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Sophia Robot: Post Human Being (ISSN)
by Thomas RiccioThis book considers David Hanson’s robots as a performative expression of our cultural moment, serving as a paradigm for the evolution of humanoid social robots.Mechanical beings have occupied the human imagination since antiquity. Now, they inhabit the pop-cultural imagination, embodying the apotheosis of humanity’s technological aspirations and dread. Sophia, Hanson’s most advanced robot, anticipates the future as she articulates the mythic pattern, narrative, anxieties, and hopes as old as humanity. Gendered as an attractive female with a face inspired by Queen Nefertiti and Audrey Hepburn, Sophia is a cipher, avatar, and turning point that brings humanity and technology a step closer to the emergence of a post-human species. The author is a transdisciplinary artist/scholar/educator working internationally in experimental performance, indigenous performance (ritual, shamanism), and social robotics. Hanson’s robots and Sophia are examined as performance media and events, as characters evolving as post-human narratives of technological beings. The emergent, complex, and collaborative relationships social robots have with technology, AI, performance, anthropology, mythology, psychology, sociology, popular culture, social media, politics, and economics are considered.
Sophie and the Scoundrels
by Nancy RueWorried that her parents are breaking up, Sophie gets lost in an imaginary world again as she and her friends transform Fiona's tree house into a space station as a school science project, despite sabotage and jealousies.
Sophie under Pressure
by Nancy RueWorried that her parents are breaking up, Sophie gets lost in an imaginary world again as she and her friends transform Fiona's tree house into a space station as a school science project, despite sabotage and jealousies.
Sophisticated Electromagnetic Forward Scattering Solver via Deep Learning
by Qiang Ren Yinpeng Wang Yongzhong Li Shutong QiThis book investigates in detail the deep learning (DL) techniques in electromagnetic (EM) near-field scattering problems, assessing its potential to replace traditional numerical solvers in real-time forecast scenarios. Studies on EM scattering problems have attracted researchers in various fields, such as antenna design, geophysical exploration and remote sensing. Pursuing a holistic perspective, the book introduces the whole workflow in utilizing the DL framework to solve the scattering problems. To achieve precise approximation, medium-scale data sets are sufficient in training the proposed model. As a result, the fully trained framework can realize three orders of magnitude faster than the conventional FDFD solver. It is worth noting that the 2D and 3D scatterers in the scheme can be either lossless medium or metal, allowing the model to be more applicable. This book is intended for graduate students who are interested in deep learning with computational electromagnetics, professional practitioners working on EM scattering, or other corresponding researchers.
The Sorcerers and Their Apprentices
by Frank MossIf you've ever read a book on an e-reader, unleashed your inner rock star playing Guitar Hero, built a robot with LEGO Mindstorms, or ridden in a vehicle with child-safe air bags, then you've experienced first hand just a few of the astounding innovations that have come out of the Media Lab over the past 25 years. But that's old hat for today's researchers, who are creating technologies that will have a much deeper impact on the quality of people's lives over the next quarter century. In this exhilarating tour of the Media Lab's inner sanctums, we'll meet the professors and their students - the Sorcerers and their Apprentices - and witness first hand the creative magic behind inventions such as: * Nexi, a mobile humanoid robot with such sophisticated social skills she can serve as a helpful and understanding companion for the sick and elderly. * CityCar, a foldable, stackable, electric vehicle of the future that will redefine personal transportation in cities and revolutionize urban life. * Sixth Sense, a compact wearable device that transforms any surface - wall, tabletop or even your hand - into a touch screen computer.* PowerFoot, a lifelike robotic prosthesis that enables amputees to walk as naturally as if it were a real biological limb. Through inspiring stories of people who are using Media Lab innovations to confront personal challenges - like a man with cerebral palsy who is unable to hum a tune or pick up an instrument yet is using an ingenious music composition system to unleash his "inner Mozart", and a woman with a rare life-threatening condition who co-invented a revolutionary web service that enables patients to participate in the search for their own cures - we'll see how the Media Lab is empowering us all with the tools to take control of our health, wealth, and happiness. Along the way, Moss reveals the highly unorthodox approach to creativity and invention that makes all this possible, explaining how the Media Lab cultivates an open and boundary-less environment where researchers from a broad array of disciplines - from musicians to neuroscientists to visual artists to computer engineers - have the freedom to follow their passions and take bold risks unthinkable elsewhere. The Sorcerers and Their Apprentices can serve as a blueprint for how to fix our broken innovation ecosystem and bring about the kind of radical change required to meet the challenges of the 21st century. It is a must-read for anyone striving to be more innovative as an individual, as a businessperson, or as a member of society. Also includes 16 pages of color photos highlighting some of the lab's most visually stunning inventions - and the people who make them possible. From the Hardcover edition.
