This book provides two conceptual frameworks for further investigation of map literacy and fills in a gap in map literacy studies, addressing the distinction between reference maps and thematic maps and the varying uses of quantitative map literacy (QML) within and between the two. The text offers two conceptual frameworks and uses specific map examples to explore this variability in map reading skills and knowledge, with the goal of informing educational pedagogy and practices within geog...

Written by a team of leading international scholars, The Agon of Interpretations explores the challenges and possibilities of critical intercultural hermeneutics in a globalized world. Editor Ming Xie and writers from eight countries on five continents not only lay out the importance of critical hermeneutics to intercultural understanding but also probe the conditions under which a hermeneutics that is both intercultural and critical can be possible.The contributors examin...

This book lays a new foundation toward achieving artificial self-intelligence by future machines such as intelligent vehicles. Its chapters provide a broad coverage to the three key modules behind the design and development of intelligent vehicles for the ultimate purpose of actively ensuring driving safety as well as preventing accidents from all possible causes. Self-contained and unified in presentation, the book explains in details the fundamental solutions of vehicle's perception, veh...

Autonomous Robot-Aided Optical Manipulation for Biological Cells gives a systematically and almost self-contained description of the many facets of modeling, sensing, and control techniques or experimentally exploring emerging trends in optical manipulation of biological cell in micro/nanorobotics systems. To achieve biomedical applications, reliability design, modeling, and precision control are vitally important for the development of engineering systems. With the advances in modeling, s...

Autonomous Positioning of Piezoactuated Mechanism for Biological Cell Puncture gives a systematic and almost self-contained description of the many facets of advanced design, optimization, modeling, system identification, and advanced control techniques for positioning of the cell puncture mechanism with a piezoelectric actuator in micro/nanorobotics systems.To achieve biomedical applications, reliability design, modeling, and precision control are essential for de...

The Control of Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Synthesis, Functionalization to Applications provides readers with a unified framework to address the challenges of multi-UAV target encirclement tracking control. This is achieved by comprehensively integrating the concepts of dynamic modelling, state and disturbance estimation, guidance law design, distributed control, obstacle avoidance and reinforcement learning-based formation tracking control with multi-UAV encirclement tracking syste...

Xie and Chao present a collection of research on mobile communication in Asian communities and countries such as Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, and South Korea. With chapters written by scholars from diverse cultural and institutional backgrounds, this book provides both localized and comparative perspectives on mobile communication research.Exploring the way mobile apps are used in daily life in Asian countries, Xie, Chao, and their contributors analyze how mobile apps improve l...

Spinal Osteotomy Orthopaedics is a monograph of introducing osteotomy for spinal deformity correction surgery. Its content is prominent and comprehensive. The unique arrangement with the combination of picture and text shows its concise, intuitive and vivid. It is a monograph for the needs of current clinical practice with quite reference value and teaching significance. The publication of Spinal Osteotomy Orthopaedics expands the scope of application of osteotomy and the combined treatmen...

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION FOR EVERYDAY LIFEFace the global challenges of the future with this accessible introduction to communication across boundariesCommunication between cultures can be challenging in a number of ways, but it also carries immense potential rewards. In an increasingly connected world, it has never been more important to communicate across a range of differences created by history and circumstance. Contributing to globa...

The emergence of data science, in recent decades, has magnified the need for efficient methodology for analyzing data and highlighted the importance of statistical inference. Despite the tremendous progress that has been made, statistical science is still a young discipline and continues to have several different and competing paths in its approaches and its foundations. While the emergence of competing approaches is a natural progression of any scientific discipline, differences in the fo...

This book investigates the mineralogy and shock effects of Yanzhuang chondrite, using modern micro-mineralogical experimental techniques, including SEM, TEM, EPMA, Raman microprobe spectroscopy, instrumental neutron activation analysis, X-ray micro-diffraction analysis, micro-PIXE analysis and laser ablation ICP-MS. The micro-structural and micro-morphological characteristics as well as chemical composition of minerals were studied in details. Based on the studies in the shock effects of r...

Women Educators’ Experiences During COVID-19: On the Front Lines examines the gendered experiences, challenges, and rapid changes faced by women in higher education during COVID-19. The book’s chapters cover lived experiences ranging from graduate students navigating the pandemic to those grappling with balancing motherhood and the academy. Through these diverse perspectives, this edited collection explores the impact of the diversity and nuances of the feminine identity on navigating high...