Surface modeling method for aircraft engine blades by using speckle patterns based on the virtual stereo vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhijing; Ma, Kai; Wang, Zhijun; Wu, Jun; Wang, Tao; Zhuge, Jingchang

2018-03-01

A blade is one of the most important components of an aircraft engine. Due to its high manufacturing costs, it is indispensable to come up with methods for repairing damaged blades. In order to obtain a surface model of the blades, this paper proposes a modeling method by using speckle patterns based on the virtual stereo vision system. Firstly, blades are sprayed evenly creating random speckle patterns and point clouds from blade surfaces can be calculated by using speckle patterns based on the virtual stereo vision system. Secondly, boundary points are obtained in the way of varied step lengths according to curvature and are fitted to get a blade surface envelope with a cubic B-spline curve. Finally, the surface model of blades is established with the envelope curves and the point clouds. Experimental results show that the surface model of aircraft engine blades is fair and accurate.

A verification and errors analysis of the model for object positioning based on binocular stereo vision for airport surface surveillance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huan-huan; Wang, Jian; Liu, Feng; Cao, Hai-juan; Wang, Xiang-jun

2014-12-01

A test environment is established to obtain experimental data for verifying the positioning model which was derived previously based on the pinhole imaging model and the theory of binocular stereo vision measurement. The model requires that the optical axes of the two cameras meet at one point which is defined as the origin of the world coordinate system, thus simplifying and optimizing the positioning model. The experimental data are processed and tables and charts are given for comparing the positions of objects measured with DGPS with a measurement accuracy of 10 centimeters as the reference and those measured with the positioning model. Sources of visual measurement model are analyzed, and the effects of the errors of camera and system parameters on the accuracy of positioning model were probed, based on the error transfer and synthesis rules. A conclusion is made that measurement accuracy of surface surveillances based on binocular stereo vision measurement is better than surface movement radars, ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) and MLAT (Multilateration).

The Role of Prototype Learning in Hierarchical Models of Vision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomure, Michael David

2014-01-01

I conduct a study of learning in HMAX-like models, which are hierarchical models of visual processing in biological vision systems. Such models compute a new representation for an image based on the similarity of image sub-parts to a number of specific patterns, called prototypes. Despite being a central piece of the overall model, the issue of…

Binocular Vision-Based Position and Pose of Hand Detection and Tracking in Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jun, Chen; Wenjun, Hou; Qing, Sheng

After the study of image segmentation, CamShift target tracking algorithm and stereo vision model of space, an improved algorithm based of Frames Difference and a new space point positioning model were proposed, a binocular visual motion tracking system was constructed to verify the improved algorithm and the new model. The problem of the spatial location and pose of the hand detection and tracking have been solved.

Optimization of Stereo Matching in 3D Reconstruction Based on Binocular Vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gai, Qiyang

2018-01-01

Stereo matching is one of the key steps of 3D reconstruction based on binocular vision. In order to improve the convergence speed and accuracy in 3D reconstruction based on binocular vision, this paper adopts the combination method of polar constraint and ant colony algorithm. By using the line constraint to reduce the search range, an ant colony algorithm is used to optimize the stereo matching feature search function in the proposed search range. Through the establishment of the stereo matching optimization process analysis model of ant colony algorithm, the global optimization solution of stereo matching in 3D reconstruction based on binocular vision system is realized. The simulation results show that by the combining the advantage of polar constraint and ant colony algorithm, the stereo matching range of 3D reconstruction based on binocular vision is simplified, and the convergence speed and accuracy of this stereo matching process are improved.

Hand-writing motion tracking with vision-inertial sensor fusion: calibration and error correction.

PubMed

Zhou, Shengli; Fei, Fei; Zhang, Guanglie; Liu, Yunhui; Li, Wen J

2014-08-25

The purpose of this study was to improve the accuracy of real-time ego-motion tracking through inertial sensor and vision sensor fusion. Due to low sampling rates supported by web-based vision sensor and accumulation of errors in inertial sensors, ego-motion tracking with vision sensors is commonly afflicted by slow updating rates, while motion tracking with inertial sensor suffers from rapid deterioration in accuracy with time. This paper starts with a discussion of developed algorithms for calibrating two relative rotations of the system using only one reference image. Next, stochastic noises associated with the inertial sensor are identified using Allan Variance analysis, and modeled according to their characteristics. Finally, the proposed models are incorporated into an extended Kalman filter for inertial sensor and vision sensor fusion. Compared with results from conventional sensor fusion models, we have shown that ego-motion tracking can be greatly enhanced using the proposed error correction model.

Advancing adverse outcome pathways for integrated toxicology and regulatory applications

EPA Science Inventory

Recent regulatory efforts in many countries have focused on a toxicological pathway-based vision for human health assessments relying on in vitro systems and predictive models to generate the toxicological data needed to evaluate chemical hazard. A pathway-based vision is equally...

Vision-Based UAV Flight Control and Obstacle Avoidance

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

denoted it by Vb = (Vb1, Vb2 , Vb3). Fig. 2 shows the block diagram of the proposed vision-based motion analysis and obstacle avoidance system. We denote...structure analysis often involve computation- intensive computer vision tasks, such as feature extraction and geometric modeling. Computation-intensive...First, we extract a set of features from each block. 2) Second, we compute the distance between these two sets of features. In conventional motion

Stereo Vision Inside Tire

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-21

using the Open Computer Vision ( OpenCV ) libraries [6] for computer vision and the Qt library [7] for the user interface. The software has the...depth. The software application calibrates the cameras using the plane based calibration model from the OpenCV calib3D module and allows the...6] OpenCV . 2015. OpenCV Open Source Computer Vision. [Online]. Available at: opencv.org [Accessed]: 09/01/2015. [7] Qt. 2015. Qt Project home

Visual cognition

PubMed Central

Cavanagh, Patrick

2011-01-01

Visual cognition, high-level vision, mid-level vision and top-down processing all refer to decision-based scene analyses that combine prior knowledge with retinal input to generate representations. The label “visual cognition” is little used at present, but research and experiments on mid- and high-level, inference-based vision have flourished, becoming in the 21st century a significant, if often understated part, of current vision research. How does visual cognition work? What are its moving parts? This paper reviews the origins and architecture of visual cognition and briefly describes some work in the areas of routines, attention, surfaces, objects, and events (motion, causality, and agency). Most vision scientists avoid being too explicit when presenting concepts about visual cognition, having learned that explicit models invite easy criticism. What we see in the literature is ample evidence for visual cognition, but few or only cautious attempts to detail how it might work. This is the great unfinished business of vision research: at some point we will be done with characterizing how the visual system measures the world and we will have to return to the question of how vision constructs models of objects, surfaces, scenes, and events. PMID:21329719

Low, slow, small target recognition based on spatial vision network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Zhao; Guo, Pei; Qi, Xin

2018-03-01

Traditional photoelectric monitoring is monitored using a large number of identical cameras. In order to ensure the full coverage of the monitoring area, this monitoring method uses more cameras, which leads to more monitoring and repetition areas, and higher costs, resulting in more waste. In order to reduce the monitoring cost and solve the difficult problem of finding, identifying and tracking a low altitude, slow speed and small target, this paper presents spatial vision network for low-slow-small targets recognition. Based on camera imaging principle and monitoring model, spatial vision network is modeled and optimized. Simulation experiment results demonstrate that the proposed method has good performance.

Quantum vision in three dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Yehuda

We present four models for describing a 3-D vision. Similar to the mirror scenario, our models allow 3-D vision with no need for additional accessories such as stereoscopic glasses or a hologram film. These four models are based on brain interpretation rather than pure objective encryption. We consider the observer "subjective" selection of a measuring device and the corresponding quantum collapse into one of his selected states, as a tool for interpreting reality in according to the observer concepts. This is the basic concept of our study and it is introduced in the first model. Other models suggests "soften" versions that might be much easier to implement. Our quantum interpretation approach contribute to the following fields. In technology the proposed models can be implemented into real devices, allowing 3-D vision without additional accessories. Artificial intelligence: In the desire to create a machine that exchange information by using human terminologies, our interpretation approach seems to be appropriate.

Software model of a machine vision system based on the common house fly.

PubMed

Madsen, Robert; Barrett, Steven; Wilcox, Michael

2005-01-01

The vision system of the common house fly has many properties, such as hyperacuity and parallel structure, which would be advantageous in a machine vision system. A software model has been developed which is ultimately intended to be a tool to guide the design of an analog real time vision system. The model starts by laying out cartridges over an image. The cartridges are analogous to the ommatidium of the fly's eye and contain seven photoreceptors each with a Gaussian profile. The spacing between photoreceptors is variable providing for more or less detail as needed. The cartridges provide information on what type of features they see and neighboring cartridges share information to construct a feature map.

Hand-Writing Motion Tracking with Vision-Inertial Sensor Fusion: Calibration and Error Correction

PubMed Central

Zhou, Shengli; Fei, Fei; Zhang, Guanglie; Liu, Yunhui; Li, Wen J.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to improve the accuracy of real-time ego-motion tracking through inertial sensor and vision sensor fusion. Due to low sampling rates supported by web-based vision sensor and accumulation of errors in inertial sensors, ego-motion tracking with vision sensors is commonly afflicted by slow updating rates, while motion tracking with inertial sensor suffers from rapid deterioration in accuracy with time. This paper starts with a discussion of developed algorithms for calibrating two relative rotations of the system using only one reference image. Next, stochastic noises associated with the inertial sensor are identified using Allan Variance analysis, and modeled according to their characteristics. Finally, the proposed models are incorporated into an extended Kalman filter for inertial sensor and vision sensor fusion. Compared with results from conventional sensor fusion models, we have shown that ego-motion tracking can be greatly enhanced using the proposed error correction model. PMID:25157546

Fusing Quantitative Requirements Analysis with Model-based Systems Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornford, Steven L.; Feather, Martin S.; Heron, Vance A.; Jenkins, J. Steven

2006-01-01

A vision is presented for fusing quantitative requirements analysis with model-based systems engineering. This vision draws upon and combines emergent themes in the engineering milieu. "Requirements engineering" provides means to explicitly represent requirements (both functional and non-functional) as constraints and preferences on acceptable solutions, and emphasizes early-lifecycle review, analysis and verification of design and development plans. "Design by shopping" emphasizes revealing the space of options available from which to choose (without presuming that all selection criteria have previously been elicited), and provides means to make understandable the range of choices and their ramifications. "Model-based engineering" emphasizes the goal of utilizing a formal representation of all aspects of system design, from development through operations, and provides powerful tool suites that support the practical application of these principles. A first step prototype towards this vision is described, embodying the key capabilities. Illustrations, implications, further challenges and opportunities are outlined.

Diffractive-optical correlators: chances to make optical image preprocessing as intelligent as human vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauinger, Norbert

2004-10-01

The human eye is a good model for the engineering of optical correlators. Three prominent intelligent functionalities in human vision could in the near future become realized by a new diffractive-optical hardware design of optical imaging sensors: (1) Illuminant-adaptive RGB-based color Vision, (2) Monocular 3D Vision based on RGB data processing, (3) Patchwise fourier-optical Object-Classification and Identification. The hardware design of the human eye has specific diffractive-optical elements (DOE's) in aperture and in image space and seems to execute the three jobs at -- or not far behind -- the loci of the images of objects.

Application of digital human modeling and simulation for vision analysis of pilots in a jet aircraft: a case study.

PubMed

Karmakar, Sougata; Pal, Madhu Sudan; Majumdar, Deepti; Majumdar, Dhurjati

2012-01-01

Ergonomic evaluation of visual demands becomes crucial for the operators/users when rapid decision making is needed under extreme time constraint like navigation task of jet aircraft. Research reported here comprises ergonomic evaluation of pilot's vision in a jet aircraft in virtual environment to demonstrate how vision analysis tools of digital human modeling software can be used effectively for such study. Three (03) dynamic digital pilot models, representative of smallest, average and largest Indian pilot population were generated from anthropometric database and interfaced with digital prototype of the cockpit in Jack software for analysis of vision within and outside the cockpit. Vision analysis tools like view cones, eye view windows, blind spot area, obscuration zone, reflection zone etc. were employed during evaluation of visual fields. Vision analysis tool was also used for studying kinematic changes of pilot's body joints during simulated gazing activity. From present study, it can be concluded that vision analysis tool of digital human modeling software was found very effective in evaluation of position and alignment of different displays and controls in the workstation based upon their priorities within the visual fields and anthropometry of the targeted users, long before the development of its physical prototype.

Electronic health records (EHRs): supporting ASCO's vision of cancer care.

PubMed

Yu, Peter; Artz, David; Warner, Jeremy

2014-01-01

ASCO's vision for cancer care in 2030 is built on the expanding importance of panomics and big data, and envisions enabling better health for patients with cancer by the rapid transformation of systems biology knowledge into cancer care advances. This vision will be heavily dependent on the use of health information technology for computational biology and clinical decision support systems (CDSS). Computational biology will allow us to construct models of cancer biology that encompass the complexity of cancer panomics data and provide us with better understanding of the mechanisms governing cancer behavior. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality promotes CDSS based on clinical practice guidelines, which are knowledge bases that grow too slowly to match the rate of panomic-derived knowledge. CDSS that are based on systems biology models will be more easily adaptable to rapid advancements and translational medicine. We describe the characteristics of health data representation, a model for representing molecular data that supports data extraction and use for panomic-based clinical research, and argue for CDSS that are based on systems biology and are algorithm-based.

Mechanisms, functions and ecology of colour vision in the honeybee.

PubMed

Hempel de Ibarra, N; Vorobyev, M; Menzel, R

2014-06-01

Research in the honeybee has laid the foundations for our understanding of insect colour vision. The trichromatic colour vision of honeybees shares fundamental properties with primate and human colour perception, such as colour constancy, colour opponency, segregation of colour and brightness coding. Laborious efforts to reconstruct the colour vision pathway in the honeybee have provided detailed descriptions of neural connectivity and the properties of photoreceptors and interneurons in the optic lobes of the bee brain. The modelling of colour perception advanced with the establishment of colour discrimination models that were based on experimental data, the Colour-Opponent Coding and Receptor Noise-Limited models, which are important tools for the quantitative assessment of bee colour vision and colour-guided behaviours. Major insights into the visual ecology of bees have been gained combining behavioural experiments and quantitative modelling, and asking how bee vision has influenced the evolution of flower colours and patterns. Recently research has focussed on the discrimination and categorisation of coloured patterns, colourful scenes and various other groupings of coloured stimuli, highlighting the bees' behavioural flexibility. The identification of perceptual mechanisms remains of fundamental importance for the interpretation of their learning strategies and performance in diverse experimental tasks.

A High Precision Approach to Calibrate a Structured Light Vision Sensor in a Robot-Based Three-Dimensional Measurement System.

PubMed

Wu, Defeng; Chen, Tianfei; Li, Aiguo

2016-08-30

A robot-based three-dimensional (3D) measurement system is presented. In the presented system, a structured light vision sensor is mounted on the arm of an industrial robot. Measurement accuracy is one of the most important aspects of any 3D measurement system. To improve the measuring accuracy of the structured light vision sensor, a novel sensor calibration approach is proposed to improve the calibration accuracy. The approach is based on a number of fixed concentric circles manufactured in a calibration target. The concentric circle is employed to determine the real projected centres of the circles. Then, a calibration point generation procedure is used with the help of the calibrated robot. When enough calibration points are ready, the radial alignment constraint (RAC) method is adopted to calibrate the camera model. A multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPNN) is then employed to identify the calibration residuals after the application of the RAC method. Therefore, the hybrid pinhole model and the MLPNN are used to represent the real camera model. Using a standard ball to validate the effectiveness of the presented technique, the experimental results demonstrate that the proposed novel calibration approach can achieve a highly accurate model of the structured light vision sensor.

Analysis of the resistive network in a bio-inspired CMOS vision chip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Jae-Sung; Sung, Dong-Kyu; Hyun, Hyo-Young; Shin, Jang-Kyoo

2007-12-01

CMOS vision chips for edge detection based on a resistive circuit have recently been developed. These chips help develop neuromorphic systems with a compact size, high speed of operation, and low power dissipation. The output of the vision chip depends dominantly upon the electrical characteristics of the resistive network which consists of a resistive circuit. In this paper, the body effect of the MOSFET for current distribution in a resistive circuit is discussed with a simple model. In order to evaluate the model, two 160×120 CMOS vision chips have been fabricated by using a standard CMOS technology. The experimental results have been nicely matched with our prediction.

Multi-Purpose Avionic Architecture for Vision Based Navigation Systems for EDL and Surface Mobility Scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tramutola, A.; Paltro, D.; Cabalo Perucha, M. P.; Paar, G.; Steiner, J.; Barrio, A. M.

2015-09-01

Vision Based Navigation (VBNAV) has been identified as a valid technology to support space exploration because it can improve autonomy and safety of space missions. Several mission scenarios can benefit from the VBNAV: Rendezvous & Docking, Fly-Bys, Interplanetary cruise, Entry Descent and Landing (EDL) and Planetary Surface exploration. For some of them VBNAV can improve the accuracy in state estimation as additional relative navigation sensor or as absolute navigation sensor. For some others, like surface mobility and terrain exploration for path identification and planning, VBNAV is mandatory. This paper presents the general avionic architecture of a Vision Based System as defined in the frame of the ESA R&T study “Multi-purpose Vision-based Navigation System Engineering Model - part 1 (VisNav-EM-1)” with special focus on the surface mobility application.

Image understanding systems based on the unifying representation of perceptual and conceptual information and the solution of mid-level and high-level vision problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuvychko, Igor

2001-10-01

Vision is a part of a larger information system that converts visual information into knowledge structures. These structures drive vision process, resolving ambiguity and uncertainty via feedback, and provide image understanding, that is an interpretation of visual information in terms of such knowledge models. A computer vision system based on such principles requires unifying representation of perceptual and conceptual information. Computer simulation models are built on the basis of graphs/networks. The ability of human brain to emulate similar graph/networks models is found. That means a very important shift of paradigm in our knowledge about brain from neural networks to the cortical software. Starting from the primary visual areas, brain analyzes an image as a graph-type spatial structure. Primary areas provide active fusion of image features on a spatial grid-like structure, where nodes are cortical columns. The spatial combination of different neighbor features cannot be described as a statistical/integral characteristic of the analyzed region, but uniquely characterizes such region itself. Spatial logic and topology naturally present in such structures. Mid-level vision processes like clustering, perceptual grouping, multilevel hierarchical compression, separation of figure from ground, etc. are special kinds of graph/network transformations. They convert low-level image structure into the set of more abstract ones, which represent objects and visual scene, making them easy for analysis by higher-level knowledge structures. Higher-level vision phenomena like shape from shading, occlusion, etc. are results of such analysis. Such approach gives opportunity not only to explain frequently unexplainable results of the cognitive science, but also to create intelligent computer vision systems that simulate perceptional processes in both what and where visual pathways. Such systems can open new horizons for robotic and computer vision industries.

Feedback and feedforward adaptation to visuomotor delay during reaching and slicing movements.

PubMed

Botzer, Lior; Karniel, Amir

2013-07-01

It has been suggested that the brain and in particular the cerebellum and motor cortex adapt to represent the environment during reaching movements under various visuomotor perturbations. It is well known that significant delay is present in neural conductance and processing; however, the possible representation of delay and adaptation to delayed visual feedback has been largely overlooked. Here we investigated the control of reaching movements in human subjects during an imposed visuomotor delay in a virtual reality environment. In the first experiment, when visual feedback was unexpectedly delayed, the hand movement overshot the end-point target, indicating a vision-based feedback control. Over the ensuing trials, movements gradually adapted and became accurate. When the delay was removed unexpectedly, movements systematically undershot the target, demonstrating that adaptation occurred within the vision-based feedback control mechanism. In a second experiment designed to broaden our understanding of the underlying mechanisms, we revealed similar after-effects for rhythmic reversal (out-and-back) movements. We present a computational model accounting for these results based on two adapted forward models, each tuned for a specific modality delay (proprioception or vision), and a third feedforward controller. The computational model, along with the experimental results, refutes delay representation in a pure forward vision-based predictor and suggests that adaptation occurred in the forward vision-based predictor, and concurrently in the state-based feedforward controller. Understanding how the brain compensates for conductance and processing delays is essential for understanding certain impairments concerning these neural delays as well as for the development of brain-machine interfaces. © 2013 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The implementation of contour-based object orientation estimation algorithm in FPGA-based on-board vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpatov, Boris; Babayan, Pavel; Ershov, Maksim; Strotov, Valery

2016-10-01

This paper describes the implementation of the orientation estimation algorithm in FPGA-based vision system. An approach to estimate an orientation of objects lacking axial symmetry is proposed. Suggested algorithm is intended to estimate orientation of a specific known 3D object based on object 3D model. The proposed orientation estimation algorithm consists of two stages: learning and estimation. Learning stage is devoted to the exploring of studied object. Using 3D model we can gather set of training images by capturing 3D model from viewpoints evenly distributed on a sphere. Sphere points distribution is made by the geosphere principle. Gathered training image set is used for calculating descriptors, which will be used in the estimation stage of the algorithm. The estimation stage is focusing on matching process between an observed image descriptor and the training image descriptors. The experimental research was performed using a set of images of Airbus A380. The proposed orientation estimation algorithm showed good accuracy in all case studies. The real-time performance of the algorithm in FPGA-based vision system was demonstrated.

A stakeholder visioning exercise to enhance chronic care and the integration of community pharmacy services.

PubMed

Franco-Trigo, L; Tudball, J; Fam, D; Benrimoj, S I; Sabater-Hernández, D

2018-02-21

Collaboration between relevant stakeholders in health service planning enables service contextualization and facilitates its success and integration into practice. Although community pharmacy services (CPSs) aim to improve patients' health and quality of life, their integration in primary care is far from ideal. Key stakeholders for the development of a CPS intended at preventing cardiovascular disease were identified in a previous stakeholder analysis. Engaging these stakeholders to create a shared vision is the subsequent step to focus planning directions and lay sound foundations for future work. This study aims to develop a stakeholder-shared vision of a cardiovascular care model which integrates community pharmacists and to identify initiatives to achieve this vision. A participatory visioning exercise involving 13 stakeholders across the healthcare system was performed. A facilitated workshop, structured in three parts (i.e., introduction; developing the vision; defining the initiatives towards the vision), was designed. The Chronic Care Model inspired the questions that guided the development of the vision. Workshop transcripts, researchers' notes and materials produced by participants were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Stakeholders broadened the objective of the vision to focus on the management of chronic diseases. Their vision yielded 7 principles for advanced chronic care: patient-centered care; multidisciplinary team approach; shared goals; long-term care relationships; evidence-based practice; ease of access to healthcare settings and services by patients; and good communication and coordination. Stakeholders also delineated six environmental factors that can influence their implementation. Twenty-four initiatives to achieve the developed vision were defined. The principles and factors identified as part of the stakeholder shared-vision were combined in a preliminary model for chronic care. This model and initiatives can guide policy makers as well as healthcare planners and researchers to develop and integrate chronic disease services, namely CPSs, in real-world settings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Model-based video segmentation for vision-augmented interactive games

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lurng-Kuo

2000-04-01

This paper presents an architecture and algorithms for model based video object segmentation and its applications to vision augmented interactive game. We are especially interested in real time low cost vision based applications that can be implemented in software in a PC. We use different models for background and a player object. The object segmentation algorithm is performed in two different levels: pixel level and object level. At pixel level, the segmentation algorithm is formulated as a maximizing a posteriori probability (MAP) problem. The statistical likelihood of each pixel is calculated and used in the MAP problem. Object level segmentation is used to improve segmentation quality by utilizing the information about the spatial and temporal extent of the object. The concept of an active region, which is defined based on motion histogram and trajectory prediction, is introduced to indicate the possibility of a video object region for both background and foreground modeling. It also reduces the overall computation complexity. In contrast with other applications, the proposed video object segmentation system is able to create background and foreground models on the fly even without introductory background frames. Furthermore, we apply different rate of self-tuning on the scene model so that the system can adapt to the environment when there is a scene change. We applied the proposed video object segmentation algorithms to several prototype virtual interactive games. In our prototype vision augmented interactive games, a player can immerse himself/herself inside a game and can virtually interact with other animated characters in a real time manner without being constrained by helmets, gloves, special sensing devices, or background environment. The potential applications of the proposed algorithms including human computer gesture interface and object based video coding such as MPEG-4 video coding.

Post-vision and change: do we know how to change?

PubMed

D'Avanzo, Charlene

2013-01-01

The scale and importance of Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action challenges us to ask fundamental questions about widespread transformation of college biology instruction. I propose that we have clarified the "vision" but lack research-based models and evidence needed to guide the "change." To support this claim, I focus on several key topics, including evidence about effective use of active-teaching pedagogy by typical faculty and whether certain programs improve students' understanding of the Vision and Change core concepts. Program evaluation is especially problematic. While current education research and theory should inform evaluation, several prominent biology faculty-development programs continue to rely on self-reporting by faculty and students. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty-development overviews can guide program design. Such studies highlight viewing faculty members as collaborators, embedding rewards faculty value, and characteristics of effective faculty-development learning communities. A recent National Research Council report on discipline-based STEM education research emphasizes the need for long-term faculty development and deep conceptual change in teaching and learning as the basis for genuine transformation of college instruction. Despite the progress evident in Vision and Change, forward momentum will likely be limited, because we lack evidence-based, reliable models for actually realizing the desired "change."

Robotic space simulation integration of vision algorithms into an orbital operations simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bochsler, Daniel C.

1987-01-01

In order to successfully plan and analyze future space activities, computer-based simulations of activities in low earth orbit will be required to model and integrate vision and robotic operations with vehicle dynamics and proximity operations procedures. The orbital operations simulation (OOS) is configured and enhanced as a testbed for robotic space operations. Vision integration algorithms are being developed in three areas: preprocessing, recognition, and attitude/attitude rates. The vision program (Rice University) was modified for use in the OOS. Systems integration testing is now in progress.

Local spatio-temporal analysis in vision systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geisler, Wilson S.; Bovik, Alan; Cormack, Lawrence; Ghosh, Joydeep; Gildeen, David

1994-07-01

The aims of this project are the following: (1) develop a physiologically and psychophysically based model of low-level human visual processing (a key component of which are local frequency coding mechanisms); (2) develop image models and image-processing methods based upon local frequency coding; (3) develop algorithms for performing certain complex visual tasks based upon local frequency representations, (4) develop models of human performance in certain complex tasks based upon our understanding of low-level processing; and (5) develop a computational testbed for implementing, evaluating and visualizing the proposed models and algorithms, using a massively parallel computer. Progress has been substantial on all aims. The highlights include the following: (1) completion of a number of psychophysical and physiological experiments revealing new, systematic and exciting properties of the primate (human and monkey) visual system; (2) further development of image models that can accurately represent the local frequency structure in complex images; (3) near completion in the construction of the Texas Active Vision Testbed; (4) development and testing of several new computer vision algorithms dealing with shape-from-texture, shape-from-stereo, and depth-from-focus; (5) implementation and evaluation of several new models of human visual performance; and (6) evaluation, purchase and installation of a MasPar parallel computer.

A Vision for the Future: Site-Based Strategic Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman, Jerry J.

1989-01-01

Presents a model to help principals with strategic planning. Success hinges on involving stakeholders, scanning for relevant data, identifying critical success factors, developing vision and mission statements, analyzing the site manager's supports and constraints, creating strategic goals and objectives, developing action plans, allocating…

The implementation of aerial object recognition algorithm based on contour descriptor in FPGA-based on-board vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babayan, Pavel; Smirnov, Sergey; Strotov, Valery

2017-10-01

This paper describes the aerial object recognition algorithm for on-board and stationary vision system. Suggested algorithm is intended to recognize the objects of a specific kind using the set of the reference objects defined by 3D models. The proposed algorithm based on the outer contour descriptor building. The algorithm consists of two stages: learning and recognition. Learning stage is devoted to the exploring of reference objects. Using 3D models we can build the database containing training images by rendering the 3D model from viewpoints evenly distributed on a sphere. Sphere points distribution is made by the geosphere principle. Gathered training image set is used for calculating descriptors, which will be used in the recognition stage of the algorithm. The recognition stage is focusing on estimating the similarity of the captured object and the reference objects by matching an observed image descriptor and the reference object descriptors. The experimental research was performed using a set of the models of the aircraft of the different types (airplanes, helicopters, UAVs). The proposed orientation estimation algorithm showed good accuracy in all case studies. The real-time performance of the algorithm in FPGA-based vision system was demonstrated.

Integrity Determination for Image Rendering Vision Navigation

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

identifying an object within a scene, tracking a SIFT feature between frames or matching images and/or features for stereo vision applications. This... object level, either in 2-D or 3-D, versus individual features. There is a breadth of information, largely from the machine vision community...matching or image rendering image correspondence approach is based upon using either 2-D or 3-D object models or templates to perform object detection or

Image-Based Modeling Techniques for Architectural Heritage 3d Digitalization: Limits and Potentialities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santagati, C.; Inzerillo, L.; Di Paola, F.

2013-07-01

3D reconstruction from images has undergone a revolution in the last few years. Computer vision techniques use photographs from data set collection to rapidly build detailed 3D models. The simultaneous applications of different algorithms (MVS), the different techniques of image matching, feature extracting and mesh optimization are inside an active field of research in computer vision. The results are promising: the obtained models are beginning to challenge the precision of laser-based reconstructions. Among all the possibilities we can mainly distinguish desktop and web-based packages. Those last ones offer the opportunity to exploit the power of cloud computing in order to carry out a semi-automatic data processing, thus allowing the user to fulfill other tasks on its computer; whereas desktop systems employ too much processing time and hard heavy approaches. Computer vision researchers have explored many applications to verify the visual accuracy of 3D model but the approaches to verify metric accuracy are few and no one is on Autodesk 123D Catch applied on Architectural Heritage Documentation. Our approach to this challenging problem is to compare the 3Dmodels by Autodesk 123D Catch and 3D models by terrestrial LIDAR considering different object size, from the detail (capitals, moldings, bases) to large scale buildings for practitioner purpose.

Model-based object classification using unification grammars and abstract representations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liburdy, Kathleen A.; Schalkoff, Robert J.

1993-04-01

The design and implementation of a high level computer vision system which performs object classification is described. General object labelling and functional analysis require models of classes which display a wide range of geometric variations. A large representational gap exists between abstract criteria such as `graspable' and current geometric image descriptions. The vision system developed and described in this work addresses this problem and implements solutions based on a fusion of semantics, unification, and formal language theory. Object models are represented using unification grammars, which provide a framework for the integration of structure and semantics. A methodology for the derivation of symbolic image descriptions capable of interacting with the grammar-based models is described and implemented. A unification-based parser developed for this system achieves object classification by determining if the symbolic image description can be unified with the abstract criteria of an object model. Future research directions are indicated.

[A simulation study with finite element model on the unequal loss of peripheral vision caused by acceleration].

PubMed

Geng, Xiaoqi; Liu, Xiaoyu; Liu, Songyang; Xu, Yan; Zhao, Xianliang; Wang, Jie; Fan, Yubo

2017-04-01

An unequal loss of peripheral vision may happen with high sustaining multi-axis acceleration, leading to a great potential flight safety hazard. In the present research, finite element method was used to study the mechanism of unequal loss of peripheral vision. Firstly, a 3D geometric model of skull was developed based on the adult computer tomography (CT) images. The model of double eyes was created by mirroring with the previous right eye model. Then, the double-eye model was matched to the skull model, and fat was filled between eyeballs and skull. Acceleration loads of head-to-foot (G z ), right-to-left (G y ), chest-to-back (G x ) and multi-axis directions were applied to the current model to simulate dynamic response of retina by explicit dynamics solution. The results showed that the relative strain of double eyes was 25.7% under multi-axis acceleration load. Moreover, the strain distributions showed a significant difference among acceleration loaded in different directions. It indicated that a finite element model of double eyes was an effective means to study the mechanism of an unequal loss of peripheral vision at sustaining high multi-axis acceleration.

Dynamic programming and graph algorithms in computer vision.

PubMed

Felzenszwalb, Pedro F; Zabih, Ramin

2011-04-01

Optimization is a powerful paradigm for expressing and solving problems in a wide range of areas, and has been successfully applied to many vision problems. Discrete optimization techniques are especially interesting since, by carefully exploiting problem structure, they often provide nontrivial guarantees concerning solution quality. In this paper, we review dynamic programming and graph algorithms, and discuss representative examples of how these discrete optimization techniques have been applied to some classical vision problems. We focus on the low-level vision problem of stereo, the mid-level problem of interactive object segmentation, and the high-level problem of model-based recognition.

Research on moving object detection based on frog's eyes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Hongwei; Li, Dongguang; Zhang, Xinyuan

2008-12-01

On the basis of object's information processing mechanism with frog's eyes, this paper discussed a bionic detection technology which suitable for object's information processing based on frog's vision. First, the bionics detection theory by imitating frog vision is established, it is an parallel processing mechanism which including pick-up and pretreatment of object's information, parallel separating of digital image, parallel processing, and information synthesis. The computer vision detection system is described to detect moving objects which has special color, special shape, the experiment indicates that it can scheme out the detecting result in the certain interfered background can be detected. A moving objects detection electro-model by imitating biologic vision based on frog's eyes is established, the video simulative signal is digital firstly in this system, then the digital signal is parallel separated by FPGA. IN the parallel processing, the video information can be caught, processed and displayed in the same time, the information fusion is taken by DSP HPI ports, in order to transmit the data which processed by DSP. This system can watch the bigger visual field and get higher image resolution than ordinary monitor systems. In summary, simulative experiments for edge detection of moving object with canny algorithm based on this system indicate that this system can detect the edge of moving objects in real time, the feasibility of bionic model was fully demonstrated in the engineering system, and it laid a solid foundation for the future study of detection technology by imitating biologic vision.

Insect vision: a few tricks to regulate flight altitude.

PubMed

Floreano, Dario; Zufferey, Jean-Christophe

2010-10-12

A recent study sheds new light on the visual cues used by Drosophila to regulate flight altitude. The striking similarity with previously identified steering mechanisms provides a coherent basis for novel models of vision-based flight control in insects and robots. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

enVisionMATH. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

2013-01-01

"enVisionMATH," published by Pearson Education, Inc., is a core curriculum for students in kindergarten through grade 6. The program seeks to help students develop an understanding of math concepts through problem-based instruction, small-group interaction, and visual learning with a focus on reasoning and modeling. Differentiated…

LED light design method for high contrast and uniform illumination imaging in machine vision.

PubMed

Wu, Xiaojun; Gao, Guangming

2018-03-01

In machine vision, illumination is very critical to determine the complexity of the inspection algorithms. Proper lights can obtain clear and sharp images with the highest contrast and low noise between the interested object and the background, which is conducive to the target being located, measured, or inspected. Contrary to the empirically based trial-and-error convention to select the off-the-shelf LED light in machine vision, an optimization algorithm for LED light design is proposed in this paper. It is composed of the contrast optimization modeling and the uniform illumination technology for non-normal incidence (UINI). The contrast optimization model is built based on the surface reflection characteristics, e.g., the roughness, the reflective index, and light direction, etc., to maximize the contrast between the features of interest and the background. The UINI can keep the uniformity of the optimized lighting by the contrast optimization model. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the optimization algorithm is effective and suitable to produce images with the highest contrast and uniformity, which is very inspirational to the design of LED illumination systems in machine vision.

Are visual peripheries forever young?

PubMed

Burnat, Kalina

2015-01-01

The paper presents a concept of lifelong plasticity of peripheral vision. Central vision processing is accepted as critical and irreplaceable for normal perception in humans. While peripheral processing chiefly carries information about motion stimuli features and redirects foveal attention to new objects, it can also take over functions typical for central vision. Here I review the data showing the plasticity of peripheral vision found in functional, developmental, and comparative studies. Even though it is well established that afferent projections from central and peripheral retinal regions are not established simultaneously during early postnatal life, central vision is commonly used as a general model of development of the visual system. Based on clinical studies and visually deprived animal models, I describe how central and peripheral visual field representations separately rely on early visual experience. Peripheral visual processing (motion) is more affected by binocular visual deprivation than central visual processing (spatial resolution). In addition, our own experimental findings show the possible recruitment of coarse peripheral vision for fine spatial analysis. Accordingly, I hypothesize that the balance between central and peripheral visual processing, established in the course of development, is susceptible to plastic adaptations during the entire life span, with peripheral vision capable of taking over central processing.

Association between Visual Impairment and Low Vision and Sleep Duration and Quality among Older Adults in South Africa.

PubMed

Peltzer, Karl; Phaswana-Mafuya, Nancy

2017-07-19

This study aims to estimate the association between visual impairment and low vision and sleep duration and poor sleep quality in a national sample of older adults in South Africa. A national population-based cross-sectional Study of Global Ageing and Adults Health (SAGE) wave 1 was conducted in 2008 with a sample of 3840 individuals aged 50 years or older in South Africa. The interviewer-administered questionnaire assessed socio-demographic characteristics, health variables, sleep duration, quality, visual impairment, and vision. Results indicate that 10.0% of the sample reported short sleep duration (≤5 h), 46.6% long sleep (≥9 h), 9.3% poor sleep quality, 8.4% self-reported and visual impairment (near and/or far vision); and 43.2% measured low vision (near and/or far vision) (0.01-0.25 decimal) and 7.5% low vision (0.01-0.125 decimal). In fully adjusted logistic regression models, self-reported visual impairment was associated with short sleep duration and poor sleep quality, separately and together. Low vision was only associated with long sleep duration and poor sleep quality in unadjusted models. Self-reported visual impairment was related to both short sleep duration and poor sleep quality. Population data on sleep patterns may want to include visual impairment measures.

Multiscale Issues and Simulation-Based Science and Engineering for Materials-by-Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-15

planning and execution of programs to achieve the vision of ? material -by-design?. A key part of this effort has been to examine modeling at the mesoscale...15. SUBJECT TERMS Modelling & Simulation, Materials Design 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT Same as Report (SAR) 18...planning and execution of programs to achieve the vision of “ material -by-design”. A key part of this effort has been to examine modeling at the mesoscale. A

Connectionist model-based stereo vision for telerobotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoff, William; Mathis, Donald

1989-01-01

Autonomous stereo vision for range measurement could greatly enhance the performance of telerobotic systems. Stereo vision could be a key component for autonomous object recognition and localization, thus enabling the system to perform low-level tasks, and allowing a human operator to perform a supervisory role. The central difficulty in stereo vision is the ambiguity in matching corresponding points in the left and right images. However, if one has a priori knowledge of the characteristics of the objects in the scene, as is often the case in telerobotics, a model-based approach can be taken. Researchers describe how matching ambiguities can be resolved by ensuring that the resulting three-dimensional points are consistent with surface models of the expected objects. A four-layer neural network hierarchy is used in which surface models of increasing complexity are represented in successive layers. These models are represented using a connectionist scheme called parameter networks, in which a parametrized object (for example, a planar patch p=f(h,m sub x, m sub y) is represented by a collection of processing units, each of which corresponds to a distinct combination of parameter values. The activity level of each unit in the parameter network can be thought of as representing the confidence with which the hypothesis represented by that unit is believed. Weights in the network are set so as to implement gradient descent in an energy function.

The effect of body bias of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor in the resistive network on spatial current distribution in a bio-inspired complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor vision chip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Jae-Sung; Hyun, Hyo-Young; Seo, Sang-Ho; Shin, Jang-Kyoo

2008-11-01

Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) vision chips for edge detection based on a resistive circuit have recently been developed. These chips help in the creation of neuromorphic systems of a compact size, high speed of operation, and low power dissipation. The output of the vision chip depends predominantly upon the electrical characteristics of the resistive network which consists of a resistive circuit. In this paper, the body effect of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor for current distribution in a resistive circuit is discussed with a simple model. In order to evaluate the model, two 160 × 120 CMOS vision chips have been fabricated using a standard CMOS technology. The experimental results nicely match our prediction.

Fast and robust generation of feature maps for region-based visual attention.

PubMed

Aziz, Muhammad Zaheer; Mertsching, Bärbel

2008-05-01

Visual attention is one of the important phenomena in biological vision which can be followed to achieve more efficiency, intelligence, and robustness in artificial vision systems. This paper investigates a region-based approach that performs pixel clustering prior to the processes of attention in contrast to late clustering as done by contemporary methods. The foundation steps of feature map construction for the region-based attention model are proposed here. The color contrast map is generated based upon the extended findings from the color theory, the symmetry map is constructed using a novel scanning-based method, and a new algorithm is proposed to compute a size contrast map as a formal feature channel. Eccentricity and orientation are computed using the moments of obtained regions and then saliency is evaluated using the rarity criteria. The efficient design of the proposed algorithms allows incorporating five feature channels while maintaining a processing rate of multiple frames per second. Another salient advantage over the existing techniques is the reusability of the salient regions in the high-level machine vision procedures due to preservation of their shapes and precise locations. The results indicate that the proposed model has the potential to efficiently integrate the phenomenon of attention into the main stream of machine vision and systems with restricted computing resources such as mobile robots can benefit from its advantages.

The neuroscience of vision-based grasping: a functional review for computational modeling and bio-inspired robotics.

PubMed

Chinellato, Eris; Del Pobil, Angel P

2009-06-01

The topic of vision-based grasping is being widely studied in humans and in other primates using various techniques and with different goals. The fundamental related findings are reviewed in this paper, with the aim of providing researchers from different fields, including intelligent robotics and neural computation, a comprehensive but accessible view on the subject. A detailed description of the principal sensorimotor processes and the brain areas involved is provided following a functional perspective, in order to make this survey especially useful for computational modeling and bio-inspired robotic applications.

Computer vision-based method for classification of wheat grains using artificial neural network.

PubMed

Sabanci, Kadir; Kayabasi, Ahmet; Toktas, Abdurrahim

2017-06-01

A simplified computer vision-based application using artificial neural network (ANN) depending on multilayer perceptron (MLP) for accurately classifying wheat grains into bread or durum is presented. The images of 100 bread and 100 durum wheat grains are taken via a high-resolution camera and subjected to pre-processing. The main visual features of four dimensions, three colors and five textures are acquired using image-processing techniques (IPTs). A total of 21 visual features are reproduced from the 12 main features to diversify the input population for training and testing the ANN model. The data sets of visual features are considered as input parameters of the ANN model. The ANN with four different input data subsets is modelled to classify the wheat grains into bread or durum. The ANN model is trained with 180 grains and its accuracy tested with 20 grains from a total of 200 wheat grains. Seven input parameters that are most effective on the classifying results are determined using the correlation-based CfsSubsetEval algorithm to simplify the ANN model. The results of the ANN model are compared in terms of accuracy rate. The best result is achieved with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 9.8 × 10 -6 by the simplified ANN model. This shows that the proposed classifier based on computer vision can be successfully exploited to automatically classify a variety of grains. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

An assembly system based on industrial robot with binocular stereo vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Hong; Xiao, Nanfeng

2017-01-01

This paper proposes an electronic part and component assembly system based on an industrial robot with binocular stereo vision. Firstly, binocular stereo vision with a visual attention mechanism model is used to get quickly the image regions which contain the electronic parts and components. Secondly, a deep neural network is adopted to recognize the features of the electronic parts and components. Thirdly, in order to control the end-effector of the industrial robot to grasp the electronic parts and components, a genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to compute the transition matrix and the inverse kinematics of the industrial robot (end-effector), which plays a key role in bridging the binocular stereo vision and the industrial robot. Finally, the proposed assembly system is tested in LED component assembly experiments, and the results denote that it has high efficiency and good applicability.

Dynamic Programming and Graph Algorithms in Computer Vision*

PubMed Central

Felzenszwalb, Pedro F.; Zabih, Ramin

2013-01-01

Optimization is a powerful paradigm for expressing and solving problems in a wide range of areas, and has been successfully applied to many vision problems. Discrete optimization techniques are especially interesting, since by carefully exploiting problem structure they often provide non-trivial guarantees concerning solution quality. In this paper we briefly review dynamic programming and graph algorithms, and discuss representative examples of how these discrete optimization techniques have been applied to some classical vision problems. We focus on the low-level vision problem of stereo; the mid-level problem of interactive object segmentation; and the high-level problem of model-based recognition. PMID:20660950

Deep hierarchies in the primate visual cortex: what can we learn for computer vision?

PubMed

Krüger, Norbert; Janssen, Peter; Kalkan, Sinan; Lappe, Markus; Leonardis, Ales; Piater, Justus; Rodríguez-Sánchez, Antonio J; Wiskott, Laurenz

2013-08-01

Computational modeling of the primate visual system yields insights of potential relevance to some of the challenges that computer vision is facing, such as object recognition and categorization, motion detection and activity recognition, or vision-based navigation and manipulation. This paper reviews some functional principles and structures that are generally thought to underlie the primate visual cortex, and attempts to extract biological principles that could further advance computer vision research. Organized for a computer vision audience, we present functional principles of the processing hierarchies present in the primate visual system considering recent discoveries in neurophysiology. The hierarchical processing in the primate visual system is characterized by a sequence of different levels of processing (on the order of 10) that constitute a deep hierarchy in contrast to the flat vision architectures predominantly used in today's mainstream computer vision. We hope that the functional description of the deep hierarchies realized in the primate visual system provides valuable insights for the design of computer vision algorithms, fostering increasingly productive interaction between biological and computer vision research.

Virtual expansion of the technical vision system for smart vehicles based on multi-agent cooperation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krapukhina, Nina; Senchenko, Roman; Kamenov, Nikolay

2017-12-01

Road safety and driving in dense traffic flows poses some challenges in receiving information about surrounding moving object, some of which can be in the vehicle's blind spot. This work suggests an approach to virtual monitoring of the objects in a current road scene via a system with a multitude of cooperating smart vehicles exchanging information. It also describes the intellectual agent model, and provides methods and algorithms of identifying and evaluating various characteristics of moving objects in video flow. Authors also suggest ways for integrating the information from the technical vision system into the model with further expansion of virtual monitoring for the system's objects. Implementation of this approach can help to expand the virtual field of view for a technical vision system.

Alternative large-scale conservation visions for northern Maine: interviews with decision leaders in Maine

Treesearch

Elizabeth Dennis Baldwin; Laura S. Kenefic; Will F. LaPage

2007-01-01

Based on confidential interviews with 21 decision leaders in Maine, Elizabeth Baldwin, Laura Kenefic, and Will LaPage examine the complexity of the conflicts over alternate visions for large-scale conservation in Maine. Exploring models that may be useful for policymakers grappling with competing values for Maine's forests, they present four alternatives: national...

Post–Vision and Change: Do We Know How to Change?

PubMed Central

D’Avanzo, Charlene

2013-01-01

The scale and importance of Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action challenges us to ask fundamental questions about widespread transformation of college biology instruction. I propose that we have clarified the “vision” but lack research-based models and evidence needed to guide the “change.” To support this claim, I focus on several key topics, including evidence about effective use of active-teaching pedagogy by typical faculty and whether certain programs improve students’ understanding of the Vision and Change core concepts. Program evaluation is especially problematic. While current education research and theory should inform evaluation, several prominent biology faculty–development programs continue to rely on self-reporting by faculty and students. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty-development overviews can guide program design. Such studies highlight viewing faculty members as collaborators, embedding rewards faculty value, and characteristics of effective faculty-development learning communities. A recent National Research Council report on discipline-based STEM education research emphasizes the need for long-term faculty development and deep conceptual change in teaching and learning as the basis for genuine transformation of college instruction. Despite the progress evident in Vision and Change, forward momentum will likely be limited, because we lack evidence-based, reliable models for actually realizing the desired “change.” PMID:24006386

The Survey of Vision-based 3D Modeling Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, Mingzhe

2017-10-01

This paper reviews the vision-based localization and map construction methods from the perspectives of VSLAM, SFM, 3DMax and Unity3D. It focuses on the key technologies and the latest research progress on each aspect, analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of each method, illustrates their implementation process and system framework, and further discusses the way to promote the combination for their complementary strength. Finally, the future opportunity of the combination of the four techniques is expected.

Vision-based real-time position control of a semi-automated system for robot-assisted joint fracture surgery.

PubMed

Dagnino, Giulio; Georgilas, Ioannis; Tarassoli, Payam; Atkins, Roger; Dogramadzi, Sanja

2016-03-01

Joint fracture surgery quality can be improved by robotic system with high-accuracy and high-repeatability fracture fragment manipulation. A new real-time vision-based system for fragment manipulation during robot-assisted fracture surgery was developed and tested. The control strategy was accomplished by merging fast open-loop control with vision-based control. This two-phase process is designed to eliminate the open-loop positioning errors by closing the control loop using visual feedback provided by an optical tracking system. Evaluation of the control system accuracy was performed using robot positioning trials, and fracture reduction accuracy was tested in trials on ex vivo porcine model. The system resulted in high fracture reduction reliability with a reduction accuracy of 0.09 mm (translations) and of [Formula: see text] (rotations), maximum observed errors in the order of 0.12 mm (translations) and of [Formula: see text] (rotations), and a reduction repeatability of 0.02 mm and [Formula: see text]. The proposed vision-based system was shown to be effective and suitable for real joint fracture surgical procedures, contributing a potential improvement of their quality.

Rapid matching of stereo vision based on fringe projection profilometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ruihua; Xiao, Yi; Cao, Jian; Guo, Hongwei

2016-09-01

As the most important core part of stereo vision, there are still many problems to solve in stereo matching technology. For smooth surfaces on which feature points are not easy to extract, this paper adds a projector into stereo vision measurement system based on fringe projection techniques, according to the corresponding point phases which extracted from the left and right camera images are the same, to realize rapid matching of stereo vision. And the mathematical model of measurement system is established and the three-dimensional (3D) surface of the measured object is reconstructed. This measurement method can not only broaden application fields of optical 3D measurement technology, and enrich knowledge achievements in the field of optical 3D measurement, but also provide potential possibility for the commercialized measurement system in practical projects, which has very important scientific research significance and economic value.

Camera calibration method of binocular stereo vision based on OpenCV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Wanzhen; Dong, Xiaona

2015-10-01

Camera calibration, an important part of the binocular stereo vision research, is the essential foundation of 3D reconstruction of the spatial object. In this paper, the camera calibration method based on OpenCV (open source computer vision library) is submitted to make the process better as a result of obtaining higher precision and efficiency. First, the camera model in OpenCV and an algorithm of camera calibration are presented, especially considering the influence of camera lens radial distortion and decentering distortion. Then, camera calibration procedure is designed to compute those parameters of camera and calculate calibration errors. High-accurate profile extraction algorithm and a checkboard with 48 corners have also been used in this part. Finally, results of calibration program are presented, demonstrating the high efficiency and accuracy of the proposed approach. The results can reach the requirement of robot binocular stereo vision.

Function-based design process for an intelligent ground vehicle vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagel, Robert L.; Perry, Kenneth L.; Stone, Robert B.; McAdams, Daniel A.

2010-10-01

An engineering design framework for an autonomous ground vehicle vision system is discussed. We present both the conceptual and physical design by following the design process, development and testing of an intelligent ground vehicle vision system constructed for the 2008 Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition. During conceptual design, the requirements for the vision system are explored via functional and process analysis considering the flows into the vehicle and the transformations of those flows. The conceptual design phase concludes with a vision system design that is modular in both hardware and software and is based on a laser range finder and camera for visual perception. During physical design, prototypes are developed and tested independently, following the modular interfaces identified during conceptual design. Prototype models, once functional, are implemented into the final design. The final vision system design uses a ray-casting algorithm to process camera and laser range finder data and identify potential paths. The ray-casting algorithm is a single thread of the robot's multithreaded application. Other threads control motion, provide feedback, and process sensory data. Once integrated, both hardware and software testing are performed on the robot. We discuss the robot's performance and the lessons learned.

Sensitivity of Rooftop PV Projections in the SunShot Vision Study to Market Assumptions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Drury, E.; Denholm, P.; Margolis, R.

2013-01-01

The SunShot Vision Study explored the potential growth of solar markets if solar prices decreased by about 75% from 2010 to 2020. The SolarDS model was used to simulate rooftop PV demand for this study, based on several PV market assumptions--future electricity rates, customer access to financing, and others--in addition to the SunShot PV price projections. This paper finds that modeled PV demand is highly sensitive to several non-price market assumptions, particularly PV financing parameters.

Advanced biologically plausible algorithms for low-level image processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusakova, Valentina I.; Podladchikova, Lubov N.; Shaposhnikov, Dmitry G.; Markin, Sergey N.; Golovan, Alexander V.; Lee, Seong-Whan

1999-08-01

At present, in computer vision, the approach based on modeling the biological vision mechanisms is extensively developed. However, up to now, real world image processing has no effective solution in frameworks of both biologically inspired and conventional approaches. Evidently, new algorithms and system architectures based on advanced biological motivation should be developed for solution of computational problems related to this visual task. Basic problems that should be solved for creation of effective artificial visual system to process real world imags are a search for new algorithms of low-level image processing that, in a great extent, determine system performance. In the present paper, the result of psychophysical experiments and several advanced biologically motivated algorithms for low-level processing are presented. These algorithms are based on local space-variant filter, context encoding visual information presented in the center of input window, and automatic detection of perceptually important image fragments. The core of latter algorithm are using local feature conjunctions such as noncolinear oriented segment and composite feature map formation. Developed algorithms were integrated into foveal active vision model, the MARR. It is supposed that proposed algorithms may significantly improve model performance while real world image processing during memorizing, search, and recognition.

Predicting Visual Disability in Glaucoma With Combinations of Vision Measures.

PubMed

Lin, Stephanie; Mihailovic, Aleksandra; West, Sheila K; Johnson, Chris A; Friedman, David S; Kong, Xiangrong; Ramulu, Pradeep Y

2018-04-01

We characterized vision in glaucoma using seven visual measures, with the goals of determining the dimensionality of vision, and how many and which visual measures best model activity limitation. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 150 older adults with glaucoma, collecting seven visual measures: integrated visual field (VF) sensitivity, visual acuity, contrast sensitivity (CS), area under the log CS function, color vision, stereoacuity, and visual acuity with noise. Principal component analysis was used to examine the dimensionality of vision. Multivariable regression models using one, two, or three vision tests (and nonvisual predictors) were compared to determine which was best associated with Rasch-analyzed Glaucoma Quality of Life-15 (GQL-15) person measure scores. The participants had a mean age of 70.2 and IVF sensitivity of 26.6 dB, suggesting mild-to-moderate glaucoma. All seven vision measures loaded similarly onto the first principal component (eigenvectors, 0.220-0.442), which explained 56.9% of the variance in vision scores. In models for GQL scores, the maximum adjusted- R 2 values obtained were 0.263, 0.296, and 0.301 when using one, two, and three vision tests in the models, respectively, though several models in each category had similar adjusted- R 2 values. All three of the best-performing models contained CS. Vision in glaucoma is a multidimensional construct that can be described by several variably-correlated vision measures. Measuring more than two vision tests does not substantially improve models for activity limitation. A sufficient description of disability in glaucoma can be obtained using one to two vision tests, especially VF and CS.

Randomized controlled trial on the effects of CCTV training on quality of life, depression, and adaptation to vision loss.

PubMed

Burggraaff, Marloes C; van Nispen, Ruth M A; Knol, Dirk L; Ringens, Peter J; van Rens, Ger H M B

2012-06-14

In addition to performance-based measures, vision-related quality of life (QOL) and other subjective measures of psychosocial functioning are considered important outcomes of training in the visually impaired. In a multicenter, masked, randomized controlled trial, subjective effects of training in the use of closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) were investigated. Patients (n = 122) were randomized either to a treatment group that received usual delivery instructions from the supplier combined with concise outpatient training, or to a control group that received delivery instructions only. Subjective outcomes were the low vision quality-of-life questionnaire (LVQOL), EuroQOL 5 dimensions, adaptation to age-related vision loss (AVL), and the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression scales. Linear mixed models were used to investigate treatment effects. Differential effects of patient characteristics were studied by implementing higher order interactions into the models. From baseline to follow-up, all patients perceived significantly less problems on the reading and fine work dimension (-28.8 points; P < 0.001) and the adaptation dimension (-4.67 points; P = 0.04) of the LVQOL. However, no treatment effect was found based on the intention-to-treat analysis. This study demonstrated the effect of receiving and using a CCTV on two vision-related QOL dimensions; however, outpatient training in the use of CCTVs had no additional value. (trialregister.nl number, NTR1031.).

Vision Algorithms Catch Defects in Screen Displays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2014-01-01

Andrew Watson, a senior scientist at Ames Research Center, developed a tool called the Spatial Standard Observer (SSO), which models human vision for use in robotic applications. Redmond, Washington-based Radiant Zemax LLC licensed the technology from NASA and combined it with its imaging colorimeter system, creating a powerful tool that high-volume manufacturers of flat-panel displays use to catch defects in screens.

Knowledge-based vision for space station object motion detection, recognition, and tracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Symosek, P.; Panda, D.; Yalamanchili, S.; Wehner, W., III

1987-01-01

Computer vision, especially color image analysis and understanding, has much to offer in the area of the automation of Space Station tasks such as construction, satellite servicing, rendezvous and proximity operations, inspection, experiment monitoring, data management and training. Knowledge-based techniques improve the performance of vision algorithms for unstructured environments because of their ability to deal with imprecise a priori information or inaccurately estimated feature data and still produce useful results. Conventional techniques using statistical and purely model-based approaches lack flexibility in dealing with the variabilities anticipated in the unstructured viewing environment of space. Algorithms developed under NASA sponsorship for Space Station applications to demonstrate the value of a hypothesized architecture for a Video Image Processor (VIP) are presented. Approaches to the enhancement of the performance of these algorithms with knowledge-based techniques and the potential for deployment of highly-parallel multi-processor systems for these algorithms are discussed.

Blindness and low vision in The Netherlands from 2000 to 2020-modeling as a tool for focused intervention.

