This paper presents an extension to SQL where end-users can specify their information quality constraints in the queries. Specifically, it shows how an SQL quality estimator module evaluates the quality profiles (i.e. accuracy and completeness) of queries based on the defined quality constraints. The quality estimations are numeric which would support the end-users in determining the value and ...

Flocking is an emergent behavior in which each individual agent follows a simple behavior rule that leads to a group behavior that appears cohesive and coordinated. In our work, we consider how to influence a flock using a set of ad hoc agents. Ad hoc agents are added to the flock and are able to influence the flock to adopt a desired behavior by acting as part of the flock. Specifically, we fi...

Tuberculosis (TB), due to infection with Mycobacterium bovis was diagnosed in a flock of alpaca in Ireland in 2004. An epidemiological investigation was conducted to identify the risk of TB for farmed alpaca where TB is endemic, the origin of the infection, the potential for alpaca-to-alpaca transmission and appropriate control measures. The investigation focused on the alpaca flock (including ...

Designing agents that can cooperate with other agents as a team, without prior coordination or explicit communication, is becoming more desirable as autonomous agents become more prevalent. In my work I examine an aspect of the problem of leading teammates in an ad hoc teamwork setting, where the designed ad hoc agents lead the other teammates to a desired behavior that maximizes team utility. ...

the number of lambs sold per ewe mated in the breeding flock has a considerable impact on sheep operation profitability. this depends primarily on fertility, prolificacy (# of lambs), and lamb survival, mothering ability, milk production of the ewe and lamb growth rate. optimal reproduction does vary by environment and management system – some sheep operations don’t want a lambing rate over 200...

Environmental philosophers spend considerable time drawing the divide between humans and the rest of nature. Some argue that humans and our actions are unnatural. Others allow that humans are natural, but maintain that humans are nevertheless distinct. The motivation for distinguishing humans from the rest of nature is the desire to determine what aspects of the environment should be preserved....

In this paper we propose and prove correct a new self-stabilizing velocity agreement (flocking) algorithm for oblivious and asynchronous robot networks. Our algorithm allows a flock of uniform robots to follow a flock head emergent during the computation whatever its direction in plane. Robots are asynchronous, oblivious and do not share a common coordinate system. Our solution includes three m...

A statistic to measure the level of connectedness achieved among flocks would help producers to assess the risk of comparing EBV of animals from different flocks. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the pattern of change over time in selected connectedness measures and to determine how effectively these measures quantify the level of risk due to potential bias in EBV comparisons ac...

We propose a novel shape-constrained flock animation system for interactively controlling flock navigation in virtual environments. This system is capable of making the spatial distribution of a flock meet static or deforming shape constraints while performing flock simulation. Such a capability can find many applications in the entertainment industry. Given a 3D constraining shape, our system ...