Close range 3-D position sensing using stereo vision and point-of-correspondence through mathematical morphology

In this thesis, a procedure for calibrating 2 CCD cameras for the purpose of close-range position sensing will be introduced. The procedure results in an over-determined set of linear algebraic equations that can be utilized in determining the coordinate position of some identifiable feature in the scene relative to any set of orthogonal axes.The proposed approach relaxes the geometrical constraint required by most of the available procedures. The performance will then be evaluated and both accuracy and repeatability will be examined.For the purpose of determining the feature position in a multi-feature image, the point-of-correspondence problem will be discussed and a procedure for the point-of correspondence in stereo vision will be introduced. The procedure utilizes mathematical morphology as an image processing tool in finding edge-strength images and in determining the location of the point-of-correspondence.Finally, introducing lens distortion parameters to the calibration process will be presented and the effect of each term will then be illustrated

Foreign Language Motivation: Internal Structure and External Connections

Thousands of adults enroll annually in private EFL courses in Egypt. What spurs these learners to exert the effort required and pay the fees in a country where access to public education is free at all levels? Our understanding of such issues is limited by the fact that most research on motivation has been conducted in second rather than foreign language leaming contexts and in North American or European cultural settings. In the study reported here, a questionnaire was developed, based on current work on motivation in second and foreign language contexb and more general models from cognitive and educational psychology, and was administered to a sample of 1,554 adult learners at the Center for Adult and Continuing Education (CACE) at the American University in Cairo, with 1,464 questionnaires used for the analyses. Factor analysis and multidimensional scaling were used to identify the components of EFL motivation for this population. Results suggest that there are three basic dimensions to motivation for learning foreign languages, which we label Affect, Goal Orientation and Expectancy. In general terms, these are probably universal and neurobiologically based, although the analysis suggests a specific Egyptian orientation with respect to the precise definition and content of each dimension. Learner profiles wirh respect to these dimensions of motivation were related to age, gender, and proficiency. Motivation is also related to learning strategies and preferences for certain kinds of classes and leaming tasks. Those who scored high on the affective dimension of motivation preferred communicatively oriented language classes, while those high in anxiety tended not to like group work or other arpects of currently popular communicative language pedagogy. Students with a traditional approach to learning (e.g., choosing memorization strategies over inferencing from context) also preferred classes in which the teacher maintains control

Learners' perceptions of language proficiency, language test-taking strategies and emotional regulation in a test-taking context: a case study in an Egyptian EFL context

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophyThis study investigated adult EFL learners' perceptions of English language proficiency, identified their test-taking strategies and emotional regulation processes during test-taking and explored the relationship between test-takers' reported use of test-taking strategies and emotional regulation on the one hand and their performance on an English language placement test on the other. The study was conducted in the Center for Adult & Continuing Education at the American University in Cairo. The rationale for this study was two fold. Firstly, given that there is a variety of interpretations of the construct of English language proficiency, no empirically derived definition of language proficiency was available for this particular context. Secondly, a lack of research was found investigating test-taking strategies, emotional regulation and test performance within a process approach. Expanding on the Bachman & Palmer (1996) model, a Language Testing Processing (LTP) model was proposed. A mixed methods approach was used integrating qualitative and quantitative methods in different stages of the study. The context-specific definition of the construct of language proficiency was based on data collected from 36 learners using a semi-structured interview and from 41 teachers using an open-ended questionnaire. Test-taking strategies and emotional regulation processes were identified from think aloud data obtained from 12 test-takers who were asked to verbalize their thoughts and feelings while they took a placement test. Based on the think aloud data and the literature, the Test-Taking Strategies Questionnaire (TTSQ) was designed to investigate the relationship between test-taking strategies, emotional regulation and language test performance. The TTSQ was administered to 497 test-takers after they completed the placement test. Correlations, analysis of variance and discriminant analysis showed that emotional regulation influences the selection of particular test-taking strategies, which in turn is associated with performance on a language placement test. The LTP model was supported and further refined by the think aloud and quantitative data. The insights gained on perceptions of language proficiency, test-taking strategies and affective factors that influence test performance are discussed and the implications of these results on curriculum designers, test developers and teachers are presented

Close range three-dimensional position sensing using stereo vision and point-of-correspondence through mathematical morphology.

In this thesis, a procedure for calibrating 2 CCD cameras for the purpose of close-range position sensing will be introduced. The procedure results in an over-determined set of linear algebraic equations that can be utilized in determining the coordinate position of some identifiable feature in the scene relative to any set of orthogonal axes. The proposed approach relaxes the geometrical constraint required by most of the available procedures. The performance will then be evaluated and both accuracy and repeatability will be examined. For the purpose of determining the feature position in a multi-feature image, the point-of-correspondence problem will be discussed and a procedure for the point-of-correspondence in stereo vision will be introduced. The procedure utilizes mathematical morphology as an image processing tool in finding edge-strength images and in determining the location of the point-of-correspondence. Finally, introducing lens distortion parameters to the calibration process will be presented and the effect of each term will then be illustrated. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-11, Section: B, page: 5988. Supervisor: M. A. Sid-Ahmed. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1989

Design of 1-D and 2-D recursive digital filters based on a new stability test.

Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1984 .B673. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 40-07, page: . Thesis (M.A.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1984

Optical recognition of electrical circuit drawings

This paper presents an optical recognition system for electrical circuits drawing. The system uses computer vision techniques to analyze the circuit's drawing and produces a circuit description program suitable for analysis by circuit analysis programs such as SPICE. The algorithm proposed uses a variety of machine vision techniques to locate the circuit nodes and isolate the circuit components. Moments' invariant descriptors are then used to for the recognition of both elements and value

Optical recognition of electrical circuit drawings

This paper presents an optical recognition system for electrical circuits drawing. The system uses computer vision techniques to analyze the circuit's drawing and produces a circuit description program suitable for analysis by circuit analysis programs such as SPICE. The algorithm proposed uses a variety of machine vision techniques to locate the circuit nodes and isolate the circuit components. Moments' invariant descriptors are then used to for the recognition of both elements and value

Optimal Software Testing

In this paper, we formulate an optimal testing procedure for software. The objective function is taken to be the expected value of the cost associated with accepting faulty software plus the expected value of the accumulated cost of testing. The model can be used to design optimal testing plans for unit testing as well as for complete programs. The model assigns different costs for normal bugs and major bugs, and considers the costs of various types of misclassification as well The model is demonstrated by an example, and the cost function is plotted for a range of test cycles to illustrate the minimum cost solution

Optimal Software Testing

In this paper, we formulate an optimal testing procedure for software. The objective function is taken to be the expected value of the cost associated with accepting faulty software plus the expected value of the accumulated cost of testing. The model can be used to design optimal testing plans for unit testing as well as for complete programs. The model assigns different costs for normal bugs and major bugs, and considers the costs of various types of misclassification as well The model is demonstrated by an example, and the cost function is plotted for a range of test cycles to illustrate the minimum cost solution