2,968 research outputs found
Rendering volumetric haptic shapes in mid-air using ultrasound
We present a method for creating three-dimensional haptic shapes in mid-air using focused ultrasound. This approach applies the principles of acoustic radiation force, whereby the non-linear effects of sound produce forces on the skin which are strong enough to generate tactile sensations. This mid-air haptic feedback eliminates the need for any attachment of actuators or contact with physical devices. The user perceives a discernible haptic shape when the corresponding acoustic interference pattern is generated above a precisely controlled two-dimensional phased array of ultrasound transducers. In this paper, we outline our algorithm for controlling the volumetric distribution of the acoustic radiation force field in the form of a three-dimensional shape. We demonstrate how we create this acoustic radiation force field and how we interact with it. We then describe our implementation of the system and provide evidence from both visual and technical evaluations of its ability to render different shapes. We conclude with a subjective user evaluation to examine users’ performance for different shapes
Variational Approach to the Modulational Instability
We study the modulational stability of the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation
(NLS) using a time-dependent variational approach. Within this framework, we
derive ordinary differential equations (ODEs) for the time evolution of the
amplitude and phase of modulational perturbations. Analyzing the ensuing ODEs,
we re-derive the classical modulational instability criterion. The case
(relevant to applications in optics and Bose-Einstein condensation) where the
coefficients of the equation are time-dependent, is also examined
Improved Efficiency and Throttling Range of the VX-200 Magnetoplasma Thruster
Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140438/1/1.b34801.pd
Stellar Spin-Orbit Misalignment in a Multiplanet System
Stars hosting hot Jupiters are often observed to have high obliquities,
whereas stars with multiple co-planar planets have been seen to have low
obliquities. This has been interpreted as evidence that hot-Jupiter formation
is linked to dynamical disruption, as opposed to planet migration through a
protoplanetary disk. We used asteroseismology to measure a large obliquity for
Kepler-56, a red giant star hosting two transiting co-planar planets. These
observations show that spin-orbit misalignments are not confined to hot-Jupiter
systems. Misalignments in a broader class of systems had been predicted as a
consequence of torques from wide-orbiting companions, and indeed
radial-velocity measurements revealed a third companion in a wide orbit in the
Kepler-56 system.Comment: Accepted for publication in Science, published online on October 17
2013; PDF includes main article and supplementary materials (65 pages, 27
figures, 7 tables); v2: small correction to author lis
Alignment of Brightest Cluster Galaxies with their Host Clusters
We examine the alignment between Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs) and their
host clusters in a sample of 7031 clusters with 0.08<z<0.44 found using a
matched-filter algorithm and an independent sample of 5744 clusters with
0.1<z<0.3 selected with the maxBCG algorithm, both extracted from the Sloan
Digital Sky Survey Data Release 6 imaging data. We confirm that BCGs are
preferentially aligned with the cluster's major axis; clusters with dominant
BCGs (>0.65 mag brighter than the mean of the second and third ranked galaxies)
show stronger alignment than do clusters with less dominant BCGs at the 4.4
sigma level. Rich clusters show a stronger alignment than do poor clusters at
the 2.3 sigma level. Low redshift clusters (z<0.26) show more alignment than do
high redshift (z>0.26) clusters, with a difference significant at the 3.0 sigma
level. Our results do not depend on the algorithm used to select the cluster
sample, suggesting that they are not biased by systematics of either algorithm.
The correlation between BCG dominance and cluster alignment may be a
consequence of the hierarchical merging process which forms the cluster. The
observed redshift evolution may follow from secondary infall at late redshifts.Comment: 15 pages, 12 Figures, 10 Tables, Accepted for publication in MNRA
Qatar-2: A K dwarf orbited by a transiting hot Jupiter and a more massive companion in an outer orbit
We report the discovery and initial characterization of Qatar-2b, a hot
Jupiter transiting a V = 13.3 mag K dwarf in a circular orbit with a short
period, P_ b = 1.34 days. The mass and radius of Qatar-2b are M_p = 2.49 M_j
and R_p = 1.14 R_j, respectively. Radial-velocity monitoring of Qatar-2 over a
span of 153 days revealed the presence of a second companion in an outer orbit.
The Systemic Console yielded plausible orbits for the outer companion, with
periods on the order of a year and a companion mass of at least several M_j.
Thus Qatar-2 joins the short but growing list of systems with a transiting hot
Jupiter and an outer companion with a much longer period. This system
architecture is in sharp contrast to that found by Kepler for multi-transiting
systems, which are dominated by objects smaller than Neptune, usually with
tightly spaced orbits that must be nearly coplanar
Ultrafast optical control of entanglement between two quantum dot spins
The interaction between two quantum bits enables entanglement, the
two-particle correlations that are at the heart of quantum information science.
In semiconductor quantum dots much work has focused on demonstrating single
spin qubit control using optical techniques. However, optical control of
entanglement of two spin qubits remains a major challenge for scaling from a
single qubit to a full-fledged quantum information platform. Here, we combine
advances in vertically-stacked quantum dots with ultrafast laser techniques to
achieve optical control of the entangled state of two electron spins. Each
electron is in a separate InAs quantum dot, and the spins interact through
tunneling, where the tunneling rate determines how rapidly entangling
operations can be performed. The two-qubit gate speeds achieved here are over
an order of magnitude faster than in other systems. These results demonstrate
the viability and advantages of optically controlled quantum dot spins for
multi-qubit systems.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figure
Co-circulation of Multidrug-resistant Shigella Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Australia.
BACKGROUND: In urban Australia, the burden of shigellosis is either in returning travelers from shigellosis-endemic regions or in men who have sex with men (MSM). Here, we combine genomic data with comprehensive epidemiological data on sexual exposure and travel to describe the spread of multidrug-resistant Shigella lineages. METHODS: A population-level study of all cultured Shigella isolates in the state of Victoria, Australia, was undertaken from 1 January 2016 through 31 March 2018. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, whole-genome sequencing, and bioinformatic analyses of 545 Shigella isolates were performed at the Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory. Risk factor data on travel and sexual exposure were collected through enhanced surveillance forms or by interviews. RESULTS: Rates of antimicrobial resistance were high, with 17.6% (95/541) and 50.6% (274/541) resistance to ciprofloxacin and azithromycin, respectively. There were strong associations between antimicrobial resistance, phylogeny, and epidemiology. Specifically, 2 major MSM-associated lineages were identified: a Shigellasonnei lineage (n = 159) and a Shigella flexneri 2a lineage (n = 105). Of concern, 147/159 (92.4%) of isolates within the S. sonnei MSM-associated lineage harbored mutations associated with reduced susceptibility to recommended oral antimicrobials: namely, azithromycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and ciprofloxacin. Long-read sequencing demonstrated global dissemination of multidrug-resistant plasmids across Shigella species and lineages, but predominantly associated with MSM isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Our contemporary data highlight the ongoing public health threat posed by resistant Shigella, both in Australia and globally. Urgent multidisciplinary public health measures are required to interrupt transmission and prevent infection
Author Correction: A consensus-based transparency checklist.
An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper
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