Search results

The purpose of this paper is to validate a framework for spatial representation, aka the spatial representation framework (SRF), to define spaces and building information required by people with visual impairment as a foundation of indoor maps for indoor navigation systems.

The SRF was first created with seven main components by a review of the relevant literature and state-of-the-art technologies shown in the preliminary study. This research comprised of two tasks: investigating problems and behaviors while accessing spaces and buildings by visually impaired people (VIP) and validating the SRF where 45 participants were recruited (30 VIP and 15 experts).

The findings revealed a list of problems and challenges were used to validate and redefine the spatial representation, which was validated by both VIP and experts. The framework subsequently consisted of 11 components categorized into five layers, each layer of which is responsible for a different function.

This framework provides essential components required for building standard indoor maps as a foundation for indoor navigations systems for people with visual impairment.

This framework lays the foundation for a range of indoor-based applications by using this SRF to represent indoor spaces. Example applications include: indoor navigation by people with disabilities, robots and autonomous systems, security and surveillance, and context and spatial awareness.

This paper presents the validated spatial representation for indoor navigation by people with visual impairment with its details and description, methodology, results and findings of the validation of the SRF.

Gives an overview of a research programme that aims to apply machine vision for guiding a small, unmanned helicopter during inspection of overhead electrical distribution lines. Briefly discusses the background and requirements for aerial inspection of power lines and states the advantages of using a remotely piloted vehicle (RPV). Identifies the main obstacle to the use of RPVs in this application as the ’‘see and avoid” principle, which arises from regulatory requirements; it is the underlying motivation for the work described here. Machine vision and automated path planning offer a potential solution. Gives a brief tutorial of the principles involved and describes research in image processing and rapid path planning aimed at detecting and avoiding obstacles in the airspace of a small RPV. Also presents experimental results from a laboratory test rig which was constructed to assess the methods.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the importance of adaptive methods for junior researchers undertaking research in volatile and dangerous environments.

Through the presentation of two case studies of the authors’ own experiences in the field, the authors demonstrate the way the use of adaptive methods is crucial for junior researchers to overcome unforeseen obstacles and day-to-day difficulties presented by field studies in volatile locations. Finally, the authors address the gap in the methodological literature on how junior researchers can best communicate adaptive methods in the methodology section of his/her research project.

The authors argue the importance of embedding a first-person narrative into the methodology sections of the project as a clear way for a junior researcher to demonstrate elements fundamental to the data collection experience, thereby engaging the reader with crucial aspects of the research findings.

The need for junior researchers to draw on a greater degree of flexibility in the field when confronted by the challenges of conducting research in volatile environments is paramount to the success of the project. The authors offer, based on the experiences in the field, pragmatic techniques to addresses some of the “messiness” of field studies that allows the researcher to demonstrate the crucial importance of adaptive methods in the doctoral projects.

The purpose of this paper is to arrive at a conceptual understanding of perseverance processes in the context of enterprising behavior and to outline readily employable perseverance strategies for situations characterized by obstacles, challenges and setbacks.

This paper presents a process model of perseverance, drawing on elements of control theory and appraisal theory.

From this model, a variety of perseverance strategies within four broad categories is derived: strategies that affect adversity itself; strategies that change the way adversity is perceived; strategies that reframe the aim that adversity has made difficult to attain; and strategies that help to increase self‐regulatory strength. James Dyson's biography provides examples for the strategies.

The paper discusses a broad variety of strategies to help individuals persevere in reaching their enterprising goals.

Although it is a widely held perception that perseverance is needed to successfully start and run a venture, the perseverance process and perseverance strategies have received little research attention.

Based on research carried out on a mature estate in South Belfast, Northern Ireland, this paper investigates the obstacles to accessibility in order to produce an appraisal model for external accessibility. The study included a review of best practice, a preliminary access appraisal and resident and service provider consultation. Residents were surveyed on a number of issues including location, roads and pavements, transportation, level change, wayfinding, safety and security, and public areas. It was discovered that obstacles relating to wayfinding and traffic management created the greatest problems for residents. The resultant model will enable housing providers and managers to identify specific areas of inaccessibility and the feasibility of improving them as well as allowing comparisons between estates. It is intended to provide all agencies involved in housing with a basis for collaboration in the enhancement of accessibility.

The successful application of the group of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the tasks of monitoring large areas is becoming a promising direction in modern robotics. This paper aims to study the tasks related to the control of the UAV group while performing a common mission.

This paper discusses the main tasks solved in the process of developing an autonomous UAV group. During the survey, five key tasks of group robotics were investigated, namely, UAV group control, path planning, reconfiguration, task assignment and conflict resolution. Effective methods for solving each problem are presented, and an analysis and comparison of these methods are carried out. Several specifics of various types of UAVs are also described.

