3D environment reconstruction has received great interest in recent years in areas such as city planning, virtual tourism and flood hazard warning. With the rapid development of computer technologies, it has become possible and necessary to develop new methodologies and techniques for real time simulation for virtual environments applications. This thesis proposes a novel dynamic simulation scheme for flood hazard warning. The work consists of three main parts: digital terrain modelling; 3D environmental reconstruction and system development; flood simulation models. The digital terrain model is constructed using real world measurement data of GIS, in terms of digital elevation data and satellite image data. An NTSP algorithm is proposed for very large data assessing, terrain modelling and visualisation. A pyramidal data arrangement structure is used for dealing with the requirements of terrain details with different resolutions. The 3D environmental reconstruction system is made up of environmental image segmentation for object identification, a new shape match method and an intelligent reconstruction system. The active contours-based multi-resolution vector-valued framework and the multi-seed region growing method are both used for extracting necessary objects from images. The shape match method is used with a template in the spatial domain for a 3D detailed small scale urban environment reconstruction. The intelligent reconstruction system is designed to recreate the whole model based on specific features of objects for large scale environment reconstruction. This study then proposes a new flood simulation scheme which is an important application of the 3D environmental reconstruction system. Two new flooding models have been developed. The first one is flood spreading model which is useful for large scale flood simulation. It consists of flooding image spatial segmentation, a water level calculation process, a standard gradient descent method for energy minimization, a flood region search and a merge process. The finite volume hydrodynamic model is built from shallow water equations which is useful for urban area flood simulation. The proposed 3D urban environment reconstruction system was tested on our simulation platform. The experiment results indicate that this method is capable of dealing with complicated and high resolution region reconstruction which is useful for many applications. When testing the 3D flood simulation system, the simulation results are very close to the real flood situation, and this method has faster speed and greater accuracy of simulating the inundation area in comparison to the conventional flood simulation models

This study explores text and music relations in Canadian composer Violet Archer’s “The Twenty-Third Psalm” by analysing the text of Psalm 23, Fibonacci numbers, melodic contours, motives, and the role of the accompaniment. The text focuses on David’s faith in God and his acceptance of God as his shepherd on earth. The four other approaches allow us to examine the work on three different structural levels: background through Fibonacci numbers, middleground through melodic contour analysis, and foreground through motivic analysis and the role of the accompaniment. The measure numbers that align with Fibonacci numbers overlap with some of the melodic contour phrases, which are demarcated by rests, as well as with the most important moments at the surface level, such as the emphasis on the word “death” through recurring and symbolic motives. The piano accompaniment further supports these moments in the text.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Als Datengrundlage für die Erhebung von Flächennutzungsparametern, wie sie in geografischen Informationssystemen (GIS) abgelegt und verwaltet werden, dienen oft Bilddaten aus der Erdfernerkundung. Die zur Erkennung und Unterscheidung der Objekte notwendige hohe Pixelauflösung führt bei der Erfassung eines Zielgebiets wie beispielsweise einer Stadt zu enormen Datenmengen. Aus diesen Bilddaten gilt es, möglichst schnell und preiswert die für ein GIS notwendigen Informationen, wie Umrissvektoren und Objektattribute, zu extrahieren. Diese Arbeit ist ein Beitrag zur Automatisierung dieses Schritts mit besonderem Schwerpunkt auf der Gebäudeextraktion. Datengrundlage sind hochauflösende multispektrale Orthobilder und ein digitales Oberflächenmodell (DOM) der digitalen Luftbildkamera HRSC-A bzw. HRSC-AX zum Einsatz. Deswegen werden das Aufnahmeprinzip sowie die Datenverarbeitung der HRSC überblicksartig vorgestellt. Auf Basis dieser HRSC-Standarddatenprodukte wird ein Vorgehen zur Extraktion von Objekten entwickelt. In einer hierarchisch geordneten Abfolge an Segmentierungsschritten werden aus der Pixelinformation bedeutungstragende Einheiten extrahiert. Dieser