Assessing the quality of forest fuel loading data collected using public participation methods and smartphones

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin J. Ferster ◽  
Nicholas C. Coops
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Data Storage ◽  
Fire Hazard ◽  
Structural Data ◽  
Personal Communication ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Fuel Loading ◽  
Management Decisions ◽  
Forest Fuel

Effective wildfire management in the wildland–urban interface (WUI) depends on timely data on forest fuel loading to inform management decisions. Mobile personal communication devices, such as smartphones, present new opportunities to collect data in the WUI, using sensors within the device – such as the camera, global positioning system (GPS), accelerometer, compass, data storage and networked data transfer. In addition to providing a tool for forest professionals, smartphones can also facilitate engaging other members of the community in forest management as they are now available to a growing proportion of the general population. Approaches where the public participates in the data-collection process (inspired by citizen science) may be beneficial for fire hazard issues. This research note demonstrates a smartphone application for measuring forest fuel loading in the WUI by forestry professionals and non-professionals, and evaluates the quality of the collected data. Smartphones and their associated applications may provide new tools for collecting forest structural data in the WUI, but forest managers need to ensure that measurement protocols provide the required precision for analysis and enforce the logical consistency of observations made by a diverse set of data collectors, and that sufficient training is provided. If these recommendations are followed, we conclude that data acquired by volunteers in collaborative projects through smartphone applications can be of acceptable quality to help inform forest management decisions.

Features of Assessing the Competitiveness of Management Decisions while Ensuring the Quality of Life of the Population

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-31
Author(s):  
V.V. Kuznetsov ◽  
◽  
K.N. Malovik ◽  
S.I. Smolyakova ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Management Decisions

scholarly journals ECOCAPTURE@HOME: Protocol for the Remote Assessment of Apathy and Its Everyday-Life Consequences

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 7824
Author(s):  
Valérie Godefroy ◽  
Richard Levy ◽  
Arabella Bouzigues ◽  
Armelle Rametti-Lacroux ◽  
Raffaella Migliaccio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Electrodermal Activity ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Measurement Model ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Active Data ◽  
Personalised Treatment

Apathy, a common neuropsychiatric symptom associated with dementia, has a strong impact on patients’ and caregivers’ quality of life. However, it is still poorly understood and hard to define. The main objective of the ECOCAPTURE programme is to define a behavioural signature of apathy using an ecological approach. Within this program, ECOCAPTURE@HOME is an observational study which aims to validate a method based on new technologies for the remote monitoring of apathy in real life. For this study, we plan to recruit 60 couples: 20 patient-caregiver dyads in which patients suffer from behavioral variant Fronto-Temporal Dementia, 20 patient-caregiver dyads in which patients suffer from Alzheimer Disease and 20 healthy control couples. These dyads will be followed for 28 consecutive days via multi-sensor bracelets collecting passive data (acceleration, electrodermal activity, blood volume pulse). Active data will also be collected by questionnaires on a smartphone application. Using a pool of metrics extracted from these passive and active data, we will validate a measurement model for three behavioural markers of apathy (i.e., daytime activity, quality of sleep, and emotional arousal). The final purpose is to facilitate the follow-up and precise diagnosis of apathy, towards a personalised treatment of this condition within everyday life.

The Western Upper Peninsula Forest Improvement District's First Five Years

1991 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 107-111
Author(s):  
Lloyd C. Irland ◽  
David I. Maass
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Administrative System ◽  
Upper Peninsula ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Forest Practice

Abstract In 1985, the Western Upper Peninsula Forest Improvement District began operations, serving six counties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. An evaluation in the fifth year of its forestry program found that the District had increased landowner participation in forest management, upgraded significant aspects of the quality of forest practice, and established a sound administrative system. Costs of service delivery were competitive with other programs in the region. The evaluation identified a number of areas for improvement. Financial self-sufficiency should not be expected in the coming decade. North. J. Appl. For. 8(3):107-111.

Stochastic hydrology-how much hydrology does it contain and how much does it matter?

1984 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-19
Author(s):  
V. Klemeš
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Probability Theory ◽  
Stochastic Models ◽  
Mathematical Statistics ◽  
Stochastic Hydrology ◽  
Management Decisions ◽  
Quality Of Water ◽  
The Way

Most of what is routinely labeled ‘stochastic hydrology’ does not contain any hydrology at all and could be more properly identified as the fitting of stochastic models to samples of data of hydrologic origin. T0 engage in this enterprise, no hydrologic knowledge is necessary, nor do the results contribute to hydrologic knowledge. Moreover, the bulk of the current stochastic hydrology does not appreciably enhance the quality of water management decisions-an aim which provided the original impetus for its development. It seems that the mainstream of stochastic hydrology follows in the steps of ‘dam theory’, the only difference being that while the latter has become a self-contained branch of pure probability theory, the former is on the way to becoming a branch of pure mathematical statistics.

Forest fuel management for wildfire prevention in Spain: a quantitative SWOT analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Marino ◽  
Carmen Hernando ◽  
Rosa Planelles ◽  
Javier Madrigal ◽  
Mercedes Guijarro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Swot Analysis ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
Fuel Management ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Forest Fuel ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Additional Funding

Spain is one of the Mediterranean countries most severely affected by wildfires during the last 30 years, despite enhanced fire suppression efforts. At present, forest area is increasing more in Spain than in any other European country, and also has one of the highest densities of fire ignitions. However, forest management plans have been developed for only 13% of Spanish forest areas. The objective of the present study was to assess the role of forest fuel management for wildfire prevention in Spain. Different fuel management techniques, including mechanical treatments, prescribed burning and controlled grazing, were considered. A quantitative SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis was performed, based on a thorough documentation review and on the opinions of forest fire experts. Results enabled the identification of obstacles that hinder the implementation of effective fuel management, and suggested strategic recommendations to overcome them. New opportunities related to rural development activities (e.g. promotion of ‘FIRESMART’ products) would be highly relevant in fire-prone forest areas. These opportunities should provide additional funding for sustainable forest management and could foster fuel management activities that would directly involve and benefit rural populations.

Screening Youth Soccer Players by Means of Cognitive Function and Agility Testing

2021 ◽  
pp. 003151252110402
Author(s):  
Nicola Lovecchio ◽  
Gianluca Manes ◽  
Luca Filipas ◽  
Matteo Giuriato ◽  
Antonio La Torre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skills ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Inhibitory Response ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Early Age ◽  
Unique Combination ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Gross Motor Skills ◽  
Youth Soccer

Talent identification in sports is a heavily debated topic. Previous studies have separately explored either executive functions or gross motor skills to predict the success of top-level soccer players or, more generally, to characterize elite performance in soccer. However, at mid-childhood, the possibility to scope sport-specific requirements remains elusive. We aimed in this study to investigate a valid and simple method of testing for a unique combination of cognitive and speed abilities for identifying promising soccer players at mid-childhood. We measured cognitive functions by means of a Stroop smartphone application and agility with a T-Drill Ball-success test, in two groups of (a) elite- ( n = 31) and (b) low-division ( n = 37) Italian 7-year-old male soccer players. We administered the tests in a randomized order to both groups. We found better inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility and soccer-specific agility in high-division versus low-division players ( p < .001). Inhibitory response and agility were positively associated with the augmented quality of the performance from low-division players to high-division players ( r = .55; p = .0001). These results suggest that, even at an early age, cognitive control together with soccer-specific skills is associated with better performance.

Study of the influence of overvoltage on the quality of electricity in energy systems.

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 52-58
Author(s):  
S. SKRYPNYK ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Power Supply ◽  
Fire Hazard ◽  
Lightning Discharge ◽  
Quality Standard ◽  
Normal Operation ◽  
Electrical Network ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Electrical Networks ◽  
The World

Our world with its high technologies has long been deeply dependent on the quality of electricity supply. In most countries of the world there are national power grids that combine the entire set of generating capacity and loads. This network provides the operation of household appliances, lighting, heating, refrigeration, air conditioning and transport, as well as the functioning of the state apparatus, industry, finance, trade, health services and utilities across the country. Without this utility, namely electricity, the modern world simply could not live at its current pace. Sophisticated technological improvements are firmly rooted in our lives and workplaces, and with the advent of e-commerce began the process of continuous transformation of the way individuals interact with the rest of the world. But with the achievement of intelligent technologies, an uninterrupted power supply is required, the parameters of which exactly meet the established standards. These standards maintain our energy security and create a reliable power system, that is maintaining the system in a trouble-free state. Overvoltage is the deviation of the rated voltage from the value of the corresponding quality standard (frequency, sinusoidal voltage and compliance of harmonics). Overvoltage in terms of fire hazard is one of the most dangerous emergency modes of electrical equipment, which causes conditions that in most cases are sufficient for the occurrence of fire hazards (exceeding the allowable voltage leads to disruption of normal operation or possible ignition). Against the background of deteriorating engineering systems, increased power consumption and poor maintenance, power supply of electrical installations, the main causes of overvoltage in electrical networks are thunderstorms (atmospheric overvoltage), switching switches, uneven phase load in electrical networks, etc. The physical picture of internal overvoltage is due to oscillatory transients from the initial to the established voltage distributions in the conductive sections due to the different situation in the electrical circuit. In the conditions of operation of electric networks planned, mode or emergency situations are possible. Therefore, the ranges of overvoltage are determined by the range from several hundred volts to tens and hundreds of kilovolts, and depend on the types of overvoltage. Atmospheric overvoltage is considered to be one of the most dangerous types of emergency modes of operation of the electrical network. This overvoltage occurs as a result of lightning discharge during precipitation by concentrating electricity on the surface of the object, the introduction of potential through engineering networks and

scholarly journals A smartphone application to measure the quality of pest control spraying machines via image analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Brandoli Machado ◽  
Gabriel Spadon ◽  
Mauro S. Arruda ◽  
Wesley N. Goncalves ◽  
Andre C. P. L. F. Carvalho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Image Analysis ◽  
Pest Control ◽  
Smartphone Application
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document