A Verb-centered Ontology Modelling for Text Understanding

The role of illustration is to illustrate specific words used in sentence or to express a specific situation. To automatically generate an illustration, the sentences used in contents must be understood and expressed as pictures. This requires an ontology consisting of parsing results, characters, words, affiliations, backgrounds, props, location and time. Manual correction is also required once the scene is configured. In order to improve the productivity of contents based on auto-generation of illustrations, studies for the auto-generation of illustrations are continuously performed. This study models a verb-centered ontology to be used for character-background-prop arrangement, arrangement and emotion of characters, time, weather and seasonal expression necessary for constructing illustrations of Korean traditional fairy tales. As part of the ontology used to construct the illustrations, the verb ontology not only plays a fundamental role for each verb type but also can be used for more naturally representing the behavior, placement, and emotion of characters appearing in the illustration, using different verb concepts and various relationships between concepts

Developing Predictive Models of Driver Behaviour for the Design of Advanced Driving Assistance Systems

World-wide injuries in vehicle accidents have been on the rise in recent years, mainly due to driver error. The main objective of this research is to develop a predictive system for driving maneuvers by analyzing the cognitive behavior (cephalo-ocular) and the driving behavior of the driver (how the vehicle is being driven). Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) include different driving functions, such as vehicle parking, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, and so on. While much research has been performed on developing automated co-driver systems, little attention has been paid to the fact that the driver plays an important role in driving events. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor events and factors that directly concern the driver. As a goal, we perform a quantitative and qualitative analysis of driver behavior to find its relationship with driver intentionality and driving-related actions. We have designed and developed an instrumented vehicle (RoadLAB) that is able to record several synchronized streams of data, including the surrounding environment of the driver, vehicle functions and driver cephalo-ocular behavior, such as gaze/head information. We subsequently analyze and study the behavior of several drivers to find out if there is a meaningful relation between driver behavior and the next driving maneuver

Intelligent computational techniques and virtual environment for understanding cerebral visual impairment patients

Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) is a medical area that concerns the study of the effect of brain damages on the visual field (VF). People with CVI are not able to construct a perfect 3-Dimensional view of what they see through their eyes in their brain. Therefore, they have difficulties in their mobility and behaviours that others find hard to understand due to their visual impairment. A branch of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the simulation of behaviour by building computational models that help to explain how people solve problems or why they behave in a certain way. This project describes a novel intelligent system that simulates the navigation problems faced by people with CVI. This will help relatives, friends, and ophthalmologists of CVI patients understand more about their difficulties in navigating their everyday environment. The navigation simulation system is implemented using the Unity3D game engine. Virtual scenes of different living environments are also created using the Unity modelling software. The vision of the avatar in the virtual environment is implemented using a camera provided by the 3D game engine. Given a visual field chart of a CVI patient with visual impairment, the system automatically creates a filter (mask) that mimics a visual defect and places it in front of the visual field of the avatar. The filters are created by extracting, classifying and converting the symbols of the defected areas in the visual field chart to numerical values and then converted to textures to mask the vision. Each numeric value represents a level of transparency and opacity according to the severity of the visual defect in that region. The filters represent the vision masks. Unity3D supports physical properties to facilitate the representation of the VF defects into a form of structures of rays. The length of each ray depends on the VF defect s numeric value. Such that, the greater values (means a greater percentage of opacity) represented by short rays in length. While the smaller values (means a greater percentage of transparency) represented by longer rays. The lengths of all rays are representing the vision map (how far the patient can see). Algorithms for navigation based on the generated rays have been developed to enable the avatar to move around in given virtual environments. The avatar depends on the generated vision map and will exhibit different behaviours to simulate the navigation problem of real patients. The avatar s behaviour of navigation differs from patient to another according to their different defects. An experiment of navigating virtual environments (scenes) using the HTC Oculus Vive Headset was conducted using different scenarios. The scenarios are designed to use different VF defects within different scenes. The experiment simulates the patient s navigation in virtual environments with static objects (rooms) and in virtual environments with moving objects. The behaviours of the experiment participants actions (avoid/bump) match the avatar s using the same scenario. This project has created a system that enables the CVI patient s parents and relatives to aid the understanding what the CVI patient encounter. Besides, it aids the specialists and educators to take into account all the difficulties that the patients experience. Then, is to design and develop appropriate educational programs that can help each individual patient

Conflicts, integration, hybridization of subcultures: An ecological approach to the case of queercore

This paper investigates the case study of queercore, providing a socio-historical analysis of its subcultural production, in the terms of what Michel Foucault has called archaeology of knowledge (1969). In particular, we will focus on: the self-definition of the movement; the conflicts between the two merged worlds of punk and queer culture; the \u201cinternal-subcultural\u201d conflicts between both queercore and punk, and between queercore and gay\lesbian music culture; the political aspects of differentiation. In the conclusion, we will offer an innovative theoretical proposal about the interpretation of subcultures in ecological and semiotic terms, combining the contribution of the American sociologist Andrew Abbot and of the Russian semiologist Jurij Michajlovi\u10d Lotma

Road Information Extraction from Mobile LiDAR Point Clouds using Deep Neural Networks

Urban roads, as one of the essential transportation infrastructures, provide considerable motivations for rapid urban sprawl and bring notable economic and social benefits. Accurate and efficient extraction of road information plays a significant role in the development of autonomous vehicles (AVs) and high-definition (HD) maps. Mobile laser scanning (MLS) systems have been widely used for many transportation-related studies and applications in road inventory, including road object detection, pavement inspection, road marking segmentation and classification, and road boundary extraction, benefiting from their large-scale data coverage, high surveying flexibility, high measurement accuracy, and reduced weather sensitivity. Road information from MLS point clouds is significant for road infrastructure planning and maintenance, and have an important impact on transportation-related policymaking, driving behaviour regulation, and traffic efficiency enhancement. Compared to the existing threshold-based and rule-based road information extraction methods, deep learning methods have demonstrated superior performance in 3D road object segmentation and classification tasks. However, three main challenges remain that impede deep learning methods for precisely and robustly extracting road information from MLS point clouds. (1) Point clouds obtained from MLS systems are always in large-volume and irregular formats, which has presented significant challenges for managing and processing such massive unstructured points. (2) Variations in point density and intensity are inevitable because of the profiling scanning mechanism of MLS systems. (3) Due to occlusions and the limited scanning range of onboard sensors, some road objects are incomplete, which considerably degrades the performance of threshold-based methods to extract road information. To deal with these challenges, this doctoral thesis proposes several deep neural networks that encode inherent point cloud features and extract road information. These novel deep learning models have been tested by several datasets to deliver robust and accurate road information extraction results compared to state-of-the-art deep learning methods in complex urban environments. First, an end-to-end feature extraction framework for 3D point cloud segmentation is proposed using dynamic point-wise convolutional operations at multiple scales. This framework is less sensitive to data distribution and computational power. Second, a capsule-based deep learning framework to extract and classify road markings is developed to update road information and support HD maps. It demonstrates the practical application of combining capsule networks with hierarchical feature encodings of georeferenced feature images. Third, a novel deep learning framework for road boundary completion is developed using MLS point clouds and satellite imagery, based on the U-shaped network and the conditional deep convolutional generative adversarial network (c-DCGAN). Empirical evidence obtained from experiments compared with state-of-the-art methods demonstrates the superior performance of the proposed models in road object semantic segmentation, road marking extraction and classification, and road boundary completion tasks

Visual computing techniques for automated LIDAR annotation with application to intelligent transport systems

106 p.The concept of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) refers to the application of communication and information technologies to transport with the aim of making it more efficient, sustainable, and safer. Computer vision is increasingly being used for ITS applications, such as infrastructure management or advanced driver-assistance systems. The latest progress in computer vision, thanks to the Deep Learning techniques, and the race for autonomous vehicle, have created a growing requirement for annotated data in the automotive industry. The data to be annotated is composed by images captured by the cameras of the vehicles and LIDAR data in the form of point clouds. LIDAR sensors are used for tasks such as object detection and localization. The capacity of LIDAR sensors to identify objects at long distances and to provide estimations of their distance make them very appealing sensors for autonomous driving.This thesis presents a method to automate the annotation of lane markings with LIDAR data. The state of the art of lane markings detection based on LIDAR data is reviewed and a novel method is presented. The precision of the method is evaluated against manually annotated data. Its usefulness is also evaluated, measuring the reduction of the required time to annotate new data thanks to the automatically generated pre-annotations. Finally, the conclusions of this thesis and possible future research lines are presented

