Journal for Printing Science and Graphic Communications ACTA GRAPHICA journal is published quarterly by Faculty of Graphic Arts, University of Zagreb, Croatia. ISSN 0353-4707 (Print) ISSN 1848-3828 (Online) ACTA GRAPHICA is an international double blind peer-reviewed journal. ACTA GRAPHICA journal publishes scientific research papers, technical papers, reviews, short and preliminary communications, special features and other news from the field of graphical technology, printing and engineering, graphical communication and design, as well as from all basic and applied science fields relevant for graphic technology and arts. The principal intention of the journal is to keep up with recent research results in the entire area of printing science, graphic design and communications. Authors from universities, research institutes as well as from industrial R&D sector are welcome to submit their paper for publication in ACTA GRAPHICA journal. ACTA GRAPHICA is abstracted/indexed in following databases: DOAJ, EBSCO, HRČAK, I2OR, OAJI.
Application of box behnken design to optimize some parameters for flexographic printing process
The flexographic process parameters are crucial elements in ensuring the appropriate print quality and efficient use of resources associated with the printing process. For this, an effective study on establishing the relationship between the multiple input factors and the key output responses are necessary. This study investigates the print quality assessment and optimization of process parameters associated with the flexographic printing process based on Design of Experiment (DoE) carried out by one of the most efficient quadratic models in Response Surface Methodology called Box Behnken Design. The experimental approach that designated three factor inputs such as: three kinds of anilox roller screen rulingss, three grades of paper substrates with different smoothness, and three levels of halftone dot percentages. The dot gain and print contrast are taken as the output responses that denote the degree of accomplishment of print quality. The flexographic print trials are executed with the printing of a grey scale image on three grades of paper substrate with three anilox roller screen rulingss conditions. The halftone image is created with AM square dots for study. The Box Behnken Design (BBD) is implemented here for the optimization of process parameters with proper employment of analytical approach such as ANOVA and regression analysis. The results found the suitability of BBD model and regression analysis in selecting the parameters to get the better print in flexography. The value of VIF in regression analysis is found below 1.5 that indicates the less occurrence of multi-collinearity in the regression model. It is also found that the roughness of paper surface, anilox roller screen rulingss and dot percentage influence the dot gain and print contrast.
Flexography, LPI, Dot Gain, Print Contrast, Box Behnken Design
The technology of notation of musical notes
The evolution of music notation is closely tied to the broader societal and technological advancements of civilisation. With the entry into the industrial age, certain printing techniques emerged as the most efficient methods for reproducing musical notation. In addition to technical prerequisites, the standardisation of musical notation plays an important role in enabling consistency in the transmission of musical information. A significant turning point marks the end of the 20th century – the integration of computer technology into the process of notating music. This opens up space for the development of specialised software tools intended for the notation and graphic representation of musical works. It is expected that future development in this area will be marked by the increasing integration of computer systems with devices for graphic reproduction, which further improves the precision, speed and accessibility of musical notation. This paper presents a review of relevant professional and scientific literature to present the historical development of methods of notating music, technological milestones in the process of its reproduction, and modern computer solutions that shape the future of musical notation. The results of the review indicate that technological innovations, especially digitalisation and the development of computer tools, are key factors in the transformation of the way music is written.
Standardization of musical notation, musical notation, graphic reproduction of the original
Evaluation of scumming printing defect by using computer vision-based bit plane slicingmethod
In offset lithography scumming print defect occurs when non-image areas of the image carrier accept ink and transfer it to the blanket. The quality of printed image is compromised with the presence of scumming pixels. Visual impact in terms of readability affected due to this unwanted print defect. Moreover, archival process through scanning and OCR can be interfered by the presence of scumming. Various press conditions are responsible for this phenomenon. Generally, this kind of printing problem is detected manually and preventive measure is taken according to the factor responsible for the occurrence of this defect. There is no such standard procedure except eye assessment to detect the scumming print defect. Therefore, the presented method is a novel approach in printing field with automated defect detection system minimizing the human errors. In the present study a computer vision-based approach has been proposed to evaluate this kind of print defects and its percentage of occurrence over the existing manual detection procedure. As the density difference of scum pixels and print pixels are not that much differentiable, it becomes a challenging task to identify the scum pixels from print pixels in the present computer vision-based study. Intensity of pixels can also be varied in different kind of images which makes the segregation of scum pixels even more difficult. In this study the detection of this print defect achieved using an automated bit plane selection approach to choose the bit plane which carries the maximum information than other bit planes. Discrete cosine transform is applied to that selected bit plane to discard the unwanted frequency, retaining the required ones. To segment the scum pixels from the print pixels, an adaptive thresholding method with a proposed range of intensity values have been applied to high key, low key and mid key images. The result shows the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm as compared to present subjective method.
