Abstract: Computer animation is a widely adopted technique used to specify the movement of various objects on screen. The key issue of this technique is the specification of motion. Motion Control Methods are such methods which are used to specify the actions of objects. This paper discusses the various types of motion control methods with special focus on behavioral animation. A behavioral model is also proposed which takes into account the emotions and perceptions of an actor which in turn generate its behavior. This model makes use of an expert system to generate tasks for the actors which specify the actions to be performed in the virtual environment.
Abstract: This paper presents the experimental results of
comparison between leakage currents and discharge currents. The leakage currents were obtained on polluted porcelain insulator.
Whereas, the discharge currents were obtained on lightly artificial
polluted porcelain specimen. The conducted measurements were
leakage current or discharge current and applied voltage. The insulator or specimen was in a hermetically sealed chamber, and the
current waveforms were analyzed using FFT.
The result indicated that the leakage current (LC) on low RH condition the fifth harmonic would be visible, and followed by the
seventh harmonic. The insulator had capacitive property. Otherwise,
on 99% relative humidity, the fifth harmonic would also be visible,
and the phase angle reached up to 12.2 degree. Whereas, on discharge current, the third harmonic would be visible, and followed
by fifth harmonic. The third harmonic would increase as pressure reduced. On this condition, the specimen had a non-linear characteristics
Abstract: Flow-shop scheduling problem (FSP) deals with the
scheduling of a set of jobs that visit a set of machines in the same
order. The FSP is NP-hard, which means that an efficient algorithm
for solving the problem to optimality is unavailable. To meet the
requirements on time and to minimize the make-span performance of
large permutation flow-shop scheduling problems in which there are
sequence dependent setup times on each machine, this paper
develops one hybrid genetic algorithms (HGA). Proposed HGA
apply a modified approach to generate population of initial
chromosomes and also use an improved heuristic called the iterated
swap procedure to improve initial solutions. Also the author uses
three genetic operators to make good new offspring. The results are
compared to some recently developed heuristics and computational
experimental results show that the proposed HGA performs very
competitively with respect to accuracy and efficiency of solution.
Abstract: For positive integer s and t, the Ramsey number R(s, t)
is the least positive integer n such that for every graph G of order n, either G contains Ks as a subgraph or G contains Kt as a subgraph.
We construct the circulant graphs and use them to obtain lower bounds of some small Ramsey numbers.
Abstract: The fluorescent pseudomonad strain R81 is a root
colonizing rhizobacteria which promotes the growth of many plants
by various mechanisms. Its broth containing siderophore (ironchelating
compound) and 2,4- diacetyl phloroglucinol (DAPG) is
used for preparing bioinoculant formulations for agronomical
applications. Glycerol was found to be the best carbon source for
improved biomass production. Splitting of nitrogen source to NH4Cl
and urea had a stabilizing effect on pH during batch cultivation. Ltryptophan
at 0.5 % in the medium increased the siderophore
production to 850 mg/l. During batch cultivation of the strain in a
bioreactor, a maximum of 4 g/l of dry cell mass, 1.8 g/l of
siderophore and 20 mg/l of DAPG was achieved when glycerol was
15 g/l and C/N ratio was maintained at 12.5. In case of intermittent
feeding of fresh medium during fed-batch cultivation, the dry cell
mass was increased to 25 g/l with improved production of DAPG to
70 mg/l.
Abstract: Dengue fever has become a major concern for health
authorities all over the world particularly in the tropical countries.
These countries, in particular are experiencing the most worrying
outbreak of dengue fever (DF) and dengue haemorrhagic fever
(DHF). The DF and DHF epidemics, thus, have become the main
causes of hospital admissions and deaths in Malaysia. This paper,
therefore, attempts to examine the environmental factors that may
influence the recent dengue outbreak. The aim of this study is twofold,
firstly is to establish a statistical model to describe the
relationship between the number of dengue cases and a range of
explanatory variables and secondly, to identify the lag operator for
explanatory variables which affect the dengue incidence the most.
The explanatory variables involved include the level of cloud cover,
percentage of relative humidity, amount of rainfall, maximum
temperature, minimum temperature and wind speed. The Poisson and
Negative Binomial regression analyses were used in this study. The
results of the analyses on the 915 observations (daily data taken from
July 2006 to Dec 2008), reveal that the climatic factors comprising of
daily temperature and wind speed were found to significantly
influence the incidence of dengue fever after 2 and 3 weeks of their
occurrences. The effect of humidity, on the other hand, appears to be
significant only after 2 weeks.
