A mask-based approach for the geometric calibration of thermal-infrared cameras

Accurate and efficient thermal-infrared (IR) camera calibration is important for advancing computer vision research within the thermal modality. This paper presents an approach for geometrically calibrating individual and multiple cameras in both the thermal and visible modalities. The proposed technique can be used to correct for lens distortion and to simultaneously reference both visible and thermal-IR cameras to a single coordinate frame. The most popular existing approach for the geometric calibration of thermal cameras uses a printed chessboard heated by a flood lamp and is comparatively inaccurate and difficult to execute. Additionally, software toolkits provided for calibration either are unsuitable for this task or require substantial manual intervention. A new geometric mask with high thermal contrast and not requiring a flood lamp is presented as an alternative calibration pattern. Calibration points on the pattern are then accurately located using a clustering-based algorithm which utilizes the maximally stable extremal region detector. This algorithm is integrated into an automatic end-to-end system for calibrating single or multiple cameras. The evaluation shows that using the proposed mask achieves a mean reprojection error up to 78% lower than that using a heated chessboard. The effectiveness of the approach is further demonstrated by using it to calibrate two multiple-camera multiple-modality setups. Source code and binaries for the developed software are provided on the project Web site

Digital transformation of higher education in Australia: Understanding affordance dynamics in E-Textbook engagement and use

This paper addresses digital transformation in higher education by exploring the engagement and use of e-textbooks through an affordance theory lens. Drawing on the insights from in-depth interviews (n = 18), focus group discussions (n = 15), a pilot survey (n = 83) and the main survey (n = 344) in Australia, we developed and validated an affordance actualisation model for the engagement and use of e-textbooks. The partial least squares (PLS) technique was used to validate the dimensions of affordance actualisation and its relationship with e-textbooks engagement and affordance effect. The findings indicate the efficacy of the two affordance constructs, as well as the significant mediating effect of engagement. An important lesson for the e-textbook industry is that firms need to consider affordance actualisation dimensions (i.e., portability, accessibility, searchability, highlighting, copying, browsing, hedonic and utilitarian value) when enhancing digital engagement and use of e-textbooks

Technology, Science and Culture

From the success of the first and second volume of this series, we are enthusiastic to continue our discussions on research topics related to the fields of Food Science, Intelligent Systems, Molecular Biomedicine, Water Science, and Creation and Theories of Culture. Our aims are to discuss the newest topics, theories, and research methods in each of the mentioned fields, to promote debates among top researchers and graduate students and to generate collaborative works among them

Photogrammetry for 3D Reconstruction in SOLIDWORKS and its Applications in Industry

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)Close range, image based photogrammetry and LIDAR laser scanning technique are commonly utilized methodologies to snap real objects.3D models of already existing model or parts can be reconstructed by laser scanning and photogrammetry. These 3D models can be useful in applications like quality inspection, reverse engineering. With these techniques, they have their merits and limitations. Though laser scanners have higher accuracy, they require higher initial investment. Close-range photogrammetry is known for its simplicity, versatility and e ective detection of complex surfaces and 3D measurement of parts. But photogrammetry techniques can be initiated with comparatively much lower initial cost with acceptable accuracy. Currently, many industries are using photogrammetry for reverse engineering, quality inspection purposes. But, for photogrammetric object reconstruction, they are using di erent softwares. Industrial researchers are using commercial/open source codes for reconstruction and another stand-alone software for reverse engineering and mesh deviation analysis. So the problem statement here for this thesis is to integrate Photogrammetry, reverse engineering and deviation analysis to make one state-of-the-art work ow. xx The objectives of this thesis are as follows: 1. Comparative study between available source codes and identify suitable and stable code for integration; understand the photogrammetry methodology of that particular code. 2. To create a taskpane add-in using API for Integration of selected photogrammetry methodology and facilitate methodology with parameters. 3. To demonstrate the photogrammetric work ow followed by a reverse engineering case studies to showcase the potential of integration. 4. Parametric study for number of images vs accuracy 5. Comparison of Scan results, photogrammetry results with actual CAD dat

Privacy Utility and Privacy Disutility Expectancy: An Empirical Study on Social App Usage

Social apps fundamentally transform the way individuals manage their online identities through proxy-disclosure. While individuals do enjoy the potential enhancement to reputation that is realized through social app postings, they could have their privacy threatened when these apps make posting in an uncontrolled fashion. Drawing on the APCO model, this research elucidates the impact of the two key aspects of online proxy-disclosure on privacy expectancy formulation, which in turn influence usage intention of social apps. A survey was conducted to operationalize the research model. Results provide strong evidence that the two determinants of privacy expectancy strongly influence individuals’ perceptions of privacy utility and privacy disutility. Furthermore, the two types of privacy utility powerful drive usage intention of social apps. The implications of the findings are discussed

Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics Annual Report 2019

Solar photovoltaics involves the generation of electricity directly from sunlight when this light shines upon solar cells packaged into a solar module. Silicon is the most common material used to make these photovoltaic cells, similarly to its predominant role in microelectronics, although several other photovoltaic materials are being actively investigated. The year 2019 was another important one for photovoltaics both in Australia and internationally. Rooftop solar installations in Australia (<100 kW) increased by over 2.1 gigawatts during the year, a 35% increase over 2018, the previous record year, with a similar increase in large commercial systems. Solar’s contribution to electricity generation in the Australian National Electricity Market increased to 7.6% averaged over 2019, likely to exceed 10% average in 2020. Even more importantly, this strong solar contribution has significantly improved the power network’s ability to meet peaks in electricity demand during summer heatwaves, where solar is proving much more reliable than conventional coal generators, whether new or aging. The other big news from an Australian perspective is that the Australian invented and developed PERC (passivated emitter and rear cell) in 2019 became the cell manufactured in the highest volume internationally. Also, on this international front, annual global photovoltaic installations increased to a new record of 124 gigawatts installed in 2019, according to market analysts. Photovoltaics also reinforced its position as one of the lowest cost options for electricity production yet developed, with wholesale module selling prices dropping 20% from 2018 averaged over the year. The lowest bid for the long-term supply of solar via a power purchase agreement decreased to US$16.54/MWh in July 2019. Bids in Australia dropped to more closely match this international benchmark with the Clean Energy Regulator reporting that bids of AUD$45/MWh were now not uncommon. By combining with the company’s pumped hydro storage assets, Snowy Hydro claimed it was now able to offer “firm” solar- and wind-generated power on demand at AUD$70/MWh, well below the price from “baseload” coal plant. Australia has played a major role in achieving these very low costs and is expected to play a key role in future cost reductions through the ongoing activities of the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP), documented in this 2019 Annual Report. This is the seventh annual ACAP report, with ACAP activities supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). ACAP aims to significantly accelerate photovoltaic development by leveraging development of “over the horizon” photovoltaic technology, providing a pipeline of improved technology for increased performance and ongoing cost reduction. A second aim is to provide high quality training opportunities for the next generation of photovoltaic researchers, with one targeted outcome being to consolidate Australia’s position as the photovoltaic research and educational hub of the Asia-Pacific manufacturing region. In achieving these aims, ACAP works with a wide range of both local and international partners. ACAP came into being on 1 February 2013 after the signing of a Head Agreement between the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and ARENA. During 2013, related Collaboration Agreements were signed between UNSW and the other ACAP nodes, Australian National University (ANU), University of Melbourne (UoM), Monash University, University of Queensland (UQ) and CSIRO (Materials Science and Engineering, Melbourne) and, additionally, with the ACAP industrial partners, Suntech Research and Development, Australia (SRDA) (partnership now transferred to Wuxi Suntech Power Co., Ltd.), Trina Solar Ltd, BlueScope Steel and BT Imaging, and subsequently with PV Lighthouse, Greatcell Pty Ltd and RayGen Resources Pty Ltd. Our major international partners include the NSF-DOE Engineering Research Center for Quantum Energy and Sustainable Solar Technologies (QESST), based at Arizona State University, and the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), as well as the Molecular Foundry, Berkeley, Stanford University, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of California, Santa Barbara and the the Korean Green Energy Institute. This report covers the period from 1 January to 31 December 2019. Over the past seven years, ACAP has moved effectively to establish a high profile within the international research community. This is evidenced by the string of independently confirmed world records for energy conversion efficiency in efforts led by different nodes and for several different technologies since ACAP’s commencement. These include records for rear-junction silicon cells (ANU: 24.4%, 2013), overall sunlight to electricity conversion (UNSW, 40.4%, 2014; 40.6%, 2016), one-sun mini-module (UNSW: 34.5%, 2016), small-area “thin-film” CZTS (Cu2 ZnSnS4 ) cells (UNSW: 9.5%, 2016; 11.0%, 2017), for >1 cm2 CZTS cells (UNSW: 10.0%, 2017), perovskite mini modules (UNSW: 11.5%, 2016) and for >1 cm2 perovskite cells (UNSW: 18.0%, 2016; 19.6%, 2017; ANU: 21.6%, 2019). This tradition was continued into 2019 with key developments during the year summarised in the highlight pages immediately following this report. Particularly significant was the continued high level of recognition of ACAP’s impact through major local and international awards. In 2019, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) selected Professor Thorsten Trupke and Associate Professor Robert Bardos from the UNSW node for the prestigious Clunies Ross Award. The pair developed and commercialised photoluminescence imaging of silicon cells, ingots and wafers at UNSW, with development of this work supported over recent years by ACAP. This technology has been a gamechanger for the photovoltaics research community and the solar cell and module manufacturing industry, both locally and internationally. This and more detailed results described in the body of this 2019 Annual Report contributed to making 2019, once again, an extremely successful year for ACAP. I would like to thank ARENA for its ongoing financial support and also for the very effective involvement of ARENA personnel in supporting the ACAP program, both informally and via the ACAP National Steering Committee and the International Advisory Committee. I would additionally like to thank, in particular, all researchers affiliated with ACAP for their contributions to the broad range of progress reported in the following pages. Finally, I am pleased to be able to report that ACAP has taken another major step towards attaining its significant long-term objectives by achieving its key seventh-year milestones, on time and within budget. We look forward to similar progress in 2020 and in subsequent years

Use of Graph Neural Networks in Aiding Defensive Cyber Operations

In an increasingly interconnected world, where information is the lifeblood of modern society, regular cyber-attacks sabotage the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of digital systems and information. Additionally, cyber-attacks differ depending on the objective and evolve rapidly to disguise defensive systems. However, a typical cyber-attack demonstrates a series of stages from attack initiation to final resolution, called an attack life cycle. These diverse characteristics and the relentless evolution of cyber attacks have led cyber defense to adopt modern approaches like Machine Learning to bolster defensive measures and break the attack life cycle. Among the adopted ML approaches, Graph Neural Networks have emerged as a promising approach for enhancing the effectiveness of defensive measures due to their ability to process and learn from heterogeneous cyber threat data. In this paper, we look into the application of GNNs in aiding to break each stage of one of the most renowned attack life cycles, the Lockheed Martin Cyber Kill Chain. We address each phase of CKC and discuss how GNNs contribute to preparing and preventing an attack from a defensive standpoint. Furthermore, We also discuss open research areas and further improvement scopes.Comment: 35 pages, 9 figures, 8 table

Proceedings of Abstracts, School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science Research Conference 2022

© 2022 The Author(s). This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. For further details please see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Plenary by Prof. Timothy Foat, ‘Indoor dispersion at Dstl and its recent application to COVID-19 transmission’ is © Crown copyright (2022), Dstl. This material is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] present proceedings record the abstracts submitted and accepted for presentation at SPECS 2022, the second edition of the School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science Research Conference that took place online, the 12th April 2022

The impact of macroeconomic leading indicators on inventory management

Forecasting tactical sales is important for long term decisions such as procurement and informing lower level inventory management decisions. Macroeconomic indicators have been shown to improve the forecast accuracy at tactical level, as these indicators can provide early warnings of changing markets while at the same time tactical sales are sufficiently aggregated to facilitate the identification of useful leading indicators. Past research has shown that we can achieve significant gains by incorporating such information. However, at lower levels, that inventory decisions are taken, this is often not feasible due to the level of noise in the data. To take advantage of macroeconomic leading indicators at this level we need to translate the tactical forecasts into operational level ones. In this research we investigate how to best assimilate top level forecasts that incorporate such exogenous information with bottom level (at Stock Keeping Unit level) extrapolative forecasts. The aim is to demonstrate whether incorporating these variables has a positive impact on bottom level planning and eventually inventory levels. We construct appropriate hierarchies of sales and use that structure to reconcile the forecasts, and in turn the different available information, across levels. We are interested both at the point forecast and the prediction intervals, as the latter inform safety stock decisions. Therefore the contribution of this research is twofold. We investigate the usefulness of macroeconomic leading indicators for SKU level forecasts and alternative ways to estimate the variance of hierarchically reconciled forecasts. We provide evidence using a real case study