Objects In Natural Environment Research Articles

Real-time dense small object detection algorithm based on multi-modal tea shoots.

The difficulties in tea shoot recognition are that the recognition is affected by lighting conditions, it is challenging to segment images with similar backgrounds to the shoot color, and the occlusion and overlap between leaves. To solve the problem of low accuracy of dense small object detection of tea shoots, this paper proposes a real-time dense small object detection algorithm based on multimodal optimization. First, RGB, depth, and infrared images are collected form a multimodal image set, and a complete shoot object labeling is performed. Then, the YOLOv5 model is improved and applied to dense and tiny tea shoot detection. Secondly, based on the improved YOLOv5 model, this paper designs two data layer-based multimodal image fusion methods and a feature layerbased multimodal image fusion method; meanwhile, a cross-modal fusion module (FFA) based on frequency domain and attention mechanisms is designed for the feature layer fusion method to adaptively align and focus critical regions in intra- and inter-modal channel and frequency domain dimensions. Finally, an objective-based scale matching method is developed to further improve the detection performance of small dense objects in natural environments with the assistance of transfer learning techniques. The experimental results indicate that the improved YOLOv5 model increases the mAP50 value by 1.7% compared to the benchmark model with fewer parameters and less computational effort. Compared with the single modality, the multimodal image fusion method increases the mAP50 value in all cases, with the method introducing the FFA module obtaining the highest mAP50 value of 0.827. After the pre-training strategy is used after scale matching, the mAP values can be improved by 1% and 1.4% on the two datasets. The research idea of multimodal optimization in this paper can provide a basis and technical support for dense small object detection.

A novel deep neural network for hidden target detection in images

The significant similarity between the hidden target and the background makes it difficult to find camouflaged people, such as warriors in warfare, or even camouflaged objects in natural environments. Hence, it is hard to ascertain these concealed targets. To address this issue, a novel deep neural network is proposed in this paper that produces an estimated mask within the hidden target for an input image. Our approach consists of two phases: hidden target segmentation and hidden target identification. For the first phase, we propose the Multilevel Attention Network (MA-Net), which generates the camouflaged target mask based on a Multi-Attention Module (MAM) that helps distinguish the hidden people from the background. Later on, the concealed target will be highlighted in the second phase. Experimental results on the camouflaged people dataset demonstrate that our proposed method can achieve state-of-the-art performance for hidden target detection.

An Algorithm for Intelligent Identification of Moving Objects in Natural Environment

An Algorithm for Intelligent Identification of Moving Objects in Natural Environment

Designing Cor–Shell Materials Using Humic Acids

Due to the high content of complexing moieties, humic acids are promising compounds for designing heavy metal sorbents that can be used in natural environment objects. Experiments focused on designing sorbent particles containing a humic shell and a core (that is supposed to impart the desired performance characteristics to the particle) and applying humic acids onto various materials were conducted. It is demonstrated that the sorbent with a “lignocellulosic core–humic shell” structure can be produced mechanochemically. The efficiency of humic acid binding to lignocellulosic materials directly correlates with lignin content within lignocellulosic materials. A method for passing lignin from the surface of lignocellulosic biomass into the solution using humic acids is found. Unmodified highly lignified biomass is the optimal material for applying humic acids onto lignocellulosic materials.

Continuous convolutional object tracking in developmental robot scenarios

Tracking arbitrary objects in natural environments is a challenging task in visual computing. A central problem is the need to adapt to changing appearances under strong transformation and occlusion. We propose a tracking framework that utilises the strength of Convolutional Neural Networks to create a robust and adaptive model of the object from training data produced during tracking. An incremental update mechanism provides increased performance and reduces the computational costs for training during tracking, allowing for robust real-time tracking with state-of-the-art performance. Together with optimisations for deploying the framework on humanoid robots and distributed devices, this shows its viability for research in developmental robotics on questions around infant cognition or active exploration.

