Ehsan Sheybani

Content-Based Computer Simulation of a Networking Course: An Assessment

This paper presents a successful lab simulation experience to teach signal modulation and demodulation concepts in communication and computer networks to computer science and computer engineering students. Two sections of the same college course with a total of 80 subjects participated in this study. After receiving the same lecture at the same time, the subjects in each course were randomly split into two treatment groups. One group completed two laboratory experiments using the computerized simulation program, while the other completed the same two laboratory experiments using the traditional physical laboratory equipments. Upon the completion of the laboratory assignments, the performance instrument was individually administered to each student. The groups were compared on understanding the concepts, remembering the concepts, and displaying a positive attitude toward the treatment tools. Scores on a validated Concepts Test were collected once after the treatment and another time after three weeks in order to gain some insight on students’ knowledge retention. The validated Attitude Survey and qualitative study was administered at the completion of the treatment. The findings of this research indicate that conceptual simulation programs could be feasible substitute for hands-on exercises.

Mobile communications for development: Enabling strategic and low-cost e-applications for rural and remote areas

The evolution and growth of digital communications technologies has spurred various instances where wireless communications are being tremendously utilized to a multitude of ends and more importantly provoking new paradigm shifts. Digital inclusion and connectivity availability on a global scale remains one critical concern and definitely fuels the motivation and initiative for innovative solutions and appropriate models to bring the digital divide to a close. Mobile Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) are more than a suitable and powerful technology that will help provide connectivity and digital access in a much faster and cheaper way for underserved areas of the globe, and therefore are to be strategically investigated and assessed within their most vital, strategic and profitable functional or usage contexts.

Learning the Relative Importance of Features in Image Data

In computational analysis in scientific domains, images are often compared based on their features, e.g., size, depth and other domain-specific aspects. Certain features may be more significant than others while comparing the images and drawing corresponding inferences for specific applications. Though domain experts may have subjective notions of similarity for comparison, they seldom have a distance function that ranks the image features based on their relative importance. We propose a method called features rank for learning such a distance function in order to capture the semantics of the images. We are given training samples with pairs of images and the extent of similarity identified for each pair. Using a guessed initial distance function. Features rank clusters the given images in levels. It then adjusts the distance junction based on the error between the clusters and training samples using heuristics proposed in this paper. The distance junction that gives the lowest error is the output. This contains the features ranked in the order most appropriate the domain. Features rank is evaluated with real image data from nanotechnology and bioinformatics. The results of our evaluation are presented in the paper.

Asynchronous transfer mode, computer aided detection: teleradiology

A fiber-optic network derived by a set of ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) switches in association with CAD (computer aided diagnosis/detection) algorithms has been set up as the first prototype of an on-line, real-time cancer detection/diagnostic system. Expanding diagnostics and treatment beyond the local level will bring better health care to a wider range of people at a reduced cost. This work describes the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) teleradiology network (ATMTN), and the high-speed fiber backbone architecture as a new technology that offers real-time,. on-line, more accurate screening, detection and diagnosis of breast cancer with less need for invasive treatment ATMTN is a fully automatic, robust and high-speed network integrated with DICOM standards, and IP protocols and associated with CAD methods for digital mammography.

Novel clinic-to-lab connectivity architecture for telemammography

One of the goals of the National Cancer Institute cancer control program to reach more than 80% of the eligible women in mammography screening by the year 2000 has not been fully realized and yet remains as a challenge. That is primarily due to (1) the fact that examination process is a complex and lengthy one, and (2) it is not available to the majority of women who live in remote and urban sites. This problem can be solved using advanced networking technologies and signal processing algorithms.

Removing spikes while preserving data and noise using wavelet filter banks

Many diagnostic datasets suffer from the adverse effects of spikes that are embedded in data and noise. For example, this is true for electrical power system data where the switches, relays, and inverters are major contributors to these effects. Spikes are mostly harmful to the analysis of data in that they throw off real-time detection of abnormal conditions, and classification of faults. Since noise and spikes are mixed together and embedded within the data, removal of the unwanted signals from the data is not always easy and may result in losing the integrity of the information carried by the data. Additionally, in some applications noise and spikes need to be filtered independently. The proposed algorithm is a multi-resolution filtering approach based on Haar wavelets that is capable of removing spikes while incurring insignificant damage to other data. In particular, noise in the data, which is a useful indicator that a sensor is healthy and not stuck, can be preserved using our approach. Presented here is the theoretical background with some examples from a realistic testbed.1 2

Development and evaluation of an educational computer network software

Technology is having a dramatic effect on colleges and universities, producing what may be the most challenging period in the history of higher education. One form of the convergence of technology and education is distributed learning. The World Wide Web (WWW) provides alternative means for delivery of the courses and services, providing learners with an extraordinary range of options. Distance learning methods are being developed and implemented to offer educational opportunities to those who are unable or choose not to attend an educational institution on a conventional, scheduled basis. There are few, if any, studies that have attempted to evaluate the learning achieved through interactivity of students with the online contents using interactive multimedia in online environments, perhaps because of the difficulties in designing rich multimedia contents, a tight experiment for such studies and the fact that confounding variables can easily become significant. The purpose of this study would be to investigate the effectiveness of learning through interactive multimedia and present the results. This research report provides information on the design and development of an online Computational Method in Engineering Technology course. The course is interactive multimedia-based including 3D animation, simulation, video, graphics, and audio. The research considers information on the theoretical framework for designing the course, the process of developing the multimedia and developing the course. The results of the study on the effectiveness of the course is reported in the presentation. Major points of emphasis studied in this research include: 1. Discussing the need for multimedia-rich courses for teaching technology-based subjects in online environments; 2. Developing multimedia based online courses; 3. The effects of using multimedia in teaching technology-based concepts; 4. The results of the study on the effects of using multimedia in an online environment and 5. Results of student attitudes toward learning through multimedia.

Dimensionality Reduction and Noise Removal in Wireless Sensor Networks

Many wireless sensor network datasets suffer from the effects of acquisition noise, channel noise, fading, and fusion of different nodes with huge amounts of data. At the fusion center, where decisions relevant to these data are taken, any deviation from real values could affect the decisions made. We have developed computationally low power, low bandwidth, and low cost filters that will remove the noise and compress the data so that a decision can be made at the node level. This wavelet-based method is guaranteed to converge to a stationary point for both uncorrelated and correlated sensor data. Presented here is the theoretical background with examples showing the performance and merits of this novel approach compared to other alternatives.

Image processing and pattern recognition for ROI compression in cancer detection

One of the goals of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) cancer control program to reach more than 80% of the eligible women in mammography screening by the year 2000 was not fully realized and yet remains as a challenge. In fact, breast cancer is the only type of cancer with a positive growth rate over the last few years (+1 .2%). That is primarily due to 1)the fact that examination process is a complex and lengthy one and 2) it is not available to the majority of women who live in remote and urban sites. This problem can be solved using advanced networking technologies and signal processing algorithms. On one hand, software modules can help detect, with high precision, true negatives (TN), while marking true positives (TP) for further investigation. Since TNs are the majority of examinations on a randomly selected population, this first step reduces the load on radiologists by a tremendous amount. On the other hand, high-speed networking equipment can accelerate the required clinic-lab connection and make detection, segmentation and image enhancement algorithms readily available to the radiologists. This research describes the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) Telemammography Network (ATMTN) architecture for real-time, on-line screening, detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. ATMTN is a high-speed network integrated with associated automatic robust Computer Assisted Diagnostic (CAD) methods for mass detection

Development and evaluation of visualization techniques in a computer networking course

The World Wide Web (WWW) provides alternative means for delivery of the courses and services, providing learners with an extraordinary range of options. There are few, if any, studies that have attempted to evaluate the learning achieved through the use of simulated laboratories in virtual environments, perhaps because of the difficulties in designing tight experiments for such studies. The purpose of this study would be to investigate the effectiveness of simulated labs in engineering and present the results. Specifically, this study examines whether computer simulations are as effective as physical laboratory activities in teaching college-level electronics engineering students about the concepts of signal transmission, modulation and demodulation. Two sections of the same college course with a total of 80 subjects participated in this study. After receiving the same lecture at the same time, the subjects in each course were randomly split into two treatment groups. One group completed two laboratory experiments using the computerized simulation program, while the other completed the same two laboratory experiments using the traditional physical laboratory equipments. Upon the completion of the laboratory assignments, the performance instrument was individually administered to each student. The groups were compared on understanding the concepts, remembering the concepts, and displaying a positive attitude toward the treatment tools. Scores on a validated Concepts Test were collected once after the treatment and another time after three weeks of the study. The validated Attitude Survey and qualitative study was administered at the completion of the treatment.