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Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 S53 / Master of Science-

An edge-based segmentation scheme (i.e. boundary detector) for nuclear medicine images has been developed and consists of a multiresolutional Gaussian-based edge detector working in conjunction with a modified version of Nilsson's A* graph-search algorithm. A multiresolution technique of analyzing the edge-signature plot (edge gradient versus resolution scale) allows the edge detector to match an appropriately sized edge operator to the edge structure in order to measure the full extent of the edge and thus gain the best compromise between noise suppression and edge localization. The graph-search algorithm uses the output from the multiresolution edge detector as the primary component in a cost function which is then minimized to obtain the boundary path. The cost function can be adapted to include global information such as boundary curvature, shape, and similarity to prototype to help guide the boundary detection process in the absence of good edge information.

Digital radiographic images are created by a variety of diagnostic imaging modalities. A multi-modality workstation, known as the Arizona Viewing Console (AVC), was designed and built by the University of Arizona Radiology Department to support research in radiographic image processing and image display. Two specially designed VMEbus components, the base image memory and the video display memory, were integrated into the AVC and are the subject of this thesis. The base image memory is a multi-ported, 8 megabyte memory array based on random access memory used for raw image storage. It supports a 10 megapixel per second image processor and can interface to a 320 megabit per second network. The video display memory utilizes video memories and is capable of displaying two independent high resolution images, each 1024 pixels by 1536 lines, on separate video monitors. In part, these two memory designs have allowed the AVC to excel as a radiographic image workstation.

