The science papers I've read

Today I read a paper titled “Path Planning Algorithm for Extinguishing Forest Fires”

The abstract is:
One of the major impacts of climatic changes is due to destroying of forest.

Destroying of forest takes place in many ways but the majority of the forest is destroyed due to wild forest fires.

In this paper we have presented a path planning algorithm for extinguishing fires which uses Wireless Sensor and Actor Networks (WSANs) for detecting fires.

Since most of the works on forest fires are based on Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) and a collection of work has been done on coverage, message transmission, deployment of nodes, battery power depletion of sensor nodes in WSNs we focused our work in path planning approach of the Actor to move to the target area where the fire has occurred and extinguish it.

An incremental approach is presented in order to determine the successive moves of the Actor to extinguish fire in an environment with and without obstacles.

This is done by comparing the moves determined with target location readings obtained using sensors until the Actor reaches the target area to extinguish fires.

Today I read a paper titled “Real-time Image-based 6-DOF Localization in Large-Scale Environments”

The abstract is:
We present a real-time approach for image-based localization within large scenes that have been reconstructed offline using structure from motion (Sfm).

From monocular video, our method continuously computes a precise 6-DOF camera pose, by efficiently tracking natural features and matching them to 3D points in the Sfm point cloud.

Our main contribution lies in efficiently interleaving a fast keypoint tracker that uses inexpensive binary feature descriptors with a new approach for direct 2D-to-3D matching.

The 2D-to-3D matching avoids the need for online extraction of scale-invariant features.

Instead, offline we construct an indexed database containing multiple DAISY descriptors per 3D point extracted at multiple scales.

The key to the efficiency of our method lies in invoking DAISY descriptor extraction and matching sparingly during localization, and in distributing this computation over a window of successive frames.

This enables the algorithm to run in real-time, without fluctuations in the latency over long durations.

We evaluate the method in large indoor and outdoor scenes.

Our algorithm runs at over 30 Hz on a laptop and at 12 Hz on a low-power, mobile computer suitable for onboard computation on a quadrotor micro aerial vehicle.

Today I read a paper titled “Weak ties: Subtle role of information diffusion in online social networks”

The abstract is:
As a social media, online social networks play a vital role in the social information diffusion.

However, due to its unique complexity, the mechanism of the diffusion in online social networks is different from the ones in other types of networks and remains unclear to us.

Meanwhile, few works have been done to reveal the coupled dynamics of both the structure and the diffusion of online social networks.

To this end, in this paper, we propose a model to investigate how the structure is coupled with the diffusion in online social networks from the view of weak ties.

Through numerical experiments on large-scale online social networks, we find that in contrast to some previous research results, selecting weak ties preferentially to republish cannot make the information diffuse quickly, while random selection can achieve this goal.

However, when we remove the weak ties gradually, the coverage of the information will drop sharply even in the case of random selection.

We also give a reasonable explanation for this by extra analysis and experiments.

Finally, we conclude that weak ties play a subtle role in the information diffusion in online social networks.

On one hand, they act as bridges to connect isolated local communities together and break through the local trapping of the information.

On the other hand, selecting them as preferential paths to republish cannot help the information spread further in the network.

As a result, weak ties might be of use in the control of the virus spread and the private information diffusion in real-world applications.

Today I read a paper titled “Non-photorealistic image rendering with a labyrinthine tiling”

The abstract is:
The paper describes a new image processing for a non-photorealistic rendering.

The algorithm is based on a random generation of gray tones and competing statistical requirements.

The gray tone value of each pixel in the starting image is replaced selecting among randomly generated tone values, according to the statistics of nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor pixels.

Two competing conditions for replacing the tone values – one position on the local mean value the other on the local variance – produce a peculiar pattern on the image.

This pattern has a labyrinthine tiling aspect.

For certain subjects, the pattern enhances the look of the image.

Today I read a paper titled “Making the road by searching – A search engine based on Swarm Information Foraging”

The abstract is:
Search engines are nowadays one of the most important entry points for Internet users and a central tool to solve most of their information needs.

Still, there exist a substantial amount of users’ searches which obtain unsatisfactory results.

Needless to say, several lines of research aim to increase the relevancy of the results users retrieve.

In this paper the authors frame this problem within the much broader (and older) one of information overload.

They argue that users’ dissatisfaction with search engines is a currently common manifestation of such a problem, and propose a different angle from which to tackle with it.

As it will be discussed, their approach shares goals with a current hot research topic (namely, learning to rank for information retrieval) but, unlike the techniques commonly applied in that field, their technique cannot be exactly considered machine learning and, additionally, it can be used to change the search engine’s response in real-time, driven by the users behavior.

Their proposal adapts concepts from Swarm Intelligence (in particular, Ant Algorithms) from an Information Foraging point of view.

It will be shown that the technique is not only feasible, but also an elegant solution to the stated problem; what’s more, it achieves promising results, both increasing the performance of a major search engine for informational queries, and substantially reducing the time users require to answer complex information needs.

Today I read a paper titled “Smart depth of field optimization applied to a robotised view camera”

The abstract is:
The great flexibility of a view camera allows to take high quality photographs that would not be possible any other way.

But making a given object into focus is a long and tedious task, although the underlying laws are well known.

This paper presents the result of a project which has lead to the design of a computer controlled view camera and to its companion software.

Thanks to the high precision machining of its components, and to the known optical parameters of lenses and sensor, we have been able to consider a reliable mathematical model of the view camera, allowing the acquisition of 3D coordinates to build a geometrical model of the object.

Then many problems can be solved, e.g.

minimizing the f-number while maintaining the object within the depth of field, which takes the form of a constrained optimization problem.

All optimization algorithms have been validated on a virtual view camera before implementation on the prototype .

Today I read a paper titled “From Playability to a Hierarchical Game Usability Model”

The abstract is:
This paper presents a brief review of current game usability models.

This leads to the conception of a high-level game development-centered usability model that integrates current usability approaches in game industry and game research.

Today I read a paper titled “A Vision-based Computed Torque Control for Parallel Kinematic Machines”

The abstract is:
In this paper, a novel approach for parallel kinematic machine control relying on a fast exteroceptive measure is implemented and validated on the Orthoglide robot.

This approach begins with rewriting the robot models as a function of the only end-effector pose.

It is shown that such an operation reduces the model complexity.

Then, this approach uses a classical Cartesian space computed torque control with a fast exteroceptive measure, reducing the control schemes complexity.

Simulation results are given to show the expected performance improvements and experiments prove the practical feasibility of the approach.

Today I read a paper titled “Interaction With Tilting Gestures In Ubiquitous Environments”

The abstract is:
In this paper, we introduce a tilting interface that controls direction based applications in ubiquitous environments.

A tilt interface is useful for situations that require remote and quick interactions or that are executed in public spaces.

We explored the proposed tilting interface with different application types and classified the tilting interaction techniques.

Augmenting objects with sensors can potentially address the problem of the lack of intuitive and natural input devices in ubiquitous environments.

We have conducted an experiment to test the usability of the proposed tilting interface to compare it with conventional input devices and hand gestures.

The experiment results showed greater improvement of the tilt gestures in comparison with hand gestures in terms of speed, accuracy, and user satisfaction.

Today I read a paper titled “Enhanced Integrated Scoring for Cleaning Dirty Texts”

The abstract is:
An increasing number of approaches for ontology engineering from text are gearing towards the use of online sources such as company intranet and the World Wide Web.

Despite such rise, not much work can be found in aspects of preprocessing and cleaning dirty texts from online sources.

This paper presents an enhancement of an Integrated Scoring for Spelling error correction, Abbreviation expansion and Case restoration (ISSAC).

ISSAC is implemented as part of a text preprocessing phase in an ontology engineering system.

New evaluations performed on the enhanced ISSAC using 700 chat records reveal an improved accuracy of 98% as compared to 96.5% and 71% based on the use of only basic ISSAC and of Aspell, respectively.

Today I read a paper titled “Dynamic Feature Description in Human Action Recognition”

The abstract is:
This work aims to present novel description methods for human action recognition.

Generally, a video sequence can be represented as a collection of spatial temporal words by detecting space-time interest points and describing the unique features around the detected points (Bag of Words representation).

Interest points as well as the cuboids around them are considered informative for feature description in terms of both the structural distribution of interest points and the information content inside the cuboids.

Our proposed description approaches are based on this idea and making the feature descriptors more discriminative.

Today I read a paper titled “A framework of motion capture system based human behaviours simulation for ergonomic analysis”

The abstract is:
With the increasing of computer capabilities, Computer aided ergonomics (CAE) offers new possibilities to integrate conventional ergonomic knowledge and to develop new methods into the work design process.

As mentioned in [1], different approaches have been developed to enhance the efficiency of the ergonomic evaluation.

Ergonomic expert systems, ergonomic oriented information systems, numerical models of human, etc.

have been implemented in numerical ergonomic software.

Until now, there are ergonomic software tools available, such as Jack, Ergoman, Delmia Human, 3DSSPP, and Santos, etc.

[2-4].

The main functions of these tools are posture analysis and posture prediction.

In the visualization part, Jack and 3DSSPP produce results to visualize virtual human tasks in 3-dimensional, but without realistic physical properties.

Nowadays, with the development of computer technology, the simulation of physical world is paid more attention.

Physical engines [5] are used more and more in computer game (CG) field.

The advantage of physical engine is the nature physical world environment simulation.

The purpose of our research is to use the CG technology to create a virtual environment with physical properties for ergonomic analysis of virtual human.

Today I read a paper titled “Predicting Abnormal Returns From News Using Text Classification”

The abstract is:
We show how text from news articles can be used to predict intraday price movements of financial assets using support vector machines.

Multiple kernel learning is used to combine equity returns with text as predictive features to increase classification performance and we develop an analytic center cutting plane method to solve the kernel learning problem efficiently.

We observe that while the direction of returns is not predictable using either text or returns, their size is, with text features producing significantly better performance than historical returns alone.

