springer netherlands jan 2015 (87 results)

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Focusing on the Asia-Pacific region, which in recent years has been the engine of global economic growth , this volume surveys trends and prospects in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) with particular reference to achieving inclusive growth and the greening of economies. Underlying the increasing pressure for new models of TVET provision is the rapid pace of technological change, demand for a work force which is highly responsive to evolving needs and a transforming market place that calls for higher order skills and lifelong learning. The book proposes a re-engineered, modernized TVET system that fosters an innovative approach which enhances the employability of workers as well as the sustainability of their livelihoods. The book includes contributions from leading policy makers, researchers, and practitioners, including those in the private sector in analyzing and forecasting the most urgent priorities in skills development. The book argues for creative approaches to TVET design and delivery particularly with a view to improve job prospects , and meeting the goals of inclusion, sustainable development and social cohesion. Addressing issues such as the chronic mismatches between skills acquired and actual skills required in the work place, the volume proposes diversified approaches towards workforce development and partnerships with the private sector to improve the quality and relevance of skills development . The new imperatives created by 'greening' economies and responses required in skills development and training are addressed. Developing TVET is a high priority for governments in the Asia Pacific region as they seek to achieve long-term sustainable growth since the .continued success of their economic destinies depend on it. The volume also includes an emerging framework for skills development for inclusive and sustainable growth in the Asia and Pacific region. 400 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Practical applications of soft-matter dynamics are of vital importance in material science, chemical engineering, biophysics and biotechnology, food processing, plastic industry, micro- and nano-system technology, and other technologies based on non-crystalline and non-glassy materials. Principles of Soft-Matter Dynamics. Basic Theories, Non-invasive Methods, Mesoscopic Aspects covers fundamental dynamic phenomena such as diffusion, relaxation, fluid dynamics, normal modes, order fluctuations, adsorption and wetting processes. It also elucidates the applications of the principles and of the methods referring to polymers, liquid crystals and other mesophases, membranes, amphiphilic systems, networks, and porous media including multiphase and multi-component materials, colloids, fine-particles, and emulsions. The book presents all formalisms, examines the basic concepts needed for applications of soft-matter science, and reviews non-invasive experimental techniques such as the multi-faceted realm of NMR methods, neutron and light quasi-elastic scattering, mechanical relaxation and dielectric broadband spectroscopy which are treated and compared on a common and consistent foundation. The standard concepts of dynamics in fluids, polymers, liquid crystals, colloids and adsorbates are comprehensively derived in a step-by-step manner. Principles and analogies common to diverse application fields are elucidated and theoretical and experimental aspects are supplemented by computational-physics considerations.Principles of Soft-Matter Dynamics. Basic Theories, Non-invasive Methods, Mesoscopic Aspects appeals to graduate and PhD students, post-docs, researchers, and industrial scientists alike. 672 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This is the second edition of this best selling problem book for students, now containing over 400 completely solved exercises on differentiable manifolds, Lie theory, fibre bundles and Riemannian manifolds.The exercises go from elementary computations to rather sophisticated tools. Many of the definitions and theorems used throughout are explained in the first section of each chapter where they appear.A 56-page collection of formulae is included which can be useful as an aide-mémoire, even for teachers and researchers on those topics.In this 2nd edition:- 76 new problems - a section devoted to a generalization of Gauss' Lemma- a short novel section dealing with some properties of the energy of Hopf vector fields- an expanded collection of formulae and tables- an extended bibliographyAudienceThis book will be useful to advanced undergraduate and graduate students of mathematics, theoretical physics and some branches of engineering with a rudimentary knowledge of linear and multilinear algebra. 644 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This volume addresses the cultural, technical and ethical motivations of the history of drawing of machines and its developments step by step. First it treats drawings without any technical character; then the Renaissance with its new forms of drawing; the 18th century, with orthographic projections, immediately used by industry; the 19th century, including the applications of drawing in industry; and the 20th century, with the standardization institutions and the use of the computer. The role of historical drawings and archives in modern design is also examined.This book is of value to all those who are interested in technical drawing, either from an artistic, from a design, or from an engineering point of view. 260 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This study provides a historical analysis of Freudenthal's didactic ideas and his didactic career. It is partly biographical, but also contributes