A simplified Malaysian vehicle plate number recognition

This paper propose an automatic inspection system of alphabets and numbers to recognize Malaysian vehicles plate number based on digital image processing and Optical Character Recognition (OCR). An intelligent OCR Training Interface has been used as a library and the system has been developed using LabVIEW Software. This software then is used to test with different situation to ensure the proposed system can be applied for real implementation. Based on the results, the proposed system shows good performance for inspection and can recognize an alphabets and numbers of vehicle plate number. To sum up, the proposed system can recognize the alphabets and numbers of the Malaysian vehicles plate number for inspection

An experimental study of the elastic properties of dragonfly-like flapping wings for use in Biomimetic Micro Air Vehicles (BMAV)

This article studies the elastic properties of several biomimetic micro air vehicle (BMAV) wings that are based on a dragonfly wing. BMAVs are a new class of unmanned micro-sized air vehicles that mimic the flapping wing motion of flying biological organisms (e.g., insects, birds, and bats). Three structurally identical wings were fabricated using different materials: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polylactic acid (PLA), and acrylic. Simplified wing frame structures were fabricated from these materials and then a nanocomposite film was adhered to them which mimics the membrane of an actual dragonfly. These wings were then attached to an electromagnetic actuator and passively flapped at frequencies of 10–250 Hz. A three-dimensional high frame rate imaging system was used to capture the flapping motions of these wings at a resolution of 320 pixels × 240 pixels and 35000 frames per second. The maximum bending angle, maximum wing tip deflection, maximum wing tip twist angle, and wing tip twist speed of each wing were measured and compared to each other and the actual dragonfly wing. The results show that the ABS wing has considerable flexibility in the chordwise direction, whereas the PLA and acrylic wings show better conformity to an actual dragonfly wing in the spanwise direction. Past studies have shown that the aerodynamic performance of a BMAV flapping wing is enhanced if its chordwise flexibility is increased and its spanwise flexibility is reduced. Therefore, the ABS wing (fabricated using a 3D printer) shows the most promising results for future applications

統合型走行時車両重量計測装置の開発と車両重量を考慮した交通流特性の分析

This study attempts to explore empirically how gross vehicle weight (GVW) will affect traffic flow characteristics in both free-flow and vehicle following situations. The success of the study is highly dependent on the empirical data provided by the traffic datacollection system. Currently, many kinds of systems or devices are available which measure or monitor or enforce traffic dedicatedly. The use of these dedicated or nonintegrated systems or devices in traffic data-collection or monitoring and traffic enforcement is useful in certain application, especially when only dedicated parameter is considered. However, these devices may have limited measurement capabilities and unsuitable for this study, where the devices are incapable of simultaneously measuring all essential traffic and vehicle parameters such as speed, headway as well as weight in real-time. The use of these dedicated devices for this study will result in data inconsistency and incomprehensive measurable traffic parameters. Thus, a comprehensive and continuous traffic data-collection system based on weigh-inmotion technology has been developed and installed at one of the federal roads in Malaysia for study purposes. The developed system is capable of simultaneously and continuously measuring large sample and all essential traffic and vehicle parameters in real-time. It also uses the minimum number of sensors necessary to provide the maximum number of various traffic and vehicle parameters. Statistical analysis was then performed to the collected data to quantify that the gross vehicle weight can have a significant effect in traffic flow characteristics in both free flow and following situations. The results lead to explore the driver behavior in controlling the vehicle from two different perspective: driver’s visual input and vehicle dynamics capability. The first empirical analysis results showed that statistically for each type of heavy vehicle, there was a significant relationship between free flow speed of a heavy vehicle and its GVW. Specifically, the results suggest that the mean and variance of free flow speed decrease with an increase GVW by the amount unrelated to size and shape for all GVW range. Then, based on the 85th percentile principle, this study proposed a new concept for setting differential speed limit for heavy vehicle by incorporating GVW where a different speed limit is imposed to the heavy vehicle according to its GVW. The second empirical analysis results showed that how GVW of following vehicle and size of leading vehicle will affect the driver behavior in controlling their speed under different compositions of leader-follower pairs in a car-following situation. The main findings of this study are when we incorporate the vehicle dynamic’s capability in a carfollowing situation, the GVW of following vehicle and the size of leading vehicle were significant sources of variation in following vehicle speed and relative speed, and their interaction influence the driver behavior in controlling the speed.The third study investigated empirically how different composition of leader-follower pairs will affect time headway with the focus on following vehicle (FV) GVW and leading vehicle (LV) size. The results from statistical analysis were quite revealing in terms of quantifying that the GVW of FV and the class of LV were a significant source of variation in time headway. Based on these empirical results, the study suggests a preferred minimum headway model from driver perspective incorporating heavy vehicle size and GVW. The proposed model also suggests the selection of the optimum value of preferred minimum headway based on percentile value if human reaction time, public support and traffic flow interference are to be considered. Based on these empirical analyses, it can be concluded that, the main findings of this study are when we incorporate the vehicle dynamics capability in a traffic flow study, the gross vehicle weight should be considered as one of the variable of interests to obtain more rational results

