Fixing Nonconvergence of Algebraic Iterative Reconstruction with an Unmatched Backprojector

We consider algebraic iterative reconstruction methods with applications in image reconstruction. In particular, we are concerned with methods based on an unmatched projector/backprojector pair; i.e., the backprojector is not the exact adjoint or transpose of the forward projector. Such situations are common in large-scale computed tomography, and we consider the common situation where the method does not converge due to the nonsymmetry of the iteration matrix. We propose a modified algorithm that incorporates a small shift parameter, and we give the conditions that guarantee convergence of this method to a fixed point of a slightly perturbed problem. We also give perturbation bounds for this fixed point. Moreover, we discuss how to use Krylov subspace methods to efficiently estimate the leftmost eigenvalue of a certain matrix to select a proper shift parameter. The modified algorithm is illustrated with test problems from computed tomography

Wind Turbine Surface Damage Detection by Deep Learning Aided Drone Inspection Analysis

Timely detection of surface damages on wind turbine blades is imperative for minimizing downtime and avoiding possible catastrophic structural failures. With recent advances in drone technology, a large number of high-resolution images of wind turbines are routinely acquired and subsequently analyzed by experts to identify imminent damages. Automated analysis of these inspection images with the help of machine learning algorithms can reduce the inspection cost. In this work, we develop a deep learning-based automated damage suggestion system for subsequent analysis of drone inspection images. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach can achieve almost human-level precision in terms of suggested damage location and types on wind turbine blades. We further demonstrate that for relatively small training sets, advanced data augmentation during deep learning training can better generalize the trained model, providing a significant gain in precision

A Bayesian approach for CT reconstruction with defect detection for subsea pipelines

Subsea pipelines can be inspected via 2D cross-sectional X-ray computed tomography (CT). Traditional reconstruction methods produce an image of the pipe's interior that can be post-processed for detection of possible defects. In this paper we propose a novel Bayesian CT reconstruction method with built-in defect detection. We decompose the reconstruction into a sum of two images; one containing the overall pipe structure, and one containing defects, and infer the images simultaneously in a Gibbs scheme. Our method requires that prior information about the two images is very distinct, i.e. the first image should contain the large-scale and layered pipe structure, and the second image should contain small, coherent defects. We demonstrate our methodology with numerical experiments using synthetic and real CT data from scans of subsea pipes in cases with full and limited data. Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in various data settings, with reconstruction quality comparable to existing techniques, while also providing defect detection with uncertainty quantification.<br/