A Maximum Likelihood Stereo Algorithm

A stereo algorithm is presented that optimizes a maximum likelihood cost function. The maximum likelihood cost function assumes that corresponding features in the left and right images are normally distributed about a common true value and consists of a weighted squared error term if two features are matched or a (fixed) cost if a feature is determined to be occluded. The stereo algorithm finds the set of correspondences that maximize the cost function subject to ordering and uniqueness constraints. The stereo algorithm is independent of the matching primitives. However, for the experiments described in this paper, matching is performed on the $cf4$individual pixel intensities.$cf3$ Contrary to popular belief, the pixel-based stereo appears to be robust for a variety of images. It also has the advantages of (i) providing adensedisparity map, (ii) requiringnofeature extraction, and (iii)avoidingthe adaptive windowing problem of area-based correlation methods. Because feature extraction and windowing are unnecessary, a very fast implementation is possible. Experimental results reveal that good stereo correspondences can be found using only ordering and uniqueness constraints, i.e., withoutlocalsmoothness constraints. However, it is shown that the original maximum likelihood stereo algorithm exhibits multiple global minima. The dynamic programming algorithm is guaranteed to find one, but not necessarily the same one for each epipolar scanline, causing erroneous correspondences which are visible as small local differences between neighboring scanlines. Traditionally, regularization, which modifies the original cost function, has been applied to the problem of multiple global minima. We developed several variants of the algorithm that avoid classical regularization while imposing several global cohesiveness constraints. We believe this is a novel approach that has the advantage of guaranteeing that solutions minimize the original cost function and preserve discontinuities. The constraints are based on minimizing the total number of horizontal and/or vertical discontinuities along and/or between adjacent epipolar lines, and local smoothing is avoided. Experiments reveal that minimizing the sum of the horizontal and vertical discontinuities provides the most accurate results. A high percentage of correct matches and very little smearing of depth discontinuities are obtained. An alternative to imposing cohesiveness constraints to reduce the correspondence ambiguities is to use more than two cameras. We therefore extend the two camera maximum likelihood toNcameras. TheN-camera stereo algorithm determines the “best” set of correspondences between a given pair of cameras, referred to as the principal cameras. Knowledge of the relative positions of the cameras allows the 3D point hypothesized by an assumed correspondence of two features in the principal pair to be projected onto the image plane of the remainingN− 2 cameras. TheseN− 2 points are then used to verify proposed matches. Not only does the algorithm explicitly model occlusion between features of the principal pair, but the possibility of occlusions in theN− 2 additional views is also modeled. Previous work did not model this occlusion process, the benefits and importance of which are experimentally verified. Like other multiframe stereo algorithms, the computational and memory costs of this approach increase linearly with each additional view. Experimental results are shown for two outdoor scenes. It is clearly demonstrated that the number of correspondence errors is significantly reduced as the number of views/cameras is increased.     

Detection of water ingress in composite sandwich structures: a magnetic resonance approach

Water ingress inside honeycomb sandwich panels during service has been linked to in-flight failure in some aircraft. There is an ongoing effort to develop nondestructive testing methods to detect the presence of water within the panels. Magnetic resonance (MR) represents an attractive approach in that it is sensitive to moisture. Using a unilateral MR sensor, testing can be applied directly to the surface of the panel. The viability of MR is demonstrated through laboratory imaging of both water within sandwich panels, as well as the adhesive itself. The detection of water using a one-sided handheld MR sensor is presented. It is shown that simple detection, as well as spatial localization of water within sandwich panels is possible.     

Environmental Control Symposium

MAN is but a part of the universe; his capabilities make him a significant link, in the cycle of life. To ensure this life, man must live in harmony with his environment. Recently, a disharmony has been discovered which could have grave effects upon the existence of man. It appears that man in his great thrust forward is destroying his own environment. The gravity of this threat to man's own existence carries some intrinsic problems of its own: man must allow his reason rather than his emotion to take command.     

Impact of dietary n−3 FA deficiency on rat bone tissue FA composition

The effect of dietary n−3 FA deficiency on bone tissue FA composition was evaluated in growing rats. Two mixtures combining hydrogenated coconut oil with safflower oil served as the n−3-deficient dietary treatments and provided two levels of linoleic acid (LA). The n−3 treatments were formulated with added α-linolenic acid (LNA) from flaxseed oil (diet LNA) or LNA plus DHA, and both were balanced for LA. This study showed that bone is sensitive to changes in dietary n−3 FA and that DHA is more effective than LNA in maintaining DHA levels in these tissues.     

萧条的1992年促使轮胎生产者调整

萧条的１９９２年促使轮胎生产者调整ＢｒｕｃｅＤａｖｉｓ著曾泽新译吴秀兰校预期１９９２年的经济复苏并未实现，恢复的进程拖得比预期的更长。结果，大多数轮胎生产者被迫再次采取保守的经营，裁减人员，让股东对利润降低，甚至亏损作好思想准备。据报道，在大轮胎公司...     

Effect of water on the oxygen barrier properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and polylactide films

The aim of this work was to study the variations in the oxygen diffusion, solubility, and permeability coefficients of polylactide (PLA) films at different temperatures (5, 23, and 40°C) and water activities (0–0.9). The results were compared with the oxygen diffusion, solubility, and permeability coefficients obtained for poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films under the same experimental conditions. The water sorption isotherm for PLA films was also determined. Diffusion coefficients were determined with the half‐sorption time method. Also, a consistency test for continuous‐flow permeability experimental data was run to obtain the diffusion coefficient with the lowest experimental error and to confirm that oxygen underwent Fickian diffusion in the PLA films. The permeability coefficients were obtained from steady‐state permeability experiments. The results indicated that the PLA films absorbed very low amounts of water, and no significant variation of the absorbed water with the temperature was found. The oxygen permeability coefficients obtained for PLA films (2–12 × 10^?18 kg m/m² s Pa) were higher than those obtained for PET films (1–6 × 10^?19 kg m/m² s Pa) at different temperatures and water activities. Moreover, the permeability coefficients for PLA and PET films did not change significantly with changes in the water activity at temperatures lower than 23°C. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 1790–1803, 2004     

Determination of hydroperoxides and structures by high-performance liquid chromatography with post-column detection with diphenyl-1-pyrenylphosphine

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method, using post-column detection with diphenyl-1-pyrenyl-phosphine (DPPP), was developed for the quantitative and qualitative determination of isomeric lipid hydroperoxides (OOH). The OOH eluted from a normal-phase column were passed through a photodiode array detector and then mixed with DPPP solution in a reaction coil heated at 80°C. DPPP oxide formed by the reaction with OOH was determined by monitoring the fluorescence intensity at 380 nm and excitation at 352 nm. The conjugated diene OOH (13-cis, trans- and 9-cis, trans-OOH) and nonconjugated OOH (12-cis-trans- and 10-cis, trans-OOH) from photosensitized oxidation of methyl linoleate were determined in a molar ratio of 31∶29∶19∶21, respectively. However, only the two conjugated hydroperoxides were detected by ultraviolet absorption at 234 nm. Further applications were carried out for the determination of OOH of methyl oleate and methyl linolenate. This method proved to be useful for the determination of the OOH containing both conjugated and nonconjugated diene structures.     

Structure–property relationships of poly(urethane urea)s with ultra‐low monol content poly(propylene glycol) soft segments. I. Influence of soft segment molecular weight and hard segment content

Structure–property relationships in poly(urethane urea)s synthesized with ultra‐low monol content poly(propylene glycol) soft segments were investigated as soft segment molecular weight (2000, 4000, and 8000 g/mol) and hard segment content (6.3 and 9.0 wt %) were varied. Morphological features such as interdomain spacing and interphase thickness were quantified and revealed with small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The thermal and mechanical behavior was assessed with a dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) and by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and stress‐strain tests. Hard segment content, over the limited range studied, had little effect on the morphology and soft segment thermal and mechanical properties. The molecular weight of the soft segments had considerably more influence on the morphology and mechanical properties. Increasing soft segment molecular weight resulted in greater interdomain spacings, as shown by SAXS, and a noticeable change in the structure, as shown by AFM. Additionally, as soft segment molecular weight decreased the soft segment glass transition broadened and rose to higher temperatures. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 84: 229–243, 2002; DOI 10.1002/app.10168     

SOLUBILITY OF CO2 AND H2S IN A HINDERED AMINE SOLUTION

The solubility of H₂S and CO₂ in aqueous solutions of the sterically hindered amine, 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), was determined at 40 and 100°C. Partial pressures of C)₂ ranged from approximately 2 to 6000 kPa and of H₂S from 2 to 2200 kPa. The solubility results were compared with previously reported acid gas solubilities in aqueous monoethanolamine (MEA) solutions.