Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An IIR ALE based on constrained FIR filter

In this paper, we propose an adaptive algorithm for an adaptive line enhancer (ALE). The two constraints that are considered are the unit norm constraint and zeros constraint. By incorporating these two constrains, we show that the effect of a white disturbance signal on the convergence of the ALE is eliminated in the mean sense. Furthermore, by introducing a control mechanism, the stability and convergence of the system is guaranteed even if there is a sudden change in the frequency of the input sinusoidal signal. Simulation results that are presented verify these properties.
Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal

Combining frontline investigation with startling new data, Tristram Stuart's "Waste" shows how the way we live now has created a global food crisis - and what we can do to fix it. With shortages, volatile prices and nearly one billion people hungry, the world has a food problem - or thinks it does. Yet farmers, manufacturers, supermarkets and consumers in North America and Europe discard up to half of their food - enough to feed all the world's hungry at least three times over. Forests are destroyed and nearly one tenth of the West's greenhouse gas emissions are released growing food that will never be eaten. While affluent nations throw away food through neglect, in the developing world crops rot because farmers lack the means to process, store and transport them to market. But there could be surprisingly painless remedies for what has become one of the world's most pressing environmental and social problems. Travelling from Yorkshire to China, from Pakistan to Japan, and introducing us to foraging pigs, potato farmers, freegans and food industry directors, Stuart encounters grotesque examples of profligacy, but also inspiring innovations and ways of making the most of what we have. "Tristram Stuart lifts the lid on the obscene levels of produce ending up in landfill . read it and weep". ("The Sun"). "Passionate, closely argued and guaranteed to make the most manic consumer peer guiltily into the recesses of their fridge". ("Sunday Telegraph"). "An extremely thought-provoking, passionate study". ("Scotland on Sunday"). Tristram Stuart has been a freelance writer for Indian newspapers, a project manager in Kosovo and a prominent critic of the food industry. He has made regular contributions to television documentaries, radio and newspaper debates on the social and environmental aspects of food. His first book, "The Bloodless Revolution", was published in 2006.
A novel approach to pre-scaled clock recovery in OTDM systems

A new technique for the clock recovery in OTDM transmission systems is demonstrated; it is based on an injected electro-optic hybrid oscillator and offers the advantage of circuit simplicity and frequency scalability. We present a simple, not PLL-based, opto-electronic regenerative circuit, which is based on the electronic frequency divider proposed by Miller and doesn't require components with bandwidth higher than the tributary rate.
PBFA Z: A 20-MA z-pinch driver for plasma radiation sources

Sandia National Laboratories is completing a major modification to the PBFA-II facility. PBFA Z will be a z-pinch driver capable of delivering up to 20 MA to a z-pinch load. It optimizes the electrical coupling to the implosion energy of z pinches at implosion velocities of {approximately} 40 cm/{mu}s. Design constraints resulted in an accelerator with a 0.12-{Omega} impedance, a 10.25-nH inductance, and a 120-ns pulse width. The design required new water transmission lines, insulator stack, and vacuum power feeds. Current is delivered to the z-pinch load through four, self-magnetically-insulated vacuum transmission lines and a double post-hole convolute. A variety of design codes are used to model the power flow. These predict a peak current of 20 MA to a z-pinch load having a 2-cm length, a 2-cm radius, and a 15--mg mass, coupling 1.5 MJ into kinetic energy. We present 2-D Rad-Hydro calculations showing MJ x-ray outputs from tungsten wire-array z pinches.
Signal processing in diffusion MRI : high quality signal reconstruction

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique which is especially sensitive to different soft tissues, producing a good contrast between them. It allows for in vivo visualisation of internal structures in detail and became an indispensable tool in diagnosing and monitoring the brain related diseases and pathologies. Amongst others, MRI can be used to measure random incoherent motion of water molecules, which in turn allows to infer structural information. One of the main challenges in processing and analysing four dimensional diffusion MRI images is low signal quality. To improve the signal quality, either denoising algorithm or angular and spatial regularisations are utilised. Regularisation method based on Laplace--Beltrami smoothing operator was successfully applied to diffusion signal. In this thesis, a new regularisation strength selection scheme for diffusion signal regularisation is introduced. A mathematical model of diffusion signal is used in Monte--Carlo simulations, and a regularisation strength that optimally reconstructs the diffusion signal is sought. The regularisation values found in this research show a different trend than the currently used L-curve analysis, and further improve reconstruction accuracy. Additionally, as an alternative to regularisation methods a backward elimination regression for spherical harmonics is proposed. Instead of using the regularisation term as a low-pass filter, the statistical t-test is classifying regression terms into reliable and corrupted. Four algorithms that use this information are further introduced. As the result, a selective filtering is constructed that retains the angular sharpness of the signal, while at the same time reducing corruptive effect of measurement noise. Finally, a statistical approach for estimating diffusion signal is investigated. Based on the physical properties of water diffusion a prior knowledge for the diffusion signal is constructed. The spherical harmonic transform is then formulated as a Bayesian regression problem. Diffusion signal reconstructed with the addition of such prior knowledge is accurate, noise resilient, and of high quality.
SNaP! Re-using, sharing and communicating designs and design knowledge using scenarios, narratives and patterns

In order to enable a culture of critical, informed and reflective design practice we need a linguistic framework for communicating design knowledge: the knowledge of the characteristic features of a domain of practice, the challenges which inhabit it, and the established methods of resolving them. Such an infrastructure must “serve two masters”; on one hand, it should adhere to the requirements of scientific rigor, ensuring that the proposed conditions and challenges are genuine and the solutions effective. On the other hand, it should maintain pragmatic adequacy, ensuring that the insights it encapsulates are readily available for practitioners to implement in real-world situations. Several representations have been proposed to this effect: design narratives (Mor, 2011; Barab et al, 2008; Bell, Hoadley and Linn, 2004; Hoadley, 2002; Linn & Hsi, 2000), design principles (Kali, 2006, 2008; Linn, Bell, & Davis, 2004; Merrill, 2002; Quintana et al., 2004; van den Akker, 1999), and design patterns (Derntl & Motschnig-Pitrik, 2005; Goodyear, 2005; Mor & Winters, 2007; Retalis et al, 2006), to name a few. The aim of this chapter is to characterise two of these forms – design narratives and design patterns, and propose a third form – design scenarios, and suggest how these could be embedded in a cycle of reflective learning design.
Visual Vehicle Identification Using Modern Smart Glasses

In recent years wearable devices have been advancing at a rapid pace and one of the largest growing segments is the smart glass segment. In this thesis the feasibility of today’s ARM-based smart glasses are evaluated for automatic license plate recognition (ALPR). The license plate is by far the most prominent visual feature to identify a spe- cific vehicle, and exists on both old and newly produced vehicles. This thesis propose an ALPR system based on a sequence of vertical edge detection, a cascade classifier, verti- cal and horizontal projection as well as a general purpose optical character recognition library.The study further concludes that the optimal input resolution for license plate detection using vertical edges is 640x360 pixels and that the license plate need to be at least 20 pixels high or the characters 15 pixels high in order to successfully segment the plate and recognize each character. The separate stages were successfully implemented into a complete ALPR system that achieved 79.5% success rate while processing roughly 3 frames per second when running on a pair of Google Glass.
Application of the Backward-Smoothing Extended Kalman Filter to Attitude Estimation and Prediction using Radar Observations

Abstract : The Lincoln Attitude Estimation System (LAES), a new tool being developed for the Space Situational Awareness Group (SSAG) at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, integrates several existing hardware and software systems, with a backward-smoothing extended Kalman filter (BSEKF). LAES is intended to determine the rotational motion of a freely tumbling spacecraft from a sequence of discrete-time radar images. The raw range-Doppler returns are collected using a ground-based sensor, which is owned and operated by the SSAG, and processed into a set of range/cross-range images. A three-dimensional geometric model is, through computer graphics procedures, displayed on top of the two-dimensional radar images, enabling an analyst to rotate (and scale in cross-range) the model in order to align it to the object's image. Therefore, the orthographic projection matrix that the computer graphics procedures computed to display the computer model, simultaneously describes the projection of the object onto the radar image plane. These measurements are essentially corrections to a nominal or baseline motion which had to be assumed in order to generate the images in the first place. Combining the reference motion, which describes the orientation of the image plane in inertial space, with the sequence of rotations describing the attitude of the spacecraft within the image plane, yields the final set of attitude measurements which are then passed to the BSEKF for processing. The existing free motion software currently in use within the Space Situational Awareness Group makes two critical assumptions: 1) that the spacecraft is a symmetric rigid body and 2) that there are no disturbance torques acting on the spacecraft during the imaging period.
Modeling environmental concentrations of pcb-153 with lotos-euros-pop. Part 1: Modeling possible effects of climate changes and emission reductions until 2050. Part 2: Test + validation runs with lotos-euros v1.5.025

