View-based virtual learning and recognition of 3D object using view model obtained by motion-stereo

View-based approach for learning and recognition of 3D object and its pose detection was proved to be affective and efficient, except its high learning cost. In this research, we propose a virtual learning approach which generates learning samples of views of an object from its 3D view model obtained by motion-stereo method. From the generated learning sample views, features of high-order autocorrelation are extracted, and discriminant feature spaces for object recognition and pose detection are built. Recognition experiments on real objects are carried out to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. Caihua Wang, Ph.D.: He received his B.S. in mathematics and M.E. in electronic engineering from Renmin University of China, Beijing, China in 1983 and 1986, and his Ph. D. from Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu, Japan in 1996. He is a JST domestic fellow and is doing his post doctoral research at Electrotechnical Laboratory. His research interests are computer vision and image processing. He is a member of IEICE and IPSJ. Katsuhiko Sakaue, Ph.D.: He received the B.E., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees all in electronic engineering from University of Tokyo, in 1976, 1978 and 1981, respectively. In 1981, he joined the Electrotechnical Laboratory, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and engaged in researches in image processing and computer vision. He received the Encouragement Prize in 1979 from IEICE, and the Paper Award in 1985 from Information.     

Interactive learning and management of visual information via human-like software robot

To achieve smooth real-world interaction between people and computers, we developed a system that displays a three-dimensional computer-graphic human-like image from the waist up (anthropomorphic software robot: hereinafter “robot”) on the display, that interactively sees and hears, and that has fine and detailed control functions such as facial expressions, line of sight, and pointing at targets with its finger. The robot visually searches and identifies persons and objects in real space that it has learned in advance (registered space, which was our office in this case), manages the history information of the places and times it found objects and/or persons, and tells the user, indicating their three-dimensional positions with line of sight and its finger. It interactively learns new objects and persons with line of with their names and owners. By using this function, the robot can engage in simple dialogue (do a task) with the user. Osamu Hasegawa, Ph.D.: He received the B.E. and M.E. degrees from the Science University of Tokyo, in 1988, 1990 respectively. He received Ph.D. degree from the University of Tokyo, in 1993. Currently, he is a senior research scientist at the Electrotechnical Laboratory (ETL), Tsukuba, Japan. His research interests include Computer Vision and Multi-modal Human Interface. Dr. Hasegawa is a member of the AAAI, the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, Japan (IEICE), Information Processing Society of Japan and others. Katsuhiko Sakaue, Ph.D.: He received the B.E., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees all in electronic engineering from the University of Tokyo, in 1976, 1978 and 1981, respectively. In 1981, he joined the Electrotechnical Laboratory, Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and engaged in researches in image processing and computer vision. He received the Encouragement Prize in 1979 from IEICE, and the Paper Award in 1985 from Information Processing Society of Japan. He is a member of IEICE, IEEE, IPSJ, ITE. Satoru Hayamizu, Ph.D.: He is a leader of Interactive Intermodal Integration Lab. at Electrotechnical Laboratory. He received the B.E., M.E., Ph.D. degrees from Tokyo University. Since 1981, he has been working on speech recognition, spoken dialogue, and communication with artifacts. From 1989 to 1990, he was a visiting scholar in Carnegie Mellon University and in 1994 a visiting scientist in LIMSI/CNRS.     

Requirement for activation of the serine-threonine kinase Akt (protein kinase B) in insulin stimulation of protein synthesis but not of glucose transport

A wide variety of biological activities including the major metabolic actions of insulin is regulated by phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase. However, the downstream effectors of the various signaling pathways that emanate from PI 3-kinase remain unclear. Akt (protein kinase B), a serine-threonine kinase with a pleckstrin homology domain, is thought to be one such downstream effector. A mutant Akt (Akt-AA) in which the phosphorylation sites (Thr308 and Ser473) targeted by growth factors are replaced by alanine has now been shown to lack protein kinase activity and, when overexpressed in CHO cells or 3T3-L1 adipocytes with the use of an adenovirus vector, to inhibit insulin-induced activation of endogenous Akt. Akt-AA thus acts in a dominant negative manner in intact cells. Insulin-stimulated protein synthesis, which is sensitive to wortmannin, a pharmacological inhibitor of PI 3-kinase, was abolished by overexpression of Akt-AA without an effect on amino acid transport into the cells, suggesting that Akt is required for insulin-stimulated protein synthesis. Insulin activation of p70 S6 kinase was inhibited by approximately 75% in CHO cells and approximately 30% in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, whereas insulin-induced activation of endogenous Akt was inhibited by 80 to 95%, by expression of Akt-AA. Thus, Akt activity appears to be required, at least in part, for insulin stimulation of p70 S6 kinase. However, insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in both CHO cells and 3T3-L1 adipocytes was not affected by overexpression of Akt-AA, suggesting that Akt is not required for this effect of insulin. These data indicate that Akt acts as a downstream effector in some, but not all, of the signaling pathways downstream of PI 3-kinase.     

