Discuss the ways in which Toyotaro, the protagonist of Maihime (The Assignment

Discuss the ways in which Toyotaro, the protagonist of Maihime (The Dancing Girl), thinks of his own identity - Assignment Example His story explicates the fact that he had done a mistake by following and doing what other people told him to do. For instance, he asserts that during his childhood, he was a sort of dictionary to his mother and law in the service of his boss (Ogai). This implies that he was not following his heart and doing whatever he wanted or whatever pleased him, but whatever pleased those around him. Toyotaro identity changes when he falls in love Elise, a German dancing girl. He falls in love with this girl despite their varied culture and race. This love transforms Toyotaro to the extent that he loses his job (Ogai). While in the ship, he feels guilty for leaving her behind and that’s when he fully thinks of his identity. For once, a sense of being himself and deciding for himself engulfs him. He does not fear anymore what would become of him when he makes his own decisions. In conclusion, Toyotaro’s discovery that he was able to decide for himself on how he was going to live his life was the climax of the realization of his identity. This was a problem affecting several young Japanese during Mori Ogai’s generation. In this case, he emerged as an enlightened young intellectual capable of choosing his fate and not depending on adults to choose their destiny for

The oldest forms of energy

The oldest forms of energy 1 Introduction: Solar Energy Solar energy is one of the oldest forms of energy on the planet. Rays emitted from the sun are responsible for sustaining all life forms on the planet. Solar energy uses the sun as a source of heat by concentrating the heat via various methods and using those methods to channel through a heat engine and produce power. Because of this, solar thermal power generation is very much like traditional forms of power generation due to the combustion of fossil fuels, which also need the heat engines as a catalyst for the conversion into energy. It is always renewable and will never be exhausted as long as the planet and sun are present. However, the initial cost of startup for the heat engines is expensive, but over time the savings actually outweigh the initial startup fees, making this a significant choice in promoting a cleaner option for energy usage (SOLAR ENERGY n.d.). This is not a new technique. Although it is documented that the first patent for a solar collection device was given to Germany in 1907, the first real effort to actually use the sun as a heat source did not begin until the infamous oil crises of the 1970s. Even after the first plants were constructed in California during the 1980s, the funding for solar energy development dried up due to the fact cheaper methods could be found, although some of them might not be as environmentally friendly (Poullikkas 2009). Because of the global warming crisis issue during the past several years combined with insanely erratic oil and gas prices, this method of energy is now being revisited as a potential means to help meet the needs of the current energy crisis. There have recently been several proposed projects and there is a strong possibility that solar energy can finally become mainstream as a renewable energy resource, along with wind, water, and solar photovoltaic technologies (Poullikkas 2009). 2: Review of Article Andreas Poullikkas (2009) investigated the economic feasibility of the installation of a parabolic trough solar thermal system for energy generation throughout the Mediterranean region. In his article, Economic analysis of power generation from parabolic trough solar thermal plants for the Mediterranean region- A case study for the island of Cyprus, all variables concerning the potential for Cyprus, as well as all of the available data pertinent to renewable energy sources dealing with the policy of the Cyprus government were taken into account. A method of cost-analysis was used to show the differences between energy output with and without the solar plants and also to show the differences in carbon dioxide level output and fossil fuel emissions. The area of Cyprus was chosen as a research site due to the fact there are no hydrocarbon energy sources and it is almost one hundred percent dependent on imported fossil fuels. The solar energy in the area is used mostly for the heating of water. Current estimates show about 90% of the homes, 80% of the apartments, and 50% of the hotels have solar-water heating systems, thus causing Cyprus to actually be the first country in the world with the most installed solar collectors per person (Cyprus Institute of Energy 2009). In order to fully understand the rationale behind the study, we must understand the different types of solar energy available. There are two major markets for solar energy, the photovoltaic and the solar thermal. The solar thermal market actually uses the heat emitted from the sun to heat water or generate power. The photovoltaic market consists of solar cells which use the properties of different materials to change sunlight into electricity (Poullikkas 2009). The three forms of solar radiation systems currently available are parabolic trough systems, solar tower systems, and solar dish systems. For the purpose of this article, we will concentrate on the parabolic trough systems and the cost effectiveness of using the systems in the Cyprus area. When many of these parabolic troughs are lined together, it forms a power plant, which then is responsible for holding the heating fluid inside the pipes, moving it along the range of pipes into a generator to produce the electricity, which is the end product. The process continues in a cycle as long as there is solar power from which to collect the heating fluid to store inside the trough pipes. The significant drawback for this type of energy production is that the troughs are large in physical size and expensive, thus having an impact on the overall initial economics of the plant (Garcia-Rodrigueza and Blanco-Galvezb 2007). The most important consideration for a solar thermal power plant is the land mass required to hold all of the equipment for sufficient energy production. There is little evidence due to under usage of this solar technology to make an educated guess at the land space required for such a plant to be constructed (Poullikkas 2009). The requirements for the amount of land needed, as researchers currently estimate, depends on the amount of sunlight potential as well as the amount of integrated thermal storage. Current numbers figure a space of approximately 25m/kW if there is no thermal storage integration (Poullikkas 2009). Researchers also believe the electricity produced from a parabolic solar thermal power plan is dependent on the amount of sunlight as well as the number of hours the plant is in operation and the degree of thermal storage. The research conducted in this article shows a direct proportion in the increase of solar energy collection with an increase of the size and number of plant troughs. Therefore, the bigger the plant, the more electricity it will produce. After research was completed and figures were calculated via a parametric cost-benefit analysis, it was decided that, overall, the installation of a solar thermal system for the Mediterranean region would be profitable and economically feasible, but only under certain circumstances. Depending on the physical size of the plant, how much storage capacity is available, the initial startup cost, and the costs involved with purchasing land would all have to be factored in with each separate situation. Thus, there is no standard answer fo r the world (Poullikkas 2009). 3: What the Future Holds The best model of solar plant would include building based on the parabolic troughs, but beside a combined cycle power plant, which would be called an integrated solar combined cycle plant. This type of configuration would burn natural gas to produce electricity. The heat from the turbine exhaust would be fed into a heat boiler and would generate steam to drive the steam generator portion of the plant. Heat from solar energy being collected would be used to help supplement the heat from the turbine exhaust and would increase the output from the steam turbine section. There actually are plants being built in Morocco, Algeria and Egypt which rely on this integrated electrical technology to produce greater masses of electricity, yet decrease the emissions of fossil fuels and carbon dioxide output (Promotion and consolidation of all RTD activities for renewable distributed generation technologies in the Mediterranean region 2009). There are actually a minimal number of solar thermal power plans both under construction and already in operation around the world (Concentrating solar power for the Mediterranean region 2009). The Solar Electric Generating System, which contains nine solar power plants, is located in the Mohave Desert in California. The energy from solar power is utilized at night from the burning of natural gas, but about ninety percent of electricity from this plant is directly produced from the sun. Nevada Solar One is located in El Dorado Valley, Nevada, and is based on the parabolic trough technology discussed earlier in this article. There is a gas heater for back -up production in the case of solar energy not being sufficient to meet the demand. PS10 is based on solar tower technology and is located in Sanlucar de Mayor, Spain. It is the first solar tower plant to begin commercialization of electrical generation in the world (Concentrating solar power for the Mediterranean region 2009). Andasol 1 and Andasol 2 are solar thermal plants which are identical in physical appearance and operation. They are scheduled to begin operations soon and will be Europes first solar thermal parabolic trough power plants. Solnova 1 is also under construction and is located in Sanlucar de Mayor, Spain. It, too, is based upon the parabolic trough technology. There are other solar energy projects underway. In the field of photovoltaic research and development, new materials will be made and altered to further enhance the emission rays of the sunlight in order to get the most energy from solar light possible. It is speculated that a 10 x 15 mile area of desert land could actually provide citizens with over 20,000 megawatts of power. For this United States, this is a positive idea. It could potentially mean providing an area of 100 miles on each side of this desert with photovoltaic solar power. This would drastically cut emissions and harm to the environment (Solar History Timeline: The Future 2006). 4: Discussion Solar energy and other renewable resources are needed at this very moment in order to cut greenhouse emissions and help with the general health of the environment and its people. However, based on the above article, it seems there is much more research and investigation to do. The research done thus far has been positive for the most part, but cost analysis is a significant factor in the decision making process. Many smaller countries are not going to be able to afford the extra capital in order to help their corner of the Earth, even if they have all of the right conditions. It will be up to the world leaders of more developed countries such as Europe, the United States, and others, to help contribute to this globalisation process. Poullikkas article does indeed give the public a good representation of the various types of solar power systems available to us and how each would be effective under our own unique set of conditions. What the article seems to fall short on, though, is a definite answer. Apparently, at this point in time, there is not one. There are only ongoing research studies and various solar power models in different parts of the world demonstrating how the generation of electricity actually would benefit society in a cleaner and more productive way. Perhaps in the next decade research will have come much farther and there will be many other ways renewable resources could be used to meet the energy demands of our growing world. References Concentrating solar power for the Mediterranean region. 2009. http://www.desertec.org (accessed December 31, 2009). Cyprus Institute of Energy. 2009. http://www.cie.org.cy (accessed December 31, 2009). Garcia-Rodrigueza, L, and J Blanco-Galvezb. Solar-heated Rankine cycles for water and electricity production: POWERSOL project. Desalination, 2007: 311-319. Poullikkas, Andreas. Economic analysis of power generation from parabolic trough solar thermal plants for the Mediterranean Region- A case study for the island of Cyprus. Renewable and Sustanainable Energy Reviews, 2009: 2474-2484. Promotion and consolidation of all RTD activities for renewable distributed generation technologies in the Mediterranean region. 2009. http://www.distres.eu (accessed December 31, 2009). SOLAR ENERGY. http://www.history.rochester.edu/class/solar/solar.htm (accessed December 31, 2009). Solar History Timeline: The Future. January 5, 2006. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/solar_time_future.html (accessed December 31, 2009).

Bain & Company Essay -- Business, Team Development

This paper addresses the importance of teams in an organization. Bain & Company, a Boston-based consulting company, exemplifies an organization that has placed team development as a priority in the organization. Teams are increasingly common in organizations for responding to customer’s needs to deliver a product or service. Successful teams are supported by a commitment to empower and enhanced rewards. Bain & Company History has brought organizations to a moment where teams are recognized as a critical component of the business. Today, most work that goes on inside organizations utilizes a team approach, whereas work that takes place outside of organizations relies even more heavily on teamwork. Teams are increasingly common in organizations for responding to customer’s needs to deliver a product or service. Successful teams are supported by a commitment to empower and enhanced rewards. Empowered teams consist of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose or a set of performance goals for which they hold themselves mutually accountable (Laszlo, Laszlo, & Johnsen, 2009). Team Concept Bain & Company, a Boston-based consulting company, goes beyond teamwork, to structure itself around interdependent groups, as a means of improving work processes and providing better quality and service to customers. Bain’s success as an organization is dependent upon getting the right people on the team. Bain focused its recruiting efforts on four major colleges M.B.A. programs, as a way of getting highly qualified individuals, because they have been prepared for management consulting (Dyer, Dyer, & Dyer, 2006). Sometimes teams are made up of people who have different work ethics, but Bain’s succes... ...personal development. Virtuoso teams are fundamentally different from other teams. They are comprised of elite experts, the best in their field and are specially convened for ambitious projects (Boynton, Fischer, 2005). Bain & Company extraordinary teams had a high correlation between effectiveness of the manager and the performance of the member (Boynton & Fischer, 2005). The performance of teams has been attributed to the level of team development within the group. Conclusion In conclusion, when Bain and Company embrace this new construct not only will it raise the bar in terms of team standards for efficient, effective and efficacious operations, but also create organizational dynamics that foster quality of work life and business cultures that are vibrant, alive and thriving. Successful teams are supported by a commitment to empower and enhanced rewards.

Analysis of Ode on a Grecian Urn Essay

Keats’ ode could be approached from two perspectives – a literal and a figurative one. As long as the poem belongs to a style of writing known as ekphrasis (poetry that concerns itself with the visual arts), and the speaker describes several scenes he observes on the urn, we can just follow his eye. In doing so, we could say that the end of the first stanza introduces us to a number of young men and women involved in a scene of sexual passion: â€Å"What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? † Stanza II and III offer a marked contrast to this atmosphere of intense desire. The speaker depicts here a scene of romantic courtship (a young man piping songs to his beloved). The temptations of the flesh are suppressed and the relationship has a platonic character: †Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Importantly, the speaker devotes two stanzas to this scene, which could serve as evidence that it is of key importance to him. In stanza IV the ritualistic scene of a pagan sacrifice is depicted. Stanza V, most probably, takes us back to the first scene of passion. The speaker refers to â€Å"men and maidens† again and we could assume that â€Å"the trodden weed† is an image meant to remind us of the â€Å"mad pursuit†. So we could claim that the poem comes full circle and actually repeats the circular form of the urn. As far as the figurative perspective is concerned, it is first important to note that the urn bears two different identities: historical and aesthetic. In other words, it is both an object that can provide some knowledge about the past and a work of art which should be appreciated for its beauty only. If approached as a historical object, the urn will speak about particular moments in time; if approached as a work of art, it will speak about eternity. Throughout the poem, the speaker is divided between these two identities and only in the final stanza does he manage to achieve some kind of synthesis between them. In other words, the poem could be read as representing the dramatic conflict in the speaker’s mind between the desire to know the facts and the realization that beauty is more fundamental than factual knowledge. At the very beginning of the ode the reader is confronted with a paradox. The urn is referred to as a â€Å"historian† but at the same time its key attributes are said to be â€Å"quietness† and â€Å"silence†. A historian who refuses to speak seems to be a contradiction in terms. The paradox begins to be resolved with the awareness that that this â€Å"sylvan historian† has a â€Å"flowery tale†, a â€Å"leaf-fringed legend† (â€Å"leaf-fringed† also literally refers to the fringe of leaves depicted on the urn, see picture above) to tell. In other words, the realization that the urn speaks through its beauty the way Nature speaks to us begins to take shape in the speaker’s mind. However, he is not, as it were, ready for this revelation and the second part of the stanza presents his frantic obsession with factual knowledge. The series of syntactically identical questions, and the very repetition of the pronoun â€Å"what†, reveals an overwhelming desire to learn about the specific circumstances of a particular historical scene. What also reveals this ambition is the reference to geographical locations (â€Å"In Tempe or the dales of Arcady†) as well as the repetition of â€Å"or†, which tells us that the speaker wants to go beyond the uncertainty of alternative and acquire a reliable knowledge of what really happened. Importantly, the questions lack predicates, which lends them a staccato rhythm. This conveys both the intensity of the speaker’s uncertainty and the intense passion of the â€Å"mad pursuit† depicted on the urn. The opening line of the second stanza presents the reader with a philosophical insight. After the hectic series of questions concerning historical fact, the speaker seems to have found the right words to give shape to the conclusion that the urn has a more fundamental message to communicate to its modern observer. The message lies beyond the physical and that’s why it cannot be expressed in the form of words or sounds. It is not a message addressed to â€Å"the sensual ear†; the urn â€Å"pipe[s] to the spirit ditties of no tone. † The scene of platonic love seems to be in harmony with this realization. What matters for the young lover is not the consummation of his passion but his love’s eternity as well as the eternal beauty of his beloved (â€Å"For ever wilt thou love and she be fair! †). In other words, the transcendence of the physical in the young lovers’ relationship opens the speaker’s eyes to the more essential, aesthetic identity of the urn. Actually, in stanza III the speaker seems to be in a state of mind close to ecstasy. All questions are now gone and what remains is the readiness to experience a fundamental unity with a beautiful object. The speaker is, as it were, at a loss for words. The whole stanza centers around the obsessive repetition of a mantra: â€Å"More happy love! More happy, happy love! † This reveals the poet’s difficulty in speaking about the unspeakable beauty of the urn as well as about his empathy with it. However, at the end of the stanza he manages to shape a coherent statement about the value of the urn. It presents us with an eternal ideal world lying beyond our earthly passions, which leave us suffering: â€Å"A burning forehead and a parching tongue. † Somewhat surprisingly, in stanza IV the speaker lurches back to the historical pole. The ritualistic inscrutability of the sacrifice revives his desire to learn more about the particular circumstances surrounding the event. The rhetoric of the first stanza returns: the questions, the repetition of â€Å"or†, the reference to particular sites. The stanza ends in a rather pessimistic note. The fact that the link between past and present has been irrevocably lost fills the speaker’s heart with disappointment: And, little town, thy streets for evermore Will silent be; and not a soul to tell Why thou art desolate, can e’er return. In an abrupt transition, disappointment recedes and makes room for elation in the opening line of the final stanza. The solemn tone of the apostrophe (â€Å"O Attic shape! Fair attitude! †) prepares the synthesis that the speaker is now able to achieve. The urn is here referred to as a â€Å"cold pastoral†. In other words, it combines in a dialectical unity the coldness of a historian who refuses to speak and the warmth of the tale of beauty and love that it will carry through the ages. It seems, however, that one of these poles prevails in the speaker’s relationship with the urn. The aphoristic closing lines of the poem suggest that factual knowledge does not give humanity access to truth. The only truth that matters is beauty.

Artificial Intelligence and the Modern Military

Artificial Intelligence and the Modern Military Wayne K Sullivan Saint Leo University MGT 327, CA01, Management Information Systems Professor Lawrence Mister November 26, 2011 Purpose: In today's military, leaders are continuously seeking ways to incorporate new technology to take the place of human soldiers. It has long been an important goal to be able to remove the human element from the modern battlefield, thus enabling high risk or sensitive political operations to be conducted without the fear of capture or exploitation of US military personnel.One such incident occurred during the Cold War, on May 1, 1960, during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower and during the leadership of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, when a United States U-2 spy plane was shot down over the airspace of the Soviet Union. The United States government at first denied the plane's purpose and mission, but then was forced to admit its role as a covert surveillance aircraft when the Soviet government pro duced its intact remains and surviving pilot, Francis Gary Powers, as well as photos of military bases in Russia taken by Gary Powers.Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been fully integrated within all levels within the Department of Defense (DOD), from software programs designed to efficiently data mine the vast amounts of intelligence collected to complex quantum computing design to monitor and direct operational units in real time on the modern battlefield. This paper will focus only on a few Real world Combat systems currently utilized within the Department of Defense (DOD). Within the Department of Defense (DOD), the word autonomous is equivalent to and often substituted for the term Artificial Intelligence (AI).Autonomous is defined by Webster’s dictionary as; â€Å"Having independent existence or laws† (Webster, 2011) , where as Artificial Intelligence (AI) is defined in the Encyclopedia Britannica as â€Å"the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings. † (Britannica, 2011), both definitions define the overall goal of the DOD, Independent combat systems that increase soldier survivability and become a force multiplier in the combat theater of operations. And is being explored for all branches of the service for uses on land, sea, and air. Background:In today's modern combat arenas, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, the desire for autonomous vehicles and intelligent combat systems is higher than ever. Currently within our armed forces there are numerous combat systems that are experimenting with artificial intelligence, designed to reduce or eliminate the need for combat soldiers on missions or tasks that are considered to dangerous for human operators. These missions or task include Biological or Chemical detection, Explosive Ordinance Detection and Demolition (EOD), High value target identification and covert tracking, and Treat Detection and Neutralization.Art ificial Intelligence (AI) is finally reaching the point where it is now feasible, and is starting to demonstrate its capabilities in the combat environment. AI techniques are becoming so ubiquitous that the computers that now bear the label â€Å"Intel inside† could well be labeled â€Å"AI inside,† says Alan Meyrowitz, director of the Navy Center for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington (Rhea, 2000).Now, with a combination of military-funded development programs and the availability of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology, the military services are beginning real world implementation. AI methods in such new generations of weapons platforms as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), autonomous submersibles to perform unmanned counter terrorism and surveillance operations in shallow water areas, and Fully Autonomous Land Vehicles designed for soldier support as well as search and destroy (Rhea, 2000).United Stat es Army, which is the largest arm of the military by far, in a recent report, has laid out its plans to introduce an upgrade artificial intelligence within its ranks, via a plan integration plan/roadmap from present-day through 2035. Currently the key areas the Army is looking to artificial intelligence are chemical biological detection, counter explosive hazards, security, interdiction attack, and long-range strike capabilities (US Army, 2010).Deployed soldiers have dozens of pounds of batteries, ammo, communications equipment and other Items such as food and water they have to carry on their backs, on top of heavy body armor, encumbering solders with up to 100lbs of additional weight. While this large amount of technology, is useful in combat, it can greatly fatigue solders prior to engagements and can render soldiers severely limited or even ineffective during sustained engagements with the enemy (Knapik, 1989). It is this reason that the U. S. Army is experimenting with a variet y of remotely controlled and even wearable machines to lighten this load.Some are deeply quirky, designed to resemble a headless dog. The spooky Big Dog quadruped robot, which is being developed by robotics company Boston Dynamics, has some of the most advanced artificial intelligence and navigation systems in the planet. In fact, US Army officials are stunned by its programmed behaviors, which make Big Dog extremely helpful in the battlefield. Big Dog can run along soldiers, walk slowly, or lay down to be loaded or unloaded with up to 400 lbs of gear, equivalent to one full squads (6 men) backpacks, all while being aware of the terrain around it.No matter what happens, or how hard it's hit, the robot maintains its course without falling on the ground under any circumstances. The only way to get him off its path is by a major direct hit, which could mean a rocket. U. S. Army Officials are optimistic for this beast. They see it as the most effective way to carry all kinds of material , reducing the weight that soldiers have to tug along, freeing them to move faster and be safer (Diaz, 2009). Another area the U. S.Army is excited about is the compact surveillance platforms that are now available, such as the Skylark I, advanced mini -UAV system, a unique man-pack configuration designed for day and night observation and data collection up to distances of 10-15 km. The mini -UAV system is equipped with an exceptionally quiet electric motor, totally autonomous flight, and outstanding observation capabilities allowing for easy operation and orientation (Keren, 2004). Soldiers can launch the state-of-the-art AI flight system, after a brief training period, usually only one week of computer software training, no pilot skills are required.It features a gyroscopic-stabilized gimbaled payload and a high degree of autonomous flight from take-off to precise recovery, yielding real-time intelligence, the operator simply points the camera to where he wishes to look and the Sk ylark flies there. The Skylark I system has proven itself in cloudy, rainy and windy weather conditions, the Skylark I has demonstrated excellent optical survey, target identification and surveillance capabilities. This configuration, equipped with algorithms derived from larger Hermes UAVs, can track fixed and moving targets, an impressive capability for a hand launched UAV.Skylark I can be used for both defense and homeland security applications including perimeter security, border and coastal surveillance, anti-terrorism surveillance and a variety of law enforcement missions. Skylark I has already accumulated more than 3000 successful operational sorties and is currently operationally active in several theatres of the global war on terror. Skylark I set a new world record in high altitude flights, climbing to an altitude exceeding 16,000 feet and has demonstrated outstanding performance in weather conditions ranging from arctic to equatorial weather.Skylark I is equipped with Elb it Systems' new-generation night payload. Weighing only 700 grams, the thermal payload is the lightest in its class. The payload’s capabilities include very wide area coverage, continuous tracking of moving targets and a higher resolution rate than any of its predecessors (Keren, 2004). Lastly we will examine two of the U. S. Army’s Unmaned Vehicle programs , first the Squad Mission Support System it looks as conventional as any six wheeled hauler you’d see on an admittedly large loading dock, the size of a car with a flat back, readying it to strap up to 600 lbs. worth of equipment onboard.It uses ladar, or laser radar, to identify the unit it needs to follow and drives off autonomously behind (Ackerman, 2011). Secondly is the Crusher, All branches of the United States military services are actively seeking new technology and programs that will limit or eliminate the need to place service personnel in harm's way. And operating and weapon systems become more adv anced, it appears inevitable that someday in the not so distant future, autonomous machines will be performing a large majority of mundane and repetitive task as well as tearing out specialized operations on the battlefield of the future.It is through organizations such as Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), whose mission is to maintain the technological superiority of the U. S. military and prevent technological surprise from harming our national security by sponsoring revolutionary, high-payoff research bridging the gap between fundamental discoveries and their military use (DARPA, 2011). Unlike conventional bits or transistors, which can be in one of only two states at any one time (1 or 0), a qubit can be in several states at the same time and can therefore be used to hold and process a much larger amount of information at a greater rate.A major obstacle for realizing a quantum computer is the complexity of the quantum circuits required. As with conventional compu ters, quantum algorithms are constructed from a small number of elementary logic operations. Controlled operations are at the heart of the majority of important quantum algorithms. The traditional method to realize controlled operations is to decompose them into the elementary logic gate set. However, this decomposition is very complex and prohibits the realization of even small-scale quantum circuits. The researchers now show a completely new way to approach this problem. By using an extra degree of freedom of quantum particles, we can realize the control operation in a novel way. We have constructed several controlled operations using this method,† said Dr Xiao-Qi Zhou, research fellow working on this project, â€Å"This will significantly reduce the complexity of the circuits for quantum computing. † The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft system with an integrated sensor suite that provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissa nce, or ISR, capability worldwide.Global Hawk's mission is to provide a broad spectrum of ISR collection capability to support joint combatant forces in worldwide peacetime, contingency and wartime operations. The Global Hawk complements manned and space reconnaissance systems by providing near-real-time coverage using imagery intelligence or IMINT, sensors. Once mission parameters are programmed into a Global Hawk, the UAS can autonomously taxi, take off, fly, remain on station capturing imagery, return and land. Ground-based operators monitor the UAS's status, and can change navigation and sensor plans during flight as necessary. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Jason Tudor Think the U. S. military has a lot of drones now? Just you wait. The Pentagon has just released its 30-year plan for buying and developing warplanes. And in a development that should come as no surprise, the future the military anticipates for its Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps air fleets — toge ther numbering more than 5,500 warplanes — is more robotic than ever. The congressionally mandated Aircraft Procurement Plan 2012-2041 is, of course, filled with conjecture. Any number of factors — fiscal, strategic, industrial or technological — could change nexpectedly, sending ripples through the Pentagon’s carefully-laid plans, currently projected to cost around $25 billion per year. But based on current tech trends (everything always gets more expensive), anticipated (that is to say, flat) budgets and projected threats (China and terrorists, as usual), the military believes it can make do for the next three decades with air fleets roughly the same size as today’s — with just one big exception. The robot air force will double in just the next nine years. The Avenger, or Predator C, is a major upgrade from the earlier versions.With a 41-foot long fuselage and 66-foot wingspan, the Avenger is capable of staying in the air for up to 20 hour s, and operating at up to 60,000 feet. Powered by a 4,800-lb. thrust Pratt & Whitney PW545B jet engine, it can fly at over 400 knots — 50 percent faster than the turboprop-powered Reaper unmanned plane, and more than three times as quick as the Predator. The Avenger should also be much harder to spot – with wings, tails, weapons bays, and sides are all designed to reduce its radar signature. (General Atomics won’t say if it used any of its specialized radar-absorbent materials in the drone, but it’s a fair bet. The new plane might not just take off from land. Designed with folding wings and a tailhook, the latest killer drone could wind up launching from an aircraft carrier, before it attacks it foes. SAN DIEGO, April 12, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC)-built MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle marked a new single-day flight record of 18 hours. U. S. Navy operators achie ved the record using a single aircraft in a series of endurance flights Feb. 25 from the USS Halyburton (FFG 40).Fire Scout is providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data to support anti-piracy missions while deployed on the ship for the Navy's 5th Fleet. â€Å"We've continually worked with the Navy to enhance Fire Scout since its last deployment to meet these types of operational needs,† said George Vardoulakis, vice president for tactical unmanned systems for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. â€Å"These flights not only demonstrated Fire Scout's maturity, it showed how the system provides a much-needed extension for gathering crucial information during peacekeeping or wartime missions. In April 2010, Fire Scout concluded a military utility assessment on board the USS McInerney (FFG 8), a frigate similar to the USS Halyburton. Fire Scout has flown twice as much in the first two months on board the USS Halyburton than the entire USS McInerney dep loyment. The system also completed initial flight tests on board the USS Freedom (LCS 1) in November. Fire Scout features a modular architecture that accommodates a variety of electro-optical/infrared and communications payloads. These payloads provide ground and ship-based commanders with high levels of situational awareness and precision targeting support.Fire Scout's ability to operate at low ground speeds makes it particularly well suited for supporting littoral missions such as drug interdiction, search and rescue, reconnaissance and port security. Intelligent unmanned autonomous systems includes the multi-role Talisman family of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), which provide a flexible surveillance and protection capability for key facilities and assets, including harbours, inshore mine countermeasures and a range of oceanographic missions.The latest generation Talisman L uses the mission system, proven on the larger Talisman M, and re-packages it into a two man portable s ystem for port and harbor protection and inshore mine counter measures (MCM). It can be deployed from the shore, rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB) or any platform of opportunity with either low freeboard or a small crane or davit. The system utilises the same control interface as other vehicles in the Talisman family. Talisman L can be operated using a ruggedized laptop or similar portable device.Its open architecture command system also allows its integration with command & information systems aboard naval vessels or land-based vehicles. Data storage on the vehicle is arranged to facilitate rapid mission turnaround and analysis to maintain the tempo of operations. To fly the military's baddest, most technologically advanced planes, you once had to have what Tom Wolfe called â€Å"that righteous stuff† — the willingness to strap yourself to a jet-fuel laden machine and push it to the very limits of its mechanical capabilities.Nowadays, unmanned systems have taken the human danger out of some combat missions, though human pilots remain at the sticks. But not for long. The Navy's experimental X-47B combat system won't be remotely piloted, but almost completely autonomous. Human involvement won't be of the stick-and-rudder variety, but handled with simple mouse clicks. Speaking to reporters at the Sea Air Space convention near Washington, reps from both Northrop Grumman (maker of the X-47B) and the Navy said the X-47B would be piloted not by human handlers in some steel box in Nevada, but by 3. million lines of software code. The rest of its functions will be able to be handled by non-pilot personnel (or your average child), as they will only require clicks of the mouse; a click to turn on the engines, a click to taxi, a click to initiate takeoff, etc. For flyboys proudly boasting their nighttime carrier landing cred, the idea is anathema. But given the difficulty and danger of carrier takeoffs and landings, automating them is one way to ensure saf ety–provided the systems work the way they are supposed to.The X-47B has already taken to the skies from Edwards AFB earlier this year, but this is a Navy plane. As such, it will begin â€Å"learning† the ins and outs of carrier operations via simulated takeoffs and landings starting in 2013. If all goes well, the X-47B could be autonomously showing Navy pilots how to put a multimillion aircraft down on a sea-tossed carrier deck by 2014. Those carrier landings, of course, take a certain kind of touch. Specifically, that of an index finger on a standard issue mouse (Dillow, 2011). On August 11, 2011, DARPA attempted to fly the fastest aircraft ever built.The Agency’s Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 (HTV-2) is designed to fly anywhere in the world in less than 60 minutes. This capability requires an aircraft that can fly at 13,000 mph, while experiencing temperatures in excess of 3500F. The second test flight began with launch at 0745 Pacific Time. The Mino taur IV vehicle successfully inserted the aircraft into the desired trajectory. Separation of the vehicle was confirmed by rocket cam and the aircraft transitioned to Mach 20 aerodynamic flight. 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