Survey on virtual coaching for older adults

Virtual coaching has emerged as a promising solution to extend independent living for older adults. A virtual coach system is an always-attentive personalized system that continuously monitors user's activity and surroundings and delivers interventions - that is, intentional messages - in the appropriate moment. This article presents a survey of different approaches in virtual coaching for older adults, from the less technically supported tools to the latest developments and future avenues for research. It focuses on the technical aspects, especially on software architectures, user interaction and coaching personalization. Nevertheless, some aspects from the fields of personality/social psychology are also presented in the context of coaching strategies. Coaching is considered holistically, including matters such as physical and cognitive training, nutrition, social interaction and mood.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 769830

Probability of detection analysis for infrared nondestructive testing and evaluation with applications including a comparison with ultrasonic testing

La fiabilité d'une technique d’Évaluation Non-Destructive (END) est l'un des aspects les plus importants dans la procédure globale de contrôle industriel. La courbe de la Probabilité de Détection (PdD) est la mesure quantitative de la fiabilité acceptée en END. Celle-ci est habituellement exprimée en fonction de la taille du défaut. Chaque expérience de fiabilité en END devrait être bien conçue pour obtenir l'ensemble de données avec une source valide, y compris la technique de Thermographie Infrarouge (TI). La gamme des valeurs du rapport de l'aspect de défaut (Dimension / profondeur) est conçue selon nos expériences expérimentales afin d’assurer qu’elle vient du rapport d’aspect non détectable jusqu’à celui-ci soit détectable au minimum et plus large ensuite. Un test préliminaire est mis en œuvre pour choisir les meilleurs paramètres de contrôle, telles que l'énergie de chauffage, le temps d'acquisition et la fréquence. Pendant le processus de traitement des images et des données, plusieurs paramètres importants influent les résultats obtenus et sont également décrits. Pour la TI active, il existe diverses sources de chauffage (optique ou ultrason), des formes différentes de chauffage (pulsé ou modulé, ainsi que des méthodes différentes de traitement des données. Diverses approches de chauffage et de traitement des données produisent des résultats d'inspection divers. Dans cette recherche, les techniques de Thermographie Pulsée (TP) et Thermographie Modulée(TM) seront impliquées dans l'analyse de PdD. Pour la TP, des courbes PdD selon différentes méthodes de traitement de données sont comparées, y compris la Transformation de Fourier, la Reconstruction du Signal thermique, la Transformation en Ondelettes, le Contraste Absolu Différentiel et les Composantes Principales en Thermographie. Des études systématiques sur l'analyse PdD pour la technique de TI sont effectuées. Par ailleurs, les courbes de PdD en TI sont comparées avec celles obtenues par d'autres approches traditionnelles d’END.The reliability of a Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT& E) technique is one of the most important aspects of the overall industrial inspection procedure. The Probability of Detection (PoD) curve is the accepted quantitative measure of the NDT& E reliability, which is usually expressed as a function of flaw size. Every reliability experiment of the NDT& E system must be well designed to obtain a valid source data set, including the infrared thermography (IRT) technique. The range of defect aspect ratio (Dimension / depth) values is designed according to our experimental experiences to make sure it is from non-detectable to minimum detectable aspect ratio and larger. A preliminary test will be implemented to choose the best inspection parameters, such as heating energy, the acquisition time and frequency. In the data and image processing procedure, several important parameters which influence the results obtained are also described. For active IRT, there are different heating sources (optical or ultrasound), heating forms (pulsed or lock-in) and also data processing methods. Distinct heating and data processing manipulations produce different inspection results. In this research, both optical Pulsed Thermography (PT) and Lock-in Thermography (LT) techniques will be involved in the PoD analysis. For PT, PoD curves of different data processing methods are compared, including Fourier Transform (FT), 1st Derivative (1st D) after Thermal Signal Reconstruction (TSR), Wavelet Transform (WT), Differential Absolute Contrast (DAC), and Principal Component Thermography (PCT). Systematic studies on PoD analysis for IRT technique are carried out. Additionally, constructed PoD curves of IRT technique are compared with those obtained by other traditional NDT& E approaches

Super-resolution-based snake model—an unsupervised method for large-scale building extraction using airborne LiDAR Data and optical image

Automatic extraction of buildings in urban and residential scenes has become a subject of growing interest in the domain of photogrammetry and remote sensing, particularly since the mid-1990s. Active contour model, colloquially known as snake model, has been studied to extract buildings from aerial and satellite imagery. However, this task is still very challenging due to the complexity of building size, shape, and its surrounding environment. This complexity leads to a major obstacle for carrying out a reliable large-scale building extraction, since the involved prior information and assumptions on building such as shape, size, and color cannot be generalized over large areas. This paper presents an efficient snake model to overcome such a challenge, called Super-Resolution-based Snake Model (SRSM). The SRSM operates on high-resolution Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-based elevation images—called z-images—generated by a super-resolution process applied to LiDAR data. The involved balloon force model is also improved to shrink or inflate adaptively, instead of inflating continuously. This method is applicable for a large scale such as city scale and even larger, while having a high level of automation and not requiring any prior knowledge nor training data from the urban scenes (hence unsupervised). It achieves high overall accuracy when tested on various datasets. For instance, the proposed SRSM yields an average area-based Quality of 86.57% and object-based Quality of 81.60% on the ISPRS Vaihingen benchmark datasets. Compared to other methods using this benchmark dataset, this level of accuracy is highly desirable even for a supervised method. Similarly desirable outcomes are obtained when carrying out the proposed SRSM on the whole City of Quebec (total area of 656 km2), yielding an area-based Quality of 62.37% and an object-based Quality of 63.21%