Scumming Print Defect, Bit-Plane Slicing, DCT, Image Processing, Computer Vision
Machine learning approach to predict the dot gain of flexographic prints
The computational learning theory and dynamic programming approach of machine learning techniques made it astutely applicable to the various bids such as developing algorithms, understanding patterns, studying observations, forecasting data etc. The algorithms have the features to construct a framework of trained input dataset to deliver sensible and dynamic data driven predictions and judgements. These contrasting peculiarities of the machine learning techniques can be made useful with the various fields of printing technology in a revolutionized manner. Considering these aspects, this work is focussed on to integrating the machine learning possibilities with flexographic print quality evaluation. This paper established a machine learning algorithm in Python to evaluate the flexographic print quality as dot gain as the output response. The data analysis and performance evaluation are done using the supervised machine learning approaches such as linear regression, decision tree and random forest regression algorithms. The results show comparatively a better accuracy with random forest regressor technique with 93.02%. Moreover, the strategy to reduce execution time is put forth that involves using Python to implement the machine learning algorithms in this work.
flexography, dot gain, machine learning, python, linear regression, decision tree, random forest regressor.
Characteristics and comparison of global state management tools in react applications
This paper analyses and compares four tools for global state management in React applications, namely Context API, Zustand, Redux and MobX. The aim of the comparison was to define the advantages and limitations of each tool in different application scenarios. The Context API is a built-in tool for managing global application state that solves the problem of passing props through components – prop drilling. Other analysed tools need to be added separately to the project, and they were created as a solution to the limitations of the Context API. The results showed that Context API is best suited for smaller and medium-complex projects, Zustand is optimized for all project sizes, while Redux and MobX are more applicable for large and complex applications with complex global state. The Context API can become limiting in complex applications due to performance issues, context losses, or the lack of a solution to directly prevent the Zombie Child problem. Other tested tools have built-in solutions to the mentioned problems. Zustand has proven to be a comprehensive solution with its simple code base applicable to different sizes of applications. The advantage of Redux is its Flux architecture, which increases the boilerplate code, but also makes application development suitable for large teams and projects with high demands for predictability and strictly defined state management. MobX offers a flexible and reactive approach, which simplifies working with complex states, but in certain cases it can be less predictable compared to Redux. In conclusion, this paper contributes to the understanding of the key features of state management tools and offers guidelines for their selection, enabling developers and development teams to make informed decisions about tool selection based on technical and project requirements.
React, Context API, MobX, Zustand, Redux
Evaluation of the visual perception of crispening effect on desaturated samples on uncoated substrate
This study investigates the effect of crispening on desaturated samples printed on uncoate substrate, focusing on primary stimuli of 45%, 50% and 55% RTV. The crispening effect is described as an enhanced perception of contrast between an object and its background when there are minimal differences in brightness or color. In the experimental part, 20 participants were tasked with "matching" the values based on the ratio rating scale (Stevens) for each of the previously defined primary stimuli, so that the stimuli, regardless of their background (RTV range from 0% to 100%), are perceived as identical. The results of this study may have significant implications for optimizing printing processes and improving the quality of color reproduction on different substrates.
