We describe here a rigorous and accurate model for the simulation of three-dimensional deformable particles (DPs). The method is very versatile, easily simulating various types of deformable particles such as vesicles, capsules, and biological cells. Each DP is resolved explicitly and advects within the surrounding Newtonian fluid. The DPs have a preferred rest shape (e.g., spherical for vesicles, or biconcave for red blood cells). The model uses a classic hybrid system: an Eulerian approach is used for the Navier-Stokes solver (the lattice Boltzmann method) and a Lagrangian approach for the evolution of the DP mesh. Coupling is accomplished through the lattice Boltzmann velocity field, which transmits force to the membranes of the DPs. The novelty of this method resides in its ability (by design) to simulate a large number of DPs within the bounds of current computational limitations: our simple and efficient approach is to (i) use the lattice Boltzmann method because of its acknowledged efficiency at low Reynolds number and its ease of parallelization, and (ii) model the DP dynamics using a coarse mesh (approximately 500 nodes) and a spring model constraining (if necessary) local area, total area, cell volume, local curvature, and local primary stresses. We show that this approach is comparable to the more common-yet numerically expensive-approach of membrane potential function, through a series of quantitative comparisons. To demonstrate the capabilities of the model, we simulate the flow of 200 densely packed red blood cells-a computationally challenging task. The model is very efficient, requiring of the order of minutes for a single DP in a 50 μm×40 μm×40 μm simulation domain and only hours for 200 DPs in 80 μm×30 μm×30 μm. Moreover, the model is highly scalable and efficient compared to other models of blood cells in flow, making it an ideal and unique tool for studying blood flow in microvessels or vesicle or capsule flow (or a mixture of different particles). In addition to directly predicting fluid dynamics in complex suspension in any geometry, the model allows determination of accurate, empirical rules which may improve existing macroscopic, continuum models.

Emergencies in industrial warehouses are a major concern for fire fighters. The large dimensions together with the development of dense smoke that drastically reduces visibility, represent major challenges. The Guardians robot swarm is designed to assist fire fighters in searching a large warehouse. In this paper we discuss the technology developed for a swarm of robots assisting fire fighters. We explain the swarming algorithms which provide the functionality by which the robots react to and follow humans while no communication is required. Next we discuss the wireless communication system, which is a so-called mobile ad-hoc network. The communication network provides also the means to locate the robots and humans. Thus the robot swarm is able to provide guidance information to the humans. Together with the fire fighters we explored how the robot swarm should feed information back to the human fire fighter. We have designed and experimented with interfaces for presenting swarm based information to human beings.keywords: Swarm robotics, search and rescue, human robot (swarm) interface, mobile ad-hoc networks.

Purpose -The study examines managers' perceptions of digital banking's effect on customer experience and banks' financial performance.Design/methodology/approach -The research uses interviews from senior UK Bank managers to gather their views on digital banking impact on customer experience and financial performance. The interviews were thematically analysed to produce results and a model. Findings -The attributes affecting digital banking experience are: service quality, functional quality, perceived value, service customisation, service speed, employee-customer engagement, brand trust, digital banking innovation, perceived usability and perceived risk. They affect customer experience, satisfaction and loyalty, and financial performance. The research revealed relationships amongst these attributes (e.g. brand trust and loyalty).Research limitations/Implications -The study is UK bank specific and can be replicated in other developed countries' banks, helping in further comparison. However, digital banking is conducted globally, which implies that the findings are robust enough to be potentially applied in other countries. The proposed model shows customer experience drivers and outcomes through managers' views, which can be theoretically tested.Practical implications -The findings suggest important attributes (as above) for consideration to improve digital banking customer experience and financial performance. They show the relevance of employee-customer interaction, service personalisation, value proposition, quality service offering and digital banking experience, which have useful implications for improving digital banking design and interactive marketing.Originality/value -Gauging digital banking customer experience as perceived by bank managers has not been studied in this way, highlighting digital banking effectiveness, which is important for multi-channel marketing and banks' financial performance, and advances theory.

With the rapid development of technology and the increasing use of social networks, many opportunities for the design and deployment of interconnected systems arise that could enable a paradigm shift in the ways we interact with cultural heritage. The project described in this paper aims to create a new type of conceptually led environment, a kind of Cyber–Physical–Social Eco-Society (CPSeS) system that would seamlessly blend the real with virtual worlds interactively using Virtual Reality, Robots, and Social Networking technologies, engendered by humans’ interactions and intentions. The project seeks to develop new methods of engaging the current generation of museum visitors, who are influenced by their exposure to modern technology such as social media, smart phones, Internet of Things, smart devices, and visual games, by providing a unique experience of exploring and interacting with real and virtual worlds simultaneously. The research envisions a system that connects visitors to events and/or objects separated either in time or in space, or both, providing social meeting points between them. To demonstrate the attributes of the proposed system, a Virtual Museum scenario has been chosen. The following pages will describe the RoboSHU: Virtual Museum prototype, its capabilities and features, and present a generic development framework that will also be applicable to other contexts and sociospatial domains.

Abstract. PurposeThe GUARDIANS multi-robot team is to be deployed in a large warehouse in smoke. The team is to assist firefighters search the warehouse in the event or danger of a fire. The large dimensions of the environment together with development of smoke which drastically reduces visibility, represent major challenges for search and rescue operations. The GUARDIANS robots guide and accompany the firefighters on site whilst indicating possible obstacles and the locations of danger and maintaining communications links. Design/methodology/approach In order to fulfill the aforementioned tasks the robots need to exhibit certain behaviours. Among the basic behaviours are capabilities to stay together as a group, that is, generate a formation and navigate while keeping this formation. The control model used to generate these behaviours is based on the so-called social potential field framework, which we adapt to the specific tasks required for the GUARDIANS scenario. All tasks can be achieved without central control, and some of the behaviours can be performed without explicit communication between the robots. Findings The GUARDIANS environment requires flexible formations of the robot team: the formation has to adapt itself to the circumstances. Thus the application has forced us to redefine the concept of a formation. Using the graph-theoretic terminology, we can say that a formation may be stretched out as a path or be compact as a star or wheel. We have implemented the developed behaviours in simulation environments as well as on real ERA-MOBI robots commonly referred to as Erratics. We discuss advantages and shortcomings of our model, based on the simulations as well as on the implementation with a team of Erratics. Originality/value This paper discusses the concept of a robot formation in the context of a real world application of a robot team (swarm).

A theoretical framework for generating navigation the squad robust to failures of individual robots and its size behaviour patterns in mixed human-robot groups in complex envi-may vary considerably. ronments is proposed. This framework represents an essential part inThe basic behaviours that we cover in the mixed humanthe development of a multiple robot-human system for assisting fire-robot team are: robot, fire-fighter and obstacle avoidfighters in search and rescue operations in the GUARDIANS project. robottram and robon keepig. In obstacle the In order to produce the desired behaviours an artificial potential ance/attraction and formation keeping. In order to achieve the field method has been developed. We distinguish a three classes of listed behaviours, we use the social potential field framework, agents: robots, humans and obstacles, and apply different potential introduced by Reif and Wang [2], for developing our model. functions to them. Depending on the situation, we switch from one Each robot observes its environment including the other robots, function to another; this allows to generate desired behaviour patterns . . a as well as to avoid certain local minima. Typical behaviour patterns thcfreinghte Angdiostcesn maketal fnations decsion are singled out and their stability is discussed. Stability analysis accordingly. Applying different potential functions depending is based on geometric considerations, that permits to avoid bulky on whether a robot, the fire-fighter or an obstacle is detected computations and provide graphic demonstrations of convergence. we can generate a global behaviour that keeps the group of The proposed framework can be used in other robotic applications robots around the fire-fighter. The social potential field method where a group of heterogenous agents is deployed, allows the group of autonomous mobile robots to follow the Mixed human-robot team artificial potential fields, multi-moving human while avoiding other robots and the obstacles robot formations, navigation patterns at the same time.The simulation results and theoretical considerations indi-I. INTRODUCTION cate that our algorithm is robust and flexible to robot teamsThe mixed human-robot team in the GUARDIANS project' of different sizes as well as to failures of individual robots, consists of several autonomous mobile robots to assist fire-making it suitable to formation generation and navigation fighters in search and rescue operations in an industrial maintenance in dynamic environments. The inherent complexwarehouse in the event or danger of fire [19]. Among the ity of the emerging behaviours makes hard to fully predict the possible tasks that robots should be able to perform are collective behaviour on the basis of the behaviours of each the following: searching and exploring the warehouse and individual robot. However, we are able to single out several gathering information; maintaining the communication link typical emerging behaviour patterns. We conclude the paper to the outside base station and supporting ...

When reconstructing a surface from irregularly spaced data we need to decide how to identify a good triangulation. As a measure of quality we consider various di erential geometrical properties, namely integral absolute Gaussian curvature, integral absolute mean curvature and area. A comparison is made with data-dependent triangulation methods that exist in the literature.

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