Optical scanning tests of complex CMOS microcircuits

The new test method was based on the use of a raster-scanned optical stimulus in combination with special electrical test procedures. The raster-scanned optical stimulus was provided by an optical spot scanner, an instrument that combines a scanning optical microscope with electronic instrumentation to process and display the electric photoresponse signal induced in a device that is being tested

Direct combination: a new user interaction principle for mobile and ubiquitous HCI

Direct Combination (DC) is a recently introduced user interaction principle. The principle (previously applied to desktop computing) can greatly reduce the degree of search, time, and attention required to operate user interfaces. We argue that Direct Combination applies particularly aptly to mobile computing devices, given appropriate interaction techniques, examples of which are presented here. The reduction in search afforded to users can be applied to address several issues in mobile and ubiquitous user interaction including: limited feedback bandwidth; minimal attention situations; and the need for ad-hoc spontaneous interoperation and dynamic reconfiguration of multiple devices. When Direct Combination is extended and adapted to fit the demands of mobile and ubiquitous HCI, we refer to it as Ambient Combination (AC) . Direct Combination allows the user to exploit objects in the environment to narrow down the range of interactions that need be considered (by system and user). When the DC technique of pairwise or n-fold combination is applicable, it can greatly lessen the demands on users for memorisation and interface navigation. Direct Combination also appears to offers a new way of applying context-aware information. In this paper, we present Direct Combination as applied ambiently through a series of interaction scenarios, using an implemented prototype system

Water facilities in retrospect and prospect: An illuminating tool for vehicle design

Water facilities play a fundamental role in the design of air, ground, and marine vehicles by providing a qualitative, and sometimes quantitative, description of complex flow phenomena. Water tunnels, channels, and tow tanks used as flow-diagnostic tools have experienced a renaissance in recent years in response to the increased complexity of designs suitable for advanced technology vehicles. These vehicles are frequently characterized by large regions of steady and unsteady three-dimensional flow separation and ensuing vortical flows. The visualization and interpretation of the complicated fluid motions about isolated vehicle components and complete configurations in a time and cost effective manner in hydrodynamic test facilities is a key element in the development of flow control concepts, and, hence, improved vehicle designs. A historical perspective of the role of water facilities in the vehicle design process is presented. The application of water facilities to specific aerodynamic and hydrodynamic flow problems is discussed, and the strengths and limitations of these important experimental tools are emphasized

Patient-specific instrumentation in total knee arthroplasty provides no improvement in component alignment

pre-printImproved component alignment in TKA remains a commonly cited benefit of MRI based patient-specific instrumentation (PSI). We hypothesized that PSI would lead to improved alignment versus traditional instrumentation (TI) during primary TKA. Fifty-eight knees (54 patients) that underwent TKA with PSI were compared to 62 knees that had previously undergone TKA with TI. Radiographs were evaluated for mechanical axis and alignment of the femoral and tibial components. Alignment was similar between the groups. However, the PSI group showed fewer knees in the target range for posterior tibial slope (PSI 38% vs. TI 61%, p=0.01) in addition to a trend for fewer knees in target for femoral flexion (PSI 40% vs. TI 56%, p=0.07). This study demonstrated no improvement in overall alignment and perhaps a worsening of the tibial slope

Thematic Mapper Agricultural Applications Performance -- Speculations and Implications for Research

We discuss how performance of the technology used in agricultural applications such as satellite-aided production forecasting as was done in the Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment (LACIE) is expected to be improved when using Thematic Mapper (TM) data as opposed to Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) data. We place this discussion in the context of eight characteristics of the TM: (1) Spectral band placement and width, (2) spacial resolution, ( 3 ) temporal registration accuracy, (4) radiometric sensitivity, (5) temporal sampling frequency, (6) scan angle, (7) data timeliness, and (8) data volume. The TM specifications clearly alleviate many of the deficiencies of the MSS; experience with similar aircraft scanner data shows that the TM will lead to substantial improvements in our ability to recognize or characterize the elements of agricultural scene. The major research issues associated with the TM are then: How useful is TM data for applications? How much better is TM data than MSS data for applications? What is the relative importance of various TM features in the improvements? How should existing analysis procedures be modified to best use TM data? Does the extra information brought by TM increase the range of applicability of a crop or vegetation signature? One of the major lessons of LACIE was that, given the great diversity of agricultural conditions, quantitative procedural comparisons are extremely difficult. This is true both because of the high variance introduced by the diversity of the problem and because certain procedures (or features) have benefits only under specific conditions. We believe that an objective, representative evaluation of the TM in agriculture will require a carefully designed series of extensive experiments using state-of-the-art procedures, rather than the sort of exploratory investigations conducted in the ERTS and ERTS follow-on investigations. A portion of this evaluation will be conducted within the Agriculture and Resources Inventory Surveys Through Aerospace Remote Sensing (AGRISTARS) program to be conducted jointly by the U. S. Department of agriculture, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the U. S. Department of Commerce (NCAA), the Department of Interior, and the Agency for International Development - we will outline the types of investigations to be done - but it is clear that a full evaluation includes detailed comparative evaluations and will require the involvement of many institutions. The challenge now facing primarily the research institutions, but also NASA, is to devise an approach including the use of state-of-the art technology whereby the efforts of many investigators can be combined to: Identify the experiments to be done which focus on critical applications technology issues (such as separation of wheat and barley, small fields, etc.) Acquire the data, including ground truth. Conduct the data processing. Analyse the results. Perhaps some approaches used in LACIE could be helpful here