Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A comparison of robust adaptive beamforming algorithms

An important problem in adaptive beamforming algorithm design is robustness to steering vector uncertainty. A white-noise gain constraint (WNGC) has historically been an effective approach. Recently, the robust Capon beamforming class of algorithms has been developed to provide robustness through the use of a steering vector uncertainty region and an implicit steering vector estimation step as part of the beamformer. Like WNGC, the RCB algorithm can be shown to produce weight vectors based upon a diagonal loading of the covariance matrix. This paper provides some direct comparison of WNGC and RCB approaches for scenarios of interest. Geometrical interpretations of RCB algorithms provide insights to their optimality. Both approaches have a parameter than can be used to tune the performance from aggressive to conservative. Major observed differences are that RCB provides more accurate power estimates, focuses its high loading more locally, but exhibits higher white noise gain near sources.
A Brief Survey of the Economics of Open Source Software

The open source model is a form of software development in which the source code is made available, free of charge, to all interested parties; further users have the right to modify and extend the program. Open source software (OSS) methods rely on developers who reveal the source code under an open source license. Under certain types of open source licenses, any further development using the source code must also be publicly disclosed. In this brief survey, we will focus on several key aspects of open source software.
Analysis of Factors That Affect PDA Use Among Medical Students in Turkey using Fuzzy DEMATEL Method

Personal digital assistant (PDA) is a miniaturized portable hand-held computer that helps to compute and store information for personal or business use. PDAs help medical students to use their time more efficiently and accurately. In this paper, we propose a modified technology acceptance model (TAM) to identify the factors shaping the acceptance of PDA technology by medical students in Turkey. In order to analyze the model, we suggest using the Fuzzy DEMATEL method. The proposed model provides a causative representation of the technology acceptance in an uncertain environment and the results illustrate the strongest determinants that influence medical students into accepting PDA technology for medical education. Keywords: Personal Digital Assisstant (PDA), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), fuzzy DEMATEL;
Calibration of various configuration of multiple cameras for Driver Assistance Systems

This thesis is an exploratory and seminal work aimed to select and test available calibration algorithms for efficiency, usability and most importantly, accuracy of multiple camera and lens configurations in the context of DAS (Driving Assistance Systems). The camera and lens configurations considered were basically fixed stereo setups with normal and fish-eye lenses combined with low and high camera sensor resolutions. The stereo camera setup used for calibration and experiments were similar to those used during DAS experiments. The selected calibration algorithms were four: OpenCV calibration, Bouguet, Mei and Scaramuzza algorithms. The OpenCV calibration was selected and tested for normal lens while Bouguet, Mei and Sacaramuzza algorithms were selected for fish-eye lens. The methodologies selected and used for testing and comparing calibrations were backprojection error and row misalignment error as well as direct comparison of calibration parameters whenever applicable. The calibration experiment results showed that OpenCV calibration is a suitable and accurate calibration algorithm for normal lens in the context of DAS. Similarly,Bouguet’s fish-eye calibration toolbox seems to be the most appropriate in terms of accuracy and robustness in the context of DAS according these calibrations experiments. Mei’s algorithm was second and Scaramuzza was third mostly due to inaccuracy and difficulty to use. Finally, this research contributed to the utilization of multiple camera calibration in DAS systems as well as to the evaluation and recommendations for best camera configurations for different purposes and environment conditions.
Optimally selecting the parameters of adaptive backoff algorithms for computer networks and multiprocessors

