This book puts forward the concept of a virtual equivalent system (VES) based on theoretical analysis and simulation results. The new concept will facilitate the development of a unified framework for analyzing the stability and convergence of self-tuning control (STC) systems, and potentially, of all adaptive control systems. The book then shows that a time-varying STC system can be converted into a time-invariant system using a certain nonlinear compensation signal, which reduces the complexity and difficulty of stability and convergence analysis. In closing, the VES concept and methodology are used to assess the stability of multiple model adaptive control (MMAC) systems and T-S model-based fuzzy control systems.

This volume gathers the latest fundamental research contributions, innovations, and applications in the field of design and analysis of complex robotic mechanical systems, machines, and mechanisms, as presented by leading international researchers at the 2nd USCToMM Symposium on Mechanical Systems and Robotics (USCToMM MSR), held in Rapid City, South Dakota, USA on May 19-21, 2022. It covers highly diverse topics, including soft, wearable and origami robotic systems; applications to walking, flying, climbing, underground, swimming and space systems; human rehabilitation and performance augmentation; design and analysis of mechanisms and machines; human-robot collaborative systems; service robotics; mechanical systems and robotics education; and the commercialization of mechanical systems and robotics. The contributions, which were selected by means of a rigorous international peer-review process, highlight numerous exciting and impactful research results that will inspire novel research directions and foster multidisciplinary research collaborations among researchers from around the globe.

This book discusses blind investigation and recovery of digital evidence left behind on digital devices, primarily for the purpose of tracing cybercrime sources and criminals. It presents an overview of the challenges of digital image forensics, with a specific focus on two of the most common forensic problems. The first part of the book addresses image source investigation, which involves mapping an image back to its camera source to facilitate investigating and tracing the source of a crime. The second part of the book focuses on image-forgery detection, primarily focusing on "copy-move forgery" in digital images, and presenting effective solutions to copy-move forgery detection with an emphasis on additional related challenges such as blur-invariance, similar genuine object identification, etc. The book concludes with future research directions, including counter forensics. With the necessary mathematical information in every chapter, the book serves as a useful reference resource for researchers and professionals alike. In addition, it can also be used as a supplementary text for upper-undergraduate and graduate-level courses on "Digital Image Processing", "Information Security", "Machine Learning", "Computer Vision" and "Multimedia Security and Forensics".

This book continues first one of the same authors "Adaptive Image Processing Algorithms for Printing" and presents methods and software solutions for copying and scanning various types of documents by conventional office equipment, offering techniques for correction of distortions and enhancement of scanned documents; techniques for automatic cropping and de-skew; approaches for segmentation of text and picture regions; documents classifiers; approach for vectorization of symbols by approximation of their contour by curves; methods for optimal compression of scanned documents, algorithm for stitching parts of large originals; copy-protection methods by microprinting and embedding of hidden information to hardcopy; algorithmic approach for toner saving. In addition, method for integral printing is considered. Described techniques operate in automatic mode thanks to machine learning or ingenious heuristics. Most the techniques presented have a low computational complexity and memory consumption due to they were designed for firmware of embedded systems or software drivers. The book reflects the authors' practical experience in algorithm development for industrial R&D.

The book addresses various approaches to television projection imaging on large screens using lasers. Results of theoretical and experimental studies of an acousto-optic projection system operating on the principle of projecting an image of an entire amplitude-modulated television line in a single laser pulse are presented. Characteristic features of image formation and requirements for individual components are discussed. Particular attention is paid to nonlinear distortions of the image signal, which show up most severely at low modulation signal frequencies. The feasibility of improving the process efficiency and image quality using acousto-optic modulators and pulsed lasers is studied.

This book analyzes novel possibilities offered to the telecommunication engineer in designing tomorrow's optical networks. Currently, optical and optoelectronic technologies make possible the realization of high-performance optical fiber communication systems and networks with the adoption of WDM configurations and both linear and nonlinear optical amplifications. The last step for increasing network throughput is represented by the implementation of multidimensional modulation formats in coherent optical communication systems, which enable increasing the bit rate/channel toward 400 Gbit/s/channel and beyond. Following this approach, the main emphasis is placed on innovative optical modulations. Multidimensional Modulations in Optical Communication Systems is an essential guide to the world of innovative optical communications from the point of view of growing capacity and security. It guides researchers and industries with the aim to exploring future applications for optical communications.

This book provides an overview of the design, synthesis, and characterization of different photoactive hybrid organic-inorganic materials, based on the combination of mainly organic molecules and inorganic nanostructures, tackling their uses in different scientific fields from photonics to biomedicine. There are many examples extensively describing how the confinement of organic compounds (i.e. chromophores, photochromic molecules or photoreactants), or other photoactive compounds (i.e.metal clusters) into several microporous systems can modulate the photophysical properties and photochemical reactions leading to interesting applications. Among (ordered)-hosts, different systems of diverse nature are widely used, such as the, the 1D- or 3D- channels of zeolitic frameworks, interlayer space of 2D-clays, the organic nanospace of curcubituril and cyclodextrins or the organo-inorganic porous crystalline MOFs systems. This volume highlights the advances of these photoactive materials and aims to be an inspiration for researchers working in materials science and photochemistry, including chemists, material engineers, physicists, biologists, and medical researchers.

Image processing algorithms based on the mammalian visual cortex are powerful tools for extraction information and manipulating images. This book reviews the neural theory and translates them into digital models. Applications are given in areas of image recognition, foveation, image fusion and information extraction. The third edition reflects renewed international interest in pulse image processing with updated sections presenting several newly developed applications. This edition also introduces a suite of Python scripts that assist readers in replicating results presented in the text and to further develop their own applications.

This book examines research topics in IoT and Cloud and Fog computing. The contributors address major issues and challenges in IoT-based solutions proposed for the Cloud. The authors discuss Cloud smart and energy efficient services in applications such as healthcare, traffic, and farming systems. Targeted readers are from varying disciplines who are interested in designing and deploying the Cloud applications. The book can be helpful to Cloud-based IoT service providers, Cloud-based IoT service consumers, and Cloud service developers in general for getting the state-of-the-art knowledge in the emerging IoT area. The book also provides a strong foundation for researchers to advance further in this domain. Presents a variety of research related to IoT and Cloud computing; Provides the industry with new and innovative operational ideas; Pertinent to academics, researchers, and practitioners around the world.

This book provides a reference guide for researchers, scientists and industrialists working in the area of soft computing, and highlights the latest advances in and applications of soft computing techniques in multidisciplinary areas. Gathering papers presented at the International Conference on Soft Computing: Theories and Applications (SoCTA 2016), which was held in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, on December 28-30, 2016, it focuses on applying soft computing to solve real-life problems arising in various domains, from medical and healthcare to supply chain management, image processing and cryptanalysis. The term soft computing represents an umbrella term for computational techniques like fuzzy logic, neural networks and nature inspired algorithms. In the past few decades, there has been an exponential rise in the application of soft computing techniques to address complex and intricate problems in diverse spheres of life. The versatility of these techniques has made them a favourite among scientists and researchers alike.

This book proposes tools for analysis of multidimensional and metric data, by establishing a state-of-the-art of the existing solutions and developing new ones. It mainly focuses on visual exploration of these data by a human analyst, relying on a 2D or 3D scatter plot display obtained through Dimensionality Reduction. Performing diagnosis of an energy system requires identifying relations between observed monitoring variables and the associated internal state of the system. Dimensionality reduction, which allows to represent visually a multidimensional dataset, constitutes a promising tool to help domain experts to analyse these relations. This book reviews existing techniques for visual data exploration and dimensionality reduction such as tSNE and Isomap, and proposes new solutions to challenges in that field. In particular, it presents the new unsupervised technique ASKI and the supervised methods ClassNeRV and ClassJSE. Moreover, MING, a new approach for local map quality evaluation is also introduced. These methods are then applied to the representation of expert-designed fault indicators for smart-buildings, I-V curves for photovoltaic systems and acoustic signals for Li-ion batteries.