PubMed

Limburg, Hans; Keunen, Jan E E

2009-01-01

To estimate the magnitude and causes of blindness and low vision in The Netherlands from 2000 to 2020. Recent population-based blindness surveys in established market economies were reviewed. Age and gender specific prevalence and causes of blindness and low vision were extracted and calculated for six population subgroups in The Netherlands. A mathematical model was developed to relate the epidemiologic data with demographic data for each subgroup for each year between 2000 and 2020. In 2008 an estimated 311,000 people are visually impaired in The Netherlands: 77,000 are blind and 234,000 have low vision. With the current intervention the number may increase by 18% to 367,000 in 2020. Visual impairment is most prevalent among residents of nursing homes and care institutions for the elderly, intellectually disabled persons and people aged 50+ living independently. Of all people with visual impairment 31% is male (97,000) and 69% female (214,000). More than half of all visual impairment (56%; 174,000 persons) is avoidable. A variation of around 20% might be applied to the numbers in these estimates. The aim of VISION 2020: The Right to Sight to reduce avoidable visual impairment is also relevant for developed countries like The Netherlands. Vision screening and awareness campaigns focusing on the identified risk groups can reduce avoidable blindness considerably. Regular updates of the model will ensure that the prognoses remain valid and relevant. With appropriate demographic data, the model can also be used in other established market economies.

Comparative effects of pH and Vision herbicide on two life stages of four anuran amphibian species.

PubMed

Edginton, Andrea N; Sheridan, Patrick M; Stephenson, Gerald R; Thompson, Dean G; Boermans, Herman J

2004-04-01

Vision, a glyphosate-based herbicide containing a 15% (weight:weight) polyethoxylated tallow amine surfactant blend, and the concurrent factor of pH were tested to determine their interactive effects on early life-stage anurans. Ninety-six-hour laboratory static renewal studies, using the embryonic and larval life stages (Gosner 25) of Rana clamitans, R. pipiens, Bufo americanus, and Xenopus laevis, were performed under a central composite rotatable design. Mortality and the prevalence of malformations were modeled using generalized linear models with a profile deviance approach for obtaining confidence intervals. There was a significant (p < 0.05) interaction of pH with Vision concentration in all eight models, such that the toxicity of Vision was amplified by elevated pH. The surfactant is the major toxic component of Vision and is hypothesized, in this study, to be the source of the pH interaction. Larvae of B. americanus and R. clamitans were 1.5 to 3.8 times more sensitive than their corresponding embryos, whereas X. laevis and R. pipiens larvae were 6.8 to 8.9 times more sensitive. At pH values above 7.5, the Vision concentrations expected to kill 50% of the test larvae in 96-h (96-h lethal concentration [LC50]) were predicted to be below the expected environmental concentration (EEC) as calculated by Canadian regulatory authorities. The EEC value represents a worst-case scenario for aerial Vision application and is calculated assuming an application of the maximum label rate (2.1 kg acid equivalents [a.e.]/ha) into a pond 15 cm in depth. The EEC of 1.4 mg a.e./L (4.5 mg/L Vision) was not exceeded by 96-h LC50 values for the embryo test. The larvae of the four species were comparable in sensitivity. Field studies should be completed using the more sensitive larval life stage to test for Vision toxicity at actual environmental concentrations.

VISION User Guide - VISION (Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation) Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacob J. Jacobson; Robert F. Jeffers; Gretchen E. Matthern

2009-08-01

The purpose of this document is to provide a guide for using the current version of the Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation (VISION) model. This is a complex model with many parameters; the user is strongly encouraged to read this user guide before attempting to run the model. This model is an R&D work in progress and may contain errors and omissions. It is based upon numerous assumptions. This model is intended to assist in evaluating “what if” scenarios and in comparing fuel, reactor, and fuel processing alternatives at a systems level for U.S. nuclear power. The model is not intendedmore » as a tool for process flow and design modeling of specific facilities nor for tracking individual units of fuel or other material through the system. The model is intended to examine the interactions among the components of a fuel system as a function of time varying system parameters; this model represents a dynamic rather than steady-state approximation of the nuclear fuel system. VISION models the nuclear cycle at the system level, not individual facilities, e.g., “reactor types” not individual reactors and “separation types” not individual separation plants. Natural uranium can be enriched, which produces enriched uranium, which goes into fuel fabrication, and depleted uranium (DU), which goes into storage. Fuel is transformed (transmuted) in reactors and then goes into a storage buffer. Used fuel can be pulled from storage into either separation of disposal. If sent to separations, fuel is transformed (partitioned) into fuel products, recovered uranium, and various categories of waste. Recycled material is stored until used by its assigned reactor type. Note that recovered uranium is itself often partitioned: some RU flows with recycled transuranic elements, some flows with wastes, and the rest is designated RU. RU comes out of storage if needed to correct the U/TRU ratio in new recycled fuel. Neither RU nor DU are designated as wastes. VISION is comprised of several Microsoft Excel input files, a Powersim Studio core, and several Microsoft Excel output files. All must be co-located in the same folder on a PC to function. We use Microsoft Excel 2003 and have not tested VISION with Microsoft Excel 2007. The VISION team uses both Powersim Studio 2005 and 2009 and it should work with either.« less

Coevolution of coloration and colour vision?

PubMed

Lind, Olle; Henze, Miriam J; Kelber, Almut; Osorio, Daniel

2017-07-05

The evolutionary relationship between signals and animal senses has broad significance, with potential consequences for speciation, and for the efficacy and honesty of biological communication. Here we outline current understanding of the diversity of colour vision in two contrasting groups: the phylogenetically conservative birds, and the more variable butterflies. Evidence for coevolution of colour signals and vision exists in both groups, but is limited to observations of phenotypic differences between visual systems, which might be correlated with coloration. Here, to illustrate how one might interpret the evolutionary significance of such differences, we used colour vision modelling based on an avian eye to evaluate the effects of variation in three key characters: photoreceptor spectral sensitivity, oil droplet pigmentation and the proportions of different photoreceptor types. The models predict that physiologically realistic changes in any one character will have little effect, but complementary shifts in all three can substantially affect discriminability of three types of natural spectra. These observations about the adaptive landscape of colour vision may help to explain the general conservatism of photoreceptor spectral sensitivities in birds. This approach can be extended to other types of eye and spectra to inform future work on coevolution of coloration and colour vision.This article is part of the themed issue 'Animal coloration: production, perception, function and application'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Different ranking of avian colors predicted by modeling of retinal function in humans and birds.

PubMed

Håstad, Olle; Odeen, Anders

2008-06-01

Abstract: Only during the past decade have vision-system-neutral methods become common practice in studies of animal color signals. Consequently, much of the current knowledge on sexual selection is based directly or indirectly on human vision, which may or may not emphasize spectral information in a signal differently from the intended receiver. In an attempt to quantify this discrepancy, we used retinal models to test whether human and bird vision rank plumage colors similarly. Of 67 species, human and bird models disagreed in 26 as to which pair of patches in the plumage provides the strongest color contrast or which male in a random pair is the more colorful. These results were only partly attributable to human UV blindness. Despite confirming a strong correlation between avian and human color discrimination, we conclude that a significant proportion of the information in avian visual signals may be lost in translation.

Machine Vision Within The Framework Of Collective Neural Assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Madan M.; Knopf, George K.

1990-03-01

The proposed mechanism for designing a robust machine vision system is based on the dynamic activity generated by the various neural populations embedded in nervous tissue. It is postulated that a hierarchy of anatomically distinct tissue regions are involved in visual sensory information processing. Each region may be represented as a planar sheet of densely interconnected neural circuits. Spatially localized aggregates of these circuits represent collective neural assemblies. Four dynamically coupled neural populations are assumed to exist within each assembly. In this paper we present a state-variable model for a tissue sheet derived from empirical studies of population dynamics. Each population is modelled as a nonlinear second-order system. It is possible to emulate certain observed physiological and psychophysiological phenomena of biological vision by properly programming the interconnective gains . Important early visual phenomena such as temporal and spatial noise insensitivity, contrast sensitivity and edge enhancement will be discussed for a one-dimensional tissue model.

A fuzzy structural matching scheme for space robotics vision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naka, Masao; Yamamoto, Hiromichi; Homma, Khozo; Iwata, Yoshitaka

1994-01-01

In this paper, we propose a new fuzzy structural matching scheme for space stereo vision which is based on the fuzzy properties of regions of images and effectively reduces the computational burden in the following low level matching process. Three dimensional distance images of a space truss structural model are estimated using this scheme from stereo images sensed by Charge Coupled Device (CCD) TV cameras.

Defense Simulation Internet: next generation information highway.

PubMed

Lilienthal, M G

1995-06-01

The Department of Defense has been engaged in the Defense Modeling and Simulation Initiative (DMSI) to provide advanced distributed simulation warfighters in geographically distributed localities. Lessons learned from the Defense Simulation Internet (DSI) concerning architecture, standards, protocols, interoperability, information sharing, and distributed data bases are equally applicable to telemedicine. Much of the vision and objectives of the DMSI are easily translated into the vision for world wide telemedicine.

Reinforcement learning in computer vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernstein, A. V.; Burnaev, E. V.

2018-04-01

Nowadays, machine learning has become one of the basic technologies used in solving various computer vision tasks such as feature detection, image segmentation, object recognition and tracking. In many applications, various complex systems such as robots are equipped with visual sensors from which they learn state of surrounding environment by solving corresponding computer vision tasks. Solutions of these tasks are used for making decisions about possible future actions. It is not surprising that when solving computer vision tasks we should take into account special aspects of their subsequent application in model-based predictive control. Reinforcement learning is one of modern machine learning technologies in which learning is carried out through interaction with the environment. In recent years, Reinforcement learning has been used both for solving such applied tasks as processing and analysis of visual information, and for solving specific computer vision problems such as filtering, extracting image features, localizing objects in scenes, and many others. The paper describes shortly the Reinforcement learning technology and its use for solving computer vision problems.

Aural-Nondetectability Model Predictions for Night-Vision Goggles across Ambient Lighting Conditions

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

ARL-TR-7564 ● DEC 2015 US Army Research Laboratory Aural-Nondetectability Model Predictions for Night -Vision Goggles across...ARL-TR-7564 ● DEC 2015 US Army Research Laboratory Aural-Nondetectability Model Predictions for Night -Vision Goggles across Ambient...May 2015–30 Sep 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Aural-Nondetectability Model Predictions for Night -Vision Goggles across Ambient Lighting Conditions 5a

Creating photorealistic virtual model with polarization-based vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibata, Takushi; Takahashi, Toru; Miyazaki, Daisuke; Sato, Yoichi; Ikeuchi, Katsushi

2005-08-01

Recently, 3D models are used in many fields such as education, medical services, entertainment, art, digital archive, etc., because of the progress of computational time and demand for creating photorealistic virtual model is increasing for higher reality. In computer vision field, a number of techniques have been developed for creating the virtual model by observing the real object in computer vision field. In this paper, we propose the method for creating photorealistic virtual model by using laser range sensor and polarization based image capture system. We capture the range and color images of the object which is rotated on the rotary table. By using the reconstructed object shape and sequence of color images of the object, parameter of a reflection model are estimated in a robust manner. As a result, then, we can make photorealistic 3D model in consideration of surface reflection. The key point of the proposed method is that, first, the diffuse and specular reflection components are separated from the color image sequence, and then, reflectance parameters of each reflection component are estimated separately. In separation of reflection components, we use polarization filter. This approach enables estimation of reflectance properties of real objects whose surfaces show specularity as well as diffusely reflected lights. The recovered object shape and reflectance properties are then used for synthesizing object images with realistic shading effects under arbitrary illumination conditions.

Sensitivity of diabetic retinopathy associated vision loss to screening interval in an agent-based/discrete event simulation model.

PubMed

Day, T Eugene; Ravi, Nathan; Xian, Hong; Brugh, Ann

2014-04-01

To examine the effect of changes to screening interval on the incidence of vision loss in a simulated cohort of Veterans with diabetic retinopathy (DR). This simulation allows us to examine potential interventions without putting patients at risk. Simulated randomized controlled trial. We develop a hybrid agent-based/discrete event simulation which incorporates a population of simulated Veterans--using abstracted data from a retrospective cohort of real-world diabetic Veterans--with a discrete event simulation (DES) eye clinic at which it seeks treatment for DR. We compare vision loss under varying screening policies, in a simulated population of 5000 Veterans over 50 independent ten-year simulation runs for each group. Diabetic Retinopathy associated vision loss increased as the screening interval was extended from one to five years (p<0.0001). This increase was concentrated in the third year of the screening interval (p<0.01). There was no increase in vision loss associated with increasing the screening interval from one year to two years (p=0.98). Increasing the screening interval for diabetic patients who have not yet developed diabetic retinopathy from 1 to 2 years appears safe, while increasing the interval to 3 years heightens risk for vision loss. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Vision Algorithms to Determine Shape and Distance for Manipulation of Unmodeled Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montes, Leticia; Bowers, David; Lumia, Ron

1998-01-01

This paper discusses the development of a robotic system for general use in an unstructured environment. This is illustrated through pick and place of randomly positioned, un-modeled objects. There are many applications for this project, including rock collection for the Mars Surveyor Program. This system is demonstrated with a Puma560 robot, Barrett hand, Cognex vision system, and Cimetrix simulation and control, all running on a PC. The demonstration consists of two processes: vision system and robotics. The vision system determines the size and location of the unknown objects. The robotics part consists of moving the robot to the object, configuring the hand based on the information from the vision system, then performing the pick/place operation. This work enhances and is a part of the Low Cost Virtual Collaborative Environment which provides remote simulation and control of equipment.

Vision in laboratory rodents-Tools to measure it and implications for behavioral research.

PubMed

Leinonen, Henri; Tanila, Heikki

2017-07-29

Mice and rats are nocturnal mammals and their vision is specialized for detection of motion and contrast in dim light conditions. These species possess a large proportion of UV-sensitive cones in their retinas and the majority of their optic nerve axons target superior colliculus rather than visual cortex. Therefore, it was a widely held belief that laboratory rodents hardly utilize vision during day-time behavior. This dogma is being questioned as accumulating evidence suggests that laboratory rodents are able to perform complex visual functions, such as perceiving subjective contours, and that declined vision may affect their performance in many behavioral tasks. For instance, genetic engineering may have unexpected consequences on vision as mouse models of Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases have declined visual function. Rodent vision can be tested in numerous ways using operant training or reflex-based behavioral tasks, or alternatively using electrophysiological recordings. In this article, we will first provide a summary of visual system and explain its characteristics unique to rodents. Then, we present well-established techniques to test rodent vision, with an emphasis on pattern vision: visual water test, optomotor reflex test, pattern electroretinography and pattern visual evoked potentials. Finally, we highlight the importance of visual phenotyping in rodents. As the number of genetically engineered rodent models and volume of behavioral testing increase simultaneously, the possibility of visual dysfunctions needs to be addressed. Neglect in this matter potentially leads to crude biases in the field of neuroscience and beyond. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Omnidirectional Vision Sensor Based on a Spherical Mirror Catadioptric System.

PubMed

Barone, Sandro; Carulli, Marina; Neri, Paolo; Paoli, Alessandro; Razionale, Armando Viviano

2018-01-31

The combination of mirrors and lenses, which defines a catadioptric sensor, is widely used in the computer vision field. The definition of a catadioptric sensors is based on three main features: hardware setup, projection modelling and calibration process. In this paper, a complete description of these aspects is given for an omnidirectional sensor based on a spherical mirror. The projection model of a catadioptric system can be described by the forward projection task (FP, from 3D scene point to 2D pixel coordinates) and backward projection task (BP, from 2D coordinates to 3D direction of the incident light). The forward projection of non-central catadioptric vision systems, typically obtained by using curved mirrors, is usually modelled by using a central approximation and/or by adopting iterative approaches. In this paper, an analytical closed-form solution to compute both forward and backward projection for a non-central catadioptric system with a spherical mirror is presented. In particular, the forward projection is reduced to a 4th order polynomial by determining the reflection point on the mirror surface through the intersection between a sphere and an ellipse. A matrix format of the implemented models, suitable for fast point clouds handling, is also described. A robust calibration procedure is also proposed and applied to calibrate a catadioptric sensor by determining the mirror radius and center with respect to the camera.

An Omnidirectional Vision Sensor Based on a Spherical Mirror Catadioptric System

PubMed Central

Barone, Sandro; Carulli, Marina; Razionale, Armando Viviano

2018-01-01

The combination of mirrors and lenses, which defines a catadioptric sensor, is widely used in the computer vision field. The definition of a catadioptric sensors is based on three main features: hardware setup, projection modelling and calibration process. In this paper, a complete description of these aspects is given for an omnidirectional sensor based on a spherical mirror. The projection model of a catadioptric system can be described by the forward projection task (FP, from 3D scene point to 2D pixel coordinates) and backward projection task (BP, from 2D coordinates to 3D direction of the incident light). The forward projection of non-central catadioptric vision systems, typically obtained by using curved mirrors, is usually modelled by using a central approximation and/or by adopting iterative approaches. In this paper, an analytical closed-form solution to compute both forward and backward projection for a non-central catadioptric system with a spherical mirror is presented. In particular, the forward projection is reduced to a 4th order polynomial by determining the reflection point on the mirror surface through the intersection between a sphere and an ellipse. A matrix format of the implemented models, suitable for fast point clouds handling, is also described. A robust calibration procedure is also proposed and applied to calibrate a catadioptric sensor by determining the mirror radius and center with respect to the camera. PMID:29385051

Research on the feature set construction method for spherical stereo vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Junchao; Wan, Li; Röning, Juha; Feng, Weijia

2015-01-01

Spherical stereo vision is a kind of stereo vision system built by fish-eye lenses, which discussing the stereo algorithms conform to the spherical model. Epipolar geometry is the theory which describes the relationship of the two imaging plane in cameras for the stereo vision system based on perspective projection model. However, the epipolar in uncorrected fish-eye image will not be a line but an arc which intersects at the poles. It is polar curve. In this paper, the theory of nonlinear epipolar geometry will be explored and the method of nonlinear epipolar rectification will be proposed to eliminate the vertical parallax between two fish-eye images. Maximally Stable Extremal Region (MSER) utilizes grayscale as independent variables, and uses the local extremum of the area variation as the testing results. It is demonstrated in literatures that MSER is only depending on the gray variations of images, and not relating with local structural characteristics and resolution of image. Here, MSER will be combined with the nonlinear epipolar rectification method proposed in this paper. The intersection of the rectified epipolar and the corresponding MSER region is determined as the feature set of spherical stereo vision. Experiments show that this study achieved the expected results.

A novel method for objective vision testing in canine models of inherited retinal disease.

PubMed

Gearhart, Patricia M; Gearhart, Chris C; Petersen-Jones, Simon M

2008-08-01

The use of canine models of retinal disease in the development of therapeutic strategies for inherited retinal disorders is a growing area of research. To evaluate accurately the success of potential vision-enhancing treatments, reliable methods for objectively assessing visual function in canine models is necessary. A simple vision-testing device was constructed that consisted of a junction box with four exit tunnels. Dogs were placed in the junction box and given one vision-based choice for exit. The first-choice tunnel and time to exit were recorded and analyzed. Two canine models of retinal disease with distinct molecular defects, a null mutation in the gene encoding the alpha subunit of rod cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (PDE6A), and a null mutation in the gene encoding a retinal pigment epithelium-specific protein (RPE65) were tested and compared to those in unaffected dogs. With the use of bright light versus dim red light, the test differentiated between unaffected dogs and dogs affected with either mutation with a high degree of certainty. The white-light intensity series showed a significantly different performance between the unaffected and affected dogs. A significant difference in performance was detected between the dogs with each mutation. The results indicate that this novel canine vision-testing method is an accurate and sensitive means of distinguishing between unaffected dogs and dogs affected with two different forms of inherited retinal disease and should be useful as a means of assessing response to therapy in future studies.

Collaboration between human and nonhuman players in Night Vision Tactical Trainer-Shadow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berglie, Stephen T.; Gallogly, James J.

2016-05-01

The Night Vision Tactical Trainer - Shadow (NVTT-S) is a U.S. Army-developed training tool designed to improve critical Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUMT) communication skills for payload operators in Unmanned Aerial Sensor (UAS) crews. The trainer is composed of several Government Off-The-Shelf (GOTS) simulation components and takes the trainee through a series of escalating engagements using tactically relevant, realistically complex, scenarios involving a variety of manned, unmanned, aerial, and ground-based assets. The trainee is the only human player in the game and he must collaborate, from his web-based mock operating station, with various non-human players via spoken natural language over simulated radio in order to execute the training missions successfully. Non-human players are modeled in two complementary layers - OneSAF provides basic background behaviors for entities while NVTT provides higher level models that control entity actions based on intent extracted from the trainee's spoken natural dialog with game entities. Dialog structure is modeled based on Army standards for communication and verbal protocols. This paper presents an architecture that integrates the U.S. Army's Night Vision Image Generator (NVIG), One Semi- Automated Forces (OneSAF), a flight dynamics model, as well as Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) speech recognition and text to speech products to effect an environment with sufficient entity counts and fidelity to enable meaningful teaching and reinforcement of critical communication skills. It further demonstrates the model dynamics and synchronization mechanisms employed to execute purpose-built training scenarios, and to achieve ad-hoc collaboration on-the-fly between human and non-human players in the simulated environment.

Associations between sensory loss and social networks, participation, support, and loneliness: Analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

PubMed

Mick, Paul; Parfyonov, Maksim; Wittich, Walter; Phillips, Natalie; Kathleen Pichora-Fuller, M

2018-01-01

To determine if hearing loss, vision loss, and dual sensory loss were associated with social network diversity, social participation, availability of social support, and loneliness, respectively, in a population-based sample of older Canadians and to determine whether age or sex modified the associations. Cross-sectional population-based study. Canada. The sample included 21 241 participants in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging tracking cohort. The sample was nationally representative of English- and French-speaking, non-institutionalized 45- to 89-year-old Canadians who did not live on First Nations reserves and who had normal cognition. Participants with missing data for any of the variables in the multivariable regression models were excluded from analysis. Hearing and vision loss were determined by self-report. Dual sensory loss was defined as reporting both hearing and vision loss. Univariate analyses were performed to assess cross-sectional associations between hearing, vision, and dual sensory loss, and social, demographic, and medical variables. Multivariable regression models were used to analyze cross-sectional associations between each type of sensory loss and social network diversity, social participation, availability of social support, and loneliness. Vision loss (in men) and dual sensory loss (in 65- to 85-year-olds) were independently associated with reduced social network diversity. Vision loss and dual sensory loss (in 65- to 85-year-olds) were each independently associated with reduced social participation. All forms of sensory loss were associated with both low availability of social support and loneliness. Sensory impairment is associated with reduced social function in older Canadians. Interventions and research that address the social needs of older individuals with sensory loss are needed. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

3D-model building of the jaw impression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Moumen T.; Yamany, Sameh M.; Hemayed, Elsayed E.; Farag, Aly A.

1997-03-01

A novel approach is proposed to obtain a record of the patient's occlusion using computer vision. Data acquisition is obtained using intra-oral video cameras. The technique utilizes shape from shading to extract 3D information from 2D views of the jaw, and a novel technique for 3D data registration using genetic algorithms. The resulting 3D model can be used for diagnosis, treatment planning, and implant purposes. The overall purpose of this research is to develop a model-based vision system for orthodontics to replace traditional approaches. This system will be flexible, accurate, and will reduce the cost of orthodontic treatments.

TOXICITY TESTING IN THE 21ST CENTURY: A VISION AND A STRATEGY

PubMed Central

Krewski, Daniel; Acosta, Daniel; Andersen, Melvin; Anderson, Henry; Bailar, John C.; Boekelheide, Kim; Brent, Robert; Charnley, Gail; Cheung, Vivian G.; Green, Sidney; Kelsey, Karl T.; Kerkvliet, Nancy I.; Li, Abby A.; McCray, Lawrence; Meyer, Otto; Patterson, Reid D.; Pennie, William; Scala, Robert A.; Solomon, Gina M.; Stephens, Martin; Yager, James; Zeise, Lauren

2015-01-01

With the release of the landmark report Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and a Strategy, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, in 2007, precipitated a major change in the way toxicity testing is conducted. It envisions increased efficiency in toxicity testing and decreased animal usage by transitioning from current expensive and lengthy in vivo testing with qualitative endpoints to in vitro toxicity pathway assays on human cells or cell lines using robotic high-throughput screening with mechanistic quantitative parameters. Risk assessment in the exposed human population would focus on avoiding significant perturbations in these toxicity pathways. Computational systems biology models would be implemented to determine the dose-response models of perturbations of pathway function. Extrapolation of in vitro results to in vivo human blood and tissue concentrations would be based on pharmacokinetic models for the given exposure condition. This practice would enhance human relevance of test results, and would cover several test agents, compared to traditional toxicological testing strategies. As all the tools that are necessary to implement the vision are currently available or in an advanced stage of development, the key prerequisites to achieving this paradigm shift are a commitment to change in the scientific community, which could be facilitated by a broad discussion of the vision, and obtaining necessary resources to enhance current knowledge of pathway perturbations and pathway assays in humans and to implement computational systems biology models. Implementation of these strategies would result in a new toxicity testing paradigm firmly based on human biology. PMID:20574894

Organizing intelligence: development of behavioral science and the research based model of business education.

PubMed

Bottom, William P

2009-01-01

Conventional history of the predominant, research-based model of business education (RBM) traces its origins to programs initiated by the Ford Foundation after World War II. This paper maps the elite network responsible for developing behavioral science and the Ford Foundation agenda. Archival records of the actions taken by central nodes in the network permit identification of the original vision statement for the model. Analysis also permits tracking progress toward realizing that vision over several decades. Behavioral science was married to business education from the earliest stages of development. The RBM was a fundamental promise made by advocates for social science funding. Appraisals of the model and recommendations for reform must address its full history, not the partial, distorted view that is the conventional account. Implications of this more complete history for business education and for behavioral theory are considered.

Spatial imaging in color and HDR: prometheus unchained

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCann, John J.

2013-03-01

The Human Vision and Electronic Imaging Conferences (HVEI) at the IS and T/SPIE Electronic Imaging meetings have brought together research in the fundamentals of both vision and digital technology. This conference has incorporated many color disciplines that have contributed to the theory and practice of today's imaging: color constancy, models of vision, digital output, high-dynamic-range imaging, and the understanding of perceptual mechanisms. Before digital imaging, silver halide color was a pixel-based mechanism. Color films are closely tied to colorimetry, the science of matching pixels in a black surround. The quanta catch of the sensitized silver salts determines the amount of colored dyes in the final print. The rapid expansion of digital imaging over the past 25 years has eliminated the limitations of using small local regions in forming images. Spatial interactions can now generate images more like vision. Since the 1950's, neurophysiology has shown that post-receptor neural processing is based on spatial interactions. These results reinforced the findings of 19th century experimental psychology. This paper reviews the role of HVEI in color, emphasizing the interaction of research on vision and the new algorithms and processes made possible by electronic imaging.

Benchmarking neuromorphic vision: lessons learnt from computer vision

PubMed Central

Tan, Cheston; Lallee, Stephane; Orchard, Garrick

2015-01-01

Neuromorphic Vision sensors have improved greatly since the first silicon retina was presented almost three decades ago. They have recently matured to the point where they are commercially available and can be operated by laymen. However, despite improved availability of sensors, there remains a lack of good datasets, while algorithms for processing spike-based visual data are still in their infancy. On the other hand, frame-based computer vision algorithms are far more mature, thanks in part to widely accepted datasets which allow direct comparison between algorithms and encourage competition. We are presented with a unique opportunity to shape the development of Neuromorphic Vision benchmarks and challenges by leveraging what has been learnt from the use of datasets in frame-based computer vision. Taking advantage of this opportunity, in this paper we review the role that benchmarks and challenges have played in the advancement of frame-based computer vision, and suggest guidelines for the creation of Neuromorphic Vision benchmarks and challenges. We also discuss the unique challenges faced when benchmarking Neuromorphic Vision algorithms, particularly when attempting to provide direct comparison with frame-based computer vision. PMID:26528120

Unified Plant Growth Model (UPGM). 1. Background, objectives, and vision.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Since the development of the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model in 1988, the EPIC-based plant growth code has been incorporated and modified into many agro-ecosystem models. The goals of the Unified Plant Growth Model (UPGM) project are: 1) integrating into one platform the enhance...

Task-focused modeling in automated agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vriesenga, Mark R.; Peleg, K.; Sklansky, Jack

1993-01-01

Machine vision systems analyze image data to carry out automation tasks. Our interest is in machine vision systems that rely on models to achieve their designed task. When the model is interrogated from an a priori menu of questions, the model need not be complete. Instead, the machine vision system can use a partial model that contains a large amount of information in regions of interest and less information elsewhere. We propose an adaptive modeling scheme for machine vision, called task-focused modeling, which constructs a model having just sufficient detail to carry out the specified task. The model is detailed in regions of interest to the task and is less detailed elsewhere. This focusing effect saves time and reduces the computational effort expended by the machine vision system. We illustrate task-focused modeling by an example involving real-time micropropagation of plants in automated agriculture.

VLSI chips for vision-based vehicle guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masaki, Ichiro

1994-02-01

Sensor-based vehicle guidance systems are gathering rapidly increasing interest because of their potential for increasing safety, convenience, environmental friendliness, and traffic efficiency. Examples of applications include intelligent cruise control, lane following, collision warning, and collision avoidance. This paper reviews the research trends in vision-based vehicle guidance with an emphasis on VLSI chip implementations of the vision systems. As an example of VLSI chips for vision-based vehicle guidance, a stereo vision system is described in detail.

Development of a model of machine hand eye coordination and program specifications for a topological machine vision system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A unified approach to computer vision and manipulation is developed which is called choreographic vision. In the model, objects to be viewed by a projected robot in the Viking missions to Mars are seen as objects to be manipulated within choreographic contexts controlled by a multimoded remote, supervisory control system on Earth. A new theory of context relations is introduced as a basis for choreographic programming languages. A topological vision model is developed for recognizing objects by shape and contour. This model is integrated with a projected vision system consisting of a multiaperture image dissector TV camera and a ranging laser system. System program specifications integrate eye-hand coordination and topological vision functions and an aerospace multiprocessor implementation is described.

Development and validation of a vision-specific quality-of-life questionnaire for Timor-Leste.

PubMed

du Toit, Rènée; Palagyi, Anna; Ramke, Jacqueline; Brian, Garry; Lamoureux, Ecosse L

2008-10-01

To develop and determine the reliability and validity of a vision-specific quality-of-life instrument (TL-VSQOL) designed to assess the impact of distance and near vision impairment in adults living in Timor-Leste. A vision-specific quality-of-life questionnaire was developed, piloted, and administered to 704 Timorese aged >or=40 years during a population-based eye health rapid assessment. Rasch analysis was performed on the data of 457 participants with presenting near vision worse than N8 (78.5%) and/or distance vision worse than 6/18 (69.8%). Unidimensionality, item fit to the model, response category performance, differential item functioning, and targeting of items to participants were assessed. Initially, the questionnaire lacked fit to the Rasch model. Removal of two items concerning emotional well-being resulted in a fit of the data (overall item-trait interaction: chi(2) (df) = 81 (51); mean (SD) person and item fit residual values: -0.30 (1.02) and -0.32 (1.46), and good targeting of person ability and item difficulty was evident. Poorer distance and near visual acuities were significantly associated with worse quality-of-life scores (P < 0.001). Person separation reliability was substantial (0.93), indicating that the instrument can discriminate between groups with normal and impaired vision. All 17 items were free of differential item functioning, and there was no evidence of multidimensionality. This 17-item TL-VSQOL has high reliability, construct, and criterion validity and effective targeting. It can effectively assess the impact on quality of life of adult Timorese with distance and near vision impairment. The TL-VSQOL could be adapted for use in other low-resource settings.

A conceptual model for vision rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Roberts, Pamela S.; Rizzo, John-Ross; Hreha, Kimberly; Wertheimer, Jeffrey; Kaldenberg, Jennifer; Hironaka, Dawn; Riggs, Richard; Colenbrander, August

2017-01-01

Vision impairments are highly prevalent after acquired brain injury (ABI). Conceptual models that focus on constructing intellectual frameworks greatly facilitate comprehension and implementation of practice guidelines in an interprofessional setting. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the vision literature in ABI, describe a conceptual model for vision rehabilitation, explain its potential clinical inferences, and discuss its translation into rehabilitation across multiple practice settings and disciplines. PMID:27997671

A conceptual model for vision rehabilitation.

PubMed

Roberts, Pamela S; Rizzo, John-Ross; Hreha, Kimberly; Wertheimer, Jeffrey; Kaldenberg, Jennifer; Hironaka, Dawn; Riggs, Richard; Colenbrander, August

2016-01-01

Vision impairments are highly prevalent after acquired brain injury (ABI). Conceptual models that focus on constructing intellectual frameworks greatly facilitate comprehension and implementation of practice guidelines in an interprofessional setting. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the vision literature in ABI, describe a conceptual model for vision rehabilitation, explain its potential clinical inferences, and discuss its translation into rehabilitation across multiple practice settings and disciplines.

Low Vision Rehabilitation for Adult African Americans in Two Settings.

PubMed

Draper, Erin M; Feng, Rui; Appel, Sarah D; Graboyes, Marcy; Engle, Erin; Ciner, Elise B; Ellenberg, Jonas H; Stambolian, Dwight

2016-07-01

The Vision Rehabilitation for African Americans with Central Vision Impairment (VISRAC) study is a demonstration project evaluating how modifications in vision rehabilitation can improve the use of functional vision. Fifty-five African Americans 40 years of age and older with central vision impairment were randomly assigned to receive either clinic-based (CB) or home-based (HB) low vision rehabilitation services. Forty-eight subjects completed the study. The primary outcome was the change in functional vision in activities of daily living, as assessed with the Veteran's Administration Low-Vision Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-48). This included scores for overall visual ability and visual ability domains (reading, mobility, visual information processing, and visual motor skills). Each score was normalized into logit estimates by Rasch analysis. Linear regression models were used to compare the difference in the total score and each domain score between the two intervention groups. The significance level for each comparison was set at 0.05. Both CB and HB groups showed significant improvement in overall visual ability at the final visit compared with baseline. The CB group showed greater improvement than the HB group (mean of 1.28 vs. 0.87 logits change), though the group difference is not significant (p = 0.057). The CB group visual motor skills score showed significant improvement over the HB group score (mean of 3.30 vs. 1.34 logits change, p = 0.044). The differences in improvement of the reading and visual information processing scores were not significant (p = 0.054 and p = 0.509) between groups. Neither group had significant improvement in the mobility score, which was not part of the rehabilitation program. Vision rehabilitation is effective for this study population regardless of location. Possible reasons why the CB group performed better than the HB group include a number of psychosocial factors as well as the more standardized distraction-free work environment within the clinic setting.

SAD-Based Stereo Vision Machine on a System-on-Programmable-Chip (SoPC)

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiang; Chen, Zhangwei

2013-01-01

This paper, proposes a novel solution for a stereo vision machine based on the System-on-Programmable-Chip (SoPC) architecture. The SOPC technology provides great convenience for accessing many hardware devices such as DDRII, SSRAM, Flash, etc., by IP reuse. The system hardware is implemented in a single FPGA chip involving a 32-bit Nios II microprocessor, which is a configurable soft IP core in charge of managing the image buffer and users' configuration data. The Sum of Absolute Differences (SAD) algorithm is used for dense disparity map computation. The circuits of the algorithmic module are modeled by the Matlab-based DSP Builder. With a set of configuration interfaces, the machine can process many different sizes of stereo pair images. The maximum image size is up to 512 K pixels. This machine is designed to focus on real time stereo vision applications. The stereo vision machine offers good performance and high efficiency in real time. Considering a hardware FPGA clock of 90 MHz, 23 frames of 640 × 480 disparity maps can be obtained in one second with 5 × 5 matching window and maximum 64 disparity pixels. PMID:23459385

Classification of breast tissue in mammograms using efficient coding.

PubMed

Costa, Daniel D; Campos, Lúcio F; Barros, Allan K

2011-06-24

Female breast cancer is the major cause of death by cancer in western countries. Efforts in Computer Vision have been made in order to improve the diagnostic accuracy by radiologists. Some methods of lesion diagnosis in mammogram images were developed based in the technique of principal component analysis which has been used in efficient coding of signals and 2D Gabor wavelets used for computer vision applications and modeling biological vision. In this work, we present a methodology that uses efficient coding along with linear discriminant analysis to distinguish between mass and non-mass from 5090 region of interest from mammograms. The results show that the best rates of success reached with Gabor wavelets and principal component analysis were 85.28% and 87.28%, respectively. In comparison, the model of efficient coding presented here reached up to 90.07%. Altogether, the results presented demonstrate that independent component analysis performed successfully the efficient coding in order to discriminate mass from non-mass tissues. In addition, we have observed that LDA with ICA bases showed high predictive performance for some datasets and thus provide significant support for a more detailed clinical investigation.

Cost effectiveness of strategies to combat vision and hearing loss in sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia: mathematical modelling study.

PubMed

Baltussen, Rob; Smith, Andrew

2012-03-02

To determine the relative costs, effects, and cost effectiveness of selected interventions to control cataract, trachoma, refractive error, hearing loss, meningitis and chronic otitis media. Cost effectiveness analysis of or combined strategies for controlling vision and hearing loss by means of a lifetime population model. Two World Health Organization sub-regions of the world where vision and hearing loss are major burdens: sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia. Biological and behavioural parameters from clinical and observational studies and population based surveys. Intervention effects and resource inputs based on published reports, expert opinion, and the WHO-CHOICE database. Cost per disability adjusted life year (DALY) averted, expressed in international dollars ($Int) for the year 2005. Treatment of chronic otitis media, extracapsular cataract surgery, trichiasis surgery, treatment for meningitis, and annual screening of schoolchildren for refractive error are among the most cost effective interventions to control hearing and vision impairment, with the cost per DALY averted <$Int285 in both regions. Screening of both schoolchildren (annually) and adults (every five years) for hearing loss costs around $Int1000 per DALY averted. These interventions can be considered highly cost effective. Mass treatment with azithromycin to control trachoma can be considered cost effective in the African but not the South East Asian sub-region. Vision and hearing impairment control interventions are generally cost effective. To decide whether substantial investments in these interventions is warranted, this finding should be considered in relation to the economic attractiveness of other, existing or new, interventions in health.

ROBOSIGHT: Robotic Vision System For Inspection And Manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trivedi, Mohan M.; Chen, ChuXin; Marapane, Suresh

1989-02-01

Vision is an important sensory modality that can be used for deriving information critical to the proper, efficient, flexible, and safe operation of an intelligent robot. Vision systems are uti-lized for developing higher level interpretation of the nature of a robotic workspace using images acquired by cameras mounted on a robot. Such information can be useful for tasks such as object recognition, object location, object inspection, obstacle avoidance and navigation. In this paper we describe efforts directed towards developing a vision system useful for performing various robotic inspection and manipulation tasks. The system utilizes gray scale images and can be viewed as a model-based system. It includes general purpose image analysis modules as well as special purpose, task dependent object status recognition modules. Experiments are described to verify the robust performance of the integrated system using a robotic testbed.

Sensor fusion display evaluation using information integration models in enhanced/synthetic vision applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foyle, David C.

1993-01-01

Based on existing integration models in the psychological literature, an evaluation framework is developed to assess sensor fusion displays as might be implemented in an enhanced/synthetic vision system. The proposed evaluation framework for evaluating the operator's ability to use such systems is a normative approach: The pilot's performance with the sensor fusion image is compared to models' predictions based on the pilot's performance when viewing the original component sensor images prior to fusion. This allows for the determination as to when a sensor fusion system leads to: poorer performance than one of the original sensor displays, clearly an undesirable system in which the fused sensor system causes some distortion or interference; better performance than with either single sensor system alone, but at a sub-optimal level compared to model predictions; optimal performance compared to model predictions; or, super-optimal performance, which may occur if the operator were able to use some highly diagnostic 'emergent features' in the sensor fusion display, which were unavailable in the original sensor displays.

Examining age-related shared variance between face cognition, vision, and self-reported physical health: a test of the common cause hypothesis for social cognition

PubMed Central

Olderbak, Sally; Hildebrandt, Andrea; Wilhelm, Oliver

2015-01-01

The shared decline in cognitive abilities, sensory functions (e.g., vision and hearing), and physical health with increasing age is well documented with some research attributing this shared age-related decline to a single common cause (e.g., aging brain). We evaluate the extent to which the common cause hypothesis predicts associations between vision and physical health with social cognition abilities specifically face perception and face memory. Based on a sample of 443 adults (17–88 years old), we test a series of structural equation models, including Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause (MIMIC) models, and estimate the extent to which vision and self-reported physical health are related to face perception and face memory through a common factor, before and after controlling for their fluid cognitive component and the linear effects of age. Results suggest significant shared variance amongst these constructs, with a common factor explaining some, but not all, of the shared age-related variance. Also, we found that the relations of face perception, but not face memory, with vision and physical health could be completely explained by fluid cognition. Overall, results suggest that a single common cause explains most, but not all age-related shared variance with domain specific aging mechanisms evident. PMID:26321998

A lightweight, inexpensive robotic system for insect vision.

PubMed

Sabo, Chelsea; Chisholm, Robert; Petterson, Adam; Cope, Alex

2017-09-01

Designing hardware for miniaturized robotics which mimics the capabilities of flying insects is of interest, because they share similar constraints (i.e. small size, low weight, and low energy consumption). Research in this area aims to enable robots with similarly efficient flight and cognitive abilities. Visual processing is important to flying insects' impressive flight capabilities, but currently, embodiment of insect-like visual systems is limited by the hardware systems available. Suitable hardware is either prohibitively expensive, difficult to reproduce, cannot accurately simulate insect vision characteristics, and/or is too heavy for small robotic platforms. These limitations hamper the development of platforms for embodiment which in turn hampers the progress on understanding of how biological systems fundamentally work. To address this gap, this paper proposes an inexpensive, lightweight robotic system for modelling insect vision. The system is mounted and tested on a robotic platform for mobile applications, and then the camera and insect vision models are evaluated. We analyse the potential of the system for use in embodiment of higher-level visual processes (i.e. motion detection) and also for development of navigation based on vision for robotics in general. Optic flow from sample camera data is calculated and compared to a perfect, simulated bee world showing an excellent resemblance. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Modeling Images of Natural 3D Surfaces: Overview and Potential Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jalobeanu, Andre; Kuehnel, Frank; Stutz, John

2004-01-01

Generative models of natural images have long been used in computer vision. However, since they only describe the of 2D scenes, they fail to capture all the properties of the underlying 3D world. Even though such models are sufficient for many vision tasks a 3D scene model is when it comes to inferring a 3D object or its characteristics. In this paper, we present such a generative model, incorporating both a multiscale surface prior model for surface geometry and reflectance, and an image formation process model based on realistic rendering, the computation of the posterior model parameter densities, and on the critical aspects of the rendering. We also how to efficiently invert the model within a Bayesian framework. We present a few potential applications, such as asteroid modeling and Planetary topography recovery, illustrated by promising results on real images.

The use of interactive computer vision and robot hand controllers for enhancing manufacturing safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marzwell, Neville I.; Jacobus, Charles J.; Peurach, Thomas M.; Mitchell, Brian T.

1994-01-01

Current available robotic systems provide limited support for CAD-based model-driven visualization, sensing algorithm development and integration, and automated graphical planning systems. This paper describes ongoing work which provides the functionality necessary to apply advanced robotics to automated manufacturing and assembly operations. An interface has been built which incorporates 6-DOF tactile manipulation, displays for three dimensional graphical models, and automated tracking functions which depend on automated machine vision. A set of tools for single and multiple focal plane sensor image processing and understanding has been demonstrated which utilizes object recognition models. The resulting tool will enable sensing and planning from computationally simple graphical objects. A synergistic interplay between human and operator vision is created from programmable feedback received from the controller. This approach can be used as the basis for implementing enhanced safety in automated robotics manufacturing, assembly, repair and inspection tasks in both ground and space applications. Thus, an interactive capability has been developed to match the modeled environment to the real task environment for safe and predictable task execution.

The use of interactive computer vision and robot hand controllers for enhancing manufacturing safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marzwell, Neville I.; Jacobus, Charles J.; Peurach, Thomas M.; Mitchell, Brian T.

1994-02-01

Current available robotic systems provide limited support for CAD-based model-driven visualization, sensing algorithm development and integration, and automated graphical planning systems. This paper describes ongoing work which provides the functionality necessary to apply advanced robotics to automated manufacturing and assembly operations. An interface has been built which incorporates 6-DOF tactile manipulation, displays for three dimensional graphical models, and automated tracking functions which depend on automated machine vision. A set of tools for single and multiple focal plane sensor image processing and understanding has been demonstrated which utilizes object recognition models. The resulting tool will enable sensing and planning from computationally simple graphical objects. A synergistic interplay between human and operator vision is created from programmable feedback received from the controller. This approach can be used as the basis for implementing enhanced safety in automated robotics manufacturing, assembly, repair and inspection tasks in both ground and space applications. Thus, an interactive capability has been developed to match the modeled environment to the real task environment for safe and predictable task execution.

Vision, Leadership, and Change: The Case of Ramah Summer Camps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reimer, Joseph

2010-01-01

In his retrospective essay, Seymour Fox (1997) identified "vision" as the essential element that shaped the Ramah camp system. I will take a critical look at Fox's main claims: (1) A particular model of vision was essential to the development of Camp Ramah; and (2) That model of vision should guide contemporary Jewish educators in creating Jewish…

Algorithms and architectures for robot vision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schenker, Paul S.

1990-01-01

The scope of the current work is to develop practical sensing implementations for robots operating in complex, partially unstructured environments. A focus in this work is to develop object models and estimation techniques which are specific to requirements of robot locomotion, approach and avoidance, and grasp and manipulation. Such problems have to date received limited attention in either computer or human vision - in essence, asking not only how perception is in general modeled, but also what is the functional purpose of its underlying representations. As in the past, researchers are drawing on ideas from both the psychological and machine vision literature. Of particular interest is the development 3-D shape and motion estimates for complex objects when given only partial and uncertain information and when such information is incrementally accrued over time. Current studies consider the use of surface motion, contour, and texture information, with the longer range goal of developing a fused sensing strategy based on these sources and others.

Patterns of functional vision loss in glaucoma determined with archetypal analysis

PubMed Central

Elze, Tobias; Pasquale, Louis R.; Shen, Lucy Q.; Chen, Teresa C.; Wiggs, Janey L.; Bex, Peter J.

2015-01-01

Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy accompanied by vision loss which can be mapped by visual field (VF) testing revealing characteristic patterns related to the retinal nerve fibre layer anatomy. While detailed knowledge about these patterns is important to understand the anatomic and genetic aspects of glaucoma, current classification schemes are typically predominantly derived qualitatively. Here, we classify glaucomatous vision loss quantitatively by statistically learning prototypical patterns on the convex hull of the data space. In contrast to component-based approaches, this method emphasizes distinct aspects of the data and provides patterns that are easier to interpret for clinicians. Based on 13 231 reliable Humphrey VFs from a large clinical glaucoma practice, we identify an optimal solution with 17 glaucomatous vision loss prototypes which fit well with previously described qualitative patterns from a large clinical study. We illustrate relations of our patterns to retinal structure by a previously developed mathematical model. In contrast to the qualitative clinical approaches, our results can serve as a framework to quantify the various subtypes of glaucomatous visual field loss. PMID:25505132

Gaps Analysis of Integrating Product Design, Manufacturing, and Quality Data in The Supply Chain Using Model-Based Definition.

PubMed

Trainer, Asa; Hedberg, Thomas; Feeney, Allison Barnard; Fischer, Kevin; Rosche, Phil

2016-01-01

Advances in information technology triggered a digital revolution that holds promise of reduced costs, improved productivity, and higher quality. To ride this wave of innovation, manufacturing enterprises are changing how product definitions are communicated - from paper to models. To achieve industry's vision of the Model-Based Enterprise (MBE), the MBE strategy must include model-based data interoperability from design to manufacturing and quality in the supply chain. The Model-Based Definition (MBD) is created by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools. This information is then shared with the supplier so that they can manufacture and inspect the physical parts. Today, suppliers predominantly use Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) and Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) models for these tasks. Traditionally, the OEM has provided design data to the supplier in the form of two-dimensional (2D) drawings, but may also include a three-dimensional (3D)-shape-geometry model, often in a standards-based format such as ISO 10303-203:2011 (STEP AP203). The supplier then creates the respective CAM and CMM models and machine programs to produce and inspect the parts. In the MBE vision for model-based data exchange, the CAD model must include product-and-manufacturing information (PMI) in addition to the shape geometry. Today's CAD tools can generate models with embedded PMI. And, with the emergence of STEP AP242, a standards-based model with embedded PMI can now be shared downstream. The on-going research detailed in this paper seeks to investigate three concepts. First, that the ability to utilize a STEP AP242 model with embedded PMI for CAD-to-CAM and CAD-to-CMM data exchange is possible and valuable to the overall goal of a more efficient process. Second, the research identifies gaps in tools, standards, and processes that inhibit industry's ability to cost-effectively achieve model-based-data interoperability in the pursuit of the MBE vision. Finally, it also seeks to explore the interaction between CAD and CMM processes and determine if the concept of feedback from CAM and CMM back to CAD is feasible. The main goal of our study is to test the hypothesis that model-based-data interoperability from CAD-to-CAM and CAD-to-CMM is feasible through standards-based integration. This paper presents several barriers to model-based-data interoperability. Overall, the project team demonstrated the exchange of product definition data between CAD, CAM, and CMM systems using standards-based methods. While gaps in standards coverage were identified, the gaps should not stop industry's progress toward MBE. The results of our study provide evidence in support of an open-standards method to model-based-data interoperability, which would provide maximum value and impact to industry.

Managing Uncertainty: Thinking and Planning Strategically.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzo, Albert L.

1993-01-01

Argues that rapid change and tight resources demand reality-based planning, rather than planning models that ignore internal and external customers or emphasize process over product. Describes the Strategic Guidance Model (SGM) which provides colleges with strategic visioning, organizational assessment, environmental scanning, quality improvement,…

An Imaging Sensor-Aided Vision Navigation Approach that Uses a Geo-Referenced Image Database.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Hu, Qingwu; Wu, Meng; Gao, Yang

2016-01-28

In determining position and attitude, vision navigation via real-time image processing of data collected from imaging sensors is advanced without a high-performance global positioning system (GPS) and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Vision navigation is widely used in indoor navigation, far space navigation, and multiple sensor-integrated mobile mapping. This paper proposes a novel vision navigation approach aided by imaging sensors and that uses a high-accuracy geo-referenced image database (GRID) for high-precision navigation of multiple sensor platforms in environments with poor GPS. First, the framework of GRID-aided vision navigation is developed with sequence images from land-based mobile mapping systems that integrate multiple sensors. Second, a highly efficient GRID storage management model is established based on the linear index of a road segment for fast image searches and retrieval. Third, a robust image matching algorithm is presented to search and match a real-time image with the GRID. Subsequently, the image matched with the real-time scene is considered to calculate the 3D navigation parameter of multiple sensor platforms. Experimental results show that the proposed approach retrieves images efficiently and has navigation accuracies of 1.2 m in a plane and 1.8 m in height under GPS loss in 5 min and within 1500 m.

An Imaging Sensor-Aided Vision Navigation Approach that Uses a Geo-Referenced Image Database

PubMed Central

Li, Yan; Hu, Qingwu; Wu, Meng; Gao, Yang

2016-01-01

In determining position and attitude, vision navigation via real-time image processing of data collected from imaging sensors is advanced without a high-performance global positioning system (GPS) and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Vision navigation is widely used in indoor navigation, far space navigation, and multiple sensor-integrated mobile mapping. This paper proposes a novel vision navigation approach aided by imaging sensors and that uses a high-accuracy geo-referenced image database (GRID) for high-precision navigation of multiple sensor platforms in environments with poor GPS. First, the framework of GRID-aided vision navigation is developed with sequence images from land-based mobile mapping systems that integrate multiple sensors. Second, a highly efficient GRID storage management model is established based on the linear index of a road segment for fast image searches and retrieval. Third, a robust image matching algorithm is presented to search and match a real-time image with the GRID. Subsequently, the image matched with the real-time scene is considered to calculate the 3D navigation parameter of multiple sensor platforms. Experimental results show that the proposed approach retrieves images efficiently and has navigation accuracies of 1.2 m in a plane and 1.8 m in height under GPS loss in 5 min and within 1500 m. PMID:26828496

Development of a volumetric projection technique for the digital evaluation of field of view.

PubMed

Marshall, Russell; Summerskill, Stephen; Cook, Sharon

2013-01-01

Current regulations for field of view requirements in road vehicles are defined by 2D areas projected on the ground plane. This paper discusses the development of a new software-based volumetric field of view projection tool and its implementation within an existing digital human modelling system. In addition, the exploitation of this new tool is highlighted through its use in a UK Department for Transport funded research project exploring the current concerns with driver vision. Focusing specifically on rearwards visibility in small and medium passenger vehicles, the volumetric approach is shown to provide a number of distinct advantages. The ability to explore multiple projections of both direct vision (through windows) and indirect vision (through mirrors) provides a greater understanding of the field of view environment afforded to the driver whilst still maintaining compatibility with the 2D projections of the regulatory standards. Field of view requirements for drivers of road vehicles are defined by simplified 2D areas projected onto the ground plane. However, driver vision is a complex 3D problem. This paper presents the development of a new software-based 3D volumetric projection technique and its implementation in the evaluation of driver vision in small- and medium-sized passenger vehicles.

InPRO: Automated Indoor Construction Progress Monitoring Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamledari, Hesam

In this research, an envisioned automated intelligent robotic solution for automated indoor data collection and inspection that employs a series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), entitled "InPRO", is presented. InPRO consists of four stages, namely: 1) automated path planning; 2) autonomous UAV-based indoor inspection; 3) automated computer vision-based assessment of progress; and, 4) automated updating of 4D building information models (BIM). The works presented in this thesis address the third stage of InPRO. A series of computer vision-based methods that automate the assessment of construction progress using images captured at indoor sites are introduced. The proposed methods employ computer vision and machine learning techniques to detect the components of under-construction indoor partitions. In particular, framing (studs), insulation, electrical outlets, and different states of drywall sheets (installing, plastering, and painting) are automatically detected using digital images. High accuracy rates, real-time performance, and operation without a priori information are indicators of the methods' promising performance.

A new approach based on Machine Learning for predicting corneal curvature (K1) and astigmatism in patients with keratoconus after intracorneal ring implantation.

PubMed

Valdés-Mas, M A; Martín-Guerrero, J D; Rupérez, M J; Pastor, F; Dualde, C; Monserrat, C; Peris-Martínez, C

2014-08-01

Keratoconus (KC) is the most common type of corneal ectasia. A corneal transplantation was the treatment of choice until the last decade. However, intra-corneal ring implantation has become more and more common, and it is commonly used to treat KC thus avoiding a corneal transplantation. This work proposes a new approach based on Machine Learning to predict the vision gain of KC patients after ring implantation. That vision gain is assessed by means of the corneal curvature and the astigmatism. Different models were proposed; the best results were achieved by an artificial neural network based on the Multilayer Perceptron. The error provided by the best model was 0.97D of corneal curvature and 0.93D of astigmatism. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A 3D terrain reconstruction method of stereo vision based quadruped robot navigation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Zhuo; Zhu, Ying; Liang, Guanhao

2017-01-01

To provide 3D environment information for the quadruped robot autonomous navigation system during walking through rough terrain, based on the stereo vision, a novel 3D terrain reconstruction method is presented. In order to solve the problem that images collected by stereo sensors have large regions with similar grayscale and the problem that image matching is poor at real-time performance, watershed algorithm and fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm are combined for contour extraction. Aiming at the problem of error matching, duel constraint with region matching and pixel matching is established for matching optimization. Using the stereo matching edge pixel pairs, the 3D coordinate algorithm is estimated according to the binocular stereo vision imaging model. Experimental results show that the proposed method can yield high stereo matching ratio and reconstruct 3D scene quickly and efficiently.

Comparing visual representations across human fMRI and computational vision

PubMed Central

Leeds, Daniel D.; Seibert, Darren A.; Pyles, John A.; Tarr, Michael J.

2013-01-01

Feedforward visual object perception recruits a cortical network that is assumed to be hierarchical, progressing from basic visual features to complete object representations. However, the nature of the intermediate features related to this transformation remains poorly understood. Here, we explore how well different computer vision recognition models account for neural object encoding across the human cortical visual pathway as measured using fMRI. These neural data, collected during the viewing of 60 images of real-world objects, were analyzed with a searchlight procedure as in Kriegeskorte, Goebel, and Bandettini (2006): Within each searchlight sphere, the obtained patterns of neural activity for all 60 objects were compared to model responses for each computer recognition algorithm using representational dissimilarity analysis (Kriegeskorte et al., 2008). Although each of the computer vision methods significantly accounted for some of the neural data, among the different models, the scale invariant feature transform (Lowe, 2004), encoding local visual properties gathered from “interest points,” was best able to accurately and consistently account for stimulus representations within the ventral pathway. More generally, when present, significance was observed in regions of the ventral-temporal cortex associated with intermediate-level object perception. Differences in model effectiveness and the neural location of significant matches may be attributable to the fact that each model implements a different featural basis for representing objects (e.g., more holistic or more parts-based). Overall, we conclude that well-known computer vision recognition systems may serve as viable proxies for theories of intermediate visual object representation. PMID:24273227

Biological basis for space-variant sensor design I: parameters of monkey and human spatial vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rojer, Alan S.; Schwartz, Eric L.

