Handbook of Mathematical Models in Computer Vision Review

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(More customer reviews)When attending a general computer vision conference like xCCV, did you ever feel lost at certain sessions? Well, don't always blame the presenters! The field covered by Computer Vision has become so broad that it is almost impossible to understand what is going on and to keep track of the latest developments. To (partially) overcome this problem, the editors of the Handbook of Mathematical Models in Computer Vision have done a great job.
One can become a bit skeptical reading such a title. How complete can such a handbook be? However, going through the 33 chapters, indeed a wide breadth is treated. The focus of the book is on mathematical methods that both model and reproduce human visual abilities. This is the field of biological vision in which the editors have a strong background.
The editors chose three distinct categories of mathematical models, namely variational techniques (those attending Prof. Faugeras' talk at ICPR 2006 may remember his statement that they give the fundamental equations in computer vision!), statistical methods, and combinatorial approaches. The chapters are grouped in six sections that circle around these three categories. Although going through the book chapters by mentioning keyword may yield a rather boring list, it shows the wide variety of topics that are being dealt with.
The book starts with a section on low-level vision: Image Reconstruction. Here one can find information on diffusion filters and wavelets, total variation methods, and PDE based inpainting.
The second section is concerned with Boundary Extraction, Segmentation and Grouping. Here subjects like levelings, graph cuts, minimal paths and fast marching methods, deformable models, variational segmentation with shape priors, curve propagation, level set methods, and a stochastic model of geometric snakes are discussed.
Section three switches to high level vision. It deals with Shape Modeling & Registration, divided into topics concerning invariant processing and occlusion resistant recognition, image-based inferences, point matching and uncertainty-driven, point-based image registration.
In the fourth section, Motion Analysis, Optical Flow & Tracking, the concept of time is added and one encounters the topics of optical flow estimation, image warping, alignment and stitching, visual tracking, image and video segmentation, human motion capture, and dynamic textures.
Section five deals with 3D from Images, Projective Geometry & Stereo Reconstruction, treated by boundary detection, stereo, texture and color, shape from shading, calibration, motion and shape recovery, multi-view reconstruction, binocular stereo with occlusions, and modeling non-rigid dynamic scenes.
The last section may seem a bit odd: Applications: Medical Image Analysis. However, this is one of the most prominent areas in computer vision. Although here certain vision aspects do not occur, compared to natural images (just think of the influence of the sun), for many tasks the performance of the mathematical methods can be evaluated since a ground truth is often available - provided by humans whom the models are supposed to mimic. In this section, applications of interactive graph-based segmentation methods, 3D active shape and appearance models, characterization of diffusion anisotropy, segmentation, variational approaches, and statistical methods of registration are given.
The danger of publishing an edited volume is the difference in style and treatment of the topics among the various contributions. This is not the case here. Each chapter gives a general introduction to the topic, introduces the mathematical model, discusses the underlying ideas globally, and shows some results. For the full details the readers are referred to the extensive bibliography with 929 entries.
This book is a must-have for those interested in the full breadth of research done in the biological & computer vision community. As a bonus, the chapters can also be used in a seminar-based, advanced undergraduate course in mathematical based computer vision.


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This comprehensive volume is an essential reference tool for professional and academic researchers in the filed of computer vision, image processing, and applied mathematics. Continuing rapid advances in image processing have been enhanced by the theoretical efforts of mathematicians and engineers. This marriage of mathematics and computer vision - computational vision - has resulted in a discrete approach to image processing that is more reliable when leveraging in practical tasks. This comprehensive volume provides a detailed discourse on the mathematical models used in computational vision from leading educators and active research experts in this field. Topical areas include: image reconstruction, segmentation and object extraction, shape modeling and registration, motion analysis and tracking, and 3D from images, geometry and reconstruction. The book also includes a study of applications in medical image analysis.Handbook of Mathematical Models in Computer Vision provides a graduate-level treatment of this subject as well as serving as a complete reference work for professionals.

