E-model modification for case of cascade codecs arrangement

Speech quality assessment is one of the key matters of voice services and every provider should ensure adequate connection quality to end users. Speech quality has to be measured by a trusted method and results have to correlate with intelligibility and clarity of the speech, as perceived by the listener. It can be achieved by subjective methods but in real life we must rely on objective measurements based on reliable models. One of them is E-model that we can consider as mainly adopted method in IP telephony. This method is based on evaluation of transmission path impairments influencing speech signal, especially delays and packet losses. These parameters which are common in IP network can affect dramatically speech quality. In this article, a new modification of E-model, that takes into consideration the cascade codecs arrangement, is presented. The proposed a correction function improves the current computational non-intrusive approach that is described in recommendation ITU-T G.107, so-called E-model.Scopus551447143

Smart Computing and Sensing Technologies for Animal Welfare: A Systematic Review

Animals play a profoundly important and intricate role in our lives today. Dogs have been human companions for thousands of years, but they now work closely with us to assist the disabled, and in combat and search and rescue situations. Farm animals are a critical part of the global food supply chain, and there is increasing consumer interest in organically fed and humanely raised livestock, and how it impacts our health and environmental footprint. Wild animals are threatened with extinction by human induced factors, and shrinking and compromised habitat. This review sets the goal to systematically survey the existing literature in smart computing and sensing technologies for domestic, farm and wild animal welfare. We use the notion of \emph{animal welfare} in broad terms, to review the technologies for assessing whether animals are healthy, free of pain and suffering, and also positively stimulated in their environment. Also the notion of \emph{smart computing and sensing} is used in broad terms, to refer to computing and sensing systems that are not isolated but interconnected with communication networks, and capable of remote data collection, processing, exchange and analysis. We review smart technologies for domestic animals, indoor and outdoor animal farming, as well as animals in the wild and zoos. The findings of this review are expected to motivate future research and contribute to data, information and communication management as well as policy for animal welfare

3D Multi-Objective Deployment of an Industrial Wireless Sensor Network for Maritime Applications Utilizing a Distributed Parallel Algorithm

Effective monitoring marine environment has become a vital problem in the marine applications. Traditionally, marine application mostly utilizes oceanographic research vessel methods to monitor the environment and human parameters. But these methods are usually expensive and time-consuming, also limited resolution in time and space. Due to easy deployment and cost-effective, WSNs have recently been considered as a promising alternative for next generation IMGs. This paper focuses on solving the issue of 3D WSN deployment in a 3D engine room space of a very large crude-oil carrier (VLCC), in which many power devices are also considered. To address this 3D WSN deployment problem for maritime applications, a 3D uncertain coverage model is proposed with a new 3D sensing model and an uncertain fusion operator, is presented. The deployment problem is converted into a multi-objective problems (MOP) in which three objectives are simultaneously considered: Coverage, Lifetime and Reliability. Our aim is to achieve extensive Coverage, long Lifetime and high Reliability. We also propose a distributed parallel cooperative co-evolutionary multi-objective large-scale evolutionary algorithm (DPCCMOLSEA) for maritime applications. In the simulation experiments, the effectiveness of this algorithm is verified in comparing with five state-of-the-art algorithms. The numerical outputs demonstrate that the proposed method performs the best with respect to both optimization performance and computation time

Reliability analysis of wireless sensor network for smart farming applications

Wireless Sensor Networks are subjected to some design constraints (e.g., processing capability, storage memory, energy consumption, fixed deployment, etc.) and to outdoor harsh conditions that deeply affect the network reliability. The aim of this work is to provide a deeper understanding about the way redundancy and node deployment affect the network reliability. In more detail, the paper analyzes the design and implementation of a wireless sensor network for low-power and low-cost applications and calculates its reliability considering the real environmental conditions and the real arrangement of the nodes deployed in the field. The reliability of the system has been evaluated by looking for both hardware failures and communication errors. A reliability prediction based on different handbooks has been carried out to estimate the failure rate of the nodes self-designed and self-developed to be used under harsh environments. Then, using the Fault Tree Analysis the real deployment of the nodes is taken into account considering the Wi-Fi coverage area and the possible communication link between nearby nodes. The findings show how different node arrangements provide significantly different reliability. The positioning is therefore essential in order to obtain maximum performance from a Wireless sensor network

Air Force Institute of Technology Research Report 2010

This report summarizes the research activities of the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management. It describes research interests and faculty expertise; lists student theses/dissertations; identifies research sponsors and contributions; and outlines the procedures for contacting the school. Included in the report are: faculty publications, conference presentations, consultations, and funded research projects. Research was conducted in the areas of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electro-Optics, Computer Engineering and Computer Science, Systems and Engineering Management, Operational Sciences, Mathematics, Statistics and Engineering Physic

The role of the competition law and policy of the EU in the formation of international agreements on competition.