desaturated reproduction, crispening, printing substrate, visual psychophysics
Counterfeit identification documents of the European Union Member States: forensic characterization of polymers and determination of individualization methods
Modern identification and travel documents, such as identity cards, driver's licenses and residence permits, are made of polymers. European Union (EU) regulations stipulate that security documents issued by EU Member States (EU MS) in ID-1 (card) format shell be made of polycarbonate (PC) or an equivalent synthetic polymer, which can last at least 10 years. Due to the wide range of temperature resistance, polycarbonate documents can be individualized by laser engraving, which is considered as one of the most reliable ways of integrating the owner's data and image into the body of the polycarbonate cards. Until recently, various printing techniques, such as thermal printing, laser or inkjet printing, have been used for the individualization of counterfeit travel and identity documents made of polymers. However, in recent times, a new form of forgery of documents made of polymers has appeared, on which the bearer's photo and data are laser-engraved, as is the case with legally issued documents made of polycarbonate. In the present study, 82 samples of different types of counterfeit EU MS documents made of polymer were analysed (identity cards, driving licenses, residence permits), using non-destructive methods. IR-spectroscopy with ATR technique was used for the analysis of the qualitative chemical composition of the polymer of counterfeit documents. Video-spectral and stereomicroscopic analysis were used for the determination of techniques used for the production and individualization of counterfeit documents. This study will show that the technique used to individualize polymer counterfeit documents depends on the type of polymers used.
identity documents, counterfeit documents, polymers, polycarbonate, IR-spectroscopy, laser engraving
The influence of digital channel modifications on perception in mood photography
Mood photography is one of the most common motifs in tourism promotion. It usually depicts a destination or landscape whose imagery encourages viewers to visit the promoted location. The most frequent motifs include sunsets, snowy landscapes, and landscapes in general. These photographs may have a documentary character, serve as image photographs with symbolic value, or sometimes advertise a product that is not explicitly emphasized. Mood photographs convey information and influence the viewer's perception. In the transmission of digitally recorded visual information, they function as a medium in which consumers place their trust. Every digital reproduction consists of blue, green, and red channels of digital data. This research paper investigates the impact of changes to the blue, green, and red channels of digital data on the perception of mood photographs. It examines the influence on the photograph’s acceptability, the boundaries for maintaining a realistic appearance, and the interpretation of these boundaries. The research is conducted on two groups of respondents: expert participants and consumer participants, who assess acceptability based on visual evaluation. Alongside participant assessments, characteristic color tables are defined for specific types of promotional photographic images, and the CIE Lab* color values and total color differences (ΔE00) are determined. The study proves that by intervening in the blue, green, and red channels of the digital record—i.e., by altering them—we affect the perception of mood photography. The evaluation results of mood photograph digital files show different thresholds of acceptability. Changes to individual digital channels determine varying acceptability limits when assessing the degraded digital image data.
blue, green and red channel, mood photography, visual assessments
Analysis of Dot Gain Produced by Interactions of Flexo Plate and Anilox Roll Screen Frequencies
Flexography prints on non-absorbent as well as absorbent substrates using liquid ink. With developments in photopolymer plate and anilox roll manufacturing technology, we can print half tone with screen frequencies exceeding 150 LPI (Lines per Inch) where the print quality can be comparable with offset printing results. This has helped flexographic printer to reproduce black-and-white, single color tone and full color graphic original, satisfying the printing and packaging needs of many customers. But unlike other printing technologies in flexographic printing screen frequency of plate i.e. image carrier and engraving line frequency of anilox roll collectively affect smoothness and uniformity of reproduced half tone image. Furthermore the LPI of screen used in plate making also adds to variation in tonal reproduction. In the presented work 3 line frequencies expressed in CPI (Cells per Inch) of anilox roll and 5 screen frequency of image carrier are selected and their effect on print characteristics is studied using plot of theoretical dot area against apparent dot area. Given the sizable capital investment involved in manufacturing of anilox roll, this work is appropriately directed at finding optimum combination of screen frequency and line frequency required in minimizing secondary moire and maintaining print quality without varying screen angle and engraving angle.
