SLP - 3 Negative Letters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SLP - 3 Negative Letters - Essay Example In this case, messages sent to customers possess attributes meant to foster beneficial reactions; hence facilitating realization of business goals. In this context, positive messages are usually meant to foster positive and beneficial relationships with existing customer base. However, certain situations require delivery of negative messages to clients. Within any given commercial setting, some clients may demonstrate negative business practices towards service providers. Based on financial and marketing management, undesirable practices may undermine realization of commercial goals of revenue generation and profit maximization. In such instances, business leaders should be able to synthesis objective letters meant to deliver desired messages to incorporative clients. In order to formulate an objective negative letter, one has to take into consideration relevant communication principles. Carl and Naether (2012) agree that close adoption of these principles will ensure synthesis of a letter in a manner that delivers desired message in a professional and timely manner. The first principle involves the effects of the negative letter upon reception by the target client. Negative business letters should elicit desired effects upon reception by the client. With respect to the element of effect, effective letters should be clear and concise in order to facilitate understanding by target audience. Wordings within a negative letter should possess a stern and somber mood. Suitable selection of words will ensure that receiving client understands the required effect of the communication. According to Carl and Naether (2012), the next principle takes into consideration significance of communication with respect to the business relationship. From a theoretical perspective, business persons ought to maintain positive communications with their clients. However, certain situations necessitate adoption of negative communication. In this regard, negative letters should express th oughts and emotions in a precise and accurate manner. Accuracy and precision ensure that target clients pay close attention to the causative factors of message in the letter. This will create an atmosphere where the client will appraise the seriousness of his or her negative practices. Letter To Ms. Minnie MacElroy, 27694 Bay Point Lane, Bonita Springs, FL 34134. Dear Madam, Re: Termination of Business Contract It is understandable that the current economic situation may cause constrains to most WebTastic’s clients. The company’s management express its general concerns and on the issue, and would like to thank loyal clients for their earlier corporation. As the owner of this small business, I appreciate the fact that current client base facilitated inception and growth of the company’s business objectives. We have always strived hard in maintaining relationships with clients through regular communication and feedback analysis. In situations where the companyâ₠¬â„¢s website programs develop technical hitches, we have always responded appropriately and in a timely manner. In this case, WebTastic goals seek to provide quality and responsive services to its current new clients. In certain instances, web developers worked for additional hours in order to deliver customized services to loyal patrons. In addition,

GSA Wants You Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

GSA Wants You - Assignment Example (GSA) Schedules solicitation regarding various significant aspects that require to be taken into concern while conducting the above stated business i.e. producing small remote control aircrafts. These aspects have been discussed in detail in the following. In early days, mailing bunch of paper materials and letters were quite common. Nowadays, advanced technological advancements have certainly changed the perception of individuals and enabled them to keep pace with the changing world. In general, electronic submission is regarded as the process based on which documents are submitted through varied electronic means. The internet medium has certainly become one of the best electronic means through which one can easily transfer the document from one place to other with saving much amount of time (Rush University, n.d.). In the context of building model airplanes into a small business, which produces small remote control aircrafts that are capable of long sustained flights, the electronic submission process can be carried out through internet medium as an essential communication component. It will be vital to mention in this similar concern that the aforesaid mean of electronic submission process eventually contribute in preparing as well a submitting various essential documents electronically, resulting in simplifying the contract process between the two parties (Rush University, n.d.). Specially mentioning, the security measures present in the above discussed business approach are quite important to be taken into concern with the intention of effectively submitting a particular offer along with getting accepted the same. It is quite obvious that the submission of important documents over the internet or web always generate certain threats that might create greater complexities in the operational procedures. In this regard, the measures include following the solicitation instructions carefully and reviewing the same with utmost efficiency among others (Rush

