Reconstructing the Dynamic Directivity of Unconstrained Speech

This article presents a method for estimating and reconstructing the spatial energy distribution pattern of natural speech, which is crucial for achieving realistic vocal presence in virtual communication settings. The method comprises two stages. First, recordings of speech captured by a real, static microphone array are used to create an egocentric virtual array that tracks the movement of the speaker over time. This virtual array is used to measure and encode the high-resolution directivity pattern of the speech signal as it evolves dynamically with natural speech and movement. In the second stage, the encoded directivity representation is utilized to train a machine learning model that can estimate the full, dynamic directivity pattern given a limited set of speech signals, such as those recorded using the microphones on a head-mounted display. Our results show that neural networks can accurately estimate the full directivity pattern of natural, unconstrained speech from limited information. The proposed method for estimating and reconstructing the spatial energy distribution pattern of natural speech, along with the evaluation of various machine learning models and training paradigms, provides an important contribution to the development of realistic vocal presence in virtual communication settings.Comment: In proceedings of I3DA 2023 - The 2023 International Conference on Immersive and 3D Audio. DOI coming soo

Examination of Electron Transfer Mechanism of Cyanidin

Cyanidin, as one important plant pigment, was theoretically (at M05-2X/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory) investigated for its ability to scavenge potentially, highly damaging hydroxyl radical. Free radical scavenging of cyanidin was studied through electron transfer mechanism – ET (the second step in SPLET mechanism) in water and ethanol, as solvents. Examination was performed using density functional theory (DFT) and Marcus theory. Based on the thermochemical and kinetic data, it is clear that O‒H group of cyanidin in position 3` is the most suitable for reaction with hydroxyl radical through mentioned antioxidant mechanism

TRADE SECRETS - SECURITY AND LEGAL ASPECT

The struggle for the dominance of competition is increasingly being transferred from physical to virtual arena, and therefore the application of new technologies is becoming an increasingly important basis for faster development, but it is becoming increasingly important weapon in the struggle for the dominance of competition in the new (digital) economy. The aforementioned trends in the foreground are even more emphasized than they were in the past years, the need to improve the protection of intellectual property, and the enhancement of the protection of trade secrets from increasingly intense industrial espionage and increasingly frequent cyber attacksIt is this trend that has been mentioned and initiated to pay special attention to the analysis of the possibilities and potential possibilities for improvement of the security and legal system of protection of sent secrets as an integral part of the intellectual propert

Academics perception of public areas video surveillance in smart cities

The growing trend of the urban population looks for the formation of the concept of Smart Cities, based on the principles of sustainable development, which will meet the needs of people who live in them. The city must develop its public service infrastructure to provide all the requirements for the population. One of the requirements, people living in cities is the security of public areas managed by the city. The system of video surveillance, public areas should contribute to the personal safety of citizens, children and traffic, reducing the rate of crime and more efficient operation of public services. This research aims to examine academics' opinions (perceptions) about the impact of security cameras on increasing security within the concept of Smart Cities. The research had conducted on the territory of Serbia through an online survey. The obtained data were processed statistically by Chi-square and T-test, ANOVA method, multiple regression and correlation using SPSS application. The research indicates that academics much more believe in the contribution of video surveillance, reducing the crime rate, than studies of the effectiveness of the use of video surveillance shows. Video camera monitoring accelerates the reactions of competent services, but video camera recordings have not always been accepted as evidence in court

SMART CITY: A CONTEMPORARY CONCEPT OF URBAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Migration from rural areas to cities, beside to migration of highly educated labor, are becoming one of the most significant challenges in the contemporary urban environment. Increasingly and extensively influx of population from rural areas into cities, with climate and lifestyle changes, additionally exposed city government to challenges for optimal city functioning and sustainable urban development. These challenges as initiatives to improve the quality of life, higher efficiency and preservation of the environment, with the accelerated development of new technologies, are resulted in the emergence of the Smart City concept. The Smart City concept represents the dominant direction of urban development based on the digital transformation of the city and principles of sustainable development. At its core, the concept involves the digital transformation of the city towards achieving greater efficiency of the city administration, higher quality of life, reducing the exploitation of resources, but also reducing the negative impact on the environment. The importance of digital transformation of cities and the importance of sustainable development are initiated the authors, to present in this paper the basic determinants of the Smart City concept as integral part of the urban sustainable development strateg

Ethnopharmacological application of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla l.) in the pirot county of southeastern serbia

© 2020, Pharmaceutical Association of Serbia. All rights reserved. Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) is a herbaceous plant from family Astereaceae, that has a long history of use in traditional medicine. The first written report of chamomile was found in Ancient Egypt: crushed chamomile flower-heads were used to relieve skin inflammation, prevent dermatitis, and in cosmetic preparations. The subject of this study was to examine the ethnopharmacological application of chamomile in the Pirot County of Serbia. The study was conducted in the form of a population survey on the population of four municipalities: Pirot, Babušnica, Bela Palanka, and Dimitrovgrad. This study shows that chamomile has been one of the ten best known medicinal plant species in Pirot County. The most common way of the application was a herbal tea for oral use against cold, stomach diseases, throat infection, and mild sedation. Externally, in the form of compresses, it has been used against eye swelling, skin inflammation, and infections, while the oily form was used in the treatment of wounds and burns

Oral Health in 12- and 15-Year-Old Children in Serbia: A National Pathfinder Study.

The aim of the paper is to present the oral health profile of 12- and 15-year-old schoolchildren in Serbia. Basic Methods for Oral Health Surveys of the WHO were implemented to record: Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth/Surfaces Index (DMFT/DMFS), gingival bleeding, enamel fluorosis and other structural anomalies, dental erosion, dental trauma, and oral mucosal lesions. In addition, Silness and Löe plaque index and orthodontic status were assessed. A total of 36% of 12-year-olds and 22% of 15-year-olds in Serbia were caries-free. The mean DMFT was 2.32 ± 2.69 for 12-year-olds and 4.09 ± 3.81 for 15-year-olds. DMFT was made up largely by the decayed component. Gingival bleeding was present in 26% of examined 12-year-old and 18% of 15-year-old children. Dental plaque was observed in 63% of both 12- and 15-year-olds. Fluorosis, structural anomalies, dental erosion, dental trauma, and oral mucosal lesion were rarely detected. Low prevalence of malocclusions was found. Oral disease is still a common public health problem among schoolchildren in Serbia. A significant increase in the prevalence of caries disease between 12- and 15-year-old groups implies that preventive care for adolescents requires special attention. Corrective actions and reforms to the current school-based oral health prevention program are needed to further improve oral health in Serbian children