Three-dimensional planar object tracking with sub-pixel accuracy

Subpixel techniques are commonly used to increase the spatial resolution in tracking tasks. Object tracking with targets of known shape permits obtaining information about object position and orientation in the three-dimensional space. A proper selection of the target shape allows us to determine its position inside a plane and its angular and azimuthal orientation under certain limits. Our proposal is demonstrated both numerical and experimentally and provides an increase the accuracy of more than one order of magnitude compared to the nominal resolution of the sensor. The experiment has been performed with a high-speed camera, which simultaneously provides high spatial and temporal resolution, so it may be interesting for some applications where this kind of targets can be attached, such as vibration monitoring and structural analysis.The authors acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad through the project BIA2011-22704 and the Generalitat Valenciana through the projects GV/2013/009 and PROMETEO/ 2011/021. A. B. Roig acknowledges a grant from Cajamurcia

Algunas propuestas de Habitabilidad Básica para la Reconstrucción de Haití

Según los autores de este estudio, redactado en septiembre del 2010, la reconstrucción física de Haití mediante la ejecución de nuevos asentamientos humanos no puede retrasarse más. Es el momento de reconstruir, en primer lugar, las escuelas, los ambulatorios médicos y los hospitales (lo público siempre antes que lo privado); de reparar y poner en uso edificios dañados con patologías estructurales; de tumbar las infraestructuras en ruina que los especialistas seleccionen; de reciclar los desechos acumulados en las calles, dado que las materias primas no son asequibles para buena parte de la población, sobre todo tras el seísmo. No se dan las condiciones ahora, ni se han dado en décadas pretéritas, para recomendar la construcción de «viviendas dignas» con fondos de la cooperación para el desarrollo. Además de imposible de cumplir, sería paralizante para la población, y sin las haitianas y haitianos no hay desarrollo posible. Este trabajo propugna soluciones habitacionales en las que participen decenas de miles de haitianas (preferentemente, mujeres jefas de hogar), en procesos de autoconstrucción. No hay fórmulas mágicas, pero sí constancia internacional de que estos proyectos, cuando tienen en cuenta que la pobreza es heterogénea, multisectorial y participativa, obtienen mayores cotas de éxito. Hay que remontarse a las conclusiones de la primera Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre los Asentamientos Humanos (Hábitat I; Vancouver, 1976), que alertaban de la imposibilidad de paliar los tremendos déficits acumulados mediante políticas convencionales a base de «viviendas dignas para todos», y, más recientemente, a las contundentes aportaciones de Hábitat II (Estambul, 1996), plasmadas en una estrategia facilitadora en forma de políticas no convencionales de hábitat. El estudio pretende llamar la atención sobre las potencialidades de una propuesta de habitabilidad básica para los sin cobijo como alternativa plausible y realista a las diversas propuestas anunciadas por agentes de cooperación y ante las carencias de soluciones concretas del Plan de Acción para la Recuperación y el Desarrollo de Haití (marzo 2010)

An approach to the application of a modified Fick's diffusion model: Development of an algorithm

In the present work, we studied the mathematical characteristics of a modified Fick's diffusion model which is widely used for modelling the extraction kinetics of various compounds because it allows to describe the mass transfer in terms of two parameters: washing fraction (M0/M∞) and diffusion coefficients (Deff). This model also involves an infinite series of terms, obtaining an adequate simplification criterion of the model for each system under study. A calculation algorithm was developed to determine the number of terms of the series that is sufficient. Based on the developed criterion, the data obtained by various authors for different systems were analyzed, finding in general that the number of terms of the series was underestimated, which affected both the parameter values and the analysis of the phenomena involved. The main impact was detected on the parameter associated with the washing phenomenon, observing in general an underestimation of that parameter, whereas a smaller overestimation could be seen for the diffusion coefficient. Our study shows the importance of adopting an adequate simplification criterion when using a diffusion model to avoid errors in the interpretation of the mass transfer phenomena involved.Fil: Sánchez, Ramiro Julián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo y Diseño. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo y Diseño; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, María Belén. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingeniería Olavarría. Grupo Tecnologías de Semillas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Nolasco, Susana Maria. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingeniería Olavarría. Grupo Tecnologías de Semillas; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentin

Aportación al problema general de redes locales de alta precisión: condicionantes específicos de fijación de criterios teóricos y prácticos, de calificación de parámetros intermedios y resultados finales

