In the Sellafield nuclear site, Cumbria, U.K., intermediate-level waste and special nuclear material are stored above ground in stainless steel packages or containers, with thousands expected to be stored for several decades before permanent disposal in a geological disposal facility. During this intermediate storage, the packages are susceptible to corrosion, which can potentially undermine their structural integrity. Therefore, long-term monitoring is required. In this work, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) was evaluated as a nondestructive tool for detecting corrosion on stainless steel surfaces. Real samples from Sellafield, including stainless steel 1.4404 (known as 316L) and 2205 plates from the Sellafield atmospheric testing corrosion site, were imaged in the experiments, measuring the spectral responses for corrosion in the visible near-infrared (VNIR, 400–1000 nm) and short-wave-infrared (SWIR, 900–2500 nm) regions. Based on the spectral responses observed, a new concept denoted as corrosion index (CI) was introduced and evaluated to estimate corrosion maps. With the CI, every pixel in the hyperspectral image is given a value between zero and one, aimed at representing corrosion intensity for a given location of the sample. Results suggest that HSI, combined with our proposed CI analysis techniques, could be used for effective automated detection of corrosion in nuclear packages.

The recently described pushframe imager, a parallelized single pixel camera capturing with a pushbroom-like motion, is intrinsically suited to both remote-sensing and compressive sampling. It optically applies a 2D mask to the imaged scene, before performing light integration along a single spatial axis, but previous work has not made use of the architecture's potential for taking measurements sparsely. In this paper we develop a strongly performing static binarized noiselet compressive sampling mask design, tailored to pushframe hardware, allowing both a single exposure per motion time-step, and retention of 2D correlations in the scene. Results from simulated and real-world captures are presented, with performance shown to be similar to that of immobile - and hence inappropriate for satellite use - whole-scene imagers. A particular feature of our sampling approach is that the degree of compression can be varied without altering the pattern, and we demonstrate the utility of this for efficiently storing and transmitting multi-spectral images.

In this paper we present an evolution of the single-pixel camera architecture, called “pushframe,” which addresses the limitations of pushbroom cameras in space-based applications. In particular, it is well-suited to observing fast-moving scenes while retaining high spatial resolution and sensitivity. We show that the system is capable of producing color images with good fidelity and scalable resolution performance. The principle of our design broadens the choice of spectral ranges that can be captured, making it suitable for wide spectral ranges of infrared imaging.

Results from wind-tunnel testing of athletes cannot always be repeated on the track, but reducing aerodynamic drag is critical for racing. Drag force is highly correlated with an athlete's frontal area, so in this paper we describe a system to segment an athlete from the very challenging background found in a standard racing environment. Given an accurate segmentation, a front-on view, and the athlete's position (for scaling), one can effectively count the pixels and thereby measure the moving area. The method described does not rely on alteration of the track lighting, background, or athlete's appearance. An image-matting algorithm more used in the film industry is combined with an innovative model-based pre-process to allow the whole measurement to be automated. Area results have better than one percent error compared to handextracted measurements over a representative period, while frame-by-frame measurements capture expected cyclic variation. A near real-time implementation permits rapid iteration of aerodynamic experiments during training.

Reviewing athletic performance is a critical part of modern sports training, but snapshots only showing part of a course or exercise can be misleading, while travelling cameras are expensive. In this paper we describe a system merging the output of many autonomous inexpensive camera nodes distributed around a course to reliably synthesize tracking shots of multiple athletes training concurrently. Issues such as uncontrolled lighting, athlete occlusions and overtaking/pack-motion are dealt with, as is compensating for the quirks of cheap image sensors. The resultant system is entirely automated, inexpensive, scalable and provides output in near real-time, allowing coaching staff to give immediate and relevant feedback on a performance. Requiring no alteration to existing training exercises has boosted the system's uptake by coaches, with over 100,000 videos recorded to date.

Localization of chess-board vertices is a common task in computer vision, underpinning many applications, but relatively little work focusses on designing a specific feature detector that is fast, accurate and robust. In this paper the `Chess-board Extraction by Subtraction and Summation' (ChESS) feature detector, designed to exclusively respond to chess-board vertices, is presented. The method proposed is robust against noise, poor lighting and poor contrast, requires no prior knowledge of the extent of the chess-board pattern, is computationally very efficient, and provides a strength measure of detected features. Such a detector has significant application both in the key field of camera calibration, as well as in Structured Light 3D reconstruction. Evidence is presented showing its robustness, accuracy, and efficiency in comparison to other commonly used detectors both under simulation and in experimental 3D reconstruction of flat plate and cylindrical objects

Extraction of 3D geometry from hand-held unsteady uncalibrated cameras faces multiple difficulties: finding usable frames, feature-matching and unknown variable focal length to name three. We have built a prototype system to allow a user to spatially navigate playback viewpoints of an event of interest, using geometry automatically recovered from casually captured videos. The system, whose workings we present in this paper, necessarily estimates not only scene geometry, but also relative viewpoint position, overcoming the mentioned difficulties in the process. The only inputs required are video sequences from various viewpoints of a common scene, as are readily available online from sporting and music events. Our methods make no assumption of the synchronization of the input and do not require file metadata, instead exploiting the video to self-calibrate. The footage need only contain some camera rotation with little translation --- for hand-held event footage a likely occurrence.

Current methods for formation of detected chess-board vertices into a grid structure tend to be weak in situations with a warped grid, and false and missing vertex-features. In this paper we present a highly robust, yet efficient, scheme suitable for inference of regular 2D square mesh structure from vertices recorded both during projection of a chess-board pattern onto 3D objects, and in the more simple case of camera calibration. Examples of the method's performance in a lung function measuring application, observing chess-boards projected on to patients' chests, are given. The method presented is resilient to significant surface deformation, and tolerates inexact vertex-feature detection. This robustness results from the scheme's novel exploitation of feature orientation information.

OBJECTIVES:The two most common forms of dementia are Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD). In the overlap of biochemical processes which have been identified in AD and VaD, oxidative stress is believed to contribute to the numerous pathologies of both dementias. DESIGN AND METHODS:This study assessed oxidative damage in total plasma proteins, and isolated LDL in AD patients and age matched controls, in addition total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was measured. RESULTS:Significantly higher LDL protein carbonylation was observed in AD compared to age-matched controls (AD: 4.17+/-0.73 vs. control: 3.85+/-0.86 nmol/mg LDL; p=0.05, 2-tailed Mann-Whitney), in addition to reduced TAC (AD: 924.708+/-174.429 vs. control: 1078.536+/-252.633 microM; p=0.001, 2-tailed Mann-Whitney). No differences were seen in total plasma protein carbonyl content (AD: 3.88+/-0.31 vs. control: 3.98+/-0.48 nmol/mg protein). CONCLUSION:The results further support the view that oxidation events in AD may be specific in nature, and represent functional changes to proteins, rather than random global events.

Simulation provides an alternative method for detailed analysis of the complex real world systems such as the supply chain.Given that a simulation model is well-suited for evaluating dynamic decision rules under 'what-if ' scenarios, a few attempts have been made to develop simulation models to improve supply chain performances.The modelling of supply chains dynamics adopted to simulation approach has been reported by many authors including (Towill et.al.,

This paper reports on a study that investigated the status and anticipated development of e-Business activity. A prime aim of the study was to increase understanding of the human and organizational issues that arise with e-Business, and the extent to which these are currently addressed. An expert panel method was used, which involved interviewing 70 leading practitioners of, and experts in, e-Business in the UK. The findings identify the distinguishing novel features of e-Business, highlight the key issues it raises, and provide evidence of current uptake and impacts. The findings include ideas on good practice. The study emphasizes the importance of taking a holistic, sociotechnical view of the complex set of interrelated changes involved in e-Business.

This paper presents two new march test algorithms, MT-R3CF and MT-R4CF, for detecting reduced 3-coupling and 4-coupling faults, respectively, in n × 1 random-access memories (RAMs). To reduce the length of the tests, only the coupling faults between physically adjacent memory cells have been considered. The tests assume that the storage cells are arranged in a rectangular grid and that the mapping from logical addresses to physical cell locations is known completely. The march tests need 30n and 41n operations, respectively. In this paper any memory fault is modelled by a set of primitive memory faults called simple faults. We prove, using an Eulerian graph model, the ability of the test algorithms to detect all simple coupling faults. This paper also includes a study regarding the ability of the test MT-R3CF to detect interacting linked 3-coupling faults. This work improves the results presented in [1] where a similar model of reduced 3-coupling faults has been considered and a march test with 38n operations has been proposed. To compare these new march tests with other published tests, simulation results are presented in this paper.

