Ambient Intelligence with Microsystems


Book Description

Augmented Materials and Smart Objects investigates the issues required to ensure technology platforms capable of being seamlessly integrated into everyday objects. In particular, it deals with the requirements for integrated computation and MEMs sensors, system-in-a-package solutions, and multi-chip modules. On top of this, the publication’s 500 pages cover the impact of the trend towards embedded microelectronic electronics sub-systems, novel assembly techniques for autonomous MEMs sensors, and practical performance issues that are key to the AmI concept.




The CIA Intelligence Analyst


Book Description

A unique insiders' account of what CIA intelligence analysts do and why it matters The common perception of a CIA officer is someone who collects secret intelligence abroad--a spy. However, the critical link between secrets and policy is the intelligence analyst. The CIA Intelligence Analyst brings to light the vital, but often-unseen, work of these officers. Roger Z. George, Robert Levine, and the contributors to this book demystify the profession of intelligence analyst at the CIA and describe how the wide array of analytic specialties--or "disciplines" in the language of the CIA--function. The disciplines range from political, economic, leadership, and military matters to science and technology, cyber, counterterrorism, and counterintelligence. Each of the chapters--written by former or current CIA analysts--discusses how analysts interact with those who collect raw intelligence. Just as important, the chapters describe the relationships analysts develop with the diverse set of policymakers who use CIA analyses. The contributors reveal the key intelligence questions that analysts address, their methods, their products, and their challenges. This book will be an invaluable resource for scholars of national security and intelligence who want to develop a fuller picture of the internal workings of the CIA and for those who are considering a career as an analyst.




Ambient Intelligence


Book Description

Ambient intelligence is the vision of a technology that will become invisibly embedded in our natural surroundings, present whenever we need it, enabled by simple and effortless interactions, attuned to all our senses, adaptive to users and context-sensitive, and autonomous. High-quality information access and personalized content must be available to everybody, anywhere, and at any time. This book addresses ambient intelligence used to support human contacts and accompany an individual's path through the complicated modern world. From the technical standpoint, distributed electronic intelligence is addressed as hardware vanishing into the background. Devices used for ambient intelligence are small, low-power, low weight, and (very importantly) low-cost; they collaborate or interact with each other; and they are redundant and error-tolerant. This means that the failure of one device will not cause failure of the whole system. Since wired connections often do not exist, radio methods will play an important role for data transfer. This book addresses various aspects of ambient intelligence, from applications that are imminent since they use essentially existing technologies, to ambitious ideas whose realization is still far away, due to major unsolved technical challenges.







Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems


Book Description

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 12th Annual Conference Towards Autonomous Robotics Systems, TAROS 2011, held in Sheffield, UK, in August/September 2011. The 32 revised full papers presented together with 29 two-page abstracts were carefully reviewed and selected from 94 submissions. Among the topics addressed are robot navigation, robot learning, human-robot interaction, robot control, mobile robots, reinforcement learning, robot vehicles, swarm robotic systems, etc.




Scavenging for Survival


Book Description

Step into a world where survival is an art, and every scrap of civilization can be your canvas. "Scavenging for Survival" is not just an eBook; it is your ultimate guide to outlasting the unthinkable. This comprehensive volume is a synergetic blend of psychological fortitude, tactical wisdom, and practical techniques to navigate the ruins of a world overrun by calamity. Embark on a transformative odyssey starting with "Embracing the Scavenger Mindset," as you delve into the psychology that will become the bedrock of your survivalist philosophy. Learn how to discern what is worth saving and how to gather resources without tipping the scale towards hoarding. Discover the art of risk assessment in a world where every choice carries weight, and adaptation is your strongest ally. As you progress through meticulous insights on "Scouting and Mapping the Ruins," uncover the secrets of reading the urban terrain, locating indispensable resource hotspots, and creating scavenger maps that could make the difference between peril and prosperity. Learn to navigate treacherous zones marked by dangers unheard of before. "Building Your Survival Toolkit" offers a rich expanse of knowledge, from selecting essential gear to improvisational toolmaking from the bones of a shattered society. Grasp the nuances of self-defense, mobility, and transport solutions crucial to maintain a beacon of hope in the depths of darkness. No survival story is complete without mastering the skill of obtaining sustenance. "Scavenging for Food and Water" teaches you how to source safe foods, purify water sources, and employ long-term preservation methods to keep scarcity at bay. Step into the "Elements of Urban Foraging," exploring the unclaimed orchards of the city for survival, from edible plants to the hidden virtues of seed scavenging. Medical supplies become a distant dream in a world on its knees, yet "Salvaging Medical Supplies" guides you through identifying crucial medications, improvised care techniques, and employing natural remedies when all else fails. It’s an essential read for taking control of your health when every breath counts. With chapters ranging from "Shelter and Safe Havens" to the inventive luxuries of "Power and Energy Alternatives," this guide chisels away at the complexity of survival, offering clear, actionable strategies for maintaining shelter, generating power, and leveraging old-world tech for new-world problems. Evolve your mindset with chapters like "Community Building and Leadership," which teaches the foundations of uniting survivors and shaping the future of humanity amidst ruins. And in a time when the mind can be as perilous as the environment, "Survival Mentality and Emotional Well-Being" delves into the core of resilience, helping you thrive against the odds. Welcome to "Scavenging for Survival." This isn't just about enduring; it's about redefining existence when the world has pushed the reset button. Welcome to the blueprint for tomorrow. Today, you start more than just a read; you begin the journey of a lifetime.




British Exploitation of German Science and Technology, 1943-1949


Book Description

At the end of the Second World War, Germany lay at the mercy of its occupiers, all of whom launched programmes of scientific and technological exploitation. Each occupying nation sought to bolster their own armouries and industries with the spoils of war, and Britain was no exception. Shrouded in secrecy yet directed at the top levels of government and driven by ingenuity from across the civil service and armed forces, Britain made exploitation a key priority. By examining factories and laboratories, confiscating prototypes and blueprints, and interrogating and even recruiting German experts, Britain sought to utilise the innovations of the last war to prepare for the next. This ground-breaking book tells the full story of British exploitation for the first time, sheds new light on the legacies of the Second World War, and contributes to histories of intelligence, science, warfare and power in the midst of the twentieth century.




AmIware


Book Description

Ambient Intelligence is one of the new paradigms in the development of information and communication technology, which has attracted much attention over the past years. The aim is the to integrate technology into people environment in such a way that it improves their daily lives in terms of well-being, creativity, and productivity. Ambient Intelligence is a multidisciplinary concept, which heavily builds on a number of fundamental breakthroughs that have been achieved in the development of new hardware concepts over the past years. New insights in nano and micro electronics, packaging and interconnection technology, large-area electronics, energy scavenging devices, wireless sensors, low power electronics and computing platforms enable the realization of the heaven of ambient intelligence by overcoming the hell of physics. Based on contributions from leading technical experts, this book presents a number of key topics on novel hardware developments, thus providing the reader a good insight into the physical basis of ambient intelligence. It also indicates key research challenges that must be addressed in the future.




Smart Electronic Systems


Book Description

Unique in focusing on both organic and inorganic materials from a system point of view, this text offers a complete overview of printed electronics integrated with classical silicon electronics. Following an introduction to the topic, the book discusses the materials and processes required for printed electronics, covering conducting, semiconducting and insulating materials, as well as various substrates, such as paper and plastics. Subsequent chapters describe the various building blocks for printed electronics, while the final part describes the resulting novel applications and technologies, including wearable electronics, RFID tags and flexible circuit boards. Suitable for a broad target group, both industrial and academic, ranging from mechanical engineers to ink developers, and from chemists to engineers.