7878072
Imperceptible Sensory Channels
System designers can use imperceptible sensory channels to create smarter, safer, and more secure environments. Beyond their diverse applications, imperceptible sensory channels suggest a new approach to the problem of machine perception. In adapting a video camera a device designed to capture human-readable images for use by the PDP-6, Minsky and Papert had to match perceptual algorithms to the sensor's capabilities. In contrast, for sensory channels such as electric field imaging that have no human analog, the sensor hardware can be designed to support perceptual algorithms.
952506
ID Modulation: Embedding Sensor Data in an RFID Timeseries
This paper reports the first use of ID Modulation to embed a bitstream representing sensor information in a standards-compliant Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) channel. Like other forms of information hiding, ID Modulation embeds a new, lower bit-rate channel in a pre-existing host channel, without requiring any changes to the protocols defining the host channel. Like most other forms of information hiding, the embedded data is represented as correlations introduced into the host channel data stream. Most previous applications of information hiding have emphasized either secrecy (as in steganography) or robustness to removal (as in watermarking). The benefit of information hiding that is most important for the application reported here is backward compatibility with pre-existing standards and hardware. It has allowed us to build a new communication layer (for transmitting sensor data) on top of current RFID infrastructure.
5213007
Applying electric field sensing to human-computer interfaces
A non-contact sensor based on the interaction of a person with electric fields for human-computer interface is investigated. Two sensing modes are explored: an external electric field shunted to ground through a human body, and an external electric field transmitted through a human body to stationary receivers. The sensors are low power (milliwatts), high resolution (millimeter) low cost (a few dollars per channel), have low latency (millisecond), high update rate (1 kHz), high immunity to noise (>72 dB), are not affected by clothing, surface texture or reflectivity, and can operate on length scales from microns to meters. Systems incorporating the sensors include a finger mouse, a room that knows the location of its occupant, and people-sensing furniture. Haptic feedback using passive materials is described. Also discussed are empirical and analytical approaches to transform sensor measurements into position information.
17082505
Designing Biomorphs with an Interactive Genetic Algorithm
We describe an interactive version of the Genetic Algorithm which can be used to evolve Fourier series based \biomorphs." The user plays the role of a binary-valued objective function. The usual Genetic operators of Selection, Mutation, and Crossover are applied normally. We discuss the Interactive Genetic Algorithm's use as a teaching tool and in domains in which measures of utility are di cult or impossible to specify mathematically. We argue that the evolution of biomorphs can be considered an ergonomic design problem, and with the evolution of biomorphs as an example, we argue that a large class of design problems can be cast as \imprecise optimization" and \solved" with Interactive Genetic Algorithms. Thus IGAs can be used for applications that fall somewhere between AI, optimization, and CAD.
14619787
Field Mice: Extracting Hand Geometry from Electric Field Measurements
Several members of a family of techniques called Electric Field Sensing are described. Each sensing technique can be understood as a measurement of the value of a different component in an effective circuit diagram that summarizes all possible current pathways involving the body to be sensed and the sensing electrodes. An analytical model of the sensor response is presented, and then a probabilistic framework for inferring geometrical information from field measurements is described. The inference framework is demonstrated for the cases of a two-dimensional and a three-dimensional mouse.
41948538
Enhanced Model Representations for an Intra-Ring Synchronous Optical Network Design Problem Allowing Demand Splitting
In this paper, we consider a network design problem arising in the context of deploying synchronous optical networks (SONET) using a unidirectional path switched ring architecture, a standard of transmission using optical fiber technology. Given several rings of this type, the problem is to find an assignment of nodes to possibly multiple rings, and to determine what portion of demand traffic between node pairs spanned by each ring should be allocated to that ring. The constraints require that the demand traffic between each node pair should be satisfiable given the ring capacities, and that no more than a specified maximum number of nodes should be assigned to each ring. The objective function is to minimize the total number of node-to-ring assignments, and hence, the capital investment in add-drop multiplexer equipments. We formulate the problem as a mixed-integer programming model, and propose several alternative modeling techniques designed to improve the mathematical representation of this problem. We then develop various classes of valid inequalities for the problem along with suitable separation procedures for tightening the representation of the model, and accordingly, prescribe an algorithmic approach that coordinates tailored routines with a commercial solver (CPLEX). We also propose a heuristic procedure which enhances the solvability of the problem and provides bounds within 5--13% of the optimal solution. Promising computational results are presented that exhibit the viability of the overall approach and that lend insights into various modeling and algorithmic constructs.
14877105
Scalable multimedia delivery for pervasive computing
Growing numbers of pervasive devices are gaining access to the Internet and other information sources. However, much of the rich multimedia content cannot be easily handled by the client devices with limited communication, processing, storage and display capabilities. In order to improve access, we are developing a system for scalable delivery of multimedia. The system uses an InfoPyramid for managing and manipulating multimedia content composed of video, images, audio and text. The InfoPyramid manages the different variations of media objects with different fidelities and modalities and generates and selects among the alternatives in order to adapt the delivery to different client devices. We describe a system for scalable multimedia delivery for a variety of client devices, including PDAs, HHCs, smart phones, TV browsers and color PCs.
38193465
Modeling semantic concepts to support query by keywords in video
Supporting semantic queries is a challenging problem in video retrieval. We propose the use of a lexicon of semantic concepts for handling the queries. We also propose automatic modeling of lexicon items using probabilistic techniques. We use Gaussian mixture models to build computational representations for a variety of semantic concepts including rocket-launch, outdoor greenery, sky etc. Training requires a large amount of annotated (labeled) data. Using the TREC Video test bed we compare the performance of this system supporting query by keywords with the conventional approach of query by example. Results demonstrate significant gains in performance using the automatically learnt models of semantic concepts.
42385078
Using Earned Value Management for COTS-Based Systems: Issues and Recommendations
Earned value management (EVM) has long been used by organizations to plan, monitor, and control the development and evolution of custom developed systems. EVM was developed for managing such projects, and assumes a waterfall development model. COTS-based systems (CBS), on the other hand, are formed and evolved through the selection and composition of pre-existing, off-the-shelf packages or components with potentially some number of custom components. Experience indicates that a spiral or iterative development process is a key to success with CBS. While EVM has been applied to CBS projects, the results have not been uniformly satisfying. This paper explores the fundamental challenges in using EVM with CBS, and proposes adaptations to some of the principals of EVM to render it more suitable for CBS development.
30741426
Multimedia database management systems
Introduction. Multimedia Data Types and Formats. Multimedia Database Design Issues. Text Document Indexing and Retrieval. Indexing and Retrieval of Audio. Image Indexing and Retrieval. Video Indexing and Retrieval. Integrated Multimedia Indexing and Retrieval. Techniques and Data Structures for Efficient Multimedia Similarity Search. System Support for Distributed Multimedia Databases. Measurement of Multimedia Information Retrieval Effectiveness. Products, Applications, and New Developments.