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Neuroscience, Robotics and Virtual Reality: Internalized Vs Externalized Mind/brain (Cognitive Computation Trends #1)
by Irini GiannopuluThis is the first volume in the Cognitive Computation Trends book series, summarising our understanding on the neural correlate of memory, perception-representation, action, language, emotion and consciousness and their mutual interactions. Integrating research in the field of the Neuroscience, Robotics and Virtual Reality, this book is an original and attainable resource that has not been developed in any other writing. In 5 chapters, the author considers that representations are based on allegorical traces and are consciously and/or unconsciously embrained, and that the creation of robots is the expression of the mind. Whole-body virtual motion is thought of as the archetypal expression of virtual reality. Therefore, visual reality is analysed in a context of visuo-vestibular and somesthetic conflict while mixed and augmented reality are scrutinised in a context of visuo-vestibular and somesthetic interaction. This monograph is an indispensable handbook for students and investigators engaged in history of science, philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, engineering and those interested in there interconnections. The ambition of the book is to give students and investigators ideas on which they can build their future research in this new blooming area.
Neurotechnology, Electronics, and Informatics
by Ana Rita Londral Pedro Encarnação José Luis Pons RoviraThe International Congress on Neurotechnology, Electronics, and Informatics (NEUROTECHNIX) took place in Algarve, Portugal in September of 2013. The congress provided a meeting point of academics and clinical and engineering professionals, promoting translational discussions on how research and technology can meet the needs of clinical practitioners and patients. NEUROTECHNIX emphasized research and application of neurotechnologies to various neurological disorders, including neuromuscular diseases, Parkinson's disease, developmental disorders, dementia, epilepsy, sleep disorders, Multiple Sclerosis, neuroinfections, brain tumors, stroke, traumatic brain injuries, Cerebral Palsy, spinal cord injury and vision and hearing disorders. Authors were invited to submit innovative research work that highlighted new advancements of neurotechnology. Papers describing case studies, advanced prototypes, systems, tools and techniques and general survey papers indicating future directions were encouraged. This book contains a limited selection of extended and revised versions of the best papers presented at the congress, by regular and keynote speakers.
Neutrosophic Paradigms: Neutrosophic Principles for Handling Uncertainty (Studies in Fuzziness and Soft Computing #435)
by Florentin Smarandache Zahid KhanThis book offers a comprehensive reference guide to neutrosophic theory and its applications in decision-making in numerous disciplines, ranging from business, economics and management, computer science, health and environmental sciences, and many others. Chapters were selected to cover: different extensions of neutrosophic sets, statistical techniques for dealing with imprecise data and decision-making, and a range of real-life examples. All in all, the book is intended to provide a timely update on the state-of-the-art in neutrosophic decision-making for researchers and professionals from various disciplines, as well as master’s and graduate students in mathematics, statistics, and computer science.
Never Look Back: She was the most brutal serial killer of our time. And she may have been my mother.
by A.L. Gaylin'Aflame with tension. An intricate, powerful thriller - rivals the very best of Harlan Coben and Lisa Gardner' AJ Finn, author of THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW*****************She was the most brutal killer of our time. And she may have been my mother...When website columnist Robin Diamond is contacted by true crime podcast producer Quentin Garrison, she assumes it's a business matter. It's not. Quentin's podcast, Closure, focuses on a series of murders in the 1970s, committed by teen couple April Cooper and Gabriel LeRoy. It seems that Quentin has reason to believe Robin's own mother may be intimately connected with the killings.Robin thinks Quentin's claim is absurd. But is it? The more she researches the Cooper/LeRoy murders herself, the more disturbed she becomes by what she finds. Living just a few blocks from her, Robin's beloved parents are the one absolute she's always been able to rely upon, especially now amid rising doubts about her husband and frequent threats from internet trolls. Robin knows her mother better than anyone.But then her parents are brutally attacked, and Robin realises she doesn't know the truth at all...*****************'Completely absorbing with a knock-out twist' Harlan Coben'Gaylin is an expert at acute emotional observation combined with seamless plotting' Alex Marwood'AL Gaylin is at the top of her game, crafting exhilarating and audacious crime novels that are both rich in character and rivetingly told. They are, quite simply, not to be missed' Megan Abbott'AL Gaylin is a storyteller guaranteed to keep you up at night' Laura Lippman'AL Gaylin is a great storyteller' Mark Billingham'A fiendishly well-told thriller that deepens its grip the faster you read - I loved it' Louise CandlishIf you love Serial, S-Town, Clare Mackintosh, Cara Hunter, KL Slater or Lisa Jewell, you will be utterly gripped by this psychological thriller with a twist you'll never see coming...
