BrainMap

Mrs. Laura-Maria Florea

Ph.D.

- UNIVERSITATEA NAȚIONALĂ DE ȘTIINȚĂ ȘI TEHNOLOGIE POLITEHNICA BUCUREȘTI

Researcher | Teaching staff | Scientific reviewer

Web of Science ResearcherID: I-6823-2013

Curriculum Vitae (21/07/2021)

Expertise & keywords

Transfer Learning for Image Aesthetic Assessment Call name: P 1 - SP 1.1 - Proiecte de cercetare pentru stimularea tinerelor echipe independente
PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2019-0543 2020 - 2022

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO)

Project website: http://imag.pub.ro/translate/

Abstract:

The project aims to develop transfer learning methods for deep convolutional networks. In this framework, besides the main database, which allows supervised learning, we will consider a second database, larger in volume, that contains examples either without annotations or with labels, but for another, related, problem. The transfer learning involves extracting useful information from the second database to increase performance on the primary set, in a simultaneous process.

For the development of the transfer learning algorithm, the characteristics of the convolutional networks to form descriptors on the intermediate layers, respectively to be sequentially trained are exploited. The central algorithmic principle is the partitioning by clustering (if the data does not have labels) or by classifying the secondary data set, where the descriptors of data are extracted on an intermediate layer. The network is required to create descriptors that provide wide margins between the data of one group and the centroid of another group. The groups can be associated with the classes from the primary database and the method of calculating the wide margin will be explored. Secondly, for the harmonization of the two databases we will use regularization by injecting a random perturbation, in an annealed process, into the global gradient.

From an application point of view, we aim to estimate the aesthetic value of a photograph. The aesthetic value aggregates, consciously or unconsciously, how pleasing an image looks. For high performance, in this direction we will exploit the previously developed transfer learning algorithm. The application is useful in commercial area to offer customers visual quality.

Technologies and innovative video systems for person re-identification and analysis of dissimulated behavior Call name: P 2 - SP 2.1 - SOLUTII - 2 - Tehnologii şi sisteme video/audio inovative
PN-III-P2-2.1-SOL-2016-02-0002 2017 - 2020

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO); UTI GRUP S.A. (RO); Ministerul Apararii Nationale prin Agentia de Cercetare pentru Tehnica si Tehnologii Militare (ACTTM) (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO)

Project website: http://campus.pub.ro/lab7/spiava/

Abstract:

Within the actual context of terrorist threats, SPIA-VA aims to develop intelligent systems for automatic person re-identification, detection of dissimulated behavior and speech analysis. The proposed system is inherently multi-modal via processing of multiple and variable quality sources, e.g., video, audio, text, infrared, depth, thermal, as well as the fusion of these. The proposed solution pushes forward the state of the art in deep learning and is designed to respond to a large variety of functional and operational scenarios. It is to be validated in real world scenarios, developed in cooperation with the beneficiary military public institutions.

Perceptual ANalysis and DescriptiOn of Romanian visual Art Call name: Projects for Young Research Teams - RUTE -2014 call
PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-0733 2015 - 2017

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO)

Project website: http://imag.pub.ro/pandora/

Abstract:

With the vast expansion of digital painting collections, the art historians and curators gain access to new investigation methods that can help them in comprehending significant larger collections and in more detail. Motivated by such opportunity, there has been a significant escalation in the demand for automatic description of visual art works. In this project we propose, first, the exploration of new description methods based on the isogeodesic curve in logarithmic space that could lead to increasingly accurate artistic genre and school of art recognition. Secondly, we propose to annotate the paintings in terms of gaze fixations, and, thus, to identify saliency regions; the regions distribution and construction should provide additional indications about adherence to a school of art or artistic genre. Thirdly, but, from a point of view, most importantly, we propose to introduce in the international digital analysis domain works from modern and contemporary Romanian artists. Using the previously developed tools, we hope that new correlations and connections between Romanian and international art will be revealed.

Stabilization Technology for Elimination of Absolute and DYnamic blur due to Camera Acquisition Motion Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-0579 2014 - 2017

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: FOTONATION SRL

Project partners: FOTONATION SRL (RO); UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO)

Project website: http://imag.pub.ro/steadycam/

Abstract:

Following their appearance in the early 90’s, digital still cameras (DSC) have become the common way of acquiring images. Nowadays, the main development directions include that of decreasing the size and weight of imaging devices, which has reached a pinnacle with Mobile Camera Phones (MCP). The trend of miniaturization mentioned above imposes design modifications such as reducing the size of optics and of photo-sensible area, thus increasing the probability that the pictures be blurred by the hands’ tremor. Since human hand tremor is always present, both the small viewing angle and a large value of the exposure time increase the chances that the relative motion between the camera and the scene during exposure time become larger than a pixel size, thus leading to a visible degradation of the image by the motion blur. The problem manifests in the form of blurred still images, leading to unpleasant image artifacts and acquisition limitations in areas as security or medicine.