This dissertation examines the solutions, based on software, adaptive backoff algorithms, to two computer network problems and a shared-memory multiprocessor problem. For each problem we define a cost metric against which we adjust the adaptive backoff algorithm. This dissertation's unifying theme is that, when possible, backoff algorithms should tune themselves to their environment. The algorithms that we propose are software remedies to hardware shortcomings; they do not require changes to the hardware, however warranted these changes might be, but they may require that we periodically measure certain expected values or probability distributions. We devote the majority of this dissertation to studying buffer overflow as it occurs during reliable, local area network, multicast. We develop a multiple round, soft real-time algorithm that trades latency for computational overhead: an n-round multicast is slower but suffers less computational overhead than an (n + 1)-round multicast. Our prototype system measures the buffer service time distribution and employs it to calculate the algorithm's retransmission timeouts. We develop a preemptive, limited buffer queueing model that accurately models an operating system's communication protocol processes. We study a memory contention problem that occurs during synchronization of bus-oriented, shared-memory multiprocessors with snoopy, invalidation-based caches. The contention occurs when such multiprocessors cache lock variables, lack advanced synchronization instructions, and synchronize with a test-and-set instruction embedded in a busy waiting loop. This type of synchronization structure has been dubbed a spin-lock. When a spin-lock is released, the cache invalidation signal can cause a burst of memory activity that we call an invalidation storm. Remedies for invalidation storms can waste memory cycles. Our spin-lock backoff algorithm wastes twenty to fifty percent fewer cycles than a recently proposed algorithm. We consider how to calculate remote procedure call retransmission timeouts on lossy networks and on tariff-bearing networks with selectable grades of service. We develop an expression to calculate the optimal retransmission timeout and network service grade that minimizes a cost function composed of computational overhead, round trip service time, and network tariffs.
What the Crowd Yields: Considerations When Crowdsourcing

In this age of emerging technologies and fragmented populations, the ability to obtain cost-effective data from a broad sample is more elusive than ever. Crowdsourcing is a potentially attractive solution to the challenge of recruiting hard to reach participants. Crowdsourcing is defined as the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent (usually an employee) and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people in the form of an open call (Howe 2006). Previous research has shown that this method can be effective at gathering reliable data, while enjoying the benefits discussed above (Behrend et al. 2011). While the ability to acquire data through open call web sources such as Amazon Mechanical Turk has been demonstrated, the quality of the data is a key concern. Wais et al. 2010 attempted to address this issue with their work on filtering low-quality results to improve quality. We have built on that approach, while also including a training task as (Le et al. 2010) have to accelerate the learning process. Crowdsourcing allows you to quickly reach a wide array of potential respondents and there is a need to ensure that you include these quality controls to reduce data quality issues. In many cases the respondents to these services will be taking part in multiple studies at once, often driven by the advertised incentives. While you cannot ethically deny payment of an incentive when a respondent participates in good faith, it is justifiable to monitor the quality of returns for unusable submissions to protect the integrity of your process. In this research we will share some results of a pilot study conducted by Nielsen between September 7th 2012 and October 17th 2012 within Hyderabad India.
METANET: A MACROSCOPIC SIMULATION PROGRAM FOR MOTORWAY NETWORKS

A dynamic simulation tool for traffic engineering problems in motorway networks, including multiple origins, multiple destinations and alternative routes, is presented. The basic equations of purely macroscopic modelling approach are explained and the input requirements are briefly described. Accuracy of simulation results is examined on the basis of real-life measurements from an example network in the South of Paris.
Integrated track splitting suite of target tracking filters

This paper presents new algorithms for mulfi-scan, single target and multi target tracking in clutter. The algorithms from the Integrated Track Splif- ring (ITS) family offilters model each track as a set of components, where each component has a unique meas- uremenf history which consists ofzero or one measure- men1 received each scan. For each componenf, as well as for each track, the state estimate and the a-posferiori probability of component existence are computed recur- sively. Three algorithms are presenfed in fhis paper. The ITSfilfer is a single target tracking algorithm. The Joint ITS (JITS) filter is a multi target tracking algorithm which calculafes the a-posteriori probabilities of all pos- sible measurement-to-track assignmenfs, from which a- posteriori probabilities of component and track existence are computed. In each scan, fhe number of assignments grows exponentially in the number of trach and the num- ber of measuremenfs involved. The Linear Joint ITS (I-IITS) filter is anofher multi targef tracking algorifhm which decouples individual tracks in a mulfi-hack sifua- tion using the a-priori probabilities of possible measure- ment origins. In each scan, the LJlTSfilfer has a number of operations which is linear in the number offracks and the number of measurements involved.
Approche connexionniste au problème de l'extraction de connaissances terminologiques à partir de textes

