CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Sistemas computacionais vÃm desempenhando papel importante em vÃrias Ãreas da medicina, notadamente no auxÃlio ao diagnÃstico mÃdico por imagem. Neste sentido, estudos na Ãrea de VisÃo Computacional sÃo realizados para desenvolver tÃcnicas e sistemas capazes de detectar automaticamente diversas doenÃas. Dentre os exames existentes que permitem o auxÃlio ao diagnÃstico e a aplicaÃÃo de sistemas computacionais em conjunto, destaca-se a Tomografia Computadorizada (TC) que possibilita a visualizaÃÃo de ÃrgÃos internos, como por exemplo, o pulmÃo e suas estruturas. Sistemas de Vis~ao Computacional utilizam estas imagens obtidas por exames de TC para extrair informaÃÃo por meio de tÃcnicas com a finalidade de segmentar, reconhecer e identificar detalhes da regiÃo de interesse nestas imagens. Este trabalho centraliza seus esforÃos na etapa de segmentaÃÃo dos pulmÃes a partir de imagens de TC, empregando-se, para tanto, tÃcnicas baseadas em MÃtodo de Contorno Ativo (MCA), tambÃm conhecido como emph{snake}. Este mÃtodo consiste em traÃar uma curva inicial, em torno ou dentro de um objeto de interesse, deformando-a conforme algumas forÃas que atuam sobre a mesma, deslocando-a atà as bordas do objeto. Este processo à realizado por iteraÃÃes sucessivas de minimizaÃÃo de uma dada funÃÃo energia, associada à curva. Neste contexto, esta tese propÃe um novo mÃtodo para a segmentaÃÃo dos pulmÃes em imagens de TC do tÃrax denominado MÃtodo de Contorno Ativo Crisp Adaptativo. Este MCA à o aperfeiÃoamento do MCA Crisp desenvolvido em um estudo anterior, que visa aumentar a precisÃo, diminuir o tempo de anÃlise e reduzir a subjetividade na segmentaÃÃo e anÃlise dos pulmÃes dessas imagens pelos mÃdicos especialistas. Este mÃtodo à proposto para a segmentaÃÃo de uma imagem isolada ou do exame completo, sendo primeiramente em 2D e expandido para 3D. O MCA Crisp Adaptativo 2D à comparado com os MCAs THRMulti, THRMod, GVF, VFC, Crisp e tambÃm com o sistema SISDEP, sendo esta avaliaÃÃo realizada utilizando como referÃncia 36 imagens segmentadas manualmente por um pneumologista. Jà o MCA Crisp Adaptativo 3D à aplicado na segmentaÃÃo dos pulmÃes em exames de TC e comparado com o mÃtodo Crescimento de RegiÃes 3D, cujos resultados das segmentaÃÃes sÃo avaliados por 2 mÃdicos pneumologistas. Os resultados obtidos demonstram que os mÃtodos propostos sÃo superiores aos demais na segmentaÃÃo dos pulmÃes em imagens de TC do tÃrax, tanto em uma imagem pelo MCA Crisp Adaptativo 2D, como em exames completos pelo MCA Crisp Adaptativo 3D. Deste modo, pode-se concluir que estes mÃtodos podem integrar sistemas de auxÃlio ao diagnÃstico mÃdico na Ãrea de Pneumologia. / Computer systems have been playing a very important role in many areas of medicine, particularly, on medical diagnosis through image processing. Therefore, studies on the field of Computer Vision are made to develop techniques and systems to perform automatic detection of several diseases. Among the existing tests that enable the diagnosis and the application of computational system together, there is the Computed Tomography (CT), which allows the visualization of internal organs, such as the lung and its structures. Image analysis techniques applied to CT scans are able to extract important information to segment and recognize details on regions of interest on these images. This work focuses its e↵orts on the stage of lungs segmentation through CT images, using techniques based on Active Contour Method (ACM), also known as snake. This method consists in tracing an initial curve, around or inside the object of interest, wich deform itself according to forces that act over the same, shifting to the object edge. This process is performed by successive iterations of minimization of a given energy, associated to the curve. In this context, this work proposes a new aproach for lung segmentation of chest CT images, which is called Adaptative Crisp Active Contour Method. This ACM is an improvement the previous developed Crisp ACM. The purpose of this new ACM is to increase accuracy, decrease analysis time and reduce segmentation subjectivity in the manual analysis of specialized doctors. This method is proposed to isolated images segmentation or the complete exam, being first in 2D, then expanding to 3D. The 2D Adaptative Crisp ACM is compared to ACMs THRMulti, THRMod, GVF, VFC, Crisp and also with the system SISDEP, being this evaluation performed by using a set of 36 manually segmented images by one pulmonologist. The 3D Adaptative Crisp ACM is applied on lung segmentation in CT exams and compared with the 3D Region Growing method, which segmentation results were evaluated by two pulmonologists. The obtained results shows that the proposed methods are superior to the other methods on lung segmentation in chest CT images, both as in one image by 2D Adaptative Crisp ACM as in full exam by the 3D Adaptative Crisp ACM. Thus, it is possible to conclude that these method can integrate systems to aid medical diagnosis in the field of pulmonology.

