bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rural development management in Nepal, Part I: Coordination in the Rasuwa‐Nuwakot Integrated Rural Development Programme
Authors: Dhungel Yadav N. , Tips Walter E. J.
Published: July 2007

Rural development management in Nepal has been criticized for more than a decade now on the grounds of the country's weak aid‐absorbing capacity, administrative slowness and poor project management. Though several reforms of the rural development planning and management systems have been staged, at present coordination in integrated rural development projects remains weak. The paper reports on the empirical findings of research on mechanisms, procedures, organizational arrangements and problems of coordination. Although the country's environment, and its socioeconomic and cultural constraints, may negatively influence smooth operations in implementing integrated programmes, several policy considerations for improvement may be formulated. Among these, organizational reform with decentralization and reduction of the number of offices involved, strengthening the resource management system, especially budget release and personnel motivation, and a more integrated method of policy, programme and project formulation are the issues considered most important by the government officers themselves. Part II will appear in vol. 7, no. 3 of this journal, and examines the implementation and management of rural development in the Karnali and Bheri districts of the Mid‐Western Development Region of Nepal.
Integrated rural development in Tanzania
Authors: Kleemeier L.
Published: July 2007

Tanzania did not have the kind of agricultural policies, popular participation, or government bureaucratic capacity necessary for integrated rural development projects to perform well. Nonetheless the World Bank, EEC, and United States each implemented such projects there during the 1970s. The implementation and achievements of the projects varied considerably due to differences in their design as well as decisions made by the implementation teams. However the experiences of all three projects demonstrate two things: no agricultural development project can adapt to producer price disincentives; and both participation and project management require a ‘critical minimum’ level of finance and resources which the Tanzanian bureaucracy does not have. The latter observation raises the question of whether donors should attempt to build management capacity in fourth world bureaucracies or, as Goran Hyden suggests, avoid the government and work through other institutions and local organizations.
The maturing of development administration
Authors: Esman Milton J.
Published: July 2007

This article traces the evolution of the concepts underlying development administration since its origin as a distinct subdiscipline in the early 1960s. It relates the main thrusts in development administration to changing theories and approaches to economic and social development, especially the appropriate functions of the state, the implications of modernization, and the capabilities of people outside the modern core in urban centres. Seven major themes have emerged during the past decade. Their acceptance among academics and practitioners has produced a more sophisticated, realistic and useful appreciation of the relationships of public administration to development. Though this bodes well for the future, an unsolved problem is the continuing intellectual hegemony of Western concepts and practices, despite an impressive number of highly trained Third World scholars and well‐established Third World institutions operating in this field. There is evidence that the ongoing search for effective indigenous management practices will greatly enrich development administration as a field of inquiry and of practice.
Local administration in Botswana
Authors: Tordoff William
Published: July 2007

Since Botswana became independent in 1966 a steady process of decentralization has been undertaken by a Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) government confident in its own legitimacy and committed officially to a policy of rural development. In 1978 the President appointed a Local Government Structure Commission to test the suitability of the existing structure and to advise on the relationship between the four main institutions at district level–the District Administration, the District Council, the Land Board and the Tribal Administration. In its 1979 Report the Commission recommended that each institution should retain its separate identity, with its powers balanced by those of the others. This article reviews the working of each institution, and concludes that the Commission's recommendation was justified. It notes, however, that the balance between the four institutions has been tilted to an extent in favour of the District Administration. It shows that the District Councils have displayed an improved capacity for plan implementation, but need more skilled technical personnel and a better quality of elected councillor; that the Land Boards are no longer subordinate to the District Councils in administrative matters, but are hampered by a shortage of transport and finance; and that Tribal Administration staff still work under very poor conditions, though their salaries and pensionable status are much improved.
Segregation versus integration of public service communities in Jerusalem
Authors: Azmon Yael
Published: July 2007

There is a trend in the welfare state which pushes towards unification of public services. The situation described here is the existence of separate public services, alongside each other, not only in the same state but also in the same city. Social divisions and cleavages not only reflect different cultural and social identities, but also rest on such concrete realities as the segregated supply of public services which creates dependency on community institutions. The use of separate public services as a means of nurturing cultural and social separatism is markedly characteristic of two communities in Jerusalem: the Arabs and the Ultra‐orthodox Jews. In addition to a description of some of the public services in these two communities this paper offers an explanation for the perpetuation and the exacerbation of religious and ethnic or national cleavages.
Coordination between government and voluntary organizations (NGOs) in Thailand's rural development
Authors: Tongsawate Maniemai , Tips Walter E. J.
Published: July 2007

