SAR Images Despeckling Based on Bayesian Estimation and Fuzzy Shrinkage in Wavelet Domains

An efficient despeclding algorithm is proposed based on stationary wavelet transform （SWT） for synthetic aperture radar （SAR） images. The statistical model of wavelet coefficients is analyzed and its performance is modeled with a mixture density of two zero-mean Gaussian distributions. A fuzzy shrinkage factor is derived based on the minimum mean square error （MMSE） criteria with Bayesian estimation. In the case above, the ideas of region division and fuzzy shrinkage arc adopted according to the interscale dependencies among wavelet coefficients. The noise-free wavelet coefficients are estimated accurately. Experimental results show that the algorithm proposed is superior to the refined Lee filter, wavelet soft thresbolding shrinkage and SWT shrinkage algorithms in terms of smoothing effects and edges preservation.

Semantic Region Estimation of Assistant Robot for the Elderly Long-Term Operation in Indoor Environment

In this work, in order to improve spatial recognition abilities for the long-term operation tasks of the assistant robot for the elderly, a novel approach of semantic region estimation is proposed. We define a novel graphbased semantic region descriptions, which are estimated in a dynamically fashion. We propose a two-level update algorithm, namely, Symbols update level and Regions update level. The algorithm firstly adopts particle filter to update weights of the symbols, and then use the Viterbi algorithm to estimate the region the robot stays in based on those weights, optimally. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed approach can solve problems of the long-term operation and kidnapped robot problem.

Variations in the biomass of Eucalyptus plantations at a regional scale in Southern China

We quantified deviations in regional forest biomass from simple extrapolation of plot data by the biomass expansion factor method（BEF） versus estimates obtained from a local biomass model,based on large-scale empirical field inventory sampling data.The sources and relative contributions of deviations between the two models were analyzed by the boosted regression trees method.Relative to the local model,BEF overestimated accumulative biomass by 22.12%.The predominant sources of the total deviation （70.94%） were stand-structure variables.Stand age and diameter at breast height are the major factors.Compared with biotic variables,abiotic variables had a smaller overall contribution （29.06%）,with elevation and soil depth being the most important among the examined abiotic factors.Large deviations in regional forest biomass and carbon stock estimates are likely to be obtained with BEF relative to estimates based on local data.To minimize deviations,stand age and elevation should be included in regional forest-biomass estimation.

Lateral stability region conservativeness estimation and torque distribution for FWIA electric vehicle steering

Estimation of the lateral stability region and torque distribution on steering is very important to improve stability in lateral handling for all wheel drive electric vehicles.Based on the built-nonlinear vehicle dynamic model,the lateral stability region of the vehicle related to steering is estimated using Lyapunov function.We obtained stable equilibrium points of non-straight driving according to the estimated lateral stability region and also reconstructed the Lyapunov function matrix,which proved that the closed-loop system composed of yaw rate and lateral velocity is satisfied with negative definite property.In addition,the designed controller dynamically allocates the drive torque in terms of the vertical load and slip rate of the four wheels.The simulation results show that the estimated lateral stability region and the designed controller are satisfactory in handling stability performance against different roads and vehicle parameters.

Precision Work-piece Detection and Measurement Combining Top-down and Bottom-up Saliency

In this paper, a fast and accurate work-piece detection and measurement algorithm is proposed based on top-down feature extraction and bottom-up saliency estimation. Firstly, a top-down feature extraction method based on the prior knowledge of work- pieces is presented, in which the contour of a work-piece is chosen as the major feature and the corresponding template of the edges is created. Secondly, a bottom-up salient region estimation algorithm is proposed, where the image boundaries are labelled as background queries, and the salient region can be detected by computing contrast against image boundary. Finally, the calibration method for vision system with telecentric lens is discussed, and the dimensions of the work-pieces are measured. In addition, strategies such as image pyramids and a stopping criterion are adopted to speed-up the algorithm. An automatic system embedded with the proposed detection and measurement algorithm combining top-down and bottom-up saliency （DM-TBS） is designed to pick out defective work-pieces without any manual auxiliary. Experiments and results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.