Rotation Estimation and Segmentation for Patterned Image Vision Inspection

Pattern images can be segmented in a template unit for efficient fabric vision inspection; however, segmentation criteria critically affect the segmentation and defect detection performance. To get the undistorted criteria for rotated images, rotation estimation of absolute angle needs to be proceeded. Given that conventional rotation estimations do not satisfy both rotation errors and computation times, patterned fabric defects are detected using manual visual methods. To solve these problems, this study proposes the application of segmentation reference point candidate (SRPC), generated based on a Euclidean distance map (EDM). SRPC is used to not only extract criteria points but also estimate rotation angle. The rotation angle is predicted using the orientation vector of SRPC instead of all pixels to reduce estimation times. SRPC-based image segmentation increases the robustness against the rotation angle and defects. The separation distance value for SRPC area distinction is calculated automatically. The performance of the proposed method is similar to state-of-the-art rotation estimation methods, with a suitable inspection time in actual operations for patterned fabric. The similarity between the segmented images is better than conventional methods. The proposed method extends the target of vision inspection on plane fabric to checked or striped pattern.

Assessment of automatic decision-support systems for detecting active T2 lesions in multiple sclerosis patients

Background: Active (new/enlarging) T2 lesion counts are routinely used in the clinical management of multiple sclerosis. Thus, automated tools able to accurately identify active T2 lesions would be of high interest to neuroradiologists for assisting in their clinical activity. Objective: To compare the accuracy in detecting active T2 lesions and of radiologically active patients based on different visual and automated methods. Methods: One hundred multiple sclerosis patients underwent two magnetic resonance imaging examinations within 12 months. Four approaches were assessed for detecting active T2 lesions: (1) conventional neuroradiological reports; (2) prospective visual analyses performed by an expert; (3) automated unsupervised tool; and (4) supervised convolutional neural network. As a gold standard, a reference outcome was created by the consensus of two observers. Results: The automated methods detected a higher number of active T2 lesions, and a higher number of active patients, but a higher number of false-positive active patients than visual methods. The convolutional neural network model was more sensitive in detecting active T2 lesions and active patients than the other automated method. Conclusion: Automated convolutional neural network models show potential as an aid to neuroradiological assessment in clinical practice, although visual supervision of the outcomes is still required.

Map Evaluation under COVID-19 restrictions: A new visual approach based on think aloud interviews

With the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the execution of eye-tracking user studies in indoor environments was no longer possible, and remote and contactless substitutes are needed. With this paper, we want to introduce an alternative method to eye tracking, completely feasible under COVID-19 restrictions. Our main technique are think aloud interviews, where participants constantly verbalize their thoughts as they move through a test. We record the screen and the mouse movements during the interviews, and analyse both the statements and the mouse positions afterwards. With this information, we can encode the approximate map position of the user’s attention for each second of the interview. This allows us to use the same visual methods as for eye-tracking studies, like attention maps or trajectory maps. We implement our method conducting a user study with 21 participants to identify user behaviour while solving high-level interpretation tasks, and with the results of this study, we can show that or new method provides a useful substitute for eye-tracking user studies.

Reflections on Doing Cross-Cultural Research Through and with Visual Methods

As a traditional and dominant practice of qualitative research, interviewing is heavily dependent on meanings constructed by language. In a cross-cultural setting, the challenge of adequately capturing what interviewees want to convey is well acknowledged by researchers. Indeed, meanings are not only tied to linguistic meanings but also to cultural practices. Moreover, when the focus of one’s research is to understand the mindsets and practices of farmers, focusing solely on spoken words may also hide the fact that farmers also engage with plants, soil and nature through emotions and feelings. In this chapter I will reflect on my personal experiences as a non-Japanese Asian researcher working with an interpreter during my field work in Japan. In the interviews I conducted with farmers, I used photographs of local artwork to elicit information to understand what relationships they may build between the artworks and their farming practices. I used photo elicitation to supplement the limitations of language in making sense of meanings tied to farming practices. Also, to convey results to a western audience, I explore the use of visual illustrations to complement verbal quotes to more fully convey the meaning of the quotes. Two main observations emerged from this cross-cultural experience: first, the gap between language and cultural meaning can provide valuable opportunities for researchers to experiment with different methods, that broaden our sensibilities beyond rational reasoning in data collection; second, using photography in interviews can unfold different layers of realities than talk-only interviews. I argue that visual methods can take us beyond language and open up a more diverse picture to understand the practices of farmers. It is therefore important for cross-cultural researchers to be reflexive about the limitations of language, transform these challenges to an opportunity to remake method and open up different layers of understanding.

Engaging ‘Future Generations’ in Meaning Making through Visual Methods: An Alternative Approach to Defining City-Regions

City-regional planning has gained significant attention and funding in the UK, as national and local authorities decided that an intermediary level—the city-region—would be the appropriate one to drive economic development. Nonetheless, city-regions have long been criticized for their undemocratic and closed structures, enlarging the engagement barriers especially for young people. Encouraged by Wales’ innovative legislation, The Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, this research tried to fill the gap in the city-regional youth engagement literature. Specifically, it asked: How could a research project stimulate a conversation with the future generations about the areas where they live, and how could it encourage meaningful reflections on previously unfamiliar concepts, such as city-regions? Two creative participatory research methods, web-mapping and Photovoice, helped explore young people’s lived experience within a newly created administrative layer—Cardiff Capital Region. Results show that despite failing to emancipate the participants’ voices and needs, the two methods employed helped to attract participants, facilitated the understanding of the city-region concept and enabled young people to reflect on their surrounding environment.

Body image(s): Problematizing future physical education teachers’ beliefs about the body and physical activity through visual imagery

Visual culture affects the way people understand the world and themselves, contributing to the creation of certain roles and stereotypes, some of which are related to body image. This study focused on interrogating future physical education teachers’ beliefs about the body and physical activity to understand the construction of bodily subjectivities and their perceptions of how these are influenced by visual (physical) culture. Data were collected through the use of visual methods consisting of photo-elicitation and individual interviews with 23 students from a Primary Education Degree with a specialization in physical education at a Spanish university. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The results of the study show that these future physical education teachers are aware of both the great influence of gender stereotypes and the values of consumerism in the field of physical activity stemming largely from the media, which inevitably will shape their future professional practice. However, the results also highlight how these future physical education teachers consider and position the subject of physical education as an important space where they could help students problematize and challenge these beliefs. We suggest that a focus on visual (physical) literacy is needed for future physical education teachers (and their students) to understand the world from a socially critical perspective and transform it in the interest of equity and social justice.

Increasing knowledge and attitudes of adolescents related to sexual and reproductive health by using audio-visual media during the covid-19 pandemic

Adolescence is a developmental stage from the transition to adulthood. A cognitive problem that affects adolescence namely the lack of knowledge about reproductive health. The purpose of this study was to explain the effectiveness of health education using audio-visual methods on students' knowledge and attitudes about adolescent reproductive health during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research uses a quasi-experimental design. The results obtained from the 75 respondents who filled out the questionnaire showed that the attitude of the students on the pre-test score was 60,00 and the post-test was 63,45, whereas the students' knowledge on the pre-test score was 15,89 and the post-test is 17,20. From the results of the research carried out with the Wilcoxon test that the Asymp. Sig (2-tailed) is worth 0,0001 where the value is less than <0.005, therefore the hypothesis was accepted. Using audiovisual media is that it will add more real material content and will increase memory retention due to media that is much interesting and easy to remember by the individual, factors that can influence knowledge and attitudes related to reproductive and sexual health in adolescents are knowledge, attitudes and the individual's environment in processing the information obtained. Therefore there is a significant effect of health education with audiovisual methods on increasing the knowledge and attitudes of adolescents related to reproductive and sexual health.

Visual analytics for enterprise financial project management

As practice shows, one of the modern, effective methods for analyzing various data is visualization. It is currently widely used in solving problems of analyzing initial data in multiple fields of human activity ? scientific research, design work, financial monitoring, etc. However, the human brain is designed so that the graphical display allows one to perceive and understand some features of quantitative data, and some quantitative tasks can be best performed. The article reveals a set of tasks for managing financial projects and the resulting visual methods of analytics. The application of a systematic approach to the management of financial projects and the solution to the visualization of complex data analytics problems is considered. A diagram of the implementation of the stages of data visualization for analysis by specialists and project management is presented. It is proposed to use modern tools for computer data processing and visualization using cross-sectional data, detailing and structuring large amounts of data. The importance of modern analytical software is noted, which allows visualizing financial analytics using various models or combining them in the shortest possible time.

Sustainability and Re-invention: The Pot Drum in Sri Lanka

As indicated by archeological and literary sources, the pot drum has been a membranaphone of popular use since the Anuradhapura kingdom. It has been seen in various forms as Kumbha beraya, kala beraya, bummadiya or bimbisaka. This drum, being made out of clay in the shape of a gourd with an elongated neck or in that of a clay pot had a stretched skin of goat hide, monitor lizard hide or monkey hide. The use of these raw materials and how it brings harmony between the pottery industry and villagers in the processes of making the bummadiya is of importance. Through this research, understanding the Sri Lankan pot drum as a primary musical instrument and studying its historical and cultural aspects served as a foundation. After which, the objectives of identifying the role the pot-drum plays in sustainability were discussed. Finally, an investigation into an evolutionary stage of the pot drum in modern times, the thunpata beraya, was investigated. While this is a qualitative research, literary and archeological sources were used to collect data through discussions and field visits. The cultural texts and articles written throughout the ages on the Sri Lankan pot drum were used as secondary sources. Judgment sampling was the background behind the selection of data sources. Audio-visual methods were also used in collecting data. The human activity of using a material such as clay to express creativity in the form of music is of significance here.