Non-photorealistic image rendering with a labyrinthine tiling

The paper describes a new image processing for a non-photorealistic rendering. The algorithm is based on a random generation of gray tones and competing statistical requirements. The gray tone value of each pixel in the starting image is replaced selecting among randomly generated tone values, according to the statistics of nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor pixels. Two competing conditions for replacing the tone values - one position on the local mean value the other on the local variance - produce a peculiar pattern on the image. This pattern has a labyrinthine tiling aspect. For certain subjects, the pattern enhances the look of the image.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Mapping Images with the Coherence Length Diagrams

Statistical pattern recognition methods based on the Coherence Length Diagram (CLD) have been proposed for medical image analyses, such as quantitative characterisation of human skin textures, and for polarized light microscopy of liquid crystal textures. Further investigations are made on image maps originated from such diagram and some examples related to irregularity of microstructures are shown

Self frequency-locking of a chain of oscillators

The paper studies the vibrational modes of a slightly damped uniform chain, with n masses coupled by elastic forces. It will be shown that, for certain lengths of the chain, that is for certain values of n, the damping of one of the masses at a specific position in the chain is able to constrain the vibration of the system to oscillate at a specific frequency. The damped mass turns out to be a node of the chain, subdividing it in two parts. This node can be considered as the synchronization element of the two subchains. As a consequence the oscillating system of n-masses is self-locking to the synchronized frequency of its subchains

Undulation textures at the phase transitions of some alkyloxybenzoic acids

We observed undulated smectic textures for some compounds of the 4,n-alkyloxybenzoic (nOBAC) acid series, at transitions between the smectic and the isotropic phase and between the smectic and nematic phase. Studied compounds were 12OBAC, 16OBAC and a binary mixture of 12- and 16OBAC. The undulations are dressing a usual Schlieren texture. In the case of the binary mixture, an interesting fingerprint pattern is observed too

A tour about Isaac Newton's life

Here we propose a tour about the life of Isaac Newton, using a georeferenced method, based on the free satellite maps. Our tour is modelled on the time-line of the great scientist's life, as an ancient "itinerarium" was modelled on the Roman roads, providing a listing of places and intervening distances, sometimes with short description or symbols concerning the places. KML language and Google Earth, with its Street View and 3D images are powerful tools to create this virtual tour.Comment: Georeferencing, Satellite Maps, KML, XML, Acme Mapper, History of Physic

Effects of GIMP Retinex Filtering Evaluated by the Image Entropy

A GIMP Retinex filtering can be used for enhancing images, with good results on foggy images, as recently discussed. Since this filter has some parameters that can be adjusted to optimize the output image, several approaches can be decided according to desired results. Here, as a criterion for optimizing the filtering parameters, we consider the maximization of the image entropy. We use, besides the Shannon entropy, also a generalized entropy.Comment: Keywords: Image Processing, Foggy Images, Retinex, Shannon Entropy, Generalized Entropies, Kaniadakis Entrop

Polypyrrole Coated PET Fabrics for Thermal Applications

Polypyrrole can be chemically synthesized on PET fabrics, giving rise to textiles with high electric conductivity. These textiles are suitable for several applications from antistatic films to electromagnetic interference shielding devices. Here we discuss the thermal-electric performance and the heat generation of polypyrrole coated PET fabric samples, previously studied because of their electric conductivity and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness. The measured Seebeck effect is comparable with that of metallic thermocouples. Since polypyrrole shows extremely low thermal diffusivities regardless of the electrical conductivity, the low thermal conductivity gives significant advantage to the thermoelectric figure-of-merit ZT, comparable with that of some traditional inorganic thermoelectric materials. The heat generation is also investigated for possible heating textile devices. The results confirm polypyrrole as a prom- ising material for thermal electric applications due to its easy preparation in low cost processin

Texture transitions in the liquid crystalline alkyloxybenzoic acid 6OBAC

The 4,n-alkyloxybenzoic acid 6OBAC has a very rich variety of crystalline structures and two nematic sub-phases, characterised by different textures. It is a material belonging to a family of liquid crystals formed by hydrogen bonded molecules, the 4,n-alkyloxybenzoic acids indicates the homologue number). The homologues with n ranging from 7 to 13 display both smectic C and N phases. In spite of the absence of a smectic phase, 6OBAC exhibits two sub-phases with different textures, as it happens in other materials of the homologue series which possess the smectic phase. This is the first material that exhibits a texture transition in a nematic phase directly originated from a crystal phase. Here we present the results of an image processing assisted optical investigation to characterise the textures and the transitions between textures. This processing is necessary to discriminate between crystal modifications and nematic sub-phases.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure