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This article investigates the application of deep learning (DL) to the fusion of omnidirectional (O-D) infrared (IR) sensors and O-D visual sensors to improve the intelligent perception of autonomous robotic systems. Recent techniques primarily focus on O-D and conventional visual sensors for applications in localization, mapping, and tracking. The robotic vision systems have not sufficiently utilized the combination of O-D IR and O-D visual sensors, coupled with DL, for the extraction of vegetation material. We will be showing the contradiction between current approaches and our deep vegetation learning sensor fusion. This article introduces two architectures: 1) the application of two autoencoders feeding into a four-layer convolutional neural network (CNN) and 2) two deep CNN feature extractors feeding a deep CNN fusion network (DeepFuseNet) for the fusion of O-D IR and O-D visual sensors to better address the number of false detects inherent in indices-based spectral decomposition. We compare our DL results to our previous work with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and IR region-based spectral fusion, and to traditional machine learning approaches. This work proves that the fusion of the O-D IR and O-D visual streams utilizing our DeepFuseNet DL approach outperforms both the previous NVDI fused with far-IR region segmentation and traditional machine learning approaches. Experimental results of our method validate a 92% reduction in false detects compared to traditional indices-based detection. This article contributes a novel method for the fusion of O-D visual and O-D IR sensors using two CNN feature extractors feeding into a deep CNN (DeepFuseNet).

We investigate the calibration of omnidirectional (O-D) infrared (IR) camera for intelligent perception applications. Current O-D camera approaches are primarily focused on O-D color vision applications. The low-resolution O-D IR image edge boundaries are not as sharp as with color vision cameras, and as a result, the standard calibration methods were harder to use and less accurate with the low definition of the O-D IR camera. In order to more fully address O-D IR camera calibration, we propose a new calibration grid center which coordinates control point discovery methodology and a direct spherical calibration (DSC) approach for a more robust and accurate method of calibration. DSC will address the limitations of the existing methods by using the spherical coordinates of the centroid of the calibration board to directly triangulate the location of the camera center and iteratively solve the camera parameters. We compare DSC to three baseline visual calibration methodologies and augment them with additional output of the spherical results for comparison. We also look at the optimum number of calibration boards using an evolutionary algorithm and Pareto optimization to find the best method and combination of accuracy, methodology, and number of calibration boards. The benefits of DSC are both a more efficient calibration board geometry selection approach, and better accuracy than the three baseline visual calibration methodologies.

In the context of vegetation detection, the fusion of omnidirectional (O-D) infrared (IR) and color vision sensors may increase the level of vegetation perception for unmanned robotic platforms. Current approaches are primarily focused on O-D color vision for localization, mapping, and tracking. A literature search found no significant research in our area of interest. The fusion of O-D IR and O-D color vision sensors for the extraction of feature material type has not been adequately addressed. We will look at augmenting indices-based spectral decomposition with IR region-based spectral decomposition to address the number of false detects inherent in indices-based spectral decomposition alone. Our work shows that the fusion of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from the O-D color camera fused with the IR thresholded signature region associated with the vegetation region minimizes the number of false detects seen with NDVI alone. The contribution of this paper is the demonstration of a new technique, thresholded region fusion technique for the fusion of O-D IR and O-D color. We also look at the Kinect vision sensor fused with the O-D IR camera. Our experimental validation demonstrates a 64% reduction in false detects in our method compared to classical indices-based detection.

A distinctive type of artificial port structure has been found in Africa proconsularis, but not elsewhere in the Mediterranean. This structure is identified here as a ‘jetty with platform’, due to its main components: a straight jetty extending from the shoreline and a large platform attached to the outer end of the jetty. The article considers the chronological, environmental, and technological factors that may be responsible for the construction of this type of jetty, which is found at Acholla, Gigthis, Leptiminus, Ras Segala, and possibly Lepcis Magna. Un type particulier de port artificiel, inconnu en Méditerranée, a été trouvé en Afrique proconsulaire. Cette structure est identifiée ici comme une « jetée avec plate-forme » en raison de ses principales composantes : une jetée droite, partant du rivage, terminée par une grande plate-forme fixée à son extrémité extérieure. L’article examine les facteurs chronologiques, environnementaux et technologiques ayant pu influer sur la construction de ce type de jetée, présentes à Acholla, Gigthis, Leptiminus, Ras Segala, et peut-être Leptis Magna.