Industrial Ecology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Industrial Ecology - Essay Example This paper highlights few important issues on industrial pollution and also provides sustainable solution through industrial ecology. (# of words = 115) 5. Developing economies with low levels of industrialization are gradually shifting their dependence from agriculture to the industrial sector, while developed economies, with a high level of industrialization, are shifting from the industrial to the service sector. 6. The production of industrial chemicals has been shifting to the developing world (mostly South Asian countries). In 1990, this industry’s annual rate of growth was 5.6 per cent in the developing countries, compared with a mere 1 per cent in the developed world (State of the Environment - South Asia 2001, 71-86). 7. Water supplies are falling while the demand is dramatically growing at an unsustainable rate. Over the next 20 years, the average supply of water worldwide per person is expected to drop by a third. 9. One litre of wastewater pollutes about eight litres of freshwater. An estimated 12,000 km ³ of polluted water worldwide, which is more than the total amount contained in the world’s ten largest river basins at any given moment. Therefore, if pollution keeps pace with population growth, the world will effectively lose 18,000 km ³ of freshwater by 2050 – almost nine times the total amount countries currently use each year for irrigation, which is by far the largest consumer of the resource. 10. Asian rivers are the most polluted in the world, with three times as many bacteria from human waste as the global average. These rivers have 20 times more lead than those of industrialized countries. 11. Food industry: Producing a fast food lunch--hamburger, french fries, and a soft drink--uses 1500 gallons of water. This includes the water needed to raise the potatoes, the grain for the bun and the grain needed to feed the cattle, and the production of the soda (WWF

Mergers and Acquisitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mergers and Acquisitions - Essay Example The potential merger was based upon the assumption that this merger will actually result into an over $1 billion in terms of cost savings as well as revenue increase for the American Airways.1 The formal process of merger and acquisition started during the start of 2013 and it was believed that this merger actually resulted into the creation of the largest airline in the world. The overall deal was finalized in December 2013 and American Airways formally acquired the firm This paper will discuss and explore the reasons behind this merger, the circumstances which actually led to the merger, the positive as well as negative impacts of the merger besides discussing whether the HR practices of the firm were modified to ensure that the overall outcomes of the merger and acquisition were achieved. 9/11 was one of the key events in the history of American airline industry as for the first time, airplanes were used weapons. Strong security concerns resulted into sharp decline in the passenger traffic and loss of revenue. (Rhoades & Waguespack Jr, 2004). Apart from this, the economic events which occurred after 2007 also resulted into an strong decline the profitability as well as the revenue of the major airlines in the industry. Owing to these factors, American Airline filed chapter 11 bankruptcy ad sought protection against the same. As a result of the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection, it was considered that the American Airlines may suitably merge with other airline in order to come out of the bankruptcy and pay back to its creditors. As such one of the reasons for entering into this merger and acquisition was to avoid the complete bankruptcy and find suitable buyer who can ensure that the creditors are paid back. As per the agreement, 72% of the shares of the American airli ne were acquired by US Airways and the remaining 28% were held by the existing shareholders of the firm. Another important reason for the merger was the cost

Serving in Florida Essay Example for Free

Serving in Florida Essay She admires her, educated tongue, her graceful walk, her ability to swoon a listener when she reads, her success, her communication skills where she skillfully varies the way to she talks to depending on who she is talking to. 3. She is ashamed because she fails to use the proper verb and verbiage which in her eyes is disrespectful. When they talk with each other it is if they were paternal sisters separated only by education. 4. Their first meeting was not only at Mrs. Flowers house but that this meeting was filled with aromas of freshly cooked food (tea cookies), the cold taste of lemonade on the palate and an atmosphere laden and rich in success. â€Å"It was the equivalent of attending church â€Å" and attending church made her feel comfortable and so did Mrs. Flowers. This all influenced her because she learned that the person she liked, â€Å" liked â€Å" also liked her and this impressed her, and that coupled with all of the physical senses she now felt the emotional ones as well. And this would develop her into her mentors â€Å"way† of life. Answer to questions 1-4 in the Close Reading and #2 in the Writers Craft. 1. Para. 4 The aftermath of an historical hurricane†¦. †the smell of a dead city†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦para. 6 †this new urban landscape†. 2. Urban floodplain depicts the initial encounter to what the author sees and of which is just the surface of what to come in the latter part of the essay and segways into the â€Å" Life after Katrina â€Å". 3. In â€Å" Starting Again â€Å" he depicts how the most basic necessities are being established and provided to re-ignite and revive the once normal daily activities by way of the Salvation Army bringing primordial needs to the workers who will then bring back residents which then bring back the businesses and so on. He includes this because he notes that after destruction comes the re-building†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Still, destruction on a biblical scale also offers Noah-like opportunities for restoration after the flood â€Å". 4. I would define it as a person who possesses this â€Å" eco-geek† title as someone who is ecologically friendly, and an environmentalist who is also a tech-savvy academic in the intellect society of foremost thinkers. Writer’s Craft. #2. â€Å" I get out of my car, half suspecting the sweet, rotting smell of death† , â€Å" the main sewage plant†, â€Å"reeking of mold and rotted cat food†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. He brings clarity and vividness which brings sympathy and association to the five senses to which the reader can identify with.