Evaluating crack tip stress field in a thin glass plate under thermal load

The stress field around a propagating crack tip in a quenched thin glass plate is discussed through experimental and theoretical analyses. Instantaneous phase-stepping photoelasticity using a CCD camera equipped with a pixelated micro-retarder array is used for measuring the crack tip stress field. From the successive phase maps of principal direction, the position and the velocity of the crack tip are evaluated. On the other hand, the fracture parameters, that is, the stress intensity factors and the T-stress are determined from the phase maps of the retardation. Experimental results obtained for a straight crack show good agreement with those obtained by theory of elasticity. The results also indicate that the direction of the crack propagation arising in the quenching process is not determined by the direction of the maximum principal stress. Furthermore, the results show that the T-stress criterion is inappropriate to evaluate the crack path instability in a quenched thin glass plate.     

A 14-ns 14-Mb CMOS DRAM with 300-mW active power

A 4-Mb high-speed DRAM (HSDRAM) has been developed and fabricated by using 0.7-μm L_eff CMOS technology with PMOS arrays inside n-type wells and p-type substrate plate trench cells. The 13.18-mm×6.38-mm chip, organized as either 512 K word×8 b or 1 M word×4 b, achieves a nominal random-access time of 14 ns and a nominal column-access time of 7 ns, with a 3.6-V V_cc and provision of address multiplexing. The high level of performance is achieved by using a short-signal-path architecture with center bonding pads and a pulsed sensing scheme with a limited bit-line swing. A fast word-line boosting scheme and a two-stage word-line delay monitor provide fast word-line transition and detection. A new data output circuit, which interfaces a 3.6-V V_cc to a 5-V bus with an NMOS-only driver, also contributes to the fast access speed by means of a preconditioning scheme and boosting scheme. Limiting the bit-line voltage swing for bit-line sensing results in a low power dissipation of 300 mW for a 60-ns cycle time     

The 24-hour rhythms in plasma growth hormone, prolactin and thyroid stimulating hormone: effect of sleep deprivation

Twenty-four hour secretory rhythms of growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were investigated in 9 normal adult men by means of serial blood sampling at 30 min intervals. The profiles of pituitary hormones were compared in 6 subjects between in normal nocturnal sleep condition and in delayed sleep condition. Plasma GH was measured with use of highly sensitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) recently developed. Plasma TSH was also evaluated by highly sensitive time-resolved fluorometric immunoassay (TR-FIA). Time series analysis of plasma GH and PRL was performed by auto- and cross- correlation and spectral analysis. The detection limit of EIA for GH was 0.3 pg/ml and all plasma GH levels were within the detectable range of this EIA. Cross-correlation and spectral analysis suggested the presence of approximately 2-3 h rhythmicity of plasma GH. Plasma PRL appeared to have some 24-hour rhythmicity besides its sleep-dependent component. Sleep deprivation caused marked elevation of plasma TSH during night time. It is suggested that there appears two mechanisms regulating GH secretion: one has a sleep-independent and ultradian rhythm and another has a sleep-dependent rhythm.     

High resolution extreme ultraviolet spectrometer for an electron beam ion trap

An extreme ultraviolet spectrometer has been developed for spectroscopic studies of highly charged ions with an electron beam ion trap. It has a slit-less configuration with a spherical varied-line-spacing grating that provides a flat focal plane for grazing incidence light. Alternative use of two different gratings enables us to cover the wavelength range 1-25 nm. Test observations with the Tokyo electron beam ion trap demonstrate the high performance of the present spectrometer such as a resolving power of above 1000.     

A 22-ns 1-Mbit CMOS high-speed DRAM with address multiplexing

Describes a 1-Mbit high-speed DRAM (HSDRAM), which has a nominal random access time of less than 27 ns and a column access time of 12 ns with address multiplexing. A double-polysilicon double-metal CMOS technology having PMOS arrays inside n-wells was developed with an average 1.3- mu m feature size. The chip has also been fabricated in a 0.9*shrunken version with an area of 67 mm/sup 2/, showing a 22-ns access time. The chip power consumption is lower than 500 mW at 60-ns cycle time. This HSDRAM, which provides SRAM-like speed while retaining DRAM-like density, allows DRAMs to be used in a broad new range of applications.<>