1991-02-01

Biological sensor design has long provided inspiration for sensor design in machine vision. However relatively little attention has been paid to the actual design parameters provided by biological systems as opposed to the general nature of biological vision architectures. In the present paper we will provide a review of current knowledge of primate spatial vision design parameters and will present recent experimental and modeling work from our lab which demonstrates that a numerical conformal mapping which is a refinement of our previous complex logarithmic model provides the best current summary of this feature of the primate visual system. In this paper we will review recent work from our laboratory which has characterized some of the spatial architectures of the primate visual system. In particular we will review experimental and modeling studies which indicate that: . The global spatial architecture of primate visual cortex is well summarized by a numerical conformal mapping whose simplest analytic approximation is the complex logarithm function . The columnar sub-structure of primate visual cortex can be well summarized by a model based on a band-pass filtered white noise. We will also refer to ongoing work in our lab which demonstrates that: . The joint columnar/map structure of primate visual cortex can be modeled and summarized in terms of a new algorithm the ''''proto-column'''' algorithm. This work provides a reference-point for current engineering approaches to novel architectures for

The research of edge extraction and target recognition based on inherent feature of objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Yu-chan; Lin, Yu-chi; Huang, Yin-guo

2008-03-01

Current research on computer vision often needs specific techniques for particular problems. Little use has been made of high-level aspects of computer vision, such as three-dimensional (3D) object recognition, that are appropriate for large classes of problems and situations. In particular, high-level vision often focuses mainly on the extraction of symbolic descriptions, and pays little attention to the speed of processing. In order to extract and recognize target intelligently and rapidly, in this paper we developed a new 3D target recognition method based on inherent feature of objects in which cuboid was taken as model. On the basis of analysis cuboid nature contour and greyhound distributing characteristics, overall fuzzy evaluating technique was utilized to recognize and segment the target. Then Hough transform was used to extract and match model's main edges, we reconstruct aim edges by stereo technology in the end. There are three major contributions in this paper. Firstly, the corresponding relations between the parameters of cuboid model's straight edges lines in an image field and in the transform field were summed up. By those, the aimless computations and searches in Hough transform processing can be reduced greatly and the efficiency is improved. Secondly, as the priori knowledge about cuboids contour's geometry character known already, the intersections of the component extracted edges are taken, and assess the geometry of candidate edges matches based on the intersections, rather than the extracted edges. Therefore the outlines are enhanced and the noise is depressed. Finally, a 3-D target recognition method is proposed. Compared with other recognition methods, this new method has a quick response time and can be achieved with high-level computer vision. The method present here can be used widely in vision-guide techniques to strengthen its intelligence and generalization, which can also play an important role in object tracking, port AGV, robots fields. The results of simulation experiments and theory analyzing demonstrate that the proposed method could suppress noise effectively, extracted target edges robustly, and achieve the real time need. Theory analysis and experiment shows the method is reasonable and efficient.

Landfill area estimation based on integrated waste disposal options and solid waste forecasting using modified ANFIS model.

PubMed

Younes, Mohammad K; Nopiah, Z M; Basri, N E Ahmad; Basri, H; Abushammala, Mohammed F M; Younes, Mohammed Y

2016-09-01

Solid waste prediction is crucial for sustainable solid waste management. The collection of accurate waste data records is challenging in developing countries. Solid waste generation is usually correlated with economic, demographic and social factors. However, these factors are not constant due to population and economic growth. The objective of this research is to minimize the land requirements for solid waste disposal for implementation of the Malaysian vision of waste disposal options. This goal has been previously achieved by integrating the solid waste forecasting model, waste composition and the Malaysian vision. The modified adaptive neural fuzzy inference system (MANFIS) was employed to develop a solid waste prediction model and search for the optimum input factors. The performance of the model was evaluated using the root mean square error (RMSE) and the coefficient of determination (R(2)). The model validation results are as follows: RMSE for training=0.2678, RMSE for testing=3.9860 and R(2)=0.99. Implementation of the Malaysian vision for waste disposal options can minimize the land requirements for waste disposal by up to 43%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Miniaturisation of Pressure-Sensitive Paint Measurement Systems Using Low-Cost, Miniaturised Machine Vision Cameras.

PubMed

Quinn, Mark Kenneth; Spinosa, Emanuele; Roberts, David A

2017-07-25

Measurements of pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) have been performed using new or non-scientific imaging technology based on machine vision tools. Machine vision camera systems are typically used for automated inspection or process monitoring. Such devices offer the benefits of lower cost and reduced size compared with typically scientific-grade cameras; however, their optical qualities and suitability have yet to be determined. This research intends to show relevant imaging characteristics and also show the applicability of such imaging technology for PSP. Details of camera performance are benchmarked and compared to standard scientific imaging equipment and subsequent PSP tests are conducted using a static calibration chamber. The findings demonstrate that machine vision technology can be used for PSP measurements, opening up the possibility of performing measurements on-board small-scale model such as those used for wind tunnel testing or measurements in confined spaces with limited optical access.

Miniaturisation of Pressure-Sensitive Paint Measurement Systems Using Low-Cost, Miniaturised Machine Vision Cameras

PubMed Central

Spinosa, Emanuele; Roberts, David A.

2017-01-01

Measurements of pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) have been performed using new or non-scientific imaging technology based on machine vision tools. Machine vision camera systems are typically used for automated inspection or process monitoring. Such devices offer the benefits of lower cost and reduced size compared with typically scientific-grade cameras; however, their optical qualities and suitability have yet to be determined. This research intends to show relevant imaging characteristics and also show the applicability of such imaging technology for PSP. Details of camera performance are benchmarked and compared to standard scientific imaging equipment and subsequent PSP tests are conducted using a static calibration chamber. The findings demonstrate that machine vision technology can be used for PSP measurements, opening up the possibility of performing measurements on-board small-scale model such as those used for wind tunnel testing or measurements in confined spaces with limited optical access. PMID:28757553

3-D rigid body tracking using vision and depth sensors.

PubMed

Gedik, O Serdar; Alatan, A Aydn

2013-10-01

In robotics and augmented reality applications, model-based 3-D tracking of rigid objects is generally required. With the help of accurate pose estimates, it is required to increase reliability and decrease jitter in total. Among many solutions of pose estimation in the literature, pure vision-based 3-D trackers require either manual initializations or offline training stages. On the other hand, trackers relying on pure depth sensors are not suitable for AR applications. An automated 3-D tracking algorithm, which is based on fusion of vision and depth sensors via extended Kalman filter, is proposed in this paper. A novel measurement-tracking scheme, which is based on estimation of optical flow using intensity and shape index map data of 3-D point cloud, increases 2-D, as well as 3-D, tracking performance significantly. The proposed method requires neither manual initialization of pose nor offline training, while enabling highly accurate 3-D tracking. The accuracy of the proposed method is tested against a number of conventional techniques, and a superior performance is clearly observed in terms of both objectively via error metrics and subjectively for the rendered scenes.

Perception for mobile robot navigation: A survey of the state of the art

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kortenkamp, David

1994-01-01

In order for mobile robots to navigate safely in unmapped and dynamic environments they must perceive their environment and decide on actions based on those perceptions. There are many different sensing modalities that can be used for mobile robot perception; the two most popular are ultrasonic sonar sensors and vision sensors. This paper examines the state-of-the-art in sensory-based mobile robot navigation. The first issue in mobile robot navigation is safety. This paper summarizes several competing sonar-based obstacle avoidance techniques and compares them. Another issue in mobile robot navigation is determining the robot's position and orientation (sometimes called the robot's pose) in the environment. This paper examines several different classes of vision-based approaches to pose determination. One class of approaches uses detailed, a prior models of the robot's environment. Another class of approaches triangulates using fixed, artificial landmarks. A third class of approaches builds maps using natural landmarks. Example implementations from each of these three classes are described and compared. Finally, the paper presents a completely implemented mobile robot system that integrates sonar-based obstacle avoidance with vision-based pose determination to perform a simple task.

A neurite quality index and machine vision software for improved quantification of neurodegeneration.

PubMed

Romero, Peggy; Miller, Ted; Garakani, Arman

2009-12-01

Current methods to assess neurodegradation in dorsal root ganglion cultures as a model for neurodegenerative diseases are imprecise and time-consuming. Here we describe two new methods to quantify neuroprotection in these cultures. The neurite quality index (NQI) builds upon earlier manual methods, incorporating additional morphological events to increase detection sensitivity for the detection of early degeneration events. Neurosight is a machine vision-based method that recapitulates many of the strengths of NQI while enabling high-throughput screening applications with decreased costs.

Aircraft cockpit vision: Math model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bashir, J.; Singh, R. P.

1975-01-01

A mathematical model was developed to describe the field of vision of a pilot seated in an aircraft. Given the position and orientation of the aircraft, along with the geometrical configuration of its windows, and the location of an object, the model determines whether the object would be within the pilot's external vision envelope provided by the aircraft's windows. The computer program using this model was implemented and is described.

A Review on Human Activity Recognition Using Vision-Based Method.

PubMed

Zhang, Shugang; Wei, Zhiqiang; Nie, Jie; Huang, Lei; Wang, Shuang; Li, Zhen

2017-01-01

Human activity recognition (HAR) aims to recognize activities from a series of observations on the actions of subjects and the environmental conditions. The vision-based HAR research is the basis of many applications including video surveillance, health care, and human-computer interaction (HCI). This review highlights the advances of state-of-the-art activity recognition approaches, especially for the activity representation and classification methods. For the representation methods, we sort out a chronological research trajectory from global representations to local representations, and recent depth-based representations. For the classification methods, we conform to the categorization of template-based methods, discriminative models, and generative models and review several prevalent methods. Next, representative and available datasets are introduced. Aiming to provide an overview of those methods and a convenient way of comparing them, we classify existing literatures with a detailed taxonomy including representation and classification methods, as well as the datasets they used. Finally, we investigate the directions for future research.

A Review on Human Activity Recognition Using Vision-Based Method

PubMed Central

Nie, Jie

2017-01-01

Human activity recognition (HAR) aims to recognize activities from a series of observations on the actions of subjects and the environmental conditions. The vision-based HAR research is the basis of many applications including video surveillance, health care, and human-computer interaction (HCI). This review highlights the advances of state-of-the-art activity recognition approaches, especially for the activity representation and classification methods. For the representation methods, we sort out a chronological research trajectory from global representations to local representations, and recent depth-based representations. For the classification methods, we conform to the categorization of template-based methods, discriminative models, and generative models and review several prevalent methods. Next, representative and available datasets are introduced. Aiming to provide an overview of those methods and a convenient way of comparing them, we classify existing literatures with a detailed taxonomy including representation and classification methods, as well as the datasets they used. Finally, we investigate the directions for future research. PMID:29065585

Use of a vision model to quantify the significance of factors effecting target conspicuity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmore, M. A.; Jones, C. K.; Haynes, A. W.; Tolhurst, D. J.; To, M.; Troscianko, T.; Lovell, P. G.; Parraga, C. A.; Pickavance, K.

2006-05-01

When designing camouflage it is important to understand how the human visual system processes the information to discriminate the target from the background scene. A vision model has been developed to compare two images and detect differences in local contrast in each spatial frequency channel. Observer experiments are being undertaken to validate this vision model so that the model can be used to quantify the relative significance of different factors affecting target conspicuity. Synthetic imagery can be used to design improved camouflage systems. The vision model is being used to compare different synthetic images to understand what features in the image are important to reproduce accurately and to identify the optimum way to render synthetic imagery for camouflage effectiveness assessment. This paper will describe the vision model and summarise the results obtained from the initial validation tests. The paper will also show how the model is being used to compare different synthetic images and discuss future work plans.

Quantification of the impact of hydrology on agricultural production as a result of too dry, too wet or too saline conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hack-ten Broeke, Mirjam J. D.; Kroes, Joop G.; Bartholomeus, Ruud P.; van Dam, Jos C.; de Wit, Allard J. W.; Supit, Iwan; Walvoort, Dennis J. J.; van Bakel, P. Jan T.; Ruijtenberg, Rob

2016-08-01

For calculating the effects of hydrological measures on agricultural production in the Netherlands a new comprehensive and climate proof method is being developed: WaterVision Agriculture (in Dutch: Waterwijzer Landbouw). End users have asked for a method that considers current and future climate, that can quantify the differences between years and also the effects of extreme weather events. Furthermore they would like a method that considers current farm management and that can distinguish three different causes of crop yield reduction: drought, saline conditions or too wet conditions causing oxygen shortage in the root zone. WaterVision Agriculture is based on the hydrological simulation model SWAP and the crop growth model WOFOST. SWAP simulates water transport in the unsaturated zone using meteorological data, boundary conditions (like groundwater level or drainage) and soil parameters. WOFOST simulates crop growth as a function of meteorological conditions and crop parameters. Using the combination of these process-based models we have derived a meta-model, i.e. a set of easily applicable simplified relations for assessing crop growth as a function of soil type and groundwater level. These relations are based on multiple model runs for at least 72 soil units and the possible groundwater regimes in the Netherlands. So far, we parameterized the model for the crops silage maize and grassland. For the assessment, the soil characteristics (soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity) are very important input parameters for all soil layers of these 72 soil units. These 72 soil units cover all soils in the Netherlands. This paper describes (i) the setup and examples of application of the process-based model SWAP-WOFOST, (ii) the development of the simplified relations based on this model and (iii) how WaterVision Agriculture can be used by farmers, regional government, water boards and others to assess crop yield reduction as a function of groundwater characteristics or as a function of the salt concentration in the root zone for the various soil types.

Lessons Learned from the Creation of a Center of Excellence in Low Vision and Vision Rehabilitation in Wenzhou, China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marinoff, Rebecca; Heilberger, Michael H.

2017-01-01

A model Center of Excellence in Low Vision and Vision Rehabilitation was created in a health care setting in China utilizing an inter-institutional relationship with a United States optometric institution. Accomplishments of, limitations to, and stimuli to the provision of low vision and vision rehabilitation services are shared.

Gene therapy using self-complementary Y733F capsid mutant AAV2/8 restores vision in a model of early onset Leber congenital amaurosis.

PubMed

Ku, Cristy A; Chiodo, Vince A; Boye, Sanford L; Goldberg, Andrew F X; Li, Tiansen; Hauswirth, William W; Ramamurthy, Visvanathan

2011-12-01

Defects in the photoreceptor-specific gene aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein-like 1 (Aipl1) are associated with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), a childhood blinding disease with early-onset retinal degeneration and vision loss. Furthermore, Aipl1 defects are characterized at the most severe end of the LCA spectrum. The rapid photoreceptor degeneration and vision loss observed in the LCA patient population are mimicked in a mouse model lacking AIPL1. Using this model, we evaluated if gene replacement therapy using recent advancements in adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV) provides advantages in preventing rapid retinal degeneration. Specifically, we demonstrated that the novel self-complementary Y733F capsid mutant AAV2/8 (sc-Y733F-AAV) provided greater preservation of photoreceptors and functional vision in Aipl1 null mice compared with single-stranded AAV2/8. The benefits of sc-Y733F-AAV were evident following viral administration during the active phase of retinal degeneration, where only sc-Y733F-AAV treatment achieved functional vision rescue. This result was likely due to higher and earlier onset of Aipl1 expression. Based on our studies, we conclude that the sc-Y733F-AAV2/8 viral vector, to date, achieves the best rescue for rapid retinal degeneration in Aipl1 null mice. Our results provide important considerations for viral vectors to be used in future gene therapy clinical trials targeting a wider severity spectrum of inherited retinal dystrophies.

Quantitative systems toxicology

PubMed Central

Bloomingdale, Peter; Housand, Conrad; Apgar, Joshua F.; Millard, Bjorn L.; Mager, Donald E.; Burke, John M.; Shah, Dhaval K.

2017-01-01

The overarching goal of modern drug development is to optimize therapeutic benefits while minimizing adverse effects. However, inadequate efficacy and safety concerns remain to be the major causes of drug attrition in clinical development. For the past 80 years, toxicity testing has consisted of evaluating the adverse effects of drugs in animals to predict human health risks. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized the need to develop innovative toxicity testing strategies and asked the National Research Council to develop a long-range vision and strategy for toxicity testing in the 21st century. The vision aims to reduce the use of animals and drug development costs through the integration of computational modeling and in vitro experimental methods that evaluates the perturbation of toxicity-related pathways. Towards this vision, collaborative quantitative systems pharmacology and toxicology modeling endeavors (QSP/QST) have been initiated amongst numerous organizations worldwide. In this article, we discuss how quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), network-based, and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling approaches can be integrated into the framework of QST models. Additionally, we review the application of QST models to predict cardiotoxicity and hepatotoxicity of drugs throughout their development. Cell and organ specific QST models are likely to become an essential component of modern toxicity testing, and provides a solid foundation towards determining individualized therapeutic windows to improve patient safety. PMID:29308440

Heterogeneous compute in computer vision: OpenCL in OpenCV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasparakis, Harris

2014-02-01

We explore the relevance of Heterogeneous System Architecture (HSA) in Computer Vision, both as a long term vision, and as a near term emerging reality via the recently ratified OpenCL 2.0 Khronos standard. After a brief review of OpenCL 1.2 and 2.0, including HSA features such as Shared Virtual Memory (SVM) and platform atomics, we identify what genres of Computer Vision workloads stand to benefit by leveraging those features, and we suggest a new mental framework that replaces GPU compute with hybrid HSA APU compute. As a case in point, we discuss, in some detail, popular object recognition algorithms (part-based models), emphasizing the interplay and concurrent collaboration between the GPU and CPU. We conclude by describing how OpenCL has been incorporated in OpenCV, a popular open source computer vision library, emphasizing recent work on the Transparent API, to appear in OpenCV 3.0, which unifies the native CPU and OpenCL execution paths under a single API, allowing the same code to execute either on CPU or on a OpenCL enabled device, without even recompiling.

Microwave vision for robots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewandowski, Leon; Struckman, Keith

1994-01-01

Microwave Vision (MV), a concept originally developed in 1985, could play a significant role in the solution to robotic vision problems. Originally our Microwave Vision concept was based on a pattern matching approach employing computer based stored replica correlation processing. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) processor technology offers an attractive alternative to the correlation processing approach, namely the ability to learn and to adapt to changing environments. This paper describes the Microwave Vision concept, some initial ANN-MV experiments, and the design of an ANN-MV system that has led to a second patent disclosure in the robotic vision field.

Development and evaluation of vision rehabilitation devices.

PubMed

Luo, Gang; Peli, Eli

2011-01-01

We have developed a range of vision rehabilitation devices and techniques for people with impaired vision due to either central vision loss or severely restricted peripheral visual field. We have conducted evaluation studies with patients to test the utilities of these techniques in an effort to document their advantages as well as their limitations. Here we describe our work on a visual field expander based on a head mounted display (HMD) for tunnel vision, a vision enhancement device for central vision loss, and a frequency domain JPEG/MPEG based image enhancement technique. All the evaluation studies included visual search paradigms that are suitable for conducting indoor controllable experiments.

Distributed Algorithms for Probabilistic Solution of Computational Vision Problems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-01

34 targets. Legters and Young (1982) developed an operator-based approach r% using foreground and background models and solved a least-squares minimiza...1960), "Finite Markov Chains", Van Nostrand, , - New York. Legters , G.R., and Young, T.Y. (1982), "A Mathematical Model for Computer Image Tracking

Engaging in Collaboration: A Team of Teams Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Carol; Hill, Rachel; Morris, Greg; Woods, Fabiola

2016-01-01

Adapting a Team of Teams model to a school environment provides a framework for a collaborative team culture based on trust, common vision, purposeful conversations, and interconnectivity. School leaders facilitate collaboration by modeling teamwork, as well as transparency and adaptability, to create a positive school culture and thereby improve…

Gaps Analysis of Integrating Product Design, Manufacturing, and Quality Data in The Supply Chain Using Model-Based Definition

PubMed Central

Trainer, Asa; Hedberg, Thomas; Feeney, Allison Barnard; Fischer, Kevin; Rosche, Phil

2017-01-01

Advances in information technology triggered a digital revolution that holds promise of reduced costs, improved productivity, and higher quality. To ride this wave of innovation, manufacturing enterprises are changing how product definitions are communicated – from paper to models. To achieve industry's vision of the Model-Based Enterprise (MBE), the MBE strategy must include model-based data interoperability from design to manufacturing and quality in the supply chain. The Model-Based Definition (MBD) is created by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools. This information is then shared with the supplier so that they can manufacture and inspect the physical parts. Today, suppliers predominantly use Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) and Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) models for these tasks. Traditionally, the OEM has provided design data to the supplier in the form of two-dimensional (2D) drawings, but may also include a three-dimensional (3D)-shape-geometry model, often in a standards-based format such as ISO 10303-203:2011 (STEP AP203). The supplier then creates the respective CAM and CMM models and machine programs to produce and inspect the parts. In the MBE vision for model-based data exchange, the CAD model must include product-and-manufacturing information (PMI) in addition to the shape geometry. Today's CAD tools can generate models with embedded PMI. And, with the emergence of STEP AP242, a standards-based model with embedded PMI can now be shared downstream. The on-going research detailed in this paper seeks to investigate three concepts. First, that the ability to utilize a STEP AP242 model with embedded PMI for CAD-to-CAM and CAD-to-CMM data exchange is possible and valuable to the overall goal of a more efficient process. Second, the research identifies gaps in tools, standards, and processes that inhibit industry's ability to cost-effectively achieve model-based-data interoperability in the pursuit of the MBE vision. Finally, it also seeks to explore the interaction between CAD and CMM processes and determine if the concept of feedback from CAM and CMM back to CAD is feasible. The main goal of our study is to test the hypothesis that model-based-data interoperability from CAD-to-CAM and CAD-to-CMM is feasible through standards-based integration. This paper presents several barriers to model-based-data interoperability. Overall, the project team demonstrated the exchange of product definition data between CAD, CAM, and CMM systems using standards-based methods. While gaps in standards coverage were identified, the gaps should not stop industry's progress toward MBE. The results of our study provide evidence in support of an open-standards method to model-based-data interoperability, which would provide maximum value and impact to industry. PMID:28691120

Compensation for positioning error of industrial robot for flexible vision measuring system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Lei; Liang, Yajun; Song, Jincheng; Sun, Zengyu; Zhu, Jigui

2013-01-01

Positioning error of robot is a main factor of accuracy of flexible coordinate measuring system which consists of universal industrial robot and visual sensor. Present compensation methods for positioning error based on kinematic model of robot have a significant limitation that it isn't effective in the whole measuring space. A new compensation method for positioning error of robot based on vision measuring technique is presented. One approach is setting global control points in measured field and attaching an orientation camera to vision sensor. Then global control points are measured by orientation camera to calculate the transformation relation from the current position of sensor system to global coordinate system and positioning error of robot is compensated. Another approach is setting control points on vision sensor and two large field cameras behind the sensor. Then the three dimensional coordinates of control points are measured and the pose and position of sensor is calculated real-timely. Experiment result shows the RMS of spatial positioning is 3.422mm by single camera and 0.031mm by dual cameras. Conclusion is arithmetic of single camera method needs to be improved for higher accuracy and accuracy of dual cameras method is applicable.

Vision based flight procedure stereo display system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Xiaoyun; Wan, Di; Ma, Lan; He, Yuncheng

2008-03-01

A virtual reality flight procedure vision system is introduced in this paper. The digital flight map database is established based on the Geographic Information System (GIS) and high definitions satellite remote sensing photos. The flight approaching area database is established through computer 3D modeling system and GIS. The area texture is generated from the remote sensing photos and aerial photographs in various level of detail. According to the flight approaching procedure, the flight navigation information is linked to the database. The flight approaching area vision can be dynamic displayed according to the designed flight procedure. The flight approaching area images are rendered in 2 channels, one for left eye images and the others for right eye images. Through the polarized stereoscopic projection system, the pilots and aircrew can get the vivid 3D vision of the flight destination approaching area. Take the use of this system in pilots preflight preparation procedure, the aircrew can get more vivid information along the flight destination approaching area. This system can improve the aviator's self-confidence before he carries out the flight mission, accordingly, the flight safety is improved. This system is also useful in validate the visual flight procedure design, and it helps to the flight procedure design.

Vision Integrating Strategies in Ophthalmology and Neurochemistry (VISION)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

ganglion cells from pressure-induced damage in a rat model of glaucoma . Brn3b also induced optic nerve regeneration in this model (Stankowska et al. 2013...of glaucoma o Gene therapy with Neuritin1 structurally and functionally protected the retina in ONC model o CHOP knockout mice were structurally and...retinocollicular pathway of mice in a novel model of glaucoma . 2013 Annual Meeting of Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Abstract 421. Liu

[The Performance Analysis for Lighting Sources in Highway Tunnel Based on Visual Function].

PubMed

Yang, Yong; Han, Wen-yuan; Yan, Ming; Jiang, Hai-feng; Zhu, Li-wei

2015-10-01

Under the condition of mesopic vision, the spectral luminous efficiency function is shown as a series of curves. Its peak wavelength and intensity are affected by light spectrum, background brightness and other aspects. The impact of light source to lighting visibility could not be carried out via a single optical parametric characterization. The reaction time of visual cognition is regard as evaluating indexes in this experiment. Under the condition of different speed and luminous environment, testing visual cognition based on vision function method. The light sources include high pressure sodium, electrodeless fluorescent lamp and white LED with three kinds of color temperature (the range of color temperature is from 1 958 to 5 537 K). The background brightness value is used for basic section of highway tunnel illumination and general outdoor illumination, its range is between 1 and 5 cd x m(-)2. All values are in the scope of mesopic vision. Test results show that: under the same condition of speed and luminance, the reaction time of visual cognition that corresponding to high color temperature of light source is shorter than it corresponding to low color temperature; the reaction time corresponding to visual target in high speed is shorter than it in low speed. At the end moment, however, the visual angle of target in observer's visual field that corresponding to low speed was larger than it corresponding to high speed. Based on MOVE model, calculating the equivalent luminance of human mesopic vision, which is on condition of different emission spectrum and background brightness that formed by test lighting sources. Compared with photopic vision result, the standard deviation (CV) of time-reaction curve corresponding to equivalent brightness of mesopic vision is smaller. Under the condition of mesopic vision, the discrepancy between equivalent brightness of different lighting source and photopic vision, that is one of the main reasons for causing the discrepancy of visual recognition. The emission spectrum peak of GaN chip is approximate to the wave length peak of efficiency function in photopic vision. The lighting visual effect of write LED in high color temperature is better than it in low color temperature and electrodeless fluorescent lamp. The lighting visual effect of high pressure sodium is weak. Because of its peak value is around the Na+ characteristic spectra.

A neurophysiologically plausible population code model for feature integration explains visual crowding.

PubMed

van den Berg, Ronald; Roerdink, Jos B T M; Cornelissen, Frans W

2010-01-22

An object in the peripheral visual field is more difficult to recognize when surrounded by other objects. This phenomenon is called "crowding". Crowding places a fundamental constraint on human vision that limits performance on numerous tasks. It has been suggested that crowding results from spatial feature integration necessary for object recognition. However, in the absence of convincing models, this theory has remained controversial. Here, we present a quantitative and physiologically plausible model for spatial integration of orientation signals, based on the principles of population coding. Using simulations, we demonstrate that this model coherently accounts for fundamental properties of crowding, including critical spacing, "compulsory averaging", and a foveal-peripheral anisotropy. Moreover, we show that the model predicts increased responses to correlated visual stimuli. Altogether, these results suggest that crowding has little immediate bearing on object recognition but is a by-product of a general, elementary integration mechanism in early vision aimed at improving signal quality.

Detecting Motion from a Moving Platform; Phase 3: Unification of Control and Sensing for More Advanced Situational Awareness

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

RX-TY-TR-2011-0096-01) develops a novel computer vision sensor based upon the biological vision system of the common housefly , Musca domestica...01 summarizes the development of a novel computer vision sensor based upon the biological vision system of the common housefly , Musca domestica

Photoreceptor Cells With Profound Structural Deficits Can Support Useful Vision in Mice

PubMed Central

Thompson, Stewart; Blodi, Frederick R.; Lee, Swan; Welder, Chris R.; Mullins, Robert F.; Tucker, Budd A.; Stasheff, Steven F.; Stone, Edwin M.

2014-01-01

Purpose. In animal models of degenerative photoreceptor disease, there has been some success in restoring photoreception by transplanting stem cell–derived photoreceptor cells into the subretinal space. However, only a small proportion of transplanted cells develop extended outer segments, considered critical for photoreceptor cell function. The purpose of this study was to determine whether photoreceptor cells that lack a fully formed outer segment could usefully contribute to vision. Methods. Retinal and visual function was tested in wild-type and Rds mice at 90 days of age (RdsP90). Photoreceptor cells of mice homozygous for the Rds mutation in peripherin 2 never develop a fully formed outer segment. The electroretinogram and multielectrode recording of retinal ganglion cells were used to test retinal responses to light. Three distinct visual behaviors were used to assess visual capabilities: the optokinetic tracking response, the discrimination-based visual water task, and a measure of the effect of vision on wheel running. Results. RdsP90 mice had reduced but measurable electroretinogram responses to light, and exhibited light-evoked responses in multiple types of retinal ganglion cells, the output neurons of the retina. In optokinetic and discrimination-based tests, acuity was measurable but reduced, most notably when contrast was decreased. The wheel running test showed that RdsP90 mice needed 3 log units brighter luminance than wild type to support useful vision (10 cd/m2). Conclusions. Photoreceptors that lack fully formed outer segments can support useful vision. This challenges the idea that normal cellular structure needs to be completely reproduced for transplanted cells to contribute to useful vision. PMID:24569582

Target recognition and scene interpretation in image/video understanding systems based on network-symbolic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuvich, Gary

2004-08-01

Vision is only a part of a system that converts visual information into knowledge structures. These structures drive the vision process, resolving ambiguity and uncertainty via feedback, and provide image understanding, which is an interpretation of visual information in terms of these knowledge models. These mechanisms provide a reliable recognition if the object is occluded or cannot be recognized as a whole. It is hard to split the entire system apart, and reliable solutions to the target recognition problems are possible only within the solution of a more generic Image Understanding Problem. Brain reduces informational and computational complexities, using implicit symbolic coding of features, hierarchical compression, and selective processing of visual information. Biologically inspired Network-Symbolic representation, where both systematic structural/logical methods and neural/statistical methods are parts of a single mechanism, is the most feasible for such models. It converts visual information into relational Network-Symbolic structures, avoiding artificial precise computations of 3-dimensional models. Network-Symbolic Transformations derive abstract structures, which allows for invariant recognition of an object as exemplar of a class. Active vision helps creating consistent models. Attention, separation of figure from ground and perceptual grouping are special kinds of network-symbolic transformations. Such Image/Video Understanding Systems will be reliably recognizing targets.

Benchmarking Spike-Based Visual Recognition: A Dataset and Evaluation

PubMed Central

Liu, Qian; Pineda-García, Garibaldi; Stromatias, Evangelos; Serrano-Gotarredona, Teresa; Furber, Steve B.

2016-01-01

Today, increasing attention is being paid to research into spike-based neural computation both to gain a better understanding of the brain and to explore biologically-inspired computation. Within this field, the primate visual pathway and its hierarchical organization have been extensively studied. Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs), inspired by the understanding of observed biological structure and function, have been successfully applied to visual recognition and classification tasks. In addition, implementations on neuromorphic hardware have enabled large-scale networks to run in (or even faster than) real time, making spike-based neural vision processing accessible on mobile robots. Neuromorphic sensors such as silicon retinas are able to feed such mobile systems with real-time visual stimuli. A new set of vision benchmarks for spike-based neural processing are now needed to measure progress quantitatively within this rapidly advancing field. We propose that a large dataset of spike-based visual stimuli is needed to provide meaningful comparisons between different systems, and a corresponding evaluation methodology is also required to measure the performance of SNN models and their hardware implementations. In this paper we first propose an initial NE (Neuromorphic Engineering) dataset based on standard computer vision benchmarksand that uses digits from the MNIST database. This dataset is compatible with the state of current research on spike-based image recognition. The corresponding spike trains are produced using a range of techniques: rate-based Poisson spike generation, rank order encoding, and recorded output from a silicon retina with both flashing and oscillating input stimuli. In addition, a complementary evaluation methodology is presented to assess both model-level and hardware-level performance. Finally, we demonstrate the use of the dataset and the evaluation methodology using two SNN models to validate the performance of the models and their hardware implementations. With this dataset we hope to (1) promote meaningful comparison between algorithms in the field of neural computation, (2) allow comparison with conventional image recognition methods, (3) provide an assessment of the state of the art in spike-based visual recognition, and (4) help researchers identify future directions and advance the field. PMID:27853419

Benchmarking Spike-Based Visual Recognition: A Dataset and Evaluation.

PubMed

Liu, Qian; Pineda-García, Garibaldi; Stromatias, Evangelos; Serrano-Gotarredona, Teresa; Furber, Steve B

2016-01-01

Today, increasing attention is being paid to research into spike-based neural computation both to gain a better understanding of the brain and to explore biologically-inspired computation. Within this field, the primate visual pathway and its hierarchical organization have been extensively studied. Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs), inspired by the understanding of observed biological structure and function, have been successfully applied to visual recognition and classification tasks. In addition, implementations on neuromorphic hardware have enabled large-scale networks to run in (or even faster than) real time, making spike-based neural vision processing accessible on mobile robots. Neuromorphic sensors such as silicon retinas are able to feed such mobile systems with real-time visual stimuli. A new set of vision benchmarks for spike-based neural processing are now needed to measure progress quantitatively within this rapidly advancing field. We propose that a large dataset of spike-based visual stimuli is needed to provide meaningful comparisons between different systems, and a corresponding evaluation methodology is also required to measure the performance of SNN models and their hardware implementations. In this paper we first propose an initial NE (Neuromorphic Engineering) dataset based on standard computer vision benchmarksand that uses digits from the MNIST database. This dataset is compatible with the state of current research on spike-based image recognition. The corresponding spike trains are produced using a range of techniques: rate-based Poisson spike generation, rank order encoding, and recorded output from a silicon retina with both flashing and oscillating input stimuli. In addition, a complementary evaluation methodology is presented to assess both model-level and hardware-level performance. Finally, we demonstrate the use of the dataset and the evaluation methodology using two SNN models to validate the performance of the models and their hardware implementations. With this dataset we hope to (1) promote meaningful comparison between algorithms in the field of neural computation, (2) allow comparison with conventional image recognition methods, (3) provide an assessment of the state of the art in spike-based visual recognition, and (4) help researchers identify future directions and advance the field.

Evaluation of Deep Learning Based Stereo Matching Methods: from Ground to Aerial Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Ji, S.; Zhang, C.; Qin, Z.

2018-05-01

Dense stereo matching has been extensively studied in photogrammetry and computer vision. In this paper we evaluate the application of deep learning based stereo methods, which were raised from 2016 and rapidly spread, on aerial stereos other than ground images that are commonly used in computer vision community. Two popular methods are evaluated. One learns matching cost with a convolutional neural network (known as MC-CNN); the other produces a disparity map in an end-to-end manner by utilizing both geometry and context (known as GC-net). First, we evaluate the performance of the deep learning based methods for aerial stereo images by a direct model reuse. The models pre-trained on KITTI 2012, KITTI 2015 and Driving datasets separately, are directly applied to three aerial datasets. We also give the results of direct training on target aerial datasets. Second, the deep learning based methods are compared to the classic stereo matching method, Semi-Global Matching(SGM), and a photogrammetric software, SURE, on the same aerial datasets. Third, transfer learning strategy is introduced to aerial image matching based on the assumption of a few target samples available for model fine tuning. It experimentally proved that the conventional methods and the deep learning based methods performed similarly, and the latter had greater potential to be explored.

The Iowa Model for Pediatric Low Vision Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkinson, Mark E.; Stewart, Ian; Trantham, Carole S.

2000-01-01

This article describes the evolution of Iowa's model of low vision care for students with visual impairments. It reviews the benefits of a transdisciplinary team approach to providing low vision services for children with visual impairments, including a decrease in the number of students requiring large-print materials and related costs. (Contains…

Robust Spatial Autoregressive Modeling for Hardwood Log Inspection

Treesearch

Dongping Zhu; A.A. Beex

1994-01-01

We explore the application of a stochastic texture modeling method toward a machine vision system for log inspection in the forest products industry. This machine vision system uses computerized tomography (CT) imaging to locate and identify internal defects in hardwood logs. The application of CT to such industrial vision problems requires efficient and robust image...

Effects of self-reported hearing or vision impairment on depressive symptoms: a population-based longitudinal study.

PubMed

Han, J H; Lee, H J; Jung, J; Park, E-C

2018-02-08

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of either hearing, vision or dual sensory impairment on depressive symptoms and to identify subgroups that are vulnerable and significantly affected. Data from the 2006-2014 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) were used and a total of 5832 individuals were included in this study. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D10) scale. Sensory impairment was assessed according to the levels of self-reported hearing or vision, which were categorised as either good (excellent, very good or good) or poor (fair or poor). The changes in hearing or vision from records of previous survey were investigated. Changes from good to poor, which indicates new onset, were defined as hearing impairment or vision impairment. Interactions of changes in hearing and vision were considered in the analysis. Dual sensory impairment was indicated when hearing impairment and vision impairment both developed at the same time. Demographic, socioeconomic and health-related factors were considered as potential confounders and were adjusted for in the generalised estimating equation model. Individuals with hearing impairment demonstrated significantly more severe depressive symptoms [β = 0.434, standard errors (s.e.) = 0.097, p < 0.001] than those who had good hearing. Those with vision impairment also showed significantly elevated depressive symptoms (β = 0.253, s.e. = 0.058, p < 0.001) than those with good vision. When the interactions between hearing and vision were considered, participants with dual sensory impairment showed significantly more severe depressive symptoms (β = 0.768, s.e. = 0.197, p < 0.001) than those with good hearing and vision. The effect of a single and dual sensory impairment on depressive symptoms was significant in both sexes and across age groups, except for vision impairment in male participants. Hearing, vision and dual sensory impairment are significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Our results suggest that treatment or rehabilitation of either hearing or vision impairment would help prevent depression.

Microscope self-calibration based on micro laser line imaging and soft computing algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apolinar Muñoz Rodríguez, J.

2018-06-01

A technique to perform microscope self-calibration via micro laser line and soft computing algorithms is presented. In this technique, the microscope vision parameters are computed by means of soft computing algorithms based on laser line projection. To implement the self-calibration, a microscope vision system is constructed by means of a CCD camera and a 38 μm laser line. From this arrangement, the microscope vision parameters are represented via Bezier approximation networks, which are accomplished through the laser line position. In this procedure, a genetic algorithm determines the microscope vision parameters by means of laser line imaging. Also, the approximation networks compute the three-dimensional vision by means of the laser line position. Additionally, the soft computing algorithms re-calibrate the vision parameters when the microscope vision system is modified during the vision task. The proposed self-calibration improves accuracy of the traditional microscope calibration, which is accomplished via external references to the microscope system. The capability of the self-calibration based on soft computing algorithms is determined by means of the calibration accuracy and the micro-scale measurement error. This contribution is corroborated by an evaluation based on the accuracy of the traditional microscope calibration.

Pre-operative segmentation of neck CT datasets for the planning of neck dissections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cordes, Jeanette; Dornheim, Jana; Preim, Bernhard; Hertel, Ilka; Strauss, Gero

2006-03-01

For the pre-operative segmentation of CT neck datasets, we developed the software assistant NeckVision. The relevant anatomical structures for neck dissection planning can be segmented and the resulting patient-specific 3D-models are visualized afterwards in another software system for intervention planning. As a first step, we examined the appropriateness of elementary segmentation techniques based on gray values and contour information to extract the structures in the neck region from CT data. Region growing, interactive watershed transformation and live-wire are employed for segmentation of different target structures. It is also examined, which of the segmentation tasks can be automated. Based on this analysis, the software assistant NeckVision was developed to optimally support the workflow of image analysis for clinicians. The usability of NeckVision was tested within a first evaluation with four otorhinolaryngologists from the university hospital of Leipzig, four computer scientists from the university of Magdeburg and two laymen in both fields.

Machine vision method for online surface inspection of easy open can ends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariño, Perfecto; Pastoriza, Vicente; Santamaría, Miguel

2006-10-01

Easy open can end manufacturing process in the food canning sector currently makes use of a manual, non-destructive testing procedure to guarantee can end repair coating quality. This surface inspection is based on a visual inspection made by human inspectors. Due to the high production rate (100 to 500 ends per minute) only a small part of each lot is verified (statistical sampling), then an automatic, online, inspection system, based on machine vision, has been developed to improve this quality control. The inspection system uses a fuzzy model to make the acceptance/rejection decision for each can end from the information obtained by the vision sensor. In this work, the inspection method is presented. This surface inspection system checks the total production, classifies the ends in agreement with an expert human inspector, supplies interpretability to the operators in order to find out the failure causes and reduce mean time to repair during failures, and allows to modify the minimum can end repair coating quality.

Autonomous proximity operations using machine vision for trajectory control and pose estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cleghorn, Timothy F.; Sternberg, Stanley R.

1991-01-01

A machine vision algorithm was developed which permits guidance control to be maintained during autonomous proximity operations. At present this algorithm exists as a simulation, running upon an 80386 based personal computer, using a ModelMATE CAD package to render the target vehicle. However, the algorithm is sufficiently simple, so that following off-line training on a known target vehicle, it should run in real time with existing vision hardware. The basis of the algorithm is a sequence of single camera images of the target vehicle, upon which radial transforms were performed. Selected points of the resulting radial signatures are fed through a decision tree, to determine whether the signature matches that of the known reference signatures for a particular view of the target. Based upon recognized scenes, the position of the maneuvering vehicle with respect to the target vehicles can be calculated, and adjustments made in the former's trajectory. In addition, the pose and spin rates of the target satellite can be estimated using this method.

Assessment of Safety and Functional Efficacy of Stem Cell-Based Therapeutic Approaches Using Retinal Degenerative Animal Models

PubMed Central

Lin, Tai-Chi; Zhu, Danhong; Hinton, David R.; Clegg, Dennis O.; Humayun, Mark S.

2017-01-01

Dysfunction and death of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and or photoreceptors can lead to irreversible vision loss. The eye represents an ideal microenvironment for stem cell-based therapy. It is considered an “immune privileged” site, and the number of cells needed for therapy is relatively low for the area of focused vision (macula). Further, surgical placement of stem cell-derived grafts (RPE, retinal progenitors, and photoreceptor precursors) into the vitreous cavity or subretinal space has been well established. For preclinical tests, assessments of stem cell-derived graft survival and functionality are conducted in animal models by various noninvasive approaches and imaging modalities. In vivo experiments conducted in animal models based on replacing photoreceptors and/or RPE cells have shown survival and functionality of the transplanted cells, rescue of the host retina, and improvement of visual function. Based on the positive results obtained from these animal experiments, human clinical trials are being initiated. Despite such progress in stem cell research, ethical, regulatory, safety, and technical difficulties still remain a challenge for the transformation of this technique into a standard clinical approach. In this review, the current status of preclinical safety and efficacy studies for retinal cell replacement therapies conducted in animal models will be discussed. PMID:28928775

Developing a machine vision system for simultaneous prediction of freshness indicators based on tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) pupil and gill color during storage at 4°C.

PubMed

Shi, Ce; Qian, Jianping; Han, Shuai; Fan, Beilei; Yang, Xinting; Wu, Xiaoming

2018-03-15

The study assessed the feasibility of developing a machine vision system based on pupil and gill color changes in tilapia for simultaneous prediction of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and total viable counts (TVC) during storage at 4°C. The pupils and gills were chosen and color space conversion among RGB, HSI and L ∗ a ∗ b ∗ color spaces was performed automatically by an image processing algorithm. Multiple regression models were established by correlating pupil and gill color parameters with TVB-N, TVC and TBA (R 2 =0.989-0.999). However, assessment of freshness based on gill color is destructive and time-consuming because gill cover must be removed before images are captured. Finally, visualization maps of spoilage based on pupil color were achieved using image algorithms. The results show that assessment of tilapia pupil color parameters using machine vision can be used as a low-cost, on-line method for predicting freshness during 4°C storage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of Crack Identification Techniques for an Aging Concrete Bridge Inspection Using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

PubMed

Kim, In-Ho; Jeon, Haemin; Baek, Seung-Chan; Hong, Won-Hwa; Jung, Hyung-Jo

2018-06-08

Bridge inspection using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with high performance vision sensors has received considerable attention due to its safety and reliability. As bridges become obsolete, the number of bridges that need to be inspected increases, and they require much maintenance cost. Therefore, a bridge inspection method based on UAV with vision sensors is proposed as one of the promising strategies to maintain bridges. In this paper, a crack identification method by using a commercial UAV with a high resolution vision sensor is investigated in an aging concrete bridge. First, a point cloud-based background model is generated in the preliminary flight. Then, cracks on the structural surface are detected with the deep learning algorithm, and their thickness and length are calculated. In the deep learning method, region with convolutional neural networks (R-CNN)-based transfer learning is applied. As a result, a new network for the 384 collected crack images of 256 × 256 pixel resolution is generated from the pre-trained network. A field test is conducted to verify the proposed approach, and the experimental results proved that the UAV-based bridge inspection is effective at identifying and quantifying the cracks on the structures.

Computer vision based nacre thickness measurement of Tahitian pearls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loesdau, Martin; Chabrier, Sébastien; Gabillon, Alban

2017-03-01

The Tahitian Pearl is the most valuable export product of French Polynesia contributing with over 61 million Euros to more than 50% of the total export income. To maintain its excellent reputation on the international market, an obligatory quality control for every pearl deemed for exportation has been established by the local government. One of the controlled quality parameters is the pearls nacre thickness. The evaluation is currently done manually by experts that are visually analyzing X-ray images of the pearls. In this article, a computer vision based approach to automate this procedure is presented. Even though computer vision based approaches for pearl nacre thickness measurement exist in the literature, the very specific features of the Tahitian pearl, namely the large shape variety and the occurrence of cavities, have so far not been considered. The presented work closes the. Our method consists of segmenting the pearl from X-ray images with a model-based approach, segmenting the pearls nucleus with an own developed heuristic circle detection and segmenting possible cavities with region growing. Out of the obtained boundaries, the 2-dimensional nacre thickness profile can be calculated. A certainty measurement to consider imaging and segmentation imprecisions is included in the procedure. The proposed algorithms are tested on 298 manually evaluated Tahitian pearls, showing that it is generally possible to automatically evaluate the nacre thickness of Tahitian pearls with computer vision. Furthermore the results show that the automatic measurement is more precise and faster than the manual one.

A Public-Health-Based Vision for the Management and Regulation of Psychedelics.

PubMed

Haden, Mark; Emerson, Brian; Tupper, Kenneth W

2016-01-01

The Health Officers Council of British Columbia has proposed post-prohibition regulatory models for currently illegal drugs based on public health principles, and this article continues this work by proposing a model for the regulation and management of psychedelics. This article outlines recent research on psychedelic substances and the key determinants of benefit and harm from their use. It then describes a public-health-based model for the regulation of psychedelics, which includes governance, supervision, set and setting controls, youth access, supply control, demand limitation, and evaluation.

Self calibration of the stereo vision system of the Chang'e-3 lunar rover based on the bundle block adjustment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shuo; Liu, Shaochuang; Ma, Youqing; Qi, Chen; Ma, Hao; Yang, Huan

2017-06-01

The Chang'e-3 was the first lunar soft landing probe of China. It was composed of the lander and the lunar rover. The Chang'e-3 successful landed in the northwest of the Mare Imbrium in December 14, 2013. The lunar rover completed the movement, imaging and geological survey after landing. The lunar rover equipped with a stereo vision system which was made up of the Navcam system, the mast mechanism and the inertial measurement unit (IMU). The Navcam system composed of two cameras with the fixed focal length. The mast mechanism was a robot with three revolute joints. The stereo vision system was used to determine the position of the lunar rover, generate the digital elevation models (DEM) of the surrounding region and plan the moving paths of the lunar rover. The stereo vision system must be calibrated before use. The control field could be built to calibrate the stereo vision system in the laboratory on the earth. However, the parameters of the stereo vision system would change after the launch, the orbital changes, the braking and the landing. Therefore, the stereo vision system should be self calibrated on the moon. An integrated self calibration method based on the bundle block adjustment is proposed in this paper. The bundle block adjustment uses each bundle of ray as the basic adjustment unit and the adjustment is implemented in the whole photogrammetric region. The stereo vision system can be self calibrated with the proposed method under the unknown lunar environment and all parameters can be estimated simultaneously. The experiment was conducted in the ground lunar simulation field. The proposed method was compared with other methods such as the CAHVOR method, the vanishing point method, the Denavit-Hartenberg method, the factorization method and the weighted least-squares method. The analyzed result proved that the accuracy of the proposed method was superior to those of other methods. Finally, the proposed method was practical used to self calibrate the stereo vision system of the Chang'e-3 lunar rover on the moon.

The Effects of Low-Vision Rehabilitation on Reading Speed and Depression in Age Related Macular Degeneration: A Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Hamade, Noura; Hodge, William G; Rakibuz-Zaman, Muhammad; Malvankar-Mehta, Monali S

2016-01-01

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye disease that, as of 2015, has affected 11 million people in the U.S. and 1.5 million in Canada causing central vision blindness. By 2050, this number is expected to double to 22 million. Eccentric vision is the target of low-vision rehabilitation aids and programs for patients with AMD, which are thought to improve functional performance by improving reading speed and depression. This study evaluates the effect of various low-vision rehabilitation strategies on reading speed and depression in patients 55 and older with AMD. Computer databases including MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), BIOSIS Previews (Thomson-Reuters), CINAHL (EBSCO), Health Economic Evaluations Database (HEED), ISI Web of Science (Thomson-Reuters) and the Cochrane Library (Wiley) were searched from the year 2000 to January 2015. Included papers were research studies with a sample size of 20 eyes or greater focused on AMD in adults aged 55 or older with low vision (20/60 or lower). Two independent reviewers screened and extracted relevant data from the included articles. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was chosen as an effect size to perform meta-analysis using STATA. Fixed- and random-effect models were developed based on heterogeneity. Reading Speed and Depression Scores. A total of 9 studies (885 subjects) were included. Overall, a significant improvement in reading speed was found with a SMD of 1.01 [95% CI: 0.05 to 1.97]. Low-vision rehabilitation strategies including micro-perimetric biofeedback, microscopes teaching program significantly improved reading speed. Eccentric viewing training showed the maximum improvement in reading speed. In addition, a non-significant improvement in depression scores was found with a SMD of -0.44 [95% CI: -0.96 to 0.09]. A considerable amount of research is required in the area of low-vision rehabilitation strategies for patients with AMD. Based on current research, low-vision rehabilitation aids improve reading speed. However, they do not have a significant effect on depression scores in those 55 and older with AMD.

Moving into the 'patient-centred medical home': reforming Australian general practice.

PubMed

Hayes, Paul; Lynch, Anthony; Stiffe, Jenni

2016-09-01

The Australian healthcare system is a complex network of services and providers funded and administered by federal, state and territory governments, supplemented by private health insurance and patient contributions. The broad geographical range, complexity and increasing demand within the Australian healthcare sector mean health expenditure is high. Aspects of current funding for the healthcare system have attracted criticism from medical practitioners, patients, representative organisations and independent statutory agencies. In response to the problems in primary care funding in Australia, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners developed the Vision for general practice and a sustainable healthcare system (the Vision). The Vision presents a plan to improve healthcare delivery in Australia through greater quality, access and efficiency by reorienting how general practice services are funded based on the 'patient-centred medical home' model.

Beyond speculative robot ethics: a vision assessment study on the future of the robotic caretaker.

PubMed

van der Plas, Arjanna; Smits, Martijntje; Wehrmann, Caroline

2010-11-01

In this article we develop a dialogue model for robot technology experts and designated users to discuss visions on the future of robotics in long-term care. Our vision assessment study aims for more distinguished and more informed visions on future robots. Surprisingly, our experiment also led to some promising co-designed robot concepts in which jointly articulated moral guidelines are embedded. With our model, we think to have designed an interesting response on a recent call for a less speculative ethics of technology by encouraging discussions about the quality of positive and negative visions on the future of robotics.

Model-Based Control using Model and Mechanization Fusion Techniques for Image-Aided Navigation

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

Magnet Motors . Magna Physics Publishing, Hillsboro, OH, 1994. 7. Houwu Bai, Xubo Song, Eric Wan and Andriy Myronenko. “Vision-only Navi- gation and...filter”. Proceedings of the Recent Advances in Space Technologies (RAST). Nov 2003. 6. Hendershot, J.R. and Tje Miller. Design of Brushless Permanent

Eminence-Focused Gifted Education: Concerns about Forward Movement Void of an Equity Vision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grantham, Tarek C.

2012-01-01

This article is based on Grantham's commentary on an eminence-focused gifted education model developed by Subotnik, Olszewski-Kubilius, and Worrell. Grantham primarily reviews the model from an equity perspective, taking into account the changing demographics in the nation's public schools. Specifically, Grantham asserts that education leaders…

History Places: A Case Study for Relational Database and Information Retrieval System Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendry, David G.

2007-01-01

This article presents a project-based case study that was developed for students with diverse backgrounds and varied inclinations for engaging technical topics. The project, called History Places, requires that student teams develop a vision for a kind of digital library, propose a conceptual model, and use the model to derive a logical model and…

Ontological Representation of Light Wave Camera Data to Support Vision-Based AmI

PubMed Central

Serrano, Miguel Ángel; Gómez-Romero, Juan; Patricio, Miguel Ángel; García, Jesús; Molina, José Manuel

2012-01-01

Recent advances in technologies for capturing video data have opened a vast amount of new application areas in visual sensor networks. Among them, the incorporation of light wave cameras on Ambient Intelligence (AmI) environments provides more accurate tracking capabilities for activity recognition. Although the performance of tracking algorithms has quickly improved, symbolic models used to represent the resulting knowledge have not yet been adapted to smart environments. This lack of representation does not allow to take advantage of the semantic quality of the information provided by new sensors. This paper advocates for the introduction of a part-based representational level in cognitive-based systems in order to accurately represent the novel sensors' knowledge. The paper also reviews the theoretical and practical issues in part-whole relationships proposing a specific taxonomy for computer vision approaches. General part-based patterns for human body and transitive part-based representation and inference are incorporated to an ontology-based previous framework to enhance scene interpretation in the area of video-based AmI. The advantages and new features of the model are demonstrated in a Social Signal Processing (SSP) application for the elaboration of live market researches.

Ability of bottle cap color to facilitate accurate glaucoma patient-physician communication regarding medication identity

PubMed Central

Dave, Pujan; Villarreal, Guadalupe; Friedman, David S.; Kahook, Malik Y.; Ramulu, Pradeep Y.

2015-01-01

Objective To determine the accuracy of patient-physician communication regarding topical ophthalmic medication use based on bottle cap color, particularly amongst individuals who may have acquired color vision deficiency from glaucoma. Design Cross-sectional, clinical study. Participants Patients ≥ 18 years old with primary open-angle, primary angle-closure, pseudoexfoliation, or pigment dispersion glaucoma, bilateral visual acuity of 20/400 or better, and no concurrent conditions that may affect color vision. Methods One hundred patients provided color descriptions of 11 distinct medication bottle caps. Patient-produced color descriptors were then presented to three physicians. Each physician matched each color descriptor to the medication they thought the descriptor was describing. Main Outcome Measures Frequency of patient-physician agreement, occurring when all three physicians accurately matched the patient-produced color descriptor to the correct medication. Multivariate regression models evaluated whether patient-physician agreement decreased with degree of better-eye visual field (VF) damage, color descriptor heterogeneity, and/or color vision deficiency, as determined by Hardy-Rand-Rittler (HRR) score and the Lanthony D15 testing index (D15 CCI). Results Subjects had a mean age of 69 (±11) years, with mean VF mean deviation of −4.7 (±6.0) and −10.9 (±8.4) dB in the better- and worse-seeing eyes, respectively. Patients produced 102 unique color descriptors to describe the colors of the 11 tested bottle caps. Among individual patients, the mean number of medications demonstrating patient-physician agreement was 6.1/11 (55.5%). Agreement was less than 15% for 4 medications (prednisolone acetate [generic], betaxolol HCl [Betoptic], brinzolamide/brimonidine [Simbrinza], and latanoprost [Xalatan]). Lower HRR scores and higher D15 CCI (both indicating worse color vision) were associated with greater VF damage (p<0.001). Extent of color vision deficiency and color descriptor heterogeneity were the only significant predictors of patient-physician agreement in multivariate models (odds of agreement = 0.90 per 1 point decrement in HRR score, p<0.001; odds of agreement = 0.30 for medications exhibiting high heterogeneity [≥ 11 descriptors], p=0.007). Conclusions Physician understanding of patient medication usage based solely on bottle cap color is frequently incorrect, particularly in glaucoma patients who may have color vision deficiency. Errors based on communication using bottle cap color alone may be common and could lead to confusion and harm. PMID:26260280

Illumination-based synchronization of high-speed vision sensors.

PubMed

Hou, Lei; Kagami, Shingo; Hashimoto, Koichi

2010-01-01

To acquire images of dynamic scenes from multiple points of view simultaneously, the acquisition time of vision sensors should be synchronized. This paper describes an illumination-based synchronization method derived from the phase-locked loop (PLL) algorithm. Incident light to a vision sensor from an intensity-modulated illumination source serves as the reference signal for synchronization. Analog and digital computation within the vision sensor forms a PLL to regulate the output signal, which corresponds to the vision frame timing, to be synchronized with the reference. Simulated and experimental results show that a 1,000 Hz frame rate vision sensor was successfully synchronized with 32 μs jitters.

A Vision-Based Driver Nighttime Assistance and Surveillance System Based on Intelligent Image Sensing Techniques and a Heterogamous Dual-Core Embedded System Architecture

PubMed Central

Chen, Yen-Lin; Chiang, Hsin-Han; Chiang, Chuan-Yen; Liu, Chuan-Ming; Yuan, Shyan-Ming; Wang, Jenq-Haur

2012-01-01

This study proposes a vision-based intelligent nighttime driver assistance and surveillance system (VIDASS system) implemented by a set of embedded software components and modules, and integrates these modules to accomplish a component-based system framework on an embedded heterogamous dual-core platform. Therefore, this study develops and implements computer vision and sensing techniques of nighttime vehicle detection, collision warning determination, and traffic event recording. The proposed system processes the road-scene frames in front of the host car captured from CCD sensors mounted on the host vehicle. These vision-based sensing and processing technologies are integrated and implemented on an ARM-DSP heterogamous dual-core embedded platform. Peripheral devices, including image grabbing devices, communication modules, and other in-vehicle control devices, are also integrated to form an in-vehicle-embedded vision-based nighttime driver assistance and surveillance system. PMID:22736956

A vision-based driver nighttime assistance and surveillance system based on intelligent image sensing techniques and a heterogamous dual-core embedded system architecture.

PubMed

Chen, Yen-Lin; Chiang, Hsin-Han; Chiang, Chuan-Yen; Liu, Chuan-Ming; Yuan, Shyan-Ming; Wang, Jenq-Haur

2012-01-01

This study proposes a vision-based intelligent nighttime driver assistance and surveillance system (VIDASS system) implemented by a set of embedded software components and modules, and integrates these modules to accomplish a component-based system framework on an embedded heterogamous dual-core platform. Therefore, this study develops and implements computer vision and sensing techniques of nighttime vehicle detection, collision warning determination, and traffic event recording. The proposed system processes the road-scene frames in front of the host car captured from CCD sensors mounted on the host vehicle. These vision-based sensing and processing technologies are integrated and implemented on an ARM-DSP heterogamous dual-core embedded platform. Peripheral devices, including image grabbing devices, communication modules, and other in-vehicle control devices, are also integrated to form an in-vehicle-embedded vision-based nighttime driver assistance and surveillance system.

A comparative study of multi-sensor data fusion methods for highly accurate assessment of manufactured parts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hannachi, Ammar; Kohler, Sophie; Lallement, Alex; Hirsch, Ernest

2015-04-01

3D modeling of scene contents takes an increasing importance for many computer vision based applications. In particular, industrial applications of computer vision require efficient tools for the computation of this 3D information. Routinely, stereo-vision is a powerful technique to obtain the 3D outline of imaged objects from the corresponding 2D images. As a consequence, this approach provides only a poor and partial description of the scene contents. On another hand, for structured light based reconstruction techniques, 3D surfaces of imaged objects can often be computed with high accuracy. However, the resulting active range data in this case lacks to provide data enabling to characterize the object edges. Thus, in order to benefit from the positive points of various acquisition techniques, we introduce in this paper promising approaches, enabling to compute complete 3D reconstruction based on the cooperation of two complementary acquisition and processing techniques, in our case stereoscopic and structured light based methods, providing two 3D data sets describing respectively the outlines and surfaces of the imaged objects. We present, accordingly, the principles of three fusion techniques and their comparison based on evaluation criterions related to the nature of the workpiece and also the type of the tackled application. The proposed fusion methods are relying on geometric characteristics of the workpiece, which favour the quality of the registration. Further, the results obtained demonstrate that the developed approaches are well adapted for 3D modeling of manufactured parts including free-form surfaces and, consequently quality control applications using these 3D reconstructions.

A position and attitude vision measurement system for wind tunnel slender model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Lei; Yang, Yinong; Xue, Bindang; Zhou, Fugen; Bai, Xiangzhi

2014-11-01

A position and attitude vision measurement system for drop test slender model in wind tunnel is designed and developed. The system used two high speed cameras, one is put to the side of the model and another is put to the position where the camera can look up the model. Simple symbols are set on the model. The main idea of the system is based on image matching technique between the 3D-digital model projection image and the image captured by the camera. At first, we evaluate the pitch angles, the roll angles and the position of the centroid of a model through recognizing symbols in the images captured by the side camera. And then, based on the evaluated attitude info, giving a series of yaw angles, a series of projection images of the 3D-digital model are obtained. Finally, these projection images are matched with the image which captured by the looking up camera, and the best match's projection images corresponds to the yaw angle is the very yaw angle of the model. Simulation experiments are conducted and the results show that the maximal error of attitude measurement is less than 0.05°, which can meet the demand of test in wind tunnel.

VAS: A Vision Advisor System combining agents and object-oriented databases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eilbert, James L.; Lim, William; Mendelsohn, Jay; Braun, Ron; Yearwood, Michael

1994-01-01

A model-based approach to identifying and finding the orientation of non-overlapping parts on a tray has been developed. The part models contain both exact and fuzzy descriptions of part features, and are stored in an object-oriented database. Full identification of the parts involves several interacting tasks each of which is handled by a distinct agent. Using fuzzy information stored in the model allowed part features that were essentially at the noise level to be extracted and used for identification. This was done by focusing attention on the portion of the part where the feature must be found if the current hypothesis of the part ID is correct. In going from one set of parts to another the only thing that needs to be changed is the database of part models. This work is part of an effort in developing a Vision Advisor System (VAS) that combines agents and objected-oriented databases.

Scene analysis for effective visual search in rough three-dimensional-modeling scenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qi; Hu, Xiaopeng

2016-11-01

Visual search is a fundamental technology in the computer vision community. It is difficult to find an object in complex scenes when there exist similar distracters in the background. We propose a target search method in rough three-dimensional-modeling scenes based on a vision salience theory and camera imaging model. We give the definition of salience of objects (or features) and explain the way that salience measurements of objects are calculated. Also, we present one type of search path that guides to the target through salience objects. Along the search path, when the previous objects are localized, the search region of each subsequent object decreases, which is calculated through imaging model and an optimization method. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method is capable of resolving the ambiguities resulting from distracters containing similar visual features with the target, leading to an improvement of search speed by over 50%.

Reproducibility of an objective four-choice canine vision testing technique that assesses vision at differing light intensities.

PubMed

Annear, Matthew J; Gornik, Kara R; Venturi, Francesca L; Hauptman, Joe G; Bartoe, Joshua T; Petersen-Jones, Simon M

2013-09-01

The increasing importance of canine retinal dystrophy models means accurate vision testing is needed. This study was performed to evaluate a four-choice vision testing technique for any difference in outcome measures with repeated evaluations of the same dogs.   Four 11-month-old RPE65-deficient dogs. Vision was evaluated using a previously described four-choice vision testing device. Four evaluations were performed at 2-week intervals. Vision was assessed at six different white light intensities (bright through dim), and each eye was evaluated separately. The ability to select the one of the four exit tunnels that was open at the far end was assessed ('choice of exit') and recorded as correct or incorrect first tunnel choice. 'Time to exit' the device was also recorded. Both outcomes were analyzed for significance using anova. We hypothesized that performance would improve with repeated testing (more correct choices and more rapid time to exit). 'Choice of exit' did not vary significantly between each evaluation (P = 0.12), in contrast 'time to exit' increased significantly (P = 0.012), and showed greater variability in dim light conditions. We found no evidence to support the hypothesis that either measure of outcome worsened with repeated testing; in fact, the 'time to exit' outcome worsened rather than improved. The 'choice of exit' gave consistent results between trials. These outcome data indicate the importance of including a choice-based assessment of vision in addition to measurement of device transit time. © 2012 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

Impact of age-related macular degeneration in patients with glaucoma: understanding the patients' perspective.

PubMed

Skalicky, Simon E; Fenwick, Eva; Martin, Keith R; Crowston, Jonathan; Goldberg, Ivan; McCluskey, Peter

2016-07-01

The aim of the study is to measure the impact of age-related macular degeneration on vision-related activity limitation and preference-based status for glaucoma patients. This was a cross-sectional study. Two-hundred glaucoma patients of whom 73 had age-related macular degeneration were included in the research. Sociodemographic information, visual field parameters and visual acuity were collected. Age-related macular degeneration was scored using the Age-Related Eye Disease Study system. The Rasch-analysed Glaucoma Activity Limitation-9 and the Visual Function Questionnaire Utility Index measured vision-related activity limitation and preference-based status, respectively. Regression models determined factors predictive of vision-related activity limitation and preference-based status. Differential item functioning compared Glaucoma Activity Limitation-9 item difficulty for those with and without age-related macular degeneration. Mean age was 73.7 (±10.1) years. Lower better eye mean deviation (β: 1.42, 95% confidence interval: 1.24-1.63, P < 0.001) and age-related macular degeneration (β: 1.26 95% confidence interval: 1.10-1.44, P = 0.001) were independently associated with worse vision-related activity limitation. Worse eye visual acuity (β: 0.978, 95% confidence interval: 0.961-0.996, P = 0.018), high risk age-related macular degeneration (β: 0.981, 95% confidence interval: 0.965-0.998, P = 0.028) and severe glaucoma (β: 0.982, 95% confidence interval: 0.966-0.998, P = 0.032) were independently associated with worse preference-based status. Glaucoma patients with age-related macular degeneration found using stairs, walking on uneven ground and judging distances of foot to step/curb significantly more difficult than those without age-related macular degeneration. Vision-related activity limitation and preference-based status are negatively impacted by severe glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. Patients with both conditions perceive increased difficulty walking safely compared with patients with glaucoma alone. © 2015 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Vision Effects: A Critical Gap in Educational Leadership Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kantabutra, Sooksan

2010-01-01

Purpose: Although leaders are widely believed to employ visions, little is known about what constitutes an "effective" vision, particularly in the higher education sector. This paper seeks to proposes a research model for examining relationships between vision components and performance of higher education institutions, as measured by financial…

A Model for Integrating Low Vision Services into Educational Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jose, Randall T.; And Others

1988-01-01

A project integrating low-vision services into children's educational programs comprised four components: teacher training, functional vision evaluations for each child, a clinical examination by an optometrist, and follow-up visits with the optometrist to evaluate the prescribed low-vision aids. Educational implications of the project and project…

Recognizing 3 D Objects from 2D Images Using Structural Knowledge Base of Genetic Views

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-31

technical report. [BIE85] I. Biederman , "Human image understanding: Recent research and a theory", Computer Vision, Graphics, and Image Processing, vol...model bases", Technical Report 87-85, COINS Dept, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, August 1987 . [BUR87b) Burns, J. B. and L. J. Kitchen...34Recognition in 2D images of 3D objects from large model bases using prediction hierarchies", Proc. IJCAI-10, 1987 . [BUR891 J. B. Burns, forthcoming

A Multiscale Vision Model applied to analyze EIT images of the solar corona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portier-Fozzani, F.; Vandame, B.; Bijaoui, A.; Maucherat, A. J.; EIT Team

2001-07-01

The large dynamic range provided by the SOHO/EIT CCD (1 : 5000) is needed to observe the large EUV zoom of coronal structures from coronal homes up to flares. Histograms show that often a wide dynamic range is present in each image. Extracting hidden structures in the background level requires specific techniques such as the use of the Multiscale Vision Model (MVM, Bijaoui et al., 1998). This method, based on wavelet transformations optimizes detection of various size objects, however complex they may be. Bijaoui et al. built the Multiscale Vision Model to extract small dynamical structures from noise, mainly for studying galaxies. In this paper, we describe requirements for the use of this method with SOHO/EIT images (calibration, size of the image, dynamics of the subimage, etc.). Two different areas were studied revealing hidden structures: (1) classical coronal mass ejection (CME) formation and (2) a complex group of active regions with its evolution. The aim of this paper is to define carefully the constraints for this new method of imaging the solar corona with SOHO/EIT. Physical analysis derived from multi-wavelength observations will later complete these first results.

A self-learning camera for the validation of highly variable and pseudorandom patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, Michael

2004-05-01

Reliable and productive manufacturing operations have depended on people to quickly detect and solve problems whenever they appear. Over the last 20 years, more and more manufacturing operations have embraced machine vision systems to increase productivity, reliability and cost-effectiveness, including reducing the number of human operators required. Although machine vision technology has long been capable of solving simple problems, it has still not been broadly implemented. The reason is that until now, no machine vision system has been designed to meet the unique demands of complicated pattern recognition. The ZiCAM family was specifically developed to be the first practical hardware to meet these needs. To be able to address non-traditional applications, the machine vision industry must include smart camera technology that meets its users" demands for lower costs, better performance and the ability to address applications of irregular lighting, patterns and color. The next-generation smart cameras will need to evolve as a fundamentally different kind of sensor, with new technology that behaves like a human but performs like a computer. Neural network based systems, coupled with self-taught, n-space, non-linear modeling, promises to be the enabler of the next generation of machine vision equipment. Image processing technology is now available that enables a system to match an operator"s subjectivity. A Zero-Instruction-Set-Computer (ZISC) powered smart camera allows high-speed fuzzy-logic processing, without the need for computer programming. This can address applications of validating highly variable and pseudo-random patterns. A hardware-based implementation of a neural network, Zero-Instruction-Set-Computer, enables a vision system to "think" and "inspect" like a human, with the speed and reliability of a machine.

Measuring the impact of cataract surgery on generic and vision-specific quality of life.

PubMed

Groessl, Erik J; Liu, Lin; Sklar, Marisa; Tally, Steven R; Kaplan, Robert M; Ganiats, Theodore G

2013-08-01

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide and cause visual impairment for millions of adults in the United States. We compared the sensitivity of a vision-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measure to that of multiple generic measures of HRQOL before and at 2 time points after cataract surgery. Participants completed 1 vision-specific and 5 generic quality of life measures before cataract surgery, and again 1 and 6 months after surgery. Random effects modeling was used to measure changes over the three assessment points. The NEI-VFQ25 total score and all 11 subscales showed significant improvements during the first interval (baseline and 1 month). During the second interval (1-6 months post-surgery), significant improvements were observed on the total score and 5 of 11 NEI-VFQ25 subscales. There were significant increases in HRQOL during the first interval on some preference-based generic HRQOL measures, though changes during the second interval were mostly non-significant. None of the SF-36v2™ or SF6D scales changed significantly between any of the assessment periods. The NEI-VFQ25 was sensitive to changes in vision-specific domains of QOL. Some preference-based generic HRQOL measures were also sensitive to change and showed convergence with the NEI-VFQ25, but the effects were small. The SF-36v2™ and SF-6D did not change in a similar manner, possibly reflecting a lack of vision-related content. Studies seeking to document both the vision-specific and generic HRQOL improvements of cataract surgery should consider these results when selecting measures.

Computational approaches to vision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrow, H. G.; Tenenbaum, J. M.

1986-01-01

Vision is examined in terms of a computational process, and the competence, structure, and control of computer vision systems are analyzed. Theoretical and experimental data on the formation of a computer vision system are discussed. Consideration is given to early vision, the recovery of intrinsic surface characteristics, higher levels of interpretation, and system integration and control. A computational visual processing model is proposed and its architecture and operation are described. Examples of state-of-the-art vision systems, which include some of the levels of representation and processing mechanisms, are presented.

Image Understanding Architecture

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

architecture to support real-time, knowledge -based image understanding , and develop the software support environment that will be needed to utilize...NUMBER OF PAGES Image Understanding Architecture, Knowledge -Based Vision, AI Real-Time Computer Vision, Software Simulator, Parallel Processor IL PRICE... information . In addition to sensory and knowledge -based processing it is useful to introduce a level of symbolic processing. Thus, vision researchers

Deep Neural Networks: A New Framework for Modeling Biological Vision and Brain Information Processing.

PubMed

Kriegeskorte, Nikolaus

2015-11-24

Recent advances in neural network modeling have enabled major strides in computer vision and other artificial intelligence applications. Human-level visual recognition abilities are coming within reach of artificial systems. Artificial neural networks are inspired by the brain, and their computations could be implemented in biological neurons. Convolutional feedforward networks, which now dominate computer vision, take further inspiration from the architecture of the primate visual hierarchy. However, the current models are designed with engineering goals, not to model brain computations. Nevertheless, initial studies comparing internal representations between these models and primate brains find surprisingly similar representational spaces. With human-level performance no longer out of reach, we are entering an exciting new era, in which we will be able to build biologically faithful feedforward and recurrent computational models of how biological brains perform high-level feats of intelligence, including vision.

CAN-Care: an innovative model of practice-based learning.

PubMed

Raines, Deborah A

2006-01-01

The "Collaborative Approach to Nursing Care" (CAN-Care) Model of practice-based education is designed to meet the unique learning needs of the accelerated nursing program student. The model is based on a synergistic partnership between the academic and service settings, the vision of which is to create an innovative practice-based learning model, resulting in a positive experience for both the student and unit-based nurse. Thus, the objectives of quality outcomes for both the college and Health Care Organization are fulfilled. Specifically, the goal is the education of nurses ready to meet the challenges of caring for persons in the complex health care environment of the 21st century.

The image schema and innate archetypes: theoretical and clinical implications.

PubMed

Merchant, John

2016-02-01

Based in contemporary neuroscience, Jean Knox's 2004 JAP paper 'From archetypes to reflective function' honed her position on image schemas, thereby introducing a model for archetypes which sees them as 'reliably repeated early developmental achievements' and not as genetically inherited, innate psychic structures. The image schema model is used to illustrate how the analyst worked with a patient who began life as an unwanted pregnancy, was adopted at birth and as an adult experienced profound synchronicities, paranormal/telepathic phenomena and visions. The classical approach to such phenomena would see the intense affectivity arising out of a ruptured symbiotic mother-infant relationship constellating certain archetypes which set up the patient's visions. This view is contrasted with Knox's model which sees the archetype an sich as a developmentally produced image schema underpinning the emergence of later imagery. The patient's visions can then be understood to arise from his psychoid body memory related to his traumatic conception and birth. The contemporary neuroscience which supports this view is outlined and a subsequent image schema explanation is presented. Clinically, the case material suggests that a pre-birth perspective needs to be explored in all analytic work. Other implications of Knox's image schema model are summarized. © 2016, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Geographical Topics Learning of Geo-Tagged Social Images.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoming; Ji, Shufan; Wang, Senzhang; Li, Zhoujun; Lv, Xueqiang

2016-03-01

With the availability of cheap location sensors, geotagging of images in online social media is very popular. With a large amount of geo-tagged social images, it is interesting to study how these images are shared across geographical regions and how the geographical language characteristics and vision patterns are distributed across different regions. Unlike textual document, geo-tagged social image contains multiple types of content, i.e., textual description, visual content, and geographical information. Existing approaches usually mine geographical characteristics using a subset of multiple types of image contents or combining those contents linearly, which ignore correlations between different types of contents, and their geographical distributions. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a novel method to discover geographical characteristics of geo-tagged social images using a geographical topic model called geographical topic model of social images (GTMSIs). GTMSI integrates multiple types of social image contents as well as the geographical distributions, in which image topics are modeled based on both vocabulary and visual features. In GTMSI, each region of the image would have its own topic distribution, and hence have its own language model and vision pattern. Experimental results show that our GTMSI could identify interesting topics and vision patterns, as well as provide location prediction and image tagging.

User Guide for VISION 3.4.7 (Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation) Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacob J. Jacobson; Robert F. Jeffers; Gretchen E. Matthern

2011-07-01

The purpose of this document is to provide a guide for using the current version of the Verifiable Fuel Cycle Simulation (VISION) model. This is a complex model with many parameters and options; the user is strongly encouraged to read this user guide before attempting to run the model. This model is an R&D work in progress and may contain errors and omissions. It is based upon numerous assumptions. This model is intended to assist in evaluating 'what if' scenarios and in comparing fuel, reactor, and fuel processing alternatives at a systems level. The model is not intended as amore » tool for process flow and design modeling of specific facilities nor for tracking individual units of fuel or other material through the system. The model is intended to examine the interactions among the components of a fuel system as a function of time varying system parameters; this model represents a dynamic rather than steady-state approximation of the nuclear fuel system. VISION models the nuclear cycle at the system level, not individual facilities, e.g., 'reactor types' not individual reactors and 'separation types' not individual separation plants. Natural uranium can be enriched, which produces enriched uranium, which goes into fuel fabrication, and depleted uranium (DU), which goes into storage. Fuel is transformed (transmuted) in reactors and then goes into a storage buffer. Used fuel can be pulled from storage into either separation or disposal. If sent to separations, fuel is transformed (partitioned) into fuel products, recovered uranium, and various categories of waste. Recycled material is stored until used by its assigned reactor type. VISION is comprised of several Microsoft Excel input files, a Powersim Studio core, and several Microsoft Excel output files. All must be co-located in the same folder on a PC to function. You must use Powersim Studio 8 or better. We have tested VISION with the Studio 8 Expert, Executive, and Education versions. The Expert and Education versions work with the number of reactor types of 3 or less. For more reactor types, the Executive version is currently required. The input files are Excel2003 format (xls). The output files are macro-enabled Excel2007 format (xlsm). VISION 3.4 was designed with more flexibility than previous versions, which were structured for only three reactor types - LWRs that can use only uranium oxide (UOX) fuel, LWRs that can use multiple fuel types (LWR MF), and fast reactors. One could not have, for example, two types of fast reactors concurrently. The new version allows 10 reactor types and any user-defined uranium-plutonium fuel is allowed. (Thorium-based fuels can be input but several features of the model would not work.) The user identifies (by year) the primary fuel to be used for each reactor type. The user can identify for each primary fuel a contingent fuel to use if the primary fuel is not available, e.g., a reactor designated as using mixed oxide fuel (MOX) would have UOX as the contingent fuel. Another example is that a fast reactor using recycled transuranic (TRU) material can be designated as either having or not having appropriately enriched uranium oxide as a contingent fuel. Because of the need to study evolution in recycling and separation strategies, the user can now select the recycling strategy and separation technology, by year.« less

Transforming revenue management.

PubMed

Silveria, Richard; Alliegro, Debra; Nudd, Steven

2008-11-01

Healthcare organizations that want to undertake a patient administrative/revenue management transformation should: Define the vision with underlying business objectives and key performance measures. Strategically partner with key vendors for business process development and technology design. Create a program organization and governance infrastructure. Develop a corporate design model that defines the standards for operationalizing the vision. Execute the vision through technology deployment and corporate design model implementation.

Vision 2040: A Roadmap for Integrated, Multiscale Modeling and Simulation of Materials and Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Xuan; Furrer, David; Kosters, Jared; Holmes, Jack

2018-01-01

Over the last few decades, advances in high-performance computing, new materials characterization methods, and, more recently, an emphasis on integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) and additive manufacturing have been a catalyst for multiscale modeling and simulation-based design of materials and structures in the aerospace industry. While these advances have driven significant progress in the development of aerospace components and systems, that progress has been limited by persistent technology and infrastructure challenges that must be overcome to realize the full potential of integrated materials and systems design and simulation modeling throughout the supply chain. As a result, NASA's Transformational Tools and Technology (TTT) Project sponsored a study (performed by a diverse team led by Pratt & Whitney) to define the potential 25-year future state required for integrated multiscale modeling of materials and systems (e.g., load-bearing structures) to accelerate the pace and reduce the expense of innovation in future aerospace and aeronautical systems. This report describes the findings of this 2040 Vision study (e.g., the 2040 vision state; the required interdependent core technical work areas, Key Element (KE); identified gaps and actions to close those gaps; and major recommendations) which constitutes a community consensus document as it is a result of over 450 professionals input obtain via: 1) four society workshops (AIAA, NAFEMS, and two TMS), 2) community-wide survey, and 3) the establishment of 9 expert panels (one per KE) consisting on average of 10 non-team members from academia, government and industry to review, update content, and prioritize gaps and actions. The study envisions the development of a cyber-physical-social ecosystem comprised of experimentally verified and validated computational models, tools, and techniques, along with the associated digital tapestry, that impacts the entire supply chain to enable cost-effective, rapid, and revolutionary design of fit-for-purpose materials, components, and systems. Although the vision focused on aeronautics and space applications, it is believed that other engineering communities (e.g., automotive, biomedical, etc.) can benefit as well from the proposed framework with only minor modifications. Finally, it is TTT's hope and desire that this vision provides the strategic guidance to both public and private research and development decision makers to make the proposed 2040 vision state a reality and thereby provide a significant advancement in the United States global competitiveness.

Practical Application of Model-based Programming and State-based Architecture to Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horvath, Gregory; Ingham, Michel; Chung, Seung; Martin, Oliver; Williams, Brian

2006-01-01

A viewgraph presentation to develop models from systems engineers that accomplish mission objectives and manage the health of the system is shown. The topics include: 1) Overview; 2) Motivation; 3) Objective/Vision; 4) Approach; 5) Background: The Mission Data System; 6) Background: State-based Control Architecture System; 7) Background: State Analysis; 8) Overview of State Analysis; 9) Background: MDS Software Frameworks; 10) Background: Model-based Programming; 10) Background: Titan Model-based Executive; 11) Model-based Execution Architecture; 12) Compatibility Analysis of MDS and Titan Architectures; 13) Integrating Model-based Programming and Execution into the Architecture; 14) State Analysis and Modeling; 15) IMU Subsystem State Effects Diagram; 16) Titan Subsystem Model: IMU Health; 17) Integrating Model-based Programming and Execution into the Software IMU; 18) Testing Program; 19) Computationally Tractable State Estimation & Fault Diagnosis; 20) Diagnostic Algorithm Performance; 21) Integration and Test Issues; 22) Demonstrated Benefits; and 23) Next Steps

Towards a Decision Support System for Space Flight Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meshkat, Leila; Hogle, Charles; Ruszkowski, James

2013-01-01

The Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) has put in place a Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) technological framework for the development and execution of the Flight Production Process (FPP). This framework has provided much added value and return on investment to date. This paper describes a vision for a model based Decision Support System (DSS) for the development and execution of the FPP and its design and development process. The envisioned system extends the existing MBSE methodology and technological framework which is currently in use. The MBSE technological framework currently in place enables the systematic collection and integration of data required for building an FPP model for a diverse set of missions. This framework includes the technology, people and processes required for rapid development of architectural artifacts. It is used to build a feasible FPP model for the first flight of spacecraft and for recurrent flights throughout the life of the program. This model greatly enhances our ability to effectively engage with a new customer. It provides a preliminary work breakdown structure, data flow information and a master schedule based on its existing knowledge base. These artifacts are then refined and iterated upon with the customer for the development of a robust end-to-end, high-level integrated master schedule and its associated dependencies. The vision is to enhance this framework to enable its application for uncertainty management, decision support and optimization of the design and execution of the FPP by the program. Furthermore, this enhanced framework will enable the agile response and redesign of the FPP based on observed system behavior. The discrepancy of the anticipated system behavior and the observed behavior may be due to the processing of tasks internally, or due to external factors such as changes in program requirements or conditions associated with other organizations that are outside of MOD. The paper provides a roadmap for the three increments of this vision. These increments include (1) hardware and software system components and interfaces with the NASA ground system, (2) uncertainty management and (3) re-planning and automated execution. Each of these increments provide value independently; but some may also enable building of a subsequent increment.

Documenting and Examining Practices in Creating Learning Communities: Exemplars and Non-Exemplars.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hipp, Kristine A.; Huffman, Jane B.

Though promising as an implement for school reform, few professional learning centers (PLCs) have turned the vision into reality. This paper looks at how PLCs develop and maintain momentum. It examines and documents efforts in schools actively engaged in creating PLCs based on Hord's model. Hord's model employs external change agents, or…

Modelling Subjectivity in Visual Perception of Orientation for Image Retrieval.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, D.; Chamorro-Martinez, J.; Vila, M. A.

2003-01-01

Discussion of multimedia libraries and the need for storage, indexing, and retrieval techniques focuses on the combination of computer vision and data mining techniques to model high-level concepts for image retrieval based on perceptual features of the human visual system. Uses fuzzy set theory to measure users' assessments and to capture users'…

Breaking the Patriarchal Vision of Social Science: Lessons from a Family Therapy Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNamee, Sheila

The Milan model of systemic family therapy, developed in Italy and based on G. Bateson's cybernetic epistemology, can help meet the goals of a feminist/systemic epistemology in research by accepting data in its "traditional" form yet also connecting it to the act of researching, itself, thereby merging a feminist perspective with the…

29 CFR 1630.10 - Qualification standards, tests, and other selection criteria.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... business necessity. (b) Qualification standards and tests related to uncorrected vision. Notwithstanding..., or other selection criteria based on an individual's uncorrected vision unless the standard, test, or... application of a qualification standard, test, or other criterion based on uncorrected vision need not be a...

Vision Systems with the Human in the Loop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauckhage, Christian; Hanheide, Marc; Wrede, Sebastian; Käster, Thomas; Pfeiffer, Michael; Sagerer, Gerhard

2005-12-01

The emerging cognitive vision paradigm deals with vision systems that apply machine learning and automatic reasoning in order to learn from what they perceive. Cognitive vision systems can rate the relevance and consistency of newly acquired knowledge, they can adapt to their environment and thus will exhibit high robustness. This contribution presents vision systems that aim at flexibility and robustness. One is tailored for content-based image retrieval, the others are cognitive vision systems that constitute prototypes of visual active memories which evaluate, gather, and integrate contextual knowledge for visual analysis. All three systems are designed to interact with human users. After we will have discussed adaptive content-based image retrieval and object and action recognition in an office environment, the issue of assessing cognitive systems will be raised. Experiences from psychologically evaluated human-machine interactions will be reported and the promising potential of psychologically-based usability experiments will be stressed.

Converting Static Image Datasets to Spiking Neuromorphic Datasets Using Saccades.

PubMed

Orchard, Garrick; Jayawant, Ajinkya; Cohen, Gregory K; Thakor, Nitish

2015-01-01

Creating datasets for Neuromorphic Vision is a challenging task. A lack of available recordings from Neuromorphic Vision sensors means that data must typically be recorded specifically for dataset creation rather than collecting and labeling existing data. The task is further complicated by a desire to simultaneously provide traditional frame-based recordings to allow for direct comparison with traditional Computer Vision algorithms. Here we propose a method for converting existing Computer Vision static image datasets into Neuromorphic Vision datasets using an actuated pan-tilt camera platform. Moving the sensor rather than the scene or image is a more biologically realistic approach to sensing and eliminates timing artifacts introduced by monitor updates when simulating motion on a computer monitor. We present conversion of two popular image datasets (MNIST and Caltech101) which have played important roles in the development of Computer Vision, and we provide performance metrics on these datasets using spike-based recognition algorithms. This work contributes datasets for future use in the field, as well as results from spike-based algorithms against which future works can compare. Furthermore, by converting datasets already popular in Computer Vision, we enable more direct comparison with frame-based approaches.

Review On Applications Of Neural Network To Computer Vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei; Nasrabadi, Nasser M.

1989-03-01

Neural network models have many potential applications to computer vision due to their parallel structures, learnability, implicit representation of domain knowledge, fault tolerance, and ability of handling statistical data. This paper demonstrates the basic principles, typical models and their applications in this field. Variety of neural models, such as associative memory, multilayer back-propagation perceptron, self-stabilized adaptive resonance network, hierarchical structured neocognitron, high order correlator, network with gating control and other models, can be applied to visual signal recognition, reinforcement, recall, stereo vision, motion, object tracking and other vision processes. Most of the algorithms have been simulated on com-puters. Some have been implemented with special hardware. Some systems use features, such as edges and profiles, of images as the data form for input. Other systems use raw data as input signals to the networks. We will present some novel ideas contained in these approaches and provide a comparison of these methods. Some unsolved problems are mentioned, such as extracting the intrinsic properties of the input information, integrating those low level functions to a high-level cognitive system, achieving invariances and other problems. Perspectives of applications of some human vision models and neural network models are analyzed.

Physics-based simulations of aerial attacks by peregrine falcons reveal that stooping at high speed maximizes catch success against agile prey.

PubMed

Mills, Robin; Hildenbrandt, Hanno; Taylor, Graham K; Hemelrijk, Charlotte K

2018-04-01

The peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus is renowned for attacking its prey from high altitude in a fast controlled dive called a stoop. Many other raptors employ a similar mode of attack, but the functional benefits of stooping remain obscure. Here we investigate whether, when, and why stooping promotes catch success, using a three-dimensional, agent-based modeling approach to simulate attacks of falcons on aerial prey. We simulate avian flapping and gliding flight using an analytical quasi-steady model of the aerodynamic forces and moments, parametrized by empirical measurements of flight morphology. The model-birds' flight control inputs are commanded by their guidance system, comprising a phenomenological model of its vision, guidance, and control. To intercept its prey, model-falcons use the same guidance law as missiles (pure proportional navigation); this assumption is corroborated by empirical data on peregrine falcons hunting lures. We parametrically vary the falcon's starting position relative to its prey, together with the feedback gain of its guidance loop, under differing assumptions regarding its errors and delay in vision and control, and for three different patterns of prey motion. We find that, when the prey maneuvers erratically, high-altitude stoops increase catch success compared to low-altitude attacks, but only if the falcon's guidance law is appropriately tuned, and only given a high degree of precision in vision and control. Remarkably, the optimal tuning of the guidance law in our simulations coincides closely with what has been observed empirically in peregrines. High-altitude stoops are shown to be beneficial because their high airspeed enables production of higher aerodynamic forces for maneuvering, and facilitates higher roll agility as the wings are tucked, each of which is essential to catching maneuvering prey at realistic response delays.

Visions, Strategic Planning, and Quality--More than Hype.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, Roger

1996-01-01

Discusses the need to shift from the old models for organizational development to the new methods of quality management and continuous improvement, visions and visioning, and strategic planning, despite inappropriate criticisms they receive. (AEF)

Grounding Our Vision: Brain Research and Strategic Vision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Mike

2011-01-01

While recognizing the value of "vision," it could be argued that vision alone--at least in schools--is not enough to rally the financial and emotional support required to translate an idea into reality. A compelling vision needs to reflect substantive, research-based knowledge if it is to spark the kind of strategic thinking and insight…

Machine vision for digital microfluidics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Yong-Jun; Lee, Jeong-Bong

2010-01-01

Machine vision is widely used in an industrial environment today. It can perform various tasks, such as inspecting and controlling production processes, that may require humanlike intelligence. The importance of imaging technology for biological research or medical diagnosis is greater than ever. For example, fluorescent reporter imaging enables scientists to study the dynamics of gene networks with high spatial and temporal resolution. Such high-throughput imaging is increasingly demanding the use of machine vision for real-time analysis and control. Digital microfluidics is a relatively new technology with expectations of becoming a true lab-on-a-chip platform. Utilizing digital microfluidics, only small amounts of biological samples are required and the experimental procedures can be automatically controlled. There is a strong need for the development of a digital microfluidics system integrated with machine vision for innovative biological research today. In this paper, we show how machine vision can be applied to digital microfluidics by demonstrating two applications: machine vision-based measurement of the kinetics of biomolecular interactions and machine vision-based droplet motion control. It is expected that digital microfluidics-based machine vision system will add intelligence and automation to high-throughput biological imaging in the future.

Factors within University-Based Teacher Education Relating to Preservice Teachers' Professional Vision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stürmer, Kathleen; Könings, Karen D.; Seidel, Tina

2015-01-01

Preservice teachers' professional vision is an important indicator of their initial acquisition of integrated knowledge structures within university-based teacher education. To date, empirical research investigating which factors contribute to explaining preservice teachers' professional vision is scarce. This study aims to determine which factors…

Nursing informatics and nursing ethics: addressing their disconnect through an enhanced TIGER-vision.

PubMed

Kaltoft, Mette Kjer

2013-01-01

All healthcare visions, including that of The TIGER (Technology-Informatics-Guiding-Educational-Reform) Initiative envisage a crucial role for nursing. However, its 7 descriptive pillars do not address the disconnect between Nursing Informatics and Nursing Ethics and their distinct communities in the clinical-disciplinary landscape. Each sees itself as providing decision support by way of information inputs and ethical insights, respectively. Both have reasons - ideological, professional, institutional - for their task construction, but this simultaneously disables each from engaging fully in the point-of-(care)-decision. Increased pressure for translating 'evidence-based' research findings into 'ethically-sound', 'value-based' and 'patient-centered' practice requires rethinking the model implicit in conventional knowledge translation and informatics practice in all disciplines, including nursing. The aim is to aid 'how nurses and other health care scientists more clearly identify clinical and other relevant data that can be captured to inform future comparative effectiveness research. 'A prescriptive, theory-based discipline of '(Nursing) Decisionics' expands the Grid for Volunteer Development of TIGER's newly launched virtual learning environment (VLE). This provides an enhanced TIGER-vision for educational reform to deliver ethically coherent, person-centered care transparently.

A randomized controlled trial assessing the effectiveness of strategies delivering low vision rehabilitation: design and baseline characteristics of study participants.

PubMed

Christy, Beula; Keeffe, Jill E; Nirmalan, Praveen K; Rao, Gullapalli N

2010-08-01

To design a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare the effectiveness of four different strategies to deliver low vision rehabilitation services. The four arms of the RCT comprised-center based rehabilitation, home based rehabilitation, a mix of center based and home based rehabilitation, and center based rehabilitation with home based non interventional supplementary visits by rehabilitation workers. Outcomes were assessed 9 months after baseline and included measuring changes in adaptation to age-related vision loss, quality of life, impact of vision impairment and effectiveness of low vision rehabilitation training. The socio-demographic and vision characteristics of the sample in each of the 4 arms were compared to ensure that outcomes are not associated with differences between the groups. Four hundred and thirty six individuals were enrolled in the study; 393 individuals completed the study. One-fifth of participants were children aged 8 to 16 years. At baseline, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between individuals in the four arms of the trial. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics did not differ significantly, except for age, between the 393 individuals who completed the trial and the 43 individuals who dropped out of the study. Twenty six (60.46%) of the forty three drop outs were from the center based arm of the trial. Information from this trial has the potential to shape policy and practice pertaining to low vision rehabilitation services.

A Vision-Based Self-Calibration Method for Robotic Visual Inspection Systems

PubMed Central

Yin, Shibin; Ren, Yongjie; Zhu, Jigui; Yang, Shourui; Ye, Shenghua

2013-01-01

A vision-based robot self-calibration method is proposed in this paper to evaluate the kinematic parameter errors of a robot using a visual sensor mounted on its end-effector. This approach could be performed in the industrial field without external, expensive apparatus or an elaborate setup. A robot Tool Center Point (TCP) is defined in the structural model of a line-structured laser sensor, and aligned to a reference point fixed in the robot workspace. A mathematical model is established to formulate the misalignment errors with kinematic parameter errors and TCP position errors. Based on the fixed point constraints, the kinematic parameter errors and TCP position errors are identified with an iterative algorithm. Compared to the conventional methods, this proposed method eliminates the need for a robot-based-frame and hand-to-eye calibrations, shortens the error propagation chain, and makes the calibration process more accurate and convenient. A validation experiment is performed on an ABB IRB2400 robot. An optimal configuration on the number and distribution of fixed points in the robot workspace is obtained based on the experimental results. Comparative experiments reveal that there is a significant improvement of the measuring accuracy of the robotic visual inspection system. PMID:24300597

Alternative futures of proactive tools for a citizen's own wellbeing.

PubMed

Meristö, Tarja; Tuohimaa, Hanna; Leppimäki, Sami; Laitinen, Jukka

2009-01-01

The aim of this paper is to create the basis for a vision of an empowered citizen who can control his/her life, especially in relation to health and personal wellbeing with the use of new ICT-tools. The methods used in the study are based on futures studies, especially on scenario methodology. Alternative future paths, i.e. scenarios are constructed using the scenario filter model that we have developed, with market, technology and society perspectives. Scenarios not resulting in the vision are described in what if - analysis as well. The scenarios are combined with Viherä's model on citizen's skills, access and motivation to use new ICT-tools. The concept COPER is targeted to different user groups with an adaptable user interface and its development is user centered. We will consider the effects and the appropriate elements of COPER in every scenario, as well as the possibilities and challenges nursing will confront. As a result we will gain information of the characteristic of COPER that advance the vision. For the future development of COPER the alternative scenarios give the basis for flexibility planning, too.

A Critique and Response to Multicultural Visions of Globalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sriraman, Bharath; Adrian, Harry

2008-01-01

The paper by White in this issue of Interchange contains an interesting model for a global educational perspective based on the writings of Aurobindo and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. White proposes a foundation for this new perspective based on the synthesis of Aurobindo's and de Chardin's theories of global, social, and conscious evolution. In our…

Image Processing Strategies Based on a Visual Saliency Model for Object Recognition Under Simulated Prosthetic Vision.

PubMed

Wang, Jing; Li, Heng; Fu, Weizhen; Chen, Yao; Li, Liming; Lyu, Qing; Han, Tingting; Chai, Xinyu

2016-01-01

Retinal prostheses have the potential to restore partial vision. Object recognition in scenes of daily life is one of the essential tasks for implant wearers. Still limited by the low-resolution visual percepts provided by retinal prostheses, it is important to investigate and apply image processing methods to convey more useful visual information to the wearers. We proposed two image processing strategies based on Itti's visual saliency map, region of interest (ROI) extraction, and image segmentation. Itti's saliency model generated a saliency map from the original image, in which salient regions were grouped into ROI by the fuzzy c-means clustering. Then Grabcut generated a proto-object from the ROI labeled image which was recombined with background and enhanced in two ways--8-4 separated pixelization (8-4 SP) and background edge extraction (BEE). Results showed that both 8-4 SP and BEE had significantly higher recognition accuracy in comparison with direct pixelization (DP). Each saliency-based image processing strategy was subject to the performance of image segmentation. Under good and perfect segmentation conditions, BEE and 8-4 SP obtained noticeably higher recognition accuracy than DP, and under bad segmentation condition, only BEE boosted the performance. The application of saliency-based image processing strategies was verified to be beneficial to object recognition in daily scenes under simulated prosthetic vision. They are hoped to help the development of the image processing module for future retinal prostheses, and thus provide more benefit for the patients. Copyright © 2015 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Neurophysiologically Plausible Population Code Model for Feature Integration Explains Visual Crowding

PubMed Central

van den Berg, Ronald; Roerdink, Jos B. T. M.; Cornelissen, Frans W.

2010-01-01

An object in the peripheral visual field is more difficult to recognize when surrounded by other objects. This phenomenon is called “crowding”. Crowding places a fundamental constraint on human vision that limits performance on numerous tasks. It has been suggested that crowding results from spatial feature integration necessary for object recognition. However, in the absence of convincing models, this theory has remained controversial. Here, we present a quantitative and physiologically plausible model for spatial integration of orientation signals, based on the principles of population coding. Using simulations, we demonstrate that this model coherently accounts for fundamental properties of crowding, including critical spacing, “compulsory averaging”, and a foveal-peripheral anisotropy. Moreover, we show that the model predicts increased responses to correlated visual stimuli. Altogether, these results suggest that crowding has little immediate bearing on object recognition but is a by-product of a general, elementary integration mechanism in early vision aimed at improving signal quality. PMID:20098499

Infrared machine vision system for the automatic detection of olive fruit quality.

PubMed

Guzmán, Elena; Baeten, Vincent; Pierna, Juan Antonio Fernández; García-Mesa, José A

2013-11-15

External quality is an important factor in the extraction of olive oil and the marketing of olive fruits. The appearance and presence of external damage are factors that influence the quality of the oil extracted and the perception of consumers, determining the level of acceptance prior to purchase in the case of table olives. The aim of this paper is to report on artificial vision techniques developed for the online estimation of olive quality and to assess the effectiveness of these techniques in evaluating quality based on detecting external defects. This method of classifying olives according to the presence of defects is based on an infrared (IR) vision system. Images of defects were acquired using a digital monochrome camera with band-pass filters on near-infrared (NIR). The original images were processed using segmentation algorithms, edge detection and pixel value intensity to classify the whole fruit. The detection of the defect involved a pixel classification procedure based on nonparametric models of the healthy and defective areas of olives. Classification tests were performed on olives to assess the effectiveness of the proposed method. This research showed that the IR vision system is a useful technology for the automatic assessment of olives that has the potential for use in offline inspection and for online sorting for defects and the presence of surface damage, easily distinguishing those that do not meet minimum quality requirements. Crown Copyright © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Project Magnify: Increasing Reading Skills in Students with Low Vision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Jeanie; Morse, Stephen E.

2007-01-01

Modeled after Project PAVE (Corn et al., 2003) in Tennessee, Project Magnify is designed to test the idea that students with low vision who use individually prescribed magnification devices for reading will perform as well as or better than students with low vision who use large-print reading materials. Sixteen students with low vision were…

Safety pilot model deployment : lessons learned and recommendations for future connected vehicle activities.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-01

The Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot was a research program that demonstrated the readiness of DSRC-based connected vehicle safety applications for nationwide deployment. The vision of the Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot Program was to test connected ve...

Panoramic stereo sphere vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Weijia; Zhang, Baofeng; Röning, Juha; Zong, Xiaoning; Yi, Tian

2013-01-01

Conventional stereo vision systems have a small field of view (FOV) which limits their usefulness for certain applications. While panorama vision is able to "see" in all directions of the observation space, scene depth information is missed because of the mapping from 3D reference coordinates to 2D panoramic image. In this paper, we present an innovative vision system which builds by a special combined fish-eye lenses module, and is capable of producing 3D coordinate information from the whole global observation space and acquiring no blind area 360°×360° panoramic image simultaneously just using single vision equipment with one time static shooting. It is called Panoramic Stereo Sphere Vision (PSSV). We proposed the geometric model, mathematic model and parameters calibration method in this paper. Specifically, video surveillance, robotic autonomous navigation, virtual reality, driving assistance, multiple maneuvering target tracking, automatic mapping of environments and attitude estimation are some of the applications which will benefit from PSSV.

Feasibility of a clinical trial of vision therapy for treatment of amblyopia.

PubMed

Lyon, Don W; Hopkins, Kristine; Chu, Raymond H; Tamkins, Susanna M; Cotter, Susan A; Melia, B Michele; Holmes, Jonathan M; Repka, Michael X; Wheeler, David T; Sala, Nicholas A; Dumas, Janette; Silbert, David I

2013-05-01

We conducted a pilot randomized clinical trial of office-based active vision therapy for the treatment of childhood amblyopia to determine the feasibility of conducting a full-scale randomized clinical trial. A training and certification program and manual of procedures were developed to certify therapists to administer a standardized vision therapy program in ophthalmology and optometry offices consisting of weekly visits for 16 weeks. Nineteen children, aged 7 to less than 13 years, with amblyopia (20/40-20/100) were randomly assigned to receive either 2 hours of daily patching with active vision therapy or 2 hours of daily patching with placebo vision therapy. Therapists in diverse practice settings were successfully trained and certified to perform standardized vision therapy in strict adherence with protocol. Subjects completed 85% of required weekly in-office vision therapy visits. Eligibility criteria based on age, visual acuity, and stereoacuity, designed to identify children able to complete a standardized vision therapy program and judged likely to benefit from this treatment, led to a high proportion of screened subjects being judged ineligible, resulting in insufficient recruitment. There were difficulties in retrieving adherence data for the computerized home therapy procedures. This study demonstrated that a 16-week treatment trial of vision therapy was feasible with respect to maintaining protocol adherence; however, recruitment under the proposed eligibility criteria, necessitated by the standardized approach to vision therapy, was not successful. A randomized clinical trial of in-office vision therapy for the treatment of amblyopia would require broadening of the eligibility criteria and improved methods to gather objective data regarding the home therapy. A more flexible approach that customizes vision therapy based on subject age, visual acuity, and stereopsis might be required to allow enrollment of a broader group of subjects.

Feasibility of a Clinical Trial of Vision Therapy for Treatment of Amblyopia

PubMed Central

Lyon, Don W.; Hopkins, Kristine; Chu, Raymond H.; Tamkins, Susanna M.; Cotter, Susan A.; Melia, B. Michele; Holmes, Jonathan M.; Repka, Michael X.; Wheeler, David T.; Sala, Nicholas A.; Dumas, Janette; Silbert, David I.

2013-01-01

Purpose We conducted a pilot randomized clinical trial of office-based active vision therapy for the treatment of childhood amblyopia to determine the feasibility of conducting a full-scale randomized clinical trial. Methods A training and certification program and manual of procedures were developed to certify therapists to administer a standardized vision therapy program in ophthalmology and optometry offices consisting of weekly visits for 16 weeks. Nineteen children, 7 to less than 13 years of age, with amblyopia (20/40–20/100) were randomly assigned to receive either 2 hours of daily patching with active vision therapy or 2 hours of daily patching with placebo vision therapy. Results Therapists in diverse practice settings were successfully trained and certified to perform standardized vision therapy in strict adherence with protocol. Subjects completed 85% of required weekly in-office vision therapy visits. Eligibility criteria based on age, visual acuity, and stereoacuity, designed to identify children able to complete a standardized vision therapy program and judged likely to benefit from this treatment, led to a high proportion of screened subjects being judged ineligible, resulting in insufficient recruitment. There were difficulties in retrieving adherence data for the computerized home therapy procedures. Conclusions This study demonstrated that a 16-week treatment trial of vision therapy was feasible with respect to maintaining protocol adherence; however, recruitment under the proposed eligibility criteria, necessitated by the standardized approach to vision therapy, was not successful. A randomized clinical trial of in-office vision therapy for the treatment of amblyopia would require broadening of the eligibility criteria and improved methods to gather objective data regarding the home therapy. A more flexible approach that customizes vision therapy based on subject age, visual acuity, and stereopsis, might be required to allow enrollment of a broader group of subjects. PMID:23563444

Extracting business vocabularies from business process models: SBVR and BPMN standards-based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skersys, Tomas; Butleris, Rimantas; Kapocius, Kestutis

2013-10-01

Approaches for the analysis and specification of business vocabularies and rules are very relevant topics in both Business Process Management and Information Systems Development disciplines. However, in common practice of Information Systems Development, the Business modeling activities still are of mostly empiric nature. In this paper, basic aspects of the approach for business vocabularies' semi-automated extraction from business process models are presented. The approach is based on novel business modeling-level OMG standards "Business Process Model and Notation" (BPMN) and "Semantics for Business Vocabularies and Business Rules" (SBVR), thus contributing to OMG's vision about Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) and to model-driven development in general.

Vehicle-based vision sensors for intelligent highway systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masaki, Ichiro

1989-09-01

This paper describes a vision system, based on ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) approach, for vehicle guidance on highways. After reviewing related work in the fields of intelligent vehicles, stereo vision, and ASIC-based approaches, the paper focuses on a stereo vision system for intelligent cruise control. The system measures the distance to the vehicle in front using trinocular triangulation. An application specific processor architecture was developed to offer low mass-production cost, real-time operation, low power consumption, and small physical size. The system was installed in the trunk of a car and evaluated successfully on highways.

Machine Learning, deep learning and optimization in computer vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canu, Stéphane

2017-03-01

As quoted in the Large Scale Computer Vision Systems NIPS workshop, computer vision is a mature field with a long tradition of research, but recent advances in machine learning, deep learning, representation learning and optimization have provided models with new capabilities to better understand visual content. The presentation will go through these new developments in machine learning covering basic motivations, ideas, models and optimization in deep learning for computer vision, identifying challenges and opportunities. It will focus on issues related with large scale learning that is: high dimensional features, large variety of visual classes, and large number of examples.

Kernelized Locality-Sensitive Hashing for Fast Image Landmark Association

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-24

based Simultaneous Localization and Mapping ( SLAM ). The problem, however, is that vision-based navigation techniques can re- quire excessive amounts of...up and optimizing the data association process in vision-based SLAM . Specifically, this work studies the current methods that algorithms use to...required for location identification than that of other methods. This work can then be extended into a vision- SLAM implementation to subsequently

20 CFR 416.986 - Why and when we will find that you are no longer entitled to benefits based on statutory blindness.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... benefits based on statutory blindness. (a) If your vision does not meet the definition of blindness. If you... statutory blindness has ended beginning with the earliest of the following months— (1) The month your vision... for a specified period of time in the past; (2) The month your vision based on current medical...

20 CFR 416.986 - Why and when we will find that you are no longer entitled to benefits based on statutory blindness.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... benefits based on statutory blindness. (a) If your vision does not meet the definition of blindness. If you... statutory blindness has ended beginning with the earliest of the following months— (1) The month your vision... for a specified period of time in the past; (2) The month your vision based on current medical...

CT Image Sequence Analysis for Object Recognition - A Rule-Based 3-D Computer Vision System

Treesearch

Dongping Zhu; Richard W. Conners; Daniel L. Schmoldt; Philip A. Araman

1991-01-01

Research is now underway to create a vision system for hardwood log inspection using a knowledge-based approach. In this paper, we present a rule-based, 3-D vision system for locating and identifying wood defects using topological, geometric, and statistical attributes. A number of different features can be derived from the 3-D input scenes. These features and evidence...

Neuromorphic VLSI Models of Selective Attention: From Single Chip Vision Sensors to Multi-chip Systems

PubMed Central

Indiveri, Giacomo

2008-01-01

Biological organisms perform complex selective attention operations continuously and effortlessly. These operations allow them to quickly determine the motor actions to take in response to combinations of external stimuli and internal states, and to pay attention to subsets of sensory inputs suppressing non salient ones. Selective attention strategies are extremely effective in both natural and artificial systems which have to cope with large amounts of input data and have limited computational resources. One of the main computational primitives used to perform these selection operations is the Winner-Take-All (WTA) network. These types of networks are formed by arrays of coupled computational nodes that selectively amplify the strongest input signals, and suppress the weaker ones. Neuromorphic circuits are an optimal medium for constructing WTA networks and for implementing efficient hardware models of selective attention systems. In this paper we present an overview of selective attention systems based on neuromorphic WTA circuits ranging from single-chip vision sensors for selecting and tracking the position of salient features, to multi-chip systems implement saliency-map based models of selective attention. PMID:27873818

Neuromorphic VLSI Models of Selective Attention: From Single Chip Vision Sensors to Multi-chip Systems.

PubMed

Indiveri, Giacomo

2008-09-03

Biological organisms perform complex selective attention operations continuously and effortlessly. These operations allow them to quickly determine the motor actions to take in response to combinations of external stimuli and internal states, and to pay attention to subsets of sensory inputs suppressing non salient ones. Selective attention strategies are extremely effective in both natural and artificial systems which have to cope with large amounts of input data and have limited computational resources. One of the main computational primitives used to perform these selection operations is the Winner-Take-All (WTA) network. These types of networks are formed by arrays of coupled computational nodes that selectively amplify the strongest input signals, and suppress the weaker ones. Neuromorphic circuits are an optimal medium for constructing WTA networks and for implementing efficient hardware models of selective attention systems. In this paper we present an overview of selective attention systems based on neuromorphic WTA circuits ranging from single-chip vision sensors for selecting and tracking the position of salient features, to multi-chip systems implement saliency-map based models of selective attention.

Robust Kalman filtering cooperated Elman neural network learning for vision-sensing-based robotic manipulation with global stability.

PubMed

Zhong, Xungao; Zhong, Xunyu; Peng, Xiafu

2013-10-08

In this paper, a global-state-space visual servoing scheme is proposed for uncalibrated model-independent robotic manipulation. The scheme is based on robust Kalman filtering (KF), in conjunction with Elman neural network (ENN) learning techniques. The global map relationship between the vision space and the robotic workspace is learned using an ENN. This learned mapping is shown to be an approximate estimate of the Jacobian in global space. In the testing phase, the desired Jacobian is arrived at using a robust KF to improve the ENN learning result so as to achieve robotic precise convergence of the desired pose. Meanwhile, the ENN weights are updated (re-trained) using a new input-output data pair vector (obtained from the KF cycle) to ensure robot global stability manipulation. Thus, our method, without requiring either camera or model parameters, avoids the corrupted performances caused by camera calibration and modeling errors. To demonstrate the proposed scheme's performance, various simulation and experimental results have been presented using a six-degree-of-freedom robotic manipulator with eye-in-hand configurations.

Thresholds and noise limitations of colour vision in dim light

PubMed Central

Yovanovich, Carola

2017-01-01

Colour discrimination is based on opponent photoreceptor interactions, and limited by receptor noise. In dim light, photon shot noise impairs colour vision, and in vertebrates, the absolute threshold of colour vision is set by dark noise in cones. Nocturnal insects (e.g. moths and nocturnal bees) and vertebrates lacking rods (geckos) have adaptations to reduce receptor noise and use chromatic vision even in very dim light. In contrast, vertebrates with duplex retinae use colour-blind rod vision when noisy cone signals become unreliable, and their transition from cone- to rod-based vision is marked by the Purkinje shift. Rod–cone interactions have not been shown to improve colour vision in dim light, but may contribute to colour vision in mesopic light intensities. Frogs and toads that have two types of rods use opponent signals from these rods to control phototaxis even at their visual threshold. However, for tasks such as prey or mate choice, their colour discrimination abilities fail at brighter light intensities, similar to other vertebrates, probably limited by the dark noise in cones. This article is part of the themed issue 'Vision in dim light’. PMID:28193810

PICASSO VISION instrument design, engineering model test results, and flight model development status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Näsilä, Antti; Holmlund, Christer; Mannila, Rami; Näkki, Ismo; Ojanen, Harri J.; Akujärvi, Altti; Saari, Heikki; Fussen, Didier; Pieroux, Didier; Demoulin, Philippe

2016-10-01

PICASSO - A PICo-satellite for Atmospheric and Space Science Observations is an ESA project led by the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, in collaboration with VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Clyde Space Ltd. (UK) and Centre Spatial de Liège (BE). The test campaign for the engineering model of the PICASSO VISION instrument, a miniaturized nanosatellite spectral imager, has been successfully completed. The test results look very promising. The proto-flight model of VISION has also been successfully integrated and it is waiting for the final integration to the satellite platform.

Computer vision research with new imaging technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Guangqi; Liu, Fei; Sun, Zhenan

2015-12-01

Light field imaging is capable of capturing dense multi-view 2D images in one snapshot, which record both intensity values and directions of rays simultaneously. As an emerging 3D device, the light field camera has been widely used in digital refocusing, depth estimation, stereoscopic display, etc. Traditional multi-view stereo (MVS) methods only perform well on strongly texture surfaces, but the depth map contains numerous holes and large ambiguities on textureless or low-textured regions. In this paper, we exploit the light field imaging technology on 3D face modeling in computer vision. Based on a 3D morphable model, we estimate the pose parameters from facial feature points. Then the depth map is estimated through the epipolar plane images (EPIs) method. At last, the high quality 3D face model is exactly recovered via the fusing strategy. We evaluate the effectiveness and robustness on face images captured by a light field camera with different poses.

Coteaching Recovery to Mental Health Care Professionals.

PubMed

Larsen, Christine; Lange, Mads; Jørgensen, Kim; Kistrup, Kristen; Petersen, Lone

2018-06-01

In 2010, the Regional Council of the Capital Region of Denmark endorsed a vision of mental health services based on personal recovery, rehabilitation, and the involvement of caregivers. Programs to achieve this vision include hiring peer support workers, a Recovery College, and service user participation at the organizational level. This column describes a cornerstone of these initiatives-an education program in the recovery model for mental health professionals. In 2013-2014, the Capital Region implemented 148 workshops on recovery-oriented services for all practitioner staff in mental health services in the region. The workshops featured a coteaching model, with both a mental health professional and an individual with lived experience serving as trainers. This model showed promise and should be expanded, including more targeted training for specific services. Such an expansion could be included in a national strategy for user involvement and recovery-oriented practice set to launch in 2018.

Object-oriented models of cognitive processing.

PubMed

Mather, G

2001-05-01

Information-processing models of vision and cognition are inspired by procedural programming languages. Models that emphasize object-based representations are closely related to object-oriented programming languages. The concepts underlying object-oriented languages provide a theoretical framework for cognitive processing that differs markedly from that offered by procedural languages. This framework is well-suited to a system designed to deal flexibly with discrete objects and unpredictable events in the world.

Robust Pedestrian Classification Based on Hierarchical Kernel Sparse Representation.

