结合全局与局部信息活动轮廓的非同质图像分割

目的 通过对现有基于区域的活动轮廓模型能量泛函的Euler-Lagrange方程进行变形,建立其与K-means方法的等价关系,提出一种新的基于K-means活动轮廓模型,该模型能有效分割灰度非同质图像。方法 结合图像全局和局部信息,根据交互熵的特性,提出新的局部自适应权重,它根据像素点所在邻域的局部统计信息自适应地确定各个像素点的分割阈值,排除灰度非同质分割目标的影响。结果 采用Jaccard相似系数-JS(Jaccard similarity)和Dice相似系数-DSC(Dice similarity coefficient)两个指标对自然以及合成图像的分割结果进行定量分析,与传统及最新经典的活动轮廓模型相比,新模型JS和DSC的值最接近1,且迭代次数不多于50次。提出的模型具有较高的计算效率和准确率。结论 通过大量实验发现,新模型结合图像全局和局部信息,利用交互熵特性得到自适应权重,对初始曲线位置具有稳定性,且对灰度非同质图像具有较好地分割效果。本文算法主要适用于分割含有噪声及灰度非同质的医学图像,而且分割结果对初始轮廓具有鲁棒性。     

用于屏幕图像编码的索引图快速预测算法

目的 屏幕图像编码要求压缩效率高、实时性好、复杂性适中。调色板编码是屏幕图像编码的主流方法之一,但是其索引图的预测编码效率仍有待提高。为此提出一种基于局部方向相关性的索引图快速预测编码算法。方法 实验统计发现两个相邻的索引值在0.93的平均概率下具有相同的方向性,本文称之为索引图的“局部方向相关性”,进而提出采用一个2×3的模板进行初始方向预测,在其预测失败的情况下再采用一个3×4的方向模板进行二次方向预测。结果 在19个标准测试视频序列和3个测试图像上进行了大量实验,实验结果表明,本文算法的预测准确率为95.43%,比典型的多级预测算法（MSP）平均提高2.48%,尤其对于包含文字字符和大量几何图元的复杂场景视频更为有效,并且计算复杂度显著低于MSP算法,能够较好地满足屏幕图像编码的要求。结论 本文提出的索引图的预测算法,发掘了索引图的局部方向相关性,加快了预测速度,可应用在屏幕图像文本/图形块的调色板编码中。     

Exponential synchronization of nonlinear multi‐agent systems with time delays and impulsive disturbances

The problem of cooperative synchronization of nonlinear multi‐agent systems with time delays is investigated in this paper. Compared with the existing works about synchronization (or consensus) of multi‐agent systems, the method in this paper provides a more general framework by considering nonlinear multi‐agent systems with time delays and impulsive disturbances. The model in this paper is sufficiently general to include a class of delayed chaotic systems. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory and algebraic graph theory, sufficient conditions are presented to guarantee the cooperative exponential synchronization for these multi‐agent delayed nonlinear systems. These conditions are expressed in terms of linear matrix inequalities, which can easily be checked by existing software tools. It is seen that the Lyapunov functions must be constructed based on the graph topology to prove synchronization. The well‐known master–slave (drive‐response) synchronization of two chaotic delayed systems is a special case of this paper, and therefore, the results in this paper are also useful for practical applications in secure communication. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed synchronization control algorithm. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Letter: Solution‐processed flexible zinc‐tin oxide thin‐film transistors on ultra‐thin polyimide substrates

In this letter, solution‐processed flexible zinc‐tin oxide (Z_0.35T_0.65O_1.7) thin‐film transistors with electrochemically oxidized gate insulators (AlOx:Nd) fabricated on ultra‐thin (30 µm) polyimide substrates are presented. The AlOx:Nd insulators exhibited wonderful stability under bending and excellent insulating properties with low leakage current, high dielectric constant, and high breakdown field. The device exhibited a mobility of 3.9 cm²/V · s after annealing at 300 °C. In addition, the flexible device was able to maintain the electricity performance under various degrees of bending, which was attributed to the ultra‐thin polyimide substrate.     

Managing a Very Connected World: A Report on APNOMS2015

This article presents a report on APNOMS2015, which was held August 19–21, 2015 in Busan, Korea. The theme of APNOMS2015 was “Managing a Very Connected World.”     

Rendering of HDR images to improve brightness discrimination

The impression of quality of images can be enhanced on a high dynamic range (HDR) displays. Generally, a conventional 8‐bit image can be processed to an HDR image by inverse tone mapping operators. Among the operators, brightness discrimination mapping by applying brightness adaptation model attempted to mimic the human visual system. In this paper, we use a brightness adaptation model to derive a brightness discrimination mapping algorithm for HDR displays. The proposed algorithm maximizes a function, which represents the local and global brightness discrimination range by exploiting characteristics of the human visual system. Enhancement of details is verified by visualizing HDR images from dark to bright regions. Improvement of dynamic range is quantified by measuring increased discrimination ratio.     

A new iterative algorithm for solving H∞ control problem of continuous‐time Markovian jumping linear systems based on online implementation

A new online iterative algorithm for solving the H_∞ control problem of continuous‐time Markovian jumping linear systems is developed. For comparison, an available offline iterative algorithm for converging to the solution of the H_∞ control problem is firstly proposed. Based on the offline iterative algorithm and a new online decoupling technique named subsystems transformation method, a set of linear subsystems, which implementation in parallel, are obtained. By means of the adaptive dynamic programming technique, the two‐player zero‐sum game with the coupled game algebraic Riccati equation is solved online thereafter. The convergence of the novel policy iteration algorithm is also established. At last, simulation results have illustrated the effectiveness and applicability of these two methods. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Semi‐global and global containment control of multi‐agent systems with second‐order dynamics and input saturation

This paper considers both semi‐global and global containment control for a second‐order multi‐agent system that is composed by a network of identical harmonic oscillators or double integrators with multiple leaders and input saturation. A distributed low gain feedback algorithm is proposed to solve the semi‐global containment control problem for the network whose topology is directed and initial condition is taken from any a priori given bounded set. In particular, by using a parametric Lyapunov equation approach, M‐matrix properties and algebraic graph theory, an upper bound of the low gain parameter is estimated such that the low gain feedback matrix can be analytically determined without involving numerical computation. Furthermore, under the assumption that the induced subgraph formed by the followers is strongly connected and detail balanced, two linear feedback protocols are designed for coupled harmonic oscillators and coupled double integrators, respectively, to asymptotically achieve the global containment control of the network with any initial condition. Finally, numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

DCT statistics-based digital dropout detection in degraded archived media

With the rapid development of visual digital media, the demand for better quality of service has increased the pressure on broadcasters to automate their error detection and restoration activities for preserving their archives. Digital dropout is one of the defects that affect archived visual materials and tends to occur in block by block basis (size of 8 × 8). It is well established that human visual system (HVS) is highly adapted to the statistics of its visual natural environment. Consequently, in this paper, we have formulated digital dropout detection as a classification problem which predicts block label based on statistical features. These statistical features are indicative of perceptual quality relevant to human visual perception, and allow pristine images to be distinguished from distorted ones. Here, the idea is to extract discriminant block statistical features based on discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients and determine an optimal neighborhood sampling strategy to enhance the discrimination ability of block representation. Since this spatial frame based approach is free from any motion computation dependency, it works perfectly in the presence of fast moving objects. Experiments are performed on video archives to evaluate the efficacy of the proposed technique.