Towards a real-time 3D object recognition pipeline on mobile GPGPU computing platforms using low-cost RGB-D sensors

In this project, we propose the implementation of a 3D object recognition system which will be optimized to operate under demanding time constraints. The system must be robust so that objects can be recognized properly in poor light conditions and cluttered scenes with significant levels of occlusion. An important requirement must be met: the system must exhibit a reasonable performance running on a low power consumption mobile GPU computing platform (NVIDIA Jetson TK1) so that it can be integrated in mobile robotics systems, ambient intelligence or ambient assisted living applications. The acquisition system is based on the use of color and depth (RGB-D) data streams provided by low-cost 3D sensors like Microsoft Kinect or PrimeSense Carmine. The range of algorithms and applications to be implemented and integrated will be quite broad, ranging from the acquisition, outlier removal or filtering of the input data and the segmentation or characterization of regions of interest in the scene to the very object recognition and pose estimation. Furthermore, in order to validate the proposed system, we will create a 3D object dataset. It will be composed by a set of 3D models, reconstructed from common household objects, as well as a handful of test scenes in which those objects appear. The scenes will be characterized by different levels of occlusion, diverse distances from the elements to the sensor and variations on the pose of the target objects. The creation of this dataset implies the additional development of 3D data acquisition and 3D object reconstruction applications. The resulting system has many possible applications, ranging from mobile robot navigation and semantic scene labeling to human-computer interaction (HCI) systems based on visual information.

Comparing Common Data Environment Platforms for Student Collaborative Working: A Case Study from Ulster University

PAS1192-2 (2013) outlines the “fundamental principles of Level 2 information modeling”, one of these principles is the use of what is commonly referred to as a Common Data Environment (CDE). A CDE could be described as an internet-enabled cloudhosting platform, accessible to all construction team members to access shared project information. For the construction sector to achieve increased productivity goals, the next generation of industry professionals will need to be educated in a way that provides them with an appreciation of Building Information Modelling (BIM) working methods, at all levels, including an understanding of how data in a CDE should be structured, managed, shared and published. This presents a challenge for educational institutions in terms of providing a CDE that addresses the requirements set out in PAS1192-2, and mirrors organisational and professional working practices without causing confusion due to over complexity. This paper presents the findings of a two-year study undertaken at Ulster University comparing the use of a leading industry CDE platform with one derived from the in-house Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), for the delivery of a student BIM project. The research methodology employed was a qualitative case study analysis, focusing on observations from the academics involved and feedback from students. The results of the study show advantages for both CDE platforms depending on the learning outcomes required.

Pencil it in: pencil drawn electrochemical sensing platforms

Inspired by recent reports concerning the utilisation of hand drawn pencil macroelectrodes (PDEs), we report the fabrication, characterisation (physicochemical and electrochemical) and implementation (electrochemical sensing) of various PDEs drawn upon a flexible polyester substrate. Electrochemical characterisation reveals that there are no quantifiable electrochemical responses upon utilising these PDEs with an electroactive analyte that requires an electrochemical oxidation step first, therefore the PDEs have been examined towards the electroactive redox probes hexaammineruthenium(III) chloride, potassium ferricyanide and ammonium iron(II) sulfate. For the first time, characterisation of the number of drawn pencil layers and the grade of pencil are examined; these parameters are commonly overlooked when utilising PDEs. It is demonstrated that a PDE drawn ten times with a 6B pencil presented the most advantageous electrochemical platform, in terms of electrochemical reversibility and peak height/analytical signal. In consideration of the aforementioned limitation, analytes requiring an electrochemical reduction as the first process were solely analysed. We demonstrate the beneficial electroanalytical capabilities of these PDEs towards p-benzoquinone and the simultaneous detection of heavy metals, namely lead(II) and cadmium(II), all of which are explored for the first time utilising PDEs. Initially, the detection limits of this system were higher than desired for electroanalytical platforms, however upon implementation of the PDEs in a back-to-back configuration (in which two PDEs are placed back-to-back sharing a single connection to the potentiostat), the detection limits for lead(II) and cadmium(II) correspond to 10 μg L−1 and 98 μg L−1 respectively within model aqueous (0.1 M HCl) solutions.

Illusions of a ‘Bond’: Tagging cultural products across online platforms

La plupart des études sur l'étiquetage social porte sur une plateforme ou un type de plateforme précis, ce qui limite la portée de leurs résultats. Cette étude explore et compare les pratiques d'étiquetage social de quatre plateformes--Goodreads, un catalogue de bibliothèque publique, Last.fm et WordPress--au moyen d'une étude de cas multiples et emboîtés. Le contenu généré par les utilisateurs, principalement les étiquettes ou "tags", lié au livre Casino royale de Ian Fleming ou à ses produits dérivés ou associés (p. ex. : chanson thème, film, billet de blogue) a été analysé avec une approche qualitative et inductive. L'analyse révèle que le contenu généré par les utilisateurs des quatre plateformes mettait l'emphase sur les événements historiques associés au livre tout en fournissant de nombreux points d'accès plus subjectifs : recommandation, ton, ambiance, opinion, expérience de lecture, d'écoute ou de visionnement. On remarque par ailleurs des différences entre les étiquettes associées au livre et à ses produits dérivés : alors que le contenu généré par les utilisateurs en lien avec le produit d'origine dans les catalogues de bibliothèques et dans Goodreads portait essentiellement sur le livre, les étiquettes attribuées par les utilisateurs aux produits dérivés dans Last.fm (la chanson thème du film) et WordPress (des billets de blogues sur le livre ou le film) renvoyaient souvent à d'autres produits culturels, incluant des livres, de la musique et des films.

Peroxisomes are platforms for cytomegalovirus’ evasion from the cellular immune response

The human cytomegalovirus developed distinct evasion mechanisms from the cellular antiviral response involving vMIA, a virally-encoded protein that is not only able to prevent cellular apoptosis but also to inhibit signalling downstream from mitochondrial MAVS. vMIA has been shown to localize at mitochondria and to trigger their fragmentation, a phenomenon proven to be essential for the signalling inhibition. Here, we demonstrate that vMIA is also localized at peroxisomes, induces their fragmentation and inhibits the peroxisomal-dependent antiviral signalling pathway. Importantly, we demonstrate that peroxisomal fragmentation is not essential for vMIA to specifically inhibit signalling downstream the peroxisomal MAVS. We also show that vMIA interacts with the cytoplasmic chaperone Pex19, suggesting that the virus has developed a strategy to highjack the peroxisomal membrane proteins' transport machinery. Furthermore, we show that vMIA is able to specifically interact with the peroxisomal MAVS. Our results demonstrate that peroxisomes constitute a platform for evasion of the cellular antiviral response and that the human cytomegalovirus has developed a mechanism by which it is able to specifically evade the peroxisomal MAVS-dependent antiviral signalling.

WINDOWS 10 IoT SU RASPBERRY PI 2: MULTI-PARADIGM PROGRAMMING TRA JAVA E C#

Questa tesi ha come obiettivo la sperimentazione del nuovo sistema operativo Windows 10 IoT Core su tecnologia Raspberry Pi 2, verificandone la compatibilita con alcuni sensori in commercio. Tale studio viene poi applicato in un contesto di Home Intelligence al fine di creare un agente per la gestione di luci LED, in prospettiva della sua integrazione nel sistema prototipale Home Manager.

Illusions of a ‘Bond’: Tagging cultural products across online platforms

La plupart des études sur l'étiquetage social porte sur une plateforme ou un type de plateforme précis, ce qui limite la portée de leurs résultats. Cette étude explore et compare les pratiques d'étiquetage social de quatre plateformes--Goodreads, un catalogue de bibliothèque publique, Last.fm et WordPress--au moyen d'une étude de cas multiples et emboîtés. Le contenu généré par les utilisateurs, principalement les étiquettes ou "tags", lié au livre Casino royale de Ian Fleming ou à ses produits dérivés ou associés (p. ex. : chanson thème, film, billet de blogue) a été analysé avec une approche qualitative et inductive. L'analyse révèle que le contenu généré par les utilisateurs des quatre plateformes mettait l'emphase sur les événements historiques associés au livre tout en fournissant de nombreux points d'accès plus subjectifs : recommandation, ton, ambiance, opinion, expérience de lecture, d'écoute ou de visionnement. On remarque par ailleurs des différences entre les étiquettes associées au livre et à ses produits dérivés : alors que le contenu généré par les utilisateurs en lien avec le produit d'origine dans les catalogues de bibliothèques et dans Goodreads portait essentiellement sur le livre, les étiquettes attribuées par les utilisateurs aux produits dérivés dans Last.fm (la chanson thème du film) et WordPress (des billets de blogues sur le livre ou le film) renvoyaient souvent à d'autres produits culturels, incluant des livres, de la musique et des films.

Hydrodynamic damping and "added mass" for flexible offshore platforms /

"October 1976."

The struggle of'72 : The issues and candidates of the present political campaign: containing biographical sketches of all the candidates for president and vice-president; history and platforms of the great political parties; facts about public men and measures; review of Grant's administration; the queer record of Horace Greeley /

Microform.

National contest: containing portraits and biographies of our national favorites; President Cleveland's message, and reply by J.G. Blaine; Election statistics and national platforms; also, Tariff discussions

Mode of access: Internet.

Republicanism in America : a history of the colonial and republican governments of the United States of America from the year 1607 to the year 1869 : to which are added constitutions, proclamations, platforms, resolutions ... : also a brief history of all the existing republics in the world /

Includes index.

Campaign of '84 : Biographies of James G. Blaine, the Republican candidate for president, and John A. Logan, the Republican candidate for vice-president, with a description of the leading issues and the proceedings of the national convention. Together with a history of the political parties of the United States: comparisons of platforms on all important questions, and political tables for ready reference /

Parts II-III are taken from "American politics," by Thomas V. Cooper and Hector T. Fenton.

National party platforms,

Mode of access: Internet.

Effects of GeneXpert MTB/RIF Testing and GxAlert eHealth Platforms on MDR-TB Diagnosis and Linkage to Care in Sofala Province, Mozambique

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06