Response Surface Estimates of the Cross-Sectionally Augmented IPS Tests for Panel Unit Roots

This paper estimates response surface coefficients for a large range of quantiles of the cross-sectionally augmented IPS (CIPS) test of Pesaran (2007), for different specifications of the deterministic components. An Excel programme is available to calculate the P value associated with a CIPS test statistic.     

PROMES: An ontology‐based messaging service for semantically interoperable information exchange during disaster response

Disaster response requires the cooperation of multiple emergency responder organizations (EROs). However, after‐action reports relating to large‐scale disasters identity communication difficulties among EROs as a major hindrance to collaboration. On the one hand, the use of two‐radio communication, based on multiple orthogonal frequencies and uneven coverage, has been shown to degrade inter‐organization communication. On the other hand, because they reflect different areas of expertise, EROs use differing terminologies, which are difficult to reconcile. These issues lead to ambiguities, misunderstandings, and inefficient exchange of data and information among those involved, which can impede the response process and slow decision making. We, therefore, hypothesize that promoting semantic interoperability across ERO information systems might improve information exchange among stakeholders and thereby allow a more coherent response to the disaster. We propose an ontology‐based messaging service on the basis of the Emergency Data Exchange Language (EDXL) standards. The parties involved will continue to use the terminologies to which they are accustomed, but the system will resolve inconsistencies and thereby enhance mutual understanding among EROs by ensuring semantic translation of the exchanged information. The evaluation of the semantic translation demonstrated the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed service.     

Mass customization in the product life cycle

This study presents an introduction to mass customization in the product life cycle—the goal of mass customization, mass customization configurations, and new customer integration techniques, modular design techniques, flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs), and supply chain management methods. The study reviews three selected books and twenty-one selected papers—early papers that describe the goal of mass customization, early papers that describe mass customization configurations, and recent papers that describe new customer integration techniques, modular design techniques, FMSs, and supply chain management methods. The study shows that the goal of mass customization is to create individually customized products, with mass production volume, cost, and efficiency, that most companies use ‘assemble-to-order’ configurations to create standardized products, and that more work is needed on interactive customer integration techniques, collaborative modular design techniques, reconfigurable manufacturing systems, and integrated supply chain management methods to achieve the goal of mass customization.     

Stem volume estimation in boreal forests using ERS-1/2 coherence and SPOT XS optical data

The use of spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems to estimate stem volume and biomass in boreal forests has shown some promising results, but with saturation of the radar backscatter at relatively low stem volumes and limited accuracy of stem volume estimation. These limitations have motivated evaluation of more advanced methods, such as interferometry. The results presented in this study show that ERS interferometry, under favourable conditions, may be used to estimate stem volume at stand level with saturation level and accuracy useful for operational forestry management planning in boreal forests. Five interferograms were analysed, covering a test site located in the central part of Sweden with stem volume in the range of 0-305 m³ ha^-1. The best interferogram showed a linear relationship between stem volume and coherence with a root mean square error (RMSE) of approximately 26 m³ ha^-1, corresponding to 20% of the average stem volume, throughout the range of stem volume. No saturation was observed up to the maximum stem volume. However, the sensitivity of coherence to stem volume varied considerably between the interferograms. Finally, four SPOT XS images were evaluated and compared with the stem volume estimations obtained from the interferograms, resulting in a relative RMSE of about 24% of the stem volume, for the best case. The estimation of stem volume using coherence data was found to be better than optical data for stem volumes exceeding about 110 m³ ha^-1. The statistical analysis was performed using linear regression models with cross-validation.     

A priori evaluation of two-stage cluster sampling for accuracy assessment of large-area land-cover maps

Two-stage cluster sampling reduces the cost of collecting accuracy assessment reference data by constraining sample elements to fall within a limited number of geographic domains (clusters). However, because classification error is typically positively spatially correlated, within-cluster correlation may reduce the precision of the accuracy estimates. The detailed population information to quantify a priori the effect of within-cluster correlation on precision is typically unavailable. Consequently, a convenient, practical approach to evaluate the likely performance of a two-stage cluster sample is needed. We describe such an a priori evaluation protocol focusing on the spatial distribution of the sample by land-cover class across different cluster sizes and costs of different sampling options, including options not imposing clustering. This protocol also assesses the two-stage design's adequacy for estimating the precision of accuracy estimates for rare land-cover classes. We illustrate the approach using two large-area, regional accuracy assessments from the National Land-Cover Data (NLCD), and describe how the a priori evaluation was used as a decision-making tool when implementing the NLCD design.     

Real-time recovery of moving 3D faces for emerging applications

Existing face imaging systems are not suitable to meet the face representation and recognition demands for emerging applications in areas such as interactive gaming, enhanced learning environments and directed advertising. This is mainly due to the poor capture and characterisation of facial data that compromises their spatial and temporal precision. For emerging applications it is not only necessary to have a high level of precision for the representation of facial data, but also to characterise dynamic faces as naturally as possible and in a timely manner. This study proposes a new framework for capturing and recovering dynamic facial information in real-time at significantly high order of spatial and temporal accuracy to capture and model subtle facial changes for enhanced realism in 3D face visualisation and higher precision for face recognition applications. We also present a novel, fast, and robust correspondence mapping approach for 3D registration of moving 3D faces.     

Measuring the color capability of modern display systems

Historically displays used three colorants in an additive system. During that time, the CIE chromaticity diagram adequately illustrated color capability. Modern displays are not constrained by this additive architecture, and the diagram can fail in its purpose. This is demonstrated by analysis and a large number of display measurements. A device‐independent methodology using CIE 1976 L*a*b* color gamut volume is described that provides a robust means to determine the size of the color gamut. This methodology is then extended to the ‘gamut rings’ diagram as a solution for visualizing color capability that directly correlates to color gamut volume. It is further shown how the methodology can be applied to determine the intersection between two gamut volume boundaries.     

平板导航 征路者便携式导航体验报告

正深圳征路者电子科技有限公司作为中国最早从事GPS开发与应用的高新技术企业之一,从涉及GPS卫星工程技术行业至今,经过多年的奋斗和努力,现逐渐发展成为行业内享有较高知名度的标杆性企业,公司多年来推出的产品都能得到市场和用户的认可。今天小编带大家体验的是征路者最新推出的安卓版便携式导航。与传统的便携式导航一样,征路者安卓版的便携式导航安装便捷,用专用的吸盘吸附在前挡玻璃上,再通过专用的支架将导航固定,插上点烟器即可使     

Spectral and complexity analysis of scalp EEG characteristics for mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) often is an early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). MCI is characterized by cognitive decline departing from normal cognitive aging but that does not significantly interfere with daily activities. This study explores the potential of scalp EEG for early detection of alterations from cognitively normal status of older adults signifying MCI and AD. Resting 32-channel EEG records from 48 age-matched participants (mean age 75.7 years)—15 normal controls (NC), 16 early MCI, and 17 early stage AD—are examined. Regional spectral and complexity features are computed and used in a support vector machine model to discriminate between groups. Analyses based on three-way classifications demonstrate overall discrimination accuracies of 83.3%, 85.4%, and 79.2% for resting eyes open, counting eyes closed, and resting eyes closed protocols, respectively. These results demonstrate the great promise for scalp EEG spectral and complexity features as noninvasive biomarkers for detection of MCI and early AD.