Search results for: cultural image
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 6250

Search results for: cultural image

6130 Employer Brand Image and Employee Engagement: An Exploratory Study in Britain

Authors: Melisa Mete, Gary Davies, Susan Whelan

Abstract:

Maintaining a good employer brand image is crucial for companies since it has numerous advantages such as better recruitment, retention and employee engagement, and commitment. This study aims to understand the relationship between employer brand image and employee satisfaction and engagement in the British context. A panel survey data (N=228) is tested via the regression models from the Hayes (2012) PROCESS macro, in IBM SPSS 23.0. The results are statistically significant and proves that the more positive employer brand image, the greater employee’ engagement and satisfaction, and the greater is employee satisfaction, the greater their engagement.

Keywords: employer brand, employer brand image, employee engagement, employee satisfaction

Procedia PDF Downloads 309
6129 Cultivating Responsible AI: For Cultural Heritage Preservation in India

Authors: Varsha Rainson

Abstract:

Artificial intelligence (AI) has great potential and can be used as a powerful tool of application in various domains and sectors. But with the application of AI, there comes a wide spectrum of concerns around bias, accountability, transparency, and privacy. Hence, there is a need for responsible AI, which can uphold ethical and accountable practices to ensure that things are transparent and fair. The paper is a combination of AI and cultural heritage preservation, with a greater focus on India because of the rich cultural legacy that it holds. India’s cultural heritage in itself contributes to its identity and the economy. In this paper, along with discussing the impact culture holds on the Indian economy, we will discuss the threats that the cultural heritage is exposed to due to pollution, climate change and urbanization. Furthermore, the paper reviews some of the exciting applications of AI in cultural heritage preservation, such as 3-D scanning, photogrammetry, and other techniques which have led to the reconstruction of cultural artifacts and sites. The paper eventually moves into the potential risks and challenges that AI poses in cultural heritage preservation. These include ethical, legal, and social issues which are to be addressed by organizations and government authorities. Overall, the paper strongly argues the need for responsible AI and the important role it can play in preserving India’s cultural heritage while holding importance to value and diversity.

Keywords: responsible AI, cultural heritage, artificial intelligence, biases, transparency

Procedia PDF Downloads 154
6128 Cultural Approach to Batak Toba Folklore

Authors: Maritess A. Rulona

Abstract:

Cultural appropriation on traditional symbols has been a worldwide problem. Indonesia’s Batak Toba, an indigenous people group has experienced such appropriation. Bataknese has rich cultural heritage and oral traditions. Their cultural symbols originated from their folklores namely myths, legends, and folktales. This research used both oral traditions and cultural symbols of Batak Toba for a comparative analysis of their ancient and modern practices. This is anchored on Franz Boas’ Cultural Relativism in analyzing their five common cultural symbols. Further, it also utilized Stith Thompson’s Motif-Index to determine the common motif evident in their ten folklores. Ten Batak Toba key respondents provided information in this study. Some informants were also featured in the 20-minute documentary of this study. Thus, the findings were: 1) Traditional customs such as weddings, burial, and reburial are still observed using their cultural symbols; 2) The five most common cultural symbols are Ulos Ragidup, Sigale Gale, Rumah Bolon, Lake Toba, and Gondang; and 3) Batak culture values animals such as buffalo, lizard, and goldfish since they have ancient beliefs of mythical creatures; In conclusion, this study proved that there is a clear connection between the tribe’s oral traditions and cultural symbols. With these findings, this study recommends that elder Bataks teach younger Batak to be immersed in the cultural practices and to incorporate their traditional practices in their modern events.

Keywords: batak toba, cultural appropriation, motif-index, oral tradition, cultural emblems

Procedia PDF Downloads 57
6127 3D Guided Image Filtering to Improve Quality of Short-Time Binned Dynamic PET Images Using MRI Images

Authors: Tabassum Husain, Shen Peng Li, Zhaolin Chen

Abstract:

This paper evaluates the usability of 3D Guided Image Filtering to enhance the quality of short-time binned dynamic PET images by using MRI images. Guided image filtering is an edge-preserving filter proposed to enhance 2D images. The 3D filter is applied on 1 and 5-minute binned images. The results are compared with 15-minute binned images and the Gaussian filtering. The guided image filter enhances the quality of dynamic PET images while also preserving important information of the voxels.

Keywords: dynamic PET images, guided image filter, image enhancement, information preservation filtering

Procedia PDF Downloads 105
6126 Modernization Causing Loss of Cultural Identity: A Case Study of Maheshkhali, Bangladesh

Authors: Sarika Siraj

Abstract:

Nothing talks more about the identity of a place than its cultural heritage. More often than ever, it is the architecture of the place that embodies its cultural heritage. With these thoughts in mind, this paper looks closely into the present scene of earthen architecture of Bangladesh and the changes it has been going through due to modernity. Along with the gradual erasure of this sustainable practice, a loss of cultural identity can be observed in present times. This paper intends to examine the loss along with the reasons, taking the village of Maheshkhali, located in south east Bangladesh, as a case study for this research. Based on the empirical findings, this paper will contextualize sustainability as well as discuss western development as a creator of new cultural identities in eastern countries.

Keywords: cultural identity, sustainability, architecture, heritage

Procedia PDF Downloads 55
6125 Cultural Identity in Environmental Protection Areas of Nova Friburgo: Heritage, Tourism, and Traditions

Authors: Camila Dazzi, Crisitiane Passos de Mattos, Thiago Leite

Abstract:

The paper discusses the cultural identity of the communities located in Environmental Protection Area (APAs), in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, constituted almost entirely by descendants of Swiss immigrants who arrived in Brazil in the nineteenth century. The communication is the result of an extension project named "Cultural Identity in Environmental Protection Areas of Nova Friburgo." The objectives of this project were framed in the identification of local history, cultural demonstrations, crafts, religious events, festivals, the "know-how" and traditions. While an extension project, developed by students and teachers of a Bachelor of Tourism Management program, the work provided a more practical action: awareness the communities that inhabit the APAs on the possible implementation of the cultural community-based tourism, a sustainable alternative for economic development, involving local people as propagators of local culture, and tourism as a way of valuing and safeguarding of Intangible Heritage.

Keywords: tourism and cultural heritage, tourism and cultural impacts, tourism and cultural change, cultural identity

Procedia PDF Downloads 510
6124 Progress in Combining Image Captioning and Visual Question Answering Tasks

Authors: Prathiksha Kamath, Pratibha Jamkhandi, Prateek Ghanti, Priyanshu Gupta, M. Lakshmi Neelima

Abstract:

Combining Image Captioning and Visual Question Answering (VQA) tasks have emerged as a new and exciting research area. The image captioning task involves generating a textual description that summarizes the content of the image. VQA aims to answer a natural language question about the image. Both these tasks include computer vision and natural language processing (NLP) and require a deep understanding of the content of the image and semantic relationship within the image and the ability to generate a response in natural language. There has been remarkable growth in both these tasks with rapid advancement in deep learning. In this paper, we present a comprehensive review of recent progress in combining image captioning and visual question-answering (VQA) tasks. We first discuss both image captioning and VQA tasks individually and then the various ways in which both these tasks can be integrated. We also analyze the challenges associated with these tasks and ways to overcome them. We finally discuss the various datasets and evaluation metrics used in these tasks. This paper concludes with the need for generating captions based on the context and captions that are able to answer the most likely asked questions about the image so as to aid the VQA task. Overall, this review highlights the significant progress made in combining image captioning and VQA, as well as the ongoing challenges and opportunities for further research in this exciting and rapidly evolving field, which has the potential to improve the performance of real-world applications such as autonomous vehicles, robotics, and image search.

Keywords: image captioning, visual question answering, deep learning, natural language processing

Procedia PDF Downloads 50
6123 Cultural Tourism, The Gateway to Socioeconomic Development in Nigeria: Case Study on Osun State Nigeria

Authors: Osinubi Olufemi Bankole

Abstract:

Cultural tourism is an industry committed to making a low impact on the environment, locale culture, festival, etc. while helping to generate income and employment opportunities for the locale. Tourists who promote cultural tourism are sensitive to the cultural belief and norms that are gradually going into extinction and the rich cultural resources that abound in Nigeria. The paper focus on culture been a unique way of life of particular people that differentiates them from their neighbors. It examined the socioeconomic roles of cultural tourism to the development of Nigeria using Osun state as case study. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentage method, result shows that 35 respondents representing 87.5% agreed that cultural tourism has a significant role to play in the socioeconomic development of Nigeria. The study concluded that cultural tourism is an important aspect of the nation’s economic sector that should be given adequate consideration for economic sustainability. The researcher recommended that various investment opportunities abound in the nation’s cultural resources if well developed and maintained.

Keywords: culture, development, industry, tourism

Procedia PDF Downloads 348
6122 A Modified Shannon Entropy Measure for Improved Image Segmentation

Authors: Mohammad A. U. Khan, Omar A. Kittaneh, M. Akbar, Tariq M. Khan, Husam A. Bayoud

Abstract:

The Shannon Entropy measure has been widely used for measuring uncertainty. However, in partial settings, the histogram is used to estimate the underlying distribution. The histogram is dependent on the number of bins used. In this paper, a modification is proposed that makes the Shannon entropy based on histogram consistent. For providing the benefits, two application are picked in medical image processing applications. The simulations are carried out to show the superiority of this modified measure for image segmentation problem. The improvement may be contributed to robustness shown to uneven background in images.

Keywords: Shannon entropy, medical image processing, image segmentation, modification

Procedia PDF Downloads 465
6121 Neuron Imaging in Lateral Geniculate Nucleus

Authors: Sandy Bao, Yankang Bao

Abstract:

The understanding of information that is being processed in the brain, especially in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), has been proven challenging for modern neuroscience and for researchers with a focus on how neurons process signals and images. In this paper, we are proposing a method to image process different colors within different layers of LGN, that is, green information in layers 4 & 6 and red & blue in layers 3 & 5 based on the surface dimension of layers. We take into consideration the images in LGN and visual cortex, and that the edge detected information from the visual cortex needs to be considered in order to return back to the layers of LGN, along with the image in LGN to form the new image, which will provide an improved image that is clearer, sharper, and making it easier to identify objects in the image. Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) simulation is performed, and results show that the clarity of the output image has significant improvement.

Keywords: lateral geniculate nucleus, matrix laboratory, neuroscience, visual cortex

Procedia PDF Downloads 233
6120 Design and Implementation of an Image Based System to Enhance the Security of ATM

Authors: Seyed Nima Tayarani Bathaie

Abstract:

In this paper, an image-receiving system was designed and implemented through optimization of object detection algorithms using Haar features. This optimized algorithm served as face and eye detection separately. Then, cascading them led to a clear image of the user. Utilization of this feature brought about higher security by preventing fraud. This attribute results from the fact that services will be given to the user on condition that a clear image of his face has already been captured which would exclude the inappropriate person. In order to expedite processing and eliminating unnecessary ones, the input image was compressed, a motion detection function was included in the program, and detection window size was confined.

Keywords: face detection algorithm, Haar features, security of ATM

Procedia PDF Downloads 388
6119 An Image Enhancement Method Based on Curvelet Transform for CBCT-Images

Authors: Shahriar Farzam, Maryam Rastgarpour

Abstract:

Image denoising plays extremely important role in digital image processing. Enhancement of clinical image research based on Curvelet has been developed rapidly in recent years. In this paper, we present a method for image contrast enhancement for cone beam CT (CBCT) images based on fast discrete curvelet transforms (FDCT) that work through Unequally Spaced Fast Fourier Transform (USFFT). These transforms return a table of Curvelet transform coefficients indexed by a scale parameter, an orientation and a spatial location. Accordingly, the coefficients obtained from FDCT-USFFT can be modified in order to enhance contrast in an image. Our proposed method first uses a two-dimensional mathematical transform, namely the FDCT through unequal-space fast Fourier transform on input image and then applies thresholding on coefficients of Curvelet to enhance the CBCT images. Consequently, applying unequal-space fast Fourier Transform leads to an accurate reconstruction of the image with high resolution. The experimental results indicate the performance of the proposed method is superior to the existing ones in terms of Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Effective Measure of Enhancement (EME).