Never Look Back: She was the most brutal serial killer of our time. And she may have been my mother.
by A.L. GaylinShe was the most brutal killer of our time. And she may have been my mother...When website columnist Robin Diamond is contacted by true crime podcast producer Quentin Garrison, she assumes it's a business matter. It's not. Quentin's podcast, Closure, focuses on a series of murders in the 1970s, committed by teen couple April Cooper and Gabriel LeRoy. It seems that Quentin has reason to believe Robin's own mother may be intimately connected with the killings.Robin thinks Quentin's claim is absurd. But is it? The more she researches the Cooper/LeRoy murders herself, the more disturbed she becomes by what she finds. Living just a few blocks from her, Robin's beloved parents are the one absolute she's always been able to rely upon, especially now amid rising doubts about her husband and frequent threats from internet trolls. Robin knows her mother better than anyone.But then her parents are brutally attacked, and Robin realises she doesn't know the truth at all...
Never Say Nether: An Unofficial Minecrafter's Novel (Secrets of an Overworld Survivor #4)
by Grace Sandford Greyson MannWill can hardly wait to explore the Nether with his best friend, Mina. But when his perfect older brother insists on coming along, Will’s excitement fades—he is sure he doesn’t need Seth’s protection!To prove it, Will challenges every mob they meet along the way to a fight. Will’s battle skills are improving, but when the trio reaches the Nether, they’re quickly in over their heads—and Will’s showing off puts everyone in danger! Can he learn to work together with his brother in order to survive?Beginning readers and young gamers alike will root for Will and Seth in this fourth installment in the Secrets of an Overworld Survivor series!
Never Send a Human to Do a Machine's Job: Correcting the Top 5 EdTech Mistakes
by Yong Zhao Dr Gaoming Zhang Jing Lei Wei QiuDo what you do best and let technology do the rest Technology has transformed lives. Why then, has it not transformed education? What needs to change to ensure integration that empowers students and enhances teacher depth? Learn how to let technology cultivate student autonomy, creativity, and responsibility while focusing on lessons that hone higher-order and critical thinking skills. See technology as a complement rather than a replacement Embrace its creation potential over consumption Encourage personalized learning, autonomy, and creativity over outcomes Celebrate digital competence over curriculum improvement Focus on tech-pedagogy over product usage
Never Send a Human to Do a Machine's Job: Correcting the Top 5 EdTech Mistakes
by Yong Zhao Dr Gaoming Zhang Jing Lei Wei QiuDo what you do best and let technology do the rest Technology has transformed lives. Why then, has it not transformed education? What needs to change to ensure integration that empowers students and enhances teacher depth? Learn how to let technology cultivate student autonomy, creativity, and responsibility while focusing on lessons that hone higher-order and critical thinking skills. See technology as a complement rather than a replacement Embrace its creation potential over consumption Encourage personalized learning, autonomy, and creativity over outcomes Celebrate digital competence over curriculum improvement Focus on tech-pedagogy over product usage
Never Waste a Good Crisis: Lessons Learned from Data Fraud and Questionable Research Practices (ASA-CRC Series on Statistical Reasoning in Science and Society)
by Klaas SijtsmaThis book covers statistical consequences of breaches of research integrity such as fabrication and falsification of data, and researcher glitches summarized as questionable research practices. It is unique in that it discusses how unwarranted data manipulation harms research results and that questionable research practices are often caused by researchers’ inadequate mastery of the statistical methods and procedures they use for their data analysis. The author’s solution to prevent problems concerning the trustworthiness of research results, no matter how they originated, is to publish data in publicly available repositories and encourage researchers not trained as statisticians not to overestimate their statistical skills and resort to professional support from statisticians or methodologists.The author discusses some of his experiences concerning mutual trust, fear of repercussions, and the bystander effect as conditions limiting revelation of colleagues’ possible integrity breaches. He explains why people are unable to mimic real data and why data fabrication using statistical models stills falls short of credibility. Confirmatory and exploratory research and the usefulness of preregistration, and the counter-intuitivenature of statistics, are discussed.The author questions the usefulness of statistical advice concerning frequentist hypothesis testing, Bayes-factor use, alternative statistics education, and reduction of situational disturbances like performance pressure, as stand-alone means to reduce questionable research practices when researchers lack experience with statistics.An interview with the author can be found here: https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/magazine/overview/former-rector-sijtsma-turn-statistician-fight-fraud-and-sloppiness.
