Articoli di riviste sul tema "Next-Best-View planning"

View planning (VP) is a technique that guides the adjustment of the sensor’s postures in multi-view perception tasks. It converts the perception process into active perception, which improves the intelligence and reduces the resource consumption of the robot. We propose a generic VP system for multiple kinds of visual perception. The VP system is built on the basis of the formal description of the visual task, and the next best view is calculated by the system. When dealing with a given visual task, we can simply update its description as the input of the VP system, and obtain the defined best view in real time. Formal description of the perception task includes the task’s status, the objects’ prior information library, the visual representation status and the optimization goal. The task’s status and the visual representation status are updated when data are received at a new view. If the task’s status has not reached its goal, candidate views are sorted based on the updated visual representation status, and the next best view that can minimize the entropy of the model space is chosen as the output of the VP system. Experiments of view planning for 3D recognition and reconstruction tasks are conducted, and the result shows that our algorithm has good performance on different tasks.

Abstract. Structure-from-Motion (SfM) and Multi-View Stereo (MVS) are widely used methods in three dimensional (3D) model reconstruction for an infrastructure maintenance purpose. However, if a set of images is not captured from well-placed positions, the final dense model can contain low-quality regions. Since MVS requires a much longer processing time than SfM as larger amounts of images are provided, it is impossible for surveyors to wait for the SfM–MVS process to complete and evaluate the geometric quality of a final dense model on-site. This challenge results in response inefficiency and the deterioration of dense models in 3D model reconstruction. If the quality of the final dense model can be predicted immediately after SfM, it will be possible to revalidate the images much earlier and to obtain the dense model with better quality than the existing SfM–MVS process. Therefore, we propose a method for reconstructing a more plausible 3D mesh model that accurately approximates the geometry of the final dense model only from sparse point clouds generated from SfM. This approximated mesh model can be generated using Delaunay triangulation for the sparse point clouds and triangle as well as tetrahedron filtering. The approximated model can be used to predict the geometric quality of the final dense model and for an optimization-based view planning. Some experimental results showed that our method is effective in predicting the quality of the final dense model and finding the potentially degraded regions. Moreover, it was confirmed that the average reconstruction errors of the dense model generated by the optimization-based view planning went below tens of millimeters and falls within an acceptable range for an infrastructure maintenance purpose.

Abstract. Path planning for a measuring vehicle requires solving two popular problems from computer science, namely the search for the optimal tour and the search for the optimal viewpoint. Combining both problems results in a new variation of the Traveling Salesman Problem, which we refer to as the Explorational Traveling Salesman Problem. The solution to this problem is the optimal tour with a minimum of observations. In this paper, we formulate the basic problem, discuss it in context of the existing literature and present an iterative solution algorithm. We demonstrate how the method can be applied directly to LiDAR data using an occupancy grid. The ability of our algorithm to generate suitably efficient tours is verified based on two synthetic benchmark datasets, utilizing a ground truth determined by an exhaustive search.

This paper presents an active motion planning approach for a robotic manipulator operating in planetary surface exploration missions. A monocular camera is employed to examine the visually salient regions in an image, from which landforms of potential interests are extracted, and two key metrics are established to evaluate the information richness of the landforms. A next-best view manipulator motion planning is proposed, in which motions of the manipulator are actively planned to reach a better viewpoint to view the target landform, the safety of such operation is guaranteed by real-time estimating the relative distance using ORriented Brief (ORB)–simultaneous localization and mapping. The proposed active motion planning method is validated by an experimental trial, results from which demonstrate that it is able to safely acquire a better viewing of a just-detected planetary landform with full autonomy.

Active mapping is an important technique for mobile robots to autonomously explore and recognize indoor environments. View planning, as the core of active mapping, determines the quality of the map and the efficiency of exploration. However, most current view-planning methods focus on low-level geometric information like point clouds and neglect the indoor objects that are important for human–robot interaction. We propose a novel View-Planning method for indoor active Sparse Object Mapping (VP-SOM). VP-SOM takes into account for the first time the properties of object clusters in the coexisting human–robot environment. We categorized the views into global views and local views based on the object cluster, to balance the efficiency of exploration and the mapping accuracy. We developed a new view-evaluation function based on objects’ information abundance and observation continuity, to select the Next-Best View (NBV). Especially for calculating the uncertainty of the sparse object model, we built the object surface occupancy probability map. Our experimental results demonstrated that our view-planning method can explore the indoor environments and build object maps more accurately, efficiently, and robustly.

Purpose – This paper aims to propose a new view planning method which can be used to calculate the next-best-view (NBV) for multiple manipulators simultaneously and build an automated three-dimensional (3D) object reconstruction system, which is based on the proposed method and can adapt to various industrial applications. Design/methodology/approach – The entire 3D space is encoded with octree, which marks the voxels with different tags. A set of candidate viewpoints is generated, filtered and evaluated. The viewpoint with the highest score is selected as the NBV. Findings – The proposed method is able to make the multiple manipulators, equipped with “eye-in-hand” RGB-D sensors, work together to accelerate the object reconstruction process. Originality/value – Compared to the existed approaches, the proposed method in this paper is fast, computationally efficient, has low memory cost and can be used in actual industrial productions where the multiple different manipulators exist. And, more notably, a new algorithm is designed to speed up the generation and filtration of the candidate viewpoints, which can guarantee both speed and quality.

This paper presents a perception-aware path planner for active SLAM in dynamic environments using micro-aerial vehicles (MAV). The “Next-Best-View” planner (NBVP planner) is combined with an active loop closing, which is called the Active Loop Closing Planner (ALCP planner). The planner is proposed to avoid both static and dynamic obstacles in unknown environments while reducing the uncertainty of the SLAM system and further improving the accuracy of localization. First, the receding horizon strategy is adopted to find the next waypoint. The cost function that combines the exploration gain and the loop closing gain is designed. The former can reduce the mapping uncertainty, while the latter takes the loop closing possibility into consideration. Second, a key waypoint selection strategy is designed. The selected key waypoints, instead of all waypoints, are treated as potential loop-closing points to make the algorithm more efficient. Moreover, a fuzzy RRT-based dynamic obstacle avoidance algorithm is adopted to realize obstacle avoidance in dynamic environments. Simulations in different challenging scenarios are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Renovation of plant equipment of petroleum refineries or chemical factories have recently been frequent, and the demand for 3D asbuilt modelling of piping systems is increasing rapidly. Terrestrial laser scanners are used very often in the measurement for as-built modelling. However, the tangled structures of the piping systems results in complex occluded areas, and these areas must be captured from different scanner positions. For efficient and exhaustive measurement of the piping system, the scanner should be placed at optimum positions where the occluded parts of the piping system are captured as much as possible in less scans. However, this "nextbest" scanner positions are usually determined by experienced operators, and there is no guarantee that these positions fulfil the optimum condition. Therefore, this paper proposes a computer-aided method of the optimal sequential view planning for object recognition in plant piping systems using a terrestrial laser scanner. In the method, a sequence of next-best positions of a terrestrial laser scanner specialized for as-built modelling of piping systems can be found without any a priori information of piping objects. Different from the conventional approaches for the next-best-view (NBV) problem, in the proposed method, piping objects in the measured point clouds are recognized right after an every scan, local occluded spaces occupied by the unseen piping systems are then estimated, and the best scanner position can be found so as to minimize these local occluded spaces. The simulation results show that our proposed method outperforms a conventional approach in recognition accuracy, efficiency and computational time.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze differences between multichannel and omnichannel marketing, describe the advantages of omnichannel marketing and explain how retailers can best transition from multichannel marketing to omnichannel marketing. Design/methodology/approach The paper’s findings are based on a systemic review of the literature of academic studies, research-based studies by major consulting firms and case study reports of effective omnichannel retailers. The approach used is managerial and strategic. Findings Four stages are identified between a pure multichannel and a pure omnichannel marketing strategy. This multistage approach enables a firm to determine its current position, to view the gaps in its strategy in moving to the next level and to develop appropriate actions to move to the next higher level. This paper also identifies barriers to a firm implementing an omnichannel marketing strategy and describes how these barriers can be overcome. Practical implications This paper describes the advantages associated with omnichannel marketing and discusses a strategy to transition to omnichannel marketing. Barriers to adopting omnichannel marketing and how they can be overcome are analyzed. Originality/value This study makes a number of contributions to the literature on omnichannel marketing. It sets forth specific criteria for firms to determine their present stage on the multichannel marketing to omnichannel marketing hierarchy. This strategic approach provides firms with a roadmap to planning and implementing an omnichannel marketing orientation. The paper concludes with directions for future research and managerial implications and conclusions.

Unsupervised machine learning algorithms (clustering, genetic, and principal component analysis) automate Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) missions as well as the creation and refinement of iterative 3D photogrammetric models with a next best view (NBV) approach. The novel approach uses Structure-from-Motion (SfM) to achieve convergence to a specified orthomosaic resolution by identifying edges in the point cloud and planning cameras that “view” the holes identified by edges without requiring an initial model. This iterative UAV photogrammetric method successfully runs in various Microsoft AirSim environments. Simulated ground sampling distance (GSD) of models reaches as low as 3.4 cm per pixel, and generally, successive iterations improve resolution. Besides analogous application in simulated environments, a field study of a retired municipal water tank illustrates the practical application and advantages of automated UAV iterative inspection of infrastructure using 63 % fewer photographs than a comparable manual flight with analogous density point clouds obtaining a GSD of less than 3 cm per pixel. Each iteration qualitatively increases resolution according to a logarithmic regression, reduces holes in models, and adds details to model edges.

Active reconstruction is an intelligent perception method that achieves object modeling with few views and short motion paths by systematically adjusting the parameters of the camera while ensuring model integrity. Part of the object information is always known for vision tasks in real scenes, and it provides some guidance for the view planning. A two-step active reconstruction algorithm based on partial prior information is presented, which includes rough shape estimation phase and complete object reconstruction phase, and both of them introduce the concept of active vision. An information expression method is proposed that can be used to manually initialize the repository according to specific visual tasks, and then the prior information and detected information are used to plan the next best view online until the object reconstruction is completed. The method is evaluated with simulated experiments and the result is compared with other methods.

Short-term wind power forecasting has difficult problems due to the very large variety of speeds of the wind, which is a key factor in producing energy. From the point of view of the whole country, an important problem is predicting the total impact of wind power’s contribution to the country’s energy demands for succeeding days. Accordingly, efficient planning of classical power sources may be made for the next day. This paper will investigate this direction of research. Based on historical data, a few neural network predictors will be combined into an ensemble that is responsible for the next day’s wind power generation. The problem is difficult since wind farms are distributed in large regions of the country, where different wind conditions exist. Moreover, the information on wind speed is not available. This paper proposes and compares different structures of an ensemble combined from three neural networks. The best accuracy has been obtained with the application of an MLP combiner. The results of numerical experiments have shown a significant reduction in prediction errors compared to the naïve approach. The improvement in results with this naïve solution is close to two in the one-day-ahead prediction task.

