Application of the self-organising map to trajectory classification

This paper presents an approach to the problem of automatically classifying events detected by video surveillance systems; specifically, of detecting unusual or suspicious movements. Approaches to this problem typically involve building complex 3D-models in real-world coordinates to provide trajectory information for the classifier. In this paper we show that analysis of trajectories may be carried out in a model-free fashion, using self-organising feature map neural networks to learn the characteristics of normal trajectories, and to detect novel ones. Trajectories are represented using positional and first and second order motion information, with moving-average smoothing. This allows novelty detection to be applied on a point-by-point basis in real time, and permits both instantaneous motion and whole trajectory motion to be subjected to novelty detection

The fundamental challenge: human and organisational factors in an ERP implementation

Organisations encounter obstacles when implementing ERP systems. This paper intends to explore some of the problems that occur throughout the implementation of an ERP system. Using a combination of the work of Markus et al (2001) and Kim et al (2005), a framework is constructed of Human and Organisational and Technical problems in ERP Implementations during the project phase. Drawing on empirical evidences from a UK furniture manufacturer, this study then discusses and analyses each problem identified in the framework and its affect on the implementation of their ERP system. The findings of this paper reveal that the fundamental challenge of ERP implementation is not technology but organisational and human problems, which, if not properly comprehended and addressed, can lead to ERP failure. Understanding that organisational and human issues are extremely important will encourage practitioners to address these problems and succeed in their ERP system implementations

The importance of a new product development (NPD) process: getting started.

In order to achieve a successful new product, and certainly the successful implementation of a new product into a company, it is necessary to have a structured and documented approach to New Product Development (NPD), therefore providing a clear roadmap for the development of new products. This review highlights the NPD process, from concept to consumer, and what the key success drivers are, such as; the quest for real product superiority and success, and the need for cross-functional teams; in order for a company to succeed and use new products as a source for competitive advantage

Is E-learning replacing the traditional lecture?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review some of the learning technologies associated with teaching and learning in Higher Education (HE). It looks at E-learning and Information Technology (IT) as tools for replacing the traditional learning experience in HE, i.e. the ‘chalk and talk’ lecture and seminar. HE is on the threshold of being transformed through the application of learning technologies. Are we on the brink of a new way of learning in HE after a tried and tested formula over eight hundred years? Design/methodology/approach – Adopting a case based approach, the fieldwork for this research took place at two UK Higher Education Institutes (HEI’s). A number of units that included IT based learning were identified. All units included a web site that was aimed at supporting students’ learning. The data was collected through unstructured discussion with the lecturer and a questionnaire to students. Findings – This paper considers and highlights the key findings from the sample linking them to the literature with the purpose of testing the aim/title of this paper. Evidence suggested the implications for HEI’s are they cannot assume that presenting new technologies automatically makes their institutions “youth friendly”; this new generation would like to see some concrete benefits of technology. Originality/value – From this small-scale investigation this paper attempts to investigate which direction the threshold may go. There has been eight hundred years of learning in the UK, is this generation wanting a new chapter. Evidence from this research suggests not, it will only play a bit part. They can help free up time in order to engage and support students in new and interesting ways

Novelty detection in video surveillance using hierarchical neural networks

Abstract. A hierarchical self-organising neural network is described for the detection of unusual pedestrian behaviour in video-based surveillance systems. The system is trained on a normal data set, with no prior information about the scene under surveillance, thereby requiring minimal user input. Nodes use a trace activation rule and feedforward connections, modified so that higher layer nodes are sensitive to trajectory segments traced across the previous layer. Top layer nodes have binary lateral connections and corresponding “novelty accumulator” nodes. Lateral connections are set between co-occurring nodes, generating a signal to prevent accumulation of the novelty measure along normal sequences. In abnormal sequences the novelty accumulator nodes are allowed to increase their activity, generating an alarm state

A Neural System for Automated CCTV Surveillance

This paper overviews a new system, the “Owens Tracker,” for automated identification of suspicious pedestrian activity in a car-park. Centralized CCTV systems relay multiple video streams to a central point for monitoring by an operator. The operator receives a continuous stream of information, mostly related to normal activity, making it difficult to maintain concentration at a sufficiently high level. While it is difficult to place quantitative boundaries on the number of scenes and time period over which effective monitoring can be performed, Wallace and Diffley [1] give some guidance, based on empirical and anecdotal evidence, suggesting that the number of cameras monitored by an operator be no greater than 16, and that the period of effective monitoring may be as low as 30 minutes before recuperation is required. An intelligent video surveillance system should therefore act as a filter, censuring inactive scenes and scenes showing normal activity. By presenting the operator only with unusual activity his/her attention is effectively focussed, and the ratio of cameras to operators can be increased. The Owens Tracker learns to recognize environmentspecific normal behaviour, and refers sequences of unusual behaviour for operator attention. The system was developed using standard low-resolution CCTV cameras operating in the car-parks of Doxford Park Industrial Estate (Sunderland, Tyne and Wear), and targets unusual pedestrian behaviour. The modus operandi of the system is to highlight excursions from a learned model of normal behaviour in the monitored scene. The system tracks objects and extracts their centroids; behaviour is defined as the trajectory traced by an object centroid; normality as the trajectories typically encountered in the scene. The essential stages in the system are: segmentation of objects of interest; disambiguation and tracking of multiple contacts, including the handling of occlusion and noise, and successful tracking of objects that “merge” during motion; identification of unusual trajectories. These three stages are discussed in more detail in the following sections, and the system performance is then evaluated

