Search results for: Personal Space
952 Combining Skin Color and Optical Flow for Computer Vision Systems
Authors: Muhammad Raza Ali, Tim Morris
Abstract:
Skin color is an important visual cue for computer vision systems involving human users. In this paper we combine skin color and optical flow for detection and tracking of skin regions. We apply these techniques to gesture recognition with encouraging results. We propose a novel skin similarity measure. For grouping detected skin regions we propose a novel skin region grouping mechanism. The proposed techniques work with any number of skin regions making them suitable for a multiuser scenario.Keywords: Bayesian tracking, chromaticity space, optical flowgesture recognition
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1928951 Identification of the Parameters of a AC Servomotor Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: J. G. Batista, K. N. Sousa, J. L. Nunes, R. L. S. Sousa, G. A. P. Thé
Abstract:
This work deals with parameter identification of permanent magnet motors, a class of ac motor which is particularly important in industrial automation due to characteristics like applications high performance, are very attractive for applications with limited space and reducing the need to eliminate because they have reduced size and volume and can operate in a wide speed range, without independent ventilation. By using experimental data and genetic algorithm we have been able to extract values for both the motor inductance and the electromechanical coupling constant, which are then compared to measured and/or expected values.
Keywords: Modeling, AC servomotor, Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor-PMSM, Genetic Algorithm, Vector Control, Robotic Manipulator, Control.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2070950 Personal Authentication Using FDOST in Finger Knuckle-Print Biometrics
Authors: N. B. Mahesh Kumar, K. Premalatha
Abstract:
The inherent skin patterns created at the joints in the finger exterior are referred as finger knuckle-print. It is exploited to identify a person in a unique manner because the finger knuckle print is greatly affluent in textures. In biometric system, the region of interest is utilized for the feature extraction algorithm. In this paper, local and global features are extracted separately. Fast Discrete Orthonormal Stockwell Transform is exploited to extract the local features. Global feature is attained by escalating the size of Fast Discrete Orthonormal Stockwell Transform to infinity. Two features are fused to increase the recognition accuracy. A matching distance is calculated for both the features individually. Then two distances are merged mutually to acquire the final matching distance. The proposed scheme gives the better performance in terms of equal error rate and correct recognition rate.
Keywords: Hamming distance, Instantaneous phase, Region of Interest, Recognition accuracy.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2759949 Effective Density for the Classification of Transport Activity Centers
Authors: Dubbale Daniel A., Tsutsumi J.
Abstract:
This research work takes a different approach in the discussion of urban form impacts on transport planning and auto dependency. Concentrated density represented by effective density explains auto dependency better than the conventional density and it is proved to be a realistic density representative for the urban transportation analysis. Model analysis reveals that effective density is influenced by the shopping accessibility index as well as job density factor. It is also combined with the job access variable to classify four levels of Transport Activity Centers (TACs) in Okinawa, Japan. Trip attraction capacity and levels of the newly classified TACs was found agreeable with the amount of daily trips attracted to each center. The trip attraction data set was drawn from a 2007 Okinawa personal trip survey. This research suggests a planning methodology which guides logical transport supply routes and concentrated local development schemes.Keywords: Effective density, urban form, auto-dependency, transport activity centers
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1515948 Open Source Software in Higher Education: Oman SQU Case Study
Authors: Amal S. Al-Badi, Ali H. Al-Badi
Abstract:
Many organizations are opting to adopt Open Source Software (OSS) as it is the current trend to rely on each other rather than on companies (Software vendors). It is a clear shift from organizations to individuals, the concept being to rely on collective participation rather than companies/vendors.
The main objectives of this research are 1) to identify the current level of OSS usage in Sultan Qaboos University; 2) to identify the potential benefits of using OSS in educational institutes; 3) to identify the OSS applications that are most likely to be used within an educational institute; 4) to identify the existing and potential barriers to the successful adoption of OSS in education.
To achieve these objectives a two-stage research method was conducted. First a rigorous literature review of previously published material was performed (interpretive/descriptive approach), and then a set of interviews were conducted with the IT professionals at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman in order to explore the extent and nature of their usage of OSS.
Keywords: Open source software; social software, e-learning 2.0, Web 2.0, connectivism, personal learning environment (PLE), OpenID, OpenSocial and OpenCourseWare.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 3645947 An Agent-based Model for Analyzing Interaction of Two Stable Social Networks
Authors: Masatora Daito, Hisashi Kojima
Abstract:
In this research, the authors analyze network stability using agent-based simulation. Firstly, the authors focus on analyzing large networks (eight agents) by connecting different two stable small social networks (A small stable network is consisted on four agents.). Secondly, the authors analyze the network (eight agents) shape which is added one agent to a stable network (seven agents). Thirdly, the authors analyze interpersonal comparison of utility. The “star-network "was not found on the result of interaction among stable two small networks. On the other hand, “decentralized network" was formed from several combination. In case of added one agent to a stable network (seven agents), if the value of “c"(maintenance cost of per a link) was larger, the number of patterns of stable network was also larger. In this case, the authors identified the characteristics of a large stable network. The authors discovered the cases of decreasing personal utility under condition increasing total utility.Keywords: Social Network, Symmetric Situation, Network Stability, Agent-Based Modeling.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1533946 Fixed Point of Lipschitz Quasi Nonexpansive Mappings
Authors: M. Moosavi, H. Khatibzadeh
Abstract:
In this article, we study demiclosed and strongly quasi-nonexpansive of a sequence generated by the proximal point algorithm for a finite family of quasi-nonexpansive mappings in Hadamard spaces. Δ-convergence of iterations for the sequence of strongly quasi-nonexpansive mappings as well as the strong convergence of the Halpern type regularization of them to a common fixed point of sequence are also established. Our results generalize and improve several previously known results of the existing literature.
Keywords: Fixed point, Hadamard space, proximal point algorithm, quasi-nonexpansive sequence of mappings, resolvent.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 192945 Dripping Modes of Newtonian Liquids: The Effect of Nozzle Inclination
Authors: Amaraja Taur, Pankaj Doshi, Hak Koon Yeoh
Abstract:
The dripping modes for a Newtonian liquid of viscosity µ emanating from an inclined nozzle at flow rate Q is investigated experimentally. As the liquid flow rate Q increases, starting with period-1 with satellite drops, the system transitions to period-1 dripping without satellite, then to limit cycle before showing chaotic responses. Phase diagrams showing the changes in the transitions between the different dripping modes for different nozzle inclination angle q is constructed in the dimensionless (Q, µ) space.
Keywords: Dripping, inclined nozzle, phase diagram.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2059944 Hydrogenation of Acetic Acid on Alumina-Supported Pt-Sn Catalysts
Authors: Ke Zhang, Fang Li, Haitao Zhang, Hongfang Ma, Weiyong Ying, Dingye Fang
Abstract:
Three alumina-supported Pt-Sn catalysts have been prepared by means of co-impregnation and characterized by XRD and N2 adsorption. The influence of catalyst composition and reaction conditions on the conversion and selectivity were investigated in the hydrogenation of acetic acid in an isothermal integral fixed bed reactor. The experiments were performed on the temperature interval 468-548 K, liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) of 0.3-0.7h-1, pressures between 1.0 and 5.0Mpa. A good compromise of 0.75%Pt-1.5%Sn can act as an optimized acetic acid hydrogenation catalyst, and the conversion and selectivity can be tuned through the variation of reaction conditions.Keywords: Acetic acid, hydrogenation, Pt-Sn catalysts, ethanol.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 3167943 A Survey on Positive Real and Strictly Positive Real Scalar Transfer Functions
Authors: Mojtaba Hakimi-Moghaddam
Abstract:
Positive real and strictly positive real transfer functions are important concepts in the control theory. In this paper, the results of researches in these areas are summarized. Definitions together with their graphical interpretations are mentioned. The equivalent conditions in the frequency domain and state space representations are reviewed. Their equivalent electrical networks are explained. Also, a comprehensive discussion about a difference between behavior of real part of positive real and strictly positive real transfer functions in high frequencies is presented. Furthermore, several illustrative examples are given.Keywords: Real rational transfer functions, positive realness property, strictly positive realness property, equivalent conditions.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2386942 Innovation Knowledge and Capability, Work Efficiency of Accountants and the Success of SME Registered in Nakorn Pathom Province
Authors: Autjira Songan, Supattra Kanchanopast
Abstract:
The objectives of this research were to compare the success of SME registered in Nakorn Pathom Province divided in personal data also to study the relations between the innovation knowledge and capability and the success of SME registered in Nakorn Pathom Province and to study the relations between the work efficiency and the success of SME registered in Nakorn Pathom Province. A questionnaire was utilized as a tool to collect data. Statistics utilized in this research included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and multiple regression analysis. Data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.The findings revealed that the majority of respondents were male with the age between 25-34 years old, hold undergraduate degree, married and stay together. The average income of respondents was between 10,001-20,000 baht. It also found that in terms of innovation knowledge and capability, there were two variables had an influence on the amount of innovation knowledge and capability, innovation evaluation which were physical characteristic and innovation process.
