Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A new sparsification and compression technique for high frequency MoM by means of wavefront basis functions

A new sparsification and compression technique by means of asymptotic phasefrot extraction is presented to reduce the computation time and memory requirements of the MoM for high frequencies. The new technique permits the accurate estimation of the asymptotic phase of the induced current by means of the wavefront basis functions. Those functions are built iteratively by using the electric field integral operator. (4 pages)
Investigation of the Effect of Digital Storytelling on Cultural Awareness and Creative Thinking

In this study, the effects of the teaching of the life science course performed using Storyjumper software- one of the Web 2.0 tools-, on primary school second grade students' cultural awareness and creative thinking skills were examined. In the study, single group pretest-posttest weak experimental model was used. Convenience sampling method was used for determining the participants of the research. The participants of the research consisted of 22 second grade students. In order to collect the research data, Torrance Test of Creative Thinking Verbal-A and Cultural Awareness Level Determination Form created by the researchers were used. The analysis of quantitative data was conducted via Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. The answers for Cultural Awareness Level Determination Form were analyzed using inductive content analysis methods. As a result of the study, it was determined that the teaching performed for digital story creation had positive effects on students' cultural awareness and creative thinking skills.
CMOS/LCOS-based image transceiver device: II

A CMOS-liquid crystal-based image transceiver device (ITD) is under development at the Holon Institute of Technology. The device combines both functions of imaging and display in a single array configuration. This unique structure allows the combination of see-through, aiming, imaging and the displaying of a superposed image to be combined in a single, compact, head mounted display. The CMOS-based pixel elements are designed to provide efficient imaging in the visible range as well as driver capabilities for the overlying liquid crystal modulator. The image sensor part of the pixel is based on an n-well photodiode and a three-transistor readout circuit. The imaging function is based on a back- illuminated sensor configuration. In order to provide a high imager fill-factor, two pixel configurations are proposed: 1) A p++/p-/p-well silicon structure using twin- well CMOS process; 2) An n-well processed silicon structure with a micro-lens array. The display portion of the IT device is to be fabricated on a silicon-based reflective, active matrix driver, using nematic liquid crystal material, in LCOS technology. The timing, sequencing and control of the IT device array are designed in a pipeline array processing scheme. A preliminary prototype system and device design have been performed and the first test device is currently undergoing testing. Details of the device design as well as its Smart Goggle applications are presented.
Dielectric-rod aerials

This paper describes theoretical and experimental work carried out in the Admiralty Signal Establishment, and at the same time includes all the relevant material that the authors have been able to extract from German reports. It was decided to carry out this investigation when it became known that considerable importance had been attached to dielectric-rod aerials in Germany during recent years. The material of German origin is taken mainly from a translation by the authors of a paper by Mallach of the Vierjahresplan Institut fur Schwingungsforschung, Berlin.The fundamental principles governing the radiation characteristics of dielectric rods are considered, and brief reference is made to other dielectric aerials.
Analysis of negative‐resistance characteristics in active capacitance circuit

An active‐capacitance circuit with a series‐feedback network is analyzed in depth and its application to an active microwave band‐pass filter (BPF) is discussed. In this paper, we extract the exact equivalent values of this circuit and analyze the RF characteristics while varying the values of active devices and feedback circuits. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 42: 240–243, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20264
Improving passive house certification: recommendations based on end-user experiences

The house construction sector in Europe is facing the need to meet stricter energy requirements. For example, some customers are demanding passive houses with almost no demand for space heating. Passive house quality assurance systems have been introduced to certify the energy performance of such houses. The aim of this study was to identify opportunities for improving passive house certification in line with customer's comfort expectations. Questionnaires, site visits and interviews were carried out to identify and assess the comfort concerns of owner-occupiers in certified single-family passive houses in Flanders, northern Belgium. The results show that certified passive houses in Flanders are well rated and perceived as very comfortable. However, there were some cases where comfort concerns were expressed related to perceived flaws in the design or construction of the building services. In particular, the study recommends incorporating criteria for the planning and installation of user-friendly ventilation systems into passive house certification and providing end-users with better information.
Induced voltage measurements on an experimental distribution line during nearby rocket triggered lightning flashes