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Dynamical Systems with Applications using MATLAB Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been using the text for the last year or so. My familiarity with dynamical systems/non linear dynamics is over eight years now. I use this text as a reference for quick look-up on some of the more elementary techniques. Explanations are scarce and insufficient. Some minor inaccuracies are present, but can be easily disregarded if you are not particularly credulous/naive. You will have to consider Strogatz or J M T Thompson/H B Stewart texts if you want to understand what's happening physically. Or Nayfeh's body of texts on nonlinear physical systems for numerical techniques in simulating such systems or Phillip Holmes' and others for mathematical theory or geometric topology. But I love the book for its easily accessible presentation format for students and the succinctness of its prose. This book is certainly not for people from the mathematical side of dynamical systems, but great for undergrad or beginning grad level students in engineering or physics. This is mostly a cookbook, so don't expect brilliant flavors, just that you can put a meal on the table everyday.

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This introduction to dynamical systems theory guides readers through theory via example and the graphical MATLAB interface; the SIMULINK accessory is used to simulate real-world dynamical processes. Examples included are from mechanics, electrical circuits, economics, population dynamics, epidemiology, nonlinear optics, materials science and neural networks. The book contains over 330 illustrations, 300 examples, and exercises with solutions.

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Symmetries and Groups in Signal Processing: An Introduction (Signals and Communication Technology) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're an EE student and having trouble grasping basic topics from symmetry and group theory (and abstract algebra in general) used in the signal processing literature, then this is the book for you. It is short and sweet. Highly recommended, especially for motivated undergraduate (junior or senior) EE students that are trying to start reading research papers. Five stars.

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Symmetries and Groups in Signal Processing: An Introduction deals with the subject of symmetry, and with its place and role in modern signal processing. In the sciences, symmetry considerations and related group theoretic techniques have had a place of central importance since the early twenties. In engineering, however, a matching recognition of their power is a relatively recent development. Despite that, the related literature, in the form of journal papers and research monographs, has grown enormously. A proper understanding of the concepts that have emerged in the process requires a mathematical background that goes beyond what is traditionally covered in an engineering undergraduate curriculum.Admittedly, there is a wide selection of excellent introductory textbooks on the subject of symmetry and group theory. But they are all primarily addressed to students of the sciences and mathematics, or to students of courses in mathematics. Addressed to students with an engineering background, this book is meant to help bridge the gap.

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Modeling Waffen-SS Figures Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a well written book of modeling figures of the SS and can be applied to all kinds of figures.
Well recommended and a great price.

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Designing Quality Databases with IDEF1X Information Models Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is the best-written database design book I have come across. It should be part of every database designer and application developer's library.
This book focuses on information models using the IDEF1X information modeling technique. This text presents a very practical approach for modeling data and relational database design. Although this isn't a database administration book, DBA's would benefit from understanding how the databases they support are designed. This is a book for the masses.

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R Cookbook (O'Reilly Cookbooks) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd give this book ten stars if I could. I bought one copy for the office and one for my house. This guy has the ability to write simply and with the mind set of people who are busy and want to get results right away. Of course we'd all love to be leisurely scholars and plow through theory and practice but most of us just need to get things done. A good example is the way he treats ARIMA. He warns you about using auto.arima but does not hide it from you because it is "dangerous." The book is full of tips, well organized and is oriented towards beginners, though it gets into depth. So many of the R books I've read absolutely pound you with up front details, some of which relate to obscure concerns, rather than starting with a task. For example, on page 199 he writes "Problem -- you want to count the relative frequency of certain observations in your sample" Next is "Solution" -- and he explains just the minimum needed to do that job. Some of the tips are just simple time savers, such as the function head(dataframe) to show a few of the dataframe rows at the start and tail(dataframe) to show a few at the end. Finally .... I don't know this writer personally, but I hope he keeps on writing because it is a craft he has thoroughly absorbed somewhere along the line.Bill Yarberry, Houston, TX


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With more than 200 practical recipes, this book helps you perform data analysis with R quickly and efficiently. The R language provides everything you need to do statistical work, but its structure can be difficult to master. This collection of concise, task-oriented recipes makes you productive with R immediately, with solutions ranging from basic tasks to input and output, general statistics, graphics, and linear regression.

Each recipe addresses a specific problem, with a discussion that explains the solution and offers insight into how it works. If you're a beginner, R Cookbook will help get you started. If you're an experienced data programmer, it will jog your memory and expand your horizons. You'll get the job done faster and learn more about R in the process.

Create vectors, handle variables, and perform other basic functions
Input and output data
Tackle data structures such as matrices, lists, factors, and data frames
Work with probability, probability distributions, and random variables
Calculate statistics and confidence intervals, and perform statistical tests
Create a variety of graphic displays
Build statistical models with linear regressions and analysis of variance (ANOVA)
Explore advanced statistical techniques, such as finding clusters in your data

"Wonderfully readable, R Cookbook serves not only as a solutions manual of sorts, but as a truly enjoyable way to explore the R language—one practical example at a time." —Jeffrey Ryan, software consultant and R package author

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Database Design Using Entity-Relationship Diagrams (Foundations of Database Design) Review

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(More customer reviews)Bagui and Earp's "Database Design Using Entity-Relationship Diagrams" is a very well written book. It's clear, concise, and well laid out. It also meets their intended audience and intent. From page xiii of the Preface:
"This book is intended to be used by database practitioners and students for data modeling. It is also intended to be used as a supplemental text in database courses, systems analysis and design courses, and other courses that design and implement databases."
And, from page xvii of the Introduction:
"This book was written to aid students in database classes and to help database practitioners in understanding how to arrive at a definite, clear database design using an entity relationship (ER) diagram."
The only reasons I give it a rating of four stars out of five instead of five stars out of five are purely a matter of taste. First, there's not a lot of breadth to this material. So, I'm not all that certain that a whole book is warranted (it really should be covered in full-fledged database books). Second, the majority of the book focuses on "Chen-like" ER diagrams because they are well-used and implementation independent (which is good reasoning). But, I'm pretty sure that most databases are relational nowadays, so more coverage in the vein of the last chapter (the Barker-like relational ER model) would be a good thing. If I could give the book four and one half stars, I would (it's really that good). But, since I can't, four stars will have to do. If you decide you really need a supplemental text in ER Diagrams, you can't go wrong with this book.

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Entity-relationship (E-R) diagrams are time-tested models for database development well-known for their usefulness in mapping out clear database designs. Also commonly known is how difficult it is to master them. With this comprehensive guide, database designers and developers can quickly learn all the ins and outs of E-R diagramming to become expert database designers. Because E-R diagrams are so fundamental to database design, this book is also an indispensable text for teaching computer science students the basics of database development.Database Design Using Entity-Relationship Diagrams clarifies E-R diagramming by defining it in terms of requirements (end user requests) and specifications (designer feedback to those requests). The book explains how open communication between designers and end users is critical to developing usable, easy-to-understand E-R diagrams that model both requirements and specifications. The authors explain, in an intuitive, informal manner, how to develop an E-R diagram, how to map it to a database, and how the resulting database can be tested. This definitive guide is a basic component for any database course, and is also an invaluable reference that database professionals can use throughout their careers.introbul>Features

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Come, Let's Play: Scenario-Based Programming Using LSCs and the Play-Engine Review

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(More customer reviews)The competing forces of Time-to-Market and Software Quality have for years begged a narrowing of the requirements-to-product divide. In "Come, Let's Play", world-renowned ACM Outstanding Educator Award recipient Harel and master software engineer Marelly join forces in clearly presenting their novel, intuitive method for driving the software product directly from the GUI specification. Like Harel's previous works, the text is thorough, enlightening, clear and truly a pleasure to read.

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This book presents a powerful new language and methodology for programming complex reactive systems in a scenario-based manner. The language is live sequence charts (LSCs), a multimodal extension of sequence charts and UML's sequence diagrams, used in the past mainly for requirements. The methodology is play-in/play-out, an unusually convenient means for specifying inter-object scenario-based behavior directly from a GUI or an object model diagram, with the surprising ability to execute that behavior, or those requirements, directly. The language and methodology are supported by a fully implemented tool - the Play-Engine - which is attached to the book in CD form.Comments from experts in the field:The design of reactive systems is one of the most challenging problems in computer science. This books starts with a critical insight to explain the difficulty of this problem: there is a fundamental gap between the scenario-based way in which people think about such systems and the state-based way in which these systems are implemented. The book then offers a radical proposal to bridge this gap by means of playing scenarios. Systems can be specified by playing in scenarios and implemented by means of a Play-Engine that plays out scenarios. This idea is carried out and developed, lucidly, formally and playfully, to its fullest. The result is a compelling proposal, accompanied by a prototype software engine, for reactive systems design, which is bound to cause a splash in the software-engineering community. Moshe Y. Vardi, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USAScenarios are a primary exchange tool in explaining system behavior to others, but their limited expressive power never made them able to fully describe systems, thus limiting their use. The language of Live Sequence Charts (LSCs) presented in this beautifully written book achieves this goal, and the attached Play-Engine software makes these LSCs really come alive. This is undoubtedly a key breakthrough that will start long-awaited and exciting new directions in systems specification, synthesis, and analysis. Gérard Berry, Esterel Technologies and INRIA, Sophia-Antipolis, FranceThe approach of David Harel and Rami Marelly is a fascinating way of combining prototyping techniques with techniques for identifying behavior and user interfaces. Manfred Broy, Technical University of Munich, Germany

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Architecture and Principles of Systems Engineering (CRC Complex and Enterprise Systems Engineering) Review

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(More customer reviews)This text is a broad high level survey of systems engineering in the age of model-driven system development. Looking at the table of contents the coverage is extensive, but the depth on any given topic is pretty shallow. If you are a university student who hasn't had any exposure to systems engineering concepts (or software engineering concepts for that matter), then this text isn't a bad introduction to the terminology, (some of the)tools and process descriptions in modern systems engineering, especially if coupled with a project-based course where you can have a chance to apply some of these concepts directly. For such an audience, add one star to my rating. If, on the other hand, you are a practicing systems engineer (or software engineer), even if you're not all that familiar with the model-driven systems engineering paradigm, then this text is likely to come up a bit short, given its lack of depth on any given topic. For this second group of potential readers, take one star away from my rating. I was going to be cheeky and say that this is a great book for talking about systems engineering, but not so much if your interest is in doing systems engineering.
The description on the back cover is definitely over-hyped - publisher's perogative, I guess. You will not learn the obstacles, both technical and cultural, that model-driven systems engineering faces today. You will not learn UML or SysML. Executable models are introduced in the case studies, but again with little depth. Domain-specific modeling versus generic modeling (with say UML) is a hot topic not covered in the text. The advantages and disadvantages of auto-generated software are also not covered. Problems of integrating the model-based paradigm with legacy sysems is also missing. Pattern-based architectural development is also not covered. The case studies themselves specifically address classroom exercises with assignments and intructor responses, so depth seems intended to be obtained beyond the text through instructor interaction and hands on development. Each chapter could be expanded into an entire book.
What would I recommend as a more bit more practical introduction to model-driven systems engineering which addresses an audience both inside and outside the university classroom? Your favorite book on UML, A Practial Guide to SysML by Friedenthal, Moore and Steiner, and Systems Engineering with SysML/UML by Weilkiens. The Friedenthal et al. book has an introductory section which motivates the model-based systems engineering paradigm. I'd also recommend software architecture books, Documenting Software Architectures 2nd ed by Clements, Bachman, Bass and Garlan and Software Architecture: Foundations, Theory, and Practice by Taylor, Medvidovic and Dashofy (a bit more theoretical and not particularly model-based).
Don't be surprised if you see my copy available soon on Amazon Marketplace. I guarantee that it is in like new condition :)

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The rapid evolution of technical capabilities in the systems engineering (SE) community requires constant clarification of how to answer the following questions: What is Systems Architecture? How does it relate to Systems Engineering? What is the role of a Systems Architect? How should Systems Architecture be practiced?A perpetual reassessment of concepts and practices is taking place across various systems disciplines at every level in the SE community. Architecture and Principles of Systems Engineering addresses these integral issues and prepares you for changes that will be occurring for years to come. With their simplified discussion of SE, the authors avoid an overly broad analysis of concepts and terminology. Applying their substantial experience in the academic, government, and commercial R&D sectors, this book is organized into detailed sections on: Foundations of Architecture and Systems EngineeringModeling Languages, Frameworks, and Graphical ToolsUsing Architecture Models in Systems Analysis and DesignAerospace and Defense Systems EngineeringDescribing ways to improve methods of reasoning and thinking about architecture and systems, the text integrates concepts, standards, and terminologies that embody emerging model-based approaches but remain rooted in the long-standing practices of engineering, science, and mathematics. With an emphasis on maintaining conceptual integrity in system design, this text describes succinct practical approaches that can be applied to the vast array of issues that readers must resolve on a regular basis. An exploration of the important questions above, this book presents the authors' invaluable experience and insights regarding the path to the future, based on what they have seen work through the power of model-based approaches to architecture and systems engineering.

