Physical models for moving shadow and object detection in video

Current moving object detection systems typically detect shadows cast by the moving object as part of the moving object. In this paper, the problem of separating moving cast shadows from the moving objects in an outdoor environment is addressed. Unlike previous work, we present an approach that does not rely on any geometrical assumptions such as camera location and ground surface/object geometry. The approach is based on a new spatio-temporal albedo test and dichromatic reflection model and accounts for both the sun and the sky illuminations. Results are presented for several video sequences representing a variety of ground materials when the shadows are cast on different surface types. These results show that our approach is robust to widely different background and foreground materials, and illuminations.     

Outlier detection in fuzzy linear regression with crisp input–output by linguistic variable view

Existence of outlier data among the observation data leads to inaccurate results in modeling. Detection to omit or lessen the impact of such data has a significant effect to make corrections in a model. Either elimination or reduction of the outlier data influence is two ways to prevent their negative effect on the modeling. Both approaches of elimination and impact reduction are taken into account in dealing with the mentioned problem in fuzzy regression, where both the input and output data are non-fuzzy. The main idea is considered based on linguistic variables and possibility concept as well as ordinary regression to deal with the outlier data. Several examples as well as a case study are put into effect to show the capability of proposed approach.     

Moldless Printing of Silicone Lenses with Embedded Nanostructured Optical Filters

In this work, both light‐shaping and image magnification features are integrated into a single lens element using a moldless procedure that takes advantage of the physical and optical properties of mesoporous silicon (PSi) photonic crystal nanostructures. Casting of a liquid poly(dimethylsiloxane) pre‐polymer solution onto a PSi film generates a droplet with a contact angle that is readily controlled by the silicon nanostructure, and adhesion of the cured polymer to the PSi photonic crystal allows preparation of lightweight (10 mg) freestanding lenses (4.7 mm focal length) with an embedded optical component (e.g., optical rugate filter, resonant cavity, and distributed Bragg reflector). The fabrication process shows excellent reliability (yield 95%) and low cost and the lens is expected to have implications in a wide range of applications. As a proof‐of‐concept, using a single monolithic lens/filter element it is demonstrated: fluorescence imaging of isolated human cancer cells with rejection of the blue excitation light, through a lens that is self‐adhered to a commercial smartphone; shaping of the emission spectrum of a white light emitting diode to tune the color from red through blue; and selection of a narrow wavelength band (bandwidth 5 nm) from a fluorescent molecular probe.     

Effect of seed layers on low-temperature,chemical bath deposited ZnO nanorods-based near UV-OLED performance

Low-temperature wet chemical bath deposition (CBD) method is one of the most efficient and least hazardous solution-based techniques which is widely employed to grow ZnO NRs. In CBD method, a seed layer is usually deposited on the substrate. In this paper, high quality ZnO and aluminum doped ZnO (AZO) seed layers are sputtered on the indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass. In continue, aligned ZnO NRs are grown on the AZO and ZnO seed layers via CBD technique. The effect of the growth time and seed layer on the physical properties of as-grown ZnO NRs are investigated. According to the results, the seed layer plays an essential role on the growth orientation and growth rate of the ZnO NRs. The ZnO NRs grown on AZO seed layer are more aligned rather than ZnO seed layer due to their higher texture coefficients. The relative photoluminescence (PL) intensity ratio of near band emission (NBE) to deep level emission (DLE) (I_NBE/I_DLE) for the ZnO NRs grown on AZO and ZnO seed layers are calculated as 7.45 and 2.62, respectively. To investigate the performance of the as-grown ZnO NRs, near ultraviolet organic light-emitting diodes (UV-OLEDs) using ZnO NRs array as n-type material and poly [2-methoxy-5-(2-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene-vinylene] (MEH-PPV) conjugated polymer as p-type material have been fabricated. The total concentration of traps ($N_t$), the characteristic energies ($E_t$) and the turn-on voltages for the devices with the structures of ITO/AZO/ZnO NRs/MEH-PPV/Al (device A) and ITO/ZnO/ZnO NRs/MEH-PPV/Al (device B) are attained 7.65 × 10¹⁶ and 7.75 × 10¹⁶ cm^?3, 0.232 and 0.206 eV, 23 and 21 V, respectively. Moreover, based on the electroluminescence (EL) spectra, the NBE peaks for device A and B are obtained nearly in the wavelengths of 382 and 388 nm, respectively. Finally, various charge carrier transportation processes of prepared UV-OLEDs have been studied, systematically.     

Resistance Spot Welding of Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) Third-Generation Advanced High-Strength Steel: Process–Microstructure–Performance

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - This paper investigates process–microstructure–performance relationships in Q&P980 third-generation advanced high-strength steel...     