Keywords: ccountants, Innovation, Knowledge, Work Efficiency.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1736941 Constructive Proof of Tychonoff’s Fixed Point Theorem for Sequentially Locally Non-Constant Functions
Authors: Yasuhito Tanaka
Abstract:
We present a constructive proof of Tychonoff’s fixed point theorem in a locally convex space for uniformly continuous and sequentially locally non-constant functions.
Keywords: sequentially locally non-constant functions, Tychonoff’s fixed point theorem, constructive mathematics.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1507940 Investigating the Possible use of Session Initiation Protocol for Extending Mobility Service to the Biomedical Engineers
Authors: Anwar Sadat
Abstract:
Today, the Internet based communication has widen the opportunity of event monitoring system in the medical field. There is always a need of analyzing and designing secure and reliable mobile communication between the hospital and biomedical engineers mobile units. This study has been carried out to find possible solution using SIP-based event notification for alerting the technical staff about the Biomedical Device (BMD) status and Patients treatment session. The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) can be used to create a medical event notification system. SIP can work on a variety of devices. Its adoption as the protocol of choice for third generation wireless networks allows for a robust and scalable environment. One of the advantages of SIP is that it supports personal mobility through the separation of user addressing and device addressing. The solution for Telemed alert notification system is based on SIP - Specific Event Notification. The aim of this project is to extend mobility service to the hospital technicians who are using Telemedicine system.Keywords: Biomedical, Mobility Service, Notify, Proxy Server, SIP, Subscribe, Telemedicine.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1800939 Multicriteria Synthesis of a Polycentric Knee Prosthesis For Transfemoral Amputees
Authors: Oleksandr Poliakov, Olena Chepenyuk, Yevgen Pashkov, Mykhaylo Kalinin, Vadym Kramar
Abstract:
In one of the prosthesis designs for lower limb transfemoral amputations artificial knee joints with polycentric mechanisms are used. Such prostheses are characterized by high stability during the stance phase of the movement. The existing variety of polycentric mechanisms indicates the possibility of finding the optimal prosthesis design satisfying several quality criteria.In this paper we present a multicriteria method for the synthesis of the artifical polycentric knee mechanism based on the uniform systematic study of the design parameters space and on the analysis of Pareto optimal solutions.Keywords: Optimalcriteria, polycentric knee, prosthesis, synthesis, transfemoral amputee.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1969938 Preparation of Nanocrystalline Mesoporous ThO2 via Surfactant Assisted Sol-gel Procedure
Authors: N. Mohseni, S. Janitabar, S. J. Ahmadi, M. Roshanzamir, M. Thaghizadeh
Abstract:
In this research, thorium dioxide mesoporous nanocrystalline powder was synthesized through the sol-gel method using hydrated thorium nitrate and ammonium hydroxide as starting materials and Triton X100 as surfactant. ThO2 gel was characterized by thermogravimetric (TGA), and prepared ThO2 powder was subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer-Emett-Teller (BET) analyses studies. Detailed analyses show that prepared powder consisted of phase with the space group Fm3m of thoria and its crystalline size was 12.6 nm. The thoria possesses 16.7 m2/g surface area and the pore volume and size calculated to be 0.0423 cc/g and 1.947 nm, respectively.Keywords: Thoria, sol-gel, mesoporous, nanocrystalline.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2052937 Disturbance Observer for Lateral Trajectory Tracking Control for Autonomous and Cooperative Driving
Authors: Christian Rathgeber, Franz Winkler, Dirk Odenthal, Steffen Muller
Abstract:
In this contribution a structure for high level lateral vehicle tracking control based on the disturbance observer is presented. The structure is characterized by stationary compensating side forces disturbances and guaranteeing a cooperative behavior at the same time. Driver inputs are not compensated by the disturbance observer. Moreover the structure is especially useful as it robustly stabilizes the vehicle. Therefore the parameters are selected using the Parameter Space Approach. The implemented algorithms are tested in real world scenarios.