The purpose of Numerical Linear Algebra in Signals, Systems and Control is to present an interdisciplinary book, blending linear and numerical linear algebra with three major areas of electrical engineering: Signal and Image Processing, and Control Systems and Circuit Theory. Numerical Linear Algebra in Signals, Systems and Control will contain articles, both the state-of-the-art surveys and technical papers, on theory, computations, and applications addressing significant new developments in these areas. The goal of the volume is to provide authoritative and accessible accounts of the fast-paced developments in computational mathematics, scientific computing, and computational engineering methods, applications, and algorithms. The state-of-the-art surveys will benefit, in particular, beginning researchers, graduate students, and those contemplating to start a new direction of research in these areas. A more general goal is to foster effective communications and exchange of information between various scientific and engineering communities with mutual interests in concepts, computations, and workable, reliable practices.

Currently, light waves are ready to come into boxes of computers in high-performance computing systems like data centers and super computers to realize intra-box optical interconnects. For inter-box optical interconnects, light waves have successfully been introduced by OE modules, in which discrete bulk-chip OE/electronic devices are assembled using the flip-chip-bonding-based packaging technology. OE modules, however, are not applicable to intra-box optical interconnects, because intra-box interconnects involve "short line distances of the cm-mm order" and "large line counts of hundreds-thousands." This causes optics excess, namely, excess components, materials, spaces, fabrication efforts for packaging, and design efforts. The optics excess raises sizes and costs of intra-box optical interconnects enormously when they are built using conventional OE modules. This book proposes the concept of self-organized 3D integrated optical interconnects and the strategy to reduce optics excess in intra-box optical interconnects.

This book explores novel methods for implementing X-ray diffraction technology as an imaging modality, which have been made possible through recent breakthroughs in detector technology, computational power, and data processing algorithms. The ability to perform fast, spatially-resolved X-ray diffraction throughout the volume of a sample opens up entirely new possibilities in areas such as material analysis, cancer diagnosis, and explosive detection, thus offering the potential to revolutionize the fields of medical, security, and industrial imaging and detection. Featuring chapters written by an international selection of authors from both academia and industry, the book provides a comprehensive discussion of the underlying physics, architectures, and applications of X-ray diffraction imaging that is accessible and relevant to neophytes and experts alike. Teaches novel methods for X-ray diffraction imaging Comprehensive and self-contained discussion of the relevant physics, imaging techniques, system components, and data processing algorithms Features state-of-the-art work of international authors from both academia and industry. Includes practical applications in the medical, industrial, and security sectors

Over the past two decades, the use of fiber lasers in engineering applications has gradually become established as an engineering discipline on its own. The development of fiber lasers is mainly the result of studies from various domains like photonics, optical sensing, fiber optics, nonlinear optics, and telecommunication. Though many excellent books exist on each of these subjects, and several have been written specifically to address lasers and fiber lasers, it is still difficult to find one book where the diverse core of subjects that are central to the study of fiber laser systems are presented in simple and straight forward way.

Fiber Lasers: Fundamentals with MATLAB Modelling, is an introduction to the fundamentals of fiber lasers. It provides clear explanations of physical concepts supporting the field of fiber lasers. Fiber lasers’ characteristics are analyzed theoretically through simulations derived from numerical models. The authors cover fundamental principles involved in the generation of laser light through both continuous-wave (CW) and pulsing. It also covers experimental configuration and characterization for both CW and Q-switching. The authors describe the simulation of fiber laser systems and propose numerical modelling of various fiber laser schemes. MATLAB® modelling and numerical computational methods are used throughout the book to simulate different fiber laser system configurations.

This book will be highly desirable and beneficial for both academics and industry professionals to have ample examples of fiber laser approaches that are well thought out and fully integrated with the subjects covered in the text. This book is written to address these needs.

Table of Contents

1. Fundamentals of Fiber Lasers. 2. Optical Fibers. 3.Rare-Earth Ions and Fiber Laser Fundamentals. 4. Mathematical Methods for Fiber Lasers. 5. Continuous-Wave Silica Fiber Lasers. 6. Q-switched Fiber Laser. 7. Narrow Linewidth Fiber Lasers. 8. High-Power Fiber Lasers.

This book gives insight into the theoretical backgrounds of optical vortices and their propagation in free space and simple optical systems. The author's theoretical analysis allows full comprehension of recent results and allows a bridge between the mentioned topics. For example, there is a solution for an accelerating beam propagating along an almost half-circle, obtained from a solution for an asymmetric vortex Bessel mode. And vice versa, there is a solution for an optical vortex with accelerating focusing, obtained from a solution for a two-dimensional accelerating Pearcey beam. The book is intended for graduate and postgraduate students studying optics or wave physics.

