Injection, detection and repair of aesthetics in home movies

This paper details the design of an algorithm for automatically manipulating the important aesthetic element of video, visual tempo. Automatic injection, detection and repair of such aesthetic elements, it is argued, is vital to the next generation of amateur multimedia authoring tools. We evaluate the performance of the algorithm on a battery of synthetic data and demonstrate its ability to return the visual tempo of the final media a considerable degree closer to the target signal. The novelty of this work lies chiefly in the systematic manipulation of this high level aesthetic element of video.

Web application protection against SQL injection attack

SQL injection vulnerabilities poses a severe threat to web applications as an SQL Injection Attack (SQLIA) could adopt new obfuscation techniques to evade and thwart countermeasures such as Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS). SQLIA gains access to the back-end database of vulnerable websites, allowing hackers to execute SQL commands in a web application resulting in financial fraud and website defacement. The lack of existing models in providing protections against SQL injection has motivated this paper to present a new and enhanced model against web database intrusions that use SQLIA techniques. In this paper, we propose a novel concept of negative tainting along with SQL keyword analysis for preventing SQLIA and described our that we implemented. We have tested our proposed model on all types of SQLIA techniques by generating SQL queries containing legitimate SQL commands and SQL Injection Attack. Evaluations have been performed using three different applications. The results show that our model protects against 100% of tested attacks before even reaching the database layer.

Chemiluminescence detection flow cells for flow injection analysis and high-performance liquid chromatography

We have examined a range of new and previously described flow cells for chemiluminescence detection. The reactions of acidic potassium permanganate with morphine and amoxicillin were used as model systems representing the many fast chemiluminescence reactions between oxidising agents and organic analytes, and the preliminary partial reduction of the reagent was exploited to further increase the rates of reaction. The comparison was then extended to high-performance liquid chromatography separations of α- and β-adrenergic agonists, with permanganate chemiluminescence detection. Flow cells constructed by machining novel channel designs into white polymer materials (sealed with transparent films or plates) have enabled improvements in mixing efficiency and overall transmission of light to the photodetector.

Haptic microrobotic cell injection system

Microrobotic cell injection is the subject of increasing research interest. At present, an operator relies completely on visual information and can be subject to low success rates, poor repeatability, and extended training times. This paper focuses on increasing operator performance during cell injection in two ways. First, our completed haptic cell injection system aims to increase the operator's performance during real-time cell injection. Haptic bilateralism is investigated and a mapping framework provides an intuitive method for manoeuvring the micropipette in a manner similar to handheld needle insertion. Volumetric virtual fixtures are then introduced to haptically assist the operator to penetrate the cell at the desired location. The performance of the volumetric virtual fixtures is also discussed. Second, the haptically enabled cell injection system is replicated as a virtual environment facilitating virtual offline operator training. Virtual operator training utilizes the same mapping framework and haptic virtual fixtures as the physical system allowing the operator to train offline and then directly transfer their skills to real-time cell injection.

Drag models comparison by single injection in vacuum fluidised beds

Single bubble injection simulations inside a minimally fluidized bed have been studied widely and are often used to validate the accuracy of different numerical models. Bubble shape, size and voidage distribution are the important parameters that are validated from the experiments. In the present work, the most widely used drag model (Gidaspow’s drag model) is compared to a new proposed slip flow drag model which takes into account the presence of the slip flow regime, often encountered in vacuum fluidized beds and characterised by Knudsen no. (Kn). Shape and size prediction of the bubble evolution inside the bed is carried out numerically by using the two fluid model, comparing the results predicted by the drag models. It is seen that the predictions are different for the two drag models only under high vacuum conditions corresponding to Kn in slip/transition flow regime. The predictions are also found sensitive to pressure gradient in the bed and fluid velocity.