Keywords: Disturbance observer, trajectory tracking, robust control, autonomous driving, cooperative driving
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 3024936 Feature Selection for Breast Cancer Diagnosis: A Case-Based Wrapper Approach
Authors: Mohammad Darzi, Ali AsgharLiaei, Mahdi Hosseini, HabibollahAsghari
Abstract:
This article addresses feature selection for breast cancer diagnosis. The present process contains a wrapper approach based on Genetic Algorithm (GA) and case-based reasoning (CBR). GA is used for searching the problem space to find all of the possible subsets of features and CBR is employed to estimate the evaluation result of each subset. The results of experiment show that the proposed model is comparable to the other models on Wisconsin breast cancer (WDBC) dataset.Keywords: Case-based reasoning; Breast cancer diagnosis; Genetic algorithm; Wrapper feature selection
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2874935 Magnetic Field Based Near Surface Haptic and Pointing Interface
Authors: Kasun Karunanayaka, Sanath Siriwardana, Chamari Edirisinghe, Ryohei Nakatsu, PonnampalamGopalakrishnakone
Abstract:
In this paper, we are presenting a new type of pointing interface for computers which provides mouse functionalities with near surface haptic feedback. Further, it can be configured as a haptic display where users may feel the basic geometrical shapes in the GUI by moving the finger on top of the device surface. These functionalities are achieved by tracking three dimensional positions of the neodymium magnet using Hall Effect sensors grid and generating like polarity haptic feedback using an electromagnet array. This interface brings the haptic sensations to the 3D space where previously it is felt only on top of the buttons of the haptic mouse implementations.
Keywords: Pointing interface, near surface haptic feedback, tactile display, tangible user interface.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2072934 Embedded Throughput Improving of Low-rate EDR Packets for Lower-latency
Authors: M. A. M. El-Bendary, A. E. Abu El-Azm, N. A. El-Fishawy, F. Shawky, F. E. El-Samie
Abstract:
With increasing utilization of the wireless devices in different fields such as medical devices and industrial fields, the paper presents a method for simplify the Bluetooth packets with throughput enhancing. The paper studies a vital issue in wireless communications, which is the throughput of data over wireless networks. In fact, the Bluetooth and ZigBee are a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN). With taking these two systems competition consideration, the paper proposes different schemes for improve the throughput of Bluetooth network over a reliable channel. The proposition depends on the Channel Quality Driven Data Rate (CQDDR) rules, which determines the suitable packet in the transmission process according to the channel conditions. The proposed packet is studied over additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) and fading channels. The Experimental results reveal the capability of extension of the PL length by 8, 16, 24 bytes for classic and EDR packets, respectively. Also, the proposed method is suitable for the low throughput Bluetooth.Keywords: Bluetooth, throughput, adaptive packets, EDRpackets, CQDDR, low latency. Channel condition
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1901933 Should Local Governments Expect Benefits from Special Economic Zones? The Case of Poland
Authors: R. Pastusiak, M. Jasiniak, A. Kaźmierska
Abstract:
The impact of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) has been analyzed for many years by researchers. There are lot of theoretical studies proving the SEZs importance for regional development, however, there is lack of empirical studies (and they are mainly focused on China market) that are based on available data. The theoretical studies indicate the various impacts of enterprises operating within SEZs on the economy. The article proves that, in case of Poland, locating SEZs in municipalities is an important part of increasing municipalities’ income. Therefore SEZs have a positive impact on regional development. Municipality income is understood as taxes paid by taxpayers who depend on SEZ companies’ performance. The analysis includes the Corporate Income Tax (CIT), Personal Income Tax (PIT) and real estate tax. The effects of SEZs on regional development were narrowed to a few variables that are most significant for the financial system. The analysis indicates the significant impact of SEZs on the amount of taxes influencing the municipality budget.
Keywords: Government, local finance, municipal finance, Special Economic Zones.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2039932 A New Splitting H1-Galerkin Mixed Method for Pseudo-hyperbolic Equations
Authors: Yang Liu, Jinfeng Wang, Hong Li, Wei Gao, Siriguleng He
Abstract:
A new numerical scheme based on the H1-Galerkin mixed finite element method for a class of second-order pseudohyperbolic equations is constructed. The proposed procedures can be split into three independent differential sub-schemes and does not need to solve a coupled system of equations. Optimal error estimates are derived for both semidiscrete and fully discrete schemes for problems in one space dimension. And the proposed method dose not requires the LBB consistency condition. Finally, some numerical results are provided to illustrate the efficacy of our method.