The analysis of a number of modern and effective methods showed that decentralized methods have clear advantages over centralized ones, since decentralized methods effectively perform the assigned mission regardless of on the amount of resources used. As for the method of planning the group movement of UAVs, it is worth choosing methods that combine the algorithms of global and local planning. This combination eliminates the possibility of collisions not only with static and dynamic obstacles, but also with other agents of the group.

The results of scientific research progress in the tasks of UAV group control have been summed up.

The purpose of this paper is to design a unified operational design domain (ODD) monitoring framework for mitigating Safety of the Intended Functionality (SOTIF) risks triggered by vehicles exceeding ODD boundaries in complex traffic scenarios.

A unified model of ODD monitoring is constructed, which consists of three modules: weather condition monitoring for unusual weather conditions, such as rain, snow and fog; vehicle behavior monitoring for abnormal vehicle behavior, such as traffic rule violations; and road condition monitoring for abnormal road conditions, such as road defects, unexpected obstacles and slippery roads. Additionally, the applications of the proposed unified ODD monitoring framework are demonstrated. The practicability and effectiveness of the proposed unified ODD monitoring framework for mitigating SOTIF risk are verified in the applications.

First, the application of weather condition monitoring demonstrates that the autonomous vehicle can make a safe decision based on the performance degradation of Lidar on rainy days using the proposed monitoring framework. Second, the application of vehicle behavior monitoring demonstrates that the autonomous vehicle can properly adhere to traffic rules using the proposed monitoring framework. Third, the application of road condition monitoring demonstrates that the proposed unified ODD monitoring framework enables the ego vehicle to successfully monitor and avoid road defects.

The value of this paper is that the proposed unified ODD monitoring framework establishes a new foundation for monitoring and mitigating SOTIF risks in complex traffic environments.

COVID-19 has generated unprecedented circumstances with a tremendous impact on the global community. The academic community has also been affected by the current pandemic, with strategy and management researchers now required to adapt elements of their research process from study design through to data collection and analysis. This chapter makes a contribution to the research methods literature by documenting the process of adapting research in light of rapidly changing circumstances, using vignettes of doctoral students from around the world. In sharing their experience of shifting from the initially proposed methodologies to their modified or completely new methodologies, they demonstrate the critical importance of adaptability in research. In doing so, this chapter draws on core literature of adaptation and conducting research in times of crises, aiming to provide key learnings, methodological tips and a “story of hope” for scholars who may be faced with similar challenges in the future.

This study aims to explore the behavioral patterns of entrepreneurs, their cognitive styles and personality characteristics that can lead to a self-destructive chain of events during the transition from a fledgling business to one capable of long-term, profitable growth. This study adopts the self-regulation attitude theory to uncover the reasons for premature start-up scaling, which will help founders to study on their cognitive biases, emotions and behaviors and make efforts to do what does not come naturally to them.

The respondents for this qualitative study were selected from a group of entrepreneurs with extensive experience with technology start-ups that have either failed or succeeded during their development stages. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants, who were selected through snowball sampling, on the theme of understanding “How do premature scaling mistakes happen?”. Thematic analysis was used to unearth common themes.

The results of this study identified the following themes, “comparison,” “emotional over-reaction,” “impatience,” “mistaken customer priorities,” “overestimation” and “overconfidence,” which eventually leads to premature scaling. The underlying decision-making heuristics of entrepreneurs can be identified as engulfed in different cognitive biases and emotions resulting in negative behavioral patterns, as in the case of premature scaling. Of the six themes, “comparison,” “mistaken customer priorities,” “overestimation” and “overconfidence relates to cognitive bias” and “emotional over-reaction” and “impatience” relate to emotional factors.

The study was made possible with the support of the voluntary participants chosen by purposive and snowballing data sampling. The interviewee and interviewer biases could have also crept in as part of this qualitative approach. The study pertains only to start-ups in the information technology sector and further studies need to be done to generalize the results across industries as well.

This early-stage underestimation of unexpected obstacles in the entrepreneurship journey necessitates a focus on the entrepreneur too, as much as the concept. In these hectic and fast-paced circumstances, aspiring entrepreneurs must be taught how to deal objectively with themselves and others, as well as think strategically. Leaders who scale do so because they take purposeful measures to overcome their weaknesses through self-discipline, soliciting advice from others and using their right to change their attitude and points of view.

The study frames the new approach into the entrepreneurial literature, linking it to self-regulation attitude theory and adds to the nascent literature on neuroentrepreneurship which discuss entrepreneurial cognition, decision-making, and entrepreneurial behavior. This study attempted to explore the reasons behind the premature scaling of startups on an individual level. This study is pioneering in exploring the cognitive factors underlying an entrepreneur’s decision that results in premature scaling. This study provides insights for academicians, entrepreneurs and policymakers and helps understand the cognitive journey that leads to premature scaling.