Signal Processing Commons^™

2017 State Of Resnet Report Acuta/Acuho-1

ACUTA: Other Publications

Copyright 2017 Association for College and University Technology Advancement & Association of College and University Housing Officers -International 2017

Lip Detection And Adaptive Tracking, Benjamin Wang

Master's Theses

Performance of automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems utilizing only acoustic information degrades significantly in noisy environments such as a car cabins. Incorporating audio and visual information together can improve performance in these situations. This work proposes a lip detection and tracking algorithm to serve as a visual front end to an audio-visual automatic speech recognition (AVASR) system.

Several color spaces are examined that are effective for segmenting lips from skin pixels. These color components and several features are used to characterize lips and to train cascaded lip detectors. Pre- and post-processing techniques are employed to maximize detector accuracy. The trained …

An Acoustic-Based Approach For Condition Monitoring Of Pipes, Muhammad S. Khan, Turaj Ashuri, Mitchell Collins, Geoffrey Birkemeier, Emad Almohmmedali

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Polyvinyl chloride pipes are extensively used in municipal sewer systems. As the sewer system ages, polyvinyl chloride pipes become prone to developing cracks that can release toxic effluents into the environment. Traditionally, utility operators pass a close circuit television camera mounted on a guided vehicle through the pipe to monitor the defects. The video is observed by a trained operator who records the condition of the pipe. This arrangement has two major limitations. First, it is expensive due to complex set up. Second, if a pipe is blocked the guided vehicle cannot pass through its entire length. A more economical …

High Performance Multiview Video Coding, Caoyang Jiang

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Following the standardization of the latest video coding standard High Efficiency Video Coding in 2013, in 2014, multiview extension of HEVC (MV-HEVC) was published and brought significantly better compression performance of around 50% for multiview and 3D videos compared to multiple independent single-view HEVC coding. However, the extremely high computational complexity of MV-HEVC demands significant optimization of the encoder. To tackle this problem, this work investigates the possibilities of using modern parallel computing platforms and tools such as single-instruction-multiple-data (SIMD) instructions, multi-core CPU, massively parallel GPU, and computer cluster to significantly enhance the MVC encoder performance. The aforementioned computing tools …

Sensor Characterization And Signal Fusion For Instanteye, Wyman T. Smith

Honors Theses and Capstones

The practicality and effectiveness of using a TerraRanger Duo—a parallel sonar and infrared time-of-flight distance sensor—payload for obstacle detection is investigated for use with Physical Science Inc.’s InstantEye drone. A Python program was developed to interface with the serial data output before comparing the sensor’s empirical performance against its data sheet. The two signals from the distinct sensor modules, each with their characterized strengths and weaknesses, were then fused with a Kalman filter. This was further refined by imposing conditional weighting based on the known sensor characteristics. The filter output, with conditional corrections, was able to accurately track a single …

Experimental Investigation Of Reading Passive Uhf Tags In A Multi-Tag Environment, Yi Zhou

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Recently, the Internet of things (IoT) has emerged as a promising solution for several industrial applications. One of the key components in IoT is passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tags which do not require a power source for operations. Specifically, ultra-high frequency (UHF) tags are studied in this paper. However, due to factors such as tag-to-tag interference and inaccurate localization, RFID tags that are closely spaced together are difficult to detect and program accurately with unique identifiers. This thesis investigates several factors that affect the ability to encode a specific tag with unique information in the presence of other tags, …

Detection Of Fatigue Damage In Shear Connections Using Acoustic Wave Propagation, Zichao Wang

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Fatigue damage is an important concern in structural steel connections where frequent load reversals are expected. Detection of fatigue damage is typically done with infrequent visual inspections that are subjective and limited to surface features. A permanent embedded structural health monitoring (SHM) system could be helpful in detecting damage as it occurs. Current methods for detecting fatigue damage include inference of fatigue life expended through cycle counting from long-term strain measurement campaigns, and through short-term impedance measurements. The first approach has the advantage that it is relatively simple from an algorithmic point of view, but it is an indirect measure …

Performance Simulation And Optimization Of A Simultaneous Transmit And Receive Phased Antenna Array Using Adaptive Beamforming And Genetic Algorithm Techniques, Ian Thomas Cummings

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The development of simultaneous transmit and receive capabilities is on the cutting-edge of research in phased array technology [1, 2, 3]. The large disparity in power between the transmitted and received signals in antenna systems has traditionally prevented operation in a simultaneous mode. However, simultaneous transmit and receive offers great opportunities for increased capabilities and performance in communications, radar, and electronic warfare applications [3]. This technology will be made feasible by realizing a high level of isolation between the transmitted and received signals through a variety of techniques. This work explores the feasibility of choosing non-standard array partitions that--when paired …

Stringless Guitar, Kue Z. Yang, Anthony Batey, Dominic Mercorelli, Nathaniel Hawk

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The aim of this project is to improve the design of a typical guitar by designing a digital stringless guitar. Due to the nonlinearities inherent in a guitar, it would be difficult to reproduce guitar tones by summing harmonic components; therefore, digital samples of guitar tones were taken in order to preserve these unique and wonderfully sounding tones. These digital samples were stored in the guitar and used to produce its tones when played. The digital guitar includes fingerboard position sensors as well as strum sensors for each string. The fingerboard position sensors detect the player’s fingers at discrete positions. …

System For Workout Information Management, Mark Archual, Ethan E. Schweinsberg

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Power racks are a weight machine used by swimmers to provide resistance while they swim away from a wall toward the center of the pool. The objective of this project is to build a modular data system that can be added to these machines to record and log quantitative information during their use. This information will be stored on a web server, and made available to the user for analysis and visualization through a web application. Workout data can also be downloaded and interpreted at a later time, independent of the web application. The data system should be water resistant, …

Accuracy And Repeatability Of Single-Pose Calibration Of Inertial Measurement Units For Whole-Body Motion Analysis, Xavier Robert-Lachaine, Hakim Mecheri, Christian Larue, André Plamondon

Études primaires

Portable inertial measurement units (IMUs) are suitable for motion analysis outside the laboratory. However, IMUs depend on the calibration of each body segment to measure human movement. Different calibration approaches have been developed for simplicity of use or similarity to laboratory motion analysis, but they have not been extensively examined. The main objective of the study was to determine the accuracy and repeatability of two common single-pose calibrations (N-pose and T-pose) under different conditions of placement (self-placement and passive placement), as well as their similarity to laboratory analysis based on anatomical landmarks. A further aim of the study was to …

Validation Of Inertial Measurement Units With An Optoelectronic System For Whole-Body Motion Analysis, Xavier Robert-Lachaine, Hakim Mecheri, Christian Larue, André Plamondon

Études primaires

The potential of inertial measurement units (IMUs) for ergonomics applications appears promising. However, previous IMUs validation studies have been incomplete regarding aspects of joints analysed, complexity of movements and duration of trials. The objective was to determine the technological error and biomechanical model differences between IMUs and an optoelectronic system and evaluate the effect of task complexity and duration. Whole-body kinematics from 12 participants was recorded simultaneously with a full-body Xsens system where an Optotrak cluster was fixed on every IMU. Short functional movements and long manual material handling tasks were performed and joint angles were compared between the two …

Constant False Alarm Rate Performance Of Sound Source Detection With Time Delay Of Arrival Algorithm, Xipeng Wang

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

Time Delay of Arrival (TDOA) based algorithms and Steered Response Power (SRP) based algorithms are two most commonly used methods for sound source detection and localization. SRP is more robust under high reverberation and multi-target conditions, while TDOA is less computationally intensive. This thesis introduces a modified TDOA algorithm, TDOA delay table search (TDOA-DTS), that has more stable performance than the original TDOA, and requires only 4% of the SRP computation load for a 3-dimensional space of a typical room. A 2-step adaptive thresholding procedure based on a Weibull noise peak distributions for the cross-correlations and a binomial distribution for …

A Comprehensive Analysis On Eeg Signal Classification Using Advanced Computational Analysis, Kaushik Bhimraj

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Electroencephalogram (EEG) has been used in a wide array of applications to study mental disorders. Due to its non-invasive and low-cost features, EEG has become a viable instrument in Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI). These BCI systems integrate user's neural features with robotic machines to perform tasks. However, due to EEG signals being highly dynamic in nature, BCI systems are still unstable and prone to unanticipated noise interference. An important application of this technology is to help facilitate the lives of the tetraplegic through assimilating human brain impulses and converting them into mechanical motion. However, BCI systems are remarkably challenging to implement …

Audio-Based Productivity Forecasting Of Construction Cyclic Activities, Chris A. Sabillon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Due to its high cost, project managers must be able to monitor the performance of construction heavy equipment promptly. This cannot be achieved through traditional management techniques, which are based on direct observation or on estimations from historical data. Some manufacturers have started to integrate their proprietary technologies, but construction contractors are unlikely to have a fleet of entirely new and single manufacturer equipment for this to represent a solution. Third party automated approaches include the use of active sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes, passive technologies such as computer vision and image processing, and audio signal processing. Hitherto, most …

Respiratory Prediction And Image Quality Improvement Of 4d Cone Beam Ct And Mri For Lung Tumor Treatments, Seonyeong Park

Theses and Dissertations

Identification of accurate tumor location and shape is highly important in lung cancer radiotherapy, to improve the treatment quality by reducing dose delivery errors. Because a lung tumor moves with the patient's respiration, breathing motion should be correctly analyzed and predicted during the treatment for prevention of tumor miss or undesirable treatment toxicity. Besides, in Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), the tumor motion causes difficulties not only in delivering accurate dose, but also in assuring superior quality of imaging techniques such as four-dimensional (4D) Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) and 4D Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Specifically, 4D CBCT used in CBCT …

Accurate Acoustic Ranging System Using Android Smartphones, Mohammadbagher Fotouhi

Theses and Dissertations

ACCURATE ACOUSTIC RANGING SYSTEM USING ANDROID SMARTPHONES

By Mohammadbagher Fotouhi, Master of Science

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University 2017

Major Director: Dr. Ruixin Niu, Associate Professor of Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

In this thesis, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation of an android ranging system, a high-accuracy acoustic-based ranging system which allows two android mobile phones to learn their physical distance from each other.

In this system we propose a practical solution for accurate ranging based on acoustic communication …

Data Logging System For A Synthetic Aperture Radar Unit, Nicholas J. Testin, Philip Davis, Ian Dorell, Alexander Gillespie

KSU Journey Honors College Capstones and Theses

A small, existing radar unit lacked the ability to automatically store the data it was receiving, which made its use clunky and cumbersome. A system was constructed to allow an on-board microprocessor to track distance traveled, and automatically store the data output from the radar unit to a portable memory unit for later data processing. Distance traveled is determined using a specially designed mobile cart, which electronically converts the rotation of a wheel into an electrical signal while also providing stability for taking accurate radar measurements. The output data from the radar unit is stored as a properly-formatted sound file …

Psychophysiological Analysis Of A Pedagogical Agent And Robotic Peer For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders., Mohammad Nasser Saadatzi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by ongoing problems in social interaction and communication, and engagement in repetitive behaviors. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1 in 68 children in the United States has ASD. Mounting evidence shows that many of these individuals display an interest in social interaction with computers and robots and, in general, feel comfortable spending time in such environments. It is known that the subtlety and unpredictability of people’s social behavior are intimidating and confusing for many individuals with ASD. Computerized learning environments and robots, however, prepare a predictable, …

Electronic Deer Warning System, David Zhuo, Anlang Lu

Computer Engineering

Deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) are extremely dangerous, often injuring or even killing drivers. Unfortunately, this form of automotive accident is commonplace in the United States. According to the NHTSA, DVCs result in 200 human deaths a year.2

Despite these deadly incidents, there currently are no deployed federal or state systems for preventing DVCs. There are many consumer electronic deer deterrent products, but their long-term effectiveness is questionable.3 In fact, there does not appear to be much research into electronic deer deterrent systems. Aside from constant audio output and electric shock, no other means of electronic deterrent exist. Even if fixed deterrents …