search
Include:
The following results are related to Canada. Are you interested to view more results? Visit OpenAIRE - Explore.
320 Research products, page 1 of 32

  • Canada
  • Research data
  • Other research products
  • Open Access
  • Rural Digital Europe

10
arrow_drop_down
Relevance
arrow_drop_down
  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Chaves, Óscar M.; Bicca-Marques, Júlio César; Chapman, Colin A.;
    Publisher: Dryad
    Project: NSERC

    Seed dispersal is a key process driving the structure, composition, and regeneration of tropical forests. Larger frugivores play a crucial role in community structuring by dispersing large seeds not dispersed by smaller frugivores. We assessed the hypothesis that brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) provide seed dispersal services for a wide assemblage of plant species in both small and large Atlantic forest fragments. Although fruit availability often decreases in small fragments compared with large ones, we predicted that brown howlers are efficient seed dispersers in quantitative and qualitative terms in both forest types given their high dietary flexibility. After a 36-month study period and 2,962 sampling hours, we found that howlers swallowed and defecated intact the vast majority of seeds (96%-100%) they handled in all study sites. Overall, they defecated ca. 315,600 seeds belonging to 98 species distributed in eight growth forms. We estimated that each individual howler dispersed an average of 143 (SD = 49) seeds >2 mm per day or 52,052 (SD = 17,782) seeds per year. They dispersed seeds of 58% to 93% of the local assemblages of fleshy-fruit trees. In most cases, the richness and abundance of seed species dispersed was similar between small and large fragments. However, groups inhabiting small fragments tended to disperse a higher diversity of seeds from rarely consumed fruits than those living in large fragments. We conclude that brown howlers are legitimate seed dispersers for most fleshy-fruit species of the angiosperm assemblages of their habitats, and that they might favor the regeneration of Atlantic forest fragments with the plentiful amount of intact seeds that they disperse each year. Dataset_seeds_dispersedHere we provided data on seed dispersal by six wild groups of brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans). This research was conducted during a 36-month period in three small (<10 ha: S1, S2, and S3) and three large (>90 ha: L1,L2, and L3) Atlantic forest fragments in Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil.Dataset_seed_handlingHere we provided data on seed/fruit handling by six wild groups of brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans). This research was conducted during a 36-month period in three small (<10 ha: S1, S2, and S3) and three large (>90 ha: L1,L2, and L3) Atlantic forest fragments in Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil.

  • Open Access
    Authors: 
    Krausmann, Fridolin;
    Publisher: Mendeley
    Project: SSHRC

    Global trade (physical trade balances) with cereals, oil crops and meat from 1850/70 to 2016 by world regions; Global sown area, production and yield per unit are of wheat; Global cereal export per capita of global population.

  • Open Access
    Authors: 
    Bartels, Samuel F.; James, Ryan S.; Caners, Richard T.; Macdonald, S. Ellen;
    Project: NSERC

    1. Site moisture is an important component of the forest landscape for maintaining biodiversity, including forest-floor bryophytes, but little is known about its role in shaping understory responses to harvesting. 2. We investigated the influence of site wetness, determined using a remotely-sensed, topographic depth-to-water (DTW) index, on responses of bryophyte cover, richness, diversity, and composition to variable retention harvesting (comparing: 2% [clear-cut], 20%, and 50% dispersed green tree retention and uncut controls [100% retention]) in three boreal forest cover-types (broadleaf, mixed, and conifer forests) in western Canada. The DTW index provides an approximation of depth to water at or below the soil surface, and was derived from wet-areas mapping based on discrete Airborne Laser Scanning data acquired over an experimentally harvested landscape located in northwestern Alberta, Canada. 3. The effectiveness of leaving retention (versus clear-cutting) for conserving bryophyte communities depended on site wetness, as indicated by DTW, with the specifics varying among forest types. In broadleaf forests, bryophyte cover and richness were generally low and not much affected by harvesting but drier sites had higher richness and a few more unique species. In mixed and conifer forests, leaving retention (versus clear-cutting) on wetter (versus drier) sites was more effective for conserving bryophyte cover, wetter sites had higher total species richness, and more species were exclusive to wetter sites. 4. Synthesis and applications. Site wetness, as indicated using the remotely-sensed topographic site wetness index "depth-to-water," mediates bryophyte responses to variable-retention harvests. Specifically, our results suggested that in conifer and mixed forests it would be more beneficial to target wetter sites for retention patches or dispersed retention whereas in broadleaf sites there might be a slight advantage to targeting drier sites. Our study demonstrates that this tool could be used to inform management decisions around leaving dispersed or patch retention.28-Jan-2019 Bryophyte species and depth-to-water index valuesBryophyte (mosses and liverworts) species cover data and estimation of depth-to-water index values for retention harvest sites sampled in northwestern Alberta, Canada.Bartels-et-al-2019-deposited data-Dryad.xlsx

