openMNGlab: Data Analysis Framework for Microneurography – A Technical Report

openMNGlab is an open-source software framework for data analysis, tailored for the specific needs of microneurography – a type of electrophysiological technique particularly important for research on peripheral neural fibers coding. Currently, openMNGlab loads data from Spike2 and Dapsys, which are two major data acquisition solutions. By building on top of the Neo software, openMNGlab can be easily extended to handle the most common electrophysiological data formats. Furthermore, it provides methods for data visualization, fiber tracking, and a modular feature database to extract features for data analysis and machine learning.

An effective shape descriptor for content based image retrieval

In this work, we present a modified version of the Generic Fourier Descriptor (GFD) that operates on edge information within natural images from the COREL image database for the purpose of shape-based image retrieval. By incorporating an edge-texture characterization (ETC) measure, we reduced the complexity inherent in oversensitive edge maps typical of most gradient-based detectors that otherwise tend to contaminate the shape feature description. We find that the proposed techniques not only improve overall retrieval in terms of shape, but more importantly, provide a more accurate similarity ranking measure of retrieved results, demonstrating the need for greater consideration for dominant internal and external shape details. A feature database combined by color moments, color histograms, Gabor wavelet and shape features is applied in our image retrieval system. Relevance feedback has also been considered, bridging the gap between the high level concepts and the low level visual features. The experimental results indicate that dynamically updating weights associated with feature compenents by users' feedback greatly improves retrieval performance.

An effective shape descriptor for content based image retrieval

In this work, we present a modified version of the Generic Fourier Descriptor (GFD) that operates on edge information within natural images from the COREL image database for the purpose of shape-based image retrieval. By incorporating an edge-texture characterization (ETC) measure, we reduced the complexity inherent in oversensitive edge maps typical of most gradient-based detectors that otherwise tend to contaminate the shape feature description. We find that the proposed techniques not only improve overall retrieval in terms of shape, but more importantly, provide a more accurate similarity ranking measure of retrieved results, demonstrating the need for greater consideration for dominant internal and external shape details. A feature database combined by color moments, color histograms, Gabor wavelet and shape features is applied in our image retrieval system. Relevance feedback has also been considered, bridging the gap between the high level concepts and the low level visual features. The experimental results indicate that dynamically updating weights associated with feature compenents by users' feedback greatly improves retrieval performance.

A Precise Indoor Visual Positioning Approach Using a Built Image Feature Database and Single User Image from Smartphone Cameras

Indoor visual positioning is a key technology in a variety of indoor location services and applications. The particular spatial structures and environments of indoor spaces is a challenging scene for visual positioning. To address the existing problems of low positioning accuracy and low robustness, this paper proposes a precision single-image-based indoor visual positioning method for a smartphone. The proposed method includes three procedures: First, color sequence images of the indoor environment are collected in an experimental room, from which an indoor precise-positioning-feature database is produced, using a classic speed-up robust features (SURF) point matching strategy and the multi-image spatial forward intersection. Then, the relationships between the smartphone positioning image SURF feature points and object 3D points are obtained by an efficient similarity feature description retrieval method, in which a more reliable and correct matching point pair set is obtained, using a novel matching error elimination technology based on Hough transform voting. Finally, efficient perspective-n-point (EPnP) and bundle adjustment (BA) methods are used to calculate the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the positioning image, and the location of the smartphone is obtained as a result. Compared with the ground truth, results of the experiments indicate that the proposed approach can be used for indoor positioning, with an accuracy of approximately 10 cm. In addition, experiments show that the proposed method is more robust and efficient than the baseline method in a real scene. In the case where sufficient indoor textures are present, it has the potential to become a low-cost, precise, and highly available indoor positioning technology.

Noninvasive Load Identification Method Based on Feature Similarity

The traditional power load identification is greatly restricted in application because of its high cost and low efficiency. In this paper, the similarity model is established to realize the noninvasive load identification of power by determining the feature database for the equipment. Firstly, the wavelet decomposition method and the wavelet threshold processing method are used to remove abnormal points and reduce noise of the original data, respectively. Secondly, the transient and steady-state characteristics of electrical equipment (active power and reactive power, harmonic current, and voltage-current trajectory) are extracted, and the feature database for the equipment is established. Thirdly, the feature similarity is defined to describe the similarity degree of any two devices under a certain feature, and the similarity model of automatic recognition of a single device is established. Finally, the device identification and calculation of power consumption are carried out for the part of data in annex 2 of question A in the 6th “teddy cup” data mining challenge competition.