The begginning of the end!

Well I am coming closer and closer to the end of university and as such that means it is dissertation time. I am going to keep a diary of what I have been up to with regards to my dissertation and keep up to date weekly. You can follow along and see what I go through and offer help or even learn some stuff.

First things first what am I doing?

Well it is called scene interpretation, which basically means I will take a video of something such as a street view that is publicly accessible and analyse the environment or people. With the people aspect there is some ethical concerns but thankfully there is already large data set that are available to use here. My first step though with regards to my dissertation project is to decide what aspect I am to focus on, whether people/crowd analysis or environment analysis. This will then be the core focus of my work and will stop me branching out to far and creating to much work for myself.


As well as deciding what to focus on I also am having a look at openCV in Python. I have found this link to a good tutorial, but I dare say I will be using multiple resources for learning as I go. I have used Python before but never for a project so this could be quite interesting. There will also be some background reading done on information about scene analysis to be able to use some examples or learn from.


My first goal is to get a system up and running that can do basic processing of videos and get some kind of recognition going on it. I have a meeting later this week so I can discuss in more detail where to go from there.

Some work and some play

Well It has been a bit more than a week since I last updated this but it has been very busy. I have signed up to a few sports and I am fully into my lectures after a bit of module switching.

So first up uni work, well after swapping Space robotics for Computer vision I have more or less settled in nicely. A few assignments/tasks have been handed out and they look really fun and...awkward. I am having a bit of trouble with one of my modules as it involves a lot of maths, such as matrix transformations. All the rest are really interesting and hopefully should all go well.
Now for the extra curricular activities...
First up I have joined the Aberystwyth robotics society to work on various bits and bobs. One main area of interest is quad-copters and other flying machines. I am also soon to start looking at a Reprap 3D printer to try and help get it working.

I am also a part of the Digs football team, F.C. Beaver. First training session didn't go brilliantly and it chucked it down with rain mid way. Should get better :). I have my first friendly tomorrow against Ivory Toast so should be fun and shall see how that goes.

I have also taken up fencing which is very fun but tiring and stressful on the legs. I have learnt a few moves such as lunge, disengage and circle parry and a few others. It also works up a bit of a sweat wearing all the gear. I am however considering putting myself up for vote to be novice representative.

Finally I have also taken up ballroom dancing. This is brilliant fun and shows me how much I know about my right and left. So far learnt the basics of Waltz, Cha, Jive and Quickstep and a few little bits such as the new yorker. I have also put myself down for competing at basic level which could be interesting so lots of practice.

Well that is it so far, I am keeping busy and loving every moment. Stay tuned for more news. 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MentalMarriott

What's been going on

Work - Well that's been a little slow lately but got new IT coming in soon so should be good. Will be up to me to help him settle down and learn the ropes, poor lad :P. Had a few meetings on what's happening around the place and sorting out new people for a event organising group I help lead.

Over the next few weeks quite a lot of people will be finishing so will be an interesting few weeks. Hopefully I can get some of my stuff sorted I want done before I leave. I have already done my IT to Graduate assessment day but flatmate has his soon, hope all goes well for him. Will be weird if we both end up coming back and working together.


Personal - Home life down south has been good this past year, met some really awesome people who I hope to stay in contact with. Flatmates have been the best I could have asked for as they managed to put up with me :P but seriously they are some of the most fun and easy to get on guys I have met. I hope all my friends do well in all their future endeavours.

Just this week one of my friends made me lunch, It was however part of a challenge. to see if I could eat the biggest portion he has eaten for lunch. It was about 1kg of pasta with steak, it was nice but very filling. He said I could have it for £1 if I could eat it in one sitting rather than £4, It was painful but I did it but felt bad so gave him £2.

Soon myself and flatmates shall depart but not before we have one last hurrah and go out on a night to remember.

Bowling and such

So today has been a busy but fun day. Started off as most work days do, getting up, exercise, breakfast, head to work. At work I had my usual stuff to do but there was a manager leaving so we all gathered to say a good bye, even though she was only leaving to a different department and would be on the floor above. Also talked had a meeting about what is needed to be done for an event that I shall be helping out with.

At the end of the day I got a lift of a friend rather than my flatmate as we were heading bowling later. However they had to nip to the dentist, so I came along and sat in the waiting room. I went the toilet while there, as when you got to go you go, the toilet was tiny. It was smaller than train toilets it was ridiculous. When I got back to the waiting room my friend showed me what they put on Facebook about me, they said "It's like being at the dentist with my dad". Hope that meant I was mature, still seems a bit off then.

After the dentist there was time to spare before bowling(pun intended). So we went for a nice meal at a local pub/eatery place, the food there was very nice. The fly though was not. After the nice meal we headed off to bowling. When we got to bowling we were still a little early so grabbed a drink and started having a little chat. Then it was bowling time. First game didn't do too well and came last as always. Second game I found my swing of things part way through but then lost it.

While waiting for the third game there were a couple of kids who looked like they were going to have a fight but one of their friends came along and calmed them down. In the third match I was doing much better, I got two strikes in a row but unfortunately missed the third. I was especially annoyed at missing the third as on a Tuesday a gentleman comes round to each lane and if that player can get a strike then they get a free game. So came to me and was my turn, bowled, one pin remained standing, I was gutted. I was happy with the third game overall though as finally managed to break 100.

Today has been a rather good day, also got my pink driving license through today. Problem is it features me with hair whereas now I am lacking most of it, ah well.

Oh and my sweepstakes team, Germany are through, just :).

New Stuff

First of new videos on youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/mentalmarriott go check it out.

Now shameless plug is done bit about what I have been up to. Currently still in Uni durnig a bit of the holidays doing some of my individual assignment. I have to create a Point Of Sale system for a pizza shop and revise over a short holiday, not nice at all.

I keep trying to update my blog more and more but been a bit dull recently. Been swimming, done work, made few youtube videos. I need a project for me to work on so over the next week or so I shall hopefully find something to do.

I NEED a job. Money Is being stretched really thin and I want to earn some money. So far I am hoping my Google AdSense goes up to £60 so I can claim it. Just wish I could make a popular video, that would be brilliant.

MY BRAIN HURTS!!!

I have been doing so much work recently it hurts my head. One group project in, group presentation done, Web page making OK progress, PDP still miles behind and in for next week and still got another project to be handed out.