Fundementals of digital imaging

This thesis project shows that conventional photography and digital imaging are two visual media with very distinct differences: A conventional photograph is a human-readable information entity with an actual physical body in the form of silver clusters or color molecules embedded in gelatin. Silver halide materials have a chemical attribute and are organic, almost living organisms affected by heat, moisture, light and pollution, similar as we are. The actual information contained in a photographic image is always overlaid by an unwanted signal called noise. In conventional photography noise becomes visual as graininess. The amount of information in a photographic image cannot be determined exactly and there is always a significant loss of information from image generation to image generation (multiple generation loss). Because objects record themselves on light sensitive silver halide materials using light as a messenger, a photographic image is directly connected to reality, stenciled from the real. This fact is one of the reasons why photography as a medium has a high level of credibility. Despite all the medium inherent subjective, selective and abstractive factors, photography still has the stamp of an objective and reliable source of information, a stamp of authenticity. A digital image is an immaterial, machine-readable stream of bits in the form of a matrix. This numeric structure can be easily altered and manipulated, not only in the space but also in the frequency domain. The solid bond which connects the conventional photographic image to reality disappears with digital imagery. The image is simply itself, has no chemical attribute, and contains no evidence that something existed in reality. The amount of information in a digital image can be exactly determined. However, there is also a certain amount of noise present which, however, cannot be compared with the graininess of photographic materials. Digital information can be compressed with or without a visual loss. Transmission of digital information is easier and more reliable because the information can be error corrected. More than 150 years after the discovery of the photographic process, the wide availability of the tools of digital imaging make it clear to the public that mechanical images are not, and never have been, a reliable source of information. This thesis project points out that the belief in the objectivity of photographic information was, and is, an illusion. The thesis project Fundamentals of Digital Imaging analyzes the basic concepts of digital imaging not only theoretically but also visually by including six plates of digital artwork

Applications of MXenes in human-like sensors and actuators

Human beings perceive the world through the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, space, and balance. The first five senses are prerequisites for people to live. The sensing organs upload information to the nervous systems, including the brain, for interpreting the surrounding environment. Then, the brain sends commands to muscles reflexively to react to stimuli, including light, gas, chemicals, sound, and pressure. MXene, as an emerging two-dimensional material, has been intensively adopted in the applications of various sensors and actuators. In this review, we update the sensors to mimic five primary senses and actuators for stimulating muscles, which employ MXene-based film, membrane, and composite with other functional materials. First, a brief introduction is delivered for the structure, properties, and synthesis methods of MXenes. Then, we feed the readers the recent reports on the MXene-derived image sensors as artificial retinas, gas sensors, chemical biosensors, acoustic devices, and tactile sensors for electronic skin. Besides, the actuators of MXene-based composite are introduced. Eventually, future opportunities are given to MXene research based on the requirements of artificial intelligence and humanoid robot, which may induce prospects in accompanying healthcare and biomedical engineering applications. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

English practical course for first-year students: Information technology. Part 2

Електронний посібник «English practical course for first-year students: Information technology. Part 2» призначений для того, щоб допомогти студентам підвищити свою компетентність у всіх комунікативних навичках: говорінні, читанні, аудіюванні, письмі, перекладі. Матеріал організовано таким чином, щоб студенти навчалися ефективніше, коли вони беруть участь в аудиторній та позааудиторній роботі. Електронне видання «English practical course for first-year students: Information technology. Part 2» складається з шести уроків, трьох модулів самостійної оцінки вивченого матеріалу, граматичного довідника, словника та п’яти додатків. Кожен урок включає такі елементи: вступ до запропонованої теми, аудіювання, читання, вправи на активізацію мовленнєвого запасу, граматику, переклад, усні та письмові завдання та сучасні автентичні тексти для розвитку всіх мовленнєвих компетентностей. Значний пізнавальний матеріал та різноманітні лексичні завдання допоможуть підвищити мотивацію студентів вивчати англійську мову як під час практичних занять, так і під час виконання самостійної роботи. Матеріали запозичено з різних друкованих та електронних джерел, тому подано список використаної літератури.This e-book is recommended to work with first-year students of the Institute for Applied System Analysis, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. The main goal of the publication is to develop English communicative skills in speaking, listening, reading, writing, as well as developing and improving translation skills. The book consists of six units and five appendixes which comprise real professional themes for teaching future specialists in the field of information technology. This book meets the requirements of the syllabus within the discipline «Foreign language»

An investigation into the potential use of computer-assisted learning for the Saudi Arabia Coast Guard

In this paper the potential of computer programs is discussed and the capability of Computer Assisted Learning, (CAL), in helping the students and teachers in school for the learning process is evaluated. At the beginning of this paper an introduction to Saudi Arabia Coast Guard (SACG), training in SACG and the role of the Naval Training Division in the headquarters of SACG is provided. An introduction to basic knowledge of computers follows. Technology in education is discussed and the computer as a medium used in education in general is investigated. The classification of computers in education and different modes of CAL is explained. After that the paper investigates the possible use of computers in Maritime Education and Training, (MET), its advantages and limitations. Software evaluation, selection and legality are also discussed. Moreover, the educational software in MET is investigated. In conclusion, the paper clearly states that CAL is suitable for use in MET institutions and that educational software can play a significant role in MET too

Evaluation of Foreign Accent Using Synthetic Speech (Perception).