  • Open Access
    Authors: 
    Cherniwchan, Jevan;
    Publisher: Mendeley
    Project: NSF | UNS: Regional Industrial ... (1510510), SSHRC

    This file describes the data files and execution files needed to recreate tables iii-vi in the paper and all of the figures and tables presented in the online appendix.

  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Rasman, Brandon G; Forbes, Patrick A; Peters, Ryan M; Ortiz, Oscar; Franks, Ian; J. Timothy Inglis; Chua, Romeo; Jean-Sébastien Blouin;
    Publisher: The University of British Columbia
    Project: NSERC

    Instructions for Matlab code and main result figures: 1- Download all data files and Matlab functions (see requirements) and ensure they are all in the same directory. 2- Open SourceCode_GroupFigures_RasmanEtAl_Elife2021.m with Matlab. 3- Make sure Matlab is currently in the folder where you put the files or add that folder to the path. 4- Run the code. All group result figures will be generated. Matlab will output warning when running the exponential fit procedure, but this is expected for the code. Instructions for LabVIEW code: 1- Download .vi file and open with compatible LabVIEW software. Download associated sampledummydata to be used with LabVIEW vi. 2- View annotated instructions in LabVIEW front panel. 3- Load sample data and run program. Requirements: Matlab toolboxes required: curve fitting toolbox, statistics and machine learning toolbox For several figures, hline and vline functions will be needed for plotting. These functions are available at https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/1039-hline-and-vline REFERENCE: Brandon Kuczenski (2021). hline and vline (https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/1039-hline-and-vline), MATLAB Central File Exchange. Retrieved August 1, 2021. For Figure 4, boxplotgroup function is needed for plotting. This function can be downloaded at https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/74437-boxplotgroup REFERENCE: Adam Danz (2021). boxplotGroup (https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/74437-boxplotgroup), MATLAB Central File Exchange. Retrieved August 1, 2021. Please reference this work using: Data and code: Rasman BG, Forbes PA, Peters RM, Ortiz O, Franks I, Inglis JT, Chua R, and Blouin JS. 2021, "Data and code for "Learning to stand with unexpected sensorimotor delays", DOI: https://doi.org/10.5683/SP2/IKX9ML, Scholars Portal Dataverse Paper: Rasman BG, Forbes PA, Peters RM, Ortiz O, Franks I, Inglis JT, Chua R, and Blouin JS. Learning to stand with unexpected sensorimotor delays. eLife. 2021: e65085. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.65085 These files consist of data and Matlab code needed to reproduce the main result figures from Experiments 1, 2 and 3 of "Learning to stand with unexpected sensorimotor delays". Additionally, LabVIEW code is provided to produce robust Bayesian fits for perceptual data. Data and results include: standing balance behavior (sway velocity variance, percent time within balancing limits) with imposed delays, vestibular-evoked muscle responses (coherence, gain, cross-covariance) when standing with imposed delays, and perceptual thresholds to detecting unexpected standing motion when standing with imposed delays. Data are provided in spreadsheets (for viewing purposes) and also in .mat matlab files (to run with source code).

  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Williams, Loriann;
    Country: Canada

    Maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy can induce a range of behavioral and cognitive deficits in offspring, which are collectively termed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). There are significant delays in motor development and sensory-motor skills in children with FASD, but the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of these deficits are poorly understood. The goal of this research project is to test the hypothesis that the Kinesiological Instrument for Normal and Altered Reaching Movements (KINARM) will serve as an effective tool for identifying and measuring specific, neurologically-based motor deficits in children with FASD. These deficits were revealed through investigation of multi-joint upper limb movements during the performance of sensory-motor tasks. Children (31 FASD; 83 controls, aged 5 to 18 years, male and female) performed: (1) a visually-guided reaching task with fingertip feedback only; and children (31 FASD; 49 controls, aged 5 to 18 years, male and female) performed: (2) an arm position-matching task in the absence of visual feedback. Children with FASD differed significantly from controls in many reaching task outcome measures, specifically those related to the initial motor response and corrective responses. In particular, large effect sizes were observed for outcome measures related to the first (initial) movement (corresponding to feedforward control; e.g., direction error; distance error), as well as for those measures related to corrective responses (corresponding to feedback control; e.g., difference between minimum and maximum hand speeds; number of speed peaks during movement). In the position-matching task, children with FASD constricted the spatial workspace of the subject-controlled arm relative to the robot-controlled arm, in the horizontal axis. There was also observed a systematic shift between the subject- and robot-controlled arms in the XY end position, resulting in significant error. Additionally, children with FASD exhibited significantly increased trial-to-trial variability for final hand position of the subject-controlled arm, over all targets, and for which large effect sizes were observed. The results suggest that children with FASD have difficulty integrating sensory information into planned motor movements. The KINARM is a promising research tool that may be used to assess motor control deficits in children affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol.

  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Landry, David Bryce;
    Publisher: Wiley Online Library
    Country: Canada

    This dissertation aims to test and evaluate new applications of non-invasive remote sensing and geophysical technologies at three archaeological sites (LdFa-1; LeDx-42; and LbDt-1) located in the interior region of southern Baffin Island, Nunavut. LdFa-1 and LeDx-42 are both Paleo-Inuit occupation sites, while LbDt-1 is one of only two known chert quarry sites in this region. Methods used at these three Paleo-Inuit sites include terrestrial laser scanning, radar imaging, electromagnetic resistivity and conductivity mapping, and magnetic susceptibility mapping. The methods are examined for both their effectiveness in archaeological fieldwork, and their investigative value on lower relief hunter-gatherer sites. The results of these tests are presented through four original research manuscripts. Developing and integrating a non-invasive multi-method approach to site investigation in the Arctic facilitates efficient in-field data acquisition and allows for less reliance on wide-scale excavation and extended field seasons. Because weather can be an unpredictable factor on site accessibility in the deep interior regions, entire field seasons can, and have been derailed despite best planning efforts and sufficient funding. As such, it is vital that these technologies enable us to collect valuable data within a limited amount of time. Remote sensing and geophysical survey data were collected, processed, analysed, and interpreted in both field and lab settings throughout this project. Because the motivations of this project are heavily methodological in nature, the analytical approach of this dissertation focuses on the ways to integrate these methods and interpretations within pre-established archaeological frameworks. The results of this study demonstrate that non-invasive, multi-method investigation of Arctic hunter-gatherer sites is an effective approach to derive detailed archaeological data without the need for wide-scale excavation. With these data, I was able to more clearly interpret and understand Paleo-Inuit toolstone use and transport patterns beginning at a quarry and then extending across southern Baffin Island’s interior and coastal regions. The combined subsurface imaging and surveys proved to be the most effective way to locate, identify, and investigate anthropogenic features in these complex Arctic environments, and ultimately the resulting information they acquired has enhanced our overall understanding of Paleo-Inuit lifeways in this region.

  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Setoodeh, Peyman;
    Country: Canada

    Cooperative teleoperation combines two traditional areas of robotics, i.e. teleoperation and collaborative manipulation. Cooperative telerobotic systems consist of multiple pairs of master I slave robotic manipulators operating in a shared environment. Due to dynamic interaction among slave manipulators as well as communication latency, control of such systems is particularly challenging and the application of standard teleoperation controller may result in instability. In this thesis a multilateral control framework is proposed for cooperative teleoperation systems that allows for transmission of position and force information between all master and slave robots rather than merely between corresponding units. Two different control approaches are introduced that establish kinematic correspondence among masters and slaves. The operators are presented with a virtual intervening tool in order to collaboratively interact with the environment. Models of operators, master and slave robots, tool, and environment are incorporated in the design. A multilateral adaptive nonlinear control architecture is proposed. Performance and stability of cooperative teleoperation systems are addressed under dynamic interactions between slave robots in the presence of model uncertainty. The robustness of the controller with respect to communication latency is also analyzed. Simulation and experimental studies demonstrate that the proposed approach is highly effective in all phases of a teleoperation task, i.e. in free motion and in contact with both flexible and rigid environments. The second approach involves finite-dimensional state-space models that incorporate the delay for free motion/ soft contact as well as rigid contact modes of operation. Local dynamic linearization control laws are employed to linearize robotic manipulators' dynamics. Model-based discrete-time Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controllers are proposed that can deliver a stable transparent response for each phase of operation. The robustness of these controllers with respect to parameter uncertainty is examined via the Nyquist analysis. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Thesis Master of Applied Science (MASc)

