A Novel Method For Speech Segmentation Based On Speakers' Characteristics

Speech Segmentation is the process change point detection for partitioning an input audio stream into regions each of which corresponds to only one audio source or one speaker. One application of this system is in Speaker Diarization systems. There are several methods for speaker segmentation; however, most of the Speaker Diarization Systems use BIC-based Segmentation methods. The main goal of this paper is to propose a new method for speaker segmentation with higher speed than the current methods - e.g. BIC - and acceptable accuracy. Our proposed method is based on the pitch frequency of the speech. The accuracy of this method is similar to the accuracy of common speaker segmentation methods. However, its computation cost is much less than theirs. We show that our method is about 2.4 times faster than the BIC-based method, while the average accuracy of pitch-based method is slightly higher than that of the BIC-based method.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure

Polymer-Matrix Nanocomposite Membranes For Water Treatment

A new generation of advanced fibrous materials with high surface area, large number of pores, high flexibility and adjustable wettability were manufactured from different materials which are viable for many applications related to environment especially oil water separation. This thesis is focused on the preparation and characterization of two new different polymeric systems applicable in water/oil separation and oil impurities detection. The material system for sensor development is based on styrene isoprene styrene (SIS) elastomer filled with multiwalled carbon nanotubes and system for water/oil separation is composed by co-polyamide (coPA) electrospun mat covered by MXene sheets. Preparation of composites based on styrene isoprene styrene block polymer (SIS) modified by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) involves optimization of the component ratio and processing conditions utilizing electrospinning method. SIS has ability to absorb oil due to its oleophilic behavior and CNTs enhance the electrical conductivity of composite. The principle of oil sensing is based on the changes of electrical conductivity because of volumetric changes of material due to oil absorption. Separation of oil from water is performed using membrane technology. We prepared coPA mats via optimization of the polymer solvent/ratio conditions using electrospinning technique. MXene nanoplatelets were prepared from commercial MAX phase by strong etching with HF and delamination. CoPA mats covered by MXene nanoparticles and this bilayer system was used for water/oil separation. The separation efficiency up to 99.5% which indicates that it is valuable material for separation oil from water

The Catch of the Hyperreal: Yossarian and the Ideological Vicissitudes of Hyperreality

Hyperreality is a key term in Jean Baudrillard’s cultural theory, designating a phase in the development of image where it “masks the absence of a profound reality.” The ambiance of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 (1961) closely corresponds to Baudrillard’s notion of the hyperreal as images persist to precede reality in the fictional world of the novel. Since for Baudrillard each order of simulacra produces a certain mode of ideological discourse that impacts the perception of reality, it is plausible that the characters of this fictional context should be ideologically impacted by the hyperreal discourse. From this vantage point it is possible to have a new critical assessment of Yossarian’s (protagonist) antiheroic stance and study the role of the “business of illusion,” whose ideological edifice is based on the discourse of the hyperreal, on his antiheroic stance and actions. By drawing on Baudrillard’s cultural theory this paper aims to read Heller’s novel as a postmodern allegory of rebellion against the hyperreality of the twentieth-century American life and trace its relevance to modern-day U.S

Lacan as a Reader of Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber

In her modern classic Bloody Chamber Angela Carter has reworked many classic tales of western culture, covering tales from Charles Perrault to Grimm brothers. In her rewriting of these tale Carter does not merely reproduce these texts for a modern audience but she adds a political, sexual, and psychological edge to them. This article looks at three selected tales from this collection (The Tiger’s Bride, The Bloody Chamber, and The Lady of the House of Love) through the lens of Lacanian psychoanalytic theory in order to unveil their hidden psychological significance. By drawing on Lacanian key concepts such as “symbolic castration” and “dimension of ate” this paper aims to shed light on the disavowed and unconscious beliefs that constitute the psychological subtext of these narratives and regulate the actions of their characters.