New Achievements in Unmanned Systems: International Symposium on Unmanned Systems and the Defense Industry 2021 (Sustainable Aviation)
by T. Hikmet Karakoc Alper Dalkiran Nadir Yilmaz Ali Haydar ErcanUnmanned systems are one of the fastest-growing and widely developing technologies in the world, offering many possibilities for a variety of research fields. This book comprises the proceedings of the 2021 International Symposium on Unmanned Systems and the Defense Industry (ISUDEF), a multi-disciplinary conference on a broad range of current research and issues in areas such as autonomous technology, unmanned aircraft technologies, avionics, radar systems, air defense, aerospace robotics and mechatronics, and aircraft technology design. ISUDEF allows researchers, scientists, engineers, practitioners, policymakers, and students to exchange information, present new technologies and developments, and discuss future direction, strategies, and priorities in the field of autonomous vehicles and unmanned aircraft technologies.Covers a range of emerging topics;Addresses current issues on autonomous vehicles and unmanned aircraft;Full proceedings of ISUDEF 2021 held at Howard University.
New Advancements in Swarm Algorithms: Operators and Applications (Intelligent Systems Reference Library #160)
by Erik Cuevas Fernando Fausto Adrián GonzálezThis book presents advances in alternative swarm development that have proved to be effective in several complex problems. Swarm intelligence (SI) is a problem-solving methodology that results from the cooperation between a set of agents with similar characteristics. The study of biological entities, such as animals and insects, manifesting social behavior has resulted in several computational models of swarm intelligence. While there are numerous books addressing the most widely known swarm methods, namely ant colony algorithms and particle swarm optimization, those discussing new alternative approaches are rare. The focus on developments based on the simple modification of popular swarm methods overlooks the opportunity to discover new techniques and procedures that can be useful in solving problems formulated by the academic and industrial communities. Presenting various novel swarm methods and their practical applications, the book helps researchers, lecturers, engineers and practitioners solve their own optimization problems.
New Advances in Building Information Modeling and Engineering Management (Digital Innovations in Architecture, Engineering and Construction)
by Fernanda Rodrigues João Santos Baptista María de las Nieves González GarcíaThis book explores the latest advances in the field of building management. Several chapters use new technologies such as the BIM methodology for collecting life cycle information and managing the maintenance of existing buildings, sharing valid historical and architectural heritage data, energy analysis of building envelopes, and planning new buildings or sustainable building practices. In addition, other tools are presented that focus on improving access to BIM information, open-source governance, mobile applications to accelerate information transfer, the use of blockchain, lean design methods, and open-source software to solve critical path problems. Some contributions feature the assessment of occupational risks in construction, as it is necessary to plan preventive measures based on risk assessments integrated throughout the construction process, which is another important element for the management of this sector.
New Advances in Dependability of Networks and Systems: Proceedings of the Seventeenth International Conference on Dependability of Computer Systems DepCoS-RELCOMEX, June 27 – July 1, 2022, Wrocław, Poland (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems #484)
by Janusz Kacprzyk Wojciech Zamojski Jacek Mazurkiewicz Jarosław Sugier Tomasz WalkowiakThe book consists of papers on selected topics of dependability analysis in computer systems and networks which were discussed during the 17th DepCoS-RELCOMEX conference held in Wrocław, Poland, from June 27th to July 1st, 2022. Their collection will be an interesting source material for scientists, researchers, practitioners and students who are dealing with design, analysis and engineering of computer systems and networks and must ensure their dependable operation. Being probably the most complex technical systems ever engineered by man (and also, the most dynamically evolving ones), organization of contemporary computer systems and networks cannot be interpreted only as a structure built on the base of unreliable technical resources. Their evaluation must take into account a unique blend of interacting people, networks (together with mobile properties, cloud organization, Internet of Everything, etc.) and a large number of users dispersed geographically and constantly producing an unconceivable number of applications. Research methods being continuously developed for dependability analyses apply newest results of artificial and computational intelligence. Selection of papers in this book illustrates broad range of topics, often multi-disciplinary, which is considered in present-day dependability explorations; it also reveals an increasing role of the latest methods based on machine/deep learning and neural networks in these studies.
