Anastasis Kounoudes

MuLVAT: A Video Annotation Tool Based on XML-Dictionaries and Shot Clustering

Recent advances in digital video technology have resulted in an explosion of digital video data which are available through the Web or in private repositories. Efficient searching in these repositories created the need of semantic labeling of video data at various levels of granularity, i.e., movie, scene, shot, keyframe, video object, etc. Through multilevel labeling video content is appropriately indexed, allowing access from various modalities and for a variety of applications. However, despite the huge efforts for automatic video annotation human intervention is the only way for reliable semantic video annotation. Manual video annotation is an extremely laborious process and efficient tools developed for this purpose can make, in many cases, the true difference. In this paper we present a video annotation tool, which uses structured knowledge, in the form of XML dictionaries, combined with a hierarchical classification scheme to attach semantic labels to video segments at various level of granularity. Video segmentation is supported through the use of an efficient shot detection algorithm; while shots are combined into scenes through clustering with the aid of a Genetic Algorithm scheme. Finally, XML dictionary creation and editing tools are available during annotation allowing the user to always use the semantic label she/he wishes instead of the automatically created ones.

POLYBIO: Multimodal Biometric Data Acquisition Platform and Security System

Biometrics is the automated method of recognizing a person based on a physiological or behavioural characteristic. Biometric technologies are becoming the foundation of an extensive array of highly secure identification and personal verification solutions. In the last few years there is increasing evidence that technologies based on multimodal biometrics can provide better identification results if proper fusion schemes are accommodated. In this work, we present a novel platform for multimodal biometric acquisition which combines voice, video, fingerprint and palm photo acquisition through an integrated device, and the preliminary fusion experiments on combining the acquired biometrics modalities. The results are encouraging and show clear improvement both in terms of False Acceptance Rate and False Rejection Rates compared to the corresponding single modality approaches. In the current report, fusion was accommodated at the output of the single modalities; however, fusion experimentation is ongoing and further fusion methodologies are under investigation.

Integrated platform for continuous monitoring of children with suspected cardiac arrhythmias

Children with cardiac arrhythmias constitute one of the most difficult problems in cardiology both in terms of diagnosis and management. In such cases continuous monitoring of ECG vital signs and environmental conditions can significantly improve the identification of a possible arrhythmia. In this study we present the design and development of a system which enables the continuous monitoring of children, from the hardware and software perspective. The system is able to carry out real-time acquisition and transmission of ECG signals, and facilitate an alarm scheme able to identify possible arrhythmias so as to notify the on-call doctor and the relatives of the child that an event may be happening. In-house monitoring of a child is performed using a sensor network able to record and transmit ECG and the living conditions, while outside the house, monitoring is performed through a GPRS/UMTS enabled device. The transmitted information can be accessed through a web based platform which facilitates basic an electronic patient record module and continuous display of monitoring information of the patient. The system design and development steps are finished and the initial tests performed on healthy volunteers proved to be very promising.

IcyHeart: Highly integrated ultra-low-power SoC solution for unobtrusive and energy efficient wireless cardiac monitoring: Research project for the benefit of specific groups (FP7, Capacities)

The objective of the IcyHeart project is to investigate and demonstrate a highly integrated and power-efficient microelectronic solution for remote monitoring of a subjects electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. A complete System-on-a-Chip (SoC) is being developed that embarks on a single chip an ultra-low-power signal acquisition front-end with analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) for ECG, a low-power digital signal processor (DSP) and a low-energy radio frequency (RF) transceiver. These features, for the first time, coexist on a single die. Energy efficient signal processing algorithms targeting ECG, and expandable to other bio-signals, are embedded and run on the on-chip DSP. The final IcyHeart product will consist of a tiny PCB embarking IcyHeart SoC and all the necessary discrete components and powering circuit. The outcome of the project is expected to generate high market value for the European SMEs developing novel cardio-monitoring products in home and professional environments, and to create high societal impact for several categories of European citizens requiring miniature, comfortable and easy-to-use wireless tele-healthcare solutions.

Performance gains from directional antennas in full-duplex systems

Full-duplex (FD) radio can potentially provide a higher spectral efficiency provided the self-interference (SI) at a terminal can be substantially mitigated and the multiuser interference, in the case of a large-scale scenario, is restricted. In this paper, we investigate the positive impact directional antennas can have on the reduction of these two types of interference. We study a two-dimensional geometric channel model in order to understand and acquire insight regarding the multipath effects on the SI caused by scatterers. Moreover, we provide a performance analysis for the uplink in large-scale FD cellular networks and model the impact of passive suppression on the networks performance. The derived results show the significant performance gains that can be achieved by the employment of directional antennas.

SmartEN: A Marie Curie Research Framework for Wireless Sensor Networks in Smart Management of the Human Environment

Even though there is significant research work performed in the fields of wireless sensor networks, civil infrastructure reliability and management, most of the work is fragmented and there is no significant activity in performing multidisciplinary structured research for developing integrated smart and dynamic systems for effective management of the built and natural environment. The aim of SmartEN is to push innovation through the development of a research training network that will focus on the development and effective integration of emerging technologies targeting key application areas of current interest to Europe and the world.

An m-health system for continuous monitoring of children with suspected cardiac arrhythmias

In this study, we present a mobile health (m-Health) system that will be used for continuous monitoring of children with suspected cardiac arrhythmias. The system is able to do real-time acquisition and transmission of ECG signals, and facilitate an alarm scheme able to identify possible arrhythmias so as to notify the on-call doctor and the relatives of the child that an event or something that denotes malfunction is happening.

Continuous Monitoring of Children with Suspected Cardiac Arrhythmias

Children with cardiac arrhythmias constitute one of the most difficult problems in cardiology both in terms of diagnosis and management. In such cases continuous monitoring of ECG vital signs and environmental conditions can significantly improve the identification of a possible arrhythmia. In this study we present the design and development of a system which enables the continuous monitoring of children, from the hardware and software perspective. The system is able to carry out real-time acquisition and transmission of ECG signals, and facilitate an alarm scheme able to identify possible arrhythmias so as to notify the on-call doctor and the relatives of the child that an event may be happening. In-house monitoring of a child is performed using a sensor network able to record and transmit ECG and the living conditions, while outside the house, monitoring is performed through a GPRS/UMTS enabled device. The transmitted information can be accessed through a web based platform which facilitates basic an electronic patient record module and continuous display of monitoring information of the patient. The system design and development steps are finished and the initial tests performed on healthy volunteers proved to be very promising.