Adaptive reversible data hiding for JPEG images with multiple two-dimensional histograms

Joint photographic experts group (JPEG) can provide good quality with small file size but also eliminate extensively the redundancies of images. Therefore, hiding data into JPEG images in terms of maintaining high visual quality at small file sizes has been a great challenge for researchers. In this paper, an adaptive reversible data hiding method for JPEG images containing multiple two-dimensional (2D) histograms is proposed. Adaptability is mainly reflected in three aspects. The first one is to preferentially select sharper histograms for data embedding after $K$ histograms are established by constructing the $k$th ($k\in \{1,2,\dots ,K\}$) histogram using the $k$th non-zero alternating current (AC) coefficient of all the quantized discrete cosine transform blocks. On the other hand, to fully exploit the strong correlation between coefficients of one histogram, the smoothness of each coefficient is estimated by a block smoothness estimator so that a sharply-distributed 2D-histogram is constructed by combining two coefficients with similar smoothness into a pair. The pair corresponding to low complexity is selected priorly for data embedding, leading to high embedding performance while maintaining low file size. Besides, we design multiple embedding strategies to adaptively select the embedding strategy for each 2D histogram. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve higher rate–distortion performance which maintaining lower file storage space, compared with previous studies.     

Laser damage resistance of plasma-sprayed alumina and honeycomb skeleton/alumina composite ceramic coatings

Al₂O₃ and honeycomb skeleton-Al₂O₃ composite coatings on Titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V) were prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying. A laser ablation experiment on as-sprayed coatings was performed. In this paper, the laser damage resistance, microstructure, phase composition of Al₂O₃ coatings were examined. 3D Dimensional Confocal Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) characterized the laser damage morphology, microstructure, phase composition, and element analysis, respectively. The influence of the honeycomb skeleton on the laser ablation damage on as-sprayed coatings was investigated by a comparative analysis of the laser damage morphology with different laser ablation times and gas flow. The results show that the honeycomb skeleton raises thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity. Moreover, a “tower”-like dendrite was generated during the laser irradiation of the composite coating. The honeycomb skeleton refined the structure, suppressed crack propagation, and reduced the influence of gas flow on cracks. Under the same experimental laser ablation parameters, the laser damage area of the honeycomb skeleton-Al₂O₃ composite coating was smaller than that of the Al₂O₃ coating. It was demonstrated that the laser damage resistance of the honeycomb skeleton-Al₂O₃ composite coating was superior to that of the Al₂O₃ coating.     

Effect of impact angle on wear behavior of Mo2NiB2–Ni cermets with different Ni content

Herein, the influence of the impact angle and Ni content on the wear behavior of Mo₂NiB₂–Ni cermets was studied using an erodent-carrying slurry comprising artificial seawater and SiO₂ sands. The results reveal that the material loss may be attributed to the wear damage caused by SiO₂ sands because cermets are expected to exhibit good corrosion resistance in artificial seawater. The relative density of cermets markedly influences their resistance to wear damage, and the material loss experienced by cermets with poor relative density is 2–4 times higher than that of cermets with good relative density; this occurs because a higher relative density can markedly enhance the mechanical properties and reduce the defects in the cermets. Moreover, the results indicate that as the impact angle increases from 0° to 60°, the manifestation of the wear mechanism changes from damaging the Ni binder phase (caused by single cutting wear) to damaging both the Mo₂NiB₂ ceramic and Ni binder phases due to the combination of cutting wear and impact wear. The wear damage is dominated by the cutting wear and impact wear from SiO₂ sand at the low and high impact angles, respectively. Furthermore, the severe deterioration of the single ceramic skeleton at high impact angles indicates that the synergistic influence of the Mo₂NiB₂ ceramic and Ni binder phases on enhancing the wear resistance of the cermets intensifies at high impact angles.     

Probing the effect of R-cation radii on structural,vibrational, optical,and dielectric properties of rare earth (R=La,Pr, Nd) aluminates

The present study correlates the effect of R-cation radii on structural, vibrational, optical, and dielectric properties of rhombohedral rare earth aluminates RAlO₃ (R = La, Pr, Nd). The polycrystalline samples of RAlO₃ have been synthesized using sol-gel synthesis technique. Pure rhombohedral phase of RAlO₃ samples has been confirmed with X-ray diffraction. Systematic decrements in the lattice parameter, bond length, and bond angle have been observed, giving rise to structural distortion due to decrease in ionic radii of R-cation. The phononic properties of RAlO₃ have been investigated through Raman spectroscopy, where the degree of distortion of AlO₆ octahedra can be analyzed with the peak position of E_g and A_1g modes. An increase in the energy bandgap with decreasing R-cation radii shows an interconnection with the decrease in Al–O bond length. Interestingly, the decreasing dielectric constant with decreasing ionic radii of R-cation has been correlated with the difference in electronegativity of cation(R³⁺)-anion(O^2?) pair. Also, a positive linear relationship between dielectric constant and energy bandgap has been investigated using Penn model.     

