The aim of this research is to determine to what extent properties of the regolith may be inferred using only features easily measured from the surface. To address this research question, a set of regolith properties from Weipa, Queensland, Australia, are analysed. The set contains five variables, oxides of Aluminium, Iron, Silica and Titanium, as well as Depth to Ironstone. This last represents the depth of the layer from which the oxides are sampled.¶ The research question is addressed in two ways. First, locations where the properties are related to modern surface hydrology are assessed using spatially explicit analyses. This is done by comparing the results of spatial association statistics using geometric and watershed-based spatial samples. Second, correlations are sought for between the regolith properties and geomorphometric indices of land surface morphology and Landsat Thematic Mapper spectral response. This is done using spatially implicit Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and spatially explicit Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). The results indicate that the degree to which regolith properties are related to surface measurable features is limited and spatially variable.¶ Most locations in the Weipa landscape exhibit some degree of modern hydrological control of the oxide variables at lateral distances of 120 m. This control rarely extends beyond 300 m laterally, although such locations occupy distinct positions in the landscape. Conversely, there is an extensive part of the landscape where Depth to Ironstone is under hydrological control. This occupies most of the lower elevations in the study area. Depth to Ironstone represents the depth to the redox front where iron is precipitated, but may in some parts of the landscape control the distribution of the watertable by being impermeable.¶ For the correlation analyses, the highest correlations are found with those oxides most mobile in solution. The spatially local GWR results also consistently outperform the spatially global ANN results, commonly having accuracies 40% higher at the error tolerance used. Much of this can be attributed to the localized effects of landscape evolution. Comparison of the GWR results against the local sample mean indicate that there is a relationship between regolith properties and surface measurable features at 10-15% of sample locations for the oxide variables, and 22% for Depth to Ironstone.¶ The implications of these results are significant for anyone intending to generate spatial datasets of regolith properties. If there is a low spatial density of sample data, then the effects of landscape evolution can reduce the utility of any analysis results. Instead, spatially dense, direct measurements of subsurface regolith properties are needed. While these may not be a direct measurement of the property of interest, they may provide useful additional information by which these may be inferred.

This thesis examines how Taiwan's three English language newspapers covered the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) signed between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China (China). By gaining an understanding of the discourse structure of how these newspapers reported ECFA will demonstrate the role they play in either trying to create a nationalistic Taiwanese or pan-Chinese identity to their English speaking audience. This identity construction is important because it will add legitimacy to whichever direction Taiwan eventually sets its social and political course towards. Examining how the Taipei Times, The China Post and The Taiwan New use discourse in their headlines, articles and editorials when reporting and interpreting ECFA, the thesis has found that they all use similar strategies to present their respective position. These strategies can be broken down into the omission of only reporting either the pros or cons of the agreement, the exclusion of the public voice, and the dominant voice of the elite who either support or oppose ECFA. The Taipei Times and The Taiwan News appear to both structure their dominant discourses around overlapping themes that ECFA is a highly controversial agreement that will quickly lead an irreversible loss of sovereignty in Taiwan. In contrast, The China Post establishes a dominant discourse around ECFA’s economic benefits, while ignoring the negative aspects of the agreement.

Using a Bayesian framework, we place bounds on just what features are worth computing if inferences about the world properties are to be made from image data. Previously others have proposed that useful features reflect "non-accidental'' or "suspicious'' configurations (such as parallel or colinear lines). We make these notions more precise and show them to be context sensitive.

We consider the problem of detecting a large number of different classes of objects in cluttered scenes. Traditional approaches require applying a battery of different classifiers to the image, at multiple locations and scales. This can be slow and can require a lot of training data, since each classifier requires the computation of many different image features. In particular, for independently trained detectors, the (run-time) computational complexity, and the (training-time) sample complexity, scales linearly with the number of classes to be detected. It seems unlikely that such an approach will scale up to allow recognition of hundreds or thousands of objects. We present a multi-class boosting procedure (joint boosting) that reduces the computational and sample complexity, by finding common features that can be shared across the classes (and/or views). The detectors for each class are trained jointly, rather than independently. For a given performance level, the total number of features required, and therefore the computational cost, is observed to scale approximately logarithmically with the number of classes. The features selected jointly are closer to edges and generic features typical of many natural structures instead of finding specific object parts. Those generic features generalize better and reduce considerably the computational cost of an algorithm for multi-class object detection.

The central challenge in face recognition lies in understanding the role different facial features play in our judgments of identity. Notable in this regard are the relative contributions of the internal (eyes, nose and mouth) and external (hair and jaw-line) features. Past studies that have investigated this issue have typically used high-resolution images or good-quality line drawings as facial stimuli. The results obtained are therefore most relevant for understanding the identification of faces at close range. However, given that real-world viewing conditions are rarely optimal, it is also important to know how image degradations, such as loss of resolution caused by large viewing distances, influence our ability to use internal and external features. Here, we report experiments designed to address this issue. Our data characterize how the relative contributions of internal and external features change as a function of image resolution. While we replicated results of previous studies that have shown internal features of familiar faces to be more useful for recognition than external features at high resolution, we found that the two feature sets reverse in importance as resolution decreases. These results suggest that the visual system uses a highly non-linear cue-fusion strategy in combining internal and external features along the dimension of image resolution and that the configural cues that relate the two feature sets play an important role in judgments of facial identity.

Robotic automation has been a part of state-of-the-art manufacturing for many decades. Robotic manipulators are used for such tasks as welding, painting, pick and place tasks etc. Robotic manipulators are quite flexible and adaptable to new tasks, but a typical robot-based production cell requires extensive specification of the robot motion and construction of tools and fixtures for material handling. This incurs a large effort both in time and monetary expenses. The task of a vision system in this setting is to simplify the control and guidance of the robot and to reduce the need for supporting material handling machinery. This dissertation examines performance and properties of the current state-of-the-art local features within the setting of object pose estimation. This is done through an extensive set of experiments replicating various potential problems to which a vision system in a robotic cell could be subjected. The dissertation presents new local features which are shown to increase the performance of object pose estimation. A new local descriptor details how to use log-polar sampled image patches for truly rotational invariant matching. This representation is also extended to use a scale-space interest point detector which in turn makes it very competitive in our experiments. A number of variations of already available descriptors are constructed resulting in new and competitive features, among them a scale-space based Patch-duplet. In this dissertation a successful vision-based object pose estimation system is extended for multi-cue integration, yielding increased robustness and accuracy. Robustness is increased through algorithmic multi-cue integration, combining the individual strengths of multiple local features. Increased accuracy is achieved by utilizing manipulator movement and applying temporal multi-cue integration. This is implemented using a real flexible robotic manipulator arm. Besides work done on local features for ordinary image data a number of local features for range data has also been developed. This dissertation describes the theory behind and the application of the scene tensor to the problem of object pose estimation. The scene tensor is a fourth order tensor representation using projective geometry. It is shown how to use the scene tensor as a detector as well as how to apply it to the task of object pose estimation. The object pose estimation system is extended to work with 3D data. A novel way of handling sampling of range data when constructing a detector is discussed. A volume rasterization method is presented and the classic Harris detector is adapted to it. Finally, a novel region detector, called Maximally Robust Range Regions, is presented. All developed detectors are compared in a detector repeatability test.

A study of impulsively started flow over cylindrical objects is made using the particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique for Reynolds numbers of Re = 200, 500 and 1000 in an X-Y towing tank. The cylindrical objects studied were a circular cylinder of diameter, D = 25.4 mm, and square and diamond cylinders each with side length, D = 25.4 mm. The aspect ratio, AR (= L/D) of the cylinders was 28 and therefore they were considered infinite. The development of the recirculation zone up to a dimensionless time of t* = 4 following the start of the motion was examined. The impulsive start was approximated using a dimensionless acceleration parameter, a*, and in this research, the experiments were conducted for five acceleration parameters, a* = 0.5, 1, 3, 5 and 10. The study showed that conditions similar to impulsively started motion were attained once a* ¡Ý 3.<p> A recirculation zone was formed immediately after the start of motion as a result of flow separation at the surface of the cylinder. It contained a pair of primary eddies, which in the initial stages (like in this case) were symmetrical and rotating in opposite directions. The recirculation zone was quantified by looking at the length of the zone, LR, the vortex development, both in terms of the streamwise location and the cross-stream spacing of the vortex centers, a and b, respectively, as well as the circulation (strength) of the primary vortices, ¦£.<p> For all types of cylinders examined, the length of the recirculation zone, the streamwise location of the primary eddies and the circulation of the primary eddies increase as time advances from the start of the impulsive motion. They also increase with an increase in the acceleration parameter, a*, until a* = 3, beyond which there is no more change, since the conditions similar to impulsively started conditions have been achieved. The cross-stream spacing of the primary vortices is relatively independent of Re, a* and t* but was different for different cylinders.<p> Irrespective of the type of cylinder, the growth of the recirculation zone at Re = 500 and 1000 is smaller than at Re = 200. The recirculation zone of a diamond cylinder is much larger than for both square and circular cylinders. The square and diamond cylinders have sharp edges which act as fixed separation points. Therefore, the cross-stream spacing of the primary vortex centers are independent of Re, unlike the circular cylinder which shows some slight variation with changes in Reynolds number.<p> The growth of the recirculation is more dependent on the distance moved following the start of the impulsive motion; that is why for all types of cylinders, the LR/D, a/D and ¦£/UD profiles collapse onto common curves when plotted against the distance moved from the start of the motion.

Encontrar las correspondencias entre dos imágenes es un problema crucial en el campo de la visión por ordenador i el reconocimiento de patrones. Es relevante para un amplio rango de propósitos des de aplicaciones de reconocimiento de objetos en las áreas de biometría, análisis de documentos i análisis de formas hasta aplicaciones relacionadas con la geometría desde múltiples puntos de vista tales cómo la recuperación de la pose, estructura desde el movimiento y localización y mapeo. La mayoría de las técnicas existentes enfocan este problema o bien usando características locales en la imagen o bien usando métodos de registro de conjuntos de puntos (o bien una mezcla de ambos). En las primeras, un conjunto disperso de características es primeramente extraído de las imágenes y luego caracterizado en la forma de vectores descriptores usando evidencias locales de la imagen. Las características son asociadas según la similitud entre sus descriptores. En las segundas, los conjuntos de características son considerados cómo conjuntos de puntos los cuales son asociados usando técnicas de optimización no lineal. Estos son procedimientos iterativos que estiman los parámetros de correspondencia y de alineamiento en pasos alternados. Los grafos son representaciones que contemplan relaciones binarias entre las características. Tener en cuenta relaciones binarias al problema de la correspondencia a menudo lleva al llamado problema del emparejamiento de grafos. Existe cierta cantidad de métodos en la literatura destinados a encontrar soluciones aproximadas a diferentes instancias del problema de emparejamiento de grafos, que en la mayoría de casos es del tipo "NP-hard". El cuerpo de trabajo principal de esta tesis está dedicado a formular ambos problemas de asociación de características de imagen y registro de conjunto de puntos como instancias del problema de emparejamiento de grafos. En todos los casos proponemos algoritmos aproximados para solucionar estos problemas y nos comparamos con un número de métodos existentes pertenecientes a diferentes áreas como eliminadores de "outliers", métodos de registro de conjuntos de puntos y otros métodos de emparejamiento de grafos. Los experimentos muestran que en la mayoría de casos los métodos propuestos superan al resto. En ocasiones los métodos propuestos o bien comparten el mejor rendimiento con algún método competidor o bien obtienen resultados ligeramente peores. En estos casos, los métodos propuestos normalmente presentan tiempos computacionales inferiores. / Trobar les correspondències entre dues imatges és un problema crucial en el camp de la visió per ordinador i el reconeixement de patrons. És rellevant per un ampli ventall de propòsits des d’aplicacions de reconeixement d’objectes en les àrees de biometria, anàlisi de documents i anàlisi de formes fins aplicacions relacionades amb geometria des de múltiples punts de vista tals com recuperació de pose, estructura des del moviment i localització i mapeig. La majoria de les tècniques existents enfoquen aquest problema o bé usant característiques locals a la imatge o bé usant mètodes de registre de conjunts de punts (o bé una mescla d’ambdós). En les primeres, un conjunt dispers de característiques és primerament extret de les imatges i després caracteritzat en la forma de vectors descriptors usant evidències locals de la imatge. Les característiques son associades segons la similitud entre els seus descriptors. En les segones, els conjunts de característiques son considerats com conjunts de punts els quals son associats usant tècniques d’optimització no lineal. Aquests son procediments iteratius que estimen els paràmetres de correspondència i d’alineament en passos alternats. Els grafs son representacions que contemplen relacions binaries entre les característiques. Tenir en compte relacions binàries al problema de la correspondència sovint porta a l’anomenat problema de l’emparellament de grafs. Existeix certa quantitat de mètodes a la literatura destinats a trobar solucions aproximades a diferents instàncies del problema d’emparellament de grafs, el qual en la majoria de casos és del tipus “NP-hard”. Una part del nostre treball està dedicat a investigar els beneficis de les mesures de ``bins'' creuats per a la comparació de característiques locals de les imatges. La resta està dedicat a formular ambdós problemes d’associació de característiques d’imatge i registre de conjunt de punts com a instàncies del problema d’emparellament de grafs. En tots els casos proposem algoritmes aproximats per solucionar aquests problemes i ens comparem amb un nombre de mètodes existents pertanyents a diferents àrees com eliminadors d’“outliers”, mètodes de registre de conjunts de punts i altres mètodes d’emparellament de grafs. Els experiments mostren que en la majoria de casos els mètodes proposats superen a la resta. En ocasions els mètodes proposats o bé comparteixen el millor rendiment amb algun mètode competidor o bé obtenen resultats lleugerament pitjors. En aquests casos, els mètodes proposats normalment presenten temps computacionals inferiors.

Computer-aided Design (CAD) and Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAM) play an important role during the design and production phase of a product. CAD allows for generation of two and three-dimensional models of the product with the help of solid modelers and CAM allows for production planning of the product using tools such as a CAM package. Both CAD and CAM tools are highly specialized in nature and at the same time expensive to own. Large industries can afford to own such systems and experts to operate them but small and custom product industries cannot afford these benefits due to high design and manufacturing costs involved and complexity involved in using these systems. This has led to less popularity of CAD and CAM systems in custom product industries. A web based design tool can offer the functionality of a CAD system to custom product industries by allowing them to create and design three-dimensional models over the web. This method helps in simplifying the complexity involved in solid modeling by automating the commonly performed design operations using design algorithms. At the same time a web based manufacturing tool can allow for automatic generation of tool-paths for machining using a CNC machine. Although a web based design tool offers the required benefits to custom product industries, offering just the functionality of a CAD system may not be useful to the users of the web-based system who are usually carvers and artisans with minimal or no knowledge of CAD. An alternative method and its implementation are presented in this thesis. The method allows for creating user-defined parametric features using simple tools that can be offered in a web based application. The system takes advantage of the built-in API tools in a solid modeler and advanced web-based technologies to integrate them into a simple and easy to use web based design system. Identification of key elements in designing user-defined features and a framework for implementing them are discussed. Also different types of user-defined features that can be offered in a web application with examples of their implementation in a real world application for designing custom wooden signs are presented.

Android is a fast growing platform with a lot of users and applications on the market. In order to challenge the competition, a new software product should be designed carefully, conforming to the platform constraints and conveying to the user expectations. This research focuses on defining a suitable architecture design for the specific use case of interest, an Android application focused on location based data. The research process is backed up by a prototype application construction with features such as location based reminders and mobile communication with web services. Moreover, an analysis has been conducted on existing products with the proven quality, to extract information on current best practice implementations of several interesting features. Furthermore, the demand for targeting multiple platforms with the same application motivated a research on portability and reuse of code among different platforms. The constructed system is divided into a client-server pair. Opposite to the client (mobile) side, the server side analyzes the process of extending an existing architecture by integrating it with a web service project used for exchanging data with the mobile devices. Finally, the thesis is not strictly constrained to the given use case because it presents several general concepts of application design through architectural and design patterns.