Novel Pitch Detection Algorithm With Application to Speech Coding

This thesis introduces a novel method for accurate pitch detection and speech segmentation, named Multi-feature, Autocorrelation (ACR) and Wavelet Technique (MAWT). MAWT uses feature extraction, and ACR applied on Linear Predictive Coding (LPC) residuals, with a wavelet-based refinement step. MAWT opens the way for a unique approach to modeling: although speech is divided into segments, the success of voicing decisions is not crucial. Experiments demonstrate the superiority of MAWT in pitch period detection accuracy over existing methods, and illustrate its advantages for speech segmentation. These advantages are more pronounced for gain-varying and transitional speech, and under noisy conditions

Applications of MATLAB in Science and Engineering

The book consists of 24 chapters illustrating a wide range of areas where MATLAB tools are applied. These areas include mathematics, physics, chemistry and chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, biological (molecular biology) and medical sciences, communication and control systems, digital signal, image and video processing, system modeling and simulation. Many interesting problems have been included throughout the book, and its contents will be beneficial for students and professionals in wide areas of interest

Adaptive modulation schemes for optical wireless communication systems

High-speed wireless optical communication links have become more popular for personal mobile applications. This is a consequence of the increasing demand from the personal information service boom. Compared to the radio frequency domain, optical wireless communication offers much higher speeds and bit rates per unit power consumption. As stated by the official infrared standard IrDA optical communication enjoys much lower power consumption than Bluetooth, with an inherent security feature while in Line of Sight (LOS) applications. There are also drawbacks such as the infrared radiation cannot penetrate walls as radio frequencies do and interference from the background contribute to the channel dispersions. Focus on the modulation aspects of the optical wireless communication, this thesis try to improve the channel immunity by utilising optimised modulation to the channel. Modulation schemes such as on off keying (OOK), pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) and pulse position modulation (PPM) and pulse position and amplitude modulation PAPM schemes have been validated. The combined power and bandwidth requirements suggest that the adaptive modulation schemes can provide reliability when deployed in a real time channel, resulting in improved system performance. As a result, an adaptive modulation technique is proposed. Extensive simulations of severe noise distraction have been carried out to validate the new scheme. The simulation results indicate that the new scheme can provide increased immunity against channel noise fluctuation at a relatively low complexity. The scheme obtained formed a basis to support reliable mobile optical wireless communication applications. The adaptive scheme also takes the real time channel conditions into account, which is different from existing schemes. Guaranteed system performance can be secured without compromising power and bandwidth efficiency. This is also a new approach to realise reliable optical wireless links. Fuzzy logic control module has been developed to match the adaptive pattern

On the Recognition of Emotion from Physiological Data

This work encompasses several objectives, but is primarily concerned with an experiment where 33 participants were shown 32 slides in order to create ‗weakly induced emotions‘. Recordings of the participants‘ physiological state were taken as well as a self report of their emotional state. We then used an assortment of classifiers to predict emotional state from the recorded physiological signals, a process known as Physiological Pattern Recognition (PPR). We investigated techniques for recording, processing and extracting features from six different physiological signals: Electrocardiogram (ECG), Blood Volume Pulse (BVP), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Electromyography (EMG), for the corrugator muscle, skin temperature for the finger and respiratory rate. Improvements to the state of PPR emotion detection were made by allowing for 9 different weakly induced emotional states to be detected at nearly 65% accuracy. This is an improvement in the number of states readily detectable. The work presents many investigations into numerical feature extraction from physiological signals and has a chapter dedicated to collating and trialing facial electromyography techniques. There is also a hardware device we created to collect participant self reported emotional states which showed several improvements to experimental procedure

Adaptive modulation schemes for optical wireless communication systems

High-speed wireless optical communication links have become more popular for personal mobile applications. This is a consequence of the increasing demand from the personal information service boom. Compared to the radio frequency domain, optical wireless communication offers much higher speeds and bit rates per unit power consumption. As stated by the official infrared standard IrDA optical communication enjoys much lower power consumption than Bluetooth, with an inherent security feature while in Line of Sight (LOS) applications. There are also drawbacks such as the infrared radiation cannot penetrate walls as radio frequencies do and interference from the background contribute to the channel dispersions. Focus on the modulation aspects of the optical wireless communication, this thesis try to improve the channel immunity by utilising optimised modulation to the channel. Modulation schemes such as on off keying (OOK), pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) and pulse position modulation (PPM) and pulse position and amplitude modulation PAPM schemes have been validated. The combined power and bandwidth requirements suggest that the adaptive modulation schemes can provide reliability when deployed in a real time channel, resulting in improved system performance. As a result, an adaptive modulation technique is proposed. Extensive simulations of severe noise distraction have been carried out to validate the new scheme. The simulation results indicate that the new scheme can provide increased immunity against channel noise fluctuation at a relatively low complexity. The scheme obtained formed a basis to support reliable mobile optical wireless communication applications. The adaptive scheme also takes the real time channel conditions into account, which is different from existing schemes. Guaranteed system performance can be secured without compromising power and bandwidth efficiency. This is also a new approach to realise reliable optical wireless links. Fuzzy logic control module has been developed to match the adaptive pattern.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Human Machine Interfaces for Teleoperators and Virtual Environments

In Mar. 1990, a meeting organized around the general theme of teleoperation research into virtual environment display technology was conducted. This is a collection of conference-related fragments that will give a glimpse of the potential of the following fields and how they interplay: sensorimotor performance; human-machine interfaces; teleoperation; virtual environments; performance measurement and evaluation methods; and design principles and predictive models

A study of the implications of information superhighway technology on Hertfordshire based small-medium electronic enterprises

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Laboratory Directed Research and Development FY2010 Annual Report

A premier applied-science laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has at its core a primary national security mission - to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing, and to prevent and counter the spread and use of weapons of mass destruction: nuclear, chemical, and biological. The Laboratory uses the scientific and engineering expertise and facilities developed for its primary mission to pursue advanced technologies to meet other important national security needs - homeland defense, military operations, and missile defense, for example - that evolve in response to emerging threats. For broader national needs, LLNL executes programs in energy security, climate change and long-term energy needs, environmental assessment and management, bioscience and technology to improve human health, and for breakthroughs in fundamental science and technology. With this multidisciplinary expertise, the Laboratory serves as a science and technology resource to the U.S. government and as a partner with industry and academia. This annual report discusses the following topics: (1) Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation; (2) Biological Sciences; (3) Chemistry; (4) Earth and Space Sciences; (5) Energy Supply and Use; (6) Engineering and Manufacturing Processes; (7) Materials Science and Technology; Mathematics and Computing Science; (8) Nuclear Science and Engineering; and (9) Physics