Ausstellung kuratiert von Mathias Wagner / Die Ausstellungsbroschüren des „Projektraum am Weißen Hirsch. Galerie Grafikladen“ dokumentieren die Ausstellungstätigkeit eines nicht institutionellen Ausstellungsraumes in Dresden zwischen 2010 und 2016. Die Galerie widmete sich dem Werk zeitgenössischer junger Künstler, vorwiegend Meisterschüler und Absolventen, die in der Regel einen biografischen Bezug zu Dresden haben. Das Ausstellungskonzept war offen für die verschiedensten künstlerischen Ausdrucksformen – von Malerei über Fotografie bis zu performativen Ansätzen. Jährlich fanden vier bis fünf, von wechselnden Kuratoren entwickelte Ausstellungen statt. Im August 2016 eröffnete die vorerst letzte Ausstellung. / © bei den Rechteinhabern, Lizenz: Zugang frei – Rechte vorbehalten. Bitte beachten Sie unsere Hinweise zum Urheberrecht.

La synchronisation temporelle est la première opération effectuée par le démodulateur. Elle permet d'assurer que les échantillons transmis aux processus de démodulation puissent réaliser un taux d'erreurs binaires le plus faible.Dans cette thèse, nous proposons l'étude d'algorithmes innovants de synchronisation temporelle à haute performance.D'abord, nous avons proposé des algorithmes exploitant l'information souple du décodeur en plus du signal reçu afin d'améliorer l'estimation aveugle d'un retard temporel supposé constant sur la durée d'observation.Ensuite, nous avons proposé un algorithme original basé sur la synchronisation par lissage à faible complexité.Cette étape a consisté à proposer une technique opérant dans un contexte hors ligne, permettant l'estimation d'un retard aléatoire variable dans le temps via les boucles d'aller-retour sur plusieurs itération. Les performances d'un tel estimateur dépassent celles des algorithmes traditionnels.Afin d'évaluer la pertinence de tous les estimateurs proposés, pour des retards déterministe et aléatoire, nous avons évalué et comparé leurs performances à des bornes de Cramèr-Rao que nous avons développées pour ce cadre. Enfin, nous avons évalué les algorithmes proposés sur des signaux WBAN. / Time synchronization is the first function performed by the demodulator. It ensures that the samples transmitted to the demodulation processes allow to achieve the lowest bit error rate.In this thesis we propose the study of innovative algorithms for high performance time synchronization.First, we propose algorithms exploiting the soft information from the decoder in addition to the received signal to improve the blind estimation of the time delay. Next, we develop an original algorithm based on low complexity smoothing synchronization techniques. This step consisted in proposing a technique operating in an off-line context, making it possible to estimate a random delay that varies over time on several iterations via Forward- Backward loops. The performance of such estimators exceeds that of traditional algorithms. In order to evaluate the relevance of all the proposed estimators, for deterministic and random delays, we evaluated and compared their performance to Cramer-Rao bounds that we developed within these frameworks. We, finally, evaluated the proposed algorithms on WBAN signals.

Pattern theory, a mathematical framework for representing knowledge of complex patterns developed by applied mathematician Ulf Grenander, has been shown to have potential uses in automatic target recognition (ATR). Prior research performed in the mid-1990s at Washington University in St. Louis resulted in ATR algorithms based on concepts in pattern theory for forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and laser radar (LADAR) imagery, but additional work was needed to create algorithms that could be implemented in real ATR systems. This was due to performance barriers and a lack of calibration between target models and real data. This work addresses some of these issues by exploring techniques that can be used to create practical pattern-theoretic ATR algorithms. This dissertation starts by reviewing the previous pattern-theoretic ATR research described above and discussing new results involving the unification of two previously separate outcomes of that research: multi-target detection/recognition and thermal state estimation in FLIR imagery. To improve the overall utility of pattern-theoretic ATR, the following areas are re-examined: 1) generalized diffusion processes to update target pose estimates and 2) the calibration of thermal models with FLIR target data. The final section of this dissertation analyzes the fundamental accuracy limits of target pose estimation under different sensor conditions, independent of the target detection/recognition algorithm employed. The Cramér-Rao lower bound (CRLB) is used to determine these accuracy limits.

This thesis examines Indian author Raja Rao’s critically neglected work. I read Rao’s production as a strategic, yet problematic, negotiation of hegemonic narrativizations of Indian history, which attempts both to propose alternative histories and deconstruct the ontology of modern western historiography. Rao’s often criticised use of essentialism in his works is here examined as a strategic deconstructive tool in the hands of the postcolonial writer. More specifically, I wish to show how his early novels Kanthapura and Comrade Kirillov resist colonial depictions of India through both linguistic and cultural structures. Rao’s stylistic negotiation is effected through a use of the English language mediated by the Indian writer’s sensibility. Both novels enforce strategies working through opposition. They provide alternative accounts counterbalancing strategic absences in the records of colonial Indian historiography while attempting to recover the voice of protagonist subalterns. In my examination of his later novels The Serpent and the Rope, The Cat and Shakespeare and The Chessmaster and His Moves, I argue that a more effective strategy of intervention is at work. It attempts to disrupt from within the discursive features of post-Enlightenment European modernity, more specifically the premises of Cartesian oppositional dualities, homogeneous ideas of linear time, and the centrality of imperial spaces, while problematising the hybrid and heterogeneous character of Rao’s narrative.

This thesis concerns detection and recognition of ground object using data from laser radar systems. Typical ground objects are vehicles and land mines. For these objects, the orientation and articulation are unknown. The objects are placed in natural or urban areas where the background is unstructured and complex. The performance of laser radar systems is analyzed, to achieve models of the uncertainties in laser radar data. A ground object recognition method is presented. It handles general, noisy 3D point cloud data. The approach is based on the fact that man-made objects on a large scale can be considered be of rectangular shape or can be decomposed to a set of rectangles. Several approaches to rectangle fitting are presented and evaluated in Monte Carlo simulations. There are error-in-variables present and thus, geometric fitting is used. The objects can have parts that are subject to articulation. A modular least squares method with outlier rejection, that can handle articulated objects, is proposed. This method falls within the iterative closest point framework. Recognition when several similar models are available is discussed. The recognition method is applied in a query-based multi-sensor system. The system covers the process from sensor data to the user interface, i.e., from low level image processing to high level situation analysis. In object detection and recognition based on laser radar data, the range value’s accuracy is important. A general direct-detection laser radar system applicable for hard-target measurements is modeled. Three time-of-flight estimation algorithms are analyzed; peak detection, constant fraction detection, and matched filter. The statistical distribution of uncertainties in time-of-flight range estimations is determined. The detection performance for various shape conditions and signal-tonoise ratios are analyzed. Those results are used to model the properties of the range estimation error. The detector’s performances are compared with the Cramér-Rao lower bound. The performance of a tool for synthetic generation of scanning laser radar data is evaluated. In the measurement system model, it is possible to add several design parameters, which makes it possible to test an estimation scheme under different types of system design. A parametric method, based on measurement error regression, that estimates an object’s size and orientation is described. Validations of both the measurement system model and the measurement error model, with respect to the Cramér-Rao lower bound, are presented.

Ingeniero Civil Eléctrico / En la Astronomía ha habido un salto cuantitativo gigantesco desde el nacimiento de la tecnología CCD y las imágenes digitales. A pesar de ello, todavía existe un espacio de mejora en lo que respecta a las técnicas para estimación de parámetros importantes que caracterizan a las estrellas. Es por eso que esta Memoria de Título se presenta como objetivo el estudiar y cuantificar el uso de nuevos enfoques de estimación modernas no aplicados aún en esta disciplina para la estimación de la posición de objetos luminosos (Astrometría). Para poder entender el problema se presenta qué es una cámara digital y su uso en la astronomía, especificamente en la astrometría, además de presentar importantes conceptos astronómicos que se usan a lo largo de la memoria, como lo son el Point Spread Function y el Full Width at Half Maximum. Por otro lado, se da un repaso a los elementos de estimación necesarios para resolver el problema, como Cramér-Rao, Cramér-Rao Bayesiano y los estimadores Esperanza Condicional, Maximum Likelihood y Least Squares. La implementación del estimador se realizará a partir de una formalización completa del problema de estimación en astrometría, donde se incluirá también el trabajo de los algoritmos necesarios para encontrar el valor numérico tanto del estimador como de su error cuadrático medio. Se mostrará también la resolución de la cota de Cramér-Rao, tanto para la versión paramétrica como la bayesiana. Se hace un análisis de las herramientras presentadas usando como figura de mérito el MSE (Error Cuadrático Medio). A partir de ello, se muestra cómo varía este valor como función del tamaño del pixel, la relación de señal-ruido y sus ganancias relativas, para posteriormente estudiar las diferencias entre la Cota Bayesiana de Cramér-Rao y el MSE de la Esperanza Condicional, el estimador propuesto para el problema. Finalmente se concluye, viendo que existen ganancias significativas del enfoque Bayesiano en regímenes de baja relación señal-ruido y gran tamaño de pixel. Además se verifica que la cota Bayesiana de Cramér-Rao es un buen predictor del MSE de la Esperanza Condicional, lo cual trae nuevas preguntas que se pueden plantear como trabajo futuro a partir de esta Memoria de Título.

Le souffle équin est une maladie inflammatoire chronique des petites voies respiratoires, très fréquente chez les chevaux gardés à l’intérieur avec de la paille et du foin moisi et poussiéreux. Les signes cliniques peuvent être prévenus par le contrôle de l’environnement et soulagés par l’administration de corticostéroïdes systémiques et inhalés. L’objectif de cette étude était de déceler les effets secondaires présents sur des chevaux atteints de souffle traités à la fluticasone (Flovent 250 μg HFA®, 2000 μg BID, pendant six mois, et puis 2000 μg SID, pendant six autres mois) par le cortisol sérique et la présence d’ulcères gastriques. Cinq chevaux exempts de maladie respiratoire et onze chevaux atteints du souffle ont été gardés à l’intérieur d’une écurie avec du foin moisi et de la paille dans le but de provoquer la maladie chez le groupe atteints du souffle. Une fois les chevaux atteints de souffle devenus symptomatique, ils ont été divisés en deux groupes : un premier groupe traité avec de la fluticasone, nourri avec du foin et gardé sur une litière de paille, et un deuxième groupe non traité nourrie avec de la moulée et gardé sur une litière de ripe, pendant six mois. Par la suite, les deux groupes ont été mis au pâturage. Le cortisol a été mesuré par Immunoessai enzymatique par chimiluminescence (CEIA, Immunolite 1000, Siemmens®) les 12e et 10e jours avant et les 7e, 28e, 80e, 160e, 200e, 250e, 290e et 320e jours après le début du traitement afin de déterminer le degré de suppression du cortisol sérique. On a également fait une suivi de la présence d`ulcères gastriques à l`aide de vidéo endoscopique. La fluticasone inhalée deux fois par jour cause une diminution du cortisol sérique les 28e, 80e et 160e jours, mais elle n’entraîne pas d’effets sur le score des ulcères gastriques. Les pellets de luzerne causent quant à elles, une augmentation du score des ulcères gastrique chez les animaux exempts de maladie respiratoire. / Recurrent Airways Obstruction (RAO) is a small airways inflammatory disease, very common in horses stabled in mouldy-dusty hay and straw environments. The clinical signs are prevented by environmental control, relieved by systemic and inhaled corticosteroids. Our objectives were to determine whether inhaled corticosteroids cause a suppression of cortisol levels and gastric ulceration in RAO horses treated with fluticasone 2000μg (Flovant HFA®) BID for 6 months and 2000μg SID for another 6 months. Five (5) healthy horses were used as controls and eleven (11) RAO affected horses were stabled in a moldy-dusty environment to induce disease exacerbation. Once they were symptomatic, they were divided into two groups, the treated group was kept on hay/straw and the untreated group was fed with pellets food and bedded on wood shavings six months. Afterwards, all horses were pasture for the next 6 months. Serum cortisol was mesured by Immuno-essai enzymatique par chimiluminescence (CEIA, Immunolite 1000®, Siemmens) 12, 10 days before and 7, 28, 80, 160, 200, 250, 290, 320 days after treatment initiation, in order to determine cortisol suppression. Fluticasone administered twice a day reduces blood cortisol levels after 28, 80 and 160 days, but did not cause any change in gastric ulcers. However, pellets slightly increased gastric ulcer scores in healthy horses.

Recently, indoor localization becomes a hot topic no matter in industry or academic field. Smart phones are good candidates for localization since they are carrying various sensors such as GPS, Wi-Fi, accelerometer, barometer and etc, which can be used to estimate the current location. But there are still many challenges for 3D indoor geolocation using smart phones, among which the map selection and 3D performance evaluation problems are the most common and crucial. In the indoor environment, the popular outdoor Google maps cannot be utilized since we need maps showing the layout of every individual floor. Also, layout of different floors differ from one another. Therefore, algorithms are required to detect whether we are inside or outside a building and determine on which floor we are located so that an appropriate map can be selected accordingly. For Wi-Fi based indoor localization, the performance of location estimation is closely related to the algorithms and deployment that we are using. It is difficult to find out a general approach that can be used to evaluate any localization system. On one hand, since the RF signal will suffer extra loss when traveling through the ceilings between floors, its propagation property will be different from the empirical ones and consequently we should design a new propagation model for 3D scenarios. On the other hand, properties of sensors are unique so that corresponding models are required before we analyze the localization scheme. In-depth investigation on the possible hybrid are also needed in case more than one sensor is operated in the localization system. In this thesis, we firstly designed two algorithms to use GPS signal for detecting whether the smart device is operating inside or outside a building, which is called outdoor-indoor transition detection. We also design another algorithm to use barometer data for determining on which floor are we located, which is considered as a multi-floor transition detection. With three scenarios designed inside the Akwater Kent Laboratory building (AK building) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), we collected raw data from an Android phone with a version of 4.3 and conducted experimental analysis based on that. An efficient way to quantitatively evaluate the 3D localization systems is using Cramer-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB), which is considered as the lower bound of the estimated error for any localization system. The characteristics of Wi-Fi and barometer signals are explored and proper models are introduced as a foundation. Then we extended the 2D CRLB into a 3D format so that it can fit the our 3D scenarios. A barometer-assisted CRLB is introduced as an improvement for the existing Wi-Fi Receive Signal Strength (RSS)-only scheme and both of the two schemes are compared with the contours in every scenario and the statistical analysis.