  • Other research product . Other ORP type . 2015
    Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Bartholomew, Maria J.; Howes, John D.;
    Country: Canada

    Lesson 1: (p.1-11) The History of Canadian Hockey and its Reflection of Canadian Nationalism and Identity. (Students will develop an understanding of the relationship between monumental historical hockey events and the greater Nationalistic representation reflected at the time: politics, culture, war, public image, etc. In addition, students will review the consequences for excessive nationalism through hockey and how it reflects a challenge of identity for those who don't connect with hockey. ) Lesson 2: (p.12- 39) The Canadian History of Immigration Policies (Students will develop an understanding of the hardships immigrants have faced in Canadian policy, and still face today. The lesson will guide students in creating connections between past political policies and how they have evolved over time.) Lesson 3: (p.40-47) Canada and the Over-Exploitation of Resources (Students will reflect on the current environmental crisis of the Albertan tar-sands. In addition, students should compare this contemporary issue with the history of excessive resource exploitations of the timber industries and will develop skills in understanding a limited resource industry.) Lesson 4: (p.48- 63The Alberta Pipeline: A Link to Exploring First Nations Treaties and Land Rights- Past and Present. (Students will learn about the proposed Albertan Pipeline and its link to First Nations Peoples. This will provide a point of departure for discussing historic treaties, the Indian Act, and other current comprehensive and specific land claim issues arising in Canada. Students will consider the ethical dimension of appropriation of First Nations land and will explore the consequences of that past in relation to the proposed Albertan pipeline of today.) Lesson 5: (p. 64-91) Exploring the Changing Gender and Parental Roles as Represented in the Media since World War I (Students will gain an understanding of modern day gender/parental roles by exploring the continuity and change as represented in media sources since WWI.) Lesson 6: (p. 92-105) Understanding Canada’s Military Involvement against ISIS through Exploring Canada’s Past Military Roles. (Students will explore Canada’s combat and peacekeeping heritage since WW1 and will examine the current state of the Canadian military and how it has responded to budget cuts over the years. This historical perspective will give students a better understanding of the role Canada is currently able to play in international conflicts and students will engage in a debate over the future direction of Canada’s military.

  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Stefanuk, Michael;
    Country: Canada

    The phenology and productivity of temperate forests has changed across eastern North America in recent decades. However, these changes have varied spatially and temporally. And, while climate change has been an important cause of these changes in forest growth, the precise influence of climate remains unclear. This thesis presents the results of research which 1) tested for forest growth trends that could indicate that forest growth has changed in response to environmental stressors; and 2) assessed climate-growth relationships for different forest growth processes (phenology and productivity). Analysis was conducted at a regional scale within the Algonquin-to-Adirondacks (A2A) corridor, and at a sub-regional scale within the four geoclimatologically distinct ecoregions of A2A (Algonquin Highlands, Frontenac Arch, St. Lawrence Lowlands & Adirondack Mountains). We conducted two studies using different, but complimentary, methodologies. In the first study we used dendrochronology to study the growth of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) over a century (1912-2011). We found that sugar maple ring-widths declined recently in the Algonquin Highlands (- 46 mm2/year, 1993-2011) and Adirondack Mountains (- 33 mm2/year, 1991-2011), but that climate-growth relationships with temperature, precipitation and the SPEI drought index were limited (response function coefficients of ± 0.3). In the second study we used remote-sensing to study forest landscapes (i.e., pixels) over 26 years (1989-2014). We found that statistically significant (p 80 %), and accumulated heating (> 4 0C) and chilling (< 20 0C) temperatures were the most important climatic variables for driving forest growth. Understanding climate-growth relationships for temperate forests in A2A will improve understandings of how forests have already responded to climate change, and will contribute to our capacity to predict how they may respond to future climate change.

search
Include:
The following results are related to Canada. Are you interested to view more results? Visit OpenAIRE - Explore.
320 Research products, page 1 of 32
  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Chaves, Óscar M.; Bicca-Marques, Júlio César; Chapman, Colin A.;
    Publisher: Dryad
    Project: NSERC

    Seed dispersal is a key process driving the structure, composition, and regeneration of tropical forests. Larger frugivores play a crucial role in community structuring by dispersing large seeds not dispersed by smaller frugivores. We assessed the hypothesis that brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) provide seed dispersal services for a wide assemblage of plant species in both small and large Atlantic forest fragments. Although fruit availability often decreases in small fragments compared with large ones, we predicted that brown howlers are efficient seed dispersers in quantitative and qualitative terms in both forest types given their high dietary flexibility. After a 36-month study period and 2,962 sampling hours, we found that howlers swallowed and defecated intact the vast majority of seeds (96%-100%) they handled in all study sites. Overall, they defecated ca. 315,600 seeds belonging to 98 species distributed in eight growth forms. We estimated that each individual howler dispersed an average of 143 (SD = 49) seeds >2 mm per day or 52,052 (SD = 17,782) seeds per year. They dispersed seeds of 58% to 93% of the local assemblages of fleshy-fruit trees. In most cases, the richness and abundance of seed species dispersed was similar between small and large fragments. However, groups inhabiting small fragments tended to disperse a higher diversity of seeds from rarely consumed fruits than those living in large fragments. We conclude that brown howlers are legitimate seed dispersers for most fleshy-fruit species of the angiosperm assemblages of their habitats, and that they might favor the regeneration of Atlantic forest fragments with the plentiful amount of intact seeds that they disperse each year. Dataset_seeds_dispersedHere we provided data on seed dispersal by six wild groups of brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans). This research was conducted during a 36-month period in three small (<10 ha: S1, S2, and S3) and three large (>90 ha: L1,L2, and L3) Atlantic forest fragments in Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil.Dataset_seed_handlingHere we provided data on seed/fruit handling by six wild groups of brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans). This research was conducted during a 36-month period in three small (<10 ha: S1, S2, and S3) and three large (>90 ha: L1,L2, and L3) Atlantic forest fragments in Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil.

  • Open Access
    Authors: 
    Krausmann, Fridolin;
    Publisher: Mendeley
    Project: SSHRC

    Global trade (physical trade balances) with cereals, oil crops and meat from 1850/70 to 2016 by world regions; Global sown area, production and yield per unit are of wheat; Global cereal export per capita of global population.

  • Open Access
    Authors: 
    Bartels, Samuel F.; James, Ryan S.; Caners, Richard T.; Macdonald, S. Ellen;
    Project: NSERC

    1. Site moisture is an important component of the forest landscape for maintaining biodiversity, including forest-floor bryophytes, but little is known about its role in shaping understory responses to harvesting. 2. We investigated the influence of site wetness, determined using a remotely-sensed, topographic depth-to-water (DTW) index, on responses of bryophyte cover, richness, diversity, and composition to variable retention harvesting (comparing: 2% [clear-cut], 20%, and 50% dispersed green tree retention and uncut controls [100% retention]) in three boreal forest cover-types (broadleaf, mixed, and conifer forests) in western Canada. The DTW index provides an approximation of depth to water at or below the soil surface, and was derived from wet-areas mapping based on discrete Airborne Laser Scanning data acquired over an experimentally harvested landscape located in northwestern Alberta, Canada. 3. The effectiveness of leaving retention (versus clear-cutting) for conserving bryophyte communities depended on site wetness, as indicated by DTW, with the specifics varying among forest types. In broadleaf forests, bryophyte cover and richness were generally low and not much affected by harvesting but drier sites had higher richness and a few more unique species. In mixed and conifer forests, leaving retention (versus clear-cutting) on wetter (versus drier) sites was more effective for conserving bryophyte cover, wetter sites had higher total species richness, and more species were exclusive to wetter sites. 4. Synthesis and applications. Site wetness, as indicated using the remotely-sensed topographic site wetness index "depth-to-water," mediates bryophyte responses to variable-retention harvests. Specifically, our results suggested that in conifer and mixed forests it would be more beneficial to target wetter sites for retention patches or dispersed retention whereas in broadleaf sites there might be a slight advantage to targeting drier sites. Our study demonstrates that this tool could be used to inform management decisions around leaving dispersed or patch retention.28-Jan-2019 Bryophyte species and depth-to-water index valuesBryophyte (mosses and liverworts) species cover data and estimation of depth-to-water index values for retention harvest sites sampled in northwestern Alberta, Canada.Bartels-et-al-2019-deposited data-Dryad.xlsx

  • Open Access
    Authors: 
    Cherniwchan, Jevan;
    Publisher: Mendeley
    Project: NSF | UNS: Regional Industrial ... (1510510), SSHRC

    This file describes the data files and execution files needed to recreate tables iii-vi in the paper and all of the figures and tables presented in the online appendix.

  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Rasman, Brandon G; Forbes, Patrick A; Peters, Ryan M; Ortiz, Oscar; Franks, Ian; J. Timothy Inglis; Chua, Romeo; Jean-Sébastien Blouin;
    Publisher: The University of British Columbia
    Project: NSERC

    Instructions for Matlab code and main result figures: 1- Download all data files and Matlab functions (see requirements) and ensure they are all in the same directory. 2- Open SourceCode_GroupFigures_RasmanEtAl_Elife2021.m with Matlab. 3- Make sure Matlab is currently in the folder where you put the files or add that folder to the path. 4- Run the code. All group result figures will be generated. Matlab will output warning when running the exponential fit procedure, but this is expected for the code. Instructions for LabVIEW code: 1- Download .vi file and open with compatible LabVIEW software. Download associated sampledummydata to be used with LabVIEW vi. 2- View annotated instructions in LabVIEW front panel. 3- Load sample data and run program. Requirements: Matlab toolboxes required: curve fitting toolbox, statistics and machine learning toolbox For several figures, hline and vline functions will be needed for plotting. These functions are available at https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/1039-hline-and-vline REFERENCE: Brandon Kuczenski (2021). hline and vline (https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/1039-hline-and-vline), MATLAB Central File Exchange. Retrieved August 1, 2021. For Figure 4, boxplotgroup function is needed for plotting. This function can be downloaded at https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/74437-boxplotgroup REFERENCE: Adam Danz (2021). boxplotGroup (https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/74437-boxplotgroup), MATLAB Central File Exchange. Retrieved August 1, 2021. Please reference this work using: Data and code: Rasman BG, Forbes PA, Peters RM, Ortiz O, Franks I, Inglis JT, Chua R, and Blouin JS. 2021, "Data and code for "Learning to stand with unexpected sensorimotor delays", DOI: https://doi.org/10.5683/SP2/IKX9ML, Scholars Portal Dataverse Paper: Rasman BG, Forbes PA, Peters RM, Ortiz O, Franks I, Inglis JT, Chua R, and Blouin JS. Learning to stand with unexpected sensorimotor delays. eLife. 2021: e65085. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.65085 These files consist of data and Matlab code needed to reproduce the main result figures from Experiments 1, 2 and 3 of "Learning to stand with unexpected sensorimotor delays". Additionally, LabVIEW code is provided to produce robust Bayesian fits for perceptual data. Data and results include: standing balance behavior (sway velocity variance, percent time within balancing limits) with imposed delays, vestibular-evoked muscle responses (coherence, gain, cross-covariance) when standing with imposed delays, and perceptual thresholds to detecting unexpected standing motion when standing with imposed delays. Data are provided in spreadsheets (for viewing purposes) and also in .mat matlab files (to run with source code).

  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Williams, Loriann;
    Country: Canada

    Maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy can induce a range of behavioral and cognitive deficits in offspring, which are collectively termed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). There are significant delays in motor development and sensory-motor skills in children with FASD, but the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of these deficits are poorly understood. The goal of this research project is to test the hypothesis that the Kinesiological Instrument for Normal and Altered Reaching Movements (KINARM) will serve as an effective tool for identifying and measuring specific, neurologically-based motor deficits in children with FASD. These deficits were revealed through investigation of multi-joint upper limb movements during the performance of sensory-motor tasks. Children (31 FASD; 83 controls, aged 5 to 18 years, male and female) performed: (1) a visually-guided reaching task with fingertip feedback only; and children (31 FASD; 49 controls, aged 5 to 18 years, male and female) performed: (2) an arm position-matching task in the absence of visual feedback. Children with FASD differed significantly from controls in many reaching task outcome measures, specifically those related to the initial motor response and corrective responses. In particular, large effect sizes were observed for outcome measures related to the first (initial) movement (corresponding to feedforward control; e.g., direction error; distance error), as well as for those measures related to corrective responses (corresponding to feedback control; e.g., difference between minimum and maximum hand speeds; number of speed peaks during movement). In the position-matching task, children with FASD constricted the spatial workspace of the subject-controlled arm relative to the robot-controlled arm, in the horizontal axis. There was also observed a systematic shift between the subject- and robot-controlled arms in the XY end position, resulting in significant error. Additionally, children with FASD exhibited significantly increased trial-to-trial variability for final hand position of the subject-controlled arm, over all targets, and for which large effect sizes were observed. The results suggest that children with FASD have difficulty integrating sensory information into planned motor movements. The KINARM is a promising research tool that may be used to assess motor control deficits in children affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol.

  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Landry, David Bryce;
    Publisher: Wiley Online Library
    Country: Canada

    This dissertation aims to test and evaluate new applications of non-invasive remote sensing and geophysical technologies at three archaeological sites (LdFa-1; LeDx-42; and LbDt-1) located in the interior region of southern Baffin Island, Nunavut. LdFa-1 and LeDx-42 are both Paleo-Inuit occupation sites, while LbDt-1 is one of only two known chert quarry sites in this region. Methods used at these three Paleo-Inuit sites include terrestrial laser scanning, radar imaging, electromagnetic resistivity and conductivity mapping, and magnetic susceptibility mapping. The methods are examined for both their effectiveness in archaeological fieldwork, and their investigative value on lower relief hunter-gatherer sites. The results of these tests are presented through four original research manuscripts. Developing and integrating a non-invasive multi-method approach to site investigation in the Arctic facilitates efficient in-field data acquisition and allows for less reliance on wide-scale excavation and extended field seasons. Because weather can be an unpredictable factor on site accessibility in the deep interior regions, entire field seasons can, and have been derailed despite best planning efforts and sufficient funding. As such, it is vital that these technologies enable us to collect valuable data within a limited amount of time. Remote sensing and geophysical survey data were collected, processed, analysed, and interpreted in both field and lab settings throughout this project. Because the motivations of this project are heavily methodological in nature, the analytical approach of this dissertation focuses on the ways to integrate these methods and interpretations within pre-established archaeological frameworks. The results of this study demonstrate that non-invasive, multi-method investigation of Arctic hunter-gatherer sites is an effective approach to derive detailed archaeological data without the need for wide-scale excavation. With these data, I was able to more clearly interpret and understand Paleo-Inuit toolstone use and transport patterns beginning at a quarry and then extending across southern Baffin Island’s interior and coastal regions. The combined subsurface imaging and surveys proved to be the most effective way to locate, identify, and investigate anthropogenic features in these complex Arctic environments, and ultimately the resulting information they acquired has enhanced our overall understanding of Paleo-Inuit lifeways in this region.

  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Setoodeh, Peyman;
    Country: Canada

    Cooperative teleoperation combines two traditional areas of robotics, i.e. teleoperation and collaborative manipulation. Cooperative telerobotic systems consist of multiple pairs of master I slave robotic manipulators operating in a shared environment. Due to dynamic interaction among slave manipulators as well as communication latency, control of such systems is particularly challenging and the application of standard teleoperation controller may result in instability. In this thesis a multilateral control framework is proposed for cooperative teleoperation systems that allows for transmission of position and force information between all master and slave robots rather than merely between corresponding units. Two different control approaches are introduced that establish kinematic correspondence among masters and slaves. The operators are presented with a virtual intervening tool in order to collaboratively interact with the environment. Models of operators, master and slave robots, tool, and environment are incorporated in the design. A multilateral adaptive nonlinear control architecture is proposed. Performance and stability of cooperative teleoperation systems are addressed under dynamic interactions between slave robots in the presence of model uncertainty. The robustness of the controller with respect to communication latency is also analyzed. Simulation and experimental studies demonstrate that the proposed approach is highly effective in all phases of a teleoperation task, i.e. in free motion and in contact with both flexible and rigid environments. The second approach involves finite-dimensional state-space models that incorporate the delay for free motion/ soft contact as well as rigid contact modes of operation. Local dynamic linearization control laws are employed to linearize robotic manipulators' dynamics. Model-based discrete-time Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controllers are proposed that can deliver a stable transparent response for each phase of operation. The robustness of these controllers with respect to parameter uncertainty is examined via the Nyquist analysis. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Thesis Master of Applied Science (MASc)

