A hybrid keyboard-guitar interface using capacitive touch sensing and physical modeling

This paper was presented at the 9th Sound and Music Computing Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark.This paper presents a hybrid interface based on a touch- sensing keyboard which gives detailed expressive control over a physically-modeled guitar. Physical modeling al- lows realistic guitar synthesis incorporating many expres- sive dimensions commonly employed by guitarists, includ- ing pluck strength and location, plectrum type, hand damp- ing and string bending. Often, when a physical model is used in performance, most control dimensions go unused when the interface fails to provide a way to intuitively con- trol them. Techniques as foundational as strumming lack a natural analog on the MIDI keyboard, and few digital controllers provide the independent control of pitch, vol- ume and timbre that even novice guitarists achieve. Our interface combines gestural aspects of keyboard and guitar playing. Most dimensions of guitar technique are control- lable polyphonically, some of them continuously within each note. Mappings are evaluated in a user study of key- boardists and guitarists, and the results demonstrate its playa- bility by performers of both instruments

Artificial neural network prediction of weld distortion rectification using a travelling induction coil

An experimental investigation has been carried out to determine the applicability of an induction heating process with a travelling induction coil for the rectification of angular welding distortion. The results obtained from experimentation have been used to create artificial neural network models with the ability to predict the welding induced distortion and the distortion rectification achieved using a travelling induction coil. The experimental results have shown the ability to reduce the angular distortion for 8 mm and 10 mm thick DH36 steel plate and effectively eliminate the distortion on 6 mm thick plate. Results for 6 mm plate also show the existence of a critical induction coil travel speed at which maximum corrective bending occurs. Artificial neural networks have demonstrated the ability to predict the final distortion of the plate after both welding and induction heating. The models have also been used as a tool to determine the optimum speed to minimise the resulting distortion of steel plate after being subjected to both welding and induction heating processes

Ultrahigh harmonics from laser-assisted ion-atom collisions

We present a theoretical analysis of high-order harmonic generation from ion-atom collisions in the presence of linearly polarized intense laser pulses. Photons with frequencies significantly higher than in standard atomic high-harmonic generation are emitted. These harmonics are due to two different mechanisms: (i) collisional electron capture and subsequent laser-driven transfer of an electron between projectile and target atom; (ii) reflection of a laser-driven electron from the projectile leading to recombination at the parent atom.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

A climatological analysis of heatbursts in Oklahoma (1994–2009)

Heatbursts are characterized by a sudden and highly localized increase in air temperature, a simultaneous decrease in relative humidity and dewpoint temperature, and strong gusty winds, typically associated with decaying thunderstorms. The small spatial extent and short duration of most heatbursts makes detailed study of these events difficult using the standard federal observation network (e.g. hourly observations) established in most countries. Thus, many discussions of heatbursts note that they are ‘rare’ phenomena. However, observations from the Oklahoma Mesonet indicate that although heatbursts are meso-alpha scale phenomena, they are not rare. Using multi-criteria analysis, 207 heatburst events of various magnitudes, areal coverage and duration were identified between 1994 and 2009 across Oklahoma. Significantly more heatbursts were detected in the western two-thirds of the state as compared to the eastern third. Heatbursts were primarily nocturnal events, with 70% of heatburst events initiated between 0000 and 0800 UTC (i.e. between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. Central Standard Time). With 62 of the 207 events, June was the most active month for heatbursts. At the other extreme, no heatbursts were detected during February and November, and only one was observed during January and December. Almost all of the heatbursts occurred underneath or adjacent to weak radar echoes at the time of the event. Four basic radar patterns were associated with the events: (1) radar echoes associated with rapidly weakening convection, (2) weak reflectivity not produced by or associated with deep moist convection, (3) weak radar echoes to the rear of a dissipating mesoscale convective system (MCS) and (4) weak reflectivity along the periphery of intense convection that did not appear to be weakening

Buttons, Handles, and Keys: Advances in Continuous-Control Keyboard Instruments

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Buttons, Handles, and Keys: Advances in Continuous-Control Keyboard Instruments, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/COMJ_a_00297. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with MIT Press Journal's Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving. © 2015, MIT Press Journal

Ionization of clusters in strong X-ray laser pulses

The effect of intense X-ray laser interaction on argon clusters is studied theoretically with a mixed quantum/classical approach. In comparison to a single atom we find that ionization of the cluster is suppressed, which is in striking contrast to the observed behavior of rare-gas clusters in intense optical laser pulses. We have identified two effects responsible for this phenomenon: A high space charge of the cluster in combination with a small quiver amplitude and delocalization of electrons in the cluster. We elucidate their impact for different field strengths and cluster sizes.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Racial disparities in calculated risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia: A dataset

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a severe pulmonary complication of prematurity and is associated with significant morbidity or death. Early use of systemic corticosteroids may alter the trajectory of the disease and improve outcomes. A BPD Outcomes estimator, developed by the NICHD using a large population dataset, can be used to calculate individual risk. Risk above a certain threshold may indicate that the benefits of corticosteroids outweigh the risks. Empiric analysis of this calculator by systematic entry of synthetic patient information reveals a marked racial disparity; black infants have lower risk of moderate/severe BPD due to a higher risk of death despite equivalent severity of illness. Interpretation and analysis of this finding can be found in The challenge of risk stratification of preterm infants in the setting of competing and disparate healthcare outcomes [1]. In this report, we provide the underlying data used in this analysis. Calculator output for 108 example patients, systematically varied by sex, birthweight, race, type of ventilator, and fraction of inspired oxygen (Fi

A review of differentiable digital signal processing for music and speech synthesis

The term “differentiable digital signal processing” describes a family of techniques in which loss function gradients are backpropagated through digital signal processors, facilitating their integration into neural networks. This article surveys the literature on differentiable audio signal processing, focusing on its use in music and speech synthesis. We catalogue applications to tasks including music performance rendering, sound matching, and voice transformation, discussing the motivations for and implications of the use of this methodology. This is accompanied by an overview of digital signal processing operations that have been implemented differentiably, which is further supported by a web book containing practical advice on differentiable synthesiser programming (https://intro2ddsp.github.io/). Finally, we highlight open challenges, including optimisation pathologies, robustness to real-world conditions, and design trade-offs, and discuss directions for future research

Techno-economic evaluation of reducing shielding gas consumption in GMAW whilst maintaining weld quality

A new method of supplying shielding gases in an alternating manner has been developed to enhance the efficiency of conventional gas metal arc welding (GMAW). However, the available literature on this advanced joining process is very sparse and no cost evaluation has been reported to date. In simple terms, the new method involves discretely supplying two different shielding gases to the weld pool at predetermined frequencies which creates a dynamic action within the liquid pool. In order to assess the potential benefits of this new method from a technical and cost perspective, a comparison has been drawn between the standard shielding gas composition of Ar/20%CO2, which is commonly used in UK and European shipbuilding industries for carbon steels, and a range of four different frequencies alternating between Ar/20%CO2 and helium. The beneficial effects of supplying the weld shielding gases in an alternating manner were found to provide attractive benefits for the manufacturing community. For example, the present study showed that compared with conventional GMAW, a 17 per cent reduction in total welding cost was achieved in the case of the alternating gas method and savings associated with a reduction in the extent of post-weld straightening following plate distortion were also identified. Also, the mechanical properties of the alternating case highlighted some marginal improvements in strength and Charpy impact toughness which were attributed to a more refined weld microstructure