Keywords: Pseudo-hyperbolic equations, splitting system, H1-Galerkin mixed method, error estimates.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1502931 Using Rao-Blackwellised Particle Filter Track 3D Arm Motion based on Hierarchical Limb Model
Authors: XueSong Yu, JiaFeng Liu, XiangLong Tang, JianHua Huang
Abstract:
For improving the efficiency of human 3D tracking, we present an algorithm to track 3D Arm Motion. First, the Hierarchy Limb Model (HLM) is proposed based on the human 3D skeleton model. Second, via graph decomposition, the arm motion state space, modeled by HLM, can be discomposed into two low dimension subspaces: root nodes and leaf nodes. Finally, Rao-Blackwellised Particle Filter is used to estimate the 3D arm motion. The result of experiment shows that our algorithm can advance the computation efficiency.Keywords: Hierarchy Limb Model; Rao-Blackwellised Particle Filter; 3D tracking
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1590930 Turing Pattern in the Oregonator Revisited
Authors: Elragig Aiman, Dreiwi Hanan, Townley Stuart, Elmabrook Idriss
Abstract:
In this paper, we reconsider the analysis of the Oregonator model. We highlight an error in this analysis which leads to an incorrect depiction of the parameter region in which diffusion driven instability is possible. We believe that the cause of the oversight is the complexity of stability analyses based on eigenvalues and the dependence on parameters of matrix minors appearing in stability calculations. We regenerate the parameter space where Turing patterns can be seen, and we use the common Lyapunov function (CLF) approach, which is numerically reliable, to further confirm the dependence of the results on diffusion coefficients intensities.Keywords: Diffusion driven instability, common Lyapunov function (CLF), turing pattern, positive-definite matrix.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1048929 Information Fusion for Identity Verification
Authors: Girija Chetty, Monica Singh
Abstract:
In this paper we propose a novel approach for ascertaining human identity based on fusion of profile face and gait biometric cues The identification approach based on feature learning in PCA-LDA subspace, and classification using multivariate Bayesian classifiers allows significant improvement in recognition accuracy for low resolution surveillance video scenarios. The experimental evaluation of the proposed identification scheme on a publicly available database [2] showed that the fusion of face and gait cues in joint PCA-LDA space turns out to be a powerful method for capturing the inherent multimodality in walking gait patterns, and at the same time discriminating the person identity..
Keywords: Biometrics, gait recognition, PCA, LDA, Eigenface, Fisherface, Multivariate Gaussian Classifier
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1779928 Factors Determining the Women Empowerment through Microfinance: An Empirical Study in Sri Lanka
Authors: Y. Rathiranee, D. M. Semasinghe
Abstract:
This study attempts to identify the factors influencing on women empowerment of rural area in Sri Lanka through micro finance services. Data were collected from one hundred (100) rural women involving self-employment activities through a questionnaire using direct personal interviews. Judgment and Convenience Random sampling technique was used to select the sample size from three Divisional Secretariat divisions of Kandawalai, Poonakari and Karachchi in Kilinochchi District. The factor analysis was performed on fourteen (14) variables for screening and reducing the variables to identify the influencing factors on empowerment. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the relationship between the three empowerment factors and the impact of micro finance on overall empowerment of rural women. The result of this study summarized the variables into three factors namely decision making, freedom to mobility and family support and which are positively associated with empowerment. In addition to this the value of adjusted R2 is 0.248 indicates that all the variables extracted can be explained 24.8% of the variation in the women empowerment through microfinance. Independent variables of these three factors have positive correlation with women empowerment as well as significant values at 5 percent level.Keywords: Influencing factors, Micro finance, rural women and women empowerment.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 3958927 A Review on Important Aspects of Information Retrieval
Authors: Yogesh Gupta, Ashish Saini, A.K. Saxena
Abstract:
Information retrieval has become an important field of study and research under computer science due to explosive growth of information available in the form of full text, hypertext, administrative text, directory, numeric or bibliographic text. The research work is going on various aspects of information retrieval systems so as to improve its efficiency and reliability. This paper presents a comprehensive study, which discusses not only emergence and evolution of information retrieval but also includes different information retrieval models and some important aspects such as document representation, similarity measure and query expansion.