Determination and Assessment of Suspended Particulate Matters In Relation To Health and Environment

This report basically discusses the study conducted and the basic understanding in ambient air quality monitoring of particulate matter. Particulate matter (PM) was measured in two different locations; residential area and industrial area in Ipoh, Perak. Three set of sampling were collected during working days and weekend using a device called MicroVol-1100. In addition, the samplings are conducted on a threehour basis. The particulate matter concentrations were found in the range of 41 J.Lg/m3 and 91 J.Lg/m3 • The particulate matter concentrations were all below the guidelines which are provided by Department of Environment, Malaysia (DOE). Furthermore, this study includes the effects of particulate matter in relation health and environment. In terms of health, exposure to particulate matter regardless short or long period can cause respiratory and cardiovascular illness and even death. Meanwhile, in terms of effects on the environment, the particulate matter can cause a significant effect to the vegetation, animals and visibility. ii

Damage identification in bridge structures : review of available methods and case studies

Bridges are integral parts of the infrastructure and play a major role in civil engineering. Bridge health monitoring is necessary to extend the life of a bridge and retain safety. Periodic monitoring contributes significantly in keeping these structures operational and extends structural integrity. Different researchers have proposed different methods for identifying bridge damages based on different theories and laboratory tests. Several review papers have been published in the literature on the identification of damage and crack in bridge structures in the last few decades. In this paper, a review of literature on damage identification in bridge structures based on different methods and theories is carried out. The aim of this paper is to critically evaluate different methods that have been proposed to detect damages in different bridges. Different papers have been carefully reviewed, and the gaps, limitations, and superiority of the methods used are identified. Furthermore, in most of the reviews, future applications and several sustainable methods which are necessary for bridge monitoring are covered. This study significantly contributes to the literature by critically examining different methods, giving guidelines on the methods that identify the damages in bridge structures more accurately, and serving as a good reference for other researchers and future works

The use of a Digital Image Correlation method with a low-speed camera to obtain characteristics of surface velocity and sound radiation for automotive-type panels

The perceived quality of a vehicle is highly influenced by the driver s experience of the vehicle interior noise. Significant research has been carried out all over the world in order to characterize structural and acoustic characteristics, to control and minimize the vibration and noise from entering or emitted to vehicles. Designers require tools to inform them whether the design changes are positive or negative in terms of the noise and vibration, and to help validate numerical finite element models of complicated structures. This research explores the use of Digital Image Correlation (DIC) equipment and methods by using a relatively inexpensive low speed camera to investigate the structural-acoustics characteristics applied to automotive-type panels, where otherwise a highly expensive and sensitive scanning laser Doppler vibrometer would be required. Experimental measurements based on Noise Path Analysis (NPA) have been carried out and theoretical and numerical predictions on sound radiation behaviour have been developed. The prediction values have been evaluated and validated with experimental measurements. Using a DIC measurement method to obtain spatially averaged surface velocities, averaged over several cycles through phase locking, the results for the sound power predictions for the selected mode shape and the resonance frequencies provided a good estimation when comparing with the experiment. For mode (1, 1), the sound power prediction was 80.9 dB while the measured one was 77.2 dB with a difference of 3.7.while the other selected modes showed a difference not more than 3.7 dB. It was within the range suggested by considering the mathematical simplification approach during the prediction development stage. To conclude, it was found that the prediction of sound power throughout the vibrating structure can provide a good accuracy by using the DIC method Therefore, it can be an alternative technique to evaluate the sound radiation for characterizing one of the structural propertie