New Advances in Designs, Codes and Cryptography: Stinson66, Toronto, Canada, June 13-17, 2022 (Fields Institute Communications #86)
by Charles J. Colbourn Jeffrey H. DinitzThis volume records and disseminates selected papers from the Stinson66 conference, including surveys, prospectives, and papers presenting original and current research. It contains four accessible surveys of topics in combinatorial designs and related topics, ranging from a tutorial survey of connections to classical group theory, to surveys of "hot topics" in current research. It also contains a prospective paper identifying topics for future research efforts, co-authored by one of the elder statesmen of the field, Alex Rosa. Finally, the research papers examine topics ranging from pure mathematics to applied work in computing, networking, communications, and cryptography. For students and newcomers to these topics, the volume provides accessible survey material that does not have onerous prerequisites. The breadth of topics reflects the vibrancy of the field in a way that can be appreciated by all researchers. The papers present important advances on theory and applications,which also benefit advanced researchers.
New Advances in Soft Computing in Civil Engineering: AI-Based Optimization and Prediction (Studies in Systems, Decision and Control #547)
by Gebrail Bekdaş Sinan Melih NigdeliSoft computing applications plays a crucial role in civil engineering applications, with engineers striving to create outstanding designs that prioritize safety, aesthetics, cost-efficiency, and environmental considerations. Advanced optimization techniques are especially valuable for complex systems including multi-constraint problems, multi-objective problems and control problems needing iterative processes in solving differential equations.Throughout history, people have used their creativity to enhance designs in everyday tasks, and this is where metaheuristics come into play, drawing inspiration from nature to develop novel algorithms. These artificial intelligence-based algorithms possess distinctive attributes, and leveraging various features from different algorithms can enhance the effectiveness of optimization, improving precision, computational efficiency, and convergence.This book serves as a timely resource, summarizing the latest advancements in civil engineering optimization, encompassing both metaheuristic approaches and emerging trends that integrates artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to predict optimal solutions, streamlining lengthy optimization processes.The book's chapters cover a wide range of civil engineering applications, with the primary goal being to introduce fundamental concepts and advanced adaptations. This comprehensive resource is designed to provide undergraduates and graduate engineering students with a solid understanding of materials and content, making it a valuable reference for university courses in various civil engineering disciplines.The book will be edited, and the editors will contribute to most of the chapters. Depending on the availability of high-quality papers, the editors may increase their contributions by sharing recent research projects and postgraduate students' theses.
New Advances in Translation Technology: Applications and Pedagogy (New Frontiers in Translation Studies)
by Defeng Li Yuhong Peng Huihui HuangFrom using machine learning to shave seconds off translations, to using natural language processing for accurate real-time translation services, this book covers all the aspects. The world of translation technology is ever-evolving, making the task of staying up to date with the most advanced methods a daunting yet rewarding undertaking. That is why we have edited this book—to provide readers with an up-to-date guide to the new advances in translation technology. In this book, readers can expect to find a comprehensive overview of all the latest developments in the field of translation technology. Not only that, the authors dive into the exciting possibilities of artificial intelligence in translation, exploring its potential to revolutionize the way languages are translated and understood. The authors also explore aspects of the teaching of translation technology. Teaching translation technology to students is essential in ensuring the future of this field. With advances in technology such as machine learning, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence, it is important to equip students with the skills to keep up with the latest developments in the field. This book is the definitive guide to translation technology and all of its associated potential. With chapters written by leading translation technology experts and thought leaders, this book is an essential point of reference for anyone looking to understand the breathtaking potential of translation technology.