Sorghum: Methods And Protocols (Methods In Molecular Biology Series #1931)
by Zuo-Yu Zhao Jeff DahlbergThis book details sorghum breeding technologies, grain compounds, nutrition and digestibility, biotechnology methods, broad renewable applications and an economic study. Chapters are divided into five review chapters, five case study chapters, and nine protocol chapters providing comprehensive reviews, new study results or state-of-the-art protocols. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Sorghum: Methods and Protocols aims to provide useful information and tools to an array of readers looking to research and utilize sorghum.
Sorghum in the 21st Century: Food – Fodder – Feed – Fuel for a Rapidly Changing World
by Vilas A. Tonapi Harvinder Singh Talwar Ashok Kumar Are B. Venkatesh Bhat Ch. Ravinder Reddy Timothy J. DaltonSorghum is the most important cereal crop grown in the semi-arid tropics (SAT) of Africa, Asia, Australia and Americas for food, feed, fodder and fuel. It is the fifth most important cereal crop globally after rice, wheat, maize and barley, and plays a major role in global food security. Sorghum is consumed in different forms for various end-uses. Its grain is mostly used directly for food purposes. After the release of the proceedings of two international symposia in the form of books “Sorghum in Seventies” and “Sorghum in Eighties”, global sorghum research and development have not been documented at one place. Of course, few books on sorghum have been released that focus on specific issues/research areas, but comprehensive review of all aspects of recent development in different areas of sorghum science has not been compiled in the form a single book. This book is intended to fill in a void to bridge the gap by documenting all aspects of recent research and development in sorghum encompassing all the progress made, milestones achieved across globe in genetic diversity assessment, crop improvement and production, strategies for high yield, biotic and abiotic stress resistance, grain and stover quality aspects, storage, nutrition, health and industrial applications, biotechnological applications to increase production, including regional and global policy perspectives and developmental needs. This book will be an institutional effort to compile all the latest information generated in research and development in sorghum across the globe at one place.
Sortier- und Verteilsysteme
by Dirk Jodin Michael Ten HompelAngesichts steigender Sendungszahlen und immer kürzerer Lieferzeiten sind Unternehmen auf automatische Sortier- und Verteilsysteme angewiesen. Zu diesen Materialflusssystemen liefern die Autoren erstmals einen umfassenden und disziplinübergreifenden Überblick: über Systeme, Geräte und Komponenten. Sie beschreiben ihre systemtechnische Morphologie, aber auch grundlegende Funktionen und Berechnungsverfahren und stellen Lösungen vor, die am Markt und in den Entwicklungslaboren vorhanden sind. Mit zahlreichen Abbildungen, Skizzen und Tabellen.
