So I am going to finally write a blog that doesn't mention snow. Of course, this could be because this is the first time we haven't had any. Don't worry we had 2.5 - 3 inches on Tuesday afternoon and evening. However, I was excited to see a little bit of sun this morning when I woke up (instead of the typical gray-ness). Maybe finally some of the roads will finally get cleared of the packet snow. The expressway was just a little wet when I was out this morning - which is wasn't when I went home yesterday.
This morning I was reminded of an interesting topic that I hadn't thought about in a couple years - Huffman coding. This method is used in compression for jpegs and mp3s. It is funny how we use these things all the time, but we don't really think about it. The method is very simply and very effective. Basically, you rank each item by the number of times it occurs. You give the fequently repeated items a short encoding. Things that occur less often get longer encodings. Therefore, reducing the over all space by approximately 25%. Simple. Straight-forward. Ducky.
Complete side note: I purchased a salad for lunch. It came with a packet of dressing (1.5 oz). How on earth do they pack 210 calories into that thing? The dressing is no where near 210 calories of yumminess. Therefore, I only used about 1/2 of the package. But still. Next time I am bringing my own light dressing from home.
Well, I better get back to work. I have to read a book on fuzzy logic - not my first book. I have been reading several on and off. However, I figured I would try to read this one (Fuzzy Logic: Intelligence, Control, and Information by Yen and Langari) all the way through.
I also need to create a help guide for my students for functions and sub procedures. They have an assignment coming up and I know this concept always causes confusion. It is the nice thing about teaching a class again. You have a better idea some of the issues before hand. Of course, each term they manage to still surprise me!
Thanks for stopping by and reading! Happy sunshine (and lack of snow)!
Showing posts with label fuzzy logic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fuzzy logic. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Blizzard-Like Snow
Last night Michigan was hit with some pretty big storms. First, we had thunderstorms followed by a couple of inches of snow. The worst is the 50 mph gusts! My car was under my covered parking space and still got an inch of snow on it. 100's of schools and businesses are closed on this side of the state. The bad weather warnings didn't end until noon. Yet, I am writing this from my office...
Yes, I happen to be at one of the places that didn't close. Yes, I did have class. I did notice that attendance does appear to be small and there are not a lot of students around. Oh and it is still snowing and windy (we have a blowing snow advistory). Oh and they think there is more snow coming. Lovely.
Anyway, it is suppose to get better in the afternoon (at least for a little bit). So I figured I would go ahead and have my office hours anyway. I was already here and everything. However, becuase of the weather I am highly doubting that anyone is going to come.
Other than the weather, everything is going well. I am keeping myself busy with research. As a related side note, there is a paper using fuzzy logic to explain the golden ratio. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it looks cool. I was actually looking for something else when I stumpled over this paper.
Well, I better get back to fuzzifying data. Yep, fuzzification and de-fuzzification. Eyes glazed over yet? ;-)
Yes, I happen to be at one of the places that didn't close. Yes, I did have class. I did notice that attendance does appear to be small and there are not a lot of students around. Oh and it is still snowing and windy (we have a blowing snow advistory). Oh and they think there is more snow coming. Lovely.
Anyway, it is suppose to get better in the afternoon (at least for a little bit). So I figured I would go ahead and have my office hours anyway. I was already here and everything. However, becuase of the weather I am highly doubting that anyone is going to come.
Other than the weather, everything is going well. I am keeping myself busy with research. As a related side note, there is a paper using fuzzy logic to explain the golden ratio. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it looks cool. I was actually looking for something else when I stumpled over this paper.
Well, I better get back to fuzzifying data. Yep, fuzzification and de-fuzzification. Eyes glazed over yet? ;-)
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Random Rambles...
"Nero Wolfe gets what Nero Wolfe wants, or he throws a tantrum and I get fired." - Archie ("A Nero Wolfe Mystery")
"Photos Taken of 'Living Fossil' in Laos"
This must be a very popular area of study: "Wine researchers at U.S. university seek genetic answers to ancient headaches"
OK, is it just me or doesn't almost everything "contribute" to global warming? "Night flights contribute to global warming, says new study"
It has been a long and interesting week. I actually came out to school a day early for scheduling reasons. I will be happy to get back to the quiet neightborhood of my parents. Actually, my apartmnet complex is pretty quiet, except for the sprinklers spraying the window of my bedroom at 12:10 am. It tends to get a little annoying because it lasts for like 20 minutes. I have been getting up earlier in the mornings and hence trying to go to bed earlier so I can still function without large amounts of caffine.
My only really good news (worthy of sharing) is the fact that I finally fixed one (of many) problems I was having with my FuzzyJ code. I had declared the fuzzy variable range to be between 1 and 100. I then was getting an error about the value being outside the set of disclosure. It turned out that I needed the fuzzy variable to be between 0 and 100. I would say the whole thing was pretty funny if I hadn't spent 2 days trying to find the problem.
(Shaking fist a code/computer while yelling bah!) Anyway, that problem fixed. Now I just have to fix the rest of it...
"Photos Taken of 'Living Fossil' in Laos"
This must be a very popular area of study: "Wine researchers at U.S. university seek genetic answers to ancient headaches"
OK, is it just me or doesn't almost everything "contribute" to global warming? "Night flights contribute to global warming, says new study"
It has been a long and interesting week. I actually came out to school a day early for scheduling reasons. I will be happy to get back to the quiet neightborhood of my parents. Actually, my apartmnet complex is pretty quiet, except for the sprinklers spraying the window of my bedroom at 12:10 am. It tends to get a little annoying because it lasts for like 20 minutes. I have been getting up earlier in the mornings and hence trying to go to bed earlier so I can still function without large amounts of caffine.
My only really good news (worthy of sharing) is the fact that I finally fixed one (of many) problems I was having with my FuzzyJ code. I had declared the fuzzy variable range to be between 1 and 100. I then was getting an error about the value being outside the set of disclosure. It turned out that I needed the fuzzy variable to be between 0 and 100. I would say the whole thing was pretty funny if I hadn't spent 2 days trying to find the problem.
(Shaking fist a code/computer while yelling bah!) Anyway, that problem fixed. Now I just have to fix the rest of it...
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
It's Wednesday...
"Winds in the east, mist coming in, Like somethin' is brewin' and bout to begin. Can't put me finger on what lies in store, But I fear what's to happen all happened before." - Bert (Mary Poppins)*
I honestly don't have anything to tell. I have been working on research and teaching. The students are working on classes and overloading operators. Fun stuff todo, not so fun on the teaching aspect. You feel like you have gone over the same couple topics so many times...with so many students...it gets to be interesting. Of course, I know have my little "speal" memorized. Would you like to hear it? No, I wouldn't either if I were you. It's not that good - honest.
Otherwise, I have spending a bit of time reading all about The Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy system. I am trying to write this program see - for research see - and well at least I sort have a little bit of understanding regarding fuzzy stuff. I know a lot more the fuzzy terms now which helps a lot when I am reading some of the papers. Still have a long way to go.
Links to articles I thought you might find interesting:
"Scientists develop algorithm for ultra-secret security technique"
"Researchers uncover earliest dental work in this hemisphere"
"Microsoft Adds Webcams To Hardware Line"
"Two Butterfly Species Evolved Into Third, Study Finds"
*I absolutely love the Mary Poppins movie. I have read the books that the movie was based. Of course, the movie makes Mary Poppins a much more lovable character then the books. Anyway, the point is, yes I like the movie and there is no point in smirking at me regarding it. You know who you are. For everyone else, please continue having a bright and shiney day! Thanks for stopping by :-D
I honestly don't have anything to tell. I have been working on research and teaching. The students are working on classes and overloading operators. Fun stuff todo, not so fun on the teaching aspect. You feel like you have gone over the same couple topics so many times...with so many students...it gets to be interesting. Of course, I know have my little "speal" memorized. Would you like to hear it? No, I wouldn't either if I were you. It's not that good - honest.
Otherwise, I have spending a bit of time reading all about The Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy system. I am trying to write this program see - for research see - and well at least I sort have a little bit of understanding regarding fuzzy stuff. I know a lot more the fuzzy terms now which helps a lot when I am reading some of the papers. Still have a long way to go.
Links to articles I thought you might find interesting:
"Scientists develop algorithm for ultra-secret security technique"
"Researchers uncover earliest dental work in this hemisphere"
"Microsoft Adds Webcams To Hardware Line"
"Two Butterfly Species Evolved Into Third, Study Finds"
*I absolutely love the Mary Poppins movie. I have read the books that the movie was based. Of course, the movie makes Mary Poppins a much more lovable character then the books. Anyway, the point is, yes I like the movie and there is no point in smirking at me regarding it. You know who you are. For everyone else, please continue having a bright and shiney day! Thanks for stopping by :-D
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Defuzzification
EDIT: "Review leads to sweeping changes in grad programs". The part that caught my attention: "Eight doctoral programs and 13 master's programs will be eliminated. Programs at the doctoral level that are slated for elimination are: applied economics, clinical psychology, comparative religion, computer science, public administration, school psychology, Spanish and statistics." Of course, I have 7 years to actually finish my degree, but it was a shocking read. Absolutely shocking.
