A machine learning approach to pedestrian detection for autonomous vehicles using High-Definition 3D Range Data

This article describes an automated sensor-based system to detect pedestrians in an autonomous vehicle application. Although the vehicle is equipped with a broad set of sensors, the article focuses on the processing of the information generated by a Velodyne HDL-64E LIDAR sensor. The cloud of points generated by the sensor (more than 1 million points per revolution) is processed to detect pedestrians, by selecting cubic shapes and applying machine vision and machine learning algorithms to the XY, XZ, and YZ projections of the points contained in the cube. The work relates an exhaustive analysis of the performance of three different machine learning algorithms: k-Nearest Neighbours (kNN), Naïve Bayes classifier (NBC), and Support Vector Machine (SVM). These algorithms have been trained with 1931 samples. The final performance of the method, measured a real traffic scenery, which contained 16 pedestrians and 469 samples of non-pedestrians, shows sensitivity (81.2%), accuracy (96.2%) and specificity (96.8%).This work was partially supported by ViSelTR (ref. TIN2012-39279) and cDrone (ref. TIN2013-45920-R) projects of the Spanish Government, and the “Research Programme for Groups of Scientific Excellence at Region of Murcia” of the Seneca Foundation (Agency for Science and Technology of the Region of Murcia—19895/GERM/15). 3D LIDAR has been funded by UPCA13-3E-1929 infrastructure projects of the Spanish Government. Diego Alonso wishes to thank the Spanish Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, Subprograma Estatal de Movilidad, Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2013–2016 for grant CAS14/00238

Espacios de Sobolev y la formulación variacional de problemas de contorno elípticos en dimensión n

Los espacios de Sobolev constituyen una herramienta fundamental en numerosas ramas del Análisis Matemático. En particular la teoría de ecuaciones en derivadas parciales, tanto lineales como no lineales, se desarrollan de forma esencial en base a estos espacios. La idea que subyace a su construcción es similar a la de los espacios de funciones diferenciables hasta cierto orden, pero en lugar de utilizar la norma del máximo sobre dichas funciones se utilizan normas integrales asociadas a los espacios Lp. Estos espacios son esencialmente más fáciles de manejar y poseen mejores propiedades que los espacios de funciones continuas: en particular los espacios de Sobolev correspondientes a la norma L2 son espacios de Hilbert, lo que posibilita utilizar todas las herramientas asociadas a la geometría euclídea de estos espacios. El problema que acarrea este enfoque es que la derivación no debe entenderse en el sentido usual de las diferenciales en cada punto, sino en el sentido de las distribuciones, lo que hace necesario utilizar varios teoremas de aproximación por funciones regulares para demostrar los teoremas fundamentales.Grado en Matemática

El problema de valores propios para el oscilador de Darboux III con parámetro de curvatura negativo

En este trabajo se estudia el oscilador de Darboux III, cuyo hamiltoniano es: H(q, p) = p2 2m(1 + λ q2) + mω2 q2 2(1 + λ q2) , con el parámetro λ < 0, que es un caso no estudiado en la bibliografía especializada. El problema se aborda primero desde el punto de vista de la mecánica clásica, luego se realiza una primera cuantización semiclásica, y por último se resuelve la ecuación de Schrödinger con dos condiciones de contorno distintas. También se analizan las entropías de la información de Shannon de los estados propios de ambas resoluciones de la ecuación de Schrödinger.In this project is studied the Darboux III oscillator, whose Hamiltonian is: H(q, p) = p2/ 2m(1 + λ q2) + mω2 q2/ 2(1 + λ q2) , whith the parameter λ < 0, which has not been studied in the literature. The problem is first approached from the point of view of classical mechanics, then a first semiclassical quantization is carried out, and finally the Schr¨odinger equation is solved with two different boundary conditions. The Shannon information entropies of both resolutions of the Schr¨odinger equation are also analyzed.Departamento de Física Teórica, Atómica y ÓpticaMáster en Físic

Mixed-valency signature in vibrational inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy

4 páginas, 3 figuras, 1 tabla.-- PACS numbers: 68.37.Ef, 72.10.-d, 72.25.-b, 79.20.RfDensity functional theory simulations of the vibrational inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS) of O2 on Ag(110) permits us to solve its unexplained IETS data [ Hahn et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 85 1914 (2000)]. When semilocal density functional theory is corrected by including static intra-atomic correlations, the IETS simulations are in excellent agreement with the experiment. The unforeseen consequence of our calculations is that when adsorbed along the [001] direction, molecular O2 on Ag(110) is a mixed-valent system. This analysis of IETS unambiguously reveals the paramagnetic nature of O2 on Ag(110).We acknowledge financial support from the Spanish MICINN (No. FIS2007-066711-CO2-00 and No. FIS2009-12721-C04-01), and the Basque Government—UPV/EHU (Grant No. IT-366-07).Peer reviewe

Clearing up the photochemistry of resveratrol: Effect of the solvent

Polyphenolic substances synthesized by plants are generally involved in protection against UV radiation and the attack of pathogenic microorganisms. Resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxystilbene, RSV) is synthesized in its trans-form (trans-RSV) in plants under stress conditions like infections or UV exposure and has attracted attention as an antioxidant agent. Trans-RSV was irradiated with both UV-A (λMAX = 365 nm) and UV-B (λMAX = 300 nm) radiation in aqueous and ethanolic solutions at room temperature. The reactions were followed by UV–Vis spectrophotometry, HPLC with UV and fluorescence detection, and UPLC coupled to mass spectrometry detection. In both solvents the irradiation caused the fast isomerization of trans-RSV to cis-RSV. In ethanolic solutions, a strong fluorescent compound, identified as resveratrone (RSVT) was detected independently on the irradiation wavelength. In aqueous solutions, RSVT was not detected in both irradiation conditions. However, in aqueous/ethanol mixtures the amount RSVT was found to be proportional to the amount of ethanol in the solution. Under UV-B irradiation, both in ethanolic or water solutions other products were detected. Our results demonstrated that RSV is photosensitive and its photochemistry depends on the solvent nature and on the irradiation wavelength.Fil: Gaspar Tosato, Maira. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Vicendo, Patricia. Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier; FranciaFil: Thomas, Andrés Héctor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Lorente, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; Argentin

Amplified singlet oxygen generation in metallated-porphyrin doped conjugated polymer nanoparticles

We report on the mechanism and efficiencies of singlet oxygen O2(1Δg) generation of nanoparticles (NP) of the conjugated polymer (CP) poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) doped with platinum octaethylporphyrin (PtOEP) suspended in water. A detailed study of the photophysics of these NP, using stationary and time-resolved absorption and emission techniques, indicates that O2(1Δg) is generated by the triplet excited state of F8BT and not by that of PtOEP, as previously observed for other porphyrin doped CP NP. O2(1Δg) quantum yields (ΦΔ) were measured by quantifying the characteristic phosphorescence of O2(1Δg) in the NIR region (∼1268 nm). It was found that incorporation of relatively small amounts of PtOEP to F8BT NP results in a significant increase of ΦΔ. NP containing 10% PtOEP (w/w) show a ΦΔ ∼ 0.24, which is 3 times larger than that observed for undoped F8BT NP, and larger than the reported for most water-soluble porphyrins. ΦΔ were also calculated from the oxidation rates (v0) of 3-[10-(2-carboxyethyl)anthracen-9-yl]propanoic acid (ADPA), a well-known chemical O2(1Δg) trap. Unexpectedly, this method was found to significantly overestimate the ΦΔ values due to the adsorption of ADPA on the surface of NP. The ADPA/NP adsorption process was characterized using a simple adsorption model yielding an (average) equilibrium constant of ∼8 × 103 M−1 and an (average) number of NP-binding sites of ∼14000. These results necessarily caution about the use of ADPA as a probe to evaluate ΦΔ in these NP systems. In addition, the interaction of F8BT NP with other anionic, cationic and zwitterionic dyes (dissolved in water) was studied. It was found that even at nano-molar concentrations all the dyes efficiently adsorb on the NP surface. This general and simple self-assembly strategy can be used to prepare superficially-dye-doped CP NP with potentially interesting technological applications.Fil: Spada, Ramiro Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; ArgentinaFil: Macor, Lorena Paola. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Hernández, Laura. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ponzio, Rodrigo Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; ArgentinaFil: Ibarra, Luis Exequiel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Lorente, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; ArgentinaFil: Chesta, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; ArgentinaFil: Palacios, Rodrigo Emiliano. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Electron Transfer Initiated Reactions Photoinduced by Pterins

Interest in the photochemistry and photophysics of pterins has increased since the participation of this family of compounds in different photobiological processes has been suggested or demonstrated in recent decades. Pterins participate in relevant biological processes, such as metabolic redox reactions, and can photoinduce the oxidation of biomolecules through both electron transfer mechanisms (Type I) and singlet oxygen production (Type II). This article describes recent findings on electron transfer-initiated reactions photoinduced by the triplet excited state of pterins and connects them in the context of photosensitized processes of biological relevance.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Production and quenching of reactive oxygen species by pterin derivatives, an intriguing class of biomolecules

Pterins, a family of heterocyclic compounds derived from 2-aminopteridin-4(1H)-one, are widespread in living systems and participate in important biological functions, such as metabolic redox processes. Under UV-A excitation (320-400 nm), aromatic pterins (Pt) can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), as a consequence of both energy-and electron-transfer processes from their triplet excited state. Quantum yields of singlet oxygen (1O2) production depend largely on the nature of the substituents on the pterin moiety and on the pH. Formation of the superoxide anion by electron transfer between the pterin radical anion and molecular oxygen leads to the production of significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by disproportionation. Dihydropterins (H2Pt) do not produce 1O2 but are oxidized by this species with high rate constants yielding pterins as well as H2O2. In contrast to aromatic derivatives, H2Pt are oxidized by H2O2, and rates and products strongly depend on the nature of the substituents on the H2Pt moiety. Aromatic pterins have been found in vivo under pathological conditions, e.g., biopterin or 6-carboxypterin are present in the skin of patients affected by vitiligo, a depigmentation disorder. The biomedical implications of the production of ROS by pterin derivatives and their reactivity with these species are discussed.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Production and quenching of reactive oxygen species by pterin derivatives, an intriguing class of biomolecules

Pterins, a family of heterocyclic compounds derived from 2-aminopteridin-4(1H)-one, are widespread in living systems and participate in important biological functions, such as metabolic redox processes. Under UV-A excitation (320-400 nm), aromatic pterins (Pt) can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), as a consequence of both energy-and electron-transfer processes from their triplet excited state. Quantum yields of singlet oxygen (1O2) production depend largely on the nature of the substituents on the pterin moiety and on the pH. Formation of the superoxide anion by electron transfer between the pterin radical anion and molecular oxygen leads to the production of significant amounts of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by disproportionation. Dihydropterins (H2Pt) do not produce 1O2 but are oxidized by this species with high rate constants yielding pterins as well as H2O2. In contrast to aromatic derivatives, H2Pt are oxidized by H2O2, and rates and products strongly depend on the nature of the substituents on the H2Pt moiety. Aromatic pterins have been found in vivo under pathological conditions, e.g., biopterin or 6-carboxypterin are present in the skin of patients affected by vitiligo, a depigmentation disorder. The biomedical implications of the production of ROS by pterin derivatives and their reactivity with these species are discussed.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Crowdfunding: Aplicaciones de marketing e investigación de mercados

Este trabajo analiza el crowdfunding, una forma de financiación colectiva, desde el punto de vista del marketing y la investiación de mercados. Detalla una breve introducción a la historia del método, sus caracterísiticas y tipos y seguidamente se realiza un análisis sobre distintas características que el crowdfunding aporta al campo del marketing así como a un estudio de mercado. Finalmente se comprobarán las teorías obtenidas analizando casos de éxito y realizando una entrevista en profundidad a un usuario para conocer su perspectiva