Comprendre, analyser et modéliser l'environment 3D à partir d'images provenant de caméras et d'appareils photos est l'un des défis majeurs actuel de recherche en vision par ordinateur. Cette thèse s'interesse à plusieurs aspects géométriques et photometriques liés à la reconstruction de surface à partir de plusieurs caméras calibrées. La reconstruction 3D est vue comme un problème de rendu inverse, et vise à minimiser une fonctionnelle d'énergie afin d'optimiser un maillage triangulaire représentant la surface à reconstruire. L'énergie est définie via un modèle génératif faisant naturellement apparaître des attributs tels que la visibilité ou la photométrie. Ainsi, l'approche présentée peut indifférement s'adapter à divers cas d'application tels que la stéréovision multi-vues, la stéréo photométrique multi-vues ou encore le “shape from shading” multi-vues. Plusieurs approches sont proposées afin de résoudre les problèmes de correspondances de l'apparence pour des scènes non Lambertiennes, dont l'apparence varie en fonction du point de vue. La segmentation, la stéréo photométrique ou encore la réciprocité d'Helmholtz sont des éléments étudiés afin de contraindre la reconstruction. L'exploitation de ces contraintes dans le cadre de reconstruction multi-vues permet de reconstruire des modèles complets 3D avec une meilleure qualité. / Understanding, analyzing and modeling the 3D world from 2D pictures and videos is probably one of the most exciting and challenging problem of computer vision. In this thesis, we address several geometric and photometric aspects to 3D surface reconstruction from multi-view calibrated images. We first formulate multi-view shape reconstruction as an inverse rendering problem. Using generative models, we formulate the problem as an energy minimization method that leads to the non-linear surface optimization of a deformable mesh. A particular attention is addressed to the computation of the discrete gradient flow, which leads to coherent vertices displacements. We particularly focus on models and energy functionals that depend on visibility and photometry. The same framework can then be equally used to perform multi-view stereo, multi-view shape from shading or multi-view photometric stereo. Then, we propose to exploit different additional information to constraint the problem in the non-Lambertian case, where the appearance of the scene depends on the view-point direction. Segmentation for instance can be used to segment surface regions sharing similar appearance or reflectance. Helmholtz reciprocity can also be applied to reconstruct 3D shapes of objects of any arbitrary reflectance properties. By taking multiple image-light pairs around an object, multi-view Helmholtz stereo can be performed. Using this constrained acquisition scenario and our deformable mesh framework, it is possible to reconstruct high quality 3D models.

Space-based telescopes are limit by the payload requirements of existing launch vehicles. Thus, despite distinct advantages the resolution of terrestrial telescopes exceeds space-based telescopes due to larger size and powerful adaptive optics. To overcome payload limitations, a primary mirror technology that is lighter in weight, but no less effective, is required. As this will result in new structural conditions, new approaches to maintaining the optical shape (figure) of the mirror will also be required. This thesis culminates work at the Georgia Institute of Technology in modelling a hexagonal thin-shell deformation mirror manipulated by an adaptive truss. This research specifically examines the feasibility of a surface parallel actuated (SPA) thin-shell CuZr deformable mirror (DM) as an alternative to a typical surface normal actuated (SNA) based mirror. It is believed that by using a thin-shell mirror (100 m or less in thickness) with a light weight substrate, such as a truss, that a significant weight-savings will occur, thus enabling larger space based telescopes. This thesis advances the SPA DM concept by 1) creating a representative model, 2) developing design evaluation methods, 3) evaluating the FEA simulated response of the deformable mirror over Zernike error modes, 4) evaluating the FEA simulated response to select thermal loads, and 5) evaluating the ability of the DM to remove thermal error, and the forces required to do so. Finally, it is concluded that overall the SPA DM concept is feasible.

One of the common research goals in disciplines such as computer graphics and robotics is to understand the subtleties of human motion and develop tools for recreating natural and meaningful motion. Physical simulation of virtual human characters is a promising approach since it provides a testbed for developing and testing control strategies required to execute various human behaviors. Designing generic control algorithms for simulating a wide range of human activities, which can robustly adapt to varying physical environments, has remained a primary challenge. This dissertation introduces methods for generic and robust control of virtual characters in an interactive physical environment. Our approach is to use the information of the physical contacts between the character and her environment in the control design. We leverage high-level knowledge of the kinematics goals and the interaction with the surroundings to develop active control strategies that robustly adapt to variations in the physical scene. For synthesizing intentional motion requiring long-term planning, we exploit properties of the physical model for creating efficient and robust controllers in an interactive framework. The control design leverages the reference motion capture data and the contact information with the environment for interactive long-term planning. Finally, we propose a compact soft contact model for handling contacts for rigid body virtual characters. This model aims at improving the robustness of existing control methods without adding any complexity to the control design and opens up possibilities for new control algorithms to synthesize agile human motion.

No description available.

Les dispositifs de protection de sites sensibles doivent permettre de détecter des menaces potentielles suffisamment à l'avance pour pouvoir mettre en place une stratégie de défense. Dans cette optique, les méthodes de détection et de reconnaissance d'aéronefs se basant sur des images infrarouge multispectrales doivent être adaptées à des images faiblement résolues et être robustes à la variabilité spectrale et spatiale des cibles. Nous mettons au point dans cette thèse, des méthodes statistiques de détection et de reconnaissance d'aéronefs satisfaisant ces contraintes. Tout d'abord, nous spécifions une méthode de détection d'anomalies pour des images multispectrales, combinant un calcul de vraisemblance spectrale avec une étude sur les ensembles de niveaux de la transformée de Mahalanobis de l'image. Cette méthode ne nécessite aucune information a priori sur les aéronefs et nous permet d'identifier les images contenant des cibles. Ces images sont ensuite considérées comme des réalisations d'un modèle statistique d'observations fluctuant spectralement et spatialement autour de formes caractéristiques inconnues. L'estimation des paramètres de ce modèle est réalisée par une nouvelle méthodologie d'apprentissage séquentiel non supervisé pour des modèles à données manquantes que nous avons développée. La mise au point de ce modèle nous permet in fine de proposer une méthode de reconnaissance de cibles basée sur l'estimateur du maximum de vraisemblance a posteriori. Les résultats encourageants, tant en détection qu'en classification, justifient l'intérêt du développement de dispositifs permettant l'acquisition d'images multispectrales. Ces méthodes nous ont également permis d'identifier les regroupements de bandes spectrales optimales pour la détection et la reconnaissance d'aéronefs faiblement résolus en infrarouge.

[Truncated abstract] Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) has become the urologist’s primary tool for diagnosing and staging prostate cancer due to its real-time and non-invasive nature, low cost, and minimal discomfort. However, the interpretation of a prostate ultrasound image depends critically on the experience and expertise of a urologist and is still difficult and subjective. To overcome the subjective interpretation and facilitate objective diagnosis, computer aided analysis of ultrasound images of the prostate would be very helpful. Computer aided analysis of images may improve diagnostic accuracy by providing a more reproducible interpretation of the images. This thesis is an attempt to address several key elements of computer aided analysis of ultrasound images of the prostate. Specifically, it addresses the following tasks: 1. modelling B-mode ultrasound image formation and statistical properties; 2. reducing ultrasound speckle; and 3. extracting prostate contour. Speckle refers to the granular appearance that compromises the image quality and resolution in optics, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and ultrasound. Due to the existence of speckle the appearance of a B-mode ultrasound image does not necessarily relate to the internal structure of the object being scanned. A computer simulation of B-mode ultrasound imaging is presented, which not only provides an insight into the nature of speckle, but also a viable test-bed for any ultrasound speckle reduction methods. Motivated by analysis of the statistical properties of the simulated images, the generalised Fisher-Tippett distribution is empirically proposed to analyse statistical properties of ultrasound images of the prostate. A speckle reduction scheme is then presented, which is based on Mallat and Zhong’s dyadic wavelet transform (MZDWT) and modelling statistical properties of the wavelet coefficients and exploiting their inter-scale correlation. Specifically, the squared modulus of the component wavelet coefficients are modelled as a two-state Gamma mixture. Interscale correlation is exploited by taking the harmonic mean of the posterior probability functions, which are derived from the Gamma mixture. This noise reduction scheme is applied to both simulated and real ultrasound images, and its performance is quite satisfactory in that the important features of the original noise corrupted image are preserved while most of the speckle noise is removed successfully. It is also evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively by comparing it with median, Wiener, and Lee filters, and the results revealed that it surpasses all these filters. A novel contour extraction scheme (CES), which fuses MZDWT and snakes, is proposed on the basis of multiresolution analysis (MRA). Extraction of the prostate contour is placed in a multi-scale framework provided by MZDWT. Specifically, the external potential functions of the snake are designated as the modulus of the wavelet coefficients at different scales, and thus are “switchable”. Such a multi-scale snake, which deforms and migrates from coarse to fine scales, eventually extracts the contour of the prostate

