Background Chronic rhinosinusitis is an inflammatory condition of the nose and paranasal sinuses lasting more than 12 weeks. The common treatment is intranasal corticosteroids but if this treatment fails in relieving symptoms endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is considered - a common procedure in the Otolaryngology department in Örebro county. ESS can be assisted by image guided navigation (IGN).In a quality ensuring purpose, this study aimed to investigate the frequency and characteristics of post-operative complications after ESS and examining possible risk factors for complications. Methods Retrospective chart review study. The post-operative complication rate after ESS was calculated. Bivariate analysis was used to find potential factors associated with post-operative complications. The variables of significance were used in multivariate analysis. Result Out of 131 patients; 52 (39.7%) had any post-operative complication. 21 had major – and 35 had minor complications. Local infection was the most common complication. IGN was associated with an increased risk of complications, both minor (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.0-5.6) and overall (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.3-5.8). Extensive surgery was associated with an increased risk of complications, both major (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.0-6.9) and overall (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.0-4.6). Male sex was associated with increased risk of major complications (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2-15.5). Conclusion The complication rate is comparable to other studies with similar definition of complications. IGN assistance, extensive surgery and male sex were associated with an increased risk of complications. Further research should be performed before drawing conclusions determining why they increase the risk.

<p>This work describes a design of a multimedia content delivery system based on context, to provide multimedia information and other services according to the user location and his preferences. It focuses on mobility and the problem of different coherent and cohesive presentations depending on the available resources of the presentation environment.</p>

A methodology to estimate the state of a moving marine vehicle, defined by its position, velocity and heading, from an unmanned surface vehicle (USV), also in motion, using a stereo vision-based system, is presented in this work, in support of following a target vehicle using an USV. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015 / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Inertial navigation systems (INSs) have the well-known advantages of being self-contained, weatherproof, jam-proof, and non-self-revealing while providing stable navigation information with little high-frequency noise. However, their single most important drawback is the growth of their error cumulatively with time in an unbounded manner. Navigation systems based on position fixing, in contrast, offer bounded errors in the long term, but their output is usually contaminated with strong high-frequency noise. To harness the advantages of both types of systems, INSs have been traditionally aided or augmented by one or more fixing system(s). Such an arrangement preserves the excellent short-term stability and damping (i.e. high-frequency rejection) capability of INSs while limiting its long-term drift. In recent years, the availability of navigation information from the Global Positioning System (GPS) reliably and accurately over the entire globe has made it a natural choice as the means of augmentation of INSs. An integrated navigation system combining data from two or more ‘pure’systems is called a hybrid navigation system (HNS). There is no unique way of combining navigation information from the INS and GPS. Depending on the goals and specifications of the overall navigation system, the instrument and equipment available, cost constraints, and technology options, the scheme for integrating INS and GPS may take one of many forms. In generic terms integration of diverse ‘pure’ navigation systems can be performed at various levels. At the simplest and most basic level, each system may be allowed to run independently, generating its own navigation data separately which may then be combined periodically to reset any accumulated error. At the other extreme, the two (or more) systems may be intimately coupled right at their raw data levels in a quasi-continuous manner with the intention of maximising their mutually beneficial effect and deriving the ‘best’ possible navigation information. Hybrid navigation architectures have been a subject of much research and development, and a significant body of information is available on the subject. However, there are clear gaps in open literature on many practical issues that arise in the context of implementing specific HNSs. In this thesis we investigate the architecture, implementation and performance issues of HNSs that combine stand-alone INS and GPS units. The thesis consists of eight chapters. The first chapter offers an introduction to the navigation problem and discusses the basic types of navigation including inertial and satellite navigation. Inertial sensors such as gyroscopes and accelerometers and the GPS are discussed in some detail. The types and principle of gyroscopes and accelerometers and the error sources in inertial navigation are briefly covered, as also the advantages and disadvantages of INS and the trends in inertial system development.The chapter also touches upon GPS segments (space, control and user), the theory and determination of