Parallel Implementation of Systolic Array Design for Developing Medical Image Rotation

Many image-processing algorithms are particularly suited to parallel computing, as they process images that are difficult and time consuming to analyse. In particular, medical images of tissues tend to be very complex with great irregularity and variability in shapes. Furthermore, existing algorithms contain explicit parallelism, which can be efficiently exploited by processing arrays. A good example of an image processing operation is the geometric rotation of a rectangular bitmap. This paper presents a set of systolic array designs for implementing the geometric rotation algorithms of images on VLSI processing arrays. The examined algorithm performs a trigonometric transformation on each pixel in an image.  The design is implemented as a distributed computing system of networked computers using Parallel Virtual Machine (PVM) model. Each node (computer) in the network takes part in the task in hand – such as image processing – using message passing. Comments and conclusions about the implementation of the design as a distributed computing system are discussed. Keywords: parallel computing, distributed computing. PVM, image rotation, systolic array

Sensitivity Analysis for Optimal Parameters for Marine Radar Data Processing

A bird and bat monitoring system has been developed that uses marine radar, IR camera and acoustic recorders for wind farm applications. IR video recording is used to monitor birds and bats activity which will be useful for wildlife biologists in developing mit igation techniques to minimize impact of wind turbines on birds and bats. The goal is to quantify birds and bats activity near wind turbines. Radar will provide z-coordinate (alt itude) and IR camera will provide (x, y) coordinates of birds/bats. Acous tic monitoring is used to identify birds and bats at their species level. This paper deals with the use of marine radar for determining altitudes, direction and quantity (passage rates) of birds/bats. Data from the marine radar is digitized and processed with open source radR software. Since the data is unknown tracking and quantification can be very challenging. This paper deals with the sensitivity analysis and effects of various parameters used in the tracking algorithm so resulting data can be meaningful

Development of monolith with a carbon-nanofiber-washcoat as a structured catalyst support in liquid phase

Washcoats with improved mass transfer properties are necessary to circumvent concentration gradients in case of fast reactions in liquid phase, e.g. nitrate hydrogenation. A highly porous, high surface area (180 m2/g) and thin washcoat of carbon fibers, was produced on a monolith support by methane decomposition over small nickel particles. Carbon fibers form a homogeneous layer less then 1 ¿m thin, covering the surface of the channels in the monolith. The fibers penetrated into the cordierite, which is suggested to cause a remarkable stability of the fibers against ultrasound maltreatment. The texture of the fibers is independent of both the thickness of the ¿-alumina washcoat as well as the time to grow carbon fibers

Eleventh Grade Students' fallacies about Socio-Scientific Issues as Related to Gender

This study aimed at exploring the most important fallacies of Eleventh Grade students in Jordan on issues of cloning, genetic engineering, endogamy, and premarital genetic screening. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers used a qualitative method. The study sample consisted of 30 students selected according to the Purposeful Sampling, Maximum Variation Sampling type. The researchers used a semi-structured interview to collect data. The student’s fallacies have been detected through inductive analysis of the collected data. After analysis of the data it was found that the fallacies used by the sampled students ordered from the most common to least common are: The adoption of the point of view without providing sufficient data and supporting evidence, framing the issue religiously and Dispersion from the subject, dealing with the emotions raised by the issue at hand not the case itself, issuing a generalized provision, issuing of the provisions of the extreme, and the impact of social and cultural beliefs of the community

Accurate Reader Identification for the Arabic Holy Quran Recitations Based on an Enhanced VQ Algorithm

The Speaker identification process is not a new trend; however, for the Arabic Holy Quran recitation, there are still quite improvements that can make this process more accurate and reliable. This paper collected the input data from 14 native Arabic reciters, consisting of “Surah Al-Kawthar” speech signals from the Holy Quran. Moreover, this paper discusses the accuracy rates for 8 and 16 features. Indeed, a modified Vector Quantization (VQ) technique will be presented, in addition to realistically matching the centroids of the various codebooks and measuring systems’ effectiveness. Note that the VQ technique will be utilized to generate the codebooks by clustering these features into a finite number of centroids. The proposed system’s software was built and executed using MATLAB®. The proposed system’s total accuracy rate was 97.92% and 98.51% for 8 and 16 centroids codebooks, respectively. However, this study discussed two validation tactics to ensure that the outcomes are reliable and can be reproduced. Hence, the K-mean clustering algorithm has been used to validate the obtained results and discuss the outcomes of this study. Finally, it has been found that the improved VQ method gives a better result than the K-means method

Optimized Parallel Implementation of Extended Kalman Filter Using FPGA

There are enormous numbers of applications that require the use of tracking algorithms to predict the future states of a system according to its previous accumulated states. Thus, many efficient techniques are widely adopted to estimate the future states of a system at every point in time to get the desired performance levels. Kalman filter is a popular and an efficient method for online estimations for linear measurements. Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), on the other hand, is more suited for nonlinear measurements. However, EKF algorithm is well known to be computationally intensive, and may not achieve the strict requirements of real time applications. This issue has motivated researchers to consider the use of parallel processing platforms such as Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) to meet the real time requirements. This paper provides an optimized parallel architecture for EKF using FPGA. Our approach exploits many optimization and parallel techniques such as pipelining, loop unrolling, dataflow, and inlining; and utilizes the inherently parallel architecture nature of FPGAs to accelerate the estimation process. Our experimental analyses show that our optimized implementation of EKF can achieve better results when compared to other implementations using GPU and multicore platforms. Moreover, higher performance levels can be achieved when operating on larger data sizes. This is due to our proposed optimization techniques that we have applied, and the exploited inherent parallelism among EKF operations

The Role of Internal Audit to Reduce the Effects of Creative Accounting on the Reliability of Financial Statements in the Jordanian Islamic Banks

The purpose of this study is to look into the role of internal audit (IA) in reducing the effects of creative accounting (CA) on financial statement reliability in Jordanian Islamic Banks. The research study used the survey methodology to examine the role of internal audit (including independence and objectivity, verifiability, professional care, and neutrality) to reduce the effects of CA on the reliability of financial statements in Jordanian Islamic Banks. The population consists of all practicing auditors in Jordanian Islamic Banks, with a sample of 100 practicing auditors chosen from the total population of 143 auditors using a simple random selection approach. The questionnaire was distributed to the internal auditors working in these banks. Moreover, the primary data were analyzed using the partial least squares (3.3.3) software. The results showed that there was a role for IA (including independence objectivity, verifiability, professional care, and impartiality) in limiting the effects of CA on the reliability of financial statements in Jordanian Islamic Banks

DETC2009/MESA-86451 DESIGN AND RECONFIGURATION ALGORITHM OF HEXBOT: A MODULAR SELF-RECONFIGURABLE ROBOTIC SYSTEM

ABSTRACT This paper primarily addresses the design and implementation of a planar hexagonal Modular Self-Reconfigurable Robotic System (MSRRS) along with the construction of its reconfiguration path planner and control algorithm. A universal module is carefully designed to be in line with the common goals of MSRRS including homogeneity, cost-effectiveness, fast actuation and quick and strong connections. Although the implemented working prototype is both large and restricted to a planar geometry, it is designed such that its hardware and software can be scaled up in the number of units and down in unit size; similarly, the platform has the potential to be extended for 3D applications. The software infrastructure of this platform is designed in a way that different hierarchies for distributed control and communication can be implemented. The algorithmic design is based on a hierarchical multilayer approach, where upper layers decompose the problem into sub-problems solvable by lower layers. An optimal reconfiguration path planner is developed to minimize the number of module movements during the reconfiguration while enforcing collision avoidance and connectivity constraints in addition to taking into account the kinematic model of the platform. The core of the algorithm relies on a heuristic function and a Markov Decision Process (MDP) optimization to generate a near-optimal reconfiguration path planner and a control algorithm for HexBot shown i