[EN] This article argues that a holistic approach to documenting and understanding the physical evidence for individual cities would enhance our ability to address major questions about urbanisation, urbanism, cultural identities and economic processes. At the same time we suggest that providing more comprehensive data-sets concerning Greek cities would represent an important contribution to cross-cultural studies of urban development and urbanism, which have often overlooked relevant evidence from Classical Greece. As an example of the approach we are advocating, we offer detailed discussion of data from the Archaic and Classical city of Olynthos, in the Halkidiki. Six seasons of fieldwork here by the Olynthos Project, together with legacy data from earlier projects by the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and by the Greek Archaeological Service, combine to make this one of the best-documented urban centres surviving from the Greek world. We suggest that the material from the site offers the potential to build up a detailed ‘urban profile’, consisting of an overview of the early development of the community as well as an in-depth picture of the organisation of the Classical settlement. Some aspects of the urban infrastructure can also be quantified, allowing a new assessment of (for example) its demography. This article offers a sample of the kinds of data available and the sorts of questions that can be addressed in constructing such a profile, based on a brief summary of the interim results of fieldwork and data analysis carried out by the Olynthos Project, with a focus on research undertaken during the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons., [EL] Το άρθρο υποστηρίζει ότι μια ολιστική προσέγγιση στην τεκμηρίωση και κατανόηση των υλικών καταλοίπων σε επίπεδο πόλεων θα μας βοηθούσε στην προσπάθειά μας να απαντήσουμε σημαντικά ερωτήματα σχετικά με τη διαδικασία της αστικοποίησης, τον αστικό τρόπο ζωής, τις πολιτισμικές ταυτότητες και τις οικονομικές διεργασίες στον αρχαίο κόσμο. Ταυτόχρονα θεωρούμε ότι η συγκρότηση πιο περιεκτικών συνόλων από δεδομένα που αφορούν αρχαίες ελληνικές πόλεις θα προσέφερε σημαντικά και στη διαπολιτισμική μελέτη της αστικής εξέλιξης και του αστικού τρόπου ζωής, η οποία έχει συχνά αγνοήσει τα σχετικά στοιχεία από την κλασική Ελλάδα. Ως παράδειγμα για την προσέγγιση που προτείνουμε προσφέρουμε μιαν αναλυτική συζήτηση των δεδομένων από την αρχαϊκή και κλασική πόλη της Ολύνθου στη Χαλκιδική. Ο συνδυασμός έξι περιόδων έρευνας πεδίου από το Πρόγραμμα της Ολύνθου και στοιχείων από τα αρχεία παλαιότερων προγραμμάτων της Αμερικανικής Σχολής Κλασικών Σπουδών στην Αθήνα και της Ελληνικής Αρχαιολογικής Υπηρεσίας καθιστά την Όλυνθο ένα από τα καλύτερα τεκμηριωμένα αστικά κέντρα του αρχαίου ελληνικού κόσμου που έχουν διασωθεί. Υποστηρίζουμε ότι το υλικό από τη θέση μάς δίνει τη δυνατότητα να σκιαγραφήσουμε ένα λεπτομερές «αστικό προφίλ», το οποίο αποτελείται από μια επισκόπηση της πρώιμης εξέλιξης της κοινότητας καθώς και μια σε βάθος απεικόνιση της οργάνωσης του οικισμού της κλασικής περιόδου. Η δυνατότητα ποσοτικοποίησης κάποιων παραμέτρων της αστικής υποδομής μάς επιτρέπει να προβούμε σε νέες εκτιμήσεις, για παράδειγμα σχετικά με τη δημογραφία. Το άρθρο προσφέρει ένα δείγμα του τύπου των διαθέσιμων δεδομένων και του είδους των ερωτημάτων που μπορεί να τεθούν στη σκιαγράφηση ενός τέτοιου προφίλ, βασισμένο σε μια περίληψη των προσωρινών αποτελεσμάτων από τις εργασίες πεδίου και τις αναλύσεις των δεδομένων που διενήργησε το Πρόγραμμα της Ολύνθου και με έμφαση στην έρευνα που διεξήχθη κατά το 2017, το 2018 και το 2019.

Research on the cities of the Classical Greek world has traditionally focused on mapping the organisation of urban space and studying major civic or religious buildings. More recently, newer techniques such as field survey and geophysical survey have facilitated exploration of the extent and character of larger areas within urban settlements, raising questions about economic processes. At the same time, detailed analysis of residential buildings has also supported a change of emphasis towards understanding some of the functional and social aspects of the built environment as well as purely formal ones. This article argues for the advantages of analysing Greek cities using a multidisciplinary, multi-scalar framework which encompasses all of these various approaches and adds to them other analytical techniques (particularly micro-archaeology). We suggest that this strategy can lead towards a more holistic view of a city, not only as a physical place, but also as a dynamic community, revealing its origins, development and patterns of social and economic activity. Our argument is made with reference to the research design, methodology and results of the first three seasons of fieldwork at the city of Olynthos, carried out by the Olynthos Project.