Abstract: Technical laboratories are typically considered as
highly hazardous places in the polytechnic institution when
addressing the problems of high incidences and fatality rates. In
conjunction with several topics covered in the technical curricular,
safety and health precaution should be highlighted in order to
connect to few key ideas of being safe. Therefore the assessment of
safety awareness in terms of safety and health about hazardous and
risks at laboratories is needed and has to be incorporated with
technical education and other training programmes. The purpose of
this study was to determine the efficacy of technical laboratory safety
in one of the polytechnics in northern region. The study examined
three related issues that were; the availability of safety material and
equipment, safety practice adopted by technical teachers and
administrator-s safety attitudes in enforcing safety to the students. A
model of efficacy technical laboratory was developed to test the
linear relationship between existing safety material and equipment,
teachers- safety practice and administrators- attitude in enforcing
safety and to identify which of technical laboratory safety issues was
the most pertinent factor to realize safety in technical laboratory.
This was done by analyzing survey-based data sets particularly those
obtained from samples of 210 students in the polytechnic. The
Pearson Correlation was used to measure the association between the
variables and to test the research hypotheses. The result of the study
has found that there was a significant correlation between existing
safety material and equipment, safety practice adopted by teacher
and administrator-s attitude. There was also a significant relationship
between technical laboratory safety and safety practice adopted by
teacher and between technical laboratory safety and administrator
attitude. Hence, safety practice adopted by teacher and administrator
attitude is vital in realizing technical laboratory safety.
Abstract: Space Vector Modulation (SVM) is an optimum Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technique for an inverter used in a variable frequency drive applications. It is computationally rigorous and hence limits the inverter switching frequency. Increase in switching frequency can be achieved using Neural Network (NN) based SVM, implemented on application specific chips. This paper proposes a neural network based SVM technique for a Voltage Source Inverter (VSI). The network proposed is independent of switching frequency. Different architectures are investigated keeping the total number of neurons constant. The performance of the inverter is compared for various switching frequencies for different architectures of NN based SVM. From the results obtained, the network with minimum resource and appropriate word length is identified. The bit precision required for this application is identified. The network with 8-bit precision is implemented in the IC XCV 400 and the results are presented. The performance of NN based general purpose SVM with higher bit precision is discussed.
Abstract: In the current study we present a system that is
capable to deliver proxy based differentiated service. It will help the
carrier service node to sell a prepaid service to clients and limit the
use to a particular mobile device or devices for a certain time. The
system includes software and hardware architecture for a mobile
device with moderate computational power, and a secure protocol for
communication between it and its carrier service node. On the
carrier service node a proxy runs on a centralized server to be
capable of implementing cryptographic algorithms, while the mobile
device contains a simple embedded processor capable of executing
simple algorithms. One prerequisite is needed for the system to run
efficiently that is a presence of Global Trusted Verification Authority
(GTVA) which is equivalent to certifying authority in IP networks.
This system appears to be of great interest for many commercial
transactions, business to business electronic and mobile commerce,
and military applications.
Abstract: Using bottom-up image processing algorithms to predict human eye fixations and extract the relevant embedded information in images has been widely applied in the design of active machine vision systems. Scene text is an important feature to be extracted, especially in vision-based mobile robot navigation as many potential landmarks such as nameplates and information signs contain text. This paper proposes an edge-based text region extraction algorithm, which is robust with respect to font sizes, styles, color/intensity, orientations, and effects of illumination, reflections, shadows, perspective distortion, and the complexity of image backgrounds. Performance of the proposed algorithm is compared against a number of widely used text localization algorithms and the results show that this method can quickly and effectively localize and extract text regions from real scenes and can be used in mobile robot navigation under an indoor environment to detect text based landmarks.
Abstract: This paper reviews the optimization available
transmission capability (ATC) of power systems using a device of
FACTS named SSSC equipped with energy storage devices. So that,
emplacement and improvement of parameters of SSSC will be
illustrated. Thus, voltage magnitude constraints of network buses,
line transient stability constraints and voltage breakdown constraints
are considered. To help the calculations, a comprehensive program in
DELPHI is provided, which is able to simulate and trace the
parameters of SSSC has been installed on a specific line.
Furthermore, the provided program is able to compute ATC, TTC
and maximum value of their enhancement after using SSSC.
Abstract: We developed a GPS-based navigation device for the
blind, with audio guidance in Thai language. The device is composed
of simple and inexpensive hardware components. Its user interface is
quite simple. It determines optimal routes to various landmarks in our
university campus by using heuristic search for the next waypoints.
We tested the device and made note of its limitations and possible
extensions.
Abstract: Gene Ontology terms have been actively used to annotate various protein sets. SWISS-PROT, TrEMBL, and InterPro are protein databases that are annotated according to the Gene Ontology terms. However, direct implementation of the Gene Ontology terms for annotation of anonymous protein sequences is not easy, especially for species not commonly represented in biological databases. UTMGO is developed as a tool that allows the user to quickly and easily search for a group of semantically related Gene Ontology terms. The applicability of the UTMGO is demonstrated by applying it to annotation of anonymous protein sequence. The extended UTMGO uses the Gene Ontology terms together with protein sequences associated with the terms to perform the annotation task. GOPET, GOtcha, GoFigure, and JAFA are used to compare the performance of the extended UTMGO.