Keywords: Information Retrieval, query expansion, similarity measure, query expansion, vector space model.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 3340926 Comparison of Pore Space Features by Thin Sections and X-Ray Microtomography
Authors: H. Alves, J. T. Assis, M. Geraldes, I. Lima, R. T. Lopes
Abstract:
Microtomographic images and thin section (TS) images were analyzed and compared against some parameters of geological interest such as porosity and its distribution along the samples. The results show that microtomography (CT) analysis, although limited by its resolution, have some interesting information about the distribution of porosity (homogeneous or not) and can also quantify the connected and non-connected pores, i.e., total porosity. TS have no limitations concerning resolution, but are limited by the experimental data available in regards to a few glass sheets for analysis and also can give only information about the connected pores, i.e., effective porosity. Those two methods have their own virtues and flaws but when paired together they are able to complement one another, making for a more reliable and complete analysis.
Keywords: Microtomography, petrographical microscopy, sediments, thin sections.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 2329925 Geo-Spatial Methods to Better Understand Urban Food Deserts
Authors: Brian Ceh, Alison Jackson-Holland
Abstract:
Food deserts are a reality in some cities. These deserts can be described as a shortage of healthy food options within close proximity of consumers. The shortage in this case is typically facilitated by a lack of stores in an urban area that provide adequate fruit and vegetable choices. This study explores new avenues to better understand food deserts by examining modes of transportation that are available to shoppers or consumers, e.g. walking, automobile, or public transit. Further, this study is unique in that it not only explores the location of large grocery stores, but small grocery and convenience stores too. In this study, the relationship between some socio-economic indicators, such as personal income, are also explored to determine any possible association with food deserts. In addition, to help facilitate our understanding of food deserts, complex network spatial models that are built on adequate algorithms are used to investigate the possibility of food deserts in the city of Hamilton, Canada. It is found that Hamilton, Canada is adequate serviced by retailers who provide healthy food choices and that the food desert phenomena is almost absent.Keywords: Canada, desert, food, Hamilton, stores.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1298924 Interventions and Supervision in Mental Health Services: Experiences of a Working Group in Brazil
Authors: Sonia Alberti
Abstract:
The Regional Conference to Restructure Psychiatric Care in Latin America, convened by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in 1990, oriented the Brazilian Federal Act in 2001 that stipulated the psychiatric reform which requires deinstitutionalization and community-based treatment. Since then, the 15 years’ experience of different working teams in mental health led an academic working group – supervisors from personal practices, professors and researchers – to discuss certain clinical issues, as well as supervisions, and to organize colloquia in different cities as a methodology. These colloquia count on the participation of different working teams from the cities in which they are held, with team members with different levels of educational degrees and prior experiences, in order to increase dialogue right where it does not always appear to be possible. The principal aim of these colloquia is to gain interlocution between practitioners and academics. Working with the theory of case constructions, this methodology revealed itself helpful in unfolding new solutions. The paper also observes that there is not always harmony between what the psychiatric reform demands and clinical ethics.
Keywords: Mental health, supervision, clinical cases, Brazilian experience.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 785923 Object Detection Based on Plane Segmentation and Features Matching for a Service Robot
Authors: António J. R. Neves, Rui Garcia, Paulo Dias, Alina Trifan
Abstract:
With the aging of the world population and the continuous growth in technology, service robots are more and more explored nowadays as alternatives to healthcare givers or personal assistants for the elderly or disabled people. Any service robot should be capable of interacting with the human companion, receive commands, navigate through the environment, either known or unknown, and recognize objects. This paper proposes an approach for object recognition based on the use of depth information and color images for a service robot. We present a study on two of the most used methods for object detection, where 3D data is used to detect the position of objects to classify that are found on horizontal surfaces. Since most of the objects of interest accessible for service robots are on these surfaces, the proposed 3D segmentation reduces the processing time and simplifies the scene for object recognition. The first approach for object recognition is based on color histograms, while the second is based on the use of the SIFT and SURF feature descriptors. We present comparative experimental results obtained with a real service robot.Keywords: Service Robot, Object Recognition, 3D Sensors, Plane Segmentation.
Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 1674