Thesis (MScEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The objective of this study is the assessment of the usefulness of an industrial machine vision system for laboratory studies of especially flotation froths and other foams. With this in mind it was attempted to meet three objectives. The first objective is the adjudication of the machine vision system's ability through image analysis to differentiate between characteristics of two-phase and three-phase systems. Secondly, through the use of image analysis the effect of varying surfactant concentration, as well as the addition of quartz particles on the foam/froth stability was quantified and thirdly it was attempted to define the nature of foam decay as stochastic or deterministic. While not as important in the industrial setting, the last objective is quite important when a laboratory system is concerned, even more so owing to the difficulty of quantifying the collapse or decay of foams and froths. Two experimental set-ups were used to attain above-mentioned objectives. A Leeds flotation cell was used for the flotation of the quartz with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and octadecylamine (ODA) and as well as for the characterisation of the CTAB and ODA foam. A glass column was used to investigate the CTAB foam column decay. In both set-ups the foam/froth structures were monitored with an ELMO charged coupled device (CCD). The CCD was connected to a personal computer equipped with frame grabber, which captured and digitised the images. The following conclusions can be drawn from the experimental results: The machine vision system can differentiate accurately between surfactant groups of different concentration and thus groups with unique characteristics. 11 The stability of foam is highly correlated with all other foam variables extracted from the image analysis system. In particular, the movement of the foam/froth in the flotation cell has a substantial influence on the stability values obtained for the foam/froth. III As far as the experimental system was concerned, small quartz particles (- 75 urn) stabilised the froth, while coarser particles (75-106 urn, 106-150 urn and 150+ urn) destabilised the froth. IV Likewise, the decay of CTAB foam in a column was non-linear and deterministic. When observed manually, the decay of long life foams follow the same trend as short-life foams and short-life emulsions in that a specific decay constant can be calculated for a specific surfactant system. V The machine vision system is a viable alternative for current stability measurements. Firstly, no data processing need to be done to calculate a indirect stability parameter as it computes a direct stability parameter and secondly it also computes the bubble size distribution of the sample. The following recommendations are made: The experimental design of the system needs to be altered to minimise the effect the experimental environment has on results. The possibility of a different camera set-up must be investigated. The focus of the camera on the foam surface needs to be accurate as the computation of the stability value depends on the quality of the image obtained. Il The four factors that affect the stability of a flotation froth, namely solid concentration, particle size, particle type and particle hydrophobicity should be investigated in the same study. There exists many conflicting studies on this subject as many studies for different particles with a variety of sizes, hydrophobicity and concentration are performed. One study should be conducted where all four these factors are investigated under the same experimental conditions. III The method with which the image analysis system deal with fine froth need to be addressed. In laboratory systems a typical system investigated will show a dense foam with small bubble distributions as in the case of CTAB. The extent to which the grouping of fine froth as one bubble influence the instability values obtained needs to be investigated . / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doelwit van hierdie studie is die evaluering van die toepassing van 'n industriële masjienvisiesisteem in 'n laboratorium studie van hoofsaaklik flottasie skuim. Die doel van hierdie toepassing is drie-ledig. Die eerste doelwit is om die onderskeidingsvermoë van die masjienvisiesisteem tussen groepe met verskillende eienskappe te evalueer deur intydse beeld verwerking. Tweedens is die invloed van oppervlakmiddelkonsentrasie veranderinge asook die byvoeging van kwarts partikels op die stabiliteit van die skuim ondersoek. Derdens is die aard van die skuim verval ondersoek om vas te stelof die proses deterministies of stochasties is. Alhoewel laasgenoemde doelwit nie so belangrik is in die industriële toepassing nie, is dit van uiterse belang in die laboratorium studies, veral as gevolg van die probleme wat ondervind word in die kwantifisering van skuimverval. Twee eksperimentele opstellings is gebruik om bogenoemde doelwitte te bereik. 'n Leeds flottasiesel is gebruik vir die flottasie van kwarts met CTAB en ODA asook vir die karakterisering van CTAB en ODA skuimeienskappe. 'n Glaskolom is gebruik vir die ondersoek van die aard van skuimverval. In beide opstellings is die beelde gemonitor deur 'n ELMO CCD. Die CCD is verbind met 'n rekenaar wat toegerus is met 'n raam-vanger wat die beelde vang en digitiseer. Die volgende gevolgtrekkings kan uit die eksperimentele resultate gemaak word: Die masjienvisiesisteem differensieer akkuraat tussen oppervlakmiddel groepe van verskillende konsentrasies en dus ook tussen groepe met unieke eienskappe. 11 Die skuim stabiliteit korreleer met die ander skuim eienskappe naamlik gemiddelde area, gemiddelde omtrek, aantal borrels, fynheid van die beeld (SNE), beweging van die skuim en kleur van die skuim. Veral die beweging van die skuim in die flottasiesel het 'n beduidende invloed op die skuimstabiliteit. 111 In die genoemde eksperimentele sisteem IS gevind dat klein kwartspartikels (-75 urn) skuim stabiliseer terwyl groter partikels (75-106 urn, 106-150 urn en 150+ urn) skuim destabiliseer. IV Die verval van CTAB skuim in 'n kolom is nie-lineêr en deterministies. In die geval waar die verval van die CTAB met die hand gemeet is, is gevind dat die verval van 'n lang-lewe skuim dieselfde tendens as kort-lewe skuim en kort-lewe emulsies volg. 'n Spesifieke verval konstante kan bereken word vir 'n spesifieke oppervlakmiddel sisteem. v Die masjienvisiesisteem IS 'n werkbare alternatief in die meting van skuimstabiliteit. Anders as in bestaande stabiliteitsmetings waar 'n indirekte stabiliteitsparameter bereken moet word, bereken die sisteem 'n direkte stabiliteitsparameter asook die borrelverspreiding van die skuim monster. Die volgende aanbevelings kan gemaak word: Die eksperimentele ontwerp van die sisteem moet aangepas word om sodoende die invloed van eksperimentele kondisies op die resultate te verminder. Die moontlikheid van 'n alternatiewe kamera opstelling moet ook ondersoek word, aangesien die verkrygde stabiliteitswaardes afhanklik is van die kwaliteit van die skuimbeelde. 11 Daar is talle teenstrydige studies ten opsigte van die vier faktore wat die stabiliteit van flotasie skuim beinvloed naamlik erts tipe, partikel grootte, partikel hidrofobisiteit en vastestof konsentrasie. Hierdie faktore moet gelyktydig in 'n studie ondersoek word onder dieselfde eksperimentele kondisies. 111 Die masjienvisiesisteem groepeer fyn skuim gedeeltes saam as een borrel. Hierdie wyse van fyn skuim hantering moet aangespreek word aangesien 'n tipiese oppervlakmiddel sisteem in die laboratorium, soos in die geval van CTAB, digte skuim met 'n fyn borrelverspreiding toon. Die mate waarin die onvermoë van die sisteem om fyn borrels te herken die stabiliteitswaardes beïnvloed, moet ondersoek word.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A digital portal X-ray imaging system was developed to replace the radiographic X-ray films currently used for patient position verification at the National Accelerator Centre (NAC) proton therapy facility. The main advantage of a digital system is the short time in which the image can be obtained. Other advantages include optimisation of the image display, effective archiving of the digital images, access from various locations through data networks, and lower operational costs. The digital system described in this thesis consists of a Gd202S:Tb scintillator screen for converting X-rays to visible light, a protected aluminum front silvered mirror to direct the light to a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera for capture and a personal computer for data acquisition, processing and display. Compared with other digital imaging systems, this is a simple, compact and affordable system. The properties of the various components were investigated. The Rarex G-130 (Gd202S:Tb) scintillation screen was chosen for its good spatial resolution, high emission efficiency and good matching between the spectral emission wavelength peak and the quantum efficiency of the CCD camera. The spatial resolution measured for the system with a field of view (FOV) of 290 x 190 mnr' is 1.3 lp/mm, which can be improved by increasing the CCD chip resolution or decreasing the field of view, since the CCD camera limits the spatial resolution. Intrinsic detector noise determines the lower limit of the dynamic range of the detector and is reduced by cooling the CCD camera. A dark current exposure is subtracted from the image to remove the bias signal and background signal level mainly caused by thermal noise. Photon noise, beam in-homogeneity and efficiency variations across the CCD chip are removed by a flat field correction. The digital images obtained with this system compare very well with the currently used radiographic film images and they are satisfactory for the purpose of patient position verification. Using the digital system it is possible to reduce the patient dose by 19 % and still obtain satisfactory image quality. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Digitale X-straalafbeeldingstelsel is ontwikkel om die radiografiese X-straalfilm wat tans gebruik word vir die kontrolering van die pasientposisionering voor die toediening van protonterapie by die Nasionale Versnellersentrum, te vervang. Die voordeel van die digitale sisteem is dat die beelde feitlik onmiddellik beskikbaar is. Verdere voordele sluit die optimisering van die vertoon van beeldkontras, effektiewe liassering, vinnige bereik deur datanetwerke en lae lopende kostes in. Die digitale sisteem beskryf in die tesis bestaan uit 'n gadolinium oksi-sulfied (Gd202S:Tb) sintillasieskerm wat X-strale omskakel na sigbare lig, 'n eerste-oppervlak aluminiumspieël wat die lig na 'n digitale kamera (CCD kamera) weerkaats en In persoonlike rekenaar vir dataverwerwing, verwerking en vertoon. Vergeleke met ander digitale stelsels is hierdie digitale beeldingstelsel eenvoudig, kompak en bekostigbaar. Die eienskappe van die verskillende komponente van die stelsel is ondersoek. Die Rarex G- 130 (Gd202S:Tb) sintillasieskerm IS gekies vanweë goeie resolusie, hoë emissiedoeltreffendheid en die hoë omsettingsdoeltreffendheid van die digitale kamera by die spektrale emissiegolflengte van dié sintillasieskerm. Die ruimtelike oplosvermoë van die stelsel is bepaal met In veldgrootte van 290 x 190 mnr' as 1.3 lynpare per millimeter. Die ruimtelike oplosvermoë kan verhoog word deur die kameraresolusie te verhoog of die veldgrootte te verklein, omdat die resolusie van die kamera tans die oplosvermoë van die stelsel beperk. Intrinsieke ruis van die detektor beperk die onderste grens van die dinamiese reikwydte van die detektor en kan verminder word deur die kamera te verkoel. 'n Donkerstroom-beeld word van die X-straalbeelde afgetrek om die voorspanningsein en die agtergrondsein, wat hoofsaaklik veroorsaak word deur termiese ruis, te verwyder. Ruis wat ontstaan as gevolg van fluktuasies in die aantal fotone, nie-homogeniteite in die bundel of variasie van die sensitiwiteit in die skerm word verwyder met behulp van 'n plat vlak beeld. Die digitale beelde verkry met die stelsel vergelyk goed met die beelde wat tans op film geneem word en die beeldkwalitiet is voldoende vir die kontrolering van die pasientopstelling. Dit is moontlik om die pasiëntdosis met 19 % te verminder en steeds voldoende beeldkwaliteit te verkry.

Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This thesis relates to the development of an automated sorting cell as part of a flexible manufacturing line, with the use of object recognition. Algorithms for each of the individual subsections creating the cell, recognition, position calculation and robot integration were developed and tested. The Fourier descriptors object recognition technique is investigated and used. Invariance to scale, rotation or translation of the boundary of an object recognition. Stereoscopy with basic trigonometry is used to calculate the position of recognised objects, after which they are handled by a robot. Integration of the robot into the project environment is done with trigonometry as well as Euler angles. It is shown that a successful, automated sorting cell can be constructed with object recognition. The results show that reliable sorting can be done with available hardware and the algorithms development.

published_or_final_version / Computer Science and Information Systems / Master / Master of Philosophy

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

published_or_final_version / abstract / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy