This paper considers the design and implementation of a low-cost and modular autonomous surface robot for inland water. The design process consists of three stages: Mechanical and electro-mechanical design, electrical and electronic design and software design. The mechanical design is based on a two-hull construction because of its low risk of capsizing in rough water. Off-the-shelf hulls and electric trolling motor are preferred to reduce the cost. The robot is steered by a rudder controlled by a servo motor. A Robot Operating System based software running on an on-board computer is developed to achieve autonomy. The robot’s status is monitored using the ground station software. The developed system was tested through a series of field experiments. The system is also compared with the existing designs. The robot’s available deck space and modular software architecture enable users to easily integrate various sensors and mechanical parts for a wide range of applications such as environmental monitoring, surveillance and patrolling.

Aerial robots assisted with artificial intelligence improve real-time wildlife monitoring of sperm whales.

Determining optimum withdrawal depth for selective water withdrawal is crucial for managing the water quality of withdrawn water or reservoir. In this paper, we consider non-stratified periods, relatively less studied, and develop an algorithmic decision-making system based on water quality index. Our approach takes three inputs (depth profile data, current withdrawal depth, and weights in water quality index) and determines the water withdrawal depth. Finding the weights associated with these parameters in the index is formulated as an optimization problem in which the matching between our recommended depth and operator’s decision is maximized. Historical operator decisions over a 14-year period from a real water treatment plant were used to optimize these weights. We utilized surrogate optimization, genetic algorithm, pattern search, and brute-force solvers for this optimization problem. Brute-force solver achieved a 93.8% matching accuracy in predicting the water withdrawal depth. As the other three solvers require an initial solution, which can influence the quality of their results, the brute-force solver was selected as the most reliable approach. Our approach accurately predicts the decisions made by water treatment plant operators regarding water withdrawal from a reservoir with a multi-level intake structure during periods without thermal stratification.

1997’de İsveç Parlamentosu’nun kabul etmiş olduğu “Vizyon Sıfır” politikası, trafik kazalarından kaynaklanan ölümlerin ve ciddi yaralanmaların azaltılmasını hedeflemektedir. Bu hedefe ulaşmak için trafikte otonom araçların kullanılması öngörülmüş ve otonom araçların yetkilendirilmesi için bir yol haritasının belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bununla birlikte otonom bir aracın yetkilendirilebilmesi için sahip olması gereken temel emniyet gereksinimlerinin neler olduğu, bu gereksinimlerin nasıl doğrulanarak sertifikalandırılacağı ve hangi metotların kullanılacağı konuları hala açıklığa kavuşmuş değildir. Bu makalede otonom araçların sertifikasyonunda öne çıkan metotlar karşılaştırmalı olarak incelenmiş, aracın yetkilendirme süreci bir akış diyagramı haline getirilerek incelenen metotların bu süreçte hangi aşamalarda, hangi aktörler tarafından, hangi alanlarda kullanılabileceği belirlenmiştir.

We examine how English justices in the Supreme Court of British Cyprus applied and interpreted gender-coded articles (1202–1207, 1317) from the Mecelle , an Islamic-Ottoman civil law. These articles focus on spatial considerations and privacy protections for women within residential environments, including directives on the construction of windows and partitions to prevent overlooking women’s quarters, obligations regarding garden views versus residential views, and regulations prohibiting the climbing of fruit trees if they potentially overlook women’s quarters. We analyse the cases decided by the Supreme Court of Cyprus on appeal, related to the overlooking of places or quarters used by women ( maqarr al-niswān ), such as the kitchen, the mouth of the well, and the yard of a house. In this analysis, we aim to reveal how the English justices handled these cases using the existing gender-coded law, and to what extent they interpreted the law. Based on these judicial decisions, we illustrate the intersection of Islamic urban codes with British legal administration. Furthermore, we highlight subtleties in the interpretation of legislation designed to safeguard women’s privacy. Our aim is to contribute to the field of legal historiography by examining how colonial judicial systems navigated local customs and legal principles in British Cyprus during the Protectorate era (1878–1914).