Wireless mesh networks are expected to provide wireless broadband access to Internet. In such networks, gateway placement is an important topic, which usually dominates the overall wireless performance, and hence there have been lots of the related works. However, recent paper even discovers that the starvation of TCP flows usually occurs near wireless gateways. Some TCP flows will starve just due to TCP flows of the node next to the gateway. Hence, possible ways to improve this critical issue should be developed urgently. However, until now, there have not been the feasible ways without modifying MAC and TCP mechanisms. Hence, in this paper, we plan the gateways placement under the consideration of this issue. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first work to plan gateway placement under considering the starvation of TCP flows. Our work also provides a new view in the field of planning wireless mesh networks.

Autoscanning of an unknown environment is the key to many AR/VR and robotic applications. However, autonomous reconstruction with both high efficiency and quality remains a challenging problem. In this work, we propose a reconstruction-oriented autoscanning approach, called ScanBot, which utilizes hierarchical deep reinforcement learning techniques for global region-of-interest (ROI) planning to improve the scanning efficiency and local next-best-view (NBV) planning to enhance the reconstruction quality. Given the partially reconstructed scene, the global policy designates an ROI with insufficient exploration or reconstruction. The local policy is then applied to refine the reconstruction quality of objects in this region by planning and scanning a series of NBVs. A novel mixed 2D-3D representation is designed for these policies, where a 2D quality map with tailored quality channels encoding the scanning progress is consumed by the global policy, and a coarse-to-fine 3D volumetric representation that embodies both local environment and object completeness is fed to the local policy. These two policies iterate until the whole scene has been completely explored and scanned. To speed up the learning of complex environmental dynamics and enhance the agent's memory for spatial-temporal inference, we further introduce two novel auxiliary learning tasks to guide the training of our global policy. Thorough evaluations and comparisons are carried out to show the feasibility of our proposed approach and its advantages over previous methods. Code and data are available at https://github.com/HezhiCao/Scanbot.

Supply chain management has become more important as an academic topic due to trends in globalization leading to massive reallocation of production related advantages. Because of the massive amount of data that is generated in the global economy, new tools need to be developed in order to manage and analyze the data, as well as to monitor organizational performance worldwide. This paper proposes a framework of business analytics for supply chain analytics (SCA) as IT-enabled, analytical dynamic capabilities composed of data management capability, analytical supply chain process capability, and supply chain performance management capability. This paper also presents a dynamic-capabilities view of SCA and extensively describes a set of its three capabilities: data management capability, analytical supply chain process capability, and supply chain performance management capability. Next, using the SCM best practice, sales & operations planning (S&OP), the paper demonstrates opportunities to apply SCA in an integrated way. In discussing the implications of the proposed framework, finally, the paper examines several propositions predicting the positive impact of SCA and its individual capability on SCM performance.

Over the next 7 years, according to Wood Mackenzie, it is estimated that as many as 380 fields oil and gas facilities will be decommissioned across Asia–Pacific (Wood Mackenzie 2018). Many companies leave Decommissioning and Restoration (D&R) up to the respective project groups using their normal project management and control systems. However, managing D&R requires a different approach and mindset, as the value drivers and risk profiles for D&R projects are different compared to conventional construction projects. For D&R to be efficient – from operational, sustainability, regulatory compliance, environmental and financial perspectives – delivery must not be limited to an isolated project group. Rather, it must leverage corporate and operational knowledge, lessons learned from other decommissioning projects and industry best-practice to support the identification and management of the decommissioning risk profile and successful delivery thereof. Planning for D&R is essential at every stage of the life of an asset and should start as early as possible. Ideally, facilities are designed with D&R in mind at the project conception stage as the scope of D&R is often broader and more complex than operators realise, contributing to D&R projects often exceeding original cost estimates and timelines. Decommissioning and restoration opportunities may be missed or associated risks increased without timely recognition and management. In this paper, dss+ will provide companies with pragmatic guidance on how to plan and implement a D&R process that is managed well from an operational, risk, financial, contractor management and importantly, a stakeholder management point of view.

The attractions and capabilities of geomorphosites are among the unique assets of each country, and their identification, classification, and planning have great importance for the development of tourism. The purpose of this research was to identify, quantitatively analyse, and classify landforms treated as geosites and landscapes of Yazd Province, using the Pralong method. The present study is a descriptive analytical research based on library studies and field surveys. After determining the study area using satellite imagery, six geomorphosites were selected. Using the Pralong method, six geomorphosites were evaluated: Chak Chak, Mountain Eagle, Siahkooh, Shirkooh, Qanat, and Barfkhane Tezerjan. In this method, using the extraction of collected data from the questionnaires completed by 41 geotourism experts in the first stage, the four grades that were evaluated in terms of potential capability of geomorphosites include the appearance aesthetic, scientific, historical-cultural, and socio-economic variables, and in the next step, two variables of productivity value and quality of productivity were evaluated. The results of evaluations showed that the geomorphosites Chak Chak and Barfkhane Tezerjan had the highest score (0.62) and are the best geomorphosites for converting to geotourism and ecotourism applications, and they have high potential for attracting tourists. The second place was dedicated to the Shirkooh geomorphosite, which is considerable in terms of the average tourism grade. The best average productivity value belonged to the Chak Chak geomorphosite with 0.52, and the last one was Mountain Eagle with 0.32. All six attractions in this study had a medium grade in the qualitative scale index, meaning that they have good potential in geotouristic and ecotouristic points of view and could be improved by regional planning. Therefore, the results of this study can be used by local managers and planners to develop and promote geotourism and ecotourism.

Low carbon is still a key stock market theme, but war and changing economic conditions through 2022 have placed greater emphasis on the security of supply. Yet our longstanding view still holds: the energy transition will happen, and oil and gas companies have significant value at risk. In the face of tightening carbon policies or the eventual decline in oil and gas demand, companies that fail to adapt to the emerging low-carbon world will suffer a deterioration in market rating. Plotting a strategy for the energy transition has become more complex than ever. Satisfying investors, government and public stakeholders while pursuing secure, affordable and sustainable sources of energy requires a delicate balance. Unanticipated shocks like the global pandemic or Russia’s invasion of Ukraine make strategic planning a veritable high-wire act. The complexity in mapping out an approach to the energy transition makes it even harder to benchmark the different strategies companies may employ. How are companies positioned to navigate the energy transition over the coming decades? Which companies are best situated to handle shocks to the market in the next few years? We believe these questions of near-term resilience and long-term sustainability can be answered by examining (a) a company’s financial position and scale, (b) its portfolio outlook and (c) its carbon exposure and transition strategy. Building on these concepts of Corporate Resilience and Sustainability, we can compare the strategies of Australia’s largest energy players against their international peers. We can highlight their strengths, weaknesses and areas for focus. We can show you what ‘best-in-class’ looks like.

This study is a continuation of dissertation and studies after that. The concept of most of the traditional city in Java are waterfront city. Old Semarang traditional city center used to have to move four times. All of them laid along the river. Jurnatan (1695), The Gabahan (1659), Sekayu (1666) and Kanjengan (1670). But there is no explanation about the formerly of the city form to support the Program Planning and Preservation of Heritage Cities. How were the traditional city patterns at the time? How to conduct adaptive reuse to promoting the heritage cities in Indonesia to be recognized as World Heritage Cities by UNESCO? The serial maps from KITLV. NL, Tropenmuseum and Atlas Mutual Heritage will superimpose on an aerial view from google earth. Analysing using a sketch and computer aided design will peel the layering of the development of the city along the river. The result will compare with the Johannes R hand drawing of Semarang in 16s centuries.The formerly city form of Semarang in 16s-18s centuries had a history as international port based on the maritime power at the time similar with Malaka. Malaka since 1984 become world Heritage site could become a best practice for next research to attract tourism.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.

Urban flood-related issues are substantial in China, arising from rapid construction of megacities over decades with insufficient flood control, all being made worse by climate change. Since Sponge City (SC) options are primarily effective at maintaining the water balance at the surface, flooding continues. In response, the One Water concept is used to demonstrate the need to respond to dimensions beyond SC and shown herein to have potential to reduce the impacts of major storms (e.g., suppress 100-year flooding to a 25-year flooding equivalent). However, climate change causes more intense storms, indicating the intensity of the 100-year storm will increase by ~0.23% annually over the next 70 years. Hence, given sufficient SC options, the 100-year storms may only be effectively reduced to a 50-year storm, at best by SC options. “One Water” is utilized as a concept to demonstrate structured thinking about how each dimension of the hydrologic cycle can be employed to consider the degree of interconnection, allowing improved assessment of various components of the hydrologic cycle and SC options. Examples are used to demonstrate how the concept of One Water links the array of components of the hydrologic cycle together, generating a holistic view of urban water resource security.

The purpose of this research is to clearly describe how governance is carried out by madrasahs accredited A, B, and C in Fifty Cities District.This type of research is qualitative with descriptive analysis. This research was conducted at Madrasah Tsanawiyah with A accreditation, Madrasahs with B accreditation, Madrasahs with C accreditation. Data collection procedures are carried out by field research, interviews, and documentation. Data analysis procedures were carried out by reducing data, presenting data, and drawing conclusions.From the research that has been conducted, information is obtained that madrasahs with A accreditation perform good governance starting from planning by holding end-of-semester meetings to prepare for the next semester, developing local content curricula, managing students in the form of PPDB, extracurricular activities, setting student rules, determining graduation. , from the point of view of educators and education staff, there are already masters graduates. Funding for education comes from several sources such as from BOS, infaq, committees and these funds are allocated as best as possible for the benefit of the madrasah. Madrasan also establishes relationships with the community by making MoUs with the police, village guardians, sub-district heads, health centers, and course institutions. Madrasahs with B accreditation have implemented good governance such as developing local content curricula, student activities such as PPDB, extracurricular activities, making student rules, madrasah funds obtained from BOS, and also establishing relationships with the community such as the police and puskesmas. All of these activities were well planned but there were still some that were not implemented. Madrasahs with accreditation C, all of which are private Madrasah Tsanawiyah with not too many students, have already carried out planning by the madrasa such as curriculum development, implementing student admissions, funds coming from foundations or alumni, and not collecting funds from students.

The aim of this study is to analyze the content of “smart” city concept in its close relationship with different models of urban development, with an emphasis on the practice of their implementation in Dubai, and the conclusions that are relevant to the dissemination of best practice experience in municipal management of this metropolis. Methods. The study is based on a combination of general scientific and geographical methods (descriptive, content analysis, comparative geographic method etc.) with a view to implementing a theoretical discourse on sustainable urban development that introduces smart technologies. A "case-study" approach with the characteristics of the Dubai phenomenon on the background of comparison with other countries has been used. Results. It is substantiated that balanced urban development aimed to improving the quality of life of the population and efficient use of resources through the use of new technologies and the establishment of integrated service delivery systems should be considered as a “smart” urban development. It is determined that Dubai to some extent can be an example for implementation in other cities in the world, including Ukraine, because the “smartness” in its development now means balancing between different planning models and mechanisms of urban development and their simultaneous integration. The scientific novelty of the article is to identify significant trends in the development of the city of Dubai in the context of several modern models and to define the accompanying problems and benefits that could be taken into account in other countries. Practical significance. The materials of the publication and its conclusions can be used in the organization of next research of the best world practices of the urban organization, for educational purposes in the teaching of courses in geourbanistics.

Efficient motion intent communication is necessary for safe and collaborative work environments with co-located humans and robots. Humans efficiently communicate their motion intent to other humans through gestures, gaze, and other non-verbal cues, and can replan their motions in response. However, robots often have difficulty using these methods. Many existing methods for robot motion intent communication rely on 2D displays, which require the human to continually pause their work to check a visualization. We propose a mixed-reality head-mounted display (HMD) visualization of the intended robot motion over the wearer’s real-world view of the robot and its environment. In addition, our interface allows users to adjust the intended goal pose of the end effector using hand gestures. We describe its implementation, which connects a ROS-enabled robot to the HoloLens using ROS Reality, using MoveIt for motion planning, and using Unity to render the visualization. To evaluate the effectiveness of this system against a 2D display visualization and against no visualization, we asked 32 participants to label various arm trajectories as either colliding or non-colliding with blocks arranged on a table. We found a 15% increase in accuracy with a 38% decrease in the time it took to complete the task compared with the next best system. These results demonstrate that a mixed-reality HMD allows a human to determine where the robot is going to move more quickly and accurately than existing baselines.

The article considers the problem of navigating mobile robots and finding the best way to the goal in real-time in a space surrounded by unknown objects. The motor actions of the robot must be defined and adapted to changes in the environment. When using only laser scanners on mobile work, objects above or below the lasers' level will remain obstacles to the robot. Current algorithms and principles of navigation are considered. Extended the existing real-time interference detection system using lasers by adding a camera that calculates the length of objects. The new system has been successfully implemented and tested in a mobile robot, ensuring the passage of the road providing collision-free paths. The obtained simulation results are presented in the article. The existing problems of navigation of mobile robots, which are moving in the particular area from their position to the specified destination on the map, were investigated. The current problem is the inability to spot objects that are not on the same level as the mobile robot's lasers. Moreover, the task is complicated when you need to recognize such objects while the robot is moving in real time. The current algorithms and principles of navigation given by previous research and publications are analyzed. As a result of the work, the existing system of recognition and avoidance of obstacles was expanded. Prior to that, the system used only odometry and information obtained from laser scanners, without obtaining data from other sources of environmental information. The idea of development was to use a camera, which was already part of the components of the researched mobile robot. It has become possible to generate a pointcloud relative to the environment, using a depth sensing camera to calculate the distance to objects. Because the density of the received data in the form of a pointcloud is too high for further processing, a downsample VoxelGrid filter was used, which reduces the density of the point cloud. VoxelGrid belongs to the PCL library. Another problem was the removal of information about unnecessary objects in the camera's field of view. These include the floor, ceiling, parts of the robot (such as a manipulator). The PassThrough filter from the PCL library was used to solve this problem. The next step is to process the filtered data using OctoMap. As a result, an octree is generated. A top-down projection is created from the octree generated in the previous step. The resulting projection must be processed and converted into polygonal obstacles. Only then they will be marked by teb_local_planner as obstacles. The developed system was successfully implemented and tested both in the Gazebo simulation and in the researche mobile robot. The path with obstacles will be completed without collisions. The paper presents the obtained test results.

The digital transformation that began several years ago continues to grow and evolve. With new advancements in data analytics and machine-learning algorithms, field developers today see more benefits to upgrading their traditional development work flows to automated artificial-intelligence work flows. The transformation has helped develop more-efficient and truly integrated development approaches. Many development scenarios can be automatically generated, examined, and updated very quickly. These approaches become more valuable when coupled with physics-based integrated asset models that are kept close to actual field performance to reduce uncertainty for reactive decision making. In unconventional basins with enormous completion and production databases, data-driven decisions powered by machine-learning techniques are increasing in popularity to solve field development challenges and optimize cube development. Finding a trend within massive amounts of data requires an augmented artificial intelligence where machine learning and human expertise are coupled. With slowed activity and uncertainty in the oil and gas industry from the COVID-19 pandemic and growing pressure for cleaner energy and environmental regulations, operators had to shift economic modeling for environmental considerations, predicting operational hazards and planning mitigations. This has enlightened the value of field development optimization, shifting from traditional workflow iterations on data assimilation and sequential decision making to deep reinforcement learning algorithms to find the best well placement and well type for the next producer or injector. Operators are trying to adapt with the new environment and enhance their capabilities to efficiently plan, execute, and operate field development plans. Collaboration between different disciplines and integrated analyses are key to the success of optimized development strategies. These selected papers and the suggested additional reading provide a good view of what is evolving with field development work flows using data analytics and machine learning in the era of digital transformation. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. SPE 203073 - Data-Driven and AI Methods To Enhance Collaborative Well Planning and Drilling-Risk Prediction by Richard Mohan, ADNOC, et al. SPE 200895 - Novel Approach To Enhance the Field Development Planning Process and Reservoir Management To Maximize the Recovery Factor of Gas Condensate Reservoirs Through Integrated Asset Modeling by Oswaldo Espinola Gonzalez, Schlumberger, et al. SPE 202373 - Efficient Optimization and Uncertainty Analysis of Field Development Strategies by Incorporating Economic Decisions in Reservoir Simulation Models by James Browning, Texas Tech University, et al.

Purpose This study aims to evaluate corporate sustainability integration by evaluating corporate practices against the sustainability principles of inclusivity, materiality, responsiveness and impact outlined in AccountAbility’s AA1000 Accountability Principles (AA1000AP) standard. Design/methodology/approach Data comprise 12 semi-structured interviews with senior managers of listed New Zealand companies. Findings are evaluated against AccountAbility’s principles of inclusivity, materiality, responsiveness and impact, which are based on a normative view of stakeholder theory. Findings In terms of inclusivity, stakeholder engagement is primarily monologic and is directed more towards traditional stakeholder groups. However, social media, which is gaining popularity, has the potential to facilitate greater dialogic stakeholder engagement. While most companies undertake a materiality assessment (with varying degrees of rigour) to support sustainability reporting, only some use it to drive planning and decision-making. Companies demonstrate responsiveness to stakeholder concerns through corporate governance and sustainability initiatives. Companies are monitoring and measuring their impact on stakeholders using sustainability key performance indicators (KPIs). However, measuring traditional metrics is easier than measuring areas such as the community. In rare instances, the executive’s remuneration is linked to these sustainability KPIs. Practical implications The study findings offer useful examples of the integration of sustainability into corporate processes and systems. Practitioners may find the insights useful in understanding how sustainability is currently being integrated into corporate practices by best practice New Zealand companies. Regulators may consider incorporating AA1000AP into their corporate governance guidelines. Finally, academics may find the study useful for teaching business and accounting courses and to guide the next generation of business managers. Originality/value First, the study brings together four streams of research on how sustainability reports are prepared (inclusivity, materiality, responsiveness and impact) in a single study. Second, the findings offer novel insights by evaluating corporate sustainability against the requirements of a standard that has received little academic attention.

In recent decades, green entrepreneurship has been at the center of attention as an effective strategy to maintain sustainability and create a competitive advantage for organizations in a circular economy. However, the successful implementation of this strategy requires organizations to have internal enablers. This study endeavored to identify and evaluate organizational enablers for green entrepreneurship in manufacturing Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Iran. Identifying organizational enablers can help SMEs in facilitating the conditions for adopting green entrepreneurship. To these ends, organizational enablers were extracted by reviewing the literature and then, using the viewpoints of 17 active experts in different industries in SMEs, they were classified. In the next step, the “Best Worst Method” was employed to prioritize the identified enablers (5 factors) and sub-enablers (20 factors). The contextual hierarchical relationships between these factors were identified through the “Interpretive Structural Modeling” method. Using the Matrix of Cross-Impact Multiplications Applied to Classification (MICMAC) analysis, the driving and dependence powers of organizational enablers were computed and the enablers were clustered. Based on the results, among the five enablers, three including total quality management, circular supply chain management, and corporate social responsibility were the most important from the point of view of the experts. Moreover, among the sub-enablers, strategic planning, green purchasing, and corporate social responsibility motivation were more important than other sub-enablers. The results of ISM analysis provided a seven-level hierarchical model and the relationships between them. The results of the MICMAC analysis led to the clustering of 20 organizational enablers in three main clusters: driving (nine factors), linkage (four factors), and dependent (seven factors). The results of this study provide practical suggestions for active senior managers to implement green entrepreneurship in SMEs.

Fusion, which powers the sun and stars, is potentially an environmentally responsible and intrinsically safe source of essentially limitless energy on earth. The potential of fusion has been recognized for over 65 years, but mastering fusion on earth has proved to be an enormous scientific and technical challenge. It involves heating a large volume of dilute gas, containing equal parts of deuterium and tritium, to over 100M°C (M°C=one million degrees celsius) while preventing it from being cooled by touching the walls, from which it must be isolated using a ‘magnetic bottle’. This has now been done, and the Joint European Torus (JET) – which is the world's leading fusion research facility – has produced 16 MW of fusion power. The next step, which is to build a power station sized device called ITER, will be taken by a global collaboration. ITER will be twice as big as JET in linear dimensions, and will integrate all the technologies needed in a fusion power station. ITER should produce at least 500 MW of fusion power, ten times more than needed to heat the gas, and confirm that it is possible to build a fusion power station. Time is, however, needed to further develop the technology in order to ensure that it would be reliable and economical, and to test in power station conditions the materials that will be used in its construction, which will have to stand up to intense bombardment by the neutrons that carry the energy out of the magnetic bottle. Up to now, fusion has not been developed with any sense of urgency: since devices called tokamaks emerged in 1969 as the best candidates for bottling hot gases, at least 15 years have been lost due to delays in decision making and inadequate funding. In view of the urgent need for new, large-scale, emission-free sources of energy, and given the fact that – assuming it can be made to work reliably – the economics of fusion power look reasonable, the time has come to develop fusion on the so-called Fast Track. This involves: building ITER and the essential International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility in parallel, which will take ten years; using the results to finalize the design of a prototype fusion power station (generally called DEMO for Demonstrator); and then constructing DEMO, which will take another ten years. Assuming adequate funding, and that there are no major surprises, DEMO could be putting electricity into the grid within 30 years.

Since the initiation in 1960 of the era of satellite remote sensing to detect the different characteristics of the earth, a powerful tool was created to aid researchers. Many land-use studies were undertaken using Landsat MSS, Landsat TM and ETM, as well as SPOT satellite data. The application of these data to the mapping of land use and land cover at smaller scales was constrained by the limited spectral and/or spatial resolution of the data provided by these satellite sensors. In view of the relatively high cost of SPOT data, and uncertainty regarding the future continuation of the Landsat series, alternative data sources need to be investigated. In the absence of published previous research on this issue in South Africa, the purpose of this article is to investigate the value of visual interpretation of ASTER satellite images for the identification and mapping of land-use in an area in South Africa. The study area is situated in Mpumalanga, in the area of Witbank, around the Witbank and Doorndraai dams. This area is characterised by a variety of urban, rural and industrial land uses. Digital image processing of one Landsat 5 TM, one Landsat 7 ETM and one ASTER satellite image was undertaken, including atmospheric correction and georeferencing, natural colour composites, photo infrared colour composites (or false colour satellite images), band ratios, Normalised Difference Indices, as well as the Brightness, Greenness and Wetness Indices. The efficacy with which land use could be identified through the visual interpretation of the processed Landsat 5 TM, Landsat 7 TM and ASTER satellite images was compared. The published 1:50 000 topographical maps of the area were used for the purpose of initial verification. Findings of the visual interpretation process were verified by field visits to the study area. The study found that the ASTER satellite data produced clearer results and therefore have a higher mapping ability and capacity than the Landsat satellite data. Hence, it is anticipated that the use of the full range of the spectral resolution of the ASTER satellite data – which were not available for this study – in statistical pattern recognition and classification methods will enhance the value of the process. Statistical methods are often used to produce visual information which could be applied to prepare land-use change inventories. This should be addressed in future research projects. Should the Landsat programme be terminated, ASTER satellite data might provide the best alternative for a variety of research projects, but if the Landsat project is continued, the ASTER satellite data could be used very effectively in conjunction with the Landsat satellite data. Since it is foreseen that the ASTER satellite data will be available for at least the next 12 to 15 years, it will continue to provide exciting possibilities for the development of programmes to monitor land-use and land-use change. This could then be used by all three levels of government to reach their goals in terms of agricultural planning, town and regional planning and environmental management. These requirements are described in the Integrated Development Programmes (IDP) of the different local governments.

The selection of the action to do next is one of the central problems faced by autonomous agents. In AI, three approaches have been used to address this problem: the programming-based approach, where the agent controller is given by the programmer, the learning-based approach, where the controller is induced from experience via a learning algorithm, and the model-based approach, where the controller is derived from a model of the problem. Planning in AI is best conceived as the model-based approach to action selection. The models represent the initial situation, actions, sensors, and goals. The main challenge in planning is computational, as all the models, whether accommodating feedback and uncertainty or not, are intractable in the worst case. In this article, I review some of the models considered in current planning research, the progress achieved in solving these models, and some of the open problems.

ABSTRAK Sandang Terpandang merupakan bentuk usaha fesyen yang berfokus pada pengolahan limbah tekstil berupa kain perca menjadi pakaian hewan yang terletak di Desa Bungurasih, Kabupaten Sidoarjo. Banyak dari masyarakat desa yang belum memiliki pekerjaan tetap, selain itu pengetahuan masyarakat desa terhadap teknologi dan wirausaha sangat minim sehingga kurangnya penerapan bisnis dari sisi teknologi. Dengan kemampuan warga desa dalam menjahit menjadikan landasan bagi wirausaha desa. Sebagai solusinya, masyarakat diajarkan dan dikembangkan sesuai dengan kebutuhan ataupun tren pasar guna menunjang pengembangan keterampilan. Diciptakan Sandang Terpandang menjawab ciri khas desa Bungurasih yang masih belum tergambarkan secara jelas, sehingga punya potensi besar untuk memilih suatu bidang yang akan dispesifikasikan dan dikembangkan sebagai karya unggulan desa kedepannya. Dalam metode bentuk peningkatan kapasitas usaha memberikan pelatihan komunikasi pemasaran dengan skema Observasi dan perencanaan, Pelatihan berlandaskan teori pemasaran langsung (Digital Marketing), Pelatihan berlandaskan teori hubungan masyarakat dan publisitas, Pelatihan Alur produksi dan penjualan. Hasil dari peningkatan kapasitas usaha ini menghasilkan 100 produk baju dan aksesoris hewan, penggunaan aplikasi penjualan online dan penjualan bazaar. Dengan hasil produksi dan penjualan produk melalui brand Bungurasih Handmade, harapannya masyarakat desa mendapatkan penghasilan dan menjadi pekerjaan tetap dengan munculnya kelompok usaha baru. Kata Kunci: Kain perca, Wirausaha, Marketing. ABSTRACT Sandang Terpandang is a form of fashion enterprise that focuses on the processing of textile wastes of perca fabrics into animal clothing located in Bungurasih Village, Sidoarjo district. Many of the people of the village have not had a fixed job, besides the knowledge of the villagers about technology and entrepreneurship is so minimal that the lack of business application from the technology side. With the ability of the villagers in sewing make the groundwork for the village entrepreneurs. As a solution, the society is taught and developed according to the needs or trends of the market to support the development of skills. Created the Sandang of the View responds to the characteristic characteristics of the village of Bungurasih which has not yet been clearly described, so it has great potential to choose a field that will be specified and developed as the best work of the next village. In the method of capacity-enhancing enterprise forms provide marketing communication training with scheme Observation and planning, Training based on the theory of direct marketing (Digital Marketing), Training based the theories of public relations and publicity, Training Production and sales flows. The result of the increased capacity of this enterprise is 100 products of animal clothing and accessories, the use of online sales applications and the sale of bazaars. With the output of production and sale of products through the brand Bungurasih Handmade, the hope of the village people to get income and become a fixed job with the emergence of new enterprise groups. Keywords: Fabrics, Entrepreneurship, Marketing.

The internet is gradually becoming the main channel for the distribution of retail goods. It is also a binding distribution channel for the sale of fashion goods. It allows the retailer to post photos, video, and audio material showcasing their latest collections and sell the goods directly to the consumer through a website. According to data from the Interactive Media Retail Group, for example, the UK’s online retail turnover increased by 42% in September 2020, 35.7% in October, and 39% in November compared to the previous year. eBay also confirms this trend – every 7 seconds a product is sold on their site. The aim of this article is to analyze research about online fashion retailers conducted by US and British researchers and the results of surveys among Indian and Latvian students. Who sells fashion items online? A survey of Indian college students (Shanthi, Kannaiah, 2015) and 126 Latvian university students, as well as different researches, show that retailers offering a narrow range of goods are best represented. On the other hand, companies with recognizable brands do not use the internet. There is a conflicting opinion about the involvement of designers in the implementation of their models thru the internet. The next issue addressed in the research and surveys was what helps to create a good fashion website. Then (1999) considers three important visual aspects of a successful website for clothing buyers: - an online image of the goods that most closely matches the actual product; - demonstration of similar products; - ability to view the product from different angles (preferably in three dimensions). In the survey, Latvian students noted the following aspects: - information (information corresponds to the respective task); - possibility to perform electronic transactions; - response time. How do fashion retailers design websites? Ashwort (2005) has summarized different approaches and offers a five-step method. He believes that the success of retailers is determined by the amount of knowledge they have – moving from one stage to another. There are also differences in business planning and strategy choice, and no single dominant strategy exists. For example, some companies take a detailed, formal, well-thought-out approach to decision-making, but some have spontaneous decision-making. Who buys online? There is an opinion in life and also in literature that shopping through a catalog and mail is financially insecure. However, e-commerce is complicated further by the seemingly higher risks of securing on the internet. Respondents of foreign researchers note the possibility of buying goods without leaving home as the main positive reason. For Latvian students, the reasons are much lower prices than in local stores and more original goods unavailable in the local market. Key findings: Competition between websites is based on the way information is presented and what information is provided by website retailers. Information relevant to the task, opportunity to make a purchase, response time, price, and incentive programs are important factors in predicting customer satisfaction. There is no difference in consumer behavior between fashion innovators and ordinary buyers of fashion goods.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to delve into an extensive analysis of different food crops, ranging from bananas, beans, brinjals, cabbages, chillies, creepers, groundnuts, mixed vegetables, pineapples and tomatoes, over three decades. To maintain an ever-increasing population level, much stress is exerted on the production of food crops. However, till date, very little is known about how climate change is influencing the production of food crops in Mauritius, an upper-income developing country found in the Indian Ocean and highly vulnerable to climate risks. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the interactions between production of crops, harvest area for crops and weather metrics, a vector autoregressive model (VAR) system is applied comprising production of each crop with their respective harvest area. Weather metrics are then entered into as exogeneous components of the model. The underlying rationale is that weather metrics are not caused by production or harvest area and should thereby be exogeneously treated. Should there be cointegration between the endogenous components, the vector error correction model (VECM) will be used. Diagnostic tests will also be entertained in terms of ensuring the endogeneity states of the presumed variables under investigation. The impact of harvest area on product is plain, as higher the harvest area, the higher is the production. However, a bi-directional causality can also manifest in the case that higher production leads towards lower harvest area in the next period as land is being made to rest to restore its nutrients to enable stable land productivity over time. Other dynamics could also be present. In case cointegration prevails, VECM will be used as the econometric model. The VAR/VECM approach is applied by virtue of the fact that traditional ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation approach will be biased and susceptible to trigger off unreliable results. Recourse is made towards the Johansen and Juselius (1990) technique. The Johansen and Juselius approach is based on the following VAR specification-bivariate VAR methodology. X1,t = A0 + A1,1X1,t – 1 + A1,2X1,t – 2+ […] .+ A1,p X1,t – p + A2,1X2,t – 1 + A2,2X2,t – 2+ […] .+ A2,pX2,t – p + ßjW + e1,t […] […]..(1) X2,t = B0 + B2,1X2,t – 1 + B2,2X2,t – 2+ […] .+ B2,p X2,t – p + B1,1X1,t – 1 + B1,2X2,t – 2+ […] .+ B1,pX2,t – p + ajW + e2,t […] […] […](2) X1,t is defined as the food crops production, while X2,t pertains to harvest area under cultivation for a given crop under consideration, both constituting the endogeneous components of the VAR. The exogeneous component is captured by W which consists of the nine aforementioned weather metrics, including the cyclone dummy. The subscript j under equation (1) and (2) captures these nine distinct weather metrics. In essence, the aim of this paper is to develop an econometric-based approach to sieve out the impacts of climate metrics on food crops production in Mauritius over three decades. Findings – Results show weather metrics do influence the production of crops in Mauritius, with cyclone being particularly harmful for tomatoes, chillies and creepers. Temperature is found to trail behind bearish impacts on tomatoes and cabbages production, but positive impacts in case of bananas, brinjals and pineapples productions, whereas humidity enhances production of beans, creepers and groundnuts. Evidence is found in favour of production being mainly governed by harvest area. Overall, the study points out the need of weather derivatives in view of hedging against crop damages, let alone initiation of adaptation strategies to undermine the adverse effects of climate change. Originality/value – To the best of the author’s knowledge, no study has been undertaken in Mauritius, let alone developing of an econometric model that properly integrates production, harvest area and weather metrics. Results show weather metrics do influence the production of crops in Mauritius, with cyclone being particularly harmful for tomatoes, chillies and creepers. Temperature is found to trail behind bearish impacts on tomatoes and cabbages production, but positive impacts in case of bananas, brinjals and pineapples productions, whereas humidity enhances production of beans, creepers and groundnuts. Evidence is found in favour of production being mainly governed by harvest area. Overall, the study points out the need of weather derivatives in view of hedging against crop damages, let alone initiation of adaptation strategies to undermine the adverse effects of climate change.