Keywords: curvelet transform, CBCT, image enhancement, image denoising

Procedia PDF Downloads 265
6118 Bag of Words Representation Based on Weighting Useful Visual Words

Authors: Fatma Abdedayem

Abstract:

The most effective and efficient methods in image categorization are almost based on bag-of-words (BOW) which presents image by a histogram of occurrence of visual words. In this paper, we propose a novel extension to this method. Firstly, we extract features in multi-scales by applying a color local descriptor named opponent-SIFT. Secondly, in order to represent image we use Spatial Pyramid Representation (SPR) and an extension to the BOW method which based on weighting visual words. Typically, the visual words are weighted during histogram assignment by computing the ratio of their occurrences in the image to the occurrences in the background. Finally, according to classical BOW retrieval framework, only a few words of the vocabulary is useful for image representation. Therefore, we select the useful weighted visual words that respect the threshold value. Experimentally, the algorithm is tested by using different image classes of PASCAL VOC 2007 and is compared against the classical bag-of-visual-words algorithm.

Keywords: BOW, useful visual words, weighted visual words, bag of visual words

Procedia PDF Downloads 410
6117 Exploring the Relationship between Employer Brand and Organizational Attractiveness: The Mediating Role of Employer Image and the Moderating Role of Value Congruence

Authors: Yi Shan Wu, Ting Hsuan Wu, Li Wei Cheng, Pei Yu Guo

Abstract:

Given the fiercely competitive environment, human capital is one of the most valuable assets in a commercial enterprise. Therefore, developing strategies to acquire more talents is crucial. Talents are mainly attracted by both internal and external employer brands as well as by the messages conveyed from the employer image. This not only manifests the importance of a brand and an image of an organization but shows people might be affected by their personal values when assessing an organization as an employer. The goal of the present study is to examine the association between employer brand, employer image, and the likelihood of increasing organizational attractiveness. In addition, we draw from social identity theory to propose value congruence may affect the relationship between employer brand and employer image. Data was collected from those people who only worked less than a year in the industry via an online survey (N=209). The results show that employer image partly mediates the effect of employer brand on organizational attractiveness. In addition, the results also suggest that value congruence does not moderate the relationship between employer brand and employer image. These findings explain why building a good employer brand could enhance organization attractiveness and indicate there should be other factors that may affect employer image building, offering directions for future research.

Keywords: organizational attractiveness, employer brand, employer image, value congruence

Procedia PDF Downloads 103
6116 The 'Human Medium' in Communicating the National Image: A Case Study of Chinese Middle-Class Tourists Visiting Japan

Authors: Abigail Qian Zhou

Abstract:

In recent years, the prosperity of mass tourism in China has accelerated the breadth and depth of direct communication between countries, and the national image has been placed in a new communication context. Outbound tourists are not only directly involved in the formation of the national image, but are also the most direct medium and the most active symbol representing the national image. This study uses Chinese middle-class tourists visiting Japan as a case study, and analyzes, through participant observation and semi-structured interviews, the communication function of the national image transmitted by 'human medium' in tourism activities. It also explores the 'human medium' in the era of mass tourism. This study hopes to build a bridge for tourism research and national image and media studies. It will provide a theoretical basis and practical guidance for promoting the national image, strengthening exchanges between tourists and local populations, and expanding the tourism market in the future.

Keywords: human medium, national image, communication, Chinese middle class, outbound tourists

Procedia PDF Downloads 107
6115 A Multi Sensor Monochrome Video Fusion Using Image Quality Assessment

Authors: M. Prema Kumar, P. Rajesh Kumar

Abstract:

The increasing interest in image fusion (combining images of two or more modalities such as infrared and visible light radiation) has led to a need for accurate and reliable image assessment methods. This paper gives a novel approach of merging the information content from several videos taken from the same scene in order to rack up a combined video that contains the finest information coming from different source videos. This process is known as video fusion which helps in providing superior quality (The term quality, connote measurement on the particular application.) image than the source images. In this technique different sensors (whose redundant information can be reduced) are used for various cameras that are imperative for capturing the required images and also help in reducing. In this paper Image fusion technique based on multi-resolution singular value decomposition (MSVD) has been used. The image fusion by MSVD is almost similar to that of wavelets. The idea behind MSVD is to replace the FIR filters in wavelet transform with singular value decomposition (SVD). It is computationally very simple and is well suited for real time applications like in remote sensing and in astronomy.

