Panel Discussion: Systems for Data Analysis What they AEE; what they Could be?

CRANE: I’d like to pose a couple of questions: (1) Command Languages — A tool for the astronomer or for the programmer? (2) Portability — Holy Cow or Red Herring? I propose that we start with the first one and see how far we get. If we don’t get past that, fine. If we get on to the question of portability, this is also fine. Let me just open up the discussion by asking Rudi Albrecht to make a comment.

A Clustering Approach to texture Classification

In the paper a clustering technique to segment an image in to “homogeneous” regions is studied. The homogeneity of each region is evaluated by means of a “proximity function” computed between the pixels. The main result of such approach is that no-histogramming is required in order to perform segmentation. Possibilistic and probabilistic approaches are, also, combined to evaluate the significativity of the computed regions.

Distributed image retrieval on DAISY

The paper describes an application of image retrieval based on DAISY architecture (distributed architecture for intelligent system). The creation of pictorial indexes may require a number of hours depending on the size of the pictorial data base. The problem can become more complex in the case of distributed database systems. In both cases a distributed architecture can be the natural and more efficient solution. DAISY architecture is based on the concept of co-operating behavioral agents supervised by a central engagement module. Preliminary experiments, to evaluate the performance of the system, have been performed on a astronomical database and coral image

M-VIF: A machine-vision based on information fusion

The authors describe a new architecture for machine vision, which is based on information fusion approach. Its general design has been developed by using a formal computation model that integrates three main ingredients of the visual computation: the data, the models, and the algorithms. The hardware design and the software environment of M-VIF are also given. The simulation of M-VIF is under development on the HERMIA-machine.

A distributed architecture for autonomous navigation of robots

The paper shows a distributed architecture for autonomous robot navigation. The architecture is based on three modules that are implemented on separate and interacting agents: the target recognizer, the obsta90cle evaluator and the planner. An adaptive genetic algorithm has been studied to identify mechanisms for reaching the target and for manipulating the 2-directions of the robot; the distributed architecture has been embedded in the DAISY (Distributed Architecture for Intelligent System). Experiments have been carried out using a LEGO intelligent brick.

Panel Discussion on “ how can Computer Science Contribute to the Solution of Problems Posed by Astronomers ?”

A Panel was hold on June 3rd summarizing, in a way, the guide- lines and the aims of the Workshop. General questionswere addressed to M.Disney, E.Groth and D.Wells, who have expressed in the Workshop the point of view from Astronomy in the Sections “Data Analysis methodologies”, “Image processing” and “Systems for Data Analysis” respectively:

Panel Discussion on Data Analysis Trends in X-Ray and γ-Ray Astronomy 30/5/84, 11°°–12°°

[The text of the panel has been edited by Dr. ozel (with indispensable help from Gabi Breuer, secretary of MPIfR) from a tape recording. The words not completely understandable are noted by (?), while various inclusions for the continuity of the text are indicated by [ ]. The slides and viewgraphs presented in the panel are added as Figures and Tables.]

Intruder Pattern Identification

This paper considers the problem of intrusion detection in information systems as a classification problem. In particular the case of masquerader is treated. This kind of intrusion is one of the more difficult to discover because it may attack already open user sessions. Moreover, this problem is complex because of the large variability of user models and the lack of available data for the learning purpose. Here, flexible and robust similarity measures, suitable also for non-numeric data, are defined, they will be incorporated on a one-class training K N N and compared with several classification methods proposed in the literature using the Masquerading User Data set (www.schonlau.net) repr…

Visual dynamic environment for distributed systems

Algorithms, based on information fusion, are often embodied in visual perception systems. Distributed architectures have been recently proposed to perform integrated computation. The complexity of distributed systems regards both their design, and the software environment to develop applications. Visual and iconic programming style intends to provide expressive tools to implement, to debug, and to execute programs in distributed environment. Multi-layers graphs languages seem suitable to handle such complexity. This paper describes the design of a visual dynamic environment (VDE), which is based on a graph-grammar. A new class of dynamic visual interfaces is also introduced, and its propert…

A low level image analysis approach to starfish detection

Face Expression Recognition through Broken Symmetries

Security systems, criminology, physical access control and man-machine interactions are examples of applications where recognition of human faces may be crucial. In the present paper a new signature, based on a measure of axial symmetry called DST, is proposed as a significant feature to analyze facial expressions. The measure of symmetry is an elaborate difference between the internal and external symmetry kernels of an object. The idea here is to use the evolution of the symmetry measure of a face over an ordered set of its sub-images. We claim that different evolutionary trends will represent different face expressions. The proposed signature has been tested on several face databases (ps…

A Software Package for a Serum Bank Management

A serum-bank is a collection of human serum samples coming from different locations (in our case Children Hospital, schools, factories, town departemens), allocated in some archives. Principal users of a such data-bank are, of course, physicians and biologists that are mainly interested in statistical analysis (computation of averages, variances factor analysis, etc.) of immunological and epidemiological relevance, in order to investigate about some haematochemical parameters common to some selected subset of the archives [1], [2].

A fast recursive algorithm to compute local axial moments

The paper describes a fast algorithm to compute local axial moments used in the algorithm of discrete symmetry transform (DST). The basic idea is grounded on fast recursive implementation of respective linear filters by using the so-called primitive kernel functions since the moment computation can be performed in the framework of linear filtering. The main result is that the computation of the local axial moments is independent of the kernel size, i.e. of the order O(1) per data point (pixel). This result is of relevance whenever the DST is used to face with real time computer vision problems. The experimental results confirm the time complexity predicted by the theory.

A Medium Level Language for Pyramid Architectures

In the paper a Parallel C Languages for pyramid architectures is described. The concept of context is introduced in order to handle concurrence between processes in massive parallel machines. Feature implementation on the PAPIA-machine are given.

Dynamic interface for machine vision systems

Iconic programming intends to provide expressive tools to implement, to debug, and to execute programs. For this purpose, visual languages need pictorial constructs and metaphors to guide the design of algorithms in interactive fashion. In the paper a new class of dynamic visual interfaces, named DIVA (Dynamic Interface for Visual Applications), is introduced, its properties are described, and an application to visual compilers in a multi-processors system dedicated to image analysis is given. Moreover, a formal definition of dynamic icon (DI) is also given.

The iconic interface for the PIctorial C language

Iconic environments intend to provide expressive tools to implement, to debug and to execute programs. Moreover its pictorial constructs guide the user to design algorithms in an interactive fashion. Visual interfaces are especially required whenever programs run on an heterogeneous and reconfigurable multiprocessor system oriented to image analysis. Pictorial tools help the user to control the scope of variables, and the distribution of the tasks into the processors. In this paper, the general design, the visual-syntax, and the implementation of the first prototype of an iconic user interface for the PIctorial C Language (PICL) are described. >

The iterative object symmetry transform

This paper introduces a new operator named the Iterated Object Transform that is computed by combining the Object Symmetry Transform with the morphological operator erosion. This new operator has been applied on both binary and gray levels images showing the ability to grasp the internal structure of a digital object. We present some experiments on real images in face analysis.

VIRES: A distributed open architecture for pictorial database

In this paper we describe VIRES (Visual Information Retrieval Extendible System) an open distributed pictorial database for image retrieval. The retrieval methods, pictorial indexing and data are distributed over the network. VIRES has been designed as an open architecture. The system is based on the concept of distributed model via dictionary in order to reach a good versatility without changing the kernel of VIRES.

Mathematical Morphology Based on Fuzzy Operators

A vision procedure may be considered as the repeated application of image operators until the vision goal is reached. The type of these operators and the spaces on which they are defined and act depends on the specific problem and on what we are searching on the image. Morphological operations, as filtering, edge detection, skeletonizing, and so on, are mainly required at low and medium levels of the vision procedure, where local and global knowledge is used to enhance the image information content, before a final decision about the image is taken.

A combined analysis to extract objects in remote sensing images

Abstract This paper describes an object recognition system to extract shape information from remote sensing images. One of the goals is to determine if towers and power lines can be seen on one-meter imagery and how much ground conditions can influence the resolution power of the recognition algorithms. To this end, an integrated analysis system has been implemented inside the Remote Sensing Imaging System (RSIS). The methodology consists in the combination of statistical and structural information. It has been tested on real images and it will be integrated in an automatic system for the assessment of post storm damage.

Vision Problems in Sparse Images

Experiments on a Prey Predators System

The paper describes a prey-predators system devoted to perform experiments on concurrent complex environment. The problem has be treated as an optimization problem. The prey goal is to escape from the predators reaching its lair, while predators want to capture the prey. At the end of the 19th century, Pareto found an optimal solutions for decision problems regarding more than one criterion at the same time. In most cases this ‘Pareto-set’ cannot be determined analytically or the computation time could be exponential. In such cases, evolutionary Algorithms (EA) are powerful optimization tools capable of finding optimal solutions of multi-modal problems. Here, both prey and predators learn i…

Quantum Computing: A Way to Break Complexity?

The perception of time is given by the happening of some events that determines a variation in the state of the observed system. In this sense a computation, i.e. a set of well defined transformations that, starting from an initial state (the input) brings to a final state (the output), can be considered a time generator. Each ticking of the clock corresponds to the computer changes of its states. The speed of computation leads to a different perception of time as well as traveling by airplanes changed the perception of spatial distances.