Today I read a paper titled “Ubiquitous Positioning: A Taxonomy for Location Determination on Mobile Navigation System”

The abstract is:
The location determination in obstructed area can be very challenging especially if Global Positioning System are blocked.

Users will find it difficult to navigate directly on-site in such condition, especially indoor car park lot or obstructed environment.

Sometimes, it needs to combine with other sensors and positioning methods in order to determine the location with more intelligent, reliable and ubiquity.

By using ubiquitous positioning in mobile navigation system, it is a promising ubiquitous location technique in a mobile phone since as it is a familiar personal electronic device for many people.

However, as research on ubiquitous positioning systems goes beyond basic methods there is an increasing need for better comparison of proposed ubiquitous positioning systems.

System developers are also lacking of good frameworks for understanding different options during building ubiquitous positioning systems.

This paper proposes taxonomy to address both of these problems.

The proposed taxonomy has been constructed from a literature study of papers and articles on positioning estimation that can be used to determine location everywhere on mobile navigation system.

For researchers the taxonomy can also be used as an aid for scoping out future research in the area of ubiquitous positioning.

Today I read a paper titled “Morphing of Triangular Meshes in Shape Space”

The abstract is:
We present a novel approach to morph between two isometric poses of the same non-rigid object given as triangular meshes.

We model the morphs as linear interpolations in a suitable shape space $\mathcal{S}$.

For triangulated 3D polygons, we prove that interpolating linearly in this shape space corresponds to the most isometric morph in $\mathbb{R}^3$.

We then extend this shape space to arbitrary triangulations in 3D using a heuristic approach and show the practical use of the approach using experiments.

Furthermore, we discuss a modified shape space that is useful for isometric skeleton morphing.

All of the newly presented approaches solve the morphing problem without the need to solve a minimization problem.

Today I read a paper titled “Block-based quantum-logic synthesis”

The abstract is:
In this paper, the problem of constructing an efficient quantum circuit for the implementation of an arbitrary quantum computation is addressed.

To this end, a basic block based on the cosine-sine decomposition method is suggested which contains $l$ qubits.

In addition, a previously proposed quantum-logic synthesis method based on quantum Shannon decomposition is recursively applied to reach unitary gates over $l$ qubits.

Then, the basic block is used and some optimizations are applied to remove redundant gates.

It is shown that the exact value of $l$ affects the number of one-qubit and CNOT gates in the proposed method.

In comparison to the previous synthesis methods, the value of $l$ is examined consequently to improve either the number of CNOT gates or the total number of gates.

The proposed approach is further analyzed by considering the nearest neighbor limitation.

According to our evaluation, the number of CNOT gates is increased by at most a factor of $\frac{5}{3}$ if the nearest neighbor interaction is applied.

Today I read a paper titled “Real-time jam-session support system”

The abstract is:
We propose a method for the problem of real time chord accompaniment of improvised music.

Our implementation can learn an underlying structure of the musical performance and predict next chord.

The system uses Hidden Markov Model to find the most probable chord sequence for the played melody and then a Variable Order Markov Model is used to a) learn the structure (if any) and b) predict next chord.

We implemented our system in Java and MAX/Msp and compared and evaluated using objective (prediction accuracy) and subjective (questionnaire) evaluation methods.

Today I read a paper titled “Tales of 34 iPhone Users: How they change and why they are different”

The abstract is:
We present results from a longitudinal study of 34 iPh-one 3GS users, called LiveLab.

LiveLab collected unprecedented usage data through an in-device, programmable logger and several structured interviews with the participants throughout the study.

We have four objectives in writing this paper: (i) share the findings with the research community; (ii) provide insights guiding the design of smartphone systems and applications; (iii) demonstrate the power of prudently designed longitudinal field studies and the power of advanced research methods; and (iv) raise important questions that the research community can help answer in a collaborative, multidisciplinary manner.

We show how the smartphone usage changes over the year and why the users are different (and similar) in their usage.

In particular, our findings highlight application and web usage dynamics, the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on usage, and the shortcomings of iPhone 3GS and its ecosystem.

We further show that distinct classes of usage patterns exist, and these classes are best served by different phone designs, instead of the one-size-fits-all phone Apple provides.

Our findings are significant not only for understanding smartphone users but also in guiding device and application development and optimizations.

While we present novel results that can only be produced by a study of this nature, we also raise new research questions to be investigated by the mobile research community.

Today I read a paper titled “Discrete stochastic processes, replicator and Fokker-Planck equations of coevolutionary dynamics in finite and infinite populations”

The abstract is:
Finite-size fluctuations in coevolutionary dynamics arise in models of biological as well as of social and economic systems.

This brief tutorial review surveys a systematic approach starting from a stochastic process discrete both in time and state.

The limit $N\to \infty$ of an infinite population can be considered explicitly, generally leading to a replicator-type equation in zero order, and to a Fokker-Planck-type equation in first order in $1/\sqrt{N}$.

Consequences and relations to some previous approaches are outlined.

Today I read a paper titled “Hubs and Clusters in the Evolving U. S. Internal Migration Network”

The abstract is:
Most nations of the world periodically publish N x N origin-destination tables, recording the number of people who lived in geographic subdivision i at time t and j at t+1.

