University of Lincoln

About: University of Lincoln is a education organization based out in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 2341 authors who have published 7025 publications receiving 124797 citations.

Local Temperature and not Latitude Determines the Design of Blue Tit and Great Tit nests

Abstract: Recent studies are documenting the extent to which the mass and construction of bird nests varies between individuals and locations. In the Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tit (Parus major), temperatures experienced by females during nest construction are inversely related to nest mass. Moreover, Mainwaring et al. (Journal of Biogeography, 2012) showed that nests constructed at high latitude are heavier and better insulated than nests built by conspecifics in the south. Although mean spring temperature was used as a proxy for latitude in the Mainwaring et al. study, it remains untested whether individual birds build nests in response to a narrower range of temperatures experienced at the start of the breeding season. Our study showed that irrespective of latitude nest mass, and in particular nest cup mass, of Blue Tits and Great Tits was significantly affected by the temperature experienced by the birds for the seven days preceding clutch initiation. Similar results were seen with the insulatory properties of nests. The potential impact of variation in nest construction and insulation on subsequent incubation and chick-rearing behaviour is discussed.

Entropy Measures in Machine Fault Diagnosis: Insights and Applications

Abstract: Entropy, as a complexity measure, has been widely applied for time series analysis. One preeminent example is the design of machine condition monitoring and industrial fault-diagnostic systems. The occurrence of failures in a machine will typically lead to nonlinear characteristics in the measurements, caused by instantaneous variations, which can increase the complexity in the system response. Entropy measures are suitable to quantify such dynamic changes in the underlying process, distinguishing between different system conditions. However, notions of entropy are defined differently in various contexts (e.g., information theory and dynamical systems theory), which may confound researchers in the applied sciences. In this article, we have systematically reviewed the theoretical development of some fundamental entropy measures and clarified the relations among them. Then, typical entropy-based applications of machine fault-diagnostic systems are summarized. Furthermore, insights into possible applications of the entropy measures are explained, as to where and how these measures can be useful toward future data-driven fault diagnosis methodologies. Finally, potential research trends in this area are discussed, with the intent of improving online entropy estimation and expanding its applicability to a wider range of intelligent fault-diagnostic systems.

The influence of dog ownership on objective measures of free-living physical activity and sedentary behaviour in community-dwelling older adults: a longitudinal case-controlled study

Abstract: Background There is some evidence to suggest that dog ownership may improve physical activity (PA) among older adults, but to date, studies examining this, have either depended on self-report or incomplete datasets due to the type of activity monitor used to record physical activity Additionally, the effect of dog ownership on sedentary behaviour (SB) has not been explored The aim of the current study was to address these issues by using activPAL monitors to evaluate the influence of dog ownership on health enhancing PA and SB in a longitudinal study of independently-mobile, community-dwelling older adults Methods Study participants (43 pairs of dog owners and non-dog owners, matched on a range of demographic variables) wore an activPAL monitor continuously for three, one-week data collection periods over the course of a year Participants also reported information about their own and their dog demographics, caring responsibilities, and completed a diary of wake times Diary data was used to isolate waking times, and outcome measures of time spent walking, time spent walking at a moderate cadence (>100 steps/min), time spent standing, time spent sitting, number of sitting events (continuous periods of sitting), and the number of and of time spent sitting in prolonged events (>30 min) For each measure, a linear mixed effects model with dog ownership as a fixed effect, and a random effects structure of measurement point nested in participant nested in pair was used to assess the effect of dog ownership Results Owning a dog indicated a large, potentially health improving, average effect of 22 min additional time spent walking, 95%CI (12, 34), and 2760 additional steps per day, 95%CI (1667, 3991), with this additional walking undertaken at a moderate intensity cadence Dog owners had significantly fewer sitting events However, there were no significant differences between the groups for either the total time spent sitting, or the number or duration of prolonged sedentary events Conclusions The scale of the influence of dog ownership on PA found in this study, indicates that future research regarding PA in older adults should assess and report dog ownership and/or dog walking status

Colias: An Autonomous Micro Robot for Swarm Robotic Applications:

Abstract: Robotic swarms that take inspiration from nature are becoming a fascinating topic for multi-robot researchers. The aim is to control a large number of simple robots enables them in order to solve common complex tasks. Due to the hardware complexities and cost of robot platforms, current research in swarm robotics is mostly performed by simulation software. Simulation of large numbers of these robots which are used in swarm robotic applications is extremely complex and often inaccurate due to poor modelling of external conditions. In this paper we present the design of a low-cost, open-platform, autonomous micro robot (Colias) for swarm robotic applications. Colias employs a circular platform with a diameter of 4 cm. It has a maximum speed of 35 cm/s that gives the ability to be used in swarm scenarios very quickly in large arenas. Long-range infrared modules with adjustable output power allow the robot to communicate with its direct neighbours from a range of 0.5 cm to 3 m. Colias has been designed as a complete platform with supporting software development tools for robotics education and research. It has been tested in individual and swarm scenarios and the observed results demonstrate its feasibility to be used as a micro sized mobile robot as well as a low-cost platform for robot swarm applications.