Deel 1: Modelleren van de mogelijke effecten van klimaatveranderingen en emissiereducties op de PCB-153 concentraties in 2050 Veranderingen in het klimaat zullen komende decennia naar verwachting een gering effect hebben op de verspreiding van PCB-153 in het milieu, in ieder geval op gemiddeld Europees niveau. De voorspelde afname van de emissies van deze stof tot 2050 leidt echter tot concentraties die naar verwachting 20% lager liggen dan nu in de bodem, en tot 90-95% in lucht en zeewater. De beleidsmaatregelen die genomen zijn en worden om emissies van stoffen als PCB-153 te reduceren, zullen de komende decennia dus waarschijnlijk niet teniet worden gedaan door tegengestelde effecten van klimaatverandering. Klimaatverandering kan effect hebben op de verspreiding en concentratie van chemische stoffen in het milieu. In dit briefrapport wordt een modelstudie gepresenteerd, waarin op Europees niveau de verwachte effecten van klimaatverandering op de milieuconcentraties van PCB-153 tot 2050 zijn geschat. In de studie is gebruik gemaakt van het LOTOS-EUROS model. Ter vergelijk zijn de verwachte effecten van klimaatverandering afgezet tegen de verwachte effecten van de reductie in emissies tot 2050. Van alle milieucompartimenten zijn concentratieveranderingen als gevolg van klimaatveranderingen het meest uitgesproken in de bodem: onder het toekomstige klimaatscenario neemt de gemiddelde PCB-153 concentratie in bodem met 7% af ten opzichte van de huidige klimaatomstandigheden. In de lucht en het zeewater veranderen de concentraties gemiddeld slechts 1-2%. De ruimtelijke verdeling van de PCB-concentraties zal noch door klimaatverandering, noch door veranderende emissies significant veranderen. Deel 2: Test- and validatieberekeningen met LOTOS-EUROS-POP: Deel 2 van dit rapport bevat test- en validatierapporten van de POP-module van LOTOS-EUROS-POP v.1. 5.025. De door het LOTOS-EUROS model voorspelde concentraties van PCB-153 zijn 1) vergeleken met gemeten concentraties in lucht, water en bodem over de periode 1990-2008 (voornamelijk afkomstig van EMEP), en 2) vergeleken met voorspelde concentraties van PCB-153 voor het Verenigd Koninkrijk, verkregen met het MSCE-POP model en een model dat ontwikkeld is door Sweetman en Jones (1999).
GDI Swirl Injector Spray Simulation: a Combined Phenomenological-CFD Approach

In this work the formation and the evolution of the fuel spray emerging from a hollow-cone swirl injector were investigated. The first aim of the work was to set up a tool for fuel spray simulation in a CFD analysis that can offer a reasonable accuracy with no significant increment in the computational time. The analysis started from a theoretical formulation of the fuel flow inside the injector, based on the potential theory, obtaining an injector model which allows the calculation of the main spray characteristics usually required by the CFD analysis (i.e. droplet velocity, fuel film thickness, droplet size distribution). These parameters can be obtained only from spray cone angle and mass flow rate, which are the data commonly provided by injector manufacturers. Furthermore, a phenomenological approach was also presented, in order to properly simulate in CFD analysis the spray tip penetration in the dense spray zone, without requiring an increase of the spatial grid resolution. Encouraging results were obtained that are in good agreement with the experimental data.
Learning Styles of English as a Second Language (ESL) Upper Primary School Students

People in general have different ways and methods of perceiving, processing and dissecting information thus leading to learners practising a certain learning style. The chosen learning style allows individual to acquire and process knowledge in any subjects taught in schools specifically among students who learn English as a Second Language. The purpose of this research is to investigate the most common learning styles of English as a Second Language (ESL) upper primary school students.The sample consisted of 30 students from Year 4,5, and 6 from one of the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC)s in Port Dickson district.This research utilizes the quantitative approach to determine the pattern of learning styles of the ESL upper primary school students. Felder-Silverman Learning Style Model (FSLSM) has been adopted in supporting this research. The items for this research’s questionnaire has been adopted and adapted from FSLSM to collect data on the students’ learning style preference because it has been used widely in the field of learning styles and also due to its credibility and suitability to this research. The questionnaire consists of two parts; Section A with 2 items and Section B with 44 items. The items substantiating 4 dimensions and 4 sub-scales, that is to say perception (sensing / intuitive learners), procession (active / reflective learners), input (visual / verbal learners) and comprehension (sequential / global learners). Every dimension comprises of 11 items. The questionnaire set was distributed to 30 upper primary. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20 where descriptive analysis was used to analyse frequency. Results from the analysis showed that in whole, the ESL upper primary school students of this SJKC are more dominant in visual (80%) than verbal style (20%) for input dimension; followed by sequent (76.7%) than global style (23.3%) for comprehension dimension; active (56.7%) than reflective style (43.3%) for procession dimension and intuitive (60%) than sensing style(40%) for perception dimension. The findings of this research, the research suggests that educator should pay more attention in selecting and employing the most apt teaching method to cater the learning styles that have been reported.
PENGOLAHAN SAMPAH SAYURAN MENJADI KOMPOS DENGAN METODE TAKAKURA