The Digital transformation of academic writing
Scientific and professional research and writing academic papers have always been a challenge for people with experience and for those who are just starting with these activities. Nowadays, when the digital transformation in this field has reached its full bloom, we have various digital tools at our disposal to help us in research and writing academic papers in an organized way. Digital technologies have created a new ecosystem for research, both for searching and accessing information as well as for writing with the possibility of mutual collaboration among authors. The paper highlights the major categories of digital tools and describes the most important ones in more detail. Digital tools help authors throughout the research process and in writing academic papers. These include thinking about an idea, taking notes from the literature, citing, adding graphical elements, and collaborating with colleagues in real-time. A new paradigm in writing academic papers with the help of artificial intelligence was briefly discussed, which includes the use of language models of natural language, and text processing with a critical review of the ethics of using these tools was briefly discussed. The research was conducted on the use of digital tools in two populations: teachers and students. The obtained research results were presented and discussed, after which appropriate conclusions were drawn.
Improving the security of conventional and UV luminescent flexographic prints by modification of the pritning inks using nanoparticles
With the development of the graphic technology and growing needs of the market, the protection of the printed product from counterfeiting has become more sophisticated and increasingly used, with the demand for maintained print quality. Conventional process black (PB) and UV luminescent (UVL) flexographic inks modified by addition of different concentrations of nanoparticles of silicon dioxide (SiO2), rutile and anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2), and zinc oxide (ZnO) were used in this research. The addition of nanoparticles to these inks had a purpose of protecting PB and UVL inks from counterfeiting without significantly affecting the optical and colorimetric properties of printed motives. The results of the research have showed that nanoparticles do not affect the spectral reflectance of UVL inks observed under UV radiation significantly, nor the visual effect of UV luminescence. Also, nanoparticles had a negligible effect on the optical and colorimetric properties of PB inks observable through a slight increase in color lightness after the addition of nanoparticles. Indirect detection of nanoparticles through their interaction with PB and UVL inks was possible by FTIR-ATR spectroscopy which showed changes in the spectra of PB and UVL inks with nanoparticles compared to nanoparticle-free inks in the fingerprint range, as well as in the characteristic bands at higher wavenumbers for UVL ink. This research opened the possibility of expanding the use of nanoparticles of different types and concentrations for process, spot, luminescent and other special and conventional inks in the field of graphic technology.
Improving user experience by ANN prediction and NLP chatbot
As communication between service providers and users increases daily due to the large supply and demand for services, the application of artificial intelligence in business domains can greatly facilitate and improve characteristics such as the speed and efficiency of communication through the implementation of NLP chatbots presented in this work. This work aims to investigate the consequences of NLP chatbot implementation and the reliability of ANN prediction in terms of user experience, and to determine whether the developed NLP chatbot application matches the ingenuity in understanding communication in terms of algorithm reliability. It also aims to verify whether differences in the improvement of the user experience by NLP chatbots can be detected through a comparative analysis and what impact the speed of NLP chatbots has on the user experience compared to a chatbot without NLP function. The programming of the application and the simulation were done with the Python programming language in the PyCharm integrated development environment using the artificial neural network model and libraries such as PyTorch, NLTK and Tkinter. The creation of the experimental part consisted of the creation of an NLP chatbot application, the creation of a simple chatbot represented by a simulation display, and the creation of a comparative analysis between an NLP chatbot and a rule-based chatbot. The proposed model, primarily the concept itself, can also be used for other domains that could significantly benefit from the implementation of NLP chatbots, and not only for the domains highlighted in this paper.
Latest trends in signatures and signature fraud detection
With the development of the digital society, forensic analysis of signatures, in addition to the traditional analysis of signatures written with a writing medium on a common writing base, has also expanded to the analysis of signatures that are digitally scanned or digitally captured. Digitally scanned signatures represent some authentic signatures that have been scanned and implemented in the disputed document using comupter technology and can in no way be considered authentic, especially if the scannig was performed by a person whose name is not signed in the disputed signature. Digitally captured signatures are gradually replacing the traditional way of signing, especially in banking transactions both within the Republic of Croatia and internationally. They become part of the modern forensic analysis of signatures and represent the authentic signatures of a person who made the writing with his own handwriting with a pen on the signature plate. The paper aims to present the latest trends in the development of technologies used for signing and also to present the latest trends in signature forgery. Additionally, in this paper we present the possibilities of analysing such signatures in potentional real situations.
