Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2006. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references (p.157-171).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 162-168).

This dissertation proposes a comprehensive working flow for image retrieval. It contains four components: denoising, restoration, color features extraction, and depth feature extraction. We propose a visual perceptual descriptor (VPD) to extract color features from an image. Gradient direction is calculated at each pixel, and the VPD is moved over the entire image to locate regions with similar gradient direction. Color features are extracted only at these pixels. Experiments demonstrate that VPD is an effective and reliable descriptor in image retrieval. We propose a novel depth feature for image retrieval. Regarding any 2D image as the convolution of a corresponding sharp image and a Gaussian kernel with unknown blur amount. Sparse depth map is computed as the absolute difference of the original image and its sharp version. Depth feature is extracted as the nuclear norm of the sparse depth map. Experiments validate the effectiveness of this approach on depth recovery and image retrieval. We present a model for image denoising. A gradient item is incorporated, and can be merged into the original model based on geometric measure theory. Experiments illustrate this model is effective for image denoising, and it can improve the retrieval performance by denoising a query image. A model is proposed for image restoration. It is an extension of the traditional singular value thresholding (SVT) algorithm, addressing the issue that SVT cannot recover a matrix with missing rows or columns. Proposed is a way to fill such rows and columns, and then apply SVT to restore the damaged image. The pre-filled entries are recomputed by averaging its neighboring pixels. Experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of this model on image restoration, and it can improve the retrieval performance by restoring a damaged query image. Finally, the capability of this working flow is tested. Experiments demonstrate its effectiveness in image retrieval.

The target of this master thesis is to evaluate the Image Warping technique and propose a possible design for an implementation in FPGA. The Image Warping is widely used in the image processing for image correction and rectification. A DSP is a usual choice for implantation of the image processing algorithms, but to decrease a cost of the target system it was proposed to use an FPGA for implementation. In this work a different Image Warping methods was evaluated in terms of performance, produced image quality, complexity and design size. Also, considering that it is not only Image Warping algorithm which will be implemented on the target system, it was important to estimate a possible memory bandwidth used by the proposed design. The evaluation was done by implemented a C-model of the proposed design with a finite datapath to simulate hardware implementation as close as possible.

The diploma paper "Instruments for creation of positive company image (image of Dermacol brand)" has 3 goals: The first is evaluation of present image of the brand, the second is methods for creation of positive brand image and the third is proposals for change of the image. I implemented research, where 30 women had answered me to 15 questions dealing with image of Dermacol brand. The result was that image of Dermacol brand is fragmented and confused. Diploma paper explains methods how change image of brand Dermacol and also contains proposals of strategies for change of Dermacol image. At the end is mentioned, if all strategies are implemented in 2009, it will be the first step for change of image. Change of image of Dermacol is expected till 2014.

M.Comm. / Die waarde van hierdie ondersoek hou verband met die bemarking van 'n onderneming en die handhawing van 'n mededingende voordeel deur die projektering van 'n positiewe beeld (Anon., 1995a:92; Bateman & Zeithaml, 1993:75; Caminiti, 1992:50; Kotler & Armstrong, 1991:240). Hierdie aspek neem toe in belangrikheid soos wat die besigheidsmilieu in Suid-Afrika verander, veral wat betref die toetrede van buitelandse maatskappye tot die Suid-Afrikaanse mark.

Dans cette thèse, nous explorons des structures intermédiaires ainsi que le rapport entre eux et des algorithmes utilisés dans le contexte du rendu photoréaliste (RP) et non photoréaliste (RNP). Nous présentons des nouvelles structures pour le rendu et l'utilisation alternative des structures existantes. Nous présentons trois contributions principales dans les domaines RP et RNP: Nous montrons une méthode pour la génération des images stylisées noir et blanc. Notre approche est inspirée par des bandes dessinées, utilisant l'apparence et la géometrie dans une formulation d'énérgie basée sur un graphe 2D. En contrôlant les énérgies, l'utilisateur peut générer des images de differents styles et représentations. Dans le deuxième travail, nous proposons une nouvelle méthode pour la paramétrisation temporellement cohérente des lignes animées pour la texturisation. Nous introduisons une structure spatiotemporelle et une formulation d'énérgie permettant une paramétrisation globalement optimale. La formulation par une énérgie donne un contrôle important et simple sur le résultat. Finalement, nous présentons une extension sur une méthode de l'illumination globale (PBGI) utilisée dans la production de films au cours des dernières années. Notre extension effectue une compression par quantification de données générées par l'algorithme original. Le coût ni de memoire ni de temps excède considérablement celui de la méthode d'origin et permet ainsi le rendu des scènes plus grande. L'utilisateur a un contrôle facile du facteur et de la qualité de compression. Nous proposons un nombre d'extensions ainsi que des augmentations potentielles pour les méthodes présentées. / In this thesis, we explore intermediary structures and their relationship to the employed algorithms in the context of photorealistic (PR) and non-photorealistic (NPR) rendering. We present new structures for rendering as well as new uses for existing structures. We present three original contributions in the NPR and PR domain: First, we present binary shading, a method to generate stylized black and white images, inspired by comic artists, using appearance and geometry in a graph-based energy formulation. The user can control the algorithm to generate images of different styles and representations. The second work allows the temporally coherent parameterization of line animations for texturing purposes. We introduce a spatio-temporal structure over the input data and an energy formulation for a globally optimal parameterization. Similar to the work on binary shading, the energy formulation provides a an important and simple control over the output. Finally, we present an extension to Point-based Global Illumination, a method used extensively in movie production during the last years. Our work allows compressing the data generated by the original algorithm using quantification. It is memory-efficient and has only a neglegible time overhead while enabling the rendering of larger scenes. The user can easily control the strength and quality of the compression. We also propose a number of possible extensions and improvements to the methods presented in the thesis.

<p> The central idea behind digital image processing is quite simple. The digital image is fed into a computer one pixel at a time. The computer is programmed to insert these data into an equation, or series of equations, and then store the results of the computation for each pixel. These results form a new digital image that may be displayed or recorded in pictorial format (specific for the particular image processing system in use) or may itself be further manipulated by additional programs. The possible forms of digital image manipulation are literally infinite. The purpose of this project is to implement some image processing techniques to facilitate the image analysis research conducted in the Institute for Materials Research at McMaster University. </p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Dans ses premières œuvres, Deleuze recherche une "pensée sans image", inséparable de la critique de "l'image de la pensée", c'est-à -dire de la représentation. Le problème, organisant alors la philosophie de Deleuze, est celui du rapport de la pensée avec l'image, problème qui est repris .et déplacé, de Nietzsche et la philosophie à Différence et répétition. Pour "décrire" les actes d'une pensée sans image, Deleuze procède en trois étapes : "le point de départ" est la critique de l'image de la pensée, la dénonciation de la représentation et de ses présupposés, qui emprisonnent et dénaturent la pensée. "Le véritable commencement" consiste, dès lors, à dégager les conditions, non de l'expérience possible comme dans la représentation, mais de l'expérience réelle, c'est-à-dire une nouvelle image de la pensée qui la libère de la représentation. A l'image représentative de la pensée, Deleuze substitue donc une nouvelle image de la pensée qui est l'ensemble des conditions d'une pensée sans image. Enfin, la troisième étape, "l'authentique répétition", est la mise à jour d'une pensée sans image, sub-représentative. Loin d'être naturelle, donnée à un penseur de bonne volonté, comme recognition, la pensée sans image est création de penser dans la pensée, pensée sauvage, nomade, qui nait sans modèle préalable, ni ressemblance : elle surgit de la rencontre violente avec le signe qui la force à penser. Autrement dit, la pensée sans image, c'est le système du simulacre. / In his early works, Deleuze looks for a "thought without image", inseparable from the critique of the "image of thought", i.e. of representation. The problem, organizing Deleuze's philosophy, is the relation of thought with the image problem that is picked up and moved, from Nietzsche and phi/osophy to Difference and repetition. To "describe" the acts of a thought without image, Deleuze proceeds in three steps: "the starting point" is the criticism of the image of thought, the denunciation of representation and its presuppositions, which trap and distort the thought. "The real beginning" consists, therefore, in identifying the conditions, not of experience possible such in the representation, but the actual experience, which is a new image of thought that frees it from the representation. The representative image of thought, Deleuze substitute to a new image of thought which is the set of conditions for a thought without image. Finally, the third step, "the authentic repetition", is the update of a thought without image, sub­ representative. Far from being natural, given to a thinker of goodwill, like recognition, the thought without image is creation of thinking in thought, thought wild, nomadic, who was born without prior model, or likeness: it arises from the violent encounter with the sign that forces it to think. In other words, the thought without image, is the system of the simulacrum.

published_or_final_version / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy