Design Specification as a Basis to Hardware Simulation

While developing a hardware design, especially programmable hardware, it has proven useful to detect the most critical properties of a concept prior to implementing it. If a simulation method is chosen to gain such knowledge it is vital that it be able to create and adapt a suitable model on the fly. In this technical report we describe an approach meeting that criteria. It leads to an easily amendable behavioural simulation model readily applicable to any phase of hardware development. It then allows us to obtain fair estimates of many properties of the design in progress. This way enables to point out a shortfall very soon while the cost of reviewing the implementation or even the specification is still low. As the implementation becomes available, the model can then easily be adjusted and later even reused if the design becomes part of a more complex structure. The methodology is demonstrated on a recent simulation of a high-speed network design

A depth-based modification of the k-nearest neighbour method

summary:We propose a new nonparametric procedure to solve the problem of classifying objects represented by $d$-dimensional vectors into $K \geq 2$ groups. The newly proposed classifier was inspired by the $k$ nearest neighbour (kNN) method. It is based on the idea of a depth-based distributional neighbourhood and is called $k$ nearest depth neighbours (kNDN) classifier. The kNDN classifier has several desirable properties: in contrast to the classical kNN, it can utilize global properties of the considered distributions (symmetry). In contrast to the maximal depth classifier and related classifiers, it does not have problems with classification when the considered distributions differ in dispersion or have unequal priors. The kNDN classifier is compared to several depth-based classifiers as well as the classical kNN method in a simulation study. According to the average misclassification rates, it is comparable to the best current depth-based classifiers

“Daj i uzmi”: reprezentacije postsocijalističke “nove buržoazije” u glazbenim video spotovima

This article explores the critical question of how music videos portrayed the “new bourgeoisie” in early post-socialist music videos. Additionally, it tackles two side issues: the depiction of criminal groups and foreign countries. Unlike the “new class”, post-socialist new bourgeoisie emerged as a class that was entirely economically defined by its own material interests. Several values attributable to post-socialist “new bourgeoisie” can be discerned from the music videos: an interplay of ambitions and hedonism, cosmopolitanism as well as of patriotic narratives, and the aspiration of the new bourgeoisie to assert its culturedness vis-à-vis the “intelligentsia”.Ovaj je rad pokušaj primjene modela društvenih odnosa utemeljenih na klasnom segmentu za koji se u radu koristi termin “nova buržoazija”. Dok se jedan dio socijalističke elite lako apsorbirao u novu buržoaziju, odnos nove buržoazije sa socijalističkom “novom klasom” ostaje nejasan. Promjene koje su pratile raspad socijalističkih režima poklapale su se s novim modelima stjecanja kapitala u kapitalističkim zemljama. Premda diskursi valorizacije bogatstva nisu jedinstvena značajka postsocijalističkog konteksta, njihova važnost u postsocijalizmu kao vremenu brzih ekonomskih i društvenih promjena raste. U općeprihvaćenoj inačici hegemonijskog narativa, postsocijalizam je favorizirao one koji su se mogli prilagoditi na često surove uvjete tržišta. U radu se na temelju glazbenih video spotova rekonstruiraju predodžbe koje se odnose na strane zemlje: radostan susret sa zapadom i žudnja za jugom. Drugi postsocijalistički video spotovi nude pogled koji je ambivalentniji. Na taj se način postavlja više aktualnih pitanja koja su posebno relevantna za trenutnu krizu postsocijalističkih liberalnih demokracija

Virtuální primordialismus: transnacionální sítě a kulturní produkce diaspory (příklady Bosňáků a Kabylů)

Tento článek se zaměřuje na specifickou kulturní produkci ve dvou diasporách: bosňácké a kabylské. Neomezuje se na komparativní přístup, ale snaží se demonstrovat relevantní příklady pro obě komunity. Jeho hlavní teze spočívá ve zjištění, že technologický pokrok učinil šíření etnicky založené imaginace účinějším. I tehdy, když jsou diasporické komunity deteritorializovanými entitami, je přináležitost k etnické skupině explicitní. V úvodní části autor nabízí přehled teorií diaspory, transnacionalismu, nostalgie a emocí, Empirická část sestává z případových sond do dvou studovaných komunit. Nastolena je zde problematika populární kultury, zvláště ve formě blogů a hip-hopu. Zbývající části se soustředí na tradici a nostalgii v prostředí diaspory, komunitní slavnosti, užívání národních symbolů a stereotypy

HIGH STRAIN-RATE COMPRESSIVE TESTING OF FILLING MATERIALS FOR INTER-PENETRATING PHASE COMPOSITES

In this study behavior of the selected types of filling material for the inter-penetrating phase composites was tested in compressive loading mode at low and high strain-rates. Three types of the filling material were tested, (i) ordnance gelatin, (ii) low expansion polyurethane foam, and (iii) polyurethane putty. To evaluate their impact energy absorption bulk samples of the selected materials were tested in compression loading mode at strain-rates 1000 s−1 to 4000 s−1. The high strain-rate compressive loading was provided by Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) which was equipped with PMMA bars to enable testing of cellular materials with low mechanical impedance. Based on the comparative measurement response to compression at both low and high strain-rates was analysed. The results show a significant strain-rate sensitivity of the ordnance gelatin and of the polyurethane putty, while strain-rate effect in the polyurethane foam was not observed

SEMI–AUTOMATED ASSESSMENT OF MICROMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE METAL FOAMS ON THE CELL-WALL LEVEL

Metal foams are innovative porous material used for wide range of application such as deformation energy or sound absorption, filter material, or microbiological incubation carrier. To predict mechanical properties of the metal foam is necessary to precisely describe elasto–plastic properties of the foam on cell–wall level. Indentation with low load is suitable tool for this purpose. In this paper custom designed instrumented microindentation device was used for measurement of cell-wall characteristics of two different aluminium foams (ALPORAS and ALCORAS). To demonstrate the possibility of automated statistical estimation of measured characteristics the device had been enhanced by semi-automatic indent positioning and evaluation procedures based on user-defined grid. Vickers hardness was measured on two samples made from ALPORAS aluminium foam and one sample from ALCORAS aluminium foam. Average Vickers hardness of ALPORAS foam was 24.465HV1.019 and average Vickers hardness of ALCORAS was 36.585HV1.019

COMPRESSIVE PROPERTIES OF AUXETIC STRUCTURES WITH CONTROLLED STIFFNESS OF STRUT JOINTS

Presented paper deals with experimental study on compressive properties of auxetics with controlled stiffness of strut joints. The variable strut joints properties were simulated by adding extra amount of material in the struts’ intersection regions. Four groups of inverted honeycomb structures were prepared by multi-jet 3D printing and tested in quasi-static compression. The structure collapsed gradually, however after the first collapse, failure in entire cross-section occurred due to the brittle nature of the base material. The behavior up to the first collapse was consistent among the specimens within each group, while differed slightly subsequently. With higher reinforcement in the joints, results showed increasing stress at the first collapse (ultimate compressive stress) while the strain at the first collapse remained unchanged. The auxetic behaviour became less significant with increasing joints’ reinforcement