Hierarchical fuzzy logic based approach for object tracking

In this paper a novel tracking approach based on fuzzy concepts is introduced. A methodology for both single and multiple object tracking is presented. The aim of this methodology is to use these concepts as a tool to, while maintaining the needed accuracy, reduce the complexity usually involved in object tracking problems. Several dynamic fuzzy sets are constructed according to both kinematic and non-kinematic properties that distinguish the object to be tracked. Meanwhile kinematic related fuzzy sets model the object's motion pattern, the non-kinematic fuzzy sets model the object's appearance. The tracking task is performed through the fusion of these fuzzy models by means of an inference engine. This way, object detection and matching steps are performed exclusively using inference rules on fuzzy sets. In the multiple object methodology, each object is associated with a confidence degree and a hierarchical implementation is performed based on that confidence degree.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Automatic histogram threshold using fuzzy measures

In this paper, an automatic histogram threshold approach based on a fuzziness measure is presented. This work is an improvement of an existing method. Using fuzzy logic concepts, the problems involved in finding the minimum of a criterion function are avoided. Similarity between gray levels is the key to find an optimal threshold. Two initial regions of gray levels, located at the boundaries of the histogram, are defined. Then, using an index of fuzziness, a similarity process is started to find the threshold point. A significant contrast between objects and background is assumed. Previous histogram equalization is used in small contrast images. No prior knowledge of the image is required.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Manutenção e diagnóstico de avarias em motores de indução trifásicos.

Os motores de indução trifásicos são usados na maioria dos sistemas eletromecânicos, pelo que a sua manutenção reveste-se de enorme importância. A monitorização contínua dos equipamentos é o elemento chave dos atuais sistemas de manutenção condicionada. A análise espectral da corrente absorvida pelo motor está muito implantada na indústria, mas apresenta várias limitações. Diversos métodos de deteção e diagnóstico de avarias têm sido desenvolvidos, baseados nas múltiplas grandezas que caracterizam o funcionamento do motor. A análise no domínio das frequências, com recurso a técnicas de processamento digital de sinal, tem sido bastante explorada. Este artigo pretende focar-se nas principais causas e métodos de diagnóstico de avarias no estator e rotor dos motores de indução

Controlo vetorial (foc) de um motor de indução trifásico aplicado a um veículo elétrico

Os motores de indução (MI) com rotor em gaiola de esquilo estão muito disseminados nos atuais sistemas de variação de velocidade (“drives”). A sua simplicidade e robustez, aliadas a baixos preços (comparativamente com outras máquinas) e ampla gama de potências disponíveis, são as principais razões. A evolução verificada nos domínios da eletrónica de potência e nos sistemas de controlo (em particular, o controlo digital), permitiram aplicar os MI em sistemas de elevado desempenho dinâmico (e.g., controlo de binário e/ou posição), substituindo os motores DC, cujas características dinâmicas e simplicidade de controlo os tornavam a primeira escolha em tais aplicações. Com efeito, as “drives” baseadas em MI apresentam características dinâmicas em tudo semelhantes aos sistemas DC, incluindo a possibilidade de funcionamento nos quatro quadrantes do plano (T, nr). No entanto, a complexidade do conversores e, sobretudo, dos sistemas de controlo é muito mais elevada nos sistemas AC. Os sistemas baseados no controlo vectorial são os mais usuais nas “drives” baseadas nas máquinas AC convencionais (assíncronas e síncronas). Existem outras metodologias também usadas na indústria (e.g., controlo direto do binário – DTC), mas neste trabalho somente o controlo vetorial será abordado

CONJECTURAS SOBRE A COOPERAÇÃO UNIVERSIDADE/EMPRESA EM UNIVERSIDADES BRASILEIRAS

O tema desenvolvido neste artigo privilegia a cooperação universidade/empresa nos seus aspectos conceituais determinantes e restritivos, fundamentado na complexidade da parceria entre universidades brasileiras e o setor produtivo. O tema é tratado a partir de um mergulho na História recente dessa parceria e dos caminhos e tendências que estão sendo traçados. Busca enfocar o discurso de duas facções: o da resistência, que vê na cooperação um perigo, uma proposição indiscutível dado os reflexos negativos para o ensino e o desenvolvimento da pesquisa pura e descompromissada com setores, e os defensores que apresentam a cooperação como uma alternativa viável, capaz de resolver a problemática orçamentária da universidade e tecnológica das empresas, além de contribuir para o desenvolvimento da nação. Percebe-se nas posições e experiências relatadas, que a cooperação ocorre com maior intensidade basicamente por duas questões: por parte da universidade, pelo declínio do investimento público, quando essas procuram incorporar recursos extra-orçamentários para suprir as necessidades básicas emergenciais e até mesmo de sobrevivência e pelo lado empresarial, pela busca de novos produtos e tecnologias que possibilite maior competitividade e lucratividade no mercado interno e externo. Vislumbra-se nessa parceria, a construção de um novo caminho que conduz, também, à irreversibilidade, tendo em vista que as circunstâncias político-econômicas e sociais conspiram contra a permanência da atual estrutura universitária. Paradoxalmente, percebe-se que as tendências do mercado de trabalho exigem uma reconceitualização do estilo milenar do viver universitário. A sociedade, exige uma nova postura da academia, mais dinâmica e interativa que encontre alternativas e soluções para as questões sociais mais emergentes, além da necessidade do desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias que possibilitem a saída do país da posição terceiro-mundista e colocá-lo no ranking dos mais desenvolvidos tecnologicamente. Há um entendimento generalizado que a universidade não poderá ficar à margem desse processo de reconstrução, sobretudo, quando ela é uma das principais instituições responsável pela formação do cidadão e do profissional que promove as transformações sociais

Tracking progress toward achieving Universal Health Coverage:Developing a methodology to estimate Effective Coverage across countries

The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a movement that promote health for all and is included among the Sustainable Development Goals. The World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank and other institutions have proposed ‘effective coverage’ as an indicator for tracking progress toward UHC. Effective coverage is an indicator that combine two parameters: the coverage of a healthcare intervention and the quality of it. According to Shengelia et al.’s framework for effective coverage, quality must be measured through the health gains associated with the utilization of a healthcare service. However, none of these organizations above mentioned have properly measured effective coverage due to the lack of information about the quality of healthcare services.In a systematic scoping review aimed to identify the use of effective coverage in the scientific literature, I found 128 studies preforming 246 assessments of healthcare interventions in 138 countries – 81% low and middle-income countries. Only one assessment included health gains into the parameter of quality. The aim of this thesis is to develop a practical procedure to estimate the effective coverage considering health gains.Calculating health gains is related with valuating health states. There are two main approaches for valuing health states: those that look for social preferences or utilities (e.g. standard gamble, time-trade off, person -trade-off), and those that look for a direct measure of the health status or disability (e.g. paired comparison). The first approach produces ‘health-utility weights’, and the second approach produces ‘disability weights’. Traditionally, disability weights are used for calculating disability-adjusted life years (DALY) a measure of burden of disease, while health-utility weights are used for calculating quality-adjusted life years (QALY) a measure used in cost-effectiveness analysis.Using data from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009-2010 (Ch-NHS 2009-2010) and the Health States Description questionnaire included in that survey, I calculated a latent variable of disability. I argue that through a regression model applied to a latent variable of disability or health-states utilities, it is possible to estimate disability weights (or health-utility weights) for different health states associated with a disease, adjusting by comorbidities and other confounders. The attributable fraction encompasses a family of epidemiological estimators that combine relative and absolute effect sizes. Attributable fractions have been used mainly for exploring the effect of risk factors on diseases. Using the attributable fraction metrics applied to a continuous outcome such us a latent variable of disability or health-state utility, I present a new way of calculating the burden of disability (or the loss of health-state utilities) associated with diseases. This methodological proposal would be more straightforward to be carried out than the standard methodological alternative (i.e. years lived with disability, a component of DALYs). Two approaches to calculate the burden of disability attributable to diseases are presented: the population average-level and the individual-level.I also argue that the procedure to calculate the burden of disability (or loss of health-state utilities), described above, can be used to estimate effective coverage. I define effective coverage as the fraction of avoidable disability (or loss of health-state utilities) attributable to a disease, avoided by using a healthcare intervention. I also propose a definition for other related indicators: health benefit, quality, relative effective coverage (r-EC) and absolute effective coverage (a-EC). While effective coverage results from the combination of the coverage and quality, the r-EC results from the combination of the coverage and the health benefit (i.e., effectiveness). a-EC is defined as the fraction of the disability attributable to a disease in the entire population that is avoided by the healthcare intervention. This indicator is suitable to be combined with costs associated with healthcare services. The procedure to estimate these indicators is tested initially using data from the Ch-NHS 2009-2010 applied to the case of treatment for depressive disorder.A more comprehensive appraisal of the performance of the procedure to calculate effective coverage and other indicators is also carried out using cross-sectional data from WHO study on global ageing and adult health (SAGE), Wave 1, undertaken between 2007-2010 in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation, and South Africa. Three healthcare interventions were explored: treatment for depressive disorder, treatment for hypertension and treatment for osteoarthritis.The methodological proposal for calculating effective coverage achieves estimating health gains into a parameter of quality using cross-sectional data. Among the strengths of the proposal developed in this thesis I highlight: (1) the concept of effective coverage is expanded through new indicators; (2) the procedure is straightforward to be implemented; (3) it depends on only one source of information, which ensures consistency between parameters; and (4) it can be used indistinctly with different outcomes: disability or health-state utilities.However, its main limitation is that the effect size attributable to the healthcare intervention is weak because the procedure proposed in this thesis is based on cross-sectional data. To improve the methodological proposal of this thesis, I highlight the following challenges for future research: (1) exploring other procedures to obtain a better proxy of the effect size of healthcare interventions using cross-sectional data (e.g. propensity score matching, instrumental variables); (2) including fatal consequences; (3) including an equity perspective in the outcome; and (4) exploring combining a-EC with the costs of healthcare interventions.Regarding tracking progress toward UHC, I argue that a-EC would be a more adequate indicator than effective coverage. a-EC includes in a single metric the effectiveness of healthcare services, the coverage of it, the disability associated with a disease, and the prevalence of such disease. Moreover, a-EC can be added across different healthcare- services in a simpler way than with other indicators. Finally, it can be combined with the cost of the healthcare interventions, which is appropriate to inform decision makers

Community empowerment and community partnerships in nursing decision-making

Community empowerment has been studied as a process and result phenomenon throughout the last 40 years. Community partnership, which has been studied during the last 20 years, has been identified as a key process to promote intervention and research within communities. In this paper, we introduce the relation between these two concepts, from the research that is being developed at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Health Research (CIIS) in Universidade Catolica Portuguesa. We comment on the available evidence regarding community partnership and community empowerment within the Nursing Decision-Making process. There is a particular focus on Community Health Nursing Specialists (CHNS) and the aim to promote the identification of CHNS as potential community partnership developers within society. It is also important to analyze how community partnership processes are intentionally integrated as a nursing intervention within the nursing process. This analysis should occur from the nursing diagnosis to the evaluation of health gains in communities sensitive to CHNS care in a Nursing Theoretical Model developed from a Nursing PhD process-the Community Assessment, Intervention, and Empowerment Model.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio