bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study on the Fabrication of Metallic Bipolar Plate for Subminiature Fuel Cell Using Powder Injection Molding Process
Authors: Kim Gun Hee , Lee Jeong Won , Heo Young Moo , Cho Myeong Woo
Published: March 2013

Subminiature fuel cell is a representative eco-friendly power source which possesses the merits of having the potential of being implemented in portable electronic devices and other subminiature devices, as well as having high energy density as compared to existing secondary cells. The size of the bipolar plate which is implemented in a subminiature fuel cell should be of a small size according to the size of the fuel cell, and the flow channel inside the bipolar plate also has be reduced to match the overall size of the bipolar plate. Therefore, a higher level of difficulty in the manufacturing process is involved in producing bipolar plate for subminiature fuel cells and mass production is extremely difficult. In this study, powder injection molding was applied to the production of subminiature metal bipolar plate to verify the possibility of mass production. For that, a bipolar plate and mold were designed and then a test injection forming was carried out. This was attempted to validate the feasibility of a subminiature metallic bipolar plate prepared through a debinding and sintering process by evaluating its electric conductivity and density.
Energy Consumption and Potential Retrofitting of Rest and Service Areas (RSAs) in Malaysia Case Study
Authors: Rozana Zakaria , Foo Kian Seng , Ainee Farinee , Majid Mohamad Zin Abd. , Zin Rosli Mohammad , Hainin Mohd Rosli , Yaacob Haryati , Norhaliza Hamzah , Balubaid Saeed Omer , Ain Naadia Mazlan , Mohd Affendi Ismail , Yazid Y.S. , Hasrul Haidar Ismail , Nurfatimah Marwar
Published: March 2013

The reduction in energy usage is proven able to minimize the carbon dioxide emission. By promoting energy efficient practices at Rest and Service areas (RSAs) along the highway, it is able to decreasing the carbon dioxide emission. This paper highlights the outcome of a study aims to compare the energy consumption of the RSA that utilized HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) and non-HVAC. Thus, the study extends to determine the potential retrofitting of RSAs that responsive to more energy reduction. Data collection conducted at the 6 RSAs in PLUS highway, Johor Region of Malaysia which are Pagoh RSA (Northbound & Southbound), Machap (Northbound & Southbound), and Gelang Patah (Northbound & Southbound). The results show that the energy consumption at Machap Northbound RSA is considered very high in comparison to the other RSAs in Johor Region that not utilized full HVAC. Thus, it was proven that the usage of full HVAC system contributing to the increase of energy consumption at the RSA. Simultaneously, the carbon emission is also directional proportion to the energy consumption at the RSAs. Some retrofitting is potential to be applied for more energy efficiency in order to support the maximum energy reduction at the RSAs. In example, reducing the number of air-condition unit at the café is significant to be taken to reduce energy wastage for all 6 RSAs. In conclusion, energy efficient RSAs can be achieved by applying good energy management, installing best energy saving appliance and implementing passive design strategy.
Evaluation of Degradation of Concrete Exposed to High Temperature by Means of Ultrasonic Pulse Method
Authors: Brožovský Jiří , Bodnárová Lenka , Hela Rudolf , Drochytka Rostislav , Hela Vlastimil
Published: March 2013

Ultrasonic pulse method is a non-destructive testing method used for testing materials. For concrete, it is used mostly for determination of dynamic elasticity modulus, compressive strength, homogeneity, to determine depth of cracks or as a supportive method for testing frost resistance. Applicability of using ultrasonic pulse method for evaluation of degradation of concrete exposed to high temperature was proved. This method is unambiguously utilizable for rationalization of experimental work focused on optimization of composition of concrete resistant to high temperatures. Ultrasonic pulse method can be also used for mapping the degree of degradation of concrete elements and structures, which can be measured by means of direct sounding. Appropriateness of the use of ultrasonic pulse method for evaluation of degradation of concrete exposed to high temperature was proved. This method is unambiguously applicable for rationalization of experimental work focused on optimization of composition of concrete resistant to high temperatures. Ultrasonic pulse method can be also used for mapping degree of degradation of concrete elements and structures, which can be measured by means of direct sounding.
Fiber Cross-Section Shape Effect on Rate-Dependent Behavior of Polymer Matrix Composites with Fbgs Sensors
Authors: Zhai Zhi , He Zheng Jia , Chen Xue Feng , Ye Jun Jie , Zhu Xiao Jun
Published: March 2013

The micromechanical investigation of fiber cross-section shape effect on the rate sensitive nonlinear behavior of a glass/epoxy was performed at 10-5/s and 1/s, which considering four shapes, square, cross, circle and ellipse. With the strain of different rate loadings measured by Fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) sensors, the rate-dependent inelastic constitutive relationship of epoxy is built by using an internal state variables viscoplasticity model. Then, through homogenizing the properties of unit cells, the responses of resin and its composites at 30° and 60° off-axis loadings are predicted by a micromechanical model compared with the experiments data. The effect of fiber cross-section fiber on the 30° and 90° off-axis responses are discussed with respect to the viscoplastic parameters of the resin determined. The results indicate that the micromechanical model accurately calculates the behavior of the PMCs employed. The square fiber causes the largest flow stress and plastic strain in the four cases. And the influences on overall responses for the four fiber shapes are enhanced with raising off-axis angles but weaken with the rate increase. However, the elliptical fiber yields the highest modulus in linear elastic stage. The square fiber is the most effective and the elliptical fiber is the least effective in the nonlinear deformation stage. Besides, the elastic properties are unaffected by loading rates when it is less than 1/s.
Experimental Investigation of Retrofitted Extended End-Plate Connections
Authors: Shek Poi Ngian , Tahir M.Md. , Siang Tan Cher , Sulaiman Arizu
Published: March 2013

A series of retrofitted extended end-plate connections have been tested experimentally and evaluated using the component method specified in Eurocode 3. The component method decomposed the end-plate connection into several components, including the tension zone, compression zone, vertical and horizontal shear zone that occurred at the bolt, end-plate, beam and column. Based on the theoretical model, the moment resistance and the initial stiffness of a connection can be predicted. Four experimental tests on the retrofitted extended end-plate connections have been conducted to verify the proposed design method. From the experiment tests, all moment resistance of the connections showed good agreement with theoretical predictions, which establish a reliable foundation to predict the moment resistance of the retrofitted end-plate connection. All initial stiffnesses calculated from theoretical predictions do not represent the actual behaviour of tested connection. All tested connections can be classified as partial strength based on EC 3: Part 1.8, in condition the welding capacity is at least 50% higher than the capacity calculated from the component method.
Flexural-Torsional Buckling of Double-Angle Compression Members
Authors: Liu Jui Ling , Lue Dung M. , Lin Ching H.
Published: March 2013

The evaluation for double-angle compression members is a tedious procedure and is not an easy task for practicing engineers. In this study, a computer program has been developed to calculate the Pu based on the AISC specifications. It is found that the calculated value is quite close to the tabulated one if effective length (KL) is longer than 10 feet. However, the Pu is not tabulated for effective length less than 10 feet in some lager sections. It is found that the differences between the calculated value and the interpolated value could be as much as 20%. Unfortunately, the difference errors are not on conservative side and the use of interpolated values is not acceptable in practice. This study evaluates all double-angle compressive formulas provided by the AISC manuals and the comparisons among them are presented. The Pu versus KL curves, in which effective lengths less than 10 feet are added and plotted. Some supplementary tabulated values, which required in routine design and not listed in current AISC design manuals, are also furnished. This study will fulfill the needs for those who seek higher performance and wider coverage when evaluating the design of double-angle compression members under flexural-torsion condition.
Geochemistry Properties of Southern Malaysian Organic Soil
Authors: Ling Felix N.L. , Kassim Khairul Anuar , Abdul Karim Ahmad Tarmizi , Tiong Kenny , Tan C.K.
Published: March 2013

Johore, the southern part of west peninsular Malaysia is found to be rich in peat soil, especially at the Pontian & Batu Pahat district. The physico-chemical properties of the peat soil at the region had been extensively studied by various researches but limited studies were based on the interface layer of peat soil and non organic soil. The behaviour of the interface layer soil is believed to be governed by its organic matter content. Three locations of Batu Pahat, namely Parit Nipah, Parit Sidek & Batu Puteh which are difference in terms of geography setting were chosen in this case study. The main objective of this study is to characterize the geochemistry properties of the organic soil as a guide of its engineering behaviour. The soil specimens were collected using peat auger and undisturbed sampler. The organic contents and types of organic were determined in laboratory based on Loss on Ignition at 440c, carbon content and its molecular functional group. The pH, sulphate content, chloride content and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the organic soil were also determined as a guide of its potential stabilization by using chemical stabilizer. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) were utilized to determine the bulk chemical composition of the soil and its functional group, respectively. The findings of this study are expected to give a better overview of organic soil which enable designer to have a better understanding when dealing with this kind of material.
Impact on the Strength of Newly-Placed Concrete-Filled Tube under Earthquake Excitation
Authors: Liu Jui Ling , Lue Dung M. , Chung Ping T.
Published: March 2013

The Chi-Chi earthquake caused significant loss of property and life. This phenomenon disclosed many design-related in the construction industry. The first condition that we would like to determine is whether the earthquake affected the final strength of newly-cast concrete if the fresh concrete was cast just before the earthquake struck, particularly when the fresh concrete was cast just before its initial or final setting. This study aims to investigate the effects of an earthquake on fresh concrete. Twenty specimens were fabricated to investigate the effects of strong ground motion on concrete. Of the 20 specimens, 9 were lightweight-concrete-filled CFT (Concrete Filled Tube) columns, 9 were CFT columns filled with concrete of normal weight, and the remaining two were pure steel hollow tubes. The specimens were leveled on a shaking table to simulate the strong ground motion caused by an earthquake. The test reveals that the lightweight-concrete-filled CFT columns are unaffected by the quake. However, the normal weight concrete filled CFT columns are slightly affected by the quake.
Influence of Open Channel on Explosion-Induced Vibration Wave Propagation
Authors: Wang Iau Teh , Lee Chin Yu
Published: March 2013