The Soul of a New Machine
by Tracy KidderComputers have changed since 1981, when Tracy Kidder memorably recorded the drama, comedy, and excitement of one company's efforts to bring a new microcomputer to market. What has not changed is the feverish pace of the high-tech industry, the go-for-broke approach to business that has caused so many computer companies to win big (or go belly up), and the cult of pursuing mind-bending technological innovations. The Soul of a New Machine is an essential chapter in the history of the machine that revolutionized the world in the twentieth century.<P><P> Winner of the National Book Award
The Soul of Design: Harnessing the Power of Plot to Create Extraordinary products
by Lee Devin Robert D. AustinWhat makes the Apple iPhonecool? Bang & Olufsen and Samsung's televisionsbeautiful? Any of a wide variety of products and servicesspecial? The answer is not simply functionality or technology, for competitors' products are often as good. The Soul of Designexplores the uncanny power of some products to grab and hold attention-to create desire. To understand what sets a product apart in this way, authors Lee Devin and Robert Austin push past personal taste and individual response to adopt a more conceptual approach. They carefully explore the hypothesis that there is something within a "special" product that makes it-well, special. They argue that this je ne sais quoi arises from "plot"-the shape that emerges as a product or service arouses and then fulfills expectations. Marketing a special product is, then, a matter of helping its audience perceive its plot and comprehend its qualities. Devin and Austin provide keys to understanding why some products and services stand out in a crowd and how the companies that make them create these hits. Part One of the book introduces the authors' definition of plot in this context; Part Two breaks down the components needed to build a plot; Part Three describes what makes a plot coherent; Part Four takes on the challenges of making coherent products and services attractive to consumers. Part Four also presents detailed casework, which shows how innovators and makers have successfully brought special products to market. Readers will come away with a sensible and clear approach to conceiving of artful products and services. This book will help managers and designers think about engaging with plot, taking aesthetic factors into account to provide consumers with more special things.
The Soul of Genius: Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, and the Meeting that Changed the Course of Science
by Jeffrey OrensA prismatic look at the meeting of Marie Curie and Albert Einstein and the impact these two pillars of science had on the world of physics, which was in turmoil. In 1911, some of the greatest minds in science convened at the First Solvay Conference in Physics, a meeting like no other. Almost half of the attendees had won or would go on to win the Nobel Prize. Over the course of those few days, these minds began to realize that classical physics was about to give way to quantum theory, a seismic shift in our history and how we understand not just our world, but the universe. At the center of this meeting were Marie Curie and a young Albert Einstein. In the years preceding, Curie had faced the death of her husband and soul mate, Pierre. She was on the cusp of being awarded her second Nobel Prize, but scandal erupted all around her when the French press revealed that she was having an affair with a fellow scientist, Paul Langevin. The subject of vicious misogynist and xenophobic attacks in the French press, Curie found herself in a storm that threatened her scientific legacy. Albert Einstein proved an supporter in her travails. They had an instant connection at Solvay. He was young and already showing flourishes of his enormous genius. Curie had been responsible for one of the greatest discoveries in modern science (radioactivity) but still faced resistance and scorn. Einstein recognized this grave injustice, and their mutual admiration and respect, borne out of this, their first meeting, would go on to serve them in their paths forward to making history. Curie and Einstein come alive as the complex people they were in the pages of The Soul of Genius. Utilizing never before seen correspondance and notes, Jeffrey Orens reveals the human side of these brilliant scientists, one who pushed boundaries and demanded equality in a man&’s world, no matter the cost, and the other, who was destined to become synonymous with genius.
Soul Tracker (The Soul Tracker Series #1)
by Bill MyersWhat if you could visit heaven and hell, traveling when and wherever you wish . . . without ever dying? What if your teenage daughter, the joy of your life, had died a tragic death and you discovered a way to visit her? What if there were people and beings, on both sides of the grave, who want to stop your return? These are the questions facing novelist David Kauffman. As a single parent he is devastated when his young daughter meets an untimely death. Desperate to contact her, he meets Gita Patekar, a beautiful and committed Christian with a scarred and shame-ridden past. She works for &“Life After Life&”—an organization dedicated to tracking and recording the experiences of the soul once it leaves the body. Despite Gita&’s warnings that God is opposed to contacting the dead, David uses the organization&’s computer to try to find his daughter. In the process they discover Gita&’s organization has some very deep and dark secrets. A suspense-filled game of cat and mouse begins—both on earth and beyond the grave—as the couple work together, fall in love, and struggle to expose the truth . . . until they come face to face with the ultimate Love and Truth.
Sound (Science in a Flash #26)
by Georgia Amson-BradshawHelp kids discover science - in a flash!Have you heard all about SOUND? This book contains everything you need to know about echoes, information about infrasound, notes about musical notes and more, so listen up! Science in a Flash: Sounds looks at what sound is, how it is made and what it is used for. Vibrations, music and animal hearing are also covered.This essential KS2 series covers all the key science topics in energetic, quick-fire way, aiding clear comprehension by getting straight to the point! Each spread starts with a 'flash' or headline, summing-up succinctly the science information to follow. Attractive and light-hearted illustration visually conveys the information, adding depth and detail to engage children. Also includes fun jokes and cartoons to keep even the most reluctant readers entertained.
Sound: Shhh . . . Bang . . . POP . . . BOOM!
by Romana Romanyshyn Andriy LesivWhat does sound look like? &“Comprehensively describes [sound&’s] qualities, sources, and uses . . . A joyful moment of reflection on our noisy, cacophonous world.&” —School Library Journal Informative and endlessly fascinating, this book makes visible that which we otherwise only hear and feel as vibrations: SOUND. Authors and artists Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv achieve a remarkable fusion of a scientific exploration of the phenomenon of sound with a philosophic reflection on its nature that will appeal to inquisitive children looking to learn more about science and how our bodies work. Stunning infographics provoke the reader to listen, learn, and think. Whether it&’s hearing noise, music, speech—or silence—no one will come away from these pages without experiencing sound with new ears and a fresh understanding. Winner (with its companion volume, Sight), Bologna Ragazzi Award, Best Nonfiction Book of the Year &“This attention-grabbing informational book starts with a bang: a rapid-fire tour of all things sound. Chock-full of whimsical infographics . . . A quiet meditation on hearing, listening, silence, communication, and understanding.&” —The Horn Book Magazine &“This vibrant picture book is particularly wonderful when the text focuses on music and melody; the music of life is everywhere, from speech to nature, from trombones to gramophones, from rumbling bellies to crying babies. The absence of sound is explored as well—communicating in sign language, meditating, or simply being present in quiet moments with loved ones. . . . A great discussion-starter for elementary school children.&” —School Library Journal &“A compelling foray into the many aspects of sound.&” —Publishers Weekly
Sound: Shhh . . . Bang . . . POP . . . BOOM!
by Romana Romanyshyn Andriy LesivWhat does sound look like? &“Comprehensively describes [sound&’s] qualities, sources, and uses . . . A joyful moment of reflection on our noisy, cacophonous world.&” —School Library Journal Informative and endlessly fascinating, this book makes visible that which we otherwise only hear and feel as vibrations: SOUND. Authors and artists Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv achieve a remarkable fusion of a scientific exploration of the phenomenon of sound with a philosophic reflection on its nature that will appeal to inquisitive children looking to learn more about science and how our bodies work. Stunning infographics provoke the reader to listen, learn, and think. Whether it&’s hearing noise, music, speech—or silence—no one will come away from these pages without experiencing sound with new ears and a fresh understanding. Winner (with its companion volume, Sight), Bologna Ragazzi Award, Best Nonfiction Book of the Year &“This attention-grabbing informational book starts with a bang: a rapid-fire tour of all things sound. Chock-full of whimsical infographics . . . A quiet meditation on hearing, listening, silence, communication, and understanding.&” —The Horn Book Magazine &“This vibrant picture book is particularly wonderful when the text focuses on music and melody; the music of life is everywhere, from speech to nature, from trombones to gramophones, from rumbling bellies to crying babies. The absence of sound is explored as well—communicating in sign language, meditating, or simply being present in quiet moments with loved ones. . . . A great discussion-starter for elementary school children.&” —School Library Journal &“A compelling foray into the many aspects of sound.&” —Publishers Weekly
Sound Actions: Conceptualizing Musical Instruments
by Alexander Refsum JenseniusA techno-cognitive look at how new technologies are shaping the future of musicking. &“Musicking&” encapsulates both the making of and perception of music, so it includes both active and passive forms of musical engagement. But at its core, it is a relationship between actions and sounds, between human bodies and musical instruments. Viewing musicking through this lens and drawing on music cognition and music technology, Sound Actions proposes a model for understanding differences between traditional acoustic &“sound makers&” and new electro-acoustic &“music makers.&” What is a musical instrument? How do new technologies change how we perform and perceive music? What happens when composers build instruments, performers write code, perceivers become producers, and instruments play themselves? The answers to these pivotal questions entail a meeting point between interactive music technology and embodied music cognition, what author Alexander Refsum Jensenius calls &“embodied music technology.&” Moving between objective description and subjective narrative of his own musical experiences, Jensenius explores why music makes people move, how the human body can be used in musical interaction, and how new technologies allow for active musical experiences. The development of new music technologies, he demonstrates, has fundamentally changed how music is performed and perceived.