PubMed

Sun, Rui; Zhang, Guanghai; Yan, Xiaoxing; Gao, Jun

2016-08-16

Vision-based pedestrian detection has become an active topic in computer vision and autonomous vehicles. It aims at detecting pedestrians appearing ahead of the vehicle using a camera so that autonomous vehicles can assess the danger and take action. Due to varied illumination and appearance, complex background and occlusion pedestrian detection in outdoor environments is a difficult problem. In this paper, we propose a novel hierarchical feature extraction and weighted kernel sparse representation model for pedestrian classification. Initially, hierarchical feature extraction based on a CENTRIST descriptor is used to capture discriminative structures. A max pooling operation is used to enhance the invariance of varying appearance. Then, a kernel sparse representation model is proposed to fully exploit the discrimination information embedded in the hierarchical local features, and a Gaussian weight function as the measure to effectively handle the occlusion in pedestrian images. Extensive experiments are conducted on benchmark databases, including INRIA, Daimler, an artificially generated dataset and a real occluded dataset, demonstrating the more robust performance of the proposed method compared to state-of-the-art pedestrian classification methods.

Robust Pedestrian Classification Based on Hierarchical Kernel Sparse Representation

PubMed Central

Sun, Rui; Zhang, Guanghai; Yan, Xiaoxing; Gao, Jun

2016-01-01

Vision-based pedestrian detection has become an active topic in computer vision and autonomous vehicles. It aims at detecting pedestrians appearing ahead of the vehicle using a camera so that autonomous vehicles can assess the danger and take action. Due to varied illumination and appearance, complex background and occlusion pedestrian detection in outdoor environments is a difficult problem. In this paper, we propose a novel hierarchical feature extraction and weighted kernel sparse representation model for pedestrian classification. Initially, hierarchical feature extraction based on a CENTRIST descriptor is used to capture discriminative structures. A max pooling operation is used to enhance the invariance of varying appearance. Then, a kernel sparse representation model is proposed to fully exploit the discrimination information embedded in the hierarchical local features, and a Gaussian weight function as the measure to effectively handle the occlusion in pedestrian images. Extensive experiments are conducted on benchmark databases, including INRIA, Daimler, an artificially generated dataset and a real occluded dataset, demonstrating the more robust performance of the proposed method compared to state-of-the-art pedestrian classification methods. PMID:27537888

A High-Speed Vision-Based Sensor for Dynamic Vibration Analysis Using Fast Motion Extraction Algorithms.

PubMed

Zhang, Dashan; Guo, Jie; Lei, Xiujun; Zhu, Changan

2016-04-22

The development of image sensor and optics enables the application of vision-based techniques to the non-contact dynamic vibration analysis of large-scale structures. As an emerging technology, a vision-based approach allows for remote measuring and does not bring any additional mass to the measuring object compared with traditional contact measurements. In this study, a high-speed vision-based sensor system is developed to extract structure vibration signals in real time. A fast motion extraction algorithm is required for this system because the maximum sampling frequency of the charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor can reach up to 1000 Hz. Two efficient subpixel level motion extraction algorithms, namely the modified Taylor approximation refinement algorithm and the localization refinement algorithm, are integrated into the proposed vision sensor. Quantitative analysis shows that both of the two modified algorithms are at least five times faster than conventional upsampled cross-correlation approaches and achieve satisfactory error performance. The practicability of the developed sensor is evaluated by an experiment in a laboratory environment and a field test. Experimental results indicate that the developed high-speed vision-based sensor system can extract accurate dynamic structure vibration signals by tracking either artificial targets or natural features.

Knowledge-based machine vision systems for space station automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ranganath, Heggere S.; Chipman, Laure J.

1989-01-01

Computer vision techniques which have the potential for use on the space station and related applications are assessed. A knowledge-based vision system (expert vision system) and the development of a demonstration system for it are described. This system implements some of the capabilities that would be necessary in a machine vision system for the robot arm of the laboratory module in the space station. A Perceptics 9200e image processor, on a host VAXstation, was used to develop the demonstration system. In order to use realistic test images, photographs of actual space shuttle simulator panels were used. The system's capabilities of scene identification and scene matching are discussed.

An Autonomous Gps-Denied Unmanned Vehicle Platform Based on Binocular Vision for Planetary Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, M.; Wan, X.; Shao, Y. Y.; Li, S. Y.

2018-04-01

Vision-based navigation has become an attractive solution for autonomous navigation for planetary exploration. This paper presents our work of designing and building an autonomous vision-based GPS-denied unmanned vehicle and developing an ARFM (Adaptive Robust Feature Matching) based VO (Visual Odometry) software for its autonomous navigation. The hardware system is mainly composed of binocular stereo camera, a pan-and tilt, a master machine, a tracked chassis. And the ARFM-based VO software system contains four modules: camera calibration, ARFM-based 3D reconstruction, position and attitude calculation, BA (Bundle Adjustment) modules. Two VO experiments were carried out using both outdoor images from open dataset and indoor images captured by our vehicle, the results demonstrate that our vision-based unmanned vehicle is able to achieve autonomous localization and has the potential for future planetary exploration.

Senge's Learning Organization and Teachers' Perceptions of Leadership at an Elementary School in Urban Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Robert J.

2010-01-01

Urban public schools in the United States face the problem of failure to reach academic goals of performance mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act. It was hypothesized that use of Senge's leadership model might result in academic performance in one urban elementary school. Based on Senge's shared vision leadership model as the theoretical…

VERIFICATION OF SURFACE LAYER OZONE FORECASTS IN THE NOAA/EPA AIR QUALITY FORECAST SYSTEM IN DIFFERENT REGIONS UNDER DIFFERENT SYNOPTIC SCENARIOS

EPA Science Inventory

An air quality forecast (AQF) system has been established at NOAA/NCEP since 2003 as a collaborative effort of NOAA and EPA. The system is based on NCEP's Eta mesoscale meteorological model and EPA's CMAQ air quality model (Davidson et al, 2004). The vision behind this system is ...

A multimodal 3D framework for fire characteristics estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toulouse, T.; Rossi, L.; Akhloufi, M. A.; Pieri, A.; Maldague, X.

2018-02-01

In the last decade we have witnessed an increasing interest in using computer vision and image processing in forest fire research. Image processing techniques have been successfully used in different fire analysis areas such as early detection, monitoring, modeling and fire front characteristics estimation. While the majority of the work deals with the use of 2D visible spectrum images, recent work has introduced the use of 3D vision in this field. This work proposes a new multimodal vision framework permitting the extraction of the three-dimensional geometrical characteristics of fires captured by multiple 3D vision systems. The 3D system is a multispectral stereo system operating in both the visible and near-infrared (NIR) spectral bands. The framework supports the use of multiple stereo pairs positioned so as to capture complementary views of the fire front during its propagation. Multimodal registration is conducted using the captured views in order to build a complete 3D model of the fire front. The registration process is achieved using multisensory fusion based on visual data (2D and NIR images), GPS positions and IMU inertial data. Experiments were conducted outdoors in order to show the performance of the proposed framework. The obtained results are promising and show the potential of using the proposed framework in operational scenarios for wildland fire research and as a decision management system in fighting.

Individuals' Perspectives on Coping with Vision Loss from Diabetic Retinopathy.

PubMed

Sturrock, Bonnie A; Rees, Gwyneth; Lamoureux, Ecosse L; Wong, Tien Y; Holloway, Edith; Fenwick, Eva K

2018-04-01

People with vision loss from diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME) use problem-focused and emotion-regulation strategies that may influence their short- and longer-term adaptation and psychological outcomes. Our findings can assist the development of models of adjustment to DR/DME-related vision loss and treatments focused on adaptation. To qualitatively determine the coping strategies used by participants with vision loss resulting from DR/DME. Fifty-seven participants with DR/DME engaged in one of eight focus groups or one of 18 semistructured interviews. Participants were mostly older than 55 years (mean, 58.7 years) and male (68%) and had type 2 diabetes (74%; median duration, 17 years). Almost 50% had proliferative DR, 95% had undergone laser treatment, and 42% had DME; 68%, 14% and 14% had none, mild (<0.3 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution ≤ 0.48), and moderate-severe vision impairment (>0.48 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) in the better eye. Focus groups/interviews were transcribed verbatim and iteratively analyzed using the constant comparative method. Qualitative software NVivo 2008 was used to sort/store the data. Our top-down and bottom-up approach to conceptualize the data was informed by the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping. Coping efforts were mostly problem focused (64%) with seven subthemes: problem solving, passive coping, changing activities to suit a new ability level, active coping, rehearsing alternative outcomes, maintaining independence, and information seeking. Emotion-regulation strategies were distraction, acceptance, alternative adaptive thinking, avoidance, expressing emotions, denial, and changing emotions. Meaning-based coping strategies included mindfulness and engaging in meaningful activities. Themes relating to adaptation and moderators to coping (e.g., dispositional optimism) are outlined. Participants described a variety of ways to cope. Some strategies are likely to improve functioning and decrease distress, whereas others are expected to reduce immediate distress while perpetuating this in the longer term. Our findings may assist researchers to develop models of adjustment to DR/DME-related vision loss and psychosocial/educational interventions focused on adaptation.

A vision-based system for measuring the displacements of large structures: Simultaneous adaptive calibration and full motion estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, C. Almeida; Costa, C. Oliveira; Batista, J.

2016-05-01

The paper describes a kinematic model-based solution to estimate simultaneously the calibration parameters of the vision system and the full-motion (6-DOF) of large civil engineering structures, namely of long deck suspension bridges, from a sequence of stereo images captured by digital cameras. Using an arbitrary number of images and assuming a smooth structure motion, an Iterated Extended Kalman Filter is used to recursively estimate the projection matrices of the cameras and the structure full-motion (displacement and rotation) over time, helping to meet the structure health monitoring fulfilment. Results related to the performance evaluation, obtained by numerical simulation and with real experiments, are reported. The real experiments were carried out in indoor and outdoor environment using a reduced structure model to impose controlled motions. In both cases, the results obtained with a minimum setup comprising only two cameras and four non-coplanar tracking points, showed a high accuracy results for on-line camera calibration and structure full motion estimation.

Ability of Bottle Cap Color to Facilitate Accurate Patient-Physician Communication Regarding Medication Identity in Patients with Glaucoma.

PubMed

Dave, Pujan; Villarreal, Guadalupe; Friedman, David S; Kahook, Malik Y; Ramulu, Pradeep Y

2015-12-01

To determine the accuracy of patient-physician communication regarding topical ophthalmic medication use based on bottle cap color, particularly among individuals who may have acquired color vision deficiency from glaucoma. Cross-sectional, clinical study. Patients aged ≥18 years with primary open-angle, primary angle-closure, pseudoexfoliation, or pigment dispersion glaucoma, bilateral visual acuity of ≥20/400, and no concurrent conditions that may affect color vision. A total of 100 patients provided color descriptions of 11 distinct medication bottle caps. Color descriptors were then presented to 3 physicians. Physicians matched each color descriptor to the medication they thought the descriptor was describing. Frequency of patient-physician agreement, occurring when all 3 physicians accurately matched the color descriptor to the correct medication. Multivariate regression models evaluated whether patient-physician agreement decreased with degree of better-eye visual field (VF) damage, color descriptor heterogeneity, or color vision deficiency, as determined by the Hardy-Rand-Rittler (HRR) score and Lanthony D15 color confusion index (D15 CCI). Subjects had a mean age of 69 (±11) years, with VF mean deviation of -4.7 (±6.0) and -10.9 (±8.4) decibels (dB) in the better- and worse-seeing eyes, respectively. Patients produced 102 unique color descriptors to describe the colors of the 11 bottle caps. Among individual patients, the mean number of medications demonstrating agreement was 6.1/11 (55.5%). Agreement was less than 15% for 4 medications (prednisolone acetate [generic], betaxolol HCl [Betoptic; Alcon Laboratories Inc., Fort Worth, TX], brinzolamide/brimonidine [Simbrinza; Alcon Laboratories Inc.], and latanoprost [Xalatan; Pfizer, Inc., New York, NY]). Lower HRR scores and higher D15 CCI (both indicating worse color vision) were associated with greater VF damage (P < 0.001). Extent of color vision deficiency and color descriptor heterogeneity significantly predicted agreement in multivariate models (odds of agreement = 0.90 per 1 point decrement in HRR score, P < 0.001; odds of agreement = 0.30 for medications exhibiting high heterogeneity [≥11 descriptors], P = 0.007). Physician understanding of patient medication use based solely on bottle cap color is frequently incorrect, particularly in patients with glaucoma who may have color vision deficiency. Errors based on communication using bottle cap color alone may be common and could lead to confusion and harm. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Classification of road sign type using mobile stereo vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLoughlin, Simon D.; Deegan, Catherine; Fitzgerald, Conor; Markham, Charles

2005-06-01

This paper presents a portable mobile stereo vision system designed for the assessment of road signage and delineation (lines and reflective pavement markers or "cat's eyes"). This novel system allows both geometric and photometric measurements to be made on objects in a scene. Global Positioning System technology provides important location data for any measurements made. Using the system it has been shown that road signs can be classfied by nature of their reflectivity. This is achieved by examining the changes in the reflected light intensity with changes in range (facilitated by stereo vision). Signs assessed include those made from retro-reflective materials, those made from diffuse reflective materials and those made from diffuse reflective matrials with local illumination. Field-testing results demonstrate the systems ability to classify objects in the scene based on their reflective properties. The paper includes a discussion of a physical model that supports the experimental data.

The color-vision approach to emotional space: cortical evoked potential data.

PubMed

Boucsein, W; Schaefer, F; Sokolov, E N; Schröder, C; Furedy, J J

2001-01-01

A framework for accounting for emotional phenomena proposed by Sokolov and Boucsein (2000) employs conceptual dimensions that parallel those of hue, brightness, and saturation in color vision. The approach that employs the concepts of emotional quality. intensity, and saturation has been supported by psychophysical emotional scaling data gathered from a few trained observers. We report cortical evoked potential data obtained during the change between different emotions expressed in schematic faces. Twenty-five subjects (13 male, 12 female) were presented with a positive, a negative, and a neutral computer-generated face with random interstimulus intervals in a within-subjects design, together with four meaningful and four meaningless control stimuli made up from the same elements. Frontal, central, parietal, and temporal ERPs were recorded from each hemisphere. Statistically significant outcomes in the P300 and N200 range support the potential fruitfulness of the proposed color-vision-model-based approach to human emotional space.

Neural Networks for Computer Vision: A Framework for Specifications of a General Purpose Vision System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skrzypek, Josef; Mesrobian, Edmond; Gungner, David J.

1989-03-01

The development of autonomous land vehicles (ALV) capable of operating in an unconstrained environment has proven to be a formidable research effort. The unpredictability of events in such an environment calls for the design of a robust perceptual system, an impossible task requiring the programming of a system bases on the expectation of future, unconstrained events. Hence, the need for a "general purpose" machine vision system that is capable of perceiving and understanding images in an unconstrained environment in real-time. The research undertaken at the UCLA Machine Perception Laboratory addresses this need by focusing on two specific issues: 1) the long term goals for machine vision research as a joint effort between the neurosciences and computer science; and 2) a framework for evaluating progress in machine vision. In the past, vision research has been carried out independently within different fields including neurosciences, psychology, computer science, and electrical engineering. Our interdisciplinary approach to vision research is based on the rigorous combination of computational neuroscience, as derived from neurophysiology and neuropsychology, with computer science and electrical engineering. The primary motivation behind our approach is that the human visual system is the only existing example of a "general purpose" vision system and using a neurally based computing substrate, it can complete all necessary visual tasks in real-time.

Flying Drosophila stabilize their vision-based velocity controller by sensing wind with their antennae

PubMed Central

Fuller, Sawyer Buckminster; Straw, Andrew D.; Peek, Martin Y.; Murray, Richard M.; Dickinson, Michael H.

2014-01-01

Flies and other insects use vision to regulate their groundspeed in flight, enabling them to fly in varying wind conditions. Compared with mechanosensory modalities, however, vision requires a long processing delay (~100 ms) that might introduce instability if operated at high gain. Flies also sense air motion with their antennae, but how this is used in flight control is unknown. We manipulated the antennal function of fruit flies by ablating their aristae, forcing them to rely on vision alone to regulate groundspeed. Arista-ablated flies in flight exhibited significantly greater groundspeed variability than intact flies. We then subjected them to a series of controlled impulsive wind gusts delivered by an air piston and experimentally manipulated antennae and visual feedback. The results show that an antenna-mediated response alters wing motion to cause flies to accelerate in the same direction as the gust. This response opposes flying into a headwind, but flies regularly fly upwind. To resolve this discrepancy, we obtained a dynamic model of the fly’s velocity regulator by fitting parameters of candidate models to our experimental data. The model suggests that the groundspeed variability of arista-ablated flies is the result of unstable feedback oscillations caused by the delay and high gain of visual feedback. The antenna response drives active damping with a shorter delay (~20 ms) to stabilize this regulator, in exchange for increasing the effect of rapid wind disturbances. This provides insight into flies’ multimodal sensory feedback architecture and constitutes a previously unknown role for the antennae. PMID:24639532

Method of orthogonally splitting imaging pose measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Na; Sun, Changku; Wang, Peng; Yang, Qian; Liu, Xintong

2018-01-01

In order to meet the aviation's and machinery manufacturing's pose measurement need of high precision, fast speed and wide measurement range, and to resolve the contradiction between measurement range and resolution of vision sensor, this paper proposes an orthogonally splitting imaging pose measurement method. This paper designs and realizes an orthogonally splitting imaging vision sensor and establishes a pose measurement system. The vision sensor consists of one imaging lens, a beam splitter prism, cylindrical lenses and dual linear CCD. Dual linear CCD respectively acquire one dimensional image coordinate data of the target point, and two data can restore the two dimensional image coordinates of the target point. According to the characteristics of imaging system, this paper establishes the nonlinear distortion model to correct distortion. Based on cross ratio invariability, polynomial equation is established and solved by the least square fitting method. After completing distortion correction, this paper establishes the measurement mathematical model of vision sensor, and determines intrinsic parameters to calibrate. An array of feature points for calibration is built by placing a planar target in any different positions for a few times. An terative optimization method is presented to solve the parameters of model. The experimental results show that the field angle is 52 °, the focus distance is 27.40 mm, image resolution is 5185×5117 pixels, displacement measurement error is less than 0.1mm, and rotation angle measurement error is less than 0.15°. The method of orthogonally splitting imaging pose measurement can satisfy the pose measurement requirement of high precision, fast speed and wide measurement range.

Simultaneous Intrinsic and Extrinsic Parameter Identification of a Hand-Mounted Laser-Vision Sensor

PubMed Central

Lee, Jong Kwang; Kim, Kiho; Lee, Yongseok; Jeong, Taikyeong

2011-01-01

In this paper, we propose a simultaneous intrinsic and extrinsic parameter identification of a hand-mounted laser-vision sensor (HMLVS). A laser-vision sensor (LVS), consisting of a camera and a laser stripe projector, is used as a sensor component of the robotic measurement system, and it measures the range data with respect to the robot base frame using the robot forward kinematics and the optical triangulation principle. For the optimal estimation of the model parameters, we applied two optimization techniques: a nonlinear least square optimizer and a particle swarm optimizer. Best-fit parameters, including both the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the HMLVS, are simultaneously obtained based on the least-squares criterion. From the simulation and experimental results, it is shown that the parameter identification problem considered was characterized by a highly multimodal landscape; thus, the global optimization technique such as a particle swarm optimization can be a promising tool to identify the model parameters for a HMLVS, while the nonlinear least square optimizer often failed to find an optimal solution even when the initial candidate solutions were selected close to the true optimum. The proposed optimization method does not require good initial guesses of the system parameters to converge at a very stable solution and it could be applied to a kinematically dissimilar robot system without loss of generality. PMID:22164104

On-line bolt-loosening detection method of key components of running trains using binocular vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Yanxia; Sun, Junhua

2017-11-01

Bolt loosening, as one of hidden faults, affects the running quality of trains and even causes serious safety accidents. However, the developed fault detection approaches based on two-dimensional images cannot detect bolt-loosening due to lack of depth information. Therefore, we propose a novel online bolt-loosening detection method using binocular vision. Firstly, the target detection model based on convolutional neural network (CNN) is used to locate the target regions. And then, stereo matching and three-dimensional reconstruction are performed to detect bolt-loosening faults. The experimental results show that the looseness of multiple bolts can be characterized by the method simultaneously. The measurement repeatability and precision are less than 0.03mm, 0.09mm respectively, and its relative error is controlled within 1.09%.

Obstacle Detection as a Safety Alert in Augmented Reality Models by the Use of Deep Learning Techniques

PubMed Central

Kęsik, Karolina; Książek, Kamil

2017-01-01

Augmented reality (AR) is becoming increasingly popular due to its numerous applications. This is especially evident in games, medicine, education, and other areas that support our everyday activities. Moreover, this kind of computer system not only improves our vision and our perception of the world that surrounds us, but also adds additional elements, modifies existing ones, and gives additional guidance. In this article, we focus on interpreting a reality-based real-time environment evaluation for informing the user about impending obstacles. The proposed solution is based on a hybrid architecture that is capable of estimating as much incoming information as possible. The proposed solution has been tested and discussed with respect to the advantages and disadvantages of different possibilities using this type of vision. PMID:29207564

Obstacle Detection as a Safety Alert in Augmented Reality Models by the Use of Deep Learning Techniques.

PubMed

Połap, Dawid; Kęsik, Karolina; Książek, Kamil; Woźniak, Marcin

2017-12-04

Augmented reality (AR) is becoming increasingly popular due to its numerous applications. This is especially evident in games, medicine, education, and other areas that support our everyday activities. Moreover, this kind of computer system not only improves our vision and our perception of the world that surrounds us, but also adds additional elements, modifies existing ones, and gives additional guidance. In this article, we focus on interpreting a reality-based real-time environment evaluation for informing the user about impending obstacles. The proposed solution is based on a hybrid architecture that is capable of estimating as much incoming information as possible. The proposed solution has been tested and discussed with respect to the advantages and disadvantages of different possibilities using this type of vision.

Computational models of human vision with applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wandell, B. A.

1985-01-01

Perceptual problems in aeronautics were studied. The mechanism by which color constancy is achieved in human vision was examined. A computable algorithm was developed to model the arrangement of retinal cones in spatial vision. The spatial frequency spectra are similar to the spectra of actual cone mosaics. The Hartley transform as a tool of image processing was evaluated and it is suggested that it could be used in signal processing applications, GR image processing.

Vision rehabilitation in the case of blindness.

PubMed

Veraart, Claude; Duret, Florence; Brelén, Marten; Oozeer, Medhy; Delbeke, Jean

2004-09-01

This article examines the various vision rehabilitation procedures that are available for early and late blindness. Depending on the pathology involved, several vision rehabilitation procedures exist, or are in development. Visual aids are available for low vision individuals, as are sensory aids for blind persons. Most noninvasive sensory substitution prostheses as well as implanted visual prostheses in development are reviewed. Issues dealing with vision rehabilitation are also discussed, such as problems of biocompatibility, electrical safety, psychosocial aspects, and ethics. Basic studies devoted to vision rehabilitation such as simulation in mathematical models and simulation of artificial vision are also presented. Finally, the importance of accurate rehabilitation assessment is addressed, and tentative market figures are given.

An overview of quantitative approaches in Gestalt perception.

PubMed

Jäkel, Frank; Singh, Manish; Wichmann, Felix A; Herzog, Michael H

2016-09-01

Gestalt psychology is often criticized as lacking quantitative measurements and precise mathematical models. While this is true of the early Gestalt school, today there are many quantitative approaches in Gestalt perception and the special issue of Vision Research "Quantitative Approaches in Gestalt Perception" showcases the current state-of-the-art. In this article we give an overview of these current approaches. For example, ideal observer models are one of the standard quantitative tools in vision research and there is a clear trend to try and apply this tool to Gestalt perception and thereby integrate Gestalt perception into mainstream vision research. More generally, Bayesian models, long popular in other areas of vision research, are increasingly being employed to model perceptual grouping as well. Thus, although experimental and theoretical approaches to Gestalt perception remain quite diverse, we are hopeful that these quantitative trends will pave the way for a unified theory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Should Family and Friends Be Involved in Group-Based Rehabilitation Programs for Adults with Low Vision?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rees, G.; Saw, C.; Larizza, M.; Lamoureux, E.; Keeffe, J.

2007-01-01

This qualitative study investigates the views of clients with low vision and vision rehabilitation professionals on the involvement of family and friends in group-based rehabilitation programs. Both groups outlined advantages and disadvantages to involving significant others, and it is essential that clients are given the choice. Future work is…

Vision-based stress estimation model for steel frame structures with rigid links

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Hyo Seon; Park, Jun Su; Oh, Byung Kwan

2017-07-01

This paper presents a stress estimation model for the safety evaluation of steel frame structures with rigid links using a vision-based monitoring system. In this model, the deformed shape of a structure under external loads is estimated via displacements measured by a motion capture system (MCS), which is a non-contact displacement measurement device. During the estimation of the deformed shape, the effective lengths of the rigid link ranges in the frame structure are identified. The radius of the curvature of the structural member to be monitored is calculated using the estimated deformed shape and is employed to estimate stress. Using MCS in the presented model, the safety of a structure can be assessed gauge-freely. In addition, because the stress is directly extracted from the radius of the curvature obtained from the measured deformed shape, information on the loadings and boundary conditions of the structure are not required. Furthermore, the model, which includes the identification of the effective lengths of the rigid links, can consider the influences of the stiffness of the connection and support on the deformation in the stress estimation. To verify the applicability of the presented model, static loading tests for a steel frame specimen were conducted. By comparing the stress estimated by the model with the measured stress, the validity of the model was confirmed.

Towards a Framework for Modeling Space Systems Architectures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shames, Peter; Skipper, Joseph

2006-01-01

Topics covered include: 1) Statement of the problem: a) Space system architecture is complex; b) Existing terrestrial approaches must be adapted for space; c) Need a common architecture methodology and information model; d) Need appropriate set of viewpoints. 2) Requirements on a space systems model. 3) Model Based Engineering and Design (MBED) project: a) Evaluated different methods; b) Adapted and utilized RASDS & RM-ODP; c) Identified useful set of viewpoints; d) Did actual model exchanges among selected subset of tools. 4) Lessons learned & future vision.

Integrating National Space Visions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherwood, Brent

2006-01-01

This paper examines value proposition assumptions for various models nations may use to justify, shape, and guide their space programs. Nations organize major societal investments like space programs to actualize national visions represented by leaders as investments in the public good. The paper defines nine 'vision drivers' that circumscribe the motivations evidently underpinning national space programs. It then describes 19 fundamental space activity objectives (eight extant and eleven prospective) that nations already do or could in the future use to actualize the visions they select. Finally the paper presents four contrasting models of engagement among nations, and compares these models to assess realistic pounds on the pace of human progress in space over the coming decades. The conclusion is that orthogonal engagement, albeit unlikely because it is unprecedented, would yield the most robust and rapid global progress.

Software architecture for time-constrained machine vision applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usamentiaga, Rubén; Molleda, Julio; García, Daniel F.; Bulnes, Francisco G.

2013-01-01

Real-time image and video processing applications require skilled architects, and recent trends in the hardware platform make the design and implementation of these applications increasingly complex. Many frameworks and libraries have been proposed or commercialized to simplify the design and tuning of real-time image processing applications. However, they tend to lack flexibility, because they are normally oriented toward particular types of applications, or they impose specific data processing models such as the pipeline. Other issues include large memory footprints, difficulty for reuse, and inefficient execution on multicore processors. We present a novel software architecture for time-constrained machine vision applications that addresses these issues. The architecture is divided into three layers. The platform abstraction layer provides a high-level application programming interface for the rest of the architecture. The messaging layer provides a message-passing interface based on a dynamic publish/subscribe pattern. A topic-based filtering in which messages are published to topics is used to route the messages from the publishers to the subscribers interested in a particular type of message. The application layer provides a repository for reusable application modules designed for machine vision applications. These modules, which include acquisition, visualization, communication, user interface, and data processing, take advantage of the power of well-known libraries such as OpenCV, Intel IPP, or CUDA. Finally, the proposed architecture is applied to a real machine vision application: a jam detector for steel pickling lines.

Vision-based coaching: optimizing resources for leader development

PubMed Central

Passarelli, Angela M.

2015-01-01

Leaders develop in the direction of their dreams, not in the direction of their deficits. Yet many coaching interactions intended to promote a leader’s development fail to leverage the benefits of the individual’s personal vision. Drawing on intentional change theory, this article postulates that coaching interactions that emphasize a leader’s personal vision (future aspirations and core identity) evoke a psychophysiological state characterized by positive emotions, cognitive openness, and optimal neurobiological functioning for complex goal pursuit. Vision-based coaching, via this psychophysiological state, generates a host of relational and motivational resources critical to the developmental process. These resources include: formation of a positive coaching relationship, expansion of the leader’s identity, increased vitality, activation of learning goals, and a promotion–orientation. Organizational outcomes as well as limitations to vision-based coaching are discussed. PMID:25926803

Neuro-inspired smart image sensor: analog Hmax implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paindavoine, Michel; Dubois, Jérôme; Musa, Purnawarman

2015-03-01

Neuro-Inspired Vision approach, based on models from biology, allows to reduce the computational complexity. One of these models - The Hmax model - shows that the recognition of an object in the visual cortex mobilizes V1, V2 and V4 areas. From the computational point of view, V1 corresponds to the area of the directional filters (for example Sobel filters, Gabor filters or wavelet filters). This information is then processed in the area V2 in order to obtain local maxima. This new information is then sent to an artificial neural network. This neural processing module corresponds to area V4 of the visual cortex and is intended to categorize objects present in the scene. In order to realize autonomous vision systems (consumption of a few milliwatts) with such treatments inside, we studied and realized in 0.35μm CMOS technology prototypes of two image sensors in order to achieve the V1 and V2 processing of Hmax model.

Measuring the learning capacity of organisations: development and factor analysis of the Questionnaire for Learning Organizations.

PubMed

Oudejans, S C C; Schippers, G M; Schramade, M H; Koeter, M W J; van den Brink, W

2011-04-01

To investigate internal consistency and factor structure of a questionnaire measuring learning capacity based on Senge's theory of the five disciplines of a learning organisation: Personal Mastery, Mental Models, Shared Vision, Team Learning, and Systems Thinking. Cross-sectional study. Substance-abuse treatment centres (SATCs) in The Netherlands. A total of 293 SATC employees from outpatient and inpatient treatment departments, financial and human resources departments. Psychometric properties of the Questionnaire for Learning Organizations (QLO), including factor structure, internal consistency, and interscale correlations. A five-factor model representing the five disciplines of Senge showed good fit. The scales for Personal Mastery, Shared Vision and Team Learning had good internal consistency, but the scales for Systems Thinking and Mental Models had low internal consistency. The proposed five-factor structure was confirmed in the QLO, which makes it a promising instrument to assess learning capacity in teams. The Systems Thinking and the Mental Models scales have to be revised. Future research should be aimed at testing criterion and discriminatory validity.

Large-scale functional models of visual cortex for remote sensing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brumby, Steven P; Kenyon, Garrett; Rasmussen, Craig E

Neuroscience has revealed many properties of neurons and of the functional organization of visual cortex that are believed to be essential to human vision, but are missing in standard artificial neural networks. Equally important may be the sheer scale of visual cortex requiring {approx}1 petaflop of computation. In a year, the retina delivers {approx}1 petapixel to the brain, leading to massively large opportunities for learning at many levels of the cortical system. We describe work at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to develop large-scale functional models of visual cortex on LANL's Roadrunner petaflop supercomputer. An initial run of a simplemore » region VI code achieved 1.144 petaflops during trials at the IBM facility in Poughkeepsie, NY (June 2008). Here, we present criteria for assessing when a set of learned local representations is 'complete' along with general criteria for assessing computer vision models based on their projected scaling behavior. Finally, we extend one class of biologically-inspired learning models to problems of remote sensing imagery.« less

Drogue detection for vision-based autonomous aerial refueling via low rank and sparse decomposition with multiple features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Shibo; Cheng, Yongmei; Song, Chunhua

2013-09-01

The technology of vision-based probe-and-drogue autonomous aerial refueling is an amazing task in modern aviation for both manned and unmanned aircraft. A key issue is to determine the relative orientation and position of the drogue and the probe accurately for relative navigation system during the approach phase, which requires locating the drogue precisely. Drogue detection is a challenging task due to disorderly motion of drogue caused by both the tanker wake vortex and atmospheric turbulence. In this paper, the problem of drogue detection is considered as a problem of moving object detection. A drogue detection algorithm based on low rank and sparse decomposition with local multiple features is proposed. The global and local information of drogue is introduced into the detection model in a unified way. The experimental results on real autonomous aerial refueling videos show that the proposed drogue detection algorithm is effective.

Vision-Based Real-Time Traversable Region Detection for Mobile Robot in the Outdoors.

PubMed

Deng, Fucheng; Zhu, Xiaorui; He, Chao

2017-09-13

Environment perception is essential for autonomous mobile robots in human-robot coexisting outdoor environments. One of the important tasks for such intelligent robots is to autonomously detect the traversable region in an unstructured 3D real world. The main drawback of most existing methods is that of high computational complexity. Hence, this paper proposes a binocular vision-based, real-time solution for detecting traversable region in the outdoors. In the proposed method, an appearance model based on multivariate Gaussian is quickly constructed from a sample region in the left image adaptively determined by the vanishing point and dominant borders. Then, a fast, self-supervised segmentation scheme is proposed to classify the traversable and non-traversable regions. The proposed method is evaluated on public datasets as well as a real mobile robot. Implementation on the mobile robot has shown its ability in the real-time navigation applications.

The semantic web and computer vision: old AI meets new AI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mundy, J. L.; Dong, Y.; Gilliam, A.; Wagner, R.

2018-04-01

There has been vast process in linking semantic information across the billions of web pages through the use of ontologies encoded in the Web Ontology Language (OWL) based on the Resource Description Framework (RDF). A prime example is the Wikipedia where the knowledge contained in its more than four million pages is encoded in an ontological database called DBPedia http://wiki.dbpedia.org/. Web-based query tools can retrieve semantic information from DBPedia encoded in interlinked ontologies that can be accessed using natural language. This paper will show how this vast context can be used to automate the process of querying images and other geospatial data in support of report changes in structures and activities. Computer vision algorithms are selected and provided with context based on natural language requests for monitoring and analysis. The resulting reports provide semantically linked observations from images and 3D surface models.

A New Vision for Institutional Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swing, Randy L.; Ross, Leah Ewing

2016-01-01

A new vision for institutional research is urgently needed if colleges and universities are to achieve their institutional missions, goals, and purposes. The authors advocate for a move away from the traditional service model of institutional research to an institutional research function via a federated network model or matrix network model. When…

Colour Model for Outdoor Machine Vision for Tropical Regions and its Comparison with the CIE Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahragard, Nasrolah; Ramli, Abdul Rahman B.; Hamiruce Marhaban, Mohammad; Mansor, Shattri B.

2011-02-01

Accurate modeling of daylight and surface reflectance are very useful for most outdoor machine vision applications specifically those which are based on color recognition. Existing daylight CIE model has drawbacks that limit its ability to predict the color of incident light. These limitations include lack of considering ambient light, effects of light reflected off the ground, and context specific information. Previously developed color model is only tested for a few geographical places in North America and its accountability is under question for other places in the world. Besides, existing surface reflectance models are not easily applied to outdoor images. A reflectance model with combined diffuse and specular reflection in normalized HSV color space could be used to predict color. In this paper, a new daylight color model showing the color of daylight for a broad range of sky conditions is developed which will suit weather conditions of tropical places such as Malaysia. A comparison of this daylight color model and daylight CIE model will be discussed. The colors of matte and specular surfaces have been estimated by use of the developed color model and surface reflection function in this paper. The results are shown to be highly reliable.

Progress in building a cognitive vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benjamin, D. Paul; Lyons, Damian; Yue, Hong

2016-05-01

We are building a cognitive vision system for mobile robots that works in a manner similar to the human vision system, using saccadic, vergence and pursuit movements to extract information from visual input. At each fixation, the system builds a 3D model of a small region, combining information about distance, shape, texture and motion to create a local dynamic spatial model. These local 3D models are composed to create an overall 3D model of the robot and its environment. This approach turns the computer vision problem into a search problem whose goal is the acquisition of sufficient spatial understanding for the robot to succeed at its tasks. The research hypothesis of this work is that the movements of the robot's cameras are only those that are necessary to build a sufficiently accurate world model for the robot's current goals. For example, if the goal is to navigate through a room, the model needs to contain any obstacles that would be encountered, giving their approximate positions and sizes. Other information does not need to be rendered into the virtual world, so this approach trades model accuracy for speed.

What is vision Hampton Roads?

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-01-01

What is Vision Hampton Roads? : Vision Hampton Roads is... : A regionwide economic development strategy based on the collective strengths of all : localities of Hampton Roads, created with the input of business, academia, nonprofits, : government,...

Thresholds and noise limitations of colour vision in dim light.

PubMed

Kelber, Almut; Yovanovich, Carola; Olsson, Peter

2017-04-05

Colour discrimination is based on opponent photoreceptor interactions, and limited by receptor noise. In dim light, photon shot noise impairs colour vision, and in vertebrates, the absolute threshold of colour vision is set by dark noise in cones. Nocturnal insects (e.g. moths and nocturnal bees) and vertebrates lacking rods (geckos) have adaptations to reduce receptor noise and use chromatic vision even in very dim light. In contrast, vertebrates with duplex retinae use colour-blind rod vision when noisy cone signals become unreliable, and their transition from cone- to rod-based vision is marked by the Purkinje shift. Rod-cone interactions have not been shown to improve colour vision in dim light, but may contribute to colour vision in mesopic light intensities. Frogs and toads that have two types of rods use opponent signals from these rods to control phototaxis even at their visual threshold. However, for tasks such as prey or mate choice, their colour discrimination abilities fail at brighter light intensities, similar to other vertebrates, probably limited by the dark noise in cones.This article is part of the themed issue 'Vision in dim light'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Bibliography of In-House and Contract Reports. Supplement 15.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-01

that approaches the aesthetic quality obtainable from experienced manual placement. )S 10 WNW oA ETL- 0428 AD-BI06 994L KNOWLEDGE-BASED VISION...Service Tests, and Production Model 1307 -TR 1953 Tests, Autofocusing Rectifier Development, Test, Preparation, Delivery, and ETL- 1307 1982 Installation of

Re-visions of rationality?

PubMed

Newell, Ben R

2005-01-01

The appeal of simple algorithms that take account of both the constraints of human cognitive capacity and the structure of environments has been an enduring theme in cognitive science. A novel version of such a boundedly rational perspective views the mind as containing an 'adaptive toolbox' of specialized cognitive heuristics suited to different problems. Although intuitively appealing, when this version was proposed, empirical evidence for the use of such heuristics was scant. I argue that in the light of empirical studies carried out since then, it is time this 'vision of rationality' was revised. An alternative view based on integrative models rather than collections of heuristics is proposed.

A nationwide population-based study of low vision and blindness in South Korea.

PubMed

Park, Shin Hae; Lee, Ji Sung; Heo, Hwan; Suh, Young-Woo; Kim, Seung-Hyun; Lim, Key Hwan; Moon, Nam Ju; Lee, Sung Jin; Park, Song Hee; Baek, Seung-Hee

2014-12-18

To investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of low vision and blindness in the Korean population. This cross-sectional, population-based study examined the ophthalmologic data of 22,135 Koreans aged ≥5 years from the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V, 2010-2012). According to the World Health Organization criteria, blindness was defined as visual acuity (VA) less than 20/400 in the better-seeing eye, and low vision as VA of 20/60 or worse but 20/400 or better in the better-seeing eye. The prevalence rates were calculated from either presenting VA (PVA) or best-corrected VA (BCVA). Multivariate regression analysis was conducted for adults aged ≥20 years. The overall prevalence rates of PVA-defined low vision and blindness were 4.98% and 0.26%, respectively, and those of BCVA-defined low vision and blindness were 0.46% and 0.05%, respectively. Prevalence increased rapidly above the age of 70 years. For subjects aged ≥70 years, the population-weighted prevalence rates of low vision, based on PVA and BCVA, were 12.85% and 3.87%, respectively, and the corresponding rates of blindness were 0.49% and 0.42%, respectively. The presenting vision problems were significantly associated with age (younger adults or elderly subjects), female sex, low educational level, and lowest household income, whereas the best-corrected vision problems were associated with age ≥ 70 years, a low educational level, and rural residence. This population-based study provides useful information for planning optimal public eye health care services in South Korea. Copyright 2015 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Vision and Leadership: Problem-Based Learning as a Teaching Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archbald, Douglas

2013-01-01

We read and hear frequently about the role of vision in leadership. Standards for leadership education programs typically emphasize vision as a core component of leadership education and published accounts of successful leadership usually extol the leader's vision. Given the prevalence of this term in discourse on leadership, it is surprising how…

The Vision Thing in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, George

1995-01-01

It is argued that while the concept of "vision" in higher education has been met with disdain, criticism is based on misconceptions of vision's nature and role--that vision requires a charismatic administrator and that visionaries are dreamers. Educators and planners are urged to use imaginative thinking to connect the institution's and staff's…

FORGE Newberry 3D Gravity Density Model for Newberry Volcano

DOE Data Explorer

Alain Bonneville

2016-03-11

These data are Pacific Northwest National Lab inversions of an amalgamation of two surface gravity datasets: Davenport-Newberry gravity collected prior to 2012 stimulations and Zonge International gravity collected for the project "Novel use of 4D Monitoring Techniques to Improve Reservoir Longevity and Productivity in Enhanced Geothermal Systems" in 2012. Inversions of surface gravity recover a 3D distribution of density contrast from which intrusive igneous bodies are identified. The data indicate a body name, body type, point type, UTM X and Y coordinates, Z data is specified as meters below sea level (negative values then indicate elevations above sea level), thickness of the body in meters, suscept, density anomaly in g/cc, background density in g/cc, and density in g/cc. The model was created using a commercial gravity inversion software called ModelVision 12.0 (http://www.tensor-research.com.au/Geophysical-Products/ModelVision). The initial model is based on the seismic tomography interpretation (Beachly et al., 2012). All the gravity data used to constrain this model are on the GDR: https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/760.

An integrated multi criteria approach for landfill siting in a conflicting environmental, economical and socio-cultural area.

PubMed

Eskandari, Mahnaz; Homaee, Mehdi; Mahmodi, Shahla

2012-08-01

Landfill site selection is a complicated multi criteria land use planning that should convince all related stakeholders with different insights. This paper addresses an integrating approach for landfill siting based on conflicting opinions among environmental, economical and socio-cultural expertise. In order to gain optimized siting decision, the issue was investigated in different viewpoints. At first step based on opinion sampling and questionnaire results of 35 experts familiar with local situations, the national environmental legislations and international practices, 13 constraints and 15 factors were built in hierarchical structure. Factors divided into three environmental, economical and socio-cultural groups. In the next step, the GIS-database was developed based on the designated criteria. In the third stage, the criteria standardization and criteria weighting were accomplished. The relative importance weights of criteria and subcriteria were estimated, respectively, using analytical hierarchy process and rank ordering methods based on different experts opinions. Thereafter, by using simple additive weighting method, the suitability maps for landfill siting in Marvdasht, Iran, was evaluated in environmental, economical and socio-cultural visions. The importance of each group of criteria in its own vision was assigned to be higher than two other groups. In the fourth stage, the final suitability map was obtained after crossing three resulted maps in different visions and reported in five suitability classes for landfill construction. This map indicated that almost 1224 ha of the study area can be considered as best suitable class for landfill siting considering all visions. In the last stage, a comprehensive field visit was performed to verify the selected site obtained from the proposed model. This field inspection has confirmed the proposed integrating approach for the landfill siting. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving the Aircraft Design Process Using Web-Based Modeling and Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, John A.; Follen, Gregory J.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.; Follen, Gregory J. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Designing and developing new aircraft systems is time-consuming and expensive. Computational simulation is a promising means for reducing design cycle times, but requires a flexible software environment capable of integrating advanced multidisciplinary and multifidelity analysis methods, dynamically managing data across heterogeneous computing platforms, and distributing computationally complex tasks. Web-based simulation, with its emphasis on collaborative composition of simulation models, distributed heterogeneous execution, and dynamic multimedia documentation, has the potential to meet these requirements. This paper outlines the current aircraft design process, highlighting its problems and complexities, and presents our vision of an aircraft design process using Web-based modeling and simulation.

Improving the Aircraft Design Process Using Web-based Modeling and Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, John A.; Follen, Gregory J.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.

2003-01-01

Designing and developing new aircraft systems is time-consuming and expensive. Computational simulation is a promising means for reducing design cycle times, but requires a flexible software environment capable of integrating advanced multidisciplinary and muitifidelity analysis methods, dynamically managing data across heterogeneous computing platforms, and distributing computationally complex tasks. Web-based simulation, with its emphasis on collaborative composition of simulation models, distributed heterogeneous execution, and dynamic multimedia documentation, has the potential to meet these requirements. This paper outlines the current aircraft design process, highlighting its problems and complexities, and presents our vision of an aircraft design process using Web-based modeling and simulation.

The cost-effectiveness of photodynamic therapy for fellow eyes with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration.

PubMed

Sharma, S; Brown, G C; Brown, M M; Hollands, H; Shah, G K

2001-11-01

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has recently been demonstrated to be beneficial for the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Herein, we determine the cost-effectiveness of PDT for the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in patients with disciform degeneration in one eye and whose second and better-seeing eye develops visual loss secondary to predominantly classic subfoveal CNV. The analysis was performed from the perspective of a for-profit third-party insurer. Cost-utility Markov models were created to determine the cost-effectiveness of PDT under two different scenarios, by using efficacy data derived from the Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration with Photodynamic Therapy (TAP) Study and patient-based utilities. Decision analyses were performed by incorporating data from the TAP Study, expected longevity data, and patient-based utilities. Cost-effective models were then created by incorporating incremental medical costs. Various sensitivity analyses were carried out to determine the robustness of our models. A Monte Carlo simulation was also used to determine whether there was a significant difference in quality-of-life adjusted years (QALYs) gained between PDT therapy and the placebo. For the hypothetical patient whose second and better-seeing eye becomes affected and who has 20/40 vision at baseline in this affected eye (base case 1), PDT was associated with a 10.7% relative increase in their quality-of-life (treatment conferred an additional undiscounted 0.1342 QALYs over a 2-year period). For the hypothetical patient whose second and better-seeing eye becomes affected and who has 20/200 vision at baseline in this affected eye (base case 2), PDT was associated with a 7.8% relative increase in their quality-of-life (treatment conferred an additional undiscounted 0.0669 QALYs over a 2-year period). Sensitivity analysis showed our models were robust and that PDT was usually the dominant treatment choice. Our cost-effective model demonstrated that the cost for a QALY was $86,721 (US dollars discounted at 3%) for base case 1, assuming 5.5 treatments; and $173,984 (USD discounted at 3%) for base case 2. PDT will cost a third-party insurer $86,721 for an AMD patient with 20/40 vision in the better-seeing eye to obtain one QALY and $173,984 for an AMD patient with 20/200 vision in the better-seeing eye to obtain one QALY. PDT can be considered to be a treatment that is of only minimal cost-effectiveness for AMD patients who have subfoveal CNV in their second and better-seeing eyes and who have good presenting visual acuity at baseline. It is a cost-ineffective treatment for AMD patients who have poor visual acuities in their affected better-seeing eyes.

A High-Speed Target-Free Vision-Based Sensor for Bus Rapid Transit Viaduct Vibration Measurements Using CMT and ORB Algorithms.

PubMed

Hu, Qijun; He, Songsheng; Wang, Shilong; Liu, Yugang; Zhang, Zutao; He, Leping; Wang, Fubin; Cai, Qijie; Shi, Rendan; Yang, Yuan

2017-06-06

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has become an increasing source of concern for public transportation of modern cities. Traditional contact sensing techniques during the process of health monitoring of BRT viaducts cannot overcome the deficiency that the normal free-flow of traffic would be blocked. Advances in computer vision technology provide a new line of thought for solving this problem. In this study, a high-speed target-free vision-based sensor is proposed to measure the vibration of structures without interrupting traffic. An improved keypoints matching algorithm based on consensus-based matching and tracking (CMT) object tracking algorithm is adopted and further developed together with oriented brief (ORB) keypoints detection algorithm for practicable and effective tracking of objects. Moreover, by synthesizing the existing scaling factor calculation methods, more rational approaches to reducing errors are implemented. The performance of the vision-based sensor is evaluated through a series of laboratory tests. Experimental tests with different target types, frequencies, amplitudes and motion patterns are conducted. The performance of the method is satisfactory, which indicates that the vision sensor can extract accurate structure vibration signals by tracking either artificial or natural targets. Field tests further demonstrate that the vision sensor is both practicable and reliable.

A High-Speed Target-Free Vision-Based Sensor for Bus Rapid Transit Viaduct Vibration Measurements Using CMT and ORB Algorithms

PubMed Central

Hu, Qijun; He, Songsheng; Wang, Shilong; Liu, Yugang; Zhang, Zutao; He, Leping; Wang, Fubin; Cai, Qijie; Shi, Rendan; Yang, Yuan

2017-01-01

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has become an increasing source of concern for public transportation of modern cities. Traditional contact sensing techniques during the process of health monitoring of BRT viaducts cannot overcome the deficiency that the normal free-flow of traffic would be blocked. Advances in computer vision technology provide a new line of thought for solving this problem. In this study, a high-speed target-free vision-based sensor is proposed to measure the vibration of structures without interrupting traffic. An improved keypoints matching algorithm based on consensus-based matching and tracking (CMT) object tracking algorithm is adopted and further developed together with oriented brief (ORB) keypoints detection algorithm for practicable and effective tracking of objects. Moreover, by synthesizing the existing scaling factor calculation methods, more rational approaches to reducing errors are implemented. The performance of the vision-based sensor is evaluated through a series of laboratory tests. Experimental tests with different target types, frequencies, amplitudes and motion patterns are conducted. The performance of the method is satisfactory, which indicates that the vision sensor can extract accurate structure vibration signals by tracking either artificial or natural targets. Field tests further demonstrate that the vision sensor is both practicable and reliable. PMID:28587275

Vision-based body tracking: turning Kinect into a clinical tool.

PubMed

Morrison, Cecily; Culmer, Peter; Mentis, Helena; Pincus, Tamar

2016-08-01

Vision-based body tracking technologies, originally developed for the consumer gaming market, are being repurposed to form the core of a range of innovative healthcare applications in the clinical assessment and rehabilitation of movement ability. Vision-based body tracking has substantial potential, but there are technical limitations. We use our "stories from the field" to articulate the challenges and offer examples of how these can be overcome. We illustrate that: (i) substantial effort is needed to determine the measures and feedback vision-based body tracking should provide, accounting for the practicalities of the technology (e.g. range) as well as new environments (e.g. home). (ii) Practical considerations are important when planning data capture so that data is analysable, whether finding ways to support a patient or ensuring everyone does the exercise in the same manner. (iii) Home is a place of opportunity for vision-based body tracking, but what we do now in the clinic (e.g. balance tests) or in the home (e.g. play games) will require modifications to achieve capturable, clinically relevant measures. This article articulates how vision-based body tracking works and when it does not to continue to inspire our clinical colleagues to imagine new applications. Implications for Rehabilitation Vision-based body tracking has quickly been repurposed to form the core of innovative healthcare applications in clinical assessment and rehabilitation, but there are clinical as well as practical challenges to make such systems a reality. Substantial effort needs to go into determining what types of measures and feedback vision-based body tracking should provide. This needs to account for the practicalities of the technology (e.g. range) as well as the opportunities of new environments (e.g. the home). Practical considerations need to be accounted for when planning capture in a particular environment so that data is analysable, whether it be finding a chair substitute, ways to support a patient or ensuring everyone does the exercise in the same manner. The home is a place of opportunity with vision-based body tracking, but it would be naïve to think that we can do what we do now in the clinic (e.g. balance tests) or in the home (e.g. play games), without appropriate modifications to what constitutes a practically capturable, clinically relevant measure.

Bibliography of In-House and Contract Reports, Supplement 18

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-01

Transparent Conforming Overlays 46 TITLE REPORT NO. YEAR Development, Service Tests, and Production Model 1307 -TR 1953 Tests, Autofocusing Rectifier...Development, Test, Preparation, Delivery, and ETL- 1307 1982 Installation of Algorithms for Optimal Adjustment of Inertial Survey Data Developmental Optical...B: Terrain ETL- 0428 1986 and Object Modeling Recognition (March 13, 1985 - March 13, 1986) Knowledge-Based Vision Techniques - Task B: Terrain ETL

Indigenous Educational Models for Contemporary Practice: In Our Mother's Voice. Sociocultural, Political, and Historical Studies in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nee-Benham, Maenette Kape'ahiokalani Padeken Ah, Ed.

This book presents a collection of papers on the rights of indigenous students to an equal education. The 15 chapters include: (1) "Gathering Together To Travel to the Source: A Vision for a Language and Culture-Based Educational Model" (Maenette Kape'ahiokalani Padeken Ah Nee-Benham and Joanne Elizabeth Cooper); (2) "Building a Child-Centered…

Vision based control of unmanned aerial vehicles with applications to an autonomous four-rotor helicopter, quadrotor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altug, Erdinc

Our work proposes a vision-based stabilization and output tracking control method for a model helicopter. This is a part of our effort to produce a rotorcraft based autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Due to the desired maneuvering ability, a four-rotor helicopter has been chosen as the testbed. On previous research on flying vehicles, vision is usually used as a secondary sensor. Unlike previous research, our goal is to use visual feedback as the main sensor, which is not only responsible for detecting where the ground objects are but also for helicopter localization. A novel two-camera method has been introduced for estimating the full six degrees of freedom (DOF) pose of the helicopter. This two-camera system consists of a pan-tilt ground camera and an onboard camera. The pose estimation algorithm is compared through simulation to other methods, such as four-point, and stereo method and is shown to be less sensitive to feature detection errors. Helicopters are highly unstable flying vehicles; although this is good for agility, it makes the control harder. To build an autonomous helicopter, two methods of control are studied---one using a series of mode-based, feedback linearizing controllers and the other using a back-stepping control law. Various simulations with 2D and 3D models demonstrate the implementation of these controllers. We also show global convergence of the 3D quadrotor controller even with large calibration errors or presence of large errors on the image plane. Finally, we present initial flight experiments where the proposed pose estimation algorithm and non-linear control techniques have been implemented on a remote-controlled helicopter. The helicopter was restricted with a tether to vertical, yaw motions and limited x and y translations.

Translational behavioral medicine for population and individual health: gaps, opportunities, and vision for practice-based translational behavior change research.

PubMed

Ma, Jun; Lewis, Megan A; Smyth, Joshua M

2018-04-12

In this commentary, we propose a vision for "practice-based translational behavior change research," which we define as clinical and public health practice-embedded research on the implementation, optimization, and fundamental mechanisms of behavioral interventions. This vision intends to be inclusive of important research elements for behavioral intervention development, testing, and implementation. We discuss important research gaps and conceptual and methodological advances in three key areas along the discovery (development) to delivery (implementation) continuum of evidence-based interventions to improve behavior and health that could help achieve our vision of practice-based translational behavior change research. We expect our proposed vision to be refined and evolve over time. Through highlighting critical gaps that can be addressed by integrating modern theoretical and methodological approaches across disciplines in behavioral medicine, we hope to inspire the development and funding of innovative research on more potent and implementable behavior change interventions for optimal population and individual health.

3D vision system for intelligent milking robot automation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhloufi, M. A.

2013-12-01

In a milking robot, the correct localization and positioning of milking teat cups is of very high importance. The milking robots technology has not changed since a decade and is based primarily on laser profiles for teats approximate positions estimation. This technology has reached its limit and does not allow optimal positioning of the milking cups. Also, in the presence of occlusions, the milking robot fails to milk the cow. These problems, have economic consequences for producers and animal health (e.g. development of mastitis). To overcome the limitations of current robots, we have developed a new system based on 3D vision, capable of efficiently positioning the milking cups. A prototype of an intelligent robot system based on 3D vision for real-time positioning of a milking robot has been built and tested under various conditions on a synthetic udder model (in static and moving scenarios). Experimental tests, were performed using 3D Time-Of-Flight (TOF) and RGBD cameras. The proposed algorithms permit the online segmentation of teats by combing 2D and 3D visual information. The obtained results permit the teat 3D position computation. This information is then sent to the milking robot for teat cups positioning. The vision system has a real-time performance and monitors the optimal positioning of the cups even in the presence of motion. The obtained results, with both TOF and RGBD cameras, show the good performance of the proposed system. The best performance was obtained with RGBD cameras. This latter technology will be used in future real life experimental tests.

Improving Vision-Based Motor Rehabilitation Interactive Systems for Users with Disabilities Using Mirror Feedback

PubMed Central

Martínez-Bueso, Pau; Moyà-Alcover, Biel

2014-01-01

Observation is recommended in motor rehabilitation. For this reason, the aim of this study was to experimentally test the feasibility and benefit of including mirror feedback in vision-based rehabilitation systems: we projected the user on the screen. We conducted a user study by using a previously evaluated system that improved the balance and postural control of adults with cerebral palsy. We used a within-subjects design with the two defined feedback conditions (mirror and no-mirror) with two different groups of users (8 with disabilities and 32 without disabilities) using usability measures (time-to-start (T s) and time-to-complete (T c)). A two-tailed paired samples t-test confirmed that in case of disabilities the mirror feedback facilitated the interaction in vision-based systems for rehabilitation. The measured times were significantly worse in the absence of the user's own visual feedback (T s = 7.09 (P < 0.001) and T c = 4.48 (P < 0.005)). In vision-based interaction systems, the input device is the user's own body; therefore, it makes sense that feedback should be related to the body of the user. In case of disabilities the mirror feedback mechanisms facilitated the interaction in vision-based systems for rehabilitation. Results recommends developers and researchers use this improvement in vision-based motor rehabilitation interactive systems. PMID:25295310

Estimation of 3D reconstruction errors in a stereo-vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belhaoua, A.; Kohler, S.; Hirsch, E.