Fabrication of bimetallic Cu/Pt nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode and its catalytic activity toward hydrogen evolution reaction

The film of poly(8-hydroxyquinoline) was formed by cyclic voltammetery method on the surface of glassy carbon electrode and poly(8-hydroxyquinoline) modified glassy carbon electrode, p(8-HQ)MGCE, was prepared. Cu²⁺ ion was adsorbed on the polymer matrix due to complexation with 8-hydroxyquinoline units Copper nanoparticles were deposited onto p(8-HQ)MGCE by applying potential and prepared copper nanoparticles galvanic replaced with platinum to fabricate poly(8-hydroxyquinoline)–Pt/Cu composite on the surface of GCE. Stripping voltammetery of Cu in aqueous 0.1 M KSCN + Britton–Robinson buffer, pH = 2.0, solution was used to quantify the copper present on the electrode surface. The amount of platinum was estimated from the electrooxidation peak of Pt in aqueous 0.1 M H₂SO₄ solution. The nature of Cu/Pt–p(8-HQ) on the surface of GCE was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Cu/Pt–p(8-HQ) modified GCE can be used as a convenient conducting substrate for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The effects of different parameters such as number of cycles, replacement time, scan rate of potential, and etc were investigated to obtaining optimum condition for HER.     

Experimental and finite element analysis of EDM process and investigation of material removal rate by response surface methodology

In this study, thermal modeling and finite element simulation of electrical discharge machining (EDM) has been done, taking into account several important aspects such as temperature-dependent material properties, shape and size of the heated zone (Gaussian heat distribution), energy distribution factor, plasma flushing efficiency, and phase change to predict thermal behavior and material removal mechanism in EDM process. Temperature distribution on the cathode has been calculated using ANSYS finite element code, and the effect of EDM parameters on heat distribution along the radius and depth of the workpiece has been obtained. Temperature profiles have been used to calculate theoretical material removal rate (MRR) from the cathode. Theoretically calculated MRRs are compared with the experimental results, making it possible to precisely determine the portion of energy that enters the cathode for AISI H13 tool steel. Also in this paper, the effect of EDM parameters on MRR has been investigated by using the technique of design of experiments and response surface methodology. Finally, a quadratic polynomial regression model has been proposed for MRR, and the accuracy of this model has been checked by means of analysis of residuals.     

Quality enhancement of AZO thin films at various thicknesses by introducing ITO buffer layer

Due to the simultaneously superior optical transmittance and low electrical resistivity, transparent conductive electrodes play a significant role in semiconductor electronics. To enhance the electrical properties of these films, one approach is thickness increment which degrades the optical properties. However, a preferred way to optimize both electrical and optical properties of these layers is to introduce a buffer layer. In this work, the effects of buffer layer and film thickness on the structural, electrical, optical and morphological properties of AZO thin films are investigated. Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) is prepared at various thicknesses of 100 to 300 nm on the bare and 100 nm-thick indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates by radio frequency sputtering. Results demonstrate that by introducing ITO as a buffer layer, the average values of sheet resistance and strain within the film are decreased (about 76 and 3.3 times lower than films deposited on bare glasses), respectively. Furthermore, the average transmittance of ITO/AZO bilayer is improved nearly 10% regarding single AZO thin film. This indicates that bilayer thin films show better physical properties rather than conventional monolayer thin films. As the AZO film thickness increases, the interplanar spacing, d₍₀₀₂₎, strain within the film and compressive stress of the film in the hexagonal lattice, decreases indicating the higher yield of AZO crystal. Moreover, with the growth in film thickness, carrier concentration and optical band gap (E_g) of AZO film are increased from 4.62?×?10¹⁹ to 8.21?×?10¹⁹ cm^?3 and from 3.55 to 3.62 eV, respectively due to the Burstein-Moss (BM) effect. The refractive index of AZO thin film is obtained in the range of 2.24–2.26. With the presence of ITO buffer layer, the AZO thin film exhibits a resistivity as low as 6?×?10^?4 Ω cm, a sheet resistance of 15 Ω/sq and a high figure of merit (FOM) of 1.19?×?10⁴ (Ω cm)^?1 at a film thickness of 300 nm. As a result, the quality of AZO thin films deposited on ITO buffer layer is found to be superior regarding those grown on a bare glass substrate. This study has been performed over these two substrates because of their significant usage in the organic light emitting diodes and photovoltaic applications as an enhanced carrier injecting electrodes.     

Numerical modelling of rough particle contacts subject to normal and tangential loading

Granular Matter - While there are plenty of experimental studies pertaining to the dust generation from and dustiness of powders, few of them aim at reaching a theoretical understanding of the...