General and Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Face-Space Approach to Emotion Recognition

Facial expressions of a person representing similar emotion are not always unique. Naturally, the facial features of a subject taken from different instances of the same emotion have wide variations. In the presence of two or more facial features, the variation of the attributes together makes the emotion recognition problem more complicated. This variation is the main source of uncertainty in the emotion recognition problem, which has been addressed here in two steps using type-2 fuzzy sets. First a type-2 fuzzy face space is constructed with the background knowledge of facial features of different subjects for different emotions. Second, the emotion of an unknown facial expression is determined based on the consensus of the measured facial features with the fuzzy face space. Both interval and general type-2 fuzzy sets (GT2FS) have been used separately to model the fuzzy face space. The interval type-2 fuzzy set (IT2FS) involves primary membership functions for m facial features obtained from n-subjects, each having l-instances of facial expressions for a given emotion. The GT2FS in addition to employing the primary membership functions mentioned above also involves the secondary memberships for individual primary membership curve, which has been obtained here by formulating and solving an optimization problem. The optimization problem here attempts to minimize the difference between two decoded signals: the first one being the type-1 defuzzification of the average primary membership functions obtained from the n-subjects, while the second one refers to the type-2 defuzzified signal for a given primary membership function with secondary memberships as unknown. The uncertainty management policy adopted using GT2FS has resulted in a classification accuracy of 98.333% in comparison to 91.667% obtained by its interval type-2 counterpart. A small improvement (approximately 2.5%) in classification accuracy by IT2FS has been attained by pre-processing measurements using - he well-known interval approach

Roles of Perception in Engineering Design – A Theoretical Foundation to Improve Designer’s Performance

Engineering design is a complex decision-making process which frames the transition from an engineering problem to a final product, to meet a set of requirements. During this process, perception is inevitably involved. Perception, a term originated from psychology, referring to a process where a person arrives at an interpretation of his/her sensory experience about the surroundings, has been involved in a broad scope in engineering design, e.g., understanding a design problem, comprehending customers requirements, conceptualizing design thoughts, organizing and managing resources, and evaluating alternative solutions. To study the engineering process from the perception’s perspective, a theoretical model has been proposed. In this model, workload, skill, knowledge, and affect are chosen as major factors. Based on the model and the Environment-Based Design methodology, methods are proposed to quantify designer’s perception and performance at conceptual design stage. Experimental studies have been conducted to validate the proposed model. As a result, the model serves well as a phase-based quantification tool for designer’s perception and performance. In addition, a significant positive correlation has been found between one’s perception and performance. Furthermore, the model implies a foundation to improve one’s performance for engineering design

Zaha Hadid her ideas and architecture examined through musical composition final 24.05.2024

This is an interdisciplinary focus upon Zaha Hadid (ZH), the person, her ideas and architecture expressed through music as a portfolio of compositions. Information and mechanisms for these compositions are drawn from her biography, method of designing and final architectural realisations. The approach adopted is holistic and subjective. A number of alternative approaches are examined. These by contrast are largely atomistic. They are taken together with running discussions prompted by the research and my ideas for alternative methodologies, forming suggestions for future research. Also, the specific techniques thrown up highlight the different holistic approaches, contrast own techniques adopted within the holistic methodology and form an internal fruitful dialogue, leading to conclusions on translation efficacy, in general, and of ZH. This is intended as a initiating project where other composers are encouraged to add their contributions to musical responses to Zaha Hadid, either holistically and or atomistically. The body of this research consists of finding information about Zaha Hadid that can be converted in some way, via translation, interpretation, representation and other mechanisms, to music. The mechanisms are like intermediary devices between the architectural object, or objects, or person, Zaha Hadid, to be translated, or portrayed and the means of translation. This is to aid quantification in an area that is generic. This is then carried out and expressed as a portfolio. Another way of seeing this is as praxis between pure theory and practice. Theories of and about ZH are then brought to reality in the music portfolio. There is an inherent discussion about translation and transdicipliniarity within the context of ZH. Some observations in this connection are offered in the conclusions. Due to the interrelated complexity, the research can be read in several ways: about architecture, about Zaha Hadid, about the composer as interpreter and within a general enquiry of world problems raised by the double issue of translation, initially seen as a problem, and Zaha Hadid, her mathematical and spiritual questioning of the structure of the universe in relation to her unique avant-garde architecture. The result is a wide ranging collection of compositions touching on issues of Zaha Hadid’s art, her inceptive design processes, influences and inspirations involving topology, space and her unique challenging viewpoints on architecture in a modern evolving world. She, in turn, is an inspiration, overcoming obstacles to become a successful progenitor of a world renowned architectural practice. This inspiration is evident in the compositions. Whilst the starting point emulates her predominantly abstract approach, the mechanisms form specific linkages for each musical realisation. The final result is a personalised statement that encompasses several features of Zaha Hadid offered as a starting point in musical research about and evoking Zaha Hadid, or any person, addressed as a topic for translation. The main outcome is a proposition of translating a whole person, as compared and cross checked with an atomistic approach, also forming putative suggestions for further research in this atomistic way, or combined, across disciplines. It necessarily involves both abstraction and subjective interpretation, offering, within this context, a contribution to a translation discussion centring around issues raised by Walter Benjamin and my own perceived problems as outlined, then offering solutions

