We present an analysis of several publicly available automatic speech recognizers (ASRs) in terms of their suitability for use in different types of dialogue systems. We focus in particular on cloud based ASRs that recently have become available to the community. We include features of ASR systems and desiderata and requirements for different dialogue systems, taking into account the dialogue g...

Sex allocation theory predicts that facultative maternal investment in the rare sex should be favoured by natural selection when breeders experience predictable variation in adult sex ratios (ASRs). We found significant spatial and predictable interannual changes in local ASRs within a natural population of the common lizard where the mean ASR is female-biased, thus validating the key assumptio...

In this paper we propose a control scheme based on coloured Petri net (CPN) for a flow-rack automated storage and retrieval system. The AS/RS is modelled using Coloured Petri nets, the developed model has been used to capture and provide the rack state. We introduce in the control system an optimization module as a decision process which performs a real-time optimization working on a discrete e...

Latching alignment stages for micro-opto-mechanical systems are constructed by deep reactive-ion etching of bonded silicon on insulator. Linear, rotary and tilt stages are demonstrated. Linear stages are driven using buckling electrothermal actuators, and latching is performed by a rack-and-tooth mechanism driven by shape bimorph actuators. In-plane rotation is obtained by using a linear actuat...

In customary automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RSs), stacker cranes (S/R machines) are used to store and retrieve loads into/from the storage cells. In this paper, the open-rack structure with unidirectionalupward mobile loads within the rack is applied in AS/RS, in which the stacker crane is only used for the retrieval operations, and the storage operations are carried out by separat...

A study was performed to examine the changes in density of stacked roundwood, chips, and chunks as affected by various compaction treatments. Density of stacked roundwood bolts was tested for the effect of stacking orientation, binding of the stack ends, and species. Stacked bolt wood occupied less than 50 percent of the total rack space for all species, giving final dry bulk densities, based o...

We define ambient isotopy invariants of oriented knots and links using the counting invariants of framed links defined by finite racks. These invariants reduce to the usual quandle counting invariant when the rack in question is a quandle. We are able to further enhance these counting invariants with 2-cocycles from the coloring rack’s second rack cohomology satisfying a new degeneracy conditio...

In this paper, a question due to Heckenberger, Shareshian and Welker on racks in Heckenberger et al. (Trans Am Math Soc, 372:1407–1427, 2019) is positively answered. A rack set together with self-distributive bijective binary operation. We show that the lattice of subracks every finite complemented. Moreover, we characterize modular lattices terms complements subracks. Also, introduce certain c...

BACKGROUND This placebo-controlled study assessed the effects of the once-daily inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) fluticasone furoate (FF) and long-acting beta(2) -agonist (LABA) vilanterol (VI) on early and late asthmatic responses (EAR/LAR) and airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). METHODS Patients (n = 27) were randomized to FF (100 μg), VI (25 μg), FF/VI (100/25 μg), and placebo for 21 days (four...