A computer vision system for the classification of moving object

The aim of this research is to produce a system that can detect the moving object and classify it into three classes: “Humans, Vehicle and Animals”. Using fixed video camera in outdoors environment, the system will capture the images and digitize them using (Piccolo Pro II) frame grabber at a rate of 25 frames per second. The Background Subtraction technique has been employed in the work as it is able to provide the most complete feature for data. However, it is extremely sensitive to dynamic changes like changing of illumination. Background Subtraction is done by taking the differenc e between any frame and the background in detecting the Moving Object. In order to reduce the effect of noise pixels resulting from the Background Subtraction operation, a number of pre-processing methods have been applied on the detected moving object. These preprocessing operations involve the use of median filter as well as morphological filters. Then the outline of the object will be extracted using border extraction technique. The classification makes use of both the shape and the dynamic features of the objects. In increasing the performance of the classification, all features are sequentially arranged so that the goal of this research is to be achieved. In this work, the performance achieved is 93% for class human, 93% for class vehicle and 64% for class animal

The Processing of Binder Jet Multi-Material 3D Printing to Improve upon Material Properties

Additive manufacturing methods are becoming more prominent in the world of design and manufacturing due to their reduction of material waste versus traditional machining methods such as milling. As their demand rises, a need to improve their methodologies and produce higher quality products arises. The technology to 3D print has been in around since the 1970’s, and thanks to Scott Crump as of 1989, it is possible to 3D print in layers to obtain a solid component. In today’s present time, we now can multi-material 3D print. However, even though we have the technology for multi-material 3D printing, standards in this field are severely lacking. Therefore, research on multi-material 3D printing and/or the combination of 3D printing filaments combined with nanoparticles is needed. One of the most common methods of 3D printing is fused deposition modeling (FDM). In this research, FDM was used to dope Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), to introduce conductive properties for strain measurements. There are three pathways of research in this field. The first is to keep the binder used constant and change the nanoparticles tested. The second is to vary the binder used and keep the nanoparticles constant. The third is two use the same binder and nanoparticles throughout testing, but to vary the environment around them (such as temperature and humidity) to observe the environmental effects of curing and testing these samples. The research in this thesis took the first approach. N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidinone (NMP) was used to bind the selected nanoparticles. In the first experiment, the researchers made their own nanoparticle laced binder, and bounded it to an ABS substrate. The second experiment introduced three new types of nanoparticles to test, nickel, carbon, electric paint. The third experiment repeated the methodology of experiment 1 and 2 and the environmental impacts it has on the conductivity of the samples. The fourth experiment analyzed the geometry of the printed pathways and their effect on conductivity. Using the results of experiment 1-4, strain gages were developed for part two of the study. Experiment 5 tested the conductivity of the strain gages, while experiment 6 studied the effect the various nanoparticles had on the stiffness of the 3D printed ABS strain gages. This extensive and detailed study concluded several points. The first point is nickel consistently showed to be the nanoparticle that yielded the least amount of resistance, and therefore, the highest conductivity. Second, layering multiple layers yields the best conductivity results. Third, the binder selected does indeed improve the performance of the nanoparticles. Fourth, the research was able to create individually isolated conductive pathways. Finally, the research demonstrated that the nanoparticles, when bound increased the stiffness of the ABS strain gages

Prospects of Biocrude Production Potential from Local Diatom

A marine diatom Nitzchia reversa was grown in 5 sq. m open raceway pond (10 cm culture depth, 500 L culture volume) in the Qatari desert environment. After 7 days of growth, the final biomass density reached 0.52 g/L, and average biomass productivity was 6.7 g/m2/d. Next, Nitzchia reversa was harvested using a 25 m2 crossflow filtration membrane module. Crossflow harvested biomass slurry was centrifuged at 5000 RPM for 10 minutes to obtain a wet biomass paste containing 25 - 30% solid content. Centrifuged biomass was freeze-dried, and lipid, protein, carbohydrate, and ash were quantified as 12.3, 15.3, 44.3, and 27.8% respectively. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) was conducted to convert Nitzchia reversa biomass to biocrude oil using 10-mL Swagelok union type reactors. Biocrude, biochar, aqueous and gas phase were quantified on an ash-free dry weight basis. Hydrothermal liquefaction was conducted at temperatures ranging from (300, 325, 350, 375, and 400 °C) at 30-minute reaction holding time, maximum biocrude yield of 57.26% was obtained at 375 °C. Carbon content within the biocrude decreased with increasing HTL reaction temperature, whereas, oxygen content increased with increasing HTL reaction temperature. The maximum higher heating value for biocrude oil was 35.1 MJ/kg at 300 °C. Hydrocarbons in biocrude were identified as alkanes, alkenes aromatics, and heterofunctional groups by GC-MS. However, high biocrude yields could be obtained from Nitzchia reversa with increasing HTL reaction temperatures with maximum energy recovery (ER) of 53.01% at 375 °C

