Image segmentation by a contrario simulation

Segmenting an image into homogeneous regions generally involves a decision criterion to establish whether two adjacent regions are similar. Decisions should be adaptive to get robust and accurate segmentation algorithms, avoid hazardous a priori and have a clear interpretation. We propose a decision process based on a contrario reasoning: two regions are meaningfully different if the probability of observing such a difference in pure noise is very low. Since the existing analytical methods are intractable in our case, we extend them to allow a mixed use of analytical computations and Monte-Carlo simulations. The resulting decision criterion is tested experimentally through a simple merging algorithm, which can be used as a post-filtering and validation step for existing segmentation methods.     

光学仿真分析在光电传感器开发过程中的应用

1 引言 光电传感器是指利用光电效应作为传感原理的传感器件,它主要由光源、光学通路、光电探测器等部分.光源发出的光照射到待检测的目标物体上,被目标物体调制后被光电探测器所接收.     

On‐line acoustic attenuation spectroscopy of emulsions stabilized by vinyl alcohol–vinyl acetate copolymers: a model system for the suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride

BACKGROUND: Poly[(vinyl alcohol)‐co‐(vinyl acetate)] (PVA) copolymers obtained by partial hydrolysis of poly(vinyl acetate) are currently used as industrial stabilizers in the suspension polymerization of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). Their molecular characteristics, mainly the average degree of hydrolysis (DH ) and average degree of polymerization (DPw ), have a major influence on the monomer droplet size and the properties of the final poly(vinyl chloride) resin. RESULTS: The average droplet size and size distribution of chlorobutane/water emulsions, as a model system for VCM/water emulsions, were studied using acoustic attenuation spectroscopy on‐line with an agitated laboratory reactor. The emulsions were stabilized by PVA with DH values between 73 and 88 mol% and DPw values between 450 and 2500. The effects of agitation speed, stirring time and concentration of the PVA copolymers were investigated. An attempt was made to correlate the interfacial tension and the droplet size. CONCLUSION: On‐line acoustic spectroscopy appears to be a suitable technique for the real‐time control of the droplet size of monomer suspensions. The advantages and limitations of the technique are outlined. The validity and the application limits of the commonly cited correlation between the droplet size and the Weber number are established for polymeric surfactant‐stabilized emulsions. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Estimation of the total uncertainty of sky-radiance measurements in field experimental conditions: implications for the aerosol single-scattering albedo

We compare the spectral sky radiance measured by three ground-based optical radiometers during the second Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE-2) to estimate the total uncertainty of the radiance in field experimental conditions. The propagation of this uncertainty on the column-integrated aerosol single-scattering albedo omega0 at 868 nm is investigated. The radiance measurements are affected by a systematic gain uncertainty of less than 2% in the visible spectral region and within 6% in the near-IR region. Correcting the measured radiance by a systematic uncertainty reduces the dispersion of the omega0 from 0.07 to 0.03. Besides, the total relative uncertainty of the radiance measurements in field experimental conditions is within 4% at any wavelength. The corresponding uncertainty delta omega0 is 4% for an aerosol optical thickness of 0.2.     

Retrieval of the ultraviolet aerosol optical depth during a spring campaign in the Bavarian Alps

A measurement campaign was organized in March 1999 in the Bavarian Alps as part of the European project, Characteristics of the UV Radiation Field in the Alps (CUVRA), to analyze the effect of altitude, aerosols, and snow cover on ground-level UV spectral irradiance. We present the results of simultaneous measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD) made at various sites on two cloudless days in March 1999. The two days exhibited different aerosol conditions. Results derived from spectral measurements of UV irradiance are compared with data from filter radiometer measurements made at discrete wavelengths extending from the UV to the near IR. The different methods generated values for the AOD that were in good agreement. This result confirms that one can use either method to retrieve the AOD with an uncertainty of approximately 0.03-0.05. On 18 March, high turbidity was observed at low altitude (400-nm AOD approximately 0.5 at 700 m above sea level), and the AOD decreased regularly with altitude; on 24 March, the turbidity was much less (0.11 at 700 m above sea level). On both days very low AODs (0.05-0.09) were measured at 3000 m above sea level. The spectral dependence of the AOD is often parameterized by the angstrom relationship; the alpha parameter is generally difficult or impossible to retrieve from spectral measurements because of the relatively narrow wavelength range (320-400 nm), and only one of the spectro-radiometers used during the campaign permits this retrieval. In most cases, during this field campaign, alpha was found by filter sunphotometers to be 1.1-1.5.     

Classification using belief functions: relationship between case-based and model-based approaches.

The transferable belief model (TBM) is a model to represent quantified uncertainties based on belief functions, unrelated to any underlying probability model. In this framework, two main approaches to pattern classification have been developed: the TBM model-based classifier, relying on the general Bayesian theorem (GBT), and the TBM case-based classifier, built on the concept of similarity of a pattern to be classified with training patterns. Until now, these two methods seemed unrelated, and their connection with standard classification methods was unclear. This paper shows that both methods actually proceed from the same underlying principle, i.e., the GBT, and that they essentially differ by the nature of the assumed available information. This paper also shows that both methods collapse to a kernel rule in the case of precise and categorical learning data and for certain initial assumptions, and a simple relationship between basic belief assignments produced by the two methods is exhibited in a special case. These results shed new light on the issues of classification and supervised learning in the TBM. They also suggest new research directions and may help users in selecting the most appropriate method for each particular application, depending on the nature of the information at hand.     

TGV: theory, principles and algorithms

This paper presents the TGV tool, which allows for the automatic synthesis of conformance test cases from a formal specification of a (non-deterministic) reactive system. TGV was developed by Irisa Rennes and Verimag Grenoble, with the support of the Vasy team of Inria Rhônes-Alpes. The paper describes the main elements of the underlying testing theory, which is based on a model of transitions system which distinguishes inputs, outputs and internal actions, and is based on the concept of conformance relation. The principles of the test synthesis process, as well as the main algorithms, are explained. We then describe the main characteristics of the TGV tool and refer to some industrial experiments that have been conducted to validate the approach. As a conclusion, we describe some ongoing work on test synthesis.     

A new method to extract gate coupling ratio and oxide trapped charge in flash memory cell

A new method to obtain the gate coupling ratio (α_g) and oxide trapped charge (Q_ox) as a result of cycling in flash memory cells is described here. Three cells with an equivalent physical structure but different erase characteristics are measured. The threshold changes versus erase times are fitted to the charge removal rate calculated based on Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling and the capacitive relations among all nodes. The extracted α_g is independent of technologies and this method is particular useful when the profile of the floating gate is not traditionally rectangular owing to advanced processes such as trapezoidal poly etch or a poly-spacer addition on the floating gate sidewall. The Q_ox can also be determined once α_g is extracted.     

Validated design of dynamic membership services and protocols for cooperative groups

This paper first presents a groupware service and an associated protocol that manage the dynamic membership of agents inside cooperative groups and second gives the design methodology that has been used for defining the service and the protocol. The model used to represent cooperative groups is based on graphs that give the knowledge relationships between agents and define the dynamics of the group. The protocol providing the membership service is specified using the VAL formal specification environment based on a Petri net formalism. The VAL specification is verified using observational and safety projections derived from the reachability graph. Then the VAL specification is translated and adapted to an Estelle specification. The Estelle specification has been used for a final implementation of the protocol on top of a distributed platform.