Abstract: E-Learning systems are used by many learners and
teachers. The developer is developing the e-Learning system. However,
the developer cannot do system construction to satisfy all of
users- demands. We discuss a method of constructing e-Learning
systems where learners and teachers can design, try to use, and share
extending system functions that they want to use; which may be nally
added to the system by system managers.
Abstract: The “PYRAMIDS" Block Cipher is a symmetric encryption algorithm of a 64, 128, 256-bit length, that accepts a variable key length of 128, 192, 256 bits. The algorithm is an iterated cipher consisting of repeated applications of a simple round transformation with different operations and different sequence in each round. The algorithm was previously software implemented in Cµ code. In this paper, a hardware implementation of the algorithm, using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), is presented. In this work, we discuss the algorithm, the implemented micro-architecture, and the simulation and implementation results. Moreover, we present a detailed comparison with other implemented standard algorithms. In addition, we include the floor plan as well as the circuit diagrams of the various micro-architecture modules.
Abstract: Designing and implementing intelligent systems has become a crucial factor for the innovation and development of better products of space technologies. A neural network is a parallel system, capable of resolving paradigms that linear computing cannot. Field programmable gate array (FPGA) is a digital device that owns reprogrammable properties and robust flexibility. For the neural network based instrument prototype in real time application, conventional specific VLSI neural chip design suffers the limitation in time and cost. With low precision artificial neural network design, FPGAs have higher speed and smaller size for real time application than the VLSI and DSP chips. So, many researchers have made great efforts on the realization of neural network (NN) using FPGA technique. In this paper, an introduction of ANN and FPGA technique are briefly shown. Also, Hardware Description Language (VHDL) code has been proposed to implement ANNs as well as to present simulation results with floating point arithmetic. Synthesis results for ANN controller are developed using Precision RTL. Proposed VHDL implementation creates a flexible, fast method and high degree of parallelism for implementing ANN. The implementation of multi-layer NN using lookup table LUT reduces the resource utilization for implementation and time for execution.
Abstract: Today, people are more interested in the foods
beneficial on their health. However, there are still lacks of accurate
knowledge in the field of biological properties, functional properties,
including the application of legume in foods. This study focused on
antioxidant activity of soybean (SB) and fermented soybean (FSB)
crude extracts evaluating to have more information in fortification SB
and FSB crude extracts in food products and/or dietary supplement.
SB and FSB crude extracts were prepared by infusion with water and
ethanol. The antioxidant activity of crude extracts was studied with
DPPH and ABTS assay including commercial standard. From both
DPPH and ABTS assay, the antioxidant activity of SB and FSB water
crude extract showed higher antioxidant activity than ethanol crude
extract, and FSB crude extract showed higher antioxidant activity
than SB crude extract. In DPPH assay, BHT and vitamin C showed
IC50 values at 0.241, 0.039 mg/ml, in ABTS assay. In addition,
Trolox showed IC50 at 0.058 mg/ml respectively. FSB water crude
extract showed high antioxidant activity. Finally, the functional
properties study of both water and ethanol crude extracts should be
done for beneficial in application of these extracts in food products
and dietary supplement in the near future.
