Omnidirectional view and multi-modal streaming in 3D tele-immersion system

3D Tele-immersion (3DTI) technology allows full-body, multi-modal content delivery among geographically dispersed users. In 3DTI, user’s 3D model will be captured by multiple RGB-D (color plus depth) cameras surround- ing user’s body. In addition, various sensors (e.g., motion sensors, medical sensors, wearable gaming consoles, etc.) specified by the application will be included to deliver a multi-modal experience. In a traditional 2D live video streaming system, the interactivity of end users, choosing a specified viewpoint, has been crippled by the fact that they can only choose to see the physical scene captured by a physical camera, but not between two physical cameras. However, 3DTI system makes it possible rendering a 3D space where the viewers can view physical scene from arbitrary viewpoint. In this thesis, we present systematic solutions of omnidirectional view in 3D tele-immersion system in a real-time manner and in an on-demand streaming manner, called FreeViewer and OmniViewer, respectively. we provide a complete multi-modal 3D video streaming/rendering solution, which achieves the feature of omnidirectional view in monoscopic 3D systems

Archiving and Delivery of 3DTI Rehabilitation Sessions

In this paper we present CyPhy: a cyber-physiotherapy system that brings daily rehabilitation to patient’s home with supervision from trained therapist. With its archiving and delivery features, CyPhy is able to 1) capture and record RGB-D and physiotherapy-related medical sensing data streams in home environment; 2) provide efficient storage for rehabilitation session recordings; 3) provide fast metadata analysis over stored sessions for review recommendation; 4) adaptively deliver rehabilitation session under different networking capabilities; 5) support smooth viewpoint changing during 3D video streaming with scene rendering schemes tailored for devices with different bandwidth and power limitations; and 6) provide platform-independent streaming client for various mobile and PC environments

An Optimization-Based Initial Alignment and Calibration Algorithm of Land-Vehicle SINS In-Motion

For a running freely land-vehicle strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS), the problems of self-calibration and attitude alignment need to be solved simultaneously. This paper proposes a complete alignment algorithm for the land vehicle navigation using Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and an odometer. A self-calibration algorithm is proposed based on the global observability analysis to calibrate the odometer scale factor and IMU misalignment angle, and the initial alignment and calibration method based on optimal algorithm is established to estimate the attitude and other system parameters. This new algorithm has the capability of self-initialization and calibration without any prior attitude and sensor noise information. Computer simulation results show that the performance of the proposed algorithm is superior to the extended Kalman filter (EKF) method during the oscillating attitude motions, and the vehicle test validates its advantages

The Mechanism of the High Resistance to Hydrogen-Induced Strength Loss in Ultra-High Strength High-Entropy Alloy

The resistance of the Al0.5Cr0.9FeNi2.5V0.2 high-entropy alloy (HEA) to hydrogen embrittlement (HE) was investigated by a slow strain rate test (SSRT), and the fracture surface was examined through a scanning electron microscope. Compared with other high-strength steels, Al0.5Cr0.9FeNi2.5V0.2 showed insignificant strength loss after hydrogen charging. The fracture surface of the hydrogen-charged specimens mainly consisted of dimples, and no intergranular morphology was observed. The coupling effect of the dispersed nano-structured precipitates and high-density dislocations in Al0.5Cr0.9FeNi2.5V0.2 improves the resistance to hydrogen-induced strength loss

The Mechanism of the High Resistance to Hydrogen-Induced Strength Loss in Ultra-High Strength High-Entropy Alloy

The resistance of the Al0.5Cr0.9FeNi2.5V0.2 high-entropy alloy (HEA) to hydrogen embrittlement (HE) was investigated by a slow strain rate test (SSRT), and the fracture surface was examined through a scanning electron microscope. Compared with other high-strength steels, Al0.5Cr0.9FeNi2.5V0.2 showed insignificant strength loss after hydrogen charging. The fracture surface of the hydrogen-charged specimens mainly consisted of dimples, and no intergranular morphology was observed. The coupling effect of the dispersed nano-structured precipitates and high-density dislocations in Al0.5Cr0.9FeNi2.5V0.2 improves the resistance to hydrogen-induced strength loss

An Improved ACKF/KF Initial Alignment Method for Odometer-Aided Strapdown Inertial Navigation System

For a land-vehicle strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS), the problem of initial alignment with large misalignment angle in-motion needs to be solved urgently. This paper proposes an improved ACKF/KF initial alignment method for SINS aided by odometer. The SINS error equation with large misalignment angle is established first in the form of an Euler angle. The odometer/gyroscope dead reckoning (DR) error equation is deduced, which makes the observation equation linear when the position is taken as the observation of the Kalman filter. Then, based on the cubature Kalman filter, the Sage-Husa adaptive filter and the characteristics of the observation equation, an improved ACKF/KF method is proposed, which can accomplish initial alignment well in the case of unknown measurement noise. Computer simulation results show that the performance of the proposed ACKF/KF algorithm is superior to EKF, CKF and AEKF method in accuracy and stability, and the vehicle test validates its advantages

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate nephrosis through repair of impaired podocytes

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) on podocytes of puromycin amino nuclear glucoside (PAN) -induced nephrosis in mice. Methods: Mice were randomly divided into Control, PAN and BMSC groups. Mice were injected with PAN (0.5 mg/g weight) via the tail vein. The 24-h urinary protein was obtained after modelling, and urinary protein excretion was determined. The blood and kidney specimens were isolated after the tenth day of modelling. Blood samples were collected for measuring serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). A sample of kidney was taken for observing pathological changes through hematoxylin-eosin staining and electron microscopy, and the rest of the kidney was used for detecting the protein and mRNA expression of nephrin, CD2AP, synaptopodin, TRPC6 by real-time quantitative PCR, Western-blot and immunohistochemistry. Results: After PAN injection, podocyte foot process fusion was detected by electron microscopy, and the 24 h urinary protein excretion increased compared with control mice on days 3, 7 and 10 post-PAN injection (

Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Properties of a Ni-Based Alloy with High Boron Content for the Pre-Sintered Preform (PSP) Application

The pre-sintered preform (PSP) is an advanced technology for repairing the Ni-based superalloy blade in a turbine. In general, boron is added to the Ni-based superalloys in small quantities (1.0 wt.%) on the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties in Ni-based superalloys for the PSP application is rarely studied. The variety, composition and evolution of the precipitates during solution heat treatment in the alloy with high B content were determined by EBSD, EPMA and SEM. The results indicate that Cr, W and Mo-rich M5B3 type borides precipitate from the matrix and its area fraction reaches up to about 8%. The area fraction of boride decreases with the prolonging of solution time and the increase of temperature higher than 1120 °C. The borides nearly disappear after solution treatment at 1160 °C for 2 h. The redissolution of boride and eutectic results in the formation of B-rich area with low incipient melting (about 1189 °C). It can bond metallurgically with the blade under the melting point of the blade, which decreases the precipitation of harmful phases of the blade after PSP repairing. The microhardness within the grain in the PSP work-blank first decreases (lower than 1160 °C) and then increases (higher than 1185 °C) with the increase of solution heat treatment temperature due to the dissolving and precipitation of borides. The tensile strength of the combination of PSP work-blank and Mar-M247 matrix at room temperature after solution treatment is related to the area fraction of boride, incipient melting and the cohesion between PSP work-blank and Mar-M247 matrix

Time and Crack Width Dependent Model of Chloride Transportation in Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC)

This paper aims to develop a chloride transport model of engineered cementitious composites (ECC) that can consider the influence of both exposure time and crack width. ECC specimens with crack widths of 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm and 0.3 mm were soaked into NaCl solution with periods of 30, 60, 90 and 120 days. The free chloride content profile was measured and used for the development of the transport model. Regression analysis was applied to build the time and crack width dependent models of apparent diffusion coefficient and surface chloride content. The results show that the crack width has significant influence on the free chloride concentration profile when it is above 0.2 mm and the time-dependent constant n decreases linearly with the crack width. The chloride transport model was obtained by subscribing the models of apparent diffusion coefficient and surface chloride content into the analytical solution of Fick’s second law. The model was further validated with the experimental results, showing a deviation within 20%. The findings of the presented study can enhance the current understanding on the chloride transportation in ECC