Using MATLAB for Analysis of TRAP System

This article describes a Matlab function for reading and processing file outputs from a structure of classifiers. These classifiers - neural nets - are used in speech recognition based on temporal trajectories (TRAP) of energy in frequency bands. This nonstandard approach is introduced and the program is presented. The utility of resulting figures is enhanced by the possibility of reading and displaying results from all critical bands at once. Resulting analyses are more focused on the reliability of classifiers than on the basic accuracy measure. The first uses colors and their depth to display both cues, reliability and accuracy, in one informative picture. Others are focused on more precise measures, where it is possible to precisely define classifier mistakes

Distributed Speech Recognition

This article discusses possibilities of integrating speech technology into wireless technology, allowing voice input for wireless devices. Distributed speech recognition concept and activities related to its standardization are presented. First ETSI DSR MFCC based standard is described. Work on its extension to improve robustness resulting in new standard is also presented

New Nonsense Syllables Database -- Analyses and Preliminary ASR Experiments

The paper presents analyses, modifications, and first experiments with a new nonsense syllables database. Results of preliminary experiments with phoneme recognition are given and discussed

Návrh racionalizace informačního systému řízení dokumentace

Import 20/04/2006Prezenční výpůjčkaVŠB - Technická univerzita Ostrava. Ekonomická fakulta. Katedra (155) informatiky v ekonomic

Sustainable regional development and innovation

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)Innovation drives sustainable regional development is the thesis that was tested in this inquiry, using literature reviews, case studies and field research interviews. Case study regions include all of the regions of Italy and the UK, the Nelson Region of New Zealand and the Hunter Region of NSW, Australia. Interviews were only conducted in the Hunter Region. The literature reviews revealed deep conceptual inadequacies. Sustainable regional development has leapfrogged a settled understanding of sustainability/sustainable development and regions/regional development. The former is a complex and incoherent normative field, yet managed through metric paradigms. The latter reflects politico-economic boundaries that may neither subsist nor reflect social and natural environmental functioning. The case study regions, particularly those of the UK, suggest innovation offers a possible solution to the conceptual inadequacies. They demonstrate how novel approaches to sustainability/sustainable development and regions/regional development can be progressed, despite incomplete or unsettled understanding. Sustainable regional development is best viewed as measurable human actions across environmental, social and economic fronts over time (sustainable development), directed at a normative goal (sustainability), in some spatial context (region). Sustainable regional development is manageable, despite the conceptual difficulties involved, by working with what one has (requiring capability development) and identifying what works (the basis of 'learning regions'). The Italian case study is used as a partial illustration. But the highly particularised literature on innovation did not illuminate the pathway connecting know-how in sustainable regional development to its successful diffusion. That pathway, dubbed The Innovation Opportunity, was, however, illuminated by the work of a philosopher, Ernst Bloch. Two additional thresholds beyond that of possibility (know-how) were revealed: progress (needing leadership) and probability (needing communication). The Innovation Opportunity, although developed specifically for sustainable regional development, is proposed as a generic innovation model. To test the relevance of this conclusion in a region, face-to-face field research interviews of Hunter Region leaders were conducted on regional challenges (candidates for innovation) and the roles of universities (innovation seedbeds) in addressing sustainable regional development. The upshot was a variety of useful insights suppportive of the overall thesis and the conclusion that this regional university may require better leadership and communication to relate more meaningfully to its region as to innovation for sustainable regional development. The thesis is proven, if both innovation and sustainability have been correctly understood. Opportunities for further research include validation of The Innovation Opportunity, improved communication of normative goals (e.g. sustainability), and understanding informal economies as indivisible components of sustainable regional development. Additional specific research opportunities in the Hunter Region were also identified

Audio Surveillance through Known Event Classification

The way of audio surveillance through known event classification is presented introducing simple yet efficient framework. The use of the proposed system for unknown event detection is also suggested and evaluated. Further, a specific audio event is detected with use of audio classification, which helps the detection to focus on a signal of specific behavior. Thus it is shown that the system can be used in several applications

Science in technology and the progression of ideas through innovation

How does science fit into technology and the progression of ideas through innovation? Science (what and why) and engineering (how) form the knowledge part of technology, alongside the skills and experience parts. Technology, the know-how that allows others to master a technique, underpins all products and services. Ideas are just a mental image in someone’s mind. To take material form through the process of innovation, those ideas have to surmount thresholds of possibility, progress and probability before they become diffused outcomes in their respective marketplaces. These thresholds require, respectively, know-how (technology), leadership and communication. Many other issues go to rate and extent of innovation diffusion. But unless the thresholds are effectively crossed, innovation diffusion is mostly highly unlikely to happen. This new insight into the mechanism of innovation was inspired by The Principle of Hope, philosopher Ernst Bloch’s magnum opus. The experience of Innova Soil Technology Pty Ltd, an Australian soil remediation business, is used as a case study. Science is thus a demonstrably necessary, but entirely insufficient, part of technology and the progression of ideas through innovation

Transcribing meetings with the AMIDA systems

In this paper, we give an overview of the AMIDA systems for transcription of conference and lecture room meetings. The systems were developed for participation in the Rich Transcription evaluations conducted by the National Institute for Standards and Technology in the years 2007 and 2009 and can process close talking and far field microphone recordings. The paper first discusses fundamental properties of meeting data with special focus on the AMI/AMIDA corpora. This is followed by a description and analysis of improved processing and modeling, with focus on techniques specifically addressing meeting transcription issues such as multi-room recordings or domain variability. In 2007 and 2009, two different strategies of systems building were followed. While in 2007 we used our traditional style system design based on cross adaptation, the 2009 systems were constructed semi-automatically, supported by improved decoders and a new method for system representation. Overall these changes gave a 6%-13% relative reduction in word error rate compared to our 2007 results while at the same time requiring less training material and reducing the real-time factor by five times. The meeting transcription systems are available at www.webasr.org