Dans un contexte où l'utilisation de structures déployables s'est généralisée, le département Recherche de la société Thales Alenia Space étudie un nouveau concept de télescope spatial dont le miroir secondaire est déployé grâce au déroulement de six mètres rubans. Des études antérieures ont permis la mise au point d'un prototype constitué de rubans métalliques dont le déploiement s'est avéré trop violent. Dans ce travail de thèse nous proposons d'une part un nouveau type de ruban à la vitesse de déroulement maîtrisable et d'autre part un modèle original décrivant le comportement dynamique de tels rubans, permettant de mieux appréhender les phénomènes complexes pouvant intervenir lors de scénarios de pliage, de déploiement ou de déroulement. La solution envisagée pour contrôler la vitesse de déroulement repose sur l'exploitation des propriétés mécaniques d'une couche de matériau viscoélastique collée à la surface du ruban. Ces propriétés variant avec la température permettent de garantir un maintien de la position enroulée à froid et assurent un déroulement régulé grâce à un réchauffage localisé. Ces phénomènes ont été mis en évidence expérimentalement et numériquement. La lourdeur des méthodes classiques de modélisation et le manque de richesse des méthodes simplifiées nous ont conduit à développer un modèle de poutre à section fortement déformable permettant de décrire le comportement dynamique des rubans en grands déplacements. Partant d'un modèle de coque, l'originalité de la méthode repose essentiellement sur l'introduction d'une cinématique de type elastica pour décrire les grandes variations de forme de la section. Un modèle énergétique 1D est obtenu en intégrant dans la section et le problème est résolu à l'aide du logiciel de modélisation par éléments finis COMSOL. On propose finalement un modèle continu 1D à 4 paramètres cinématiques qui permet de rendre compte d'une large gamme de phénomènes intervenant dans des scénarios complexes de pliage, de déroulement et de déploiement dynamique. / The research department of Thales Alenia Space is studying new concepts of space telescopes whose secondary mirror is deployed thanks to the unreeling of six tape-springs. A breadboard using metallic tape-springs has been built during preliminary studies and has exhibited a deployment that is too energetic and induce too important shocks.In this thesis a new kind of tape-spring with a controlled uncoiling speed is introduced. Secondly a rod model with highly deformable thin-walled cross-sections describing the dynamic behaviour of tape-springs is derived.In order to over come the deployment speed of a tape spring, a viscoelastic layer is stuck on its sides. Thanks to its properties varying with the temperature, the viscoelastic layer is used to maintain the tape-spring in a coiled configuration at low temperature whereas a local heating leads to a controlled uncoiling. These phenomenons have been underlined experimentally and numerically.Because of the high complexity of classical shell models and the lack of details of simplified models, smart modelling methods need to be developed to describe the highly non linear behaviour of a tape-spring. A planar rod model with highly deformable thin-walled cross-sections that accounts for large displacements and large rotations in dynamics is proposed. Starting from a classical shellmodel, the main additional assumption consists in introducing an elastica kinematics to describe thelarge changes of the cross-section shape with very few parameters. The expressions of the strain andkinetic energies are derived by performing an analytical integration over the section. The Hamilton principle is directly introduced in a suitable finite element software to solve the problem. Several examples (folding, coiling and deployment of a tape spring) are studied through the FEM software COMSOL to demonstrate the ability of the 4-parameter model to account for several phenomena: creation of a single fold and associated snap-through behaviour, splitting of a fold into two, motion of a fold along the tape during a dynamic deployment, scenarios of coiling and uncoiling of a bistable tape-spring.

