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Grasping and object manipulation have been considered key domains of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) since the beginning of automation, as they are the most common interactions between systems, or a system and its environment. As the demand for automation is spreading to increasingly complex fields of industry, smart tools with sensors and internal decision-making become necessities. CPS, such as robots and smart autonomous machinery, have been introduced in the meat industry in recent decades; however, the natural diversity of animals, potential anatomical disorders and soft, slippery animal tissues require the use of a wide range of sensors, software and intelligent tools. This paper presents the development of a smart robotic gripper for deployment in the meat industry. A comprehensive review of the available robotic grippers employed in the sector is presented along with the relevant recent research projects. Based on the identified needs, a new mechatronic design and early development process of the smart gripper is described. The integrated force sensing method based on strain measurement and magnetic encoders is described, including the adjacent laboratory and on-site tests. Furthermore, a combined slip detection system is presented, which relies on an optical flow-based image processing algorithm using the video feed of a built-in endoscopic camera. Basic user tests and application assessments are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accelerated expansion of the Universe is impressively well described by a cosmological constant. However, the observed value of the cosmological constant is much smaller than expected based on quantum field theories. Recent efforts to achieve consistency in these theories have proposed a relationship between Dark Energy and the most compact objects, such as black holes (BHs). However, experimental tests are very challenging to devise and perform. In this article, we present a testable model with no cosmological constant in which the accelerated expansion can be driven by black holes. The model couples the expansion of the Universe (the Friedmann equation) with the mass function of cosmological halos (using the Press–Schechter formalism). Through the observed link between halo masses and BH masses, one thus gets a coupling between the expansion rate of the Universe and the BHs. We compare the predictions of this simple BH model with SN1a data and find poor agreement with observations. Our method is sufficiently general to allow us to also test a fundamentally different model, also without a cosmological constant, where the accelerated expansion is driven by a new force proportional to the internal velocity dispersion of galaxies. Surprisingly enough, this model cannot be excluded using the SN1a data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In geoinformatics, there is a considerable demand for dealing with different layers given in different geodetic datums and map projections within the same project. In the majority of the software, the computations are completed on-the-fly using the open-source program PROJ. In recent years, the definition of national reference systems for a wide range of countries has already been developed and published; therefore, users have the opportunity to set them in GIS applications. Another significant challenge is to set local reference systems in individual mapping products, developed and maintained for a limited area, typically for industrial zones. These local reference systems may have special requirements as regards avoiding length distortions caused by map projections. This paper presents a solution for defining such kinds of local coordinate systems and implementing it in any mapping system using the PROJ library. The applied method can also be imported into different GNSS units at the same time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photogrammetry is experiencing its renaissance in the 21st century. The main driving forces are research in computer vision as well as drone (UAV/UAS/RPAS) technology. There are popular open-source libraries and applications available in these fields (e.g. OpenCV and ODM). In this paper, we report our experiments using OpenCV in specific land surveying projects. Our efforts concentrate on two areas. The first one is the application of close-range photogrammetry for deformation observations. Fitting a simple camera to the eyepiece of a total station we reached sub millimetre movement detection from few meters. This method was used for dynamic test load of a bridge and a floating platform. The second area is automatic ground control point (GCP) detection in images taken from drones. Optimizing the size and colours of the used ArUco markers we achieved nearly 100 percent results in different light conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies pointed out the positive effects of social capital in the last 10 to 20 years. Nevertheless, only minor emphasis was put on the formation of social capital. Most authors implicitly presume an effect of socialisation in the background of the formation of social capital. This is also confirmed by studies, using data of panel research, which have demonstrated significant connections between the civil activity of young people and adults and their general level of trust. In our study we examine how membership in civil organisations - which we consider an important indicator of social capital - is influenced by sporting activity in the age range of 15-18. The two surweys examined (Ifjúságkutatás 2000, 2008) show that young people practising sports are more likely to participate in the work of civil organisations, moreover, sport proved to be a more important background variable in our models than the access to economic and cultural resources. Although this is also due to structural reasons, we are convinced that the most important factors for social capital are the participation in a community and the social net deriving from it. And juvenile sporting activity can serve as a good basis for this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In Hungary, the procedure for health technology assessment of innovative pharmaceutical products allows 13 assessors 43 calendar days to evaluate reimbursement submissions. These short timelines have created a need for smart capacity building, namely, streamlining the scientific evaluation process while making sure that the quality of the critical appraisals remain high. The objective of this study was to present and evaluate the implementation of an online knowledge base to distill community knowledge, and also for management purposes. Methods: The scope and the content-, functional-, and technical specification was developed, and information technology security requirements were identified during the pre-implementation phase. An existing platform was chosen for adaptation, ensuring that descriptive follow-up data is available on uptake for monitoring purposes. Both the adaptation and maintenance were carried out internally by the Department of Health Technology Assessment at the National Institute of Pharmacy and Nutrition. Results: The key requirements identified when developing the specification were searchability, low maintenance need, low operating costs and attractivity for users. An already existing open-source, flat file content management system was chosen for adaptation. In terms of content, a health technology assessment handbook, process documentation, a news bulletin section was created, and corporate identity elements were added. Since the start of the service in September 2018, the number of total daily page downloads to the knowledge base varied between four and 1,193 (average 205 per day), with the assessment handbook topping the overall page visit statistics. Conclusions: The implementation of this knowledge base enables the Department of Technology Assessment to rely more on the formalized community knowledge when carrying out critical appraisal, while enabling better knowledge and quality management. Uptake remains an issue on the long run, indicating a need for continuous content development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: E-health and m-health are emerging health technology fields that could possibly give a new scope to health technology assessment (HTA). The Division for Health Technology Assessment (DfHTA) is currently assessing medicines and non-drug technologies (medical devices intended for patient use or for use in hospitals). The experience assessing medical devices for use in hospitals yielded difficulties which could also arise from the critical appraisal of e-health or m-health technologies. The objective of this study was to explore the foundations for HTA guidance on e-health or m-health technologies. Methods: A targeted literature review was conducted to map the current status of technology assessment practices for e-health and m-health technologies and to assess its concordance with current reimbursement processes in countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Experiences from past evaluations of other medical devices that could not be evaluated under the current guidance guided the literature search. The findings of this research were used to create a recommendation to amend the current Hungarian Guideline for Health Economic Analyses. Results: The resulting articles of the targeted literature review provided an insight into current practices on of assessing e-health and m-health products, particularly with respect to the domains of safety, quality, and impact. Recommendations suggested including a list of requirements for companies to submit for critical evaluations of e-health and m-health technologies, in support of a self-assessment approach. Conclusions: As for other HTA bodies, there is an urgent need for the DfHTA to increase its capacity to assess digital health technologies for entry into the healthcare system, with a focus on the relevant clinical domains. The reimbursement process for these technologies remains a challenge for public funding bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]