Development of design tools for convection mitigation techniques to preserve permafrost under northern transportation infrastructure

Les infrastructures de transport jouent un rôle majeur dans le développement socio-économique des régions nordiques. La construction de remblais combinés aux changements climatiques engendrent des impacts négatifs sur le pergélisol sous-jacent, causant la dégradation des infrastructures. Des techniques de mitigation ont été proposées et testées pour limiter la dégradation du pergélisol. Toutefois, il y a peu d'informations disponibles sur les procédures de conception ou sur des lignes directrices. Le but de cette recherche est de développer des outils d'ingénierie améliorés pour les techniques de stabilisation convectives, se concentrant sur le remblai à convection d'air (ACE) et le drain thermique. Plus spécifiquement, l'approche du bilan thermique est proposée pour déterminer la condition thermique de remblais conventionnels et pour permettre la sélection de la technique de mitigation la plus appropriée pour extraire la chaleur en excès transmise au sol, si le système est actuellement instable, ou pour donner un facteur de sécurité considérant une instabilité future estimée. Quatre modèles thermiques ont été développés et calibrés à partir de données mesurées sur des sites expérimentaux. Un abaque de bilan thermique pour les remblais conventionnels ainsi que plusieurs abaques de capacité d'extraction de chaleur pour l'ACE et le drain thermique ont été développés et validés utilisant, respectivement, des simulations numériques et les données de sites d'essais du Yukon et du Nord du Québec, Canada. Ces abaques permettent aux concepteurs et ingénieurs de concevoir des remblais à convection d'air et des drains thermiques optimisés pour limiter, ou même éviter, le dégel du pergélisol à des sites spécifiques.Transportation infrastructure plays a vital role in the social and economic development of northern regions. The construction of embankments and climate change can lead to negative impacts on the underlying permafrost, causing degradation of the infrastructure. Mitigation techniques have been proposed and tested to limit permafrost degradation. However, there is limited information on the design procedures or guidelines. The purpose of this research is to develop improved engineering tools for convective stabilization techniques, focussing on air convection embankment (ACE) and heat drain. More specifically, the heat balance approach is proposed to determine the thermal condition of conventional embankments and to allow the selection of suitable mitigation techniques to extract the amount of extra heat flowing into the foundation, if the system is currently unstable, or give a safety factor considering estimated future instability. Four thermal models have been built and calibrated with field data from experimental sites. One heat balance chart for conventional embankments and, several heat extraction capacity charts for ACE and heat drain have been developed using numerical simulations and have been validated using data from test sites in Yukon and Northern Quebec, Canada. These charts allow designers and engineers to design optimized ACE and heat drain to limit or even avoid the thawing of permafrost at specific sites

Phénologie des spectres de réflectance de la végétation littorale d'un marais intertidal de l'estuaire du Saint-Laurent (Isle-Verte, QC)

RÉSUMÉ : Les écosystèmes possédant un climat tempéré froid sont grandement affectés par une variabilité saisonnière engendrant ainsi une évolution de la végétation (phénologie). Vu la courte saison de croissance de la végétation, ces changements consistent à la germination, croissance, sénescence, et la mort des plants. La nécessité de documenter ces changements est une priorité afin de quantifier l'état de l'écosystème, réaliser un suivi saisonnier et pour cartographier la répartition de la végétation. L'objectif du mémoire était de documenter et caractériser le cycle saisonnier de la végétation intertidale de la mi-mai à la fin octobre. Les propriétés biophysiques, de spectres de réflectance in situ ont été acquises pour quatre espèces végétales du marais de L'Isle-Verte (zostère, macroalgues, spartine alterniflore et l'arroche hastée) et une surface vaseuse dénudée de végétation. En parallèle, des séries temporelles d'images multispectrales ont été analysées. Bien que l'on observe des changements bio-physiques chez la végétation, l'évolution des spectres de réflectance in situ ne varie pas chez toutes les espèces. Selon le moment de la collecte des données tel qu'en juin et juillet, les spectres de toutes les espèces végétales présenteront des formes relativement similaires. Des indices de végétation, dont l'indice de végétation par différence normalisée (NDVI), ont été calculés à partir des réflectances in situ et des images multispectrales provenant de deux capteurs (Sentinel-2 MSI et PlanetScope), lesquels étaient fortement corrélés. L'indice NDVI a permis de bien identifier la phénologie pour l'arroche hastée et la spartine alterniflore, mais pas pour la zostère et les macroalgues qui montraient peu de variation saisonnière. Le potentiel de la série temporelle Sentinel-2 pour cartographier les types de végétation a été démontré en appliquant un algorithme de classification par arbre de décisions aléatoires (XGBoost). La classification a été validée à l'aide de mesures in situ et de photos aériennes. Cette classification a montré que la meilleure représentation de la réalité du terrain était obtenue avec l'image acquise à la fin septembre. La compréhension de la variabilité saisonnière a permis d'identifier les moments clés de la végétation, sa répartition et son impact sur chaque espèce du littoral. Enfin, des recommandations pour de futures études sur la végétation intertidale sont proposées. -- Mot(s) clé(s) en français : phénologie de la végétation, signature spectrale, écosystème côtier, télédétection, capteurs multispectraux. -- ABSTRACT : Ecosystems with a cold temperate climate are greatly affected by seasonal variability resulting in changes in vegetation (phenology). Given the short growing season of vegetation, these changes consist of germination, growth, senescence, and death of plants. The need to document these changes is a priority in order to quantify the state of the ecosystem, conduct seasonal monitoring, and map the distribution of vegetation. The objective of the dissertation was to document and characterize the seasonal cycle of intertidal vegetation in a cold temperate saltmarsh from mid-May to late October. The biophysical properties of in situ reflectance spectra were acquired for four plant species of the L'Isle-Verte (eelgrass, macroalgae, cordgrass, and creeping saltbush) and a muddy surface devoid of vegetation. In parallel, time series of multispectral images were analyzed. Although bio-physical changes in vegetation are observed, the evolution of in situ reflectance spectra does not vary in all species. Depending on the time of data collection such as June and July, the spectra of all plant species will show relatively similar shapes. Vegetation indices, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), were calculated from in situ reflectances and multispectral images from two sensors (Sentinel-2 MSI and PlanetScope), which were highly corroletated. The NDVI provided a good identification of phenology for both creeping saltbush and cordgrass, but not for eelgrass and macroalgae that remained relatively stable. The potential of the Sentinel-2 time series to map vegetation types was demonstrated by applying a random decision tree classification algorithm (XGBoost). The classification was validated using in situ measurements and aerial photos. This classification showed that the best representation of the terrain reality was obtained with the image acquired at the end of September. The understanding of seasonal variability allowed the identification of the key moments of vegetation, its distribution and its impact on each species of the intertidal zone. Finally, recommendations for future studies on intertidal vegetation are proposed. -- Mot(s) clé(s) en anglais : vegetation phenology, spectral signature, coastal ecosystem, remote sensing, multispectral sensors

Advances and Applications of Dezert-Smarandache Theory (DSmT) for Information Fusion (Collected Works), Vol. 4

The fourth volume on Advances and Applications of Dezert-Smarandache Theory (DSmT) for information fusion collects theoretical and applied contributions of researchers working in different fields of applications and in mathematics. The contributions (see List of Articles published in this book, at the end of the volume) have been published or presented after disseminating the third volume (2009, http://fs.unm.edu/DSmT-book3.pdf) in international conferences, seminars, workshops and journals. First Part of this book presents the theoretical advancement of DSmT, dealing with Belief functions, conditioning and deconditioning, Analytic Hierarchy Process, Decision Making, Multi-Criteria, evidence theory, combination rule, evidence distance, conflicting belief, sources of evidences with different importance and reliabilities, importance of sources, pignistic probability transformation, Qualitative reasoning under uncertainty, Imprecise belief structures, 2-Tuple linguistic label, Electre Tri Method, hierarchical proportional redistribution, basic belief assignment, subjective probability measure, Smarandache codification, neutrosophic logic, Evidence theory, outranking methods, Dempster-Shafer Theory, Bayes fusion rule, frequentist probability, mean square error, controlling factor, optimal assignment solution, data association, Transferable Belief Model, and others. More applications of DSmT have emerged in the past years since the apparition of the third book of DSmT 2009. Subsequently, the second part of this volume is about applications of DSmT in correlation with Electronic Support Measures, belief function, sensor networks, Ground Moving Target and Multiple target tracking, Vehicle-Born Improvised Explosive Device, Belief Interacting Multiple Model filter, seismic and acoustic sensor, Support Vector Machines, Alarm classification, ability of human visual system, Uncertainty Representation and Reasoning Evaluation Framework, Threat Assessment, Handwritten Signature Verification, Automatic Aircraft Recognition, Dynamic Data-Driven Application System, adjustment of secure communication trust analysis, and so on. Finally, the third part presents a List of References related with DSmT published or presented along the years since its inception in 2004, chronologically ordered

Impact of Groundwater Flow on Permafrost Degradation and Transportation Infrastructure Stability

INE/AUTC 13.0

Enlèvement des métaux des effluents miniers en climat froid par des processus biologiques et chimiques s’opérant dans des bioréacteurs semi‐passifs sulfato‐réducteurs

Peer reviewedThesi