Desde 2004, o grupo de estudos do Laboratório de Hidráulica Computacional (LHC) estuda as taxas de recargas hidráulicas do Aquifero Guarani, na Bacia do Ribeirão da Onça. Entretanto, não havia se estudado a quantificação do escoamento superficial. Para sanar esta deficiência, este trabalho visou analisar as metodologias de estimativa de vazão com qualidade para a Bacia do Ribeirão da Onça. Para a realização do trabalho, foi adquirido o equipamento Flo-Tote3, capaz de medir velocidade e nível d\'água. A princípio, o equipamento foi verificado e comparado em laboratório, medindo velocidades 3% inferiores que o molinete e estimando vazões de 0,5 a 7,2% de diferença que o vertedor triangular. No Ribeirão da Onça, foi escolhida e construída uma seção de controle de vazão e instalado o Flo-Tote. O equipamento mediu velocidades 5% inferiores que o molinete, com variações de 0,3 a 8,7%. Além disso, um vertedor circular foi instalado em 6 ocasiões, resultando em vazões de 3 a 15% inferiores as vazões estimadas pelo molinete, em virtude do vazamento que ocorreu entre o vertedor e a parede de concreto. A partir de dezembro de 2007, foram iniciadas medições de níveis d\'água com a construção do linígrafo e estimadas as vazões de modo contínuo com o auxílio de equações teóricas. Como a jusante da seção de controle de vazão existe um sistema de bombeamento, as equações para determinar a vazão sofrem interferencias. Entretanto, foi aplicado o método das isotáquias, que utiliza valores de velocidades e níveis d\'água para o cálculo da vazão e que não sofre interferências com o represamento e instalações de vertedores. Apesar de ocorrer problemas de falta de energia e de manutenção, o escoamento superficial foi quantificado com qualidade para futuros estudos da área afim. / Since 2004, the group of studies of the Computational Hydraulic Laboratory (LHC) studied the rates of water recharge in the Guarani Aquifer recharges water in the Ribeirão da Onça basin. However, it had not studied the quantification of runoff. To remedy this deficiency, this study aimed to analyze the methodologies for estimation of flow quality for the Ribeirão da Onça basin. To carry out the work, it was acquired a Flo-Tote3, capable of measuring velocities and water levels. First, this equipment was checked and compared in the laboratory, measuring velocities 3% below, those obtained using flowmeters and 0.5 to 7.2% differences when compared with results using triangular weir. In Ribeirão da Onça, was chosen and built a section of control flow and installed the Flo-Tote. The equipment measured velocities 5% below the current meters, with variations from 0.3 to 8.7%. In addition, a circular weir was installed on 6 occasions, resulting in flow rates from 3 to 15% lower than those estimated by current meters because of the flow that occurred between the bridge and weir. Since December 2007, started the measurements of water levels and the estimated flow on a continuous basis with the aid of theoretical equations. As the downstream section of the control flow is a pumping system, the equations to determine the flow are interfered. However, it was applied the method of the lines of the same velocities, which uses values of velocities and water levels to calculate the flow without interference with the impoundment and installation of weirs. Despite the problems of lack of energy and maintenance, the runoff was quantified with quality for future studies of the area.

