CUDA based implementation of flame detection algorithms in day and infrared camera videos

Ankara : The Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and the Graduate School of Engineering and Science of Bilkent University, 2011.Thesis (Master's) -- Bilkent University, 2011.Includes bibliographical references leaves 52-54.Automatic fire detection in videos is an important task but it is a challenging problem. Video based high performance fire detection algorithms are important for the detection of forest fires. The usage area of fire detection algorithms can further be extended to the places like state and heritage buildings, in which surveillance cameras are installed. In uncontrolled fires, early detection is crucial to extinguish the fire immediately. However, most of the current fire detection algorithms either suffer from high false alarm rates or low detection rates due to the optimization constraints for real-time performance. This problem is also aggravated by the high computational complexity in large areas, where multicamera surveillance is required. In this study, our aim is to speed up the existing color video fire detection algorithms by implementing in CUDA, which uses the parallel computational power of Graphics Processing Units (GPU). Our method does not only speed up the existing algorithms but it can also reduce the optimization constraints for real-time performance to increase detection probability without affecting false alarm rates. In addition, we have studied several methods that detect flames in infrared video and proposed an improvement for the algorithm to decrease the false alarm rate and increase the detection rate of the fire.Hamzaçebi, HasanM.S

Taguchi Method as a Robust Design Tool

Taguchi Method is a powerful technique to optimize performance of the products or process. Taguchi’s main purpose is to reduce the variability around the target value of product properties via a systematic application of statistical experimental design which called robust design. Robust Design is an important technique for product manufacturability and product life. Taguchi simplified the usage of orthogonal arrays to setup experimental design. Thanks to this development, researchers and engineers saved both time and money. Furthermore, Taguchi proposed the usage of S/N ratio in order to measure the effects of factors on the performance characteristics. In this study a brief knowledge about the Taguchi Method is given. Orthogonal Arrays and S/N ratios are described. Summary of a case study is given

Primary energy sources planning based on demand forecasting: The case of Turkey

Forecasting electricity consumption is a very important issue for governments and electricity related foundations of public sector. Recently, Grey Modelling (GM (1,1)) has been used to forecast electricity demand successfully. GM (1,1) is useful when the observed data is limited, and it does not require any preliminary information about the data distribution. However, the original form of GM (1,1) needs some improvements in order to use for time series, which exhibit seasonality. In this study, a grey forecasting model which is called SGM (1,1) is proposed to give the forecasting ability to the basic form of GM(1,1) in order to overcome seasonality issues. The proposed model is then used to forecast the monthly electricity demand of Turkey between 2015 and 2020. Obtained forecasting values were used to plan the primary energy sources of electricity production. The findings of the study may guide the planning of future plant investments and maintenance operations in Turkey. Moreover, the method can also be applied to predict seasonal electricity demand of any other country

On the periodic gait stability of a multi-actuated spring-mass hopper model via partial feedback linearization

Spring-loaded inverted pendulum (SLIP) template (and its various derivatives) could be considered as the mostly used and widely accepted models for describing legged locomotion. Despite their simple nature, as being a simple spring-mass model in dynamics perspective, the SLIP model and its derivatives are formulated as restricted three-body problem, whose non-integrability has been proved long before. Thus, researchers proceed with approximate analytical solutions or use partial feedback linearization when numerical integration is not preferred in their analysis. The key contributions of this paper can be divided into two parts. First, we propose a dissipative SLIP model, which we call as multi-actuated dissipative SLIP (MD-SLIP), with two extended actuators: one linear actuator attached serially to the leg spring and one rotary actuator attached to hip. The second contribution of this paper is a partial feedback linearization strategy by which we can cancel some nonlinear dynamics of the proposed model and obtain exact analytical solution for the equations of motion. This allows us to investigate stability characteristics of the hopping gait obtained from the MD-SLIP model. We illustrate the applicability of our solutions with open-loop and closed-loop hopping performances on rough terrain simulations. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

Selection of Logistics Center Location with MOORA Method for Black Sea Region of Turkey

Abstract. Logistics activities are becoming more important with the increase in global competition.  For this reason logistic centers are being established in order to facilitate logistic activities and to provide a more effective realization. The interest in the logistic center is increasing all over the world. Our country is also aimed to establish logistics centers in different regions for development plans.  In this study, which provinces would be appropriate for the establishment of logistic centers in the Black Sea region is determined with MOORA Method using by 10 different criteria. While Samsun takes the first place in the results of analysis to establish the logistic center, Trabzon and Zonguldak are considered available cities to build logistic center.Keywords. Logistic center, MOORA, Location problem.JEL. J61, L86, Q55

Improving genetic algorithms' performance by local search for continuous function optimization

The genetic algorithms (GAs) can be used as a global optimization tool for continuous and discrete functions problems. However, a simple GA may suffer from slow convergence, and instability of results. GAs' problem solution power can be increased by local searching. In this study a new local random search algorithm based on GAs is suggested in order to reach a quick and closer result to the optimum solution. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Improving artificial neural networks' performance in seasonal time series forecasting

In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) structure is proposed for seasonal time series forecasting. The proposed structure considers the seasonal period in time series in order to determine the number of input and output neurons. The model was tested for four real-world time series. The results found by the proposed ANN were compared with the results of traditional statistical models and other ANN architectures. This comparison shows that the proposed model comes with lower prediction error than other methods. It is shown that the proposed model is especially convenient when the seasonality in time series is strong; however, if the seasonality is weak, different network structures may be more suitable. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Bacaklı robotlar için periyodik yürüme davranışlarının analizi ve kontrolü

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Thesis (Ph.D.): Bilkent University, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University, 2017.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-133).The analysis, identi cation and control of legged locomotion have been an interest for various researchers towards building legged robots that move like the animals do in nature. The extensive studies on understanding legged locomotion led to some mathematical models, such as the Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum (SLIP) template (and its various derivatives), that can be used to identify, analyze and control legged locomotor systems. Despite their seemingly simple nature, as being a simple point mass attached to a massless spring from dynamics perspective, the SLIP model constitutes a restricted three-body problem formulation, whose non-integrability has been proven long before. Thus, researchers came up with approximate analytical solutions or they used some other different techniques such as partial feedback linearization for the sake of obtaining analytical Poincar e return maps that govern the motion of the desired legged locomotor system. In the first part of this thesis, we consider a SLIP-based legged locomotion model, which we call as Multi-Actuated Dissipative SLIP (MD-SLIP) that extends the simple SLIP model with two additional actuators. The first one is a linear actuator attached serially to the leg spring to ensure direct control on the compression and decompression of the leg spring. The second actuator is a rotatory one that is attached to hip, which provides ability to inject some torque inputs to the system dynamics, which is mainly inspired by biological legged locomotor systems. Following the analysis of MD-SLIP model, we utilize a partial feedback linearization strategy by which we can cancel some nonlinear dynamics of the legged locomotion model and obtain exact analytical solutions without needing any approximation. Having exact analytical solutions is crucial to investigate stability characteristics of the MD-SLIP model during its hopping gait behavior. We illustrate and compare the applicability of our solutions with open-loop and closedloop hopping performances on various rough terrain simulations. Finally, we show how the MD-SLIP model can be anchored to bipedal legged locomotion models, where we assign two independent MD-SLIP models to each leg and investigate the system performance under their simultaneous but independent control. The proposed bipedal legged locomotion model is called as Multi-Actuated Dissipative Bipedal SLIP (MDB-SLIP) model. The key idea here is that we can still utilize the partial feedback linearization concept that we applied for the original MD-SLIP model and ensure exact analytical solutions for the MDB-SLIP model as well. We also provide detailed investigations for open-loop and closed-loop walking gait performance of the MDB-SLIP model on different noisy terrain profiles.by Hasan Hamzaçebi.Ph. D