Hazard control of explosion-induced vibration is an important issue which cannot be ignored in blasting engineering. Its influence range and damage scale are affected by the shock wave energy. This study applied the LS-DYNA software and adopted the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian method for numerical analysis to simulate the propagation of blast waves caused by the surface blast of C-4 explosives in a semi-infinite space in order to explore the effectiveness of Open Channel Grooves in vibration isolation. The analysis shows that the finite element method can properly simulate the dynamic characteristics of soil in an explosion; with the distance moving away from the explosion point, the shock wave gradually decays. Open Channel Grooves have a significant effect on attenuating the propagation of detonation waves. The attenuation degree is related to the width and depth of the groove, and the impact of the depth is greater than that of the width. This study can be used as a reference in hazard control of explosion-induced vibration for relevant engineering projects.
Using Acousto-Optic Coupling Technology to Investigate the Fracture Evolution of Rock-Like Materials during Inclined Shear Tests
Authors: Chen Li Hsien , Lin Guo Zhen , Chen Yao Chung , Yang Wen Xin
Published: March 2013

This study used synchronized acoustic and optical nondestructive AE and ESPI technology with an inclined shear test to investigate the micro- and macroscopic failure mechanisms of cement mortar specimens under shear force. Crack opening displacement feedback was used to control stable damage to obtain complete loading curves of specimens sheared at different shear angles (β). AE technology was used to investigate the time and space distributions of the occurrence of microseismic sources produced by shearing within rocks. Synchronized comparisons were made using the interference images caused by the exterior of the rock material changing shape because of the shearing detected by electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI). This was then used to examine three characteristics of the fracture evolution of rock-like material: localization, initiation of cracks, and crack propagation. The results indicate that shearing stiffness and shear strength are reduced following increases in the shear angle. In addition, the fracture propagation angle tends to change direction and its value also increases. Using AE methods to observe the evolution of microcracks in materials, the time and position of their localization were determined. These results were then compared with the crack initiation and propagation positions detected using ESPI. It is found that the fracture trends observed using these two methods were largely identical.
The Influence of Soil Grading and Compaction Pressure on Characteristics of Compressed Cement-Soil Materials
Authors: Kwon Hyug Moon , Tuan Le Anh
Published: March 2013

The relationships among soil, sand, cement binder and compaction pressure were considered in this paper. The soil grading was investigated with particle sizes which are, in particular order, finer than 5, 1.18, 0.6, 0.3 and 0.15 mm. Corresponding to each of soil grades, the compaction pressure was applied in the range from low to high level. The influence of soil grading and compaction pressure could be determined by value of compressive strength, dry density and water absorption. The experimental results reported in term of the optimal proportion for mixture, which gave the best strength in each level of compaction pressure and size of soil particles. In addition, the conclusion about the influence of clay content on characteristics of compressed cement-soil materials was also figured out so that the suitable clay content in the optimal mix proportion for practical application could be determined.
The Appropriate Fire Prevention Technology for Historic Buildings
Authors: Wen I Jyh , Lee Ming Jyh
Published: March 2013

Historic buildings and Monuments in the precious historical and cultural heritage plays an extremely important position, with the characteristics of the rare, special and historical value. Over the years in Taiwan, The fire management deficiencies, Cause a fire to become the biggest killer on the destruction of historic monuments. In this study, Explore by referencing and comparing the major fire prevention regulations for historic buildings active and passive fire protection technology around the world, We can find more Active fire protection equipment is widely used . And the use of the superior characteristics of the water mist system in Long-Shan Temple in Lu-Kang, Chang-Hua County as an Empirical research, try to exemplify the way, make appropriate fire use in historic architecture the best program to explore. In conclusion, comparison of the application of various innovative active and passive fire prevention system , and use the appropriate fire prevention technology to design and planning to improve the fire safety for historic monuments and buildings is an important issue. According to the empirical research of “Long-Shan Temple”, we can find water mist technology suitable for historic buildings fire protection in Taiwan.
Solar Façade for a Combined Heating and Cooling System in London
Authors: Chan Hoy Yen , Riffat Saffa , Zhu Jie
Published: March 2013

A combined heating and cooling system was developed and the system performance was simulated by a mathematical model. This is a building integrated system whereby the facade is used as a solar collector. The system consists of two cavities, i.e. the air is heated throughout the Cavity 1 whereas the air in Cavity 2 is cooled via indirect evaporative cooling. The simulation study used weather conditions of London for a south-facing façade with plate area of 40m2; and followed by a simple economic analysis for the system. Space heating is needed for most of the months, however cooling is more favorable for the months of June, July and August. It is estimated that present system is able to give an annual energy saving of 10,877kWh, which is equivalent to 5,874kgCO2/year of emission avoidance. Moreover, it is cheaper compared to the conventional solar flat plate air heaters. For a discount rate of 5% and 30 years of lifetime, the economic analysis found that the total system cost is approximately £4,952, which gives a payback period for less than a year.
Response Spectrum Analysis of the Condensate Storage Tank in a Nuclear Power Plant
Authors: Lin Wei Ting , Hsieh Meng Hsiu , Wu Yuan Chieh , Huang Chin Cheng
Published: March 2013

Following the nuclear power plant accident in Fukushima Japan, seismic capacity evaluation has become a crucial issue in combination building safety. Condensate storage tanks are designed to supplies water to the condensate transfer pumps, the control rod drive hydraulic system pumps, and the condenser makeup. A separate connection to the condensate storage tank is used to supply water for the high pressure coolant injection system, reactor core isolation cooling system, and core spray system pumps. A condensate storage tank is defined as a seismic class I structure, playing the important role of providing flow to the operational system and the required static head for the suction of the condensate transfer pumps and the normal supply pump. According to the latest nuclear safety requirements, soil structure interaction must be considered in all seismic analyses. This study aims to rebuild the computer model of condensate storage tanks in Taiwan using the SAP 2000 program in conjunction with the lumped mass stick model and to evaluate the soil structure interaction by employing the SASSI 2000 program. The differences between the results with the soil structure interaction and spring model are compared via natural frequency and response spectrum curves. This computer model enables engineers to rapidly evaluate the safety margin of condensate storage tank following the occurrence of earthquakes or tsunamis.
Model Simplification for Offshore Platforms Using Model Refinement Scheme
Authors: Zhang Min , Wang Shu Qing , Fu Jia Li , Xu Xiao Long
Published: March 2013

Offshore jacket platforms have been widely used in offshore oil and gas exploitation under hostile ocean environments. Finite element models of such structures need to have many degrees of freedom (DOFs) to represent the geometrical detail of complex structures, which leads to more computing power when performing the analysis and what’s more, the incompatibility in the number of degrees of freedom to the experimental models. Therefore, there is a need to simplify the analytical model by reducing the DOFs and in the process, making the essential eigen-properties agree with those of the experimental model is desired. In this paper, a scaled physical experimental model of an offshore jacket platform is simplified using the recently developed model refinement scheme. Mathematically, the procedure to implement the model refinement technique is an application of cross-model cross-mode (CMCM) method for model updating. The master degrees of freedom are chosen according to the placement of accelerometers in the experiment. Upon the completion of the refinement, the improved reduced jacket platform model matches the dynamic characteristics of the experimental model quite well.
Intact Ultrathin Ni Films Fabricated by Electroplating with Supercritical CO2 Emulsion
Authors: Chang Tso Fu Mark , Nagoshi Takashi , Ishiyama Chiemi , Sato Tatsuo , Sone Masato
Published: March 2013

Ultrathin (2 emulsion (SCE). Incomplete coverage of the Cu plate, the working electrode, by electroplated Ni and non-uniform Ni films with defects were obtained when conventional electroplating at 1 A/dm2 with 30 sec of deposition time was used. When electroplating with SCE (ESCE) was applied, complete coverage, defect-free and uniform UTNFs were obtained. SEM and AFM showed surface morphology of the UTNFs was covered by spherical-shaped particles with ~10 nm in diameter, which was expected to be individual Ni grains because the size was consistent with grain size of Ni films reported when ESCE was applied. High H2 solubility in CO2, periodic-plating-characteristic after applying ESCE, and improved transport efficiency of the reactive species are believed to be the main reasons to cause effects of grain refinement and suppression in formation of the defects. Thickness of the UTNFs was 11.97±1.82 nm when the deposition time was 15 sec, and the thickness increased to 38.45±1.71 nm when the deposition time was increased to 45 sec.
Reservoir Drought Prediction Using Two-Stage SVM
Authors: Chiang Jie Lun , Tsai Yu Shiue
Published: March 2013

The support vector machine (SVM) has been applied to drought prediction and it typically yields good performance on overall accuracy. However, the prediction accuracy of the drought category is much lower than that of the non-drought and severe drought categories. In this study, a two-stage approach was used to improve the SVM to increase the drought prediction accuracy. Four features, (1) reservoir storage, (2) inflows, (3) critical limit of operation rule curves, and (4) the Nth ten-day in a year, were used as input data to predict reservoir drought. We used these features as input data because they are the most commonly kept records in all reservoir offices. Empirical results show that the two-stage SVM outperforms the original SVM and the three other approaches (artificial neural networks, maximum likelihood classifier, Bayes classifier) for drought prediction. Not surprisingly, the longer the prediction time period, the lower the prediction accuracy is. However, the accuracy of predicting conditions within the next 50 days was approximately 85% both in training and testing data set by the two-stage SVM. Drought prediction provides information for reservoir operation and decision making in terms of water allocation and water quality issues. The result shows the benefit of a two-stage approach of SVM for drought prediction, as the accuracy of drought prediction increased quite substantially.
Prediction of Regolith Depth Using Topographic and Environmental Variables in the Central Mountain Division, Taiwan
Authors: Li Pei Ling , Yu Teng To , Lee Shing Tsz , Wang Ting Shiuan
Published: March 2013

Due to several reasons, there is a shortage of water resources in Taiwan, despite abundant rainfall. These reasons include high population density, uneven spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall, and rivers with steep gradients. According to the data collected by Central Geological Survey in the project: Pumping of Groundwater Resources in the Central Division of Mountain Areas of Taiwan, the abundant underground water in mountain areas exists in areas with thick regolith, broken rock or sandstone. Therefore, the investigation of regolith depth distribution would help us to further understand the amount of underground water, and the areas that can be exploited. This study is based on 441 drilling data over the Da-Chia and Choshui river basins, and aims to construct a relation model of topographic and environmental variables and to estimate the regolith depth in the study area. The amount of drilling data will be increased each year so that the model can be improved, developed and converged. Moreover, it can help in developing a model that is most suitable for estimating regolith depth in Taiwan.
Analysis of Spatial Distribution of the Neolithic Settlements in Zhengzhou-Luoyang Area by Using GIS
Authors: Qiao Wen Wen , Bi Shuo Ben , Wang Qi Fu , Liang Jing Tao
Published: March 2013

Zhengzhou-Luoyang area is one of the cradles of ancient Chinese civilization and contains more than 1000 settlements of the Neolithic Age. To study the spatial distribution of the Neolithic settlements in the region, this paper applied the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to investigate the relationship between site locations and environmental variables. The results of GIS analysis show that the settlement distribution of each culture period has a clustered pattern and obvious spatial features. Most of the settlements tend to be located in flat areas with low elevation and close to rivers and arable soils. Based on the environment variables, a Neolithic settlement site predictive model was generated to predict the archaeological probability of any given area in Zhengzhou-Luoyang area. The predictive model and distribution characteristics obtained here can help better understand the Neolithic man-land relationship and provide guidance for future field archaeology.
Isothermal Section of the Sn-Fe-Zn Ternary System at 270°C
Authors: Yen Yee Wen , Hsieh Yu Pin , Chen Wan Ching , Jao Chien Chung
Published: March 2013

With a relatively low liquidus temperature, the eutectic Sn-Zn alloy is suitable replacement for conventional eutectic Sn-Pb solder in the electronic industry. One of the most important materials as a lead-frame is Fe-42Ni alloy (Alloy 42) in the microelectronic packaging. The Sn-Fe-Zn ternary phase diagram is a powerful and useful tool to understand the interfacial reactions between Sn-Zn alloy and Alloy 42 substrate (Fe-rich alloy). The isothermal section of the Sn-Fe-Zn ternary system was experimentally investigated at 270oC in this study. Ternary Sn-Fe-Zn alloys were prepared and annealed at 270 oC to determine the isothermal section of the Sn-Fe-Zn ternary system. The experimental results revealed that no ternary intermetallic compound was formed, and noticeable Zn solubility was observed in the FeSn2 phase. The isothermal section of the Sn-Fe-Zn ternary system consists of nine single-phase areas, thirteen two-phase areas, and seven tie-triangles at 270 oC
Directly Georeferenced Ground Feature Points with UAV Borne Photogrammetric Platform without Ground Control
Authors: Tsai Meng Lun , Chiang Kai Wei , Lo Cheng Fang , Rau Jiann Yeou
Published: March 2013

In order to facilitate applications such as environment detection or disaster monitoring, developing a quickly and low cost system to collect near real time spatial information is very important. Such a rapid spatial information collection capability has become an emerging trend in the technology of remote sensing and mapping application. In this study, a fixed-wing UAV based spatial information acquisition platform is developed and evaluated. The proposed UAV based platform has a direct georeferencing module including an low cost INS/GPS integrated system, low cost digital camera as well as other general UAV modules including immediately video monitoring communication system. This direct georeferencing module is able to provide differential GPS processing with single frequency carrier phase measurements to obtain sufficient positioning accuracy. All those necessary calibration procedures including interior orientation parameters, the lever arm and boresight angle are implemented. In addition, a flight test is performed to verify the positioning accuracy in direct georeferencing mode without using any ground control point that is required for most of current UAV based photogrammetric platforms. In other word, this is one of the pilot studies concerning direct georeferenced based UAV photogrammetric platform. The preliminary results in term of positioning accuracy in direct georeferenced mode without using any GCP illustrate horizontal positioning accuracies in x and y axes are both less than 20 meters, respectively. On the contrary, the positioning accuracy of z axis is less than 50 meters with 600 meters flight height above ground. Such accuracy is good for near real time disaster relief. Therefore, it is a relatively safe and cheap platform to collect critical spatial information for urgent response such as disaster relief and assessment applications where ground control points are not available.
Tracking Multiple Fishes Using Colour Changes Identification and Enhanced Object Tracking Algorithm
Authors: Lee Wong Poh , Osman Mohd Azam , Talib Abdullah Zawawi , Yahya Khairun
Published: March 2013