Research Avenues on use of Augmented Reality in Education
The use of Innovative technology in education enhances the grasping ability of the student to gain knowledge pro-actively and provides a platform for constructive process of learning and understanding. Augmented Reality (AR) plays an essential role in active learning and critical thinking in the current information age because technology enables students to interact with the virtual world with an immersive experience. Moreover, the integration of AR in education has attracted researcher's attention towards AR due to its immersive, naturalistic experience. Augmented reality plays a vital role in Medical Science, Aviation industry, Advertising industry, Printing Industry, Maintenance, Tourism, Education, Automobile industry and many more upcoming industries. The use of AR is going to be spread in the coming days. This paper comprises an overview and the study of augmented reality in different sectors. On emphasizing the uses of AR in the education field, to give a real-life interactive experience to the user on his mobile. The review narrates the ability of AR, applications of AR in the field of education such as science education, Industrial training, and biomedical education. The review summarizes the potential of technology integration.
Identification of Polymer of Counterfeit Documents
Modern identity and travel documents, such as identity cards, driver's licenses, residence permits and passports are made entirely or partially of polycarbonate. Polycarbonate documents are well secured since polycarbonate enables incorporation of various fraud-resistant security features. Due to a wide range of temperature resistance, it is possible to individualize polycarbonate documents by laser engraving. Various printing techniques, such as thermal printing, laser and inkjet printing, have been used for individualization of counterfeit travel and identity documents made of polymer. However, counterfeit documents made of polymers that have similar general characteristics such as polycarbonate have recently been detected where laser engraving of the photograph and data of the holder has been used. The subject of this paper was to identify polymers used for production of counterfeit documents individualized by laser engraving. IR- spectroscopy was used for analysis of the qualitative chemical composition of the polymer of counterfeit documents. The obtained IR-spectra were compared with the IR-spectra of the document specimen, as well as with the IR-spectra available in the European Network Forensic Science Institute database, while the search was performed using “KnowItAll” software.
Rendering process and methods for creating stylized and photorealistic computer-generated 3D characters for video games development with their comparison
Computer Graphics combined with modern technology and complex rendering solutions with 3D visualisation enabled that digital art could become the most widespread form of visual art in the world. Man has been the main point of interest of art for millennia until today. There are two basic ways of depicting characters: stylized and realistic. Over the years the process of creating digital signs is not linear, which means that in most cases it is necessary to jump between steps. The workflow will depend on two key factors, which are the style and the use of 3D characters. More complex designs require more attention to detail, which affects the process and length of the workflow. Digital 3D characters can be used in video games, movies, visual graphics, 3D printing. Characters used in games will have significantly fewer polygons than movie-ready characters, while 3D-printable characters will have their own set of rules that make them printable. Complex graphics combined with strong computer power and high end performaces offer huge progress in digital art. Regardless of the different styles and use cases, there are certain workflow steps that stylized and realistic characters share, namely: design and references, retopology, UV unwrapping, texturing and materials, scene setup, lighting, rendering, and post-production processes. This paper compares the workflows between stylized and realistic characters and their advantages and disadvantages.
The influence of microinteractions in registration forms on user experience
The process of user registration to an online service often represents an important step in converting a website visitor to a regular user or customer. However, poorly designed registration forms can lead to frustrations and result in the abortion of the registration process. This paper explores the use of microinteractions in registration forms for the purpose of improving usability and overall user experience. Microinteractions provide small details that can impact the performance and overall experience of using user interfaces. In the experimental part, three interactive prototypes of registration forms were tested: without microinteractions, with microinteractions focused on functional aspect of the interface and with microinteractions focused on both functional and affective aspects of the user interface. Task analysis method was used to test the usability of the forms. and User Experience Questionnaire was used to measure the user experience. Compared to the registration form without microinteractions, both forms featuring microinteractions had better performance for task completion time and number of errors as well as higher scores for user experience for every category. The study demonstrates how the use of microinteractions in the design of registration forms can significantly improve the usability and user experience of online services, providing valuable insights into how small details in interface design can impact user behavior and satisfaction.
