User experiments with the Eurovision cross-language image retrieval system

In this paper we present Eurovision, a text-based system for cross-language (CL) image retrieval. The system is evaluated by multilingual users for two search tasks with the system configured in English and five other languages. To our knowledge this is the first published set of user experiments for CL image retrieval. We show that: (1) it is possible to create a usable multilingual search engine using little knowledge of any language other than English, (2) categorizing images assists the user's search, and (3) there are differences in the way users search between the proposed search tasks. Based on the two search tasks and user feedback, we describe important aspects of any CL image retrieval system

The analysis of facial beauty: an emerging area of research in pattern analysis

Much research presented recently supports the idea that the human perception of attractiveness is data-driven and largely irrespective of the perceiver. This suggests using pattern analysis techniques for beauty analysis. Several scientific papers on this subject are appearing in image processing, computer vision and pattern analysis contexts, or use techniques of these areas. In this paper, we will survey the recent studies on automatic analysis of facial beauty, and discuss research lines and practical application

An Automatic Human Face Detection Method

This article contains a proposal for an automatic human face detection method, that tries to join several theories proposed by different authors. The method is based on detection of shape features (eye pairs) and skin color. The method assumes certain circumstances and constraints, respectively. Therefore it is not applicable universally. Given the constraints, it is effective enough for applications where fast execution is required. Test results are given and at the end some directives for future work are discussed

‘The face of evil’ : gothic biofiction and figures of enduring terror in a post-9/11 world

In this article, I show that the Gothic’s preoccupation with appearances is a rhetorical and narrative device that can be traced throughout the immediate post-9/11 period and the military campaigns that followed in both non-fiction and fiction texts. Through my analysis of two works of fiction by Martin Amis and Judith Thompson, I argue that physical appearance was employed as a marker of evil intent in order to obscure the political and territorial intentions of the Bush Administration and the American military in Afghanistan and Iraq. Further, I contend that the persistent effect of two “faces of evil” is evident through the ongoing American preoccupation with the appearance and capacity of the Other to inflict terror, which becomes an unconscious act of self-recognition.peer-reviewe

"Not the Usual Suspects": A Study of Factors Reducing the Effectiveness of CCTV

Previous research on the effectiveness of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) has focused on critically assessing police and government claims that CCTV is effective in reducing crime. This paper presents a field study that investigates the relationship between CCTV system design and the performance of operator tasks. We carried out structured observations and interviews with 13 managers and 38 operators at 13 CCTV control rooms. A number of failures were identified, including the poor configuration of technology, poor quality video recordings, and a lack of system integration. Stakeholder communication was poor, and there were too many cameras and too few operators. These failures have been previously identified by researchers; however, no design improvements have been made to control rooms in the last decade. We identify a number of measures to improve operator performance, and contribute a set of recommendations for security managers and practitioners. Security Journal (2010) 23, 134-154. doi:10.1057/sj.2008.2; published online 6 October 200

Comparing Evolutionary Operators, Search Spaces, and Evolutionary Algorithms in the Construction of Facial Composites

Facial composite construction is one of the most successful applications of interactive evolutionary computation. In spite of this, previous work in the area of composite construction has not investigated the algorithm design options in detail. We address this issue with four experiments. In the first experiment a sorting task is used to identify the 12 most salient dimensions of a 30-dimensional search space. In the second experiment the performances of two mutation and two recombination operators for interactive genetic algorithms are compared. In the third experiment three search spaces are compared: a 30-dimensional search space, a mathematically reduced 12-dimensional search space, and a 12-dimensional search space formed from the 12 most salient dimensions. Finally, we compare the performances of an interactive genetic algorithm to interactive differential evolution. Our results show that the facial composite construction process is remarkably robust to the choice of evolutionary operator(s), the dimensionality of the search space, and the choice of interactive evolutionary algorithm. We attribute this to the imprecise nature of human face perception and differences between the participants in how they interact with the algorithms. Povzetek: Kompozitna gradnja obrazov je ena izmed najbolj uspešnih aplikacij interaktivnega evolucijskega ra?cunanja. Kljub temu pa do zdaj na podro?cju kompozitne gradnje niso bile podrobno raziskane možnosti snovanja algoritma. To vprašanje smo obravnavali s štirimi poskusi. V prvem je uporabljeno sortiranje za identifikacijo 12 najbolj izstopajo?cih dimenzij 30-dimenzionalnega preiskovalnega prostora. V drugem primerjamo u?cinkovitost dveh mutacij in dveh rekombinacijskih operaterjev za interaktivni genetski algoritem. V tretjem primerjamo tri preiskovalne prostore: 30-dimenzionalni, matemati?cno reducirani 12-dimenzionalni in 12-dimenzionalni prostor sestavljen iz 12 najpomembnejših dimenzij. Na koncu smo primerjali uspešnost interaktivnega genetskega algoritma z interaktivno diferencialno evolucijo. Rezultati kažejo, da je proces kompozitne gradnje obrazov izredno robusten glede na izbiro evolucijskega operatorja(-ev), dimenzionalnost preiskovalnega prostora in izbiro interaktivnega evolucijskega algoritma. To pripisujemo nenatan?cni naravi percepcije in razlikam med interakcijami uporabnikov z algoritmom

Review of Face Detection Systems Based Artificial Neural Networks Algorithms

Face detection is one of the most relevant applications of image processing and biometric systems. Artificial neural networks (ANN) have been used in the field of image processing and pattern recognition. There is lack of literature surveys which give overview about the studies and researches related to the using of ANN in face detection. Therefore, this research includes a general review of face detection studies and systems which based on different ANN approaches and algorithms. The strengths and limitations of these literature studies and systems were included also.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, 1 table, IJMA Journa