Follow

• 

  Discrimination Against Disabled Persons in Malawi and the United States: A Comparative Study

  Stephen Crum

  In Malawi, Africa and in the United States, many disabled individuals experience hardships that are more severe than the general public. With regards to education, there is a lower school attendance rate among disabled individuals in each country. With regards to employment, both disabled Malawians and Americans experience lower employment rates and lower annual incomes. This study aimed to discern what factors contributed to these educational and employment deficits in both countries. Possible factors for the deficit may include a discriminatory attitude, a lack of resources available for accessibility, or the severity of the physical or cognitive limitation. A survey was administered at the University of Dayton and at the University of Livingstonia in Malawi, aiming to discover if any subtle biases were projected unfavorably upon individuals pictured in wheelchairs. The survey also sought to evaluate whether ample resources were perceived to be available to disabled individuals in each country.

• 

  Disney's Adventure in Foreign Direct Investment: A Case Study of Hong Kong

  Jenna Maffei

  This thesis analyzes the foreign direct investment in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by the Walt Disney Company. Utilizing a unique cooperative partnership between the Walt Disney Company and Hong Kong Government, Hong Kong Disneyland represents a large service investment of the company in an attempt to penetrate the Chinese market. The case study of Hong Kong Disneyland as “greenfield” investment will evaluate the costs and benefits of introducing a large service product—initially produced in the home market (the USA) into the host market (Hong Kong SAR, PRC). Hong Kong Disneyland faced many challenges in penetrating the ‘amusement park’ market in Hong Kong, including tailoring the experience to a multi-lingual audience. But the larger challenge was adapting the product to the tastes and preferences of (predominantly) Asian customers. The thesis looks at the many aspects of this investment including the historical context of the host nation in order to evaluate it as a recipient of the unique American product; Disney had only invested this product in two countries prior to entering the Hong Kong market. Disney had to ‘go big or stay home’ and success was not and is not assured. The very metric—success—has to be evaluated from multiple perspectives: that of the firm, Disney; the home nation (the USA), and the host country (Hong Kong, PRC).

• 

  DMSO and Temperature Contributions to Synthesis of Silver Nano-Particles by the Bacterium Shewanella oneidensis

  Wei Zhong

  Nanomaterial are widely used in different areas such as optical device, drug delivery, chemicals, mechanics, magnetics, catalysis, energy science, Nano therapeutics and space industries depend on the special physical properties. However, most methods to produce nanoparticles are expensive or environmental unfriendly which can involve in toxic chemical. Another reason is that the nanoparticles from bio-based protocols are hydrophilic which is compatible with biological materials. In this project, we chose Shewanella oneidensis which is Gram-negative bacterium as the organism to produce sliver nanoparticles from sliver nitrate solution. The mechanism of bacterial of ion metal ion reduction to stable metal nanoparticles is unclear, but the NADH-dependent reeducates, quinines, and soluble electron-shuttles are thought to play an important role in metal reduction. This research focused on the temperature and DMSO affects the synthesis of silver nanoparticles by Shewanella Oneidensis. At various temperatures, the bio-activity of bacterium is different which can affect the silver nanoparticles reducing rate and the spherical size and nanoparticle geometry. DMSO is an aprotic, polar solvent which can penetrate skin and other membranes without damaging the cells. Due to this property of DMSO, DMSO was utilized as a co-solvent, which may change biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles. The synthesis processes were carried out at different temperatures and DMSO concentration and the nanoparticle formation monitored by using UV-vis spectrometer scans of the aqueous layer of reaction at 0 hr, 24 hr and 48 hr.