This paper investigates the coordination between government organizations and nongovernmental, voluntary organizations in Thailand. The contributions, the nature and the cooperation mechanisms of development NGOs are considered on the basis of field data collected from local government and NGO officers working in rural development. Based on theoretical considerations, an overview of coordination is developed within the framework of development in the country. The problems of coordination boil down to a fundamental mistrust of the NGOs’ style of operation in spite of the personal relationships that are often the only basis for coordination attempts. While decentralization efforts will improve the situation, a more direct policy, as well as plan formulation and implementation management efforts, will be needed to arrive at a mutually reinforced effort in rural development.
Government revenue and expenditure in an agrarian economy: North Arcot District in South India
Authors: Harriss Barbara
Published: July 2007

This paper uses disaggregated data to assess the recent history and geography of revenue mobilization and expenditure allocation in a district where rice production increased by 50 per cent during the decade 1973–83 and where gross urban output (to judge from research in one market town) increased in real terms by a factor of 8. At the district level, land revenue is a small and unstable component of revenue despite the dynamism of the rice economy. Furthermore rice is exempt from commercial taxes, which are eight times more important than land revenue, just under half of which derives from traded agricultural goods. Despite the region's commercial dynamism, real revenue has increased by only 76 per cent over the decade, suggesting substantial evasion. The district appears to be a net donor to the state fisc. Direct expenditure shows urban bias (being 60 per cent more per caput than rural expenditure), though the gap has been narrowing. Despite this trend the rice‐producing sector appears to be a net beneficiary from direct revenue and expenditure. A rural micro‐level case study shows that the village panchayat is a net donor and the urban panchayat union a net recipient of an unstable quantum of revenue. A case study of an urban municipality shows real revenue declining over the decade, forcing an increasing dependence upon discretionary grants from the state government, which cannot prevent a deterioration in urban infrastructure. Indirect revenue and expenditure shows a recent trend towards the rural population. Public sector employment is numerically significant, urban, and has average incomes equal to the top decile of rural cultivators.
Administration in a small capitalist state: The Hong Kong experience
Authors: Scott Ian
Published: July 2007

This article is primarily concerned with the functions of bureaucracy in a minimal state and with how those functions might change in response to economic growth. It is predicated on the assumption that bureaucracy is necessary for economic growth even in those countries which seek to achieve such growth through the relatively free operation of the economy within the rubric of a capitalist state. Hong Kong is a case in point. Although it has often been taken as the epitome of the benefits which can be derived from keeping government out of the economy, the bureaucracy has in fact played a critical role in support of economic development. Aside from the functions which must be performed by any state, such as the maintenance of law and order, the administration of justice, and the provision of public works, three features of Hong Kong bureaucratic practice appear to have been important in the definition of the bureaucracy's tasks in the economic growth process. These are ‘value for money’ and the constant need to justify government expenditure; effective line implementation; and the ability to manage crises. If these constitute minimal essential requirements for such governments, they may provide useful criteria which small or micro‐states, following capital growth models but not yet experiencing rapid economic development, can apply in assessing the capabilities of their own bureaucracies.
Providing rural credit in southern India: A comparison of commercial banks and cooperatives
Authors: Wiggins Steve , Rogaly Ben
Published: July 2007

This paper contrasts the recent experiences of two different institutions in providing credit and savings facilities in the countryside of Tamil Nadu, southern India. Ever since the late‐1960s, there has been a rising demand for credit to finance investment in agriculture. This has been reinforced by Government policy over the last two decades, and especially since 1980, to provide credit both to priority activities, including agriculture, and to disadvantaged rural groups. Part of that policy has been to encourage the commercial banks to offer services in the countryside, alongside the previously well‐developed network of cooperatives offering formal rural credit.

The commercial banks have had considerable success in expanding their network of branches, and in increasing bank deposits and loans in rural areas. Operating as corporate bureaucracies, the banks have been able to expand without being crippled in the process. On the other hand, their institutional strength has meant that Government credit policy has been implemented cautiously. The agricultural credit cooperatives, no newcomers to the countryside, have still to fulfil their long‐declared function of providing short‐term credit for crop production to the majority of agricultural households. Loan recovery by the cooperatives has been weak. The cooperatives have suffered partly from the internal contradictions inherent in any cooperative structure imposed upon the peasantry, from major flaws in the organizational structure of Tamil Nadu cooperatives, as well as from the increasing appropiation of the cooperatives for party political ends.

The contrasting experiences of the two different institutions in providing rural credit illustrate how policy applied through different institutions can produce quite different outcomes. They also demonstrate how changes in the socio‐political environment, neither immediately obvious nor predictable, can critically affect policy results.
End user computing in Asian countries: Policy lessons for development administration
Authors: Sanwal Mukul
Published: July 2007

End user computing requires policy initiatives very different from those needed for computerization in order to deal with the specific issues of initiation, development and institutionalization. Microcomputers provide a service and not goods or savings and require an emphasis on the dynamics of the system, where both strategic issues and operational priorities have to be set. The process is organizational, rather than a technological or a planning exercise. It requires governments to guide the change through deliberate decision making. The objective has to be to obtain the support of users at different levels. In this paper Asian experiences are compared with Western experiences to determine a framework for looking at the process. The limited set of strategies for success have also been identified.
Synthesis and properties of an amphiphilic dithiafulvene oligomer
Authors: Inagi Shinsuke , Naka Kensuke , Chujo Yoshiki
Published: July 2007

An amphiphilic dithiafulvene oligomer was synthesized by cycloaddition polymerization of aldothioketene generated from 1,4‐diethynylbenzene and a PEO‐grafted phenylacetylene (feed ratio 5/1). The degree of polymerization was determined as 6 by 1H NMR analysis. The aggregation behavior of the oligomer was studied in the mixed solvent of D2O and DMSO‐d6. Effective charge‐transfer interaction of the oligomer and hydrophilic methyl viologen was observed in an aqueous solution. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3770–3775, 2007
Conductive ATO‐acrylate nanocomposite hybrid coatings: Experimental results and modeling
Authors: Soloukhin Victor A. , Brokken‐Zijp José C. M. , de With Gijsbertus
Published: July 2007

The electrical volume conductivity σ of antimony‐doped tin oxide (ATO)–acrylate nanocomposite hybrid coatings was investigated. The relation between σ and the volume filler fraction p was analyzed for the ATO‐acrylate coatings containing ATO nanoparticles grafted with different amounts of 3‐methacryloxy‐propyl‐trimethoxy‐silane coupling agent. Percolation thresholds were observed at very low filler fractions (1–2 vol %) for the coatings containing ATO nanoparticles with a low amount of surface grafting. A modified effective medium approximation (EMA) model was introduced. This model takes into consideration different distances between adjacent semiconductive particles in the particle network. The model elucidates how self‐arrangement of the particles influences the location of the percolation threshold in the log σ − p plot. The modified EMA model can successfully explain the multiple transition behavior and the variable percolation thresholds found for the ATO‐acrylate nanocomposite hybrid coatings. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2147–2160, 2007
An enormously active and selective azapeptide inhibitor of cathepsin B
Authors: Wieczerzak Ewa , Rodziewicz‐Motowidło Sylwia , Jankowska Elżbieta , Giełdoń Artur , Ciarkowski Jerzy
Published: July 2007

The peptidomimetic Z‐Arg‐Leu‐Arg‐Agly‐Ile‐Val‐OMe (where Agly means α‐aza‐glycyl, ‐NHNHCO‐) is the strongest (Ki = 480 pM) and the most selective inhibitor of cathepsin B to date, being ∼2310 times as active to cathepsin B as to cathepsin K. In this paper we introduce the peptide and seek to rationalize its structure‐activity relationships using molecular dynamics (MD) and NMR. It is shown that the ‐Agly‐moiety restrains the peptide backbone to a bent shape, contrary to its parent peptide (with Gly in position 4), having its backbone extended and flexible. This fold is maintained in the plug covalently bound to the cathepsin B Cys29, in compliance with similar bends already observed in two other azapeptides attached to the active sites of cathepsin B. The MD simulation of the Z‐Arg‐Leu‐Arg‐Agly ∼ cathepsin B complex suggests that, contrary to other potent inhibitors of cathepsin B, the current double Arg1/Arg3 inhibitor, while maintaining the fold is able to form a unique ion cluster involving both Arg residues on the inhibitor part and two acidic Glu171 and Glu245 on the cathepsin B part, thus enhancing the affinity and subsequently the inhibiting power and selectivity of Z‐Arg‐Leu‐Arg‐Agly‐Ile‐Val‐OMe to the observed extreme extent. Copyright © 2007 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antiferromagnetic‐to‐ferromagnetic transition induced by aluminum in the Ti(Fe1−xAlx)2 intermetallic compounds: a 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy study
Authors: Delyagin N. N. , Erzinkyan A. L. , Parfenova V. P. , Rozantsev I. N.
Published: July 2007

Mössbauer spectroscopy has been used to investigate the hyperfine field distributions and the local spin configurations of Fe atoms in the magnetically ordered Ti(Fe1−x Alx)2 compounds. The evolution of the spin arrangement of the Fe atoms was observed over the concentration range 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25 at 5 K. The Al impurity suppresses the ferromagnetic exchange in the Fe(6h) layers and simultaneously provides the conditions for a transition of the Fe(2a) atoms, which are nonmagnetic in the TiFe2 compound, to the states with nonzero magnetic moment. The magnetic behavior of the Fe(2a) atoms is the key factor governing the anti‐ to ferromagnetic transition in the Ti(Fe1−x Alx)2 compounds. The magnetic ordering temperatures of the Ti(Fe1−x Alx)2 compounds were determined. In addition, the parameters of the electric‐field gradient in TiFe2 as well as the relationship between the value of the magnetic moment of the Fe atom and the type of atomic configuration were discussed. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Coexistence of spin‐singlet s‐ and d‐wave and spin‐triplet p‐wave order parameters in anisotropic superconductors
Authors: Gonczarek R. , Krzyzosiak M. , Jacak L. , Gonczarek A.
Published: July 2007

A two‐dimensional model of an anisotropic superconductor with a relatively wide partially filled conduction band and a dispersion relation implying singularities in the density of states is considered. Employing the conformal transformation method and choosing the Fourier harmonics as the complete and orthogonal basis for C4v irreducible representations the symmetry of the superconducting order parameter is identified. Detailed numerical calculations are carried out for the two‐dimensional tight‐binding band model and compared with the results obtained within the BCS‐type approximation. Diagrams of stable superconducting states in the coordinates η = 2t1/t0 and n (carrier concentration) are outlined. Symmetry relations with respect to replacing η with −η are found and discussed. The problem of coexistence of s‐, p‐ and d‐wave order parameters is addressed. The triple points are localized and supreme transition temperatures are evaluated. It is shown that the results obtained for various values of the pairing amplitude V1 coincide, whereas the tight‐binding results and some obtained within the BCS‐type approximation are dissimilar. The influence of the attractive or repulsive onsite interaction on the stability of the s‐wave order parameter is explained. The developed and widely illustrated formalism can be easily applied to some more composed models. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
TiSi2 nanostructures – enhanced conductivity at nanoscale?
Authors: Enyashin Andrey N. , Gemming Sibylle
Published: July 2007

The structural properties, the stability and the electronic properties of the nanotubes of titanium disilicide are studied using the density‐functional‐based tight‐binding method (DFTB) and compared with ones of the bulk and monolayered TiSi2. These nanotubes were found to be more stable, than a TiSi2 monolayer. All low‐dimensional TiSi2 systems are metallic with enhanced densities of Ti 3d‐states at the Fermi level. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
On magnon energy branches of multilayer ferrimagnetic superlattices [Reply to the comment “Boson Green's functions treatment of three‐layer ferrimagnetic superlattice”, phys. stat. sol. (b) 244, No. 10, 3750–3753 (2007)]
Authors: Qiu Rong‐ke , Zhang Zhi‐dong
Published: July 2007

The magnon energy branches of multilayer ferrimagnetic superlattices are discussed, as regards the linear spin‐wave approach and Green's function technique. It is argued that negative energy branches in the spin‐wave spectra of the ferrimagnetic systems have physical significance, which is responsible for the zero‐point motion (i.e. the quantum fluctuations) in the ground state, since the sign of ωl(k) indicates the direction in which the spin‐wave mode propagates. On boson Green's function treatment, the results calculated for physical properties with consideration of negative energy spectra are correct and the consequent conclusions do not need to be re‐examined. Even for the definition of energy gaps, nothing is wrong from the theoretical point of view if one considers both negative and positive energy spectra, but one may need to consider two different definitions (one considers the negative/positive energy spectra; the other only the positive ones), from the experimental point of view, to compare both of them with experimental data, in an attempt to detect whether the negative energy branch does excite or not. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Weibull probability paper used on highly stressed bimodal components
Authors: Drapella Antoni
Published: July 2007

Under high stress conditions the ‘freak’ and ‘strong’ subpopulations lie very close to each other on the time scale. It is easy to ‘read’ such a time‐to‐failure distribution as unimodal, especially when probability paper is used. This paper puts forward Parzen'sestimator of the probability density function as a very useful method of indicating the ‘freak’ subpopulation.
Automated quality management systems in the electronics factory of the future
Authors: Davis Brendan
Published: July 2007

The majority of discussions about the need for factory automation centre on productivity gains as the major justification. All too often the improvement of quality is forgotten or relegated to being an afterthought. This paper discusses reasons why quality should be a prime justification, and how the management of quality is likely to be achieved in an integrated electronics factory.
Quantitative effects of electrical and vibrational stresses on reliability
Authors: Wong Kam L.
Published: July 2007

This article presents some details on how electrical and vibrational stresses exacerbate failures. This is one of a series of articles on similar subjects by this author. One electrical defect type is pin‐holes in oxide layers in ICs. Electrical leakage current through a low insulation pin‐hole could cause temperature rise and ultimately, when electrons of sufficient energy causing an avalanche, a thermal runaway condition could develop and maintain an electrical short. On the other hand electromigration could cause conductor opens. Aircraft data indicated that vibration related failures constituted more than 14 per cent of the total number of field failures. Fatigue failures can be directly related to S/N curves of stress to number of cycles to failure. Some measurements indicated that for a particular piece of equipment tested the time to failure varied inversely as the fourth power of vibrational acceleration; and failures of specific groups of component part types were sensitive to particular vibrational acceleration levels. Much information exists that gives quantitative measures on how stresses exacerbate failures. However, there is still a big gap in the relationship between the engineering fundamentals and the failures experienced. The author urges the readers to join force to develop a new reliability engineering foundation based on relationships of defects, failure mechanisms and stresses from which future reliability predictions and reliability analyses can be conducted.
Forecasting reliability growth
Authors: Lloyd David K.
Published: July 2007

This paper describes a method for estimating and forecasting reliability from attribute data, using the binomial model, when reliability requirements are very high and test data are limited. Integer data—specifically, numbers of failures — are converted into non‐integer data. The rationale is that when engineering corrective action for a failure is implemented, the probability of recurrence of that failure is reduced; therefore, such failures should not be carried as full failures in subsequent reliability estimates. The reduced failure value for each failure mode is the upper limit on the probability of failure based on the number of successes after engineering corrective action has been implemented. Each failure value is less than one and diminishes as test programme successes continue. These numbers replace the integral numbers (of failures) in the binomial estimate.

This method of reliability estimation was applied to attribute data from the life history of a previously tested system, and a reliability growth equation was fitted. It was then ‘calibrated’ for a current similar system's ultimate reliability requirements to provide a model for reliability growth over its entire life‐cycle. By comparing current estimates of reliability with the expected value computed from the model, the forecast was obtained by extrapolation.
Research into the use of statistical quality control in british manufacturing industry‐part II
Authors: Followell Roy F. , Oakland John S.
Published: July 2007

The work described in this paper is part of a large. Government‐funded investigation into the usage of statistical methods of quality control (SQC) in British manufacturing industry. This paper reports the results of work in seventeen companies on the implementation of SQC. The results are summarized by the use of evaluation scales and attributes, and measures of success and barriers are identified. Some general conclusions are drawn which point to a methodology for the introduction of SQC.
Reliability characterization of a 3‐mum cmos/sos process
Authors: Dugan M. Patrick
Published: July 2007

A continuing study of advanced short‐channel CMOS/SOS arrays has been carried out at the RCA Microelectronics Center (MEC) and at RCA Laboratories, Princeton, NJ, since 1981. A technique to assess the reliability of a new process relatively quickly consists of high‐tempertaure accelerated stress testing of ICs by maintaining the temperature at 200°C, while biasing half the inputs at the positive supply voltage and half at ground. The results of these accelerated stress tests together with device analysis, were used to calculate a failure rate and to determine that time‐dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) is the principal failure mechanism. No mechanism unique to the CMOS/SOS technology has been observed.
Some factors to consider in developing a quality‐related feedback system
Authors: Staveley J. C. , Dale B. G.
Published: July 2007

This paper reports on work which has been carried out in an attempt to identify some of the key factors in the development of a quality‐related feedback system associated specifically with major installations. The main reasons why the majority of manufacturers have not developed systems to obtain data from users is due to the difficulties encountered in obtaining meaningful information. The current main sources of feedback are from technical sales representatives, customer complaints and internal feedback obtained from monitoring recurrent orders for spares. The information being generated by users of computerized maintenance systems has, to date, been little used by manufacturers to initiate quality‐improving changes. However, most manufacturers said they would use such data if it was offered. It is also pointed out that designers can play a key role in improving the quality of plant and equipment by requesting feedback information in those areas where there might be design uncertainty and by giving consideration to the possibility of condition monitoring when a product is being designed.
Quality in Design
Authors: Ganter William A.
Published: July 2007

This paper attempts to define a quality engineering role in the product design process. The product design process is also placed within the modem quality system. Methods of experimentation and modelling in design are emphasized and an example is described.
The inherent unreliability of reliability data
Authors: Mallagh C.
Published: July 2007

The availability of good data is crucial to good reliability prediction. Two contrasting cases are noted: (1) when a large amount of experience with components is available but data are not collected and (2) when systems are so innovative that no reliability experience is available. The relationship of reliability to incompleteness of knowledge and the acausal nature of statistical/probabilistic models is discussed. The difficulty of assigning any absolute similarity between any one component and the members of a particular reliability set is outlined. It is concluded that engineering judgement must always play a vital role in reliability estimation.
Signal‐to‐noise ratio development for quality engineering
Authors: Kapur Kailash C. , Chen Guangming
Published: July 2007