The increasing household activity is increasing also the amount of vegetables waste produced will cause a pile of decomposed waste, so that proper waste management is needed. The processing of waste done by the Community is still conventional that takes a long time so needed an innovation by re-utilizing garbage into compost with the method Takakura. This research aims to determine the comparison of physical parameters (temperature, pH, humidity, smell, color and texture) between the control group and the treatment group in making compost with Takakura method. This research method utilizes an experimental semi-quasi design with a control group and a treatment group conducted in the Environmental Health Laboratory of PSDKU Airlangga University in Banyuwangi during February-April 2019. The results showed that the parameters of physical quality compost vegetable waste without the addition of bioaktivator is the temperature of 29oC, pH 6.8, humidity 45%, colored blackish, smelling soil and texture like soil. While the parameters of physical quality compost vegetable garbage with the addition of Bioaktivator EM4 is 30oC temperature, pH 6.8, humidity 50%, colored blackish, smelling soil and texture like soil. Conclusion of making compost with vegetable garbage method Takakura obtained the temperature parameter of the treatment group higher than the control group, the pH of both groups, the humidity of the treatment group is higher or moist than With the control group as well as the color, smell and texture of both groups in accordance with the guidelines SNI 19-7030-2004. Keywords: compost, EM4, vegetable waste, takakura
Interpretable Machine Learning to Forecast SEP Events for Solar Cycle 23

We use machine learning methods to predict whether an active region (AR) which produces flares will lead to a solar energetic particle (SEP) event using Space‐Weather Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) Active Region Patches (SMARPs). This new data product is derived from maps of the solar surface magnetic field taken by the MDI aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. We survey the SMARP active regions associated with flares that appear on the solar disk between 5 June 1996 and 14 August 2010, label those that produced SEPs as positive and the rest as negative. The AR SMARP features that correspond to each flare are used to train two different types of machine learning methods, the support vector machines (SVMs) and the regression models. The results show that the SMARP data can predict whether a flare will lead to an SEP with accuracy (ACC) ≤0.72 ± 0.12 while allowing for a competitive leading time of 55.3 ± 28.6 min for forecasting the SEP events.
On the design of fault-tolerant robotic manipulator systems

Robotic systems are finding increasing use in space applications. Many of these devices are going to be operational on board the Space Station Freedom. Fault tolerance has been deemed necessary because of the criticality of the tasks and the inaccessibility of the systems to maintenance and repair. Design for fault tolerance in manipulator systems is an area within robotics that is without precedence in the literature. In this paper, we will attempt to lay down the foundations for such a technology. Design for fault tolerance demands new and special approaches to design, often at considerable variance from established design practices. These design aspects, together with reliability evaluation and modeling tools, are presented. Mechanical architectures that employ protective redundancies at many levels and have a modular architecture are then studied in detail. Once a mechanical architecture for fault tolerance has been derived, the chronological stages of operational fault tolerance are investigated. Failure detection, isolation, and estimation methods are surveyed, and such methods for robot sensors and actuators are derived. Failure recovery methods are also presented for each of the protective layers of redundancy. Failure recovery tactics often span all of the layers of a control hierarchy. Thus, a unified framework for decision-making and control, which orchestrates both the nominal redundancy management tasks and the failure management tasks, has been derived. The well-developed field of fault-tolerant computers is studied next, and some design principles relevant to the design of fault-tolerant robot controllers are abstracted. Conclusions are drawn, and a road map for the design of fault-tolerant manipulator systems is laid out with recommendations for a 10 DOF arm with dual actuators at each joint.
Digital podoscope for remote diagnosis

Nowadays the measurement of the contact area of the foot has become an objective way of classifying feet and to describe the form of the longitudinal arch of the foot. In this work, the implementation of a digital podoscope that enables remote sensing for evaluation of the foot is described. The podogram includes an outline of the plantar pressure, and the contour of the arch. This method of evaluation is relatively simple and inexpensive while maintaining precision. The recognition system compares the image of the actual foot with that of a reference image. Information from the comparison can be sent by internet to obtain a remote diagnosis from an expert.