2009-06-01

The paper presents an approach for error estimation for the various steps of an automated 3D vision-based reconstruction procedure of manufactured workpieces. The process is based on a priori planning of the task and built around a cognitive intelligent sensory system using so-called Situation Graph Trees (SGT) as a planning tool. Such an automated quality control system requires the coordination of a set of complex processes performing sequentially data acquisition, its quantitative evaluation and the comparison with a reference model (e.g., CAD object model) in order to evaluate quantitatively the object. To ensure efficient quality control, the aim is to be able to state if reconstruction results fulfill tolerance rules or not. Thus, the goal is to evaluate independently the error for each step of the stereo-vision based 3D reconstruction (e.g., for calibration, contour segmentation, matching and reconstruction) and then to estimate the error for the whole system. In this contribution, we analyze particularly the segmentation error due to localization errors for extracted edge points supposed to belong to lines and curves composing the outline of the workpiece under evaluation. The fitting parameters describing these geometric features are used as quality measure to determine confidence intervals and finally to estimate the segmentation errors. These errors are then propagated through the whole reconstruction procedure, enabling to evaluate their effect on the final 3D reconstruction result, specifically on position uncertainties. Lastly, analysis of these error estimates enables to evaluate the quality of the 3D reconstruction, as illustrated by the shown experimental results.

Machine-Vision Aids for Improved Flight Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menon, P. K.; Chatterji, Gano B.

1996-01-01

The development of machine vision based pilot aids to help reduce night approach and landing accidents is explored. The techniques developed are motivated by the desire to use the available information sources for navigation such as the airport lighting layout, attitude sensors and Global Positioning System to derive more precise aircraft position and orientation information. The fact that airport lighting geometry is known and that images of airport lighting can be acquired by the camera, has lead to the synthesis of machine vision based algorithms for runway relative aircraft position and orientation estimation. The main contribution of this research is the synthesis of seven navigation algorithms based on two broad families of solutions. The first family of solution methods consists of techniques that reconstruct the airport lighting layout from the camera image and then estimate the aircraft position components by comparing the reconstructed lighting layout geometry with the known model of the airport lighting layout geometry. The second family of methods comprises techniques that synthesize the image of the airport lighting layout using a camera model and estimate the aircraft position and orientation by comparing this image with the actual image of the airport lighting acquired by the camera. Algorithms 1 through 4 belong to the first family of solutions while Algorithms 5 through 7 belong to the second family of solutions. Algorithms 1 and 2 are parameter optimization methods, Algorithms 3 and 4 are feature correspondence methods and Algorithms 5 through 7 are Kalman filter centered algorithms. Results of computer simulation are presented to demonstrate the performance of all the seven algorithms developed.

Vision: A Conceptual Framework for School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkinson, Jennifer Scaturo

2013-01-01

Vision is essential to the implementation of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model. Drawing from research in organizational leadership, this article provides a conceptual framework for how school counselors can incorporate vision as a strategy for implementing school counseling programs within the context of practice.…

Accounting for standard errors of vision-specific latent trait in regression models.

PubMed

Wong, Wan Ling; Li, Xiang; Li, Jialiang; Wong, Tien Yin; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Lamoureux, Ecosse L

2014-07-11

To demonstrate the effectiveness of Hierarchical Bayesian (HB) approach in a modeling framework for association effects that accounts for SEs of vision-specific latent traits assessed using Rasch analysis. A systematic literature review was conducted in four major ophthalmic journals to evaluate Rasch analysis performed on vision-specific instruments. The HB approach was used to synthesize the Rasch model and multiple linear regression model for the assessment of the association effects related to vision-specific latent traits. The effectiveness of this novel HB one-stage "joint-analysis" approach allows all model parameters to be estimated simultaneously and was compared with the frequently used two-stage "separate-analysis" approach in our simulation study (Rasch analysis followed by traditional statistical analyses without adjustment for SE of latent trait). Sixty-six reviewed articles performed evaluation and validation of vision-specific instruments using Rasch analysis, and 86.4% (n = 57) performed further statistical analyses on the Rasch-scaled data using traditional statistical methods; none took into consideration SEs of the estimated Rasch-scaled scores. The two models on real data differed for effect size estimations and the identification of "independent risk factors." Simulation results showed that our proposed HB one-stage "joint-analysis" approach produces greater accuracy (average of 5-fold decrease in bias) with comparable power and precision in estimation of associations when compared with the frequently used two-stage "separate-analysis" procedure despite accounting for greater uncertainty due to the latent trait. Patient-reported data, using Rasch analysis techniques, do not take into account the SE of latent trait in association analyses. The HB one-stage "joint-analysis" is a better approach, producing accurate effect size estimations and information about the independent association of exposure variables with vision-specific latent traits. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

How lateral inhibition and fast retinogeniculo-cortical oscillations create vision: A new hypothesis.

PubMed

Jerath, Ravinder; Cearley, Shannon M; Barnes, Vernon A; Nixon-Shapiro, Elizabeth

2016-11-01

The role of the physiological processes involved in human vision escapes clarification in current literature. Many unanswered questions about vision include: 1) whether there is more to lateral inhibition than previously proposed, 2) the role of the discs in rods and cones, 3) how inverted images on the retina are converted to erect images for visual perception, 4) what portion of the image formed on the retina is actually processed in the brain, 5) the reason we have an after-image with antagonistic colors, and 6) how we remember space. This theoretical article attempts to clarify some of the physiological processes involved with human vision. The global integration of visual information is conceptual; therefore, we include illustrations to present our theory. Universally, the eyeball is 2.4cm and works together with membrane potential, correspondingly representing the retinal layers, photoreceptors, and cortex. Images formed within the photoreceptors must first be converted into chemical signals on the photoreceptors' individual discs and the signals at each disc are transduced from light photons into electrical signals. We contend that the discs code the electrical signals into accurate distances and are shown in our figures. The pre-existing oscillations among the various cortices including the striate and parietal cortex, and the retina work in unison to create an infrastructure of visual space that functionally "places" the objects within this "neural" space. The horizontal layers integrate all discs accurately to create a retina that is pre-coded for distance. Our theory suggests image inversion never takes place on the retina, but rather images fall onto the retina as compressed and coiled, then amplified through lateral inhibition through intensification and amplification on the OFF-center cones. The intensified and amplified images are decompressed and expanded in the brain, which become the images we perceive as external vision. This is a theoretical article presenting a novel hypothesis about the physiological processes in vision, and expounds upon the visual aspect of two of our previously published articles, "A unified 3D default space consciousness model combining neurological and physiological processes that underlie conscious experience", and "Functional representation of vision within the mind: A visual consciousness model based in 3D default space." Currently, neuroscience teaches that visual images are initially inverted on the retina, processed in the brain, and then conscious perception of vision happens in the visual cortex. Here, we propose that inversion of visual images never takes place because images enter the retina as coiled and compressed graded potentials that are intensified and amplified in OFF-center photoreceptors. Once they reach the brain, they are decompressed and expanded to the original size of the image, which is perceived by the brain as the external image. We adduce that pre-existing oscillations (alpha, beta, and gamma) among the various cortices in the brain (including the striate and parietal cortex) and the retina, work together in unison to create an infrastructure of visual space thatfunctionally "places" the objects within a "neural" space. These fast oscillations "bring" the faculties of the cortical activity to the retina, creating the infrastructure of the space within the eye where visual information can be immediately recognized by the brain. By this we mean that the visual (striate) cortex synchronizes the information with the photoreceptors in the retina, and the brain instantaneously receives the already processed visual image, thereby relinquishing the eye from being required to send the information to the brain to be interpreted before it can rise to consciousness. The visual system is a heavily studied area of neuroscience yet very little is known about how vision occurs. We believe that our novel hypothesis provides new insights into how vision becomes part of consciousness, helps to reconcile various previously proposed models, and further elucidates current questions in vision based on our unified 3D default space model. Illustrations are provided to aid in explaining our theory. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Real-time model-based vision system for object acquisition and tracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcox, Brian; Gennery, Donald B.; Bon, Bruce; Litwin, Todd

1987-01-01

A machine vision system is described which is designed to acquire and track polyhedral objects moving and rotating in space by means of two or more cameras, programmable image-processing hardware, and a general-purpose computer for high-level functions. The image-processing hardware is capable of performing a large variety of operations on images and on image-like arrays of data. Acquisition utilizes image locations and velocities of the features extracted by the image-processing hardware to determine the three-dimensional position, orientation, velocity, and angular velocity of the object. Tracking correlates edges detected in the current image with edge locations predicted from an internal model of the object and its motion, continually updating velocity information to predict where edges should appear in future frames. With some 10 frames processed per second, real-time tracking is possible.

Computer vision-based analysis of foods: a non-destructive colour measurement tool to monitor quality and safety.

PubMed

Mogol, Burçe Ataç; Gökmen, Vural

2014-05-01

Computer vision-based image analysis has been widely used in food industry to monitor food quality. It allows low-cost and non-contact measurements of colour to be performed. In this paper, two computer vision-based image analysis approaches are discussed to extract mean colour or featured colour information from the digital images of foods. These types of information may be of particular importance as colour indicates certain chemical changes or physical properties in foods. As exemplified here, the mean CIE a* value or browning ratio determined by means of computer vision-based image analysis algorithms can be correlated with acrylamide content of potato chips or cookies. Or, porosity index as an important physical property of breadcrumb can be calculated easily. In this respect, computer vision-based image analysis provides a useful tool for automatic inspection of food products in a manufacturing line, and it can be actively involved in the decision-making process where rapid quality/safety evaluation is needed. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Development of collision avoidance system for useful UAV applications using image sensors with laser transmitter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheong, M. K.; Bahiki, M. R.; Azrad, S.

2016-10-01

The main goal of this study is to demonstrate the approach of achieving collision avoidance on Quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (QUAV) using image sensors with colour- based tracking method. A pair of high definition (HD) stereo cameras were chosen as the stereo vision sensor to obtain depth data from flat object surfaces. Laser transmitter was utilized to project high contrast tracking spot for depth calculation using common triangulation. Stereo vision algorithm was developed to acquire the distance from tracked point to QUAV and the control algorithm was designed to manipulate QUAV's response based on depth calculated. Attitude and position controller were designed using the non-linear model with the help of Optitrack motion tracking system. A number of collision avoidance flight tests were carried out to validate the performance of the stereo vision and control algorithm based on image sensors. In the results, the UAV was able to hover with fairly good accuracy in both static and dynamic collision avoidance for short range collision avoidance. Collision avoidance performance of the UAV was better with obstacle of dull surfaces in comparison to shiny surfaces. The minimum collision avoidance distance achievable was 0.4 m. The approach was suitable to be applied in short range collision avoidance.

Reliability Analysis of the Adult Mentoring Assessment for Extension Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denny, Marina D'Abreau

2017-01-01

The Adult Mentoring Assessment for Extension Professionals will help mentors develop an accurate profile of their mentoring style with adult learners and identify areas of proficiency and deficiency based on six constructs--relationship, information, facilitation, confrontation, modeling, and vision. This article reports on the reliability of this…

OBSERVATIONAL DATA PROCESSING AT NCEP

Science.gov Websites

operations, but also for research and study. 2. The various NCEP networks access the observational data base Statistics Observational Data Processing Data Assimilation Monsoon Desk Model Transition Seminars Seminar / VISION | About EMC Observational Data Processing at NCEP Dennis Keyser - NOAA/NWS/NCEP/EMC (Last Revised

Demonstration of a 3D vision algorithm for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Defigueiredo, Rui J. P. (Editor)

1987-01-01

This paper reports an extension of the MIAG algorithm for recognition and motion parameter determination of general 3-D polyhedral objects based on model matching techniques and using movement invariants as features of object representation. Results of tests conducted on the algorithm under conditions simulating space conditions are presented.

The Sustainability Imperative: Trends, Jobs, and Implications for Career Counselors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everett, Melissa; Gaffin, Larry

A wave of new thinking about success, opportunity, and responsibility has given rise to new ways of evaluating work opportunities based on their ethical practices, management models, and measures of social and environmental responsibility. Taken together, these ideas form a foundation for emerging socioeconomic visions of sustainable development.…

Operational Based Vision Assessment Automated Vision Test Collection User Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-15

repeatability to support correlation analysis. The AVT research grade tests also support interservice, international, industry, and academic partnerships...software, provides information concerning various menu options and operation of the test, and provides a brief description of each of the automated vision...2802, 6 Jun 2017. TABLE OF CONTENTS (concluded) Section Page 7.0 OBVA VISION TEST DESCRIPTIONS

Research into the Architecture of CAD Based Robot Vision Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-09

Vision 󈨚 and "Automatic Generation of Recognition Features for Com- puter Vision," Mudge, Turney and Volz, published in Robotica (1987). All of the...Occluded Parts," (T.N. Mudge, J.L. Turney, and R.A. Volz), Robotica , vol. 5, 1987, pp. 117-127. 5. "Vision Algorithms for Hypercube Machines," (T.N. Mudge

Prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision in Tamil Nadu: report 2 of BAND study.

PubMed

Hussaindeen, Jameel Rizwana; Rakshit, Archayeeta; Singh, Neeraj Kumar; George, Ronnie; Swaminathan, Meenakshi; Kapur, Suman; Scheiman, Mitchell; Ramani, Krishna Kumar

2017-11-01

Population-based studies on the prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision in ethnic Indians are more than two decades old. Based on indigenous normative data, the BAND (Binocular Vision Anomalies and Normative Data) study aims to report the prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision among school children in rural and urban Tamil Nadu. This population-based, cross-sectional study was designed to estimate the prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision in the rural and urban population of Tamil Nadu. In four schools, two each in rural and urban arms, 920 children in the age range of seven to 17 years were included in the study. Comprehensive binocular vision assessment was done for all children including evaluation of vergence and accommodative systems. In the first phase of the study, normative data of parameters of binocular vision were assessed followed by prevalence estimates of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision. The mean and standard deviation of the age of the sample were 12.7 ± 2.7 years. The prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision in the urban and rural arms was found to be 31.5 and 29.6 per cent, respectively. Convergence insufficiency was the most prevalent (16.5 and 17.6 per cent in the urban and rural arms, respectively) among all the types of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision. There was no gender predilection and no statistically significant differences were observed between the rural and urban arms in the prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision (Z-test, p > 0.05). The prevalence of non-strabismic anomalies of binocular vision was found to be higher in the 13 to 17 years age group (36.2 per cent) compared to seven to 12 years (25.1 per cent) (Z-test, p < 0.05). Non-strabismic binocular vision anomalies are highly prevalent among school children and the prevalence increases with age. With increasing near visual demands in the higher grades, these anomalies could significantly impact the reading efficiency of children. Thus, it is recommended that screening for anomalies of binocular vision should be integrated into the conventional vision screening protocol. © 2016 Optometry Australia.

Long-Term Deflection Prediction from Computer Vision-Measured Data History for High-Speed Railway Bridges

PubMed Central

Lee, Jaebeom; Lee, Young-Joo

2018-01-01

Management of the vertical long-term deflection of a high-speed railway bridge is a crucial factor to guarantee traffic safety and passenger comfort. Therefore, there have been efforts to predict the vertical deflection of a railway bridge based on physics-based models representing various influential factors to vertical deflection such as concrete creep and shrinkage. However, it is not an easy task because the vertical deflection of a railway bridge generally involves several sources of uncertainty. This paper proposes a probabilistic method that employs a Gaussian process to construct a model to predict the vertical deflection of a railway bridge based on actual vision-based measurement and temperature. To deal with the sources of uncertainty which may cause prediction errors, a Gaussian process is modeled with multiple kernels and hyperparameters. Once the hyperparameters are identified through the Gaussian process regression using training data, the proposed method provides a 95% prediction interval as well as a predictive mean about the vertical deflection of the bridge. The proposed method is applied to an arch bridge under operation for high-speed trains in South Korea. The analysis results obtained from the proposed method show good agreement with the actual measurement data on the vertical deflection of the example bridge, and the prediction results can be utilized for decision-making on railway bridge maintenance. PMID:29747421

Long-Term Deflection Prediction from Computer Vision-Measured Data History for High-Speed Railway Bridges.

PubMed

Lee, Jaebeom; Lee, Kyoung-Chan; Lee, Young-Joo

2018-05-09

Management of the vertical long-term deflection of a high-speed railway bridge is a crucial factor to guarantee traffic safety and passenger comfort. Therefore, there have been efforts to predict the vertical deflection of a railway bridge based on physics-based models representing various influential factors to vertical deflection such as concrete creep and shrinkage. However, it is not an easy task because the vertical deflection of a railway bridge generally involves several sources of uncertainty. This paper proposes a probabilistic method that employs a Gaussian process to construct a model to predict the vertical deflection of a railway bridge based on actual vision-based measurement and temperature. To deal with the sources of uncertainty which may cause prediction errors, a Gaussian process is modeled with multiple kernels and hyperparameters. Once the hyperparameters are identified through the Gaussian process regression using training data, the proposed method provides a 95% prediction interval as well as a predictive mean about the vertical deflection of the bridge. The proposed method is applied to an arch bridge under operation for high-speed trains in South Korea. The analysis results obtained from the proposed method show good agreement with the actual measurement data on the vertical deflection of the example bridge, and the prediction results can be utilized for decision-making on railway bridge maintenance.

Distinctive convergence in Australian floral colours seen through the eyes of Australian birds.

PubMed

Burd, Martin; Stayton, C Tristan; Shrestha, Mani; Dyer, Adrian G

2014-04-22

We used a colour-space model of avian vision to assess whether a distinctive bird pollination syndrome exists for floral colour among Australian angiosperms. We also used a novel phylogenetically based method to assess whether such a syndrome represents a significant degree of convergent evolution. About half of the 80 species in our sample that attract nectarivorous birds had floral colours in a small, isolated region of colour space characterized by an emphasis on long-wavelength reflection. The distinctiveness of this 'red arm' region was much greater when colours were modelled for violet-sensitive (VS) avian vision than for the ultraviolet-sensitive visual system. Honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) are the dominant avian nectarivores in Australia and have VS vision. Ancestral state reconstructions suggest that 31 lineages evolved into the red arm region, whereas simulations indicate that an average of five or six lineages and a maximum of 22 are likely to have entered in the absence of selection. Thus, significant evolutionary convergence on a distinctive floral colour syndrome for bird pollination has occurred in Australia, although only a subset of bird-pollinated taxa belongs to this syndrome. The visual system of honeyeaters has been the apparent driver of this convergence.

A Local Vision on Soil Hydrology (John Dalton Medal Lecture)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, K.

2012-04-01

After shortly looking back to some research trails of the past decades, and touching on the role of soils in our environmental machinery, a vision on the future of soil hydrology is offered. It is local in the sense of being based on limited experience as well as in the sense of focussing on local spatial scales, from 1 m to 1 km. Cornerstones of this vision are (i) rapid developments of quantitative observation technology, illustrated with the example of ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and (ii) the availability of ever more powerful compute facilities which allow to simulate increasingly complicated model representations in unprecedented detail. Together, they open a powerful and flexible approach to the quantitative understanding of soil hydrology where two lines are fitted: (i) potentially diverse measurements of the system of interest and their analysis and (ii) a comprehensive model representation, including architecture, material properties, forcings, and potentially unknown aspects, together with the same analysis as for (i). This approach pushes traditional inversion to operate on analyses, not on the underlying state variables, and to become flexible with respect to architecture and unknown aspects. The approach will be demonstrated for simple situations at test sites.

Flexible Wing Base Micro Aerial Vehicles: Vision-Guided Flight Stability and Autonomy for Micro Air Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ettinger, Scott M.; Nechyba, Michael C.; Ifju, Peter G.; Wazak, Martin

2002-01-01

Substantial progress has been made recently towards design building and test-flying remotely piloted Micro Air Vehicle's (MAVs). We seek to complement this progress in overcoming the aerodynamic obstacles to.flight at very small scales with a vision stability and autonomy system. The developed system based on a robust horizon detection algorithm which we discuss in greater detail in a companion paper. In this paper, we first motivate the use of computer vision for MAV autonomy arguing that given current sensor technology, vision may he the only practical approach to the problem. We then briefly review our statistical vision-based horizon detection algorithm, which has been demonstrated at 30Hz with over 99.9% correct horizon identification. Next we develop robust schemes for the detection of extreme MAV attitudes, where no horizon is visible, and for the detection of horizon estimation errors, due to external factors such as video transmission noise. Finally, we discuss our feed-back controller for self-stabilized flight, and report results on vision autonomous flights of duration exceeding ten minutes.

Vision-based obstacle recognition system for automated lawn mower robot development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohd Zin, Zalhan; Ibrahim, Ratnawati

2011-06-01

Digital image processing techniques (DIP) have been widely used in various types of application recently. Classification and recognition of a specific object using vision system require some challenging tasks in the field of image processing and artificial intelligence. The ability and efficiency of vision system to capture and process the images is very important for any intelligent system such as autonomous robot. This paper gives attention to the development of a vision system that could contribute to the development of an automated vision based lawn mower robot. The works involve on the implementation of DIP techniques to detect and recognize three different types of obstacles that usually exist on a football field. The focus was given on the study on different types and sizes of obstacles, the development of vision based obstacle recognition system and the evaluation of the system's performance. Image processing techniques such as image filtering, segmentation, enhancement and edge detection have been applied in the system. The results have shown that the developed system is able to detect and recognize various types of obstacles on a football field with recognition rate of more 80%.

Literacy Leadership: Six Strategies for Peoplework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAndrew, Donald A.

2005-01-01

Become a successful literacy leader and improve the vision of literacy in the classroom, school, and community. This book's six proven strategies will help the reader do the "peoplework" at the heart of successful leadership: Creating and communicating a vision; Modeling that vision; Experimenting with new ideas and taking risks; Nurturing…

The Physics of Colour Vision.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldman, Martin

1985-01-01

An elementary physical model of cone receptor cells is explained and applied to complexities of human color vision. One-, two-, and three-receptor systems are considered, with the later shown to be the best model for the human eye. Color blindness is also discussed. (DH)

Oculocutaneous albinism: identifying and overcoming barriers to vision care in a Nigerian population.

PubMed

Udeh, N N; Eze, B I; Onwubiko, S N; Arinze, O C; Onwasigwe, E N; Umeh, R E

2014-06-01

To assess eye care service utilization, and identify access barriers in a south-eastern Nigerian albino population. The study was a population-based, cross-sectional survey conducted in Enugu state between August, 2011 and January, 2012. Using the data base of the state's Albino Foundation and tailored awareness creation, persons living with albinism were identified and recruited at two study centres. Data on participants' socio-demographics, perception of vision, visual needs, previous eye examination and or low vision assessment, use of glasses or low vision devices were collected. Reasons for non-utilisation of available vision care services were also obtained. Descriptive and comparative statistics were performed. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The participants (n = 153; males 70; females 83; sex ratio: 1:1.1) were aged 23.46 + 10.44 SD years (range 6-60 years). Most--95.4 % of the participants had no previous low vision assessment and none--0.0% had used low vision device. Of the participants, 82.4% reported previous eye examination, 33.3% had not used spectacles previously, despite the existing need. Ignorance--88.9% and poor access--8.5% were the main barriers to uptake of vision care services. In Enugu, Nigeria, there is poor awareness and low utilization of vision care services among people with albinism. The identified barriers to vision care access are amenable to awareness creation and logistic change in the provision of appropriate vision care services.

Prevalence and causes of blindness and low vision among adults in Fiji.

PubMed

Ramke, Jacqueline; Brian, Garry; Maher, Louise; Qalo Qoqonokana, Mundi; Szetu, John

2012-07-01

  To estimate the prevalence and causes of blindness and low vision among adults aged ≥40 years in Fiji.   Population-based cross-sectional study.   Adults aged ≥40 years in Viti Levu, Fiji.   A population-based cross-sectional survey used multistage cluster random sampling to identify 34 clusters of 40 people. A cause of vision loss was determined for each eye with presenting vision worse than 6/18.   Blindness (better eye presenting vision worse than 6/60), low vision (better eye presenting vision worse than 6/18, but 6/60 or better).   Of 1892 people enumerated, 1381 participated (73.0%). Adjusting sample data for ethnicity, gender, age and domicile, the prevalence of blindness was 2.6% (95% confidence interval 1.7, 3.4) and low vision was 7.2% (95% confidence interval 5.9, 8.6) among adults aged ≥40 years. On multivariate analysis, being ≥70 years was a risk factor for blindness, but ethnicity, gender and urban/rural domicile were not. Being Indo-Fijian, female and older were risk factors for vision impairment (better eye presenting vision worse than 6/18). Cataract was the most common cause of bilateral blindness (71.1%). Among participants with low vision, uncorrected refractive error caused 63.3% and cataract was responsible for 25.0%.   Strategies that provide accessible cataract and refractive error services producing good quality outcomes will likely have the greatest impact on reducing vision impairment. © 2011 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology © 2011 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Biomimetic machine vision system.

PubMed

Harman, William M; Barrett, Steven F; Wright, Cameron H G; Wilcox, Michael

2005-01-01

Real-time application of digital imaging for use in machine vision systems has proven to be prohibitive when used within control systems that employ low-power single processors without compromising the scope of vision or resolution of captured images. Development of a real-time machine analog vision system is the focus of research taking place at the University of Wyoming. This new vision system is based upon the biological vision system of the common house fly. Development of a single sensor is accomplished, representing a single facet of the fly's eye. This new sensor is then incorporated into an array of sensors capable of detecting objects and tracking motion in 2-D space. This system "preprocesses" incoming image data resulting in minimal data processing to determine the location of a target object. Due to the nature of the sensors in the array, hyperacuity is achieved thereby eliminating resolutions issues found in digital vision systems. In this paper, we will discuss the biological traits of the fly eye and the specific traits that led to the development of this machine vision system. We will also discuss the process of developing an analog based sensor that mimics the characteristics of interest in the biological vision system. This paper will conclude with a discussion of how an array of these sensors can be applied toward solving real-world machine vision issues.

Evidence-based medicine: the value of vision screening.

PubMed

Beauchamp, George R; Ellepola, Chalani; Beauchamp, Cynthia L

2010-01-01

To review the literature for evidence-based medicine (EBM), to assess the evidence for effectiveness of vision screening, and to propose moving toward value-based medicine (VBM) as a preferred basis for comparative effectiveness research. Literature based evidence is applied to five core questions concerning vision screening: (1) Is vision valuable (an inherent good)?; (2) Is screening effective (finding amblyopia)?; (3) What are the costs of screening?; (4) Is treatment effective?; and (5) Is amblyopia detection beneficial? Based on EBM literature and clinical experience, the answers to the five questions are: (1) yes; (2) based on literature, not definitively so; (3) relatively inexpensive, although some claim benefits for more expensive options such as mandatory exams; (4) yes, for compliant care, although treatment processes may have negative aspects such as "bullying"; and (5) economic productive values are likely very high, with returns of investment on the order of 10:1, while human value returns need further elucidation. Additional evidence is required to ascertain the degree to which vision screening is effective. The processes of screening are multiple, sequential, and complicated. The disease is complex, and good visual outcomes require compliance. The value of outcomes is appropriately analyzed in clinical, human, and economic terms.

Effective wavefront aberration measurement of spectacle lenses in as-worn status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Zhigang; Xu, Kai; Fang, Fengzhou

2018-04-01

An effective wavefront aberration analysis method for measuring spectacle lenses in as-worn status was proposed and verified using an experimental apparatus based on an eye rotation model. Two strategies were employed to improve the accuracy of measurement of the effective wavefront aberrations on the corneal sphere. The influences of three as-worn parameters, the vertex distance, pantoscopic angle, and face form angle, together with the eye rotation and corresponding incident beams, were objectively and quantitatively obtained. The experimental measurements of spherical single vision and freeform progressive addition lenses demonstrate the accuracy and validity of the proposed method and experimental apparatus, which provide a potential means of achieving supernormal vision correction with customization and personalization in optimizing the as-worn status-based design of spectacle lenses and evaluating their manufacturing and imaging qualities.

Discrete analysis of spatial-sensitivity models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nielsen, Kenneth R. K.; Wandell, Brian A.

1988-01-01

Procedures for reducing the computational burden of current models of spatial vision are described, the simplifications being consistent with the prediction of the complete model. A method for using pattern-sensitivity measurements to estimate the initial linear transformation is also proposed which is based on the assumption that detection performance is monotonic with the vector length of the sensor responses. It is shown how contrast-threshold data can be used to estimate the linear transformation needed to characterize threshold performance.

Weberized Mumford-Shah Model with Bose-Einstein Photon Noise

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shen Jianhong, E-mail: jhshen@math.umn.edu; Jung, Yoon-Mo

Human vision works equally well in a large dynamic range of light intensities, from only a few photons to typical midday sunlight. Contributing to such remarkable flexibility is a famous law in perceptual (both visual and aural) psychology and psychophysics known as Weber's Law. The current paper develops a new segmentation model based on the integration of Weber's Law and the celebrated Mumford-Shah segmentation model (Comm. Pure Appl. Math., vol. 42, pp. 577-685, 1989). Explained in detail are issues concerning why the classical Mumford-Shah model lacks light adaptivity, and why its 'weberized' version can more faithfully reflect human vision's superiormore » segmentation capability in a variety of illuminance conditions from dawn to dusk. It is also argued that the popular Gaussian noise model is physically inappropriate for the weberization procedure. As a result, the intrinsic thermal noise of photon ensembles is introduced based on Bose and Einstein's distributions in quantum statistics, which turns out to be compatible with weberization both analytically and computationally. The current paper focuses on both the theory and computation of the weberized Mumford-Shah model with Bose-Einstein noise. In particular, Ambrosio-Tortorelli's {gamma}-convergence approximation theory is adapted (Boll. Un. Mat. Ital. B, vol. 6, pp. 105-123, 1992), and stable numerical algorithms are developed for the associated pair ofnonlinear Euler-Lagrange PDEs.« less

A Computational Model for Aperture Control in Reach-to-Grasp Movement Based on Predictive Variability

PubMed Central

Takemura, Naohiro; Fukui, Takao; Inui, Toshio

2015-01-01

In human reach-to-grasp movement, visual occlusion of a target object leads to a larger peak grip aperture compared to conditions where online vision is available. However, no previous computational and neural network models for reach-to-grasp movement explain the mechanism of this effect. We simulated the effect of online vision on the reach-to-grasp movement by proposing a computational control model based on the hypothesis that the grip aperture is controlled to compensate for both motor variability and sensory uncertainty. In this model, the aperture is formed to achieve a target aperture size that is sufficiently large to accommodate the actual target; it also includes a margin to ensure proper grasping despite sensory and motor variability. To this end, the model considers: (i) the variability of the grip aperture, which is predicted by the Kalman filter, and (ii) the uncertainty of the object size, which is affected by visual noise. Using this model, we simulated experiments in which the effect of the duration of visual occlusion was investigated. The simulation replicated the experimental result wherein the peak grip aperture increased when the target object was occluded, especially in the early phase of the movement. Both predicted motor variability and sensory uncertainty play important roles in the online visuomotor process responsible for grip aperture control. PMID:26696874

Blind identification of full-field vibration modes from video measurements with phase-based video motion magnification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yongchao; Dorn, Charles; Mancini, Tyler; Talken, Zachary; Kenyon, Garrett; Farrar, Charles; Mascareñas, David

2017-02-01

Experimental or operational modal analysis traditionally requires physically-attached wired or wireless sensors for vibration measurement of structures. This instrumentation can result in mass-loading on lightweight structures, and is costly and time-consuming to install and maintain on large civil structures, especially for long-term applications (e.g., structural health monitoring) that require significant maintenance for cabling (wired sensors) or periodic replacement of the energy supply (wireless sensors). Moreover, these sensors are typically placed at a limited number of discrete locations, providing low spatial sensing resolution that is hardly sufficient for modal-based damage localization, or model correlation and updating for larger-scale structures. Non-contact measurement methods such as scanning laser vibrometers provide high-resolution sensing capacity without the mass-loading effect; however, they make sequential measurements that require considerable acquisition time. As an alternative non-contact method, digital video cameras are relatively low-cost, agile, and provide high spatial resolution, simultaneous, measurements. Combined with vision based algorithms (e.g., image correlation, optical flow), video camera based measurements have been successfully used for vibration measurements and subsequent modal analysis, based on techniques such as the digital image correlation (DIC) and the point-tracking. However, they typically require speckle pattern or high-contrast markers to be placed on the surface of structures, which poses challenges when the measurement area is large or inaccessible. This work explores advanced computer vision and video processing algorithms to develop a novel video measurement and vision-based operational (output-only) modal analysis method that alleviate the need of structural surface preparation associated with existing vision-based methods and can be implemented in a relatively efficient and autonomous manner with little user supervision and calibration. First a multi-scale image processing method is applied on the frames of the video of a vibrating structure to extract the local pixel phases that encode local structural vibration, establishing a full-field spatiotemporal motion matrix. Then a high-spatial dimensional, yet low-modal-dimensional, over-complete model is used to represent the extracted full-field motion matrix using modal superposition, which is physically connected and manipulated by a family of unsupervised learning models and techniques, respectively. Thus, the proposed method is able to blindly extract modal frequencies, damping ratios, and full-field (as many points as the pixel number of the video frame) mode shapes from line of sight video measurements of the structure. The method is validated by laboratory experiments on a bench-scale building structure and a cantilever beam. Its ability for output (video measurements)-only identification and visualization of the weakly-excited mode is demonstrated and several issues with its implementation are discussed.

Structuring the collaboration of science and service in pursuit of a shared vision.

PubMed

Chorpita, Bruce F; Daleiden, Eric L

2014-01-01

The enduring needs of our society highlight the importance of a shared vision to improve human functioning and yield better lives for families and communities. Science offers a powerful strategy for managing the inevitable uncertainty in pursuit of these goals. This article presents ideas and examples of methods that could preserve the strengths of the two major paradigms in children's mental health, evidence-based treatments and individualized care models, but that also have the potential to extend their applicability and impact. As exemplified in some of the articles throughout this issue, new models to connect science and service will likely emerge from novel consideration of better ways to structure and inform collaboration within mental health systems. We contend that the future models for effective systems will involve increased attention to (a) client and provider developmental pathways, (b) explicit frameworks for coordinating people and the knowledge and other resources they use, and (c) a balance of evidence-based planning and informed adaptation. We encourage the diverse community of scientists, providers, and administrators in our field to come together to enhance our collective wisdom through consideration of and reflection on these concepts and their illustrations.

Automatic Hazard Detection for Landers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huertas, Andres; Cheng, Yang; Matthies, Larry H.

2008-01-01

Unmanned planetary landers to date have landed 'blind'; that is, without the benefit of onboard landing hazard detection and avoidance systems. This constrains landing site selection to very benign terrain,which in turn constrains the scientific agenda of missions. The state of the art Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) technology can land a spacecraft on Mars somewhere within a 20-100km landing ellipse.Landing ellipses are very likely to contain hazards such as craters, discontinuities, steep slopes, and large rocks, than can cause mission-fatal damage. We briefly review sensor options for landing hazard detection and identify a perception approach based on stereo vision and shadow analysis that addresses the broadest set of missions. Our approach fuses stereo vision and monocular shadow-based rock detection to maximize spacecraft safety. We summarize performance models for slope estimation and rock detection within this approach and validate those models experimentally. Instantiating our model of rock detection reliability for Mars predicts that this approach can reduce the probability of failed landing by at least a factor of 4 in any given terrain. We also describe a rock detector/mapper applied to large-high-resolution images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) for landing site characterization and selection for Mars missions.

Prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban population: The Chennai Glaucoma Study.

PubMed

Vijaya, Lingam; George, Ronnie; Asokan, Rashima; Velumuri, Lokapavani; Ramesh, Sathyamangalam Ve

2014-04-01

To evaluate the prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban south Indian population. Population-based cross-sectional study. Exactly 3850 subjects aged 40 years and above from Chennai city were examined at a dedicated facility in the base hospital. All subjects had a complete ophthalmic examination that included best-corrected visual acuity. Low vision and blindness were defined using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The influence of age, gender, literacy, and occupation was assessed using multiple logistic regression. Chi-square test, t-test, and multivariate analysis were used. Of the 4800 enumerated subjects, 3850 subjects (1710 males, 2140 females) were examined (response rate, 80.2%). The prevalence of blindness was 0.85% (95% CI 0.6-1.1%) and was positively associated with age and illiteracy. Cataract was the leading cause (57.6%) and glaucoma was the second cause (16.7%) for blindness. The prevalence of low vision was 2.9% (95% CI 2.4-3.4%) and visual impairment (blindness + low vision) was 3.8% (95% CI 3.2-4.4%). The primary causes for low vision were refractive errors (68%) and cataract (22%). In this urban population based study, cataract was the leading cause for blindness and refractive error was the main reason for low vision.

Invariant visual object recognition and shape processing in rats

PubMed Central

Zoccolan, Davide

2015-01-01

Invariant visual object recognition is the ability to recognize visual objects despite the vastly different images that each object can project onto the retina during natural vision, depending on its position and size within the visual field, its orientation relative to the viewer, etc. Achieving invariant recognition represents such a formidable computational challenge that is often assumed to be a unique hallmark of primate vision. Historically, this has limited the invasive investigation of its neuronal underpinnings to monkey studies, in spite of the narrow range of experimental approaches that these animal models allow. Meanwhile, rodents have been largely neglected as models of object vision, because of the widespread belief that they are incapable of advanced visual processing. However, the powerful array of experimental tools that have been developed to dissect neuronal circuits in rodents has made these species very attractive to vision scientists too, promoting a new tide of studies that have started to systematically explore visual functions in rats and mice. Rats, in particular, have been the subjects of several behavioral studies, aimed at assessing how advanced object recognition and shape processing is in this species. Here, I review these recent investigations, as well as earlier studies of rat pattern vision, to provide an historical overview and a critical summary of the status of the knowledge about rat object vision. The picture emerging from this survey is very encouraging with regard to the possibility of using rats as complementary models to monkeys in the study of higher-level vision. PMID:25561421

Power and Vision: Group-Process Models Evolving from Social-Change Movements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrow, Susan L.; Hawxhurst, Donna M.

1988-01-01

Explores evolution of group process in social change movements, including the evolution of the new left, the cooperative movement,and the women's liberation movement. Proposes a group-process model that encourages people to share power and live their visions. (Author/NB)

Poor Vision, Functioning, and Depressive Symptoms: A Test of the Activity Restriction Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bookwala, Jamila; Lawson, Brendan

2011-01-01

Purpose: This study tested the applicability of the activity restriction model of depressed affect to the context of poor vision in late life. This model hypothesizes that late-life stressors contribute to poorer mental health not only directly but also indirectly by restricting routine everyday functioning. Method: We used data from a national…

Inspiration and Intellect: Significant Learning in Musical Forms and Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelley, Bruce C.

2009-01-01

In his book "Creating Significant Learning Experiences" (2003), Dee Fink challenges professors to create a deep vision for the courses they teach. Educators often have a vision for what their courses could be, but often lack a model for instituting change. Fink's book provides that model. In this article, the author describes how this model helped…

Colour vision deficiency.

PubMed

Simunovic, M P

2010-05-01

Colour vision deficiency is one of the commonest disorders of vision and can be divided into congenital and acquired forms. Congenital colour vision deficiency affects as many as 8% of males and 0.5% of females--the difference in prevalence reflects the fact that the commonest forms of congenital colour vision deficiency are inherited in an X-linked recessive manner. Until relatively recently, our understanding of the pathophysiological basis of colour vision deficiency largely rested on behavioural data; however, modern molecular genetic techniques have helped to elucidate its mechanisms. The current management of congenital colour vision deficiency lies chiefly in appropriate counselling (including career counselling). Although visual aids may be of benefit to those with colour vision deficiency when performing certain tasks, the evidence suggests that they do not enable wearers to obtain normal colour discrimination. In the future, gene therapy remains a possibility, with animal models demonstrating amelioration following treatment.

Precision of computer-assisted core decompression drilling of the knee.

PubMed

Beckmann, J; Goetz, J; Bäthis, H; Kalteis, T; Grifka, J; Perlick, L

2006-06-01

Core decompression by exact drilling into the ischemic areas is the treatment of choice in early stages of osteonecrosis of the femoral condyle. Computer-aided surgery might enhance the precision of the drilling and lower the radiation exposure time of both staff and patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the precision of the fluoroscopically based VectorVision-navigation system in an in vitro model. Thirty sawbones were prepared with a defect filled up with a radiopaque gypsum sphere mimicking the osteonecrosis. 20 sawbones were drilled by guidance of an intraoperative navigation system VectorVision (BrainLAB, Munich, Germany). Ten sawbones were drilled by fluoroscopic control only. A statistically significant difference with a mean distance of 0.58 mm in the navigated group and 0.98 mm in the control group regarding the distance to the desired mid-point of the lesion could be stated. Significant difference was further found in the number of drilling corrections as well as radiation time needed. The fluoroscopic-based VectorVision-navigation system shows a high feasibility and precision of computer-guided drilling with simultaneously reduction of radiation time and therefore could be integrated into clinical routine.

An Emphasis on Perception: Teaching Image Formation Using a Mechanistic Model of Vision.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Sue; And Others

An effective way to teach the concept of image is to give students a model of human vision which incorporates a simple mechanism of depth perception. In this study two almost identical versions of a curriculum in geometrical optics were created. One used a mechanistic, interpretive eye model, and in the other the eye was modeled as a passive,…

Image processing strategies based on saliency segmentation for object recognition under simulated prosthetic vision.

PubMed

Li, Heng; Su, Xiaofan; Wang, Jing; Kan, Han; Han, Tingting; Zeng, Yajie; Chai, Xinyu

2018-01-01

Current retinal prostheses can only generate low-resolution visual percepts constituted of limited phosphenes which are elicited by an electrode array and with uncontrollable color and restricted grayscale. Under this visual perception, prosthetic recipients can just complete some simple visual tasks, but more complex tasks like face identification/object recognition are extremely difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate and apply image processing strategies for optimizing the visual perception of the recipients. This study focuses on recognition of the object of interest employing simulated prosthetic vision. We used a saliency segmentation method based on a biologically plausible graph-based visual saliency model and a grabCut-based self-adaptive-iterative optimization framework to automatically extract foreground objects. Based on this, two image processing strategies, Addition of Separate Pixelization and Background Pixel Shrink, were further utilized to enhance the extracted foreground objects. i) The results showed by verification of psychophysical experiments that under simulated prosthetic vision, both strategies had marked advantages over Direct Pixelization in terms of recognition accuracy and efficiency. ii) We also found that recognition performance under two strategies was tied to the segmentation results and was affected positively by the paired-interrelated objects in the scene. The use of the saliency segmentation method and image processing strategies can automatically extract and enhance foreground objects, and significantly improve object recognition performance towards recipients implanted a high-density implant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design and implementation of a remote UAV-based mobile health monitoring system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Songwei; Wan, Yan; Fu, Shengli; Liu, Mushuang; Wu, H. Felix

2017-04-01

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) play increasing roles in structure health monitoring. With growing mobility in modern Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications, the health monitoring of mobile structures becomes an emerging application. In this paper, we develop a UAV-carried vision-based monitoring system that allows a UAV to continuously track and monitor a mobile infrastructure and transmit back the monitoring information in real- time from a remote location. The monitoring system uses a simple UAV-mounted camera and requires only a single feature located on the mobile infrastructure for target detection and tracking. The computation-effective vision-based tracking solution based on a single feature is an improvement over existing vision-based lead-follower tracking systems that either have poor tracking performance due to the use of a single feature, or have improved tracking performance at a cost of the usage of multiple features. In addition, a UAV-carried aerial networking infrastructure using directional antennas is used to enable robust real-time transmission of monitoring video streams over a long distance. Automatic heading control is used to self-align headings of directional antennas to enable robust communication in mobility. Compared to existing omni-communication systems, the directional communication solution significantly increases the operation range of remote monitoring systems. In this paper, we develop the integrated modeling framework of camera and mobile platforms, design the tracking algorithm, develop a testbed of UAVs and mobile platforms, and evaluate system performance through both simulation studies and field tests.

Focal damage to macaque photoreceptors produces persistent visual loss

PubMed Central

Strazzeri, Jennifer M.; Hunter, Jennifer J.; Masella, Benjamin D.; Yin, Lu; Fischer, William S.; DiLoreto, David A.; Libby, Richard T.; Williams, David R.; Merigan, William H.

2014-01-01

Insertion of light-gated channels into inner retina neurons restores neural light responses, light evoked potentials, visual optomotor responses and visually-guided maze behavior in mice blinded by retinal degeneration. This method of vision restoration bypasses damaged outer retina, providing stimulation directly to retinal ganglion cells in inner retina. The approach is similar to that of electronic visual protheses, but may offer some advantages, such as avoidance of complex surgery and direct targeting of many thousands of neurons. However, the promise of this technique for restoring human vision remains uncertain because rodent animal models, in which it has been largely developed, are not ideal for evaluating visual perception. On the other hand, psychophysical vision studies in macaque can be used to evaluate different approaches to vision restoration in humans. Furthermore, it has not been possible to test vision restoration in macaques, the optimal model for human-like vision, because there has been no macaque model of outer retina degeneration. In this study, we describe development of a macaque model of photoreceptor degeneration that can in future studies be used to test restoration of perception by visual prostheses. Our results show that perceptual deficits caused by focal light damage are restricted to locations at which photoreceptors are damaged, that optical coherence tomography (OCT) can be used to track such lesions, and that adaptive optics retinal imaging, which we recently used for in vivo recording of ganglion cell function, can be used in future studies to examine these lesions. PMID:24316158

Vision-based Detection of Acoustic Timed Events: a Case Study on Clarinet Note Onsets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bazzica, A.; van Gemert, J. C.; Liem, C. C. S.; Hanjalic, A.

2017-05-01

Acoustic events often have a visual counterpart. Knowledge of visual information can aid the understanding of complex auditory scenes, even when only a stereo mixdown is available in the audio domain, \\eg identifying which musicians are playing in large musical ensembles. In this paper, we consider a vision-based approach to note onset detection. As a case study we focus on challenging, real-world clarinetist videos and carry out preliminary experiments on a 3D convolutional neural network based on multiple streams and purposely avoiding temporal pooling. We release an audiovisual dataset with 4.5 hours of clarinetist videos together with cleaned annotations which include about 36,000 onsets and the coordinates for a number of salient points and regions of interest. By performing several training trials on our dataset, we learned that the problem is challenging. We found that the CNN model is highly sensitive to the optimization algorithm and hyper-parameters, and that treating the problem as binary classification may prevent the joint optimization of precision and recall. To encourage further research, we publicly share our dataset, annotations and all models and detail which issues we came across during our preliminary experiments.

Model identification and vision-based H∞ position control of 6-DoF cable-driven parallel robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chellal, R.; Cuvillon, L.; Laroche, E.

2017-04-01

This paper presents methodologies for the identification and control of 6-degrees of freedom (6-DoF) cable-driven parallel robots (CDPRs). First a two-step identification methodology is proposed to accurately estimate the kinematic parameters independently and prior to the dynamic parameters of a physics-based model of CDPRs. Second, an original control scheme is developed, including a vision-based position controller tuned with the H∞ methodology and a cable tension distribution algorithm. The position is controlled in the operational space, making use of the end-effector pose measured by a motion-tracking system. A four-block H∞ design scheme with adjusted weighting filters ensures good trajectory tracking and disturbance rejection properties for the CDPR system, which is a nonlinear-coupled MIMO system with constrained states. The tension management algorithm generates control signals that maintain the cables under feasible tensions. The paper makes an extensive review of the available methods and presents an extension of one of them. The presented methodologies are evaluated by simulations and experimentally on a redundant 6-DoF INCA 6D CDPR with eight cables, equipped with a motion-tracking system.

Operational Based Vision Assessment Cone Contrast Test: Description and Operation

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-02

Jun 2016. Report contains color . 14. ABSTRACT The work detailed in this report was conducted by the Operational Based Vision Assessment (OBVA...currently used by the Air Force for aircrew color vision screening. The new OBVA CCT is differentiated from the Rabin device primarily by hardware...test procedures, and analysis techniques. Like the Rabin CCT, the OBVA CCT uses colors that selectively stimulate the cone photoreceptors of the

Quality grading of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) by computer vision.

PubMed

Misimi, E; Erikson, U; Skavhaug, A

2008-06-01

In this study, we present a promising method of computer vision-based quality grading of whole Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Using computer vision, it was possible to differentiate among different quality grades of Atlantic salmon based on the external geometrical information contained in the fish images. Initially, before the image acquisition, the fish were subjectively graded and labeled into grading classes by a qualified human inspector in the processing plant. Prior to classification, the salmon images were segmented into binary images, and then feature extraction was performed on the geometrical parameters of the fish from the grading classes. The classification algorithm was a threshold-based classifier, which was designed using linear discriminant analysis. The performance of the classifier was tested by using the leave-one-out cross-validation method, and the classification results showed a good agreement between the classification done by human inspectors and by the computer vision. The computer vision-based method classified correctly 90% of the salmon from the data set as compared with the classification by human inspector. Overall, it was shown that computer vision can be used as a powerful tool to grade Atlantic salmon into quality grades in a fast and nondestructive manner by a relatively simple classifier algorithm. The low cost of implementation of today's advanced computer vision solutions makes this method feasible for industrial purposes in fish plants as it can replace manual labor, on which grading tasks still rely.

Modeling of the First Layers in the Fly's Eye

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moya, J. A.; Wilcox, M. J.; Donohoe, G. W.

1997-01-01

Increased autonomy of robots would yield significant advantages in the exploration of space. The shortfalls of computer vision can, however, pose significant limitations on a robot's potential. At the same time, simple insects which are largely hard-wired have effective visual systems. The understanding of insect vision systems thus may lead to improved approaches to visual tasks. A good starting point for the study of a vision system is its eye. In this paper, a model of the sensory portion of the fly's eye is presented. The effectiveness of the model is briefly addressed by a comparison of its performance to experimental data.

Computer graphics testbed to simulate and test vision systems for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheatham, John B.; Wu, Chris K.; Lin, Y. H.

1991-01-01

A system was developed for displaying computer graphics images of space objects and the use of the system was demonstrated as a testbed for evaluating vision systems for space applications. In order to evaluate vision systems, it is desirable to be able to control all factors involved in creating the images used for processing by the vision system. Considerable time and expense is involved in building accurate physical models of space objects. Also, precise location of the model relative to the viewer and accurate location of the light source require additional effort. As part of this project, graphics models of space objects such as the Solarmax satellite are created that the user can control the light direction and the relative position of the object and the viewer. The work is also aimed at providing control of hue, shading, noise and shadows for use in demonstrating and testing imaging processing techniques. The simulated camera data can provide XYZ coordinates, pitch, yaw, and roll for the models. A physical model is also being used to provide comparison of camera images with the graphics images.

Modeling and Measuring the Structure of Professional Vision in Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seidel, Tina; Stürmer, Kathleen

2014-01-01

Professional vision has been identified as an important element of teacher expertise that can be developed in teacher education. It describes the use of knowledge to notice and interpret significant features of classroom situations. Three aspects of professional vision have been described by qualitative research: describe, explain, and predict…

Achieving Value in Primary Care: The Primary Care Value Model.

PubMed

Rollow, William; Cucchiara, Peter

2016-03-01

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model provides a compelling vision for primary care transformation, but studies of its impact have used insufficiently patient-centered metrics with inconsistent results. We propose a framework for defining patient-centered value and a new model for value-based primary care transformation: the primary care value model (PCVM). We advocate for use of patient-centered value when measuring the impact of primary care transformation, recognition, and performance-based payment; for financial support and research and development to better define primary care value-creating activities and their implementation; and for use of the model to support primary care organizations in transformation. © 2016 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

A population study of correlates of social participation in older adults with age-related vision loss.

PubMed

Cimarolli, Verena R; Boerner, Kathrin; Reinhardt, Joann P; Horowitz, Amy; Wahl, Hans-Werner; Schilling, Oliver; Brennan-Ing, Mark

2017-01-01

To examine personal characteristics, disease-related impairment variables, activity limitations, and environmental factors as correlates of social participation in older adults with vision loss guided by the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Model. Baseline data of a larger longitudinal study. Community-based vision rehabilitation agency. A total of 364 older adults with significant vision impairment due to age-related macular degeneration. In-person interviews assessing social participation (i.e. frequency of social support contacts, social/leisure challenges faced due to vision loss, and of social support provided to others) and hypothesized correlates (e.g. visual acuity test, Functional Vision Screening Questionnaire, ratings of attachment to house and neighborhood, environmental modifications in home). Regression analyses showed that indicators of physical, social, and mental functioning (e.g. better visual function, fewer difficulties with instrumental activities of daily living, fewer depressive symptoms) were positively related to social participation indicators (greater social contacts, less challenges in social/leisure domains, and providing more support to others). Environmental factors also emerged as independent correlates of social participation indicators when functional variables were controlled. That is, participants reporting higher attachment to their neighborhood and better income adequacy reported having more social contacts; and those implementing more environmental strategies were more likely to report greater challenges in social and leisure domains. Better income adequacy and living with more people were related to providing more social support to others. Environmental variables may play a role in the social participation of older adults with age-related macular degeneration.

Behavioral model of visual perception and recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rybak, Ilya A.; Golovan, Alexander V.; Gusakova, Valentina I.

1993-09-01

In the processes of visual perception and recognition human eyes actively select essential information by way of successive fixations at the most informative points of the image. A behavioral program defining a scanpath of the image is formed at the stage of learning (object memorizing) and consists of sequential motor actions, which are shifts of attention from one to another point of fixation, and sensory signals expected to arrive in response to each shift of attention. In the modern view of the problem, invariant object recognition is provided by the following: (1) separated processing of `what' (object features) and `where' (spatial features) information at high levels of the visual system; (2) mechanisms of visual attention using `where' information; (3) representation of `what' information in an object-based frame of reference (OFR). However, most recent models of vision based on OFR have demonstrated the ability of invariant recognition of only simple objects like letters or binary objects without background, i.e. objects to which a frame of reference is easily attached. In contrast, we use not OFR, but a feature-based frame of reference (FFR), connected with the basic feature (edge) at the fixation point. This has provided for our model, the ability for invariant representation of complex objects in gray-level images, but demands realization of behavioral aspects of vision described above. The developed model contains a neural network subsystem of low-level vision which extracts a set of primary features (edges) in each fixation, and high- level subsystem consisting of `what' (Sensory Memory) and `where' (Motor Memory) modules. The resolution of primary features extraction decreases with distances from the point of fixation. FFR provides both the invariant representation of object features in Sensor Memory and shifts of attention in Motor Memory. Object recognition consists in successive recall (from Motor Memory) and execution of shifts of attention and successive verification of the expected sets of features (stored in Sensory Memory). The model shows the ability of recognition of complex objects (such as faces) in gray-level images invariant with respect to shift, rotation, and scale.

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder Benefit from Using Vision in Combination with Touch Information for Quiet Standing

PubMed Central

Bair, Woei-Nan; Barela, José A.; Whitall, Jill; Jeka, John J.; Clark, Jane E.

2011-01-01

In two experiments, the ability to use multisensory information (haptic information, provided by lightly touching a stationary surface, and vision) for quiet standing was examined in typically developing (TD) children, adults, and in 7-year-old children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Four sensory conditions (no touch/no vision, with touch/no vision, no touch/with vision, and with touch/with vision) were employed. In experiment 1, we tested 4-, 6- and 8-year-old TD children and adults to provide a developmental landscape for performance on this task. In experiment 2, we tested a group of 7-year-old children with DCD and their age-matched TD peers. For all groups, touch robustly attenuated standing sway suggesting that children as young as 4 years old use touch information similarly to adults. Touch was less effective in children with DCD compared to their TD peers, especially in attenuating their sway velocity. Children with DCD, unlike their TD peers, also benefited from using vision to reduce sway. The present results suggest that children with DCD benefit from using vision in combination with touch information for standing control possibly due to their less well developed internal models of body orientation and self-motion. Internal model deficits, combined with other known deficits such as postural muscles activation timing deficits, may exacerbate the balance impairment in children with DCD. PMID:21571533

Population-based assessment of sensitivity and specificity of a pinhole for detection of significant refractive errors in the community.

PubMed

Marmamula, Srinivas; Keeffe, Jill E; Narsaiah, Saggam; Khanna, Rohit C; Rao, Gullapalli N

2014-11-01

Measurements of refractive errors through subjective or automated refraction are not always possible in rapid assessment studies and community vision screening programs; however, measurements of vision with habitual correction and with a pinhole can easily be made. Although improvements in vision with a pinhole are assumed to mean that a refractive error is present, no studies have investigated the magnitude of improvement in vision with pinhole that is predictive of refractive error. The aim was to measure the sensitivity and specificity of 'vision improvement with pinhole' in predicting the presence of refractive error in a community setting. Vision and vision with pinhole were measured using a logMAR chart for 488 of 582 individuals aged 15 to 50 years. Refractive errors were measured using non-cycloplegic autorefraction and subjective refraction. The presence of refractive error was defined using spherical equivalent refraction (SER) at two levels: SER greater than ± 0.50 D sphere (DS) and SER greater than ±1.00 DS. Three definitions for significant improvement in vision with a pinhole were used: 1. Presenting vision less than 6/12 and improving to 6/12 or better, 2. Improvement in vision of more than one logMAR line and 3. Improvement in vision of more than two logMAR lines. For refractive error defined as spherical equivalent refraction greater than ± 0.50 DS, the sensitivities and specificities for the pinhole test predicting the presence of refractive error were 83.9 per cent (95% CI: 74.5 to 90.9) and 98.8 per cent (95% CI: 97.1 to 99.6), respectively for definition 1. Definition 2 had a sensitivity 89.7 per cent (95% CI: 81.3 to 95.2) and specificity 88.0 per cent (95% CI: 4.4 to 91.0). Definition 3 had a sensitivity of 75.9 per cent (95% CI: 65.5 to 84.4) and specificity of 97.8 per cent (95% CI: 95.8 to 99.0). Similar results were found with spherical equivalent refraction greater than ±1.00 DS, when tested against the three pinhole-based definitions. Refractive error definitions based on improvement in vision with the pinhole shows good sensitivity and specificity at predicting the presence of significant refractive errors. These definitions can be used in rapid assessment surveys and community-based vision screenings. © 2014 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Optometry © 2014 Optometrists Association Australia.