In healthy airways, mucus forms part of the innate immune response protecting the respiratory epithelium from damage by pathogens and environmental debris (Rose and Voynow, 2006). Conversely, in many respiratory diseases, mucus becomes part of the airway disease pathology. Mucus hypersecretion along with reduced clearance can cause blockage of the small airways, impairing gas exchange, promoting inflammation and becoming a culture medium for bacterial colonisation (Thornton et al., 2008). Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is a common yet poorly understood equine chronic respiratory disease where such altered mucus properties and clearance have been identified as major factors in the disease pathology (Davis and Rush, 2002; Gerber et al., 2000; Kaup et al., 1990; Robinson, 2001). The gel-forming mucins are largely responsible for the transport properties of mucus. The major equine airway gel-forming mucin in health is Muc5b and to a lesser extent Muc5ac; produced in specialised respiratory epithelial goblet cells and sub-mucosal glands (Rousseau et al., 2011b). Changes in mucin relative and net amounts and their macromolecular properties and interactions have been attributed to the altered physical properties of airway mucus in airways disease (Groneberg et al., 2002a; Jefcoat et al., 2001; Kirkham et al., 2002; Robinson et al., 2003; Sheehan et al., 1995).The project investigates the biochemical properties of mucins present in mucus from healthy horses and horses with RAO. This project identifies the anatomical presence of mucin-producing goblet cells and glands in fixed tissues from the respiratory tracts of healthy horses and subsequently examines mucin-production sites in respiratory tracts from horses with RAO. Finally the project investigates a methodology for the study of mucin production in airway cells harvested from live horses suffering from RAO.Our investigations confirmed that horses with RAO have more endotracheal mucus than healthy controls, and that Muc5b is the predominant mucin with Muc5ac also present in RAO horse mucus, both during symptomatic disease and when horses are asymptomatic. Mucins are produced in epithelial goblet cells and sub-mucosal glands dispersed throughout the length and circumference of the equine trachea and bronchi. Goblet cell hyperplasia occurs in symptomatic exposed RAO horse airways, although goblet cells are smaller than in asymptomatic RAO horse airways. Exposure to a dusty stable environment is associated with more goblet cells per length of bronchial compared to tracheal epithelium in all horses. RAO horses have larger sub-mucosal glands containing more mucin than control horses. Primary epithelial cell cultures grown at an air liquid interface are an alternative approach to study equine airway mucus, although the use of this culture system is in its early stages. We have developed novel ways to harvest equine airway epithelial cells (tracheal brushing) and shown it is possible to freeze cells collected via tracheal epithelial brushing in 20 % FBS and then culture to ALI at a later date.

The purpose of this thesis is to derive and analyze the theoretical limits for estimatingthe symboltiming delayof Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO)systems. Two main N X M system models are considered, where N represents the number of transmit antennas and M denotes the number of receive antennas, the 2 X 2 system used by S.-A. Yangand J. Wu and the 4 X 4system used by Y.-C. Wu and E. Serpedin. The second model has been extended to take into account the symbol time-varying fading. The theoretical estimation limits are shown by several bounds: modified Cramer-Rao bound (MCRB), Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) and Barankin bound (BB). BB will be exploited to obtain accurate information regarding the necessary length of data to obtain good estimation. Two scenarios for synchronization are presented: data-aided (DA) and non-data-aided (NDA). Two models for the fading process are considered: block fading and symbol time-varying fading, respectively, the second case being assumed to be Rayleigh distributed. The asymptotic Cramer-Rao bounds for low signal-to-noise ratio (low-SNR) and for high-SNR are derived and the performance of several estimators is presented. The performance variation of bounds and estimators is studied byvarying different parameters, such as the number of antennas, the length of data taken into consideration during the estimation process, the SNR, the oversampling factor, the power and the Doppler frequency shift of the fading.