The relationship between connectivity and economic activity is a subject of current debate in Mediterranean archaeology, and recent scholarship has shown the significance of this topic for North African studies. This article approaches the issue through a body of evidence that has hitherto been overlooked: artificial port structures, such as jetties, quays, enclosures, and breakwaters. I identify 29 definite, and 16 possible, structures between Cyrenaica and Mauretania Tingitana dating between the fourth century B.C.E. and the sixth century C.E. I demonstrate that the archaeological evidence for these structures is a more reliable source of information than the ancient literary evidence and discuss how the picture drawn from the latter has misled earlier scholars. I argue that wharf length is the best measure of the size of port structures, and I use that concept to outline the role that individual ports and broader regions played in Mediterranean commerce. By relating artificial port structures to the major production centers of exported goods, I enhance the picture of the North African economy both before and during the Roman empire.*

In this article, the authors explore patterns in regional activity in Messenia, the southwest corner of the Greek Peloponnese, from the Geometric to the end of the Late Roman period (ca. eighth century B.C. to seventh cen-tury A.D.). The analysis is based on extant historical evidence, the campaigns of the Minnesota Messenia Expedition, and—above all—the results of the Pylos Regional Archaeological Project. These three data sets have been integrated, as far as possible, in order to trace long-term changes in the region and to provide a foundation for further work in this still underexplored portion of Greece's historical landscape.

This study examines six texts concerned with farming in Roman North Africa in order to assess ancient attitudes toward the rural landscape. Each text portrays an individual "bonus agricola ", commemorated for his or her agricultural activities. While the "bonus agricola" is a familiar figure in Latin literature, an emphasis on investment distinguishes "good farmers" in North Africa from those in Italy, and it is suggested here that the different attitude regarding investment indicates the re-formulation of a Roman concept in African terms. Additionally, these six texts provide literary evidence for the phenomenon of investment in Roman North Africa which several archaeological field survey projects in this region have recently documented., Cette étude examine six textes concernant l'agriculture dans l'Afrique romaine, soulignant les idées des Anciens sur les paysages ruraux. Chaque texte présente un "bonus agricola », personnage célébré pour ses activités agricoles. Bien qu'il s'agisse d'une figure bien connue de la littérature latine, l'accent mis sur leur rôle foncier distingue les « boni agricolae » d'Afrique du Nord de ceux d'Italie, et il est suggéré ici que cette différence d'attitude révèle l'adaptation d'un concept romain en termes africains. De plus, ces six textes apportent des preuves littéraires du phénomène d'investissement foncier en Afrique romaine, récemment documenté par plusieurs prospections archéologiques., Stone David. Culture and Investment in the Rural Landscape : the North African bonus agricola. In: Antiquités africaines, 34,1998. pp. 103-113.

Leptiminus (Lamta, Tunisia) was an important harbor town, although not in the premier league of Roman ports with Ostia, Alexandria, Carthage, and Lepcis Magna. Keywords: archaeology; archaeology; classical civilization

A linear programming model is used to measure the rate of inflation in the food component of the consumer price index A diet model to minimize the cost of a diet subject to constraints on nutritive requirements, variety, pal-atabihty, and menu-function is constructed and the rates of increase in a strict minimum cost model and an expanded constraint model are measured for the period 1980-87 Consistent with the consumer utility literature, it is found that the current Laspeyres index approach to measuring the cost of living in fact provides an upper limit on true cost of living increases Results also show that the cost of maintaining a minimum level of subsistence increases more rapidly than the cost of a more palatable diet Finally, the results show that in fact there is very little room for substitution among food items within a reasonable diet model

Cemetery and landscape studies have been hallmarks of North African archaeology for more than one hundred years. Mortuary Landscapes of North Africa is the first book to combine these two fields by considering North African cemeteries within the context of their wider landscapes. This unique perspective allows for new interpretations of notions of identity, community, imperial influence, and sacred space. Based on a wealth of material research from current fieldwork, this collection of essays investigates how North African funerary monuments acted as regional boundaries, markers of identity and status, and barometers of cultural change. The essays cover a broad range in terms of space and time - from southern Libya to eastern Algeria, and from the seventh century BCE to the seventh century CE. A comprehensive introduction explains the importance of the 'landscape perspective' that these studies bring to North African funerary monuments, while individual case-studies address such topics as the African way of death among the Garamantes, the ritual reasons for the location of certain Early Christian tombs, Punic burials, Roman cupula tombs, and the effects of rapid state formation and imperial incorporation on tomb builders. Unique in both scope and perspective, this volume will prove invaluable to a cross-section of archaeological scholars.

