This book provides a decentralized approach for the identification and control of robotics systems. It also presents recent research in decentralized neural control and includes applications to robotics. Decentralized control is free from difficulties due to complexity in design, debugging, data gathering and storage requirements, making it preferable for interconnected systems. Furthermore, as opposed to the centralized approach, it can be implemented with parallel processors. This approach deals with four decentralized control schemes, which are able to identify the robot dynamics. The training of each neural network is performed on-line using an extended Kalman filter (EKF). The first indirect decentralized control scheme applies the discrete-time block control approach, to formulate a nonlinear sliding manifold. The second direct decentralized neural control scheme is based on the backstepping technique, approximated by a high order neural network.The third control scheme applies a decentralized neural inverse optimal control for stabilization. The fourth decentralized neural inverse optimal control is designed for trajectory tracking. This comprehensive work on decentralized control of robot manipulators and mobile robots is intended for professors, students and professionals wanting to understand and apply advanced knowledge in their field of work.

This book provides a decentralized approach for the identification and control of robotics systems. It also presents recent research in decentralized neural control and includes applications to robotics. Decentralized control is free from difficulties due to complexity in design, debugging, data gathering and storage requirements, making it preferable for interconnected systems. Furthermore, as opposed to the centralized approach, it can be implemented with parallel processors. This approach deals with four decentralized control schemes, which are able to identify the robot dynamics. The training of each neural network is performed on-line using an extended Kalman filter (EKF). The first indirect decentralized control scheme applies the discrete-time block control approach, to formulate a nonlinear sliding manifold. The second direct decentralized neural control scheme is based on the backstepping technique, approximated by a high order neural network.The third control scheme applies a decentralized neural inverse optimal control for stabilization. The fourth decentralized neural inverse optimal control is designed for trajectory tracking. This comprehensive work on decentralized control of robot manipulators and mobile robots is intended for professors, students and professionals wanting to understand and apply advanced knowledge in their field of work.

Surgery an essentially manual exercise in its early days, has progressively grown richer in complementary techniques helping the surgeon to perfect his movements and increase efficiency. This is particularly the case with digestive surgery, which has been thoroughly transformed by radiology, endoscopy and extemporaneous examinations effected during surgical intervention. Such methods make it possible for surgeons to develop subtle nuances in operative techniques and to specify indi cations more and more precisely. Ultrasonography must now be included among such techniques. It supplements them and can sometimes even replace them. For these reasons, this work devoted to the use of ultrasound by the surgeon during surgical intervention is of great interest. Two general conditions had to be met before ultrasonography could be em ployed in abdominal surgery: the method and apparatus had to be adapted to its surgical utilization, and the surgeon had to adapt to a nonsurgical technique. The first condition has been fulfilled for all purposes. Intraoperative sonograms can be generated at a very high rate and are proving to be more and more useful. The miniaturization of probes permits their application almost everywhere with opti mal results. Of course, the costs are still high, but one can expect them to decrease.

Save me I'm here Those are the words that echoed throughout the mall, said by a man that was buried under a heap of debris. The scene I witnessed was result of a horrible explosion at a mall in Southern California. It was a day I'll never forget. Explosion after explosion was ripping through the mall with a force that could be heard by anyone within a half-mile radius of it. Thousands and thousands of people were running for their lives not knowing whether they were running away from death or toward it. It was a murderous maze of evil that hundreds and hundreds of innocent men, women and children had to incur. I watched as the throngs of innocent men, women, and children were running for their lives amidst all of the death and desruction around them. Every one of these innocent human beings caught in this web of death could only pray that the path they choose to take would be the right one. But I as stood there most of them guessed wrong, thus succumbing to the plan of a ruthless killing machine that had planted explosives both inside and outside the mall. I stood there witnessing it as if I were a spectator to it all, forgetting that my life was also in danger. I was virtually numbed by what had so quickly become a surrealistic nightmare. The intensity of the moment was so powerful I couldn't move. I could only watch and listen to the calls of mothers and fathers for their children that were never answered. The explosions created a noise level that I've never heard in my entire life. I felt as if I were watching people experiencing various degrees of nightmares. I'll sorrowfully admit to you that to this day, I still can't explain or describe the sounds that I heard on that dreadful July afternoon. Only a very few would manage to survive the shadow of death that was all around them on that day, this is the story of one of those that did.

As the population of young dual language learners continues to rise, how can early childhood professionals choose culturally and linguistically appropriate assessments for Spanish-English bilingual pre-schoolers? They'll get expert guidance in this one-of-a-kind resource, a comprehensive roundup and analysis of 37 developmental assessments available in English and Spanish. The only guide that examines specific early childhood bilingual measures, this book gives professionals detailed reviews culled from the highly respected authors' extensive research and comparative analyses. For each measure, program administrators, curriculum developers, SLPs, and other professionals will * get an at-a-glance snapshot of key characteristics, including age range, cost, domains measured, and time requirements * evaluate major strengths and weaknesses * easily compare the English and Spanish versions across cultural, linguistic, and psychometric properties * learn the basics of administration and scoring * investigate technical data, including standardisation, norming, validity, and reliability * see if the tool includes adaptations and accommodations for children with disabilities * review the results of relevant studies that used the measure To help professionals conduct the most effective assessments, the book also includes research-based strategies and solid background information. Readers will get a helpful overview of bilingual language development, general guidelines on selecting measures for young dual language learners, and tips on administering assessments with awareness of and respect for cultural and linguistic influences. An essential resource to support informed decision-making, this invaluable guide will help professionals choose culturally and linguistically appropriate early childhood assessments that accurately capture the abilities of young dual language learners.