Biometric template selection and update: a case study in fingerprints

A biometric authentication system operates by acquiring biometric data from a user and comparing it against the template data stored in a database in order to identify a person or to verify a claimed identity. Most systems store multiple templates per user in order to account for variations observed in a person's biometric data. In this paper we propose two methods to perform automatic template selection where the goal is to select prototype fingerprint templates for a finger from a given set of fingerprint impressions. The first method, called DEND, employs a clustering strategy to choose a template set that best represents the intra-class variations, while the second method, called MDIST, selects templates that exhibit maximum similarity with the rest of the impressions. Matching results on a database of 50 different fingers, with 200 impressions per finger, indicate that a systematic template selection procedure as presented here results in better performance than random template selection. The proposed methods have also been utilized to perform automatic template update. Experimental results underscore the importance of these techniques.     

BilVideo: Design and Implementation of a Video Database Management System

With the advances in information technology, the amount of multimedia data captured, produced, and stored is increasing rapidly. As a consequence, multimedia content is widely used for many applications in today’s world, and hence, a need for organizing this data, and accessing it from repositories with vast amount of information has been a driving stimulus both commercially and academically. In compliance with this inevitable trend, first image and especially later video database management systems have attracted a great deal of attention, since traditional database systems are designed to deal with alphanumeric information only, thereby not being suitable for multimedia data.In this paper, a prototype video database management system, which we call BilVideo, is introduced. The system architecture of BilVideo is original in that it provides full support for spatio-temporal queries that contain any combination of spatial, temporal, object-appearance, external-predicate, trajectory-projection, and similarity-based object-trajectory conditions by a rule-based system built on a knowledge-base, while utilizing an object-relational database to respond to semantic (keyword, event/activity, and category-based), color, shape, and texture queries. The parts of BilVideo (Fact-Extractor, Video-Annotator, its Web-based visual query interface, and its SQL-like textual query language) are presented, as well. Moreover, our query processing strategy is also briefly explained.This work is partially supported by the Scientific and Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) under Project Code 199E025, Turkish State Planning Organization (DPT) under Grant No. 2004K120720, and European Union under Grant No. FP6-507752 (MUSCLE Network of Excellence Project).     

An online sequential algorithm for the estimation of transition probabilities for jump Markov linear systems

This paper describes a new method to estimate the transition probabilities associated with a jump Markov linear system. The new algorithm uses stochastic approximation type recursions to minimize the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the likelihood function of the transition probabilities and the true likelihood function. Since the calculation of the likelihood function of the transition probabilities is impossible, an incomplete data paradigm, which has been previously applied to a similar problem for hidden Markov models, is used. The algorithm differs from the existing algorithms in that it assumes that the transition probabilities are deterministic quantities whereas the existing approaches consider them to be random variables with prior distributions.     

A fuzzy analytic network process based approach to transportation-mode selection between Turkey and Germany: A case study

A case study examining the different modes for transportation of freight by a Turkish logistics-service provider company is presented herein. A number of conflicting qualitative and quantitative criteria exist for evaluating alternative modes of transport. Qualitative criteria are often accompanied by ambiguity and vagueness. To cope with ambiguity and vagueness problem, the fuzzy analytic network process (ANP) method has been used. A large number of detailed criteria that interact with each other have been evaluated and synthesized to obtain the most suitable transportation mode. This evaluation has been carried out by a group of decision makers coming from different management levels and functional areas in the sector of logistics and from the service company with intent to provide a more accurate and mutually acceptable solution. Furthermore, the model used here has been validated by comparing the results obtained with the current preferences of the company.     

Dielectric and Optical Properties of CdS–Polymer Nanocomposites Prepared by the Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) Method

The successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method has been used to grow epitaxial CdS–polymer nanostructures as thin films with different surface morphology and particle size. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the dielectric properties and a.c. electrical conductivity (σ _a.c.), by a.c. impedance spectroscopy between 1 kHz and 1 MHz, at room temperature, of CdS–polymer nanocomposites produced by use of 2, 6, and 10 cycles of SILAR. The surface morphology and optical absorption of the samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV–visible spectroscopy, respectively. Determination of the energy gaps of CdS–polymer nanocomposites prepared by use of different numbers of cycles of SILAR reveals that the band gap decreases with increasing number of cycles (J. Cryst. Growth 305, 175–180, 2007). This behavior is because of the growth of nanoparticles in the matrix materials, and can be explained by changes in the amount of confinement as a consequence of particle size variation. SEM images also confirm that different numbers of cycles lead to different morphology. Frequency-dependent dielectric properties and a.c. electrical conductivity of the samples prepared by use of different numbers of cycles of SILAR were investigated, and comparative studies on some electrophysical properties of the samples are reported. Experimental results show that values of the dielectric constant (ε′), dielectric loss (ε″), dielectric loss tangent (tanδ), the real (M′) and imaginary (M″) parts of electric modulus, and σ _a.c. are highly dependent on the frequency and the number of cycles. It can be concluded that changing the frequency and the number of cycles substantially alters both the dielectric properties and a.c. electrical conductivity of the samples.     

