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Background: The enduringly high prevalence of many oral diseases have provoked critical reviews of intervention-centric care models whilst elevating the focus on prevention. Accurate, standardised methods of surveillance are required for the continued development of meaningful prevention-focused oral health policy and the monitoring of oral health interventions. Whilst the use of imaging methods in dental research has been explored for the indirect assessment of oral conditions, there is an ongoing need for further development of existing methods and a clear opportunity for exploration of new approaches as technology advances at an even faster rate. Aims: (i) To assess the use of polarised white light imaging and intraoral scanners for the indirect assessment of plaque, gingivitis & enamel defects in an epidemiological setting; (ii) To assess the use of intraoral scanners for the longitudinal evaluation of gingival inflammatory changes during an experimental gingivitis challenge; (iii) To assess the utility of red autofluorescence imaging in a novel consumer device for the real-time detection of dental plaque; (iv) To assess the relationship between red fluorescent plaque and gingival inflammation during an experimental gingivitis challenge. Methods: (i) Two cross-sectional observational studies were conducted in a school setting to provide comparative direct (clinical) and indirect (polarised white light and intraoral scan) data; (ii & iv) A longitudinal induced gingivitis study was conducted employing clinical assessment, red fluorescence plaque imaging and intraoral scanning; (iii) Two clinical studies were conducted employing a prototype toothbrush capable of red fluorescence detection. Qualitative methods were also employed to explore the perceived feedback from users. Results: (i) The cross-sectional assessment of plaque, gingivitis & enamel defects appears possible using polarised white light imaging and intraoral scans; (ii) The monitoring of changes in gingival inflammation over time was found to be feasible using remotely assessed intraoral scans. The use of imaging modalities may result in higher estimates of the respective conditions, which may be attributable to magnification and unrestricted examination time; (iii) The novel consumer device appears capable of detecting red fluorescent plaque in real-time, even during brushing, and encourages users to be more aware of their oral hygiene; (iv) Red fluorescent plaque increases over a period of oral hygiene abstinence and appears correlated with the inflammatory response. The use of red fluorescent plaque levels early in the challenge appears prognostically valuable as an indicator of the gingival inflammatory response. Conclusions: The use of imaging methods in dental research facilitates indirect assessment in both observational and interventional studies. Advances in technology are enabling the development of powerful monitoring tools with emerging prognostic value and consumerisation potential.

Solar images are one of the most important sources of available information on the current state and behaviour of the sun, and the PICARD satellite is one of several ground and space-based observatories dedicated to the collection of that data. The PICARD satellite hosts the Solar Diameter Imager and Surface Mapper (SODISM), a telescope aimed at continuously monitoring the Sun. It has generated a huge cache of images and other data that can be analysed and interpreted to improve the monitoring of features, such as sunspots and the prediction and diagnosis of solar activity. In proportion to the available raw material, the little-published analysis of SODISM data has provided the impetus for this study, specifically a novel method of contributing to the development of a system to enhance, detect and segment sunspots using new hybrid methods. This research aims to yield an improved understanding of SODISM data by providing novel methods to tabulate a sunspot and filling factor (FF) catalogue, which will be useful for future forecasting activities. The developed technologies and the findings achieved in this research will work as a corner stone to enhance the accuracy of sunspot segmentation; create efficient filling factor catalogue systems, and enhance our understanding of SODISM image enhancement. The results achieved can be summarised as follows: i) Novel enhancement method for SODISM images. ii) New efficient methods to segment dark regions and detect sunspots. iii) Novel catalogue for filling factor including the number, size and sunspot location. v) Novel statistical method to summarise FFs catalogue. Image processing and partitioning techniques are used in this work; these methods have been applied to remove noise and detect sunspots and will provide more information such as sunspot numbers, size and filling factor. The performance of the model is compared to the fillers extracted from other satellites, such as SOHO. Also, the results were compared with the NOAA catalogue and achieved a precision of 98%. Performance measurement is also introduced and applied to verify results and evaluate proposal methods. Algorithms, implementation, results and future work have been explained in this thesis.