Segmentierungsansatz lässt sich auf mehrere Objektkategorien, wie Straßen oder Ackerflächen, erweitern. So werden in der aktuellen Entwicklungsstufe neben Gebäuden auch Baumregionen detektiert. Anhand des Oberflächenmodells werden erhöhte Regionen erkannt. Dazu wird das DOM durch Berechnung eines Terrainmodells auf Grundhöhe normiert. Für erhöhte Objekte wird die Grundhöhe aus umliegenden Grundregionen abgeleitet. Die erhöhten Regionen werden anschließend in Bäume und Gebäude unterteilt. Dazu werden aus den Multispektraldaten Vegetationscharakteristika bestimmt und entsprechende Baumsegmente ermittelt. Die Gebäuderegionen resultieren aus einer Nachverarbeitung der verbleibenden Segmente. Um Gebäudekomplexe in einzelne Häuser aufzuteilen, wird ein gradientenbasierter Ansatz entwickelt. Anhand der für Brandmauern typischen Gradienteninformation werden Linienhypothesen zur Unterteilung der Gebäudesegmente generiert. Diese werden schrittweise anhand geometrischer und radiometrischer Kriterien auf ihre Plausibilität überprüft. Schließlich werden die ursprünglich aus dem DOM stammenden Konturen der Gebäudesegmente und deren Übereinstimung mit Bildkanten eines Orthobildes betrachtet. In einem adaptiven Ansatz wird das Konturpolygon durch die Gradienteninformation an angrenzende Bildkanten angepasst. Zur Umsetzung typischer Gebäudegeometrien wie rechter Winkel oder Parallelität werden innerhalb des Adaptionsprozesses entsprechende Nebenbedingungen formuliert. Die Extraktion erhöhter Objekte wie auch deren Unterteilung in Bäume und Gebäude erfolgt mit hoher Genauigkeit, z.B. liegen die Detektionsraten bei Gebäuden über 90%. Der neuartige Ansatz zur Unterteilung in einzelne Häuser ohne explizite Liniendetektion führt bereits in der vorgestellten Entwicklungsstufe zur Beschleunigung einer manuellen Interpretation. Die adaptive Verbesserung der Gebäudekontur führt zu gebäudetypischeren Umrissen ohne Beeinträchtigung der hohen Detektionsraten. / Remote sensing image data are often used as a basis for determining land use parameters, as they are stored and managed in geographic information systems (GIS). Covering a target area leads to an enormous amount of data due to the high pixel resolution required for recognizing and discriminating objects. To effectively derive GIS information like contour vectors or object attributes from these data, the extraction process has to be fast and cost-effective. This thesis is a contribution to the automization of this step with a focus on building extraction. High resolution multispectral ortho-images and a digital surface model (DSM), generated by the digital aerial camera HRSC-A or HRSC-AX, are used as data basis. Therefore, the HRSC imaging principle and data processing are summarized. Based on these HRSC standard data products, an object extraction scheme is developed. In a hierarchically ordered sequence of segmentation steps, meaningful units are extracted from pixel information. This segmentation approach is extendable to several object categories like streets or fields. Thus, tree regions, as well as buildings are detected in the current stage of implementation. Elevated regions are recognized using the digital surface model. For that purpose the DSM is normalized by calculating a terrain model. For elevated objects the terrain height is derived from surrounding ground regions. Subsequently, the elevated regions are separated into trees and buildings. Determining spectral characteristics of vegetation from the multispectral data leads to corresponding tree segments. The building regions result from post-processing the remaining segments. In order to split the building segments into single houses, a gradient based approach is developed. By means of the gradient information associated with firewalls, line hypotheses for subdividing the building segments are generated. Their plausibility is checked by gradually applying geometric and spectral criteria. Finally, the building contours, originally derived from the DSM, and their correspondence to image edges in an ortho-image, are considered. In an adaptive approach, the contour polygon is adjusted to neighboring image edges using the gradient information. Typical building geometries like right angles or parallelism are enforced by applying corresponding constraints in the adaption process. The extraction of elevated objects, as well as the separation into trees and buildings, is carried out with high accuracy, e.g. the building detection rates are over 90%. In the current development stage the novel approach for separating building segments into single houses without an explicit line detection already leads to a speeding-up of a manual interpretation. The adaptive improvement of building contours leads to building typical contours without affecting the high detection rates.

No campo da medicina diagnóstica através de imagens, o baixo custo e a característica não-invasiva da ultrassonografia modo-B favoreceram as pesquisas que analisam a relação entre a espessura íntima-média (EIM) da artéria carótida e o desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares. Outra técnica de ultrassonografia, baseada no efeito Doppler, também tem sido extensivamente empregada em ambientes clínicos para a medição da velocidade e do fluxo de sangue das artérias periféricas, oferecendo uma abordagem distinta para estudar as doenças cardiovasculares. Neste trabalho, métodos computacionais foram implementados e analisados para extrair informações quantitativas de artérias a partir de imagens 2D. Os ensaios com imagens em modo-B contemplaram a combinação de técnicas de filtragem e algoritmos de contornos ativos para a detecção das interfaces das paredes arteriais e medições da EIM e do diâmetro da luz (DL). Um modelo matemático e 7 imagens reais da artéria carótida comum foram utilizados neste estudo que, dentre as diversas combinações de filtros e algoritmos, apresentou resultados quantitativos similares no cálculo do DL. Para a EIM, porém, a reduzida dimensão da camada íntima-média proporcionou variações indesejadas dos cálculos. Para medir a velocidade do sangue utilizando o modo Doppler, um método semiautomático foi incorporado a um aplicativo computacional para a detecção da envoltória do espectro do gráfico de velocidades. Uma análise comparativa entre sistemas de ultrassonografia comerciais operados por especialistas e este aplicativo incluiu a velocidade de pico sistólico e a integral de velocidade e tempo (VTI) das artérias carótida comum e braquial e de exames ecocardiográficos. A análise de Bland-Altman e o coeficiente de correlação validaram esta metodologia que, complementada pela interface gráfica amigável do aplicativo, pode auxiliar os clínicos em seus estudos de larga escala, baseados nas imagens Doppler ultrassonográficas, com as seguintes vantagens: redução do tempo operacional e de resultados subjetivos e aumento do grau de reprodutibilidade dos resultados. / In the field of image-based diagnostic medicine, low cost and noninvasive B-mode ultrasound technique have supported the researches which investigates the relation between the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and the development of cardiovascular diseases. Other ultrasound technique, that offers a different approach to study these diseases, is based on Doppler effect and has also been extensively used in clinical sites to measure blood velocity and flow in peripheral arteries. In this work, computational methods were implemented and analyzed to extract quantitative data from 2D images of arteries. Tests with B-mode images covered the combination of filtering techniques and active contour algorithms, in order to detect the arterial wall interfaces and to measure IMT and lumen diameter (LD). One mathematical model and seven real images of the common carotid artery were used in this study which, among several filters and algorithms combinations, showed similar quantitative results for DL measurements. However, for IMT, the small thickness of intima-media layer led to undesirable variation results. To measure blood velocity by using Doppler mode, a semi-automatic methodology was implemented in a computational tool to detect the spectrum envelope of the velocity graphic. A comparative analysis between commercial ultrasound systems operated by specialists and this tool included systolic peak velocities and velocity-time integral (VTI) of the common carotid and brachial arteries and of echocardiographic exams. Bland-Altmans analysis and the correlation coefficient validated this methodology which, besides the user friendly graphical interface of the tool, may help the clinicians for their large-scale studies based on Doppler ultrasound images, with the following advantages: to save operational time, to lower subjective results, and to support measurement reproducibility.

This work involves the design and implementation of a real-time Machine Vision-based Human Computer Interface (HCI) that analyzes and interprets a music conductor's gestures to detect the musical "beat". This HCI system interfaces directly with the "Virtual Orchestra", an electronic MIDI sequenced "orchestra". Prior to the development of this HCI system, the real time control of the tempo of the "Virtual Orchestra" could only be controlled by tapping a tempo on a MIDI controller device--a process that is foreign to most music conductors. The real-time beat information detected by this HCI system allows a conductor to conduct the "Virtual Orchestra" as if it were a live orchestra. This system was developed using the Broadway real-time color image capture board manufactured by Data Translation, Incorporated. The implementation involved the use of Microsoft Visual C++, Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) for the Graphical User Interface (GUI), Video For Windows (VFW), MIDI note generation, and Intel assembly level code optimization. Algorithms were developed for rapid RGB color thresholding, multiple contour extraction, fast contour based area and center of mass calculations, and gesture interpretation. Real time, live-video interpretation has been achieved and an end-to-end system has been demonstrated in conjuction with a MIDI sequencer.

No campo da medicina diagnóstica através de imagens, o baixo custo e a característica não-invasiva da ultrassonografia modo-B favoreceram as pesquisas que analisam a relação entre a espessura íntima-média (EIM) da artéria carótida e o desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares. Outra técnica de ultrassonografia, baseada no efeito Doppler, também tem sido extensivamente empregada em ambientes clínicos para a medição da velocidade e do fluxo de sangue das artérias periféricas, oferecendo uma abordagem distinta para estudar as doenças cardiovasculares. Neste trabalho, métodos computacionais foram implementados e analisados para extrair informações quantitativas de artérias a partir de imagens 2D. Os ensaios com imagens em modo-B contemplaram a combinação de técnicas de filtragem e algoritmos de contornos ativos para a detecção das interfaces das paredes arteriais e medições da EIM e do diâmetro da luz (DL). Um modelo matemático e 7 imagens reais da artéria carótida comum foram utilizados neste estudo que, dentre as diversas combinações de filtros e algoritmos, apresentou resultados quantitativos similares no cálculo do DL. Para a EIM, porém, a reduzida dimensão da camada íntima-média proporcionou variações indesejadas dos cálculos. Para medir a velocidade do sangue utilizando o modo Doppler, um método semiautomático foi incorporado a um aplicativo computacional para a detecção da envoltória do espectro do gráfico de velocidades. Uma análise comparativa entre sistemas de ultrassonografia comerciais operados por especialistas e este aplicativo incluiu a velocidade de pico sistólico e a integral de velocidade e tempo (VTI) das artérias carótida comum e braquial e de exames ecocardiográficos. A análise de Bland-Altman e o coeficiente de correlação validaram esta metodologia que, complementada pela interface gráfica amigável do aplicativo, pode auxiliar os clínicos em seus estudos de larga escala, baseados nas imagens Doppler ultrassonográficas, com as seguintes vantagens: redução do tempo operacional e de resultados subjetivos e aumento do grau de reprodutibilidade dos resultados. / In the field of image-based diagnostic medicine, low cost and noninvasive B-mode ultrasound technique have supported the researches which investigates the relation between the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and the development of cardiovascular diseases. Other ultrasound technique, that offers a different approach to study these diseases, is based on Doppler effect and has also been extensively used in clinical sites to measure blood velocity and flow in peripheral arteries. In this work, computational methods were implemented and analyzed to extract quantitative data from 2D images of arteries. Tests with B-mode images covered the combination of filtering techniques and active contour algorithms, in order to detect the arterial wall interfaces and to measure IMT and lumen diameter (LD). One mathematical model and seven real images of the common carotid artery were used in this study which, among several filters and algorithms combinations, showed similar quantitative results for DL measurements. However, for IMT, the small thickness of intima-media layer led to undesirable variation results. To measure blood velocity by using Doppler mode, a semi-automatic methodology was implemented in a computational tool to detect the spectrum envelope of the velocity graphic. A comparative analysis between commercial ultrasound systems operated by specialists and this tool included systolic peak velocities and velocity-time integral (VTI) of the common carotid and brachial arteries and of echocardiographic exams. Bland-Altmans analysis and the correlation coefficient validated this methodology which, besides the user friendly graphical interface of the tool, may help the clinicians for their large-scale studies based on Doppler ultrasound images, with the following advantages: to save operational time, to lower subjective results, and to support measurement reproducibility.