Tracking multiple fishes using computational methods have become a research endeavor among researchers. Different concepts have been taken such as installing water sensors and video cameras to identify movement speed, colours, shapes and swimming patterns displayed by the fishes. In this research, an enhanced algorithm consisting of motion detection algorithm and condensation algorithm is proposed. This algorithm is further integrated with colour changes identification technique which considers the changes in colour on fishes. This is to identify overlapping fishes and to detect the distance between the camera and the fishes in the water. In our case study, a cultured fish tank installed with water sensors to monitor water pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature is set up together with two network cameras. Koi fishes are chosen due to their active swimming behaviour, variety of colours and easy-to-adapt habitat in the water. A real-time prototype system which models the fish swimming pattern consisting of the enhanced algorithm and the colour changes identification is developed.
Bone Trabecula Surface Reconstruction for Cranium Scaffold in Bone Tissue Engineering
Authors: Zheng Shu Xian , Li Jia , Gong Zheng Hua
Published: March 2013

In bone tissue engineering, the scaffold architecture is very important for cell growth, it is better to make it similar with the native bone trabecula. To imitate the nature bone morphology, this paper presents a 3D reconstruction method of bone trabecula surface for cranium scaffold. Firstly, a native human cranium specimen on forehead was scanned by micro CT equipment and a set of gray level images were obtained. Then through image denoising, image enhancement, contour extraction and triangular surface reconstruction, the 3D structure of the specimen and its internal bone trabecula were reconstructed successfully. Lastly, to evaluate the feasibility of the method, a biomaterial scaffold case was fabrication using lost-foam casting technology. Results shown that the bone trabecula architecture in the scaffold is best retained and the porous structure is highly similar with the native specimen. This reconstructions process is simple and objective, which provide a new way for clinic cranium restoration.
The Development of the Liquid Cell Smear Device for Liquid-Based Cytology Test
Authors: Oh Han Yeong , So Ha Ju , Kim Seong Hyun , Kim Dong Wook , Kim Hyun Chang
Published: March 2013

This paper describes the development and validation of the liquid cell smears device for early cancer detection. In this study, the liquid cell smears device with the automated production of cell slides for Liquid-based Cytology Test has been developed. To validate the Liquid cell smear device, we used each 100 samples related to cervix, sputum, urine, body fluids, and thyroid. Experimental conditions were divided into five, which were the distance of the cylinder, the moving party's ascent and descent distance, and time to stop the smears. After staining, their verification was conducted through cytologic and histologic diagnosis. As a result, we found the optimal conditions to produce slide such as cervix(GYN) at the condition 2, sputum(SPUTUM) at the condition 4, urine(URINE) at the condition 5, body fluids(BODY FLUID) at the condition 1, and thyroid(FNA) at the condition 3. Therefore, it is suggested to be possible as cytologic and histologic diagnosis.
Leakage and Fatigue Characteristics of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Film
Authors: Chang Wen Yang , Hsu Cheng Hung , Tsai Chih Ping
Published: March 2013

The leakage and fatigue characteristics of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) are investigated for flexible electronics. The crystallization, frequency responses, leakage currents, current-voltage characteristics, and fatigue characteristics of PVDF film are measured using X-ray diffraction and an electrometer. Results show that a PVDF model with a resistive load exhibits high-pass filter characteristics. The frequency band of PVDF film increases with increasing resistive load and capacitance. The break frequencies for 100 kΩ, 300 kΩ, 700 kΩ, and 1 MΩ at the break frequency are 611, 207, 88, and 61 Hz, respectively. The hysteresis area of ΔH slightly increases with increasing input voltage. The leakage current of PVDF film is higher for a lower delay time under a given applied electric field. The average leakage currents for delay times of 10 and 1000 ms are 0.565 and 73.8 pA, respectively. The magnitude of the current values increases with decreasing delay time at a given drive voltage. PVDF film induced larger degradation when the number of stress cycles was increased to about 105 cumulative cycles.
Efficient RPM Method for Detecting R and S Waves of ECG Signals
Authors: Yeh Yun Chi , Chiou Che Wun , Lin Hong Jhih
Published: March 2013

This study proposes a simple and effective method, termed Relative Position Mapping (RPM) method, to detect the Q and S waves of an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. This detection method employs the Finite-Impulse-Response (FIR) filter. The proposed RPM method consists of four procedures, (1) ECG signals under test are filtered by FIR and then their difference signal is obtained, (2) based on such difference signal, the search intervals for both Q and S waves are found, (3) the search intervals of both Q and S waves are mapped back to the original ECG signals under test, and (4) based on the R wave, both Q and S waves are detected. This study is examined by using 48 records from MIT-BIH arrhythmia database, each record is a 30-min ML-II ECG signals. Experimental results show that the average failed detection rate of the proposed RPM method is approximately 0.82% and their execution time is less than 1 minute for each 30-min record. The proposed RPM method is a simple and efficient detection method for detecting both R and S waves of ECG signals.
A Study on the Control of Bio-Aerosol for Prevention of Indoor Aerial Infection Using Antimicrobial Air Filter
Authors: Lee Kyung Mi , Lee Byong Hyoek , Park Chan Jung
Published: March 2013