During the past decades there has been an increase in the use of geosynthetics in construction due to their versatility in providing a wide array of functions such as reinforcement, containment, separation, filtration and drainage. Often, geosynthetics are used in conjunction with other geosynthetics to accomplish these functions. However, geosynthetics create possible planes of weakness which can lead to failures. Textured geomembranes are widely used within landfill and mining industries due to their containment and shear strength properties, however, there are subjected to a wide array of loads and environments which are potentially hazardous, as such is of utmost importance to retain their integrity in order to avoid ecological disasters. The challenge is to understand how geomembranes resist damage, wear and which of these factors control the development of wear on textured geomembranes. Digital imaging techniques have been used in order to develop a protocol that describes the quantification of wear on textured structured geomembranes. Direct shear tests were performed to induce wear on the geomembrane textures (asperities) to analyse the wear mechanisms and study the factors that induce wear on the asperities. The research showed that normal stress and shear displacement have a major role in the development of wear on interfaces. However, the geometrical characteristics of the geomembrane asperities control the amount of wear the geomembrane can sustain without significant shear strength loss. These outcomes help to better understand the behaviour of interfaces which have as component geomembranes, leading to more robust designs. This study also proposed new asperity texture shapes by using Rapid Prototyping (RP) techniques, such as Selective Laser Sintering and Fused Filament Fabrication. Using RP techniques to create new textures for the geomembrane, could allow the creation of textures which have increased shear strength thresholds and better withstand wear, allowing for more advanced and economical designs.

Porosity and permeability are very important characteristics of reservoir rocks. Understanding the factors, specifically cementation, which control porosity and permeability are especially crucial when it comes to predictive modeling. Previous research has focused on the effects of grain size, temperature, and iron oxide on precipitation rates of cement between two surface substrates: fresh-fractured surfaces and naturally weathered surfaces. This study focused on image analysis techniques to assess their viability in calculating the percentage of porosity and cement in comparison to traditional point counting. Three sample charges were created using the dual fraction design after Williams (2012) and the experiments were carried out over the course of 168 hours (1 week) to 672 hours (4 weeks), under the experimental conditions of 450oC and 150 MPa confining pressure. The resulting samples were photographed and the resulting mosaics point counted and analyzed using the Fiji image software. Numerous image analysis techniques were attempted in which Lookup Tables and retinex-filtering were fairly successful in segmenting porosity and improving overall image quality for easier point counting. Point counting data showed measureable differences in precipitation rates where fresh-fractured surfaces had a faster rate while weathered surfaces had greater quantities of cement. Additionally, fresh-fractured surface experiments showed the presence of externally-sourced cement from the amorphous silica source and internally-sourced cement from grain dissolution. A possible explanation is the rapid precipitation cuts off transport pathways for the dissolved amorphous silica and there is a switchover to internal sources of cement via the dissolution of grains and grain fragments.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis through digital imaging has significant potential in several scientific applications including bioanalytical applications. In this document, the implication of digital imaging to validate and characterize a novel microfluidic organ-on-chip device and establish a point-of-care method to estimate epinephrine concentrations in expired and degraded autoinjectors have been described in chapter 2 and 3 respectively. Chapter 4 includes description of the principle and methodology of strong cation exchange-based immunoassay for oxytocin and β-endorphin. In chapter 2, fabrication of a novel microfluidic organ-on-chip device capable of culturing rodent SCN slices has been discussed. Characterization of the aCSF media droplets and carbogen gas bubbles have also been discussed. Viability of the cultured rodent brain slices using digital imagery through fluorescence calcium imaging and PI/DAPI staining have been reported. In chapter 3, utilization of quantitative smartphone imaging to estimate the concentration of epinephrine in expired and degraded autoinjectors have been described. Actual concentrations of the samples have been established by UHPLC technique. The estimated concentrations of the samples via quantitative smartphone imaging have been reported to possess a strong correlation (r > 0.7) with the actual concentration. Different lighting conditions, distance and angle of camera variations have been explored in chapter 3. Direct immunoassay of relatively small neurotransmitters (~1-5 KDa) through capillary electrophoresis is prone to poor resolution challenge. The principle of using strong cation exchange-based chromatography to carry out such immunoassays have been described in chapter 4. The possible use of crosslinking agents such as sulfo-GMBS and sulfo-SMPB to improve antigen-antibody binding has also been discussed in this chapter. Chapter 5 explores the future directions of improving the rodent slice culture device to accommodate various size and shape of brain slices by chamber geometry and surface energy optimization.

New digital imaging practices have risen with the emergence of image-based social media. iPhoneography as a contemporary imaging making practice is altering how we make and read images. What is also unprecedented is the emergence of aesthetics that are both visual and social in their nature, which both are clearly manifested on the user-friendly platform Instagram. While new visual aesthetics are rooted in the new attraction to vintage filters, social aesthetics manifest in embracing the mundane of human life as a source for visual communication. This qualitative dissertation attempts to further investigate how using a smartphone as the sole device for image-making and dissemination has encouraged experimental image-making and influenced the field of visual communication.

Modeling the "thick description" of photographs began at the intersection of personal and institutional descriptions. Comparing institutional descriptions of particular photos that were also used in personal online conversations was the initial phase. Analyzing conversations that started with a photographic image from the collection of the Library of Congress (LC) or the collection of the Manchester Historic Association (MHA) provided insights into how cultural heritage institutions could enrich the description of photographs by using informal descriptions such as those applied by Facebook users. Taking photos of family members, friends, places, and interesting objects is something people do often in their daily lives. Some photographic images are stored, and some are shared with others in gatherings, occasions, and holidays. Face-to-face conversations about remembering some of the details of photographs and the event they record are themselves rarely recorded. Digital cameras make it easy to share personal photos in Web conversations and to duplicate old photos and share them on the Internet. The World Wide Web even makes it simple to insert images from cultural heritage institutions in order to enhance conversations. Images have been used as tokens within conversations along with the sharing of information and background knowledge about them. The recorded knowledge from conversations using photographic images on Social Media (SM) has resulted in a repository of rich descriptions of photographs that often include information of a type that does not result from standard archival practices. Closed group conversations on Facebook among members of a community of interest/practice often involve the use of photographs to start conversations, convey details, and initiate story-telling about objets, events, and people. Modeling of the conversational use of photographic images on SM developed from the exploratory analyses of the historical photographic images of the Manchester, NH group on Facebook. The model was influenced by the typical model of Representation by Agency from O'Connor in O'Connor, Kearns, and Anderson Doing Things with Information: Beyond Indexing and Abstracting, by considerations of how people make and use photographs, and by the notion of functionality from Patrick Wilson's Public Knowledge, Private Ignorance: Toward a Library and Information Policy. The model offers paths for thickening the descriptions of photographs in archives and for enriching the use of photographs on social media.

