Unsupervised Segmentation of Stereoscopic Video Objects: Constrained Segmentation Fusion Versus Greedy Active Contours

In this paper, we present a novel memory access reduction scheme (MARS) for two-dimension fast cosine transform (2-D FCT). It targets programmable DSPs with high memory-access latency. It reduces the number of memory accesses by: 1) reducing the number of weighting factors and 2) combining butterflies in vector-radix 2-D FCT pruning diagram from two stages to one stage with an efficient structure. Hardware platform based on general purpose processor is used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method for vector-radix 2-D FCT pruning implementation. Experimental results validate the benefits of the proposed method with reduced memory access, less clock cycle and fewer memory space compared with the conventional implementation.     

Defocusing image to pattern contact holes using attenuated phase shift masks

The patterning of contact holes by selecting out-of-focus image plane (defocus) using attenuated phase shift masks (APSM) has been studied. Defocus is found to enhance the image modulation at low partial coherence for contact holes with negative local average of mask function. Semi-dense holes up to 130 nm in 8% APSM have been printed by 0.5 μm defocus at a partial coherence of 0.31 using KrF scanner with highest numerical aperture of 0.68. However, these holes were closed with in-focus imaging. Defocus is also found to be beneficial for patterning the pitches that have extensive side lobes with in-focus imaging.     

Dynamic and equilibrium swelling of DVB-crosslinked polystyrene particles

The dynamic and equilibrium swelling behavior of polystyrene microparticles crosslinked with divinyl benzene was investigated in methyl ethyl ketone and cyclohexane. The dynamic studies gave new information about the mechanism of penetrant transport in this polymer. The equilibrium studies were used to determine important parameters of the crosslinked structure of these systems, including the average molecular weight between crosslinks, M?_c     

Charting of geoelectric potential signal dynamics via geometrical techniques and its possible relation to significant earthquakes in Western Greece

An exploratory data analysis (EDA) framework was developed in order to investigate the presence of possible correlations in the long-term geoelectric potential (LTGP) signal, prior to significant seismic events in Western Greece. Experimental data, which had been collected continuously within a 6-year period (1998–2003) at the earthquake signal-acquisition center of the University of Patras Seismological Laboratory (UPSL), were studied. The multidimensional scaling (MDS) technique was used to detect putative clustering tendencies in the ensemble of time-series (TS) segments that could indicate the existence of a possible correlation between the geoelectric signal structure and the impending seismic activity. The end result is a 2-dimensional point diagram with the geometry reflecting important signal characteristics, directly related with the underlying seismic events. In addition, the “appending technique”, a well-suited data analysis methodology was incorporated as a means of relating any other TS segment directly with the pre-computed, via the MDS, point diagram. Using the proposed EDA framework, we examined the presence of similar temporal patterns in the recorded geoelectric TS field, 10 days before the occurrence of the major earthquakes. The presented experimental results indicated clearly the validity of the introduced approach and, further, motivated the use of such advanced visualization schemes for charting precursor trends of significance seismicity.     

A stochastic realization algorithm via block LQ decomposition in Hilbert space

A stochastic realization problem of a stationary stochastic process is re-visited, and a new stochastically balanced realization algorithm is derived in a Hilbert space generated by second-order stationary processes. The present algorithm computes a stochastically balanced realization by means of the singular value decomposition of a weighted block Hankel matrix derived by a “block LQ decomposition”. Extension to a stochastic subspace identification method explains how the proposed abstract algorithm is implemented in system identification.     

Pedestrian detection and tracking at crossroads

This paper presents a system that can perform pedestrian detection and tracking using vision-based techniques. A very important issue in the field of intelligent transportation system is to prevent pedestrians from being hit by vehicles. Recently, a great number of vision-based techniques have been proposed for this purpose. In this paper, we propose a vision-based method, which combines the use of a pedestrian model as well as the walking rhythm of pedestrians to detect and track walking pedestrians. Through integrating some spatial and temporal information grabbed by a vision system, we are able to develop a reliable system that can be used to prevent traffic accidents happened at crossroads. In addition, the proposed system can deal with the occlusion problem. Experimental results obtained by executing some real world cases have demonstrated that the proposed system is indeed superb.     

An immune oriented multi-agent system for biological image processing

In this article, we present a parallel image processing system based on the concept of reactive agents. Our system lies in the oRis language, which allows to describe finely and simply the agents’ behaviors to detect image features. We also present a method of segmentation using a multi-agent system, and two biological applications made with oRis. The stopping of this multi-agent system is implemented through a technique issued from immunology: the apoptosis.