Alfred S. Malowany

Control scheme for delayed teleoperation tasks

Transmission delays can severely degrade system performance or even destroy the sense of operator telepresence due to instabilities. A workcell is to be controlled during remote manipulation without substantial system degradation. Thus, teleprogramming; a delay-tolerant control strategy for most telerobotic applications is outlined. A design of a double-loop feedback controller with a prediction scheme is also summarized for visual tracking of moving objects during remote manipulation. Its performance is evaluated using computer simulations in the frequency domain by minimizing a squared-error cost function of the motion parameters. The results presented imply a fast and robust controller.

Classification of infant cry vocalizations using artificial neural networks (ANNs)

The analysis of infant cry vocalizations has been the focus of a number of efforts over the past thirty years. Since the infant cry is one of the only means that an infant has for communicating with its care-giving environment, it is thought that information regarding the state of an infant, such as hunger or pain, can be determined from an infants cry. To date, research groups have determined that adult listeners can differentiate between different types of cries auditorily, and at least one group has attempted to automate this classification process. This paper presents the results of another attempt at automating the discrimination process, this time using artificial neural networks (ANNs). The input data consists of successive frames of one of two parametric representations generated from the first second of a cry following the application of either an anger, fear, or pain stimulus. From tests conducted to date, it is determined that ANNs are a useful tool for cry classification and merit further study in this domain.

Identification of pain from infant cry vocalizations using artificial neural networks (ANNs)

The analysis of infant cry vocalizations has been the focus of a number of efforts over the past thirty years. Since the infant cry is one of the only means that an infant has for communicating with its care-giving environment, it is thought that information regarding the state of an infant, such as hunger or pain, can be determined from an infants cry. To date, research groups have determined that adult listeners can differentiate between different types of cries auditorialy, and at least one group has attempted to automate this classification process. This paper presents the results of another attempt at automating the discrimination process, this time using artificial neural networks (ANNs). The input data consists of successive frames of one or two parametric representations generated from the first second of a cry following the application of either an anger, fear, or pain stimulus. From tests conducted to date, it is determined that ANNs are a useful tool for cry classification and merit further study in this domain.

Database design of an intensive care unit patient data management system

A patient data management system (PDMS) developed for use in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Montreal Childrens Hospital is described. The PDMS acquires real-time patient data from a network of physiological bedside monitors, and facilitates the review and interpretation of this data by presenting it as graphical trends, charts, and plots on a color video display. The data management structure integrates varied data types and provides database support for different applications, while preserving the real-time acquisition of network data. This structure is based primarily on OS/2 Extended Edition relational database. The relational database design is expected to solve the query shortcomings of the previous data management structure, as well as offer support for security and concurrency.<<ETX>>

Line detection in digital pictures: a hypothesis prediction/verification pardigm

Abstract We present an efficient method for detecting straight line segments in digital pictures using a hypothesis prediction/verification paradigm. In this paradigm, a straight line segment of predefined length is predicted to exist at some particular pixel location. The orientation of this predicted line segment is based on the edge orientation at the pixel location. This prediction is then verified against statistical tests performed on the line. As a result, the predicted line is either validated as being a line segment, or it is rejected. An extension of this algorithm for the detection of lines at different lengths is also presented, and a criterion is defined in order to evaluate the significance of the detected line segments.

A new, robust vocal fundamental frequency (F/sub 0/) determination method for the analysis of infant cries

The extraction and analysis of the fundamental frequency (F/sub 0/) of infant vocalizations has been the focus of a number of efforts over the past thirty years. It is thought that this parameter is an important information channel from which information regarding the state of an infant can be determined. To date, research groups working to extract the vocal fundamental frequency of infant cries have been limited in the resolution and granularity of the F/sub 0/ extraction methods used for adult speech, which, typically, are not well suited for infant cries. In general, the fundamental frequency range of adult speech is limited to values below 600 Hz, whereas for infant cries, F/sub 0/ can have a range of several hundred hertz, and be subject to rapid changes in certain cases. This paper presents a new method for accurately determining the F/sub 0/ of infant cries, which is applicable to other vocalizations as well. The method presented uses the crosscorrelation of adjacent speech segments to generate a three-dimensional plot called a crosscorrelogram. From this plot, the fundamental frequency of an infant cry can easily be extracted, regardless of the value of F/sub 0/.<<ETX>>

The analysis and optimization of repetition within robot workcell sequencing problems

The authors introduce a classification of sequencing problems according to the presence of nondeterminism, whether due to the structure of the problem itself (internal) or to online events (external). They develop a theory, in the context of timed Petri nets, of how repetition can be described and predicted. They conclude with a description of a PROLOG-based decision-support system which manages this nondeterminism by exploring the consequences of alternate orderings of workcell operations, and ultimately constructs the time-optimal sequence. The analysis and optimization are illustrated with an example.<<ETX>>

The design of a simulator for an intensive care unit patient data management system

A patient data management system (PDMS) for use in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Montreal Childrens Hospital is described. The PDMS acquires real-time patient data from a network of physiological bedside monitors and facilitates the review and interpretation of this data by presenting it as graphical trends, charts, and plots on a color video display. A patient data simulator was developed for the purpose of complete testing of the PDMS. The simulator also allows for training the medical staff independently of hospital facilities and at a remote location from the ICU. This work outlines the design and functionality of the simulator and focuses on its implementation using OS/2s presentation manager window environment. Some experimental results and performance evaluations are presented, along with areas of future development and use.<<ETX>>

A multi-processor robot control system for RCCL under iRMX

RCCL, Robot Control C Library, is a modular, extensible, and portable robot programming and control environment. This paper describes the design extensions to RCCL and its underlying Real Time Control system, RTC. from a VAX/Unix environment to an Intel multi-processor system running iRMX, and extending it to another robot, the Microbo Ecureuil. The task included: designing and implementing an interface between the Microbos joint controllers and a Multibus system; solving the robots forward and inverse kinematics: designing a multi-microprocessor architecture which has the processing capability to support RCCLs computational load: redesigning the RTC layer so that it runs under Intels iRMX-86 real-time multi-tasking operating system on the multi-processor system; and creating a program development environment for RCCL users. It is shown that this system is flexible and expandable, and opens the way to the implementation of a multi-robot programming and control environment for the McGill Computer Vision and Robotics Laboratory.

A patient data management system for an intensive care unit

A patient data management system (PDMS) based on a local area network linking fourteen bedside instrument monitors to a personal computer is presented. The PDMS acquires real-time data and graphically displays their trends using interactive menus. Fluid balance data, medical dosage calculations based on the patient data, and medical observations are also managed by the PDMS. It provides this information for online use by the medical personnel, produces the special forms and summary reports, and archives this data for storage and retrieval. The PDMS is designed and developed for an IBM PS/2 running under the OS/2 multitasking operating system and equipped with an 8514/A high-resolution color video display. The design of the PDMS is described here, with added emphasis on its software structure. Sample results are presented.<<ETX>>