镜头成像畸变的MTF像高测试法研究

为了解决传统标板拍摄测试广角镜头成像畸变的不准确、复现性差问题,提出了基于调制传递函数(MTF)理论的成像畸变测试方法。通过研究镜头畸变测试国内外的研究现状,重点分析了成像镜头特别是广角镜头采用传统标板拍摄测试成像畸变的缺陷。提出了一种通过测试镜头轴上有效焦距和不同角度的离轴有效焦距,并导入畸变计算公式从而得到镜头成像相对畸变的MTF测试方法。研究结果表明,采用MTF测试方法可以实现对镜头成像畸变的快速、准确的测量。     

Control Model for Large‐Sized Gantry Type Linear Motor Slider

At present, many industrial carrier devices utilize linear motor sliders. However, a heavier load requires a linear motor (which is an example of a direct drive device) to get higher power, compared with a rotary motor with a ball screw slider (which is an example of an indirect drive device). In order to obtain higher power at a lower cost, a linear slider with multiple motors can be utilized, for example, a gantry type linear motor slider. Moving the gantry type slider requires two linear motors that are set up in parallel to enable synchronization control. Some conventional synchronization control methods have been proposed for the parallel twin linear slider; however, a large‐scaled gantry type linear motor slider has two unique problems: mechanical distortion caused by the limitations of installation environment and coupling caused by joints with low stiffness. This paper proposes a control model to solve these problems, and an identification method of each parameter. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the control model is verified by comparison with simulation results and experimental results.     

Features of crystal structures and thermo-mechanical properties of weberites RE3NbO7 (RE=La,Nd, Sm,Eu, Gd) ceramics

The features of crystal structures, thermo-mechanical properties and their dominant mechanisms of weberites RE₃NbO₇ were studied as high-temperature oxides. We concentrated on connections between structures and thermo-mechanical properties, the influences of bond lengths, lattice distortion degrees and microstructures on these properties were estimated. The shortening of bond length and increment of bonding strength would lead to the increase of mechanical properties. The Vickers hardness (4.5-7.8 GPa) and toughness (0.5-1.6 MPa·m^1/2) of weberites RE₃NbO₇ are enhanced by grain refinement and increment of bond strength, while crystal structures, bond lengths, and lattice distortion degrees influenced their Young's modulus (100-170 GPa). Nano-indentation was applied to test the influence of microstructures on modulus and hardness. The dominant mechanisms for mechanical properties and thermal conductivity were proposed, which was conducive to properties tailoring and engineering applications of weberites RE₃NbO₇ oxides.     

限制失真的网格参数化方法

针对当前网格参数化效率较低、映射失真较严重的问题，提出一种限制失真的网格参数化方法。首先，预处理原始网格模型。输入原3D网格模型，采用Half-Edge数据结构来重新组织网格并切割网格模型产生相应的切缝；构建Tutte映射把3D网格映射到一个2D凸多边形域，即构建2D网格模型。然后，进行限制失真的网格参数化计算。将Tutte映射后的2D网格模型作为限制失真计算的初始数据，建立相对于原3D模型网格的失真度量函数；求得该度量函数的最小值点，即为映射后的网格坐标集合；将映射后的网格作为限制失真映射的输入网格，设定迭代终止条件，循环迭代直至迭代结束，得到收敛的最优网格坐标；在计算映射失真度时，针对等距映射失真采用Dirichlet能量函数度量，针对共形映射失真采用尽可能等距（MIPS）能量函数度量；在求解映射失真度量函数的最小值点时采用代理函数法结合组合牛顿法的最优解方法。最终，实现了该方法并开发了一个原型系统。在原型系统中，分别设计了限制等距失真和限制共形失真的网格参数化实验，对程序执行时间和失真能量下降情况进行了统计和对比，提供了相应的纹理映射效果展示。实验数据表明，所提出的方法执行效率高、映射失真能量下降快，最优值收敛质量稳定；纹理映射时纹理着色均匀、布局紧致、线条均匀，符合实际应用的标准。