Competition law is a tool first employed by countries more than a hundred years ago, to address issues relating to restrictions on competition conducted by private firms. Competition law is still predominantly an instrument to resolve national problems while the dominance of market based economies in the last fifty years, particularly following the collapse of the eastern block, in combination with improvements in transport, communications and technology have progressively dismantled national borders and internationalised trade. Trade liberalisation has in turn led to practices by firms that have an effect on the territories of more than one country. Attempts to address this paradox - national rules to address international issues - have appeared on several occasions in the last 80 years at the international, regional and lately bilateral level. The research question that the thesis addresses is: What is the role of the competition law and policy of the EU in the formation of international competition rules (norms). This question encompasses two main concepts: international agreements with competition elements, and the role of EU competition law and policy. As to the former, four main forms of agreements are discussed in separate chapters of the thesis: bilateral and tripartite enforcement cooperation agreements, bilateral trade agreements with competition provisions, plurilateral trade agreements, and the negotiations over a possible multilateral agreement on competition. As to the latter, the EU is the focus of examination of these agreements. In this regard, the study analyses all the relevant agreements signed by the EU and the socio-political environment under which these agreements are negotiated and (where relevant) applied in practice, as well as the influence that these agreements have had on the conclusion of similar agreements by other countries

The three faces of international antitrust, and the paradox for international merger control

The term ‘international antitrust’ is a convenient yet inaccurate means of describing the national rules, bilateral agreements, and multilateral initiatives that attempt to fill the vacuum created by the failure to agree upon international antitrust rules. The ‘stillborn’ International Trade Organisation (ITO) would have integrated international antitrust rules into the multilateral trading system and provided a twin track to trade liberalisation, but was never ratified. The three faces of international antitrust – unilateralism, bilateralism and multilateralism – have developed in parallel to the increasing globalisation of trade, removal of state-imposed barriers and economic integration and interdependency. International cooperation and convergence efforts in antitrust are essential in order to safeguard the benefits that should flow from trade liberalisation. Cooperation and convergence also diminishes the risk of conflict between antitrust authorities, which would otherwise increase due to: the extraterritorial enforcement of national antitrust rules; the growing number of antitrust regimes; and ‘ripple effects’ due to globalisation of trade. In analysing the activities that comprise the international antitrust dialogue, this thesis suggests that the primary objective of the dialogue is to support and supplement trade liberalisation. There is doubt however, as to whether the operation of the international merger control framework (which consists of a plethora of national merger control regimes, bilateral engagement, and multilateral convergence efforts) is consistent with the primary objective. Mergers and acquisitions (M and A) are important means of foreign direct investment and can create cross-border synergies, which should help realise the benefits to be reaped from trade liberalisation. While anti-competitive M and A jeopardise those benefits, and are correctly scrutinised (and occasionally blocked), multi-jurisdictional merger review must balance the need to intervene in anti-competitive M and A, with the desire to facilitate all other M and A. A paradoxical position arises however, if multi-jurisdictional merger review unduly hinders those M and A which would further the cause of trade liberalisation, whilst attempting to control the anti-competitive mergers. Hence the operation of multi-jurisdictional merger review is potentially inconsistent with the primary objective of the international antitrust dialogue. This thesis focuses upon the international merger control framework in chapter 5, and evaluates whether reforms are needed to ensure greater consistency with the primary objective. This thesis concludes by offering several recommendations regarding the international antitrust dialogue, particularly with regard to the international merger control framework, but recommends against the creation of an international merger control regime (IMCR), or a common pre-merger notification system at the current time. This thesis is intended to be up to date as of 1 May 2007