08-12-2012, 02:42 PM
A MULTIMEDIA TUTOR FOR DIGITAL IMAGE PROCESSING FOR REMOTE SENSING
[attachment=43077]
ABSTRACT:
The advances in remote sensing and geographic information systems technologies make it possible to
deploy them in diverse applications for planning, resources management, environmental monitoring, and
optimal urban/rural development activities. At the same time, the lack of availability of trained manpower
in these areas is a concern, that can impede the penetration of these technologies. In particular, the high
resolution digital imagery generated by sensors onboard spaceborne platforms require knowledgeable users
to exploit their potential. One of the recent approaches to provide digital image processing training is based
on detailed educational content along with other tools on CD-ROM or on web-servers for self-paced
learning. The other tools include demonstrations, interactive exercises, case studies, software package to
support most of the techniques discussed, sample datasets, glossary and bibliography. Such resources also
help the teaching and training institutions, where even the instructors can benefit from the teaching aids in
the form of CD-ROM and web-based tools. Students can benefit from access to lecture notes, software,
exercises, short descriptions in the form of glossary and pointers to further reading through bibliography. In
this paper, a CD-ROM and web-based digital image processing tutor DIPTORS (Digital Image Processing
Tutor fOr Remote Sensing) developed at the Centre of Studies in Resources Engineering, Indian Institute of
Technology, Bombay is described.
INTRODUCTION
Recent advances in remote sensing and geographic
information systems technologies are immensely
beneficial in diverse applications for planning, resources
management, environmental monitoring, rural and urban
development programs. At the same time, the lack of
availability of trained manpower in these areas is a
concern, that can impede the penetration of these
technologies. In particular, the high resolution digital
imagery generated by sensors onboard spaceborne
platforms require knowledgeable users to exploit their
potential. This is particularly true in developing countries,
where maps at large scales (1:10,000 and above) are not
easily available to the resource managers and planners,
and such products need to be generated by interpreting
and analyzing remotely sensed images. Further, many
colleges in the developing countries may not have
extensive teaching aids for instructors, or multiple
licenses of expensive commercial packages to deploy in
teaching laboratories while providing senior sophomore
or Master’s level education in the area of digital image
processing for remote sensing.
BRIEF REVIEW OF EDUCATIONAL
MATERIALS
Gan and Kuo (2006) developed teaching content to teach
Digital Signal Processing Software Development where
various issues in implementation using fixed point
arithmetic was discussed. Sarkar and Craig (2006)
adopted a Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi) project based
approach to teach wireless communication and
networking concepts to students. More attempts can be
seen in Kuo and Miller (1996), Gan (2002), Lopez-
Martin (2004) discussing the educational aspects of
digital signal processing, random signals and noise.
Abdel-Qader et al. discuss the curriculum for
undergraduate signal processing courses. Rogers et al.
(1995) discussed a multimedia tutor for manufacturing
education that was used at Boeing company. Woolf et al.
(1996) at the University of Massachusetts built Design
for Manufacturing (DFM) computer modules which
instruct students on efficient procedures for designing
parts for manufacture. The intended use of these modules
is to provide the student with the knowledge of design as
well as the actual injection moulding and stamping. Cho
et al. (2003) discuss the development of a multimedia
tutor to teach microcontroller principles to students of
bio-medical engineering. The tutor included movie clips,
narration, animations, graphics and text to communicate
the concepts.
OTHER TOOLS
The other tools present in this tutor include detailed
glossary of remote sensing and image processing terms
(alphabetically organized) and bibliography of books on
remote sensing and image processing, references to key
papers on each of the topics discussed, important
websites of courses taught at different universities,
webpages of commercial products, and links to useful
resources on internet. The instructor’s resources in the
tutor include presentations on most of the lectures,
suggested student projects, and brief notes for laboratory
sessions. Another interesting feature here is a collection
of case studies on the use of image processing techniques
in different remote sensing applications.
A set of question papers is provided to help the instructor
to test the understanding of the students. The questions
are of three types: a) objective type questions that can be
answered in one line b) short questions that can be
answered briefly in 2-3 sentences and c) problems that
need to be worked out based on a clear understanding of
the concepts covered in the content.
CONCLUSIONS
We presented an image processing tutor specifically for
remote sensing applications, and along with it a
framework for a collection of tools to make it selfcontained,
catering to the needs of working professionals
as well as Master’s level students. For a full-time student,
this tutor is a useful supplementary learning aid, while
for the professional who cannot take time off to undergo
classroom training, this can help as an introductory
learning tool, till he is able to receive training by an
expert in the field. The instructors can take advantage of
ready teaching material, instructor’s resources and
software that can be used by each student for hands-on
purposes in case expensive commercial tools are
unavailable. The tutor is evolving, and we propose to
continue working on this for several years to come,
continuously refining the content, software, and ancillary
tools discussed above. Our plans include development of
a matlab version as well as a platform independent
version using Java. The first author may be contacted
regarding access to the tutor materials.
[attachment=43077]
ABSTRACT:
The advances in remote sensing and geographic information systems technologies make it possible to
deploy them in diverse applications for planning, resources management, environmental monitoring, and
optimal urban/rural development activities. At the same time, the lack of availability of trained manpower
in these areas is a concern, that can impede the penetration of these technologies. In particular, the high
resolution digital imagery generated by sensors onboard spaceborne platforms require knowledgeable users
to exploit their potential. One of the recent approaches to provide digital image processing training is based
on detailed educational content along with other tools on CD-ROM or on web-servers for self-paced
learning. The other tools include demonstrations, interactive exercises, case studies, software package to
support most of the techniques discussed, sample datasets, glossary and bibliography. Such resources also
help the teaching and training institutions, where even the instructors can benefit from the teaching aids in
the form of CD-ROM and web-based tools. Students can benefit from access to lecture notes, software,
exercises, short descriptions in the form of glossary and pointers to further reading through bibliography. In
this paper, a CD-ROM and web-based digital image processing tutor DIPTORS (Digital Image Processing
Tutor fOr Remote Sensing) developed at the Centre of Studies in Resources Engineering, Indian Institute of
Technology, Bombay is described.
INTRODUCTION
Recent advances in remote sensing and geographic
information systems technologies are immensely
beneficial in diverse applications for planning, resources
management, environmental monitoring, rural and urban
development programs. At the same time, the lack of
availability of trained manpower in these areas is a
concern, that can impede the penetration of these
technologies. In particular, the high resolution digital
imagery generated by sensors onboard spaceborne
platforms require knowledgeable users to exploit their
potential. This is particularly true in developing countries,
where maps at large scales (1:10,000 and above) are not
easily available to the resource managers and planners,
and such products need to be generated by interpreting
and analyzing remotely sensed images. Further, many
colleges in the developing countries may not have
extensive teaching aids for instructors, or multiple
licenses of expensive commercial packages to deploy in
teaching laboratories while providing senior sophomore
or Master’s level education in the area of digital image
processing for remote sensing.
BRIEF REVIEW OF EDUCATIONAL
MATERIALS
Gan and Kuo (2006) developed teaching content to teach
Digital Signal Processing Software Development where
various issues in implementation using fixed point
arithmetic was discussed. Sarkar and Craig (2006)
adopted a Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi) project based
approach to teach wireless communication and
networking concepts to students. More attempts can be
seen in Kuo and Miller (1996), Gan (2002), Lopez-
Martin (2004) discussing the educational aspects of
digital signal processing, random signals and noise.
Abdel-Qader et al. discuss the curriculum for
undergraduate signal processing courses. Rogers et al.
(1995) discussed a multimedia tutor for manufacturing
education that was used at Boeing company. Woolf et al.
(1996) at the University of Massachusetts built Design
for Manufacturing (DFM) computer modules which
instruct students on efficient procedures for designing
parts for manufacture. The intended use of these modules
is to provide the student with the knowledge of design as
well as the actual injection moulding and stamping. Cho
et al. (2003) discuss the development of a multimedia
tutor to teach microcontroller principles to students of
bio-medical engineering. The tutor included movie clips,
narration, animations, graphics and text to communicate
the concepts.
OTHER TOOLS
The other tools present in this tutor include detailed
glossary of remote sensing and image processing terms
(alphabetically organized) and bibliography of books on
remote sensing and image processing, references to key
papers on each of the topics discussed, important
websites of courses taught at different universities,
webpages of commercial products, and links to useful
resources on internet. The instructor’s resources in the
tutor include presentations on most of the lectures,
suggested student projects, and brief notes for laboratory
sessions. Another interesting feature here is a collection
of case studies on the use of image processing techniques
in different remote sensing applications.
A set of question papers is provided to help the instructor
to test the understanding of the students. The questions
are of three types: a) objective type questions that can be
answered in one line b) short questions that can be
answered briefly in 2-3 sentences and c) problems that
need to be worked out based on a clear understanding of
the concepts covered in the content.
CONCLUSIONS
We presented an image processing tutor specifically for
remote sensing applications, and along with it a
framework for a collection of tools to make it selfcontained,
catering to the needs of working professionals
as well as Master’s level students. For a full-time student,
this tutor is a useful supplementary learning aid, while
for the professional who cannot take time off to undergo
classroom training, this can help as an introductory
learning tool, till he is able to receive training by an
expert in the field. The instructors can take advantage of
ready teaching material, instructor’s resources and
software that can be used by each student for hands-on
purposes in case expensive commercial tools are
unavailable. The tutor is evolving, and we propose to
continue working on this for several years to come,
continuously refining the content, software, and ancillary
tools discussed above. Our plans include development of
a matlab version as well as a platform independent
version using Java. The first author may be contacted
regarding access to the tutor materials.