Sound and Music for Games: The Basics of Digital Audio for Video Games
by Robert CieslaGrasp the fundamentals of digital audio work in the context of video games, including the basics of middleware such as Fmod and Wwise. We will review software such as Apple's Logic and Garageband, Paul Davis's Ardour, and many other popular digital audio workstations. We will start with an introduction to the basic terminology of digital audio work while also getting acquainted with current generation audio hardware. We will then discuss the basics of the venerable Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) and how it relates to music composition as well as the tools and techniques for writing tracker music/chiptunes. The book also covers plug-in software, soundproofing at home, and voice work. The book takes a practical approach while tackling both hardware and software components used in cutting edge audio engineering, composition, and audio monitoring. What You Will Learn • Understand the fundamentals of digital audio production in the context of video games • Learn about audio integration with popular middleware solutions and APIs • Leverage plugin effects software to sculpt your audio to professional levels • Identify modern audio file formats and how and when to use them • Learn best practices when mixing sound effects and music for video games Who Is This Book For The intended readership includes beginners in digital audio engineering who use Windows, macOS, or Linux.
Sound and Recording: Applications and Theory (ISSN)
by Francis RumseyProviding vital reading for audio students and trainee engineers, Sound and Recording is the essential guide for anyone who wants a solid grounding in both theory and industry practices in audio, sound, and recording. This updated and comprehensively restructured edition includes new content on DAW configuration, effects processing, 3D/immersive audio systems, object-based audio, and VR audio technology.This bestselling book introduces you to the principles of sound, perception, audio technology, and systems. Sound and Recording is the ideal audio engineering text for students, an accessible reference for professionals, and a comprehensive introduction for hobbyists.
Sound and Recording: Applications and Theory (Focal Press Music Technology Ser.)
by Francis Rumsey Tim MccormickProviding vital reading for audio students and trainee engineers, this guide is ideal for anyone who wants a solid grounding in both theory and industry practices in audio, sound and recording. There are many books on the market covering "how to work it" when it comes to audio equipment--but Sound and Recording isn't one of them. Instead, you'll gain an understanding of "how it works" with this approachable guide to audio systems. New to this edition: Digital audio section revised substantially to include the latest developments in audio networking (e.g. RAVENNA, AES X-192, AVB), high-resolution surround and parametric audio coding, workstation processing technology, mastering for iTunes, and loudness normalization Coverage of immersive audio systems such as Dolby Atmos, Auro 3D and WFS along with recent developments in audio object coding Sections on digital radio microphones, loudspeaker sensitivity issues and development, and highly directional loudspeaker systems Substantial new sections on recent developments in audio network device discovery and control and the Open Control Architecture
Sound and Robotics: Speech, Non-Verbal Audio and Robotic Musicianship
by Richard SaverySound in human–robot interaction currently encompasses a wide range of approaches and methodologies not easily classified, analyzed or compared among projects. This edited book covers the state of the art in sound and robotics, aiming to gather existing approaches in a combined volume. Collecting chapters from world-leading academic and industry authors, Sound and Robotics: Speech, Non-Verbal Audio and Robotic Musicianship explores how robots can communicate through speech, non-verbal audio and music. The first set of chapters explores how robots use verbal communication, considering the possibilities of speech for human–robot interaction. The second section shifts to roles of non-verbal communication in HRI, including consequential sound, sonification and audio cues. The third and final section describes current approaches to robotic musicianship and their evaluation. This book is primarily aimed at HRI researchers, ranging from those who have never used sound to those very experienced with sound. Alongside robotic researchers, this book will present avenues for a diverse range of musicians, composers and sound designers to become introduced to the world of HRI and learn of potential creative directions in robotics.
Sound and Vibrations of Positive Displacement Compressors
by Werner SoedelBased on more than 30 years of research and practical experience, this book is the first to combine theory and design guidelines dedicated solely to positive displacement compressors. After introducing the sound- and vibration-producing mechanisms common to different types of compressors, the author discusses free and forced vibrations of compressor housing shells, mainly for hermetically sealed compressors. He then examines vibration in casings and other components, such as suction and discharge tubes, and surging in coil springs. Detailed chapters explore the design and vibrations of automatic plate or reed valves as well as the analysis and design of suction and discharge mufflers.
A Sound Approach to Noise and Health (Springer-AAS Acoustics Series)
by Irene Van Kamp Fred WoudenbergThis open access book highlights the negative and positive health effects of chronic exposure to environmental sound. It describes the state of the art in the field from a public health point of view and puts it in a broad societal perspective looking at sound from physical, social, psychological, economic and governance angles. Rather than a mere collection of papers around the theme as usually provided in special issues, this book offers a comprehensive look at the meaning of sound in society and its impacts and provides directions to further advance the field.
Sound Assistance
by Michael Talbot-SmithSound Assistance offers a highly readable and easy-to-understand account of sound operations in radio and television studios. By knowing the characteristics of the equipment, such as threshold and compression ratios, it is much easier to achieve professional effects quickly, saving hours of trial and error. The book will suit anyone wishing to work as a sound assistant but who does not have a thorough grounding in the maths and physics. Written in an informal style with practical 'do's' and 'don'ts', the fundamental principles are explained. Where knowledge of a higher level of maths is helpful, this information is given in handy 'fact files'.Particularly appropriate for students, training officers and supervisors who have the task of passing on this information in a simple, easy-to-digest format, Sound Assistance is written in easy-to read language with a minimum of maths.This second edition now has more on:* Microphone sensitivities* Loudspeaker listening tests* Domestic colour code for stereo* Stereo transmission in radio* Stereo PPM interpretations* MiniDisk* Digital radio* Recordable CDs.Michael Talbot-Smith is a freelance audio consultant and author of Audio Explained, and coauthor of The Video Studio. He is editor of The Audio Engineer's Reference Book (now in its second edition) and The Sound Engineer's Pocketbook. He is a former trainer of audio engineers at BBC Wood Norton.
Sound-Based Assistive Technology
by Tohru IfukubeThis book presents a technology to help speech-, hearing- and sight-impaired people. It explains how they will benefit from an enhancement in their ability to recognize and produce speech or to detect sounds in their surroundings. Additionally, it is considered how sound-based assistive technology might be applied to the areas of speech recognition, speech synthesis, environmental recognition, virtual reality and robots. The primary focus of this book is to provide an understanding of both the methodology and basic concepts of assistive technology rather than listing the variety of assistive devices developed. This book presents a number of different topics which are sufficiently independent from one another that the reader may begin at any chapter without lacking background information. Much of the research quoted in this book was conducted in the author's laboratories at Hokkaido University and University of Tokyo. This book offers the reader a better understanding of a number of unsolved problems that still persist in the field of sound-based assistive technology.
Sound Design for the Visual Storyteller: Creating Sound for Visual Media
by Christopher D. AndersonSound Design for the Visual Storyteller is an overview of the sound design process for the beginner filmmaker or storyteller, providing the foundational knowledge needed to succeed at utilizing and designing sound for visual stories, films, and even podcasts.With a focus on television and film, alongside references to podcast, theatre, event, and game sound design, this all-in-one overview begins with the fundamentals of sound and the structure of a professional sound design team, before exploring the practical topics of post-production, creative workflows, and distribution. Supported by a plethora of audio and video examples to demonstrate key concepts, this book guides aspiring sound designers on the power and production value of the well-conceived soundtrack and showcases some of the most effective techniques for getting there.This is an ideal introduction for storytellers working in a range of contexts, including filmmakers, sound designers, and sound editors, as well as students of sound for film and broadcast.