Concept-based evidential reasoning for multimodal fusion in human–computer interaction

Considerable research has been done on using information from multiple modalities, like hands, facial gestures or speech, for better interaction between humans and computers, and many promising human–computer interfaces (HCI) have been developed in recent years. However, most of the current HCI systems have a few drawbacks: firstly, they are highly dependent on the performance of individual sensors. S econdly, the information fusion process from these sensors tends to ignore the semantic nature of the modalities, which may reinforce or clarify each other over time. Finally, they are not robust enough at representing the imprecise nature of human gestures, since individual gestures are highly ambiguous in themselves. In this paper, we propose an approach for the semantic fusion of different input modalities, based on transferable belief models. We show that this approach allows for a better representation of the ambiguity involved in recognizing gestures. Ambiguity is resolved by combining the beliefs of the individual sensors on the input information, to form new extended concepts, based on a pre-defined domain specific knowledge base, represented by conceptual graphs. We apply this technique to a multimodal system consisting of a hand gesture recognition sensor and a brain computing interface. It is shown that the technique can successfully combine individual gestures obtained from the two sensors, to form meaningful concepts and resolve ambiguity. The advantage of this approach is that it is robust even if one of the sensors is inefficient or has no input. Another important feature is its scalability, wherein more input modalities, like speech or facial gestures, can be easily integrated into the system at minimal cost, to form a comprehensive HCI interface.     

Hybrid signal processing and machine intelligence techniques for detection,quantification and classification of power quality disturbances

This paper presents an advanced signal processing technique known as S-transform (ST) to detect and quantify various power quality (PQ) disturbances. ST is also utilized to extract some useful features of the disturbance signal. The excellent time–frequency resolution characteristic of the ST makes it an attractive candidate for analysis of power system disturbance signals. The number of features required in the proposed approach is less than that of the wavelet transform (WT) for identification of PQ disturbances. The features extracted by using ST are used to train a support vector machine (SVM) classifier for automatic classification of the PQ disturbances. Since the proposed methodology can reduce the features of disturbance signal to a great extent without losing its original property, it efficiently utilizes the memory space and computation time of the processor. Eleven types of PQ disturbances are considered for the classification purpose. The simulation results show that the combination of ST and SVM can effectively detect and classify different PQ disturbances.     

Heroin related overdose problems

During the first ten months of 1992 the Oslo Ambulance Department registered 716 incidences of assumed drug-related intoxications. 80% happened in down town Oslo. 19 cases of asystoly were recorded, 13 of the patients recovered after treatment, without sequelae. Five of these patients left the location after emergency help and they refused hospitalization. 432 of the patients were unconscious when the ambulance personal arrived, 472 were treated with naloxone both by the intramuscular and the intravenous route. Most of the persons refused further observation. A team of specially trained out reach workers offers help after acute medical treatment by means of "streetwork". The intervention is directed at addicts who have experienced an overdose.     

Optical activity and conformation of cobra neurotoxin

Cobra neurotoxin from Formosan cobra (Naja naja atra) venom is a compact globular protein having an intrinsic viscosity of 4.5 mL/g. The protein is stable in 7.5 M urea but can be denatured in 4.1 M guanidine hydrochloride or at elevated temperature (above 70 degrees C). Its conformation remains virtually the same in solvents of lower polarity than water such as 1,2-ethanediol or a mixed solvent of 1-propanol-1,2-ethanediol-water (5:1:1 by volume). The circular dichroism spectrum is "atypical" in water in that the peptide chromophores show a small negative circular dichroic (CD) band at 215 nm, a large positive one at 199 nm, and another large negative one below 190 nm. The CD pattern resembles to some extent that of a beta form but differs in both positions and magnitudes from the latter. It agrees qualitatively with the theoretical calculations of the reverse beta bends, suggesting that cobra toxin contains a considerable amount of beta turns and possibly a mixture of beta form and beta turns.     

MHD combined free and forced convection flow through two parallel porous walls

Summary The flow of a viscous conducting fluid between two parallel plates of infinite length (one of which is at rest and the other moving parallel to itself with a linear axial temperature variation) under the influence of a uniform transverse magnetic field is considered. It is assumed that the fluid is injected into the channel through the lower wall and sucked from the channel through the upper wall with the same velocityv ₀. The velocity and temperature distributions, the coefficient of skin friction and the rate of heat transfer coefficient are evaluated. The effects of magnetic parameterM, the suction Reynolds numberR, the Grashoff numberG and Binkmann numberB on the above mentioned physical quantities are investigated.With 21 Figures     

A sensitive method for the determination of amitriptyline and nortriptyline in human plasma

The kinetics of the male gametogenesis during the pregonadal period, prespermatogenesis, and "early" spermatogenesis has been described in detail. Concerning spermatogenesis in the adult individual reference is made to the articles of Courot, Hochereau-de Reviers and Ortavant (1970) and of Clermont (1972). The comparison of female and male gametogenesis (Fig. 1) shows that the "gonia stage" (asterisks) of the female germ cells is limited to one proliferation wave only, whereas the "gonia stage" of the male germ cells consists of a first proliferation wave, comparable to that of oogonia, a preparative phase to initiate spermatogenesis, and a second proliferation wave with renewal and differentiation of the spermatogonia. Germ cells in the "gonia stage" are highly sensitive towards ionising radiation and cytostatic drugs.     

Characterization of CuAlO2 films prepared by dc reactive magnetron sputtering

Thin films of copper aluminum oxide (CuAlO₂) were prepared on glass substrates by dc magnetron sputtering at a substrate temperature of 523 K under various oxygen partial pressures in the range 1 × 10⁻⁴–3 × 10⁻³ mbar. The dependence of cathode potential on the oxygen partial pressure was explained in terms of oxidation of the sputtering target. The influence of oxygen partial pressure on the structural, electrical and optical properties was systematically studied. p-Type CuAlO₂ films with polycrystalline nature, electrical resistivity of 3.1 Ω cm, Hall mobility of 13.1 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ and optical band gap of 3.54 eV were obtained at an oxygen partial pressure of 6 × 10⁻⁴ mbar.     

PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜的变色特性研究

为改善V2O5薄膜的电致变色性能，采用溶胶-凝胶法将具有高离子电导率并具有水溶性的聚环氧乙烷（PEO）直接嵌入V2O5层间，制备了PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜。采用标准三电极法从0．5mol／L LiClO4的PC电解质溶液向PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜注入锂离子，测量了纳米复合薄膜在注入不同数量锂离子时的可见光透射光谱以及对应的颜色变化，并运用循环伏安法测试其电化学性能。实验结果表明，PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜的循环伏安图出现了2对氧化还原峰，并且具有稳定的循环可逆性。随着应用电压的不同，薄膜呈现黄色、绿色和蓝色的多色可逆变化。PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜的电化学稳定性和机械性能都优于V2O5干凝胶薄膜，可以作为电致变色材料得到应用。X射线光电子能谱（XPS）成分分析表明PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜的电致变色效应与V、O的化合价和化学环境密切相关。