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SUMMARYHERMIES-III is an autonomous robot comprised of a seven degree-of-freedom (DOF) manipulator designed for human scale tasks, a laser range finder, a sonar array, an omnidirectional wheel-driven chassis, multiple cameras, and a dual computer system containing a 16-node hypercube expandable to 128 nodes. The current experimental program involves performance of human-scale tasks (e.g., valve manipulation, use of tools), integration of a dexterous manipulator and platform motion in geometrically complex environments, and effective use of multiple cooperating robots (HERMIES-IIB and HERMIES-III). The environment in which the robots operate has been designed to include multiple valves, pipes, meters, obstacles on the floor, valves occluded from view, and multiple paths of differing navigation complexity. The ongoing research program supports the development of autonomous capability for HERMIES-IIB and III to perform complex navigation and manipulation under time constraints, while dealing with imprecise sensory information.

The Chemical Analysis Automation (CAA) project is developing standardized, software-driven, site-deployable robotic laboratory systems with the objective of lowering the per-sample analysis cost, decreasing sample turnaround time, and minimizing human exposure to hazardous and radioactive materials associated with DOE remediation projects. The first integrated system developed by the CAA project is designed to determine polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) content in soil matrices. A demonstration and development testing of this system was conducted in conjuction with surface soil characterization activities at the David Witherspoon 1630 Site in Knoxville, Tennessee. The PCB system consists of five hardware standard laboratory modules (SLMs), one software SLM, the task sequence controller (TSC), and the human-computer interface (HCI). Four of the hardware SLMs included a four-channel Soxhlet extractor, a high-volume concentrator, a column cleanup, and a gas chromatograph. These SLMs performed the sample preparation and measurement steps within the total analysis protocol. The fifth hardware module was a robot that transports samples between the SLMs and the required consumable supplies to the SLMs. The software SLM is an automated data interpretation module that receives raw data from the gas chromatograph SLM and analyzes the data to yield the analyte information. The TSC is a software system that provides the scheduling, management of system resources, and the coordination of all SLM activities. The HCI is a graphical user interface that presents the automated laboratory to the analyst in terms of the analytical procedures and methods. Human control of the automated laboratory is accomplished via the HCI. Sample information required for processing by the automated laboratory is entered through the HCI. Information related to the sample and the system status is presented to the analyst via graphical icons.

The small emplacement excavator (SEE) is a ruggedized military vehicle with backhoe and front loader used by the US Army for explosive ordinance disposal (EOD), combat engineer, and general utility excavation activities. In order to evaluate the feasibility of removing personnel from the vehicle during the high risk EOD excavation tasks a development and demonstration project was initiated to evaluate performance capabilities of the SEE under telerobotic control. This feasibility study was performed at the request of the Ordinance Missile and Munitions Center and School (OMMCS) at the Redstone Arsenal to help define requirements for further joint service development activities. Development of a telerobotic SEE (TSEE) was performed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in a project funded jointly by the US Army Project Manager for Ammunition Logistics (PM-AMMOLOG) and the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Development (OTD) Robotics Technology Development Program (RTDP). A technology demonstration of the TSEE was conducted at McKinley Range, Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama, on September 13--17, 1993. The primary objective of the demonstration was to evaluate and demonstrate the feasibility of remote EOD. During the demonstration, approximately 40 EOD specialists were instructed on telerobotic operation of the TSEE and then were asked to complete a series of simulated EOD tasks. Upon completion of the tasks, participants completed an evaluation of the system including human factors performance data.

This paper describes a unique numerical method for linear inviscid fluid hammer analysis based on the method of characteristics. The uniqueness lies in that it uses the analytical solutions of the wave equation in place of the compatibility relatins of the more conventional method of characteristics. The numerical solution is obtained by a simple superposition technique for tracing the waves traveling along each characteristic and extending the solution from one constant time line to the next. Using a predetermined finite difference net of grids with equal spacings, an elimination is made of the spatial interpolation, thereby maintaining the wave amplitudes in their full strength in the numerical procedure. This is in contrast to the case of a nonlinear problem in which the pressure peaks are always flattened to some degree in the interpolation procedure. The computer program NAHAMMER is a system analysis code adequate for short-term pressure transients of most engineering problems of significance involving a moderate pressure source. It considers the simplified one-dimensional, linear, inviscid set of governing equations with an isentropic flow assumption. A closed fluid-network system is considered to be composed of a multiple of one-dimensional pipe sections and components that are connected by various joints. An analytical solution is obtained under an acoustic approximation for a simple system and the result shows good agreement with the numerical solution. As examples of the application of the method, complex problems of engineering importance are calculated and the results are presented.