Abstract: Functional gastrointestinal disorders affect millions of people spread all age regardless of race and sex. There are, however, rare diagnostic methods for the functional gastrointestinal disorders because functional disorders show no evidence of organic and physical causes. Our research group identified recently that the gastrointestinal tract well in the patients with the functional gastrointestinal disorders becomes more rigid than healthy people when palpating the abdominal regions overlaying the gastrointestinal tract. Aim of this study is, therefore, to develop a diagnostic system for the functional gastrointestinal disorders based on ultrasound technique, which can quantify the characteristic above related to the rigidity of the gastrointestinal tract well. Ultrasound system was designed. The system consisted of transmitter, ultrasonic transducer, receiver, TGC, and CPLD, and verified via a phantom test. For the phantom test, ten soft-tissue specimens were harvested from porcine. Five of them were then treated chemically to mimic a rigid condition of gastrointestinal tract well, which was induced by functional gastrointestinal disorders. Additionally, the specimens were tested mechanically to identify if the mimic was reasonable. The customized ultrasound system was finally verified through application to human subjects with/without functional gastrointestinal disorders (Normal and Patient Groups). It was identified from the mechanical test that the chemically treated specimens were more rigid than normal specimen. This finding was favorably compared with the result obtained from the phantom test. The phantom test also showed that ultrasound system well described the specimen geometric characteristics and detected an alteration in the specimens. The maximum amplitude of the ultrasonic reflective signal in the rigid specimens (0.2±0.1Vp-p) at the interface between the fat and muscle layers was explicitly higher than that in the normal specimens (0.1±0.0Vp-p). Clinical tests using our customized ultrasound system for human subject showed that the maximum amplitudes of the ultrasonic reflective signals near to the gastrointestinal tract well for the patient group (2.6±0.3Vp-p) were generally higher than those in normal group (0.1±0.2Vp-p). Here, maximum reflective signals was appeared at 20mm depth approximately from abdominal skin for all human subjects, corresponding to the location of the boundary layer close to gastrointestinal tract well. These results suggest that newly designed diagnostic system based on ultrasound technique may diagnose enough the functional gastrointestinal disorders.
Abstract: This paper addresses control of commutation of switched reluctance (SR) motor without the use of a physical position detector. Rotor position detection schemes for SR motor based on magnetisation characteristics of the motor use normal excitation or applied current /voltage pulses. The resulting schemes are referred to as passive or active methods respectively. The research effort is in realizing an economical sensorless SR rotor position detector that is accurate, reliable and robust to suit a particular application. An effective and reliable means of generating commutation signals of an SR motor based on inductance profile of its stator windings determined using active probing technique is presented. The scheme has been validated online using a 4-phase 8/6 SR motor and an 8-bit processor.
Abstract: In this paper, we propose a new modular approach called neuroglial consisting of two neural networks slow and fast which emulates a biological reality recently discovered. The implementation is based on complex multi-time scale systems; validation is performed on the model of the asynchronous machine. We applied the geometric approach based on the Gerschgorin circles for the decoupling of fast and slow variables, and the method of singular perturbations for the development of reductions models.
This new architecture allows for smaller networks with less complexity and better performance in terms of mean square error and convergence than the single network model.
Abstract: Route bus system is the fundamental public transportation
system and has an important role in every province. To improve
the usability of it greatly, we develop an AR application for "Bus-
Net". The Bus-Net system is the shortest path planning system.
Bus-Net supports bus users to make a plan to change buses by
providing them with information about the direction. However, with
Bus-Net, these information are provided in text-base. It is difficult
to understand them for the person who does not know the place. We
developed the AR application for Bus-Net. It supports the action of
a bus user in an innovative way by putting information on a camera
picture and leading the way to a bus stop. The application also inform
the user the correct bus to get, the direction the bus takes and the
fare, which ease many anxieties and worries people tend to feel when
they take buses.
Abstract: An accident is an unexpected and unplanned situation
that happens and affects human in a negative outcome. The accident
can cause an injury to a human biological organism. Thus, the
provision of initial care for an illness or injury is very important
move to prepare the patients/victims before sending to the doctor. In
this paper, a First Aid Application is developed to give some
directions for preliminary taking care of patient/victim via Android
mobile device. Also, the navigation function using Google Maps API
is implemented in this paper for searching a suitable path to the
nearest hospital. Therefore, in the emergency case, this function can
be activated and navigate patients/victims to the hospital with the
shortest path.
Abstract: The Kansei engineering is a technology which
converts human feelings into quantitative terms and helps designers
develop new products that meet customers- expectation. Standard
Kansei engineering procedure involves finding relationships between
human feelings and design elements of which many researchers have
found forward and backward relationship through various soft
computing techniques. In this paper, we proposed the framework of
Kansei engineering linking relationship not only between human
feelings and design elements, but also the whole part of product, by
constructing association rules. In this experiment, we obtain input
from emotion score that subjects rate when they see the whole part of
the product by applying semantic differentials. Then, association
rules are constructed to discover the combination of design element
which affects the human feeling. The results of our experiment
suggest the pattern of relationship of design elements according to
human feelings which can be derived from the whole part of product.
Abstract: Diagnostic goal of transformers in service is to detect the winding or the core in fault. Transformers are valuable equipment which makes a major contribution to the supply security of a power system. Consequently, it is of great importance to minimize the frequency and duration of unwanted outages of power transformers. So, Frequency Response Analysis (FRA) is found to be a useful tool for reliable detection of incipient mechanical fault in a transformer, by finding winding or core defects. The authors propose as first part of this article, the coupled circuits method, because, it gives most possible exhaustive modelling of transformers. And as second part of this work, the application of FRA in low frequency in order to improve and simplify the response reading. This study can be useful as a base data for the other transformers of the same categories intended for distribution grid.
Abstract: Carbon fibers have specific characteristics in
comparison with industrial and structural materials used in different
applications. Special properties of carbon fibers make them attractive
for reinforcing and fabrication of composites. These fibers have been
utilized for composites of metals, ceramics and plastics. However,
it-s mainly used in different forms to reinforce lightweight polymer
materials such as epoxy resin, polyesters or polyamides. The
composites of carbon fiber are stronger than steel, stiffer than
titanium, and lighter than aluminum and nowadays they are used in a
variety of applications. This study explains applications of carbon
fibers in different fields such as space, aviation, transportation,
medical, construction, energy, sporting goods, electronics, and the
other commercial/industrial applications. The last findings of
composites with polymer, metal and ceramic matrices containing
carbon fibers and their applications in the world investigated.
Researches show that carbon fibers-reinforced composites due to
unique properties (including high specific strength and specific
modulus, low thermal expansion coefficient, high fatigue strength,
and high thermal stability) can be replaced with common industrial
and structural materials.
Abstract: The approach based on the wavelet transform has
been widely used for image denoising due to its multi-resolution
nature, its ability to produce high levels of noise reduction and the
low level of distortion introduced. However, by removing noise, high
frequency components belonging to edges are also removed, which
leads to blurring the signal features. This paper proposes a new
method of image noise reduction based on local variance and edge
analysis. The analysis is performed by dividing an image into 32 x 32
pixel blocks, and transforming the data into wavelet domain. Fast
lifting wavelet spatial-frequency decomposition and reconstruction is
developed with the advantages of being computationally efficient and
boundary effects minimized. The adaptive thresholding by local
variance estimation and edge strength measurement can effectively
reduce image noise while preserve the features of the original image
corresponding to the boundaries of the objects. Experimental results
demonstrate that the method performs well for images contaminated
by natural and artificial noise, and is suitable to be adapted for
different class of images and type of noises. The proposed algorithm
provides a potential solution with parallel computation for real time
or embedded system application.
Abstract: Classification is an interesting problem in functional
data analysis (FDA), because many science and application problems
end up with classification problems, such as recognition, prediction,
control, decision making, management, etc. As the high dimension
and high correlation in functional data (FD), it is a key problem to
extract features from FD whereas keeping its global characters, which
relates to the classification efficiency and precision to heavens. In this
paper, a novel automatic method which combined Genetic Algorithm
(GA) and classification algorithm to extract classification features is
proposed. In this method, the optimal features and classification model
are approached via evolutional study step by step. It is proved by
theory analysis and experiment test that this method has advantages in
improving classification efficiency, precision and robustness whereas
using less features and the dimension of extracted classification
features can be controlled.
Abstract: Background, measuring an individual-s Health
Literacy is gaining attention, yet no appropriate instrument is available
in Taiwan. Measurement tools that were developed and used in
western countries may not be appropriate for use in Taiwan due to a
different language system. Purpose of this research was to develop a
Health Literacy measurement instrument specific for Taiwan adults.