Dr. Taguchi developed the concept of signal‐to‐noise (SN) ratio in quality engineering to evaluate the performance of a system. The objective is to develop systems which are robust against noise factors. The SN ratio indicates the degree of the predictable performance of a product or process in the presence of noise factors. Parameter design of the Taguchi method optimizes the SN ratio in the domain of control factors, so that performance could be made insensitive to the noise factors in order to improve product quality. If the domain of the control factors is a continuous space, the problem is a non‐linear programming problem. Usually, in practice, there are only a few available levels for the control factors. Thus, experimental design methods can be useful for such problems. The SN ratio for four cases of dynamic characteristic problems is developed in this paper. This paper also gives the method to compute SN ratios for both equispaced and non‐equispaced intervals for levels of signal factors. Two examples are presented to illustrate the method.
Application of Taguchi methods to surface mount processes
Authors: Bandurek G. R. , Disney J. , Bendell A.
Published: July 2007

This paper describes the implementation of a Taguchi experiment for the placement of surface mount components as part of a process at Mars Electronics. The justification for the experimental work, the practical problems in its implementation and the significance of the results obtained are described. The experiment is seen as part of a programme and the implications of the results obtained for subsequent experimentation are discussed.
Interval reliability of spare part stocks
Authors: Bazovsky Igor , Benz Glen
Published: July 2007

Probability goals are commonly used in conjunction with Poisson‐distributed variability to estimate initial pipeline spares requirements for aircraft organizations. An analysis of field data indicates that these deployment models may significantly underestimate spares acquisition quantities required in order to maintain probability goals throughout a system life cycle. This paper defines reliability of spare part stocks as the probability that these stocks will satisfy demands throughout a calendar time interval which begins at random points in the life cycle. Five models for spares planning were applied to field data from a small aircraft organization. The common goal in these analyses was based on military logistic standards: 0.99 probability for each part type over a replenishment interval of 360 h. Two initial interval (Poisson) models produced spares requirements averaging 273 units. The average for the three limiting (non‐Poisson) models was 3630 units. The limiting models also made it evident that spares must be purchased to refill the pipeline several times in a 20 year life cycle. It is concluded that a limiting buffer stock model is most realistic for planning normal spares requirements and that a renewal model should be used if the pipeline could be severed during surge periods of activity.
Designing a software reliability programme
Authors: Genadis Themis C.
Published: July 2007

Designing reliable software is becoming an ever increasing problem because the high cost of software is largely due to reliability problems. The costs of finding and fixing the errors, better known as maintenance and testing costs, account for as much as 80 per cent of the total cost of the final software product. Software developers now have an even greater interest in preventing errors from making their way into the software and finding the errors that are present in the early stages of development. Precise software design, coding and testing play an important role. This paper presents a management plan for implementing a software reliability programme at a small software industry where no reliability programme yet exists and no reliability programme is yet established.
Measuring process capability using indices — some new considerations
Authors: Porter Leslie J. , Oakland John S.
Published: July 2007

Process capability indices are key measures in the context of never‐ending improvement in quality. The capability of a process and the effectiveness of control charts are directly related. For samples of size 2 or greater, a Cpk value of 2 ensures that the control chart gives an immediate warning of the potential danger of producing material outside the specification following a shift in the process mean. Capability studies usually result in single point estimates for Cp and Cpk. This ignores sampling variation. More useful estimates can be obtained by constructing confidence intervals for Cp and Cpk. Evaluation of process capbility is relatively easy when a single variable describes the process. However, most processes are multivariate in nature and this makes it difficult to assess the overall capability of the process.
Control of a planar arm by nonlinear feedback gains
Authors: Wongchaisuwat C. , Donne J. D. , Özgüner Ü. , Hemami H.
Published: July 2007

The control of a three‐link planar robot, whose parameters roughly match a small commercially available arm, is considered. The end effector of the arm moves along a specified trajectory on a surface with dry friction while maintaining a prespecified constant pressure against the surface both with and without force sensors at the tip. A control strategy is presented with nonlinear position and velocity error feedback gains which are state dependent. Digital computer simulations of the motion are provided for comparison purposes and for demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategy.
Computer architecture for intelligent robots
Authors: Kanayama Yutaka , Yuta Shin'Ichi
Published: July 2007

This article proposes a computer architecture suitable for intelligent robots, especially for self‐contained intelligent mobile robots. The main principles proposed by the authors are: (1) The robot should be a multiprocessor system with a master, several slave modules and a console. A simple star connection is employed. (2) The master carries user's programs written in a high level language with which a programmer is able to use all basic functions in the robots. It should have a special purpose operating system. (3) Each module is an independent microcomputer system loosely coupled to the master and dedicated to an elementary function such as manipulation, locomotion, sensing, or planning. (4) A serial TTL level or RS232C interface is employed between the master and each module. Two self‐contained robots, Yamabico 9 and 10, constructed under these design principles have demonstrated the effectiveness of this proposed architecture.
Experiments on manipulator gross motion using self‐tuning controller and visual information
Authors: Chiu T. H. , Koivo A. J. , Lewczyk R.
Published: July 2007

A picture of a scene is used to extract information for an adaptive control algorithm. The object of interest is first located by means of a classifier. The position and orientation of the object are determined from a binary picture. The desired path that the gripper of the manipulator is to follow is specified by discrete points, first in the Cartesian and then in the joint coordinate system. The adaptive self‐tuning controller is outlined. The controller design is based on a time series difference equation model in which the parameters are estimated on‐line. The gains of the controller are tuned so that a quadratic performance criterion is minimized. The performance of the system designed is then tested experimentally, and the results are presented.
Multifunctional optical proximity sensor using phase modulation
Authors: Masuda Ryosuke
Published: July 2007

A proximity sensor is defined as the noncontact sensor of end‐effector, and is one of the most important sensors for robot control. This paper deals with a new type of proximity sensor which has the capability of measuring spatial information, such as gap distance, inclination angles, and the angular positions of object particles. The measuring principle of the sensor is based on the phase shift of a modulated light signal. For this purpose, six light sources are placed on a cross‐shaped pattern that is centered by a photodetector, and the power of light sources are modulated by different phase sine wave signals. The distance and angles can be measured by investigating the received phase information at the predetermined emitting pattern. By experimental measurement, the characteristics of this sensor are obtained and the effectiveness of the sensor is confirmed.
A simplified interpolation and conversion method of contour surface model to mesh surface model
Authors: Cheng K. , Idesawa M.
Published: July 2007

Contour line type representation is useful for understanding the surface structure qualitatively to a human. However, for the computer handling, a contour line model may not be suitable and it is required to be converted to the other type model such as a mesh surface model. It may be a problem how to decide mesh data on a mesh line where there are fewer points intersecting with contour lines. In this article, the authors propose a new method to convert a contour line model to a mesh surface model with minimum errors. Mesh lines (equivalent to the planes intersected with contour surface) located on the contour surface and intersected with contour lines are calculated. A mesh line which has maximum number of effective sampling points (that means maximum number of intersections with contour lines, and hereafter referred to as latter) is selected and a sectional shape along this mesh line is decided. The sectional shape is represented by spline curve with parameters, so that the mesh point data on the mesh line can be determined easily, and these decided mesh points are regarded as equivalent as intersection with contour lines. The above processes are repeated until all mesh lines which have intersection points or obtained mesh data have been chosen and calculated. Thus we can convert a contour model to a mesh surface model with minimum loss of contour line informations.
Microcomputer‐based robot dynamic sensing using linear array sensor for object recognition and manipulation
Authors: Luo Ren C.
Published: July 2007

This article presents a microcomputer‐based robot dynamic sensing system by the use of the linear scanning approach for object recognition and manipulation. In this research, a 512 × 1 solid‐state photodiode linear array sensor is used for dynamic scanning the object to be identified. An experimental prototype is built, which consists of a fully opened parallel jaw gripper and a 360d̀ turnable pedestal located between the jaws of the gripper. The sensor with the lens is mounted near the horizontal edge of one side of the gripper, and the illumination source is located directly on the other finger. The object to be identified is placed on the turnable pedestal. The simulated robot gripper can move vertically and the object will be scanned providing a two‐dimensional image of the object. The object can be scanned in different views by adjusting the angle of the turnable pedestal. All the binary images which result are further analyzed for recognition and manipulation purposes. A Compaq microcomputer based on the Intel 8088 microprocessor is used as the host. A special interface between scanned video output, CPU, and video RAM memory is built and successfully tested.
Recognition of geometrical shape by a Robotic Probe
Authors: Hemami Hooshang , Goddard Ralph E.
Published: July 2007

A number of issues pertaining to the automatic recognition of the shape of known and unknown surfaces and objects by tactile probing are discussed and formulated for a planar robotic probe. The dynamics of the robotic probe are presented. Sensory and computational requirements are outlined. Several methods for deriving parameters that describe a quadratic shape are exposed. Digital computer simulations are used to demonstrate and compare three linear algorithms in estimation of parameters of a quadratic surface.
Hypersurfaces of special configurations of serial manipulators and related concepts. part I: Theory and development of the hypersurfaces of special configurations
Authors: Soylu Resit , Duffy Joseph
Published: July 2007