Some indoor bio-aerosols trigger allergic reactions, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, allergic rhinitis, and various types of asthma. Moreover, human influenza virus is one of the bio-aerosols that causes significant morbidity and mortality every year worldwide. Although vaccination is the most effective way to address the risk of airborne infection, they are not always feasible, available and practiced. An air cleaning device is effective and efficient in removing indoor bio-aerosols and thereby controlling or eliminating these airborne biological contaminants. An antimicrobial filter is developed and its antimicrobial activities against influenza viruses are measured. An extract from Gingko Biloba L. and Sumac (Rhus Javanica L.) possesses antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral activities thus this class of natural products is used as an antimicrobial agent in this study. An antimicrobial air filters were prepared by coating the natural agent on polypropylene filter media. The antimicrobial rates of the filter against new influenza (H1N1) virus and A/PuertoRico/8/34 (A/PR/8) virus were greater than 99.9999%. The antimicrobial filters were effective in controlling the bio-aerosols by inhibiting bacterial and viral survival on the filter, thereby preventing secondary contamination of filter from breeding of bio-aerosols. An air cleaning device equipped with the antimicrobial air filter was tested for the inhibition effect on viruses and no virus was detected at the outlet of the purifier. Although the antimicrobial filters are developed and tested only for the inactivation of virus in this study, the filter could be also effective in removing other types of bio-aerosols, such as bacteria, fungi, and allergens. The antimicrobial filter appears to be promising application in air cleaning and biological protection fields.
An Application of CLPFG for Detecting Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Hsu Cheung Hwa , Chiang Chia Chin , Ou Chao Hui
Published: March 2013

The prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) has increased in recent decades. So far, there have developed quite some methods for detecting DM, such as fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and random plasma glucose test. However, there is no standard technique that is followed universally for detection of glucose in urine. In this study, application potential of corrugated long period fiber grating (CLPFG) sensor technology to detect glucosuria (glucosuria is the excretion of glucose into the urine) has been investigated. The CLPFG was coated with Copper (II) hydroxide - Cu (OH)2. After that, the coated CLPFG was utilized for detecting glucosuria. It was possible to increase the refractive index sensitivity of CLPFG for detecting the presence of glucose in urine and in other solutions as well. The implication of this result lies in an understanding of the new methodology employed to detect specific materials in solutions.
An Expert System for 2D Stress Analysis of Human Teeth
Authors: Li Qiong , Rubin Carol A.
Published: March 2013

The concepts of rapidly and automatically obtaining the stresses found in specific human teeth and performing quick parametric studies has been a persistent goal in bioengineering. Finite element analysis (FEA) is a powerful approach for human tooth stress analysis and has been applied to various dental researches. However, the whole FEA process is a major challenge to dental researchers since special simulation skills and expert knowledge in mechanics are required for constructing proper models and obtaining accurate results. This paper presents an expert system that permits dentists with no engineering expertise to obtain stress distributions accurately and rapidly for various dental applications. The expert system for 2D stress analysis of human teeth is developed on the customization platforms provided by commercial computer aided design (CAD) software (ProEngineer Wildfire 3.0, Parametric Technology Corporation, Needham, MA, USA) and FEA software (MD Patran R2, MSC Software Corporation, CA, USA), respectively. A knowledge based system is built for helping users carry out the whole FEA process automatically. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are constructed for inputting the necessary tooth information such as dimensions, material properties, etc. An orthodontic application is presented for showing how the expert system works. The approaches developed and applied here can be expanded to provide automatic stress analyses for many other applications as well.
An Ultra-Low Power Holter and Low Complexity Design Using Mixed Signal Processor
Authors: Huang Hsieh Chang , Hsieh Ching Tang , Hsieh Guang Lin
Published: March 2013

An ultra-low power, portable, and easily implemented Holter recorder is necessary for patients or researchers of electrocardiogram (ECG). Such a Holter recorder with off-the-shelf components is realized with mixed signal processor (MSP) in this paper. To decrease the complexity of analog circuits and the interference of 60 Hz noise from power line, we use the MSP to implement a finite impulse response (FIR) filter which is equiripple design. We also integrate the ring buffer for the input samples and the symmetrical characteristic of the FIR filter for efficiently computing convolution. The experimental results show that the ECG output signal with the PQRST feature is easy to be distinguished. This ECG signal is recorded for 24 hours using a SD card. Furthermore, the ECG signal is transmitted with a smartphone via Bluetooth to decrease the burden of the Holter recorder. As a result, this paper uses the Lomb method for the spectral analysis of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) better than Fast Fourier Transform (FFT).
Micro-Compression Test of Nanocrystalline Nickel Deposited by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Emulsion
Authors: Nagoshi Takashi , Chang Tso Fu Mark , Sato Tatsuo , Sone Masato
Published: March 2013

This paper reports experimental results of compression test on non-tapered rectangular shaped micro-pillar fabricated by focused ion beam techniques. The pillar is composed of electrodeposited nickel in additive-free Watts bath emulsified with supercritical carbon dioxide. We found that the electroplated film does not contain any defects or pores and has grain size of 8 nm. Maximum compression flow stress exceeds 3.5 GPa without any failure up to 9 % of permanent strain. This is 10 times higher than the strength of the single crystal nickel counterparts fabricated using the same focused ion beam techniques loaded along . This is because of the enhanced mechanical properties by grain boundary strengthening in nanocrystalline nickel and defect-free nickel film. Carbon impurity observed in the nickel film fabricated by electroplating with supercritical carbon dioxide emulsion enhances cohesion of the grain boundary and inhibits grain boundary sliding, which is the predominant deformation mechanisms in this grain size regime.
Computer-Aided Dental Implant Technology
Authors: Ting Yu , Huang Ta Ko
Published: March 2013

Dental Implant is a sophisticated dental surgery. Dentists must suffer fine oral surgery training so that the development of a professional dentist is quite time-consuming. We combine the medical image processing reconstruction and optical tracking techniques to provide a realistic teaching environment. The system can help dentists learning all steps during the surgery. We hope this system can increase the success ratio of surgery and lower the surgery risks. Our medical image reconstruction is reached by the toolkits named VTK. The stereo vision algorithm is introduced into this study to construct the optical tracking system. This system will provide a good study experience for dentists and to assist them during the implant surgery. After several dental medical materials show, most responses are positive. Most dentists are very interested in our system and recognize our system can greatly shorten the dental training time. During the surgery, the difficulty will also be drop down with the assistance of our system.
Bed Site Health Care Video-Phone System
Authors: Chung Yu Fang , Tsai Meng Yang , Wu En Ping , Chiang Dai Lun , Lee Cheng Che , Hsiao Tsung Chih , Chen Tzer Shyong
Published: March 2013

We invented this system “Bed Site Health Care Video Phone System” aiming to increase process efficiency in medical care. This system includes three functions. First, patients can have instant direct contact with medical professional when they need help through a video call. In consideration to patients’ privacy, this device is designed to hide the camera lens unless activated through pressing the nursing call button. The second function is patients’ family and friends can have a remote video visit instead of an in-person visit. Third, it can detect record and analyze patients’ temperature, blood pressure, heart beat.
Effects of Cardiovascular Stent Design on Wall Shear Stress Distribution in Straight and Curved Arteries
Authors: Hsiao Hao Ming , Liao Ying Chih , Lin Chien Han , Liu Fang Yu , Tsuei Yu Ming
Published: March 2013

he stent is a major breakthrough in the treatment of coronary artery diseases. The permanent vascular implant of a stent, however, changes the intra-stent blood hemodynamics. There is a growing consensus that the stent implant may change the artery wall shear stress distribution and therefore trigger the restenosis process. Several studies have suggested that low shear stress, particularly the shear stress less than 5 dyne/cm2, may lead to endothelial proliferation of smooth muscle cells. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been widely used to analyze hemodynamics in stented arteries. In this paper, CFD models were developed to investigate the effects of cardiovascular stent design on the wall shear stress distribution in straight and curved arteries. Results show that the stent design pattern alone did not have a significant impact on the stent hemodynamics; however, stenting in curved arteries increased the low shear stress area which may lead to higher restenosis rate. The low shear stress area was almost doubled when the degree of artery curvature increased from 0o to 90o. The proposed methodology and findings will provide great insight for future optimization of stent design to reduce the risk of restenosis.
Interactive 3D Simulation System for Orthodontic Treatment of Malocclusion
Authors: Kim Chul Hun , Shin Jung Hoon , Lee Sang Jun
Published: March 2013

As a medical software industry develops in a variety of its fields, the studies on medical software using 3D a virtual model are also being constantly conducted. In orthodontia, one of the fields where the 3D virtual model can be applied, this 3D virtual model is used to simulate treatments of orthodontic patients through several stages of tooth movement, ranging from initial malocclusion to final malocclusion. The set-up model is made into the most ideal treatment objective. This set-up model forms the foundation in manufacturing transparent and thin overlay equipment. It is esthetic and easy to use, so a number of patients prefer to use it. However, there have been few studies on it, and the satisfaction level is not so high because of high cost and much time for checking out their treatment process. In this paper, we propose a 3D orthodontia system to raise the satisfaction level by providing the patients with a simulation and a set-up model in improvement in high treatment expenses and on all the processes in advance through exact and scientific diagnosis materials.