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Fuzzy Filters for Image Processing (Studies in Fuzziness and Soft Computing) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book contains a very thorough and concrete presenation of combined soft computing and image processing approaches. Even though a relatively wide knowledge of fuzzy logic is required, this book can be thought of as "the best of both worlds".
The chapter "Fuzzy data fusion for multiple cue image and video segmentation", by Ioannou et al., is a representative example of the book's completeness, since it describes fuzzy data fusion techniques capable of integrating multicue segmentation results to provide consistent image partitioning based on moving objects. I'm looking forward to more articles by these authors, since their style of writing is clear and concise. Good work, authors and editors!

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This book covers a wide range of both theoretical and practical applications of fuzzy filters for image processing. The focus is on problems of noise removal, edge detection and segmentation , image enhancement and further specific applications of fuzzy filters. It is demonstrated how soft computing techniques such as fuzzy set theory and fuzzy logic can be successfully applied to this problems. Often these techniques are complementary to existing classical techniques and contribute to a more robust performance. The book is written by international experts giving an overview of the current state of the art of fuzzy filters for image processing and can be used as a reference for researchers and practitioners in the field.

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The Algorithmic Beauty of Sea Shells (The Virtual Laboratory) Review

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(More customer reviews)I came across this book at the Rhode Island School of Design library. As an artist I found it surprising that what I had considered to be just a beautiful pattern was actually an imprint of the pressure and movement of the waves upon the seashell. This insight was very thought provoking for me. Perhaps to biologists this is a normal and natural thing - but for an artist this kind of scientific approach with beautifully illustrated pages is a deeply moving experience. This book will definitely make you think twice about the objects that you take for granted - whether it's visually or scientifically. I strongly recommend this book for those who like intellectual challenges and who like to look at the world with fresh new eyes.

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The patterns on the shells of tropical sea snails are not only compellingly beautiful but also tell a tale of biological development. The decorative patterns are records of their own genesis, which follows laws like those of dune formation or the spread of a flu epidemic. Hans Meinhardt has analyzed the dynamical processes that form these patterns and retraced them faithfully in computer simulations. His book is exciting not only for the astonishing scientific knowledge it reveals but also for its fascinating pictures. An accompanying CD-ROM with the corresponding algorithms offers wide scope to those who wish to try their hand at simulating and varying the patterns.

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Requirements Engineering: From System Goals to UML Models to Software Specifications Review

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(More customer reviews)This is not for the happy go lucky requirements gatherer. It is a detailed breakdown of everything requirements engineering for software intensive systems. It will make you think.
The book describes the KAOS method in detail and the author uses Objectiver as the modeling tool. Sometimes a book is not worth buying when you are not using the tool. That is not the case with this book. It is packed with valuable advice and examples.
Reading the book did prompt me to download Objectiver. Very cool tool, but it is also complex. Complex is not a bad thing when you consider this book is about an engineering discipline, and engineering is needed because you are trying to do something complex.
The author covers the fundamentals of Requirements Engineering in detail in the first part of the book, Building System Models for Requirements Engineering in part two, and then Reasoning About System Models in part three.
This book does exactly what the title says, it shows you how to go from System Goals to UML Models to Software Specifications.
If you are building complex systems, this book is definitely for you.
I highly recommend this book, and have nothing negative to say about.

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Essential comprehensive coverage of the fundamentals of requirements engineering
Requirements engineering (RE) deals with the variety of prerequisites that must be met by a software system within an organization in order for that system to produce stellar results. With that explanation in mind, this must-have book presents a disciplined approach to the engineering of high-quality requirements. Serving as a helpful introduction to the fundamental concepts and principles of requirements engineering, this guide offers a comprehensive review of the aim, scope, and role of requirements engineering as well as best practices and flaws to avoid.
Shares state-of-the-art techniques for domain analysis, requirements elicitation, risk analysis, conflict management, and more
Features in-depth treatment of system modeling in the specific context of engineering requirements
Presents various forms of reasoning about models for requirements quality assurance
Discusses the transitions from requirements to software specifications to software architecture

In addition, case studies are included that complement the many examples provided in the book in order to show you how the described method and techniques are applied in practical situations.

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Where Code and Content Meet: Design Patterns for Web Content Management and Delivery, Personalisation and User Participation (Wiley Software Patterns Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)Ever since Martin Fowler came out with his seminal book on patterns, others have taken this general idea and looked for more programming patterns. This book is the latest in Wiley's series that applies this approach. Here the context is specialised to the design of web sites, where Ajax is used in the web pages. Granted, the applications are more restricted than, say, the pattern of singleton or iterator. But for readers tasked with developing a website and hoping to do it cleanly, the book can be useful.
A key idea is how to separate content and navigation. Another concept is where you have a search engine. The book treats this engine in modular fashion, as a black box, where your web page visitor feeds in a query and your web server forwards this to the engine and formats the reply. For many commercial websites, a search engine can be a de facto necessity, and the book's advice is timely.


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A practical go-to reference for Web developers programming custom software for Web sites
Most advanced Web sites or Web platforms have specific requirements that go beyond standard functionality; to meet such requirements, it's often necessary to develop custom software. This is the point where code and content meet, and where this book begins. Where Code and Content Meet presents a collection of real-world, tried and tested patterns that address content-related aspects of custom software development for advanced Web sites or platforms.
Mined from a series of successful Web projects, the patterns represent collected expertise of designers from several software development teams and serve as a practical guide to designing your own content-related custom components for your Web project. The patterns are independent of specific tools and technologies, and focus on non-functional requirements, with the overall goal of defining sustainable software architecture.
Presents a collection of tried and tested software patterns mined from a series of successful Web projects
Includes checklists for managing Web projects and real-world patterns from PLoP conferences
Illustrates use of software patterns through a case study that runs throughout the book and gradually evolves as the patterns are applied to it, one by one
Covers content modeling and content organization, navigation, findability, personalization, and user participation

By employing the software patterns included in Where Code and Content Meet, you'll learn how to program custom software faster and more efficiently.

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Data Structures and Algorithms with Object-Oriented Design Patterns in C++ Review

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(More customer reviews)Believe the summary...this book is for 2nd and 3rd year post-secondary students. I am an experienced C++ programmer, but Grade 12 math isn't enough to cut through the explanations to get to the code, which I can understand perfectly well.
Who should buy this book? Students with a good grasp of basic calculus, who want a thoroughly academic treatment of algorithms in C++ in order to pass Computer Science.
Who should not? A C++ programmer that wants clear, effectively presented information on implementing standard algorithms and data structures in order to get their project done.
I'm of the Keep It Simple school of thought, and the practical theory and implementations in this book could have been presented much more effectively without the adademic bafflegab.
I am currently working on my calculus skills in my spare time, and as my familiarity with the mathematical notation grows, I may be able to put this book to good use. Untill then I wish I'd bought something else, programming doesn't need to be as dense as this book makes it.

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An object-oriented learning framework for creating good software design.Bruno Preiss presents readers with a modern, object-oriented perspective for looking at data structures and algorithms, clearly showing how to use polymorphism and inheritance, and including fragments from working and tested programs.

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Integrated Methods for Optimization (International Series in Operations Research & Management Science) Review

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(More customer reviews)Unless you are deeply involved in optimization techniques, you may not have noticed subtle links between the methods of search, inference and relaxation. You may have combined two of these methods "as a trick" to achieve better performance, without noting "what exactly" you were doing. This books gives you an insight of why and how methods can be integrated. At a first level it presents a catalog of constraint patterns each "taken apart" in the context of a optimization method. But by doing so, this book achieves something deeper, it "integrates" these different methods into a single framework of thought. A very insightful and powerful concept!