Abstract: This paper presents the experimental results of silicone rubber housing material for 24kV lightning arrester under artificial accelerated ageing test based on IEC 61109 specifications. Specimens having inclined and alternated shed made of HTV silicone rubber with ATH content and having leakage distance 625 mm were tested continuously 1000 hrs in artificial salt fog chamber. After 1000 hrs of salt fog ageing test, obviously surface erosion was observed on trunk between the upper large shed and the lower small shed near the energized end. Decreasing in hydrophobicity and increasing in hardness were measured on tested specimen comparing with new specimen. Chemical analysis by ATR-FTIR confirmed the observation results.
Abstract: Thousands of masters athletes participate
quadrennially in the World Masters Games (WMG), yet this cohort
of athletes remains proportionately under-investigated. Due to a
growing global obesity pandemic in context of benefits of physical
activity across the lifespan, the BMI trends for this unique population
was of particular interest. The nexus between health, physical
activity and aging is complex and has raised much interest in recent
times due to the realization that a multifaceted approach is necessary
in order to counteract the obesity pandemic. By investigating age
based trends within a population adhering to competitive sport at
older ages, further insight might be gleaned to assist in understanding
one of many factors influencing this relationship.BMI was derived
using data gathered on a total of 6,071 masters athletes (51.9% male,
48.1% female) aged 25 to 91 years ( =51.5, s =±9.7), competing at
the Sydney World Masters Games (2009). Using linear and loess
regression it was demonstrated that the usual tendency for prevalence
of higher BMI increasing with age was reversed in the sample. This
trend in reversal was repeated for both male and female only sub-sets
of the sample participants, indicating the possibility of improved
prevalence of BMI with increasing age for both the sample as a
whole and these individual sub-groups.This evidence of improved
classification in one index of health (reduced BMI) for masters
athletes (when compared to the general population) implies there are
either improved levels of this index of health with aging due to
adherence to sport or possibly the reduced BMI is advantageous and
contributes to this cohort adhering (or being attracted) to masters
sport at older ages.
Abstract: The paper shows the necessity to increase the security
level for paper management in the cadastral field by using specific
graphical watermarks. Using the graphical watermarking will
increase the security in the cadastral content management;
furthermore any altered document will be validated afterwards of its
originality by checking the graphic watermark. If, by any reasons the
document is changed for counterfeiting, it is invalidated and found
that is an illegal copy due to the graphic check of the watermarking,
check made at pixel level
Abstract: Life is beautiful. But, it is decided by genes, environment and the individual and shattered by the natural and / or the invited problems. Most of the global rural helpless masses are struggling for their survival since; they are neglected in all aspects of life including health. Amidst a countless number of miserable diseases in man, diabetes is becoming a dreaded killer and ramifying the entire globe in a jet speed. Diabetes control continues as a Herculean task to the scientific community and the modern society in the 21st century also. T2DM is not pertaining to any age and it can develop even during the childhood. This multifactorial disease abruptly changes the activities of certain vital biomarkers in the present rural T2DM cases. A remarkable variation in the levels of biomarkers like AST, ALT, GGT, ALP, LDH, HbA1C, C- peptide, fasting sugar, post-prandial sugar, sodium, potassium, BUN, creatinine and insulin show the rampant nature of T2DM in this physically active rural agrarian community.
Abstract: This paper describes the development of an
autonomous robot for painting the interior walls of buildings. The
robot consists of a painting arm with an end effector roller that scans
the walls vertically and a mobile platform to give horizontal feed to
paint the whole area of the wall. The painting arm has a planar twolink
mechanism with two joints. Joints are driven from a stepping
motor through a ball screw-nut mechanism. Four ultrasonic sensors
are attached to the mobile platform and used to maintain a certain
distance from the facing wall and to avoid collision with side walls.
When settled on adjusted distance from the wall, the controller starts
the painting process autonomously. Simplicity, relatively low weight
and short painting time were considered in our design. Different
modules constituting the robot have been separately tested then
integrated. Experiments have shown successfulness of the robot in its
intended tasks.
Abstract: In this survey the process of crack propagation at the
toe of concrete gravity dam is investigated by applying principals
and criteria of linear elastic fracture mechanic. Simulating process of
earthquake conditions for three models of dam with different
geometrical condition, in empty reservoir under plain stress is
calculated through special fracture mechanic software FRANNC2D
[1] for determining fracture mechanic criteria. The outcomes showed
that in spite of the primary expectations, the simultaneous existence
of fillet in both toe and heel area (model 3), the rate of maximum
principal stress has not been decreased; however, even the maximum
principal stress has increased, so it caused stress intensity factors
increase which is undesirable. On the other hand, the dam with heel
fillet has shown the best attitude and it is because of items like
decreasing the rates of maximum and minimum principal stresses and
also is related to decreasing the rates of stress intensity factors for 1st
& 2nd modes of the model.