We have developed and widely applied to such national tables and other analogous (weighted, directed) socioeconomic networks, a two-stage–double-standardization and (strong component) hierarchical clustering–procedure.

Previous applications of this methodology and related analytical issues are discussed.

Its use is illustrated in a large-scale study, employing recorded United States internal migration flows between the 3,000+ county-level units of the nation for the periods 1965-1970 and 1995-2000.

Prominent, important features–such as ”cosmopolitan hubs” and “functional regions”–are extracted from master dendrograms.

The extent to which such characteristics have varied over the intervening thirty years is evaluated.

Today I read a paper titled “Specular holography”

The abstract is:
By tooling an spot-illuminated surface to control the flow of specular glints under motion, one can produce holographic view-dependent imagery.

This paper presents the differential equation that governs the shape of the specular surfaces, and illustrates how solutions can be constructed for different kinds of motion, lighting, host surface geometries, and fabrication constraints, leading to some novel forms of holography.

Today I read a paper titled “Wikipedia information flow analysis reveals the scale-free architecture of the Semantic Space”

The abstract is:
In this paper we extract the topology of the semantic space in its encyclopedic acception, measuring the semantic flow between the different entries of the largest modern encyclopedia, Wikipedia, and thus creating a directed complex network of semantic flows.

Notably at the percolation threshold the semantic space is characterised by scale-free behaviour at different levels of complexity and this relates the semantic space to a wide range of biological, social and linguistics phenomena.

In particular we find that the cluster size distribution, representing the size of different semantic areas, is scale-free.

Moreover the topology of the resulting semantic space is scale-free in the connectivity distribution and displays small-world properties.

However its statistical properties do not allow a classical interpretation via a generative model based on a simple multiplicative process.

After giving a detailed description and interpretation of the topological properties of the semantic space, we introduce a stochastic model of content-based network, based on a copy and mutation algorithm and on the Heaps’ law, that is able to capture the main statistical properties of the analysed semantic space, including the Zipf’s law for the word frequency distribution.

Today I read a paper titled “Modeling the Experience of Emotion”

The abstract is:
Affective computing has proven to be a viable field of research comprised of a large number of multidisciplinary researchers resulting in work that is widely published.

The majority of this work consists of computational models of emotion recognition, computational modeling of causal factors of emotion and emotion expression through rendered and robotic faces.

A smaller part is concerned with modeling the effects of emotion, formal modeling of cognitive appraisal theory and models of emergent emotions.

Part of the motivation for affective computing as a field is to better understand emotional processes through computational modeling.

One of the four major topics in affective computing is computers that have emotions (the others are recognizing, expressing and understanding emotions).

A critical and neglected aspect of having emotions is the experience of emotion (Barrett, Mesquita, Ochsner, and Gross, 2007): what does the content of an emotional episode look like, how does this content change over time and when do we call the episode emotional.

Few modeling efforts have these topics as primary focus.

The launch of a journal on synthetic emotions should motivate research initiatives in this direction, and this research should have a measurable impact on emotion research in psychology.

I show that a good way to do so is to investigate the psychological core of what an emotion is: an experience.

I present ideas on how the experience of emotion could be modeled and provide evidence that several computational models of emotion are already addressing the issue.

Today I read a paper titled “Naturally Supervised Learning in Manipulable Technologies”

The abstract is:
The relationship between physiological systems and modern electromechanical technologies is fast becoming intimate with high degrees of complex interaction.

It can be argued that muscular function, limb movements, and touch perception serve supervisory functions for movement control in motion and touch-based (e.g.

manipulable) devices/interfaces and human-machine interfaces in general.

To get at this hypothesis requires the use of novel techniques and analyses which demonstrate the multifaceted and regulatory role of adaptive physiological processes in these interactions.

Neuromechanics is an approach that unifies the role of physiological function, motor performance, and environmental effects in determining human performance.

A neuromechanical perspective will be used to explain the effect of environmental fluctuations on supervisory mechanisms, which leads to adaptive physiological responses.

Three experiments are presented using two different types of virtual environment that allowed for selective switching between two sets of environmental forces.

This switching was done in various ways to maximize the variety of results.

Electromyography (EMG) and kinematic information contributed to the development of human performance-related measures.

Both descriptive and specialized analyses were conducted: peak amplitude analysis, loop trace analysis, and the analysis of unmatched muscle power.

Results presented here provide a window into performance under a range of conditions.

These analyses also demonstrated myriad consequences for force-related fluctuations on dynamic physiological regulation.

The findings presented here could be applied to the dynamic control of touch-based and movement-sensitive human-machine systems.

In particular, the design of systems such as human-robotic systems, touch screen devices, and rehabilitative technologies could benefit from this research.

Today I read a paper titled “Volume-Enclosing Surface Extraction”

The abstract is:
In this paper we present a new method, which allows for the construction of triangular isosurfaces from three-dimensional data sets, such as 3D image data and/or numerical simulation data that are based on regularly shaped, cubic lattices.

This novel volume-enclosing surface extraction technique, which has been named VESTA, can produce up to six different results due to the nature of the discretized 3D space under consideration.

VESTA is neither template-based nor it is necessarily required to operate on 2x2x2 voxel cell neighborhoods only.

The surface tiles are determined with a very fast and robust construction technique while potential ambiguities are detected and resolved.

Here, we provide an in-depth comparison between VESTA and various versions of the well-known and very popular Marching Cubes algorithm for the very first time.

In an application section, we demonstrate the extraction of VESTA isosurfaces for various data sets ranging from computer tomographic scan data to simulation data of relativistic hydrodynamic fireball expansions.

Today I read a paper titled “Robust Motion Control for Mobile Manipulator Using Resolved Acceleration and Proportional-Integral Active Force Control”

The abstract is:
A resolved acceleration control (RAC) and proportional-integral active force control (PIAFC) is proposed as an approach for the robust motion control of a mobile manipulator (MM) comprising a differentially driven wheeled mobile platform with a two-link planar arm mounted on top of the platform.

The study emphasizes on the integrated kinematic and dynamic control strategy in which the RAC is used to manipulate the kinematic component while the PIAFC is implemented to compensate the dynamic effects including the bounded known/unknown disturbances and uncertainties.

The effectivenss and robustness of the proposed scheme are investigated through a rigorous simulation study and later complemented with experimental results obtained through a number of experiments performed on a fully developed working prototype in a laboratory environment.

A number of disturbances in the form of vibratory and impact forces are deliberately introduced into the system to evaluate the system performances.

The investigation clearly demonstrates the extreme robustness feature of the proposed control scheme compared to other systems considered in the study.

Today I read a paper titled “Peer-to-Peer Multimedia Sharing based on Social Norms”

The abstract is:
Empirical data shows that in the absence of incentives, a peer participating in a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network wishes to free-riding.

Most solutions for providing incentives in P2P networks are based on direct reciprocity, which are not appropriate for most P2P multimedia sharing networks due to the unique features exhibited by such networks: large populations of anonymous agents interacting infrequently, asymmetric interests of peers, network errors, and multiple concurrent transactions.

In this paper, we design and rigorously analyze a new family of incentive protocols that utilizes indirect reciprocity which is based on the design of efficient social norms.

In the proposed P2P protocols, the social norms consist of a social strategy, which represents the rule prescribing to the peers when they should or should not provide content to other peers, and a reputation scheme, which rewards or punishes peers depending on whether they comply or not with the social strategy.

We first define the concept of a sustainable social norm, under which no peer has an incentive to deviate.

We then formulate the problem of designing optimal social norms, which selects the social norm that maximizes the network performance among all sustainable social norms.

Hence, we prove that it becomes in the self-interest of peers to contribute their content to the network rather than to free-ride.

We also investigate the impact of various punishment schemes on the social welfare as well as how should the optimal social norms be designed if altruistic and malicious peers are active in the network.

Our results show that optimal social norms are capable of providing significant improvements in the sharing efficiency of multimedia P2P networks.

Today I read a paper titled “The Fast Haar Wavelet Transform for Signal & Image Processing”

The abstract is:
A method for the design of Fast Haar wavelet for signal processing and image processing has been proposed.

In the proposed work, the analysis bank and synthesis bank of Haar wavelet is modified by using polyphase structure.

Finally, the Fast Haar wavelet was designed and it satisfies alias free and perfect reconstruction condition.

Computational time and computational complexity is reduced in Fast Haar wavelet transform.

Today I read a paper titled “Fish recognition based on the combination between robust feature selection, image segmentation and geometrical parameter techniques using Artificial Neural Network and Decision Tree”

The abstract is:
We presents in this paper a novel fish classification methodology based on a combination between robust feature selection, image segmentation and geometrical parameter techniques using Artificial Neural Network and Decision Tree.

Unlike existing works for fish classification, which propose descriptors and do not analyze their individual impacts in the whole classification task and do not make the combination between the feature selection, image segmentation and geometrical parameter, we propose a general set of features extraction using robust feature selection, image segmentation and geometrical parameter and their correspondent weights that should be used as a priori information by the classifier.

In this sense, instead of studying techniques for improving the classifiers structure itself, we consider it as a black box and focus our research in the determination of which input information must bring a robust fish discrimination.The main contribution of this paper is enhancement recognize and classify fishes based on digital image and To develop and implement a novel fish recognition prototype using global feature extraction, image segmentation and geometrical parameters, it have the ability to Categorize the given fish into its cluster and Categorize the clustered fish into poison or non-poison fish, and categorizes the non-poison fish into its family .

Today I read a paper titled “Beyond the Drawing Board: Toward More Effective Use of Whiteboard Content”

The abstract is:
We developed a system that augments traditional office whiteboards with computation for the purposes of retrieving, reusing, and sharing whiteboard content.

Our system automatically captures changes to whiteboard images, detects significant changes, and identifies potential collaborative activities.

Users then browse and search the collection of images captured from their camera or shared from other users’ cameras based on aspects such as location, time, collaboration, etc.