A meaningful sentence loaded with appropriate phonemic and syllabic forms was synthesized as a standard stimulus, and 60 accented versions of the sentence were made to stimulate varying degrees of a moderate and a strong Spanish accent by manipulating the following Spanish cues singly and in combination: (1) fundamental frequency, (2) voice onset time for syllable-initial voiceless stops, (3) Duration of medial stressed vowels, (4) F1, F2 and F3 for full vowels, and (5) F1, F2, and F3 for reduced vowels. Two tapes for each level of accent were prepared on which 30 accented stimulus sentences were each paired with the standard sentence in four randomized sequences. Forty-two English speakers rated how different each accented sentence was from the standard sentence on a 10-point scale; they also gave a confidence rating on a 5-point scale for each item. It was demonstrated that synthesized sentences can be reliably rated for cue modifications indicative of a moderate Spanish accent in English. Statistical analysis revealed that an increase in the number of cues (from 1 to 2, to 3, to 4, to 5) resulted in the perception of increased accentedness in both the moderate- and strong-accent condition. In addition, subjects\u27 confidence in their judgments increased along with an increase in number of cues. A factor analysis showed that the suprasegmental cue, fundamental frequency (intonation), was the most perceptually prominent cue signalling a moderate Spanish accent in English. The segmental cue, stressed vowel quality, was the next prominent cue. The presence of these cues also resulted in an increase in the subjects\u27 confidence in their ratings of stimuli. The two strongest accent-bearing cues signalling the strong accent were both segmental, stressed vowel quality and VOT, but the strong-accent data was determined to be generally unreliable, possibly because of errors in its generation

Combined brain language connectivity and intraoperative neurophysiologic techniques in awake craniotomy for eloquent-area brain tumor resection

Speech processing can be disturbed by primary brain tumors (PBT). Improvement of presurgical planning techniques decrease neurological morbidity associated to tumor resection during awake craniotomy. The aims of this work were: 1. To perform Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging based tractography (DKI-tract) in the detection of brain tracts involved in language; 2. To investigate which factors contribute to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) maps in predicting eloquent language regional reorganization; 3. To determine the technical aspects of accelerometric (ACC) recording of speech during surgery. DKI-tracts were streamlined using a 1.5T magnetic resonance scanner. Number of tracts and fiber pathways were compared between DKI and standard Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) in healthy subjects (HS) and PBT patients. fMRI data were acquired using task-specific and resting-state paradigms during language and motor tasks. After testing intraoperative fMRI’s influence on direct cortical stimulation (DCS) number of stimuli, graph-theory measures were extracted and analyzed. Regarding speech recording, ACC signals were recorded after evaluating neck positions and filter bandwidths. To test this method, language disturbances were recorded in patients with dysphonia and after applying DCS in the inferior frontal gyrus. In contrast, HS reaction time was recorded during speech execution. DKI-tract showed increased number of arcuate fascicle tracts in PBT patients. Lower spurious tracts were identified with DKI-tract. Intraoperative fMRI and DCS showed similar stimuli in comparison with DCS alone. Increased local centrality accompanied language ipsilateral and contralateral reorganization. ACC recordings showed minor artifact contamination when placed at the suprasternal notch using a 20-200 Hz filter bandwidth. Patients with dysphonia showed decreased amplitude and frequency in comparison with HS. ACC detected an additional 11% disturbances after DCS, and a shortening of latency within the presence of a loud stimuli during speech execution. This work improved current knowledge on presurgical planning techniques based on brain structural and functional neuroimaging connectivity, and speech recordingA função linguística do ser humano pode ser afetada pela presença de tumores cerebrais (TC) A melhoria de técnicas de planeamento pré-cirurgico diminui a morbilidade neurológica iatrogénica associada ao seu tratamento cirúrgico. O objetivo deste trabalho é: 1. Testar a fiabilidade da tractografia estimada por difusor de kurtose (tract-DKI), dos feixes cerebrais envolvidos na linguagem 2. Identificar os fatores que contribuem para o mapeamento linguagem por ressonância magnética funcional (RMf) na predição da neuroplasticidade. 3. Identificar aspetos técnicos do registo da linguagem por accelerometria (ACC). A DKI-tract foi estimada após realização de RM cerebral com 1.5T. O número e percurso das fibras foi avaliado. A RMf foi adquirida durante realização de tarefas linguísticas, motoras, e em repouso. Foi testada influência dos mapas de ativação calculados por RMf, no número de estímulos realizados durante a estimulação direta cortical (EDC) intraoperatória. Medidas de conectividade foram extraídas de regiões cerebrais. A posição e filtragem de sinal ACC foram estudadas após vocalização de palavras. O sinal ACC obtido em voluntários foi comparado com doentes disfónicos, após estimulação do giro inferior frontal, e após a adição de um estímulo sonoro perturbador durante vocalização. A tract-DKI estimou um elevado número de fascículos do feixe arcuato com menos falsos negativos. Os mapas linguísticos de RMf intraoperatória, não influenciou a EDC. Medidas de centralidade aumentaram após neuroplasticidade ipsilateral e contralateral. A posição supraesternal e a filtragem de sinal ACC entre 20-200Hz demonstrou menor ruido de contaminação. Este método identificou diminuição de frequência e amplitude em doentes com disfonia, 11% de erros linguísticos adicionais após estimulação e diminuição do tempo de latência quando presente o sinal sonoro perturbador. Este trabalho promoveu a utilização de novas técnicas no planeamento pré-cirúrgico do doente com tumor cerebral e alterações da linguagem através do estudo de conectividade estrutural, funcional e registo da linguagem