Methods, several experts of clinic physicians; healthcare
administrators and scholars identified 125 common used health related
Chinese phrases from major medical knowledge sources that easy
accessible to the public. A five-point Likert scale is used to measure
the understanding level of the target population. Such measurement is
then used to compare with the correctness of their answers to a health
knowledge test for validation. Samples, samples under study were
purposefully taken from four groups of people in the northern
Pingtung, OPD patients, university students, community residents,
and casual visitors to the central park. A set of health knowledge index
with 10 questions is used to screen those false responses. A sample
size of 686 valid cases out of 776 was then included to construct this
scale. An independent t-test was used to examine each individual
phrase. The phrases with the highest significance are then identified
and retained to compose this scale. Result, a Taiwan Health Literacy
Scale (THLS) was finalized with 66 health-related phrases under nine
divisions. Cronbach-s alpha of each division is at a satisfactory level
of 89% and above. Conclusions, factors significantly differentiate the
levels of health literacy are education, female gender, age, family
members of stroke victims, experience with patient care, and
healthcare professionals in the initial application in this study..
Abstract: Stochastic comparison has been an important
direction of research in various area. This can be done by the use of
the notion of stochastic ordering which gives qualitatitive rather than
purely quantitative estimation of the system under study. In this
paper we present applications of comparison based uncertainty
related to entropy in Reliability analysis, for example to design
better systems. These results can be used as a priori information in
simulation studies.
Abstract: The Principal component regression (PCR) is a
combination of principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression (MLR). The objective of this paper is to revise the
use of PCR in shortwave near infrared (SWNIR) (750-1000nm) spectral analysis. The idea of PCR was explained mathematically and
implemented in the non-destructive assessment of the soluble solid
content (SSC) of pineapple based on SWNIR spectral data. PCR achieved satisfactory results in this application with root mean
squared error of calibration (RMSEC) of 0.7611 Brix°, coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.5865 and root mean squared error of crossvalidation
(RMSECV) of 0.8323 Brix° with principal components
(PCs) of 14.
Abstract: This paper examines the factors, which determine
R&D outsourcing behaviour at Japanese firms, from the viewpoints of
transaction cost and strategic management, since the latter half of the
1990s. This study uses empirical analysis, which involves the
application of large-sample data. The principal findings of this paper
are listed below. Firms that belong to a wider corporate group are more
active in executing R&D outsourcing activities. Diversification
strategies such as the expansion of product and sales markets have a
positive effect on the R&D outsourcing behaviour of firms. Moreover,
while quantitative R&D resources have positive influences on R&D
outsourcing, qualitative indices have no effect. These facts suggest
that R&D outsourcing behaviour of Japanese firms are consistent with
the two perspectives of transaction cost and strategic management.
Specifically, a conventional corporate group network plays an
important role in R&D outsourcing behaviour. Firms that execute
R&D outsourcing leverage 'old' networks to construct 'new' networks
and use both networks properly.
Abstract: An application framework provides a reusable
design and implementation for a family of software systems.
Frameworks are introduced to reduce the cost of a product line
(i.e., family of products that share the common features). Software
testing is a time consuming and costly ongoing activity during the
application software development process. Generating reusable test
cases for the framework applications at the framework
development stage, and providing and using the test cases to test
part of the framework application whenever the framework is used
reduces the application development time and cost considerably.
Framework Interface Classes (FICs) are classes introduced by
the framework hooks to be implemented at the application
development stage. They can have reusable test cases generated at
the framework development stage and provided with the
framework to test the implementations of the FICs at the
application development stage. In this paper, we conduct a case
study using thirteen applications developed using three
frameworks; one domain oriented and two application oriented.
The results show that, in general, the percentage of the number of
FICs in the applications developed using domain frameworks is, on
average, greater than the percentage of the number of FICs in the
applications developed using application frameworks.
Consequently, the reduction of the application unit testing time
using the reusable test cases generated for domain frameworks is,
in general, greater than the reduction of the application unit testing
time using the reusable test cases generated for application
frameworks.
Abstract: New software protection product called “Obfuscation
Studio" is presented in the paper. Several obfuscating modules that
are already implemented are described. Some theoretical data is
presented, that shows the potency and effectiveness of described
obfuscation methods. “Obfuscation Studio" is being implemented for
protecting programs written for .NET platform, but the described
methods can also be interesting for other applications.