• 

  Does Time Fly or Drag? Maybe it Depends on How Long You Think it Takes

  Guiseppe G. Miranda, Maura E. Wolfe, Rachel M. Major

  The question for this research was to determine whether or not manipulating perceived time progression (PTP) would influence how individuals performed on a vigilance task (sustained focus of attention on a perceptual or auditory task). Past research by Sackett et al. (2010) showed that when participants experienced a task in a shorter amount of time than expected, they would rate that time passed more quickly, and that the task was more enjoyable and engaging. However, when the task took longer than the time expected, the opposite would be found for each type of rating. Expanding upon this research, the purpose of this study was to determine if the perceived workload and stress associated with a vigilance task depend upon the perceived temporal context in which that task is performed (Dillard et al., 2013). This was examined by creating a mismatch between the participants’ expectations about how long they would perform the task and the actual time they were engaged in the task (Sackett et al.). Specifically, participants completed a 12-minute vigilance task but were informed the task would last either 6 (time “drags”), 12, or 24 (time “flies”) minutes. In each of these conditions, the participants monitored a computer for the occurrence of a target letter (i.e., the letter “O”) within a repetitive series of non-target letters (i.e., a “D” or a mirrored “D”). Participants then provided subjective ratings of the workload associated with each condition. Since passing time is related to task demand, we expect to see one of two possibilities. The first is that in the time drags condition there will be an increase in perceived workload in comparison to that in the time flies condition (Dillard et al.). The second possibility is that vigilance tasks are going to be perceived as difficult regardless of the condition.

• 

  Do Stock Market Prices Co-Vary with Regional Manufacturing Activity: A Look at the Chicago Fed’s Manufacturing Activity Index

  Matt Putbrese, Ellen Lee

  A number of the Federal Reserve banks produce manufacturing activity indexes that measure the level and growth of manufacturing activity in their respective regions. The Chicago Federal Reserve’s Midwest Manufacturing index (CFMMI) is especially important because it captures a large portion of the activity in the auto industry. It also correlates well with the national manufacturing activity index. Finally because it is usually published before the Purchasing Managers’ report on future manufacturing activity, it can be considered a leading indicator. In this study we want to test the hypotheses that market and sector price indexes are positively related to the CFMMI. Using univarite regression models, we regress CFMMI on SPY, the S+P 500 ETF, as well as 10 S+P 500 sector ETF’s. Three periods of analyses are studied: (1) 2001-2012 (2) 2003-2007 and (3) 2009-2012. The two shorter run periods represent rebound/upswing periods after economic recessions. The year 2013 will be used as an outer sample forecasting period to determine if CFMMI is a leading predictor of market and sector price movements.

• 

  Earnings Momentum Shifts and Stock Price Movements for Flyer Fund Stocks

  Drew Imhoff, Matt Chkautovich

  Earnings momentum is often considered a key factor in stock price movements. In this study we look at changes in the compound quarterly growth rates over periods of four and eight quarters, and relate these to the price movements of 30 stocks from the Flyer Fund Portfolio. The period of an analyses covers two years from 8-31-11 to 8-31-13. Using cross sectional regression analyses, we identified the statistical relationship between sector price movements and variations in the compound manual growth rate in earnings period. We test the hypothesis that the slop coefficient of the univariate regressions are positive (i.e. b>0). The regressions are carried out separately for the eight quarter and four quarter CAGRs on stock price movements. A separate independent variable, the ratio of the four quarter CAGR to the eight quarter CAGR for each stock is also regressed on sector price movements. Meaningful R2s and statistically significant slope coefficients would suggest that CAGRs for short/intermediate time periods can be used as a selection factor in buying or selling stocks for the Flyer Fund Portfolio.

• 

  Effect of Compliant Flooring on Postural Stability in an Older Adult Population

  Renee Beach

  Balance is affected by the brain’s ability to process sensory information from an individual’s visual, vestibular and proprioceptive inputs. Neurological and elderly patients, including those with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), often have problems in these systems and therefore struggle with balance, putting them at a higher risk of falling. Initial studies have shown compliant floors are able to absorb energy from a fall, reducing injuries, but have not looked at how individuals recover from functional movements on the floors. It was the objective of this study to determine whether compliant flooring has an effect on postural stability during quiet-standing for a more diverse and more impaired population than previously studied as well as examine the effect of compliant flooring on postural stability following a dynamic, functional movement. Thirty healthy older adults and ten individuals with PD performed tasks such as the sit-to-stand transition while standing on a balance plate. From the collected center of pressure (COP) data A/P Sway Range, M/L Sway Range, Mean Velocity and Area of 95% Confidence Ellipse were calculated. It was found that compliant flooring caused increased sway (p<0.05) in all four parameters during quiet standing in healthy older adults and increased sway (p<0.05) in A/P Sway Range during quiet standing in older adults with PD. Stabilization immediately post-transition displayed increased sway upon completion of the movement, but there was no statistical differences between the flooring (p<0.05) for healthy older adults and older adults with PD. Overall although quiet standing differences were small in magnitude and the stabilization post-transition were non-significant, no clinical implications have been found for fall frequency on compliant floors. More work is necessary to determine the implications of compliant flooring during natural gait or transition areas.

• 

  Effect of State Policy on Prison

  Kathryn Schwaeble

  States often follow trends when enacting sentencing policy. After a trend of get tough on crime policy which placed more and more offenders in prison, many states are turning to justice reinvestment policies, a reversal of these tougher policies. If a state passes a justice reinvestment policy, there is expected to be a decrease in the prison population for the state. Data was collected for every state’s sentencing policy between 1979 and 2011, prison population between 1979 and 2011, as well as the crime rate for these years. Using statistics, it can be concluded that the presence of a justice reinvestment policy may cause a decrease in prison population. Those who influence sentencing policy at the state level have to consider the precarious balance between community safety and the financial burden of prison terms. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of particular sentencing policies, which can help with this decision-making process.

• 

  Effects of Moral Licensing on High-Cost and Low-Cost Helping Behaviors

  Kaitlin E. Boyd

  The present study examines the role of cost to self in moral licensing. Previous research shows that people who recall past moral behavior become morally licensed. That is, they are less likely to engage in future high-cost helping behaviors because they feel morally affirmed (Conway & Peetz, 2012). However, these findings are limited to contexts in which participants are asked their likelihood to engage in helping behaviors that are rather costly to the self (e.g., buying someone lunch). Thus far, research has not studied the effect of moral licensing on helping that is low in cost to the self (e.g., giving someone a few cents). Consistent with past research, it is predicted that moral licensing will lead to less helping in high-cost situations. Additionally, we are interested in whether the recall task also reduces helping in low-cost situations, or when the cost-to-self is low.

• 

  Effects of One's Attachment Style on Willingness and Reactions to Self-Sacrifice and Subsequent Relationship Satisfaction.

  Scott T. Wagoner, Adrianne C. Lewis

  One behavior used to sustain a relationship is self-sacrifice, and one’s willingness to sacrifice has been shown to be positively associated with relationship satisfaction (Van Lange et al., 1997). Depending on the motivations behind self-sacrifice, this practice can lead to improved or poorer couple functioning (Impett, Gable, & Peplau, 2005; Stanley, Whitton, Sadberry, Clements, & Markman, 2006). Those high in anxious attachment experience and express anger due to their fear of abandonment, whereas those high in avoidant attachment experience and express anger due to their avoidance of intimacy (Lafontaine & Lussier, 2005). The current study explored the possibility that level of anger would mediate the relationship between willingness to self-sacrifice and relationship satisfaction, and that the relationship between willingness to sacrifice and anger would be moderated by one’s level of anxious and avoidant attachment. Participants were 102 (46 male, 56 female) predominantly Caucasian students from a Midwestern University. Participants completed a scale developed by Van Lange et al. (1997) to assess willingness to self-sacrifice, the Relationship Assessment Scale (Hendrick, 1988) to assess relationship satisfaction, the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised questionnaire (Fraley, R. C., Waller, N. G., & Brennan, 2000) to assess adult attachment style, and the Arousal Subscale of the Multidimensional Anger Inventory (Siegel, 1986) to assess anger. Bootstrapping procedures described by Preacher and Hayes (2008) were used to test for moderated mediation. Results supported our hypotheses, indicating that, for those low in avoidant and anxious attachment, a greater willingness to sacrifice was negatively related to anger, which, in turn, was negatively related to relationship satisfaction. These results suggest that willingness to sacrifice for one’s partner, particularly when one’s attachment style is less insecure, positively predicts relationship satisfaction, and that this association is mediated by one’s level of anger. Limitations, future directions, and implications of the study will be discussed.

• 

  Embodied Cognition: A Study of Social Loneliness Compensation by Physical Warmth

  Emily A. Godshall

  The following study investigated embodied cognition and its effect on social loneliness compensation with physical warmth. Bargh and Shalev (2012) were able to support the notion of embodied cognition—our thoughts depend on our bodies and vice versa—suggesting that a socially lonely person will compensate for their loneliness with physical warmth, specifically warmer, more frequent and longer showers or baths. This also suggests an unconscious self-mechanism for the body and mind to self-regulate. This study also investigates embodied cognition in regard to social loneliness compensation with physical warmth, and also a further proposal that a person with higher sensitivity to their bodily sensations will show a great effect of compensation. Participants were drawn from an international sample, and instructed to complete a questionnaire designed to measure their physical warmth seeking, social loneliness and sensitivity to bodily sensations. Our results failed to suggest that lonely people seek physical warmth or that sensitivity to bodily sensations influences the relation between physical and social warmth. A redesign of the original study is currently being implemented.