White wines are liable to develop haze during storage and transport due to residual protein in the finished wine. Since haze in white wines is considered unacceptable, winemakers attempt to reduce the protein content prior to bottling through the use of fining agents such as bentonite. The use of bentonite is not without economic cost with the estimated annual impact to the New Zealand wine industry in the region of NZD 35 million. The optimum quantity of bentonite to be used is normally determined using a heat test in conjunction with empirical fining trials. During these tests the winemaker is required to conduct various haze comparisons. Since these assessments are difficult to perform visually, researchers recommend the use of suitable nephelometric instrumentation to ensure consistency and precision. Despite these recommendations, most winemakers have not purchased the necessary equipment; it is thought that cost is the primary deterrent. The overall goal of this project was to explore the relationships between nephelometry, digital imaging and human perception of haze in terms of thresholds and intensity. In addition, the feasibility of using digital imaging devices to make nephelometric measurements was to be investigated. A range of achromatic and yellow turbid suspensions were prepared by suspending synthetic polymer microspheres of diameter 0.25 μm in aqueous solutions. Base wine stocks exhibiting high turbidity were prepared by heating commercial grade Chardonnay wine at 90˚ for two hours. A range of wine samples of varying turbidities were then prepared by dilution with untreated wine. Polymer microsphere suspensions and wine samples of varying visual haze were used in a series of sensory and instrumentation experiments. The sensory experiments examined haze detection thresholds and intensity scaling in human subjects. All evaluations took place in purpose designed sensory booths utilising overhead light emitting diode (LED) illumination. The booth backgrounds and sides were modified to present dark or light surrounds by hanging black or white linen on the walls. Samples were presented to human subjects in standard ISO tasting glasses and the subjects were permitted to manipulate the glass freely whilst they evaluated the samples. Turbidity measurements were made with a Hach 2100P nephelometric device. Image data was captured using a modified Canon A2300 digital still camera using 90˚ viewing geometries. Haze threshold determinations were made for achromatic and yellow microsphere suspensions using the Ascending Method of Limits (AML) and 3-Alternate Forced Choice (3AFC) methods. The lowest thresholds were found when achromatic suspensions were presented in a dark surround where individual thresholds ranged from 0.21 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) to 1.07 NTU. The highest thresholds were found when yellow suspensions were presented in a light surround where individual thresholds ranged from 1.89 NTU to 25.16 NTU. Heat treated Chardonnay wine samples were also evaluated in a dark surround where individual thresholds ranged from 0.52 NTU to 1.39 NTU. Visual haze intensities in achromatic and yellow microsphere suspensions were assessed by human subjects in dark and light surrounds using modulus Magnitude Estimation (ME). Sample luminance was determined by digitally photographing the samples under the same conditions employed for the ME evaluations. The perceived haze intensity with respect to luminance was found to follow generalised power or logarithmic functions similar to psycho-physical models commonly proposed for the response of the human visual system to brightness and lightness. The data exhibited a bi-segment nature indicative of surround and/or planar contrast induction. Similar responses were found for heat treated Chardonnay wine samples using turbidity as the independent variable. Turbidity values were measured for a range achromatic and yellow microsphere suspension samples. Luminance values were derived from digital images taken of ISO tasting glasses containing the same microsphere suspensions. The turbidity and luminance values were found to be linearly related below 50 NTU (dark surround, R2=0. 9978; light surround, R2=0. 9813). A subsequent experiment examined turbidity values and luminance data in achromatic and yellow microsphere suspension samples over a low range (< 6 NTU) by imaging the sample surface directly rather than through the glass receptacle. Turbidity vales and luminance data were again found to be linearly related (R2=0.9628). Measurements from the Hach 2100P device and a luminance based measurement model were found to be mean and median equivalent for the low range experimental data.

This dissertation addresses the question of how to transform a small to mid-sized public garden into a botanical garden capable of making a significant contribution to science. Botanical gardens have certain features that distinguish them from pleasure gardens and public parks. These include a scientific basis for collections, an emphasis on recording data on the plants in the collection, exchanging plant materials and data with other botanical gardens, and providing educational information to visitors. Gardens often have several missions, including conservation of rare and endangered species, botanical and ecological research, and involving the public through citizen science. I describe my work with the South Carolina Botanical Garden (SCBG), in which I considered ways to make the garden more effective at research and conservation, to increase the SCBG's interaction with Clemson University and the local community, to make the garden more visible to the larger world, and to integrate the garden into the worldwide network of botanical gardens and arboreta. This work includes revising SCBG's curatorial practices and policies with a view to joining a national botanical garden conservation network, involving students in scientific collection-building through a hands-on plant collection class, increasing SCBG's visibility and scholarly presence through a project that digitized and analyzed a historic plant collection, and examining the role of laws in guiding botanical gardens' conservation efforts.

Inspired Living is a juxtaposition of old and new, contemplating the shift of values in contemporary China. Patriotism used to be one of the key values in the Chinese people's minds, but those values have changed dramatically. Fewer people are thinking about or talking about patriotism, like sacrificing for the country or serving the people. In reality, getting rich and spending money to purchase all kinds of products, either absolute necessities or unnecessary luxuries, has become the key value of many Chinese people. The images used in this project are all found and come from various sources, including books and the Internet. I am juxtaposing old patriotic posters, which ran through several decades in the history of People's Republic of China, with contemporary Chinese movie stills, which reflect the overwhelming status of consumerism, to portray this dramatic change. At the same time, I am questioning the value of patriotic propaganda and the value of consumerism. With white borders and red characters, the format of this series mimics the old propaganda posters. The borrowed commercial product slogans are symbolic of the dominating strength of mass production and mass consumption, although in this series of work they are not associated with the products they are originally advertising. The exhibition consists of eighteen digital images printed on enhanced matte paper. All the images are printed on a large scale, much larger than the real poster copy, to emphasize the larger-than-life effect of propaganda. Also, the quality of the enhanced matte paper is very similar to that of the old posters.

