Surface reconstruction from microscopic images in optical lithography

We propose a shape-from-shading method to reconstruct surfaces of silicon wafers from images of printed circuits taken with scanning electron microscope. Our method combines the physical model of the optical acquisition system with prior knowledge about the shapes of the patterns in the circuit. The reconstruction of the surface is formulated as an optimization problem with a combined criterion based on the irradiance equation and a shape prior that constrains the shape of the surface to agree with the expected shape of the pattern. To account for the variability of the manufacturing process, the model allows a non-linear elastic deformation between the expected patterns and the reconstructed surface. Our method provides two outputs: a reconstructed surface and a deformation field. The reconstructed surface is derived from the shading observed in the images and the prior knowledge about circuit patterns, which results in a shape-from-shading technique stable and robust to noise. The deformation field produces a mapping between the expected shape and the reconstructed surface, which provides a measure of deviation between the models and the real manufacturing process

Development of Markerless Systems for Automatic Analysis of Movements and Facial Expressions: Applications in Neurophysiology

This project is focused on the development of markerless methods for studying facial expressions and movements in neurology, focusing on Parkinson’s disease (PD) and disorders of consciousness (DOC). PD is a neurodegenerative illness that affects around 2% of the population over 65 years old. Impairments of voice/speech are among the main signs of PD. This set of impairments is called hypokinetic dysarthria, because of the reduced range of movements involved in speech. This reduction can be visible also in other facial muscles, leading to a hypomimia. Despite the high percentage of patients that suffer from dysarthria and hypomimia, only a few of them undergo speech therapy with the aim to improve the dynamic of articulatory/facial movements. The main reason is the lack of low cost methodologies that could be implemented at home. DOC after coma are Vegetative State (VS), characterized by the absence of self-awareness and awareness of the environment, and Minimally Conscious State (MCS), in which certain behaviors are sufficiently reproducible to be distinguished from reflex responses. The differential diagnosis between VS and MCS can be hard and prone to a high rate of misdiagnosis (~40%). This differential diagnosis is mainly based on neuro-behavioral scales. A key role to plan the rehabilitation in DOC patients is played by the first diagnosis after coma. In fact, MCS patients are more prone to a consciousness recovery than VS patients. Concerning PD the aim is the development of contactless systems that could be used to study symptoms related to speech and facial movements/expressions. The methods proposed here, based on acoustical analysis and video processing techniques could support patients during speech therapy also at home. Concerning DOC patients the project is focused on the assessment of reflex and cognitive responses to standardized stimuli. This would allow objectifying the perceptual analysis performed by clinicians

Competitive Advantage and Sustainability in the Mobile Phone Industry

How a business achieves and sustains a competitive advantage has long been the central focus of strategic management research. The fundamental basis of long-run success of a firm is the achievement and maintenance of a sustainable competitive advantage. A firm’s competitive advantage can result either from implementing a value-creating strategy not simultaneously being employed by current or prospective competitors or through superior execution of the same strategy as competitors. Intensified competition has put managers under constant pressure to come up with the requisite strategy to be on top of the competition. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the process by which firms can attain competitive advantage. Since attaining competitive advantage alone does not guarantee the necessary long run success that firms require to survive, the study further looks at the possibility of firms to sustain their competitive advantage in order to be ahead of their rivals. The study uses a qualitative case study. The findings are based on the market performance of three of the major players in the mobile phone industry over a ten year period. Further, in line with the framework of the study, a comparison of the value activities of the case companies was carried out in order to give meaning to the state of market performance of the case companies. It was found, that by running optimum value activities, a firm can benefit from linkages within these activities as a result of which it can offer value to its end users as a low cost or unique product provider. This serves as the means of attaining competitive advantage. Further, sustaining a firm’s competitive advantage was found to be feasible through the existence of differences in a firm’s capabilities and that of competitors.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format