Showing papers on "Representation (systemics) published in 2009"

Numerical representation in the parietal lobes: Abstract or not abstract?

Abstract: The study of neuronal specialisation in different cognitive and perceptual domains is important for our understanding of the human brain, its typical and atypical development, and the evolutionary precursors of cognition. Central to this understanding is the issue of numerical representation, and the question of whether numbers are represented in an abstract fashion. Here we discuss and challenge the claim that numerical representation is abstract. We discuss the principles of cortical organisation with special reference to number and also discuss methodological and theoretical limitations that apply to numerical cognition and also to the field of cognitive neuroscience in general. We argue that numerical representation is primarily non-abstract and is supported by different neuronal populations residing in the parietal cortex.

Authorisation and Authenticity: Representation and the Unelected†

Abstract: This article examines critically a variety of claims to be representative that are made by unelected political actors, and offers criteria for assessing these claims.

The dynamics of self-regulation

Abstract: Research on the dynamics of self-regulation addresses situations in which people select goal-directed actions with respect to other existing or still missing actions towards accomplishing that goal. In such situations people can follow two possible patterns: they can highlight a goal by attending to it more if they have attended to it, or they can balance their goals by attending to a goal more if they have not attended to it. The choice of which pattern to follow depends on the representation of goal actions: when actions signal commitment, people highlight, and when actions signal progress, people balance. We identify several variables that determine whether people follow a dynamic of commitment-induced highlighting or progress-induced balancing. We then discuss the implications of this model for seeking, giving, and responding to feedback.

Semantic Representation and Recognition of Continued and Recursive Human Activities

Abstract: This paper describes a methodology for automated recognition of complex human activities. The paper proposes a general framework which reliably recognizes high-level human actions and human-human interactions. Our approach is a description-based approach, which enables a user to encode the structure of a high-level human activity as a formal representation. Recognition of human activities is done by semantically matching constructed representations with actual observations. The methodology uses a context-free grammar (CFG) based representation scheme as a formal syntax for representing composite activities. Our CFG-based representation enables us to define complex human activities based on simpler activities or movements. Our system takes advantage of both statistical recognition techniques from computer vision and knowledge representation concepts from traditional artificial intelligence. In the low-level of the system, image sequences are processed to extract poses and gestures. Based on the recognition of gestures, the high-level of the system hierarchically recognizes composite actions and interactions occurring in a sequence of image frames. The concept of hallucinations and a probabilistic semantic-level recognition algorithm is introduced to cope with imperfect lower-layers. As a result, the system recognizes human activities including `fighting' and `assault', which are high-level activities that previous systems had difficulties. The experimental results show that our system reliably recognizes sequences of complex human activities with a high recognition rate.

Proceedings of the 2009 conference on Ontology Representation: Design Patterns and Ontologies that Make Sense

Abstract: As the (in)famous definition states: 'An ontology is an explicit specification of a conceptualization'. However, an ontology is also a philosophical theory of existence, a knowledge management resource, a database schema, or a type of knowledge representation artefact on the semantic web. Over the years the term 'ontology' has been used in so many different ways that one can no longer be sure what is meant by it at any given occasion. This book clarifies the role ontologies play in knowledge representation; it discusses the distinctions with their use in philosophy, gives insight in the features, rationale and limitations of the OWL 2 web ontology language, and provides a critical review of methodologies and design principles advocated to improve the quality of ontologies. It covers both theory and practice of knowledge acquisition, representation and ontologies; it emphasises human understanding as knowledge structuring principle, and demonstrates this approach in the development of a core ontology of basic legal concepts (LKIF Core) and in the exploration of expressive ontology design patterns for the representation of social reality, change and causation, actions and transactions. In doing so it contributes to a better understanding of the representation of ontologies; or rather, what it means to do ontology representation.IOS Press is an international science, technical and medical publisher of high-quality books for academics, scientists, and professionals in all fields. Some of the areas we publish in: -Biomedicine -Oncology -Artificial intelligence -Databases and information systems -Maritime engineering -Nanotechnology -Geoengineering -All aspects of physics -E-governance -E-commerce -The knowledge economy -Urban studies -Arms control -Understanding and responding to terrorism -Medical informatics -Computer Sciences

The Vulnerable Worker in Britain and Problems at Work

Abstract: This article investigates the experience of low paid workers without union representation. It reports on the findings of a recent survey of 501 low paid, non-unionized workers who experienced probl...

