Synthesis of mechanisms for function, path, and motion generation using invariant characterization, storage and search methods

This work presents an approach for the synthesis of four-bar planar mechanisms for function, path, and motion generation based upon the use of invariant descriptors and local database generation and search methods;Transformation and descriptor methods are used to characterize the motion of four-bar planar mechanisms (function, path and motion generation) and to store the invariant characteristic information in a database. Spatial transforms, one-dimensional Fourier transforms, two-dimensional Fourier transforms, and invariant moments are used to generate invariant characteristic descriptors. The resulting characteristic information for each curve is invariant regardless of the rotation, translation or scaling of the curves. A description of each method and the relative performance of file development and search methods are developed. Over 8,000 function, path and motion solutions are generated for global search solutions for each transform and descriptor method. The function, path and motion solutions are based on the solutions developed by Hrones and Nelson and based on the implementation of a random search of a local design space. Solution comparison and matching techniques are discussed, and implemented, to evaluate the deviation of a candidate curve to curves stored in a database;A methodology is developed to allow the designer to investigate a local design space by generating a database of candidate solutions based on the random development of four-bar mechanisms. The designer may then define a desired solution and search the generated candidate solution files. This technique supports the evaluation of a local solution space through the generation, characterization, and identification of candidate mechanisms that may be practical to implement. After the identification of candidate mechanisms, local optimization techniques may be used with candidate mechanisms

Usefulness of heart measures in flight simulation

The results of three studies performed at the NASA Langley Research Center are presented to indicate the areas in which heart measures are useful for detecting differences in the workload state of subjects. Tasks that involve the arousal of the sympathetic nervous system, such as landing approaches, were excellent candidates for the use of average heart-rate and/or the increase in heart-rate during a task. The latter of these two measures was the better parameter because it removed the effects of diurnal variations in heart-rate and some of the intersubject variability. Tasks which differ in the amount of mental resources required are excellent candidates for heart-rate variability measures. Heart-rate variability measures based upon power spectral density techniques were responsive to the changing task demands of landing approach tasks, approach guidance options, and 2 versus 20 second interstimulus-intervals of a monitoring task. Heart-rate variability measures were especially sensitive to time-on-task when the task was characterized by minimal novelty, complexity, and uncertainty (i.e., heart-rate variability increases as a function of the subjects boredom)

Navigating the airport surface: Electronic vs. paper maps

Recent advances in the Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) and ground/aircraft data-links provide a basis for the generation of an accurate cockpit navigational map display including data-linked ATC-cleared ground routes. Such an electronic map may have the potential to improve pilots' situation awareness and taxi performance and thereby lessen runway incursions. The objective of this simulator study was to assess the potential improvements in these areas when using an advanced electronic map (compared to using today's paper map) under two outside scene visibility levels. Results showed average taxi speed increased under both good and poor visibilities, by as much as 24 percent, due in part to eliminating the time used for orientation with the paper map. Pilots made only one-third as many errors as well and commented that they believed that the electronic map gave them better awareness

A model-based approach for detection of objects in low resolution passive-millimeter wave images

We describe a model-based vision system to assist pilots in landing maneuvers under restricted visibility conditions. The system was designed to analyze image sequences obtained from a Passive Millimeter Wave (PMMW) imaging system mounted on the aircraft to delineate runways/taxiways, buildings, and other objects on or near runways. PMMW sensors have good response in a foggy atmosphere; but, their spatial resolution is very low. However, additional data such as airport model and approximate position and orientation of aircraft are available. We exploit these data to guide our model-based system to locate objects in the low resolution image and generate warning signals to alert the pilots. We also derive analytical expressions for the accuracy of the camera position estimate obtained by detecting the position of known objects in the image

Physiological assessment of task underload

The ultimate goal of research efforts directed at underload, boredom, or complacency in high-technology work environments is to detect conditions or states of the operator that can be demonstrated to lead to performance degradation, and then to intervene in the environment to restore acceptable system performance. Physiological measures may provide indices of changes in condition or state of the operator that may be of value in high-technology work environments. The focus of the present study was on the use of physiological measures in the assessment of operator condition or state in a task underload scenario. A fault acknowledgement task characterized by simple repetitive responses with minimal novelty, complexity, and uncertainty was employed to place subjects in a task underload situation. Physiological measures (electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalogram (EEG), and pupil diameter) were monitored during task performance over a one-hour test session for 12 subjects. Each of the physiological measures exhibited changes over the test session indicative of decrements in subject arousal level. While high correlations between physiological measures were found across subjects, individual differences between subjects support the use of profiling techniques to establish baselines unique to each subject

Superradiance by mini black holes with mirror

The superradiant scattering of massive scalar particles by a rotating mini black hole is investigated. Imposing the mirror boundary condition, the system becomes the so called black-hole bomb where the rotation energy of the black hole is transferred to the scattered particle exponentially with time. Bulk emissions as well as brane emissions are considered altogether. It is found that the largest effects are expected for the brane emission of lower angular modes with lighter mass and larger angular momentum of the black hole. Possibilities of the forming the black-hole bomb at the LHC are discussed.Comment: 20 pages, 2 figures, 7 tables. More discussions. To appear in JHE

Supersymmetry breaking induced by radiative corrections

We show that simultaneous gauge and supersymmetry breaking can be induced by radiative corrections, a la Coleman-Weinberg. When a certain correlation among the superpotential parameters is present, a local supersymmetry-breaking minimum is found in the effective potential of a gauge non-singlet field, in a region where the tree-level potential is almost flat. Supersymmetry breaking is then transmitted to the MSSM through gauge and chiral messenger loops, thus avoiding the suppression of gaugino masses characteristic of direct gauge mediation models. The use of a single field ensures that no dangerous tachyonic scalar masses are generated at the one-loop level. We illustrate this mechanism with an explicit example based on an SU(5) model with a single adjoint. An interesting feature of the scenario is that the GUT scale is increased with respect to standard unification, thus allowing for a larger colour Higgs triplet mass, as preferred by the experimental lower bound on the proton lifetime.Comment: 22 pages, 3 figures. Two references added, small redactional changes, some discussion improved. Results unchange