Keywords: multi sensor image fusion, MSVD, image processing, monochrome video

Procedia PDF Downloads 546
6114 UniFi: Universal Filter Model for Image Enhancement

Authors: Aleksei Samarin, Artyom Nazarenko, Valentin Malykh

Abstract:

Image enhancement is becoming more and more popular, especially on mobile devices. Nowadays, it is a common approach to enhance an image using a convolutional neural network (CNN). Such a network should be of significant size; otherwise, a possibility for the artifacts to occur is overgrowing. The existing large CNNs are computationally expensive, which could be crucial for mobile devices. Another important flaw of such models is they are poorly interpretable. There is another approach to image enhancement, namely, the usage of predefined filters in combination with the prediction of their applicability. We present an approach following this paradigm, which outperforms both existing CNN-based and filter-based approaches in the image enhancement task. It is easily adaptable for mobile devices since it has only 47 thousand parameters. It shows the best SSIM 0.919 on RANDOM250 (MIT Adobe FiveK) among small models and is thrice faster than previous models.

Keywords: universal filter, image enhancement, neural networks, computer vision

Procedia PDF Downloads 75
6113 Investigation of the Speckle Pattern Effect for Displacement Assessments by Digital Image Correlation

Authors: Salim Çalışkan, Hakan Akyüz

Abstract:

Digital image correlation has been accustomed as a versatile and efficient method for measuring displacements on the article surfaces by comparing reference subsets in undeformed images with the define target subset in the distorted image. The theoretical model points out that the accuracy of the digital image correlation displacement data can be exactly anticipated based on the divergence of the image noise and the sum of the squares of the subset intensity gradients. The digital image correlation procedure locates each subset of the original image in the distorted image. The software then determines the displacement values of the centers of the subassemblies, providing the complete displacement measures. In this paper, the effect of the speckle distribution and its effect on displacements measured out plane displacement data as a function of the size of the subset was investigated. Nine groups of speckle patterns were used in this study: samples are sprayed randomly by pre-manufactured patterns of three different hole diameters, each with three coverage ratios, on a computer numerical control punch press. The resulting displacement values, referenced at the center of the subset, are evaluated based on the average of the displacements of the pixel’s interior the subset.

Keywords: digital image correlation, speckle pattern, experimental mechanics, tensile test, aluminum alloy

Procedia PDF Downloads 43
6112 A User Interface for Easiest Way Image Encryption with Chaos

Authors: D. López-Mancilla, J. M. Roblero-Villa

Abstract:

Since 1990, the research on chaotic dynamics has received considerable attention, particularly in light of potential applications of this phenomenon in secure communications. Data encryption using chaotic systems was reported in the 90's as a new approach for signal encoding that differs from the conventional methods that use numerical algorithms as the encryption key. The algorithms for image encryption have received a lot of attention because of the need to find security on image transmission in real time over the internet and wireless networks. Known algorithms for image encryption, like the standard of data encryption (DES), have the drawback of low level of efficiency when the image is large. The encrypting based on chaos proposes a new and efficient way to get a fast and highly secure image encryption. In this work, a user interface for image encryption and a novel and easiest way to encrypt images using chaos are presented. The main idea is to reshape any image into a n-dimensional vector and combine it with vector extracted from a chaotic system, in such a way that the vector image can be hidden within the chaotic vector. Once this is done, an array is formed with the original dimensions of the image and turns again. An analysis of the security of encryption from the images using statistical analysis is made and is used a stage of optimization for image encryption security and, at the same time, the image can be accurately recovered. The user interface uses the algorithms designed for the encryption of images, allowing you to read an image from the hard drive or another external device. The user interface, encrypt the image allowing three modes of encryption. These modes are given by three different chaotic systems that the user can choose. Once encrypted image, is possible to observe the safety analysis and save it on the hard disk. The main results of this study show that this simple method of encryption, using the optimization stage, allows an encryption security, competitive with complicated encryption methods used in other works. In addition, the user interface allows encrypting image with chaos, and to submit it through any public communication channel, including internet.