L'extraction de connaissances terminologiques sur des bases de données textuelles posent des problèmes. Comment maintenir un processus d'extraction opérationnel malgré la quantité massive de textes à traiter et qui sont en constante modifications. Nous proposons une approche connexionniste au problème. Cette approche permet d'appliquer les capacités classificatoires dynamiques des réseaux de neurones à un corpus textuel. Le domaine particulier d'application choisi pour cette expérience fut l'identification de réseaux lexicaux susceptibles d'interprétation sémantique par un terminologue. Le traitement connexionniste est intégré à des processus linéaires rapides de pré-traitement et post-traitement du texte. La chaîne de traitement ainsi produite allie dynamicité et rapidité pour fournir à l'usager terminologue un appui inestimable dans sa tâche d'extraction des connaissances.
A new family of low-voltage circuits based on quasi-floating gate transistors

A new family of very low-voltage analog circuits is introduced. These circuits do not show the GB degradation that characterizes other low-voltage approaches based on floating-gate transistors. The proposed approach is validated with experimental results of a CMOS mixer with 0.7 V input signal swing that operates on a single 0.8 V supply with transistor threshold voltages of 0.67 V.
Data quality issues: from insemination to genetic analysis

The analysis of applied methods revealed a large variety in national evaluation systems (Jorjani, 1999; 2000a), which partially are explained by the evolution of systems. The discussions in Zurich and Bled gave us the task to document the differences and stimulate the discussion for more uniformity in national evaluations. Hosein Jorjani did a good job in the documentation of applied methods (2000b), but I am not quite sure, if all the questions were answered in the correct way. Therefore we all should go once more through the resp. country answers to check, if the sheets in IB-bulletin No. 24 contains the right answers.
Estimation of morphologically varying single evoked brain potentials

The authors present a new parametric estimator for single morphologically varying evoked potentials (MVEP's). The estimator can detect changes in specific components within the evoked potential complex, extending current methods which only compensate for global latency and gain variations with respect to the averaged evoked response. The authors demonstrate the performance of the estimator on simulated signals at low signal to noise ratios and on movement related brain potentials. The results presented confirm that single MVEP's can be successfully estimated from the noisy background activity, which enables tracking the transient qualities of single evoked responses throughout the experimental session. <<ETX>>
Radio coverage in buildings

For future personal communications services a very high standard of radio coverage within buildings will be essential. To achieve this standard requires good prediction models to make planning and installation of these systems as easy and cheap as possible. An appropriate model is evolved here for coverage at 864 MHz and 1728 MHz; these being the frequency bands of interest for these services. At each stage of the development of this model its prediction is compared with measured data in two contrasting types of building
Multi-Agent Framework for Social Customer Relationship Management Systems

Social customer relationship management (CRM) systems have become an interesting research area for designers of management information systems. Designers have mainly concentrated on seeking the appropriate tools and technologies that would enable gathering, processing, analyzing and monitoring huge amounts of information in social media. Many previous tools and approaches used to design management information systems seem to be insufficient for social CRM systems. They need the technology and the approach based on modular design where modules (agents) specialize in solving a particular aspect of the problem and are able to interoperate and coordinate with each other in peer-to peer interactions. The main purpose of this paper is to present an idea of social CRM, and first of all a multi-agent approach for designing and developing social CRM systems. This approach is to manage complex customer relationships in the world of social media. The agent technology provides an extension and alternative to customer relationship management with flexible and distributed features. In multi-agent approach, different activities are delegated to a number of autonomous agents. can gain many benefits beings as well as machines or software applications. Each of them has awareness of a particular situation and can make real-time decisions on different activities. To demonstrate this approach the prototype of a multi-agent social CRM system (MASCRM) is described. MASCRM uses the agent technology in the Facebook environment. The implementation of the prototype is explained and some results obtained are discussed. The paper provides some valuable information on using a multi-agent approach for designing social CRM systems. The findings and outcomes should be useful for any designers of social CRM systems and for all organizations willing to use these systems.
Micro-mechanical logic for field produceable gate arrays

