10 research outputs found

    Gesture and Action Recognition by Evolved Dynamic Subgestures

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    This paper introduces a framework for gesture and action recognition based on the evolution of temporal gesture primitives, or subgestures. Our work is inspired on the principle of producing genetic variations within a population of gesture subsequences, with the goal of obtaining a set of gesture units that enhance the generalization capability of standard gesture recognition approaches. In our context, gesture primitives are evolved over time using dynamic programming and generative models in order to recognize complex actions. In few generations, the proposed subgesture-based representation of actions and gestures outperforms the state of the art results on the MSRDaily3D and MSRAction3D datasets

    Semantically selective augmentation for deep compact person re-identification

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    We present a deep person re-identification approach that combines semantically selective, deep data augmentation with clustering-based network compression to generate high performance, light and fast inference networks. In particular, we propose to augment limited training data via sampling from a deep convolutional generative adversarial network (DCGAN), whose discriminator is constrained by a semantic classifier to explicitly control the domain specificity of the generation process. Thereby, we encode information in the classifier network which can be utilized to steer adversarial synthesis, and which fuels our CondenseNet ID-network training. We provide a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the approach and its variants on a number of datasets, obtaining results that outperform the state-of-the-art on the LIMA dataset for long-term monitoring in indoor living spaces

    Semantically Selective Augmentation for Deep Compact Person Re-Identification

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    We present a deep person re-identification approach that combines semantically selective, deep data augmentation with clustering-based network compression to generate high performance, light and fast inference networks. In particular, we propose to augment limited training data via sampling from a deep convolutional generative adversarial network (DCGAN), whose discriminator is constrained by a semantic classifier to explicitly control the domain specificity of the generation process. Thereby, we encode information in the classifier network which can be utilized to steer adversarial synthesis, and which fuels our CondenseNet ID-network training. We provide a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the approach and its variants on a number of datasets, obtaining results that outperform the state-of-the-art on the LIMA dataset for long-term monitoring in indoor living spaces

    The principle of least effort within the hierarchy of linguistic preferences: external evidence from English

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    The thesis is an investigation of the principle of least effort (Zipf 1949 [1972]). The principle is simple (all effort should be least) and universal (it governs the totality of human behavior). Since the principle is also functional, the thesis adopts a functional theory of language as its theoretical framework, i.e. Natural Linguistics. The explanatory system of Natural Linguistics posits that higher principles govern preferences, which, in turn, manifest themselves as concrete, specific processes in a given language. Therefore, the thesis’ aim is to investigate the principle of least effort on the basis of external evidence from English. The investigation falls into the three following strands: the investigation of the principle itself, the investigation of its application in articulatory effort and the investigation of its application in phonological processes. The structure of the thesis reflects the division of its broad aims. The first part of the thesis presents its theoretical background (Chapter One and Chapter Two), the second part of the thesis deals with application of least effort in articulatory effort (Chapter Three and Chapter Four), whereas the third part discusses the principle of least effort in phonological processes (Chapter Five and Chapter Six). Chapter One serves as an introduction, examining various aspects of the principle of least effort such as its history, literature, operation and motivation. It overviews various names which denote least effort, explains the origins of the principle and reviews the literature devoted to the principle of least effort in a chronological order. The chapter also discusses the nature and operation of the principle, providing numerous examples of the principle at work. It emphasizes the universal character of the principle from the linguistic field (low-level phonetic processes and language universals) and the non-linguistic ones (physics, biology, psychology and cognitive sciences), proving that the principle governs human behavior and choices. Chapter Two provides the theoretical background of the thesis in terms of its theoretical framework and discusses the terms used in the thesis’ title, i.e. hierarchy and preference. It justifies the selection of Natural Linguistics as the thesis’ theoretical framework by outlining its major assumptions and demonstrating its explanatory power. As far as the concepts of hierarchy and preference are concerned, the chapter provides their definitions and reviews their various understandings via decision theories and linguistic preference-based theories. Since the thesis investigates the principle of least effort in language and speech, Chapter Three considers the articulatory aspect of effort. It reviews the notion of easy and difficult sounds and discusses the concept of articulatory effort, overviewing its literature as well as various understandings in a chronological fashion. The chapter also presents the concept of articulatory gestures within the framework of Articulatory Phonology. The thesis’ aim is to investigate the principle of least effort on the basis of external evidence, therefore Chapters Four and Six provide evidence in terms of three experiments, text message studies (Chapter Four) and phonological processes in English (Chapter Six). Chapter Four contains evidence for the principle of least effort in articulation on the basis of experiments. It describes the experiments in terms of their predictions and methodology. In particular, it discusses the adopted measure of effort established by means of the effort parameters as well as their status. The statistical methods of the experiments are also clarified. The chapter reports on the results of the experiments, presenting them in a graphical way and discusses their relation to the tested predictions. Chapter Four establishes a hierarchy of speakers’ preferences with reference to articulatory effort (Figures 30, 31). The thesis investigates the principle of least effort in phonological processes, thus Chapter Five is devoted to the discussion of phonological processes in Natural Phonology. The chapter explains the general nature and motivation of processes as well as the development of processes in child language. It also discusses the organization of processes in terms of their typology as well as the order in which processes apply. The chapter characterizes the semantic properties of processes and overviews Luschützky’s (1997) contribution to NP with respect to processes in terms of their typology and incorporation of articulatory gestures in the concept of a process. Chapter Six investigates phonological processes. In particular, it identifies the issues of lenition/fortition definition and process typology by presenting the current approaches to process definitions and their typology. Since the chapter concludes that no coherent definition of lenition/fortition exists, it develops alternative lenition/fortition definitions. The chapter also revises the typology of phonological processes under effort management, which is an extended version of the principle of least effort. Chapter Seven concludes the thesis with a list of the concepts discussed in the thesis, enumerates the proposals made by the thesis in discussing the concepts and presents some questions for future research which have emerged in the course of investigation. The chapter also specifies the extent to which the investigation of the principle of least effort is a meaningful contribution to phonology

