Image restoration problems deal with images in which information has been degraded by blur or noise. In practice, the blur is usually caused by atmospheric turbulence, motion, camera shake, and several other mechanical or physical processes. In this study, we present two regularization algorithms for the image deblurring problem. We first present a new method based on solving a regularized least-squares (RLS) problem. This method is proposed to find a near-optimal value of the regularization parameter in the RLS problems. Experimental results on the non-blind image deblurring problem are presented. In all experiments, comparisons are made with three benchmark methods. The results demonstrate that the proposed method clearly outperforms the other methods in terms of both the output PSNR and structural similarity, as well as the visual quality of the deblurred images. To reduce the complexity of the proposed algorithm, we propose a technique based on the bootstrap method to estimate the regularization parameter in low and high-resolution images. Numerical results show that the proposed technique can effectively reduce the computational complexity of the proposed algorithms. In addition, for some cases where the point spread function (PSF) is separable, we propose using a Kronecker product so as to reduce the computations. Furthermore, in the case where the image is smooth, it is always desirable to replace the regularization term in the RLS problems by a total variation term. Therefore, we propose a novel method for adaptively selecting the regularization parameter in a so-called square root regularized total variation (SRTV). Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms the other benchmark methods when applied to smooth images in terms of PSNR, SSIM and the restored image quality. In this thesis, we focus on the non-blind image deblurring problem, where the blur kernel is assumed to be known. However, we developed algorithms that also work in the blind image deblurring. Experimental results show that our proposed methods are robust enough in the blind deblurring and outperform the other benchmark methods in terms of both output PSNR and SSIM values.

This study investigates the reception of Isaiah 6:9-10 in the New Testament, in order to establish whether the interpretation of this authoritative text has remained stable, or has been altered through many hands and years. Furthermore, the question is posed, ‘what does this mean (if anything) for contemporary Biblical interpretation?’ It is clear that the New Testament authors (i.e. Mark, Matthew, Luke and John) employed Isaiah 6:9-10 in different contexts and for different purposes. However, it is argued that these various interpretations do not violate the original sense of the verses as they appeared in the context of the book of Isaiah. Instead, it appears that the New Testament authors have recognized in these verses a resemblance to their own respective circumstances and have subsequently adapted Isaiah 6:9-10 in appropriate and relevant ways to their own respective circumstances. This is similar to what contemporary Bible interpreters do. In the end, it is acknowledged that a Biblical text needs to be interpreted in light of its original setting, but also in light of new contexts, if we take seriously the fact that the Bible is the living word of God. Thus, it is recognized that the Biblical text is the product of both human and divine authorship. As such, the Biblical text has a particular interpretation related to the specific historical context in which it originated, but the Biblical text also transcends this context and offers truth that remains relevant for generations to come. / Dissertation (MTh)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / New Testament Studies / MTh / Unrestricted

The blind have generally been considered to be a homogeneous population whose deficits arise from an interaction of loss of vision, age of onset and socialization. Sequelae are posited to exist merely due to the limiting effects of blindness on experience. This is believed to affect all blind persons equally regardless of cause of blindness provided that independent secondary disabilities do not exist. This study investigated the possibility that different causes of blindness are related to specific neuropsychological deficits which cannot be explained by the mere presence of blindness. It was found that neuropsychological differences existed among specific sub-populations of blind persons. These results suggested that the cause of blindness may be a marker for specific Central Nervous System involvement.

According to the National Federation of the Blind, there are an estimated 10 million people in the United States who are visually impaired. Of these, 1.3 million are legally blind. Many people with extreme vision loss receive orientation and mobility training in order to help them learn skills that allow them to travel and navigate multiple types of indoor and outdoor environments. Even with this training, a fundamental problem these people face is learning new routes, especially in environments with which they are not familiar. Although the research community has developed a number of localization and navigation aids that are meant to provide navigation assistance, only a handful have reached the marketplace, and the adoption rate for these devices remains low. Most assistive navigation devices take responsibility for the navigation and localization processes, leaving the user only to respond to the devices' commands. This thesis takes a different approach and proposes that because of the high level of navigation ability achieved through years of training and everyday travel, the navigation skills of people with visual impairments should be considered an integral part of the navigation system. People with visual impairments are capable of following natural language instructions similar to those given by a visually impaired person communicating route directions over the phone to another person with visual impairments. Devices based on this premise can be built, delivering only verbal route descriptions. As a result, it is not necessary to install complex sensors in the environment. This thesis has four hypotheses that are addressed by two systems. The first hypothesis is that a navigational assistance system for the blind can leverage the skills and abilities of the visually impaired, and does not necessarily need complex sensors embedded in the environment to succeed. The second hypothesis is that verbal route descriptions are adequate for guiding a person with visual impairments when shopping in a supermarket for products located in aisles on shelves. These two hypotheses are addressed by ShopTalk, a system which helps blind users shop independently in a grocery store using verbal route descriptions. The third hypothesis is that information extraction techniques can be used to extract landmarks from natural language route descriptions. The fourth and final hypothesis is that new natural language route descriptions can be inferred from a set of landmarks and a set of natural language route descriptions whose statements have been tagged with landmarks from the landmark set. These two hypotheses are addressed by the Route Analysis Engine, an information extraction-based system for analyzing natural language route descriptions.

One consequence of the increasing number of small satellite missions is an increasing demand for high data rate downlinks. As the satellites transmit at high data rates, ground-side receivers need to demodulate the transmitted data as quickly as possible. While application specific hardware can be designed, software defined radio solutions for ground stations are attractive for their flexibility, adaptability, and portability. Another industry trend is the increasing use of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) in general-purpose processing. By performing many operations simultaneously, GPUs are capable of accelerating processing when given a problem that can be implemented in a parallel manner. Furthermore, once a parallel algorithm is implemented, further speedups are possible by increasing hardware resources without need for any revision in the algorithm. This project combines the above ideas by implementing a software defined radio algorithm to quickly demodulate high-speed data on a GPU. It demonstrates the viability of the GPU in software defined radio applications and particularly in the area of fast demodulation.

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京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(情報学) / 甲第20511号 / 情博第639号 / 新制||情||111(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院情報学研究科社会情報学専攻 / (主査)教授 石田 亨, 教授 中村 佳正, 教授 岡部 寿男, 岡本 龍明 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Informatics / Kyoto University / DFAM

Denna undersöknings syfte var att problematisera och att föra fram kunskap om hursynskadade påverkas av digitaliseringen inom ljudteknikbranschen, samt att ta reda påom strategier är något man kan använda sig av för att klara av jobbet. Som metod för attfå fram information användes mestadels skriftliga intervjuer men även en muntlig.Frågor ställdes angående uppfattningen av hur det ser ut i branschen idag. Resultatetblev blandat men mestadels ändå att påverkan är negativ, då digitaliseringen begränsarsamt att det inte finns några direkta strategier att ta till i arbetet. Undersökningen bidrarmed kunskap om läget i branschen. Den bidrar även med att det kan vara bra attundersöka digitaliseringens påverkan för synskadade ytterligare, samt att det kan varabra att utveckla fler hjälpmedel för att synskadade ska kunna få liknande förutsättningarsom seende

It was the purpose of this study to explore and analyze the effectiveness of music as an educative and therapeutic medium in the specific area of childhood blindness. Some general characteristics of childhood blindness are summarized. Indications for musical experiences, as related to the total educational scheme, are based upon the described characteristics. The case study has a three-fold purpose: (1) to describe the techniques, as related to the objectives, employed by the music worker; (2) to describe musical activities for a definite period; and (3) to evaluate the effectiveness of these activities.

This dissertation develops a narrative homiletic for race-conscious preaching using a mutual critical correlation method. It argues that the evangelical embrace of a color-blind ideology homiletically, hermeneutically, and situationally limits the proclamation of the gospel in the age of racialization. Paul Ricoeur’s conception of the entrapping use of narrative is employed to understand the deep resistance many white evangelical Christians have toward racial consciousness. Constructively, Ricoeur’s ethical understanding of narrative and his model of threefold mimesis offer an alternative preaching paradigm rooted in mutual critical correlation and an understanding of the gospel in context developed in conversation with liberationist theology. The Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity provides additional frames for understanding that matters of difference are not obstacles to overcome in preaching but are essential to deepening understandings of God and the gospel. This dissertation employs interdisciplinary methods rooted in practical theology that integrate Eduardo Bonilla-Silva’s sociology on color-blindness, narrative phenomenology, empirical research on the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity, and homiletics. The first chapter describes the evangelical embrace of color-blindness and its expository homiletical method. It understands evangelicalism as a constructed identity and outlines the need for a hermeneutic of situations in evangelical homiletics. Chapter two reviews narrative homiletics proposals, the homiletics literature on race and preaching, and evangelical expository preaching. The third chapter makes a theological turn to understand how evangelical theology aligns with the color-blind ideology. It turns to the liberationist theology of James Cone and a theology of broken symbols through Robert Cummings Neville, before outlining the mutual critical correlation model of David Tracy. This integrates homiletical theology with homiletical methodology, especially by understanding pre-figuring roles that aspects of identity bring to interpretation. The fourth chapter develops narrative critical correlation homiletics through the referential capacity of the gospel, rather than the sense of a biblical text. It argues that an ethical use of Ricoeur’s threefold mimesis can mediate a dialogue between text, context, situation, and identity in naming God and the gospel. The final chapter contains sermons and sermon analysis as a way of illustrating how sermonic methods and intercultural competence impact preaching. / 2026-01-23T00:00:00Z