Evolution of maternal effects: past and present.

Abstract: It has been said that many original ideas reflect a convergence of related thought that coalesces into a unified representation of what many have been thinking. This is certainly true for the subfield of maternal effects evolution. The study of maternal effects has a long history. The first two

Speech enhancement techniques on the power spectrum

Abstract: The method provides a spectral speech description to be used for synthesis of a speech utterance, where at least one spectral envelope input representation is received. In one solution the improvement is made by manipulation an extremum, i.e. a peak or a valley, in the rapidly varying component of the spectral envelope representation. The rapidly varying component of the spectral envelope representation is manipulated to sharpen and/or accentuate extrema after which it is merged back with the slowly varying component or the spectral envelope input representation to create an enhanced spectral envelope final representation. In other solutions a complex spectrum envelope final representation is created with phase information derived from one of the group delay representation of a real spectral envelope input representation corresponding to a short-time speech signal and a transformed phase component of the discrete complex frequency domain input representation corresponding to the speech utterance.

A Putative Model of Multisensory Object Representation

Abstract: This review surveys the recent literature on visuo-haptic convergence in the perception of object form, with particular reference to the lateral occipital complex (LOC) and the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and discusses how visual imagery or multisensory representations might underlie this convergence. Drawing on a recent distinction between object- and spatially-based visual imagery, we propose a putative model in which LOtv, a subregion of LOC, contains a modality-independent representation of geometric shape that can be accessed either bottom-up from direct sensory inputs or top-down from frontoparietal regions. We suggest that such access is modulated by object familiarity: spatial imagery may be more important for unfamiliar objects and involve IPS foci in facilitating somatosensory inputs to the LOC; by contrast, object imagery may be more critical for familiar objects, being reflected in prefrontal drive to the LOC.

The images of time : an essay on temporal representation

Abstract: PART I: ASPECTS OF TIME AND REPRESENTATION PART II: MEMORY AND PERCEPTION PART III: ART AND FICTION

Methods and apparatuses for automatic speech recognition

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of methods and apparatuses for automatic speech recognition are described. First model parameters associated with a first representation of an input signal are generated. The first representation of the input signal is a discrete parameter representation. Second model parameters associated with a second representation of the input signal are generated. The second representation of the input signal includes a continuous parameter representation of residuals of the input signal. The first representation of the input signal includes discrete parameters representing first portions of the input signal. The second representation includes discrete parameters representing second portions of the input signal that are smaller than the first portions. Third model parameters are generated to couple the first representation of the input signal with the second representation of the input signal. The first representation and the second representation of the input signal are mapped into a vector space.

Context Representation and Reasoning in Pervasive Computing: a Review

Abstract: Context-awareness has been recognized as an important enabler for pervasive computing. Our aim is to provide a thorough survey of the state of the art in context representation and reasoning in the field of pervasive and context-aware computing. The review is organized in sections according to the knowledge representation techniques applied in the work included in the survey and an overview of the requirements for context representation is provided. We conclude the paper with a discussion of a number of identified limitations in the current solutions and point out opportunities for further research.

Introduction to Harmonic Analysis and Generalized Gelfand Pairs

Abstract: Harmonic analysis is the branch of mathematics that studies the representation of functions or signals as the superposition of basic waves, and Gelfand pairs refer to pairs of groups satisfying certain properties on restricted representations. This book contains written material of lectures on the topic which might serve as an introduction to the topic.

Generating a Three-Dimensional Model Using a Portable Electronic Device Recording

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for navigating a three-dimensional model using deterministic movement of an electronic device. An electronic device can load and provide an initial display of a three dimensional model (e.g., of an environment or of an object). As the user moves the electronic device, motion sensing components can detect the device movement and adjust the displayed portion of the three-dimensional model to reflect the movement of the device. By walking with the device in the user's real environment, a user can virtually navigate a representation of a three-dimensional environment. In some embodiments, a user can record an object or environment using an electronic device, and tag the recorded images or video with movement information describing the movement of the device during the recording. The recorded information can then be processed with the movement information to generate a three-dimensional model of the recorded environment or object.

