Video Based Automatic Speech Recognition Using Neural Networks

Neural network approaches have become popular in the field of automatic speech recognition (ASR). Most ASR methods use audio data to classify words. Lip reading ASR techniques utilize only video data, which compensates for noisy environments where audio may be compromised. A comprehensive approach, including the vetting of datasets and development of a preprocessing chain, to video-based ASR is developed. This approach will be based on neural networks, namely 3D convolutional neural networks (3D-CNN) and Long short-term memory (LSTM). These types of neural networks are designed to take in temporal data such as videos. Various combinations of different neural network architecture and preprocessing techniques are explored. The best performing neural network architecture, a CNN with bidirectional LSTM, compares favorably against recent works on video-based ASR

Design and implementation of a preload electronics architecture for a MEMS accelerometer

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2006.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-101).This thesis describes the design and implementation of an electronics system to provide rebalancing and readout for a force-rebalanced microelectromechanical accelerometer. A feedback control loop is devised using a novel preload architecture, compensating the proof mass of the sensor and providing an accurate acceleration measurement. This architecture is compared to alternative methods of linearizing the control loop. The electronics system is divided into analog and digital subsystems. The design is analyzed at several abstraction levels. The system is implemented for prototype testing with discrete components on a printed circuit board with a MEMS sensor attached. A computer program is implemented to receive and process the readout data using the serial port. The design methodology consists of a top-down design flow based on simulation. At each iteration in the design process, the lower level abstraction is verified with the previous model. Eventually, the design reaches the level of synthesizable digital logic and discrete analog components. This thesis describes the design process and implementation details for creating an accelerometer system prototype ready for lab testing. Detailed simulations indicate that the implemented design is likely to meet the design goals for a personal navigation system suitable for a human or land vehicle. Conclusions on design methodology and verification techniques are also presented.by Alvin Lai Lin.M.Eng

Finding diamonds in the rough: Targeted Sub-threshold Search for Strongly-lensed Gravitational-wave Events

Strong gravitational lensing of gravitational waves can produce duplicate signals separated in time with different amplitudes. We consider the case in which strong lensing produces identifiable gravitational-wave events and weaker sub-threshold signals hidden in the noise background. We present a search method for the sub-threshold signals using reduced template banks targeting specific confirmed gravitational-wave events. We apply the method to all events from Advanced LIGO's first and second observing run O1/O2. Using GW150914 as an example, we show that the method effectively reduces the noise background and raises the significance of (near-) sub-threshold triggers. In the case of GW150914, we can improve the sensitive distance by $2.0\% - 14.8\%$. Finally, we present the top $5$ possible lensed candidates for O1/O2 gravitational-wave events that passed our nominal significance threshold of False-Alarm-Rate $\leq 1/30$ days

Progressive Enlarging Blind Spot in a Young Asian Lady: A Case Report on Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy

Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy (AZOOR) is a very rare retinal disease that predominantly affect the Caucasians. It is usually present in a young myopic woman with an acute onset of photopsia and enlarging blind spots. Here, we report a young Asian lady who presented with a typical presentation of AZOOR and later confirmed by electrophysiological test of the retina. She was wrongly diagnosed as retrobulbar optic neuritis due to low index of suspicion for AZOOR among the treating physicians in the hospital. Fortunately, she responded to systemic corticosteroid that was given as a treatment of optic neuritis. AZOOR was only diagnosed later by a visiting European neuro-ophthalmologist in a neighboring country. The objective of this case report is to remind the reader that the condition exists in Asian population and should be kept as a differential diagnosis in a young lady who presented with progressive visual field defect

Panle Discussion: The Impact of U.S. Trade Law Actions on Business Decisions in Taiwan

Transcript of the panel discussion on the impact of United States trade law on business decisions in Taiwan

Testosterone and growth hormone normalization: a retrospective study of health outcomes

Enrique Ginzburg1, Alvin Lin2, Michael Sigler1, Denise Olsen2, Nancy Klimas1, Alan Mintz21University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA; 2Cenegenics® Medical Institute, Las Vegas, Nevada, USABackground: Age-related declines in testosterone and growth hormone (GH) are associated with increased adiposity and decreases in lean mass and bone mineral density (BMD). A long-term retrospective study examined the effects of testosterone and/or GH supplementation on body composition and quality of life (QoL).Methods: A database survey assessed the records of 91 men and 97 women (ages 25–82) in treatment groups based on their hormonal status: dehydroepiandrosterone but no hormonal supplementation (control); testosterone only (Tes); GH only (GH); and testosterone plus GH (Tes+GH). Pre- and post-treatment assessments recorded changes in fat and lean mass, BMD, and QoL.Results: After an average of 3 years of treatment, weight decreased in women in the control and Tes+GH groups but remained stable in men in all groups. Tes and Tes+GH produced statistically significant increases in lean mass, reductions in fat mass, and improvements in BMD in both sexes; GH produced similar changes in women. QoL and mood improved in all groups. Treatments were generally safe and well tolerated.Conclusions: In this retrospective survey, treatment with testosterone and/or GH was associated with favorable effects in men and women across a wide age range.Keywords: testosterone, growth hormone, body composition, quality of lif

Electrochemically primed functional redox mediator generator from the decomposition of solid state electrolyte.

Recent works into sulfide-type solid electrolyte materials have attracted much attention among the battery community. Specifically, the oxidative decomposition of phosphorus and sulfur based solid state electrolyte has been considered one of the main hurdles towards practical application. Here we demonstrate that this phenomenon can be leveraged when lithium thiophosphate is applied as an electrochemically "switched-on" functional redox mediator-generator for the activation of commercial bulk lithium sulfide at up to 70 wt.% lithium sulfide electrode content. X-ray adsorption near-edge spectroscopy coupled with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Raman indicate a catalytic effect of generated redox mediators on the first charge of lithium sulfide. In contrast to pre-solvated redox mediator species, this design decouples the lithium sulfide activation process from the constraints of low electrolyte content cell operation stemming from pre-solvated redox mediators. Reasonable performance is demonstrated at strict testing conditions

Progressive Enlarging Blind Spot in a Young Asian Lady: A Case Report on Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy

Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy (AZOOR) is a very rare retinal disease that predominantly affect the Caucasians. It is usually present in a young myopic woman with an acute onset of photopsia and enlarging blind spots. Here, we report a young Asian lady who presented with a typical presentation of AZOOR and later confirmed by electrophysiological test of the retina. She was wrongly diagnosed as retrobulbar optic neuritis due to low index of suspicion for AZOOR among the treating physicians in the hospital. Fortunately, she responded to systemic corticosteroid that was given as a treatment of optic neuritis. AZOOR was only diagnosed later by a visiting European neuro-ophthalmologist in a neighbouring country. The objective of this case report is to remind the reader that the condition exists in Asian population and should be kept as a differential diagnosis in a young lady who presented with progressive visual field defect

Exploration and Production Program for Locating and Producing Prospective Aquifers Containing Solution Gas and Free Gas- Texas Gulf Coast

This project was designed to locate and evaluate a prospective watered-out gas reservoir in the Texas Gulf Coast inland area. The prospective reservoir was to be suitable for application of enhanced gas recovery methods for producing the unconventional gas that remained in the reservoir after primary gas production ceased. A test well site would be located within a favorable prospect area. Previous work conducted by the Bureau of Economic Geology for the U.S. Department of Energy focused on the selection of test well sites in the Frio Formation and Wilcox Group of the Texas Gulf Coast. These studies were intended to make use of thermal energy, mechanical energy, and gas dissolved in formation waters by producing large volumes of hot water from deep, highly pressured formations. In this project, funded by the Gas Research Institute, interest shifted to locating prospective reservoirs containing significant quantities of free gas in addition to the gas dissolved in the water. Abandoned watered-out reservoirs and wet zones where large amounts of water must be produced to obtain the gas by co-production were identified. The present project, funded by the Gas Research Institute, shows their continuing interest in unconventional gas and in developing prospects that are favorable for co-production of gas and water from watered-out gas reservoirs. Guidelines used to screen gas fields along the Texas Gulf Coast resulted in the selection of the Port Arthur field, Jefferson County, Texas, as a suitable prospect for application of enhanced gas recovery methods. Several watered-out gas sandstones in this field have excellent reservoir characteristics. All 18 wells in the field have been plugged and abandoned by previous operators; hence, leasing problems should be simplified. Abundant shallow Miocene sands in the area are available for salt-water disposal. The "C" reservoir interval, located at an average depth of 11,130 ft, received the most extensive evaluation. Predicted gas recovery by natural flow is 5.1 billion standard cubic feet as reservoir pressure declines from 6,632 to 4,309 psig. A sample economic analysis showed a net present worth of $968,000 and a payout time of 3 years. This prospect has the potential to be economically profitable in addition to being a good research and development test for evaluating co-production techniques. It is recommended that a co-production well be drilled and tested on a site near the Meredith No. 2 Doornbos (Well 14).Bureau of Economic Geolog