• 

  Establishing Sector Weights for the UD Flyer Fund: A Quantitative Approach

  Joseph Skarbek

  Establishing Sector Weights for the UD Flyer Fund: A Quantitative Approach Since stocks in the Flyer Fund are grouped by S&P Sectors, an important factor in the Fund’s performance is the portfolio weight given to each sector. To a large extent, sector weights depend on the Flyer Fund investment team’s evaluation of U.S. macro-economic conditions as well as monetary/fiscal policy initiatives by the U.S. Government. The decision to over or under weight a given sector, however, is based more on intuition and subjective judgment than empirical analysis. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to develop a more objective framework for sector weightings with particular emphasis on the relationship between macro-economic activity and sector price movement. In essence, the hypothesis that I am testing is that sector price movements vary directly with the expansion and contraction of economic activity. As a measure of economic activity I chose to use the Chicago Fed’s National Activity Index (CFNAI). CFNAI is a weighted average of 85 macro-economic indicators and is considered by business economists to be a reliable indicator of U.S economic expansions and contractions. I will use the S&P sector ETF’s to obtain sector prices and price movements.

• 

  Evaluating Teacher Beliefs and Attitudes in High School Education

  Michaela Herrick

  Teachers are powerful agents of socialization to the students whom they instruct. Extensive research has been done on the impact of certain teaching styles, methods, and educational perspectives. However, lacking in many of these studies is the investigation of the relationship between a teacher’s educational beliefs and his or her personal beliefs, behaviors, and his or her ethical leanings. An evaluation of this relationship was undertaken through the use of survey research conducted in the Montgomery County Public School System of Ohio with full-time high school instructors. Schools from Montgomery Country Public Schools were selected using simple random sampling techniques. This survey ascertains how a teacher views the classroom setting and students, basic demographic information, educational background of the instructor, and behavioral questions that approximate ethical tendencies. Frequency analysis of responses indicates high occurrences of a feminist care ethic and of a deontological ethic in teacher perceptions. Analysis also reveals that respondents view their job as an educator is to be a facilitator to actively engaged students who possess a strong work ethic.

• 

  Examination of Host Range of Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages UT1, SN-T, and PEV@ for Treatment of Bacterial Biofilms in Fuels

  Kathleen Sellick, Caitlin Bojanowski

  Biofilms are slimy substances made up of bacteria that attach to surfaces. Biofilms can be found in natural settings (rocks in streams) and man-made environments (hospital catheters, pipelines). Biofilms are also found in aviation fuel tanks, causing physical issues such as clogging in fuel lines and changing the chemical makeup of the fuel via bacterial metabolism. Bacterial viruses, known as phage, show potential for reducing biofilms through phage therapy. The goal is to find a phage or combination of phage with a broad host range that would be most effective in reducing the biofilms of bacteria isolated from fuel tanks. Known phages UT1, SN-T, and PEV2 will be tested against these biofilms, both individually and in combination. Biofilms will be assayed for biomass (crystal violet staining) and colony-forming units (CFU) in the presence of phage or combination of phages to determine the amount of biofilm reduction.

• 

  Examining Acculturative Stressors of the International Student: Following Study Abroad Students in South Korea and Morocco

  Chin Yi Chen

  International students, particularly students studying abroad for a limited period of time, face certain challenges in entering and adjusting to a new cultural environment. This research focuses on different barriers to adjustment including language, differences in nonverbal communication, discrimination and academic pressure. By comparing and contrasting the perspectives of various students with the researcher’s experience, this research provides insight into the lived experience of international students and the researcher through on-site fieldwork and interviews conducted over a year on university campuses in South Korea and Morocco. It also discusses the results of the undertaken research and offers suggestions for resolving or minimizing these acculturative challenges.

• 

  Exercise and Birth Outcomes in Lower Socioeconomic Groups

  Sarah Gaskell

  Using the National Maternal and Infant Health Survey, this study will examine the impact of exercise on birth outcomes, specifically infant weight and infant death before one year. Results of this study will then be extended to pregnant women in lower socioeconomic groups and how programs could further improve birth outcomes and quality of life for women and children in this demographic.