Measurement and modeling of polarized reflectance factor on rough coating materials using a goniometer instrument

The study of spectral polarization characteristics of different materials is benefit to improve the abilities of object recognition and polarization remote sensing applications. Most of studies focus on the degree of polarization of the material, the polarized reflectance factor is rarely reported. In this study, we measure the spectral polarized reflectance factor of typical rough coating materials (green and black paint) in the range of 400–900 nm. The polarization reflectance characteristics of coating materials have been analyzed based on the measured data sets and the polarization mechanism. Moreover, a polarized reflectance parameter model is built with the basic of the Kubelka-Munk theory, and the optimal model parameters are fitted by the genetic algorithm. The analyses indicate that our measured polarized reflectance factors of the rough coating samples are spectrally neutral, and the distribution of the polarized reflectance factor is obviously anisotropic. The polarized reflectance parameter model provides good fits to the measurements, which confirms the validity and reliability of the modeling, and can precisely describe the polarization reflectance behaviors of rough coating materials. We also found that contrast between the rough coating samples and typical natural background in polarized reflectance factor is much greater than in degree of linear polarization in visible and near-infrared bands, which suggests that it is more helpful to distinguish the objects in natural environment by using the polarized reflectance factor indicator. The study has a great potential for object identification and polarization scene modeling.

Eye-Safe Wavelength Laser Fluorimeter for Noncontact Monitoring the Ecological Condition of Objects in Natural Environment

Presently, a problem of ecological monitoring of natural environment is critical.Laser methods are the most powerful to provide noncontact and remote ecological monitoring of natural environment. Among laser monitoring methods, laser fluorescent ones are of strong interest.Today, there are laser fluorescent devices designed to monitor ecological condition of various objects in natural environment. To produce laser-induced fluorescence excitation, laser fluorescent devices use a variety of radiation sources in the spectral band from 226 to 635 nm.However, to have an advanced laser fluorescent device for noncontact ecological monitoring of natural environment, devices to be created should be multifunctional and use an eye-safe wavelength for fluorescence excitation.A fluorescence excitation wavelength of 355 nm (the third harmonic of a YAG: Nd laser) appears to be promising. This wavelength is eye-safe and can be used to monitor ecological condition of a large number of nature-made objects.The paper conducts a capability analysis of noncontact laser fluorescent monitoring of ecological condition of natural environment using the eye-safe fluorescence excitation wavelength of 355 nm. Describes a laser fluorimeter mock-up and presents experimental results of laser-induced fluorescence spectra of nature-made objects.The experimental studies have shown that the noncontact laser fluorimeter using the eye-safe fluorescence excitation wavelength of 355nm potentially allows us to control the ecological condition of a large number of nature-made objects.The fluorescence intensities in the certain spectral ranges (for example, within the spectral range of ~ 425 – 450 nm) and a spectrum profile of plant fluorescence (in the spectral range of 670 - 750 nm) can be used as the controlled variables.

Typical visual-field locations enhance processing in object-selective channels of human occipital cortex.

Natural environments consist of multiple objects, many of which repeatedly occupy similar locations within a scene. For example, hats are seen on people's heads, while shoes are most often seen close to the ground. Such positional regularities bias the distribution of objects across the visual field: hats are more often encountered in the upper visual field, while shoes are more often encountered in the lower visual field. Here we tested the hypothesis that typical visual field locations of objects facilitate cortical processing. We recorded functional MRI while participants viewed images of objects that were associated with upper or lower visual field locations. Using multivariate classification, we show that object information can be more successfully decoded from response patterns in object-selective lateral occipital cortex (LO) when the objects are presented in their typical location (e.g., shoe in the lower visual field) than when they are presented in an atypical location (e.g., shoe in the upper visual field). In a functional connectivity analysis, we relate this benefit to increased coupling between LO and early visual cortex, suggesting that typical object positioning facilitates information propagation across the visual hierarchy. Together these results suggest that object representations in occipital visual cortex are tuned to the structure of natural environments. This tuning may support object perception in spatially structured environments. NEW & NOTEWORTHY In the real world, objects appear in predictable spatial locations. Hats, commonly appearing on people's heads, often fall into the upper visual field. Shoes, mostly appearing on people's feet, often fall into the lower visual field. Here we used functional MRI to demonstrate that such regularities facilitate cortical processing: Objects encountered in their typical locations are coded more efficiently, which may allow us to effortlessly recognize objects in natural environments.