Wear behavior of iron boride coating on AISI 4140

A new paste technique was established for making boronising coatings. This method gave iron boride coatings a unique wear and tear property something that was tested as a microstructural feature. The coats were acquired from obtained by transmission of boron molecules from ferrobor concentrates to steel surface. Boronising parameters were applied at temperatures between 1023 and 1248 K temperatures at time range 2–8 h. This process led to enhancement in the coat layer, thickness and microstructure. To assess the durability and strength of the resultant element, a tribometer in block-on-ring configuration was used with a pairing of 20, 40 and 60 Newton’s at sliding speeds of 0.2–1.85 ms^–1. It was found that, the coats made at temperatures of 1173–1223 K for 8 h lasted as long as the coat existed. Once they coat got off, residues of the same brought body abrasion. If time taken to boronize was reduced to 4–6 h at temperatures of between 1073 and 1173 K, then wear of the coat became oxidative with no trace of cracks.     

Impact of reliability on warranty: A study of application in a large size company of electronics industry

This paper presents product reliability on component basis and investigates the possible effects on warranty which constitutes a non-technical issue. Product reliability is a key factor, which is used in considering the warranty period. It plays a significant role that a mistake in warranty forecasting could cost a lot for companies. The objective is to empirically examine the nature of general reliability of manufactured goods and conduct a case study in an electronics company. In this regard, reliability will be stated from the actual manufacturing point of view. A case study was applied in manufacturing industry. LCD TVs were undertaken to follow. To test reliability, a parametric Weibull model was used and hazard rates of products were estimated with linear regression method. For this research work, the lifetime data obtained by service departments, censored both left and right. Data were used in MINITAB14 to produce the reliability results of the LCDs to reveal the relationship between product reliability and product warranty in the consumer electronics industry. In this manner, this paper would help the company to decide whether it is favorable to extend the warranty period based on the failure findings.     

Short-Term Flood Control and Long-Term Energy Maximization in Multi-reservoir Systems Using Improved Particle Swarm Optimization

Water Resources Management - In this study, a model is developed for short-term flood control of a complex multi-reservoir system located on one of the largest basins in Turkey. The managing body...     

Investigation of Effects of Nonlinear Static Analysis Procedures to Performance Evaluation on Low-Rise RC Buildings

The aim of the study is to compare and evaluate structural response demands obtained from nonlinear static analysis procedures (NSPs) which are displacement coefficient method (DCM) recommended in FEMA 356 and capacity spectrum method (CSM) recommended in ATC 40. For these reasons, three of three-dimensional low-rise RC buildings with different characteristics are investigated. In order to determine nonlinear behavior of the buildings under lateral loads, the base shear-roof displacement relationships (capacity curves) are obtained by pushover analysis including P-delta effects. Then by considering four different seismic hazard levels, building performances are determined by using the CSM and by using from DCM results determined in a previous study. In order to determine performance levels of the buildings, maximum beam and column plastic rotation demands and maximum story drift demands are determined in the related maximum displacement demands. Plastic strains in the equivalent diagonal struts, representing the nonstructural infill walls, are also determined, similarly. Comparing structural response quantities (such as plastic rotations, story drifts, etc.) obtained from the NSPs for considered low-rise RC buildings, effects of different NSPs in performance evaluations of the buildings are investigated comparatively, as well.     

A particle swarm optimization algorithm for the multiple-level warehouse layout design problem

Warehouse operation and management is one of the essential parts of manufacturing and service operations. The warehouse layout problem is a key to warehouse operations. Generally, warehouse layout design models attempt to optimize different objectives such as the orientation of storage racks, the allocation of space among competing uses, the number of cranes, the overall configuration of the facility, etc. The warehousing strategies can be classified as distribution-type, production-type and contract-type warehouse strategies. In this study, a distribution-type warehouse considered that various type products are collected from different suppliers for storing in the warehouse for a determined period and for delivery to different customers. The aim of the study is to design a multiple-level warehouse shelf configuration which minimizes the annual carrying costs. The turnover rates of the products are classified and they are considered while putting/picking them to/from shelves regarding the distances between the shelves and docks. Since proposed mathematical model was shown to be NP-hard, a particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) as a novel heuristic was developed for determining the optimal layout.