Rocket triggered lightning flashes were triggered near a de-energized experimental distribution line while simultaneous measurements of the induced phase to neutral voltage were performed. Electric field, magnetic field and lightning stroke current characteristics associated with the triggered flashes were also measured. Analysis of 63 stroke currents and corresponding induced voltages reveals that the peak induced voltages are roughly 63% larger than predicted by the commonly used Rusck theory but in fairly good agreement with modern coupling theory using measured electric and magnetic fields as inputs. The induced voltages had peak magnitudes between about 8 and 100 kV for stroke magnitudes ranging from a few kiloamperes up to about 44 kA. The vertical electric field resulting from the lightning flash was found to play a dominant role in the induction process, but the magnetic field also contributed significantly to the total induced voltage. These measurements suggest that induced voltages on distribution lines are larger than expected and may lead to more flashovers than expected.
Comparing rear wheel steering and rear active differential approaches to vehicle yaw control

A comparison between two different approaches to vehicle stability control is carried out, employing a robust non-parametric technique in the controller design. In particular, an enhanced internal model control strategy, together with a feedforward action and a suitably generated reference map, is employed for the control of a vehicle equipped either with a rear wheel steering (RWS) system or with a rear active differential (RAD) device. The uncertainty arising from the wide range of operating conditions is described by an additive model set employed in the controller design. Extensive steady state and transient tests simulated with an accurate 14 degrees of freedom nonlinear model of the considered vehicle show that both systems are able to improve handling and safety in normal driving conditions. RAD devices can make the vehicle reach higher lateral acceleration values but they achieve only slight stability improvements against oversteer. On the other hand, 4WS systems can greatly improve both vehicle safety and manoeuvrability in all driving situations, making this device an interesting and powerful stability system.
Deep learning to establish structure property relationships of impact copolymers from AFM phase images

AFM phase images were collected on impact copolymer samples that differ in bulk mechanical properties and microstructure. A deep learning model based on a convolutional neural net (CNN) successfully classified some combinations of ICP’s based on microstructure. A separate regression-based CNN correlated the AFM phase images with various bulk mechanical properties, showing good results with yield strength and ultimate elongation percentage and weak results with flexural modulus and notched izod. The results observed from the deep learning model reveal a relationship between the microstructures as captured by the AFM phase images with the different bulk material properties.
Actuator requirements for laser power beaming

Design considerations and working formulas and graphs are presented for estimating the actuator requirements for adaptive optics correction of global tilt and residual piston error arising from atmospheric turbulence along a ground-to-space path. Frequency characteristics are calculated for several important crosswind conditions for the case where the active segments are very small compared to the full aperture; it is shown that the velocity profile has a strong effect on the power spectra and that high slew rates significantly increase the required high-frequency response and accentuate the effects of high-altitude turbulence. Predictions are given for the SELENE laser power beaming system which uses active control of a segmented primary telescope mirror.
Evaluation of Texas Department of Transportation Safety Improvement Index as a Prioritization Tool

In accordance with the federally mandated Highway Safety Improvement Program, every state is required to “develop and implement, on a continuous basis, a highway safety improvement program which has the overall objective of reducing the number and severity of crashes. ” As part of this program, the Texas Department of Transportation (DOT) uses a formula known as the Safety Improvement Index (SII) for identifying, ranking, and selecting eligible projects. The SII is used to rank projects for potential funding by giving priority to projects that have a high benefit–cost ratio. Because the SII has not been updated within the past two decades, there is a need to determine whether the current formulation should be revised or updated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the SII in its current functional form and in its usefulness to rank and prioritize projects for safety improvement. The evaluation procedure proposed in this study used sensitivity analyses to study the effects of input variables on the SII. The results of the analysis indicated that although changes in the value of input variables affected the SII output, the ranking of projects usually was not affected, with the exception of the crash reduction factor variable. Thus, the same projects would be selected for safety improvement, even if different values were used in the SII. It is therefore recommended that the current formulation of the SII and the value of input variables used in the formula be retained by the Texas DOT to prioritize safety improvement projects.
Characterization and shelf life of “roselle” leaves stored in different packages under refrigeration

“Vinagreira” (Hibiscus sabdariffa) is an unconventional species with multiple possibilities of use, with food and industrialist potential. The objective of this work was to quantify some of its constituents and to evaluate the effect of the packaging on its post-harvest conservation. Branches were transported at Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro campus and to Embrapa Agroindústria de Alimentos, where they were packed in polypropylene (perforated, micro perforated and unperforated) conical packages, except for the control and stored at 5 ± 1 °C and 75% relative moisture. Before storage were evaluated: organic acids, carotenoids, total phenol, antioxidant activity, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids and fresh mass. The fresh mass loss, titratable acidity and soluble solids were analyzed every two days of storage. The design was completely randomized, in split plots. “Roselle” leaves may be considered sources, specially β-carotene (28.49 μg g-1) and lutein (25.70 μg g-1). The use of polypropylene packages in combination with refrigeration allowed for greater storage, with increase up to four days in the “vinagreira” shelf life, being the best results for unperforated packages were relatively better during storage.
A Cost-Benefit Analysis on Modulation Formats for 40-Gb/s Optical Communication Systems

Abstract This article discusses possible approaches for optical network capacity upgrade by considering the use of different modulation formats at 40 Gb/s. First, a performance evaluation is carried out regarding tolerance to three impairments: spectral narrowing due to filter cascading, chromatic dispersion, and self-phase modulation. Next, a cost-benefit analysis is conducted, considering the specific optoelectronic components required for the optical transmitter/receiver configuration of each format.
Driver Voice Identification System Using Auto-Correlation Function and Average Magnitude Difference Function

This study presents a driver identification system using voice analysis for a vehicle security system. The structure of the proposed system has three parts. The first procedure is speech pre-processing, the second is feature extraction of sound signals, and the third is classification of driver voice. Initially, a database of sound signals for several drivers was established. The volume and zero-crossing rate (ZCR) of sound are used to detect the voice end-point in order to reduce data computation. Then the Auto-correlation Function (ACF) and Average Magnitude Difference Function (AMDF) methods are applied to retrieve the voice pitch features. Finally these features are used to identify the drivers by a General Regression Neural Network (GRNN). The experimental results show that the development of this voice identification system can use fewer feature vectors of pitch to obtain a good recognition rate.
Autonomous system for movement monitoring

Falls are a major source of concern for the health and quality of life in the elderly. This study presents a new prototype of wearable device based on accelerometers for long-term home monitoring. The principal aim of the device is to prevent falls by detecting balance disorders in the wearer. The objectives pursued in its design are the capability to work in uncontrolled environments and the wearer comfort and easiness. Validation of the device is done against a medical balance analysis instrument based on force plates (posturograph), and some of the results are presented. Finally there is a discussion on the objectives accomplished and possible future work in the project.
Topology processing and static state estimation using artificial neural networks

The paper presents a new approach based on artificial neural networks (ANN) for power system network topology determination and static state estimation. The state estimator model considers dynamic change in network topology and bad data processing. ANN models based on the counterpropagation network (CPN) and functional link network (FLN) have been tried out for solving topology processing and static state estimation on the IEEE 14-bus, IEEE 57-bus and a 19-bus practical Indian system. In addition the results of state estimation using the Hopfield neural network and the conventional fast decoupled state estimator (FDSE) have also been obtained and compared. It has been established that the ANN based models provide results much faster, and work well even for non-Gaussian noise and in the presence of bad data.
A new optical interconnection module for high coupling efficiency on EOPCB

A new optical interconnection module for high coupling efficiency on Electro-optical printed circuit board (EOPCB) is presented in this paper. Polymer light waveguide which is embedded in common PCB has been used to construct EOPCB. The waveguide is fabricated by the method called Doctor-blading technology. A new 90°-deflection element which contains a MT-compatible coupling module with sphere interface is used to connect the VCSEL and waveguide. The MT-compatible coupling element is fabricated using high NA fiber which is placed very close to the vertical cavity surface emitter laser (VCSEL), which can make the loss between the VCSEL and coupling element ignored. On the other hand, the sphere interface at the end of the coupling element can provide a higher coupling efficiency and a larger misalignment tolerance between the coupling element and waveguide. The simulation result shows that the coupling efficiency can reach a peak value of 97.1% when the radius of the sphere interface is about 500μm. The horizontal misalignment tolerance and the vertical misalignment tolerance amount to ±25μm and ±32μm for 3dB-loss respectively.
Monitoring damage propagation using PZT impedance transducers