Analysis of uneven ink coverage on more environmentally acceptable printing substrates
Due to the effects of fires and climate change, as well as illegal and unsustainable logging of forests and their conversion for other purposes, the world is facing a reduced amount of forested land. Trees are still the main source of cellulose fiber, so the paper industry is continuously focused on searching for new sources of raw material. Awareness of sustainable development and ecology requires the use of alternative sources of cellulose fibers to produce paper from agricultural crop residues that are rapidly renewable and cheap to produce. Cereals such as wheat, barley and triticale have been shown to have favourable properties suitable for cellulose fiber production. In this study, laboratory paper substrates were prepared from recycled wood fibers with the addition of alternative non-wood fibers in a mass fraction of 30%, and their reproduction quality was analyzed. The produced paper substrates were then printed using the gravure printing technique, which provides the highest reproduction quality in the field of packaging printing. The analysis of reproduction quality was performed based on the parameter of non-uniform ink coverage with conventional and UV inks on the obtained laboratory printing substrates with non-wood fibers. The values of uneven ink coverage of laboratory printing substrates were determined by image analysis in the program ImageJ and are presented graphically. It was found that all analyzed printing substrates printed with high-quality gravure printing technology achieve high ink coverage in the range of 97% to 98%.
environmentally acceptable printing substrates
Creating and testing a logo design for a new brand
Previous research on logo design indicated that colour and shape can both influence people’s perception of a logo and brand values. Thus, the purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that colour hue, typeface style, and shape design may impact the perceived qualities of a new and unknown brand in digital art. Three visual design concepts, three colour hues, and two typeface styles (bold versus light) were used as independent variables in the logo designs which served as prototypes for the final graphic solution. They were presented to 56 participants (between 21 and 44 years of age) using an online questionnaire. A seven-point Likert scale was used for data collection. The results indicated that, among all the variables, only the colour influenced the participants’ responses. The red versions of the logo were preferred over the yellow ones. Although the bold typeface was rated better than the light typeface, the difference was not statistically significant. These findings support the notion that colour could be used as an effective visual attribute in logo design. In a broader sense, they also suggest that the testing stage should not be neglected in a successful process of logo development.
Quantitative analysis of the von Bezold effect in graphic communication
The paper analyzes the Von Bezold effect, in which chromatic assimilation is manifested, which shifts the appearance of the color of the sample according to the color of the surrounding background. The effect was first discovered and described by the German physicist and meteorologist Wilhelm von Bezold (1837-1907), who noticed that changing just one color in a sample containing several colors can completely change the perception of the entire composition as well as the experience of all colors. This paper presents the results of a psychophysical visual experiment in which the effect of the Von Bezold effect was tested on originally designed samples of graphic characters. 30 subjects of both sexes took part in the experiment and evaluated the strength of the Von Bezold effect on the given samples. On the samples, the letters of the letter T are constructed, which are located on two bases of different colors. The letters are covered with thin stripes that are painted in the color of the opposite background. The experiment determined a very strong effect of the Bezold effect on the described samples, which was also confirmed by statistical analysis.
The behaviour and removal of synthetic printing dyes from wastewaters
One of the problems in the graphic industry is the discharge of untreated colored effluents into recipients. Printing dyes are classified as poorly biodegradable with a tendency to exhibit negative effects for the environment. Not enough is known about the interactions of these dyes with other pollutants, as well as about the effects of interactions and their impact on wastewater treatments. The applied wastewater conventional treatments are accompanied by shortcomings (the incomplete dye degradation, large amount of coagulants used, the regeneration of materials, the high cost of waste disposal, etc.) which causes a reduced efficiency of applied processes. In the last few years, studies are based on the application of improved oxidation processes, as a technique that is a prominent among treatments for reducing organic pollutants concentration. The advantages of these processes are the generation of hydroxyl radicals, powerful oxidizing species, with a tendency to degrade poorly biodegradable compounds.
When different observers match the same color, using the same matching stimuli, it is found that there are slight differences in the amounts that they require to make up a match. The interpretation of color differences plays an important role in some cases, for example in color evaluation during print approval, when the designer has high requirements regarding the accuracy of color reproduction, for medical purposes, in the automotive or other industries. There are several tests for determining who is the best candidate for evaluating colors. One of the most convenient tests is the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Test. The main disadvantage of this and similar tests is that one can't straightforwardly connect perceptual interpretation of color differences with objective results done with instrumental measurement of color differences. The paper proposed a way to express in ΔE* units the results of testing the subject's sensitivity to color differences, and in that way to determine as precisely as possible the difference in color that an individual subject can perceive in some part of the colored space. By calculating the average value of ΔE* of the respondents for certain parts of the color space, a conclusion can be drawn about the general sensitivity of the respondents to differences in colors.