The DARPA Sponsored Compliant Surface Robotics (CSR) program pursues development of a high mobility, lightweight, modular, morphable robot for military forces in the field and for other industrial uses. The USTLAB effort builds on proof of concept feasibility studies and demonstration of a 4, 6, or 8 wheeled modular vehicle with articulated leg-wheel assemblies. In Phase I, basic open plant stability was proven for climbing over obstacles of ~18 inches high and traversing ~75 degree inclines (up, down, or sideways) in a platform of approximately 15 kilograms. At the completion of Phase II, we have completed mechanical and electronics engineering design and achieved changes which currently enable future work in active articulation, enabling autonomous reconfiguration for a wide variety of terrains, including upside down operations (in case of flip over), and we have reduced platform weight by one third. Currently the vehicle weighs 10 kilograms and will grow marginally as additional actuation, MEMS based organic sensing, payload, and autonomous processing is added. The CSR vehicle’s modular spider-like configuration facilitates adaptation to many uses and compliance over rugged terrain. The developmental process and the vehicle characteristics will be discussed.

The DARPA Sponsored Compliant Surface Robotics (CSR) program pursues development of a high mobility, lightweight, modular, morph-able robot for military forces in the field and for other industrial uses. The USTLAB and University of Washington Center for Intelligent Materials and Systems (CIMS) effort builds on USTLAB proof of concept feasibility studies and demonstration of a 4, 6, or 8 wheeled modular vehicle with articulated leg-wheel assemblies. A collaborative effort between USTLAB and UW-CIMS explored the application of Shape Memory Alloy Nickel Titanium Alloy springs to a leg extension actuator capable of actuating with 4.5 Newton force over a 50 mm stroke. At the completion of Phase II, we have completed mechanical and electronics engineering design and achieved conventional actuation which currently enable active articulation, enabling autonomous reconfiguration for a wide variety of terrains, including upside down operations (in case of flip over), have developed a leg extension actuator demonstration model, and we have positioned our team to pursue a small vehicle with leg extension actuators in follow on work. The CSR vehicle's modular spider-like configuration facilitates adaptation to many uses and compliance over rugged terrain. The developmental process, actuator and vehicle characteristics will be discussed.

This Micro-miniature Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (MicroAUV) Project pursues a viable design of a very small AUV. Current MEMS industry miniaturization of electronics enables a 'Clean Sheet' design of an underwater vehicle that could achieve an 'order of magnitude' improvement in specific endurance (range per pound mass of vehicle) over currently fielded systems. Specifically, the authors target a 2-15 lb MicroAUV that can demonstrate a 20 nautical mile per pound mass specific range capability. The design includes a 20% payload fraction in weight and/or volume and a 10% margin for payload power. MicroAUV shall provide the endurance of other vehicles currently in the fleet and between 80 - 200 lbm displacement. Groups (fleets, swarms, etc.) of 10 and larger MicroAUVs will provide all of the capabilities of larger vehicles with increased mission robustness, as the tactical impact of loss of one vehicle will be mitigated by the swarm. An initial report, was provided to underscore the scope of possibility within the opportunity described above. A second report discussed MEMS attributes of design and a notional design concept, as well as integrating attributes of MEMS enabled power issues into the power and sizing analysis. This unlimited DOD distribution report version and attachments provide Milestone 4 objectives, specifically: (1) Completes the power and sizing analysis. (2) Identifies the right size of MicroAUV to be approximately 50 to 125 centimeters (20 to 50 inches) in length and 5 to 12 centimeters (2 to 5 inches) in diameter. Further, shows that variation in performance is critically tied to maximizing diameter for given vehicle length and minimizing onboard instrumentation and payload power. (3) Defines how, at this size, MicroAUV can achieve between 10 and 20 Nm/lbm. The final specific range capability will depend on how design margins are consumed as the design matures. (4) Discusses attributes of the preliminary system design of MicroAUV.

Corneal buttons from three patients with congenital central corneal leukoma (Peters' anomaly) were examined by light and electron microscopy. All cases exhibited a central absence of Bowman's membrane and iris synechiae to the periphery of the leukoma. In the first patient, extensive keratolenticular adhesion with retrocorneal fibrous tissue filling the central defect of endothelium and Descemet's membrane implicated late anterior displacement of the normally developed lens as the cause of secondary endothelial degeneration. In the second patient, attenuated endothelium and abnormally composed Descemet's membrane indicated primary dysgenesis of the endothelium. In the third patient, the extensive defect of posterior stroma with anterior stromal disorganization and endothelial metaplasia suggested dysgenesis of both the keratocytic and endothelial mesoderm. Thus, although no unified pathogenic mechanism was consistently applicable, either primary or secondary dysgenesis of the corneal mesoderm must be responsible.

The corneas of three patients with keratoconus were examined by light and electron microscopy within approximately four months after onset of severe hydrops. The rupture and detachment of Descemet's membrane resulted in formation of extensive ledges. New endothelium completely resurfaced the exposed posterior stroma and the corresponding anterior aspect of the ledges. The endothelium also regenerated considerable basement membrane. In one case, clustered endothelium near the free end of the ledge appeared to have undergone fibrous metaplasia with secretion of extensive fibrillar and basement membrane material.