226 research outputs found
I Smell Trouble: Using Multiple Scents To Convey Driving-Relevant Information
Cars provide drivers with task-related information (e.g. "Fill gas") mainly using visual and auditory stimuli. However, those stimuli may distract or overwhelm the driver, causing unnecessary stress. Here, we propose olfactory stimulation as a novel feedback modality to support the perception of visual notifications, reducing the visual demand of the driver. Based on previous research, we explore the application of the scents of lavender, peppermint, and lemon to convey three driving-relevant messages (i.e. "Slow down", "Short inter-vehicle distance", "Lane departure"). Our paper is the first to demonstrate the application of olfactory conditioning in the context of driving and to explore how multiple olfactory notifications change the driving behaviour. Our findings demonstrate that olfactory notifications are perceived as less distracting, more comfortable, and more helpful than visual notifications. Drivers also make less driving mistakes when exposed to olfactory notifications. We discuss how these findings inform the design of future in-car user interfaces
AC Josephson properties of phase slip lines in wide tin films
Current steps in the current-voltage characteristics of wide superconducting
Sn films exposed to a microwave irradiation were observed in the resistive
state with phase slip lines. The behaviour of the magnitude of the steps on the
applied irradiation power was found to be similar to that for the current steps
in narrow superconducting channels with phase slip centers and, to some extent,
for the Shapiro steps in Josephson junctions. This provides evidence for the
Josephson properties of the phase slip lines in wide superconducting films and
supports the assumption about similarity between the processes of phase slip in
wide and narrow films.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, to be published in Supercond. Sci. Techno
CARoma Therapy: Pleasant Scents Promote Safer Driving, Better Mood, and Improved Well-Being in Angry Drivers
Driving is a task that is often affected by emotions. The effect of emotions on driving has been extensively studied. Anger is an emotion that dominates in such investigations. Despite the knowledge on strong links between scents and emotions, few studies have explored the effect of olfactory stimulation in a context of driving. Such an outcome provides HCI practitioners very little knowledge on how to design for emotions using olfactory stimulation in the car. We carried out three studies to select scents of different valence and arousal levels (i.e. rose, peppermint, and civet) and anger eliciting stimuli (i.e. affective pictures and on-road events). We used this knowledge to conduct the fourth user study investigating how the selected scents change the emotional state, well-being, and driving behaviour of drivers in an induced angry state. Our findings enable better decisions on what scents to choose when designing interactions for angry drivers
Inductance mode characteristics of a ceramic YBa2Cu3O7-x radio-frequency superconducting quantum interference device at 77 K
Laser Scanning Microscopy of HTS Films and Devices
The work describes the capabilities of Laser Scanning Microscopy (LSM) as a
spatially resolved method of testing high_Tc materials and devices. The earlier
results obtained by the authors are briefly reviewed. Some novel applications
of the LSM are illustrated, including imaging the HTS responses in rf mode,
probing the superconducting properties of HTS single crystals, development of
twobeam laser scanning microscopy. The existence of the phase slip lines
mechanism of resistivity in HTS materials is proven by LSM imaging.Comment: 17 pages, 21 figures, Submitted to Fizika Nizkikh Temperatur (Low
Temperature Physics
Fractional ac Josephson effect in unconventional superconductors
For certain orientations of Josephson junctions between two p_x-wave or two
d-wave superconductors, the subgap Andreev bound states produce a 4pi-periodic
relation between the Josephson current I and the phase difference phi: I ~
sin(phi/2). Consequently, the ac Josephson current has the fractional frequency
eV/h, where V is the dc voltage. In the tunneling limit, the Josephson current
is proportional to the first power (not square) of the electron tunneling
amplitude. Thus, the Josephson current between unconventional superconductors
is carried by single electrons, rather than by Cooper pairs. The fractional ac
Josephson effect can be observed experimentally by measuring frequency spectrum
of microwave radiation from the junction.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, RevTEX 4; v2. - minor typos corrected in proof
Quantum superposition of three macroscopic states and superconducting qutrit detector
Superconducting quantum coherent circuits have opened up a novel area of
fundamental low-temperature science since they could potentially be the element
base for future quantum computers. Here we report a quasi-three-level coherent
system, the so-called superconducting qutrit, which has some advantages over a
two-level information cell (qubit), and is based on the qutrit readout circuit
intended to measure individually the states of each qubit in a quantum
computer. The designed and implemented radio-frequency superconducting qutrit
detector (rf SQUTRID) with atomic-size ScS-type contact utilizes the
coherent-state superposition in the three-well potential with energy splitting
Delta E_01/k_B=1.5 K at the 30th quantized energy level with good isolation
from the electromagnetic environment. The reason why large values of Delta E_01
(and thus using atomic-size Nb-Nb contact) are required is to ensure an
adiabatic limit for the quantum dynamics of magnetic flux in the rf SQUTRID.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, in v.3: text extended, inset in figure 1 (the
device design) adde
Multilayer film shields for the protection of PMT from constant magnetic field
This is the Published Version made available with the permission of the publisher.Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are widely used in physical experiments as well as in applied devices.
PMTs are sensitive to magnetic field, so creation of effective magnetic shields for their protection is
very important. In this paper, the results of measurements of shielding effectiveness of multilayer film
magnetic shields on PMT-85 are presented. Shields were formed by alternating layers of a material
with high magnetic permeability (Ni-Fe) and high electric conductivity—Cu. The maximum number
of bilayers reached 45. It is shown that in weak magnetic fields up to 0.5 mT, the output signal
amplitude from PMT-85 does not change for all used multilayer shields. In strong magnetic field of
2–4 mT, the output signal amplitude decrease with 10%–40% depending from the number of layers in the shield. The Pulse distribution of PMT-85 in magnetic field 0.2–4 mT slightly changed in the range 1.1%–1.3% for the case when the number of layers do not exceed 10 and practically did not change for a shield with 45 double layers
Multilayer film shields for the protection of PMT from constant magnetic field
This is the Published Version made available with the permission of the publisher.Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are widely used in physical experiments as well as in applied devices.
PMTs are sensitive to magnetic field, so creation of effective magnetic shields for their protection is
very important. In this paper, the results of measurements of shielding effectiveness of multilayer film
magnetic shields on PMT-85 are presented. Shields were formed by alternating layers of a material
with high magnetic permeability (Ni-Fe) and high electric conductivity—Cu. The maximum number
of bilayers reached 45. It is shown that in weak magnetic fields up to 0.5 mT, the output signal
amplitude from PMT-85 does not change for all used multilayer shields. In strong magnetic field of
2–4 mT, the output signal amplitude decrease with 10%–40% depending from the number of layers in the shield. The Pulse distribution of PMT-85 in magnetic field 0.2–4 mT slightly changed in the range 1.1%–1.3% for the case when the number of layers do not exceed 10 and practically did not change for a shield with 45 double layers
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