4,092 research outputs found
Magnetostrictive Transducers (MsT) Utilizing Reversed Wiedemann Effect
Magnetostrictive transduction has been widely utilized in NDE applications and, specifically, for generation and reception of guided waves for long-range inspection of components such as pipes, vessels, and small tubes. Transverse-motion guided wave modes (e.g., torsional vibrations in pipes) are the most typical choice for long-range inspection applications because the wave motion is in the plane of the structure. Magnetostrictive-based sensors have been available for the last several years for these wave modes based on the Wiedemann effect. For these sensors, a permanent magnetic bias is applied that is perpendicular to the direction of the propagated guided wave. This bias field strains the material preferentially in the desired particle motion direction. A time-varying magnetic field that is much smaller than the bias field is induced in the material and is oriented parallel to the direction of guided wave propagation. This time-varying field is induced using an electric coil located near the surface. The interaction of these two fields produces the guided waves and an inverse effect is present for the receive process. An alternative configuration of a sensor for generating and receiving these traverse-motion guided waves is to reverse the biasing and time-varying magnetic fields directions. Since transverse-motion guided wave sensors are typically much wider in the particle motion direction, the net effect is the magnetic biasing length is shorter and different coil designs can be used. Because of this, the alternative design known as a magnetostrictive transducer (MsT), exhibits a number of unique features compared to the Wiedemann sensor described above, such as: 1) the ability to use smaller rare earth permanent magnets and achieve uniform and self-sustained bias field strengths, 2) the choice of more efficient electric coil arrangements to induce a stronger time-varying magnetic field for a given coil impedance, 3) more easily exhibit nonlinear operating characteristics given the efficiency improvements in both magnetic fields, and 4) the ability to generate unidirectional guided waves when the field arrangement is combined with a magnetostrictive patch. MsT designs will be presented that are suitable for different inspection applications, one using electromagnetic generation and reception directly in a ferromagnetic material and another design that integrates a magnetostrictive patch to improve the efficiency and allow special operating characteristics
17 ways to say yes:Toward nuanced tone of voice in AAC and speech technology
People with complex communication needs who use speech-generating devices have very little expressive control over their tone of voice. Despite its importance in human interaction, the issue of tone of voice remains all but absent from AAC research and development however. In this paper, we describe three interdisciplinary projects, past, present and future: The critical design collection Six Speaking Chairs has provoked deeper discussion and inspired a social model of tone of voice; the speculative concept Speech Hedge illustrates challenges and opportunities in designing more expressive user interfaces; the pilot project Tonetable could enable participatory research and seed a research network around tone of voice. We speculate that more radical interactions might expand frontiers of AAC and disrupt speech technology as a whole
Learning and interaction in groups with computers: when do ability and gender matter?
In the research reported in this paper, we attempt to identify the background and process factors influencing the effectiveness of groupwork with computers in terms of mathematics learning. The research used a multi-site case study design in six schools and involved eight groups of six mixed-sex, mixed-ability pupils (aged 9-12) undertaking three research tasks – two using Logo and one a database. Our findings suggest that, contrary to other recent research, the pupil characteristics of gender and ability have no direct influence on progress in group tasks with computers. However, status effects – pupils' perceptions of gender and ability – do have an effect on the functioning of the group, which in turn can impede progress for all pupils concerned
Vortex line in a neutral finite-temperature superfluid Fermi gas
The structure of an isolated vortex in a dilute two-component neutral
superfluid Fermi gas is studied within the context of self-consistent
Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory. Various thermodynamic properties are calculated
and the shift in the critical temperature due to the presence of the vortex is
analyzed. The gapless excitations inside the vortex core are studied and a
scheme to detect these states and thus the presence of the vortex is examined.
The numerical results are compared with various analytical expressions when
appropriate.Comment: 8 pages, 6 embedded figure
Making the most of community energies:Three perspectives on grassroots innovation
Grassroots innovations for sustainability are attracting increasing policy attention. Drawing upon a wide range of empirical research into community energy in the UK, and taking recent support from national government as a case study, we apply three distinct analytical perspectives: strategic niche management; niche policy advocacy; and critical niches. Whilst the first and second perspectives appear to explain policy influence in grassroots innovation adequately, each also shuts out more transformational possibilities. We therefore argue that, if grassroots innovation is to realise its full potential, then we need to also pursue a third, critical niches perspective, and open up debate about more socially transformative pathways to sustainability
Spatial Modulation Microscopy for Real-Time Imaging of Plasmonic Nanoparticles and Cells
Spatial modulation microscopy is a technique originally developed for
quantitative spectroscopy of individual nano-objects. Here, a parallel
implementation of the spatial modulation microscopy technique is demonstrated
based on a line detector capable of demodulation at kHz frequencies. The
capabilities of the imaging system are shown using an array of plasmonic
nanoantennas and dendritic cells incubated with gold nanoparticles.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figure
Pseudo-time Schroedinger equation with absorbing potential for quantum scattering calculations
The Schroedinger equation with an energy-dependent complex absorbing
potential, associated with a scattering system, can be reduced for a special
choice of the energy-dependence to a harmonic inversion problem of a discrete
pseudo-time correlation function. An efficient formula for Green's function
matrix elements is also derived. Since the exact propagation up to time 2t can
be done with only t real matrix-vector products, this gives an unprecedently
efficient scheme for accurate calculations of quantum spectra for possibly very
large systems.Comment: 9 page
Current driven rotating kink mode in a plasma column with a non-line-tied free end
First experimental measurements are presented for the kink instability in a
linear plasma column which is insulated from an axial boundary by finite sheath
resistivity. Instability threshold below the classical Kruskal-Shafranov
threshold, axially asymmetric mode structure and rotation are observed. These
are accurately reproduced by a recent kink theory, which includes axial plasma
flow and one end of the plasma column that is free to move due to a
non-line-tied boundary condition.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figure
Reproducing Kernels of Generalized Sobolev Spaces via a Green Function Approach with Distributional Operators
In this paper we introduce a generalized Sobolev space by defining a
semi-inner product formulated in terms of a vector distributional operator
consisting of finitely or countably many distributional operators
, which are defined on the dual space of the Schwartz space. The types of
operators we consider include not only differential operators, but also more
general distributional operators such as pseudo-differential operators. We
deduce that a certain appropriate full-space Green function with respect to
now becomes a conditionally positive
definite function. In order to support this claim we ensure that the
distributional adjoint operator of is
well-defined in the distributional sense. Under sufficient conditions, the
native space (reproducing-kernel Hilbert space) associated with the Green
function can be isometrically embedded into or even be isometrically
equivalent to a generalized Sobolev space. As an application, we take linear
combinations of translates of the Green function with possibly added polynomial
terms and construct a multivariate minimum-norm interpolant to data
values sampled from an unknown generalized Sobolev function at data sites
located in some set . We provide several examples, such
as Mat\'ern kernels or Gaussian kernels, that illustrate how many
reproducing-kernel Hilbert spaces of well-known reproducing kernels are
isometrically equivalent to a generalized Sobolev space. These examples further
illustrate how we can rescale the Sobolev spaces by the vector distributional
operator . Introducing the notion of scale as part of the
definition of a generalized Sobolev space may help us to choose the "best"
kernel function for kernel-based approximation methods.Comment: Update version of the publish at Num. Math. closed to Qi Ye's Ph.D.
thesis (\url{http://mypages.iit.edu/~qye3/PhdThesis-2012-AMS-QiYe-IIT.pdf}
Healthier prisons: The role of a prison visitors' centre
Since the inception of the prison as a ‘setting’ for health promotion, there has been a focus on how the health of those men and women who spend ‘time inside’ can at least be maintained and if possible, enhanced, during their prison sentence. This paper presents findings from a mainly qualitative evaluation of a prison visitors' centre in the UK. It reports experiences of prisoners' families, prisoners, prison staff, the local community and the ways in which the visitors' centre has contributed positively to their health and well-being. In addition, key stakeholders were interviewed to ascertain the role this visitors' centre has in policy frameworks related to re-offending. The findings from this evaluation underscore how the visitors' centre improved the quality of visits, and contributed towards the maintenance of family ties through the help and support it provides for families and prisoners. The paper concludes by suggesting that visitors' centres are an essential part of a modern prison service helping to address the government's health inequalities agenda
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