MIRACLE Handbook : Guidelines for Mixed Reality Applications for Culture and Learning Experiences

Siirretty Doriast

Visual computing techniques for automated LIDAR annotation with application to intelligent transport systems

106 p.The concept of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) refers to the application of communication and information technologies to transport with the aim of making it more efficient, sustainable, and safer. Computer vision is increasingly being used for ITS applications, such as infrastructure management or advanced driver-assistance systems. The latest progress in computer vision, thanks to the Deep Learning techniques, and the race for autonomous vehicle, have created a growing requirement for annotated data in the automotive industry. The data to be annotated is composed by images captured by the cameras of the vehicles and LIDAR data in the form of point clouds. LIDAR sensors are used for tasks such as object detection and localization. The capacity of LIDAR sensors to identify objects at long distances and to provide estimations of their distance make them very appealing sensors for autonomous driving.This thesis presents a method to automate the annotation of lane markings with LIDAR data. The state of the art of lane markings detection based on LIDAR data is reviewed and a novel method is presented. The precision of the method is evaluated against manually annotated data. Its usefulness is also evaluated, measuring the reduction of the required time to annotate new data thanks to the automatically generated pre-annotations. Finally, the conclusions of this thesis and possible future research lines are presented

"Somewhere there's a corner made specially for us"

„Somewhere there’s a corner made specially for us“ (Locke 20) – irgendwo gibt es auch einen Platz genau für uns. Dieses Zitat aus The Runaway Settlers im Titel der vorliegenden Diplomarbeit weist auf den Wunsch zahlreicher Menschen in Europa im 18. und 19. Jahrhundert hin, ein neues Leben fern ihrer alten Heimat zu beginnen. Die „Entdeckung“ Neuseelands durch Captain James Cook im Jahr 1769 erweiterte den Horizont der Europäer und markierte den Beginn der europäischen Besiedlung der Inseln im Pazifik. Angekommen in Neuseeland, sahen sich die Einwanderer mit zahlreichen Schwierigkeiten konfrontiert – abgesehen von Siedlungen der indigenen Bevölkerung Neuseelands, den Māori, war Neuseeland bedeckt von dichtem Wald und Sumpfgebieten. Diese fremde Landschaft zu kultivieren, Unterkünfte mit fremden Materialien zu bauen und gleichzeitig Ängste und Vorurteile gegenüber den Māori zu überwinden waren nur einige der Hindernisse, welche die Europäer zu überwinden hatten. In dieser Arbeit wird, anhand von vier Romanen, eine Analyse des Lebens der frühen Siedler in Neuseeland durchgeführt. Die vier Bücher wurden absichtlich aus unterschiedlichen Genres und Veröffentlichungszeiträumen ausgewählt, um eine Grundlage für einen Vergleich zu schaffen: werden Aspekte des täglichen Lebens in einem Kinderbuch anders dargestellt und spielt der Zeitpunkt der Publikation eine Rolle in der Darstellung bestimmter Sichtweisen? Nach einer kurzen historischen Kontextualisierung beschäftigt sich das erste Kapitel der Analyse mit dem Aspekt der Kolonialisierung und Auswanderung. Rechtfertigungen bezüglich der Besetzung und Besiedlung Neuseelands werden analysiert sowie die Bildung von binären Oppositionen untersucht. Weiters behandelt dieses Kapitel kolonialisierende Tätigkeiten, beispielsweise die Einführung europäischer Pflanzen und Tiere und die zeitgleiche Verdrängung indigener Flora und Fauna. Ausgehend von Behauptungen, welche Neuseeland in einer bestimmten Weise repräsentieren und den Wunsch der Europäer nach einem Leben in diesem Land wecken sollen, geht das Kapitel in der Folge auf die Motivationen einzelner Charaktere bezüglich ihrer eigenen Auswanderung ein. Angekommen in Neuseeland beschäftigt sich das folgende Kapitel mit den Anstrengungen der frühen Siedler, das Land nach ihren Vorstellungen zu verändern sowie mit den Schwierigkeiten – physischen und psychologischen – mit denen sie in der Folge konfrontiert werden. Unter anderem wird die Kultivierung des Landes, aber auch der Aspekt der Isolation behandelt, wobei sich zeigt, dass in allen vier Büchern schlussendlich die Bildung einer Gemeinschaft und das Gefühl, Teil einer Gruppe zu sein, unumgänglich in der Bewältigung von Schwierigkeiten sind. Das nächste Kapitel handelt in der Folge von der Entwicklung eines solchen Gemeinschaftsgefühls und der Frage, ob die Charaktere ab einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt Neuseeland als ihre neue Heimat anerkennen. Die Relevanz der kontinuierlichen Durchführung gewohnter Traditionen und Rituale wird analysiert in Bezug auf den Erhalt einer Verbindung zwischen Vergangenheit und Gegenwart sowie die Bildung einer Gruppenidentität in der neuen Heimat. Im letzten Kapitel wird abschließend die Kontaktsituation zwischen Siedler und Māori thematisiert, wobei eine Analyse der einzelnen Bücher einen starken Unterschied bezüglich des Umgangs mit der indigenen Bevölkerung zeigt. Während The Story of a New Zealand River Māori gänzlich ausschließt, werden sie in The Counterfeit Seal and The Toll of the Bush als „die anderen“ dargestellt; die indigene Bevölkerung wird als untergeordnet behandelt, bemerkbar ist weiters ein respektloser Umgang mit traditionellen Bräuchen und Traditionen. In The Runaway Settlers findet sich hingegen ein anderer Zugang: die Siedler begegnen den Māori respektvoll, behandeln sie als gleichrangig und schätzen ihren Rat als wertvoll. Unterschiede in Genre und Publikationsdatum zeigen sich folglich besonders in diesem letzten Kapitel: das jüngste und gleichzeitig einzige Kinderbuch (The Runaway Settlers) zeigt die Bedeutung von Interesse an anderen Kulturen und deutet somit darauf hin, wie das Zusammenleben zwischen Siedler und Māori in Neuseeland stattfinden soll.“Somewhere there’s a corner made specially for us” (Locke 20) – this quote from The Runaway Settlers in the title of this thesis is indicative of the desire of masses of people in the eighteenth and nineteenth century to begin a new life far away from home. The arrival of Captain James Cook in New Zealand in 1769 opened up new horizons and possibilities, marking the beginning of European immigration. Once arrived in New Zealand, the first immigrants instantly came into contact with the indigenous people of the two islands, the Māori, but apart from native settlements, the country was covered in native forest and swamp land. Clearing the forests to obtain land, building homes out of nothing and overcoming fear and prejudices directed towards the naïve population were only a few of the difficulties and obstacles with which the immigrants were confronted. The present thesis attempts to analyse the literary representation of early settlers’ life in colonial New Zealand as illustrated in four novels. I have chosen novels which not only differ in their genre but also according to their publication dates in order to provide a basis for comparison – how are certain aspects represented at the end of the nineteenth century? Is the same aspect dealt with differently in a novel from the mid-twentieth century and what role does the genre play in such representations? Following a short overview of migration to New Zealand in order to provide a context, the analysis part begins with the issues of colonisation and emigration. Edward Said’s Orientalism is used to explain justifications for the colonisation and settlement of New Zealand by Europeans. In this context, the construction of binary oppositions in order to set European culture off against the colony is analysed as well as the creation and repetition of stereotypes. Additionally, this chapter discusses colonising activities such as the introduction of foreign flora and fauna. The following chapter investigates the difficulties and problems with which the characters are confronted in their new surroundings. Physical challenges such as cultivating the land and building a home out of nothing are contrasted with psychological difficulties, for example the issue of isolation. The subsequent chapter turns to a discussion of home and the building of a community. The concepts of home and community are explained by drawing for instance on Benedict Anderson’s concept of imagined communities. The performance of traditions, narratives, rituals and symbols is discussed in relation to the production of a sense of being part of a community and the establishment of a link between past and present. The final chapter emphasises the relationship between the settlers and the Māori. Homi K. Bhabha’s concept of the production of knowledge about the Māori and at the same time their othering are examined in relation to the novels. The chapter ends with a discussion of the question whether there are any striking differences in the novels’ representation of the indigenous people of New Zealand