Contemporary technological developments allow for greater manipulation of the natural world than ever before. While the increasing variety of synthetic materials, techniques, and equipment employed in horticulture and urban development are reshaping the land, sophisticated digital imaging tools, ranging from computer-generated graphics to 3D modeling and rendering software, are changing the way we design and represent landscapes. Through technology, we are continually imitating, reconstructing, and perfecting the natural environment. As a result, the physical and conceptual borders between the organic and synthetic elements, the "born" and the "made," in our physical environments are becoming progressively obscured, as are the lines between representation and reality. In Vitro Complex offers a visual exploration of the dynamics between nature and technology within the context of the contemporary developing landscape, and examines the effects of imaging technology on the contemporary perception of, and our relationship to, the natural world. Tracing the history of technology and landscape art over the last 150 years shows how man's ability to shape the western landscape, both physically and through imaging technology, affects our perceptions of nature. This thesis questions how technological progress shapes our relationship to the subject of landscape and its representation in present-day culture. It examines the artwork of In Vitro Complex against a backdrop of other contemporary artists who, through various approaches ranging from documentary to staged photography to digitally manipulated and computer-generated imagery, document and interpret the effects of technology on the physical environment and explore contemporary culture's relationship to the natural world.

Segregation, or non-uniformity, in Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) induces accelerated pavement distress(es) that can reduce a pavement's service life up to 50%. Quality Assurance procedures should detect and quantify the presence of this problem in newly constructed pavements. Current practices are usually based on visual inspections that identify non-uniform surface texture areas. An automatic process that reduces subjectivity would improve the quality-assurance procedures of HMA pavements. Virginia has undertaken a focused research effort to improve the uniformity of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) pavements. A method using a dynamic (laser-based) surface macrotexture instrument showed great promise, but it revealed that it may actually miss significant segregated areas because they only measure very thin longitudinal lines. The main objective of this research is to develop a non-contact system for the detection of segregated HMA areas and for the identification of the locations of these areas along a road for HMA quality assurance purposes. The developed system uses relatively low cost components and innovative image processing and analysis software. It computes the gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) of images of newly constructed pavements to find various parameters that are commonly used in visual texture analysis. Using principal component analysis to integrate multivariable data into a single classifier, Hotelling's T2 statistic, the system then creates a list of the location of possible nonuniformities that require closer inspection. Field evaluations of the system at the Virginia Smart Road proved that it is capable of discriminating between different pavement surfaces. Verification of the system was conducted through a series of field tests to evaluate the uniformity of newly constructed pavements. A total of 18 continuous road segments of recently paved roads were tested and analyzed with the system. Tables and plots to be used by inspection personnel in the field were developed. The results of these field tests confirmed the capability of the system to detect potential nonuniformities of recently completed pavements. The system proved its potential as a useful tool in the final inspection process.

The price of cotton is dictated by quality and the most significant factor of contributing to the fiber quality is the length distribution of the fibers contained within the population. Therefore it is of importance to accurately and repeatably measure the length of fibers within a population so that it is graded properly. Current methods are inadequate and thus prior work focused on designing a machine to directly measure individual cotton fibers using digital imaging. The current work begins with the evaluation of the effectiveness of the digital imaging machine. The machine was evaluated and sources of error identified. Modifications were implemented in an attempt to improve the error. After multiple modifications with little success an entirely new design was conceptualized. The new design aimed to eliminate all major sources of error with the existing machine while not creating new sources of error. The new design is discussed and the results are compared to those obtained by the original imaging machine. The new machine was better able to accurately measure the length of cut length fibers. The variation between fibers within a sample and entire samples of cut length fiber was significantly decreased when compared to the variation of the previous system.

