Real-Time Fetal ECG Recording

We present a real-time abdominal recording method for the FECG based on a minimization procedure for the MECG interference, by weighted addition of four abdominal leads containing FECG with a large amount of MECG. The minimization of the MECG does not influence the FECG recording adversely. FECG complexes coinciding with MECG complexes are also recorded. Use is made of programmable amplifiers that multiply analog abdominal leads by digital coefficients. These coefficients are calculated at the beginning of the recording by a microcomputer system. Experimental results are shown that clarify the advantages of the measurement principle. The real-time recorded FECG is wide-banded, so that all generally known ECG signal processing techniques, such as complex averaging, can be performed.     

Multi-cue hand detection and tracking for a head-mounted augmented reality system

With the recent developments in wearable augmented reality (AR), the role of natural human–computer interaction is becoming more important. Utilization of auxiliary hardware for interaction introduces extra complexity, weight and cost to wearable AR systems and natural means of interaction such as gestures are therefore more desirable. In this paper, we present a novel multi-cue hand detection and tracking method for head-mounted AR systems which combines depth, color, intensity and curvilinearity. The combination of different cues increases the detection rate, eliminates the background regions and therefore increases the tracking performance under challenging conditions. Detected hand positions and the trajectories are used to perform actions such as click, select, etc. Moreover, the 6 DOF poses of the hands are calculated by approximating the segmented regions with planes in order to render a planar menu (interface) around the hand and use the hand as a planar selection tool. The proposed system is tested on different scenarios (including markers for reference) and the results show that our system can detect and track the hands successfully in challenging conditions such as cluttered and dynamic environments and illumination variance. The proposed hand tracker outperforms other well-known hand trackers under these conditions.     

Supporting the internet-based evaluation of research software with cloud infrastructure

Due to license restrictions and installation issues, it is often not feasible to experiment with software without making substantial investments. Especially in the case of legacy tools, it turns out that even free software is often too costly (i.e., time-consuming) to be installed for evaluating the quality of a research contribution. After organizing a series of events related to software modeling, we have constructed (and started to use) SHARE, a system for sharing practically any type of software artifact to reviewers and to other participants who have very limited time available. The system relies on cloud-computing technologies to provide online access to interactive environments containing all the tools, documentation, input and output models to reproduce alleged research results. The system also enables one to clone such an environment and add additional models or tools in order to extend a contribution or pinpoint a problem. In retrospect, we observe that the approach is not limited to software modeling and SHARE is in fact gaining acceptance in other fields already.     

Development of a cost effective probe for the long term monitoring of straw bale buildings

This paper reviews current methodologies for measuring the moisture content of straw bale walls in buildings. It discusses the development of an affordable and accurate moisture probe that has been designed to be easily assembled by the builder or owner of a straw bale building from items readily available in the United Kingdom (UK). The probe uses a timber block inserted into the wall, relying upon the measurable moisture variances of the timber and relating this to the surrounding straw. The probes are designed to be used in pairs of varying length, taking measurements at different depths to give an estimate of the moisture gradient through the wall. In order to properly calibrate this device, a full set of sorption and desorption isotherms were established for both Oat and Wheat straw and three different timber species. The results from an environmental chamber have been compared to readings from specimens of the new probe installed in a straw bale house in the south west of the UK. The results were found to be consistent, to within 2%, with the laboratory findings.     

Transport in regional science: The “death of distance” is premature

Transport costs have always been an important dimension in regional science. It is therefore remarkable that regional science and transport economics have developed in a rather unconnected way. Although being distinct, the routes of the two were parallel, and there are signs that the two fields will get closer to each other. This paper further discusses long run trends in transport costs and the potential spatial consequences. The main conclusion is that although in terms of money and time, the performance of transport has improved enormously, many economic activities have not become footloose to the extent as expressed by the notion of death of distance. One of the reasons discussed is the role of transaction costs, some being clearly related with distance.JEL Classification: R0, R4The authors thank the guest-editors and an anonymous referee for helpful comments.     

Patterning and predicting aquatic macroinvertebrate diversities using artificial neural network

A counterpropagation neural network (CPN) was applied to predict species richness (SR) and Shannon diversity index (SH) of benthic macroinvertebrate communities using 34 environmental variables. The data were collected at 664 sites at 23 different water types such as springs, streams, rivers, canals, ditches, lakes, and pools in The Netherlands. By training the CPN, the sampling sites were classified into five groups and the classification was mainly related to pollution status and habitat type of the sampling sites. By visualizing environmental variables and diversity indices on the map of the trained model, the relationships between variables were evaluated. The trained CPN serves as a 'look-up table' for finding the corresponding values between environmental variables and community indices. The output of the model fitted SH and SR well showing a high accuracy of the prediction (r>0.90 and 0.67 for learning and testing process, respectively) for both SH and SR. Finally, the results of this study, which uses the capability of the CPN for patterning and predicting ecological data, suggest that the CPN can be effectively used as a tool for assessing ecological status and predicting water quality of target ecosystems.     

Metal uptake by young trees from dredged brackish sediment: limitations and possibilities for phytoextraction and phytostabilisation

Five tree species (Acer pseudoplatanus L., Alnus glutinosa L. Gaertn., Fraxinus excelsior L., Populus alba L. and Robinia pseudoacacia L.) were planted on a mound constructed of dredged sediment. The sediment originated from a brackish river mouth and was slightly polluted with heavy metals. This preliminary study evaluated the use of trees for site reclamation by means of phytoextraction of metals or phytostabilisation. Although the brackish nature of the sediment caused slight salt damage, overall survival of the planted trees was satisfactory. Robinia and white poplar had the highest growth rates. Ash, maple and alder had the highest survival rates (>90%) but showed stunted growth. Ash, alder, maple and Robinia contained normal concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in their foliage. As a consequence these species reduce the risk of metal dispersal and are therefore suitable species for phytostabilisation under the given conditions. White poplar accumulated high concentrations of Cd (8.0 mg kg(-1)) and Zn (465 mg kg(-1)) in its leaves and might therefore cause a risk of Cd and Zn input into the ecosystem because of autumn litter fall. This species is thus unsuitable for phytostabilisation. Despite elevated metal concentrations in the leaves, phytoextraction of heavy metals from the soil by harvesting stem and/or leaf biomass of white poplar would not be a realistic option because it will require an excessive amount of time to be effective.     

Longitudinal prediction of the operational energy use of buildings

Thus far most studies of operational energy use of buildings fail to take a longitudinal view, or in other words, do not take into account how operational energy use changes during the lifetime of a building. However, such a view is important when predicting the impact of climate change, or for long term energy accounting purposes. This article presents an approach to deliver a longitudinal prediction of operational energy use. The work is based on the review of deterioration in thermal performance, building maintenance effects, and future climate change. The key issues are to estimate the service life expectancy and thermal performance degradation of building components while building maintenance and changing weather conditions are considered at the same time. Two examples are presented to demonstrate the application of the deterministic and stochastic approaches, respectively. The work concludes that longitudinal prediction of operational energy use is feasible, but the prediction will depend largely on the availability of extensive and reliable monitoring data. This premise is not met in most current buildings.