THE INFLUENCE OF NATURAL LANDSCAPE AND CHINESE TRADITIONS TO TRANSFORMATION OF ART NOUVEAU AND NATIONAL ROMANTICISM ARCHITECTURE IN CHINA

Introduction The actuality of this theme connects with problems of function, protection and restoration of the Art-nouveau (A.N.) heritage in Chinese towns, which consists more than 200 objects. Necessary to mean the scientific works of Liu Daping and Van Yang [7], A.Ivanova [1], T. Johston [5], B. Lane Miller [6], S. Levoshko [3], M. Marinelli, L.Sadovski [8], Wang Chaolu [11] and Yuan Binjiu [12]. and many others, who marked the domination role of Chinese natural and cultural conditions to forming of versions Art-nouveau and North National Romanticism in China. But in their scientific researches in whole describes the architectural objects and more less the problems of existing of this objects in natural environment. That’s why necessary to mark the main role of Buddhism and Taoism for forming the ancient Chinese landscape traditions, because later this Chinese original traditions led to change the European A.N. architecture in Chinese settlements. Methods The aim of this research was to analyze the process of transformation the Art-nouveau (A.N.) and North National Romanticism in China and the role of natural landscape in this process. The main methods of investigation was the method of the systematic-structural analyze/ With this method were determined the main role of natural landscape and Chinese traditions for impression of the A.N. objects in China. Results The main changes between the European A.N. and Chinese version of A.N. connected with differences in natural landscape. The European objects were situated in the regular town-planning system without trees and parks. The main feature of traditional Chinese architecture forming in continue of centuries was the organic connection between nature and building with the domination of natural landscape. That is why the town-planning situation in Chinese centres of A.N. and National Romanticism architecture differ so strongly from the European town-planning situation. Chinese objects in most cases situated in parks and in architectural complex dominate the natural landcsape with picturesque hills, exotic trees and flowers and lakes with golden fishes. The specific features of nature in different parts of China determined the impression of A.N. objects (the A.N. objects and objects of North National Romanticism in German settlement Qingdao with subtropical climate differ strongly from similar objects at Russian settlements Harbin, Shenyang and Dalyan in Nortern-East part of China). Really, the changing landscape was the main reason for transformation the European architectural style for Chinese conditions. Conclusions The scientific novelty of research: – were analyzed in complex and argued the role of nature conditions and natural landscape in process of transformation the Art-nouveau architecture in Chinese settlments, the A.N. objects in China surround the picturesque gardens with exotic plants; - was determined at the base of methodology of system-structural analyze that the A.N. objects in China differs strongly from the European examples of A.N. and North National romanticism not only in forms but more in natural environment. There is the original situation of existing the brutal gray objects of North National romanticism with granite blocks among the color Chinese landscape, that why its determine the protection not only the A.N. buildings but the natural arrangement too; - the existing of A.N. objects in China along the natural landscape led to transformation this territory into the protective national parks and touristic zones. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.sace.20.3.18961

The Dance Theatre in the Film Pina

Dance Theatre is a kind of comprehensive performance form of high difficulty, based on the generalized dance, pursuing a return to the traditional dance form. Pina Bausch’s Dance Theater will be promoted to a mature period using a special theatre style, which blends various art categories, even elements in life [1]. Speech, voice, sign language, pantomime, social dance, circus, live music, stage devices, natural environment objects, cinematic montage and other elements are combined to form a new diverse and rich dramatic stage language. This paper is mainly to explore the Dance Theater in the film Pina.

Rapidly estimating numerosity independent of size-related distance or occlusion

Finding objects in natural environments presents a challenge for even simple objects with known properties. Because of occlusion and distance, the number and extent (visual angle) of visible surfaces do not directly convey the number of objects seen. Are those three reddish surfaces one nearby partially occluded apple or three distant apples? Resolving such ambiguities seems effortless for human observers. To benchmark human performance, we asked subjects to indicate which of two briefly pictured trees had more apples. Trees were generated in a virtual environment, and pairs were constructed with variations in occlusion, distance, or number of visible apples. Preliminary results show good performance (>95% correct) on the task, despite some less fruit-laden trees having double the visible apple area of their partners. Subjects did not simply respond to the extent of visible apple surfaces; their judgments were robust to variations in occlusion or visual angle. We believe this is the result of a multi-stage process similar to Xu and Chun's (TiCS, 2009) "individuation and identification" stages, where proto-objects with low-level features are first spatially localized then further refined into identifiable objects. We created a simple algorithm to investigate this hypothesis. First, it segments pixels with "tree-like" color (RGB values) by blurring and thresholding. It then tags apple-colored pixels within these tree-like regions. These pixels are convolved with a circular template whose radius depends on the area of the tree-like region. Local maximums give locations of apples that might explain the observed pixels, given the estimated tree size. This system can distinguish between a cluster of patches representing a single heavily-occluded apple nearby, versus multiple apples at a distance. It performs comparably to humans on our task, suggesting that subjects group proto-objects derived from visible patches into individual apples as a basis for numerosity judgments. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2014

Low level constraints on dynamic contour path integration.

Contour integration is a fundamental visual process. The constraints on integrating discrete contour elements and the associated neural mechanisms have typically been investigated using static contour paths. However, in our dynamic natural environment objects and scenes vary over space and time. With the aim of investigating the parameters affecting spatiotemporal contour path integration, we measured human contrast detection performance of a briefly presented foveal target embedded in dynamic collinear stimulus sequences (comprising five short ‘predictor’ bars appearing consecutively towards the fovea, followed by the ‘target’ bar) in four experiments. The data showed that participants' target detection performance was relatively unchanged when individual contour elements were separated by up to 2° spatial gap or 200 ms temporal gap. Randomising the luminance contrast or colour of the predictors, on the other hand, had similar detrimental effect on grouping dynamic contour path and subsequent target detection performance. Randomising the orientation of the predictors reduced target detection performance greater than introducing misalignment relative to the contour path. The results suggest that the visual system integrates dynamic path elements to bias target detection even when the continuity of path is disrupted in terms of spatial (2°), temporal (200 ms), colour (over 10 colours) and luminance (−25% to 25%) information. We discuss how the findings can be largely reconciled within the functioning of V1 horizontal connections.

Social Scientist Perception of Undergraduate Geography Students

The aim of this study is to reveal social scientist perception of undergraduate geography students. In the research scanning model was used. The study group consisted of 65 students studying geography. Semi-constructed interview form was used as data collection tool. Findings of the study show that geography students mostly have positive perceptions regarding mental social scientist images and perceive a social scientist as physically elegant, long-haired, tall, well-kept, smiling and spectacled. Besides, findings reveal that for geography student sex of the social scientist is not important and that her/his age cannot be said numerically. For them social scientists are immortal. The participants perceive social scientists as a person doing research, joining social solidarity events, scientific meetings in comfortable and neat places where social interaction can occur. Also they perceive a social scientist as a person with library, books, maps, and natural environment objects around. They think the most important social scientists in Turkey are Sırrı Erinç and Ziya Gökalp and Plato and Socrates are in the world. If they were social scientists, they would solve social and personal communication problems, environment problems, cultural resolution, domestic violence and children.

Research on the Image Detection of Moving Objects in Natural Environment

This paper proposed a new solution to the situation that the moving objects detection in natural environment might be disturbed by some natural conditions, such as wind, light, etc. Firstly, the background image was modeled with Gaussian mixture models, to eliminate the interference of some slight and cyclical movements caused by wind, like branches swinging. Secondly, the foreground was segmented through background subtraction, and the background model was updated to adapt to the gradual change of illumination. Finally, the shadows of moving objects were detected and removed in HSV color model, meaning that the detection was completed. The experiment verified that the solution above can effectively realize the preliminary detection of moving objects in natural environment.

