Novices struggle to interpret maps that show information about continuous dimensions (typically latitude and longitude) layered with information that is inherently continuous but segmented categorically. An example is a topographic map, used in earth science disciplines as well as by hikers, emergency rescue operations, and other endeavors requiring knowledge of terrain. Successful comprehensio...

AUVs increasingly are being used to collect data in the benthic environment. Many of these data collection tasks require that the AUV is able to follow the terrain at standoff distances on the order of meters (e.g. benthic imaging). However, terrain following with an AUV is a challenging problem when the terrain is rough, and the task becomes even more difficult when using motion-constrained ve...

We use the Global Multi-resolution Terrain Elevation Data 2010 (GMTED, 7.5 arc-seconds) and Landsat Maps Global Surface Water (GSW, 1 arc-seconds) processed by GRASS-GIS hydrological modules to derive a fully standardized stream network. The GSW water occurrence was burned into the GMTED surface to force the drainage direction, thereby directing the stream network to pass through the observed w...

Interpreting laser data to allow autonomous robot navigation on paved as well as dirt roads using a fixed angle 2D laser scanner is a daunting task. This paper introduces an algorithm for terrain classification that fuses four distinctly different classifiers: raw height, step size, slope, and roughness. Input is a single 2D laser scan and output is a classification of each laser scan range rea...

The respective influences of spectral and temporal aspects of sound in roughness perception are examined by way of phase manipulations. In a first experiment, the phase of the central component of three-component signals is shown to modify perceived roughness, for a given amplitude spectrum, regardless of whether it modifies the waveform envelope. A second experiment shows that the shape of the...

In the majority of glacier surface energy balance studies, parameterization rather than direct measurement is used to estimate one or more of the individual heat fluxes, with others, such as the rain and ground heat fluxes, often deemed negligible. Turbulent fluxes of sensible and latent heat are commonly parameterized using the bulk aerodynamic technique. This method was developed for horizont...

In this paper the problem of image stabilization is defined as follows: a camera mounted on a moving vehicle collects a sequence of images. The vehicle is trying to move along a smooth trajectory. In fact, however, the motion of the vehicle varies from the desired smooth motion; for a ground vehicle, this would primarily be due to roughness of the terrain. The goal of image stabilization is to ...

Soil moisture is an important parameter for hydrological and climatic investigations. Future satellite missions with L-band passive microwave radiometers will significantly increase the capability of monitoring earth’s soil moisture globally. Understanding the effects of surface roughness on microwave emission and developing quantitative bare-surface soil moisture retrieval algorithms is one of...

Surface roughness is one of the most important qualities in haptic perception. Roughness is a major identifier for judgments of material composition, comfort, and friction and is tied closely to manual dexterity. Some attention has been given to the study of roughness perception in the past, but it has typically focused on noncontrollable natural materials or on a narrow range of artificial mat...