Towards a Better Utilization of Diagrams in Research into the Use of Representative Levels in Chemical Education

Abstract: The representation of chemical concepts – indeed scientific concepts generally~– is inherently multimodal, i.e. it involves the combination of more than one mode of representation. Consequently, the successful learning of chemistry involves the construction of mental associations among the macroscopic, microscopic and symbolic levels of representation of chemical phenomena using different modes of representation. Traditional linguistically framed research studies are only capable of capturing some aspects of that understanding. We suggest that students’ understanding of diagrammatic representations~– the visual mode~– should be more extensively exploited in chemical educational research. Studies that have probed students’ understanding through their construction of and through their interpretation of presented diagrams are reviewed. Further potential of the use of the visual mode of representation in such research, especially in respect of the macro/sub-micro/symbolic representational triplet, is also discussed.

The Role of Mediating Artefacts in Learning Design

Abstract: ion Learning activity Pattern Iconic representation Model Case study Vocabs Mediating artefacts

Spatial and temporal knowledge representation

Abstract: Knowledge Representation (KR) originated as a discipline within Artificial Intelligence, and is concerned with the representation of knowledge in symbolic form so that it can be stored and manipulated on a computer. This article surveys that part of KR that is concerned with the representation of space and time, with particular reference to the use of such representations in geographical information science.

Strengths and limitations of formal ontologies in the biomedical domain

Abstract: We propose a typology of representational artifacts for health care and life sciences domains and associate this typology with different kinds of formal ontology and logic, drawing conclusions as to the strengths and limitations for ontology in a description logics framework. The four types of domain representation we consider are: (i) lexico-semantic representation, (ii) representation of types of entities, (iii) representation of background knowledge, and (iv) representation of individuals. We advocate a clear distinction between the four kinds of representation in order to provide a more rational basis for the use of ontologies and related artifacts in order to advance integration of data and enhance interoperability of associated reasoning systems. We highlight the fact that only a minor portion of scientifically relevant facts in a domain such as biomedicine can be adequately represented by formal ontologies as long as the latter are conceived as representations of entity types. In particular, we show that the attempt to encode default or probabilistic knowledge using ontologies is prone to produce unintended, erroneous models.

SURF Tracking

Abstract: Most motion-based tracking algorithms assume that objects undergo rigid motion, which is most likely disobeyed in real world. In this paper, we present a novel motion-based tracking framework which makes no such assumptions. Object is represented by a set of local invariant features, whose motions are observed by a feature correspondence process. A generative model is proposed to depict the relationship between local feature motions and object global motion, whose parameters are learned efficiently by an on-line EM algorithm. And the object global motion is estimated in term of maximum likelihood of observations. Then an updating mechanism is employed to adapt object representation. Experiments show that our framework is flexible and robust in dealing with appearance changes, background clutter, illumination changes and occlusion.

Impedance based anatomy generation

Abstract: Methods and systems for the determination and representation of anatomy anatomical information are disclosed herein.

Methods and systems for defining or modifying a visual representation

Abstract: A system may track a user's motions or gestures performed in a physical space and map them to a visual representation of the user. The user's gestures may be translated to a control in a system or application space, such as to open a file or to execute a punch in a punching game. Similarly, the user's gestures may be translated to a control in the system or application space for making modifications to a visual representation. A visual representation may be a display of a virtual object or a display that maps to a target in the physical space. In another example embodiment, the system may track the target in the physical space over time and apply modifications or updates to the visual representation based on the history data.

A malware instruction set for behavior-based analysis

Abstract: We introduce a new representation for monitored behavior of malicious software called Malware Instruction Set (MIST). The representation is optimized for effective and efficient analysis of behavior using data mining and machine learning techniques. It can be obtained automatically during analysis of malware with a behavior monitoring tool or by converting existing behavior reports. The representation is not restricted to a particular monitoring tool and thus can also be used as a meta language to unify behavior reports of different sources.

Computing environment representation

Abstract: A computing environment may be represented as a deployable object hierarchy, which may be organized according to an object hierarchy schema that is commonly shared among the computing environment host and the devices that are configured to render the computing environment. A particular object hierarchy schema is presented in detail for representing a computing environment, wherein many objects of the computing environment are modeled as resources that may be distinctly addressable (e.g., in a RESTful object hierarchy.) Many types of objects and properties thereof are presented in order to elucidate an exemplary object hierarchy schema and to illustrate exemplary objects and object hierarchies organized according thereto. Additional properties of various object hierarchy schemas include extensibility, deployability, and object addressing models with various advantages.