It is becoming increasingly important that communication protocols be formally specified and verified. This paper describes a particular approach–the state transition model–using a collection of mechanically supported specification and verification tools incorporated in a running system called AFFIRM. Although developed for the specification of abstract data types and the verification of their properties, the formalism embodied in AFFIRM can also express the concepts underlying state transition machines. Such models easily express most of the events occurring in protocol systems, including those of the users, their agent processes, and the communication channels. The paper reviews the basic concepts of state transition models and the AFFIRM formalism and methodology and describes their union. A detailed example, the alternating bit protocol, illustrates varous properties of interest for specification and verification. Other examples explored using this formalism are briefly described and the accumulated experience is discussed.

Films are a significant social event in many isolated Aboriginal communities. It has been argued, however, that they are a disruptive influence on the transmission of traditional culture (Shimpo, 1978) and provide inappropriate models for behaviour (Thompson, 1983).This paper examines a small group of Aboriginal children’s perception and understanding of films in an isolated, traditionally oriented Aboriginal community. It focuses on the way in which a small group of Aboriginal informants classify films and attempts to examine the basis for some of the classifications. Finally, some conclusions are drawn about the extent to which the use of particular types of film classification can give an insight into the isolated community audiences’ knowledge and understanding of the social realities in the wider world outside the isolated community.

The influence that television exerts on audiences, especially children, is a matter for much debate. Films have been given less consideration as a matter for concern, no doubt because they are less ubiquitous and less accessible than television. However, in an isolated traditionally oriented Aboriginal community, films, in both the large screen and the newer video format, provide the single major source of entertainment and information on the larger European society. It is possible, in the absence of other forms of sustained contact with European society, that its influence can provide children with inappropriate and culturally dysfunctional models for behaviour.From observations at a particular isolated community, films appear to influence people’s ideas about the outside world and their attitudes and behaviours in certain situations. This influence is particularly noticeable in the attitudes, language and behaviours evidenced by children. It is often possible to tell what film has lately been shown in camp simply by observing the children at play. The greater the impact a film has made in terms of ‘action’ and excitement, the greater the length of time will aspects of that film be incorporated into play situations. Children are excellent imitators and it is common for specific phrases from films to be used in children’s games long after the film has been shown.The imitation of language, situations and attitudes portrayed in films is, however, not confined to play situations. For example, in the isolated community with which I am most familiar, a month ago two young men ‘bailed up’ a visiting European contractor and stole his motor vehicle. The circumstances of the theft, bag over the head to disguise identity, flashlight directed into the eyes to dazzle – as well as the language and attitude of the two men, paralleled an episode witnessed in a film three nights previously. The relation between film and incident was so well recognised at camp that the incident itself became a popular piay-scene for children : “Give me the keys or I’ll blow your head off.”

Two instruments which make use of the properties of gas laser beams are described. In the velocity meter the laser provides intense illumination at two lines separated by a known distance. Dust particles crossing these lines scatter light, and the time interval between the two pulses of scattered light gives the particle velocity. The meter is simple and accurate and the method avoids the need to insert probes into the flow. In the deflection meter, the laser beam after passing through the object is detected by opposed photocells whose output is thus a measure of the beam deflection. The device is extremely sensilive, and possible applications include deteclion or measurement of temperature or concentration gradients, boundary layer profile measurements and turbulance detection.

Thermal conductivity correlations, microstructure temperature boundaries, and related fuel densities are described for several mixed-oxide (UO2PuO2) fuel-element models. Equations to apply these models to fast-reactor fuel elements are derived for both non-melting and melting conditions. These mixed-oxide fuel-element models are then utilized to calculate the maximum temperature in a liquid-metal fast-breeder reactor (LMFBR) fuel element. Sample calculations are performed for over-enriched mixed-oxide fuel elements that are inadvertently loaded into the center of a reactor core having characteristics similar to the fast flux test facility (FFTF). Weight fraction of molten fuel is calculated for operating conditions where the mixed-oxide fuel-melting temperature is exceeded. Results predicted by the various fuel-element models are shown to be in good agreement.

A small library of α -cyclodextrin aldonamide (CDA) conjugates has been synthesized and their glucose sensing behavior examined. The partially substituted aldonamides of α -cyclodextrin were found to recognize glucose, but were unable to form the hydrogel. However, the solution of hexaaldonamides of α -cyclodextrin transformed into a hydrogel upon complexation with glucose. SEM studies revealed the presence of fibrous, intertwined, reticulate networks in the hydrogels. This type of glucose-sensitive hydrogel may be useful in developing glucose-sensors and glucose-sensitive drug delivery systems.