Month: March 2018
First Film, Games and Mobile Business Network starts in Germany
The International business network gafimo.net –
the mobile, film, games network launches today in
germany. Matthias Pieper, 23, CEO of gafimo.net
is on the move to find as many professionals from
the mobile content, film and games-development
branches as possible to bring them together. “It
is clear that these industries have to work
together in the future” Pieper says. He knows,
what he¥s talking about: after years of working
on the games workforce (giga, etc.) he has
studied film production and often finds himself
between the branches. “Those people are working
on the same topics, using similiar software,
storytellingtools, and so on” he says, “but
hardly know each other and therefore can¥t be of
help to one another”. Also Pieper believes that
since the devices of games, mobile and film are
merging (playstations, PCs, etc) there has to be
a business-network to combine these industries.
More info’s and free registrations (restricted to
pros) please join our live seminar
Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR): A State-of-the-Art Review
Abstract:
Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) is the extraction of vehicle license plate information from an image or a sequence of images. The extracted information can be used with or without a database in many applications, such as electronic payment systems (toll payment, parking fee payment), and freeway and arterial monitoring systems for traffic surveillance. The ALPR uses either a color, black and white, or infrared camera to take images. The quality of the acquired images is a major factor in the success of the ALPR. ALPR as a real-life application has to quickly and successfully process license plates under different environmental conditions, such as indoors, outdoors, day or night time. It should also be generalized to process license plates from different nations, provinces, or states. These plates usually contain different colors, are written in different languages, and use different fonts; some plates may have a single color background and others have background images. The license plates can be partially occluded by dirt, lighting, and towing accessories on the car. In this paper, we present a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art techniques for ALPR. We categorize different ALPR techniques according to the features they used for each stage, and compare them in terms of pros, cons, recognition accuracy, and processing speed. Future forecasts of ALPR are given at the end.
Published in:
Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, IEEE Transactions on (Volume:23 , Issue: 2 )
- Page(s):
- 311 – 325
- ISSN :
- 1051-8215
- INSPEC Accession Number:
- 13270696
- DOI:
- 10.1109/TCSVT.2012.2203741
- Date of Publication :
- 07 June 2012
- Date of Current Version :
- 01 February 2013
- Issue Date :
- Feb. 2013
- Sponsored by :
- IEEE Circuits and Systems Society
- Publisher:
- IEEE
- Download the paper here Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR): A State-of-the-Art Review
Link to the list of other Peer Journal Publications
Reference: Shan Du; Ibrahim, M.; Shehata, M.; Badawy, W., “Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR): A State-of-the-Art Review,” IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, vol.23, no.2, pp.311,325, Feb. 2013.
On-Chip Electrical Field Sensing For Lab-On-A-Chip Applications
Authors: Yehya H. Ghallab, and Wael Badawy
Abstract: This paper presents a novel CMOS electric field sensor, termed as a Differential Electric Field Sensitive Field Effect Transistor (DeFET). It’s based on a standard 0.18μm CMOS technology. The DeFET shows a sensitivity of 76 μA/V/μm. Also, the DefET’s theory of operation is presented and discussed. Both the experimental and simulation results confirm the DeFET’s theory of operation is presented.
Link to the paper
Link to download the ECS Trans.-2006-Badawy-1-15
Link to the list of other Peer Journal Publications
Reference: Yehya H. Ghallab, and Wael Badawy, “On-chip Electrical Field Sensing for Lab-on-a-chip applications“, ElectroChemical Transaction, 1, (28) 1 (2006), pp. 1-15.
Do You Get Attention With Your 30-Second Introduction?
<b>I went to a networking event the other day</b> where the meeting leader said, “Weíre going to skip doing the 30-second introductions today because mineís so bad and it doesnít work that it nauseates me.” I thought to myself, WOW! Iíd skip the next networking meeting until Iíd worked out a new introduction.
<b>Do you get attention with your introduction?</b> Are you prepared to introduce yourself at your next networking event or for when someone ask, “What do you do?” Consider these tips for developing an attention getting introduction.
<b>1. Start With The First 10 Seconds.</b> What if 10 seconds is all you get? Does your first sentence tell your listener enough so they understand what you do and inspire them to want to know more? Hereís the simple, but effective approach. “I work with [type of clients] who have [these types of problems, issues or challenges].” Thatís it. Donít try to sugar it up or make it real catchy.
<b>2. Avoid the What You Are Approach.</b> “Iím an accountant” or “Iím a marketing consultant” or “Iím a financial planner” or “Iím a growth coach”. Youíve heard them time and again. Youíve probably even done it yourself. The problem is your listener(s) may not understand what the title means or even worse they may fill in an incorrect definition.
<b>3. Avoid the What You Do Approach.</b> “I do small business accounting including sales tax and payroll” or “I provide business owners with mentoring and training in comprehensive strategies to improve bottom line results…” Tends to be boring and doesnít help the listener(s) understand what they get as a result.
<b>4. Say How You Solved a Problem or Served a Client.</b> Reinforce your first 10 second sentence with a second sentence that shows how you solved a problem or overcame a particular issue or challenge. “I help mid-sized accounting firms plan big conferences on a small budget. I just recently lined up free live entertainment for a firm that hosted 500 people in town last week.”
<b>5. Tell Them Why You Are Unique.</b> What makes you stand out from the crowd? Maybe itís a unique model or approach for better results, focus on a specific niche, a guarantee, or extras that others donít provide. There are many ways to define your uniqueness that will help gain attention and make you memorable.
<b>Make your introduction an attention getter.</b> Start with the first 10 seconds. You can always build from there once it starts getting attention. Actually write it down and practice out loud several times until you can just say it naturally.
Beware – Borders and Boundaries
Have you ever had someone get right up in your face when they are talking to you? So close in fact that a letter “S’ results in an unwanted shower? Often when we are out networking, we find ourselves in a loud environment as people try to talk louder to be heard over people trying to talk louder to be heard. This results in a roar that makes regular conversation difficult.
The temptation in this atmosphere is to get very close to another person so they can hear you and you them. This can result in being too close to another person sometimes making them very uncomfortable. This discomfort is heightened when we have been consuming alcohol and the person we are talking to have not.
Each of us has our own comfort zone boundary. This is a space around us that when another person enters we begin to feel uncomfortable. A good way to relate to this is to remember if you have ever had an argument where someone got right up in your face and possibly even pointed their finger very near to it. Remember how that made you feel? In most cases it makes a person feel more angry.
In a networking environment it is important to maintain a distance from a person that you are talking to. This distance should be almost an arms length. Most peoples comfort boundary is about the length of their arm. If you find yourself getting very close to someone in conversation, imagine if you raised your arm and that is the distance that you should be from the other person. If they move closer to you in the course of conversation, it is acceptable to them to be closer. If it is acceptable to you then continue with the conversation at that distance.
You can sometimes tell if you are standing too close to someone if they seem to be moving back while you are talking to them. If they appear to be getting further away from you, do not move to be closer to them. They will stop when they reach the distance that they are comfortable with. If they turn and walk away of course it is time to find someone else to talk to.
To be most effective in your attempts to build relationships with others, it is most important to keep these things in mind. Remember that it makes no difference what you say to a person if they are not engaged in the conversation. Good observance of boundaries can give you the edge you need to make networking work.
More info’s and free registrations (restricted to pros), join our live seminar
Business Networking and Marketing Ups and Downs
The last couple of days have been beautiful, the weather near perfect and some of us are suffering from spring fever while others are simply struggling with the pollen levels. This time of the year reminds me that summer is coming and things are about to slow down ñ in networking. I would like to take just a moment and discuss this trend and what I believe may be the cause of it.
Letís begin in the fall. At this time of the year we are working feverishly trying to procure new business because we realize that around the holidays things will slow down. As December draws near, some of us become preoccupied with things like parties and shopping and our attention turns from building our business. Others find it increasingly difficult to make contact as people begin long vacations.
Then the holidays pass. We put our marketing and networking efforts into high gear, going to several meetings a week, trying to get things cranked up again. The result is increased business and increased profits. Have you ever noticed that in the early part of February that things begin to pick up almost at a maddening pace? When this occurs, unless we are prepared for growth, we start to back off on our promotions as we scramble to complete the work that has been generated by our marketing efforts.
In effect, we stop networking. We lose contact with those we have been making and asking for referrals, and they begin to feel as if we are not interested in them any longer. When this happens, they may look for someone else to refer when that target prospect comes along.
By early to mid summer, we are starting to crawl out from under the workload and we again look for opportunities. Unfortunately, the vacations have started again as children are released from school for the summer. Thus it is very difficult once again to find the contacts that were out there just before our business picked up again late last winter.
By mid August, school is back in session and people are coming back out into the networking world again. Of course we are seeing some of the same people that were there before, but there are also a lot of new faces as well. Because we had slacked off from our promotion efforts, we were not there to greet the new faces as they started their new business. So the people who have a balanced networking and marketing strategy are there to greet them.
These are the people who have businesses that seem to be growing. They have a marketing and networking plan that is consistent year round. When many businesses are experiencing that new business rush in the spring, these business owners are ready to absorb the new business with new employees or temporary help. They realize that to maintain growth means to be ready for any upswing in the economy that could propel their business to the next level.
So how do we accomplish this? First plan for growth. Have a system ready for when you have more business than you can handle so that there is help you can call. This is managed by building relationships with temp agencies, headhunters, and placement firms. Hire people on a contractor basis if necessary. This saves money on benefits and salaries when thing are a bit slower. It also reduces the amount of paperwork when it comes to payroll processing and taxes.
Next, develop a plan for networking that is manageable. Set a goal for the amount of meetings that you would attend when business is just OK and stick to it when business gets better. Attend functions year round, even during the holiday seasons.
Plan vacations when necessary, but donít assume that everyone is going on vacation simply because it is summer. Most people have to accommodate the schedules of others and entire companies usually do not go on vacation at the same time. Notice that larger corporations always have staff on hand to do business while an employee is on vacation. Also take note that large corporations do not stop promoting just because it is the month of July or December. They are consistent year round.
The lesson here is that, if you want to grow into a large company, take a look at what large companies do. Emulate them if they are successful and you may be able to duplicate their success. You must be constantly marketing, networking and promoting to ensure consistent business year round. If you decide to slack off now because business is good, I guarantee that when autumn comes you will be working twice as hard to get things going again. If, on the other hand, you keep on consistently marketing the way you did when times were slow, you should be able to experience the growth of both your company and your bank account during the entire year.
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The Supreme Court of Canada
Like most western democracies, Canada has an all-powerful supreme court sitting at the top of its judicial hierarchy with the power to overrule all lower-ranking courts, and even Parliament itself. Consisting of nine elderly and experienced judges, the Supreme Court only hears appeal cases which it deems to present an important constitutional question that deserves clarification. Most commonly, these are cases in which an accused Canadian believes an existing law, of which he has been found guilty, should not be a law at all, because it contradicts some fundamental human right protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The ability to overturn laws of Parliament is a very dramatic power, and the Supreme Court is one of the most powerful political institutions in Canada for this reason. Rulings of the Supreme Court are closely watched and covered by the Canadian media and can often generate enormous controversy. For example:
- In the case of The Queen v. Morgentaler (1988), the Court ruled the government cannot prevent Canadian women from having access to an abortion.
- In the case of The Queen v. Keegstra (1990), the Court ruled that Canadians can be legally punished for making “hate speech.”
- In the case of Rodriguez v. British Columbia (1993), the Court ruled it’s illegal to help a sick person commit suicide.
In recent years, it has also become commonplace for the federal government to ask the Supreme Court of Canada to occasionally rule on things without the pretext of a trial. Such requests are known as Supreme Court “references.” They’re non-binding, but still help clarify the law. For instance:
- In Reference re: secession of Quebec (1998), the Court ruled that the province of Quebec could not legally separate from Canada without the approval of the Canadian government.
- In Reference re: same-sex marriage (2004), the Court ruled that marriage between two men or two women was constitutional.
- In Reference re: Senate reform (2014), the Court set out the constitutional rules for reforming the Senate of Canada.
The nine judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the prime minister, and serve until age 75, so at any given time the Supreme Court is a medley of many different appointments of many different administrations. Traditionally, prime ministers put a great deal of effort into ensuring the court always maintains a fair geographic balance, with at least one justice for each major region of Canada.
