Dans un contexte d'anthropisation croissante de la frange littorale, et d'intensification des risques côtiers, la mise en œuvre de politiques de Gestion Intégrée des Zones Côtières (GIZC) s'impose. Cette gestion se concrétise notamment par un suivi de l'évolution littorale, nécessitant des techniques adaptées à ce type d'environnement et permettant de mesurer les variations morphologiques mais également de mieux comprendre les processus mis en jeu. Cette thèse s'inscrit dans la problématique de développement de méthodes d'observation et de quantification de l'évolution morphodynamique. Elle se focalise sur un suivi 3D à très haute résolution spatiale de l'interface Terre-Mer au niveau d'une plage sableuse, de l'échelle journalière à pluri-annuelle. Les méthodes proposées s'appuient sur des techniques de télédétection : stéréo-photogrammétrie depuis un drone hélicoptère, acquisitions au Scanner Laser Terrestre (TLS) et acquisitions au Sondeur Multi-Faisceaux (SMF) petits fonds sur les parties immergées de la plage. Pour chacune de ces techniques, nous avons élaboré un protocole spécifique d'acquisition et de traitement des données aboutissant à la génération de Modèles Numériques de Terrain (MNT), puis de MNT différentiels diachroniques. Cette approche multi-source permet de fusionner les données terre-mer (sur une frange s'étendant du haut de plage à 15 m de profondeur) et offre ainsi une vision synoptique des transferts de matière au sein du compartiment sédimentaire. Les techniques présentées ont été mises en oeuvre à la Plage de Porsmilin (Mer d'Iroise). Les résultats des levés récurrents ont fait l'objet d'une analyse de la variabilité morpho-sédimentaire à différentes échelles spatio-temporelles. Le suivi de la cellule sédimentaire a permis de déterminer la profondeur de fermeture à l'échelle annuelle et d'identifier les tendances saisonnières. Aux échelles spatio-temporelles plus fines, nous avons pu étudier l'évolution de figures sédimentaires telles que des bermes ou des croissants de plages. Autant que possible, chaque observation s'accompagne d'une identification du (des) forçage(s) hydrodynamique(s) sous-jacent(s).

Ce travail de thèse aborde le problème de la détection de changement à partir de données géométriques tridimensionnelles. Ces données peuvent représenter n'importe quel objet ou environnement mais le travail s'est focalisé sur des environnements complexes et de grande envergure (centrales nucléaires, plateformes pétrolières, etc.). L'idée principale est d'exploiter directement les nuages de points acquis par des scanner laser, sans passer par des reconstructions intermédiaires plus "haut niveau" (maillages triangulaires, etc.) mais qui sont souvent impossibles à calculer automatiquement et proprement sur de tels environnements. Les scanners laser sont des appareils compacts et portables capables de mesurer rapidement un très grand nombre de points 3D sur la surface des objets. Les nuages de points résultants sont des données précises et très détaillées, mais aussi très volumineuses et non structurées. Il est donc nécessaire de développer des traitements particuliers et performants. Le manuscrit présente l'étude et la mise en place concrète d'un processus complet de détection de changements géométriques, se basant principalement sur des nuages de points 3D et des maillages surfaciques 3D. On propose en particulier une méthode robuste de calcul d'écarts directement entre nuages de points 3D, ainsi que deux algorithmes de segmentation géométrique de nuages associés à des valeurs d'écarts (dans le but d'isoler les zones de changement). Le premier algorithme met en œuvre une méthode de classification des points du nuage par analyse statistique locale des valeurs d'écarts. Le second se base sur la propagation d'un contour, contrainte par la norme du gradient géométrique des valeurs d'écarts. On propose aussi un codage particulier d'une structure octree, qui, sous cette forme, peut être calculée très rapidement et sur mesure, ce qui permet d'accélérer fortement les calculs. Plusieurs applications, principalement industrielles, sont finalement proposées. Une ouverture est faite vers des applications d'aide à la gestion de catastrophes naturelles ou industrielles, qui pourraient profiter de la rapidité et de la fiabilité des méthodes d'analyse et de suivi géométrique proposées.