A pesquisa tem por finalidade, analisar a extensão do impacto sonoro produzido pelas operações de aeronaves no Aeroporto de São José dos Campos e avaliar o conforto acústico da população localizada na sua área de influência. Este trabalho estabeleceu como objetivo geral verificar se o nível de ruído produzido pelo tráfego aéreo atual está de acordo com os níveis estabelecidos pelo Ministério da Aeronáutica e identificar o grau de incômodo sonoro e a percepção atual da população com relação ao impacto sonoro. Foi admitida a hipótese de que as curvas isofônicas, passados 25 anos, se encontrassem subdimensionadas. A metodologia empregada para calcular o nível de ruído aeronáutico foi baseada principalmente na modelagem de curvas isofônicas, utilizando o programa computacional Integrated Noise Model (INM) versão 7.0, elaborado pela Federal Aviation Administration. Foram utilizadas como informações de entrada os dados de tráfego aéreo e informações meteorológicas de 2008, fornecidos pelo Comando de Aeronáutica. Como ferramenta auxiliar foi feita uma pesquisa de campo, através da aplicação de um questionário para avaliar a percepção da população quanto ao nível de incômodo sonoro. Ficou demonstrado que as curvas isofônicas estabelecidas em 1984, pela Aeronáutica, abrangem áreas maiores, para o mesmo nível de ruído, do que as calculadas na modelagem para o tráfego aéreo atual. O resultado da pesquisa também mostrou que o ruído emitido pelas aeronaves faz parte da rotina dos moradores nas áreas pesquisadas. A conclusão é de que o Plano de Zoneamento de Ruído do Aeroporto de São José dos Campos necessita de uma atualização quanto aos limites dos níveis de ruído para atender o nível de conforto sonoro da população. / The aim of this research is to analyze the extension of sound impact that is produced by the airplanes at São José dos Campos Airport and to evaluate the population acoustic comfort set in this influenced area. This work set as general objective to verify if sound level produced by current air traffic is due to the established levels of Aeronautics Department and to identify the level of sound disturbance and the population perception related to sound impact. Theres been admitted the hypothesis that the noise contours were undersized past 25 years. The methodology used to calculate the aeronautics sound level was based mainly at the noise contours, using a computer program Integrated Noise Model (INM), version 7.0 elaborated by Federal Aviation Administration. Theres been used, as entrance information, air traffic data and meteorological information of year 2008, given by Brazilian Air Force Command. As an auxiliary tool, theres been done field research, using questionnaire application to evaluate the population perception of the sound disturbance level. Theres been shown that noise contours established in 1984 by Air Force included larger areas to the same level sound than to those calculated at the modeling for current air traffic. The result of the research also showed that the noise sent out by the airplane is part of the neighborhood routine of the researched areas. The conclusion is that the Noise Zoning Plan of São José dos Campos Airport needs to be actualized due to the limits of the noise levels to attend a comfortable sound level to the population.

Pedreiras que sofreram uma extração precária ou sem planejamento no passado, apresentam, atualmente, áreas de riscos operacionais ligadas, sobretudo, à geotecnia dos taludes. Desmontes esculturais são aplicados na indústria mineral visando a melhorias nas questões ambientais e geotécnicas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi aplicar técnicas de desmontes esculturais para solucionar problemas na segurança operacional, os quais são relacionados diretamente com a instabilidade das bancadas. Além disso, identificar a relação da qualidade do maciço rochoso no resultado do desmonte e a viabilidade desse projeto nas questões técnicas e econômicas. Os desmontes experimentais foram aplicados em uma mina de calcário da Região Metropolitana da cidade de São Paulo, modificando a geometria do plano de fogo e o carregamento dos furos. O desempenho dos experimentos foi medido a partir de indicadores de performance, os quais serão relacionados com um mapa de distribuição do RQD da parede da bancada, construído a partir de um mapeamento geomecânico. A viabilidade do projeto foi dimensionada a partir de parâmetros operacionais, de segurança e econômico. As análises mostraram que as regiões que apresentaram o maior valor de RDQ tiveram o melhor resultado no desmonte, comprovando, assim, a influência da qualidade do maciço na qualidade do desmonte. Apesar de o desmonte escultural aumentar o custo anual do empreendimento, os impactos positivos gerados na segurança e na operação são significativos: redução no volume de matacos e na geração de blocos soltos na parede da bancada, menor tempo de carregamento dos caminhões e queda do efeito backbreak. Os resultados dos experimentos também mostram que a aplicação do desmonte escultural pode ser uma solução aos problemas nas áreas de riscos do empreendimento. Com isso, há um aumento na vida útil da cava e o incremento no custo torna-se um investimento no negócio, tornando o projeto viável. / Precarious