Keywords: image encryption, chaos, secure communications, user interface

Procedia PDF Downloads 457
6111 Active Contours for Image Segmentation Based on Complex Domain Approach

Authors: Sajid Hussain

Abstract:

The complex domain approach for image segmentation based on active contour has been designed, which deforms step by step to partition an image into numerous expedient regions. A novel region-based trigonometric complex pressure force function is proposed, which propagates around the region of interest using image forces. The signed trigonometric force function controls the propagation of the active contour and the active contour stops on the exact edges of the object accurately. The proposed model makes the level set function binary and uses Gaussian smoothing kernel to adjust and escape the re-initialization procedure. The working principle of the proposed model is as follows: The real image data is transformed into complex data by iota (i) times of image data and the average iota (i) times of horizontal and vertical components of the gradient of image data is inserted in the proposed model to catch complex gradient of the image data. A simple finite difference mathematical technique has been used to implement the proposed model. The efficiency and robustness of the proposed model have been verified and compared with other state-of-the-art models.

Keywords: image segmentation, active contour, level set, Mumford and Shah model

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6110 Structural Analysis of Kamaluddin Behzad's Works Based on Roland Barthes' Theory of Communication, 'Text and Image'

Authors: Mahsa Khani Oushani, Mohammad Kazem Hasanvand

Abstract:

Text and image have always been two important components in Iranian layout. The interactive connection between text and image has shaped the art of book design with multiple patterns. In this research, first the structure and visual elements in the research data were analyzed and then the position of the text element and the image element in relation to each other based on Roland Barthes theory on the three theories of text and image, were studied and analyzed and the results were compared, and interpreted. The purpose of this study is to investigate the pattern of text and image in the works of Kamaluddin Behzad based on three Roland Barthes communication theories, 1. Descriptive communication, 2. Reference communication, 3. Matched communication. The questions of this research are what is the relationship between text and image in Behzad's works? And how is it defined according to Roland Barthes theory? The method of this research has been done with a structuralist approach with a descriptive-analytical method in a library collection method. The information has been collected in the form of documents (library) and is a tool for collecting online databases. Findings show that the dominant element in Behzad's drawings is with the image and has created a reference relationship in the layout of the drawings, but in some cases it achieves a different relationship that despite the preference of the image on the page, the text is dispersed proportionally on the page and plays a more active role, played within the image. The text and the image support each other equally on the page; Roland Barthes equates this connection.

Keywords: text, image, Kamaluddin Behzad, Roland Barthes, communication theory

Procedia PDF Downloads 161
6109 Lossless Secret Image Sharing Based on Integer Discrete Cosine Transform

Authors: Li Li, Ahmed A. Abd El-Latif, Aya El-Fatyany, Mohamed Amin

Abstract:

This paper proposes a new secret image sharing method based on integer discrete cosine transform (IntDCT). It first transforms the original image into the frequency domain (DCT coefficients) using IntDCT, which are operated on each block with size 8*8. Then, it generates shares among each DCT coefficients in the same place of each block, that is, all the DC components are used to generate DC shares, the ith AC component in each block are utilized to generate ith AC shares, and so on. The DC and AC shares components with the same number are combined together to generate DCT shadows. Experimental results and analyses show that the proposed method can recover the original image lossless than those methods based on traditional DCT and is more sensitive to tiny change in both the coefficients and the content of the image.

Keywords: secret image sharing, integer DCT, lossless recovery, sensitivity

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6108 New Approaches for the Handwritten Digit Image Features Extraction for Recognition

Authors: U. Ravi Babu, Mohd Mastan

Abstract:

The present paper proposes a novel approach for handwritten digit recognition system. The present paper extract digit image features based on distance measure and derives an algorithm to classify the digit images. The distance measure can be performing on the thinned image. Thinning is the one of the preprocessing technique in image processing. The present paper mainly concentrated on an extraction of features from digit image for effective recognition of the numeral. To find the effectiveness of the proposed method tested on MNIST database, CENPARMI, CEDAR, and newly collected data. The proposed method is implemented on more than one lakh digit images and it gets good comparative recognition results. The percentage of the recognition is achieved about 97.32%.

