Image sizes have increased exponentially in recent years. The resulting high-resolution images are often viewed via remote image browsing. Zooming and panning are desirable features in this context, which result in disparate spatial regions of an image being displayed at a variety of ( spatial) resolutions. When an image is displayed at a reduced resolution, the quantization step sizes needed for visually lossless quality generally increase. This paper investigates the quantization step sizes needed for visually lossless display as a function of resolution, and proposes a method that effectively incorporates the resulting ( multiple) quantization step sizes into a single JPEG 2000 codestream. This codestream is JPEG 2000 Part 1 compliant and allows for visually lossless decoding at all resolutions natively supported by the wavelet transform as well as arbitrary intermediate resolutions, using only a fraction of the full-resolution codestream. When images are browsed remotely using the JPEG 2000 Interactive Protocol ( JPIP), the required bandwidth is significantly reduced, as demonstrated by extensive experimental results.

Orientadores: Vilson Zattera, Claudiney Rodrigues Carrasco / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Artes / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T08:37:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ota_Raphael_M.pdf: 1942405 bytes, checksum: 67ac0b8d3f41163bbd975075764231e7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: A partir das experiências do autor como espectador de cursos de formação em Musicografia Braille, foi notificado que muitos destes apresentam, quase que exclusivamente a grafia musical em braille, não contemplando e promovendo discussões sobre a educação inclusiva e situações individuais que tangem as circunstâncias de cada nível de deficiência visual. Visto a importância dos temas não abordados, este trabalho teve por finalidade apresentar propostas que possam auxiliar na realização de cursos de formação de profissionais aptos a trabalharem o ensino musical com alunos que tenham deficiência visual. Para atingir tal objetivo foram feitos os seguintes estudos: histórico sobre os cursos de formação de professores tanto para educação regular quanto para a educação especial; o sistema braille e o campo de educação musical para pessoas com deficiência visual; o processo de ensino e aprendizagem de pessoas com esta deficiência; e os conceitos que o professor deve ter conhecimento ao trabalhar com este público. A partir deste material e de experiências práticas, propostas são elencadas estruturando assim um possível curso de formação de profissionais para este campo de educação. Os resultados desta pesquisa objetivam assessorar professores de música que almejam realizar cursos de formação, lhes oferecendo diretrizes para uma melhor condução e estruturação pedagógica / Abstract: From the author's experiences as a spectator of training courses in Braille Music Notation was reported that many of these presents almost exclusively the musical writing in braille, not contemplating and promoting discussions on inclusive education and individual situations that concern the circumstances of each level of visual impairment. Seen the importance of the topics not broached, this paper aims to present proposals that can help in conducting training courses to professionals capable to work music education to students who have visual disabilities. To achieve this objective, the following studies were made: the teacher training courses historical for both regular education and special education; Braille system and the field of music education for people with visual disabilities; the teaching and learning process of people with this disability; and concepts that the teacher should have known when working with this students. From this material and practical experiences, proposals are listed structuring thus a possible training course for professionals to this field of education. These results aim to assist music teachers who aspire conduct training courses, offering them guidelines to better conduct and pedagogical structuring / Mestrado / Fundamentos Teoricos / Mestre em Música