We report on the results of a formative study and on an evaluation of effectiveness of our system, and discuss additional functionality that can be built on our framework.

Today I read a paper titled “A two-stage algorithm for extracting the multiscale backbone of complex weighted networks”

The abstract is:
The central problem of concern to Serrano, Boguna and Vespignani (“Extracting the multiscale backbone of complex weighted networks”, Proc Natl Acad Sci 106:6483-6488 [2009]) can be effectively and elegantly addressed using a well-established two-stage algorithm that has been applied to internal migration flows for numerous nations and several other forms of “transaction flow data”.

Today I read a paper titled “The Ethics of Robotics”

The abstract is:
The three laws of Robotics first appeared together in Isaac Asimov’s story ‘Runaround’ after being mentioned in some form or the other in previous works by Asimov.

These three laws commonly known as the three laws of robotics are the earliest forms of depiction for the needs of ethics in Robotics.

In simplistic language Isaac Asimov is able to explain what rules a robot must confine itself to in order to maintain societal sanctity.

However, even though they are outdated they still represent some of our innate fears which are beginning to resurface in present day 21st Century.

Our society is on the advent of a new revolution; a revolution led by advances in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence & Nanotechnology.

Some of our advances have been so phenomenal that we surpassed what was predicted by the Moore’s law.

With these advancements comes the fear that our future may be at the mercy of these androids.

Humans today are scared that we, ourselves, might create something which we cannot control.

We may end up creating something which can not only learn much faster than anyone of us can, but also evolve faster than what the theory of evolution has allowed us to.

The greatest fear is not only that we might lose our jobs to these intelligent beings, but that these beings might end up replacing us at the top of the cycle.

The public hysteria has been heightened more so by a number of cultural works which depict annihilation of the human race by robots.

Right from Frankenstein to I, Robot mass media has also depicted such issues.

This paper is an effort to understand the need for ethics in Robotics or simply termed as Roboethics.

This is achieved by the study of artificial beings and the thought being put behind them.

By the end of the paper, however, it is concluded that there isn’t a need for ethical robots but more so ever a need for ethical roboticists.

Today I read a paper titled “The Role of Head-Up Display in Computer- Assisted Instruction”

The abstract is:
We investigated the role of HUDs in CAI.

HUDs have been used in various situations in daily lives by recent downsizing and cost down of the display devices.

CAI is one of the promising applications for HUDs.

We have developed an HUD-based CAI system for effectively presenting instructions of the equipment in the transportable earth station.

This chapter described HUDs in CAI from a viewpoint of human-computer interaction based on the development experience.

Today I read a paper titled “Profile Based Sub-Image Search in Image Databases”

The abstract is:
Sub-image search with high accuracy in natural images still remains a challenging problem.

This paper proposes a new feature vector called profile for a keypoint in a bag of visual words model of an image.

The profile of a keypoint captures the spatial geometry of all the other keypoints in an image with respect to itself, and is very effective in discriminating true matches from false matches.

Sub-image search using profiles is a single-phase process requiring no geometric validation, yields high precision on natural images, and works well on small visual codebook.

The proposed search technique differs from traditional methods that first generate a set of candidates disregarding spatial information and then verify them geometrically.

Conventional methods also use large codebooks.

We achieve a precision of 81% on a combined data set of synthetic and real natural images using a codebook size of 500 for top-10 queries; that is 31% higher than the conventional candidate generation approach.

Today I read a paper titled “Robustness of interdependent networks under targeted attack”

The abstract is:
When an initial failure of nodes occurs in interdependent networks, a cascade of failure between the networks occurs.

Earlier studies focused on random initial failures.

Here we study the robustness of interdependent networks under targeted attack on high or low degree nodes.

We introduce a general technique and show that the {\it targeted-attack} problem in interdependent networks can be mapped to the {\it random-attack} problem in a transformed pair of interdependent networks.

We find that when the highly connected nodes are protected and have lower probability to fail, in contrast to single scale free (SF) networks where the percolation threshold $p_c=0$, coupled SF networks are significantly more vulnerable with $p_c$ significantly larger than zero.

The result implies that interdependent networks are difficult to defend by strategies such as protecting the high degree nodes that have been found useful to significantly improve robustness of single networks.

Today I read a paper titled “Evolutionary Games defined at the Network Mesoscale: The Public Goods game”

The abstract is:
The evolutionary dynamics of the Public Goods game addresses the emergence of cooperation within groups of individuals.

However, the Public Goods game on large populations of interconnected individuals has been usually modeled without any knowledge about their group structure.

In this paper, by focusing on collaboration networks, we show that it is possible to include the mesoscopic information about the structure of the real groups by means of a bipartite graph.

We compare the results with the projected (coauthor) and the original bipartite graphs and show that cooperation is enhanced by the mesoscopic structure contained.

We conclude by analyzing the influence of the size of the groups in the evolutionary success of cooperation.

Today I read a paper titled “Genetic Programming Framework for Fingerprint Matching”

The abstract is:
A fingerprint matching is a very difficult problem.

Minutiae based matching is the most popular and widely used technique for fingerprint matching.

The minutiae points considered in automatic identification systems are based normally on termination and bifurcation points.

In this paper we propose a new technique for fingerprint matching using minutiae points and genetic programming.

The goal of this paper is extracting the mathematical formula that defines the minutiae points.

Today I read a paper titled “Phase transitions and non-equilibrium relaxation in kinetic models of opinion formation”

The abstract is:
We review in details some recently proposed kinetic models of opinion dynamics.

We discuss the several variants including a generalised model.

We provide mean field estimates for the critical points, which are numerically supported with reasonable accuracy.

Using non-equilibrium relaxation techniques, we also investigate the nature of phase transitions observed in these models.

We study the nature of correlations as the critical points are approached, and comment on the universality of the phase transitions observed.

Today I read a paper titled “Fast and Simple Methods For Computing Control Points”

The abstract is:
The purpose of this paper is to present simple and fast methods for computing control points for polynomial curves and polynomial surfaces given explicitly in terms of polynomials (written as sums of monomials).

We give recurrence formulae w.r.t.

arbitrary affine frames.

As a corollary, it is amusing that we can also give closed-form expressions in the case of the frame (r, s) for curves, and the frame ((1, 0, 0), (0, 1, 0), (0, 0, 1) for surfaces.

Our methods have the same low polynomial (time and space) complexity as the other best known algorithms, and are very easy to implement.

Today I read a paper titled “Digital watermarking : An approach based on Hilbert transform”

The abstract is:
Most of the well known algorithms for watermarking of digital images involve transformation of the image data to Fourier or singular vector space.

In this paper, we introduce watermarking in Hilbert transform domain for digital media.

Generally, if the image is a matrix of order $m$ by $n$, then the transformed space is also an image of the same order.

However, with Hilbert transforms, the transformed space is of order $2m$ by $2n$.

This allows for more latitude in storing the watermark in the host image.

Based on this idea, we propose an algorithm for embedding and extracting watermark in a host image and analytically obtain a parameter related to this procedure.

Using extensive simulations, we show that the algorithm performs well even if the host image is corrupted by various attacks.

Today I read a paper titled “Dynamics of Majority Rule with Differential Latencies”

The abstract is:
We investigate the dynamics of the majority-rule opinion formation model when voters experience differential latencies.

With this extension, voters that just adopted an opinion go into a latent state during which they are excluded from the opinion formation process.

The duration of the latent state depends on the opinion adopted by the voter.

The net result is a bias towards consensus on the opinion that is associated with the shorter latency.

We determine the exit probability and time to consensus for systems of $N$ voters.

Additionally, we derive an asymptotic characterisation of the time to consensus by means of a continuum model.

Today I read a paper titled “An Intelligent Multi-Agent Recommender System for Human Capacity Building”

The abstract is:
This paper presents a Multi-Agent approach to the problem of recommending training courses to engineering professionals.

The recommendation system is built as a proof of concept and limited to the electrical and mechanical engineering disciplines.

Through user modelling and data collection from a survey, collaborative filtering recommendation is implemented using intelligent agents.

The agents work together in recommending meaningful training courses and updating the course information.

The system uses a users profile and keywords from courses to rank courses.

A ranking accuracy for courses of 90% is achieved while flexibility is achieved using an agent that retrieves information autonomously using data mining techniques from websites.

This manner of recommendation is scalable and adaptable.

Further improvements can be made using clustering and recording user feedback.

Today I read a paper titled “Harmonic Functions for Data Reconstruction on 3D Manifolds”

The abstract is:
In computer graphics, smooth data reconstruction on 2D or 3D manifolds usually refers to subdivision problems.

Such a method is only valid based on dense sample points.

The manifold usually needs to be triangulated into meshes (or patches) and each node on the mesh will have an initial value.

While the mesh is refined the algorithm will provide a smooth function on the redefined manifolds.

However, when data points are not dense and the original mesh is not allowed to be changed, how is the “continuous and/or smooth” reconstruction possible? This paper will present a new method using harmonic functions to solve the problem.

Our method contains the following steps: (1) Partition the boundary surfaces of the 3D manifold based on sample points so that each sample point is on the edge of the partition.

(2) Use gradually varied interpolation on the edges so that each point on edge will be assigned a value.

In addition, all values on the edge are gradually varied.

(3) Use discrete harmonic function to fit the unknown points, i.e.

the points inside each partition patch.

The fitted function will be a harmonic or a local harmonic function in each partitioned area.

The function on edge will be “near” continuous (or “near” gradually varied).

If we need a smoothed surface on the manifold, we can apply subdivision algorithms.

This paper has also a philosophical advantage over triangulation meshes.

People usually use triangulation for data reconstruction.

This paper employs harmonic functions, a generalization of triangulation because linearity is a form of harmonic.

Therefore, local harmonic initialization is more sophisticated then triangulation.

This paper is a conceptual and methodological paper.

This paper does not focus on detailed mathematical analysis nor fine algorithm design.

Today I read a paper titled “Modeling Microscopic Chemical Sensors in Capillaries”

The abstract is:
Nanotechnology-based microscopic robots could provide accurate in vivo measurement of chemicals in the bloodstream for detailed biological research and as an aid to medical treatment.

Quantitative performance estimates of such devices require models of how chemicals in the blood diffuse to the devices.

This paper models microscopic robots and red blood cells (erythrocytes) in capillaries using realistic distorted cell shapes.

The models evaluate two sensing scenarios: robots moving with the cells past a chemical source on the vessel wall, and robots attached to the wall for longer-term chemical monitoring.

Using axial symmetric geometry with realistic flow speeds and diffusion coefficients, we compare detection performance with a simpler model that does not include the cells.

The average chemical absorption is quantitatively similar in both models, indicating the simpler model is an adequate design guide to sensor performance in capillaries.

However, determining the variation in forces and absorption as cells move requires the full model.

Today I read a paper titled “Stratified economic exchange on networks”

The abstract is:
We investigate a model of stratified economic interactions between agents when the notion of spatial location is introduced.

The agents are placed on a network with near-neighbor connections.

Interactions between neighbors can occur only if the difference in their wealth is less than a threshold value that defines the width of the economic classes.

By employing concepts from spatiotemporal dynamical systems, three types of patterns can be identified in the system as parameters are varied: laminar, intermittent and turbulent states.

The transition from the laminar state to the turbulent state is characterized by the activity of the system, a quantity that measures the average exchange of wealth over long times.

The degree of inequality in the wealth distribution for different parameter values is characterized by the Gini Coefficient.

High levels of activity are associated to low values of the Gini coefficient.

It is found that the topological properties of the network have little effect on the activity of the system, but the Gini coefficient increases when the clustering coefficient of the network is increased.

Today I read a paper titled “Virtual Environments for Training: From Individual Learning to Collaboration with Humanoids”

The abstract is:
The next generation of virtual environments for training is oriented towards collaborative aspects.

Therefore, we have decided to enhance our platform for virtual training environments, adding collaboration opportunities and integrating humanoids.

In this paper we put forward a model of humanoid that suits both virtual humans and representations of real users, according to collaborative training activities.

We suggest adaptations to the scenario model of our platform making it possible to write collaborative procedures.

We introduce a mechanism of action selection made up of a global repartition and an individual choice.

These models are currently being integrated and validated in GVT, a virtual training tool for maintenance of military equipments, developed in collaboration with the French company NEXTER-Group.

Today I read a paper titled “Efficient IRIS Recognition through Improvement of Feature Extraction and subset Selection”

The abstract is:
The selection of the optimal feature subset and the classification has become an important issue in the field of iris recognition.

In this paper we propose several methods for iris feature subset selection and vector creation.

The deterministic feature sequence is extracted from the iris image by using the contourlet transform technique.

Contourlet transform captures the intrinsic geometrical structures of iris image.

It decomposes the iris image into a set of directional sub-bands with texture details captured in different orientations at various scales so for reducing the feature vector dimensions we use the method for extract only significant bit and information from normalized iris images.

In this method we ignore fragile bits.

And finally we use SVM (Support Vector Machine) classifier for approximating the amount of people identification in our proposed system.

Experimental result show that most proposed method reduces processing time and increase the classification accuracy and also the iris feature vector length is much smaller versus the other methods.

Today I read a paper titled “On-Line Tests”

The abstract is:
This paper presents an interactive implementation which makes the link between a human operator and a system of a administration of a relational databases MySQL.

This application conceived as a multimedia presentations is illustrative for the way in which the transfer and the remaking of the information between the human operator, the module of data processing and the database which stores the informations can be solved (with help of the PHP language and the web use).

Today I read a paper titled “Design of moveable and resizable graphics”

The abstract is:
We are communicating with computers on two different levels.

On upper level we have a very flexible system of windows: we can move them, resize, overlap or put side by side.

At any moment we decide what would be the best view and reorganize the whole view easily.

Then we start any application, go to the inner level, and everything changes.

Here we are stripped of all the flexibility and can work only inside the scenario, developed by the designer of the program.

Interface will allow us to change some tiny details, but in general everything is fixed: graphics is neither moveable, nor resizable, and the same with controls.

Author designed an extremely powerful mechanism of turning graphical objects and controls into moveable and resizable.

This can not only significantly improve the existing applications, but this will bring the applications to another level.

(To estimate the possible difference, try to imagine the Windows system without its flexibility and compare it with the current one.) This article explains in details the construction and use of moveable and resizable graphical objects.

Today I read a paper titled “Dynamic Logic of Common Knowledge in a Proof Assistant”

The abstract is:
Common Knowledge Logic is meant to describe situations of the real world where a group of agents is involved.

These agents share knowledge and make strong statements on the knowledge of the other agents (the so called \emph{common knowledge}).

But as we know, the real world changes and overall information on what is known about the world changes as well.

The changes are described by dynamic logic.

To describe knowledge changes, dynamic logic should be combined with logic of common knowledge.

In this paper we describe experiments which we have made about the integration in a unique framework of common knowledge logic and dynamic logic in the proof assistant \Coq.

This results in a set of fully checked proofs for readable statements.

We describe the framework and how a proof can be .