The effect of regular rhythm on the perception of linguistic and non-linguistic auditory input

First published: 30 October 2020Regular distribution of auditory stimuli over time can facilitate perception and attention. However, such effects have to date only been observed in separate studies using either linguistic or non-linguistic materials. This has made it difficult to compare the effects of rhythmic regularity on attention across domains. The current study was designed to provide an explicit within-subject comparison of reaction times and accuracy in an auditory target-detection task using sequences of regularly and irregularly distributed syllables (linguistic material) and environmental sounds (nonlinguistic material). We explored how reaction times and accuracy were modulated by regular and irregular rhythms in a sound- (non-linguistic) and syllable-monitoring (linguistic) task performed by native Spanish speakers (N = 25). Surprisingly, we did not observe that regular rhythm exerted a facilitatory effect on reaction times or accuracy. Further exploratory analysis showed that targets that appear later in sequences of syllables and sounds are identified more quickly. In late targets, reaction times in stimuli with a regular rhythm were lower than in stimuli with irregular rhythm for linguistic material, but not for non-linguistic material. The difference in reaction times on stimuli with regular and irregular rhythm for late targets was also larger for linguistic than for non-linguistic material. This suggests a modulatory effect of rhythm on linguistic stimuli only once the percept of temporal isochrony has been established. We suggest that temporal isochrony modulates attention to linguistic more than to non-linguistic stimuli because the human auditory system is tuned to process speech. The results, however, need to be further tested in confirmatory studies.This research was supported by the Spanish State Research Agency through BCBL's Severo Ochoa excellence accreditation SEV-2015-0490

Thixoforging tools materials: determination of appropriate features and experimental evaluation

Whereas thixoforming of low melting point alloys as aluminium or magnesium is now an industrial reality, thixoforming of high melting point alloys, as steel, is still at the research level. High working temperature, die wearing and production rate are problems that must be solved and are under investigation. The aim of this work is to evaluate the thermal and mechanical loadings applied to the tools during the steel thixoforging process in order to determine if classical hot-work tool steel could be an appropriate tool material. This evaluation has been realized thanks to experimental trials and to simulations on the finite elements code Forge2009©. The effect of the loadings on the tool’s failure modes are highlighted and compared to the ones observed in classical hot forging. Beyond this, the failure modes of hot-work tool steel, the X38CrMoV5 or H11, is presented

Tooling materials and solutions for thixoforming steel

The aim of this work is to evaluate the thermal and mechanical loadings applied to the tools during steel thixoforming process in order to determine appropriate tool materials and solutions. This evaluation was realized thanks to experimental trials and to the finite elements simulations. The effect of these loadings on the tool’s failure modes are highlighted and compared to the ones observed in classical forming processes. Beyond this, the failure modes of different tool materials and solutions are presented. The tested materials are hotworking tool steels. Other possibilities and tool coating or surface treatments are discussed as well

Characterisation of thermophysical properties of semi-solid steels for thixoforming

Major challenge for semi-solid processing includes broadening the range of alloys that can be successfully thixoformed and developing alloys specifically for thixoforming. One important parameter is appropriate solidus-liquidus interval. The wider the solidification interval, the wider the processing window. This study is related to the experimental determination of this critical parameter on eight different steel compositions. This parameter was obtained using Differential Scanning Calorimetry. This technique allows to obtain the solid fraction versus temperature. The paper also presents the results of thermophysical properties determination such as thermal diffusivity, heat capacity and thermal conductivity. These properties were measured from room temperature to semi-solid state in one particular steel. The thermal diffusivity was measured using the Laser Flash method and the heat capacity using a DSC calorimeter. The thermal conductivity was obtained by calculation knowing the thermal dilatation measured with a dilatometer. All these measurements were performed for temperatures up to the liquidus. These parameters are difficult to measure but they are important to determine for the conductive heating phase of a semi-solid forming (SSM) process.Peer reviewe

Improvement in Thixoforging of 7075 Aluminium Alloys at High Solid Fraction

peer reviewedThixoforging is a type of semi-solid metal processing at high solid fraction (0.5<1). 7075 aluminium alloys have been used as a feedstock for thixoforging in order to investigate thixoformability of a high performance aluminium alloy at high solid fraction. Higher solid fraction of 7075 alloy is less sensitive to temperature, avoids metal splash at high speed and allows laminar flow at high speed. Hot tool combined with lubricant tool coating are used to slow down the solidification rate of the high solid fraction metal by decreasing thermal exchanges with the tool. Improved thermal and forming parameters [1-2] will be applied to produce an automotive component by thixoforging and mechanical properties have been measured from tensile samples. High mechanical properties are obtained after T6 thermal treatment

In situ study of granular micromechanics in semi-solid carbon steels

The granular micromechanics of semi-solid steel at ∼80% solid are studied by synchrotron radiography. A particulate soil mechanics approach to image analysis shows that deformation occurs by the translation and rotation of quasi-rigid grains under the action of contact forces, and that the changes in directional fabric and grain–grain contacts occur by mechanisms similar to those of highly compacted soils including “locked sands”. Grain-scale phenomena are then linked to the macroscopic displacement and strain fields and it is shown that shear-induced dilation is a fundamental response at both the grain and macro scales. Based on this, recommendations are made on future rheology experiments

Effect of Ga doping on magnetotransport properties in collosal magnetoresistive La0.7Ca0.3Mn1-xGaxO3 (0 < x < 0.1)

Samples of La0.7Ca0.3Mn1-xGaxO3 with x = 0, 0.025, 0.05 and 0.10 were prepared by standard solid-state reaction. They were first characterized chemically, including the microstructure. The magnetic properties and various transport properties, i.e. the electrical resistivity, magnetoresistivity (for a field below 8T), thermoelectric power and thermal conductivity measured each time on the same sample, are reported. The markedly different behavior of the x = 0.1 sample from those with a smaller Ga content, is discussed. The dilution of the Mn3+/Mn4+ interactions with Ga doping considerably reduces the ferromagnetic double exchange interaction within the manganese lattice leading to a decrease of the Curie temperature. The polaron binding energy varies from 224 to 243 meV with increased Ga doping.Comment: submitted to J Magnet Magnet Mater; 13 figures; 2 tables; 38 reference

Tooling Materials and Solutions for Thixoforming of Steel

peer reviewedThe aim of this work is to evaluate the thermal and mechanical loadings applied to the tools during steel thixoforming process in order to determine appropriate tool materials and solutions. This evaluation was realized thanks to experimental trials and to the finite elements simulations. The effect of these loadings on the tool’s failure modes are highlighted and compared to the ones observed in classical forming processes. Beyond this, the failure modes of different tool materials and solutions are presented. The tested materials are hot-working tool steels. Other possibilities and tool coating or surface treatments are discussed as well

Study of liquid fraction evolution of semi-solid steels for thixoforming

peer reviewedMajor challenge for semi-solid processing includes broadening the range of alloys that can be successfully thixoformed and developing alloys specifically for thixoforming. One important parameter is appropriate solidus-liquidus interval. The wider the solidification interval, the wider the processing window. This study is related to the experimental determination of this critical parameter on eight different steel compositions. This parameter was obtained using Differential Scanning Calorimetry. This technique allows to obtain the solid fraction versus temperature