    Development of New Models for Vision-Based Human Activity Recognition

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    Els mètodes de reconeixement d'accions permeten als sistemes intel·ligents reconèixer accions humanes en vídeos de la vida quotidiana. No obstant, molts mètodes de reconeixement d'accions donen taxes notables d’error de classificació degut a les grans variacions dins dels vídeos de la mateixa classe i als canvis en el punt de vista, l'escala i el fons. Per reduir la classificació incorrecta , proposem un nou mètode de representació de vídeo que captura l'evolució temporal de l'acció que succeeix en el vídeo, un nou mètode per a la segmentació de mans i un nou mètode per al reconeixement d'activitats humanes en imatges fixes.Los métodos de reconocimiento de acciones permiten que los sistemas inteligentes reconozcan acciones humanas en videos de la vida cotidiana. No obstante, muchos métodos de reconocimiento de acciones dan tasas notables de error de clasificación debido a las grandes variaciones dentro de los videos de la misma clase y los cambios en el punto de vista, la escala y el fondo. Para reducir la clasificación errónea, Łproponemos un nuevo método de representación de video que captura la evolución temporal de la acción que ocurre en el video completo, un nuevo método para la segmentación de manos y un nuevo método para el reconocimiento de actividades humanas en imágenes fijas.Action recognition methods enable intelligent systems to recognize human actions in daily life videos. However, many action recognition methods give noticeable misclassification rates due to the big variations within the videos of the same class, and the changes in viewpoint, scale and background. To reduce the misclassification rate, we propose a new video representation method that captures the temporal evolution of the action happening in the whole video, a new method for human hands segmentation and a new method for human activity recognition in still images

    Variation and change in the vowel system of Tyneside English

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    PhD ThesisThis thesis presents a variationist account of phonological variation and change in the vowel system of Tyneside English. The distributions of the phonetic exponents of five vowel variables are assessed with respect to the social variables sex, age and social class. Using a corpus of conversational and word-list material, for which 32 speakers of Tyneside English were recorded, between 30 and 40 tokens per speaker of the variables (i), (u), (e), (o) and (3) were transcribed impressionistically and subclassified by following phonological context. The results of this analysis are significant on several counts. First, the speakers sampled appear to differentiate themselves within the speech community through the variable use of certain socially marked phonetic variants, which can be correlated with the sex, age and class variables. Secondly, the speakers style shift to a greater or lesser degree according to combinations of the three social factors, such that surface variability is reduced as a function of increased formality. Third, the overall pattern among the sample population seems to be one of increasing uniformity or convergence: it is speculated that social mobility among upper working- and lower-middle class groups may lead to accent levelling, whereby local speech forms are supplanted by supra-local or innovative intermediate ones. That is, the patterns observed here may be indicative of change in progress. Last, a comparison of the results for the (phonologically) paired variables (i u) and (e o) shows a strong tendency for Tyneside speakers to use these 'symmetrically', in that choice of variant in one variable predicts choice of variant in the other. It is suggested that the symmetry in the system is exploited by Tyneside speakers for the purposes of indicating social affiliation and identity, and is in this sense an extra sociolinguistic resource upon which speakers can draw. In addition, the variants of (3) are discussed with reference to the reported merger of this variable with (a); it is suggested that the apparent 'unmerging' of these two classes is unproblematic from a structural point of view, as the putative (3)—(o) merger appears never to have been completed.UK Economic and Social Research Council (award number R00429524350