Ecological-geographical aspects of soil complex types allocation at the Ukok Plateau using remote sensing studies

This paper considers the possibility of creating mesoscale soil maps of the natural systems of the Ukok Plateau on the basis of remote sensing studies, principles of landscape zoning, landscape-indicator interpretation methods, and integrated analysis of the spatial-temporal characteristics of natural environment objects.

Increased Surround Modulation of Perceived Contrast in the Elderly

The appearance of a stimulus depends on its background, with high-contrast backgrounds resulting in lower perceived contrast. Increased perceptual surround suppression effects have been reported in the elderly. Our experiments tested whether enhanced surround suppression in the elderly arises because of age-dependent differences in brightness induction mechanisms that are sensitive to phase information at the border of the central stimulus. Fifteen younger (18 to 33 years) and 18 older (61 to 84 years) adults participated. Using a method of constant stimuli, perceived contrast was measured for a sine wave grating with and without an annular surround. Annuli were either in-phase with the central grating (suppresses the perceived central contrast) or out-of-phase (typically enhances perceived central contrast). The experiment was repeated using stimuli where the contrast was reduced for younger observers to approximately match the effective contrast available to older adults. With the surround present, the older group matched the contrast of the central target to an average lower contrast than younger adults [F(1,31) = 17.4, p < 0.001]. The magnitude of contrast suppression differences between older and younger observers was invariant of annulus grating phase [F(1,31) = 0.036, p = 0.85] and was of similar magnitude when the stimuli were approximately matched between groups for differences in contrast detection [F(1,31) = 0.06, p = 0.81]. Normal ageing increases perceived contrast surround suppression, irrespective of information at the stimulus border between center and surround. Conditions that result in perceived contrast enhancement on average in younger adults result in contrast suppression in the elderly. Our findings suggest that age-related differences are likely in the appearance of objects in natural environments where background contrast varies.

1P1-K06 Audio-Visual Speaker Detection in Human-Robot Interaction

Tracking humans' position is a useful skill for the coming generation of mobile robot. It is a challenging problem of planning and control in dynamic environment. We propose the omni-directional estimation method of speaker's position using the combination of audio and visual information. Estimation of the position of the sound is carried out to calculate the difference of arrival time from sound source to multi-channel microphones. The robust human template matching on the omni-directional image is employed to combine the result of sound source estimation to realize a highly accurate estimation of speaker's location. In our experiments, the systems were implemented and tested on an omni-directional robot at our laboratory. The results show that we are able to reliably detect and track moving objects in natural environment.

Contrast rectification and distributed encoding By ON-OFF amacrine cells in the retina.

The encoding of luminance contrast by ON-OFF amacrine cells was investigated by intracellular recording in the retina of the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum). Contrast flashes of positive and negative polarity were applied at the center of the receptive field while the entire retina was light adapted to a background field of 20 cd/m(2). Many amacrine cells showed remarkably high contrast gain: Up to 20-35% of the maximum response was evoked by a contrast step of only 1%. In the larger signal domain, C50, the contrast required to evoke a response 50% of the maximum, was often remarkably low: 24 of 25 cells had a C50 value of < or =10% for at least one contrast polarity. Across cells and contrast polarity, the dynamic ranges varied from extremely narrow to broad, thereby blanketing the range of reflectances associated with objects in natural environments. Although some cells resembled "contrast rectifiers," by showing similar responses to contrasts of opposite polarity, many did not. Thus for contrast gain and C50, individual cells could show a strong preference for either negative or positive contrast. In the time domain, the preference was strong and unidirectional: for equal contrast steps, the latency of the response to negative contrast was 20-45 ms shorter than that for positive contrast. The present results, when compared with those for bipolar cells, suggest that, on average, amacrine cells add some amplification, particularly for negative contrast, to the high contrast gain already established by bipolar cells. In the time domain, our data reveal a striking transformation from bipolar to amacrine cells in favor of negative contrast. These and further observations have implications for the input and output of amacrine cell circuits. The present finding of substantial differences between cells reveals a potential substrate for distributed encoding of luminance contrast within the ON-OFF amacrine cell population.