Real time trinocular stereo for tele-immersion

Tele-immersion is a technology that augments your space with real-time 3D projections of remote spaces thus facilitating the interaction of people from different places in virtually the same environment. Tele-immersion combines 3D scene recovery from computer vision, and rendering and interaction from computer graphics. We describe the real-time 3D scene acquisition using a new algorithm for trinocular stereo. We extend this method in time by combining motion and stereo in order to increase speed and robustness

Stereo-Based Environment Scanning for Immersive Telepresence

The processing power and network bandwidth required for true immersive telepresence applications are only now beginning to be available. We draw from our experience developing stereo based tele-immersion prototypes to present the main issues arising when building these systems. Tele-immersion is a new medium that enables a user to share a virtual space with remote participants. The user is immersed in a rendered three-dimensional (3-D) world that is transmitted from a remote site. To acquire this 3-D description, we apply binocular and trinocular stereo techniques which provide a view-independent scene description. Slow processing cycles or long network latencies interfere with the users\u27 ability to communicate, so the dense stereo range data must be computed and transmitted at high frame rates. Moreover, reconstructed 3-D views of the remote scene must be as accurate as possible to achieve a sense of presence. We address both issues of speed and accuracy using a variety of techniques including the power of supercomputing clusters and a method for combining motion and stereo in order to increase speed and robustness. We present the latest prototype acquiring a room-size environment in real time using a supercomputing cluster, and we discuss its strengths and current weaknesses

Identification of Sensory Processing and Integration Symptom Clusters: A Preliminary Study

Rationale. This study explored subtypes of sensory processing disorder (SPD) by examining the clinical presentations of cluster groups that emerged from scores of children with SPD on the Sensory Processing 3-Dimension (SP-3D) Inventory. Method. A nonexperimental design was used involving data extraction from the records of 252 children with SPD. Exploratory cluster analyses were conducted with scores from the SP-3D Inventory which measures sensory overresponsivity (SOR), sensory underresponsivity (SUR), sensory craving (SC), postural disorder, dyspraxia, and sensory discrimination. Scores related to adaptive behavior, social-emotional functioning, and attention among children with different sensory modulation patterns were then examined and compared. Results. Three distinct cluster groups emerged from the data: High SOR only, High SUR with SOR, and High SC with SOR. All groups showed low performance within multiple domains of adaptive behavior. Atypical behaviors associated with social-emotional functioning and attention varied among the groups. Implications. The SP-3D Inventory shows promise as a tool for assisting in identifying patterns of sensory dysfunction and for guiding intervention. Better characterization can guide intervention precision and facilitate homogenous samples for research

Compression of Stereo Disparity Streams Using Wavelets and Optical Flow

Recent advances in computing have enabled fast reconstructions of dynamic scenes from multiple images. However, the efficient coding of changing 3D-data has hardly been addressed. Progressive geometric compression and streaming are based on static data sets which are mostly artificial or obtained from accurate range sensors. In this paper, we present a system for efficient coding of 3D-data which are given in forms of 2 + 1/2 disparity maps. Disparity maps are spatially coded using wavelets and temporally predicted by computing flow. The resulted representation of a 3D-stream consists then of spatial wavelet coefficients, optical flow vectors, and disparity differences between predicted and incoming image. The approach has also very useful by-products: disparity predictions can significantly reduce the disparity search range and if appropriately modeled increase the accuracy of depth estimation

The Sensory Processing 3-Dimensions Scale: Initial Studies of Reliability and Item Analyses

Background: The Sensory Processing 3-Dimensions Scale (SP-3D) is a performance-based measure for assessing sensory processing abilities and challenges, including sensory modulation, sensory discrimination, and sensory-based motor disorders. Initial studies of reliability were conducted, and item response theory was applied to assist in refining the measure. Methods: Descriptive and correlational methods were used to examine internal consistency of the scales and inter-rater reliability. Item response theory using Rasch analyses was applied to examine unidimensionality of scales, model fit, and item difficulty. Results: Internal consistency for most measures was acceptable, demonstrating the subtests, domains, and behavior scales as distinct constructs. Inter-rater reliability results were mixed, with fair to strong reliability coefficients for most sensory discrimination and postural and praxis subtests. Scales measuring sensory modulation and motor behaviors had moderate to poor inter-observer agreement. Rasch analyses supported subtests as unidimensional and identified the most rigorous items in the subtests. Conclusions: Preliminary results show promise of the SP-3D as a stable, reliable tool. A need for refinement of some operational definitions for behavior ratings was identified, and items to consider for elimination because of redundancy or ill-fit were exposed. Directions for research include refinement of the SP-3D and the need for further reliability and validity studies

Supporting the Development of Quality Data. Availability, quality and use of construction product LCA data Ireland, Italy and Croatia

The objectives of this report are to: • Identify data sets for ten commonly encountered high impact construction materials, identified in the tender as class 1 Materials: namely Cement, CEM I, II & III, Aggregates, Steel, Aluminium, Glass, Brick and Timber. This data is to be country-specific where available, and generic where country-specific data is not available. • Identify the key factors which vary the impact categories for each material in order to effectively create a calculation tool for each material and provide a roadmap for fitting generic data more closely to national data. • Identify additional materials of interest specific to the country, which might include specialised or novel materials which are used in the country (defined herein as class 2) or locally produced low impact materials (class 3). For these materials, to suggest sources for data, and specify the quality of the data based on defined rules; and to identify relevant factors in national production. • Propose a data quality assessment method and uncertainty surcharge for data from different sources, with awareness of not penalising small and innovative national manufacturers. • Review existing databases and identify their key structures and functionality as a starting point for the development of national databases within the participating countrie

Predicting hospital aggression in secure psychiatric care

Risk assessment instruments have become a preferred means for predicting future aggression, claiming to predict long-term aggression risk. We investigate the predictive value over 12 months and 4 years of two commonly applied instruments (HCR-20, VRAG) in a secure psychiatric population with personality disorder. Focus was on aggression in hospital. The actuarial risk assessment (VRAG) was generally performing better than the structured risk assessment (HCR-20), although neither approach performed particularly well overall. Any value in their predictive potential appeared focused on the longer time period under study (4 years) and was specific to certain types of aggression. The value of these instruments for assessing aggression in hospital among personality-disordered patients in a high secure psychiatric setting is considered

The Sensory Processing 3-Dimensions Scale: Initial Studies of Reliability and Item Analyses

Background: The Sensory Processing 3-Dimensions Scale (SP 3D) is a performance-based measure for assessing sensory processing abilities and challenges, including sensory modulation, sensory discrimination, and sensory-based motor disorders. Initial studies of reliability were conducted, and item response theory was applied to assist in refining the measure. Methods: Descriptive and correlational methods were used to examine internal consistency of the scales and inter-rater reliability. Item response theory using Rasch analyses was applied to examine unidimensionality of scales, model fit, and item difficulty. Results: Internal consistency for most measures was acceptable, demonstrating the subtests, domains, and behavior scales as distinct constructs. Inter-rater reliability results were mixed, with fair to strong reliability coefficients for most sensory discrimination and postural and praxis subtests. Scales measuring sensory modulation and motor behaviors had moderate to poor inter observer agreement. Rasch analyses supported subtests as unidimensional and identified the most rigorous items in the subtests. Conclusions: Preliminary results show promise of the SP-3D as a stable, reliable tool. A need for refinement of some operational definitions for behavior ratings was identified, and items to consider for elimination because of redundancy or ill-fit were exposed. Directions for research include refinement of the SP-3D and the need for further reliability and validity studies