Security Applications of Optical Face Recognition System: Access Control in E-Learning

The educational system has gradually shifted from a face-to-face to an e-learning system, which has become prevalent in advanced countries with the advance of information technology, and connection of global networks. Accordingly, a growing demand is emerging for more reliable individual certification with technical precision in order to measure and record learning achievements and credentials of participants. The present system has a limit in terms of registration capacity, therefore, its accuracy has often been questioned. Against this background, an individual certification system is proposed particularly for access control in e-learning. Under our proposed system, a compact optical correlator for facial recognition is employed. This correlator was previously tested for of biometrics authentication accuracy and proved highly reliable, having recorded remarkably low error rates (below 1%). The recorded error rate is sufficiently robust that the system itself can be regarded as a valid and practical viable attestation system.     

A new dimension in thermal analysis

Summary An enormous development has taken place within the last five years in synchronous teaching over the Internet, i.e. both the teacher and the students are simultaneously in direct communication with each other as in a normal class-room or auditorium. With this concept it is possible to communicate orally, to exchange Power Point Presentations, documents, programmes and live web-camera pictures. It is even possible to use an electronic black board on which both the teacher and the students can work simultaneously. The great advantage with this type of teaching is that it is not restricted to a single class-room/auditorium with limited access, but in a virtual room accessible to everybody in principle all over the world, and which certainly open up new possibilities in teaching. The purpose of this paper is to present and to discuss the concept of virtual class-room teaching, how the system operates in practice, its advantages and, finally, how its inherent limitations can be overcome.     

多模态教学模式在“食品理化检验”中的应用

基于学生自主学习能力的培养,为更好地帮助并引导学生理解晦涩难懂、枯燥抽象的知识点,以我校卫生检验与检疫专业65名学生为研究对象,将食品理化检验课程的部分章节内容采用多模态教学模式,其余内容采用传统讲授教学模式,课程结束后使用统一问卷进行调查,对多模态教学效果进行评价。结果表明2种教学模式在理解抽象实验技术或仪器、活跃课堂气氛、拓宽学习思路以及培养学习兴趣、自主学习能力和解决实际问题能力等方面均有统计学差异(p＜0.05),且有95%的学生建议继续采用多模态教学模式。教学实践及其效果评价证明多模态教学对理解抽象问题等有一定的促进作用,并可唤起学生学习兴趣、培养学生解决实际问题的能力、拓宽学习思路等。     

A role for M -matrices in modelling population growth

Adopting a discrete-time cohort-type model to represent the dynamics of a population, the problem of achieving a desired total size of the population under a balanced growth (contraction) and the problem of maintaining the desired size, once achieved, are studied. Properties of positive-time systems and M-matrices are used to develop the results, which are illustrated using simple examples. The material is presented in a format that makes it appropriate as background material for interesting applications based modelling assignments on undergraduate programmes in the mathematical sciences, applied sciences, economics and technology. All relevant properties of both positive-time systems and M-matrices are presented and clarified at the outset.     

Teaching mathematical modelling in microeconomics

Three modelling excercises from microeconomics are presented, both as examples of a methodology for teaching economics to mathematically inclined students, and as a vehicle for teaching modelling as a general skill. The first exercise, a price adjustment model for perfect competition, is given in detail within a formulation/solution/generalization/validation scheme with suggestions for an interactive teaching strategy. The results of giving the exercise to a second‐year BSc class in Mathematics and Computing are reported. Outlines of two further exercises relating to oligopoly and related models are given, and an Appendix provides a series of graduated problems for the first of these exercises.