to the historiography of mathematics education and addresses closely related questions such as: what is mathematics and where does it start Which role does mathematics play in society and what influence does it have on the prevailing views concerning its accompanying didactics .Hans Freudenthal (1905-1990), professor in mathematics, scientist, literator, but above all mathematics-educator, was inextricablylinked to the changes which took place in mathematics education and didactics during the second half of the last century. His diversity as a scientist and his inexhaustible efforts to establish the didactics of mathematics as a seriously pursued science, made Freudenthal's influence in this area considerable. He foresaw an essential, practical role for mathematics in everyone's life, encouraging students to discover and create mathematics themselves, instead of imposing a ready-made mathematical system. The theory of mathematics education thus developed in the Netherlands would gain world fame in the following decades.Today, in the light of the discussions about mathematics education, in which the call for `genuine' mathematics instead of the so-called 'kindergarten'-mathematics can be heard, Freudenthal's approach seems to be passé. However, the outcome of this study (which is mainly based on documents from Freudenthal's vast personal archive) shows a more refined picture. The direct identification of 'kindergarten'-mathematics with Freudenthal's view on mathematics education is not justified. 'Realistic mathematics' as advocated by Freudenthal includes more than just a practical introductory and should, among other things, always aim at teaching 'genuine' mathematics in the end. 404 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -While the transmission of Greek philosophy and science via the Muslim world to western Europe in the Middle Ages has been closely scrutinized, the fate of the Arabic philosophical and scientific legacy in later centuries has received less attention, a fault this volume aims to correct. The authors in this collection discuss in particular the radical ideas associated with Averroism that are attributed to the Aristotle commentator Ibn Rushd (1126-1198) and challenge key doctrines of the Abrahamic religions. This volume examines what happened to Averroes's philosophy during the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Did early modern thinkers really no longer pay any attention to the Commentator Were there undercurrents of Averroism after the sixteenth century How did Western authors in this period contextualise Averroes and Arabic philosophy within their own cultural heritage How different was the Averroes they created as a philosopher in a European tradition from Ibn Rushd, the theologian, jurist and philosopher of the Islamic tradition 416 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This vital addition to Springer's 'Educating the Young Child' series addresses gaps in the literature on father involvement in the lives of young children, a topic with a fast-rising profile in today's world of female breadwinners and single-parent households. While the significant body of theoretical understanding and empirical data accumulated in recent decades has done much to characterize the fluidity of evolving notions of fatherhood, the impact of this understanding on policy and legal frameworks has been uneven at an international level. In a field where groups of fathers were until recently marginalized in research, this book adopts a refreshingly inclusive attitude, aiming to motivate researchers to capture the nuanced practices of fathers in minority groups such as those who are homeless, gay, imprisoned, raising a disabled child, or from ethnically distinct backgrounds, including Mexican- and African-American and indigenous fathers.The volume includes chapters highlighting the unique challenges and possibilities of father involvement in their children's early years of development. Contributing authors have integrated theories, research, policies, and programs on father involvement so as to attract readers with diverse interest and expertise, and material from selected countries in Asia, Australia, and Africa, as well as North America, evinces the international scope of their analysis. Their often interdisciplinary analyses draw, too, on historical and cultural legacies, even as they project a vision of the future in which fathers' involvement in their young children's lives develops alongside the changing political, economic and educational landscapes around the world. 376 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -What are the moral obligations of participants and bystanders during-and in the wake of -a conflict How have theoretical understandings of justice, peace and responsibility changed in the face of contemporary realities of war Drawing on the work of leading scholars in the fields of philosophy, political theory, international law, religious studies and peace studies, the collection significantly advances current literature on war, justice and post-conflict reconciliation. Contributors address some of the most pressing issues of international and civil conflict, including the tension between attributing individual and collective responsibility for the wrongs of war, the trade-offs made between the search for truth and demands for justice, and the conceptual intricacies of coming to understand just what is meant by 'peace' and 'conflict.' Individual essays also address concrete topics including the international criminal court, reparations, truces, political apologies, truth commissions and criminal trials, with an eye to contemporary examples from conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and North and South America. 