Using remote vision: The effects of video image frame rate on visual object recognition performance

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2010 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other users, including reprinting/ republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted components of this work in other works.The process of using remote vision was simulated in order to determine the effects of video image frame rate on the performance in visual recognition of stationary environmental hazards in the dynamic video footage of the pedestrian travel environment. The recognition performance was assessed against two different video image frame rate variations: 25 and 2 fps. The assessment included a range of objective and subjective criteria. The obtained results show that the effects of the frame rate variations on the performance are statistically insignificant. This paper belongs to the process of development of a novel system for navigation of visually impaired pedestrians. The navigation system includes a remote vision facility, and the visual recognition of the environmental hazards by the sighted human guide is a basic activity in aiding the visually impaired user of the system in mobility

Client-server-based LBS architecture: A novel positioning module for improved positioning performance

Permission to distribute obtained from publisher.This work presents a new efficient positioning module that operates over client-server LBS architectures. The aim of the proposed module is to fulfil the position information requirements for LBS pedestrian applications by ensuring the availability of reliable, highly accurate and precise position solutions based on GPS single frequency (L1) positioning service. The positioning module operates at both LBS architecture sides; the client (mobile device), and the server (positioning server). At the server side, the positioning module is responsible for correcting user’s location information based on WADGPS corrections. In addition, at the mobile side, the positioning module is continually in charge for monitoring the integrity and available of the position solutions as well as managing the communication with the server. The integrity monitoring was based on EGNOS integrity methods. A prototype of the proposed module was developed and used in experimental trials to evaluate the efficiency of the module in terms of the achieved positioning performance. The positioning module was capable of achieving a horizontal accuracy of less than 2 meters with a 95% confidence level with integrity improvement of more than 30% from existing GPS/EGNOS services

Challenges Facing Solar Panel Energy Deployment Within Qatari Homes and Businesses

Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Despite many factors conducive to renewable energy investment in Qatar (e.g., the fact that the state is a major gas exporter whose long-term prosperity depends on economic diversification), there is very low uptake of solar panel adoption among home and business owners. Major challenges implicitly face the deployment of solar and other renewables in Qatar, this research explores possible challenges. The study was conducted in two phases: interviews to identify challenges and using the outcomes from the interviews to obtain a wider response. This study identifies the key major challenges facing the deployment of solar panels in Qatar, which are very useful for diverse stakeholders, policymakers, and future researchers

Systematic Review on Civilian Drones in Safety and Security Applications

Data Availability Statement: The data can be shared up on request.Copyright © 2023 by the authors. The employment of unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as UAVs, is expanding rapidly across various civil application areas. Some of these domains include real-time tracking, the provision of wireless coverage, sensing, searches and rescue, the delivery of goods, safety and surveillance, security, and safety checks of engineering structures. Smart UAVs represent the next technology revolution in UAV technology. They promise to provide new possibilities in various applications, notably lower risk and costs for civil infrastructure. The military has traditionally used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in countries such as the United Kingdom or the United States to partake in military and dangerous operations. The application and usage of these UAVs have become more commercial. Civilians can easily buy UAVs, commonly known as drones, from online platforms or shops. The main aim of this study is to review selected publications presenting previous efforts on using Civilian Drones in Safety applications. The study was accomplished using a systematic review research approach reviewing 45 publications. Drones have become more common, and it is crucial to understand how they work, especially since they entered the civilian domain. The research shows how civilian drones have been used in numerous safety applications, such as security cameras videotaping a house to ensure its safety.This research received no external funding

Mega Sporting Event Scenario Analysis and Drone Camera Surveillance Impacts on Command-and-Control Centre Situational Awareness for Dynamic Decision-Making

Data Availability Statement: The data can be shared on request.Copyright © 2023 by the authors.. Mega sports events may encounter safety and security challenges related to risk management issues such as overcrowding, disorderly behavior, assaults, and security breaches. An incident during the Champions League Final in France in 2022 serves as an example of such challenges. Therefore, this study focuses specifically on the Champions League Final in France, 2022, and presents a situational scenario analysis for safety and security professionals. The objective is to enhance situational awareness and improve risk management strategies for similar events. The study commences by investigating the awareness among security and safety professionals regarding the potential consequences of mega sporting events, utilizing a post-hoc damage evaluation of France ’22. It then compares the effectiveness of fixed and drone cameras in surveillance imaging, aiming to identify ways to enhance situational analysis for improved risk management. The findings indicate that safety and security professionals acknowledged the negative outcomes of adverse events and demonstrated higher situational awareness when using drone surveillance as opposed to relying solely on fixed cameras. They also expressed positive attitudes towards the adoption of surveillance for mega sporting events. Moreover, the study introduces a model for drone surveillance scenario analysis, designed for dynamic decision-making. This model has been developed and aligned to effectively integrate drone surveillance and enhance situational awareness, not only for mega sports events but also for similar applications in various contexts. This research contributes to the understanding of risk management and situational awareness in the realm of mega sports events. It underscores the significance of drone surveillance and proposes strategies to enhance security professionals’ ability to respond effectively to potential threats, ensuring the safety of participants and spectators.This research received no external funding

Evaluation of WiMAX QoS in a developing country's environment

This paper presents findings from a study which investigated WiMAX Quality of Service (QoS) as experienced by the end users. The research was conducted in Tanzania, a developing country in East Africa, testing a commercially available WiMAX broadband service. The researchers conducted technical evaluations by testing throughput, packet losses, delay and link stability. They also investigated non-technical issues like helpline facilities and overall users' experienced QoS. Results show that WiMAX is capable of tackling technical challenges faced by developing areas by delivering low cost broadband connectivity with good QoS. This paper is suitable for academicians looking into WiMAX technology and its capabilities especially as a fixed wireless broadband solution. It is also suitable for those who are looking for solutions for connectivity challenges facing developing and remote areas. The authors have presented primary data in this paper with discussions that give others a room to draw their conclusions

Assessing the Potential of Qatari House Roofs for Solar Panel

Data Availability Statement: The data can be shared up on request....This research received no external funding