position fix, and the GPS error sources. Mention is also made of the types of GPS receiver available and the trends in GPS technologies. Integration of INS and GPS and its benefits are discussed and a set of specifications for an integrated system is laid out to serve as the basis for the configurations proposed later. The second chapter, in its three sections, provides a summary of the significant literature relevant to INS and GPS in the context of their integration. Chapter three discusses mechanisation aspects of the INS-GPS hybrid navigation system. This chapter is divided into three sections. In the first section the frames of reference, INS mechanisation and the error equations are discussed. The definitions for the various frames such as body, platform, local level, geodetic, Earth-centred-Earth-fixed (ECEF), and the computer frame are mentioned along with the direction cosine matrices for the transformation of frames. In the second section various types of mechanisation of INS and the summary of tilt, velocity and position equations are described. The INS can be mechanised in two ways: the stable platform and the strap-down. In this chapter the general error equations for platform tilt, velocity and position are listed. Platform-based systems can be mechanized as one of the following types, viz. unipolar, Focualt, north pointing and wander azimuth. The definitions and summary of the tilt, velocity and position, and the error equations are given for all these types of mechanization. The accelerometer and gyro error models are discussed. It is pointed out that inclusion of all the possible INS states in the model would lead to a 45-state system which would be too complex to handle on board. The scope for reduction of model order and the effect of such reduction are brought out. The section ends with a summary of the INS error equations considered for implementation. In the third section the GPS principle and derivation of navigation solutions based on GPS measurements are dealt with. GPS error modelling, computation of DOP (dilution of precision), and clock modelling are also discussed. In this section the navigation solution for various classes of users – stationary, low-dynamics, medium-dynamics and high-dynamics – are discussed. The INS model and the clock model defined in this chapter are used in configuring the integrated system model later. Chapter four discusses the various HNS configurations and their implementation to mitigate the INS error. Three levels of integration are considered: a. Output coupled: The INS needs initial alignment during which the INS position and velocity are initialised with the precisely known co-ordinates and components at the starting location. Starting with these initial conditions, the INS-sensed accelerations are continuously integrated to yield the current velocity and position. As mentioned earlier, the INS error is dependent on this initial value and further increases with time. If the initial position and velocity inputs are precise, the short-term INS accuracy (typically for the first 10-15 minutes in case of aircraft) is usually within acceptable limits. Further error built up during longer flights can be reduced by periodic updation of INS with the precise position and/or velocity values. To achieve this the pilot may, for example, fly over waypoints whose co-ordinates are precisely known. This would constitute a physical or manual method of INS re-initialisation. A better and more modern method is to use precise GPS-derived information to reinitialise the INS periodically and automatically. b. Medium coupled: Another way of mitigating the INS error build-up is by using medium-coupled HNS wherein the INS errors are estimated using the GPS measurements as reference. The INS outputs are corrected by applying these error estimates. The important point to note here is that in medium coupling, the errors in the INS states are considered instead of the states themselves. The final geodetic outputs from the two systems are used as measurements. A twelve-state indirect feed-forward Kalman filter is used to estimate the INS position error. c. Tightly coupled: The basic measurements from the GPS are pseudoranges which are the distances from the user to the GPS satellites. By making a minimum of four such measurements the GPS receiver computes the user location in the geodetic coordinates. Conversely, knowing the user position from INS, it is possible to calculate the expected pseudoranges to known GPS satellite locations. Comparing the measured and the computed pseudoranges, the filter estimates the errors in the INS position. In this work a seventeen-state, feed-forward, indirect Kalman filter is configured to estimate the INS-derived pseudorange errors. These errors are then translated into positional errors which are used to correct the indicated INS positions. In configuring the filter it is assumed that the INS and GPS are physically separated and data transfer is through the interface buses. In this chapter the simulators used for validation and performance estimation of the configurations are also described. Two simulators are used to validate the hybrid system, namely, software-and hardware-based simulators. The simulators simulate the six-degree-of-freedom of trajectory generator, and error models of INS and GPS. The truth data from the trajectory generator are combined with the INS error and GPS error to get the INS and GPS outputs respectively. The fifth and sixth chapters covers the validation of the above-mentioned three configurations. Since analysis of output coupled systems is rather straightforward, simulation and validation of the configuration are carried out for the medium and tightly coupled systems Covariance analysis and Error analysis modes of simulation are carried out to study and validate the behaviour of the configurations. In covariance analysis one obtains the root mean square (rms) value of the errors obtained from several Monte Carlo runs. It gives an estimate of the lower bound of the system errors. Covariance simulation provides a degree of confidence in the error model but is generally not sufficient to expose the complete behaviour of the system. For detailed investigation, error simulation needs to be carried out for the entire navigation system. In the thesis, covariance simulation is carried out for both the configurations to check the sensitivity of the system to measurement update rates, process noise, update times for the transition matrix, and also for the validity of the truncation of the Taylor series expansion. The details of the simulation processes and their results are discussed in these chapter. The seventh chapter makes a performance comparison of the configurations and draws inferences for practical hybrid system implementation. From the comparisons it is seen that the loosely coupled configuration is the simplest. In this configuration there is no requirement of the Kalman filter. The accuracy depends on the update rate. If the position update is made, for example, once every 600 s then the error in the combined system will be limited to the sum of the error due to the GPS and that accumulated in the INS alone over the of 600 s interval. There is no coordinate transformation required. In the case of medium coupled filter the addition of process noise to the GPS clock model is not critical. The position accuracy achieved is around 2 m (rms). The coordinate transformations are only from the body to platform, and platform to geodetic axes. The observation matrix is very simple in this case and the computation burden is low. Dynamic tuning of the measurement matrix is not required in real time.In the case of tightly coupled configuration the addition of a certain amount of process noise deliberately to the GPS clock model is critical. The position accuracy achieved with tight coupling is around found to be 34 m (rms) without the addition of process noise. On addition of a controlled amount of noise to the GPS clock bias and clock drift states and inclusion of measurement noise as a function of GPS signal strength, the position accuracy improves significantly, to about 7m (rms). Figures 2a and 2b below depict the behaviour before and after inclusion of the noise. The coordinate transformations are from body to platform, platform to geodetic, and geodetic to ECEF coordinates, and vice versa. The observation matrix (H) for this integration model is very complicated, and the computational burden is very high. In this configuration H transfers the measurements from metres to radians. Dynamic tuning of measurement matrix is required in this case. Chapter eight of the thesis summarises the results and lists out the conclusions arrived at from the study. It also includes a section with suggestions for future work in this direction.

CAPES / Um sistema de navegação inercial (INS) é um dispositivo autônomo capaz de determinar sua própria posição a partir de medições fornecidas por sensores inerciais. Para a presente dissertação, uma ferramenta para a simulação e validação de sistemas de navegação inercial foi desenvolvida. Essa ferramenta permite que as soluções de navegação de um INS simulado possam ser comparadas a soluções de referência analiticamente exatas. A partir dos resultados dessa comparação, o usuário pode decidir pela validade ou não validade dos algoritmos de navegação do INS simulado. A ferramenta foi desenvolvida com um foco essencialmente didático para prover ao usuário um meio para a melhor compreensão do funcionamento dos complexos algoritmos associados à navegação inercial. Apesar do foco didático, a ferramenta também possui um caráter prático relevante já que ela efetivamente permite a validação de diferentes configurações de algoritmos consistentes com o estado da arte da navegação inercial. A presente dissertação, portanto, apresenta a ferramenta desenvolvida e demonstra seu correto funcionamento através de um conjunto relevante de experimentos de simulação. / An inertial navigation system (INS) is an autonomous device that determines its own position based on measurements provided by inertial sensors. For this dissertation, a simulation and validation tool for inertial navigation systems has been developed. This tool allows the navigation solutions generated by a simulated INS to be compared against analytically exact reference solutions. Based on the results of this comparison, the user can decide if the simulated INS navigation algorithms are valid or not valid. The tool has been developed with an essentially didactic focus in order to provide the user with a way to better understand how the complex inertial navigation algorithms work. Despite the didactic focus, the developed tool has also a relevant practical aspect since it effectively permits the validation of different configurations of algorithms that are consistent with the inertial navigation state of the art. This dissertation, therefore, describes the developed tool and demonstrates its correct behavior through a relevant set of simulation experiments.

This work describes a design of a multimedia content delivery system based on context, to provide multimedia information and other services according to the user location and his preferences. It focuses on mobility and the problem of different coherent and cohesive presentations depending on the available resources of the presentation environment.