"When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail." - Lotfi Zadeh
Nope, I am not making defuzzification up. It really is a word...well it is a word in the world of fuzzy logic anyway. Basically defuzzification means finding the answer based on a bunch of fuzzy rules. (Still don't believe me? I'm not making it up. If I was going to make something up I would pick something way better than that).
Well here are some articles you might find interesting:
Sports meets science: "Physicists: Here's how Beckham bends it"
"Software Adds Age To Photographs of Faces" - one of the reasons I linked to this site was the inventive ad which looks like the corner of the page bend down. It was the first time I had either seen (or noticed) that kind of ad. Anyway, I thought it was kind of ducky. Completely pointless, but ducky all the same.
Computers making the world a better place for all creatures: "Can computer models replace animal testing?"
Google-fied: "Google Web Toolkit - Build AJAX apps in the Java language"
"Scientists Reveal How Signals Travel Through Rats' Whiskers"
Oh and complete side note, in C# you can't print a square root symbol to the console. If you try to print the unicde for the square root symbol you actually get a ?a I believe. Not like that is useful info or anything...unless you are a grad student and one of your students ask you something like that. Luckily, I haven't gotten anymore good but off the wall questions.
Well, I have to go post up the next assignment for lab tomorrow and a few other little things like that. So I will just type myself off into the sunset....
(I have no idea where I was going with that...but whatever...)
"When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail." - Lotfi Zadeh
Nope, I am not making defuzzification up. It really is a word...well it is a word in the world of fuzzy logic anyway. Basically defuzzification means finding the answer based on a bunch of fuzzy rules. (Still don't believe me? I'm not making it up. If I was going to make something up I would pick something way better than that).
Well here are some articles you might find interesting:
Sports meets science: "Physicists: Here's how Beckham bends it"
"Software Adds Age To Photographs of Faces" - one of the reasons I linked to this site was the inventive ad which looks like the corner of the page bend down. It was the first time I had either seen (or noticed) that kind of ad. Anyway, I thought it was kind of ducky. Completely pointless, but ducky all the same.
Computers making the world a better place for all creatures: "Can computer models replace animal testing?"
Google-fied: "Google Web Toolkit - Build AJAX apps in the Java language"
"Scientists Reveal How Signals Travel Through Rats' Whiskers"
Oh and complete side note, in C# you can't print a square root symbol to the console. If you try to print the unicde for the square root symbol you actually get a ?a I believe. Not like that is useful info or anything...unless you are a grad student and one of your students ask you something like that. Luckily, I haven't gotten anymore good but off the wall questions.
Well, I have to go post up the next assignment for lab tomorrow and a few other little things like that. So I will just type myself off into the sunset....
(I have no idea where I was going with that...but whatever...)
Friday, May 12, 2006
Friday Fun...
"Let me teach you a trick: if you look people in the eye, they won't notice what you're wearing." - Nick Mercer (The Wedding Date)
It is Friday! I taught my first lab of the summer session on Thursday. It went pretty smoothly. Now I am reading up on fuzzy logic. It is slightly connected to some research I am working on. OK, that is wacky...I am doing research...ducky.
On Thursday I went shopping. I bought more black shoes :-) Well, one pair was sandals. However, in my defense they were clearance shoes...the 75% off kind. Let's just move on shall we?
Links (which is the real reason you all come to my blog):
"For a Bigger Hard-drive, Just Add Water"
Why the internet exists reson 273: "The Crustastun – World’s first Humane Electronic Crustacean Stunner"
New Google service: Google Trends
Music to blog by: also on Thursday I picked up the soundtrack to The Da Vinci Code. Simply excellent.
It is Friday! I taught my first lab of the summer session on Thursday. It went pretty smoothly. Now I am reading up on fuzzy logic. It is slightly connected to some research I am working on. OK, that is wacky...I am doing research...ducky.
On Thursday I went shopping. I bought more black shoes :-) Well, one pair was sandals. However, in my defense they were clearance shoes...the 75% off kind. Let's just move on shall we?
Links (which is the real reason you all come to my blog):
"For a Bigger Hard-drive, Just Add Water"
Why the internet exists reson 273: "The Crustastun – World’s first Humane Electronic Crustacean Stunner"
New Google service: Google Trends
Music to blog by: also on Thursday I picked up the soundtrack to The Da Vinci Code. Simply excellent.
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