Acessibilidade na Web tem como objetivo possibilitar que qualquer pessoa possa entender e interagir com o conteúdo de uma página Web, independente de deficiências ou outros fatores. Embora exista uma grande quantidade de trabalhos realizados na área, pode-se ainda perceber que pessoas com alguns tipos específicos de deficiências encontram mais dificuldades ao navegar na Web, como no caso dos usuários cegos. Com intuito de minimizar os problemas enfrentados por esses usuários cegos ao navegar na Web, foi proposta nesta tese uma abordagem que consiste em extrair automaticamente o conhecimento de navegação implícito na apresentação visual de uma página Web e alterar o design dessa navegação de uma maneira otimizada a esses usuários. Com esse objetivo, primeiramente foram estudados os trabalhos relacionados aos principais problemas enfrentados pelos usuários cegos ao interagir com a Web, assim como os conjuntos de diretrizes de acessibilidade e usabilidade específicos para minimizar esses problemas, fundamentados em um mapeamento sistemático conduzido sobre o tema. Após a identificação dos problemas e diretrizes, foi desenvolvido um classificador baseado no método Naïve Bayes, considerando-se três características comumente encontradas nos padrões de design de menus de navegação, com intuito de classificar automaticamente os links contidos nesta página em diferentes classes referentes às estruturas de navegação. Após desenvolvido, o método foi testado e avaliado em sites governamentais por meio de uma análise estatística, apresentando um boa taxa de acerto em suas classificações. Com base nas dificuldades encontradas na primeira etapa de pesquisa, foi proposto um modelo de interface próprio aos usuários cegos que utilizam a Web com auxílio de um leitor de tela. Com base no classificador desenvolvido, foi proposta uma abordagem para automaticamente transformar os links de navegação classificados pelo método, em um padrão de navegação otimizado aos leitores de tela. Como prova de conceito, foi realizada uma extração semiautomática de conteúdo das páginas Web, com intuito de transformar esse conteúdo para o novo modelo de interface proposto. Nesse contexto, foi desenvolvido um protótipo de mecanismo de apoio, denominado NavAux. Esse protótipo foi avaliado através de um percurso cognitivo. Para isso, foram definidas algumas tarefas e a exploração da interface foi realizada com apoio do leitor de tela JAWS. Os resultados apresentaram indícios de que a abordagem proposta pode ser considerada uma alternativa viável para minimizar os problemas de acessibilidade enfrentados pelos usuários cegos ao navegar na Web. / Web Accessibility aims to enable that any individual may understand and interact with a Web page content, regardless of disabilities or other factors. Although there is a large number of research studies in this area, it can be noted individuals with some specific types of disabilities find it more difficulty browsing the Web, such as those who are blind. In order to minimize the problems faced by blind users when browsing the Web, the study reported in this thesis proposed an approach which consists in automatically extracting the navigation knowledge implicit in the visual presentation of a Web page and changing this navigation design to an optimized way to those users. For this purpose, the research started with a review of the papers related to the main problems faced by blind users when interacting to the Web, as well as the specific sets of accessibility and usability guidelines to minimize these problems, based on a systematic mapping study conducted on the topic. After identifying the problems and guidelines, the next step involved the development of a classifier based on the Naïve Bayes methods, considering three features commonly found in the design patterns of navigation menus, in order to automatically classify the links contained on each page into different classes relating to the navigation structures. After developed, the method was tested and assessed in governmental websites through an statistical analysis, showing a good success rate in its classifications. Based on the difficulties encountered during the first step of the research, the study proposed an interface model tailored to blind users who use the Web with the help of a screen reader. Based on the developed classifier, the study proposed an approach to automatically transform the browsing links classified by the method into an optimized navigation standard to screen readers. As a proof of concept, the following step involved a semi-automatic extraction of Web pages content, in order to transform this content to a new proposed interface model. In this context, was developed a prototype of the mechanism, named NavAux. This prototype was evaluated through a cognitive walkthrough. To this, were defined some tasks and the interface operation was performed with support of the JAWS screen reader. The results presented signs that the proposed approach can be considered a viable alternative to minimize the accessibility problems faced by blind users when browsing the Web.

This study investigates how mathematics teachers help Visually Impaired (VI) learners to construct mathematics knowledge. This investigation involved identifying the challenges encountered by high school mathematics teachers in teaching mathematics to VI learners, the approaches used and the assistive technology used to adapt and modify the curriculum to accommodate VI learners, and also aid the learners to access and construct mathematics knowledge. A constructivist approach was employed, allowing a discussion of how high school mathematics teachers redefine their position from that of a teacher to that of a facilitator who guides and stimulates VI learners to construct their own knowledge. A case study of two teachers from one of the special schools that offer mathematics up to FET phase was conducted. Data were collected from the teachers through classroom observation and semi-structured interviews. The study revealed that the teachers‘ experience resulted in a variety of challenges in teaching mathematics to VI learners. This finding further reveals that the approaches used to teach mathematics to VI learners are not different from those used in mainstream education. However, modification to the curriculum content is inevitable. Additionally, the selection of the appropriate approach and the effectiveness of using it to assist the VI learner depends on the skill, knowledge and the experience of the teacher in teaching mathematics to VI learners. The study also revealed that assistive technology is essential for enlarging the text to the correct font of the learner and translating print text to braille to help blind learners complete their tasks. For example, while a transformer HD is used to enlarge text, the scientific notebook, Math Type and Duxbury programs are used to generate braille text. Additionally, the Tactile View and View Plus programs are used to produce embossed sketches, while Perkins braillers and talking calculators provide further independence. Due to the limited number of participants in the study and the focus on a single case, the dissertation does not aim to generalise the results to all special needs schools in South Africa. However, the findings will be of great benefit to those teachers teaching mathematics in special needs schools with VI learners to take a step forward in introducing mathematics at FET phase level. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / MEd / Unrestricted

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Orientation in big administration buildings can be very difficult for visually impaired people. Although most of the buildings are equipped with elevators, the buttons of which are designated with Braille characters and acoustic signals, it might be very difficult for the visually impaired to actually find the particular office. Even if there were descriptions in Braille at each office door, it would prove very complicating for the visually impaired individual to localize the descriptions in the first place, especially in case of a large number of offices in the building. That may also concern other important places, such as toilets, inside a building. In this thesis, I am going to present a design proposal of a communication system which uses transceivers placed at significant points in a building and receivers placed at the end of the white cane for orientation inside a building.

Orientador: Eliane Mauerberg de Castro / Banca: Heloisa Gagheggi Ravanini Gardon Gagliardo / Banca: José Angelo Barela / Resumo: A perseveração motora tem sido recentemente usada para interpretar a canônica tarefa "A não B" de Piaget. Nesta tarefa, as crianças observam o experimentador esconde um brinquedo em uma localização "A", um atraso é imposto, e então a criança é encorajada a alcançar. Para as tentativas em A, as crianças tipicamente alcançam para A, onde o objeto foi escondido. Depois de esconder várias vezes e alcançar sucessivamente para A, o experimentador esconde o brinquedo em uma segunda localização, "B", sob condições idênticas ao lado A. Tipicamente por volta do 9 meses de idade, crianças, mesmo olhando esse jogo de esconder e procurar volta a alcançar o brinquedo A depois de o experimentador ter dado a dica no brinquedo B. Explicações iniciais do erro "A não B" são retratados como um problema de codificação do novo local, fragilidade da memória para o novo local, ou a ação repetida. Por outro lado, as crianças perseveram menos nas tentativas em B se os locais A e B são distintos visualmente. Entretanto observamos que a informação visual na tarefa "A não B" é importante para o aparecimento ou não da perseveração motora. A proposta deste estudo foi verificar se crianças com deficiência visual perseveram ou não na tarefa modificada Pigetiana de alcance "A não B", identificar o relacionamento das diferentes propriedades do objeto na taxa de perseverativa, identificar o relacionamento entre a orientação da cabeça e o alcançar durante sua performance, bem como o padrão cinemático do alcançar. Dez bebês com deficiência visual, baixa visão, entre 1 a 4 anos de idade foram autorizados por seus pais para participarem do estudo. As crianças foram avaliadas em duas condições: luminosa e sonora. Enquanto realizaram a tarefa "A não B", todos os participantes foram filmados por três câmeras. Os resultados revelaram que o grupo... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Motor perseveration has recently been used to interpret the canonical Piaget's "A not B" task. In this task, the infants watch as the researcher hides a toy in a location "A", a delay is imposed, and then the infants are allowed to reach. On these A trials, infants typically reach to A, to where the object was hidden. After several hidings and successive reaches to A, the researcher hides the toy in a second location, "B", under identical conditions of the location A. Typically, around the age of nine months, infants, even after watching these "hide and search" games, return to reach for the "A" toy after being cued to reach for the "B" toy. Initial explanations for the "A not B" error portrayed it as a problem of encoding the new location, fragility of memory for the new location, or repeated action. On the other hand, infants are less likely to perseverate on attempts to B if the A and B locations are visually distinct. However, we observed that visual information in the "A not B" task is important to the emergence or not of the motor perseveration. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not children that that have visual deficiency perseverate in a modified Piagetian "A not B" reaching task, to identify the relationship between different characteristics of the object and motor perseveration rate, and also, to identify the relationship between head orientation and reaching during their performance, as well as, the reaching kinematics pattern. Ten visually impaired children, low vision, among age of 1 and 4 years, were authorized by their parents to take part in this study. The children were measured in two conditions: luminous and sonorous. While performing the "A not B" sand box task, all participants were videotaped with three cameras. A section experiment showed results confirming that the group only perseverated under... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