Les travaux présentés dans ce mémoire de thèse concernent le développement et la mise en oeuvre d'un algorithme de filtrage particulaire pour le recalage de la navigation inertielle par mesures altimétriques. Le filtre développé, le MRPF (Mixture Regularized Particle Filter), s'appuie à la fois sur la modélisation de la densité a posteriori sous forme de mélange fini, sur le filtre particulaire régularisé ainsi que sur l'algorithme mean-shift clustering. Nous proposons également une extension du MRPF au filtre particulaire Rao-Blackwellisé appelée MRBPF (Mixture Rao-Blackwellized Particle Filter). L'objectif est de proposer un filtre adapté à la gestion des multimodalités dues aux ambiguïtés de terrain. L'utilisation des modèles de mélange fini permet d'introduire un algorithme d'échantillonnage d'importance afin de générer les particules dans les zones d'intérêt. Un second axe de recherche concerne la mise au point d'outils de contrôle d'intégrité de la solution particulaire. En nous appuyant sur la théorie de la détection de changement, nous proposons un algorithme de détection séquentielle de la divergence du filtre. Les performances du MRPF, MRBPF, et du test d'intégrité sont évaluées sur plusieurs scénarios de recalage altimétrique / This thesis deals with the development of a mixture particle filtering algorithm for inertial navigation update via radar-altimeter measurements. This particle filter, the so-called MRPF (Mixture Regularized Particle Filter), combines mixture modelling of the posterior density, the regularized particle filter and the mean-shift clustering algorithm. A version adapted to the Rao-Blackwellized particle filter, the MRBPF (Mixture Rao-Blackwellized Particle Filter), is also presented. The main goal is to design a filter well suited to multimodal densities caused by terrain amibiguity. The use of mixture models enables us to introduce an alternative importance sampling procedure aimed at proposing samples in the high likelihood regions of the state space. A second research axis is concerned with the development of particle filtering integrity monitoring tools. A novel particle filter divergence sequential detector, based on change detection theory, is presented. The performances of the MRPF, MRBPF and the divergence detector are reported on several terrain navigation scenarios

This thesis deals with inertial navigation systems issues. It describes basics of reference frames, coordinate systems and matrix calculations for AHRS. There are also basic information about inertial sensors, inertial measurements units and its mistakes. One of the purposes of this paper could be explanation of inertial navigation systems terms. The main object of this thesis is to explore the influence of using multiple sensors of same type to enhance measurements of AHRS systems.

Development of modern visual communication in Czech, German and Austrian metropolises with a regard on accessibility The thesis deals with the contemporary visual communication in cities. First part is dedicated to the historical development of this discipline and notes the personalities who shaped it. Next part focuses on theoretical background and graphic elements of visual communication with a focus on accessibility. The main part is devoted to a detailed examination of selected elements of visual communication: unified visual style, wayfinding systems on the surface and in the subway. These elements are examined on the example of the capitals of the Czech Republic, Germany and Austria. In conclusion, the acquired knowledge is used for analysis of wayfinding signs in the newly opened metro stations in Prague in 2015.

INTRODUÇÃO: A localização ideal dos túneis do enxerto para a reconstrução do ligamento cruzado anterior (LCA) está na área da impressão original do ligamento. Entretanto, há pacientes que mesmo após a reconstrução anatômica do LCA se queixam de falseio. O objetivo do presente estudo foi comparar a estabilidade do joelho com túneis em duas posições diferentes da área de impressão original do LCA. MÉTODOS: Trinta reconstruções anatômicas do LCA foram realizadas em 15 joelhos de cadáver, com preservação do quadril até o tornozelo. Não foram criadas lesões para intensificar a instabilidade do joelho. O protocolo possuía quatro grupos: (1) LCA intacto, (2) deficiência completa e isolada do LCA, (3) reconstrução do LCA na posição anteromedial (AM REC) e (4) central (C REC) da impressão original do ligamento (ordem randômica). A estabilidade do joelho foi testada pelo teste de Lachman (68 N) e pelo teste do \"pivot shift\" mecanizado (CPM de 0° a 55° + valgo e rotação interna de 20 Nm) e avaliada por sistema óptico de navegação e tomografia 3D. A descrição da cinemática do joelho com 6 graus de liberdade foi realizada por sistema de coordenadas com eixo no centro geométrico dos côndilos. Estatística: rotação interna (°) e translação anterior (mm) foram avaliados nos testes do \"pivot shift\" e Lachman com 2 e 1- way RM ANOVA, respectivamente (alfa < 0,05). RESULTADOS: O grupo C REC em comparação com o grupo AM REC apresentou menor rotação interna nos testes do \"pivot shift\" (0,6° ± 0,3° vs. 1,8° ± 0,3°, respectivamente, P < 0,05) e de Lachman (2,9° ± 0,4° vs. 3,9° ± 0,4°, respectivamente, P < 0,05) e não apresentou diferença com relação à translação anterior nos mesmos testes do \"pivot shift\" (4,7 mm ± 0,4 mm vs. 4,5 mm ± 0,4 mm, respectivamente, P > 0,05) e de Lachman (1,2 mm ± 0,2 mm vs. 1,1 mm ± 0,2 mm, respectivamente, P > 0,05). Os grupos C REC e AM REC não mostraram diferença quando comparados ao grupo LCA intacto no teste de Lachman para translação anterior (2,1 mm ± 0,5 mm) e rotação interna (3,0° ± 0,5°) (para ambos, P > 0,05) e mostraram diferença no teste do \"pivot shift\" (6,4 mm ± 0,4 mm e 5,6° ± 0,3°, respectivamente, P < 0.05). DISCUSSÃO: Este foi o primeiro estudo a demonstrar alterações da cinemática do joelho em cadáveres com todo o membro preservado e sem lesões associadas para aumentar a instabilidade do joelho, na sequência completa dos experimentos (LCA intacto, lesionado e após as reconstruções anatômicas) com o aparelho de \"pivot shift\" mecanizado. CONCLUSÃO: A reconstrução anatômica do LCA na posição central permitiu uma maior restrição da rotação interna do joelho, em comparação à reconstrução anatômica anteromedial, quando submetida aos testes do \"pivot shift\" mecanizado e de Lachman. Tanto a AM REC quanto a C REC permitiram restabelecer a translação anterior do joelho próximo àquela função do LCA original / INTRODUCTION: The optimal femoral and tibial tunnel locations for grafting in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are within the original ACL footprint. However, even with anatomic reconstructions, some patients still report giving way. This study aimed to compare knee stability in two different anatomic footprint ACL reconstruction positions. METHODS: Thirty anatomic ACL reconstructions were performed in 15 cadaveric hip-totoe specimens. No associated lesions were created to intensify knee instability. The protocol was conducted in four groups: (1) intact ACL, (2) complete-isolated ACL deficiency, (3) anatomic femoral and tibial anteromedial ACL reconstruction (AM REC); and (4) anatomic femoral and tibial central ACL reconstruction (Central REC). The reconstructions were randomly assigned. The Lachman test (68 N) and mechanized pivot-shift test (CPM from 0° to 55° + valgus and internal torque of 20 Nm) were recorded with optical tracking system and 3D tomography. The 6 degrees of freedom knee kinematics was described with geometric condyle axis based coordinate system. Statistics: internal rotation (°) and anterior displacement (mm) were analyzed in both tests with two- and one-way RM ANOVA (alfa < 0,05). RESULTS: The Central REC group compared to the AM REC group showed a smaller degree of internal rotation in the pivot-shift (0,6° ± 0,3° vs. 1,8° ± 0,3°, respectively, P < 0,05) and Lachman (2,9° ± 0,4° vs. 3,9° ± 0,4°, respectively, P < 0,05) tests and no difference in anterior translation in either the pivot-shift (4,7 mm ± 0,4 mm vs. 4,5 mm ± 0,4 mm, respectively, P > 0,05) or Lachman (1,2 mm ± 0,2 mm vs. 1,1 mm ± 0,2 mm, respectively, P > 0,05) test. Central REC and AM REC groups showed no differences compared to intact ACL group in Lachman test for anterior translation (2,1 mm ± 0,5 mm) and internal rotation (3,0° ± 0,5°) (for both, P > 0,05) but did show significant differences in the pivot-shift test (6,4 mm ± 0,4 mm and 5,6° ± 0,3°, respectively, P < 0.05). DISCUSSION: This was the first study to demonstrate knee kinematic changes in a hip-to-toe cadaver model without associated lesions to amplify knee instability with a mechanized pivot shift in the complete sequence of intact, ACL-deficient and anatomic reconstructions. CONCLUSION: Central anatomic ACL reconstruction permitted greater restriction of internal rotation than did anteromedial anatomic ACL reconstruction based on mechanized pivot shift and Lachman tests. Either AM REC and C REC restored anterior translation close to original ACL function