This thesis addressed the problem of recognizing 3-D objects, using shape information extracted from range images, and parameterized volumetric models. The domains of the geometric shapes explored is that of complex curved objects with articulated parts, and a great deal of similarity between some of the parts. These objects are exemplified by animal shapes, however the general characteristics and complexity of these shapes are present in a wide range of other natural and man-made objects. In model-based object recognition three main issues constrain the design of a complete solution: representation, feature extraction, and interpretation. this thesis develops an integrated approach that addresses these three issues in the context of the above mentioned domain of objects. For representation I propose a composite description using globally deformable superquadratics and a set of volumetric primitives called geons: this description is shown to have representational and discriminative properties suitable for recognition. Feature extraction comprises a segmentation process which develops a method to extract a parts-based description of the objects as assemblies of defoemable superquadratics. Discontinuity points detected from the images are linked using 'active contour' minimization technique, and deformable superquadratic models are fitted to the resulting regions afterwards. Interpretation is split into three components: classification of parts, matching, and pose estimation. A Radical Basis Function [RBF] classifier algoritm is presented in order to classify the superquadratics shapes derived from the segmentation into one of twelve geon classes. The matching component is decomposed into two stages: first, an indexing scheme which makes effective use of the output of the [RBF] classifier in order to direct the search to the models which contain the parts identified. this makes the search more efficient, and with a model library that is organised in a meaningful and robust way, permits growth without compromising performance. Second, a method is proposed where the hypotheses picked from the index are searched using an Interpretation Tree algorithm combined with a quality measure to evaluate the bindings and the final valid hypotheses based on Possibility Theory, or Theory of Fuzzy Sets. The valid hypotheses ranked by the matching process are then passed to the pose estimation module. This module uses a Kalman Filter technique that includes the constraints on the articulations as perfect measurements, and as such provides a robust and generic way to estimate pose in object domains such as the one approached here. These techniques are then combined to produce an integrated approach to the object recognition task. The thesis develops such an integrated approach, and evaluates its perfomance inthe sample domain. Future extensions of each technique and the overall integration strategy are discussed.

The Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica is unusually close to the Middle America Trench (MAT), such that interface locking along the megathrust is observable under land. Here, rapid convergence between the downgoing Cocos and the over-riding Caribbean plates at ~85mm/yr allows for observable high strain rates, frequent large earthquakes and ongoing micro-seismicity. By taking advantage of this ideal location, a network of 20 on-land broadband seismometers was established in cooperation between UC Santa Cruz, Georgia Tech, and OVSICORI, with most stations operating since 2008. To evaluate what seismicity tells us about the ongoing state of coupling along the interface, we must consistently evaluate the location and magnitude of ongoing micro- seismicity. Because of large levels of anthropogenic, biologic, and coastal noise, automatic detection of earthquakes remains problematic in this region. Thus, we resorted to detailed manual investigation of earthquake phases. So far, we have detected nearly 7,000 earthquakes below or near Nicoya between February and August 2009. From these events we evaluate the fine-scale frequency-magnitude distribution (FMD) along the subduction megathrust. The results from this b-value mapping‟ are compared with an earlier study of the seismicity 9 years prior. In addition, we evaluate them relative to the latest geodetically derived locking. Preliminary comparisons of spatial and temporal variations of the b-values will be reported here. Because ongoing manual detection of earthquakes is extremely laborious and some events might be easily neglected, we are implementing a match-filter detection algorithm to search for new events from the continuous seismic data. This new approach has been previously successful in identifying aftershocks of the 2004 Parkfield earthquake. To do so, we use the waveforms of 858 analyst-detected events as templates to search for similarly repeating events during the same periods that have been manually detected. Preliminary results on the effectiveness of this technique are reported. The overall goal of this research is to evaluate the evolution of stress along the megathrust that may indicate the location and magnitude of potentially large future earthquakes. To do so, I make the comparison between the FMD and the interface locking. Only positive correlations are observed in the Nicoya region. The result is different from the one derived from the seismic data set that was recorded 9 years before our data. Therefore, to substantiate the causes for the different relationships between the b-value and the coupling degree, we need additional data with more reliable magnitudes.

Structured Light Illumination is a widely used 3D shape measurement technique in non-contact surface scanning. Multi-pattern based Structured Light Illumination methods reconstruct 3-D surface with high accuracy, but are sensitive to object motion during the pattern projection and the speed of scanning process is relatively long. To reduce this sensitivity, single pattern techniques are developed to achieve a high speed scanning process, such as Composite Pattern (CP) and Modified Composite Pattern (MCP) technique. However, most of single patter techniques have a significant banding artifact and sacrifice the accuracy. We focus on developing SLI techniques can achieve both high speed, high accuracy and have the tolerance to the relative motion. We first present a novel Two-Pattern Full Lateral Resolution (2PFLR) SLI method utilizing an MCP pattern for non-ambiguous phase followed by a single sinusoidal pattern for high accuracy. The surface phase modulates the single sinusoidal pattern which is demodulated using a Quadrature demodulation technique and then unwrapped by the MCP phase result. A single sinusoidal pattern reconstruction inherently has banding error. To effective de-band the surface, we propose Projector Space De-banding algorithm (PSDb). We use projector space because the band error is aligned with the projector coordinates allowing more accurate estimation of the banding error. 2PFLR system only allows the relative motion within the FOV of the scanner, to extend the application of the SLI, we present the research on Relative Motion 3-D scanner which utilize a single pattern technique. The pattern in RM3D system is designed based on MCP but has white space area to capture the surface texture, and a constellation correlation filter method is used to estimate the scanner's trajectory and then align the 3-D surface reconstructed by each frame to a point cloud of the whole object surface.

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Este trabalho apresenta uma nova abordagem para a modelagem e resolução de problemas de fluxo de carga em sistemas elétricos de potência. O modelo proposto é formado simultaneamente pelo conjunto de equações não lineares que representam as restrições de carga do problema e por restrições de complementaridade associadas com as restrições de operação da rede, as quais propiciam o controle implícito das tensões nas barras com controle de geração. Também é proposta uma técnica para a obtenção dos valores discretos dos taps de tranformadores, de maneira que o ajuste dessas variáveis possa ser realizado em passos discretos. A metodologia desenvolvida consiste em tratar o sistema misto de equações e inequações não lineares como um problema de factibilidade não linear e transformá-lo em um problema de mínimos quadrados não lineares, o qual é resolvido por uma sequência de subproblemas linearizados dentro de uma região de confiança. Para a obtenção de soluções aproximadas desse subproblema foi adotado o método do gradiente conjugado de Steihaug, combinando estratégias de região de confiança e filtros multidimensionais para analisar a qualidade das soluções fornecidas. Foram realizados testes numéricos com os sistemas de 14, 30, 57, 118 e 300 barras do IEEE, e com um sistema brasileiro equivalente CESP 53 barras, os quais indicaram boa flexibilidade e robustez do método proposto. / This work presents a new approach to the load flow problem in electrical power systems and develops a methodology for its resolution. The proposed model is simultaneously composed by nonlinear equations and inequations which represent the load and operational restrictions of the system, where a set of complementarity constraints model the relationship between voltage and reactive power generation in controled buses. It is also proposed a new technique to obtaining a discrete solution for the transformer taps, allowing their discrete adjustment. The method developed treats the mixed system of equations and inequations of the load flow problem as a nonlinear feasibility problem and converts it in a nonlinear least squares problem, which is solved by minimizing a sequence of linearized subproblems, whitin a trust region. To obtain approximate solutions at every iteration, we use the Steihaug conjugate gradient method, combining trust region and multidimensional filters techniques to analyse the quality of the provided solution. Numerical results using 14, 30, 57, 118 and 300-bus IEEE power systems, and a real brazilian equivalent system CESP 53-bus, indicate the flexibility and robustness of the proposed method.

Este trabalho apresenta uma nova abordagem para a modelagem e resolução de problemas de fluxo de carga em sistemas elétricos de potência. O modelo proposto é formado simultaneamente pelo conjunto de equações não lineares que representam as restrições de carga do problema e por restrições de complementaridade associadas com as restrições de operação da rede, as quais propiciam o controle implícito das tensões nas barras com controle de geração. Também é proposta uma técnica para a obtenção dos valores discretos dos taps de tranformadores, de maneira que o ajuste dessas variáveis possa ser realizado em passos discretos. A metodologia desenvolvida consiste em tratar o sistema misto de equações e inequações não lineares como um problema de factibilidade não linear e transformá-lo em um problema de mínimos quadrados não lineares, o qual é resolvido por uma sequência de subproblemas linearizados dentro de uma região de confiança. Para a obtenção de soluções aproximadas desse subproblema foi adotado o método do gradiente conjugado de Steihaug, combinando estratégias de região de confiança e filtros multidimensionais para analisar a qualidade das soluções fornecidas. Foram realizados testes numéricos com os sistemas de 14, 30, 57, 118 e 300 barras do IEEE, e com um sistema brasileiro equivalente CESP 53 barras, os quais indicaram boa flexibilidade e robustez do método proposto. / This work presents a new approach to the load flow problem in electrical power systems and develops a methodology for its resolution. The proposed model is simultaneously composed by nonlinear equations and inequations which represent the load and operational restrictions of the system, where a set of complementarity constraints model the relationship between voltage and reactive power generation in controled buses. It is also proposed a new technique to obtaining a discrete solution for the transformer taps, allowing their discrete adjustment. The method developed treats the mixed system of equations and inequations of the load flow problem as a nonlinear feasibility problem and converts it in a nonlinear least squares problem, which is solved by minimizing a sequence of linearized subproblems, whitin a trust region. To obtain approximate solutions at every iteration, we use the Steihaug conjugate gradient method, combining trust region and multidimensional filters techniques to analyse the quality of the provided solution. Numerical results using 14, 30, 57, 118 and 300-bus IEEE power systems, and a real brazilian equivalent system CESP 53-bus, indicate the flexibility and robustness of the proposed method.