Long range inhabited surface transportation system power source for the exploration of Mars (manned Mars mission)

A hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell system is identified as a viable power source for a long range inhabited surface transportation system for the exploration of Mars. Power system weights and power requirements are determined as a function of vehicle weight. For vehicles weighing from 2700 to 7300 kg in LEO, the total power system weight ranges from 1140 to 1860 kg, with the reactants and energy conversion hardware (fuel cells, reactant storage, and radiator) weighing 430 to 555 kg and 610 to 1110 kg, respectively. Vehicle power requirements range from 45 kW for a 2700 kg vehicle to 110 kW for a 7300 kg vehicle. Power system specific weights and power profiles for housekeeping and the operation of scientific equipment such as coring drills and power tools are also specified

Travel Blogs in Marketing Research: Stories of Stratford, Canada

This paper provides a case study for the exploration of travel blogs for market research. The growth and popularity of travel blogs over the Internet influenced few tourism researchers to see the online narratives as valuable sources of information for destination marketing. This research analyzed the content of travel blogs related to trips to Stratford, Canada to establish the most talked about topics and the experiences surrounding these. Three phases of data analysis were completed to achieve both quantifiable and qualitative results reflecting the travel experiences. The findings suggest that Stratford is primarily seen as a cultural and culinary destination. Methodological and practical implications are discussed

Active-Alert Hypnosis: History, Research, and Applications.

After a brief review of the history of the idea of an activity-increasing hypnotic induction procedure with eyes open and pedaling a bicycle ergometer, the features of active-alert hypnotic induction are summarized. Results of research conducted on healthy volunteers revealed the behavioral, experiential, physiological, and interactional characteristics of the induced altered state of consciousness (ASC), showing both similarities and differences between traditional and active-alert hypnosis. A short description of the application of the method is followed by two brief case studies

MULTISCALE EXAMINATION AND MODELING OF ELECTRON TRANSPORT IN NANOSCALE MATERIALS AND DEVICES

For half a century the integrated circuits (ICs) that make up the heart of electronic devices have been steadily improving by shrinking at an exponential rate. However, as the current crop of ICs get smaller and the insulating layers involved become thinner, electrons leak through due to quantum mechanical tunneling. This is one of several issues which will bring an end to this incredible streak of exponential improvement of this type of transistor device, after which future improvements will have to come from employing fundamentally different transistor architecture rather than fine tuning and miniaturizing the metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) in use today. Several new transistor designs, some designed and built here at Michigan Tech, involve electrons tunneling their way through arrays of nanoparticles. We use a multi-scale approach to model these devices and study their behavior. For investigating the tunneling characteristics of the individual junctions, we use a first-principles approach to model conduction between sub-nanometer gold particles. To estimate the change in energy due to the movement of individual electrons, we use the finite element method to calculate electrostatic capacitances. The kinetic Monte Carlo method allows us to use our knowledge of these details to simulate the dynamics of an entire device— sometimes consisting of hundreds of individual particles—and watch as a device ‘turns on’ and starts conducting an electric current. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and the closely related scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) are a family of powerful experimental techniques that allow for the probing and imaging of surfaces and molecules at atomic resolution. However, interpretation of the results often requires comparison with theoretical and computational models. We have developed a new method for calculating STM topographs and STS spectra. This method combines an established method for approximating the geometric variation of the electronic density of states, with a modern method for calculating spin-dependent tunneling currents, offering a unique balance between accuracy and accessibility

A Flexible Adjustment and Control System for Hydraulic Machines

Due to the advantages of hydraulic systems with variable displacement, it was necessary to design a control system that can adjust the pressure, flow, power or a combination of these features, that can be easily integrated into the pump body without changing its mechanical construction. The objective of this work was to study the dynamic behavior of this electro-hydraulic control system. To achieve these objectives, first the adjusting system was analyzed by numerical simulations, and then a stand was constructed for testing the performance of these adjustable pumps. It was shown that this control system is superior to existing systems

A continuation of the study of the clinical stereo field test

This is an extension of a previous study to develop a simple stereoscope test to determine the extent of the stereofield [maximum parallactic angle]. An additional test card was developed along with an additional instructional set to determine the effects of instructed fixations on the phenomenal extent of the stereofield. Using a Brewster stereoscope at a shaft setting of 1.25 diopters [or 80 em], 61 volunteer subjects viewed the 4 test cards with each of the four different instructional sets. Significant differences were found in the magnitude of the stereofield with various instructions. The magnitude of the stereofield was compared to accommodative and convergence index scores, which were calculated from the data on the subjects 21 point eye examination, by a computer program developed by Professor Harold Haynes. Little relationship was found between the magnitudes of the Ai and Ci scores and the stereofield