New Advances in the Internet of Things
by Ronald R. Yager Jordán Pascual EspadaThis book presents a selection of highly relevant works concerning the Internet of Things, including: IoT Architectures, Standardization, Smart Cities, Smart Health, the communication of Smart Things, and outstanding IoT use cases. Some of these works present important future lines for the evolution of IoT systems. Thanks to its unique structure, the book allows authors to describe their works at an unprecedented level of detail. The special chapters contain extended versions of prominent and/or high-impact IoT projects that have laid the foundations of many subsequent IoT systems due to their level of innovation, and reflect highly relevant and innovative trends in the development of a new generation of IoT Systems.
New Approaches for Multi-Criteria Analysis in Building Constructions: User-Reporting and Augmented Reality to Support the Investigation
by Luis G. Vargas Valentino Sangiorgio Fabio Fatiguso Francesco FioritoThis book is focused on the challenges of digital transition in building construction, and potential solutions through the use of multi-criteria analysis. It provides clear explanations of proposed approaches from both a theoretical and practical point of view, including augmented reality and user-reporting. New Approaches for Multi-Criteria Analysis in Constructions begins by explaining classic multi-criteria analysis methods, such as Analytic Hierarchy Processes and the Simos-Roy-Figueira method, before moving on to discuss Augmented Reality - Decision Making. This new approach provides a tool to investigate user’s perceptions, and utilises an interactive experience of the real-world environment combined with classic methods to provide a large amount of visual information. Finally, a detailed guide to user-reporting is presented. Offering new possibilities for applying multi-criteria analysis in a simpler, faster and more accessible way, this book supports analysis which considers users experience and perception. Architects, engineers, researchers and practitioners will be able to utilise augmented reality environments, multi-criteria analysis and user reporting for the building design choices, supply selection, maintenance strategies, risk and complex performance assessment.
New Approaches for Multidimensional Signal Processing: Proceedings of International Workshop, NAMSP 2020 (Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies #216)
by Roumen Kountchev Rumen Mironov Shengqing LiThis book is a collection of papers presented at the International Workshop on New Approaches for Multidimensional Signal Processing (NAMSP 2020), held at Technical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria, during 09–11 July 2020. The book covers research papers in the field of N-dimensional multicomponent image processing, multidimensional image representation and super-resolution, 3D image processing and reconstruction, MD computer vision systems, multidimensional multimedia systems, neural networks for MD image processing, data-based MD image retrieval and knowledge data mining, watermarking, hiding and encryption of MD images, MD image processing in robot systems, tensor-based data processing, 3D and multi-view visualization, forensic analysis systems for MD images and many more.
New Approaches for Multidimensional Signal Processing: Proceedings of International Workshop, NAMSP 2021 (Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies #270)
by Kazumi Nakamatsu Roumen Kountchev Rumen MironovThis book comprises a collection of papers presented at the International Workshop on New Approaches for Multidimensional Signal Processing (NAMSP 2021), held at Technical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria, during 08–10 July 2021. The book covers research papers in the field of N-dimensional multicomponent image processing, multidimensional image representation and super-resolution, 3D image processing and reconstruction, MD computer vision systems, multidimensional multimedia systems, neural networks for MD image processing, data-based MD image retrieval and knowledge data mining, watermarking, hiding and encryption of MD images, MD image processing in robot systems, tensor-based data processing, 3D and multi-view visualization, forensic analysis systems for MD images and many more.
New Approaches for Multidimensional Signal Processing: Proceedings of International Workshop, NAMSP 2022 (Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies #332)
by Kazumi Nakamatsu Roumen Kountchev Rumen MironovThis book is a collection of papers presented at the International Workshop on New Approaches for Multidimensional Signal Processing (NAMSP 2022), held at Technical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria, during 23–25 June 2022. The book covers research papers in the field of N-dimensional multicomponent image processing, multidimensional image representation and super-resolution, 3D image processing and reconstruction, MD computer vision systems, multidimensional multimedia systems, neural networks for MD image processing, data-based MD image retrieval and knowledge data mining, watermarking, hiding and encryption of MD images, MD image processing in robot systems, tensor-based data processing, 3D and multi-view visualization, forensic analysis systems for MD images and many more.
New Approaches for Multidimensional Signal Processing: Proceedings of International Workshop, NAMSP 2023 (Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies #385)
by Kazumi Nakamatsu Roumen Kountchev Rumen Mironov Roumiana Kountcheva Ivo DraganovThis book is a collection of papers presented at the International Workshop on New Approaches for Multidimensional Signal Processing (NAMSP 2023), held at Technical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria, during 6–8 July 2023. The book covers research papers in the field of N-dimensional multicomponent image processing, multidimensional image representation and super-resolution, 3D image processing and reconstruction, MD computer vision systems, multidimensional multimedia systems, neural networks for MD image processing, data-based MD image retrieval and knowledge data mining, watermarking, hiding and encryption of MD images, MD image processing in robot systems, tensor-based data processing, 3D and multi-view visualization, forensic analysis systems for MD images, and many more.
New Approaches for Multidimensional Signal Processing: Proceedings of International Workshop, NAMSP 2024 (Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies #437)
by Lakhmi C. Jain Ivo Draganov Rumen P. Mironov Roumiana A. KountchevaThis book is a collection of papers presented at the International Workshop on New Approaches for Multidimensional Signal Processing (NAMSP 2024), held at Technical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria, during 25–27 July 2024. The book covers research papers in the field of N-dimensional multicomponent image processing, multidimensional (MD) image representation and super-resolution, 3D image processing and reconstruction, MD computer vision systems, MD multimedia systems, data-based MD image retrieval and knowledge data mining, jamming image recognition and surface defects segmentation, MD signal analysis aimed at medical decision support, MD image processing in robot systems, 3D and multi-view visualization in environmental art, VR and reinforcement learning applications, tensor-based mip-map implementation, recursive filtration of MD images, and many more.
New Approaches in Intelligent Image Analysis
by Kazumi Nakamatsu Roumen KountchevThis book presents an Introduction and 11 independent chapters, whichare devoted to various new approaches of intelligent image processing andanalysis. The book also presents new methods, algorithms and applied systemsfor intelligent image processing, on the following basic topics: Methods for Hierarchical Image Decomposition; Intelligent Digital Signal Processing and Feature Extraction; Data Clustering and Visualization via Echo State Networks; Clustering of Natural Images in Automatic Image Annotation Systems; Control System for Remote Sensing Image Processing; Tissue Segmentation of MR Brain Images Sequence; Kidney Cysts Segmentation in CT Images; Audio Visual Attention Models in Mobile Robots Navigation; Local Adaptive Image Processing; Learning Techniques for Intelligent Access Control; Resolution Improvement in Acoustic Maps. Each chapter is self-contained with its own references. Some of the chapters are devoted to the theoretical aspects while the others are presenting the practical aspects and the analysis of the modeling of the developed algorithms in different application areas.
New Approaches in Modeling Multiphase Flows and Dispersion in Turbulence, Fractal Methods and Synthetic Turbulence
by J. M. Redondo A. F. Nowakowski C. Cambon F.C.G.A. Nicolleau J. C. Vassilicos M. ReeksThis book contains a collection of the main contributions from the first five workshops held by Ercoftac Special Interest Group on Synthetic Turbulence Models (SIG42. It is intended as an illustration of the sig's activities and of the latest developments in the field. This volume investigates the use of Kinematic Simulation (KS) and other synthetic turbulence models for the particular application to environmental flows. This volume offers the best syntheses on the research status in KS, which is widely used in various domains, including Lagrangian aspects in turbulence mixing/stirring, particle dispersion/clustering, and last but not least, aeroacoustics. Flow realizations with complete spatial, and sometime spatio-temporal, dependency, are generated via superposition of random modes (mostly spatial, and sometime spatial and temporal, Fourier modes), with prescribed constraints such as: strict incompressibility (divergence-free velocity field at each point), high Reynolds energy spectrum. Recent improvements consisted in incorporating linear dynamics, for instance in rotating and/or stably-stratified flows, with possible easy generalization to MHD flows, and perhaps to plasmas. KS for channel flows have also been validated. However, the absence of "sweeping effects" in present conventional KS versions is identified as a major drawback in very different applications: inertial particle clustering as well as in aeroacoustics. Nevertheless, this issue was addressed in some reference papers, and merits to be revisited in the light of new studies in progress.