This book presents the topic of underwater real-time 3-D acoustical imaging covering the theory, algorithms and system design. It summarizes recent advances in wideband and ultra-wideband underwater real-time 3-D acoustical imaging, which will be very useful for developing next-generation systems. Through simulation techniques, readers are able to quickly learn and develop practical underwater real-time 3-D acoustical imaging systems of their own.

The era of Sustainable and Energy Efficient Nanoelectronics and Nanosystems has come. The research and development on Scalable and 3D integrated Diversified functions together with new computing architectures is in full swing. Besides data processing, data storage, new sensing modes and communication capabilities need the revision of process architecture to enable the Heterogeneous co integration of add-on devices with CMOS: the new defined functions and paradigms open the way to Augmented Nanosystems. The choices for future breakthroughs will request the study of new devices, circuits and computing architectures and to take new unexplored paths including as well new materials and integration schmes. This book reviews in two sections, including seven chapters, essential modules to build Diversified Nanosystems based on Nanoelectronics and finally how they pave the way to the definition of Nanofunctions for Augmented Nanosystems.

Solid-state lasers which offer multiple desirable qualities, including enhanced reliability, robustness, efficiency and wavelength diversity, are absolutely indispensable for many applications. The Handbook of solid-state lasers reviews the key materials, processes and applications of solid-state lasers across a wide range of fields.
Part one begins by reviewing solid-state laser materials. Fluoride laser crystals, oxide laser ceramics, crystals and fluoride laser ceramics doped by rare earth and transition metal ions are discussed alongside neodymium, erbium and ytterbium laser glasses, and nonlinear crystals for solid-state lasers. Part two then goes on to explore solid-state laser systems and their applications, beginning with a discussion of the principles, powering and operation regimes for solid-state lasers. The use of neodymium-doped materials is considered, followed by system sizing issues with diode-pumped quasi-three level materials, erbium glass lasers, and microchip, fiber, Raman and cryogenic lasers. Laser mid-infrared systems, laser induced breakdown spectroscope and the clinical applications of surgical solid-state lasers are also explored. The use of solid-state lasers in defense programs is then reviewed, before the book concludes by presenting some environmental applications of solid-state lasers.
With its distinguished editors and international team of expert contributors, the Handbook of solid-state lasers is an authoritative guide for all those involved in the design and application of this technology, including laser and materials scientists and engineers, medical and military professionals, environmental researchers, and academics working in this field.
Reviews the materials used in solid-state lasersExplores the principles of solid-state laser systems and their applicationsConsiders defence and environmental applications

This book gathers full papers presented at the VipIMAGE 2019-VII ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Computational Vision and Medical Image Processing-held on October 16-18, 2019, in Porto, Portugal. It discusses cutting-edge methods, findings, and applications related to 3D vision, bio- and medical imaging, computer-aided diagnosis, image enhancement, image processing and analysis, virtual reality, and also describes in detail advanced image analysis techniques, such as image segmentation and feature selection, as well as statistical and geometrical modeling. The book provides both researchers and professionals with extensive and timely insights into advanced imaging techniques for various application purposes.

This book introduces the reader to the optical switching technology for its application to data centers. In addition, it takes a picture of the status of the technology and system architecture evolution and of the research in the area of optical switching in data center. The book is organized in four parts: the first part is focused on the system aspects of optical switching in intra-data center networking, the second part is dedicated to describing the recently demonstrated optical switching networks, the third part deals with the latest technologies developed to enable optical switching and, finally, the fourth part of the book outlines the future prospects and trends.

The work presented in this book focuses on modeling audiovisual quality as perceived by the users of IP-based solutions for video communication like videotelephony. It also extends the current framework for the parametric prediction of audiovisual call quality. The book addresses several aspects related to the quality perception of entire video calls, namely, the quality estimation of the single audio and video modalities in an interactive context, the audiovisual quality integration of these modalities and the temporal pooling of short sample-based quality scores to account for the perceptual quality impact of time-varying degradations.