Frequent handwashing has significant effects on the stratum corneum (SC) barrier and can lead to dry skin, irritation and erythema. The effects of hand hygiene procedures on health care workers (HCWs) were investigated by evaluation of skin damage (dryness, erythema) on their hands. Live visual skin evaluation (LSG), digital image analysis (DIA), and visual perception evaluation of high resolution digital images (VPS) were used to measure skin condition in the spring and winter. Compared to non-HCW control subjects, HCW hands are appreciably comprised. The skin was damaged at the start of a work cycle, suggesting that the SC does not have sufficient time to repair itself. Use of test products (TP) resulted in significantly improved skin dryness (LSG) and irritation (VPS) relative to the current products (CP). However, skin erythema observed over a work cycle was similar for both CP and TP. Skin erythema was difficult to assess, most likely due to the compromise of the skin from baseline and the regional heterogeneity of the hands. DIA techniques were used to analyze erythema in the digital images. Redness observed using DIA techniques was significantly higher for the hands, particularly the knuckles, in the winter, an indication of poorer skin condition. The digital images were also viewed on a high resolution monitor in a paired comparison format to examine the effects over a cycle and during regression (VPS Imaging System, P&G). The positive correlations evaluated between LSG and VPS methods verify the fact that images could be collected (much more rapidly) and graded later using a comparison imaging system, i.e. VPS, to establish quantitative results. Only minimal correlations were present between DIA and the visual evaluations (LSG, VPS). High levels of erythema may have affected the correlations between DIA and the visual grades because it is often accompanied by other symptoms, making it more difficult to grade as it becomes more severe. The digital imaging process, used to analyze the digital images, shows to be able to objectively define erythema as a quantitative expression, however, further investigation is needed into the development of this DIA process because of minimal correlations with the visual methods. Further investigation needs to be done so that a quantification system can be established for the investigation of dryness in the digital images collected.

The goal of this thesis is to build an interactive tool for analyzing the quality of a digital image and predicting the scale at which it may be published. Since edges are present almost everywhere in most digital images, we use a mathematical edge model as the basis of analysis. In particular, we are interested in the luminance and chromaticity behavior at edge boundaries. We use this model to develop PhETA — Photograph Edge Transition Analyzer — an interactive tool that allows novice users to view and understand the results gained from this analysis in a clear and simple manner.

Unlike images created with traditional film-based technology, those created in today’s digital environment run the risk of being lost to future generations because there are no universally practiced standards for archiving them. Photographers must make decisions concerning this critical step with few sources of information to guide them. This study is intended to present the current best practices of four professional photographer/educators in an effort to present proven, if only temporary, solutions to this problem. Qualitative research methods were used for this descriptive study. Participant interviews were used to collect the data. Subject matter experts were found by searching moderated Internet forums for candidates demonstrating a high level of experience in the field of digital imaging, the ability to articulate their views, and a willingness to share their knowledge. Additional screening of potential participants was accomplished by visiting individual’s websites to gain further evidence of their professionalism. Four candidates were approached for the study, and all agreed to participate. The participants reported using digital technology almost exclusively to capture their images. Also, every job was delivered digitally to clients. This data demonstrates the pervasiveness of digital technology in today’s photography marketplace. Each participant had his own method of archiving digital image files based upon his business model and workflow. They disagreed about the viability of RAW file formats for archival use. RAW file formats leave the imaging sensor data intact rather than converting it in-camera to one of several commonly used file formats. Unfortunately each manufacturer uses proprietary data in the RAW files from its cameras making it unreadable to all but its own imaging software. The majority of images being created today by professional photographers are digital. This ever-expanding body of work needs to be protected from becoming digital technology “orphans.” Until industry standards evolve, it is increasingly important for photographers to take precautions when archiving digital image files. Even though there is no singular method of file preparation for digital image archiving, the practices outlined by the participants of this study are a good place to start.