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is of great importance in preventing structural catastrophic failure which can lead to loss of life and property. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) is one of the most effective types of piezoelectric material, and it has been widely used with the electromechanical impedance (EMI) based SHM technique. In the EMI technique, PZT transducers are surface bonded to a structure to be monitored, and, in the presence of electric fields, they interrogate the structure and record the admittance signatures. The existing EMI techniques have focused on single damage assessment. However, once damage occurs in a structure, it may propagate along a certain direction and eventually lead to failure or collapse of the structure. Therefore, effective monitoring of damage propagation is an important aspect in SHM. This paper presents a study on monitoring damage propagation in aluminium plates using the EMI technique. Experiments are carried out to study the damage propagation by drilling holes in sequence along the length and width directions of the plates. PZT admittance signatures are recorded for each damage state and compared with the signature of the pristine state. In addition, a semi-analytical EMI model is employed to predict the PZT admittance signatures and compare them with the experimental ones. Both experimental and predicted signatures are analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using a statistical method. The results demonstrate the capability of the EMI method for monitoring damage propagation.
Ultrasonic Examination of Double-Shell Tank 241-AW-106 Examination Completed July 2009.

AREVA Federal Services LLC (AFS), under a contract from Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), has performed an ultrasonic examination of selected portions of Double-Shell Tank 241-AW-106. PNNL is responsible for preparing a report(s) that describes the results of the AFS ultrasonic examinations.
Development of the Control Strategy for an Innovative 4WD Device

The potentialities shown by controlled differentials are making the automotive industry to explore this field. While VDC systems can only guarantee a safe behaviour at limit, a controlled differential can also increase the handling performance. The system derives from a rear wheel drive architecture with a semi-active differential, to which has been added a controlled wet clutch that directly connects the front axle and the engine crankshaft. This device allows distributing the drive torque between the two axles, according to the constraints due to kinematics and thermal problems. It can be easily understood that in this device the torque distribution doesn’t depend only from the central clutch action, but also from the engaged gear. Because of that the central clutch controller has to consider the gear position too. The control algorithms development was carried on using a vehicle model which can precisely simulate the handling response, the powertrain dynamic and the actuation system behaviour. A right powertrain response required the development of a customize library in Simulink. The approach chosen to carry on this research was the one used in automotive industry nowadays: an intensive simulation campaign was executed to realize an initial controller design and tuning.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
ORB: an airborne microsensor observing platform

ENSCO, Inc has identified a need for airborne in-situ measurements of meteorological parameters such as temperature, humidity, pressure, wind velocity, as well as biological and chemical agents. In this paper, we describe one approach for the development of such a probe using advances in materials, microelectromechanical systems, and nanotechnology. We present the technology roadmap for creating an Observational Roving Body (ORB) and discuss power generation / storage, communications, networking, sensing, and aerodynamic design associated with development of airborne probes for in-situ measurements.
Comprehensive Parameters Adaption of Rolling Force Model Based on Objective Function in Tandem Cold Mill

In order to improve the setting accuracy of rolling force model, a comprehensive parameters adaptive objective function of rolling force was established. During the adaptive process, the adaptive coefficients of friction coefficient and deformation resistance were taken as the optimized parameters, and the Rosenbrock algorithm was used to search the optimal solution of the objective function. The proposed adaptive method has been applied successfully to a 1450mm 5-stand tandem cold mill. Application results show that the forecast accuracy of rolling force model has been improved significantly.
Stress Intensity Factor for Cracks Emanating from a Shaft

Shaft is a rotational body used to transmit power or motion. Due to cyclic loading conditions, surface cracks frequently grow in the shaft. Normally these cracks will propagate with a semi-circular shape and cause premature failure to the whole system. In order to prevent the catastrophic incident, there must be a monitoring system that provides an early warning during the operation of the shafts. The semi-analytical or experimental method applied previously had its own limitations and disadvantages. Hence, there is a great need to determine the stress intensity factor in cracked shafts by using finite element method. The objective of this study is to determine the stress intensity factor (SIF) for cracks emanating from a shaft by using finite element method and also to verify the finite element results with those obtained semi-analytically. The scope of this study is focused on the semi-circular crack and the crack loadings considered are Mode I and Mode III. This study is divided into two phases. For the first phase, modelling of the cracked shaft was carried out in ANSYS software, while for the second phase; the results obtained from the finite element analysis were compared with those obtained semi-analytically. The relationship between dimensionless SIF and the normalized relative crack depth is presented in the results and discussion section. The results obtained numerically and semi-analytically had been compared and the deviation in term of percentage is relatively small. In conclusion, the SIF of a shaft determined by the numerical method was verified to be accurate.