Automated Power Pole Photography via Helicopters

Automated Power Pole Photography via Helicopters Fugro Roames aims to automate the process of acquiring high resolution pictures, to reduce the risk and cost associated with helicopter based pole top inspection. The project will focus on acquiring previously worked algorithms, as well as the introduction of model predictive control, to automate the overall process, while also presenting a working prototype to simulate the operation of the intended product. The following proposal will aim to describe the intended topic and scope, while also reviewing background information on aerial asset management and autonomous aerial photography related to the project. The report will also highlight all achievable milestones, and their respective tasks, within the project plan; as well as present a detailed OHS risk assessment of the projects practical and non-practical work. The work completed during the semester, will hope to provide sufficient groundwork for automated aerial asset management procedures, within the electrical distribution industry. Accurate and effective asset condition management is important to ensure the longevity of an electric distribution network, while maximising its performance and operational efficiency.[1] At present, an efficient and cost effective method to test the integrity of a network, requires the use of a human-piloted helicopter and a photographer to capture high resolution images of power poles and their subcomponents [2]. Fugro-Roames, a company which currently provides this to its customers, aims to reduce the risk and cost associated with helicopter based pole top inspection, by replacing the photographer with an automated camera gimbal to capture high resolution pictures of the network. Figure 1.1: Power Pole Photography [1] Automated aerial asset management in the context of this proposal refers to the use of aerial platforms, to asses specific assets in an easy and cost-efficient manner, without the need of manual involvement. Unfortunately, and as it will be discussed in Chapter 3, the project topic is a form of technology that has not been widely researched; however, various methods of aerial asset management, such as helicopters, UAVs or drones, do exist and are currently in use within the industry. 2.1 Project Outline It is the purpose of this project to develop a Receding Horizon Planner (RHP) in order to automate power pole photography using camera gimbal system. The RHP will based on the algorithms created by Dr. Michael Kearney, which provide a solution to the photograph feasibility, photograph scheduling, and gimbal trajectory planning problems [3]. For validation, the developed planner will be tested using simulation flight data provided by Fugro-Roames. Further testing will include the implementation of the RHP into a gimbal prototype, where sensitivity analyses and assessment of the initial assumptions will be completed to determine the projects limitations and outline recommendations for future work. A more defined project plan will be described in Chapter 4 below. 2.2 Motivation for Automated Aerial Asset Management In order to overcome the limitations associated with conventional asset management methods, a high resolution image capture system was developed and is now used to aid in the inspection, assessment and maintenance of electric distribution networks [4]. However, the overall cost associated with this method, outweights its improved efficiency, as it involves specialized labour (photographers) and the use of helicopters to complete the required task [5]. The motivation to introduce an automated aerial asset management system, requires for the reduction of risks and overall cost associated with the current model, as well as improving the quality and selection of photographs taken. 2.3 Project Aim, Objectives Intended Scope Since the project, and all information available, are sponsored and provided by FugroRoames, the aims and objectives have been defined by the companys desires for the finished product. Therefore, the aim and proposed purpose of the project is to reduce the cost and risk associated with helicopter based pole top inspection, with the use of a Receding Horizon Planner (RHP) that automates the movement and control of a camera gimbal system. Along with the proposed project aim, multiple objectives must also be met whilts completing the work required. These include improving the algorithms created by Dr. Kearney, obtaining accurate efficiency gains for the RHP, designing and building a working gimbal prototype to be used for testing, and providing sufficient ground work for actual on-site testing and implementation, with the use of a helicopter, of the RHP beyond the project. Similar to the projects aim and objectives, the intended scope has also been shaped by the companys desires for the final product. Therefore, the scope can be outlined as: Review of background information and related work Adaptation of algorithms created by Dr. Kearney Development of Receding Horizon Planner Design and build of a gimbal prototype Planner implementation and testing Analysis of results Sensitivity analysis Assesment of projects assumptions Evaluation of project and suggestion for future work Possible gimbal rig implementation and on-site testing Taking into account the scope described above, it seems logical to break the project into three specific sections; planner development and testing, prototype design and testing, and thorough result analysis. The development and testing of the Receding Horizon Planner involves the improvement of existing control algorithms, to implement and verify its overall efficiency, using available and provided data. The design and testing of the gimbal prototype, which should resemble the actual gimbal rig, involves the use of the developed Receding Horizon Planner to validate and improve previously obtained results. Finally, thorough result analysis requires the breakdown of the planner and obtained results, to find how assumptions, parameters and particular components were affetcted. Although automated aerial asset management is a form of technology that has not been widely researched, the following chapter will provide a complete review of background literature which would closely resemble the general subject matter. The review will be broken into two sections; aerial asset management, and autonomous aerial photography and gimbal control. Previous work related to these topics will be presented, reiterated and reviewed, focusing on sources related to asset management within the electric power distribution industry. 