Equilibrio, puntuación, difusión diaplanar: hacia la comprensión del contacto temprano entre arameo y árabe

Few would contest the fact that Arabs and Aramaeans share a long cultural history. Nor is it controversial to say that there has been contact-based influence between the two languages. However, what is missing until today is the recognition of how pervasive this contact-based influence has been. In this paper I present 24 detailed structural arguments from the basic domains of phonology, morphophonology, morphology and syntax for widespread pre- and early Islamic influence from Aramaic on Arabic. Precisely because the contact lasted for such a long time, equilibrium effects as per Dixon (1997) introduce a mosaic of Aramaic linguistic traits into Arabic. These are modelled in terms of “dia-planar diffusion”, the spread of different features among different speech communities at different times.Pocos negarían el hecho de que los árabes y los arameos comparten una larga historia común. Tampoco resulta polémico decir que ha habido una influencia basada en el contacto entre ambas lenguas. Sin embargo, lo que no ha sido reconocido hasta hoy día es la profundidad y dimensión de dicha influencia. En este trabajo presento 24 argumentos estructurales y de detalle tomados del terreno de la fonología, morfofonología, morfología y sintaxis para mostrar la amplia influencia del arameo en el árabe preislámico y de los primeros tiempos del islam. Dado que el contacto entre ambas lenguas se prolongó durante tanto tiempo, los efectos del equilibrio, de acuerdo con los términos de Dixon (1997), introdujeron un mosaico de elementos lingüísticos del arameo en el árabe. Estos elementos se presentan en términos de “difusión diaplanar”, es decir, la difusión de diferentes características entre distintas comunidades de hablantes y en épocas diversas

Arabic language history and the comparative method

In the long western tradition of the study of Arabic and Semitic languages the Arabic dialects have, if at all, only recently been taken seriously as entities which can contribute to the understanding of language history. There are three crucial aspects to this reality. For one, the issue of language history from the perspective of the Arabic linguistic tradition is largely irrelevant, subservient for the most part to constructs based on language and culture politics. For the second the jury is still, as it were, out. This is the degree to which Arabic dialectal history will elucidate the history of Semitic in general. For the third, the answer is in, and that is that dialects not only have a history, but from the perspective of general historical linguistics, a linguistic history which offers special insights into not only how languages change, traditionally the key question in historical linguistics, but also how languages remain stable. This is because a relatively transparent reconstructibility within a single language is available which is minimally datable to the seventh century CE, a chronological period comparable to the entire historical linguistic era of West Germanic or Slavic. Thus, regardless of the results relating to the first two issues, the historical study of Arabic dialects is an interesting intellectual enterprise in its own right.In this article I illustrate how the traditional, but for historical linguistics, basic instrument of the comparative method can be applied in the study of an historical linguistics which begins with the contemporary Arabic dialects. I offer an initial four-point typology for the different kinds of results which can be obtained relative to the different sources which are available to us, both from the contemporary era, and from the rich thinking of the Arabic linguistic tradition

Why do some UK SMEs still find the implementation of a new product development process problematical? An exploratory investigation

The long-term survival of a business often hinges upon its ability to successfully introduce new products into the market place. These new products and their successful development can be the lifeblood of a company. Thus, NPD is a major consideration for most organisations. New products can provide the stimulus for the company to grow and produce profitable returns. Additionally, new products can gain new markets and market shares and subsequently help to defend against competitive pressures. Some businesses not only want to accelerate their NPD efforts, they also like to be a ‘first to market’ business. However, this strategy has its own risks as well as competitive advantages. There are numerous cases where businesses first to launch a new product did not profit from their innovations as much as their followers. Therefore, across numerous businesses NPD is one of the leading areas for focus, as companies seek to reduce time to market, access new technologies and develop more and better products. Subsequently, the consistent development and introduction of new products that customers’ value can be an important criteria for business growth and prosperity. This research is exploratory in nature and provides empirical support to several propositions found in the innovation management literature on the development of new products. This paper examined why product development delays occur, the nature of these delays, and what could be done in order to avoid them

Autonomous real-time surveillance system with distributed IP cameras

An autonomous Internet Protocol (IP) camera based object tracking and behaviour identification system, capable of running in real-time on an embedded system with limited memory and processing power is presented in this paper. The main contribution of this work is the integration of processor intensive image processing algorithms on an embedded platform capable of running at real-time for monitoring the behaviour of pedestrians. The Algorithm Based Object Recognition and Tracking (ABORAT) system architecture presented here was developed on an Intel PXA270-based development board clocked at 520 MHz. The platform was connected to a commercial stationary IP-based camera in a remote monitoring station for intelligent image processing. The system is capable of detecting moving objects and their shadows in a complex environment with varying lighting intensity and moving foliage. Objects moving close to each other are also detected to extract their trajectories which are then fed into an unsupervised neural network for autonomous classification. The novel intelligent video system presented is also capable of performing simple analytic functions such as tracking and generating alerts when objects enter/leave regions or cross tripwires superimposed on live video by the operator