1 2 3 4 Fig. 1: The virtual environment used for training human echolocation resembled a dark virtual cave (left panel). Test participants performed a navigation task which consists in finding the exit of a tunnel to the opening of the cave (right panel, 1-4 are photographs in sequence of a trial) with different types of unimodal auditory or visual feedback. Real-time auralization was designed within Steam Audio engine and delivered through headphones. An Oculus Rift and Touch controller supported the navigation.Abstract-Being able to hear objects in an environment, for example using echolocation, is a challenging task. The main goal of the current work is to use virtual environments (VEs) to train novice users to navigate using echolocation. Previous studies have shown that musicians are able to differentiate sound pulses from reflections. This paper presents design patterns for VE simulators for both training and testing procedures, while classifying users' navigation strategies in the VE. Moreover, the paper presents features that increase users' performance in VEs. We report the findings of two user studies: a pilot test that helped improve the sonic interaction design, and a primary study exposing participants to a spatial orientation task during four conditions which were early reflections (RF), late reverberation (RV), early reflections-reverberation (RR) and visual stimuli (V). The latter study allowed us to identify navigation strategies among the users. Some users (10/26) reported an ability to create spatial cognitive maps during the test with auditory echoes, which may explain why this group performed better than the remaining participants in the RR condition.

The article is devoted to the application of a group of robotic complexes for military purposes. The current state of control systems of single robotic complexes does not allow solving all the tasks assigned to the robot. The analysis of methods of controlling a group of robots in combat conditions is carried out. The necessity of using a multi-level control system for an intelligent combat robot is justified. A multi-level control system for an intelligent robot is proposed. Such a system assumes the possibility of controlling the robot in one of four modes: remote, supervisory, autonomous and group. Moreover, each robot, depending on the external conditions and its condition, can be in any control mode. The application of the technique is shown by the example of the movement of a group of robots with an interval along the front. The problem of the movement of slave robots behind the leader is considered. When forming the robot control algorithm, the method of finite automata was used. The algorithm controls the movement of the RTK in various operating modes: group control mode and autonomous movement mode. In the group control mode, the task is implemented: movement for the leader. For the state of "Movement in formation", an algorithm for forming the trajectory of the movement of guided robots was implemented. An algorithm for approximating the Bezier curve was used. It allows you to build a trajectory for the slave robot. On the basis of the obtained trajectory, the angular and linear velocity were calculated. In the autonomous control mode, two tasks are solved: moving to a given point and avoiding obstacles. Vector Field Histogram was used as an algorithm for detouring an obstacle, which determines the direction of movement without obstacles. The state of "Movement to a given point" is based on Pure Pursuit as a simple and reliable algorithm for solving such problems. A computer model of the movement of a group of robots was developed. The model is implemented in the MATLAB program using the Simulink and Mobile Robotics Simulation Toolbox libraries. Several different variants of the movement of the RTK group are modeled, which differ from each other in the initial location of the robots and the position of obstacles. The conducted computer simulation showed the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed method of RTC control.

No abstract

Food security is one of the components of the stable economic development. Its main criteria are: availability and safety of raw materials and products of its processing for the population. Ensuring food security in Russia is possible only on the basis of innovative development of the agro-industrial complex and introduction of new methods based on the knowledge of physiology of productive animals into practice. In this regard, a promising direction is a study of product quality assessment using a bioelectric profile of superficially localized biologically active centers on the skin of sheep. Determination of meat qualities was carried out on young sheep at the age of 6-7 months old. Topographic search and measurement of the bioelectric potential level of SLBAC was carried out with an ELAP device. As a result of the studies, it was found out that at values of the bioelectric potential level of SLBAC from 58.2 μA and higher, the quality indicators of meat content are high. The correlation dependence threshold of the bioelectric potential level of SLBAC and the meat content is from +0.12 to 1.0. The bioelectric profile level of SLBAC can serve as a test for a live-animal assessment of the qualitative composition of mutton, with sufficient information content and meat producibility assessment.

No abstract