Vision Based Calibration and Localization Technique for Video Sensor Networks

The recent evolutions in embedded systems have now made the video sensor networks a reality. A video sensor network consists of a large number of low cost camera-sensors that are deployed in random manner. It pervades both the civilian and military fields with huge number of applications in various areas like health-care, environmental monitoring, surveillance and tracking. As most of the applications demand the knowledge of the sensor-locations and the network topology before proceeding with their tasks, especially those based on detecting events and reporting, the problem of localization and calibration assumes a significance far greater than most others in video sensor network. The literature is replete with many localization and calibration algorithms that basically rely on some a-priori chosen nodes, called seeds, with known coordinates to help determine the network topology. Some of these algorithms require additional hardware, like arrays of antenna, while others require having to regularly reacquire synchronization among the seeds so as to calculate the time difference of the received signals. Very few of these localization algorithms use vision based technique. In this work, a vision based technique is proposed for localizing and configuring the camera nodes in video wireless sensor networks. The camera network is assumed randomly deployed. One a-priori selected node chooses to act as the core of the network and starts to locate some other two reference nodes. These three nodes, in turn, participate in locating the entire network using tri-lateration method with some appropriate vision characteristics. In this work, the vision characteristics that are used the relationship between the height of the image in the image plane and the real distance between the sensor node and the camera. Many experiments have been simulated to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technique. Apart from this work, experiments are also carried out to locate any other new object in the video sensor network. The experimental results showcase the accuracy of building up one-plane network topology in relative coordinate system and also the robustness of the technique against the accumulated error in configuring the whole network

Vision Based Calibration and Localization Technique for Video Sensor Networks

The recent evolutions in embedded systems have now made the video sensor networks a reality. A video sensor network consists of a large number of low cost camera-sensors that are deployed in random manner. It pervades both the civilian and military fields with huge number of applications in various areas like health-care, environmental monitoring, surveillance and tracking. As most of the applications demand the knowledge of the sensor-locations and the network topology before proceeding with their tasks, especially those based on detecting events and reporting, the problem of localization and calibration assumes a significance far greater than most others in video sensor network. The literature is replete with many localization and calibration algorithms that basically rely on some a-priori chosen nodes, called seeds, with known coordinates to help determine the network topology. Some of these algorithms require additional hardware, like arrays of antenna, while others require having to regularly reacquire synchronization among the seedy so as to calculate the time difference of the received signals. Very few of these localization algorithms use vision based technique. In this work, a vision based technique is proposed for localizing and configuring the camera nodes in video wireless sensor networks. The camera network is assumed randomly deployed. One a-priori selected node chooses to act as the core of the network and starts to locate some other two reference nodes. These three nodes, in turn, participate in locating the entire network using tri-lateration method with some appropriate vision characteristics. In this work, the vision characteristics that are used the relationship between the height of the image in the image plane and the real distance between the sensor node and the camera. Many experiments have been simulated to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technique. Apart from this work, experiments are also carried out to locate any other new object in the video sensor network. The experimental results showcase the accuracy of building up one-plane network topology in relative coordinate system and also the robustness of the technique against the accumulated error in configuring the whole network

Leveraging online social networks for effective collaborative learning - A students' perspective

Online social networks have become very popular in recent times.Online social networks have transformed the Internet from information gathering and dissemination medium to a collaborative environment.Currently the number of registered online social network users exceeds one billion and they access these sites for various reasons including to form communities, to produce and consume media content in revolutionary ways.There is common perception among adults that youngsters spend more time on social media than on studies or other useful work.According to the surveys carried out by the leading research institutes, more than half of the online social network users are between 20 and 40 years of age and many users have personal profiles on more than one social network sites.The distribution of registered users between different online social networks vary vastly with Facebook taking the largest share at 92% followed by MySpace at 29%, Linkedln at 18% and Twitter at 13%.Among college students, Facebook is still the most commonly visited social network site at 88.5% followed by Twitter at 11.5%. College students access social network sites for various reasons with communication with friends and family being the dominant one.Several researchers have been carried out how the social network can be used to improve teaching and learning environments.But most of these researchers have been confined to helping adult learners or improving teaching environments.In this research, it has been proposed to study how social networks can be leveraged for effective col1aborative learning where the students use the social media as the main communication tool.It has also been proposed to study what factors would encourage college students to use social media for collaboration in their studies.As part of the research, a detailed questionnaire will be administered among college students both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels covering a wider demography including males, females, employed, unemployed, full time and part time students. Finally both descriptive and exploratory analysis will be carried out on the data collected

Proceedings of First Conference for Engineering Sciences and Technology: Vol. 2

This volume contains contributed articles of Track 4, Track 5 & Track 6, presented in the conference CEST-2018, organized by Faculty of Engineering Garaboulli, and Faculty of Engineering, Al-khoms, Elmergib University (Libya) on 25-27 September 2018. Track 4: Industrial, Structural Technologies and Science Material Track 5: Engineering Systems and Sustainable Development Track 6: Engineering Management Other articles of Track 1, 2 & 3 have been published in volume 1 of the proceedings at this lin

Empagliflozin in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background The effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease who are at risk for disease progression are not well understood. The EMPA-KIDNEY trial was designed to assess the effects of treatment with empagliflozin in a broad range of such patients. Methods We enrolled patients with chronic kidney disease who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of at least 20 but less than 45 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) of body-surface area, or who had an eGFR of at least 45 but less than 90 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (with albumin measured in milligrams and creatinine measured in grams) of at least 200. Patients were randomly assigned to receive empagliflozin (10 mg once daily) or matching placebo. The primary outcome was a composite of progression of kidney disease (defined as end-stage kidney disease, a sustained decrease in eGFR to < 10 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2), a sustained decrease in eGFR of & GE;40% from baseline, or death from renal causes) or death from cardiovascular causes. Results A total of 6609 patients underwent randomization. During a median of 2.0 years of follow-up, progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes occurred in 432 of 3304 patients (13.1%) in the empagliflozin group and in 558 of 3305 patients (16.9%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64 to 0.82; P < 0.001). Results were consistent among patients with or without diabetes and across subgroups defined according to eGFR ranges. The rate of hospitalization from any cause was lower in the empagliflozin group than in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.95; P=0.003), but there were no significant between-group differences with respect to the composite outcome of hospitalization for heart failure or death from cardiovascular causes (which occurred in 4.0% in the empagliflozin group and 4.6% in the placebo group) or death from any cause (in 4.5% and 5.1%, respectively). The rates of serious adverse events were similar in the two groups. Conclusions Among a wide range of patients with chronic kidney disease who were at risk for disease progression, empagliflozin therapy led to a lower risk of progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes than placebo