Physics-based simulations of aerial attacks by peregrine falcons reveal that stooping at high speed maximizes catch success against agile prey

PubMed Central

Hildenbrandt, Hanno

2018-01-01

The peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus is renowned for attacking its prey from high altitude in a fast controlled dive called a stoop. Many other raptors employ a similar mode of attack, but the functional benefits of stooping remain obscure. Here we investigate whether, when, and why stooping promotes catch success, using a three-dimensional, agent-based modeling approach to simulate attacks of falcons on aerial prey. We simulate avian flapping and gliding flight using an analytical quasi-steady model of the aerodynamic forces and moments, parametrized by empirical measurements of flight morphology. The model-birds’ flight control inputs are commanded by their guidance system, comprising a phenomenological model of its vision, guidance, and control. To intercept its prey, model-falcons use the same guidance law as missiles (pure proportional navigation); this assumption is corroborated by empirical data on peregrine falcons hunting lures. We parametrically vary the falcon’s starting position relative to its prey, together with the feedback gain of its guidance loop, under differing assumptions regarding its errors and delay in vision and control, and for three different patterns of prey motion. We find that, when the prey maneuvers erratically, high-altitude stoops increase catch success compared to low-altitude attacks, but only if the falcon’s guidance law is appropriately tuned, and only given a high degree of precision in vision and control. Remarkably, the optimal tuning of the guidance law in our simulations coincides closely with what has been observed empirically in peregrines. High-altitude stoops are shown to be beneficial because their high airspeed enables production of higher aerodynamic forces for maneuvering, and facilitates higher roll agility as the wings are tucked, each of which is essential to catching maneuvering prey at realistic response delays. PMID:29649207

Moving vehicles segmentation based on Gaussian motion model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei; Fang, Xiang Z.; Lin, Wei Y.

2005-07-01

Moving objects segmentation is a challenge in computer vision. This paper focuses on the segmentation of moving vehicles in dynamic scene. We analyses the psychology of human vision and present a framework for segmenting moving vehicles in the highway. The proposed framework consists of two parts. Firstly, we propose an adaptive background update method in which the background is updated according to the change of illumination conditions and thus can adapt to the change of illumination sensitively. Secondly, we construct a Gaussian motion model to segment moving vehicles, in which the motion vectors of the moving pixels are modeled as a Gaussian model and an on-line EM algorithm is used to update the model. The Gaussian distribution of the adaptive model is elevated to determine which moving vectors result from moving vehicles and which from other moving objects such as waving trees. Finally, the pixels with motion vector result from the moving vehicles are segmented. Experimental results of several typical scenes show that the proposed model can detect the moving vehicles correctly and is immune from influence of the moving objects caused by the waving trees and the vibration of camera.

Masking effects of low-frequency sinusoidal gratings on the detection of contrast modulation in high-frequency carriers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henning, G. Bruce

2004-04-01

A modification and extension of Kortum and Geisler's model [Vision Res. 35, 1595 (1995)] of early visual nonlinearities that incorporates an expansive nonlinearity (consistent with neurophysiological findings [Vision Res. 35, 2725 (1995)], a normalization based on a local average retinal illumination, similar to Mach's proposal [F. Ratliff, Mach Bands: Quantitative Studies on Neural Networks in the Retina (Holden-Day, San Francisco, Calif., 1965)], and a subsequent compression suggested by Henning et al. [J. Opt. Soc. Am A 17, 1147 (2000)] captures a range of hitherto unexplained interactions between a sinusoidal grating of low spatial frequency and a contrast-modulated grating 2 octaves higher in spatial frequency.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hansen, Jason K.; Jacobson, Jacob J.; Cafferty, Kara G.

In order to increase the sustainability and security of the nation’s energy supply, the U.S. Department of Energy through its Bioenergy Technology Office has set a vision for one billion tons of biomass to be processed for renewable energy and bioproducts annually by the year 2030. The Renewable Fuels Standard limits the amount of corn grain that can be used in ethanol conversion sold in the U.S, which is already at its maximum. Therefore making the DOE’s vision a reality requires significant growth in the advanced biofuels industry where currently three cellulosic biorefineries convert cellulosic biomass to ethanol. Risk mitigationmore » is central to growing the industry beyond its infancy to a level necessary to achieve the DOE vision. This paper focuses on reducing the supply risk that faces a firm that owns a cellulosic biorefinery. It uses risk theory and simulation modeling to build a risk assessment model based on causal relationships of underlying, uncertain, supply driving variables. Using the model the paper quantifies supply risk reduction achieved by converting the supply chain from a conventional supply system (bales and trucks) to an advanced supply system (depots, pellets, and trains). Results imply that the advanced supply system reduces supply system risk, defined as the probability of a unit cost overrun, from 83% in the conventional system to 4% in the advanced system. Reducing cost risk in this nascent industry improves the odds of realizing desired growth.« less

Early vision and focal attention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Julesz, Bela

1991-07-01

At the thirty-year anniversary of the introduction of the technique of computer-generated random-dot stereograms and random-dot cinematograms into psychology, the impact of the technique on brain research and on the study of artificial intelligence is reviewed. The main finding-that stereoscopic depth perception (stereopsis), motion perception, and preattentive texture discrimination are basically bottom-up processes, which occur without the help of the top-down processes of cognition and semantic memory-greatly simplifies the study of these processes of early vision and permits the linking of human perception with monkey neurophysiology. Particularly interesting are the unexpected findings that stereopsis (assumed to be local) is a global process, while texture discrimination (assumed to be a global process, governed by statistics) is local, based on some conspicuous local features (textons). It is shown that the top-down process of "shape (depth) from shading" does not affect stereopsis, and some of the models of machine vision are evaluated. The asymmetry effect of human texture discrimination is discussed, together with recent nonlinear spatial filter models and a novel extension of the texton theory that can cope with the asymmetry problem. This didactic review attempts to introduce the physicist to the field of psychobiology and its problems-including metascientific problems of brain research, problems of scientific creativity, the state of artificial intelligence research (including connectionist neural networks) aimed at modeling brain activity, and the fundamental role of focal attention in mental events.

Relationship between functional vision and balance and mobility performance in community-dwelling older adults.

PubMed

Aartolahti, Eeva; Häkkinen, Arja; Lönnroos, Eija; Kautiainen, Hannu; Sulkava, Raimo; Hartikainen, Sirpa

2013-10-01

Vision is an important prerequisite for balance control and mobility. The role of objectively measured visual functions has been previously studied but less is known about associations of functional vision, that refers to self-perceived vision-based ability to perform daily activities. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between functional vision and balance and mobility performance in a community-based sample of older adults. This study is part of a Geriatric Multidisciplinary Strategy for the Good Care of the Elderly project (GeMS). Participants (576) aged 76-100 years (mean age 81 years, 70 % women) were interviewed using a seven-item functional vision questionnaire (VF-7). Balance and mobility were measured by the Berg balance scale (BBS), timed up and go (TUG), chair stand test, and maximal walking speed. In addition, self-reported fear of falling, depressive symptoms (15-item Geriatric Depression Scale), cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination) and physical activity (Grimby) were assessed. In the analysis, participants were classified into poor, moderate, or good functional vision groups. The poor functional vision group (n = 95) had more comorbidities, depressed mood, cognition decline, fear of falling, and reduced physical activity compared to participants with moderate (n = 222) or good functional vision (n = 259). Participants with poor functional vision performed worse on all balance and mobility tests. After adjusting for gender, age, chronic conditions, and cognition, the linearity remained statistically significant between functional vision and BBS (p = 0.013), TUG (p = 0.010), and maximal walking speed (p = 0.008), but not between functional vision and chair stand (p = 0.069). Poor functional vision is related to weaker balance and mobility performance in community-dwelling older adults. This highlights the importance of widespread assessment of health, including functional vision, to prevent balance impairment and maintain independent mobility among older population.

Research on an autonomous vision-guided helicopter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amidi, Omead; Mesaki, Yuji; Kanade, Takeo

1994-01-01

Integration of computer vision with on-board sensors to autonomously fly helicopters was researched. The key components developed were custom designed vision processing hardware and an indoor testbed. The custom designed hardware provided flexible integration of on-board sensors with real-time image processing resulting in a significant improvement in vision-based state estimation. The indoor testbed provided convenient calibrated experimentation in constructing real autonomous systems.

Inquiry Learning with Senior Secondary Students: Yes It Can Be Done

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stotter, Jill; Gillon, Kirsty

2010-01-01

This workshop will model for classroom teachers, one way to plan, teach, resource and assess inquiry-based learning which encompasses the guiding principles of a newly gazetted curriculum. The vision of the New Zealand curriculum is to produce "...young people who will be confident, connected, actively involved lifelong learners" (p. 8).…

Educating for Social Justice: Drawing from Catholic Social Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valadez, James R.; Mirci, Philip S.

2015-01-01

This article uses a duoethnographic process to develop a model for socially just education based on social justice theory and Catholic social teaching. Three major issues are addressed, including: (a) the definition of socially just education, (b) explaining a vision for establishing socially just schools, and (c) providing a practical guide for…

Dynamic Vision for Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-05

the best of our knowledge, the first approach to design a proper filter (observer) in the infinite - dimensional space of shapes (closed Jordan...curves). This is based on endowing the space with a Riemaimian (Sobolev) metric , then shooting geodesies from the current best estimate of the state...handing nuisance transformations and endowing the models with a

A vision for modernizing environmental risk assessment

EPA Science Inventory

In 2007, the US National Research Council (NRC) published a Vision and Strategy for [human health] Toxicity Testing in the 21st century. Central to the vision was increased reliance on high throughput in vitro testing and predictive approaches based on mechanistic understanding o...

Reframing the action and perception dissociation in DF: haptics matters, but how?

PubMed

Whitwell, Robert L; Buckingham, Gavin

2013-02-01

Goodale and Milner's (1992) "vision-for-action" and "vision-for-perception" account of the division of labor between the dorsal and ventral "streams" has come to dominate contemporary views of the functional roles of these two pathways. Nevertheless, some lines of evidence for the model remain controversial. Recently, Thomas Schenk reexamined visual form agnosic patient DF's spared anticipatory grip scaling to object size, one of the principal empirical pillars of the model. Based on this new evidence, Schenk rejects the original interpretation of DF's spared ability that was based on segregated processing of object size and argues that DF's spared grip scaling relies on haptic feedback to calibrate visual egocentric cues that relate the posture of the hand to the visible edges of the goal-object. However, a careful consideration of the tasks that Schenk employed reveals some problems with his claim. We suspect that the core issues of this controversy will require a closer examination of the role that cognition plays in the operation of the dorsal and ventral streams in healthy controls and in patient DF.

Predicting Vision-Related Disability in Glaucoma.

PubMed

Abe, Ricardo Y; Diniz-Filho, Alberto; Costa, Vital P; Wu, Zhichao; Medeiros, Felipe A

2018-01-01

To present a new methodology for investigating predictive factors associated with development of vision-related disability in glaucoma. Prospective, observational cohort study. Two hundred thirty-six patients with glaucoma followed up for an average of 4.3±1.5 years. Vision-related disability was assessed by the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) at baseline and at the end of follow-up. A latent transition analysis model was used to categorize NEI VFQ-25 results and to estimate the probability of developing vision-related disability during follow-up. Patients were tested with standard automated perimetry (SAP) at 6-month intervals, and evaluation of rates of visual field change was performed using mean sensitivity (MS) of the integrated binocular visual field. Baseline disease severity, rate of visual field loss, and duration of follow-up were investigated as predictive factors for development of disability during follow-up. The relationship between baseline and rates of visual field deterioration and the probability of vision-related disability developing during follow-up. At baseline, 67 of 236 (28%) glaucoma patients were classified as disabled based on NEI VFQ-25 results, whereas 169 (72%) were classified as nondisabled. Patients classified as nondisabled at baseline had 14.2% probability of disability developing during follow-up. Rates of visual field loss as estimated by integrated binocular MS were almost 4 times faster for those in whom disability developed versus those in whom it did not (-0.78±1.00 dB/year vs. -0.20±0.47 dB/year, respectively; P < 0.001). In the multivariate model, each 1-dB lower baseline binocular MS was associated with 34% higher odds of disability developing over time (odds ratio [OR], 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.70; P = 0.013). In addition, each 0.5-dB/year faster rate of loss of binocular MS during follow-up was associated with a more than 3.5 times increase in the risk of disability developing (OR, 3.58; 95% CI, 1.56-8.23; P = 0.003). A new methodology for classification and analysis of change in patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes allowed construction of models for predicting vision-related disability in glaucoma. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sarnoff JND Vision Model for Flat-Panel Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brill, Michael H.; Lubin, Jeffrey

1998-01-01

This document describes adaptation of the basic Sarnoff JND Vision Model created in response to the NASA/ARPA need for a general-purpose model to predict the perceived image quality attained by flat-panel displays. The JND model predicts the perceptual ratings that humans will assign to a degraded color-image sequence relative to its nondegraded counterpart. Substantial flexibility is incorporated into this version of the model so it may be used to model displays at the sub-pixel and sub-frame level. To model a display (e.g., an LCD), the input-image data can be sampled at many times the pixel resolution and at many times the digital frame rate. The first stage of the model downsamples each sequence in time and in space to physiologically reasonable rates, but with minimum interpolative artifacts and aliasing. Luma and chroma parts of the model generate (through multi-resolution pyramid representation) a map of differences-between test and reference called the JND map, from which a summary rating predictor is derived. The latest model extensions have done well in calibration against psychophysical data and against image-rating data given a CRT-based front-end. THe software was delivered to NASA Ames and is being integrated with LCD display models at that facility,

Modeling the convergence accommodation of stereo vision for binocular endoscopy.

PubMed

Gao, Yuanqian; Li, Jinhua; Li, Jianmin; Wang, Shuxin

2018-02-01

The stereo laparoscope is an important tool for achieving depth perception in robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery (MIS). A dynamic convergence accommodation algorithm is proposed to improve the viewing experience and achieve accurate depth perception. Based on the principle of the human vision system, a positional kinematic model of the binocular view system is established. The imaging plane pair is rectified to ensure that the two rectified virtual optical axes intersect at the fixation target to provide immersive depth perception. Stereo disparity was simulated with the roll and pitch movements of the binocular system. The chessboard test and the endoscopic peg transfer task were performed, and the results demonstrated the improved disparity distribution and robustness of the proposed convergence accommodation method with respect to the position of the fixation target. This method offers a new solution for effective depth perception with the stereo laparoscopes used in robot-assisted MIS. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[Navigated drilling for femoral head necrosis. Experimental and clinical results].

PubMed

Beckmann, J; Tingart, M; Perlick, L; Lüring, C; Grifka, J; Anders, S

2007-05-01

In the early stages of osteonecrosis of the femoral head, core decompression by exact drilling into the ischemic areas can reduce pain and achieve reperfusion. Using computer aided surgery, the precision of the drilling can be improved while simultaneously lowering radiation exposure time for both staff and patients. We describe the experimental and clinical results of drilling under the guidance of the fluoroscopically-based VectorVision navigation system (BrainLAB, Munich, Germany). A total of 70 sawbones were prepared mimicking an osteonecrosis of the femoral head. In two experimental models, bone only and obesity, as well as in a clinical setting involving ten patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head, the precision and the duration of radiation exposure were compared between the VectorVision system and conventional drilling. No target was missed. For both models, there was a statistically significant difference in terms of the precision, the number of drilling corrections as well as the radiation exposure time. The average distance to the desired midpoint of the lesion of both models was 0.48 mm for navigated drilling and 1.06 mm for conventional drilling, the average drilling corrections were 0.175 and 2.1, and the radiation exposure time less than 1 s and 3.6 s, respectively. In the clinical setting, the reduction of radiation exposure (below 1 s for navigation compared to 56 s for the conventional technique) as well as of drilling corrections (0.2 compared to 3.4) was also significant. Computer guided drilling using the fluoroscopically based VectorVision navigation system shows a clearly improved precision with a enormous simultaneous reduction in radiation exposure. It is therefore recommended for clinical routine.

VISION: A Model of Culture for Counselors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baber, W. Lorenzo; Garrett, Michael T.; Holcomb-McCoy, Cheryl

1997-01-01

Culture as a group phenomenon versus the need of counselors to work with the individual is addressed. The VISION model of culture, which accounts for within-group and between-group differences, the disappearance of groups, and the emergence of new ones, is presented. Two examples of multicultural interventions are reported. (Author/EMK)

USC orthogonal multiprocessor for image processing with neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Kai; Panda, Dhabaleswar K.; Haddadi, Navid

1990-07-01

This paper presents the architectural features and imaging applications of the Orthogonal MultiProcessor (OMP) system, which is under construction at the University of Southern California with research funding from NSF and assistance from several industrial partners. The prototype OMP is being built with 16 Intel i860 RISC microprocessors and 256 parallel memory modules using custom-designed spanning buses, which are 2-D interleaved and orthogonally accessed without conflicts. The 16-processor OMP prototype is targeted to achieve 430 MIPS and 600 Mflops, which have been verified by simulation experiments based on the design parameters used. The prototype OMP machine will be initially applied for image processing, computer vision, and neural network simulation applications. We summarize important vision and imaging algorithms that can be restructured with neural network models. These algorithms can efficiently run on the OMP hardware with linear speedup. The ultimate goal is to develop a high-performance Visual Computer (Viscom) for integrated low- and high-level image processing and vision tasks.

Game design in virtual reality systems for stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Goude, Daniel; Björk, Staffan; Rydmark, Martin

2007-01-01

We propose a model for the structured design of games for post-stroke rehabilitation. The model is based on experiences with game development for a haptic and stereo vision immersive workbench intended for daily use in stroke patients' homes. A central component of this rehabilitation system is a library of games that are simultaneously entertaining for the patient and beneficial for rehabilitation [1], and where each game is designed for specific training tasks through the use of the model.

Validity of Teacher-Based Vision Screening and Factors Associated with the Accuracy of Vision Screening in Vietnamese Children.

PubMed

Paudel, Prakash; Kovai, Vilas; Naduvilath, Thomas; Phuong, Ha Thanh; Ho, Suit May; Giap, Nguyen Viet

2016-01-01

To assess validity of teacher-based vision screening and elicit factors associated with accuracy of vision screening in Vietnam. After brief training, teachers independently measured visual acuity (VA) in 555 children aged 12-15 years in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province. Teacher VA measurements were compared to those of refractionists. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated for uncorrected VA (UVA) and presenting VA (PVA) 20/40 or worse in either eye. Chi-square, Fisher's exact test and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess factors associated with accuracy of vision screening. Level of significance was set at 5%. Trained teachers in Vietnam demonstrated 86.7% sensitivity, 95.7% specificity, 86.7% positive predictive value and 95.7% negative predictive value in identifying children with visual impairment using the UVA measurement. PVA measurement revealed low accuracy for teachers, which was significantly associated with child's age, sex, spectacle wear and myopic status, but UVA measurement showed no such associations. Better accuracy was achieved in measurement of VA and identification of children with visual impairment using UVA measurement compared to PVA. UVA measurement is recommended for teacher-based vision screening programs.

Creating a Realistic IT Vision: The Roles and Responsibilities of a Chief Information Officer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penrod, James I.

2003-01-01

Discusses the crucial position of the chief information officer (CIO) at higher education institutions and reviews the six major stages of information technology (IT) planning. Includes fundamental elements related to an IT vision; roles of the CIO; the six-stage planning model for a realistic IT vision; and factors for success. (AEF)

A laser-based vision system for weld quality inspection.

PubMed

Huang, Wei; Kovacevic, Radovan

2011-01-01

Welding is a very complex process in which the final weld quality can be affected by many process parameters. In order to inspect the weld quality and detect the presence of various weld defects, different methods and systems are studied and developed. In this paper, a laser-based vision system is developed for non-destructive weld quality inspection. The vision sensor is designed based on the principle of laser triangulation. By processing the images acquired from the vision sensor, the geometrical features of the weld can be obtained. Through the visual analysis of the acquired 3D profiles of the weld, the presences as well as the positions and sizes of the weld defects can be accurately identified and therefore, the non-destructive weld quality inspection can be achieved.

A Laser-Based Vision System for Weld Quality Inspection

PubMed Central

Huang, Wei; Kovacevic, Radovan

2011-01-01

Welding is a very complex process in which the final weld quality can be affected by many process parameters. In order to inspect the weld quality and detect the presence of various weld defects, different methods and systems are studied and developed. In this paper, a laser-based vision system is developed for non-destructive weld quality inspection. The vision sensor is designed based on the principle of laser triangulation. By processing the images acquired from the vision sensor, the geometrical features of the weld can be obtained. Through the visual analysis of the acquired 3D profiles of the weld, the presences as well as the positions and sizes of the weld defects can be accurately identified and therefore, the non-destructive weld quality inspection can be achieved. PMID:22344308

Study on the transverse chromatic aberration of the individual eye model after LASIK refractive surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Mei; Wang, Zhao-Qi; Wang, Yan; Zuo, Tong

2010-10-01

The aim of this research is to study the properties of the transverse chromatic aberration (TCA) after the LASIK refractive surgery based on the individual eye model involving the angle between visual axis and optical axis. According to the measurements of the corneal surfaces, the optical axis lengths and the wavefront aberrations, the individual eye models before and after LASIK refractive surgery are constructed for 15 eyes by using ZEMAX optic design software, while the angle between the visual axis and optical axis is calculated from the data of the anterior corneal surface. The constructed eye models are then used to investigate the variation of the TCA after the surgery. The statistical distributions of the magnitude of the foveal TCA for 15 eyes over the visible spectrum are provided. Finally, we investigate the influence of the TCA on the visual quality and compare the results with previous research. The TCA is an indispensable criterion to evaluate the performance of the refractive surgery. This research is very meaningful for the studies of not only foveal vision but also the peripheral vision.

Decadal Vision Progress Report Implementation Plans and Status for the Next Generation ARM Facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mather, James

The reconfiguration of the ARM facility, formally initiated in early 2014, is geared toward implementing the Next Generation of the ARM Facility, which will more tightly link ARM measurements and atmospheric models. The strategy is outlined in the ARM Climate Research Facility Decadal Vision (DOE 2014a). The strategy includes the implementation of a high-resolution model, initially at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) site, and enhancements at the SGP and North Slope of Alaska (NSA) sites to provide additional observations to support modeling and process studies. Enhancements at the SGP site focus on ground-based instruments while enhancements at the NSA makemore » use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Tethered Balloon Systems (TBS). It is also recognized that new data tools and data products will need to be developed to take full advantage of these improvements. This document provides an update on the status of these ARM facility enhancements, beginning with the measurement enhancements at the SGP and NSA, followed by a discussion of the modeling project including associated data-processing activities.« less

Prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban population: The Chennai Glaucoma Study

PubMed Central

Vijaya, Lingam; George, Ronnie; Asokan, Rashima; Velumuri, Lokapavani; Ramesh, Sathyamangalam Ve

2014-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in an urban south Indian population. Settings and Design: Population-based cross-sectional study. Exactly 3850 subjects aged 40 years and above from Chennai city were examined at a dedicated facility in the base hospital. Materials and Methods: All subjects had a complete ophthalmic examination that included best-corrected visual acuity. Low vision and blindness were defined using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The influence of age, gender, literacy, and occupation was assessed using multiple logistic regression. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test, t-test, and multivariate analysis were used. Results: Of the 4800 enumerated subjects, 3850 subjects (1710 males, 2140 females) were examined (response rate, 80.2%). The prevalence of blindness was 0.85% (95% CI 0.6–1.1%) and was positively associated with age and illiteracy. Cataract was the leading cause (57.6%) and glaucoma was the second cause (16.7%) for blindness. The prevalence of low vision was 2.9% (95% CI 2.4–3.4%) and visual impairment (blindness + low vision) was 3.8% (95% CI 3.2–4.4%). The primary causes for low vision were refractive errors (68%) and cataract (22%). Conclusions: In this urban population based study, cataract was the leading cause for blindness and refractive error was the main reason for low vision. PMID:23619490

A Roadmap for Interpreting the Literature on Vision and Driving

PubMed Central

Owsley, Cynthia; Wood, Joanne M.; McGwin, Gerald

2015-01-01

Over the past several decades there has been a sharp increase in the number of studies focused on the relationship between vision and driving. The intensified scientific attention to this topic has most likely been stimulated by the lack of an evidence-basis for determining vision standards for driving licensure and a poor understanding about how vision impairment impacts driver safety and performance. Clinicians depend on the scientific literature on vision and driving as a resource to appropriately advise visually impaired patients about driving fitness. Policy makers also depend on the scientific literature in order to develop guidelines that are evidence-based and are thus fair to persons who are visually impaired. Thus it is important for clinicians and policy makers alike to understand how various study designs and measurement methods should be appropriately interpreted so that the conclusions and recommendations they make based on this literature are not overly broad, too narrowly constrained, or even misguided. In this overview, based on our 25 years of experience in this field, we offer a methodological framework to guide interpretations of studies on vision and driving, which can also serve as a heuristic for researchers in the area. Here we discuss research designs and general measurement methods for the study of vision as they relate to driver safety, driver performance, and driver-centered (self-reported) outcomes. PMID:25753389

Tracking by Identification Using Computer Vision and Radio

PubMed Central

Mandeljc, Rok; Kovačič, Stanislav; Kristan, Matej; Perš, Janez

2013-01-01

We present a novel system for detection, localization and tracking of multiple people, which fuses a multi-view computer vision approach with a radio-based localization system. The proposed fusion combines the best of both worlds, excellent computer-vision-based localization, and strong identity information provided by the radio system, and is therefore able to perform tracking by identification, which makes it impervious to propagated identity switches. We present comprehensive methodology for evaluation of systems that perform person localization in world coordinate system and use it to evaluate the proposed system as well as its components. Experimental results on a challenging indoor dataset, which involves multiple people walking around a realistically cluttered room, confirm that proposed fusion of both systems significantly outperforms its individual components. Compared to the radio-based system, it achieves better localization results, while at the same time it successfully prevents propagation of identity switches that occur in pure computer-vision-based tracking. PMID:23262485

How to assess vision.

PubMed

Marsden, Janet

2016-09-21

Rationale and key points An objective assessment of the patient's vision is important to assess variation from 'normal' vision in acute and community settings, to establish a baseline before examination and treatment in the emergency department, and to assess any changes during ophthalmic outpatient appointments. » Vision is one of the essential senses that permits people to make sense of the world. » Visual assessment does not only involve measuring central visual acuity, it also involves assessing the consequences of reduced vision. » Assessment of vision in children is crucial to identify issues that might affect vision and visual development, and to optimise lifelong vision. » Untreatable loss of vision is not an inevitable consequence of ageing. » Timely and repeated assessment of vision over life can reduce the incidence of falls, prevent injury and optimise independence. Reflective activity 'How to' articles can help update you practice and ensure it remains evidence based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of: 1. How this article might change your practice when assessing people holistically. 2. How you could use this article to educate your colleagues in the assessment of vision.

Computing Optic Flow with ArduEye Vision Sensor

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

processing algorithm that can be applied to the flight control of other robotic platforms. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Optical flow, ArduEye, vision based ...2 Figure 2. ArduEye vision chip on Stonyman breakout board connected to Arduino Mega (8) (left) and the Stonyman vision chips (7...robotic platforms. There is a significant need for small, light , less power-hungry sensors and sensory data processing algorithms in order to control the

Low Earth Orbit Rendezvous Strategy for Lunar Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cates, Grant R.; Cirillo, William M.; Stromgren, Chel

2006-01-01

On January 14, 2004 President George W. Bush announced a new Vision for Space Exploration calling for NASA to return humans to the moon. In 2005 NASA decided to use a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) rendezvous strategy for the lunar missions. A Discrete Event Simulation (DES) based model of this strategy was constructed. Results of the model were then used for subsequent analysis to explore the ramifications of the LEO rendezvous strategy.

Differential GNSS and Vision-Based Tracking to Improve Navigation Performance in Cooperative Multi-UAV Systems.

PubMed

Vetrella, Amedeo Rodi; Fasano, Giancarmine; Accardo, Domenico; Moccia, Antonio

2016-12-17

Autonomous navigation of micro-UAVs is typically based on the integration of low cost Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based inertial and magnetic sensors to stabilize and control the flight. The resulting navigation performance in terms of position and attitude accuracy may not suffice for other mission needs, such as the ones relevant to fine sensor pointing. In this framework, this paper presents a cooperative UAV navigation algorithm that allows a chief vehicle, equipped with inertial and magnetic sensors, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and a vision system, to improve its navigation performance (in real time or in the post processing phase) exploiting formation flying deputy vehicles equipped with GPS receivers. The focus is set on outdoor environments and the key concept is to exploit differential GPS among vehicles and vision-based tracking (DGPS/Vision) to build a virtual additional navigation sensor whose information is then integrated in a sensor fusion algorithm based on an Extended Kalman Filter. The developed concept and processing architecture are described, with a focus on DGPS/Vision attitude determination algorithm. Performance assessment is carried out on the basis of both numerical simulations and flight tests. In the latter ones, navigation estimates derived from the DGPS/Vision approach are compared with those provided by the onboard autopilot system of a customized quadrotor. The analysis shows the potential of the developed approach, mainly deriving from the possibility to exploit magnetic- and inertial-independent accurate attitude information.

Bionic Vision-Based Intelligent Power Line Inspection System

PubMed Central

Ma, Yunpeng; He, Feijia; Xu, Jinxin

2017-01-01

Detecting the threats of the external obstacles to the power lines can ensure the stability of the power system. Inspired by the attention mechanism and binocular vision of human visual system, an intelligent power line inspection system is presented in this paper. Human visual attention mechanism in this intelligent inspection system is used to detect and track power lines in image sequences according to the shape information of power lines, and the binocular visual model is used to calculate the 3D coordinate information of obstacles and power lines. In order to improve the real time and accuracy of the system, we propose a new matching strategy based on the traditional SURF algorithm. The experimental results show that the system is able to accurately locate the position of the obstacles around power lines automatically, and the designed power line inspection system is effective in complex backgrounds, and there are no missing detection instances under different conditions. PMID:28203269

Estimating Position of Mobile Robots From Omnidirectional Vision Using an Adaptive Algorithm.

PubMed

Li, Luyang; Liu, Yun-Hui; Wang, Kai; Fang, Mu

2015-08-01

This paper presents a novel and simple adaptive algorithm for estimating the position of a mobile robot with high accuracy in an unknown and unstructured environment by fusing images of an omnidirectional vision system with measurements of odometry and inertial sensors. Based on a new derivation where the omnidirectional projection can be linearly parameterized by the positions of the robot and natural feature points, we propose a novel adaptive algorithm, which is similar to the Slotine-Li algorithm in model-based adaptive control, to estimate the robot's position by using the tracked feature points in image sequence, the robot's velocity, and orientation angles measured by odometry and inertial sensors. It is proved that the adaptive algorithm leads to global exponential convergence of the position estimation errors to zero. Simulations and real-world experiments are performed to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm.

A vision-based fall detection algorithm of human in indoor environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hao; Guo, Yongcai

2017-02-01

Elderly care becomes more and more prominent in China as the population is aging fast and the number of aging population is large. Falls, as one of the biggest challenges in elderly guardianship system, have a serious impact on both physical health and mental health of the aged. Based on feature descriptors, such as aspect ratio of human silhouette, velocity of mass center, moving distance of head and angle of the ultimate posture, a novel vision-based fall detection method was proposed in this paper. A fast median method of background modeling with three frames was also suggested. Compared with the conventional bounding box and ellipse method, the novel fall detection technique is not only applicable for recognizing the fall behaviors end of lying down but also suitable for detecting the fall behaviors end of kneeling down and sitting down. In addition, numerous experiment results showed that the method had a good performance in recognition accuracy on the premise of not adding the cost of time.

Declarative knowledge and professional vision in teacher education: effect of courses in teaching and learning.

PubMed

Stürmer, Kathleen; Könings, Karen D; Seidel, Tina

2013-09-01

Teachers' professional vision includes the ability to apply general pedagogical knowledge about components of effective teaching and learning to reason about significant features of classroom practice. It requires teachers to (a) describe, (b) explain, and (c) predict classroom situations. Although the acquisition of underling knowledge can be considered as a key element of university-based teacher education programmes, to date, there has been little empirical research on teacher candidates' development of professional vision. This study aims to improve understanding of how different university-based courses in teaching and learning impact the development of professional vision. Participants were teacher candidates (N= 53) attending the same teacher education programme at a German university. They were enrolled in one of three different compulsory courses in teaching and learning, lasting one semester. In a pre-test-post-test design, participants' declarative knowledge about teaching and learning was measured with a test, professional vision with the online tool Observer. Analysis of covariance and multivariate analysis of variance were conducted. Teacher candidates in all three courses showed significant gains both in declarative knowledge and professional vision. Patterns of results differed depending on the course attended. A video-based course with a focus on effective teaching resulted in highest gains in prediction of the consequences of observed events for student learning processes, which is the highest level of knowledge transfer. The development of professional vision is a strongly knowledge-guided process. In line with their content and aims, university-based courses can enhance teaching-relevant knowledge for teacher candidates. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

A Multiscale Vision Model and Applications to Astronomical Image and Data Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bijaoui, A.; Slezak, E.; Vandame, B.

Many researches were carried out on the automated identification of the astrophy sical sources, and their relevant measurements. Some vision models have been developed for this task, their use depending on the image content. We have developed a multiscale vision model (MVM) \\cite{BR95} well suited for analyzing complex structures such like interstellar clouds, galaxies, or cluster of galaxies. Our model is based on a redundant wavelet transform. For each scale we detect significant wavelet coefficients by application of a decision rule based on their probability density functions (PDF) under the hypothesis of a uniform distribution. In the case of a Poisson noise, this PDF can be determined from the autoconvolution of the wavelet function histogram \\cite{SLB93}. We may also apply Anscombe's transform, scale by scale in order to take into account the integrated number of events at each scale \\cite{FSB98}. Our aim is to compute an image of all detected structural features. MVM allows us to build oriented trees from the neighbouring of significant wavelet coefficients. Each tree is also divided into subtrees taking into account the maxima along the scale axis. This leads to identify objects in the scale space, and then to restore their images by classical inverse methods. This model works only if the sampling is correct at each scale. It is not generally the case for the orthogonal wavelets, so that we apply the so-called `a trous algorithm \\cite{BSM94} or a specific pyramidal one \\cite{RBV98}. It leads to ext ract superimposed objets of different size, and it gives for each of them a separate image, from which we can obtain position, flux and p attern parameters. We have applied these methods to different kinds of images, photographic plates, CCD frames or X-ray images. We have only to change the statistical rule for extr acting significant coefficients to adapt the model from an image class to another one. We have also applied this model to extract clusters hierarchically distributed or to identify regions devoid of objects from galaxy counts.

Color vision impairment in multiple sclerosis points to retinal ganglion cell damage.

PubMed

Lampert, E J; Andorra, M; Torres-Torres, R; Ortiz-Pérez, S; Llufriu, S; Sepúlveda, M; Sola, N; Saiz, A; Sánchez-Dalmau, B; Villoslada, P; Martínez-Lapiscina, Elena H

2015-11-01

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) results in color vision impairment regardless of optic neuritis (ON). The exact location of injury remains undefined. The objective of this study is to identify the region leading to dyschromatopsia in MS patients' NON-eyes. We evaluated Spearman correlations between color vision and measures of different regions in the afferent visual pathway in 106 MS patients. Regions with significant correlations were included in logistic regression models to assess their independent role in dyschromatopsia. We evaluated color vision with Hardy-Rand-Rittler plates and retinal damage using Optical Coherence Tomography. We ran SIENAX to measure Normalized Brain Parenchymal Volume (NBPV), FIRST for thalamus volume and Freesurfer for visual cortex areas. We found moderate, significant correlations between color vision and macular retinal nerve fiber layer (rho = 0.289, p = 0.003), ganglion cell complex (GCC = GCIP) (rho = 0.353, p < 0.001), thalamus (rho = 0.361, p < 0.001), and lesion volume within the optic radiations (rho = -0.230, p = 0.030). Only GCC thickness remained significant (p = 0.023) in the logistic regression model. In the final model including lesion load and NBPV as markers of diffuse neuroaxonal damage, GCC remained associated with dyschromatopsia [OR = 0.88 95 % CI (0.80-0.97) p = 0.016]. This association remained significant when we also added sex, age, and disease duration as covariates in the regression model. Dyschromatopsia in NON-eyes is due to damage of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) in MS. Color vision can serve as a marker of RGC damage in MS.

Behavioral Informatics and Computational Modeling in Support of Proactive Health Management and Care

PubMed Central

Jimison, Holly B.; Korhonen, Ilkka; Gordon, Christine M.; Saranummi, Niilo

2016-01-01

Health-related behaviors are among the most significant determinants of health and quality of life. Improving health behavior is an effective way to enhance health outcomes and mitigate the escalating challenges arising from an increasingly aging population and the proliferation of chronic diseases. Although it has been difficult to obtain lasting improvements in health behaviors on a wide scale, advances at the intersection of technology and behavioral science may provide the tools to address this challenge. In this paper, we describe a vision and an approach to improve health behavior interventions using the tools of behavioral informatics, an emerging transdisciplinary research domain based on system-theoretic principles in combination with behavioral science and information technology. The field of behavioral informatics has the potential to optimize interventions through monitoring, assessing, and modeling behavior in support of providing tailored and timely interventions. We describe the components of a closed-loop system for health interventions. These components range from fine grain sensor characterizations to individual-based models of behavior change. We provide an example of a research health coaching platform that incorporates a closed-loop intervention based on these multiscale models. Using this early prototype, we illustrate how the optimized and personalized methodology and technology can support self-management and remote care. We note that despite the existing examples of research projects and our platform, significant future research is required to convert this vision to full-scale implementations. PMID:26441408

An early underwater artificial vision model in ocean investigations via independent component analysis.

PubMed

Nian, Rui; Liu, Fang; He, Bo

2013-07-16

Underwater vision is one of the dominant senses and has shown great prospects in ocean investigations. In this paper, a hierarchical Independent Component Analysis (ICA) framework has been established to explore and understand the functional roles of the higher order statistical structures towards the visual stimulus in the underwater artificial vision system. The model is inspired by characteristics such as the modality, the redundancy reduction, the sparseness and the independence in the early human vision system, which seems to respectively capture the Gabor-like basis functions, the shape contours or the complicated textures in the multiple layer implementations. The simulation results have shown good performance in the effectiveness and the consistence of the approach proposed for the underwater images collected by autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).

An Early Underwater Artificial Vision Model in Ocean Investigations via Independent Component Analysis

PubMed Central

Nian, Rui; Liu, Fang; He, Bo

2013-01-01

Underwater vision is one of the dominant senses and has shown great prospects in ocean investigations. In this paper, a hierarchical Independent Component Analysis (ICA) framework has been established to explore and understand the functional roles of the higher order statistical structures towards the visual stimulus in the underwater artificial vision system. The model is inspired by characteristics such as the modality, the redundancy reduction, the sparseness and the independence in the early human vision system, which seems to respectively capture the Gabor-like basis functions, the shape contours or the complicated textures in the multiple layer implementations. The simulation results have shown good performance in the effectiveness and the consistence of the approach proposed for the underwater images collected by autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). PMID:23863855

Model-based vision for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chaconas, Karen; Nashman, Marilyn; Lumia, Ronald

1992-01-01

This paper describes a method for tracking moving image features by combining spatial and temporal edge information with model based feature information. The algorithm updates the two-dimensional position of object features by correlating predicted model features with current image data. The results of the correlation process are used to compute an updated model. The algorithm makes use of a high temporal sampling rate with respect to spatial changes of the image features and operates in a real-time multiprocessing environment. Preliminary results demonstrate successful tracking for image feature velocities between 1.1 and 4.5 pixels every image frame. This work has applications for docking, assembly, retrieval of floating objects and a host of other space-related tasks.

A computer vision-based approach for structural displacement measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Yunfeng

2010-04-01

Along with the incessant advancement in optics, electronics and computer technologies during the last three decades, commercial digital video cameras have experienced a remarkable evolution, and can now be employed to measure complex motions of objects with sufficient accuracy, which render great assistance to structural displacement measurement in civil engineering. This paper proposes a computer vision-based approach for dynamic measurement of structures. One digital camera is used to capture image sequences of planar targets mounted on vibrating structures. The mathematical relationship between image plane and real space is established based on computer vision theory. Then, the structural dynamic displacement at the target locations can be quantified using point reconstruction rules. Compared with other tradition displacement measurement methods using sensors, such as accelerometers, linear-variable-differential-transducers (LVDTs) and global position system (GPS), the proposed approach gives the main advantages of great flexibility, a non-contact working mode and ease of increasing measurement points. To validate, four tests of sinusoidal motion of a point, free vibration of a cantilever beam, wind tunnel test of a cross-section bridge model, and field test of bridge displacement measurement, are performed. Results show that the proposed approach can attain excellent accuracy compared with the analytical ones or the measurements using conventional transducers, and proves to deliver an innovative and low cost solution to structural displacement measurement.

Colour, vision and coevolution in avian brood parasitism.

PubMed

Stoddard, Mary Caswell; Hauber, Mark E

2017-07-05

The coevolutionary interactions between avian brood parasites and their hosts provide a powerful system for investigating the diversity of animal coloration. Specifically, reciprocal selection pressure applied by hosts and brood parasites can give rise to novel forms and functions of animal coloration, which largely differ from those that arise when selection is imposed by predators or mates. In the study of animal colours, avian brood parasite-host dynamics therefore invite special consideration. Rapid advances across disciplines have paved the way for an integrative study of colour and vision in brood parasite-host systems. We now know that visually driven host defences and host life history have selected for a suite of phenotypic adaptations in parasites, including mimicry, crypsis and supernormal stimuli. This sometimes leads to vision-based host counter-adaptations and increased parasite trickery. Here, we review vision-based adaptations that arise in parasite-host interactions, emphasizing that these adaptations can be visual/sensory, cognitive or phenotypic in nature. We highlight recent breakthroughs in chemistry, genomics, neuroscience and computer vision, and we conclude by identifying important future directions. Moving forward, it will be essential to identify the genetic and neural bases of adaptation and to compare vision-based adaptations to those arising in other sensory modalities.This article is part of the themed issue 'Animal coloration: production, perception, function and application'. © 2017 The Author(s).

A vision-based end-point control for a two-link flexible manipulator. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Obergfell, Klaus

1991-01-01

The measurement and control of the end-effector position of a large two-link flexible manipulator are investigated. The system implementation is described and an initial algorithm for static end-point positioning is discussed. Most existing robots are controlled through independent joint controllers, while the end-effector position is estimated from the joint positions using a kinematic relation. End-point position feedback can be used to compensate for uncertainty and structural deflections. Such feedback is especially important for flexible robots. Computer vision is utilized to obtain end-point position measurements. A look-and-move control structure alleviates the disadvantages of the slow and variable computer vision sampling frequency. This control structure consists of an inner joint-based loop and an outer vision-based loop. A static positioning algorithm was implemented and experimentally verified. This algorithm utilizes the manipulator Jacobian to transform a tip position error to a joint error. The joint error is then used to give a new reference input to the joint controller. The convergence of the algorithm is demonstrated experimentally under payload variation. A Landmark Tracking System (Dickerson, et al 1990) is used for vision-based end-point measurements. This system was modified and tested. A real-time control system was implemented on a PC and interfaced with the vision system and the robot.

Reduced vision in highly myopic eyes without ocular pathology: the ZOC-BHVI high myopia study.

PubMed

Jong, Monica; Sankaridurg, Padmaja; Li, Wayne; Resnikoff, Serge; Naidoo, Kovin; He, Mingguang

2018-01-01

The aim was to investigate the relationship of the magnitude of myopia with visual acuity in highly myopic eyes without ocular pathology. Twelve hundred and ninety-two highly myopic eyes (up to -6.00 DS both eyes, no astigmatic cut-off) with no ocular pathology from the ZOC-BHVI high myopia study in China, had cycloplegic refraction, followed by subjective refraction and visual acuities and axial length measurement. Two logistic regression models were undertaken to test the association of age, gender, refractive error, axial length and parental myopia with reduced vision. Mean group age was 19.0 ± 8.6 years; subjective spherical equivalent refractive error was -9.03 ± 2.73 D; objective spherical equivalent refractive error was -8.90 ± 2.60 D and axial length was 27.0 ± 1.3 mm. Using visual acuity, 82.4 per cent had normal vision, 16.0 per cent had mildly reduced vision, 1.2 per cent had moderately reduced vision, 0.3 per cent had severely reduced vision and no subjects were blind. The percentage with reduced vision increased with spherical equivalent to 74.5 per cent from -15.00 to -39.99 D, axial length to 67.7 per cent of eyes from 30.01 to 32.00 mm and age to 22.9 per cent of those 41 years and over. Spherical equivalent and axial length were significantly associated with reduced vision (p < 0.0001). Age and parental myopia were not significantly associated with reduced vision. Gender was significant for one model (p = 0.04). Mildly reduced vision is common in high myopia without ocular pathology and is strongly correlated with greater magnitudes of refractive error and axial length. Better understanding is required to minimise reduced vision in high myopes. © 2017 Optometry Australia.

Military Vision Research Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

accomplishments emanating from this research . • 3 novel computer-based tasks have been developed that measure visual distortions • These tests are based...10-1-0392 TITLE: Military Vision Research Program PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Dr. Darlene Dartt...CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: The Schepens Eye Research

Perceptual organization in computer vision - A review and a proposal for a classificatory structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarkar, Sudeep; Boyer, Kim L.

1993-01-01

The evolution of perceptual organization in biological vision, and its necessity in advanced computer vision systems, arises from the characteristic that perception, the extraction of meaning from sensory input, is an intelligent process. This is particularly so for high order organisms and, analogically, for more sophisticated computational models. The role of perceptual organization in computer vision systems is explored. This is done from four vantage points. First, a brief history of perceptual organization research in both humans and computer vision is offered. Next, a classificatory structure in which to cast perceptual organization research to clarify both the nomenclature and the relationships among the many contributions is proposed. Thirdly, the perceptual organization work in computer vision in the context of this classificatory structure is reviewed. Finally, the array of computational techniques applied to perceptual organization problems in computer vision is surveyed.

Progress in computer vision.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, A. K.; Dorai, C.

Computer vision has emerged as a challenging and important area of research, both as an engineering and a scientific discipline. The growing importance of computer vision is evident from the fact that it was identified as one of the "Grand Challenges" and also from its prominent role in the National Information Infrastructure. While the design of a general-purpose vision system continues to be elusive machine vision systems are being used successfully in specific application elusive, machine vision systems are being used successfully in specific application domains. Building a practical vision system requires a careful selection of appropriate sensors, extraction and integration of information from available cues in the sensed data, and evaluation of system robustness and performance. The authors discuss and demonstrate advantages of (1) multi-sensor fusion, (2) combination of features and classifiers, (3) integration of visual modules, and (IV) admissibility and goal-directed evaluation of vision algorithms. The requirements of several prominent real world applications such as biometry, document image analysis, image and video database retrieval, and automatic object model construction offer exciting problems and new opportunities to design and evaluate vision algorithms.

Nonlinearity analysis of measurement model for vision-based optical navigation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jianguo; Cui, Hutao; Tian, Yang

2015-02-01

In the autonomous optical navigation system based on line-of-sight vector observation, nonlinearity of measurement model is highly correlated with the navigation performance. By quantitatively calculating the degree of nonlinearity of the focal plane model and the unit vector model, this paper focuses on determining which optical measurement model performs better. Firstly, measurement equations and measurement noise statistics of these two line-of-sight measurement models are established based on perspective projection co-linearity equation. Then the nonlinear effects of measurement model on the filter performance are analyzed within the framework of the Extended Kalman filter, also the degrees of nonlinearity of two measurement models are compared using the curvature measure theory from differential geometry. Finally, a simulation of star-tracker-based attitude determination is presented to confirm the superiority of the unit vector measurement model. Simulation results show that the magnitude of curvature nonlinearity measurement is consistent with the filter performance, and the unit vector measurement model yields higher estimation precision and faster convergence properties.

Fuzzy Petri nets to model vision system decisions within a flexible manufacturing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanna, Moheb M.; Buck, A. A.; Smith, R.

1994-10-01

The paper presents a Petri net approach to modelling, monitoring and control of the behavior of an FMS cell. The FMS cell described comprises a pick and place robot, vision system, CNC-milling machine and 3 conveyors. The work illustrates how the block diagrams in a hierarchical structure can be used to describe events at different levels of abstraction. It focuses on Fuzzy Petri nets (Fuzzy logic with Petri nets) including an artificial neural network (Fuzzy Neural Petri nets) to model and control vision system decisions and robot sequences within an FMS cell. This methodology can be used as a graphical modelling tool to monitor and control the imprecise, vague and uncertain situations, and determine the quality of the output product of an FMS cell.

Evaluation of real-world mobility in age-related macular degeneration.

PubMed

Sengupta, Sabyasachi; Nguyen, Angeline M; van Landingham, Suzanne W; Solomon, Sharon D; Do, Diana V; Ferrucci, Luigi; Friedman, David S; Ramulu, Pradeep Y

2015-01-30

Previous research has suggested an association between poor vision and decreased mobility, including restricted levels of physical activity and travel away from home. We sought to determine the impact of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) on these measures of mobility. Fifty-seven AMD patients with bilateral, or severe unilateral, visual impairment were compared to 59 controls with normal vision. All study subjects were between the ages of 60 and 80. Subjects wore accelerometers and cellular network-based tracking devices over 7 days of normal activity. Number of steps taken, time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), number of excursions from home, and time spent away from home were the primary outcome measures. In multivariate negative binomial regression models adjusted for age, gender, race, comorbidities, and education, AMD participants took fewer steps than controls (18% fewer steps per day, p = 0.01) and spent significantly less time in MVPA (35% fewer minutes, p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression models adjusting for age, sex, race, cognition, comorbidities, and grip strength, AMD subjects showed an increased likelihood of not leaving their home on a given day (odds ratio = 1.36, p = 0.04), but did not show a significant difference in the magnitude of time spent away from home (9% fewer minutes, p = 0.11). AMD patients with poorer vision engage in significantly less physical activity and take fewer excursions away from the home. Further studies identifying the factors mediating the relationship between vision loss and mobility are needed to better understand how to improve mobility among AMD patients.

Trauma-Informed Part C Early Intervention: A Vision, A Challenge, A New Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilkerson, Linda; Graham, Mimi; Harris, Deborah; Oser, Cindy; Clarke, Jane; Hairston-Fuller, Tody C.; Lertora, Jessica

2013-01-01

Federal directives require that any child less than 3 years old with a substantiated case of abuse be referred to the early intervention (EI) system. This article details the need and presents a vision for a trauma-informed EI system. The authors describe two exemplary program models which implement this vision and recommend steps which the field…

From Academic Vision to Physical Manifestation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walleri, R. Dan; Becker, William E.

2004-01-01

This community college-based case study describes and analyzes how a new mission and vision adopted by the college trustees was translated into a facility master plan. The vision is designed to serve the needs of the community and facilitate economic development, especially in the areas of health occupations, biotechnology and…

A Unified Taxonomic Approach to the Laboratory Assessment of Visionic Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

the ratification stage with member nations. Marasco and Task 4 presented a large array of tests applicable to image intensification-based visionic...aircraft.” In print. 4. Marasco , P. L., and Task, H. L. 1999. “Optical characterization of wide field-of-view night vision devices,” in

The Institutional Vision of Tribal Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abelman, Robert

2011-01-01

This investigation provides a base-line measurement of the inspirational and pragmatic rhetoric in declarations of institutional vision at tribal community colleges. By comparing it to nontribal community colleges, this content analysis reveals the current state of utility of the mission and vision statements of tribal community colleges, their…

29 CFR 2590.732 - Special rules relating to group health plans.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... dental benefits, limited-scope vision benefits, or long-term care benefits are excepted if they are... structure within the mouth). (B) Vision benefits. Limited scope vision benefits are benefits substantially...) Based on cognitive impairment or a loss of functional capacity that is expected to be chronic. (v...

Testing the Untestable: A Vision Screening Program for Exceptional Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Virginia E.; Godolphin, Vivienne

Based on a longitudinal study of vision screening techniques for handicapped children at the Chester County (Pennsylvania) Child Development Center, the paper reports on the development of a battery of effective vision screening methods for children with low functioning handicapped children. Specific tests are described, including the Sheridan…

Robust algebraic image enhancement for intelligent control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lerner, Bao-Ting; Morrelli, Michael

1993-01-01

Robust vision capability for intelligent control systems has been an elusive goal in image processing. The computationally intensive techniques a necessary for conventional image processing make real-time applications, such as object tracking and collision avoidance difficult. In order to endow an intelligent control system with the needed vision robustness, an adequate image enhancement subsystem capable of compensating for the wide variety of real-world degradations, must exist between the image capturing and the object recognition subsystems. This enhancement stage must be adaptive and must operate with consistency in the presence of both statistical and shape-based noise. To deal with this problem, we have developed an innovative algebraic approach which provides a sound mathematical framework for image representation and manipulation. Our image model provides a natural platform from which to pursue dynamic scene analysis, and its incorporation into a vision system would serve as the front-end to an intelligent control system. We have developed a unique polynomial representation of gray level imagery and applied this representation to develop polynomial operators on complex gray level scenes. This approach is highly advantageous since polynomials can be manipulated very easily, and are readily understood, thus providing a very convenient environment for image processing. Our model presents a highly structured and compact algebraic representation of grey-level images which can be viewed as fuzzy sets.

Household food insecurity and symptoms of neurologic disorder in Ethiopia: an observational analysis.

PubMed

El-Sayed, Abdulrahman M; Hadley, Craig; Tessema, Fasil; Tegegn, Ayelew; Cowan, John A; Galea, Sandro

2010-12-31

Food insecurity (FI) has been shown to be associated with poor health both in developing and developed countries. Little is known about the relation between FI and neurological disorder. We assessed the relation between FI and risk for neurologic symptoms in southwest Ethiopia. Data about food security, gender, age, household assets, and self-reported neurologic symptoms were collected from a representative, community-based sample of adults (N = 900) in Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. We calculated univariate statistics and used bivariate chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression models to assess the relation between FI and risk of neurologic symptoms including seizures, extremity weakness, extremity numbness, tremors/ataxia, aphasia, carpal tunnel syndrome, vision dysfunction, and spinal pain. In separate multivariate models by outcome and gender, adjusting for age and household socioeconomic status, severe FI was associated with higher odds of seizures, movement abnormalities, carpal tunnel, vision dysfunction, spinal pain, and comorbid disorders among women. Severe FI was associated with higher odds of seizures, extremity numbness, movement abnormalities, difficulty speaking, carpal tunnel, vision dysfunction, and comorbid disorders among men. We found that FI was associated with symptoms of neurologic disorder. Given the cross-sectional nature of our study, the directionality of these associations is unclear. Future research should assess causal mechanisms relating FI to neurologic symptoms in sub-Saharan Africa.

Enhanced Vision for All-Weather Operations Under NextGen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Randall E.; Kramer, Lynda J.; Williams, Steven P.; Bailey, Randall E.; Kramer, Lynda J.; Williams, Steven P.

2010-01-01

Recent research in Synthetic/Enhanced Vision technology is analyzed with respect to existing Category II/III performance and certification guidance. The goal is to start the development of performance-based vision systems technology requirements to support future all-weather operations and the NextGen goal of Equivalent Visual Operations. This work shows that existing criteria to operate in Category III weather and visibility are not directly applicable since, unlike today, the primary reference for maneuvering the airplane is based on what the pilot sees visually through the "vision system." New criteria are consequently needed. Several possible criteria are discussed, but more importantly, the factors associated with landing system performance using automatic and manual landings are delineated.

The Ohio Contrast Cards: Visual Performance in a Pediatric Low-vision Site

PubMed Central

Hopkins, Gregory R.; Dougherty, Bradley E.; Brown, Angela M.

2017-01-01

SIGNIFICANCE This report describes the first clinical use of the Ohio Contrast Cards, a new test that measures the maximum spatial contrast sensitivity of low-vision patients who cannot recognize and identify optotypes and for whom the spatial frequency of maximum contrast sensitivity is unknown. PURPOSE To compare measurements of the Ohio Contrast Cards to measurements of three other vision tests and a vision-related quality-of-life questionnaire obtained on partially sighted students at Ohio State School for the Blind. METHODS The Ohio Contrast Cards show printed square-wave gratings at very low spatial frequency (0.15 cycle/degree). The patient looks to the left/right side of the card containing the grating. Twenty-five students (13 to 20 years old) provided four measures of visual performance: two grating card tests (the Ohio Contrast Cards and the Teller Acuity Cards) and two letter charts (the Pelli-Robson contrast chart and the Bailey-Lovie acuity chart). Spatial contrast sensitivity functions were modeled using constraints from the grating data. The Impact of Vision Impairment on Children questionnaire measured vision-related quality of life. RESULTS Ohio Contrast Card contrast sensitivity was always less than 0.19 log10 units below the maximum possible contrast sensitivity predicted by the model; average Pelli-Robson letter contrast sensitivity was near the model prediction, but 0.516 log10 units below the maximum. Letter acuity was 0.336 logMAR below the grating acuity results. The model estimated the best testing distance in meters for optimum Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity from the Bailey-Lovie acuity as distance = 1.5 − logMAR for low-vision patients. Of the four vision tests, only Ohio Contrast Card contrast sensitivity was independently and statistically significantly correlated with students' quality of life. CONCLUSIONS The Ohio Contrast Cards combine a grating stimulus, a looking indicator behavior, and contrast sensitivity measurement. They show promise for the clinical objective of advising the patient and his/her caregivers about the success the patient is likely to enjoy in tasks of everyday life. PMID:28972542

Intelligent robot control using an adaptive critic with a task control center and dynamic database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, E. L.; Ghaffari, M.; Liao, X.; Alhaj Ali, S. M.

2006-10-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe the design, development and simulation of a real time controller for an intelligent, vision guided robot. The use of a creative controller that can select its own tasks is demonstrated. This creative controller uses a task control center and dynamic database. The dynamic database stores both global environmental information and local information including the kinematic and dynamic models of the intelligent robot. The kinematic model is very useful for position control and simulations. However, models of the dynamics of the manipulators are needed for tracking control of the robot's motions. Such models are also necessary for sizing the actuators, tuning the controller, and achieving superior performance. Simulations of various control designs are shown. Also, much of the model has also been used for the actual prototype Bearcat Cub mobile robot. This vision guided robot was designed for the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Contest. A novel feature of the proposed approach is that the method is applicable to both robot arm manipulators and robot bases such as wheeled mobile robots. This generality should encourage the development of more mobile robots with manipulator capability since both models can be easily stored in the dynamic database. The multi task controller also permits wide applications. The use of manipulators and mobile bases with a high-level control are potentially useful for space exploration, certain rescue robots, defense robots, and medical robotics aids.

Vertically integrated photonic multichip module architecture for vision applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanguay, Armand R., Jr.; Jenkins, B. Keith; von der Malsburg, Christoph; Mel, Bartlett; Holt, Gary; O'Brien, John D.; Biederman, Irving; Madhukar, Anupam; Nasiatka, Patrick; Huang, Yunsong

2000-05-01

The development of a truly smart camera, with inherent capability for low latency semi-autonomous object recognition, tracking, and optimal image capture, has remained an elusive goal notwithstanding tremendous advances in the processing power afforded by VLSI technologies. These features are essential for a number of emerging multimedia- based applications, including enhanced augmented reality systems. Recent advances in understanding of the mechanisms of biological vision systems, together with similar advances in hybrid electronic/photonic packaging technology, offer the possibility of artificial biologically-inspired vision systems with significantly different, yet complementary, strengths and weaknesses. We describe herein several system implementation architectures based on spatial and temporal integration techniques within a multilayered structure, as well as the corresponding hardware implementation of these architectures based on the hybrid vertical integration of multiple silicon VLSI vision chips by means of dense 3D photonic interconnections.

Mirta Yáñez's Dystopic Vision of Havana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

González, Flora M.

2017-01-01

In her 2010 novel "Sangra por la herida," the Cuban novelist, poet, and essayist Mirta Yáñez constructs a panoramic view of metropolitan Havana, following the model of Latin American fiction starting in the 1980s based on a revised version of the detective novel. "Sangra por la herida" functions best as a narrative that…

The Solar City Daegu 2050 Project: Visions for a Sustainable City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jong-dall; Han, Dong-hi; Na, Jung-gyu

2006-01-01

The Solar City Daegu 2050 Project (SCD 2050) represents a comprehensive model for shaping the future of this city of 2.5 million residents with a mixed industrial and services economic base. Its specific aims are as follows: realization of a carbon footprint consistent with standards of global sustainability and equity; the development of a…

Vision-based algorithms for near-host object detection and multilane sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenue, Surender K.

1995-01-01

Vision-based sensing can be used for lane sensing, adaptive cruise control, collision warning, and driver performance monitoring functions of intelligent vehicles. Current computer vision algorithms are not robust for handling multiple vehicles in highway scenarios. Several new algorithms are proposed for multi-lane sensing, near-host object detection, vehicle cut-in situations, and specifying regions of interest for object tracking. These algorithms were tested successfully on more than 6000 images taken from real-highway scenes under different daytime lighting conditions.

Vision - Vision 1.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hart, Brian E.; Oppel III, Fred J.

2017-01-25

This package contains modules that model a visual sensor in Umbra. It is typically used to represent eyesight of characters in Umbra. This library also includes the sensor property, seeable, and an Active Denial sensor.

Visionmaker NYC: A bottom-up approach to finding shared socioeconomic pathways in New York City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanderson, E. W.; Fisher, K.; Giampieri, M.; Barr, J.; Meixler, M.; Allred, S. B.; Bunting-Howarth, K. E.; DuBois, B.; Parris, A. S.

2015-12-01

Visionmaker NYC is a free, public participatory, bottom-up web application to develop and share climate mitigation and adaptation strategies for New York City neighborhoods. The goal is to develop shared socioeconomic pathways by allowing a broad swath of community members - from schoolchildren to architects and developers to the general public - to input their concepts for a desired future. Visions are comprised of climate scenarios, lifestyle choices, and ecosystem arrangements, where ecosystems are broadly defined to include built ecosystems (e.g. apartment buildings, single family homes, etc.), transportation infrastructure (e.g. highways, connector roads, sidewalks), and natural land cover types (e.g. wetlands, forests, estuary.) Metrics of water flows, carbon cycling, biodiversity patterns, and population are estimated for the user's vision, for the same neighborhood today, and for that neighborhood as it existed in the pre-development state, based on the Welikia Project (welikia.org.) Users can keep visions private, share them with self-defined groups of other users, or distribute them publicly. Users can also propose "challenges" - specific desired states of metrics for specific parts of the city - and others can post visions in response. Visionmaker contributes by combining scenario planning, scientific modelling, and social media to create new, wide-open possibilities for discussion, collaboration, and imagination regarding future, shared socioeconomic pathways.

Designing the Orbital Space Tourism Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webber, Derek

2006-01-01

Sub-orbital space tourism is now well on its way to becoming a reality, with offerings by Virgin Galactic, Rocketplane, and others soon to be made available. Orbital space tourism is harder to achieve, but, if successful as a business model, will make significant contributions towards improved operational efficiencies, reusability, reliability and economies of scale to the world of crewed space flight. Some responses to the President's Vision for Space Exploration have included public space travel in low Earth orbit as sustaining and enabling elements of the vision in a post-Shuttle space architecture. This paper addresses the steps necessary to make possible such a US-based orbital space tourism business, and will assist commercial and government agencies concerned with the development of this new sector.

Theory research of seam recognition and welding torch pose control based on machine vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Qiang; Zhai, Peng; Liu, Miao; He, Kai; Wang, Chunyang

2017-03-01

At present, the automation requirement of the welding become higher, so a method of the welding information extraction by vision sensor is proposed in this paper, and the simulation with the MATLAB has been conducted. Besides, in order to improve the quality of robot automatic welding, an information retrieval method for welding torch pose control by visual sensor is attempted. Considering the demands of welding technology and engineering habits, the relative coordinate systems and variables are strictly defined, and established the mathematical model of the welding pose, and verified its feasibility by using the MATLAB simulation in the paper, these works lay a foundation for the development of welding off-line programming system with high precision and quality.

The evolution of vertebrate color vision.

PubMed

Jacobs, Gerald H

2012-01-01

Color vision is conventionally defined as the ability of animals to reliably discriminate among objects and lights based solely on differences in their spectral properties. Although the nature of color vision varies widely in different animals, a large majority of all vertebrate species possess some color vision and that fact attests to the adaptive importance this capacity holds as a tool for analyzing the environment. In recent years dramatic advances have been made in our understanding of the nature of vertebrate color vision and of the evolution of the biological mechanisms underlying this capacity. In this chapter I review and comment on these advances.

Composite Measures of Individual and Area-Level Socio-Economic Status Are Associated with Visual Impairment in Singapore

PubMed Central

Wah, Win; Earnest, Arul; Sabanayagam, Charumathi; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Ong, Marcus Eng Hock; Wong, Tien Y.; Lamoureux, Ecosse L.

2015-01-01

Purpose To investigate the independent relationship of individual- and area-level socio-economic status (SES) with the presence and severity of visual impairment (VI) in an Asian population. Methods Cross-sectional data from 9993 Chinese, Malay and Indian adults aged 40–80 years who participated in the Singapore Epidemiology of eye Diseases (2004–2011) in Singapore. Based on the presenting visual acuity (PVA) in the better-seeing eye, VI was categorized into normal vision (logMAR≤0.30), low vision (logMAR>0.30<1.00), and blindness (logMAR≥1.00). Any VI was defined as low vision/blindness in the PVA of better-seeing eye. Individual-level low-SES was defined as a composite of primary-level education, monthly income<2000 SGD and residing in 1 or 2-room public apartment. An area-level SES was assessed using a socio-economic disadvantage index (SEDI), created using 12 variables from the 2010 Singapore census. A high SEDI score indicates a relatively poor SES. Associations between SES measures and presence and severity of VI were examined using multi-level, mixed-effects logistic and multinomial regression models. Results The age-adjusted prevalence of any VI was 19.62% (low vision = 19%, blindness = 0.62%). Both individual- and area-level SES were positively associated with any VI and low vision after adjusting for confounders. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of any VI was 2.11(1.88–2.37) for low-SES and 1.07(1.02–1.13) per 1 standard deviation increase in SEDI. When stratified by unilateral/bilateral categories, while low SES showed significant associations with all categories, SEDI showed a significant association with bilateral low vision only. The association between low SES and any VI remained significant among all age, gender and ethnic sub-groups. Although a consistent positive association was observed between area-level SEDI and any VI, the associations were significant among participants aged 40–65 years and male. Conclusion In this community-based sample of Asian adults, both individual- and area-level SES were independently associated with the presence and severity of VI. PMID:26555141

Vision Integrating Strategies in Ophthalmology and Neurochemistry (VISION)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

in the above figure. We have already tested this virus in P23H Rhodopsin rat model of retinitis pigmentosa and found that it has a therapeutic...We have established three different mouse models of ocular injury with different injury-initiating mechanisms (i.e. optic nerve crush, retinal ...functionally and structurally rescue photoreceptor cells in rodent models of retinal degeneration. She brings expertise in gene therapy and in cellular

Retinex at 50: color theory and spatial algorithms, a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCann, John J.

2017-05-01

Retinex Imaging shares two distinct elements: first, a model of human color vision; second, a spatial-imaging algorithm for making better reproductions. Edwin Land's 1964 Retinex Color Theory began as a model of human color vision of real complex scenes. He designed many experiments, such as Color Mondrians, to understand why retinal cone quanta catch fails to predict color constancy. Land's Retinex model used three spatial channels (L, M, S) that calculated three independent sets of monochromatic lightnesses. Land and McCann's lightness model used spatial comparisons followed by spatial integration across the scene. The parameters of their model were derived from extensive observer data. This work was the beginning of the second Retinex element, namely, using models of spatial vision to guide image reproduction algorithms. Today, there are many different Retinex algorithms. This special section, "Retinex at 50," describes a wide variety of them, along with their different goals, and ground truths used to measure their success. This paper reviews (and provides links to) the original Retinex experiments and image-processing implementations. Observer matches (measuring appearances) have extended our understanding of how human spatial vision works. This paper describes a collection very challenging datasets, accumulated by Land and McCann, for testing algorithms that predict appearance.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Jing, E-mail: jing.zhang2@duke.edu; Ghate, Sujata V.; Yoon, Sora C.

Purpose: Mammography is the most widely accepted and utilized screening modality for early breast cancer detection. Providing high quality mammography education to radiology trainees is essential, since excellent interpretation skills are needed to ensure the highest benefit of screening mammography for patients. The authors have previously proposed a computer-aided education system based on trainee models. Those models relate human-assessed image characteristics to trainee error. In this study, the authors propose to build trainee models that utilize features automatically extracted from images using computer vision algorithms to predict likelihood of missing each mass by the trainee. This computer vision-based approach tomore » trainee modeling will allow for automatically searching large databases of mammograms in order to identify challenging cases for each trainee. Methods: The authors’ algorithm for predicting the likelihood of missing a mass consists of three steps. First, a mammogram is segmented into air, pectoral muscle, fatty tissue, dense tissue, and mass using automated segmentation algorithms. Second, 43 features are extracted using computer vision algorithms for each abnormality identified by experts. Third, error-making models (classifiers) are applied to predict the likelihood of trainees missing the abnormality based on the extracted features. The models are developed individually for each trainee using his/her previous reading data. The authors evaluated the predictive performance of the proposed algorithm using data from a reader study in which 10 subjects (7 residents and 3 novices) and 3 experts read 100 mammographic cases. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methodology was applied for the evaluation. Results: The average area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the error-making models for the task of predicting which masses will be detected and which will be missed was 0.607 (95% CI,0.564-0.650). This value was statistically significantly different from 0.5 (p < 0.0001). For the 7 residents only, the AUC performance of the models was 0.590 (95% CI,0.537-0.642) and was also significantly higher than 0.5 (p = 0.0009). Therefore, generally the authors’ models were able to predict which masses were detected and which were missed better than chance. Conclusions: The authors proposed an algorithm that was able to predict which masses will be detected and which will be missed by each individual trainee. This confirms existence of error-making patterns in the detection of masses among radiology trainees. Furthermore, the proposed methodology will allow for the optimized selection of difficult cases for the trainees in an automatic and efficient manner.« less

Health- and vision-related quality of life in intellectually disabled children.

PubMed

Cui, Yu; Stapleton, Fiona; Suttle, Catherine; Bundy, Anita

2010-01-01

To investigate the psychometric properties of instruments for the assessment of self-reported functional vision performance and health-related quality of life in children with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Two instruments [Autoquestionnaire Enfant Image (AUQUEI), LV Prasad-Functional Vision Questionnaire (LVP-FVQ)] designed for the assessment of functional vision and health-related quality of life were adapted and administered to 168 school children with ID, aged 8 to 18 years. Rasch analysis was used to determine the appropriateness of the rating scales of these instruments and to identify any redundant items. Redundant items were excluded based on descriptive statistics and Rasch analysis, leaving 17 of 23 items in the revised AUQUEI and 16 of 22 in the LVP-FVQ. The AUQUEI items showed disordered thresholds on the rating scale. A modified step calibration (collapsed from four categories to three categories) resulted in ordered response thresholds for all items. The adjusted instrument produced an overall fit to the model (mean item infit = 1.06, SD = 0.32; mean item outfit = 1.11, SD = 0.35), indicating good construct validity. After Rasch analysis, the AUQUEI showed good content validity (person separation = 2.18; item reliability = 0.99; Cronbach alpha = 0.89). Increased similarity of person and item means and SDs on the logit scale after modification would indicate that the instrument was more applicable to the target population in its modified form. In contrast, the LVP-FVQ had a low person separation (1.35), suggesting that a more appropriate instrument is needed for assessment of vision-related quality of life in children with ID. The psychometric properties of two instruments were explored using Rasch analysis. By rescaling and reduction of items, the instruments were modified for use in a population of children with at least mild to moderate ID. However, an alternative instrument is needed for the assessment of vision-related quality of life in intellectually disabled children with normal vision or mild visual abnormalities.

Wearable Improved Vision System for Color Vision Deficiency Correction

PubMed Central

Riccio, Daniel; Di Perna, Luigi; Sanniti Di Baja, Gabriella; De Nino, Maurizio; Rossi, Settimio; Testa, Francesco; Simonelli, Francesca; Frucci, Maria

2017-01-01

Color vision deficiency (CVD) is an extremely frequent vision impairment that compromises the ability to recognize colors. In order to improve color vision in a subject with CVD, we designed and developed a wearable improved vision system based on an augmented reality device. The system was validated in a clinical pilot study on 24 subjects with CVD (18 males and 6 females, aged 37.4 ± 14.2 years). The primary outcome was the improvement in the Ishihara Vision Test score with the correction proposed by our system. The Ishihara test score significantly improved (\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document} }{}$p = 0.03$ \\end{document}) from 5.8 ± 3.0 without correction to 14.8 ± 5.0 with correction. Almost all patients showed an improvement in color vision, as shown by the increased test scores. Moreover, with our system, 12 subjects (50%) passed the vision color test as normal vision subjects. The development and preliminary validation of the proposed platform confirm that a wearable augmented-reality device could be an effective aid to improve color vision in subjects with CVD. PMID:28507827

Reconfigurable vision system for real-time applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres-Huitzil, Cesar; Arias-Estrada, Miguel

2002-03-01

Recently, a growing community of researchers has used reconfigurable systems to solve computationally intensive problems. Reconfigurability provides optimized processors for systems on chip designs, and makes easy to import technology to a new system through reusable modules. The main objective of this work is the investigation of a reconfigurable computer system targeted for computer vision and real-time applications. The system is intended to circumvent the inherent computational load of most window-based computer vision algorithms. It aims to build a system for such tasks by providing an FPGA-based hardware architecture for task specific vision applications with enough processing power, using the minimum amount of hardware resources as possible, and a mechanism for building systems using this architecture. Regarding the software part of the system, a library of pre-designed and general-purpose modules that implement common window-based computer vision operations is being investigated. A common generic interface is established for these modules in order to define hardware/software components. These components can be interconnected to develop more complex applications, providing an efficient mechanism for transferring image and result data among modules. Some preliminary results are presented and discussed.

Supporting Real-Time Computer Vision Workloads using OpenVX on Multicore+GPU Platforms

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

a registered trademark of the NVIDIA Corporation . Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for the collection...from NVIDIA , we adapted an alpha- version of an NVIDIA OpenVX implementation called VisionWorks® [3] to run atop PGMRT (a graph-based mid- dleware...time support to an OpenVX implementation by NVIDIA called VisionWorks. Our modifications were applied to an alpha-version of VisionWorks. This alpha

Grasping with the eyes of your hands: hapsis and vision modulate hand preference.

PubMed

Stone, Kayla D; Gonzalez, Claudia L R

2014-02-01

Right-hand preference has been demonstrated for visually guided reaching and grasping. Grasping, however, requires the integration of both visual and haptic cues. To what extent does vision influence hand preference for grasping? Is there a hand preference for haptically guided grasping? Two experiments were designed to address these questions. In Experiment 1, individuals were tested in a reaching-to-grasp task with vision (sighted condition) and with hapsis (blindfolded condition). Participants were asked to put together 3D models using building blocks scattered on a tabletop. The models were simple, composed of ten blocks of three different shapes. Starting condition (Vision-First or Hapsis-First) was counterbalanced among participants. Right-hand preference was greater in visually guided grasping but only in the Vision-First group. Participants who initially built the models while blindfolded (Hapsis-First group) used their right hand significantly less for the visually guided portion of the task. To investigate whether grasping using hapsis modifies subsequent hand preference, participants received an additional haptic experience in a follow-up experiment. While blindfolded, participants manipulated the blocks in a container for 5 min prior to the task. This additional experience did not affect right-hand use on visually guided grasping but had a robust effect on haptically guided grasping. Together, the results demonstrate first that hand preference for grasping is influenced by both vision and hapsis, and second, they highlight how flexible this preference could be when modulated by hapsis.

Consistency of color representation in smart phones.

PubMed

Dain, Stephen J; Kwan, Benjamin; Wong, Leslie

2016-03-01

One of the barriers to the construction of consistent computer-based color vision tests has been the variety of monitors and computers. Consistency of color on a variety of screens has necessitated calibration of each setup individually. Color vision examination with a carefully controlled display has, as a consequence, been a laboratory rather than a clinical activity. Inevitably, smart phones have become a vehicle for color vision tests. They have the advantage that the processor and screen are associated and there are fewer models of smart phones than permutations of computers and monitors. Colorimetric consistency of display within a model may be a given. It may extend across models from the same manufacturer but is unlikely to extend between manufacturers especially where technologies vary. In this study, we measured the same set of colors in a JPEG file displayed on 11 samples of each of four models of smart phone (iPhone 4s, iPhone5, Samsung Galaxy S3, and Samsung Galaxy S4) using a Photo Research PR-730. The iPhones are white LED backlit LCD and the Samsung are OLEDs. The color gamut varies between models and comparison with sRGB space shows 61%, 85%, 117%, and 110%, respectively. The iPhones differ markedly from the Samsungs and from one another. This indicates that model-specific color lookup tables will be needed. Within each model, the primaries were quite consistent (despite the age of phone varying within each sample). The worst case in each model was the blue primary; the 95th percentile limits in the v' coordinate were ±0.008 for the iPhone 4 and ±0.004 for the other three models. The u'v' variation in white points was ±0.004 for the iPhone4 and ±0.002 for the others, although the spread of white points between models was u'v'±0.007. The differences are essentially the same for primaries at low luminance. The variation of colors intermediate between the primaries (e.g., red-purple, orange) mirror the variation in the primaries. The variation in luminance (maximum brightness) was ±7%, 15%, 7%, and 15%, respectively. The iPhones have almost 2× the luminance. To accommodate differences between makes and models, dedicated color lookup tables will be necessary, but the variations within a model appear to be small enough that consistent color vision tests can be designed successfully.

Developing a Strategic Leadership Model for the Military Chaplaincy

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-04-07

strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers." George Barna quotes from Garry Wills’ book on sociopolitical leadership, Certain Trumpets: "A...inspires them to get involved in the things of God. He calls on future leaders of the Church to expend themselves in the endless pursuit of the vision...Paul, an ancient apostle in the first century, is a practical model for strategic-spiritual leadership in the twenty-first century. Based on the

The Development of a Robot-Based Learning Companion: A User-Centered Design Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Yi-Zeng; Su, Mu-Chun; Chen, Sherry Y.; Chen, Gow-Dong

2015-01-01

A computer-vision-based method is widely employed to support the development of a variety of applications. In this vein, this study uses a computer-vision-based method to develop a playful learning system, which is a robot-based learning companion named RobotTell. Unlike existing playful learning systems, a user-centered design (UCD) approach is…

Identification of double-yolked duck egg using computer vision.

PubMed

Ma, Long; Sun, Ke; Tu, Kang; Pan, Leiqing; Zhang, Wei

2017-01-01

The double-yolked (DY) egg is quite popular in some Asian countries because it is considered as a sign of good luck, however, the double yolk is one of the reasons why these eggs fail to hatch. The usage of automatic methods for identifying DY eggs can increase the efficiency in the poultry industry by decreasing egg loss during incubation or improving sale proceeds. In this study, two methods for DY duck egg identification were developed by using computer vision technology. Transmittance images of DY and single-yolked (SY) duck eggs were acquired by a CCD camera to identify them according to their shape features. The Fisher's linear discriminant (FLD) model equipped with a set of normalized Fourier descriptors (NFDs) extracted from the acquired images and the convolutional neural network (CNN) model using primary preprocessed images were built to recognize duck egg yolk types. The classification accuracies of the FLD model for SY and DY eggs were 100% and 93.2% respectively, while the classification accuracies of the CNN model for SY and DY eggs were 98% and 98.8% respectively. The CNN-based algorithm took about 0.12 s to recognize one sample image, which was slightly faster than the FLD-based (about 0.20 s). Finally, this work compared two classification methods and provided the better method for DY egg identification.

Identification of double-yolked duck egg using computer vision

PubMed Central

Ma, Long; Sun, Ke; Tu, Kang; Pan, Leiqing; Zhang, Wei

2017-01-01

The double-yolked (DY) egg is quite popular in some Asian countries because it is considered as a sign of good luck, however, the double yolk is one of the reasons why these eggs fail to hatch. The usage of automatic methods for identifying DY eggs can increase the efficiency in the poultry industry by decreasing egg loss during incubation or improving sale proceeds. In this study, two methods for DY duck egg identification were developed by using computer vision technology. Transmittance images of DY and single-yolked (SY) duck eggs were acquired by a CCD camera to identify them according to their shape features. The Fisher’s linear discriminant (FLD) model equipped with a set of normalized Fourier descriptors (NFDs) extracted from the acquired images and the convolutional neural network (CNN) model using primary preprocessed images were built to recognize duck egg yolk types. The classification accuracies of the FLD model for SY and DY eggs were 100% and 93.2% respectively, while the classification accuracies of the CNN model for SY and DY eggs were 98% and 98.8% respectively. The CNN-based algorithm took about 0.12 s to recognize one sample image, which was slightly faster than the FLD-based (about 0.20 s). Finally, this work compared two classification methods and provided the better method for DY egg identification. PMID:29267387

Numerical model and analysis of an energy-based system using microwaves for vision correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pertaub, Radha; Ryan, Thomas P.

2009-02-01

A treatment system was developed utilizing a microwave-based procedure capable of treating myopia and offering a less invasive alternative to laser vision correction without cutting the eye. Microwave thermal treatment elevates the temperature of the paracentral stroma of the cornea to create a predictable refractive change while preserving the epithelium and deeper structures of the eye. A pattern of shrinkage outside of the optical zone may be sufficient to flatten the central cornea. A numerical model was set up to investigate both the electromagnetic field and the resultant transient temperature distribution. A finite element model of the eye was created and the axisymmetric distribution of temperature calculated to characterize the combination of controlled power deposition combined with surface cooling to spare the epithelium, yet shrink the cornea, in a circularly symmetric fashion. The model variables included microwave power levels and pulse width, cooling timing, dielectric material and thickness, and electrode configuration and gap. Results showed that power is totally contained within the cornea and no significant temperature rise was found outside the anterior cornea, due to the near-field design of the applicator and limited thermal conduction with the short on-time. Target isothermal regions were plotted as a result of common energy parameters along with a variety of electrode shapes and sizes, which were compared. Dose plots showed the relationship between energy and target isothermic regions.

Differential GNSS and Vision-Based Tracking to Improve Navigation Performance in Cooperative Multi-UAV Systems

PubMed Central

Vetrella, Amedeo Rodi; Fasano, Giancarmine; Accardo, Domenico; Moccia, Antonio

2016-01-01

Autonomous navigation of micro-UAVs is typically based on the integration of low cost Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based inertial and magnetic sensors to stabilize and control the flight. The resulting navigation performance in terms of position and attitude accuracy may not suffice for other mission needs, such as the ones relevant to fine sensor pointing. In this framework, this paper presents a cooperative UAV navigation algorithm that allows a chief vehicle, equipped with inertial and magnetic sensors, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and a vision system, to improve its navigation performance (in real time or in the post processing phase) exploiting formation flying deputy vehicles equipped with GPS receivers. The focus is set on outdoor environments and the key concept is to exploit differential GPS among vehicles and vision-based tracking (DGPS/Vision) to build a virtual additional navigation sensor whose information is then integrated in a sensor fusion algorithm based on an Extended Kalman Filter. The developed concept and processing architecture are described, with a focus on DGPS/Vision attitude determination algorithm. Performance assessment is carried out on the basis of both numerical simulations and flight tests. In the latter ones, navigation estimates derived from the DGPS/Vision approach are compared with those provided by the onboard autopilot system of a customized quadrotor. The analysis shows the potential of the developed approach, mainly deriving from the possibility to exploit magnetic- and inertial-independent accurate attitude information. PMID:27999318

Leveraging the power of partnerships: spreading the vision for a population health care delivery model in western Kenya.

PubMed

Mercer, Tim; Gardner, Adrian; Andama, Benjamin; Chesoli, Cleophas; Christoffersen-Deb, Astrid; Dick, Jonathan; Einterz, Robert; Gray, Nick; Kimaiyo, Sylvester; Kamano, Jemima; Maritim, Beryl; Morehead, Kirk; Pastakia, Sonak; Ruhl, Laura; Songok, Julia; Laktabai, Jeremiah

2018-05-08

The Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) has been a model academic partnership in global health for nearly three decades, leveraging the power of a public-sector academic medical center and the tripartite academic mission - service, education, and research - to the challenges of delivering health care in a low-income setting. Drawing our mandate from the health needs of the population, we have scaled up service delivery for HIV care, and over the last decade, expanded our focus on non-communicable chronic diseases, health system strengthening, and population health more broadly. Success of such a transformative endeavor requires new partnerships, as well as a unification of vision and alignment of strategy among all partners involved. Leveraging the Power of Partnerships and Spreading the Vision for Population Health. We describe how AMPATH built on its collective experience as an academic partnership to support the public-sector health care system, with a major focus on scaling up HIV care in western Kenya, to a system poised to take responsibility for the health of an entire population. We highlight global trends and local contextual factors that led to the genesis of this new vision, and then describe the key tenets of AMPATH's population health care delivery model: comprehensive, integrated, community-centered, and financially sustainable with a path to universal health coverage. Finally, we share how AMPATH partnered with strategic planning and change management experts from the private sector to use a novel approach called a 'Learning Map®' to collaboratively develop and share a vision of population health, and achieve strategic alignment with key stakeholders at all levels of the public-sector health system in western Kenya. We describe how AMPATH has leveraged the power of partnerships to move beyond the traditional disease-specific silos in global health to a model focused on health systems strengthening and population health. Furthermore, we highlight a novel, collaborative tool to communicate our vision and achieve strategic alignment among stakeholders at all levels of the health system. We hope this paper can serve as a roadmap for other global health partners to develop and share transformative visions for improving population health globally.

Developing a vision and strategic action plan for future community-based residency training.

PubMed

Skelton, Jann B; Owen, James A

2016-01-01

The Community Pharmacy Residency Program (CPRP) Planning Committee convened to develop a vision and a strategic action plan for the advancement of community pharmacy residency training. Aligned with the profession's efforts to achieve provider status and expand access to care, the Future Vision and Action Plan for Community-based Residency Training will provide guidance, direction, and a strategic action plan for community-based residency training to ensure that the future needs of community-based pharmacist practitioners are met. National thought leaders, selected because of their leadership in pharmacy practice, academia, and residency training, served on the planning committee. The committee conducted a series of conference calls and an in-person strategic planning meeting held on January 13-14, 2015. Outcomes from the discussions were supplemented with related information from the literature. Results of a survey of CPRP directors and preceptors also informed the planning process. The vision and strategic action plan for community-based residency training is intended to advance training to meet the emerging needs of patients in communities that are served by the pharmacy profession. The group anticipated the advanced skills required of pharmacists serving as community-based pharmacist practitioners and the likely education, training and competencies required by future residency graduates in order to deliver these services. The vision reflects a transformation of community residency training, from CPRPs to community-based residency training, and embodies the concept that residency training should be primarily focused on training the individual pharmacist practitioner based on the needs of patients served within the community, and not on the physical location where pharmacy services are provided. The development of a vision statement, core values statements, and strategic action plan will provide support, guidance, and direction to the profession of pharmacy to continue the advancement and expansion of community-based residency training. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Pre-Service Teacher Vision and Urban Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roselle, Rene; Liner, Kevin

2012-01-01

As preservice teachers enter their first teaching experience, they often have perceptions about what teaching will be like based on a vision that is typically linked to their own background and experiences. This study explores the changes in visions of 15 preservice teachers throughout student teaching in an urban environment. The research will…

Community identities as visions for landscape change

Treesearch

William P. Stewart; Derek Liebert; Kevin W. Larkin

2004-01-01

Residents' felt senses of their community can play substantial roles in determining visions for landscape change. Community identities are often anchored in tangible environments and events of a community, and have the potential to serve as visions for landscape planning processes. Photo-elicitation is applied in this study to connect community-based meanings to...

Driving and Low Vision: Validity of Assessments for Predicting Performance of Drivers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strong, J. Graham; Jutai, Jeffrey W.; Russell-Minda, Elizabeth; Evans, Mal

2008-01-01

The authors conducted a systematic review to examine whether vision-related assessments can predict the driving performance of individuals who have low vision. The results indicate that measures of visual field, contrast sensitivity, cognitive and attention-based tests, and driver screening tools have variable utility for predicting real-world…

Computer vision-based sorting of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fillets according to their color level.

PubMed

Misimi, E; Mathiassen, J R; Erikson, U

2007-01-01

Computer vision method was used to evaluate the color of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fillets. Computer vision-based sorting of fillets according to their color was studied on 2 separate groups of salmon fillets. The images of fillets were captured using a digital camera of high resolution. Images of salmon fillets were then segmented in the regions of interest and analyzed in red, green, and blue (RGB) and CIE Lightness, redness, and yellowness (Lab) color spaces, and classified according to the Roche color card industrial standard. Comparisons of fillet color between visual evaluations were made by a panel of human inspectors, according to the Roche SalmoFan lineal standard, and the color scores generated from computer vision algorithm showed that there were no significant differences between the methods. Overall, computer vision can be used as a powerful tool to sort fillets by color in a fast and nondestructive manner. The low cost of implementing computer vision solutions creates the potential to replace manual labor in fish processing plants with automation.

Employing Model-Based Reasoning in Interdisciplinary Research Teams: Evidence-Based Practices for Integrating Knowledge Across Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pennington, D. D.; Vincent, S.

2017-12-01

The NSF-funded project "Employing Model-Based Reasoning in Socio-Environmental Synthesis (EMBeRS)" has developed a generic model for exchanging knowledge across disciplines that is based on findings from the cognitive, learning, social, and organizational sciences addressing teamwork in complex problem solving situations. Two ten-day summer workshops for PhD students from large, NSF-funded interdisciplinary projects working on a variety of water issues were conducted in 2016 and 2017, testing the model by collecting a variety of data, including surveys, interviews, audio/video recordings, material artifacts and documents, and photographs. This presentation will introduce the EMBeRS model, the design of workshop activities based on the model, and results from surveys and interviews with the participating students. Findings suggest that this approach is very effective for developing a shared, integrated research vision across disciplines, compared with activities typically provided by most large research projects, and that students believe the skills developed in the EMBeRS workshops are unique and highly desireable.

Vision based techniques for rotorcraft low altitude flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sridhar, Banavar; Suorsa, Ray; Smith, Philip

1991-01-01

An overview of research in obstacle detection at NASA Ames Research Center is presented. The research applies techniques from computer vision to automation of rotorcraft navigation. The development of a methodology for detecting the range to obstacles based on the maximum utilization of passive sensors is emphasized. The development of a flight and image data base for verification of vision-based algorithms, and a passive ranging methodology tailored to the needs of helicopter flight are discussed. Preliminary results indicate that it is possible to obtain adequate range estimates except at regions close to the FOE. Closer to the FOE, the error in range increases since the magnitude of the disparity gets smaller, resulting in a low SNR.

An architecture for real-time vision processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chien, Chiun-Hong

1994-01-01

To study the feasibility of developing an architecture for real time vision processing, a task queue server and parallel algorithms for two vision operations were designed and implemented on an i860-based Mercury Computing System 860VS array processor. The proposed architecture treats each vision function as a task or set of tasks which may be recursively divided into subtasks and processed by multiple processors coordinated by a task queue server accessible by all processors. Each idle processor subsequently fetches a task and associated data from the task queue server for processing and posts the result to shared memory for later use. Load balancing can be carried out within the processing system without the requirement for a centralized controller. The author concludes that real time vision processing cannot be achieved without both sequential and parallel vision algorithms and a good parallel vision architecture.

Quantifying Supply Risk at a Cellulosic Biorefinery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hansen, Jason K; Jacobson, Jacob Jordan; Cafferty, Kara Grace

In order to increase the sustainability and security of the nation’s energy supply, the U.S. Department of Energy through its Bioenergy Technology Office has set a vision for one billion tons of biomass to be processed for renewable energy and bioproducts annually by the year 2030. The Renewable Fuels Standard limits the amount of corn grain that can be used in ethanol conversion sold in the U.S, which is already at its maximum. Therefore making the DOE’s vision a reality requires significant growth in the advanced biofuels industry where currently three cellulosic biorefineries convert cellulosic biomass to ethanol. Risk mitigationmore » is central to growing the industry beyond its infancy to a level necessary to achieve the DOE vision. This paper focuses on reducing the supply risk that faces a firm that owns a cellulosic biorefinery. It uses risk theory and simulation modeling to build a risk assessment model based on causal relationships of underlying, uncertain, supply driving variables. Using the model the paper quantifies supply risk reduction achieved by converting the supply chain from a conventional supply system (bales and trucks) to an advanced supply system (depots, pellets, and trains). Results imply that the advanced supply system reduces supply system risk, defined as the probability of a unit cost overrun, from 83% in the conventional system to 4% in the advanced system. Reducing cost risk in this nascent industry improves the odds of realizing desired growth.« less

The loss and recovery of vertebrate vision examined in microplates.

PubMed

Thorn, Robert J; Clift, Danielle E; Ojo, Oladele; Colwill, Ruth M; Creton, Robbert

2017-01-01

Regenerative medicine offers potentially ground-breaking treatments of blindness and low vision. However, as new methodologies are developed, a critical question will need to be addressed: how do we monitor in vivo for functional success? In the present study, we developed novel behavioral assays to examine vision in a vertebrate model system. In the assays, zebrafish larvae are imaged in multiwell or multilane plates while various red, green, blue, yellow or cyan objects are presented to the larvae on a computer screen. The assays were used to examine a loss of vision at 4 or 5 days post-fertilization and a gradual recovery of vision in subsequent days. The developed assays are the first to measure the loss and recovery of vertebrate vision in microplates and provide an efficient platform to evaluate novel treatments of visual impairment.

Automatic firearm class identification from cartridge cases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamalakannan, Sridharan; Mann, Christopher J.; Bingham, Philip R.; Karnowski, Thomas P.; Gleason, Shaun S.

2011-03-01

We present a machine vision system for automatic identification of the class of firearms by extracting and analyzing two significant properties from spent cartridge cases, namely the Firing Pin Impression (FPI) and the Firing Pin Aperture Outline (FPAO). Within the framework of the proposed machine vision system, a white light interferometer is employed to image the head of the spent cartridge cases. As a first step of the algorithmic procedure, the Primer Surface Area (PSA) is detected using a circular Hough transform. Once the PSA is detected, a customized statistical region-based parametric active contour model is initialized around the center of the PSA and evolved to segment the FPI. Subsequently, the scaled version of the segmented FPI is used to initialize a customized Mumford-Shah based level set model in order to segment the FPAO. Once the shapes of FPI and FPAO are extracted, a shape-based level set method is used in order to compare these extracted shapes to an annotated dataset of FPIs and FPAOs from varied firearm types. A total of 74 cartridge case images non-uniformly distributed over five different firearms are processed using the aforementioned scheme and the promising nature of the results (95% classification accuracy) demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach.

Why is tractable vision loss in older people being missed? Qualitative study.

PubMed

Kharicha, Kalpa; Iliffe, Steve; Myerson, Sybil

2013-07-16

There is compelling evidence that there is substantial undetected vision loss amongst older people. Early recognition of undetected vision loss and timely referral for treatment might be possible within general practice, but methods of identifying those with unrecognised vision loss and persuading them to take up services that will potentially improve their eyesight and quality of life are not well understood. Population screening does not lead to improved vision in the older population. The aim of this study is to understand why older people with vision loss respond (or not) to their deteriorating eyesight. Focus groups and interviews were carried out with 76 people aged 65 and over from one general practice in London who had taken part in an earlier study of health risk appraisal. An analytic induction approach was used to analyse the data. Three polarised themes emerged from the groups and interviews. 1) The capacity of individuals to take decisions and act on them effectively versus a collection of factors which acted as obstacles to older people taking care of their eyesight. 2) The belief that prevention is better than cure versus the view that deteriorating vision is an inevitable part of old age. 3) The incongruence between the professionalism and personalised approach of opticians and the commercialisation of their services. The reasons why older people may not seek help for deteriorating vision can be explained in a model in which psychological attributes, costs to the individual and judgments about normal ageing interact. Understanding this model may help clinical decision making and health promotion efforts.

Colour Coding of Maps for Colour Deficient Observers.

PubMed

Røise, Anne Kari; Kvitle, Anne Kristin; Green, Phil

2016-01-01

We evaluate the colour coding of a web map traffic information service based on profiles simulating colour vision deficiencies. Based on these simulations and principles for universal design, we propose adjustments of the existing colours creating more readable maps for the colour vision deficient observers.

Flexible Wing Base Micro Aerial Vehicles: Towards Flight Autonomy: Vision-Based Horizon Detection for Micro Air Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nechyba, Michael C.; Ettinger, Scott M.; Ifju, Peter G.; Wazak, Martin

2002-01-01

Recently substantial progress has been made towards design building and testifying remotely piloted Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs). This progress in overcoming the aerodynamic obstacles to flight at very small scales has, unfortunately, not been matched by similar progress in autonomous MAV flight. Thus, we propose a robust, vision-based horizon detection algorithm as the first step towards autonomous MAVs. In this paper, we first motivate the use of computer vision for the horizon detection task by examining the flight of birds (biological MAVs) and considering other practical factors. We then describe our vision-based horizon detection algorithm, which has been demonstrated at 30 Hz with over 99.9% correct horizon identification, over terrain that includes roads, buildings large and small, meadows, wooded areas, and a lake. We conclude with some sample horizon detection results and preview a companion paper, where the work discussed here forms the core of a complete autonomous flight stability system.

Incremental inverse kinematics based vision servo for autonomous robotic capture of non-cooperative space debris

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Gangqi; Zhu, Z. H.

2016-04-01

This paper proposed a new incremental inverse kinematics based vision servo approach for robotic manipulators to capture a non-cooperative target autonomously. The target's pose and motion are estimated by a vision system using integrated photogrammetry and EKF algorithm. Based on the estimated pose and motion of the target, the instantaneous desired position of the end-effector is predicted by inverse kinematics and the robotic manipulator is moved incrementally from its current configuration subject to the joint speed limits. This approach effectively eliminates the multiple solutions in the inverse kinematics and increases the robustness of the control algorithm. The proposed approach is validated by a hardware-in-the-loop simulation, where the pose and motion of the non-cooperative target is estimated by a real vision system. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed estimation approach for the target and the incremental control strategy for the robotic manipulator.

A multi-stage color model revisited: implications for a gene therapy cure for red-green colorblindness.

PubMed

Mancuso, Katherine; Mauck, Matthew C; Kuchenbecker, James A; Neitz, Maureen; Neitz, Jay

2010-01-01

In 1993, DeValois and DeValois proposed a 'multi-stage color model' to explain how the cortex is ultimately able to deconfound the responses of neurons receiving input from three cone types in order to produce separate red-green and blue-yellow systems, as well as segregate luminance percepts (black-white) from color. This model extended the biological implementation of Hurvich and Jameson's Opponent-Process Theory of color vision, a two-stage model encompassing the three cone types combined in a later opponent organization, which has been the accepted dogma in color vision. DeValois' model attempts to satisfy the long-remaining question of how the visual system separates luminance information from color, but what are the cellular mechanisms that establish the complicated neural wiring and higher-order operations required by the Multi-stage Model? During the last decade and a half, results from molecular biology have shed new light on the evolution of primate color vision, thus constraining the possibilities for the visual circuits. The evolutionary constraints allow for an extension of DeValois' model that is more explicit about the biology of color vision circuitry, and it predicts that human red-green colorblindness can be cured using a retinal gene therapy approach to add the missing photopigment, without any additional changes to the post-synaptic circuitry.

A Logical Basis In The Layered Computer Vision Systems Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tejwani, Y. J.

1986-03-01

In this paper a four layer computer vision system model is described. The model uses a finite memory scratch pad. In this model planar objects are defined as predicates. Predicates are relations on a k-tuple. The k-tuple consists of primitive points and relationship between primitive points. The relationship between points can be of the direct type or the indirect type. Entities are goals which are satisfied by a set of clauses. The grammar used to construct these clauses is examined.

Heuristics in primary care for recognition of unreported vision loss in older people: a technology development study.

PubMed

Wijeyekoon, Skanda; Kharicha, Kalpa; Iliffe, Steve

2015-09-01

To evaluate heuristics (rules of thumb) for recognition of undetected vision loss in older patients in primary care. Vision loss is associated with ageing, and its prevalence is increasing. Visual impairment has a broad impact on health, functioning and well-being. Unrecognised vision loss remains common, and screening interventions have yet to reduce its prevalence. An alternative approach is to enhance practitioners' skills in recognising undetected vision loss, by having a more detailed picture of those who are likely not to act on vision changes, report symptoms or have eye tests. This paper describes a qualitative technology development study to evaluate heuristics for recognition of undetected vision loss in older patients in primary care. Using a previous modelling study, two heuristics in the form of mnemonics were developed to aid pattern recognition and allow general practitioners to identify potential cases of unreported vision loss. These heuristics were then analysed with experts. Findings It was concluded that their implementation in modern general practice was unsuitable and an alternative solution should be sort.

DEM Calibration Approach: design of experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boikov, A. V.; Savelev, R. V.; Payor, V. A.

2018-05-01

The problem of DEM models calibration is considered in the article. It is proposed to divide models input parameters into those that require iterative calibration and those that are recommended to measure directly. A new method for model calibration based on the design of the experiment for iteratively calibrated parameters is proposed. The experiment is conducted using a specially designed stand. The results are processed with technical vision algorithms. Approximating functions are obtained and the error of the implemented software and hardware complex is estimated. The prospects of the obtained results are discussed.

IEEE 1982. Proceedings of the international conference on cybernetics and society

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1982-01-01

The following topics were dealt with: knowledge-based systems; risk analysis; man-machine interactions; human information processing; metaphor, analogy and problem-solving; manual control modelling; transportation systems; simulation; adaptive and learning systems; biocybernetics; cybernetics; mathematical programming; robotics; decision support systems; analysis, design and validation of models; computer vision; systems science; energy systems; environmental modelling and policy; pattern recognition; nuclear warfare; technological forecasting; artificial intelligence; the Turin shroud; optimisation; workloads. Abstracts of individual papers can be found under the relevant classification codes in this or future issues.

Predictors of vision impairment in Multiple Sclerosis.

PubMed

Sanchez-Dalmau, Bernardo; Martinez-Lapiscina, Elena H; Pulido-Valdeolivas, Irene; Zubizarreta, Irati; Llufriu, Sara; Blanco, Yolanda; Sola-Valls, Nuria; Sepulveda, Maria; Guerrero, Ana; Alba, Salut; Andorra, Magi; Camos, Anna; Sanchez-Vela, Laura; Alfonso, Veronica; Saiz, Albert; Villoslada, Pablo

2018-01-01

Visual impairment significantly alters the quality of life of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The objective of this study was to identify predictors (independent variables) of visual outcomes, and to define their relationship with neurological disability and retinal atrophy when assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT). We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 119 consecutive patients with MS, assessing vision using high contrast visual acuity (LogMar), 2.5% and 1.25% low contrast visual acuity (Sloan charts), and color vision (Hardy-Rand-Rittler plates). Quality of vision is a patient reported outcome based on an individual's unique perception of his or her vision and was assessed with the Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25) with the 10 neuro-ophthalmologic items. MS disability was assessed using the expanded disability status scale (EDSS), the MS functional composite (MSFC) and the brief repetitive battery-neuropsychology (BRB-N). Retinal atrophy was assessed using spectral domain OCT, measuring the thickness of the peripapillar retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and the volume of the ganglion cell plus inner plexiform layer (GCIPL). The vision of patients with MS was impaired, particularly in eyes with prior optic neuritis. Retinal atrophy (pRNFL and GCIPL) was closely associated with impaired low contrast vision and color vision, whereas the volume of the GCIPL showed a trend (p = 0.092) to be associated with quality of vision. Multiple regression analysis revealed that EDSS was an explanatory variable for high contrast vision after stepwise analysis, GCIPL volume for low contrast vision, and GCIPL volume and EDSS for color vision. The explanatory variables for quality of vision were high contrast vision and color vision. In summary, quality of vision in MS depends on the impairment of high contrast visual acuity and color vision due to the disease.

Mobile Diagnostics Based on Motion? A Close Look at Motility Patterns in the Schistosome Life Cycle

PubMed Central

Linder, Ewert; Varjo, Sami; Thors, Cecilia

2016-01-01

Imaging at high resolution and subsequent image analysis with modified mobile phones have the potential to solve problems related to microscopy-based diagnostics of parasitic infections in many endemic regions. Diagnostics using the computing power of “smartphones” is not restricted by limited expertise or limitations set by visual perception of a microscopist. Thus diagnostics currently almost exclusively dependent on recognition of morphological features of pathogenic organisms could be based on additional properties, such as motility characteristics recognizable by computer vision. Of special interest are infectious larval stages and “micro swimmers” of e.g., the schistosome life cycle, which infect the intermediate and definitive hosts, respectively. The ciliated miracidium, emerges from the excreted egg upon its contact with water. This means that for diagnostics, recognition of a swimming miracidium is equivalent to recognition of an egg. The motility pattern of miracidia could be defined by computer vision and used as a diagnostic criterion. To develop motility pattern-based diagnostics of schistosomiasis using simple imaging devices, we analyzed Paramecium as a model for the schistosome miracidium. As a model for invasive nematodes, such as strongyloids and filaria, we examined a different type of motility in the apathogenic nematode Turbatrix, the “vinegar eel.” The results of motion time and frequency analysis suggest that target motility may be expressed as specific spectrograms serving as “diagnostic fingerprints.” PMID:27322330

Recent advances in the development and transfer of machine vision technologies for space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Defigueiredo, Rui J. P.; Pendleton, Thomas

1991-01-01

Recent work concerned with real-time machine vision is briefly reviewed. This work includes methodologies and techniques for optimal illumination, shape-from-shading of general (non-Lambertian) 3D surfaces, laser vision devices and technology, high level vision, sensor fusion, real-time computing, artificial neural network design and use, and motion estimation. Two new methods that are currently being developed for object recognition in clutter and for 3D attitude tracking based on line correspondence are discussed.

Stereo vision and strabismus

PubMed Central

Read, J C A

2015-01-01

Binocular stereopsis, or stereo vision, is the ability to derive information about how far away objects are, based solely on the relative positions of the object in the two eyes. It depends on both sensory and motor abilities. In this review, I briefly outline some of the neuronal mechanisms supporting stereo vision, and discuss how these are disrupted in strabismus. I explain, in some detail, current methods of assessing stereo vision and their pros and cons. Finally, I review the evidence supporting the clinical importance of such measurements. PMID:25475234

Latency in Visionic Systems: Test Methods and Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bailey, Randall E.; Arthur, J. J., III; Williams, Steven P.; Kramer, Lynda J.

2005-01-01

A visionics device creates a pictorial representation of the external scene for the pilot. The ultimate objective of these systems may be to electronically generate a form of Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) to eliminate weather or time-of-day as an operational constraint and provide enhancement over actual visual conditions where eye-limiting resolution may be a limiting factor. Empirical evidence has shown that the total system delays or latencies including the imaging sensors and display systems, can critically degrade their utility, usability, and acceptability. Definitions and measurement techniques are offered herein as common test and evaluation methods for latency testing in visionics device applications. Based upon available data, very different latency requirements are indicated based upon the piloting task, the role in which the visionics device is used in this task, and the characteristics of the visionics cockpit display device including its resolution, field-of-regard, and field-of-view. The least stringent latency requirements will involve Head-Up Display (HUD) applications, where the visionics imagery provides situational information as a supplement to symbology guidance and command information. Conversely, the visionics system latency requirement for a large field-of-view Head-Worn Display application, providing a Virtual-VMC capability from which the pilot will derive visual guidance, will be the most stringent, having a value as low as 20 msec.

Gait disorder rehabilitation using vision and non-vision based sensors: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Ali, Asraf; Sundaraj, Kenneth; Ahmad, Badlishah; Ahamed, Nizam; Islam, Anamul

2012-01-01

Even though the amount of rehabilitation guidelines has never been greater, uncertainty continues to arise regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of the rehabilitation of gait disorders. This question has been hindered by the lack of information on accurate measurements of gait disorders. Thus, this article reviews the rehabilitation systems for gait disorder using vision and non-vision sensor technologies, as well as the combination of these. All papers published in the English language between 1990 and June, 2012 that had the phrases “gait disorder” “rehabilitation”, “vision sensor”, or “non vision sensor” in the title, abstract, or keywords were identified from the SpringerLink, ELSEVIER, PubMed, and IEEE databases. Some synonyms of these phrases and the logical words “and” “or” and “not” were also used in the article searching procedure. Out of the 91 published articles found, this review identified 84 articles that described the rehabilitation of gait disorders using different types of sensor technologies. This literature set presented strong evidence for the development of rehabilitation systems using a markerless vision-based sensor technology. We therefore believe that the information contained in this review paper will assist the progress of the development of rehabilitation systems for human gait disorders. PMID:22938548

Vision Screening of School Children by Teachers as a Community Based Strategy to Address the Challenges of Childhood Blindness.

PubMed

Kaur, Gurvinder; Koshy, Jacob; Thomas, Satish; Kapoor, Harpreet; Zachariah, Jiju George; Bedi, Sahiba

2016-04-01

Early detection and treatment of vision problems in children is imperative to meet the challenges of childhood blindness. Considering the problems of inequitable distribution of trained manpower and limited access of quality eye care services to majority of our population, innovative community based strategies like 'Teachers training in vision screening' need to be developed for effective utilization of the available human resources. To evaluate the effectiveness of introducing teachers as the first level vision screeners. Teacher training programs were conducted for school teachers to educate them about childhood ocular disorders and the importance of their early detection. Teachers from government and semi-government schools located in Ludhiana were given training in vision screening. These teachers then conducted vision screening of children in their schools. Subsequently an ophthalmology team visited these schools for re-evaluation of children identified with low vision. Refraction was performed for all children identified with refractive errors and spectacles were prescribed. Children requiring further evaluation were referred to the base hospital. The project was done in two phases. True positives, false positives, true negatives and false negatives were calculated for evaluation. In phase 1, teachers from 166 schools underwent training in vision screening. The teachers screened 30,205 children and reported eye problems in 4523 (14.97%) children. Subsequently, the ophthalmology team examined 4150 children and confirmed eye problems in 2137 children. Thus, the teachers were able to correctly identify eye problems (true positives) in 47.25% children. Also, only 13.69% children had to be examined by the ophthalmology team, thus reducing their work load. Similarly, in phase 2, 46.22% children were correctly identified to have eye problems (true positives) by the teachers. By random sampling, 95.65% children were correctly identified as normal (true negatives) by the teachers. Considering the high true negative rates and reasonably good true positive rates and the wider coverage provided by the program, vision screening in schools by teachers is an effective method of identifying children with low vision. This strategy is also valuable in reducing the workload of the eye care staff.

Kinetic modeling of auroral ion outflows observed by the VISIONS sounding rocket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albarran, R. M.; Zettergren, M. D.

2017-12-01

The VISIONS (VISualizing Ion Outflow via Neutral atom imaging during a Substorm) sounding rocket was launched on Feb. 7, 2013 at 8:21 UTC from Poker Flat, Alaska, into an auroral substorm with the objective of identifying the drivers and dynamics of the ion outflow below 1000km. Energetic ion data from the VISIONS polar cap boundary crossing show evidence of an ion "pressure cooker" effect whereby ions energized via transverse heating in the topside ionosphere travel upward and are impeded by a parallel potential structure at higher altitudes. VISIONS was also instrumented with an energetic neutral atom (ENA) detector which measured neutral particles ( 50-100 eV energy) presumably produced by charge-exchange with the energized outflowing ions. Hence, inferences about ion outflow may be made via remotely-sensing measurements of ENAs. This investigation focuses on modeling energetic outflowing ion distributions observed by VISIONS using a kinetic model. This kinetic model traces large numbers of individual particles, using a guiding-center approximation, in order to allow calculation of ion distribution functions and moments. For the present study we include mirror and parallel electric field forces, and a source of ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) wave heating, thought to be central to the transverse energization of ions. The model is initiated with a steady-state ion density altitude profile and Maxwellian velocity distribution characterizing the initial phase-space conditions for multiple particle trajectories. This project serves to advance our understanding of the drivers and particle dynamics in the auroral ionosphere and to improve data analysis methods for future sounding rocket and satellite missions.

Kinetic modeling of auroral ion Outflows observed by the VISIONS sounding rocket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albarran, R. M.; Zettergren, M. D.; Rowland, D. E.; Klenzing, J.; Clemmons, J. H.

2016-12-01

The VISIONS (VISualizing Ion Outflow via Neutral atom imaging during a Substorm) sounding rocket was launched on Feb. 7, 2013 at 8:21 UTC from Poker Flat, Alaska, into an auroral substorm with the objective of identifying the drivers and dynamics of the ion outflow below 1000km. Energetic ion data from the VISIONS polar cap boundary crossing show evidence of an ion "pressure cooker" effect whereby ions energized via transverse heating in the topside ionosphere travel upward and are impeded by a parallel potential structure at higher altitudes. VISIONS was also instrumented with an energetic neutral atom (ENA) detector which measured neutral particles ( 50-100 eV energy) presumably produced by charge-exchange with the energized outflowing ions. Hence, inferences about ion outflow may be made via remotely-sensing measurements of ENAs. This investigation focuses on modeling energetic outflowing ion distributions observed by VISIONS using a kinetic model. This kinetic model traces large numbers of individual particles, using a guiding-center approximation, in order to allow calculation of ion distribution functions and moments. For the present study we include mirror and parallel electric field forces, and a source of ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) wave heating, thought to be central to the transverse energization of ions. The model is initiated with a steady-state ion density altitude profile and Maxwellian velocity distribution characterizing the initial phase-space conditions for multiple particle trajectories. This project serves to advance our understanding of the drivers and particle dynamics in the auroral ionosphere and to improve data analysis methods for future sounding rocket and satellite missions.

Development of a Vision-Based Situational Awareness Capability for Unmanned Surface Vessels

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

used to provide an SA capability for USVs. This thesis addresses the following research questions: (1) Can a computer vision– based technique be...BLANK 51 VI. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. CONCLUSION This research demonstrated the feasibility of using a computer vision– based ...VISION- BASED SITUATIONAL AWARENESS CAPABILITY FOR UNMANNED SURFACE VESSELS by Ying Jie Benjemin Toh September 2017 Thesis Advisor: Oleg

Designing multifocal corneal models to correct presbyopia by laser ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alarcón, Aixa; Anera, Rosario G.; Del Barco, Luis Jiménez; Jiménez, José R.

2012-01-01

Two multifocal corneal models and an aspheric model designed to correct presbyopia by corneal photoablation were evaluated. The design of each model was optimized to achieve the best visual quality possible for both near and distance vision. In addition, we evaluated the effect of myosis and pupil decentration on visual quality. The corrected model with the central zone for near vision provides better results since it requires less ablated corneal surface area, permits higher addition values, presents stabler visual quality with pupil-size variations and lower high-order aberrations.

Community-Based Nursing Education Research Study from the NLN Vision for Nursing Education--Hawai'i/Phase II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoultz, Jan; Kooker, Barbara Molina; Sloat, Ann R.

1998-01-01

In Hawaii, one of four national "vision for nursing education" projects focused on identifying themes for a community-based curriculum. Focus groups selected nursing history, culture, identity, knowledge, and practice as well as cross-disciplinary themes. (SK)

Community for All Is Possible: Promoting Home and Community Life at Community Vision, Inc.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Pam

This report on Community Vision, Inc. is part of a series documenting innovative supports for community living for adults with severe disabilities. Community Vision was created as an alternative to facility-based services in Oregon that would intentionally focus on providing inclusive community living for those with the most severe disabilities…

Strengthening Teachers' Abilities to Implement a Vision Health Program in Taiwanese Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, L. C.; Liao, L. L.; Chen, M. I.; Niu, Y. Z.; Hsieh, P. L.

2017-01-01

We designed a school-based, nationwide program called the "New Era in Eye Health" to strengthen teacher training and to examine whether the existence of a government vision care policy influenced teachers' vision care knowledge and students' behavior. Baseline data and 3-month follow-up data were compared. A random sample of teachers (n…