The problem of the tremor influence on image/video acquisition has been divided in smaller problems, as being simpler to be addressed. It is possible to estimate the camera trajectory (absolute blur) and restore the picture by means of deconvolution (so called Digital Image Restoration - DIR technology) or to compensate the motion by mechanical/optical means (forming the Optical Image Stabilization - OIS technology); an alternative is to prevent blurring by reducing the exposure time, thus acquiring an underexposed image that is to be amplified (LowLight technology). As all above mentioned attempts have addressed the problem from a single point of view, we claim that by sharing the same cause, all of them may be addressed and solved by the complementary use of microelectromechanical (MEMS) motion sensors, optical processing and innovative image processing adapted to the particularity of the target device.

The main goal of the proposed project is to construct a solution that addresses the problems caused by the involuntary human hand tremor in a broad range of consumer imaging devices. We build the project plan on a bottom-up pyramidal schema. More precisely, we start by studying the specific parameters of the human hand involuntary tremor; we continue by defining a first layer of 2 basic themes that will be studied in the first part of the project; later, we interconnect them in a second layer of a general and complex solution that compensates the human tremor, allowing thus the increase of the reliable maximum exposure period by 8 times (3EV).

Intelligent System for Automatic Assistance of Cervical Cancer Diagnosis Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-0202 2014 - 2017

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO); GENETIC LAB S.R.L. (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO)

Project website: http://imag.pub.ro/papdia/

Abstract:

Cervical cancer is the second most widespread type of cancer in the world among women, with an estimated number of 530,000 cases (and 270,000 deaths) recorded in 2008. In Europe, around 60,000 women are diagnosed with this disease every year and the associated mortality rate is over 50%. Romania ranks first in Europe in terms of cervical cancer mortality rates. There are more than 3,400 new cases and 2,000 deaths each year, which is 16 times more than the European average. Unlike other types of cancer which are incurable, cervical cancer can be treated if detected in an early stage.

Cervical cancer can only be detected by means of periodic medical exams due to its asymptomatic nature. Current screening tests require the involvement of a cythopathologist. Due to the extensive volume of samples that need to be tested within a classic screening test, the minimum timeframe for analyzing a single Pap smear sample is around 30 minutes, so more than 61,5% of the tests remain unclassified. Moreover, the repetitive nature of the screening activity and also the input data’s natural complexity (un-even layering, high density, cell overlaying or artifacts) invariably lead to human errors in the interpretation process.

This project aims to develop an intelligent computer-aided diagnosis system for physicians when diagnosing cervical cancer. One of the objectives is to significantly improve the diagnosis efficiency by cutting down the analysis timeframe by more than 75% and by reducing by at least 10% the false positive and false negative rates. Rigorous classification and feature extraction techniques will be applied in order to achieve this main objective, so that the diagnosis will be as accurate as possible.

Promising feature extraction techniques will be applied, such as extending the usecase domain for fractals using color information, flexible cell separation methods by partitioning and describing contour curves in order to identify the structural components as well as new classifying techniques such as Deep Neural Networks or adaptive algorithms like Boosting and Random Forrests.

Thus, an intelligent automated system for Pap smears samples would have a significant impact from several points of view: i) firstly, developing an automated diagnosis system leads to an increase in the overall quality of life due to the early detection and treatment of cervical cancer within its earliest stages of development and by drastically reducing the analysis timeframe, by diminishing the human errors associated with traditional analysis techniques, reducing the costs for the population associated with extra medical exams required by the traditional diagnosis procedures and by reducing the population’s anxiety related to known human error diagnosis issues, etc., ii) increasing competitivity in Romania’s economy by directly transferring our research results in the industry through our actively involved partner Genetic Lab, which is directly interested in obtaining a practical automated system, iii) stimulating the growth of the private sector’s expense figures by designing a system by means of both own current activities and the collaboration with UPB.

The consortium, formed by the Politehnica University of Bucharest, with highly experienced experts in Image Processing and S.C. GeneticLab S.R.L. – the first and fore-most private diagnosis laboratory in Romania, checks all the necessary requirements to form a very able team to accomplish all the project’s objectives.