A paradigm of micro-mechanical gates for field produceable logic is explored. A desktop manufacturing system is sought after which is capable of printing functional logic devices in the field. A logic scheme which induces non-linearities via geometrical properties is considered. Logic devices in two-phase air-water fluid-dynamic system at micron scales are constructed. A systematic study of non-linearities and relevant force fields in fluid dynamics at low Reynolds Number is undertaken. Viscous forces dominate inertial forces at low Reynolds Number flows at low pressure. Thus devices based on non-linear inertial effects at high Reynolds numbers can not be scaled down to micron-sizes. Bubble microfluidic logic gates are invented to tackle the above problem, thus producing low Reynolds Number logic in newtonian fluids. Various devices including AND/OR gates, NOT gate, nonvolatile bistable memory, shift registers and ON/OFF flow valves, based on this new scheme of bubble bubble interaction in microfluidic devices to induce non-linearity, are designed and characterized. On-chip bubble generators and annihilators are used for encoding and destroying information in bubble logic devices. Applications of the above described logic devices as a flow control strategy for droplet based Lab-on-chip devices is explored. A simple to construct in-situ pressure sensor based on the principle of compressibility of an air bubble in microfluidic devices is invented. A scheme of controlled bubble/droplet movement in shift registers via pulsating pressure fields for precise temporal control of start of microfluidic reactions is proposed. Excimer laser micromachining of boro-silicate glass is developed to direct write 3D microfluidic structures. Laser ablation process using a ArF based 193nm laser for machining is characterized using laser confocal microscopy techniques. Single bubble cavitation induced by laser pulses is developed as a process for writing micro-bubbles at precise locations in microfluidic channels. Thesis Supervisor: Neil Gershenfeld Title: Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences
Confidence and rejection in automatic speech recognition

Automatic speech recognition (ASR) is performed imperfectly by computers. For some designated part (e.g., word or phrase) of the ASR output, rejection is deciding (yes or no) whether it is correct, and confidence is the probability (0.0 to 1.0) of it being correct. This thesis presents new methods of rejecting errors and estimating confidence for telephone speech. These are also called word or utterance verification and can be used in wordspotting or voice-response systems. Open-set or out-of-vocabulary situations are a primary focus. Language models are not considered. In vocabulary-dependent rejection all words in the target vocabulary are known in advance and a strategy can be developed for confirming each word. A word-specific artificial neural network (ANN) is shown to discriminate well, and scores from such ANNs are shown on a closed-set recognition task to reorder the N-best hypothesis list (N=3) for improved recognition performance. Segment-based duration and perceptual linear prediction (PLP) features are shown to perform well for such ANNs. The majority of the thesis concerns vocabulary- and task-independent confidence and rejection based on phonetic word models. These can be computed for words even when no training examples of those words have been seen. New techniques are developed using phoneme ranks instead of probabilities in each frame. These are shown to perform as well as the best other methods examined despite the data reduction involved. Certain new weighted averaging schemes are studied but found to give no performance benefit. Hierarchical averaging is shown to improve performance significantly: frame scores combine to make segment (phoneme state) scores, which combine to make phoneme scores, which combine to make word scores. Use of intermediate syllable scores is shown to not affect performance. Normalizing frame scores by an average of the top probabilities in each frame is shown to improve performance significantly. Perplexity of the wrong-word set is shown to be an important factor in computing the impostor probability used in the likelihood ratio. Bootstrap parameter estimation techniques are used to assess the significance of performance differences.
RADAR, IMAGE PROCESSING, AND INTERPRETER PERFORMANCE

A test was conducted to determine to what extent a novel radar processing technique (non-coherent averaging) improves the detectability of targets imaged by SAR systems. Eight radar interpreters performed a radar exploitation task using both conventional and non-coherent processing methods. Comparative performance measures of detection accuracy scores and timeliness were calculated. The results indicated that, for analysis of the imagery with the non-coherent technique, interpreter performance was superior to that using conventional image processing techniques.
Client puzzles: A cryptographic defense against connection depletion

The snap-in mounting means includes a ring-like retainer member disposed in an annular groove provided near the outer end of an elongated bushing which extends from a switch frame member on a switch base of an electrical toggle switch assembly and pivotally supports a toggle lever for actuating switch contacts housed in the switch base. The retainer member is radially compressible and expandable in the bushing groove between a normally expanded position where its outer dimension is larger than the dimension of the mounting hole in a support panel on which a switch assembly is to be mounted and a compressed position where it can pass through the mounting hole.