Last year (2020), the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia published a monograph by Brigadier General Branimir Furlan, Ph.D., titled Nacionalna (varnostna) strategija (National (security) strategy). It was published in the period following the adoption of the Resolution on the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Slovenia (ReSNV-2) in 2019, and at the time when the process of military strategic consideration and the drafting of a Military Strategy proposal in the Slovenian Armed Forces began. The authors of the latter used the monograph as help and support. The monograph will certainly also be a useful tool for the drafters of the next Defence Strategy and strategic planning documents. For those who use and study the ReSNV-2, this monograph serves as a scientifically based tool facilitating the understanding of the processes behind the drafting and the contents of the resolution as well as its positioning in theory and practice. In addition to the book Marsova dediščina (Mars’s Heritage) by Anton Žabkar, PhD, this monograph is the second Slovene work related to national security strategy, which can help us study the strategic environment, improve strategic thought and theory, and design and implement strategies. Brigadier General Furlan begins by presenting the development and roles of strategies in general, and then focuses on the field of national security. This is also important from the point of view of the contemporary application of strategies, when they are, at least in a popular sense, not applied only to large domains and systems, but also at the "individual" level. In the military and defence domains, this is also essential due to the level of military operation. Consequently, Brigadier General Furlan describes the relations between the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of operation. He guides us through the development of these relations, explaining the current situation where different levels are more interconnected and interinfluencing. This is especially important for countries of the size of Slovenia, where most strategic solutions are implemented at a lower tactical level. Additionally, Brigadier General Furlan explains the difference between operational art and operation(s), and provides Slovene equivalents of English terms. As a result, in addition to the substantive gaps, the monograph also fills the terminological gaps. Throughout the monograph, the author devotes effort to using Slovene terminology and substantiates the important concepts and terminology for the development of the scientific field of strategy theory. By doing this, he encourages the use of Slovene strategy-related terminology in practice both in the military and throughout the national security system. The central part of the monograph presents and explains the elements for the formulation of a national strategy, and describes various strategies and strategic methods, the ways to operate and achieve goals. In the case of the latter, deterrence is particularly important and emphasized. Moreover, it has not been sufficiently emphasized in Slovenian theory and practice, despite the fact that any deterrence is better than war. Escalation and nuclear strategy are also discussed in detail. Both are interesting for Slovenia from the point of view of its EU and NATO memberships and from the point of view of its use of non-owned mechanisms. The monograph also presents some specific but essential strategic factors, technology, geopolitics as well as the international order and transnational strategies that should be taken into account when devising a national security strategy. Special emphasis is placed on strategic communications, which is a concept under development, but will certainly become very important in the future. Brigadier General Furlan successfully connects theory, practice and Slovenian reality. By doing so, he indicates the possibilities of putting the strategy into practice, thus facilitating research of foreign works for attentive researchers and users of the monograph. By comparing foreign systems and analysing different authors, he provides many examples and arguments for the necessary professional and critical strategic thinking, and proves (what he has written in the closing) that the strategic process is about "finding the best approximation of the strategy that will most successfully enable us to achieve the desired end state with the available resources ”. The monograph explains the operational strategy and the development strategy. Both elements make up a comprehensive strategy. The national strategy is always a compromise between several factors, therefore the conclusion of the Brigadier General Furlan, stated in the closing, is very important: "It is essential (according to Betts) that compromises are not made regarding the resources necessary to achieve goals, but regarding the goals." By providing scientific substantiation, examples, and the connection between theory and reality, Brigadier General Furlan showed a direction, also to military officers, towards strengthening the strategic thought, work at the strategic level, as well as towards the devising and implementation of strategies. Strategy is generally a way of creating, and for small countries or armies, finding a favourable strategic situation. This search is one of the basic missions of high-ranking officers and generals at the strategic level, and this monograph can be of great help in this respect. Now retired Brigadier General of the Slovenian Armed Forces Branimir Furlan was one of the most prolific writers in the military. Among other things, he was the key author of the Military Doctrine adopted by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia in 2006. We thus very much look forward to his next book, which will focus on military strategy.

Research background. Modern trends in world politics and international relations dictate new schemes for establishing links between regions and encourage states to constantly improve them. One such form is economic cooperation between regions, whose development strategies are gradually being introduced in countries around the world. Since Ukraine signed an association agreement with the European Union, in most economic and legal issues it relies on the experience of the European countries. In addition, worthy of attention is the analysis of the current state of the regional development in Ukraine and on its basis the formation of the basic principles for interregional cooperation. Such experience and identifying main economic trends in the formation of economic cooperation between different regions can help Ukraine to introduce this process in practical terms and possibly avoid the most popular problems in this area. Purpose of the article. The provisions of the article provide a systematic estimation of the regional development of Ukraine based on the calculation of the Spearman coefficient from 2006 to 2016. On the basis of these calculations, the main preconditions for the economic development of interregional cooperation are analysed and the basic principles of such cooperation for the regions of Ukraine are formed. Methodology/methods. This work is based on the generalization of the official methodological information of the following Ukrainian regions that are the most interested for the economic foundations of the interregional development. Ukraine has a new decentralization reform for the regions, which will be able to give impetus to the economic development and increase the effectiveness of the interregional ties. Nevertheless, since this process is quite new for our country, it is critically important to study foreign experience in this field. In the future, as a result of such studies, it would be possible to develop economic and legal mechanisms for introducing the best world practices in the Ukrainian legal field. Value/originality. The provisions of the article solve an important theoretical and practical task – firstly for Ukraine – contribute to the formation of the interregional cooperation institution since by this time there is no unanimous opinion on the legislative level or on the scientific one. It seems possible, through such studies, to create the real mechanisms for the regional development in Ukraine and their cooperation with each other. Most Ukrainian and world economists view the development of the regions as such in themselves, no one examines it through the prism of economic development of interregional cooperation. We support and use this approach, because it is very important, as it provides an opportunity to comprehensively analyse the current state of the meso-level in Ukraine. For the first time in Ukraine, the results of the formation development at the regional level in the context of interregional cooperation are presented in the detailed description that could give the opportunity to Ukrainian economists for the next step in this scientific field. Practical implications. The results of this article will form the basis for the assistance to various regions in Ukraine in the matter of strategic planning and their cooperation since no clear and detailed actions for them have yet been recorded. In addition, this work is relevant for representatives of state authorities and scientists who deal with issues of the regional economy because no one in Ukraine has ever considered these issues in the context of interregional cooperation.

Robert Ousterhout, the author of a magnificent book “Eastern Medieval Architecture. The Building Traditions of Bizantium and Neighboring Lands”, published by Oxford University Press in 2019, the remarkable scholar and generous friend, was so kind to mention in his C. V. on the sight of Penn University (Philadelphia, USA) that he had been the Visiting professor of the Moscow architectural Institute (State Academy), as well as simulteniously of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, but he did not say that he had been awarded the degree of professor honoris causa by the academic council of MARHI. Unfortunately, his life in muscovite hostel, nevertheless we tried to do our best to provide the best possible accommodation in a “suit” with two rooms with a bathroom, had been radically different from the wonderful dwelling chosen for the visiting teaching stuff from MARHI in the University of Illinois. And Robert called our hostel “Gulag”. He had been joking probably. It is impossible to overestimate the role of professor Robert Ousterhaut in the studies of the history of Byzantine art. At the present day he is the leader in the world studies of the architecture of Byzantium, the real heir of the great Rihard Krauthaimer and Slobodan Curcic, whom he had left behind in his works. His books are known very well in Russia. R. Ousterhaut graduated in the history of art and architecture at the University of Oregon, the Institute of European Studies in Vienna, Universities of Cincinati and Illinois. Не worked at the department of history of art at the University of Oregon, department of history of architecture at the University of Illinois, had the chair of the history of architecture and preservation at the University of Illinois, which is considered, as we know, one of the twenty best American universities. He always worked hard and with success. When I had finished reading my course of the history of Russian architecture at Illinois, he said: “Yes, next term the students are to be treated well…” Now he is professor emeritus of the history of art in the famous Penn University. He taught the courses of the “History of architecture from Prehistory to 1400” and “Eastern medieval architecture” as well as led remarkable seminars devoted to the different problem of the history of architecture of the Eastern Meditarenian, including the art of Constantinopole, Cappadoce, meaning and identity in medieval art. His remarkable 4-years field work at Cappadoce, which he described in several books, and his efforts of the preservation of the architectural monuments of Constantinopole are very valuable, Among his books one certainly must cite Holy Apostels: Lost Monument and Forgotten Project, (Washingtone, D. C., 2020); Visualizing Community: Art Material Culture, and Settlement in Byzantine Cappadocia, Dumbarton Oaks Studies 46 (Washington, D. C., 2017); Carie Camii (Istambul, 2011); Architecture of the Sacred: Space, Ritual, and Experience from Classical Greece to Byzantium (Cambridge University Press, 2012), ed. with Bonna D. Wescoat; Palmyra 1885: The Wolfe Expedition and the Photographs of John Henry Haynes, with B. Anderson (Istanbul: Cornucopia, 2016) John Henry Haynes: Archaeologist and Photographer in the Ottoman Empire 1881–1900 (2nd revised edition, Istanbul: Cornucopia, 2016). Several of his books were reprinted. He edited Approaches to Architecture and Its Decoration: Festschrift for Slobodan Ćurčić (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2012), with M. Johnson and A. Papalexandrou. His outstanding book Мaster Builders of Byzantium (2nd paperback edition, University of Pennsylvania Museum Publications, 2008) was translated into Russian and Turkish. In this work Robert Ousterhaut for the first time in English speaking tradition is regarding the architecture of Bazantium from the point of view of building art and technology. On the base of the analysis of primary written sources, contemporary archeology data, and careful study of existing monuments the author concludes that the Byzantine architecture was not only exploiting the traditions, but was trying to find new ways of the development of typology and construction techniques, which led to transformation of artistique features. Professor R. Ousterhaut discusses the choice of building materials, structure from foundations to vaults, theoretical problems which solved the master masons of Byzantium. In his recent book Eastern Medieval Architecture: The Building Traditions of Byzantium and Neighboring Lands, (Oxford University Press, 2019) Robert Ousterhaut is going further. He writes in the introduction: “I succeded my mentor at the University of Illinois… I had the privilege and challenge of teaching “Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture” to generations of the architecture students inspired my 1999 book, Master Builders of Byzantium. The work of Robert Ousterhaut, published 2019, is the new and full interpretation of the architectural heritage of Byzantine Commonwealth. The author devoted the first part of his book to Late Antiquity (3–7 centuries), beginning with the relations of Domus Ecclesiastae and Church Basilica, then speaking of Konstantinopole and Jerusalem of the times of St. Constantine the Great, liturgy, inspiration, commemoration and pilgrimage, adoration of relics as ritual factors which influenced the formation of sacred space, methods and materials, chosen by the Bizantine builders with their interaction of the mentality of the East and West. Special attention is given to dwelling, urban planning and fortification Naturally a chapter is devoted to Hagia Sophia and the building programs of Emperor Justinian. The second part speaks of the transition to what is called Middle Byzantine architecture both in the capital and at the edges of the Empire. The third part tells the story of the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries and includes the rise of the monasteries, once more secular and urban architecture, the craft of church builders. Churches of Greece and Macedonia, Anatolia, Armenia and Georgia, as well as of the West of Byzantium – Venice, Southern Italy and Sicily. The chapter is devoted to Slavonic Balkans – Bulgaria and Serbia and Kievan Rus. The last fourth part of the book describes the times of the Latin Empire, difficult for Byzantium, to the novelty of the architecture of Palewologos and the development of Byzantine ideas in the Balkans and especially in the building programs of the great powers of the epoch Ottoman Empire and Russia. There is a lot more to say about the book of professor Robert Ousterhaut, but we have to leave this to the next issue of this magazine, and better give the space to the words of the author – his text on the architecture of Kievan Rus.

Land use/Land cover (LULC) changes as a result of policy planning influence ecosystem structures, processes, and functions, which are the basis for providing a wide range of ecosystem services (ES). There is an increasing consensus about the importance of integrating ES into ecological policy but quantifying the potential impacts of different policy on ES has proven difficult. We designed a remote sensing, geographic information system and scenario analysis-based approach to estimate and analyze the relationship between ES (soil conservation and carbon sequestration) and ecological policy designed to improve human welfare in the Chongqing municipality in the upper reaches of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China; a densely populated, highly modified watershed with serious soil erosion and flood hazard. Three alternative scenarios in 2050 were modeled for the Three Gorges Reservoir Area watershed. The model GEOMOD was used to predict future LULC changes due to policy planning. The ES models (Universal Soil Loss Equation model and Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach model) were designed to inform decisions, with an aim to align economic forces with conservation. We examine policy effectiveness by comparing scenarios for 2050 (Scenario1: Maintain current policy with no considerations of ES; Scenario2: Integrate ES into policy planning; Scenario3: Integrate ES into policy planning in view of the need of local people). Scenario-based LULC change analysis revealed that if the current afforestation policy continues (scenario 1), total ES would be further increased in 2050 due to expansion of forest cover. However, by targeting policy to improve ES provision (scenarios 2 and 3), ecological risks of soil loss can be significantly reduced and carbon sequestration enhanced. Scenario 3, thus, provided the best future environmental development scenario considering the need of local people in each region for ES. This scenario will theoretically help the Three Gorges Dam to harvest more ecological benefits through improvements in soil conservation and carbon sequestration. This study highlights the observation that including ES in policy planning and has a great potential to generate opportunities to maximize ES. This study highlights that including ES in policy planning has a great potential to generate opportunities to maximize ES. Hence, there is a need to encourage proper implementation of ecological policy to maintain and improve ES.

This volume of Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad offers a wide variety of approaches and topics in international education research. First, readers will note the geographic diversity that the articles represent; they examine study abroad topics in Africa, Argentina, Costa Rica, France, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Second, the articles cover a wide-range of issues, including language acquisition, risk management, recruitment of minority students for study abroad, evaluation of cultural integration, and financial inequities in study abroad. Third, this volume contains articles by a variety of authors, including U.S.-based study abroad administrators, faculty members, and on-site resident directors. Finally, the modes of inquiry are as varied as the topics and authors. Research approaches in this volume include survey instruments, interviews, participant observation, case studies, literature review, as well as analytical essays. This diversity of geography, issues, authors, and modes of inquiry has from the beginning characterized the content of Frontiers and been one of its chief strengths. When the first volume of Frontiers appeared in 1995, one was hard pressed to find many research-based and analytical studies in the field, let alone the diversity of such work that this volume represents. In this regard, Frontiers has matured along with the field of international education, and today, almost ten years later, this volume reflects the growing importance being placed on research on the critical aspects of our work. The opening article by Lilli Engle and John Engle, “Study Abroad Levels: Toward a Classification of Program Types,” offers a revolutionary perspective by which international educators may categorize and judge study abroad programs. Their proposed typology makes qualitative distinctions between study abroad program models based on their view of a spectrum of cultural immersion. Frontiers readers will find their analysis provocative, stimulating study abroad professionals to examine programming in useful ways. In “Women and Cultural Learning in Costa Rica: Reading the Contexts,” Adele Anderson reviews research on Costa Rica’s cultural context, student adjustment and tourism theory, relating them to American student experiences, and she includes data from ethnographic observations and interviews collected during three years as a resident director of short-term programs. Anderson introduces a tool that may be used by resident directors to guide student cultural adjustment more systematically. Mark Ritchie, an on-site resident director in Thailand, provides a very useful analysis of study abroad risk management in his article, “Risk Management in Study Abroad: Lessons from the Wilderness.” Ritchie draws upon the principles of wilderness education, especially as it is conducted in developing countries, in offering recommendations for study abroad risk management. Readers will appreciate his suggestions for reducing risk by applying the experiential techniques of wilderness education. J. Scott Van Der Meid’s study, “Asian Americans: Factors Influencing the Decision to Study Abroad,” examines the factors that influence Asian American students’ decision to study abroad, and provides useful suggestions for considering ways to increase study abroad participation among this population. As the field of study abroad continues to seek ways to increase minority participation in study abroad, Van Der Meid’s study offers a model for examining this question among all ethnic groups. In their analysis of an innovative Vietnam study abroad program, “History Lived and Learned: Students and Vietnam Veterans in an Integrative Study Abroad Course,” Raymond Scurfield, Leslie Root, and Andrew Wiest et al, analyze the collaborative learning experience of students and Vietnam veterans in a program that combined the teaching of Vietnam culture and military history with an exploration of the mental health aspects of combat and post-war recovery of the veterans. This article discusses the lessons learned from the experience of designing and implementing a study abroad program that integrates history education with therapeutic objectives. Jennifer Coffman and Kevin Brennan analyze the economic imbalance of African educational exchange with the United States in their article, “African Studies Abroad: Meaning and Impact of America’s Burgeoning Export Industry.” Coffman and Brennan recommend developing more equitable models of reciprocity by examining the economics of U.S. – African exchanges, and by reconsidering the ways in which African study abroad programs are conceived and implemented in light of their social and intellectual impact. “Development of Oral Communication Skills Abroad” by Christina Isabelli-Garcia examines the impact of a semester study abroad program in Argentina on the second language acquisition of three American university Spanish learners. Isabelli-Garcia’s study measures the development of two aspects of communications skills: first, fluency and performance in the oral functions of narration, and, second, description and supporting an opinion. Her study provides insight into the conditions of a study abroad program that best promote the acquisition of improved oral communication skills in a target language. In “Studying Abroad in Nepal: Assessing Impact,” Patricia Farrell and Murari Suvedi present the perceived impact of studying in Nepal on students’ academic program, personal development, and intellectual development. Using a survey instrument as well as interviews and case studies, the authors link the reported outcomes to the objectives of the study abroad program. We are pleased to include in this volume of Frontiers an essay by Patti McGill Peterson, “New Directions for the Global Century.” McGill Peterson’s analysis of the changing and challenging context for global education inspires us to meet the demands of the 21st century with determination, creativity, and enhanced global collaboration. This volume of Frontiers concludes with reviews of books of interest to international educators, each relating to diverse intellectual foundations of the field: Jean-Philippe Mathy’s Extrême-Occident: French Intellectuals and America, Louis Menand’s The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America, and First Great Triumph: How Five Americans Made Their Country a World Power by Warren Zimmermann. We encourage our readers to continue to suggest books of interest, and to submit reviews for consideration. The update on the Forum on Education Abroad that appears at the back of this volume reflects the continuing fruitful collaboration between Frontiers and the Forum. Together with the Forum, Frontiers will continue to encourage and support research studies on study abroad topics, and to disseminate this research as widely as possible. The next volume of Frontiers, due to be published in November, 2004, will be our tenth anniversary volume. It is appropriate that this anniversary volume will be a Special Issue that focuses on the assessment of the learning outcomes of study abroad, a topic that reflects the maturation of a field that is now beginning to document the results of its activity. Other Special Issues that are in the planning stages include: curriculum integration and study abroad, the arts and study abroad, and student development and study abroad. Finally, I want to thank the new sponsors of Frontiers who, together with our existing sponsors, make the publication of this journal possible. The sponsors of Frontiers are institutions with a strong commitment to international education, and we are proud to be supported by them. The editorial board takes seriously its responsibility to provide the very best writing about and research on study abroad to our readers, and the support of our sponsors makes this mission possible. Brian J. Whalen Editor

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report the training of college librarians, academic and management staff, IT managers and students on how to organise, manage and use a user-friendly library. In Uganda, as in many countries, the problem is that school and/or college libraries are managed by librarians who may have good cataloguing and management skills, but who do not have the pedagogic skills and knowledge of the school curricula that are necessary for librarians to be able to guide and mentor both teachers and students or organise curriculum-related activities or facilitate research. The development of user-friendly libraries contributes in improving education quality through nurturing the interest of students and teachers in literacy activities and active search for knowledge. Under the stewardship of the Belgium Technical Cooperation and the Ministry of Education in Uganda, library stakeholders were trained on how to put users – rather than themselves – in the centre of the library’s operations and introduced to active teaching and learning methodologies and activities with emphasis on getting engaged in transforming spaces, services, outreach to users and collections. Several measures, short and long term were taken to address the gaps limiting the performance of the librarians. Given the disparities in the trainees’ education level and work experience, the training was delivered in seven modules divided into three units for over eight months in 2015. By the end of the training, trainees developed unique library strategic plan, library policies and procedures, capacity to use library systems, physical design and maintenance systems, partnerships, library structure and staff job descriptions. Design/methodology/approach To effectively engage the participants each topic was conducted using active teaching and learning (ATL) methodologies, including: lecture with slides and hands-on practice – each topic was introduced in a lecture form with slides and hands-on exercises. The main goal was to introduce the participants to the concepts discussed, offer opportunities to explore alternative approaches, as well define boundaries for discussion through brainstorming. The question-answer approach kept the participants alert and to start thinking critically on the topic discussed – brainstorming sessions allowed thinking beyond the presentation room, drawing from personal experiences to provide alternatives to anticipated challenges. The goal here was for the participants to provide individual choices and approaches for real life problems; group discussions: case study/ scenario and participant presentations – participants were provided with a scenario and asked to provide alternative approaches that could solve the problem based on their personal experience at their colleges. By the end of the group discussion, participants presented a draft of the deliverable as per the topic under discussion. More so, group discussions were an excellent approach to test participant’s teamwork skills and ability to compromise, as well as respecting team decisions. It was an opportunity to see how librarians will work with the library committees. Group discussions further initiated and cemented the much-needed librarian–academic staff – college management relationship. During the group discussion, librarians, teaching staff, ICT staff and college management staff, specifically the Principals and Deputy Principals interacted freely thus starting and cultivating a new era of work relationship between them. Individual presentation: prior to the workshop, participants were sent instructions to prepare a presentation on a topic. For example, participants were asked to provide their views of what a “user-friendly library” would look like or what would constitute a “user-friendly library”; the college library of HTC-Mulago was asked to talk about their experience working with book reserves, challenges faced and plans they have to address the challenges, while the college librarian from NTC-Kaliro was asked to describe a situation where they were able to assist a patron, the limitations they faced and how they addressed them. Doing so did not only assist to emotionally prepare the participants for the training but also helped to make them start thinking about the training in relation to their libraries and work. Take-home assignment: at the end of each session, participants were given home assignments to not only revise the training material but also prepare for the next day training. Further the take-home assignments provided time for the participants to discuss with their colleagues outside of the training room so as to have a common ground/ understanding on some of the very sensitive issues. Most interesting assignment was when participants were asked to review an article and to make a presentation in relation to their library experiences. Participant reports: participant reports resulted from the take-home assignments and participants were asked to make submission on a given topic. For example, participants were asked to review IFLA section on library management and write a two-page report on how such information provided supported their own work, as well as a participant report came from their own observation after a library visit. Invited talks with library expert: two invited talks by library experts from Consortium of Uganda University Libraries and Uganda Library and Information Science Association with the goal to share their experience, motivate the participants to strive higher and achieve great things for their libraries. Library visitation: there were two library visits conducted on three separate days – International Hospital Kampala (IHK) Library, Makerere University Library and Aga Khan University Hospital Library. Each of these library visits provided unique opportunities for the participants to explore best practices and implement similar practices in their libraries. Visual aids – videos, building plans and still photos: these were visual learning aids to supplement text during the lectures because they carried lot of information while initiating different thoughts best on the participants’ past experience and expertise. The training advocated for the use of ATL methodologies and likewise similar methodologies were used to encourage participants do so in their classrooms. Findings Addressing Key Concerns: Several measures, both long and short term, were taken to address the gaps limiting the performance of the librarians. The measures taken included: selected representative sample of participants including all college stakeholders as discussed above; active teaching and learning methodologies applied in the training and blended in the content of the training materials; initiated and formulated approaches to collaborations, networks and partnerships; visited different libraries to benchmark library practices and encourage future job shadowing opportunities; and encouraged participants to relate freely, understand and value each other’s work to change their mindsets. College librarians were encouraged to ensure library priorities remain on the agenda through advocacy campaigns. Short-term measures: The UFL training was designed as a practical and hands-on training blended with individual and group tasks, discussions, take-home assignments and presentations by participants. This allowed participates to engage with the material and take responsibility for their own work. Further, the training material was prepared with a view that librarians support the academic life of teaching staff and students. Participants were tasked to develop and later fine-tune materials designed to support their work. For example, developing a subject bibliography and posting it on the library website designed using open source tools such as Google website, Wikis, blogs. The developed library manual includes user-friendly policies and procedures referred to as “dos and don’ts in the library” that promote equitable open access to information; drafting book selection memos; new book arrivals lists; subscribing to open access journals; current awareness services and selective dissemination of information service displays and electronic bulletins. Based on their library needs and semester calendar, participants developed action points and timelines to implement tasks in their libraries at the end of each unit training. Librarians were encouraged to share their experiences through library websites, Facebook page, group e-mail/listserv and Instagram; however, they were challenged with intimate internet access. College libraries were rewarded for their extraordinary job. Given their pivotal role in the management and administration of financial and material resources, on top of librarians, the participants in this training were college administrators/ management, teaching and ICT staff, researchers and student leadership. Participants were selected to address the current and future needs of the college library. These are individuals that are perceived to have a great impact towards furthering the college library agenda. The practical nature of this training warranted conducting the workshops from developed but similar library spaces, for example, Aga Khan University Library and Kampala Capital City, Makerere University Library, International Hospital Kampala Library and Uganda Christian University Library. Participants observed orientation sessions, reference desk management and interviews, collection management practices, preservation and conservation, secretarial bureau management, etc. Long-term measures: Changing the mindset of librarians, college administrators and teaching staff is a long-term commitment which continues to demand for innovative interventions. For example: job shadowing allowed college librarian short-term attachments to Makerere University Library, Uganda Christian University Library, Aga Khan Hospital University Library and International Hospital Kampala Library – these libraries were selected because of their comparable practices and size. The mentorship programme lasted between two-three weeks; on-spot supervision and follow-up visits to assess progress with the action plan by the librarians and college administration and college library committee; ensuring that all library documents – library strategic plan, library manual, library organogram, etc are approved by the College Governing Council and are part of the college wide governing documents; and establishing the library committee with a job description for each member – this has strengthened the library most especially as an advocacy tool, planning and budgeting mechanism, awareness channel for library practices, while bringing the library to the agenda – reemphasizing the library’s agenda. To bridge the widened gap between librarians and the rest of the stakeholders, i.e. teaching staff, ICT staff, college administration and students, a college library committee structure and its mandate were established comprising: Library Committee Chairperson – member of the teaching staff; Library Committee Secretary – College Librarian; Student Representative – must be a member of the student Guild with library work experience; and Representative from each college academic department. A library consortium was formed involving all the four project supported colleges to participate in resource sharing practices, shared work practices like shared cataloguing, information literacy training, reference interview and referral services as well a platform for sharing experiences. A library consortium further demanded for automating library functions to facilitate collaboration and shared work. Plans are in place to install Koha integrated library system that will cultivate a strong working relationship between librarians and students, academic staff, college administration and IT managers. This was achieved by ensuring that librarians innovatively implement library practices and skills acquired from the workshop as well as show their relevance to the academic life of the academic staff. Cultivating relationships takes a great deal of time, thus college librarians were coached on: creating inclusive library committees, timely response to user needs, design library programmes that address user needs, keeping with changing technology to suite changing user needs, seeking customer feedback and collecting user statistics to support their requests, strengthening the library’s financial based by starting a secretarial bureau and conducting user surveys to understand users’ information-seeking behaviour. To improve the awareness of new developments in the library world, college librarians were introduced to library networks at national, regional and international levels, as a result they participated in conferences, workshops, seminars at local, regional and international level. For example, for the first time and with funding from Belgium Technical Cooperation, college librarians attended 81st IFLA World Library and Information Congress in South African in 2015. College libraries are now members of the Consortium of Uganda University Libraries and Uganda Library and Information Science Association and have attended meetings of these two very important library organisations in Uganda’s LIS profession. The college librarians have attended meetings and workshops organized by these two organisations. Originality/value At the end of the three units training, participants were able to develop: a strategic plan for their libraries; an organogram with staffing needs and job description matching staff functions; a Library Committee for each library and with a structure unifying all the four project-support Colleges; a library action plan with due dates including deliverables and responsibilities for implementation; workflow plan and organisation of key sections of the library such as reserved and public spaces; furniture and equipment inventory (assets); a library manual and collection development policy; partnerships with KCCA Library and Consortium of Uganda University Libraries; skills to use Koha ILMS for performing library functions including: cataloguing, circulation, acquisitions, serials management, reporting and statistics; skills in searching library databases and information literacy skills; skills in designing simple and intuitive websites using Google Sites tools; and improved working relationship between the stakeholders was visible. To further the user-friendly libraries principle of putting users in the centre of the library’s operations, support ATL methodologies and activities with emphasis on getting engaged in transforming spaces, services, outreach to users and collections the following initiatives are currently implemented in the colleges: getting approval of all library policy documents by College Governing Council, initiating job shadowing opportunities, conducting on-spot supervision, guide libraries to set up college library committees and their job description, design library websites, develop dissemination sessions for all library policies, incorporate user-friendly language in all library documents, initiate income generation activities for libraries, set terms of reference for library staff and staffing as per college organogram, procurement of library tools like DDC and library of congress subject headings (LCSH), encourage attendance to webinars and space planning for the new libraries.

Many large raptor species are currently rare and most of them are endangered, and thus details of their distribution, abundance, and survival are the most important indicators for planning conservation and restoration measures and assessing the impacts of anthropogenic transformation of the environment and/or climate change on the populations of these species. Abundance and spatial distribution of the birds under study are determined during field surveys. At the result, we obtain the distribution density in individuals, pairs, nests per unit area (for example, pairs/100 km2), or the distance between nearest or all neighbors (represented as mathematical values (1–5, on average 3.5±1.1 km) and/ or in graphical form (ranging from simple lines connecting observation points to Delaunay triangulation and a network of polygons built from observation points). Further, to generate an estimate of abundance, one must understand the area over which these data can be extrapolated. This is often challenging for many researchers – incorrect assessment of the area of the species’ habitat distorts estimated abundance and neutralizes censusing efforts. How can one correctly determine the area, over which it is possible to extrapolate censusing data? The answer to this question can be found by modeling in a GIS environment using geographic layers of environmental and spatial information, or, in current terminology, species distribution modeling (SDM). When using SDM (also known as habitat or species range modeling), environmental data (climatic and spatial variables such as temperature, humidity, wind load, topography, land cover, soils, etc. – predictor or independent variables) are calculated for geographically referenced points of a species’ presence (dependent variable) and species distribution is predicted using computer algorithms and mathematical methods. SDM is carried out in six stages: (1) idea conceptualization, (2) data preparation (presence and absence points or background points), (3) method selection (4) model fitting, (5) model evaluation and (6) habitat or area map construction. 1. Conceptualization. At this stage, we formulate the main goal of the study and decide on the modeling process design based on our knowledge of the species and the study. Data selection about the species and the environment is an important point at the initial stage. We decide whether to use only our data, or use other available data. Doing so will require some adjustments to the sample design. Next, we need to test the basic assumptions underlying the SDM, such as whether the species is in equilibrium with available environmental variables, whether the data is biased in any way (sampling bias, spatial autocorrelation, etc.), whether there are any environmental changes relative to the time of data collection, etc. Selection of adequate environmental and spatial variables, modeling algorithm, and model complexity should be based on study goals and the hypothesis regarding the relationship between the species under study and the environment in the area selected for study. 2. Data preparation. At this stage, we collect and process factual data about the species (both points of presence and points of absence) and the environment. When preparing data, particular attention should be paid to any inconsistencies in spatial and temporal scaling of dependent and independent variables, i.e. cases where there is a large spatial or temporal difference between species and environmental data, or between environmental data (spatial and climate variables). Also, special attention should be paid to the quality of georeferencing of points of presence and the quality of species identification, which, as a rule, suffers greatly if data is collected by amateurs. In these cases, we need to make decisions about adjusting the data or discarding it. All SDM algorithms require species absence information. If such information is not available, it is replaced by background points or “pseudo-absence” data, which naturally has a negative impact on the quality of the simulation, especially on a large scale. Consideration should be given in advance to how species data will be separated for model training and model testing if the simulation uses all data collected and there are no plans for further testing of the model in the field. 3. Method selection. At this stage, we select one or several modeling methods to combine into ensemble models. While simple factor or cluster analyses integrated into desktop GIS were used in early stages of modeling, today the selection of algorithms has expanded significantly: Linear regression methods: – Generalized linear model (GLM) (Nelder, Wedderburn, 1972), – Generalized additive model (GAM) (Hastie, Tibshirani, 1990); Machine learning methods: – Maximum entropy method implemented in the MaxEnt program (Soberson, Peterson, 2005; Phillips et al., 2006; Phillips, Dudik, 2008), – Random Forest (RF) is an ensemble learning method for classification and regression that works by constructing multiple decision trees during training (Breiman, 2001), – Boosted Regression Trees (BRT), – Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) (LeCun et al., 1989), – Genetic algorithm for Rule Set Production (GARP) (Stockwell, 1999; Stockwell, Peters, 1999), – Machine learning supporting vector networks (Support Vector Machines, SVM) (Cortes, Vapnik, 1995; Vapnik et al., 1997), – XGBoost (eXtreme Gradient Boosting, XGB) (Chen, Guestrin, 2016). MaxEnt and Random Forest are integrated into ArcGIS, supported in R, and available online for Google Earth Engine (GEE) users. In recent years, GEE has become increasingly popular as a resource for SDM (Crego et al., 2022). 4. Fitting the model. This stage is key in SDM. Having received preliminary modeling data, we evaluate the contribution of multicollinearity and decide how to deal with it, determine how many variables can be included in the model without retraining, evaluate spatial or temporal autocorrelation and decide how to deal with it, determine the settings of the model or several models and choose which one provides the result, best or average. At the same stage, we check the plausibility of the selected relationships between species’ points of presence and environmental variables by comparing coefficients and visually inspecting the plotted curves on the graphs. 5. Model evaluation. At this stage, we evaluate the forecast performance of the final model using a set of validation or test data: AUC (ROC) (Fielding, Bell, 1997; Fawcett, 2006; Hosmer, Lemeshow, 2013), TSS (Liu et al., 2005; Allouche et al., 2006); R2 and Kappa (Brownlee, 2016; Zhang et al., 2021). Cross-validation (spatial blocks) is commonly used for this purpose (Roberts et al., 2017; Valavi et al., 2019; Crego et al., 2022). We also select thresholds to binarize predicted probabilities based on cross-validated predictions. Cross-validation (spatial blocks) is commonly used for this purpose (Roberts et al., 2017; Valavi et al., 2019; Crego et al., 2022). We also select thresholds to binarize predicted probabilities based on cross-validated predictions. 6. Constructing a map of habitats or range. This is the final stage of SDM, during which we convert our predictive model into a raster and obtain a classified image with the percentage probability of the species occurring in the study area for each pixel. We calculate a probability threshold for the species’ presence on pixels that we include in the final range map, and the size the area of habitat. The expediency of using a buffer depends on the scale of the resulting raster; the smaller the scale, the lower the relevance of the buffer. Buffer size is usually determined by the mean nearest neighbor distance (MND) and, depending on the modeling’s goals and objectives, is half, exactly, or twice the MND. One must always critically evaluate the underlying assumptions in SDM and be aware of the potential limitations associated with a variety of factors: the ability to detect the species, uneven sampling, limitations in the selection of environmental variables, ignorance regarding certain aspects of the species’ biology to identify patterns in its biotopic and territorial preferences, etc. SDM assumes that the species is in equilibrium with its environment, that we know and have carefully selected both the species' point of presence and environmental data, and that we have included all the major factors that determine the species' range limits. It should be understood that these aspects are not stable for several reasons. First, species, especially predators, respond dynamically to changes in the environment, so they will exhibit certain spatial and temporal dynamics and need to be properly taken into account in the modeling. Important factors that determine a species' response to changes in its habitat are its physiology, demography, ability to disperse, degree of tolerance to urbanization, degree of adaptation to changes in environmental factors, and interspecific interactions. All these factors engage seemingly constantly over time, including here and now, and ignoring them can significantly distort modeling results. Therefore, the ideal option for SDM is to check results in the field and adjust them. Unfortunately, most ornithologists have difficulty using R and desktop GIS, a fact that prevents them from processing the results of their field research in accordance with modern standards. For better implementation of modeling in practice when working with rare species, we have created a software product that allows bird specialists with minimal knowledge of GIS and programming languages, but who have a certain understanding of SDM algorithms and abundance assessment, to solve problems related to modeling distribution and abundance and survival of rare species. This software product is designed for processing various geodata containing observations of species; obtaining data from GEE rasters; classification of biotopes; population estimates, survival rates, etc. The main interface of the product is a web interface that allows the user to select the process of interest, enter the necessary data, and receive a link to an archive containing processing results. For geodata (points, polygons, etc.), it is possible to enter csv, shp, geojson files, as well as manual input using a map. To run algorithms in which it is necessary to add data from GEE rasters, a selection field is provided from the list of available earth remote sensing (ERS) products: NASADEM (NASA JPL, 2020), MOD13A1.061 Terra Vegetation Indices 16-Day Global 500m (Didan, 2021), Geomorpho90m (Amatulli et al., 2020), Global Habitat Heterogeneity (Tuanmu, Jetz, 2015), Global Wind Atlas (Badger et al., 2021), World Clim (Fick, Hijmans, 2017), ERA5-Land Monthly Aggregated – ECMWF Climate Reanalysis (Muñoz Sabater, 2019), ESA WorldCover 10m v100 (Zanaga et al., 2021), Dynamic World V1 (Brown et al., 2022), unclassified satellite data such as surface reflectivity (SR) collection 2 Landsat 8 atmospheric-corrected (blue, red, green, near-infrared and shortwave infrared 1 bands with 30 m spatial resolution) and ALOS-2 PALSAR L-band dual-polarization (HH and HV) SAR data, and NDVI and EVI calculation data from Landsat 8 images using the GEE (normalizedDifference) function. To run algorithms using various thirdparty libraries, data is entered in csv files in the formats required by the corresponding libraries. At the current stage, the product includes the following modules: 1) Obtaining data from GEE rasters for given points (result presented in a table with data selected for points from rasters included in the GEE collection); 2) Obtaining a classified raster for a given area and a set of points of presence and absence of a view (training points) using the RF and MaxEnt classifiers based on GEE (both classifiers allow, for a given area of interest, a set of training points and selected remote sensing products from GEE, to obtain a classified one with using appropriate GEE raster methods of the area of interest. It is possible to cross-validate the selected models and evaluate their predictive effectiveness); 3) Three different methods to stimulate population size: 3.1) Generation of random points in a regular network – a heuristic algorithm that, based on data on the points of presence of the species and on the studied areas, generates random points, simulating species’ distribution in the general area of interest; 3.2) Distance – a method based on the Distance Sampling model (Thomas et al., 2010; Buckland et al., 2015; Miller et al., 2019), that accepts input of a file with the necessary variables for points and areas and displays detailed statistics as a result; 3.3) Simple site surveys using calculation of a weighted average indicator for species distribution density (Karyakin, 2004) with an calculation of asymmetric confidence interval (Ravkin, Chelintsev, 1990); 4) Estimation of nest survival based on the RMARK library (Laake, 2013). The survival calculation module includes processing of nest survival data using the nest method of the RMARK library, which can account for various variables in remote sensing data and infers the importance of variables for nest survival. The software product is hosted on the servers of organizations recognized as undesirable in Russia, access to which is blocked by Roskomnadzor. The authors are considering options, including creating a clone on a Russian internet resource. This work is carried out with financial support from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)38 within the framework of the project “Endangered Raptors Conservation on the Indo-Palaearctic Flyway”).

High-quality observations of the real world are crucial for a variety of applications, including producing 3D printed replicas of small-scale scenes and conducting inspections of large-scale infrastructure. These 3D observations are commonly obtained by combining multiple sensor measurements from different views. Guiding the selection of suitable views is known as the Next Best View (NBV) planning problem. Most NBV approaches reason about measurements using rigid data structures (e.g., surface meshes or voxel grids). This simplifies next best view selection but can be computationally expensive, reduces real-world fidelity and couples the selection of a next best view with the final data processing. This paper presents the Surface Edge Explorer (SEE), a NBV approach that selects new observations directly from previous sensor measurements without requiring rigid data structures. SEE uses measurement density to propose next best views that increase coverage of insufficiently observed surfaces while avoiding potential occlusions. Statistical results from simulated experiments show that SEE can attain similar or better surface coverage with less observation time and travel distance than evaluated volumetric approaches on both small- and large-scale scenes. Real-world experiments demonstrate SEE autonomously observing a deer statue using a 3D sensor affixed to a robotic arm.