All people seek information for various reasons sometime during their lifetime. How this process has been researched and documented by various researchers is covered in this thesis, showing how the insights and lessons from various Information Seeking Models in the literature have informed and enriched this study. These models provide a good understanding of the study field and frameworks to explain the different elements of the information seeking process. All available Information Seeking Models, however, are developed based on the assumption that information seeking is performed by people with sight. How applicable these Information Seeking Models are for people who are blind and/or visually impaired is not addressed in the research. There are a number of different realities for a blind and visually impaired person seeking information, e.g. the accessibility of the technology to access the information, the accessibility of the information once it is located, the availability of technologies to assist the blind and visually impaired person to enable him/her to seek information, the availability of other people to assist the blind and visually impaired person during the information seeking process are just some of the challenges not addressed by existing Information Seeking Models. The purpose of this study is therefore to give an overview of existing Information Seeking Models and then to focus on the two leading researchers in the field, i.e. C. Kuhlthau and T.D. Wilson. These models of the information seeking process were contextualised and assessed in relation with the information needs model of N. Moore who researched the information needs of blind and visually impaired people. Based on the work of the three researchers a survey instrument was developed to determine the information seeking process of Grade 12 learners at five South African Schools for the Blind. Since Grade 12 learners must decide about their future, after completing school, it was decided to research how Grade 12 learners seek information to assist them to decide about tertiary studies or work options. The study included learners who had not yet started the information seeking process in this regard. A research instrument was designed to collect data to investigate the information seeking processes of the Grade 12 learners in order to assess the extent to which they correlated with the Information Seeking Models of Kuhlthau (1991) and Wilson (1999). The qualitative research method was followed in this study which was located in a constructivist paradigm. Interviews were conducted with 43 learners at the five schools for the blind representing the total population of Grade 12 learners registered at the selected schools. The literature confirms that low population sizes are customary when researching blind and visually impaired people. Face-to-face interviews were conducted at the five schools. The findings of the interviews were analysed through a framework analysis. Thereafter, a gap analysis was conducted to determine to what extent the findings correlated to or differed from the Information Seeking Models. From this analysis seven components were identified as part of the design of the Inclusive Information Seeking Model applicable to blind and visually impaired Grade 12 learners, a major outcome of the study. A broader application of the model is suggested. This Inclusive Information Seeking Model will raise awareness and assist people working in an information environment to make the necessary provisions, to ensure that the information seeking process for blind and visually impaired people is as successful as possible with available resources.

This thesis aims to implement a system called SafeWalk to help visually impaired people to sense obstacles in their path and provide them with more independence and more effortless life routines without any external help. SafeWalk is a low power consuming system designed to replace the daily used white cane. It consists of sensors, a buzzer, a vibrating motor, and a software application. The system will be installed on the user's shoe. It detects the objects in front of the user using an Ultrasonic sensor that measures the distance to the targeted object by transmitting sound waves. This will produce vibration in the shoe and causes the buzzer to start playing when the object gets closer. Similarly, using the provided application, signals will be received in the user's smartphone, which will begin to vibrate when the object is detected. The system works just as planned. The final prototype senses objects in the walking path very well. The connection to the app was strong and never disconnected while in use. The phone vibrates stronger if an object on the ground gets closer; if there is an object in the air, the buzzer and vibrator signal the user.

A simulation study was done to investigate the effect of the coefficient of variation of the modulus of elasticity ((E) on the vibrational performance of joist floor systems. Eight floor cases were studied and two types of lumber were considered: MSR and VSR lumber where (E is 0.11 and 0.25, respectively. The expected floor vibrational performance of MSR versus VSR lumber floors was evaluated by: 1) the probability that the fundamental frequency is less than 10 Hz and 2) the ratio of the first percentile of predicted fundamental frequency of MSR to VSR lumber. / Master of Engineering