3.1 Aerial Asset Management Aerial asset management , within the electric power distribution industry, has been implemented to replace conventional asset management and inspection methods, and provide a fast and accurate way to determine any defects that could be present. Whitworth et al. [6], in a work sponsored by EA Tecnology, propose the use of a helicopter-mounted camera to capture and store visual information, in order to enhance the inspection of overhead power lines. In order to reduce camera shake and partially automate the inspection process, the authors recommend the use of an acquisition system, which finds and locks the camera to the location of the powerline, followed by a recursive algorithm that tracks the powerline smoothly, despite the translation of the helicopter. Similarly, Earp et al. [1][4] describe an aerial inspection technique, which was also developed by EA Technology, that uses high resoluion images to perform a detailed condition assessment on electrical towers within a distribution network. The authors break down the helicopter based condition assessment, which is considered an improvement from the video inspection method in [6], to include four different parts: Pre-flight Planning: Inspection requirements, photographic sequences, camera trajectories; as well as current wind and weather conditions, natural and man-made ground feature, and the locations of the electrical towers, are all taken into account during the pre-flight planning. Helicopter Inspection and Picture Acquisition: A high resolution digital camera is used to take a set number of images, per tower, to meet the inspection requirements. Satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) and moving map displays are used to georeference each photograph taken, back to the tower. Image Processing, Analysis and Condition Assessment: Captured images are examined and given a Condition Rating (CR), typically on a scale of 1 to 4 (1 describing best condition, 4 describing worst condition). The uniformity of the assessment, determined by the individual DNOs requirements, is ensured by this critical step and therefore requires for a detailed condition assessment criteria, application-specific workstations, and accurate in-house training programme for assessors. Condition Based Risk Management (CBRM): A process developed by EA Technology, it combines practical and theoretical knowledge about a specific asset, along with maintenance experience, in order to define its current condition. Taking a different approach, N. Ellis [7] investigates the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to inspect power transition lines. The author investigated the cost, risks and overall efficiency that comes with the use of UAVs, searching for low budget automation strategies to be designed and tested. Unfortunately, due to government regulations and the high capital and operating cost of the UAV, lead the author to the conclusion that the technology is not feasible at the current time. As outlined by most of the sources presented, the introduction of aerial asset management techniques, has made a big improvement on the inspection, assessment and maintenance of an electrical distribution network. Whilst most models present techniques that far surpass conventional inspection methods, the cost that comes with the involvement of specialized labour and helicopters, leaves little room for errors and inconsistent results. However, although the implementation of an UAV was not possible due to the introduction of new risks, the automation techniques, presented in [7], can be applied to previously discussed aerial photography techniques, and mitigate/remove any currently involved risks. 3.2 Autonomous Aerial Photography and Gimbal Control Autonomous aerial photography and control, within the electric power distribution industry, is not a topic that has been widely researched or implemented. However, the use of a camera and aerial images to predict and control the movement of UAVs is something that is commonly discussed and will therefore, be the main focus for this section. E. Skjong et al. [8] investigate the recent commercial availability of UAVs within Search and Rescue (SAR) and Search and Tracking (SAT) applications. The authors then focus on the development of a SAT system, which is able to steer the UAV and focus the gimbal attitude on regions and objects of interest respectively, with the use of Model Predictive Control (MPC). The overall process is made autonomous by allowing computer vision to work directly with the UAV autopilot and MPC, so objects can be simultaneously detected and tracked in an efficient manner. Similarly, C.E. Lin and S. Yang [9] explore the use of UAVs to detect and track specific objects, with the help of aerial photography and camera gimbal control. The authors implement the use of an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), which consist of a gyroscope, accelerometer, and magnetometer, along with an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS), to determine and ensure that the angles of the camera gimbal are in the correct reference frame. Both [8] and [9] use Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine the location of both the UAV and the target, using this relationship to implement a reliable autopilot flight control for target detection and photography. R.J. Rajesh and C.M. Ananda [10] move away from controlling the camera gimbal, attached to a UAV, and focus on stabilizing its movement to ensure that clear photograph and/or video footage is taken. The use of Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller is recommended by the authors, to compensate for the vibrations and gust, as well as control the position of the camera by stabilizing the movement of the gimbal. Manually tuning the controllers parameters is not recommended, as the process is considered time consuming and tedious, instead, the authors recommend the use of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) as the preferred algorithm to complete this task. Uncertainty and disturbances are mentioned, but not properly investigated in [9], [8] and [10]. A. Ashok et al. [11] investigate the external disturbances that affect the UAVs, as well as the dynamic and parametric uncertainties that arise in the mathematical autonomous model when subjected to a number of operating conditions. The authors reiterate previous approaches taken to design a robust control system, including the use of a PID controller for linear [12] and linearized [13] models, as well as the use of a Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controller [14] in the presence of uncertainties, before the Uncertainty and Disturbance Estimation (UDE) method is chosen to synthesize the required controller. The control of a camera gimbal, as outlined by most of the sources above, is necessary in order to ensure the accuracy of photographs or video that is captured by the UAV. Although the use of conventional control methods is described above, only [8] focuses on the use of MPC, which is closely related to the project, to ensure that the UAV is able to detect and track objects efficiently and simultaneously. A clear representation of the projects tasks, has been outlined as a comprehensive project plan from the first to the final day of employment at Fugro-Roames. A visual representation and description of the plan is used to illustrate the timeline of the project, including all achievable milestones, which are related to the aims, objectives and intended scope of the project, discussed in section 1.2. 4.1 Visual Representation of Project Plan The use of a modified GANTT chart was implemented to showcase the proposed flow of the project, from the first to the last day of employment. The timeline is hence separated into 24 weeks that are broken into 5 days, in the same manner as the business week format, where the project milestones and their corresponding tasks are allocated a precise number of days in which work is scheduled to take place. Green solid bars represent the projects milestones, where red solid bars indicate their respective tasks. The progress of the overall project is tracked by the completion of every achievable milestone, which can only be completed by first completing their respective sub tasks. Completed milestones are shown with a blue line through the green bar, and completed tasks are shown with a yellow line through the red bar. Weeks 1 to 12, as shown in Figure 4.1, represent the core work to be completed, as Milestones 3-5 directly relate to the aims, objectives and intended scope of the project. Weeks 13 to 22, as shown in Figure 4.2, outline the analysis and completion of the final pieces of assessment, including the thesis report and demonstration, which require the content from previous milestones to be completed. Weeks 23 to 24, also shown in Figure 3.2, outline a possible Milestone that can be completed until the final day of employment at Fugro-Roames. This milestone does not affect the previous pieces of assessment; however, it will provide the company with important information that could prove vital to the future of the project. 4.2 Milestone Task Breakdown Milestone 1: Project Scope The project scope is necessary to determine the projects main objectives, and will therefore guide the work to be completed throughout the semester. To ensure all expectations are met, and the appropriate time is given to all project milestones, an agreement between academic and industry supervisors is necessary. Task ID Days Description Project evaluation 1.1 5 Evaluate the requirements of the project, including potential goals and outcomes. Collect all necessary information to present during the supervisor meeting. Supervisor meeting 1.2 1 Meet with the projects academic and industry supervisors to discuss the project scope, and agree on the due dates for all pieces of assessment. Scope confirmation agreement 1.3 2 Compile a detailed scope which highlights the projects objectives, as discussed during the supervisor meeting. Resources Workspace with an available computer Availability from both supervisors to organize a meeting Milestone Hazards and Risks Milestone 1 is essential to the project. Any delay could be considered a minor, but possible risk, as it affects the progress of the overall project. If this issue becomes bigger, and the project scope cannot be defined, then it can be classified as a major risk and mitigation strategies should be taken immediately. Clear communication between all parties involved, can reduce and remove the possibility of the identified risks from occurring. Milestone 2: Project Proposal The project proposal is the first piece of assessment, which must be completed as part of the responsibilities for completing the project placement. The report highlights the work from Milestone 1, as it expands on the agreed aims and objectives, outlines the background information related to the projects main topics, and presents a visual and a clear representation of the project plan. A detailed OHS risk assessment, which analyses the potential risk involved with the projects practical work, and any potential equipment used, will also be included in the proposal. Task ID Days Description Research of relevant material 2.1 5 Find background information and prior art related to the projects main topic. Project outline and intended scope 2.2 4 Expand on the projects scope decided in Task 1, expanding on the projects aims and objectives. Background and related work 2.3 3 Summarize and expand on the material obtained from Task 2.1. Project plan summary 2.4 3 Provide a detailed project plan, with logically ordered tasks and their respective milestones. OHS risk assessment 2.5 2 Compile an OHS risk assessment, which highlights the projects practical work and equipment used. Drafting and submission 2.5 5 Assemble the proposals individual sections, review the written report and submit via Turnitin. Resources Completion of Milestone 1 Confirmation of university assessment due dates OHS risk assessments, regarding the use and control of the gimbal rig Milestone Hazards and Risks The project proposal relies mostly on individual and previously completed work, however, certain sections require resources which are not readily available. The most significant obstacles, which would require mitigation, are the confirmation of all university assessment due dates and the risk assessments completed for the gimbal rig, which might be used during the project. Clear and constant communication with the universitys course coordinator, as well as the personnel in charge of the gimbal rig, is essential to mitigate and prevent any issues that could affect the completion of the project proposal. Milestone 3: Receding Horizon Planner Milestone 3 is the first milestone that uses the algorithms created by Dr. Kearney to develop an on-line planner that controls the photograph scheduling plan and the movement of the gimbal throughout the event horizon. The completed Receding Horizon Planner will involve the use of a low level controller, an upper level planner, and an event monitor, to be used in Milestones 4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢7. Task ID Days Description Algorithm testing and improvement 3.1 5 Improve the current photograph feasibility algorithm, and test its efficiency. Model predictive control research 3.2 5 Find related material to be used when designing the Receding Horizon Controller. Lower level controller design implementation 3.3 5 The gimbal and camera are robustly controlled by the photograph scheduling algorithm chosen by the upper level planner. Upper level planner design implementation 3.4 5 Implemented the improved algorithm from Task 3.1 to generate a plan that the system will follow over a prediction horizon. Event monitor design implementation 3.5 4 Connect the results from Tasks 3.3 and 3.4 so that the plan is implemented and changed after certain events occur. Resources Programming and modelling software Access to the projects repository and previous work Milestone Hazards and Risks The progress of Milestone 3 could be significantly affected, if access to the necessary repositories and previous work is delayed. As previous algorithms are necessary to the development of the Receding Horizon Planner, the completion of the project would be significantly impacted. Clear communication with the right personnel can help mitigate this issue before it affect the timeline and progress of the project. Milestone 4: Planner Analysis and Improvement Rigorous testing of the developed Receding Horizon Planner is required to find the necessary efficiency gains, so the planner can be implemented on the projects physical equipment. Data obtained from Fugro Roames, as well as the analysis and reiteration of the testing completed, will be completed to improve the found controller gains. Task ID Days Description Test current and new scenarios 4.1 4 Implement the Receding Horizon Planner on several simulated scenarios, using data received from Fugro Roames. Reiteration of Receding Horizon Planner testing 4.2 3 Fix any errors found in Task 4.1 and repeat the tests. Determine accurate efficiency gains 4.3 3 Determine the required controller gains which provide the most accurate results. Resources Completion of Milestone 3 Sufficient testing data provided by Fugro Roames Milestone Hazards and Risks The lack of testing data used to complete this milestone, is a minor risk that could affect the project. Requesting said data ahead of time, would ensure that it is ready for when testing of the Receding Horizon Planner begins, leaving the project timeline unaffected. Milestone 5: Gimbal Prototype Milestone 5 marks a key point in the project, as the implementation of the Receding Horizon Planner on a working prototype is essential to the projects success. The design of the prototype will be based on the actual gimbal rig owned and created by FugroRoames, to facilitate the implementation of the planner for further testing, at the end of the project. Task ID Days Description Embedded system design and build 5.1 7 Design, build and combine the mechanical, electrical, and software components of the prototype. Implementation of Receding Horizon Planner 5.2 6 Test the Receding Horizon Planner using the gimbal prototype. Sensitivity Analysis 5.3 5 Identify and vary the dominant parameters, testing and improving the Receding Horizon Planner where possible. Resources Completion of Milestone 4 Mechanical, electrical and software design software Working space and necessary build equipment Development of testing scenarios Milestone Hazards and Risks Milestone 5 introduces the use of practical equipment to design, test and build each component of the gimbal prototype. The misuse of the practical equipment, and the lack of component testing, are immediate risks to the completion of the prototype. Following the risk assessment outlines on Chapter 4, as well as completing the required testing before the Receding Horizon Planner is implemented, can help mitigate the risks described and prevent possible delays. Milestone 6: Assessment of Projects Assumptions As previously shown by Dr. Kearney, on the initial report he completed for Fugr-Roames, the introduction of the Receding Horizon Planner required changes to the initial assumptions made when designing the projects photograph allocation and gimbal control algorithms. The change and/or the addition of assumptions, by analysing the projects missing parameters is, therefore, also essential when validating the results obtained in Milestone 5. Task ID Days Description Identify missing parameters 6.1 2 Determine the projects missing parameters based on the assumptions made by Dr. Kearney on his report. Evaluate the effects of missing parameters 6.2 3 Assess how the model is affected by each missing parameter. Update the projects assumptions 6.3 2 Compose a list of updated assumptions based on the results from tasks 6.1 and 6.2, to be used on further work. Resources Completion of the Sensitivity Analysis Task within Milestone 5 Milestone Hazards and Risks The risks to Milestone 6 are relatively small, where the largest possible problem involves the inability to identify the effects of the projects missing parameters. Keeping a record of all parameter changes/assumptions made during previous tests is the best solution to mitigate/prevent this issue. Milestone 7: Project Evaluation and Recommendation for Future Work Identifying the projects limitations is an important process, as it allows recommendations for future work to be made and included on the final thesis report. Task ID Days Description Identify projects limitations 7.1 3 List the projects limitations, based on the results from Task 6. Develop accurate recommendations 7.2 3 Expand on previous work and results from Tasks 6.1 to 6.3, including 7.1, to develop accurate recommendations for future work. Resources Development of the Receding Horizon Planner Sensitivity analysis of the gimbal prototype Completion of Milestone 6 Milestone Hazards and Risks The completion of Milestone 7 is only affected by the work done in previous milestones. If previous tasks are delayed, any future recommendations run the risk of not being completed. To prevent this from affecting the final stages of the project, the plan/timeline outlined should always be followed, noting wher

Review The Boer War History Essay

Review The Boer War History Essay The Boer War of 1899 was a dirty little conflict. It started as a result of cultural resentment between the Boers (Dutch settlers) and immigrating British. At first, the war was fought with the honor typically associated with the British, but, in the end, it turned nasty. South Africas Cape of Good Hope was colonized in the 17th century by Dutch Boers (farmers). The Boers used African slaves on their farms. Britain occupied the Cape during the Napoleonic wars and took complete control after the Congress of Vienna. Slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire in 1833. Many of the Boers then decided that they could no longer live under British rule. They began moving northward and soon established two independent republics the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. There was peace between British and Boers until the Boer republics were found to be rich in diamonds and gold. Fortune hunters, mostly British, poured in to stake claims. The Dutch farmers called these people uitlanders (outlanders) and bitterly resented their intrusion. In 1895 the outlanders in the Transvaal planned a revolt against the Boer government. The British Empire, seeing their subjects mistreated, decided to get involved. Leander Jameson, with a small British force, invaded the Transvaal to aid the uprising. The Jameson raid was a total failure. The angered Boers, led by their president, Paul Kruger, began to arm themselves. Militarily, the conflict between Boer and British forces can be divided into two phases: first, a period of Boer commando successes, quickly reversed after the arrival of the main British force in January 1900, which captured the republican capitals between March and June. Then came a guerrilla phase when the Boer forces regrouped after the fall of Pretoria and carried on the conflict for two years before reluctantly accepting peace terms from the British in May 1902 in the Treaty of Pretoria. Though often called a white mans war, this conflict involved the entire population of South Africa in one way or another. Boer women and children who were evicted from farms or villages put to the torch by the British, were either sent to concentration camps where many died from disease, or went to endure the exposure of commando life in the field. African ex-miners and farm laborers were also concentrated in camps, and drawn into labor tasks by the British Army. Boers raided the African reserv es for food. Africans reasserted control over land and livestock previously taken by Boers, and on rare occasions attacked Boer commandos. Martial law was proclaimed step by step across the whole region, and the movements of people were drastically restricted. For African scouts on the British side, or Boers caught in captured British uniforms, punishments were swift and final, while of the 10 000 Cape Afrikaner rebels convicted of treason, a small proportion of those sentenced to death by military courts were indeed shot. Under Gruger*s Republic, Natal and the Cape, two of Britains colonies, were invaded in October 1899 by the Boers. They besieged a British force at Ladysmith. Other troops were pinned down at Kimberley and Mafeking. The second war, which lasted until 1902, was underway. Between September 1900 and the peace of Pretoria in May 1902, Boer commandos fought a prolonged guerrilla war against the British, who responded by putting Boer civilians in concentration camps. Then reinforcements came to the British from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In March 1900 Frederick Sleigh Roberts, the British commander who had been the hero of the Indian mutiny, captured Bloemfontein, capital of the Orange Free State. In June British forces reached Pretoria, capital of the Transvaal. The greatly outnumbered Boers continued to fight under Louis Botha, Christiaan de Wet, and Jan Smuts. Herbert Kitchener, the new British commander in chief, then decided and eventually proceeded to bring the war to an end. He advanced slowly, burning farms and establishing concentration camps for Boer civilians. The camps had a high death rate, due largely to lack of medical services. The Treaty of Pretoria (May 31, 1902) ended the war. The Transvaal and the Orange Free State became British colonies. Both Dutch and English were made official languages. Britain then began to restore the devastated farms of the Boers. The Union of South Africa was established as a self-governing dominion in 1910. The Transvaal and the Orange Free State became provinces of the Union. The first prime minister was the Boer general Louis Botha. Having lost the war, the Boers, however, won the peace. British pro-Boers had undermined the moral complacency of the victors, who decided to grant generous terms to the Boers, in order to ensure an enduring influence in southern Africa. This was largely at the expense of Africans (who were excluded from political power and forced to give back much land retaken from Boers during the war years). Britain implemented this decision from 1906 to 1907, by granting constitutions which gave Afrikaners political of both ex-republics with perhaps more gen erosity than was intended. But they did not object in 1909 when the South African National Convention opted for a constitution which ensured the retention of political power in white (predominantly Afrikaner) hands. The first attempted use of wireless telegraphy in war took place during the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902, according to a paper to be presented by Brian Austin, University of Liverpool in England, at the conference 100 Years of Radio sponsored by the IEE in London Sept. 5-7. His account details the early efforts by the British Army and Navy to use the new technology, which had been demonstrated by Guglielmo Marconi in 1896. The State Archives, located here, record that the Krugers Boer Republic placed an order for six wireless telegraphy sets from the firm Siemens and Halske on Aug. 24, 1899. The sets, which cost 110 Pounds Sterling, were supposed to provide communication for the fortifications around Pretoria. They had a guaranteed range of nearly 15 kilometers and used antennas 36 meters high. However, the sets never reached Krugers forces because they were confiscated by customs in Cape Town. Later, British forces tried unsuccessfully to use the equipment supplied by Marconi on the arid inland plains of South Africa, possibly plagued by ground conductivity and the lack of matching resonances of the essentially quarter-wave antennas. The British Navy had more luck after installing five of the sets the army rejected in the Delagoa Bay Squadron. Successful experiments over a range of 85 kilometers were recorded on April 13, 1900, and unsubstantiated claims were made for communication between Delagoa Bay and Durban, a distance of nearly 460 kilometers. Lynn Fordred, curator for the Corps of Signals Museum, said parts from the original equipment are in storage at the School of Signals in Heidelberg. Her research for a book dealing with military communications in South Africa highlights the roles of personalities and the problems experienced in coming to grips with the new technology. While the British Army showed a surpassing lack of interest in wireless telegraphy after their initial failures, Fordred said the Boer forces were unexpectedly progressive in their use of telegraphy and telephone facilities, and even had a telephone exchange at a time when the British Army had none. The concentration camps were places where African and Boer women and children and Boer men unfit for service were herded together by the British army during the War. Many of these people had become homeless as a result of the destructive tactics which the British army adopted in the Transvaal and Orange Free State after the last months of 1900 in order to deprive the Boer commandos the means of subsistence and thus force their surrender. Attempts had been first made to burden the combatants with these dependents in the hope of breaking the morale of the commandos. When this proved unsuccessful, it was decided to house then on-combatants in camps. The first two of these were established, as a result of a military notice of 22 September, 1900, to protect the families of burghers who had surrendered voluntarily. As the families of combatant burghers were also driven into these camps, they ceased to be refugee camps and acquired the concentration camp designation, as did other camps esta blished later in the War. Eventually there were 50 camps, in which about 136 000 people were interned. The families were conveyed to the camps by ox-wagon, trolley or railway train usually in open coal- or cattle trucks without any sanitary arrangements or they even marched on foot. No proper provision had been made for their housing. Numbers of them had at first to make shift in the open until tents were provided, or were held in the camps. Those who did not receive tents were, according to the report of the British commission of inquiry: placed, in every conceivable kind of dwelling, from a church vestry, hotel and store to a blacksmiths forge. In the opinion of the commission some of the places were hardly suitable for pigs. As there were insufficient blankets, clothes and other means of protection, and sometimes not even beds or mattresses, the internees were exposed, especially on the Highveld of the Transvaal and the Orange F. State, to extreme privations which undermined th eir strength, more especially in the case of the large numbers of small children. The food supplies in the camps, which were often established on badly chosen sites and were dangerously overcrowded from the start, was wretched. Not only was the food inadequate, but the quality, especially of the meat, sugar and flour, was at first very poor, while vegetables, fruit and other essential foodstuffs were not supplied at all; consequently, many of the inmates, especially children, wasted away to living skeletons within a few months. One British camp doctor felt compelled to report that, on account of the deficiency in diet the children especially become emaciated and have very little resisting power to disease. The sanitation, too, was very inefficient. No adequate provision was made for the disposal of garbage, and the latrines were so primitive that they became breeding-grounds for germs and areas of infection. So disease, particularly measles, broke out in the camps during 1901 and, a s there were not enough doctors or other medical care, the death-rate became appallingly high. The climax was in October, 1901, when the figure was 326 per 1 000 per year for the Transvaal camps and 401 per 1 000 per year for those in the O.F.S. The reports of camp superintendents as well as those of Emily Hobhouse showed that this was due to the bad conditions, and there was an outcry from the whole world, including England itself. This forced the British government to order a full investigation by a committee of prominent women, and sweeping changes were made in accordance with their recommendations. As a result of these changes, introduced toward the close of 1901, and which included great improvements in housing, sanitation, food-supply, medical attention, and protection against cold, the death-rate immediately dropped and by March 1902, was back to normal. Altogether, approximately 27 927 persons died in the camps 1 676 mainly elderly men, 4 177 women and 22 074 children under 16. An unknown Boer General wrote the following in his diary. The terrible prospectthat the continuation of the war would in that manner eradicate our whole generation, was one of the main reasons why the Boers ceased fighting and acknowledged defeat. It left a deeper impression on the Afrikaners mind than any other event in their history, and strengthened their determination to strive for national self-preservation and the recovery of political independence. The five battles of Belmont (Nov 23, 1899), Modder River (Nov 28, 1899), Magersfontein (Dec 11, 1899), Colenso (Dec 15, 1899) and Spion Kop (Jan 24, 1990) respectively, were all fought on the soil of British South Africa. That this would be an advantage in terms of morale and military maneuver turned out to be a rather foolhardy expectation. The conventional military goals of the overthrow and occupation of the enemy capitals were not pursued, but rather the relief of Kimberley and Ladysmith became the modus operandi of the British forces. Kimberley, because it could have provided a sorely-needed source of capital for the strained coffers of the Boer Republics, and Ladysmith because it would have given the Boer forces a quick road to Durban and more importantly, its seaport, dramatically increasing the chances of foreign intervention. The political ramifications for British prestige throughout the Empire, of the fall of either of these towns were not underestimated by those in Whiteh all. On a basic military level, these campaigns were hardly successful. However, their impact on the war in terms of the subsequent change of official attitude was immense. The Boer forces were not tribesmen fighting on foot with antiquated weaponry. They were mounted and equipped with the latest rifles and artillery from France, Germany and England. Many of the commandos were veterans of various wars against tribes throughout the region. The battles waged after these campaigns were fought with these hard lessons in mind. These stinging episodes introduced the British army to modern warfare and highlighted the weaknesses of the enemy the Boer forces.