GC: n CT: International Journal of Approximate Reasoning is dedicated to the dissemination of research results from the field of approximate reasoning and its applications, with emphasis on the design and implementation of intelligent systems for scientific and engineering applications. Approximate reasoning is computational modeling of any part of the
GC: n CT: Reasoning is the ability to make inferences, and automated reasoning is concerned with the building of computing systems that automate this process. Although the overall goal is to mechanize different forms of reasoning, the term has largely been identified with valid deductive reasoning as practiced in mathematics
GC: n CT: Automatic speech recognition (ASR) can be defined as the independent, computer-driven transcription of spoken language into readable text in real time (Stuckless, 1994). In a nutshell, ASR is technology that allows a computer to identify the words that a person speaks into a microphone or telephone and
CG: n CT: These three interwoven processes—a loss function that tracks model error across different inputs, the backward propagation of that error to see how different parts of the network contribute to the error and the gradient descent algorithms that adjust model weights accordingly—are how deep learning models “learn.” As such,
GC: n CT: A Bayesian network is a graphical model that encodes probabilistic relationships among variables of interest. When used in conjunction with statistical techniques, the graphical model has several advantages for data analysis. One, because the model encodes dependencies among all variables, it readily handles situations where some data
GC: n CT: This project is investigating heat loss from high-temperature solar thermal receivers and developing the next generation of improved receiver designs to reduce that loss. Experimental and computational modelling are being used to improve the understanding, prediction and management of convection and radiation heat loss in high-temperature solar
CG: n CT: Distributed energy resources (DERs) are small technologies that produce, store and manage energy. Examples include solar panels, small wind turbines, electric vehicles and microgrids. Greater use of DERs could improve resource efficiency, increase energy system resilience, and give individuals and communities a stronger role in decarbonisation. As
GC: n CT: Any U.S. climate policy will have to be designed both to protect the earth’s climate by reducing emissions, and to protect American households from undue economic losses. Our model shows that these two objectives can almost be separated from each other. Roughly speaking, emission reduction depends on
GC: n CT: At present there are four important energy resources: petroleum, coal, natural gas, and uranium-235. In the future oil shale and uranium-238 will probably join this list. On the demand side, the model specifies five demand categories: electricity, industrial heat, residential heat, and two transport categories. S: Brook
GC: n CT: Forest residues consist of small trees, branches, tops and un-merchantable wood left in the forest after the cleaning, thinning or final felling of forest stands, used as fuel without any intermittent applications. Three main sources of forest residues can be distinguished: slash from final fellings, slash and
GC: n CT: Gamma radiation is one of the three types of natural radioactivity. Gamma rays are electromagnetic radiation, like X-rays. The other two types of natural radioactivity are alpha and beta radiation, which are in the form of particles. Gamma rays are the most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation,
GC: n CT: Hazardous waste is waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to our health or the environment. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, gases, or sludges. They can be discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing processes. S: EPA – http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/ (last
GC: n CT: Landfills are classified according to whether they can accept hazardous, non-hazardous or inert waste. This classification is integral to each landfill’s PPC permit/waste management licence. Therefore, in order to prevent the co-disposal of waste (banned since July 2004) and to comply with the waste licence as issued
GC: n CT: Though the extreme rates of land clearing that placed Australia in the top 10 land clearing nations in the world have reduced over the past 5 years, we are still clearing much more native vegetation than is being replanted or that is regenerating naturally. This ongoing net
GC: n CT: Municipal solid waste (referred to simply as ‘municipal waste’ in this report) has been chosen in part because the 2008 Waste Framework Directive introduced a new 50 % recycling target for such waste. In addition, municipal waste is primarily a public sector responsibility and the current economic
GC: n CT: What is Pattern Recognition? It is generally easy for a person to differentiate the sound of a human voice, from that of a violin; a handwritten numeral “3,” from an “8”; and the aroma of a rose, from that of an onion. However, it is difficult for
GC: n CT: The power grid is vulnerable to attack — there’s no question about that. In my own work, testing the security readiness of US and global energy companies and utilities, I regularly find serious vulnerabilities on these networks and I am often called in to deal with compromises
GC: n CT: Radar is an acronym for “radio detection and ranging.” A radar system usually operates in the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) or microwave part of the radio-frequency (RF) spectrum, and is used to detect the position and/or movement of objects. Radar can track storm systems, because precipitation reflects electromagnetic fields
GC: n CT: Radiant Energy. Atoms absorb energy from an outside source and release (or “emit”) this energy as electromagnetic radiation. This radiation can be in the form of waves of many different wavelengths or frequencies. Many energy sources emit radiant energy. The sun and other stars are luminous or
GC: n CT: If you are not familiar with working around radiation or radioactive material, the terms and concepts may confuse you at first. Let’s look at some of the properties of radiation and radioactive material. Radiation – Radiation is energy in the form of waves or particles given off
GC: n CT: An idea to dispose of the waste underground in Antarctica sounded promising: heat from the radioactive decay would melt ice sheets below the waste, causing it to sink. But this plan was abandoned due to international treaties aimed at preserving the near pristine state of the continent.
GC: n CT: Radioactive waste comes mainly from nuclear power production, but also from medicine, research, industry, and agriculture. Radioactive waste is produced in all EU countries and spent fuel in countries with nuclear power programmes and research reactors. While low and medium-level nuclear waste such as from medical equipment
GC: n CT: The scale of the nuclear disaster in Japan caused by the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, in terms of releases from the nuclear power stations in Fukushima, was not as great as Chernobyl. Radioactive material released into the atmosphere is dispersed around the world, and indeed
GC: n CT: Radon is the main source of exposure to natural radioactivity for humans because it is the only descendant of uranium to exist in a gaseous state. This allows it to leave the surface of a rock containing some uranium and enter the atmosphere. Its ability to escape