Low Level Languages for the PAPIA Machine

The paper presents the low-level languages implemented up to date to program the PAPIA machine. The parallel assembly-level P-MAGRO package, the microcode level instruction set and a machine simulating environment are described.

DAISY: a distributed architecture for intelligent SYstem

Distributed perceptual systems are endowed with different kind of sensors, from which information flows to suitable modules to perform useful elaborations for decisions making. In this paper a new distributed architecture, named 'Distributed Architecture for Intelligent SYstem' (DAISY), is proposed. It is based on the concept of co-operating behavioral agents supervised by a 'Central Engagement Module'. This module integrates the processing of data coming from the behavioral agents with a symbolic level of representation, by the introduction of a 'conceptual space' intermediate analogue representation. The DAISY project is under development; experiments on navigation and exploration for an …

Finding essential features for tracking starfish in a video sequence

The paper introduces a software system for detecting and tracking starfish in an underwater video sequence. The target of such a system is to help biologists in giving an estimate of the number of starfish present in a particular area of the sea-bottom. The nature of the input images is characterised by a low signal/noise ratio and by the presence of noisy background represented by pebbles; this makes the detection a non-trivial task. The procedure we use is a chain of several steps that starts from the extraction of the area of interest and ends with a classifier and a tracker providing the necessary information for counting the starfish present in the scene. © 2003 IEEE.

The stability problem and noisy projections in discrete tomography

Abstract The new field of research of discrete tomography will be described in this paper. It differs from standard computerized tomography in the reduced number of projections. It needs ad hoc algorithms which usually are based on the definition of the model of the object to reconstruct. The main problems will be introduced and an experimental simulation will prove the robustness of a slightly modified version of a well known method for the reconstruction of binary planar convex sets, even in case of projections affected by error. To the best of our knowledge this is one of the first experimental study of the stability problem with a statistical approach. Prospective applications include c…

“Study of Pulsar Light Curves by Cluster Analysis”

The distribution of the phase numbers, corresponding to the arrival times of the gamma-ray photons detected by the COS-B satellite from the directions of the Crab and Vela pulsars, is analyzed by a clustering technique with the aim to detect possible microstructures in the pulsed emission. The method is found to be promising especially in view of the future gamma-ray experiments where better photon counting statistics is expected.

Experiments with an adaptive Bayesian restoration method

Abstract This paper describes a Bayesian restoration method applied to two-dimensional measured images, whose detector response function is not completely known. The response function is assumed Gaussian with standard deviation depending on the estimate of the local density of the image. The convex hull of the K -nearest neighbours ( K NN) of each ‘on’ pixel is used to compute the local density. The method has been tested on ‘sparse’ images, with and without noise background.

Content Based Indexing of Image and Video Databases by Global and Shape Features

Indexing and retrieval methods based on the image content are required to effectively use information from the large repositories of digital images and videos currently available. Both global (colour, texture, motion, etc.) and local (object shape, etc.) features are needed to perform a reliable content based retrieval. We present a method for automatic extraction of global image features, like colour and motion parameters, and their use for data restriction in video database querying. Further retrieval is therefore accomplished, in a restricted set of images, by shape feature (skeleton, local symmetry moments, correlation, etc.) local search. The proposed indexing methodology has been deve…

Distributed Systems for Fusion of Visual Information

Panel Discussion on Data Analysis Trends in X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Astronomy

ZIMMERMANN: Let me begin the panel discussion on Data Analysis Trends in X-ray and Gamma-ray astronomy by first introducing the panel members. These are from the left to the right: Roland Diehl, Ethan Schreier, Rosolino Buccheri, Livio Scarsi, Jean-Marc Chassery and Wolfgang Voges. With the exception of Jean-Marc Chassery, who is an expert on image processing and statistical analysis, all the others have longer experience in the X-ray and Gamma-ray fields. May I ask the speakers to keep their contributions to not more than five minutes, in order to allow ample room for discussion with the audience.

Panel Discussion on Trends in Optical and Radio Data Analysis

Albrecht: What I want to do is to give a brief five-minute introduction to the subject, justifying the title which puts optical and radio astronomy in one and the same category, which I believe it is, as far as data analysis is concerned, and then I will ask the panel members to give us two-minute statements of their opinions on the subject and then I would like to ask the audience to fire questions at us.

Two Parallel Algorithms for the Analysis of Random Images

Aim of the paper is to show a computational paradigm, that reduces some algorithms on undirected graphs into image analysis algorithms. In particular two parallel algorithms on undirected weighted graphs, often used in the analysis of sparse images, are described.