Raymond Carver e Bret Easton Ellis : paisagens ficcionais emergentes de um “newly envisioned world"

Dissertação de Mestrado em Estudos Americanos apresentada à Universidade AbertaAssistimos a uma multiplicidade de desafios lançada por esta nova era de finais do século XX: a inconsistência de uma sociedade mediatizada, os instantes fragmentários, a alienação individual, a coexistência constante com a ambiguidade, a ausência da melhor solução, em soma, os próprios questionamentos existenciais e sociais. A leitura da ficção de Raymond Carver e Bret Easton Ellis implica a veiculação do seu newly envisioned world, no qual os fragmentos do real são combinados enquanto construto consensual da experiência empírica. Ambos forjam um sentido diferente da identidade americana, produzindo uma variedade de perspectivas sobre o quadro contemporâneo através dos vários possíveis minimalismos que remetem para uma qualidade ou modo de experiência. Carver procura o sentido das palavras e das coisas no espaço doméstico, reflectindo o género do conto uma condição essencial da nossa era moderna, do nosso sentido de marginalidade no mundo e da nossa percepção, frequentemente ténue, de nós próprios. Por sua vez, Ellis oferece uma visão de um mundo subjugado por uma cultura cada vez mais comodificada, reencontrando-se capaz de reconhecer as jactâncias e as contradições desta nova era, dando lugar a uma reavaliação das lógicas desse quotidianoOn assiste à une multiplicité de défis lancée par cette nouvelle ère de la fin du XXème siècle: l´inconsistance d´une société médiatisée, les instants fragmentaires, l´aliénation individuelle, la coexistence constante avec l´ambiguïté, l´absence de la meilleure solution, en somme, les propres questionnements existentiels et sociaux. La lecture de la fiction de Raymond Carver et Bret Easton Ellis implique le véhicule de leur newly envisioned world, dont les fragments du réel sont combinés en tant que construction consensuelle de l´expérience empirique. Tous deux forgent un sens différent de l´identité américaine, produisant une variété de perspectives concernant le cadre contemporain à travers des divers possibles minimalismes qui renvoient à une qualité ou mode d´expérience. Carver cherche le sens des mots et des choses dans l´espace domestique, reflétant le genre du conte une condition essentielle de notre ère moderne, de notre sens de marginalité dans le monde et de notre perception, fréquemment ténue, de nous-mêmes. De son côté, Ellis offre une vision d´un monde soumis à une culture où rien n´est gratuit, se rencontrant capable de reconnaître les jactances et les contradictions de cette nouvelle ère, donnant lieu à une réévaluation des logiques de ce quotidienAbstract - At present, we attend a multiplicity of challenges made by the late 20th century era: an inconsistency of a media society, fragmentary moments, the individual’s alienation, a constant coexistence with ambiguity, the absence of the best solution, to sum up, the very existential and social questionings. The reading of Raymond Carver’s and Ellis’s fiction implies the consideration of their newly envisioned world. Here the fragments of the real are combined, building up a consensual picture of the empiric experience. Both shape a different American identity, putting forward a variety of perspectives about the contemporary scene through the different possible minimalisms which are linked to a quality or mode of experience. Carver looks for the meaning of the words and things in the domestic sphere. In his case, the short story mirrors an essential condition of our time, of our sense of marginality in the world and of our quite often tenuous perception of ourselves. Ellis, on his turn, offers the vision of a world subdued by a more and more comodified culture, being able to recognise the display and contradictions of this new era, opening up a reassessment of its logi