L'objectif de cette thèse est de développer et de valider des approches robustes d'extraction semi-automatique de réseaux routiers en zone urbaine dense à partir d'images satellitaires optiques à très haute résolution (THR). Nos modèles sont fondés sur une modélisation par champs de phase des contours actifs d'ordre supérieur (CAOS). Le probléme est difficile pour deux raisons principales : les images THR sont intrinsèquement complexes, et certaines zones des réseaux peuvent prendre une topologie arbitraire. Pour remédier à la complexité de l'information contenue dans les images THR, nous proposons une modélisation statistique multi-résolution des données ainsi qu'un modèle multi-résolution contraint a priori. Ces derniers permettent l'intégration des résultats de segmentation de résolution brute et de résolution fine. De plus, dans le cadre particulier de la mise à jour de réseaux routiers, nous présentons un modèle de forme a priori spécifique, dérivé d'une ancienne carte numérique issue d'un SIG. Ce terme spécifique a priori équilibre l'effet de la connaissance a priori générique apportée par le modèle de CAOS, qui décrit la forme géométrique générale des réseaux routiers. Cependant, le modèle classique de CAOS souffre d'une limitation importante : la largeur des branches du réseau est contrainte à d'être similaire au maximum du rayon de courbure des branches du réseau, fournissant ainsi un modèle non satisfaisant dans le cas de réseaux aux branches droites et étroites ou aux branches fortement incurvées et larges. Nous résolvons ce problème en proposant deux nouveaux modèles : l'un contenant un terme additionnel, nonlocal, non-linéaire de CAOS, et l'autre contenant un terme additionnel, nonlocal, linéaire de CAOS. Ces deux termes permettent le contrôle séparé de la largeur et de la courbure des branches, et fournissent une meilleure prolongation pour une même largeur. Le terme linéaire a plusieurs avantages : d'une part il se calcule plus efficacement, d'autre part il peut modéliser plusieurs largeurs de branche simultanément. Afin de remédier à la difficulté du choix des paramètres de ces modèles, nous analysons les conditions de stabilité pour une longue barre d'une largeur donnée décrite par ces énergies, et montrons ainsi comment choisir rigoureusement les paramètres des fonctions d'énergie. Des expériences sur des images satellitaires THR et la comparaison avec d'autres modèles démontrent la supériorité de nos modèles.

Cette thèse est composée de deux parties principales. La première partie est dédiée au problème de la classification d'espèces d'arbres en utilisant des descripteurs de forme, en combainison ou non, avec ceux de radiométrie ou de texture. Nous montrons notamment que l'information sur la forme améliore la performance d'un classifieur. Pour ce faire, dans un premier temps, une étude des formes de couronnes d'arbres extraites à partir d'images aériennes, en infrarouge couleur, est eectuée en utilisant une méthodologie d'analyse de formes des courbes continues fermées dans un espace de formes, en utilisant la notion de chemin géodésique sous deux métriques dans des espaces appropriés : une métrique non-élastique en utilisant la reprèsentation par la fonction d'angle de la courbe, ainsi qu'une métrique élastique induite par une représentation par la racinecarée appelée q-fonction. Une étape préliminaire nécessaire à la classification est l'extraction des couronnes d'arbre. Dans une seconde partie, nous abordons donc le problème de l'extraction d'objets de forme complexe arbitraire, à partir d'images de télédétection à très haute résolution. Nous construisons un modèle fondé sur les processus ponctuels marqués. Son originalité tient dans sa prise en compte d'objets de forme arbitraire par rapport aux objets de forme paramétrique, e.g. ellipses ou rectangles. Les formes sélectionnées sont obtenues par la minimisation locale d'une énergie de type contours actifs avec diérents a priori sur la forme incorporé. Les objets de la configuration finale (optimale) sont ensuite sélectionnés parmi les candidats par une dynamique de naissances et morts multiples, couplée à un schéma de recuit simulé. L'approche est validée sur des images de zones forestières à très haute résolution fournies par l'Université d'Agriculture de Suède.

This study explores text and music relations in Canadian composer Violet Archer’s “The Twenty-Third Psalm” by analysing the text of Psalm 23, Fibonacci numbers, melodic contours, motives, and the role of the accompaniment. The text focuses on David’s faith in God and his acceptance of God as his shepherd on earth. The four other approaches allow us to examine the work on three different structural levels: background through Fibonacci numbers, middleground through melodic contour analysis, and foreground through motivic analysis and the role of the accompaniment. The measure numbers that align with Fibonacci numbers overlap with some of the melodic contour phrases, which are demarcated by rests, as well as with the most important moments at the surface level, such as the emphasis on the word “death” through recurring and symbolic motives. The piano accompaniment further supports these moments in the text.