Tactile Music Instrument Recognition for Audio Mixers

The papers at this Convention have been selected on the basis of a submitted abstract and extended precis that have been peer reviewed by at least two qualified anonymous reviewers. This convention paper has been reproduced from the author’s advance manuscript, without editing, corrections, or consideration by the Review Board. The AES takes no responsibility for the contents. Additional papers may be obtained by sending request and remittance to Audi

Digital Competencies and IT Skills as Employees’ Resources to Cope with Digitalization Demands

This empirical paper examines to what extent distinct IT skills (e.g., Microsoft Excel skills) as well as digital competencies (e.g., digital communication) are vital to cope successfully with digitalization demands. Based on the job demands-resources model we hypothesize that digital competencies as well as IT skills lead to lower levels of employees’ perceived digitalization overstrain. However, results of regression analysis in our study (n = 171 participants) reveal that broad digital competencies like Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication are more important for coping with the demands of digitalization than specific IT skills. Furthermore, we applied cluster analyses in order to identify four distinct digital competence profiles which we labelled as the Digitally Cautious, the Digital Novices, the Creative Problem-Solvers and the Communicative Collaborators. Companies may explicitly strengthen their employees’ digital competencies prior to their software knowledge to cope with general digitalization challenges like higher degrees of ambiguity, uncertainty or dynamic change

Improved Directivity of Flat Panel Loudspeakers by Minimizing the Off-Axis Radiation below Coincidence

Flat panel loudspeakers are a promising alternative to conventional loudspeakers. In particular, quasi-omnidirectional radiation at higher frequencies is stressed as an advantage of these systems compared to conventional speaker systems. However, this advantage can also be considered a disadvantage. Compared to that from conventional speakers with a flat and smooth on-axis and off-axis response, this wide radiation from flat panel loudspeakers occurs with an inconstant directivity factor, which can cause coloration and unusual spatial artifacts. This paper investigated the root causes of inhomogeneous directivity by using numerical methods. Based on these analyses, specific prototypes with various damping layups were built to overcome this problem. The additional damping layer reduces the off-axis radiation without significantly reducing the pressure level in the listening window. This approach is simple, robust, inexpensive and effective for improving the directivity of flat panel loudspeakers

Augmented Haptics - An Interactive Feedback System for Musicians

Großhauser T, Hermann T. Augmented Haptics - An Interactive Feedback System for Musicians. In: Altinsoy ME, Merchel S, eds. Haptic and Audio Interaction Design 4th International Conference, Proceedings. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 5763. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer; 2009: 100-108.This paper presents integrated tactiles (or vibrotactiles), a novel interface for movement and posture tuition that provides real-time feedback in a tactile form by means of interactive haptic feedback. Tactile feedback conveys information by using non-audio and non-visual form and is a promising means for movements in 3D-space. In this paper we demonstrate haptic augmentation for applications for musicians, since it (a) doesn't affect the visual sense, occupied by reading music and communication, (b) doesn't disturb in bang sensitive situations like concerts, (c) allows to relate feedback information in the same tactile medium as the output of the musical instrument, so that an important feedback channel for musical instrument playing is extended and trained supportive. Even more, instructions from the teacher and the computer can be transmitted directly and unobtrusively in this channel. This paper presents a prototype system together with demonstrations of applications that support violinists during musical instrument learning

Attempts to understand potential deficiencies in chemical procedures for AMS

A major research focus of the DREsden Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (DREAMS) facility is sample preparation: in-house and at cooperating laboratories. Besides routine applications, developments are mainly driven by the users’ demands such as “new” radionuclides (e.g. short-lived 7Be), radionuclides from new matrices or in larger sample amounts and at lower concentrations. Within the chemical preparation of BeO for 7,10Be, Al2O3 for 26Al, AgCl for 36Cl, and Fe2O3 for 60Fe and actinide AMS targets, we investigated and improved mostly particular steps: For oxide preparation aging for several hours and two-times rinsing of hydroxides is recommended, especially for Be(OH)2 and Al(OH)3, to prevent losses in the final preparation steps. Rinsing of freshly precipitated hydroxides can yield to losses as high as 31%. For Al(OH)3 rinsing with H2O (pH5) instead of pH8-9 is recommended for further reducing redissolving. For 60Fe and coprecipitated actinides (the latter tested by U6+ and Er3+), rinsing of overnight-aged Fe(OH)3, yield to 2.6–3.5% losses. The depletion of the isobar 7Li for (7)BeO is easily gained by hydroxide precipitation and rinsing. The quality of BeO and Al2O3 AMS targets can be monitored and improved (e.g. by using larger ion exchanger columns) by using the so-called “quality factor”, which is the current of the stable nuclide (9Be or 27Al), normalised to the current of the standard of the same batch. Finally, there is a high potential for ion exchange as a pre-enrichment tool for Cl for large ice samples containing low natCl concentrations and low absolute amounts of natCl

A multimethod dating study of ancient permafrost, Batagay megaslump, east Siberia

Dating of ancient permafrost is essential for understanding long-term permafrost stability and interpreting palaeoenvironmental conditions but presents substantial challenges to geochronology. Here, we apply four methods to permafrost from the megaslump at Batagay, east Siberia: (1) optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of quartz, (2) post-infrared infrared-stimulated luminescence (pIRIR) dating of K-feldspar, (3) radiocarbon dating of organic material, and (4) 36Cl/Cl dating of ice wedges. All four chronometers produce stratigraphically consistent and comparable ages. However, OSL appears to date Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 to MIS 2 deposits more reliably than pIRIR, whereas the latter is more consistent with 36Cl/Cl ages for older deposits. The lower ice complex developed at least 650 ka, potentially during MIS 16, and represents the oldest dated permafrost in western Beringia and the second-oldest known ice in the Northern Hemisphere. It has survived multiple interglaciations, including the super-interglaciation MIS 11c, though a thaw unconformity and erosional surface indicate at least one episode of permafrost thaw and erosion occurred sometime between MIS 16 and 6. The upper ice complex formed from at least 60 to 30 ka during late MIS 4 to 3. The sand unit above the upper ice complex is dated to MIS 3–2, whereas the sand unit below formed at some time between MIS 4 and 16