Keywords: handwritten digit recognition, distance measure, MNIST database, image features

Procedia PDF Downloads 436
6107 Towards Addressing the Cultural Snapshot Phenomenon in Cultural Mapping Libraries

Authors: Mousouris Spiridon, Kavakli Evangelia

Abstract:

This paper focuses on Digital Libraries (DLs) that contain and geovisualise cultural data, highlighting the need to define them as a separate category termed Cultural Mapping Libraries, based on their inherent connection of culture with geographic location and their design requirements in support of visual representation of cultural data on the map. An exploratory analysis of DLs that conform to the above definition brought forward the observation that existing Cultural Mapping Libraries fail to geovisualise the entirety of cultural data per point of interest thus resulting in a Cultural Snapshot phenomenon. The existence of this phenomenon was reinforced by the results of a systematic bibliographic research. In order to address the Cultural Snapshot, this paper proposes the use of the Semantic Web principles to efficiently interconnect spatial cultural data through time, per geographic location. In this way points of interest are transformed into scenery where culture evolves over time. This evolution is expressed as occurrences taking place chronologically, in an event oriented approach, a conceptualization also endorsed by the CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CIDOC CRM). In particular, we posit the use of CIDOC CRM as the baseline for defining the logic of Cultural Mapping Libraries as part of the Culture Domain in accordance with the Digital Library Reference Model, in order to define the rules of cultural data management by the system. Our future goal is to transform this conceptual definition in to inferencing rules that resolve the Cultural Snapshot and lead to a more complete geovisualisation of cultural data.

Keywords: digital libraries, semantic web, geovisualization, CIDOC-CRM

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6106 Contrast Enhancement in Digital Images Using an Adaptive Unsharp Masking Method

Authors: Z. Mortezaie, H. Hassanpour, S. Asadi Amiri

Abstract:

Captured images may suffer from Gaussian blur due to poor lens focus or camera motion. Unsharp masking is a simple and effective technique to boost the image contrast and to improve digital images suffering from Gaussian blur. The technique is based on sharpening object edges by appending the scaled high-frequency components of the image to the original. The quality of the enhanced image is highly dependent on the characteristics of both the high-frequency components and the scaling/gain factor. Since the quality of an image may not be the same throughout, we propose an adaptive unsharp masking method in this paper. In this method, the gain factor is computed, considering the gradient variations, for individual pixels of the image. Subjective and objective image quality assessments are used to compare the performance of the proposed method both with the classic and the recently developed unsharp masking methods. The experimental results show that the proposed method has a better performance in comparison to the other existing methods.

Keywords: unsharp masking, blur image, sub-region gradient, image enhancement

Procedia PDF Downloads 189
6105 Cloud Shield: Model to Secure User Data While Using Content Delivery Network Services

Authors: Rachna Jain, Sushila Madan, Bindu Garg

Abstract:

Cloud computing is the key powerhouse in numerous organizations due to shifting of their data to the cloud environment. In recent years it has been observed that cloud-based-services are being used on large scale for content storage, distribution and processing. Various issues have been observed in cloud computing environment that need to be addressed. Security and privacy are found topmost concern area. In this paper, a novel security model is proposed to secure data by utilizing CDN services like image to icon conversion. CDN Service is a content delivery service which converts an image to icon, word to pdf & Latex to pdf etc. Presented model is used to convert an image into icon by keeping image secret. Here security of image is imparted so that image should be encrypted and decrypted by data owners only. It is also discussed in the paper that how server performs multiplication and selection on encrypted data without decryption. The data can be image file, word file, audio or video file. Moreover, the proposed model is capable enough to multiply images, encrypt them and send to a server application for conversion. Eventually, the prime objective is to encrypt an image and convert the encrypted image to image Icon by utilizing homomorphic encryption.

Keywords: cloud computing, user data security, homomorphic encryption, image multiplication, CDN service

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6104 Virtual Social Networks and the Formation of the Mental Image of Tehran Metro Vendors of Themselves

Authors: Seyed Alireza Mirmohammadi

Abstract:

Tehran Metro vendors are one of the working minorities in the capital, which is an essential cross-cultural case study. Today, with difficult economic conditions, subway vendors are increasing. Tehran metro vendors are in daily contact with many people in different metro stations. Due to the ban on their activities in this place and sometimes the humiliating look of some people, they experience special conditions compared to other people in the community. One of the most critical sources of shaping people's mentality toward their social status and identity in the media and, in the meantime, virtual social networks, due to various communication facilities such as Dualism and the possibility of high activity of users have a special place. Statistics have shown that virtual social networks have become an indispensable source of communication, information, and entertainment today. In this study, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 metro vendors in Tehran about their membership in various virtual social networks and their mental perception of using them. The research results indicate that the obtained mentality of metro peddlers towards themselves is negative in virtual social networks, and they do not receive a good image of themselves in these networks.

Keywords: metro, tehran, intercultural communication, metro vendors, self image

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6103 Post-Processing Method for Performance Improvement of Aerial Image Parcel Segmentation

Authors: Donghee Noh, Seonhyeong Kim, Junhwan Choi, Heegon Kim, Sooho Jung, Keunho Park

Abstract:

In this paper, we describe an image post-processing method to enhance the performance of the parcel segmentation method using deep learning-based aerial images conducted in previous studies. The study results were evaluated using a confusion matrix, IoU, Precision, Recall, and F1-Score. In the case of the confusion matrix, it was observed that the false positive value, which is the result of misclassification, was greatly reduced as a result of image post-processing. The average IoU was 0.9688 in the image post-processing, which is higher than the deep learning result of 0.8362, and the F1-Score was also 0.9822 in the image post-processing, which was higher than the deep learning result of 0.8850. As a result of the experiment, it was found that the proposed technique positively complements the deep learning results in segmenting the parcel of interest.

Keywords: aerial image, image process, machine vision, open field smart farm, segmentation

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6102 Cultural Works Interacting with the Generational Aesthetic Gap between Gen X and Gen Z in China: A Qualitative Study

Authors: Qianyu Zhang

Abstract:

The spread of digital technology in China has worsened the generation gap and intergenerational competition for cultural and aesthetic discourse. Meanwhile, the increased accessibility of cultural works has encouraged the sharing and inheritance of collective cultural memories between generations. However, not each cultural work can engage positively with efforts to bridge intergenerational aesthetic differences. This study argues that in contemporary China, where new media and the Internet are widely available, featured cultural works have more potential to help enhance the cultural aesthetic consensus among different generations, thus becoming an effective countermeasure to narrow the intergenerational aesthetic rift and cultural discontinuity. Specifically, the generational aesthetic gap is expected to be bridged or improved through the shared appreciation or consumption of cultural works that meet certain conditions by several generations. In-depth interviews of Gen X and Gen Z (N=15, respectively) in China uncovered their preferences and commonalities for cultural works and shared experiences in appreciating them. Results demonstrate that both generations’ shared appreciation of cultural work is a necessary but insufficient condition for its effective response to the generational aesthetic gap. Coding analysis rendered six dimensions that cultural works with the potential to bridge the intergenerational aesthetic divide should satisfy simultaneously: genre, theme, content, elements, quality, and accessibility. Cultural works that engage multiple senses/ compound realistic, domestic and contemporary cultural memories/ contain the narrative of family life and nationalism/ include more elements familiar to the previous generation/ are superb-produced and unaffected/ are more accessible better promote intergenerational aesthetic exchange and value recognition. Moreover, compared to the dilemma of the previous generation facing the aesthetic gap, the later generation plays a crucial role in bridging the generational aesthetic divide.

Keywords: cultural works, generation gap, generation X, generation Z, cultural memory

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6101 Investigating Conflict Between Traditional Cultural Practices for Women and South African Government Laws

Authors: Hebert Sihle Ntuli

Abstract:

Traditional cultural practices mirror or replicate the values and beliefs held by members of the community. Throughout the world, every social grouping has specific traditional practices, some of which are beneficial to all, while others have become harmful to specific group such as women. Like in some African states, these traditional cultural practices are performed in South Africa and are violating women’s rights. Women’s rights are human rights. The South African Constitution is one of the most progressive in the world, and notable includes the Bill of Rights which provides protection of socio-economic and cultural rights. Cultural rights are protected in Section 30 and 31 of the constitution, although such protection is not without limitation. This highly complex interplay and competition between human rights and cultural rights, which are manifested through cultural practices, is the golden thread that traces through this paper. The paper argues that there is conflict and the lack of balance between diverse cultural and legal or constitutional framework which promotes the value of human dignity and equality, especially for women. These practices are reviewed in connection with the South African government laws. This work adopted qualitative research method.

Keywords: cultural practices, conflict, South African constitution, laws

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