Optimal registration of object views using range data

This paper deals with robust registration of object views in the presence of uncertainties and noise in depth data. Errors in registration of multiple views of a 3D object severely affect view integration during automatic construction of object models. We derive a minimum variance estimator (MVE) for computing the view transformation parameters accurately from range data of two views of a 3D object. The results of our experiments show that view transformation estimates obtained using MVE are significantly more accurate than those computed with an unweighted error criterion for registration     

WALRUS: a similarity retrieval algorithm for image databases

Approaches for content-based image querying typically extract a single signature from each image based on color, texture, or shape features. The images returned as the query result are then the ones whose signatures are closest to the signature of the query image. While efficient for simple images, such methods do not work well for complex scenes since they fail to retrieve images that match the query only partially, that is, only certain regions of the image match. This inefficiency leads to the discarding of images that may be semantically very similar to the query image since they may contain the same objects. The problem becomes even more apparent when we consider scaled or translated versions of the similar objects. We propose WALRUS (wavelet-based retrieval of user-specified scenes), a novel similarity retrieval algorithm that is robust to scaling and translation of objects within an image. WALRUS employs a novel similarity model in which each image is first decomposed into its regions and the similarity measure between a pair of images is then defined to be the fraction of the area of the two images covered by matching regions from the images. In order to extract regions for an image, WALRUS considers sliding windows of varying sizes and then clusters them based on the proximity of their signatures. An efficient dynamic programming algorithm is used to compute wavelet-based signatures for the sliding windows. Experimental results on real-life data sets corroborate the effectiveness of WALRUS'S similarity model.     

Analysis of assembly operations’ difficulty using enhanced expert high-level colored fuzzy Petri net model

Majority of the products can be assembled in several ways that means the same final product can be realized by different sequences of assembly operations. Different degree of difficulty is associated with each sequence of assembly operation and such difficulties are caused by the different mechanical constraints forced by the different sequences of operations. In the past, few notable attempts have been made to represent and enumerate the degree of difficulty associated with an assembly sequence (in the form of triangular fuzzy number) by using the concept of assembly graph. However, such representation schemes do not possess the capabilities to model the user's reasoning and preferences. In this research, an intelligent Petri net model that combines the abilities of modelling, planning and performance evaluation for assembly operation is presented. This modelling tool can represent the issues concerning degree of difficulty associated with assembly sequences. The proposed mechanism is enhanced expert high-level colored fuzzy Petri net (EEHLCFPN) that is a hybrid of knowledge-based system and colored Petri net. An example encompassing assembly of subassemblies is considered to efficiently delineate the modelling capabilities of proposed hybrid petri net model.     

涡旋式压缩机中的蒸气喷射

这篇论文定量分析了在应用于空调及制冷场合时，在涡旋压缩机中应用蒸气喷射技术带来的潜在优势。蒸气喷射将压缩过程划分为两个阶段，减小压缩机功耗和降低蒸发器吸气流量，从而提高其容量。另外比较了两套均采用涡旋压缩机并且同为三冷吨容量的系统(一套使用蒸气喷射技术而另一套则不使用)。建立了一个多级压缩机模型，考虑了过压缩和欠压缩并根据一个单级系统得到了验证。详细的数学模拟模型预测表明，对于空调系统来说COP将提高约6～8％，而压缩机排量将降低16％。对于制冷装置来说，也能获得类似的好处。     

Free asymmetric transverse vibration of polar orthotropic annular sector plate with thickness varying parabolically in radial direction

In the present paper, free asymmetric transverse vibrations of a non-uniform polar orthotropic annular sector plate, with parabolically varying thickness in the radial direction, have been studied on the basis of classical plate theory. The circular edges of the plate are elastically restrained against translation and rotation while the straight (radial) edges are simply-supported. Fourth-order linear differential equations with variable coefficients governing the motion have been solved by using the collocation interpolation technique with Chebyshev points as the interpolating nodes. Frequency parameters of the plate with flexible boundary conditions at the circular edges for some typical values of the taper parameters, the rigidity ratios and the radii ratio have been presented.     

Execution History Guided Instruction Prefetching

The increasing gap in performance between processors and main memory has made effective instructions prefetching techniques more important than ever. A major deficiency of existing prefetching methods is that most of them require an extra port to I-cache. A recent study by Rivers et al. [19] shows that this factor alone explains why most modern microprocessors do not use such hardware-based I-cache prefetch schemes. The contribution of this paper is two-fold. First, we present a method that does not require an extra port to I-cache. Second, the performance improvement for our method is greater than the best competing method BHGP [23] even disregarding the improvement from not having an extra port. The three key features of our method that prevent the above deficiencies are as follows. First, late prefetching is prevented by correlating misses to dynamically preceding instructions. For example, if the I-cache miss latency is 12 cycles, then the instruction that was fetched 12 cycles prior to the miss is used as the prefetch trigger. Second, the miss history table is kept to a reasonable size by grouping contiguous cache misses together and associated them with one preceding instruction, and therefore, one table entry. Third, the extra I-cache port is avoided through efficient prefetch filtering methods. Experiments show that for our benchmarks, chosen for their poor I-cache performance, an average improvement of 9.2% in runtime is achieved versus the BHGP methods [23], while the hardware cost is also reduced. The improvement will be greater if the runtime impact of avoiding an extra port is considered. When compared to the original machine without prefetching, our method improves performance by about 35% for our benchmarks.     

An interactive method for extracting grammar from programs

The grammar of the language in which some given code is written is essential for developing automated tools for maintenance, reengineering, and program analysis. Frequently grammar is available for a language but not for its variants that are implemented by various vendors and in which the given code may be written. In this work we address the problem of obtaining the grammar from source code, which can then be used for generating tools for the programs. We propose an incremental method for obtaining grammar for a particular language variant, from a set of programs written in the language variant and an approximate grammar (presumably of the standard language) with some user interaction. We also present the design of a tool for implementing this approach and our experience in working with grammars of C, C++ and COBOL. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the temperature and specific energy during electrodischarge diamond grinding (EDDG)

Electrodischarge diamond grinding (EDDG) is a hybrid machining process comprising conventional grinding and electrodischarge machining (EDM) as its constituent processes. It has the potential of shaping advanced engineering materials. Temperature of the workpiece and material removal rate are chosen as responses in full factorial (3³) design with current, pulse-on time, and wheel speed as process parameters. Specific energy is a vital consideration for any machining process. EDM is known for its inefficiency. Experiments were conducted with a specially fabricated bronze disk as tool electrode to evaluate specific energy in EDM, and the results were compared with that of EDDG. It has been found that specific energy required in EDDG is less than that in EDM with a rotating disk electrode.     

Multi-objective optimization of the ecm process

Optimization of process parameters is helpful in efficient working of the process and, hence, in lowering the cost of machining. Optimization of ECM process parameters has been achieved by considering only one objective at a time from metal removal rate, geometrical accuracy, and total process cost. From a practical point of view, a solution of the ecm problem satisfying all three objectives simultaneously is highly desirable.In the proposed model, a multi-objective problem involving the ecm process is formulated producing highly nonlinearized equations. These are then linearized by regression analysis and converted into a goal programming format. Finally, the problem is solved by the partitioning algorithm.It is concluded that the tool, or cathode, remains safe at the optimal values of design variables obtained in the examples discussed. The optimal value of voltage when metal removal rate is the only objective, is found to be higher than the case when the geometrical accuracy requirement is also to be satisfied.