Newspapers are increasingly capturing images digitally. Included with these digital files is technical information about the conditions of the image and the conditions surrounding image capture. Technical metadata has the potential to be a valuable resource in image reproduction, management, and archiving. Nevertheless, even though digital devices capture a large amount of technical metadata, the use of such data in the digital imaging workflow is not widespread. The use of technical metadata requires a uniform set of technical metadata standards and an open encoding scheme to embed data. From their inception, image file formats, such as TIFF and JPEG, have allowed the inclusion of technical metadata tags. The Exif schema has extended the metadata inclusion capabilities of both of these formats. Additionally, XML has emerged as a standard for users to add metadata to image files. Consequently, organizations such as the World Wide Web Consortium and Adobe Systems all support XML. Moreover, organizations such as the Digital Imaging Group (DIG35) and the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) are defining standards for technical metadata inclusion. The purpose of this study was to answer two fundamental questions about technical metadata in the newspaper industry. First, it assessed the ability of technical metadata to improve the newspaper digital imaging workflow; and second, it determined how technical metadata could be used to preserve the integrity of newspaper digital images. This study examined five large newspaper organizations: The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, USA Today, and The Washington Post. Based on interviews and questionnaire responses, each organization?s use of technical metadata in the digital imaging workflow was examined through case studies. Interviews were conducted with those individuals responsible for image capture, adjustment, database management, and output. Furthermore, participants were asked to rank the importance of selected fields of technical metadata through a questionnaire. It was found that the use of technical metadata classified by NISO as Basic Image Parameters, which includes file size, type, and compression, was universal in newspaper organizations. The use of Image Creation metadata was not widespread with the exception of two fields that established date and time of capture and assigned each image a unique identifier. Image Performance Assessment metadata, such as test targets, was not widely used except by The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. Change History fell victim to the short cycle time in the newspaper industry, and for the most part, a history of change was kept at various handoffs in the digital workflow through versioning. The use of technical metadata to improve the digital workflow, to an extent, was at cross-purposes with newspapers? need to visually examine each image to determine its usefulness. However, software designed to visually present technical metadata through a well designed graphic user interface was popular. It appeared that technical metadata had the potential to benefit newspapers when repurposing images for other media. Additionally, large newspaper organizations were creating their own image databases; while the use of technical metadata in these archives was unclear, it would be prudent to include too much technical metadata, rather than too little. The foremost concern of all organizations was preservation of the editorial integrity of the image. Newspapers defined editorial integrity as the ability to capture as much detail of an event as possible, and then present that information to their readers in a truthful, unambiguous way. Research pointed out that image reproduction quality was only one of a series of variables that determined newspaper image quality. With the advent of digital photography, photographers are editing more in the field, and as a result they are making decisions regarding image content. The use of technical metadata has the potential to provide greater tractability of these outtakes. Additionally, the industry is moving toward the Camera Raw file format to acquire image data that is unprocessed by camera software. The adjustment of Camera Raw files through a GUI, and their subsequent conversion to another file format, represented a de facto use of technical metadata to preserve editorial integrity.

Manual fracture mapping in tunnels, caverns, mines or other underground spaces is a time intensive and sometimes dangerous process. A system that can automate this task could minimize human exposure to rockfalls, rockbursts or instabilities and facilitate the use of new methods of data visualization such as virtual environments. This research was undertaken to develop VTtrace; a semi-automatic fracture mapping algorithm based on image processing and analysis techniques. Images of a rock exposure surface are made using a "prosumer" grade digital camera. The grayscale images are preprocessed to remove color information and any noise or distortion. The smoothed images are converted into binary images. The binary images are then thinned to extract the fracture map. The fractures are then separated and stored as different images. Fracture properties such as the length, width, orientation and large-scale roughness are determined using photogrammetric techniques. Results from test images shows the VTtrace is effective in extracting rock discontinuity traces. Additional enhancements to the program are proposed to allow feature attributes from the three-dimensional surface to be determined.

This chapter will try to make some generalisations on current approaches to the imaging of small specimens. By that, we mean those with sizes lying typically between that of microphotography and that of macrophotography. These constraints do not necessarily mean a requirement for taxon-specific techniques. Rather, mainstream imaging procedures can be successfully used, although it is advisable to consider certain characteristics of the taxa in question. A case, or rather ‘bookcase’, study (i.e. different taxonomic groups) depicting our laboratory’s procedures will act as a basis for discussing several issues. Assemblages of the largest specimens can be pictured, though rarely, with SLR cameras fitted with a good macro lens. However, mesofauna are usually imaged under the stereomicroscope or by transmitted light microscopy. Preserved specimens are typically mounted on slides and imaged at low power under optical or scanning electron microscope, and details are captured at higher magnifications. Surfaces, and superficial features, are targeted more often than internal structures, and optical techniques are much more common for contrast improvement than chemical stains. The main drive should be directed at ensuring a good scientific usability of the images. Thus, compromises will be needed where feature visibility, enhancement, and fidelity conflict with aesthetic qualities.The wide spectrum of soil mesofauna means that a variety of handling and preparation procedures, as well as several observation and imaging techniques, are applied even within a group. Thus, the proposed ”bookcase” study will have several tiers at times, where techniques differ for specific groups.

Within the home environment there exits a host of digital color imaging (DCI) system configurations. The combination of devices and software at the consumer's desktop with devices and services at a remote location (e.g., Print at Kodak), creates a complex interaction of device, contextual, and observer characteristics. In particular, the cathode-ray tube (CRT) display has the potential to influence consumers' perceptions of image quality and their subsequent image manipulation activities. Depending on the inherent color bias and apparent contrast of the CRT, extensive image manipulation may occur, significantly altering the digital values of the image. Output generated by a remote printer will reflect any image manipulation undertaken by the consumer. If manipulation was extensive, what the consumer receives from a remote printer will appear quite different from the softcopy version and thus, may be deemed unacceptable. This research was designed to address the softcopy-hardcopy matching issues that arise from the home DCI system configuration just described. The primary study examined how the CRT display influenced perceived color quality of photographs generated at two points in a DCI system; on-screen photographs (softcopy) and photographic quality prints (hardcopy). CRT gamma, color temperature, and excitation purity were manipulated using an orthogonal, blocked, central composite design. Twenty-two Eastman Kodak Company employees viewed 6 photographs under each of the 15 CRT conditions. Participants rated the color quality of each softcopy photograph, then were given an opportunity to edit color balance, brightness, and contrast for each photograph. The edited photos were printed and rated once again for color quality and acceptability. Results indicated that monitor calibration influenced perceived softcopy color quality, softcopy editing behavior, and subsequent perceived hardcopy color quality. Perception of softcopy color quality ratings was determined predominantly by the CRT gamma level. Participants responded to CRT color balance differences through their editing behavior. In some cases, edits were large enough to significantly and negatively impact perceived hardcopy color quality. Gamma in particular, was the most significant predictor of hardcopy color quality ratings and rejection rates. Additional differences were observed between first- and third-party photographs. Results from this research may be applied to the development of monitor calibration tools, scene balancing algorithms, and software, for the purpose of accommodating consumer image manipulation behavior, in the context of the home DCI system presented herein.

While run length encoding is a popular technique for binary image compression, a raster (line by line) scanning technique is almost always assumed and scant attention has been given to the possibilities of using other techniques to scan an image as it is encoded. This thesis looks at five different image scanning techniques and how their relation ship to image features and scanning density (resolution) affects the overall compression that can be achieved with run length encoding. This thesis also compares the performance of run length encoding with an application of Huffman coding for binary image compression. To realize these goals a complete system of computer routines, the Image, Scanning and Compression (ISC) System has been developed and is now avail able for continued research in the area of binary image compression.

In this dissertation I take the complex logarithmic mapping and develop it into a fully characterized tool for use in applications which require algorithms for analyzing images from a moving camera. Humans and animals recognize objects and figure their 3D location with ease. While studying this phenomenon, biological researchers noted that their visual information is transformed by a process similar to a complex logarithmic function. Since the underlying function can be represented in simple mathematical terms, it is ideal for implementation on a computer. Under certain conditions, the complex logarithmic function provides size, rotation, and projection invariance for images taken by a translating camera. This dissertation demonstrates how these properties can contribute to dynamic scene analysis. I derive several methods of mapping digital images. I develop an information theoretic technique for measuring the impact of vision and image processes on image information. This technique is used to find the optimal blind spot for maximizing the image information in the mapping. I demonstrate that point, line, and region features can either be detected in the image and then mapped to the complex log space or detected in images that have been previously mapped. I show that the small blind spot at the origin of the mapping also decreases errors due to image digitization, mapping digitization, and errors in the determination of the focus of expansion. The ego-motion complex logarithmic mapping greatly reduces the search space for motion stereo matching and has many advantages over binocular motion stereo. It requires only a single camera. Motion is an intrinsic part of the algorithm instead of an added difficulty. With each time step multiple depth estimates become available. Depth estimates become more accurate over time since the baseline between the first image and the current image keeps increasing. Depth can be determined for every object in the current image except those that are occluded in the previous image. I provide tables so users can easily find parameter values based on the constraints of their application. Results are presented for two laboratory scenes using two different binocular stereo algorithms for matching.