This article is the first of three companion papers which introduce some novel concepts useful in the kinetmatic design, analysis, motion planning, control, and performance evaluation of serial manipulators. Here an efficient methodology is developed to classify the special configurations of an N DOF manipulator. This classification yields hyper‐surfaces in the joint space on each of which the manipulator loses a certain number of its degrees of freedom. The efficiency of the methodology is based on a theorem proved in Appendix B and the utilization of the minimal reference frames. These frames are obtained and tabulated for all possible types of manipulators. Furthermore the adaptability of a manipulator to a common control algorithm is quantified via an index. The numerical values of these indices are listed for all types of manipulators.
Acceleration feedback for control of a flexible manipulator arm
Authors: Kotnik Paul T. , Yurkovich Stephen , Özgüner Ümit
Published: July 2007

Many studies to date have dealt with control and modeling strategies for endpoint positioning of flexible manipulator arm systems, and some actual experiments have been documented in verification of developed methods. This article describes laboratory results for a single‐link flexible manipulator arm in which three separate control strategies are compared and contrasted. Namely, the control schemes compared are: compensation using classical root locus techniques with endpoint position feedback, a full state feedback, observer‐based design, and compensation using endpoint acceleration feedback. The last technique, designs using accelerometer feedback, has received very little attention to date, and results here indicate great promise for use in flexible manipulator control.
The design and control of a robot finger for tactile sensing
Authors: Leaver S. O. , McCarthy J. M. , Bobrow J. E.
Published: July 2007

This article describes the design and control of a lightweight robot finger intended for tactile sensing research. The finger is a three‐link planar chain with the joints actuated through cables by two motors. Kinematic coupling of the three joints provides two degrees of freedom for finger tip manipulation, and a curling action of the finger for enclosing an object. Hall effect sensors in each joint provide position feedback, and strain gage sensors on each cable provide tension information. To minimize weight and power consumption, a high speed low torque motor together with a 172:1 speed reducer is used as the actuator. A force control loop around the motor speed reducer system reduces the effect of the friction inherent in the speed reducer. Flat mounting plates are provided on each link for special purpose grasping surfaces and sensors.
A modifed optical flow approach for robotic tracking and acquisition
Authors: Luo Ren C. , Mullen Robert E.
Published: July 2007

A robotic system that can visually track and intercept an arbitrary object which is traveling in 2‐D at an unknown velocity on a conveyor is to be presented. An eye‐in‐hand vision system developed by the Robotics and Intelligent Systems Laboratory at NCSU is used as an integral part of the entire tracking and acquisition system. The eye‐in‐hand system is employed to characterize the object trajectory in real time via a modified optical flow approach. A control strategy has been developed which utilizes the kinematic data that is extracted by the tracking algorithm to intercept the moving object. An overall system configuration and its basic principles are described. The demonstration of the experimental results is presented.
Effect of inexact inertial parameters on robot manipulator system performance
Authors: Li Chang‐Jin , Hemami A. , Sankar T. S.
Published: July 2007

The effect of a manipulator inertial parameter errors on the manipulator system performance are studied. First, the relationships between the tracking error of the manipulator joint variables and the manipulator inertial parameter errors are derived. Then, using these relationships, the maximum steady state position, velocity, and acceleration errors of the joint variables are determined. The derived relationships allow us to acquire a desired steady state performance for joint variations either by increasing the control gains in the feedback control loops and/or by reducing the manipulator inertial parameter errors. These two problems are, also, addressed in this paper. The computational results of the maximum steady state position, velocity, and acceleration errors of the joints for a PUMA 560 arm are included.
Parallel computation of manipulator inverse dynamics
Authors: Fijany Amir , Bejczy Antal K.
Published: July 2007

In this article, parallel computation of manipulator inverse dynamics is investigated. A hierarchical graph‐based mapping approach is devised to analyze the inherent parallelism in the Newton‐Euler formulation at several computational levels, and to derive the features of an abstract architecture for exploitation of parallelism. At each level, a parallel algorithm represents the application of a parallel model of computation that transforms the computation into a graph whose structure defines the features of an abstract architecture, i.e., number of processors, communication structure, etc. Data flow analysis is employed to derive the time lower bound in the computation as well as the sequencing of the abstract architecture. The features of the target architecture are defined by optimization of the abstract architecture to exploit maximum parallelism while minimizing various overheads and architectural complexity. An algorithmically specialized, highly parallel, MIMD‐SIMD architecture is designed and implemented that is capable of efficient exploitation of parallelism at several computational levels. The computation time of the Newton‐Euler formulation for a 6‐degree‐of‐freedom (dof) general manipulator is measured as 187 μs. The increase in computation time for each additional dof is 23 μs, which leads to a computation time of less than 500 μs, even for a 12‐dof redundant arm.