Retinal venular caliber predicts visual outcome after intravitreal ranibizumab injection treatments for neovascular AMD

Purpose

Haptic virtual reality training environment for micro-robotic cell injection

Micro-robotic cell injection is typically performed manually by a trainedbio-operator, and success rates are often low. To enhance bio-operator performance during real-time cell injection, our earlier work introduced a haptically-enabled micro-robotic cell injection system. The system employed haptic virtual fixtures to provide haptic guidance according to articular performance metrics. This paper extends the work by replicating the system within a virtual reality (VR) environment for bio-operator training. Using the virtual environment, the bio-operator is able to control the virtual injection process in the same way they would with the physical haptic micro-robotic cell injection system, while benefiting from the enhanced visualisation capabilities offered by the 3D VR environment. The system is achieved using cost-effective components offering training at much lower cost than using the physical system.

Keyboard control method for virtual reality micro-robotic cell injection training

The rapid development of virtual reality offers significant potential for skills training applications. Our ongoing work proposes virtual reality operator training for the micro-robotic cell injection procedure. The interface between the operator and the system can be achieved in many different ways. The computer keyboard is ubiquitous in its use for everyday computing applications and also commonly utilized in virtual reality systems. Based on the premise that most people have experience in using a computer keyboard, as opposed to more sophisticated input devices, this paper considers the feasibility of using a keyboard to control the micro-robot for cell injection. In this study, thirteen participants underwent the experimental evaluation. The participants were asked to perform three simulated trial sessions in a virtual micro-robotic cell injection environment. Each session consisted of ten cell injection trials and relevant data for each trial were recorded and analyzed. Results showed participants' performance improvement after the three sessions. It was also observed that participants intuitively controlled multiple axes of the micro-robot simultaneously despite the absence of instruction on how to do so. This continued throughout the experiments and suggests skills transfer from other keyboard based interactions. Based on the results provided, it is suggested that keyboard control is a feasible, simple and low-cost control method for the virtual micro-robot.

Haptic technology for micro-robotic cell injection training systems — a review

Currently, the micro-robotic cell injection procedure is performed manually by expert human bio-operators. In order to be proficient at the task, lengthy and expensive dedicated training is required. As such, effective specialized training systems for this procedure can prove highly beneficial. This paper presents a comprehensive review of haptic technology relevant to cell injection training and discusses the feasibility of developing such training systems, providing researchers with an inclusive resource enabling the application of the presented approaches, or extension and advancement of the work. A brief explanation of cell injection and the challenges associated with the procedure are first presented. Important skills, such as accuracy, trajectory, speed and applied force, which need to be mastered by the bio-operator in order to achieve successful injection, are then discussed. Then an overview of various types of haptic feedback, devices and approaches is presented. This is followed by discussion on the approaches to cell modeling. Discussion of the application of haptics to skills training across various fields and haptically-enabled virtual training systems evaluation are then presented. Finally, given the findings of the review, this paper concludes that a haptically-enabled virtual cell injection training system is feasible and recommendations are made to developers of such systems.

Design of a virtual reality training system for micro-robotic cell injection

This paper discusses the design of a virtual reality (VR) training system for micro-robotic cell injection. A brief explanation of cell injection and the challenges associated with the procedure are first presented. This is followed by discussion of the skills required by the bio-operator to achieve successful injection, such as accuracy, trajectory and applied force. The design of the VR system which includes the visual display, input controllers, mapping strategies, haptic guidance and output data is then discussed. Initial evaluation of the VR system is presented including analysis and discussion based on conducted user evaluations. Finally, given the findings of the initial evaluation, this paper concludes that an effective haptically-enabled virtual cell injection training system is feasible, and recommendations for improvement and future work are given.

Defence against code injection attacks

Code injection attacks are considered serious threats to the Internet users. In this type of attack the attacker injects malicious codes in the user programs to change or divert the execution flows. In this paper we explore the contemporary defence strategies against code injection attacks (CIAs) and underline their limitations. To overcome these limitations, we suggest a number of countermeasure mechanisms for protecting from CIAs. Our key idea relies on the multiplexing technique to preserve the exact return code to ensure the integrity of program execution trace of shell code. This technique also maintains a FIFO (first in first out) queue to defeat the conflict state when multiple caller method makes a call simultaneously. Finally, our technique can provide better performance, in terms of protection and speed, in some point compared to the CFI (control flow integrity) as well as CPM (code pointer masking) techniques.