    Didactical perspectives of aural training

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    Thesis (PhD) -- Stellenbosch University, 1993.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research endeavour is to develop an understanding of the general state of Aural Training as presented in Aural Training literature and at a tertiary level. Based on this understanding, recommendations for a theory towards Aural Training are furthermore made. The investigation consists of three main parts. In the first two parts, an in-depth theoretical study, exploring aspects such as the rationale behind Aural Training, teaching ideologies, contents and target group and methodological approaches found in published and unpublished sources, as well as a practical questionnaire-based survey, investigating selected Aural Training aspects as presented on a tertiary level in the Republic of South Africa (RSA), the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), and the United States of America (USA) are presented. A model of an integrated Aural Training approach for children is proposed in the third part. Results from both the theoretical and practical surveys indicate that: (a) the rationale behind Aural Training has not been thoroughly thought through; (b) Aural Training lecturers with sound pedagogical credentials are needed; (c) prospective students are not prepared for their tertiary Aural Training courses; (d) the Aural Training curricula at most tertiary music institutions do not meet lecturers' expectations; (e) more instruction time is needed for classes scheduled in both individual and group tuition; (f) Aural Training literature and teaching methods are still influenced by the Behaviouristic school of psychological thinking, with its emphasis on drill and practice; (g) methods such as Sight Singing and Dictation are more frequently applied than others, possibly because they are readily quantifiable; (h) most emphasis is placed on tonal music; (i) research results in which holistic approaches to Aural Training have been recommended since the early 1980s are not reflected in the majority of Aural Training work-/textbooks and teaching methods; (j) commercially available software is often chosen because of its availability and not because of being based on sound pedagogical principles; (k) there is a growing interest amongst lecturers to re-examine the goals of Aural Training and to apply music psychological principles. Because of the already mentioned problem of improperly prepared prospective music students" and the scarcity of Aural Training approaches to develop children's musical consciousnesses, a model for integrating' Aural Training into the instrumental/vocal music lesson through composition is proposed. This model is based entirely on (a) the conviction that most effective learning takes place through active involvement and creation, and (b) music psychological principles such as Gestalt perception, the developmental theories of Piaget, Gardner and Swanwick-Tillman, and the musical thinking process theories of Prince and Webster. Through the application of this model, Aural Training can be approached by dealing with wholes within a musical context. Structural and perceptual thinking, as well as the mental principles of exploring, applying, problem-solving and critical reasoning can also be developed. It offers a comprehensive approach to learning written theory skills, and the opportunity to apply all other Aural Training methods. Examples of children's compositions are presented to support this model. It is finally recommended that: (a) Aural Training lecturers should constantly re-examine their objectives, contents, teaching philosophies and methods applied; (b) advanced courses in Aural Training should be offered at all tertiary music institutions in order to meet the need for adequately trained lecturers; (c) a compulsory course on the didactics of Aural Training should be offered for all music students; (d) more instruction time should be made available for Aural Training; (e) Aural Training should be treated in its own right in grading policies; (f) holistic approaches to both classroom-based and programmed Aural Training should replace drill and practice; (g) music from all style periods should be included; (h) a wide spectrum of Aural Training methods should be incorporated and not mainly Sight Singing and Dictation; (i) lecturers should inform themselves about recent research results and try to incorporate these into their Aural Training curricula and syllabi; g) Work-/textbooks and computer software based on holistic and comprehensive approaches to Aural Training should be released; (k) Aural Training should be incorporated from the very first instrumental/vocal lesson by applying an integrated, holistic approach through composition.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om 'n ondersoek te loods na die algemene stand van gehooropleiding soos daargestel in musiekliteratuur, en soos aangebied aan tersiere musiekinstansies: 'n Model vir gelntegreerde gehooropleiding word ten slotte voorgestel aan hand van hierdie inligting. Die inhoud van die ondersoek is in drie hoofdele georganiseer. In die eerste deel word In teoretiese ondersoek geloods na die redes vir, en doelstellings van gehooropleiding, onderrigfilosojiee, inhoud en teikengroep, en metodiese benaderingswyses. Die mate waarin hierdie aspekte, soos gevind in gepubliseerde en ongepubliseerde bronne, neerslag gevind het in tersiere gehooropleidingsprogramme in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, die Federale Republiek van Duitsland en die Verenigde State van Amerika, vorm die kern van die vraelys-gebaseerde tweede deel. 'n Model vir gelntegreerde gehooropleiding met kinders word in die derde deel voorgestel. Resultate van beide die teoretiese en praktiese ondersoeke toon dat: (a) die redes vir, en doelstellings van gehooropleiding nog nie goed deurdink is nie; (b) spesiaal geskoolde gehooropleidingsdosente benodig word; (c) voornemende musiekstudente nie voorbereid vir tersiere gehooropleidingskursusse is nie; (d) die gehooropleidingskurrikula nie aandie vereistes van die meeste gehooropleidingsdosente voldoen nie; (e) meer onderrigtyd benodig word vir gehooropleiding, wat in beide individuele en groepsonderrig plaas behoort te vind; (f) gehooropleidingsmetodes steeds sterk belnvloed word deur die Behavioristiese skool van musiekpsigologiese denke waarin dril en herhaling beklemtoon word; (g) bladsang en diktee voorkeur geniet bo ander metodes, waarskynlik as gevolg van die feit dat studente se antwoorde makliker gekwantifiseer kan word as in ander metodes; (h) tonale musiek meestal beklemtoon word; (i) navorsingresultate waarin holistiese benaderingswyses tot gehooropleiding sedert die begin van die 1980's aanbeveel word, min tot geen invloed op die meerderheid gehooropleidingsteksboeke en -metodes gehad het; g) kommersieel beskikbare rekenaarprogramme dikwels gekies word op grond van beskikbaarheid en nie op grond van pedagogiese doelstellings nie; (k) daar 'n toenemende geinteresseerdheid onder dosente is om die doelstelling van gehooropleiding te re-evaIueer, en om musiekpsigologiese beginsels in gehooropleiding te inkorporeer. Vanwee die reeds genoemde probleemvan onvoorbereide voornemende musiekstudente wat gehooropleiding betref en die skaarsheid aan gehooropleidingsprogramme vir kinders, is 'n model vir die integrering van gehooropleiding deur middel van komposisie in die instrumentale en/of sangles voorgestel. Hierdie model is gebaseer op (a) die oortuiging dat die mees effektiewe vorm van leer plaasvind d.m. v. aktiewe betrokkenheid en skepping; en (b) die musiekpsigologiese beginsels van Gestalt-waameming, die ontwikkelingsteoriee van Piaget, Gardner en Swanwick- Tillman, en musikale denkprosesteoriee van Prince en Webster. Deur middel van hierdie model kan gehooropleiding benader word vanuit 'n holistiese oogpunt deurdat gehele binne 'n musikale konteks behandel word. Daardeur word nie net strukturele en persepsuele denke ontwikkel nie, maar ook verstandelike denkprosesse soos ontdekking, aanwending, probleemoplossing en kritiese denke. Dit bied ook die geleentheid vir 'n geheelbenadering tot die aanleer van musiekteoretiese kennis en skryfvaardighede, en die inkorporering van aIle ander gehooropleidingsmetodes. Voorbeelde van kinders se komposisies is ingesluit as bewys daarvoor dat dit weI in die praktyk toepasbaar is. Ten slotte word aanbeveel dat: (a) gehooropleidingsdosente hulle doelstellings, onderrigfilosofiee en -metodes voortdurend krities moet betrag en ondersoek; (b) gevorderde kursusse in gehooropleiding aan alle tersiere musiekinstansies aangebied behoort te word om sodoende te voorsien in die nood van onvoldoende geskoolde,dosente; (c) alle studente verplig moet word om 'n kursus in gehooropleidingsdidaktiek te volg; (d) meer onderrrigtyd ingeruim behoort te word vir gehooropleiding; (e) gehooropleiding as 'n vak in eie reg behandel moet word by puntetoekennings; (t) metodes van 001 en herhaling met holistiese benaderingswyses tot gehooropleiding in beide klaskamergebaseerde en geprogrammeerde onderrig vervang moet word; (g) musiek van alle stylperiodes ingesluit behoort te word; (h) 'n wye spektrum van gehooropleidingsmetodes aangewend moet word en me slegs bladsang en diktee me; (i) gehooropleidingsdosente hulself voortdurend op hoogte van die nuutste navorsingsresul-tate behoort'te hou en moet poog om hierdie resultate in hulle gehooropleidingsprogramme te integreer; g) gehooropleidingsboeke en rekenaarprogramme wat op holistiese en kontekstuele benaderings tot gehooropleiding gebaseer is, gepubliseer moet word; (k) gehooropleiding vanaf die eerste instrumentale en/of sangles gei'ntegreer behoort te word deurdat die voorgestelde model van 'n holistiese benaderingswyse d.m. v. komposisie aangewend word
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