material extraction or unplanned exploitation of quarries in the past resulted today in many operational problems of entire zones of those sites, mainly because of slopes instability. Contour blasting is applied in mining industry to respond to environmental and geotechnical-related issues. The objective of this work is thus to apply contour blasting techniques to solve problems related to operational safety, which are directly related to slopes instability. The strong impact of rock mass quality on the results of blasting as well as on technical and economic sustainability of the project is also stressed out in this study. Blasting experiments were performed in a calcareous mine in the metropolitan region of São Paulo (Brazil). Parameters such as blasting pattern and hole loading have been modified. The efficiency of those tests was then measured with key performance indicators and compared to the distribution of RQD values at the surface of the slope, which was mapped thanks to a preliminary geomechanical study. The assessment of project sustainability was based on operational, safety and economic parameters. The analysis of the results showed that regions with a higher RQD presented a better blasting efficiency, which proved the importance of the rock mass quality on the blasting quality. In spite of representing a higher annual cost than regular blasting techniques, contour blasting has a significant positive impact on safety and operations: reduction in volume of over rock blocks, decreasing number of loose blocks at the surface of the slope, decreasing duration of truck loading and less backbreak effect. The experimental results thus showed that the application of contour blasting can be a solution in risk-exposed areas of a quarry as it enables to increase the operating life of the site, which turns the higher cost of contour blasting into a durable investment and improves the sustainability of the project.

This thesis tries to answer if a semi-automatic tool can speed up the process of segmenting tumors to find the area of a slice in the tumor or the volume of the entire tumor. A few different 2D semi-automatic tools were considered. The final choice was to implement live-wire. The implemented live-wire was evaluated and improved upon with hands-on testing from developers. Two methods were found for extending live-wire to 3D bodies. The first method was to interpolate the seed points and create new contours using the new seed points. The second method was to let the user segment contours in two orthogonal projections. The intersections between those contours and planes in the third orthogonal projection were then used to create automatic contours in this third projection. Both tools were implemented and evaluated. The evaluation compared the two tools to manual segmentation on two cases posing different difficulties. Time-on-task and accuracy were measured during the evaluation. The evaluation revealed that the semi-automatic tools could indeed save the user time while maintaining acceptable (80%) accuracy. The significance of all results were analyzed using two-tailed t-tests.

Locating and segmenting objects such as bones or internal organs is a common problem in medical imaging. Existing segmentation methods are often cumbersome to use for medical staff, since they require a close initial guess and a range of different parameters to be set appropriately. For this work, we present a two-stage segmentation framework which relies on an initial isosurface interactively extracted by topological analysis. The initial isosurface seldom provides a correct segmentation, so we refine the surface using an iterative level set method to better match the desired object boundary. We present applications and improvements to both the flexible isosurface interface and level set segmentation without edges.

This thesis examines the structure, stability and interaction of geophysical vortices. We do so by restricting our attention to relative vortex equilibria, or states which appear stationary in a co-rotating frame of reference. We approach the problem from three different perspectives, namely by first studying the single-vortex, quasi-geostrophic shallow-water problem, next by generalising it to an (asymmetric) two-vortex problem, and finally by re-visiting the single-vortex problem, making use of the more realistic, although more complicated, shallow-water model. We find that in all of the systems studied, small vortices (compared to the Rossby deformation length) are more likely to be unstable than large ones. For the single-vortex problem, this means that large vortices can sustain much greater deformations before destabilising than small vortices, and for the two-vortex problem this means that vortices are able to come closer together before destabilising. Additionally, we find that for large vortices, the degree of asymmetry of a vortex pair does not affect its stability, although it does affect the underlying steady state into which an unstable state transitions. Lastly, by carefully defining the "equivalence" between cyclones and anticyclones which appear in the shallow-water system, we find that cyclones are more stable than anticyclones. This is contrary to what is generally reported in the literature.