Optimization and application of ray tracing algorithms to enhance user experience through real-time rendering in virtual reality
This thesis explores the application of ray tracing algorithms in creating photorealistic scenes and their integration into virtual reality (VR) environments. Ray tracing, an advanced rendering technique, simulates the behavior of light rays as they travel through a scene, resulting in realistic effects such as reflections, shadows, and refractions. The practical part focuses on implementing key elements of ray tracing, specifically the calculation of ray-object intersections, performance optimization, and integration with global illumination in Unity. The study demonstrates how ray tracing can enhance the visual fidelity of VR, but also highlights the technical challenges, particularly in maintaining performance in real-time applications. Through a case study, the key benefits and limitations of ray tracing in VR are examined, providing valuable insights into its potential to improve image quality and user experience.
Exploring the photorealistic capabilities of AI image generators: Stable Diffusion, DALL-E mini and dream by WOMBO
In today’s digital age, artificial intelligence plays a key role in transforming the way we create and perceive art and photography. Now it is possible to generate imagined visual content with input of just a few words of text. Rapid technological advancement has led to significant progress in the field of artificial intelligence, which is increasingly being used in various aspects of human life. For recent years, AI tools have become progressively popular in academic circles, particularly for testing various algorithms in the creation of scientific and professional experiments. This paper explores the artificial intelligence generators Stable Diffusion, DALL-E mini, and Dream by WOMBO to study the hypothesis whether high-quality photorealistic images can be created with simple input, without additional iterations.
Paper Currency: A systematic review of design, security features, and counterfeit detection
Counterfeiting of currency notes remains a persistent global challenge with extensive economic consequences. This systematic review provides a comprehensive analysis of the detection techniques employed to combat counterfeit currency, involving various countries. The aim is to synthesize and evaluate the effectiveness of these methods, highlighting on the advancements made, and classifying areas of research with respect to its security features, conventional detection techniques, fuzzy logic and image processing techniques and other methods. One of the central themes emerging from this analysis is the importance of security features in currency design. Technological advancements have catalyzed the development of advanced detection tools and automated frameworks. Researchers have explored machine learning algorithms, image processing, and data-driven approaches to detect counterfeit notes efficiently. Additionally, this systematic review identifies the significance of cross-disciplinary collaboration. It emphasizes the need for cooperation between graphic designers, printers, papermakers, and central banks to create secure currency designs and implement effective detection mechanisms. Moreover, the geographical scope of this review extends to various countries where each region faces unique challenges and employs distinct methods to detect counterfeit notes, reflecting the global diversity in counterfeit threats. As the threat of counterfeit currency continues to evolve, this case by case analysis will serve as a valuable resource for banking and financial sectors, and researchers seeking to enhance counterfeit detection strategies and safeguard economies worldwide.
Optimization of flexographic process parameters using Taguchi’s grey relational analysis technique
This paper is an experimental and statistical approach to find out an optimal solution for the best print quality reproducible by flexographic printing on coated and uncoated substrate using Taguchi’s Grey Relational Analysis method. The halftone image composed of round and square shaped dots with AM screening and the anilox roller with three different screen rulings are employed at different trial runs of experiment. Total of 12 numbers of experimental runs with different combinations of paper grades, halftone dot shapes and anilox roller rulings are employed in the experiment to investigate its influence on the final print quality. The print quality evaluation is based on the assessment of Solid Ink Densities, Dot Gain, Hue Error and Print Contrast using Taguchi’s Grey Relational Analysis method. Based on the Taguchi’s GRA score, the optimal solution for the best print quality is prioritized. This work aims to distinguish the influence of substrate, halftone dot shape and anilox cell ruling in the final print quality of flexographic process. Also, it demonstrates the scope of applying Taguchi’s Grey Relational Analysis in the printing field to find out an optimal solution for the multiple criteria based decision making activities.