Future rover missions will be enhanced with the opportunistic search of salient targets during the planetary traverse phase. An essential component of the search is the locating and tracking of targets at the camera control level. The rover visual system must be able to follow quantified information gradients for smooth tracking in the visual field with limited information from images and delayed positional feedback caused by long communication delays inherent in planetary exploration. We propose a control algorithm based on vestibulo-ocular reflexes employed by the human cerebellum. The controller uses a feedback error learning model, which is able to track targets by compensating for the rover motion at the pan-tilt using a network trained prediction of the pan-tilt dynamics. The feedforward controller proved capable in tracking objects in the visual field as was demonstrated in both simulation and on the Barrett WAM.

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Background: Description of risk factors of severe acute COVID-19 outcomes with the consideration of vaccination status in the era of the Omicron variant of concern are limited. Objectives: To examine the association of age, sex, underlying medical conditions, and COVID-19 vaccination with hospitalization, intensive-care unit (ICU) admission, or death due to the disease, using data from a period when Omicron was the dominant strain. Methods: A population-based case-control study based on administrative health data, that included confirmed COVID-19 patients during January (2022) in Alberta, Canada. Patients who were non-residents, without the provincial healthcare insurance coverage, or <=18 years of age were excluded. Patients with any severe outcome were the cases; and those without any hospitalization, ICU admission, or death were controls. Adjusted odds ratios, of the explanatory factors of a severe outcome, were estimated using a logistic regression model. Results: There were 90,989 COVID-19 patients included in the analysis; 2% had severe outcomes and 98% were included in the control group. Overall, more COVID patients were found in the younger age-groups (72.0% <=49 years old), females (56.5%), with no underlying conditions (59.5%), and fully vaccinated patients (90.4%). However, the adjusted odds ratios were highest in the 70-79 age group (28.32; 95% CI 20.6-38.9) or among >=80 years old (29.8; 21.6-41.0), males (1.4; 1.3-1.6); unvaccinated (16.1; 13.8-18.8), or patients with >=3 underlying conditions (13.1; 10.9-15.8). Conclusion: Higher risk of severe acute COVID-19 outcomes were associated with older age, the male sex, and increased number of underlying medical conditions. Unvaccination or undervaccination remained as the greatest modifiable risk factor in prevention of severe COVID outcomes. These findings help inform medical decisions and allocation of scarce healthcare resources.

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