Voting algorithms are used to provide an error masking capability in a wide range of highly dependable commercial & research applications. These applications include N-Modular Redundant hardware systems and diversely designed software systems based on N-Version Programming. The most sophisticated & complex algorithms can even tolerate malicious (or Byzantine) subsystem errors. The algorithms can be implemented in hardware or software depending on the characteristics of the application, and the type of voter selected. Many voting algorithms have been defined in the literature, each with particular strengths and weaknesses. Having surveyed more than 70 references from the literature, a functional classification is used in this paper to provide taxonomy of those voting algorithms used in safety-critical applications. We classify voters into three categories: generic, hybrid, and purpose-built voters. Selected algorithms of each category are described, for illustrative purposes, and application areas proposed. Approaches to the comparison of algorithm behavior are also surveyed. These approaches compare the acceptability of voter behavior based on either statistical considerations (e.g., number of successes, number of benign or catastrophic results), or probabilistic computations (e.g., probability of choosing correct value in each voting cycle or average mean square error) during q voting cycles.

Voting algorithms are used to arbitrate between the variant results in fault-tolerant systems. Traditional voters produce incorrect outputs in multiple error conditions. This paper introduces a class of voters, called predictor voters, which can resolve some multiple error conditions. These voters use analysis of a sequence of results in cyclic systems to select the most likely correct variant result as the voter output. Large discontinuities between successive results in cyclic systems are indicative of faults. The voting algorithms have the effect of filtering discontinuities to improve availability. Three different versions of predictor voters are described. Fault-injection simulation tests are used to investigate their safety and availability performance in triple error scenarios. Experimental results show that predictor voters give safety behaviour between majority and median voters. Predictor voters with order three and above give higher availability than the median voter. Predictor voters are suitable for use in systems in which some incorrect outputs can be tolerated in order to maintain functionality over a long period of time.

International Journal of Adaptive Control and Signal ProcessingVolume 18, Issue 7 p. 601-602 Book ReviewFree Access Between human and machines: Feedback, control, and computing before cybernetics, David Mindell, The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 2002, pp. 439+xiv, ISBN 0801868955 Stuart Bennett, Stuart Bennett Institute of Work Psychology, University of Sheffield, Mushroom Lane, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UKSearch for more papers by this author Stuart Bennett, Stuart Bennett Institute of Work Psychology, University of Sheffield, Mushroom Lane, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UKSearch for more papers by this author First published: 18 August 2004 https://doi.org/10.1002/acs.839AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. REFERENCES 1 James HM, Nichols NB, Phillips RS. Theory of servomechanisms. In Radiation Laboratory Series. McGraw-Hill: New York, 1947. 2 Wiener N. Cybernetics or Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine. MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, 1948. 3 Mayr O. The Origins of Feedback Control. MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, 1970. 4 Bennett S. A History of Control Engineering 1800–1930. Peter Peregrinus: Stevenage, 1979. 5 Bennett S. A History of Control Engineering 1930–1955. Peter Peregrinus: Stevenage, 1993. 6 Rorentrop K. Entwicklung der Modernen Regleungstechnik. Oldenbourg: Munich, 1971. 7 Bissell CC. Spreading the word: aspects of the evolution of the language of measurement and control. Measurement and Control 1994; 27: 149– 155. 8 Bissell CC. Textbooks and subtexts. IEEE Control Systems Magazine 1996; 16: 71– 78. 9 Wiener N. The Extrapolation, Interpolation and Smoothing of Stationary Time Series with Engineering Applications. OSRD Report 370, 1942. 10 Wiener N. The Extrapolation, Interpolation and Smoothing of Stationary Time Series with Engineering Applications. The MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, 1949. Volume18, Issue7September 2004Pages 601-602 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Fault masking is a widely used strategy for increasing the safety and reliability of computer control systems. The approach uses some form of voting to arbitrate between the results of hardware or software redundant modules for masking faults. Several voting algorithms have been used in fault tolerant control systems; each has different features, which makes it more applicable to some system types than others. This paper introduces a novel family of weighted average voters suitable for redundant sensor (and other inertial measurement unit) planes, at the interface level, of control systems. It uses two tuneable parameters, each with a ready interpretation, to provide a flexible voting performance when using the voter in different applications. The weight assignment technique is transparent to the user because the impact of the degree of agreement between any voter input and the other inputs is directly reflected in the weight value assigned to that input. The voter can be tuned to behave as the well-known inexact majority voter that is generally used in safety-critical control systems at different voting planes. We evaluated the performance of four versions of the novel voter through a series of fault injection experiments, and compared the results with those of the well-known Lorczak's weighted average voter. The experimental results showed that the novel voter gives more correct outputs (1%–12% higher reliability) than the Lorczak's voter in the presence of small permanent and transient errors. With large errors, lower-order versions of the novel voter give better performance than the ones with higher orders.