Les espèces végétales, et en particulier les espèces d'arbres, forment un cadre de choix pour un processus de reconnaissance automatique basé sur l'analyse d'images. Les critères permettant de les identifier sont en effet le plus souvent des éléments morphologiques visuels, bien décrits et référencés par la botanique, qui laissent à penser qu'une reconnaissance par la forme est envisageable. Les feuilles constituent dans ce contexte les organes végétaux discriminants les plus faciles à appréhender, et sont de ce fait les plus communément employés pour ce problème qui connaît actuellement un véritable engouement. L'identification automatique pose toutefois un certain nombre de problèmes complexes, que ce soit dans le traitement des images ou dans la difficulté même de la classification en espèces, qui en font une application de pointe en reconnaissance de formes.Cette thèse place le problème de l'identification des espèces d'arbres à partir d'images de leurs feuilles dans le contexte d'une application pour smartphones destinée au grand public. Les images sur lesquelles nous travaillons sont donc potentiellement complexes et leur acquisition peu supervisée. Nous proposons alors des méthodes d'analyse d'images dédiées, permettant la segmentation et l'interprétation des feuilles d'arbres, en se basant sur une modélisation originale de leurs formes, et sur des approches basées modèles déformables. L'introduction de connaissances a priori sur la forme des objets améliore ainsi de façon significative la qualité et la robustesse de l'information extraite de l'image. Le traitement se déroulant sur l'appareil, nous avons développé ces algorithmes en prenant en compte les contraintes matérielles liées à leur utilisation.Nous introduisons également une description spécifique des formes des feuilles, inspirée par les caractéristiques déterminantes recensées dans les ouvrages botaniques. Ces différents descripteurs fournissent des informations de haut niveau qui sont fusionnées en fin de processus pour identifier les espèces, tout en permettant une interprétation sémantique intéressante dans le cadre de l'interaction avec un utilisateur néophyte. Les performances obtenues en termes de classification, sur près de 100 espèces d'arbres, se situent par ailleurs au niveau de l'état de l'art dans le domaine, et démontrent une robustesse particulière sur les images prises en environnement naturel. Enfin, nous avons intégré l'implémentation de notre système de reconnaissance dans l'application Folia pour iPhone, qui constitue une validation de nos approches et méthodes dans un cadre réel. / Plant species, and especially tree species, constitute a well adapted target for an automatic recognition process based on image analysis. The criteria that make their identification possible are indeed often morphological visual elements, which are well described and referenced by botany. This leads to think that a recognition through shape is worth considering. Leaves stand out in this context as the most accessible discriminative plant organs, and are subsequently the most often used for this problem recently receiving a particular attention. Automatic identification however gives rise to a fair amount of complex problems, linked with the processing of images, or in the difficult nature of the species classification itself, which make it an advanced application for pattern recognition.This thesis considers the problem of tree species identification from leaf images within the framework of a smartphone application intended for a non-specialist audience. The images on which we expect to work are then potentially very complex scenes and their acquisition rather unsupervised. We consequently propose dedicated methods for image analysis, in order to segment and interpret tree leaves, using an original shape modelling and deformable templates. The introduction on prior knowledge on the shape of objects enhances significatively the quality and the robustness of the information we extract from the image. All processing being carried out on the mobile device, we developed those algorithms with concern towards the material constraints of their exploitation. We also introduce a very specific description of leaf shapes, inspired by the determining characteristics listed in botanical references. These different descriptors constitute independent sources of high-level information that are fused at the end of the process to identify species, while providing the user with a possible semantic interpretation. The classification performance demonstrated over approximately 100 tree species are competitive with state-of-the-art methods of the domain, and show a particular robustness to difficult natural background images. Finally, we integrated the implementation of our recognition system into the \textbf{Folia} application for iPhone, which constitutes a validation of our approaches and methods in a real-world use.

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No. of bitstreams: 1 DissCHVP.pdf: 4899707 bytes, checksum: e7de60b5431e48ddbc2b9016dae268c7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-10 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / The magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has become an indispensable tool for the diagnosis and study of various diseases and syndromes of the central nervous system, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In order to perform the precise diagnosis of a disease, as well as the evolutionary monitoring of a certain treatment, the neuroradiologist doctor often needs to measure and assess volume and shape changes in certain brain structures along a series of MR images. For that, the previous delineation of the structures of interest is necessary. In general, such task is manually done, with limited help from a computer, and therefore it has several problems. For this reason, many researchers have turned their efforts towards the development of automatic techniques for segmentation of brain structures in MR images. Among the various approaches proposed in the literature, techniques based on deformable models and anatomical atlases are among those which present the best results. However, one of the main difficulties in applying geometric deformable models is the initial positioning of the model. Thus, this research aimed to develop an atlas of 3D salient points (automatically detected from a set of MR images) and to investigate the applicability of such atlas in guiding the initial positioning of geometric deformable models representing brain structures, with the purpose of helping the automatic segmentation of such structures in MR images. The processing pipeline included the use of a 3D salient point detector based on the phase congruency measure, an adaptation of the shape contexts technique to create point descriptors and the estimation of a B-spline transform to map pairs of matching points. The results, evaluated using the Jaccard and Dice metrics before and after the model initializations, showed a significant gain in the tests involving synthetically deformed images of normal patients, but for images of clinical patients with AD the gain was marginal and can still be improved in future researches. Some ways to do such improvements are discussed in this work. / O imageamento por ressonância magnética (RM) tornou-se uma ferramenta indispensável no diagnóstico e estudo de diversas doenças e síndromes do sistema nervoso central, tais como a doença de Alzheimer (DA). Para que se possa realizar o diagnóstico preciso de uma doença, bem como o acompanhamento evolutivo de um determinado tratamento, o médico neurorradiologista frequentemente precisa medir e avaliar alterações de volume e forma em determinadas estruturas do cérebro ao longo de uma série de imagens de RM. Para isso, a delineação prévia das estruturas de interesse nas imagens é necessária. Em geral, essa tarefa é realizada manualmente, com ajuda limitada de um computador, e portanto possui diversos problemas. Por esse motivo, vários pesquisadores têm voltado seus esforços para o desenvolvimento de técnicas automáticas de segmentação de estruturas cerebrais em imagens de RM. Dentre as várias abordagens propostas na literatura, técnicas baseadas em modelos deformáveis e atlas anatômicos estão entre as que apresentam os melhores resultados. No entanto, uma das principais dificuldades na aplicação de modelos geométricos deformáveis é o posicionamento inicial do modelo. Assim, esta pesquisa teve por objetivo desenvolver um atlas de pontos salientes 3D (automaticamente detectados em um conjunto de imagens de RM) e investigar a aplicabilidade de tal atlas em guiar o posicionamento inicial de modelos geométricos deformáveis representando estruturas cerebrais, com o propósito de auxiliar a segmentação automática de tais estruturas em imagens de RM. O arcabouço de processamento incluiu o uso de um detector de pontos salientes 3D baseado na medida de congruência de fase, uma adaptação da técnica shape contexts para a criação de descritores de pontos e a estimação de uma transformação B-spline para mapear pares de pontos correspondentes. Os resultados, avaliados com as métricas Jaccard e Dice antes e após a inicialização dos modelos, mostraram um ganho significativo em testes envolvendo imagens sinteticamente deformadas de pacientes normais, mas em imagens de pacientes clínicos com DA o ganho foi marginal e ainda pode ser melhorado em pesquisas futuras. Algumas maneiras de se realizar tais melhorias são discutidas neste trabalho. / FAPESP: 2015/02232-1 / CAPES: 2014/11988-0

O objetivo central deste trabalho é implementar modelos constitutivos hiperelásticos não lineares em um código computacional que faz análise não linear geométrica de cascas. São necessários, para este propósito, conceitos sobre álgebras linear e tensorial, cinemática, deformação, tensão, balanços, princípios variacionais, métodos numéricos e hiperelasticidade. Tal programa usa a formulação Lagrangiana posicional, o método dos elementos finitos, o princípio dos trabalhos virtuais e o método iterativo de Newton-Raphson para solução das equações não lineares. O elemento finito de casca possui dez nós, sete parâmetros por nó e variação linear da deformação ao longo da espessura. Para dedução dos novos modelos usou-se a decomposição multiplicativa do gradiente da função mudança de configuração, o tensor deformação de Green-Lagrange e o tensor da tensão de Piola-Kirchhoff de segunda espécie. O código desenvolvido foi usado em simulações de diversos exemplos e apresentou boa precisão na análise mecânica de polímeros naturais altamente deformáveis. A ocorrência do fenômeno travamento não se manifestou nas análises realizadas. A presente pesquisa confirmou outros trabalhos, reforçou a necessidade de se usar modelos hiperelásticos não lineares para simular o comportamento mecânico de polímeros naturais e apresentou resultados condizentes com dados experimentais existentes na literatura científica e às respectivas soluções analíticas. / The main objective of this work is to implement nonlinear hyperelastic constitutive models in a computational code of geometrically nonlinear analysis of shells. For this purpose, concepts of linear and tensor algebras, kinematics, strain, stress, balances, variational principles, numerical methods and hyperelasticity are necessary. Such program uses the positional Lagrangian formulation, the finite element method, the principle of virtual work and the iterative method of Newton-Raphson for the solution of the nonlinear equations. The shell finite element has ten nodes, seven parameters per node and presents linear variation of the strain along the thickness. To achieve the new constitutive models the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient, the Green-Lagrange strain tensor and the second Piola-Kirchhoff stress tensor are used. The developed code is tested for simulations of various examples and presents good accuracy in the mechanical analysis of highly deformable natural rubber. The locking phenomena didn\'t appear in the proposed analysis. The present research confirms other works, corroborates the need of using nonlinear hyperelastic models to simulate the mechanical behavior of natural rubber and presents suitable results when compared to existent experimental data of the scientific literature and to the respective analytical solutions.