Spatial and Textural Aspects for Arabic Handwritten Characters Recognition

The purpose of the present paper is the recognition of handwritten Arabic characters in their isolated form. The specificity of Arabic characters is taken into consideration, each of the proposed feature extraction method integrates one of the two aspects: spatial and textural. In the first step, a modified Bitmap Sampling method is proposed, which converts the character’s images into a binary Matrix and then constructs a Mask for each class. A matching rate is used between the input binary matrix and the masks to determinate the corresponding class. In the second step we investigate the use of an Artificial Neural Network as classifier with the binary matrices as features and then the histograms of Local Binary Patterns to capture the texture aspect of the characters. Finally, the results of these two methods are combined to take into consideration both aspects at the same time. Tested on the Arabic set of the Isolated Farsi Handwritten Character Database, the proposed method has 2.82% error rate

Detection of Text Lines of Handwritten Arabic Manuscripts using Markov Decision Processes

In a character recognition systems, the segmentation phase is critical since the accuracy of the recognition depend strongly on it. In this paper we present an approach based on Markov Decision Processes to extract text lines from binary images of Arabic handwritten documents. The proposed approach detects the connected components belonging to the same line by making use of knowledge about features and arrangement of those components. The initial results show that the system is promising for extracting Arabic handwritten lines

Multi-agent Systems for Arabic Handwriting Recognition

This paper aims to give a presentation of the PhD defended by Boulid Youssef on December 26th, 2016 at University Ibn Tofail, entitled “Arabic handwritten recognition in an offline mode”. The adopted approach is realized under the multi agent paradigm. The dissertation was held in Faculty of Science Kénitra in a publicly open presentation. After the presentation, Boulid was awarded with the highest grade (Très honorable avec félicitations de jury)

Handwritten Character Recognition Based on the Specificity and the Singularity of the Arabic Language

A good Arabic handwritten recognition system must consider the characteristics of Arabic letters which can be explicit such as the presence of diacritics or implicit such as the baseline information (a virtual line on which cursive text are aligned and/join). In order to find an adequate method of features extraction, we have taken into consideration the nature of the Arabic characters. The paper investigate two methods based on two different visions: one describes the image in terms of the distribution of pixels, and the other describes it in terms of local patterns. Spatial Distribution of Pixels (SDP) is used according to the first vision; whereas Local Binary Patterns (LBP) are used for the second one. Tested on the Arabic portion of the Isolated Farsi Handwritten Character Database (IFHCDB) and using neural networks as a classifier, SDP achieve a recognition rate around 94% while LBP achieve a recognition rate of about 96%

Segmentation of Arabic Handwritten Documents into Text Lines using Watershed Transform

A crucial task in character recognition systems is the segmentation of the document into text lines and especially if it is handwritten. When dealing with non-Latin document such as Arabic, the challenge becomes greater since in addition to the variability of writing, the presence of diacritical points and the high number of ascender and descender characters complicates more the process of the segmentation. To remedy with this complexity and even to make this difficulty an advantage since the focus is on the Arabic language which is semi-cursive in nature, a method based on the Watershed Transform technique is proposed. Tested on «Handwritten Arabic Proximity Datasets» a segmentation rate of 93% for a 95% of matching score is achieved

Mesoscopic modeling of spacing and grain selection in columnar dendritic solidification: Envelope versus phase-field model

We investigate and assess the capability of the mesoscopic envelope model of dendritic solidification to represent the growth of columnar dendritic structures. This is done by quantitative comparisons to phase-field simulations in two dimensions. While the phase-field model resolves the detailed growth morphology at the microscale, the mesoscopic envelope model describes a dendritic grain by its envelope. The envelope growth velocities are calculated by an analytical dendrite-tip model and matched to the numerical solution of the solute concentration field in the vicinity of the envelope. The simplified representation of the dendrites drastically reduces the calculation time compared to phase field. Larger ensembles of grains can therefore be simulated. We show that the mesoscopic envelope model accurately reproduces the evolution of the primary branch structure, the undercooling of the dendrite tips, and the solidification path in the columnar mushy zone. We further show that it can also correctly describe the transient adjustments of primary spacing, both by spacing increase due to elimination of primary branches and by spacing reduction due to tertiary rebranching. Elimination and tertiary rebranching are also critical phenomena for the evolution of grain boundaries between columnar grains that have a different crystallographic orientation with respect to the temperature gradient. We show that the mesoscopic model can reproduce the macroscopic evolution of such grain boundaries for small and moderate misorientation angles, i.e., up to 30°. It is therefore suitable for predicting the texture of polycrystalline columnar structures. We also provide guidelines for the calibration of the main parameters of the mesoscopic model, required to obtain reliable predictions.ANR-11-LABX-0008/11-LABX-0008 - DAMAS - Design des Alliages Métalliques pour Allègement des Structures (2011) - German Space Agency DLR under Contract FKZ 50WM144

Thermal characterization of anisotropic materials at high temperatures

Le sujet de l'étude concerne la caractérisation thermique à hautes températures de matériaux anisotropes dont la diffusivité thermique varie selon la direction considérée. Cette mesure de la diffusivité est permise par l'observation des variations transitoires de température d'un matériau soumis à un flux de chaleur de type impulsionnel. L’excitation provient d’un Laser et la mesure de température est réalisée par thermographie infrarouge sur la face opposée à l'excitation thermique. Le champ de température ainsi obtenu permet de déterminer les trois diffusivités du matériau selon ses directions d'anisotropie. En effet, grâce à des transformations intégrales du champ de température, il est possible d'obtenir un modèle théorique décrivant les variations de température au sein du matériau. Les estimations des diffusivités s'obtiennent alors par la minimisation de la somme des écarts quadratiques entre les modèles théoriques et leurs équivalents expérimentaux. Il s'agit de problèmes d'optimisation non linéaire et les estimations sont réalisées dans le domaine des fréquences spatiales et dans le temps grâce à une inversion numérique de Laplace. Basée sur des dispositifs optiques, cette méthode est non intrusive et grâce aux modèles analytiques les mesures sont rapides et précises même à haute température. La méthode ainsi que le nouveau banc expérimental mis en place rendent possible la mesure des trois diffusivités en une unique expérience pour des excitations de forme quelconque en espace et non nécessairement Dirac en tempsThe study concerns the thermal characterization at high temperatures of anisotropic materials whose thermal diffusivity varies according to the direction considered. This measurement of diffusivity is allowed by the observation of the transient variations of temperature of a material subjected to a heat pulse source. The excitation is performed by a Laser and the temperature measurement is carried out by infrared thermography on the opposite face of the thermal excitation. The temperature field thus obtained makes it possible to determine the three diffusivities of the material according to its directions of anisotropy. Indeed, thanks to integral transforms of the temperature field, it is possible to obtain a theoretical model describing the temperature variations within the material. The estimates of diffusivities are then obtained by the minimization of the sum of squared residuals between the theoretical models and their experimental equivalents. These are problems of nonlinear optimization and the estimations are carried out in the spatial frequency domain and in time thanks to a numerical inversion of Laplace. Based on optical devices this method is non-intrusive and thanks to the use of analytical models the estimations are fast and accurate even at high temperatures. The method and the new experimental facility make it possible to estimate the three thermal diffusivities in a single experiment and this for excitations of any shape in space and not necessarily Dirac’s delta function in tim

Caractérisation thermique de matériaux anisotropes à hautes températures

The study concerns the thermal characterization at high temperatures of anisotropic materials whose thermal diffusivity varies according to the direction considered. This measurement of diffusivity is allowed by the observation of the transient variations of temperature of a material subjected to a heat pulse source. The excitation is performed by a Laser and the temperature measurement is carried out by infrared thermography on the opposite face of the thermal excitation. The temperature field thus obtained makes it possible to determine the three diffusivities of the material according to its directions of anisotropy. Indeed, thanks to integral transforms of the temperature field, it is possible to obtain a theoretical model describing the temperature variations within the material. The estimates of diffusivities are then obtained by the minimization of the sum of squared residuals between the theoretical models and their experimental equivalents. These are problems of nonlinear optimization and the estimations are carried out in the spatial frequency domain and in time thanks to a numerical inversion of Laplace. Based on optical devices this method is non-intrusive and thanks to the use of analytical models the estimations are fast and accurate even at high temperatures. The method and the new experimental facility make it possible to estimate the three thermal diffusivities in a single experiment and this for excitations of any shape in space and not necessarily Dirac?s delta function in timeLe sujet de l'étude concerne la caractérisation thermique à hautes températures de matériaux anisotropes dont la diffusivité thermique varie selon la direction considérée. Cette mesure de la diffusivité est permise par l'observation des variations transitoires de température d'un matériau soumis à un flux de chaleur de type impulsionnel. L?excitation provient d?un Laser et la mesure de température est réalisée par thermographie infrarouge sur la face opposée à l'excitation thermique. Le champ de température ainsi obtenu permet de déterminer les trois diffusivités du matériau selon ses directions d'anisotropie. En effet, grâce à des transformations intégrales du champ de température, il est possible d'obtenir un modèle théorique décrivant les variations de température au sein du matériau. Les estimations des diffusivités s'obtiennent alors par la minimisation de la somme des écarts quadratiques entre les modèles théoriques et leurs équivalents expérimentaux. Il s'agit de problèmes d'optimisation non linéaire et les estimations sont réalisées dans le domaine des fréquences spatiales et dans le temps grâce à une inversion numérique de Laplace. Basée sur des dispositifs optiques, cette méthode est non intrusive et grâce aux modèles analytiques les mesures sont rapides et précises même à haute température. La méthode ainsi que le nouveau banc expérimental mis en place rendent possible la mesure des trois diffusivités en une unique expérience pour des excitations de forme quelconque en espace et non nécessairement Dirac en temp

Solvent grain boundary diffusion in binary solid solutions : a new approach to evaluate solute grain boundary segregation

International audienceA new method to estimate solute grain boundary (GB) segregation from solvent GB diffusion measurements in binary solid solutions is proposed for the systems with restricted solubility and intermediate stoichiometric phases. The method is based on the model of complex formation: solvent atoms (A) interact with solute ones (B) at GB with the formation of AB chemical bond. A description of solvent GB diffusion is then given. Using such an approach, a new equation for the dependence of solvent GB diffusion coefficient on solute bulk concentration is derived for the systems with simple atomic attraction with AB complex formation in GB. Theoretical results predict non-linear dependence of solvent GB diffusion coefficient on solute bulk content, which is in agreement with earlier published experimental data regarding the ease of grain boundary diffusion in alloys of different chemical compositions. More importantly, the equation deduced permits to evaluate, on one hand, the characteristics of solute GB segregation from solvent GB diffusion measurements and, one the other hand, GB diffusion coefficient in pure solvent. Such a numerical data analysis for Fe–Sn system is in agreement with experimental results. In special cases, such an analysis can be done analytically

Multi-agent Systems for Arabic Handwriting Recognition

This paper aims to give a presentation of the PhD defended by Boulid Youssef on December 26th, 2016 at University Ibn Tofail, entitled “Arabic handwritten recognition in an offline mode”. The adopted approach is realized under the multi agent paradigm. The dissertation was held in Faculty of Science Kénitra in a publicly open presentation. After the presentation, Boulid was awarded with the highest grade (Très honorable avec félicitations de jury)