Eurocourses: Computer and Information Science – serie

Based on the Lectures given during the Eurocourse on 'Computing with Parallel Architectures' held at the Joint Research Centre Ispra, Italy, September 10-14, 1990

Parallel processing is seen today as the means to improve the power of computing facilities by breaking the Von Neumann bottleneck of conventional sequential computer architectures. By defining appropriate parallel computation models definite advantages can be obtained. Parallel processing is the center of the research in Europe in the field of Information Processing Systems so the CEC has funded the ESPRIT Supemode project to develop a low cost, high performance, multiprocessor machine. The result of this project is a modular, reconfigurable architecture based on !NMOS transputers: T.Node. This machine can be considered as a research, industrial and commercial success. The CEC has decided to continue to encourage manufacturers as well as research and end-users of transputers by funding other projects in this field. This book presents course papers of the Eurocourse given at the Joint Research Centre in ISPRA (Italy) from the 4th to 8 of November 1991. First we present an overview of various trends in the design of parallel architectures and specially of the T.Node with it's software development environments, new distributed system aspects and also new hardware extensions based on the !NMOS T9000 processor. In a second part, we review some real case applications in the field of image synthesis, image processing, signal processing, terrain modeling, particle physics simulation and also enhanced parallel and distributed numerical methods on T.Node.

Distributed AI is the branch of AI concerned with how to coordinate behavior among a collection of semi-autonomous problem-solving agents: how they can coordinate their knowledge, goals and plans to act together, to solve joint problems, or to make individually or globally rational decisions in the face of uncertainty and multiple, conflicting perspectives. Distributed, coordinated systems of problem solvers are rapidly becoming practical partners in critical human problem-solving environments, and DAI is a rapidly developing field of both application and research, experiencing explosive growth around the world. This book presents a collection of articles surveying several major recent developments in DAI. The book focuses on issues that arise in building practical DAI systems in real-world settings, and covers work undertaken in a number of major research and development projects in the U.S. and in Europe. It provides a synthesis of recent thinking, both theoretical and applied, on major problems of DAI in the 1990s.

Environmental informatics is a field of applied computer science that develops and uses the techniques of information processing for environmental protection, research and engineering. The multidisciplinary nature of environmental problems needs environmental informatics as a bridge and mediator between many disciplines and institutions. The present book presents a wide range of topics currently being pursued in the area, including basic methodological issues and typical applications. A significant number of recognised experts have contributed to the volume, discussing the methodology and application of environmental monitoring, environmental databases and information systems, GIS, modeling software, environmental management systems, knowledge-based systems, and the visualisation of complex environmental data. For scholarly and professional practitioners of environmental management who wish to acquire well-founded knowledge of environmental information processing and specialists in applied computer science who wish to learn more about the contribution of their field to the solution of our urgent environmental problems.

Environmental informatics is a field of applied computer science that develops and uses the techniques of information processing for environmental protection, research and engineering. The multidisciplinary nature of environmental problems needs environmental informatics as a bridge and mediator between many disciplines and institutions. The present book presents a wide range of topics currently being pursued in the area, including basic methodological issues and typical applications. A significant number of recognised experts have contributed to the volume, discussing the methodology and application of environmental monitoring, environmental databases and information systems, GIS, modeling software, environmental management systems, knowledge-based systems, and the visualisation of complex environmental data. For scholarly and professional practitioners of environmental management who wish to acquire well-founded knowledge of environmental information processing and specialists in applied computer science who wish to learn more about the contribution of their field to the solution of our urgent environmental problems.

Some Key Issues in Remote Handling M. Becquet TELEMAN: A European Communities Robotics Programme for the Nuclear Industry B. Tolley 7 Practical Experience Using Teleoperated Technology: Teleoperated Devices Used in an Accelerator Coraplex R. Horne 15 Artificial Realities Techniques for Teleoperation of Robotic Systems D. Marini 21 Robot Motion Planning: A Survey C. Torras 27 Autonomous Mobile Robots and Teleoperation J. del R. MilZCm, C. Torms and M. Becquet 41 Kinematic Calibration in Remote Handling and Teleoperation Environment J. -M. Renders 55 Transporters for Teleoperations in JET T. Raimondi 87 Nuclear Teleoperation. Particular Challenges in Decommissioning Applications M. Decreton 109 Manipulators Mascot IV Used in JET and Prospects of Enhancement T. Raimondi and L. Galbiati 139 Position Sensing for Advanced Teleoperation in Nuclear Environment M. Decreton 163 Advanced Telerobotic Systems. Single-Master Multi-SLave Manipulator System and Cellular Robotic System T. Fukuda and K. Kosuge 195 Introduction to Robotics and Computer Vision J. E. Besanqon 209 The NET Remote Maintenance Programme D. Maisonnier and T.Reeve 243 Color Plates 259 Preface The solution to today's demand for safety in Industrial Processes and Plants involves more and more the use of teleoperated devices to avoid human exposure to hazards. Such hazards occur during operation and maintenance, in normal or accidental conditions, and during decommissioning at the end of the life time of installations. The year 1989 has represented, for Teleoperation, an important landmark with the closure of the first commercial nuclear power stations which have reached the end of their life time.

Parallel processing is seen today as the means to improve the power of computing facilities by breaking the Von Neumann bottleneck of conventional sequential computer architectures. By defining appropriate parallel computation models definite advantages can be obtained. Parallel processing is the center of the research in Europe in the field of Information Processing Systems so the CEC has funded the ESPRIT Supemode project to develop a low cost, high performance, multiprocessor machine. The result of this project is a modular, reconfigurable architecture based on !NMOS transputers: T.Node. This machine can be considered as a research, industrial and commercial success. The CEC has decided to continue to encourage manufacturers as well as research and end-users of transputers by funding other projects in this field. This book presents course papers of the Eurocourse given at the Joint Research Centre in ISPRA (Italy) from the 4th to 8 of November 1991. First we present an overview of various trends in the design of parallel architectures and specially of the T.Node with it's software development environments, new distributed system aspects and also new hardware extensions based on the !NMOS T9000 processor. In a second part, we review some real case applications in the field of image synthesis, image processing, signal processing, terrain modeling, particle physics simulation and also enhanced parallel and distributed numerical methods on T.Node.