1,721,112 research outputs found

    Asymmetric switch costs in numeral naming and number word reading: Implications for models of bilingual language production

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    One approach used to gain insight into the processes underlying bilingual language comprehension and production examines the costs that arise from switching languages. For unbalanced bilinguals, asymmetric switch costs are reported in speech production, where the switch cost for Ll is larger than the switch cost for L2, whereas, symmetric switch costs are reported in language comprehension tasks, where the cost of switching is the same for L1 and L2. Presently, it is unclear why asymmetric switch costs are observed in speech production, but not in language comprehension. Three experiments are reported that simultaneously examine methodological explanations of task related differences in the switch cost asymmetry and the predictions of three accounts of the switch cost asymmetry in speech production. The results of these experiments suggest that (1) the type of language task (comprehension vs. production) determines whether an asymmetric switch cost is observed and (2) at least some of the switch cost asymmetry arises within the language system

    Switch on, switch off: stiction in nanoelectromechanical switches

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    We present a theoretical investigation of stiction in nanoscale electromechanical contact switches. We develop a mathematical model to describe the deflection of a cantilever beam in response to both electrostatic and van der Waals forces. Particular focus is given to the question of whether adhesive van der Waals forces cause the cantilever to remain in the ‘ON’ state even when the electrostatic forces are removed. In contrast to previous studies, our theory accounts for deflections with large slopes (i.e. geometrically nonlinear). We solve the resulting equations numerically to study how a cantilever beam adheres to a rigid electrode: transitions between free, ‘pinned’ and ‘clamped’ states are shown to be discontinuous and to exhibit significant hysteresis. Our findings are compared to previous results from linearized models and the implications for nanoelectromechanical cantilever switch design are discussed

    Exact solution of a model DNA-inversion genetic switch with orientational control

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    DNA inversion is an important mechanism by which bacteria and bacteriophage switch reversibly between phenotypic states. In such switches, the orientation of a short DNA element is flipped by a site-specific recombinase enzyme. We propose a simple model for a DNA inversion switch in which recombinase production is dependent on the switch state (orientational control). Our model is inspired by the fim switch in Escherichia coli. We present an exact analytical solution of the chemical master equation for the model switch, as well as stochastic simulations. Orientational control causes the switch to deviate from Poissonian behaviour: the distribution of times in the on state shows a peak and successive flip times are correlated.Comment: Revised version, accepted for publicatio

    Fused switch

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    An electric switch device is described which can be used safely even in an explosive environment. The switch has an operating arm, and a moveable actuator which is engaged by the arm and moved between a number of positions in which the arm opens or closes the switch. A fuse is slidably positioned in a passage through the actuator. The fuse can be replaced in the passage by another fuse when the actuator is in one of its many positions. The device is lightweight and compact, is capable of withstanding severe shock, and is not adversely affected by extremes of temperature

    Selenium bond decreases ON resistance of light-activated switch

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    Vitrified amorphous selenium bond decreases the ON resistance of a gallium arsenide-silicon light-activated, low-level switch. The switch is used under a pulse condition to prolong switch life and minimize errors due to heating, devitrification, and overdrawing

    Calibrating pressure switch

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    A pressure switch assembly comprising a body portion and a switch mechanism having a contact element operable between opposite limit positions is described. A diaphragm chamber is provided in the body portion which mounts therein a system diaphragm and a calibration diaphragm which are of generally the same configuration and having outer faces conforming to the inner and outer walls of the diaphragm chamber. The space between the inner faces of the diaphragms defines a first chamber section and the space between the outer face of one of the diaphragms and the outer wall of the diaphragm chamber defines a second chamber section. The body portion includes a system pressure port communicating with one of the chamber sections and a calibration pressure port communicating with the other chamber section. An actuator connected to one of the diaphragms and the contact element of the switch operates upon pressure change in the diaphragm sections to move said contact element between limit positions

    An Energy Packet Switch for Digital Power Grids

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    We propose the design and electrical description of an energy packet switch for forwarding and delivery of energy in digital power grids in this paper. The proposed switch may receive energy from one or multiple power sources in the form of energy packets, store them and aggregate the contained energy, and forward the accumulated energy to requesting loads connected to one or multiple output ports of the switch. Energy packets are discrete amounts of energy that are associated in- or out-of-band with an address and other metadata. Loads receive these discrete amounts of finely-controlled energy rather than discretionary amounts after. The control and management of the proposed switch are based on a request-grant protocol. Using energy packets helps to manage the delivery of power in a reliable, robust, and function form that may enable features not yet available in the present power grid. The switch, as any element of a digital grid, uses a data network for the transmission of these requests and grants. The energy packet switch may be the centerpiece for creating infrastructure in the realization of the digital power grid. The design of the energy packet switch is based on shared supercapacitors to shape and manage discretization of energy. We introduce the design and analysis of the electrical properties of the proposed switch and describe the procedure used in the switch to determine the amount of energy transmitted to requesting loads.Comment: This work was presented in IEEE iThing 2018, Jul. 30-Aug. 3, 2018. Keywords: Digital grid, energy packet switch, power switch, power grid Internet, boolean grid, quantum grid, energy transfer, discrete energy, digital energ
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