Using the various complementary abilities of the two partner institutions involved is a necessary requirement to obtain a good synergy which will facilitate obtaining the expected results and is, in the same time, a solid guarantee factor achieving the proposed objectives.

Burns Assessment by MultiSpectral Imaging Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-0357 2014 - 2017

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: UNIV.DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE - CAROL DAVILA

Project partners: UNIV.DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE - CAROL DAVILA (RO); UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO); FOTONATION SRL (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO)

Project website: http://alpha.imag.pub.ro/bamsi/

Abstract:

Burns represent a serious public health problem, as burn injury represents perhaps the most severe form of trauma. The incidence of burn injuries greatly varies from one region to another, but the median value is about 31,2/100.000 persons/year. There are about 330.000 deaths per year, world-wide due to thermal injuries. Burns are the fourth leading cause of death from unintentional injury.

Establishing the difference between superficial dermal burns and deep dermal burns is very important. Superficial burns heal with proper dressings in 14-21 days and leave no scars. Deep dermal burns and full thickness burns need early surgical excision and skin grafting, otherwise healing time is longer than 21 days and pathological scaring is the rule. Usually, this differentiation is made on clinical basis by the burns surgeon. The accuracy of a senior burn surgeon is 64-76%. It means that in 23-36% of the cases, the clinical judgment of the surgeon fails to differentiate between superficial burns and deep burns.

The goal of this project is to develop a tool that objectively determines the depth of burn wounds, based on the estimation of perfusion through the burn wound via the joint use of several imaging recordings the color, near-infrared and thermal infrared bands. This approach is cheaper, faster, and may produce images of higher resolution than the current state of the art Laser Doppler spectrometry.

Our approach is quite original through the use of multispectral imaging and represents a challenging scientific and technical issue. The combination of experimental, modelling, and advanced statistics and image processing will solve some important problems like (1) to develop protocols for fast and accurate in vivo medical examination of burns via photographic imaging; (2) to fuse visible images with information extracted from thermal images to highlight abnormalities and to offer diagnostic aid; (3) to develop an workable burn assessment apparatus for clinical use.

Orthopedic Prothesis Monitoring by Analysis of Digital X-ray Images Call name:
CEEX-VIASAN-69/2006 2006 - 2008

Role in this project: Key expert

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO); UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE "CAROL DAVILA" (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO)

Project website: http://alpha.imag.pub.ro/sadirupo/

Abstract:

The idea of total hip prosthesis was born in the 1950s and evolved towards the nowadays total hip prosthesis with a stem and an acetabular component. The scoring of the prothesis fit is a major area of investigation, from both the theoretical and practical (need for revision surgery) point of view. A significant number of bone loss and bone defect classification systems have been developed; however, there is no universal agreement on these criteria, and there are no reports on the use of automatic, image-processing based radiographic scores.

This research project aims to establish a support system for the characterization of the hip prothesis status, based on the automatic interpretation, by digital image processing and analysis techniques, of digitized X-ray images of the prothesisez hip. The main advantage of the proposed approach is the use of a cheap medical imaging equipment (classical, film-based X-ray), largely available across medical facilities and some modern digital technologies in order to reduce the need of the hip prothesed patients to travel for regular control and follow-up at the clinics that performed the actual prothesis impantation. The final goal of the research is to develop a complete and coherent algorihm (starting from the digital acquisition of a hip X-ray and ending with the computation of an effective statistical analysis of the bone structure, bone-prothesis interface and prothesis surface characteristics), that can be used for reliably generating a quantitative, clinical-relevant grading of the prothesis status.

Analysis of the EnvironMent Influence over paintings visual Saliency Call name: P 3 - SP 3.1 - Proiecte de mobilități, România-Belgia (bilaterale)
PN-III-P3-3.1-PM-RO-BE-2016-0004 2016 -

Role in this project: Project coordinator

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO); Universite de Mons (UMONS) (BE)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI (RO)

Project website:

Abstract:

Plecând de la ideea că „fără artă brutalitatea realității ar face lumea de nesuportat”, acest proiect își propune să studieze efectele pe care le poate avea metoda de digitizare a tablourilor și prelucrări subtile asupra imaginilor digitale rezultante asupra zonelor de proeminență ale tablourilor. Ne propunem să construim o metodă de urmărire a privirii ne-invazivă (formată prin alăturarea metodelor deja dezvoltate de cele două echipe implicate în proiect) și cu ajutorul acesteia să colectăm o bază de date relevantă cu zone de proeminență în tablouri.

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader	Download (201.24 kb) 27/09/2019
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects