Speeded Up Robust Features Descriptor for Iris Recognition Systems

اكتسبت النظم البايومترية اهتماما كبيرا لعدة تطبيقات. كان تحديد القزحية أحد أكثر التقنيات البايومترية تطوراً للمصادقة الفعالة. نظام التعرف على القزحية الحالية يقدم نتائج دقيقة وموثوق بها على أساس الصور المأخوذة بالأشعة التحت الحمراء (NIR) عندما يتم التقاط الصور في مسافة ثابتة مع تعاون المستخدم. ولكن بالنسبة لصور العين الملونة التي تم الحصول عليها تحت الطول الموجي المرئي (VW) دون التعاون بين المستخدمين، فإن كفاءة التعرف على القزحية تتأثر بسبب الضوضاء مثل صور عدم وضوح العين، و تداخل الرموش ، والانسداد  بالأجفان وغيرها. يهدف هذا العمل إلى استخدام (SURF) لاسترداد خصائص القزحية في كل من صور قزحية NIR والطيف المرئي. يتم استخدام هذا النهج وتقييمه على قواعد بيانات CASIA v1and IITD v1 كصورة قزحية NIR وUBIRIS v1 كصورة ملونة. وأظهرت النتائج معدل دقة عالية (98.1 ٪) على CASIA v1, (98.2) على IITD v1 و (83٪) على UBIRIS v1 تقييمها بالمقارنة مع الأساليب الأخرى.Biometric systems have gained significant attention for several applications. Iris identification was one of the most sophisticated biometrical techniques for effective and confident authentication. Current iris identification system offers accurate and reliable results based on near- infra -red light (NIR) images when images are taken in a restricted area with fixed-distance user cooperation. However, for the color eye images obtained under visible wavelength (VW) without cooperation between the users, the efficiency of iris recognition degrades because of noise such as eye blurring images, eye lashing, occlusion and reflection. This works aims to use Speeded up robust features Descriptor (SURF) to retrieve the iris's characteristics in both NIR iris images and visible spectrum. This approach is used and evaluated on the CASIA v1and IITD v1 databases as NIR iris image and UBIRIS v1 as color image. The evaluation results showed a high accuracy rate 98.1 % on CASIA v1, 98.2 on IITD v1 and 83% on UBIRIS v1 evaluated by comparing to the other method

Utilization of waste as a constituent ingredient for enhancing thermal performance of bricks – a review paper

In view of the environmental regulations, practitioners have been inclined to use bricks with higher insulation capability, however with minimal attention to sustainable material composition, let alone waste material. From a research perspective, in the wake of the growing concerns for the environment, the use of waste material to develop bricks which can exhibit suitable characteristics attributed to the material composition has been on the rise. However, the extant literature on utilization of waste materials for brick mix design has neglected to provide detailed literature review on the influence of waste materials on the thermal performance of bricks. Methods: This paper provides detailed review of research conducted on thermal properties of bricks produced from various types of waste. Influence of the method of manufacturing and type of waste on thermal performance of bricks is discussed. A sustainability selection criteria format is provided to assist optimal decision making in considering alternative sustainable waste material. Findings: A sustainability selection criteria format is provided to assist optimal decision making in considering alternative sustainable waste material. Applications: The outcome of this paper can serve as a common reference for practitioners and researchers attempting to seek out solutions for further improving overall quality of thermally insulated waste-incorporated bricks, paving the way for more focused research on waste utilization in the development of more sustainable wall material based on the current brick production process

Some Technological Properties of Sawn Board Eucalyptus Camaldulensis Denh.Grown In Askikalak

This study deals with wood density and static bending boards property of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Den. It was conducted using standardized, defect-free test specimens. Boards of air drying showed lowest value (749.117 kg/cm²) of static bending when compared with kiln (812.267kg/cm²) and solar (815.267kg/cm²) drying respectively, whereas, the quarter sawing boards recorded the lowest rates (586.633kg/cm²) when compared with flat sawn boards (1008.467kg/cm²), Also 2cm thickness level achieved the lowest rate (747.367kg/cm²) when compared with other two levels 4cm (812.650 kg/cm²) and 6cm (837.633kg/cm²) of thickness. But, there were no any significant effects of wood density on the studied factors. E. camaldulensis in Kurdistan Region of Iraq has potential for traditional uses and by itself it can be harvested by applying suitable techniques at plantation areas, in saw mills and drying for utilization

Implementation of SHE-PWM technique for single-phase inverter based on Arduino

This paper presents design and practical implementation of single-phase inverter based on selective harmonic elimination-pulse width modulation (SHE-PWM) technique. Microcontroller mega type Arduino used as a controller for producing the gate pulses. The optimized switching angles determination results in wide range of output voltage. Depending on number of switching angles, the lower order harmonics (LOHs) can be eliminated to improve the output voltage waveform. A comparison study using MATLAB/Simulink for sinusoidal-PWM and SHE-PWM techniques, which shows for the same LOH in the output voltage waveform, the SHE-PWM has less number of pulses per half cycle than sinusoidal-PWM strategy. The reduction in number of pulses results less switching losses. The simulation done using ten switching angles to drive R-L load. A prototype of SHE-PWM inverter with R-L load is used to validate the simulation results

Degradation of crude oil and pure hydrocarbon fractions by some wild bacterial and fungal species

The use of biodegradation as a method for cleaning up soil that has been contaminated by spilt petroleum can be an effective strategy. So, this study investigated the existence of the wild microorganism in soil contaminated with oil and study their ability to degrade petroleum in vitro. Nineteen samples were collected from various locations near Taq Taq (TTOPCO) natural seeps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Morphological, cultural, biochemical tests and molecular identification were used to identify the microbial communities, in addition, spore texture and the colour of the fungal isolates were investigated on the fungal isolates. Out of the19 samples, 17 indigenous bacterial strains and 5 fungal strains were successfully isolated. From the absorption spectrophotometry, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, Achromobacter sp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the bacterial isolates grew well on a minimal salt medium supplemented with 1% crude oil. Results showed that these isolates mentioned above had a strong ability to degrade crude oil by reducing the colour of 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol (DCPIP) from deep blue to colourless. However, for the fractions of hydrocarbon, the bacterial isolates failed and did not affect the colour of any of the fractions. The results for fungi showed that Aspergillus lentulus and Rhizopus arrhizus had a strong ability to degrade both crude oil and fraction F1 by reducing the colour of DCPIP. Each fungal isolates also had a great tolerance to different concentrations of crude oil when grown on solid MSM. This study showed these microorganisms have a strong ability to degrade crude oil and can be used to clean up soil and the environment

Pattern of Anorectal malformations in Gzira National Center for Pediatric Surgery (GNCPS)

Background: Anorectal malformations (ARM) are one of the common clinically and socially demanding problems in the world especially in the poorly resourced countries. Patients and Methods: It is a cross-sectional descriptive hospital based study, in the period from June 2009 to December 2011 of 80 patients of ARM in Gezira National Center for Pediatric Surgery (GNCPS). History and examination in addition to invertogram and distal loopogram were the tools of assessment. Results: Eighty children with ARM were studied, 64 males and 16 females. Sixty six patients have delayed presentation. More than 61% presented from rural areas. Twenty-one (26%) patients had one or more associated congenital anomalies, with cardiac and limb anomalies being the most common associated malformation. High anomaly was found in 48.75% of patients, intermediate type was found in 5%, while 43.75% of patients had low anomaly. Conclusion: Delayed presentation entails suboptimal training of midwives and resident doctors in obstetric hospitals and nurseries to evaluate congenital defects in the newborn