Profiling The Salivary Microbiome In The Qatari Population

Humans are living ecosystems composed of human cells and microbes. The microbiome is the collection of microbes and their genes. Recent breakthrough in the high throughput sequencing technologies made it possible for us to understand the composition of the human microbiome. Launched by the National Institutes of Health in USA, the human microbiome project indicated that our bodies harbor a wide array of microbes, specific to each body site with inter and intra-personal variabilities. Numerous studies have indicated that, the microbiome composition plays an important role in health and disease, thus highlighting the significance of microbiome research in human health. Saliva is a biofluid secreted from salivary glands composed of water, electrolytes, mucus, DNA, RNA, proteins, enzymes and microbes. Several studies assessed the role of the salivary microbiome in many conditions ranging from local diseases of the oral cavity such as dental carries and gingivitis to neurodevelopmental disease such as autism, indicating the potential of applying the knowledge generated from the salivary microbiome projects towards a better understanding of various pathological conditions. In this study, we aim to profile the salivary microbiome of the Qatari population and identify the oral microbial communities in individuals with diabetes or obesity. 100 saliva samples collected from Qatari participants, selected randomly, were retrieved from Qatar Biobank repository. Samples were collected by spitting in a tube. After microbial DNA extraction, 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using Illumina Miseq. Microbial profiles were then correlated with the individual phenotypic and clinical data to identify the microbial signatures associated with health and disease conditions, with special focus on diabetes and obesity due to the increasing prevalence rate of both conditions in Qatar

Profiling The Salivary Microbiome In The Qatari Population

Humans are living ecosystems composed of human cells and microbes. The microbiome is the collection of microbes and their genes. Recent breakthrough in the high throughput sequencing technologies made it possible for us to understand the composition of the human microbiome. Launched by the National Institutes of Health in USA, the human microbiome project indicated that our bodies harbor a wide array of microbes, specific to each body site with inter and intra-personal variabilities. Numerous studies have indicated that, the microbiome composition plays an important role in health and disease, thus highlighting the significance of microbiome research in human health. Saliva is a biofluid secreted from salivary glands composed of water, electrolytes, mucus, DNA, RNA, proteins, enzymes and microbes. Several studies assessed the role of the salivary microbiome in many conditions ranging from local diseases of the oral cavity such as dental carries and gingivitis to neurodevelopmental disease such as autism, indicating the potential of applying the knowledge generated from the salivary microbiome projects towards a better understanding of various pathological conditions. In this study, we aim to profile the salivary microbiome of the Qatari population and identify the oral microbial communities in individuals with diabetes or obesity. 100 saliva samples collected from Qatari participants, selected randomly, were retrieved from Qatar Biobank repository. Samples were collected by spitting in a tube. After microbial DNA extraction, 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using Illumina Miseq. Microbial profiles were then correlated with the individual phenotypic and clinical data to identify the microbial signatures associated with health and disease conditions, with special focus on diabetes and obesity due to the increasing prevalence rate of both conditions in Qatar

Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Impinging Jet Ventilation at Different Cross Sectional Area of Supply Air Duct

يتضمن البحث دراسة عملية ونظرية لحركة الهواء وتوزيع درجة الحرارة داخل حيز باستحدام منظومة تهوية البثق المؤثر لغرفة مكتب واستخدام برامج الحاسوب (ANSYS.15) لحل معادلاث نافير ستوك باستخدام طريقة الفروقات المحددة لمحاكاة وتحليل النموذج المدروس . تم اختبار ثلاثة انواع لمجاري دفع الهواء تم استحدام مجرى هواء مقطع مربع ونصف دائري ومستطيل الشكل بارتقاع(0.14h,0.1h) عن مستوى الارض تم قورنت النتائج النظرية مع القراءات العملية حبث تم التواصل الى ان المقطع المربع هو النوع الاكثر مقبولية  بين الانواع الثلاثة الاخرى في الحالة المدروسة بالنسبة لراحة الشاغلين An experimental and computational analysis of temperature and velocity distribution in an office room have been studied. Office room of dimensions (3m x 1.75m x 3m) with two cross sectional types of supply air duct in the experimental part and three different cross sectional types of supply air duct in the theoretical part is usual as a tested model. The RNG k-  turbulence model was employed to solve the governing equations numerically and validated by comparing the numerical results with experimental data. The impinging jet concept has been proposed as a new ventilation strategy for use in office and industrial buildings. The present work focuses on evaluating the performance of a new impinging jet ventilation. In a theoretical study three types of supply air duct are adopted which are square supply air duct (Type-I), semi-elliptic supply air duct (Type-II) and rectangle supply air duct (Type-III) for two cases of air outlet terminal height from room foot level, 0.14h (case-I) & 0.1h (case-II). The third type (rectangle duct) gives lowest effective and discomfort conditions when compared with the other two types. This study investigated a number of factors influencing draught discomfort and temperature stratification in an office environment equipped with impinging jet ventilation IJV. The factors considered to be: shape of the air supply device, supply airflow rate and supply air temperature. Acceptable Air Distribution Performance Index (ADPI), effective temperature, and ventilation efficiency obtained that the square cross sectional area of supply air duct at 0.1h (case-II) height from foot level gives more acceptable indoor air quality and human thermal comfort when compared with the other types. Also, this type gives good air distribution system not only promotes a comfortable and healthy environment for occupants, but also contributes to energy conservation

Social Profile of Elderly In Al -Gadarif Region in Eastern Sudan: 2014-2015.

Population ageing is a current phenomenon that occurs worldwide due to improved standard of life and health care and services in most of the world countries. In recognition of this phenomenon, geriatric education was recently introduced as part of medical and health sciences. The overall objective of the study to assess the health status and factors affect the health of elderly 65 years and above in El Gadarif region (locality) in Eastern Sudan. This was descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in ElGedarif region. Data were collected by using standardized interview questionnaire for 388 participants. Statistics analysis was done using SPSS and chi-square test. The survey findings showed that 8.4% of the participants of the survey required assistance on eating, 9.5% , on bathing, 8.8%on dressing, while 46.4% required assistance on shopping, and 25% on taking medication. The findings also showed that 45.6% of the participants spent time watching T.V, 44.6% listening to radio, 48.4% engaging in interpersonal communication, and 14.8% reading. Chi-square results for testing significant relationship between taking medication and hypertension showed (P Value 0.06), the equivalent results between chronic disease and assistance in shopping was P value=0.000, between health status and exercise sports was ( p-value 0.000)and between Exercise Sports and sufficient sleep was ( P Value: 0.0). The results of the study reflected the very crucial role of the family in supporting the elderly in El Gadarif region, and showed that most of the participants were able to practice their daily life (routine) activities by themselves

The impact of geometric and motion features on sign language translators

Malaysian Sign Language (MSL) recognition system is a choice of augmenting communication between the hearing-impaired and hearing communities in Malaysia. Automatic translators can play an important role as alternative communication method for the hearing people to understand the hearing impaired ones. Automatic Translation using bare hands with natural gesture signing is a challenge in the field of machine learning. Researchers have used electronic and coloured gloves to solve mainly three issues during the preprocessing steps before the singings’ recognition stage. First issue is to differentiate the two hands from other objects. This is referred to as hand detection. The second issue is to describe the detected hand and its motion trajectory in very descriptive details which is referred to as feature extraction stage. The third issue is to find the starting and ending duration of the sign (transitions between signs). This paper focuses on the second issue, the feature extraction by studying the impact of the vector dimensions of the features. At the same time, signs with similar attributes have been chosen to highlight the importance of features’ extraction stage. The study also includes Hidden Markov Model (HMM) capability to differentiate between signs which have similar attributes

Computational intelligence techniques for hand gesture recognition

Hand gesture is an approach that ha~ gained much anenlion for real-time HUrTIlln 10 Computer llIleraction (1ICI) applications. In lhis chapter, we pro,-ide a survey on Computational Inlelligence Tedmiq""s (CID fot hand g~lIIre recognition for HCI applications in general and Hidden Markov Mood (HMM) in paruculat. Many tnlditional metlKxls exist in thc field of pallcm recognilion lO achieve hand POSlUre and geSlure rco:ognilion [I. 2] slJCh as artificial inlelligence lechniques and statislical algorithms. However OIher lypeS of self developed algorilhms also exisl. and an: often referre<lto as OOll-lIadiliona! algorilhrn.~. For mOle delails on bolh approaches used for "isual human aClion recognilion. readers can refcr to the slUdy by MiChael el al. in [3]. Artificial Neu...l Nelwork's (ANN) ability in finding palterns and versalilily in lraining makes il popular learning melhod in geSlure recognilion. ANN and its variation such as have be<:n used for SL geslure recognition in any forms as in [4]_ Two noticed research work for gesltlre recognilion using ANN where 3D Hopfield NN [5] and Time-Delay NN (TDNN) has been developed by [6]. Recently, A!'IIN has been less used in the: field of gestu<e recognition because of ilS greater computational burrlcn. susceptibilily to training data over·fining and the huge number database il requin:s