Bernd Kramer Knihy

Some fishes test their environment by generating electric fields outside their bodies (man's first contact with electricity). To send and receive electric signals, one's own or those from a neighbor, is the basis of some bony fishes' unusual sensory capacities that enable them to lead a secret, nocturnal life. This volume provides the reader with a detailed account of these fishes' biology and behavior and their sophisticated sensory capacities. The phylogenetic relationships of the fish taxa involved are discussed as well as the physiology and anatomy of the electrosensory-motor-system and the integration to form an efficient intelligence system. The main emphasis is on the descriptive and experimental analysis of electric communication behavior in a variety of species, including studies of digital signal synthesis. Whenever possible, mechanisms of communication are indicated.

Exploring the unique biology and behavior of electric fishes, this volume delves into their ability to generate electric fields for communication and navigation in dark environments. It examines their sophisticated sensory systems, detailing the anatomy and physiology of their electrosensory-motor systems. The book emphasizes experimental analyses of electric communication across various species, highlighting digital signal synthesis and the mechanisms behind their interactions. Additionally, it discusses the phylogenetic relationships among the fish taxa involved, providing a comprehensive understanding of their intelligence systems.

This volume includes the selected Research-Track, Industry-Track, and Demo-Track papers presented at the Fifth International Conference on Service-Oriented Computing (ICSOC 2007) in Vienna, Austria, from September 17–20, 2007. Following four successful previous editions in Chicago, Amsterdam, New York City, and Trento, ICSOC has established itself as the flagship conference for service-oriented computing research and best practices. The conference encompasses a wide range of topics, from theoretical foundations to empirical evaluations and practical industrial experiences. ICSOC 2007 continued this tradition while introducing new themes to enhance its goals. Service-oriented computing integrates ideas and technologies from various fields to address challenges such as service-based application modeling, service composition, discovery, integration, monitoring, management, quality, security, and methodologies for service development. New topics included information as a service and SOA governance. To ensure comprehensive coverage, the conference focused on seven major areas: Business Service Modeling, Service Assembly, Service Management, SOA Runtime and Quality of Service, Grid Services, Service Architectures, and Business and Economical Aspects of Services, addressing critical research issues and best practices throughout the service life cycle.

Mark Weiser’s vision of computers moving out of our focus of attention and becoming oblivious devices that occur in large numbers and provide smart computing und communication services to individuals as needed is still far from being reality. This book puts the larger vision of ubiquitous computing in the context of today’s mobile and distributed computing systems and presents innovative solutions at all system layers ranging from hardware over vertical and horizontal infrastructure services and novel middleware techniques to various types of application software. Some chapters address core properties of ubiquitous applications including mobility, self-healing and self-organisation of both technical and social-technical systems. Other contributions deal with common facilities like secure e-payment or semantic web techniques and business solutions like wireless asset management or e- maintenance. Distributed systems management with self-monitoring capabilities, Internet congestion control, and novel security solutions coping with denial of service attacks against mobile agent systems and software- and hardware-based data encryption methods are further topics addressed.

119 pages with 57 figures and 1 table monograph on electric communication among fish

Pendeln, Tarot, Rutengehen und Geistheilerei – es gibt kaum etwas, woran nicht geglaubt wird. Fast 40 Prozent der Deutschen sind laut Umfragen der Astrologie gegenüber aufgeschlossen. Die Esoterik ist in der Mitte der Gesellschaft angekommen. Warum schwören so viele Menschen auf offensichtlichen Unsinn? Bernd Kramer geht diesen Fragen nach und unternimmt dafür einen esoterischen Selbstversuch. Er taucht in die Szene ein: Bei einer Reinkarnationstherapie geht er seinem früheren Leben als Mönch nach; er hat erstaunlichen Erfolg als Berater bei einer Astro-Hotline; und auf einer Esoterik-Messe repariert er mittels Rückenkratzer, Salzstreuer und in 'Transzendenzzapfen' umgetauften Weihnachtsschmuck die beschädigte Aura seiner begeisterten Kundschaft. Nach dem Lesen dieser Reportage freut man sich wieder auf den gesunden Menschenverstand.