Al diseñar, observar y calcular una Red Local de Alta precisión, cualquiera que sea su objetivo, se plantea siempre el problema de la fiabilidad de los datos, parámetros intermedios y resultados finales. La tendencia en el momento presente es que la exigencia en rigor y precisión, y en definitiva, de calidad, crezca y crezca. El concepto de precisión es fundamental en cualquier trabajo geodésica, y junto al de fiabilidad y costo, definen los tres parámetros fundamentales en cualquier actuación geodésica. [Nuñez et. al. 1991]. Se pude definir la fiabilidad como la capacidad de la red para detectar errores groseros en las observaciones. [Nuñez et. al. 1991]. Por tanto es necesario revisar los conceptos de figuras de error y algoritmos de cálculo. En ellos, incluso los redondeos practicados al realizar sucesivas operaciones aritméticas por el ordenador que se trate, tienen una importancia notable y no es indiferente la utilización de uno u otro equipo de los disponibles en el mercado. En esta de tesis se tratará, como ejemplo de lo expuesto, al resolver un sistema de ecuaciones por mínimos cuadrados Ax - K = R, (sabiendo que A es la matriz de diseño, K el vector de los términos independientes, y R el vector de los residuos), ya sea como red ligada o como red libre, nos podemos encontrar con que la matriz S = ATPA sea altamente sensible a cualquier operación de redondeo, resultando importantes discrepancias sobre el vector solución de las incógnitas X. En general, la sensibilidad detectada es inevitable y puede suponer un serio inconveniente en la obtención de resultados fiables en redes que requieran altos niveles de rigor y precisión, como es el caso del control de deformaciones. Sin embargo, antes de tomar la decisión extrema de repetir la observación, probablemente con nueva metodología e incluso, cambio de instrumentación, pueden intentarse mejorar la situación aplicando algún otro nuevo artificio de cálculo. Así pues debemos tener en cuentaAnquela Julián, AB. (2001). Aportación al problema general de redes locales de alta precisión: condicionantes específicos de fijación de criterios teóricos y prácticos, de calificación de parámetros intermedios y resultados finales [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/5907

Method for targetless tracking subpixel in-plane movements

We present a targetless motion tracking method for detecting planar movements with subpixel accuracy. This method is based on the computation and tracking of the intersection of two nonparallel straight-line segments in the image of a moving object in a scene. The method is simple and easy to implement because no complex structures have to be detected. It has been tested and validated using a lab experiment consisting of a vibrating object that was recorded with a high-speed camera working at 1000 fps. We managed to track displacements with an accuracy of hundredths of pixel or even of thousandths of pixel in the case of tracking harmonic vibrations. The method is widely applicable because it can be used for distance measuring amplitude and frequency of vibrations with a vision system.Generalitat Valenciana (Regional Government of Valencia) (PROMETEO/2011/021); Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) (BIA2011-22704); Universidad de Alicante (GRE13-10)

Targetless image-based method for measuring displacements and strains on concrete surfaces with a consumer camera

Measurement of concrete strain through non-invasive methods is of great importance in civil engineering and structural analysis. Traditional methods use laser speckle and high quality cameras that may result too expensive for many applications. Here we present a method for measuring concrete deformations with a standard reflex camera and image processing for tracking objects in the concretes surface. Two different approaches are presented here. In the first one, on-purpose objects are drawn on the surface, while on the second one we track small defects on the surface due to air bubbles in the hardening process. The method has been tested on a concrete sample under several loading/unloading cycles. A stop-motion sequence of the process has been captured and analyzed. Results have been successfully compared with the values given by a strain gauge. Accuracy of our methods in tracking objects is below 8 μm, in the order of more expensive commercial devices.The authors acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad through the project BIA2011-22704, the Generalitat Valenciana through the project PROMETEO/2011/021 and GV/2013/009 and the University of Alicante through the project GRE13-10

Improving the canolol amount and the yield of expressed canola oil applying combined pretreatments

Canolol is a potent natural antioxidant. It exhibits antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties, showing an even more potent antimutagenic activity than that of α-tocopherol and flavonoids. This compound is formed due to high temperatures during processing of some seeds of brassica family, like canola. The nutritional value of canola oil can be increased by increasing the content of canolol, subjecting the seeds to different pretreatments (steam, microwaves). The aim of this work was to study treatments applied to canola seeds in order to improve the quality of the expressed oil, increasing the amount of canolol, and also to obtain higher yields of oil by pressing. Canola seeds were subjected to different treatments: -Hydrothermal (HT), by exposing the grains to steam in an autoclave; -Microwave (MW), irradiation in a microwave oven; Combination of both treatments (HT-MW): exposing the seeds to water vapor and then microwave irradiating until grains reached a 7% moisture, dry basis. Oil was extracted from pretreated and untreated samples by pressing using a helical screw press. Oil yield was determined by evaluating the residual oil remaining in the press cake. Canolol content was determined in all samples by HPLC. The combined pretreatment HT-MW significantly increased the amount of canolol in oil (495ppm in contrast with 5ppm in untreated samples) and significantly improved its oxidative stability. Moreover, this pretreatment generated the highest oil yield by expression, extracting 86% of the total oil. While, by pressing untreated canola, 68% of the total oil in grains was obtained, in hydrothermally pretreated samples it was extracted a 76% of the oil and 8% in the case of only irradiated with microwaves samples. Furthermore, SEM micrographs showed a more open structure in samples treated by combined pretreatment HT-MW, which could have improved the availability of oil, favoring the oil expression process.Fil: Cortese, C.M.. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingeniería Olavarría. Grupo Tecnologías de Semillas; ArgentinaFil: Portela, G.. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingeniería Olavarría. Grupo Tecnologías de Semillas; ArgentinaFil: Sánchez, Ramiro Julián. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingeniería Olavarría. Grupo Tecnologías de Semillas; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, María Belén. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingeniería Olavarría. Grupo Tecnologías de Semillas; Argentin

High-speed video-oculography applied to assess pupil light reflex

Póster presentado en el VII European/ I World Meeting in Visual and Physiological OpticsEye response to light exposure is usually described through the pupillary light reflex, which controls the pupil diameter and allows for testing the sensory and motor functions of the eye. We have arranged an experimental setup and developed a procedure in order to improve the video-oculography experiment through high-speed imaging. The technique has been applied over eleven people distinguishing between consensual and direct pupillary light reflexes and analyzing the eye dominance. We found no significant differences. Moreover, obtained time parameters describing the pupil light reflex agree with those from literature.The authors acknowledge the projects BIA2011-22704, GV/2013/009 and PROMETEO/ 2011/021. A. B. Roig acknowledges a grant from Cajamurcia

A high-resolution binocular video-oculography system: assessment of pupillary light reflex and detection of an early incomplete blink and an upward eye movement

Background: The pupillary light reflex characterizes the direct and consensual response of the eye to the perceived brightness of a stimulus. It has been used as indicator of both neurological and optic nerve pathologies. As with other eye reflexes, this reflex constitutes an almost instantaneous movement and is linked to activation of the same midbrain area. The latency of the pupillary light reflex is around 200 ms, although the literature also indicates that the fastest eye reflexes last 20 ms. Therefore, a system with sufficiently high spatial and temporal resolutions is required for accurate assessment. In this study, we analyzed the pupillary light reflex to determine whether any small discrepancy exists between the direct and consensual responses, and to ascertain whether any other eye reflex occurs before the pupillary light reflex. Methods: We constructed a binocular video-oculography system two high-speed cameras that simultaneously focused on both eyes. This was then employed to assess the direct and consensual responses of each eye using our own algorithm based on Circular Hough Transform to detect and track the pupil. Time parameters describing the pupillary light reflex were obtained from the radius time-variation. Eight healthy subjects (4 women, 4 men, aged 24–45) participated in this experiment. Results: Our system, which has a resolution of 15 microns and 4 ms, obtained time parameters describing the pupillary light reflex that were similar to those reported in previous studies, with no significant differences between direct and consensual reflexes. Moreover, it revealed an incomplete reflex blink and an upward eye movement at around 100 ms that may correspond to Bell’s phenomenon. Conclusions: Direct and consensual pupillary responses do not any significant temporal differences. The system and method described here could prove useful for further assessment of pupillary and blink reflexes. The resolution obtained revealed the existence reported here of an early incomplete blink and an upward eye movement.The authors acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad through the project BIA2011-22704 and the Generalitat Valenciana through the projects GV/2013/009 and PROMETEO/2011/021. A. B. Roig acknowledges a grant from Cajamurcia

Python software tools for GNSS interferometric reflectometry (GNSS-IR)