• 

  Exploring Data-Driven Electricity Feedback on Energy Conservation Behavior in the University of Dayton Student Neighborhood

  Daniel R. Esposito

  In general, homeowners do not have a concrete idea of how much energy their houses are using at any given moment. This energy “invisibility” is thought to be a barrier toward people adopting more sustainable behaviors. This study involves installing energy monitors in houses in the University of Dayton student neighborhood to analyze two important questions: whether the monitors teach students about the relationship between their activities and energy consumption, and whether the monitors influence students to adjust their household behaviors. Ideally, conclusions will be drawn from quantitative data collected from the monitors and the university’s energy provider as well as from qualitative data acquired through the distribution of questionnaires. The results could have direct policy implications for the university, such as informing whether it would be worth investing in energy monitors for all student neighborhood properties.

• 

  Financial Market Conditions, Sector Price Movements: 2002-2012

  Jessica Thomas

  In this study I want to examine the relationship between market financial conditions and sector prices. The basis for the study is the 2008 financial crisis that started in the housing sector and spread to the banking system, culminating in a bank bailout by the U.S government. At the same time, the stock market experienced a major downswing in 2008 running through the 1st quarter, 2009. I plan to use the Chicago Federal Reserve’s National Financial Conditions Index (NFCI) as a proxy for financial conditions in the U.S. economy. NFCI is a weighted average of 100 financial and economic indicators. It is by far the broadest indicator of the state of financial stability in the U.S. NFCI essentially indicates whether financial conditions are tightening or loosening. The NFCI index can also be divided into three sub-indexes: (1) Risk (2) Credit and (3) Leverage. I will also examine their relationship with sector prices. The 10 S&P 500 exchange traded funds will be used to represent the 10 S&P sectors. The period of analysis is 2002-2013 with 2013 the out of sample period. Monthly data is used to examine the relationship between the NFCI and the 10 S&P 500 sectors.

• 

  First Year Chinese Student Engagement in Residence Halls: A Mixed Methods Study

  Jamie Chong Brown

  Social adjustment is tumultuous for first year international students, especially for those living in residence halls. Yet, research focused specifically on international residents in this environment is lacking (Paltridge et al., 2010). This mixed methods study assessed first year Chinese students perception of racial climate in the residence halls at a mid-sized, Midwestern private institution. The quantitative results indicated that the students’ perceptions of a positive racial climate directly impacted their personal and social learning outcomes. Students’ first impression of the hall environment impacted how they subsequently perceived the sense of community. The qualitative analysis revealed aspects of the social adjustment and help-seeking behavior of Chinese students, their perception of American culture and peers, and adjustment process to life in the U.S. Results suggest that the participants’ stringent high school experiences positively influenced their adjustment into residential hall living. Preferring informal interactions with peers to hall programs, students may not fully capture the learning opportunities that are intentionally offered for in the residence halls. With insights on Chinese student perception and experiences, practitioners can tailor programming and educational initiatives to engage them.

• 

  Free Trade as Neocolonialism: CAFTA, the United States and Guatemala

  Maggie Reuter

  In today’s world, free trade is seen as a forgone conclusion in the march towards economic development. The origin of free trade agreements rests in the neoliberalist surge of the twentieth century based upon finding a middle ground between central planning and laissez-faire capitalism. As the twentieth century progressed, neoliberalism and the ideas associated with it fell more to the side of laissez-faire capitalism. Free trade agreements between developed and developing countries demonstrate a play of power on behalf of the developed countries that seems unfair. There are stories that are not told about free trade agreements. Economic data analysis in the years since the implementation of the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) demonstrates the inequality that exists in the creation of free trade agreements between developed countries—in this case the United States—and developing countries like Guatemala.

• 

  Gross Operating, Profit Momentum, and Stock Price Movement in the Cross Section of Returns in a Short Term Analysis

  Erik Kurcz, Steve Staffan

  A number of recent academic studies have concluded that gross operating profits are a useful predictor of stock price movement, when examined in the cross section of returns. In this study we focus on momentum shifts in gross operating profits in a recent earnings period: August 31, 2011 through August 31, 2013. 30 stocks similar to the UD Flyer Fund are used for the analysis. We calculate compound annual growth rates (CAGR) in gross operating profits for 4 and 8 quarter periods . The operating profit data comes from the Bloomberg Financial Database. Using cross sectional regression analysis, we regress the 4th and 8th quarter CAGRs on the stock price changes over the same respective periods. The hypothesis to be tested is that the stock price movements are directly related to gross operating profit momentum, i.e. the Sharpe coefficient is greater than 0.

• 

  Growth Kinetics of Carbon Microcoils

  Muneaki Hikita

  Carbon is one of the most versatile materials of the periodic table and exists in various allotropic forms and shapes including fullerene, carbon nanotube, graphene. Coiled carbon filaments exhibit very attractive morphology and properties such as absorption of electromagnetic waves and high conductivity because of their shape and carbon structure. Bidirectionally grown double helical carbon microcoils (CMCs) are one type of coiled carbon filaments with unique catalytic activity. In this study, CMCs were synthesized using a chemical vapor deposition method. Growth mechanism of CMCs was explained by a simple exponential catalyst decay model.

• 

  Heat Transfer Coefficient Correlations for Pumparound Sections of Petroleum Fractionation Towers

  Bryan Sigward

  The accuracy of several empirical correlations for estimating heat transfer coefficients within pumparound sections of atmospheric and vacuum petroleum fractionation towers was investigated. The heat transfer coefficients were estimated according to the C.F. Braun correlation for trayed pumparounds and the atmospheric and vacuum Glitsch correlations for packed pumparounds. From these correlations, heat transfer coefficients were estimated for 43 different petroleum fractionator pumparounds based on operating data gathered from nine refineries around the globe. The accuracy of the correlations was evaluated by comparing the estimated heat transfer coefficients to actual values calculated from operating data. Results showed that while the C.F. Braun correlation did not have any accuracy biases, it was also not very precise and had a large amount of variation in how well it could predict actual heat transfer coefficient values. Results also showed that while the two Glitsch correlations were both relatively precise, they both had accuracy biases. The atmospheric Glitsch correlation has a conservative underprediction bias, while the vacuum Glitsch correlation has an optimistic overprediction bias for heat transfer coefficients.

• 

  High Resolution 3D Reconstruction Using a Hexacopter Drone

  Lauren Milliken, Evan Krieger, Yakov Diskin

  One of the greatest challenges in developing automation algorithms for aerial surveillance applications is the difficult of gathering data. Algorithm developers rely on infrequent and expensive test flights for obtain imagery datasets. As a result of the status quo, algorithms tend to be gear towards and perform well on specific imagery sets. We present the Hexacopter Drone, the Vision Lab’s newly acquired unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), used for inexpensive collection of aerial imagery data for various research activities. The UAV, a TurboAce Cinewing 6 hexacopter, carries a Canon 5D Mark III mounted to a separately controlled gimbal and has a flight time of up to 25 minutes. The body is a triple deck carbon fiber structure that is durable and lightweight, foldable arms allow for easy transport and the 15 inch extra heavy duty carbon fiber propellers are resistant to flexing and warping under heavier payloads. A transmitter allows the operator to view a live feed of the video during flight, and the hexacopter and the camera gimbal can both be separately controlled during flight with 2 transmitters. The Naza V2 GPS on board of the UAV allows for auto-stabilization, GPS course-lock, and Return-to-Home features for flying. While using GPS control, the pilot can keep the hexacopter at a certain position using the auto-stabilization feature in order to focus on the camera controls and the image capturing. Utilizing those components, the objective of this project is to create high resolution 3D reconstruction model of vehicles. The hexacopter has the ability to capture a 360° view of vehicles or other objects, and this data can be used as the input to a 3D reconstruction algorithm, namely Dense Point-cloud Presentation (DPR). We present 3D models of scenes that are computed using video captured by the hexacopter.

• 

  Human Re-Identification in Multi-Camera Systems

  Kevin Krucki, Binu Nair

  This research involves live human re-identification on multi-camera systems. Each frame of multiple cameras needs to be captured and analyzed with image processing methods. First, a histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) is performed to identify a person in each frame. Next, Local Binary Pattern (LBP) descriptors are used on each person to determine certain set features about then. Lastly, a red, green, blue (RGB) color histogram is performed on a specific body mask. Each body is then given a label based on their LBP and color histogram information and that label will be sent to a database. This label should be the same across all the cameras. The process should also happen live. The research will include analysis of the difference between using a static body mask and using pose estimation for a more accurate color histogram. Also, regional descriptors will be used to better describe the human body. Lastly, the difference between YCrCb and RGB color histograms will be shown.