Vision-Based Inspection of Tyre Tread Depth

In this paper, an approach for visual, non-contact automatic inspection of tyre tread depth based on existing image processing techniques is presented. Histograms of oriented gradient are used for feature extraction from images. In order to analyse which set of features gives the best classification results, a linear support-vector machine classifier was trained and tested using different numbers of pixels and numbers of cells per block. The obtained processing and experimental results are presented in this paper

Road Condition Estimation with Data Mining Methods using Vehicle Based Sensors

The work provides novel methods to process inertial sensor and acoustic sensor data for road condition estimation and monitoring with application in vehicles, which serve as sensor platforms. Furthermore, methods are introduced to combine the results from various vehicles for a more reliable estimation

QUESTIONING THE ADMISSIBILITY OF NONSCIENTIFIC TESTIMONY AFTER DAUBERT: THE NEED FOR INCREASED JUDICIAL GATEKEEPING TO ENSURE THE RELIABILITY OF ALL EXPERT TESTIMONY

This article examines the difficulty of finding a proper standard for evaluating non-scientific expert testimony. It analyzes the legal standard for the admission of expert testimony as set out in the Federal Rule of Evidence and the Daubert case. It reviews a split in courts as to how to apply these standards to non-scientific expert testimony. It ends with some proposals for the application of Daubert to non-scientific expert testimony and suggests an amendment to the Federal Rules of evidence

Identifying Product Defects from User Complaints: A Probabilistic Defect Model

The recent surge in using social media has created a massive amount of unstructured textual complaints about products and services. However, discovering potential product defects from large amounts of unstructured text is a nontrivial task. In this paper, we develop a probabilistic defect model (PDM) that identifies the most critical product issues and corresponding product attributes, simultaneously. We facilitate domain-oriented key attributes (e.g., product model, year of production, defective components, symptoms, etc.) of a product to identify and acquire integral information of defect. We conduct comprehensive evaluations including quantitative evaluations and qualitative evaluations to ensure the quality of discovered information. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed model outperforms existing unsupervised method (K-Means Clustering), and could find more valuable information. Our research has significant managerial implications for mangers, manufacturers, and policy makers

Road Condition Estimation with Data Mining Methods using Vehicle Based Sensors

The work provides novel methods to process inertial sensor and acoustic sensor data for road condition estimation and monitoring with application in vehicles, which serve as sensor platforms. Furthermore, methods are introduced to combine the results from various vehicles for a more reliable estimation

The Epistemological Trend in the Evolution of the Law of Expert Testimony: A Scrutiny at Once Broader, Narrower, and Deeper

The thesis of this Article is that we are moving toward afundamentally epistemological approach to determiningthe admissibility of expert testimony. The first part of theArticle notes that while many Frye jurisdictions exemptedsoft science and nonscientific expertise, the Daubert line ofauthority mandates that like an epistemologist, a trialjudge examine knowledge claims by any expert. Thesecond part addresses the question of the breadth of thejudge\u27s analysis. The second part points out that under the marketplace and general acceptance tests, courtssometimes conducted a global analysis and inquiredgenerally whether the discipline itself was recognized andpossessed some valid knowledge. The second partdemonstrates that in contrast, under Daubert the judgemust test the reliability of the specific theory or techniquethe expert proposes to rely on. Like an epistemologist, thejudge must challenge the particular knowledge claimadvanced by the expert. The third and final part of theArticle concerns the depth of the judge\u27s scrutiny. Thethird part explains that by employing acceptance tests, themarketplace and Frye standards effectively delegated thedecision to the required acceptors - either market actors ormembers of the relevant specialty field. Thus, under thesestandards, the judge was obliged to accept ipse dixitassertions by the acceptors. Instead, Daubert and itsprogeny such as Joiner forbid the judge from acceptingsuch assertions at face value. Like a skepticalepistemologist, the judge must demand that the proponentestablish sufficient warrant for the expert\u27s knowledgeclaim. The upshot of the new Daubert approach is thatcontemporary judges must engage in an analysis that is atonce broader, narrower, and deeper than the analyses theyconducted under the marketplace and general acceptancetests