The aim of this project is to develop and perform a first evaluation of a software, based on the active contour, which automatically computes the cross-section area of the internal jugular veins through a sequence of 90 ultrasound images. The software is intended to be useful in future research in the field of intra cranial pressure and its associated diseases. The biomechanics of the internal jugular veins and its relationship to the intra cranial pressure is studied with ultrasound. It generates data in the form of ultrasound sequences shot in seven different body positions, supine to upright. Vein movements in cross section over the cardiac cycle are recorded for all body positions. From these films, it is interesting to know how the cross-section area varies over the cardiac cycle and between body positions, in order to estimate the pressure. The software created was semi-automatic, where the operator loads each individual sequence and sets the initial contour on the first frame. It was evaluated in a test by comparing its computed areas with manually estimated areas.  The test showed that the software was able to track and compute the area with a satisfactory accuracy for a variety of sequences. It is also faster and more consistent than manual measurements. The most difficult sequences to track were small vessels with narrow geometries, fast moving walls, and blurry edges. Further development is required to correct a few bugs in the algorithm. Also, the improved algorithm should be evaluated on a larger sample of sequences before using it in research.

A system for vessel characterization aimed at detecting deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the lower limbs has been developed and evaluated using ultrasound image processing, location and force sensors measurements, blood flow information and a protocol based on the current clinical standard, compression ultrasound. The goal is to provide an objective and repeatable system to measure DVT in a rapid and standardized manner, as this has been suggested in the literature as an approach to improve overall detection of the disease. The system uses a spatial Kalman filter-based algorithm with an elliptical model in the measurement equation to detect vessel contours in transverse ultrasound images and estimate ellipse parameters, and temporal constant velocity Kalman filters for tracking vessel location in real-time. The vessel characterization also comprises building a 3-D vessel model and performing compression and blood flow assessments to calculate measures that indicate the possibility of DVT in a vessel. A user interface designed for assessing a vessel for DVT was also developed. The system and components were implemented and tested in simulations, laboratory settings, and clinical settings. Contour detection results are good, with mean and rms errors ranging from 1.47-3.64 and 3.69-9.67 pixels, respectively, in simulated and patient images, and parameter estimation errors of 5%. Experiments showed errors of 3-5 pixels for the tracking approaches. The measures for DVT were evaluated, independently and integrated in the system. The complete system was evaluated, with sensitivity of 67-100% and specificity of 50-89.5%. System learnability and memorability were evaluated in a separate user study, with good results. Contributions include a segmentation approach using a full parameter ellipse model in an extended Kalman filter, incorporating multiple measurements, an alternate sampling method for faster parameter convergence and application-specific initialization, and a tracking approach that includes a sub-sampled sum of absolutes similarity calculation and a method to detect vessel bifurcations using flow data. Further contributions include an integrated system for DVT detection that can combine ultrasound B-mode, colour flow and elastography images for vessel characterization, a system interface design focusing on usability that was evaluated with medical professionals, and system evaluations through multiple patient studies. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Additive Manufacturing (AM), commonly known as 3D printing is a production method that utilises repeated addition of layers in order to produce a final shape. AM utilises less raw material and does not have drawbacks such as tool wear and material wastage as seen in conventional machining. However, they do have drawbacks such as poor surface and internal defects.  A common practice in AM is the fabrication of contour and bulk region using separate parameters.  The aim of this project was to study the effects of various process parameters on the contour properties. The process parameters considered were scanning speed, beam current and focus offset. The Nickel alloy Inconel 718 was utilised in Electron Beam Melting (EBM) to fabricate the test specimen. The samples used in this project were in an as-built condition which was priorly subjected to tensile testing for a different project. The tests performed in this project are hardness testing and microstructural investigation about grains, precipitates and the various defects.  The test results helped to understand the effect of various process parameters on the hardness and microstructure of the samples. The samples with lower scanning speed had higher hardness and lesser lack of fusion than samples with higher speed. In the case of varying beam current, the samples with higher beam current had higher hardness values and fewer lack of fusions. Similarly, the effects of varying two or more process parameters were also studied and their findings recorded. The microstructure consisted of a large number of shrinkage porosities in the bulk and contour regions. The presence of Niobium rich precipitates at grain boundaries and the grain structure for various process parameters were identified and recorded.