[EN] Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interferometric reflectometry, also known as the GNSS-IR, uses data from geodetic-quality GNSS antennas to extract information about the environment surrounding the antenna. Soil moisture moni-toring is one of the most important applications of the GNSS-IR technique. This manuscript presents the main ideas and implementation decisions needed to write the Python code for software tools that transform RINEX format observation and navigation files into an appropriate format for GNSS-IR (which includes the SNR observations and the azimuth and elevation of the satellites) and to determine the reflection height and the adjusted phase and amplitude values of the interferometric wave for each individual satellite track. The main goal of the manuscript is to share the software with the scientific com-munity to introduce new users to the GNSS-IR technique.The authors want to thank the staff of the Cajamar Center of Experiences, and especially Carlos Baixauli, for their support and collaboration in the Paiporta experiment. The authors also want to thank Alfred Leick and Steve Hilla for their valuable comments and suggestions.Martín Furones, ÁE.; Luján García Muñoz, R.; Anquela Julián, AB. (2020). Python software tools for GNSS interferometric reflectometry (GNSS-IR). GPS Solutions. 24(4):1-7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-020-01010-0S17244Chen Q, Won D, Akos DM, Small EE (2016) Vegetation using GPS interferometric reflectometry: experimental results with a horizontal polarized antenna. IEEE J Select Top Appl Earth Obs Rem Sens 9(10):4771–4780. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2016.2565687Chew CC, Small EE, Larson KM, Zavorotny VU (2014) Effects of near-surface soil moisture on GPS SNR data: development and retrieval algorithm for soil moisture. IEEE T Geosci Rem Sens 52(1):537–543. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2013.2242332Chew CC, Small EE, Larson KM, Zavorotny UZ (2015) Vegetation sensing using GPS-interferometric reflectometry: theoretical effects of canopy parameters on signal-to-noise ratio data. IEEE T Geosci Rem Sens 53(5):2755–2764. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2014.2364513Chew CC, Small EE, Larson KM (2016) An algorithm for soil moisture estimation using GPS-interferometric reflectometry for bare and vegetated soil. GPS Solut 20(3):525–537. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-015-0462-4Gurtner W, Estey L (2015) RINEX: the receiver independent exchange format version 3.03. ftp://igs.org/pub/data/format/rinex303.pdfLarson KM, Small EE, Gutmann ED, Bilich AL, Axelrad A, Braun JJ (2008a) Using GPS multipath to measure soil moisture fluctuations: initial results. GPS Solut 12(3):173–177. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-007-0076-6Larson KM, Small EE, Gutmann ED, Bilich AL, Braun JJ, Zavorotny VU (2008b) Use of GPS receivers as a soil moisture network for water cycle studies. Geophys Res Lett 35:L24405. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL036013Larson KM, Gutmann E, Zavorotny VU, Braun J, Williams M, Nievinski FG (2009) Can we measure snow depth with GPS receivers? Geophys Res Lett 36:L17502. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL039430Larson KM, Braun JJ, Small EE, Zavorotny VU (2010) GPS multipath and its relation to near-surface soil moisture content. IEEE J Selec Top Appl Earth Obs Rem Sens 3(1):91–99. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2009.2033612Larson KM, Nievinski FG (2013) GPS snow sensing: results from the EarthScope plate boundary observatory. GPS Solut 17(1):41–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-012-0259-7Leick A, Rapoport L, Tatarnikov D (2015) GPS satellite surveying, 4th edn. Wiley, Hoboken, p 840Martín A, Ibañez S, Baixauli C, Blanc S, Anquela AB (2020) Multi-constellation interferometric reflectometry with mass-market sensors as a solution for soil moisture monitoring. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3573-2020Nievinski GG, Larson KM (2014) An open source GPS multipath simulator in Matlab/Octave. GPS Solut 18:473–481. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-014-0370-zNischan T (2016) GFZRNX—RINEX GNSS data conversion and manipulation toolbox (Version 1.05). GFZ Data Serv. https://doi.org/10.5880/GFZ.1.1.2016.002Roesler C, Larson KM (2018) Software tools for GNSS interferometric reflectometry (GNSS-IR). GPS Solut. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-018-0744-8Roussel N, Ramilien G, Frappart F, Darrozes J, Gay A, Biancale R, Striebig N, Hanquiez V, Bertin X, Allain A (2015) Sea level monitoring and sea estimate using a single geodetic receiver. Remote Sens Environ 171:261–277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2015.10.011Roussel N, Frappart F, Ramillien G, Darroes J, Baup F, Lestarquit L, Ha MC (2016) Detection of soil moisture variations using GPS and GLONASS SNR data for elevation angles ranging from 2º to 70º. IEEE J Selec Top Appl Earth Obs Rem Sens 9(10):4781–4794. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2016.2537847Sanz J, Juan JM, Hernández-Pajares M (2013) GNSS data processing. Volume I: fundamentals and algorithms. European Space Agency Communications, 223 ppSmall EE, Larson KM, Chew CC, Dong J, Ochsner TE (2016) Validation of GPS-IR soil moisture retrievals: comparison of different algorithms to remove vegetation effects. IEEE J Selec Top Appl Earth Obs Rem Sens 9(10):4759–4770. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTARS.2015.2504527Vey S, Güntner A, Wickert J, Blume T, Ramatschi M (2016) Long-term soil moisture dynamics derived from GNSS interferometric reflectometry: a case study for Sutherland, South Africa. GPS Solut 20:641–654. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-015-0474-0Wan W, Larson KM, Small EE, Chew CC, Braun JJ (2015) Using geodetic GPS receivers to measure vegetation water content. GPS Solut 19:237–248. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-014-0383-7Zhang S, Roussel N, Boniface K, Ha MC, Frappart F, Darrozes J, Baup F, Calvet JC (2017) Use of reflected GNSS SNR data to retrieve either soil moisture or vegetation height from a wheat crop. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 21:4767–4784. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4767-201