Millions of dollars are spent each year on sales promotion in grocery retailing. Despite this, no one really knows wheter promotions for individual items have positive, neutral, or negative effects on the store’s total profits. In this dissertation, an attempt is made to build a framework model that can be used to predict and evaluate how specific promotions affect item-level, category-level, and store-level profits. One major contribution is that the proposed model specifically incorporates store-traffic and cannibalization effects. The book consists of four parts: the first part is a review of the literature on sales promotion. The second part describes the development of a model for measuring the profit of retailer promotions. The third part shows the impact of sales promotion on profits for a number of hypothetical products. The fourth part measures the profit impact of sales promotions for 15 items in three product categories. The data used in this study were collected in a Swedish supermarket in cooperation with ICA. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 1995

The development in photogrammetry has created possibilities for new methods in aerial images acquisition. Remotely-controlled imaging from an unmanned helium zeppelin is a new and relatively unexplored acquisition. The purpose with this degree project is to evaluate the accuracy of this kind of low-height photographing system, a task given from the consultant company WSP, in Sweden. Landbadet in Uddevalla municipality was chosen as a test field for the zeppelin. Seventeen images distributed over three strips were acquired from the flying height of 80 m. The ground control points for the purpose of block adjustment and control points for the purpose of accuracy evaluation were measured with Network RTK. Block adjustment were performed in the software Photomodeler Scanner. Afterwards the control points could be measured photogrammetrically and compared with the reference measurement. The evaluation of the photogrammetric point accuracy was based on the differences between the photogrammetric and the GPS-measured coordinates of the control points in plane and height. The RMS-value of the differences was 0,040 m in plane and 0,056 m in height for the whole block. The difference in the point accuracy was partially affected by the base-height ratio and by the number of images used to determine the point`s coordinates. The conclusion in general is that the system has the possibility to be used for rationalizing the mapping work compared to measurements done with conventional aerial images acquisition methods. However a satisfactorily result is dependent on a well working video link, good base-height ratio and calm wind conditions.

Georeferencing is an important task in terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) applications. It means transformation of the 3D data (point clouds) into an external coordinate system so that it can be combined with other spatial data. The aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy and precision of real-time updated free station (RUFS) as a georeferencing method in TLS applications, and to evaluate its efficiency. The RUFS is used in total station surveys, implies determination of the instrument position and orientation based on measurements of two or more backsight targets, whose coordinates are determined with Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GNSS. The field surveying was carried out in May and June 2010. A control point was established based on static GNSS measurements in order to have reference data to evaluate the accuracy of station coordinates. Three different configurations of 10 backsight targets were tested: the targets were evenly spread over the sectors of 200 and 100 gon on one arc and 100 gon on two arcs. The measurements were repeated ten times for each configuration. The precision and accuracy of the station position were then derived by processing the surveying data. The results show that with increasing the number of backsight points from 2 to 10, the planimetric precision of the station position improved from 6 to 3 mm; the height precision was at the level of 3−5 mm. The accuracy of the station position improved from 10 to 2 mm in planimetry, and from 28 to 11 mm in height. The time expense for one set of measurements with RUFS was approximately 15 minutes.