  • Other research product . Other ORP type . 2015
    Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Bartholomew, Maria J.; Howes, John D.;
    Country: Canada

    Lesson 1: (p.1-11) The History of Canadian Hockey and its Reflection of Canadian Nationalism and Identity. (Students will develop an understanding of the relationship between monumental historical hockey events and the greater Nationalistic representation reflected at the time: politics, culture, war, public image, etc. In addition, students will review the consequences for excessive nationalism through hockey and how it reflects a challenge of identity for those who don't connect with hockey. ) Lesson 2: (p.12- 39) The Canadian History of Immigration Policies (Students will develop an understanding of the hardships immigrants have faced in Canadian policy, and still face today. The lesson will guide students in creating connections between past political policies and how they have evolved over time.) Lesson 3: (p.40-47) Canada and the Over-Exploitation of Resources (Students will reflect on the current environmental crisis of the Albertan tar-sands. In addition, students should compare this contemporary issue with the history of excessive resource exploitations of the timber industries and will develop skills in understanding a limited resource industry.) Lesson 4: (p.48- 63The Alberta Pipeline: A Link to Exploring First Nations Treaties and Land Rights- Past and Present. (Students will learn about the proposed Albertan Pipeline and its link to First Nations Peoples. This will provide a point of departure for discussing historic treaties, the Indian Act, and other current comprehensive and specific land claim issues arising in Canada. Students will consider the ethical dimension of appropriation of First Nations land and will explore the consequences of that past in relation to the proposed Albertan pipeline of today.) Lesson 5: (p. 64-91) Exploring the Changing Gender and Parental Roles as Represented in the Media since World War I (Students will gain an understanding of modern day gender/parental roles by exploring the continuity and change as represented in media sources since WWI.) Lesson 6: (p. 92-105) Understanding Canada’s Military Involvement against ISIS through Exploring Canada’s Past Military Roles. (Students will explore Canada’s combat and peacekeeping heritage since WW1 and will examine the current state of the Canadian military and how it has responded to budget cuts over the years. This historical perspective will give students a better understanding of the role Canada is currently able to play in international conflicts and students will engage in a debate over the future direction of Canada’s military.

  • Open Access English
    Authors: 
    Stefanuk, Michael;
    Country: Canada

    The phenology and productivity of temperate forests has changed across eastern North America in recent decades. However, these changes have varied spatially and temporally. And, while climate change has been an important cause of these changes in forest growth, the precise influence of climate remains unclear. This thesis presents the results of research which 1) tested for forest growth trends that could indicate that forest growth has changed in response to environmental stressors; and 2) assessed climate-growth relationships for different forest growth processes (phenology and productivity). Analysis was conducted at a regional scale within the Algonquin-to-Adirondacks (A2A) corridor, and at a sub-regional scale within the four geoclimatologically distinct ecoregions of A2A (Algonquin Highlands, Frontenac Arch, St. Lawrence Lowlands & Adirondack Mountains). We conducted two studies using different, but complimentary, methodologies. In the first study we used dendrochronology to study the growth of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) over a century (1912-2011). We found that sugar maple ring-widths declined recently in the Algonquin Highlands (- 46 mm2/year, 1993-2011) and Adirondack Mountains (- 33 mm2/year, 1991-2011), but that climate-growth relationships with temperature, precipitation and the SPEI drought index were limited (response function coefficients of ± 0.3). In the second study we used remote-sensing to study forest landscapes (i.e., pixels) over 26 years (1989-2014). We found that statistically significant (p 80 %), and accumulated heating (> 4 0C) and chilling (< 20 0C) temperatures were the most important climatic variables for driving forest growth. Understanding climate-growth relationships for temperate forests in A2A will improve understandings of how forests have already responded to climate change, and will contribute to our capacity to predict how they may respond to future climate change.