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This book integrates the key concepts of mathematical programming (MP) and constraint programming (CP) into a unified framework that allows them to be generalized and combined. The unification of MP and CP creates optimization methods that have much greater modeling power, increased computational speed, and a sizeable reduction computational coding. This integration along with constraint programming being incorporated into a number of programming languages, brings the field a step closer to being able to simply state a problem and having the computer solve it.

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Understanding Autonomous Cooperation and Control in Logistics: The Impact of Autonomy on Management, Information, Communication and Material Flow Review

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(More customer reviews)There has been much applied research, beginning with the Cohen, March and Olsen "Garbage Can Model" 35 years ago, on how decisions are really made, and what bad results can ensue. In recent years, especially in the US, much of this work has used agent-based simulation. There has been little connection, however, to theories about why organizations decide as they do. This book does a commendable job of filling that gap, and goes on to present leading-edge work on how to apply self-organization ideas to real problems in logistics and production control. The latter work includes a number of novel uses of information technology, such as "Smart Parts" that are shipped with microcomputers that can interact with logistics systems, making flexible manufacturing and resupply feasible at lower cost on a larger scale is possible with other approaches. While the book is not an easy read and is, frankly, not well suited to the popular audience, it is clear, well-organized, well supported by references, and well worth the trouble for those who want to become much better informed about the theoretical underpinnings of organizational choice. It is a fine contribution to the applied research literature.

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One of the great challenges in flexible production and supply chains is the availability of necessary information at any time and place. Autonomous logistics processes can bring about fast and flexible adaptations to change. This book identifies autonomous logistics processes and details how they differ from conventionally managed processes. Coverage also describes the changes that autonomy will cause in order processing.

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More Autodesk Maya Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation (Autodesk Official Training Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is fairly expensive for it's size (154 pages), although it is packed with very useful rigging techniques. As other reviewers have mentioned, this is not a modeling book -- it's more about rigging and muscle deformations. This book is designed to work with Autodesk Maya 2009. It heavily relies on their plug-ins included on the DVD, which do NOT work in any other version of Maya. You can download a free trial of Maya 2009 from the Internet, although it would be nice if it were included on the DVD itself. There are some cool bonus videos on the DVD for modeling a realistic hand, using both Maya and Mudbox. The book is written by very impressive individuals in the industry, who really know their stuff. This is definitely a book for intermediate to advanced users. For beginners, they suggest that you begin with the "Learning Autodesk Maya 2009/Foundation" or the "Learning Autodesk Maya 2009/Modeling & Animation Handbook" as a prerequesite to this book.

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More Autodesk Maya Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation is a continuation of the tools and techniques presented in Maya Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation, Second Edition. This book is your solution for creating convincing characters in Autodesk Maya. Learn core industry knowledge by gaining hands-on experience with innovative tools and powerful industry-recognized techniques as you learn to model like a professional; set up your skeleton in a fast and easy way; and create realistic facial controls. Get the inside scoop on high end production techniques from industry pros Erick Miller, Paul Thuriot, Jeff Unay and Rudy Grossman. Through project-based lessons, follow Jeff and Rudy's process for modeling the beast and its facial blend shapes, Paul's workflow for rigging the beast's body, and Erick's tips and techniques on complex facial rigging for maximum flexibility. This book carefully delineates the entire production process for the beast's creation, so that you can both understand the individual techniques and how they relate to each other in a pipeline. By examining the entire process, you will learn strategies for creating characters with an emphasis on anatomy and realism. Lessons are designed to cover effective workflows for devising models that can be easily manipulated and animated. The methods discussed in this book can be applied to any setup needs that you may have because you will learn the rigging process from the concept stage through to pipeline integration.
Create a facial topology that will deform realistically

Use custom tools to control the morph timing of a blend shape

Learn valuable modeling workflows for creating facial blend shapes

Accommodate changes within a character pipeline

Use the Full Body IK solver to create a control rig

Create internal muscle structures for body deformations

Use tools and Python plug-ins for higher level deformations

Build and rig a face shape library with directional sliders and compensation shapes

Learn about controls for the eyes, ears, mouth and teeth

Attach models or rigs of different resolutions

Learn and use several custom written Hyper-Real facial rigging MEL tools

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