240 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This first book in the series will describe the Net Generation as visual learners who thrive when surrounded with new technologies and whose needs can be met with the technological innovations. These new learners seek novel ways of studying, such as collaborating with peers, multitasking, as well as use of multimedia, the Internet, and other Information and Communication Technologies. Here we present mathematics as a contemporary subject that is engaging, exciting and enlightening in new ways. For example, in the distributed environment of cyber space, mathematics learners play games, watch presentations on YouTube, create Java applets of mathematics simulations and exchange thoughts over the Instant Messaging tool. How should mathematics education resonate with these learners and technological novelties that excite them 260 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book addresses the question: how can institutions develop and maintain a good purpose And how can managers contribute to this endeavour Twelve contributions explore this question, using MacIntyrean inquiry as a basis for exploring four main themes: Can management be considered a practice in the MacIntyrean sense What is the role of specific virtues in the development of a virtuous institution What are management vices and what are the conditions in which they flourish And, can we use MacIntyrean ideas to consider the management of all forms of institutions The volume is an international and multidisciplinary collection, with contributions from well-known writers in the field of management ethics, and innovative contributions that use MacIntyrean inquiry as a lens to examine fields such as hospitality, user generated music content and social sustainability. The papers are unified by their concern for the achievement of organizational excellence and integrity through ethical management.Unlike single author texts this edited volume brings together multiple perspectives on the topic of virtue ethics in management. In doing so, it explores the topic both more deeply and more widely than a single author can do. Because of its breadth, this book has the potential to become a turn-to research tool for those interested in virtue theory's relevance to other academic interests such as organizational behavior (including motivation theory and social psychology), literature, contemporary social issue criticism, and business management. 'Editors Harris, Wijesinghe, and McKenzie have crafted a tight, slim, and thematically consistent volume that will be indispensable to scholars and students with twin interests in business and virtue ethics. In particular, those working with MacIntyre's ideas will find the thorough and complimentary explorations and applications of his ideas to serve, overall, as a cornerstone for their own work.'Brenden E. Kendall (2014), Harris, H., Wijesinghe, G., & McKenzie, S. (Eds.). (2013). The Heart of the Good Institution: Virtue Ethics as a Framework for Responsible Management. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer, in Michael Schwartz , Howard Harris (ed.) Achieving Ethical Excellence (Research in Ethical Issues in Organizations, Volume 12) Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp.155 - 161 192 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Relevant to, and drawing from, a range of disciplines, the chapters in this collection show the diversity, and applicability, of research in Bayesian argumentation. Together, they form a challenge to philosophers versed in both the use and criticism of Bayesian models who have largely overlooked their potential in argumentation. Selected from contributions to a multidisciplinary workshop on the topic held in Sweden in 2010, the authors count linguists and social psychologists among their number, in addition to philosophers. They analyze material that includes real-life court cases, experimental research results, and the insights gained from computer models. The volume provides, for the first time, a formal measure of subjective argument strength and argument force, robust enough to allow advocates of opposing sides of an argument to agree on the relative strengths of their supporting reasoning. With papers from leading figures such as Michael Oaksford and Ulrike Hahn, the book comprises recent research conducted at the frontiers of Bayesian argumentation and provides a multitude of examples in which these formal tools can be applied to informal argument. It signals new and impending developments in philosophy, which has seen Bayesian models deployed in formal epistemology and philosophy of science, but has yet to explore the full potential of Bayesian models as a framework in argumentation. In doing so, this revealing anthology looks destined to become a standard teaching text in years to come. 224 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Benefiting from the support and involvement of two major international research networks, this collection features the latest research findings in TVET. Members of INAP, the International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship, and VETNET, the Vocational Education and Training Network, have contributed key research findings to this detailed survey of the field. Featuring the inclusion of the internationally recognized memorandum released in April 2012 by the INAP Architecture Apprenticeship Commission, the volume covers a wealth of issues relating to technical and vocational education and training, including exemplar architectures such as successful school-to-work transitions, competence assessment and development models, and governance, including the role of stakeholders. The book provides many opportunities to explore in depth the scholarly debate on TVET, as well as to learn from positive international experiences. It aims to inform the practice of TVET professionals as much as the decision making of administrators. 356 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The book provides an in-depth discussion on the human nature concept from different perspectives and from different disciplines, analyzing its use in the doping debate and researching its normative overtones. The relation between natural talent and enhanced abilitiesis scrutinized within a proper conceptual and theoretical framework: is doping to be seen as a factor of the athlete's dehumanization or is it a tool to fulfill his/her aspirations to go faster, higher and stronger Which characteristics make sports such a peculiar subject of ethical discussion and what are the, both intrinsic and extrinsic, moral dangers and opportunities involved in athletic enhancement This volume combines fundamental philosophical anthropological reflection with applied ethics and socio-cultural and empirical approaches. Furthermore guidelines will be presented to decision- and policy-makers on local, national and international levels. Zooming in on the intrinsic issue of what is valuable about our homo sapiens biological condition, this volume devotes only scant attention to the specific issue of natural talent and why such talent is appreciated so differently than biotechnological origins of ability. In addition, specific aspects of sports such as its competitive nature and its direct display of bodily prowess provide good reason to single out the issue of natural athletic talent for sustained ethical scrutiny. 332 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -In this book, an international group of philosophers, economists and theologians focus on the relationship between justice, luck and responsibility in health care. Together, they offer a thorough reflection on questions such as: How should we understand justice in health care Why are health care interests so important that they deserve special protection How should we value health What are its functions and do these make it different from other goods Furthermore, how much equality should there be Which inequalities in health and health care are unfair and which are simply unfortunate Which matters of health care belong to the domain of justice, and which to the domain of charity And to what extent should we allow personal responsibility to play a role in allocating health care services and resources, or in distributing the costs With this book, the editors meet a double objective. First, they provide a comprehensive philosophical framework for understanding the concepts of justice, luck and responsibility in contemporary health care; and secondly, they explore whether these concepts have practical force to guide normative discussions in specific contexts of health care such as prevention of infectious diseases or in matters of reproductive technology. Particular and extensive attention is paid to issues regarding end-of-life care. 240 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The notion of 'natural law' has repeatedly furnished human beings with a shared grammar in times of moral and cultural crisis. Stoic natural law, for example, emerged precisely when the Ancient World lost the Greek polis, which had been the point of reference for Plato's and Aristotle's political philosophy. In key moments such as this, natural law has enabled moral and legal dialogue between peoples and traditions holding apparently clashing world-views. This volume revisits some of these key moments in intellectual and social history, partly with an eye to extracting valuable lessons for ideological conflicts in the present and perhaps near future. The contributions to this volume discuss both historical and contemporary schools of natural law. Topics on historical schools of natural law include: how Aristotelian theory of rules paved the way for the birth of the idea of 'natural law'; the idea's first mature account in Cicero's work; the tension between two rival meanings of 'man's rational nature' in Aquinas' natural law theory; and the scope of Kant's allusions to 'natural law'. Topics on contemporary natural law schools include: John Finnis's and Germain Grisez's 'new natural law theory'; natural law theories in a 'broader' sense, such as Adolf Reinach's legal phenomenology; Ortega y Gasset's and Scheler's 'ethical perspectivism'; the natural law response to Kelsen's conflation of democracy and moral relativism; natural law's role in 20th century international law doctrine; Ronald Dworkin's understanding of law as 'a branch of political morality'; and Alasdair Macintyre's 'virtue'-based approach to natural law. 264 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book is a study of the scientific revolution as a movement of amateur science. It describes the ideology of the amateur scientific societies as the philosophy of the Enlightenment Movement and their social structure and the way they made modern science such a magnificent institution. It also shows what was missing in the scientific organization of science and why it gave way to professional science in stages. In particular the book studies the contributions of Sir Francis Bacon and of the Hon. Robert Boyle to the rise of modern science. The philosophy of induction is notoriously problematic, yet its great asset is that it expressed the view of the Enlightenment Movement about science. This explains the ambivalence that we still exhibit towards Sir Francis Bacon whose radicalism and vision of pure and applied science still a major aspect of the fabric of society. Finally, the book discusses Boyle's philosophy, his agreement with and dissent from Bacon and the way he single-handedly trained a crowd of poorly educated English aristocrats and rendered them into an army of able amateur researchers. 336 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The pilot-less drones, smart bombs and other high-tech weapons on display in recent conflicts are all the outcome of weapons research. However, the kind of scientific and technological endeavour has been around for a long time, producing not only the armaments of Nazi Germany and the atomic bombs dropped on Japan, but the catapults used in ancient Greece and Rome and the assault rifles used by child soldiers in Africa. In this book John Forge examines such weapons research and asks whether it is morally acceptable to undertake such an activity. He argues that it is in fact morally wrong to take part in weapons research as its primary purpose is to produce the means to harm others, and moreover he argues that all attempts to then justify participation in weapons research do not stand up to scrutiny. This book has wide appeal in fields of philosophy and related areas, as well to a more general audience who are puzzled about the rate at which new weapons are accumulated. 328 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Action research was conceived as a method of collaborative, self-reflective problem-solving in a community context. Yet many believe it has evolved too far away from its original, directly activist roots. As a direct response to calls for a rejuvenation of the social agenda of 'action research', this volume provides an all-inclusive road map to generating and implementing politically active grass-roots research activities. It is a priceless practical guide for the newly minted researcher wanting to make a tangible difference in their profession and in the world. Where some action research models have been criticized for losing focus on the participatory and social justice roots of this type of research, this book puts social justice activism squarely center stage, guiding the researcher through the theoretical, methodological and practical considerations and constraints of developing, implementing and sustaining research in the cultural professions.Lcating and contextualizing the history and theory of action research, critical theory and other related methodologies and concepts, this volume takes the reader on a journey that begins with the formation of a question, puzzle or research idea right through to the publication of a report on your finished project. Including discrete sections on every stage in the process, from generating a social justice activism agenda, through forming a team and empowering participants, to ensuring the implementation of your agenda and publishing and disseminating your work. Engaging their readers with a fresh acronym, PAtR-Participatory Activist Research-the authors give fresh impetus to those looking for a systematic way to understand and shape practice in their daily work, their profession and their world.This is an outstanding book that represents a critical research process sorely needed in the academy today. Any researcher interested in making an intervention into the egregious social conditions wrought by neoliberal capitalism would do well to read this book. An important contribution to the literature on research methodology.Peter McLaren, Professor, School of Critical Studies in Education, University of AucklandThis is an outstanding book that represents a critical research process sorely needed in the academy today. Any researcher interested in making an intervention into the egregious social conditions wrought by neoliberal capitalism would do well to read this book. An important contribution to the literature on research methodology.Peter McLaren, Professor, School of Critical Studies in Education, University of Auckland 264 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book is a pedagogical presentation of the application of spectral and pseudospectral methods to kinetic theory and quantum mechanics. There are additional applications to astrophysics, engineering, biology and many other fields. The main objective of this book is to provide the basic concepts to enable the use of spectral and pseudospectral methods to solve problems in diverse fields of interest and to a wide audience. While spectral methods are generally based on Fourier Series or Chebychev polynomials, non-classical polynomials and associated quadratures are used for many of the applications presented in the book. Fourier series methods are summarized with a discussion of the resolution of the Gibbs phenomenon. Classical and non-classical quadratures are used for the evaluation of integrals in reaction dynamics including nuclear fusion, radial integrals in density functional theory, in elastic scattering theory and other applications. The subject matter includes the calculation of transport coefficients in gases and other gas dynamical problems based on spectral and pseudospectral solutions of the Boltzmann equation. Radiative transfer in astrophysics and atmospheric science, and applications to space physics are discussed. The relaxation of initial non-equilibrium distributions to equilibrium for several different systems is studied with the Boltzmann and Fokker-Planck equations.The eigenvalue spectra of the linear operators in the Boltzmann, Fokker-Planck and Schrödinger equations are studied with spectral and pseudospectral methods based on non-classical orthogonal polynomials. The numerical methods referred to as the Discrete Ordinate Method, Differential Quadrature, the Quadrature Discretization Method, the Discrete Variable Representation, the Lagrange Mesh Method, and others are discussed and compared.MATLAB codes are provided for most of the numerical results reported in the book - see Link under 'Additional Information' on the the right-hand column. 436 pp. Englisch.

Buch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The current volume provides examples of how environmental hazards such as landslides, earthquakes, mountain processes, cold climate processes and tidal flows and currents can affect the energy supply infrastructure. In times of uncertainty, the security of the European cross-border energy supply infrastructure, such as pipelines, has great importance. Whilst the potential effects of political disagreement, economic inequalities and social differences are relatively well understood, the impact of environmental change is often poorly appreciated by decision-makers. New approaches have been examined for monitoring of hazardous landslide processes, including early warning systems, and near-real-time 3D data processing and visualization. The scientific problems of environmental systems design have been discussed and approaches for their implementation have been suggested. New integrated remote sensing techniques consisting mainly of hyperspectral and radar imagery are presented together with the processing of monitoring data using GIS techniques and, in particular, dynamic visualization. Attention is also given to conceptual issues of environmental and energy security and the role of education, to help resolve environmental problems through cooperation in the development of the European energy supply infrastructure. 264 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The current volume provides examples of how environmental hazards such as landslides, earthquakes, mountain processes, cold climate processes and tidal flows and currents can affect the energy supply infrastructure. In times of uncertainty, the security of the European cross-border energy supply infrastructure, such as pipelines, has great importance. Whilst the potential effects of political disagreement, economic inequalities and social differences are relatively well understood, the impact of environmental change is often poorly appreciated by decision-makers. New approaches have been examined for monitoring of hazardous landslide processes, including early warning systems, and near-real-time 3D data processing and visualization. The scientific problems of environmental systems design have been discussed and approaches for their implementation have been suggested. New integrated remote sensing techniques consisting mainly of hyperspectral and radar imagery are presented together with the processing of monitoring data using GIS techniques and, in particular, dynamic visualization. Attention is also given to conceptual issues of environmental and energy security and the role of education, to help resolve environmental problems through cooperation in the development of the European energy supply infrastructure. 264 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book covers all topics relevant for the design of haptic interfaces and teleoperation systems. The book provides the basic knowledge required for understanding more complex approaches and more importantly it introduces all issues that must be considered for designing efficient and safe haptic interfaces. Topics covered in this book provide insight into all relevant components of a haptic system. The reader is guided from understanding the virtual reality concept to the final goal of being able to design haptic interfaces for specific tasks such as nanomanipulation. The introduction chapter positions the haptic interfaces within the virtual reality context. In order to design haptic interfaces that will comply with human capabilities at least basic understanding of human sensors-motor system is required. An overview of this topic is provided in the chapter related to human haptics. The book does not try to introduce the state-of-the-art haptic interface solutions because these tend to change quickly. Only a careful selection of different kinematic configurations is shown to introduce the reader into this field. Mathematical models of virtual environment, collision detection and force rendering topics are strongly interrelated and are described in the next two chapters. The interaction with the virtual environment is simulated with a haptic interface. Impedance and admittance based approaches to haptic robot control are presented. Stability issues of haptic interaction are analyzed in details and solutions are proposed for guaranteeing stable and safe operation. Finally, haptic interaction is extended to teleoperation systems. Virtual fixtures which improve the teleoperation and human-robot cooperation in complex environments are covered next and the last chapter presents nanomanipulation as one specific example of teleoperation. 224 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Sleep medicine has been developing for more than 40 years. The current concepts in sleep technology are mainly centered on polysomnography (PSG) and issues related to sleep technicians. However, the editors believe that the true value of technology is revealed only when benefits to humanity are manifest. To this end, they endeavor to create a new era in sleep technology, one that will improve the quality of people's sleep and daily lives.This edited book, Introduction to Modern Sleep Technology, provides a comprehensive reference volume to the latest advancements in the area of Sleep Technology. It offers an excellent range of insights and opinions from leading researchers and experts in multiple disciplines spanning academia, clinical practice and industry. Up-to-date insights into the current research topics in this field are featured in addition to the latest technological advances with reference to appropriate working examples.The current book combines the five dimensions of knowledge, i.e., sleep medicine, clinical psychology engineering, industrial design and technology management to ensure the content is applicable to people's daily lives. 320 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -How do and how did people perceive, manage and respond to natural disasters How are the causes of natural disasters explained in history, how are they explained today This volume investigates relationships between forces of nature and human culture in a multidisciplinary context bridging science and the humanities.Forces of nature and cultural responses is divided into four sections: (1) ball lightnings, (2) earthquakes and tsunamis, (3) volcanic eruptions and plagues, and (4) hurricanes and floodings. Specifically, Section 1 investigates theories and case studies of ball lightning phenomena. Section 2 includes a psychological study on the impact of earthquakes on academic performance, a study on tsunami vulnerability and recovery strategies in Thailand and a study on the social and economic aftermaths of a tsunami and a hurricane in Hawaii. Section 3 consists of a chapter on volcanic eruptions and plagues as well as cultural responses in Ancient Times and a study on contemporary vulnerability and resilience under chronic volcanic eruptions. Section 4 investigates the impact of hurricane Katrina on the current jazz scene in New Orleans and cultural responses to floodings in The Netherlands in Early Modern Times. 240 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This book addresses dynamic modelling methodology and analyses of tree-type robotic systems. Such analyses are required to visualize the motion of a system without really building it. The book contains novel treatment of the tree-type systems using concept of kinematic modules and the corresponding Decoupled Natural Orthogonal Complements (DeNOC), unified representation of the multiple-degrees-of freedom-joints, efficient recursive dynamics algorithms, and detailed dynamic analyses of several legged robots. The book will help graduate students, researchers and practicing engineers in applying their knowledge of dynamics for analysis of complex robotic systems. The knowledge contained in the book will help one in virtual testing of robot operation, trajectory planning and control. 264 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Over the years of cancer investigation a lot of discoveries in this field were made, and many associations between various biological carcinogens and cancer were revealed. Some of them are credibly determined, thus these infectious agents (human papilloma virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, Epstein-Barr virus, human herpes virus 8, human T-cell lymphotropic virus 1, human immunodeficiency virus, Merkel cell polyomavirus, Helicobacter pylori, Opisthorchis viverrini, Clonorchis sinensis, Schistosoma haematobium) are recognized as carcinogens and probable carcinogens by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The problem is of large importance, since share of infectious agents-related cancer cases is steadily increasing, reaching 25% according to certain estimates. It is worth noting that many of cancer cases are caused by infectious agents other than «conventional ones» like HPV, EBV, HBV, HCV, H.pylori etc. In recent years, a number of significant breakthroughs in the field were performed, such as the discovery of the microbiota role in cancer causation. 128 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Over a half of adults in the US, Canada, Australia and numerous European countries are now overweight or obese, a proportion that has risen sharply in the past two decades. Dominant biomedical explanations focus on the energy equation - an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure - and remedies focus on motivating individuals to restore the balance by eating better and being more active, or - in extreme cases - surgical intervention. This book offers a perspective that sees increasing obesity as a social phenomenon as well as a public health problem. It contains detailed accounts of three generations of Australians' experiences of changing environments and the emergence of social trends such as increasing availability of convenience foods, the individualisation and commercialisation of leisure, car reliance, and busyness. Participants' narratives are interwoven with sociological and historical analyses of changes to show how contemporary Australians are experiencing and adapting to dramatic socio-cultural and environmental changes that are reshaping their lives and, in many cases, their bodies. The book demonstrates that obesity is an unintended consequence of economic development accompanied by profound socio-cultural changes, and by identifying the key developments the authors propose leverage points. While the research was conducted in Australia, the fundamental drivers of rapid weight gain are equally present in other modern, secular societies. 208 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -This volume explores the usefulness of the Asian model of agricultural development for Africa, where, even before the recent world food crisis, half the population lived on less than on dollar a day, and a staggering one in three people and one third of all children were undernourished. Africa has abundant natural resources; agriculture provides most of its jobs, a third of national income and a larger portion of total export earnings. However the levels of land and labor productivity rank among the worst in the world. The book explains Africa's productivity gap and proposes ways to close it, by examining recent experience in Africa and by drawing on lessons from Asia. 320 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -Aimed at taking the mystery out of soil science, Soils: Principles, Properties and Management is a text for undergraduate/graduate students who study soil as a natural resource. Written in a reader-friendly style, with a host of examples, figures and tables, the book leads the reader from the basics of soil science through to complex situations, covering such topics as:the origin, development and classification of soil physical, chemical and biological properties of soil water and nutrient management management of problem soils, wetland soils and forest soils soil degradation Further, the ecological and agrological functions of soil are emphasized in the context of food security, biodiversity and climate change. The interactions between the environment and soil management are highlighted. Soil is viewed as an ecosystem itself and as a part of larger terrestrial ecosystems. 296 pp. Englisch.

Taschenbuch. Condition: Neu. This item is printed on demand - it takes 3-4 days longer - Neuware -The book presents a collection of articles devoted to atmospheric and ionospheric science reported during the Conference 'Atmosphere, Ionosphere, Safety' held in Kaliningrad, Russia in July 2010. It consists of reviews devoted to physics of elementary processes, aerosols, ionosphere dynamics, microwave discharges and plasmoids. Such a wide range of topics presents a comprehensive analysis of this atmospheric science including trends and questions which exist to be solved. 304 pp. Englisch.