An evaluation framework for stereo-based driver assistance

This is the post-print version of the Article - Copyright @ 2012 Springer VerlagThe accuracy of stereo algorithms or optical flow methods is commonly assessed by comparing the results against the Middlebury database. However, equivalent data for automotive or robotics applications rarely exist as they are difficult to obtain. As our main contribution, we introduce an evaluation framework tailored for stereo-based driver assistance able to deliver excellent performance measures while circumventing manual label effort. Within this framework one can combine several ways of ground-truthing, different comparison metrics, and use large image databases. Using our framework we show examples on several types of ground truthing techniques: implicit ground truthing (e.g. sequence recorded without a crash occurred), robotic vehicles with high precision sensors, and to a small extent, manual labeling. To show the effectiveness of our evaluation framework we compare three different stereo algorithms on pixel and object level. In more detail we evaluate an intermediate representation called the Stixel World. Besides evaluating the accuracy of the Stixels, we investigate the completeness (equivalent to the detection rate) of the StixelWorld vs. the number of phantom Stixels. Among many findings, using this framework enables us to reduce the number of phantom Stixels by a factor of three compared to the base parametrization. This base parametrization has already been optimized by test driving vehicles for distances exceeding 10000 km

Telemetry downlink interfaces and level-zero processing

The technical areas being investigated are as follows: (1) processing of space to ground data frames; (2) parallel architecture performance studies; and (3) parallel programming techniques. Additionally, the University administrative details and the technical liaison between New Mexico State University and Goddard Space Flight Center are addressed

IMEX evolution of scalar fields on curved backgrounds

Inspiral of binary black holes occurs over a time-scale of many orbits, far longer than the dynamical time-scale of the individual black holes. Explicit evolutions of a binary system therefore require excessively many time steps to capture interesting dynamics. We present a strategy to overcome the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy condition in such evolutions, one relying on modern implicit-explicit ODE solvers and multidomain spectral methods for elliptic equations. Our analysis considers the model problem of a forced scalar field propagating on a generic curved background. Nevertheless, we encounter and address a number of issues pertinent to the binary black hole problem in full general relativity. Specializing to the Schwarzschild geometry in Kerr-Schild coordinates, we document the results of several numerical experiments testing our strategy.Comment: 28 pages, uses revtex4. Revised in response to referee's report. One numerical experiment added which incorporates perturbed initial data and adaptive time-steppin

Investigations on alternative substances for control of apple scab - Results from Conidia germinating tests and experiments with plant extracts

The intention of this research project, which was supported within the "Bundesprogramm Ökologischer Landbau", was to find alternatives for the control of Venturia inaequalis for the organic fruitgrower. Beside the investigations on reducing the ascospore potential on fallen leaves, experiments were conducted in laboratory, greenhouses and in orchard to test direct control of scab with different plant extracts, concentrations and methods of extraction. Extracts from Inula viscosa, Quillaja saponaria-bark, citrus-species (AGROMIL) and Saponaria officinalis revealed a distinct efficacy against apple scab in greenhouse studies on apple seedlings. ELOT-VIS, CHITOPLANT, COMCAT, MOOSEXTRAKT, SILIOPLANT und FZB 24 did not show sufficient efficacy with the application schedule used for control of scab. Mixtures of Quillaja-saponine and sulphur reduced effectively apple scab incidence. In an experiment concerning rain stability Citrus-extract and Quillaja-saponine showed a lower efficacy against scab after a simulated rain of 5 mm. The screening of different supplements to Citrus-extract as surfactants and adhesives revealed GREEMAX and BIOPLUSS as promising additives. Both combinations showed an efficacy comparable to copperoxychloride corresponding to 400 g elementary copper per ha

Open-closed TQFTs extend Khovanov homology from links to tangles

We use a special kind of 2-dimensional extended Topological Quantum Field Theories (TQFTs), so-called open-closed TQFTs, in order to extend Khovanov homology from links to arbitrary tangles, not necessarily even. For every plane diagram of an oriented tangle, we construct a chain complex whose homology is invariant under Reidemeister moves. The terms of this chain complex are modules of a suitable algebra A such that there is one action of A or A^op for every boundary point of the tangle. We give examples of such algebras A for which our tangle homology theory reduces to the link homology theories of Khovanov, Lee, and Bar-Natan if it is evaluated for links. As a consequence of the Cardy condition, Khovanov's graded theory can only be extended to tangles if the underlying field has finite characteristic. In all cases in which the algebra A is strongly separable, i.e. for Bar-Natan's theory in any characteristic and for Lee's theory in characteristic other than 2, we also provide the required algebraic operation for the composition of oriented tangles. Just as Khovanov's theory for links can be recovered from Lee's or Bar-Natan's by a suitable spectral sequence, we provide a spectral sequence in order to compute our tangle extension of Khovanov's theory from that of Bar-Natan's or Lee's theory. Thus, we provide a tangle homology theory that is locally computable and still strong enough to recover characteristic p Khovanov homology for links.Comment: 56 pages, LaTeX2e with xypic and pstricks macro

Fine Structure of the Radial Breathing Mode in Double-Wall Carbon Nanotubes

The analysis of the Raman scattering cross section of the radial breathing modes of double-wall carbon nanotubes allowed to determine the optical transitions of the inner tubes. The Raman lines are found to cluster into species with similar resonance behavior. The lowest components of the clusters correspond well to SDS wrapped HiPco tubes. Each cluster represents one particular inner tube inside different outer tubes and each member of the clusters represents one well defined pair of inner and outer tubes. The number of components in one cluster increases with decreasing of the inner tube diameter and can be as high as 14.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure