical Surfacing Systems
by Haobo ChengIndependent Variables for Optical Surfacing Systems discusses the characterization and application of independent variables of optical surfacing systems and introduces the basic principles of surfacing technologies and common surfacing systems. All the pivotal variables influencing surface quality are analyzed; evaluation methods for surface quality, the removal capability of tool influence functions, and a series of novel optical surfacing systems are introduced. The book also particularly focuses on the multi-path mode and dwell time used for deterministic surfacing. Researchers and graduate students working in optical engineering will benefit from this book; optical engineers in the industry will also find it a valuable reference work. Haobo Cheng is a professor at Beijing Institute of Technology.
Index Modulation for 5G Wireless Communications
by Liuqing Yang Xiang Cheng Miaowen WenThis book presents a thorough examination of index modulation, an emerging 5G modulation technique. It includes representative transmitter and receiver design, optimization, and performance analysis of index modulation in various domains. First, the basic spatial modulation system for the spatial domain is introduced. Then, the development of a generalized pre-coding aided quadrature spatial modulation system as well as a virtual spatial modulation system are presented. For the space-time domain, a range of differential spatial modulation systems are examined, along with the pre-coding design. Both basic and enhanced index modulated OFDM systems for the frequency domain are discussed, focusing on the verification of their strong capabilities in inter-carrier interference mitigation. Finally, key open problems are highlighted and future research directions are considered. Designed for researchers and professionals, this book is essential for anyone working in communications networking, 5G, and system design. Advanced-level students of engineering and computer science interested in efficiency techniques will also find the content valuable.
Index Modulation for OFDM Communications Systems (Wireless Networks)
by Qiang Li Xiang Cheng Miaowen WenThanks to their considerable advantages, index modulation and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) are considered to be promising candidates for future wireless communications. This book focuses on the index modulation techniques for OFDM communications systems, which allow information to be conveyed not only via constellation symbols, but also by the indices of various transmission entities in OFDM systems, such as signal constellations, spreading codes, and pilots. The book discusses representative transmitter and receiver designs, optimization and performance analysis of index modulation based on various transmission entities. It first introduces readers to constellation-based index modulation via a combinatorial approach, including the classical index modulation scheme and two embodiments of information-guided precoding for OFDM systems. It further discusses constellation-based index modulation via a permutational approach, including the basic, generalized, and diversity-enhancing forms. It then describes how the spreading code is used to design an index modulated spread spectrum for OFDM systems, and the extensions to multi-code and multi-user scenarios. In addition it explores information guided pilot insertion for OFDM systems, followed by applications to carrier phase tracking and channel estimation. Lastly, the book highlights a number of open problems and discusses future research directions in the general field of index modulation. Intended for professionals and researchers in the field of wireless communications, this book is also a valuable resource for advanced-level electrical engineering and computer science students.