Choice-Based Conjoint (CBC) models are often used for pricing decisions, especially when scanner data models cannot be applied. Up to date, it is unclear how Choice-Based Conjoint (CBC) models perform in terms of forecasting real-world shop data. In this contribution, we measure the performance of a Latent Class CBC model not by means of an experimental hold-out sample but via aggregate scanner data. We find that the CBC model does not accurately predict real-world market shares, thus leading to wrong pricing decisions. In order to improve its forecasting performance, we propose a correction scheme based on scanner data. Our empirical analysis shows that the hybrid method improves the performance measures considerably. (author's abstract) / Series: Report Series SFB "Adaptive Information Systems and Modelling in Economics and Management Science"

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) directly measures canopy vertical structures, and provides an effective remote sensing solution to accurate and spatiallyexplicit mapping of forest characteristics, such as canopy height and Leaf Area Index. However, many factors, such as large data volume and high costs for data acquisition, precludes the operational and practical use of most currently available LiDARs for frequent and large-scale mapping. At the same time, a growing need is arising for realtime remote sensing platforms, e.g., to provide timely information for urgent applications. This study aims to develop an airborne profiling LiDAR system, featured with on-the-fly data processing, for near real- or real- time forest inventory. The development of such a system involves implementing the on-board data processing and analysis as well as building useful regression-based models to relate LiDAR measurements with forest biophysical parameters. This work established a paradigm for an on-the-fly airborne profiling LiDAR system to inventory regional forest resources in real- or near real- time. The system was developed based on an existing portable airborne laser system (PALS) that has been previously assembled at NASA by Dr. Ross Nelson. Key issues in automating PALS as an on-the-fly system were addressed, including the design of an archetype for the system workflow, the development of efficient and robust algorithms for automatic data processing and analysis, the development of effective regression models to predict forest biophysical parameters from LiDAR measurements, and the implementation of an integrated software package to incorporate all the above development. This work exploited the untouched potential of airborne laser profilers for realtime forest inventory, and therefore, documented an initial step toward developing airborne-laser-based, on-the-fly, real-time, forest inventory systems. Results from this work demonstrated the utility and effectiveness of airborne scanning or profiling laser systems for remotely measuring various forest structural attributes at a range of scales, i.e., from individual tree, plot, stand and up to regional levels. The system not only provides a regional assessment tool, one that can be used to repeatedly, remotely measure hundreds or thousands of square kilometers with little/no analyst interaction or interpretation, but also serves as a paradigm for future efforts in building more advanced airborne laser systems such as real-time laser scanners.

3D modeling of real objects has an increasing importance in numerous areas. Although many methods and solutions are already proposed for 3D data acquisition, research continuing in this area is still intense. However, a crucial drawback about 3D data extraction algorithms is their testing and validation difficulty. Additionally, obtaining calibrated 2D and 3D imaging systems is troublesome due to their high effort demand for calibration and high cost. In this thesis, a 2D/3D Imaging Simulator is proposed in order to ease development and testing of 3D data interpretations of different methods and also to generate synthetic images for miscellaneous use. Furthermore, an example application on FRGC database is explained in detail.

<p>The availability of digital models of real 3D objects is becoming more and more important in many different applications (e-commerce, virtual visits etc). Very often the objects to be represented cannot be modeled by means of the classical 3D modeling tools because of the geometrical complexity or color texture. In these cases, devices for the automatic acquisition of the shape and the color of the objects (3D scanners or range scanners) have to be used. </p><p>The scanner presented in this work, a Shape from silhouette scanner, is very cheap (it is based on the use of a simple digital camera and a turntable) and easy to use. While maintaining the camera on a tripod and the object on the turntable, the user acquires images with different rotation angles of the table. The fusion of all the acquired views enables the production of a digital 3D representation of the object.</p><p>Existing Shape from silhouette scanners operate in an indirect way. They subdivide the object definition space in a regular 3D grid and verify that a voxel belongs to the object by verifying that its 2D projection falls inside the silhouette of the corresponding image. Our scanner adopts a direct method: by using a new 3D representation scheme and algorithm, the Marching Intersections data structure, we can directly intersect all the 3D volumes obtained by the silhouettes extracted from the images.</p>

"Based on research results of Sandra Schweizer and Gerhard Lammel during their PhD thesis' at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne in the group of Prof. Philippe Renaud"--Pref. / Includes bibliographical references and index.