Simple and powerful, yet often overlooked strategies to expand your network marketing business.
Network Marketing is an excellent way for the “average Joe or Jane” to make an extra income. This business concept has been around for decades, and it will not disappear any time soon. The reason for its popularity is simple… It Works! It does however, require lots of work and most importantly, dedication and persistance to get the job done. The best part is, once you are able to set up a solid network, your business becomes MUCH less time intensive. Almost like going on “autopilot”. The key is to get there as fast as possible.
Here are just a couple of tips I have found to be helpful in maximizing your Network Marketing Business:
1. Use your products regularly. This is Number 1 for a reason, this is the most ignored part of ANY network marketing business. How do you expect your business to succeed if you will not even use your own products? It does seem silly to even have to bring this up, but there are many who are not using their own products, and wonder why they are not making any money. Make a commitment to use your products for a year, and see where your business goes.
2. Educate yourself constantly. This is very important! You must rid yourself of negative ideas, sometimes referred to as “stinkin thinkin”. This can be done in a variety of ways. I recommend reading at least 15 minutes a day, but try to shoot for 30. Business and self-help books are a great way to start. Don’t forget your Multi-level magazines, as they are full of tips and advice. Lastly, listen to cassette tapes on multi-level tips from top earners in your business.
3. Spend as much time as possible with your upline. Your upline should have only one goal in mind, To Help You Succeed! They are a vast source of knowledge and information. Mingle with top distributors in your group, or other groups, and ask how they made it. Most everyone should be more than happy to provide you with excellent tips and advice.
4. Present your products and marketing plan personally to at least one person daily. Remember above when I said you are going to have to work, well here it is. Now here is the key, the prospects to whom you present your plan, do not have to be yours personally. Show the plan for your downline, and not only will you create “security” by placing members in your downlines’ downline, it will also give you a boost in your personal income! I can guarantee if you were to follow this rule for 6 months, you would create a downline with enough width and depth to create an income to sustain you and your family for life.
5. Care for your downline. An entire book can be written on this topic. Usually, it’s the little things that show you really care. Try to maintain regular contact, and always praise your distributor’s accomplishments. You can even offer incentives for specific achievements, such as money, travel, recognition, or other rewards, to help motivate your group.
6. Duplicate yourself by making distributors independent of you. This will help to multiply your time, thus making you and your group more effective. Always lead by example. Never stop recruiting, training and retailing. Remember the KISS formula – “Keep It Simple, Sweety” I know, I know, I changed the last word, but it maintains the meaning. This can be done my conducting simple, brief, yet dramatic presentations, and teaching your downline to do the same.
7. Create a large customer base. This is another largely ignored, yet very important, piece of your network marketing business. Many try so hard to build a huge downline, that they forget how much profit they could also make by selling their products to retail customers. Some people will just not want to become part of your downline, no matter how great a product/system you may have. This does not mean they will not be personally interested in your product. Try to make everyone your customer. Once you earn their trust, they will come to you more, and perhaps even join your downline later. Always “leave the door open”, as people’s needs do change.
8. Focus on your customers needs. You must give customers more than they expect, and always satisfy your customers complaints immediately. Try to listen 80% of the time, and talk only 20%. As stated above, your customers can be a huge source of future referrals and/or business. You must earn and maintain their trust. Once you have their trust, you can always ask for referrals, which leads to even more business and a larger downline.
9. Set daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals – and Write Them Down! You may have heard the expression, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Breaking up a larger goal into smaller easily attainable goals, is the key to success. You cannot just jump to the end, you have to make progress everyday. Writing them down is another largely ignored, important tip to help you succeed. A goal is just a “passing thought”, or “wish” until you put it in writing. That is when it becomes concrete and real. It is also a great idea to keep a business journal of your daily activities, as it will help you to become more productive and time-conscious.
10. Get Out There And Do It Now! All of the knowledge in the world is useless and unprofitable, until you put the most important ingredient of them all in place. This “secret” ingredient should come as no surprise at all, but this is the #1 reason for failure at anything in life. It is ACTION! Remember, knowledge is useless without action.
Following these steps will almost give you immediate results. Thank you for reading this, and I truly hope this has provided you with valuable information to help you and your business grow and succeed.
For more information, please join our live seminar