Simulator comparison of thumball, thumb switch, and touch screen input concepts for interaction with a large screen cockpit display format

A piloted simulation study was conducted comparing three different input methods for interfacing to a large screen, multiwindow, whole flight deck display for management of transport aircraft systems. The thumball concept utilized a miniature trackball embedded in a conventional side arm controller. The multifunction control throttle and stick (MCTAS) concept employed a thumb switch located in the throttle handle. The touch screen concept provided data entry through a capacitive touch screen installed on the display surface. The objective and subjective results obtained indicate that, with present implementations, the thumball concept was the most appropriate for interfacing with aircraft systems/subsystems presented on a large screen display. Not unexpectedly, the completion time differences between the three concepts varied with the task being performed, although the thumball implementation consistently outperformed the other two concepts. However, pilot suggestions for improved implementations of the MCTAS and touch screen concepts could reduce some of these differences

Development of subminiature multi-sensor hot-wire probes

Limitations on the spatial resolution of multisensor hot wire probes have precluded accurate measurements of Reynolds stresses very near solid surfaces in wind tunnels and in many practical aerodynamic flows. The fabrication, calibration and qualification testing of very small single horizontal and X-array hot-wire probes which are intended to be used near solid boundaries in turbulent flows where length scales are particularly small, is described. Details of the sensor fabrication procedure are reported, along with information needed to successfully operate the probes. As compared with conventional probes, manufacture of the subminiature probes is more complex, requiring special equipment and careful handling. The subminiature probes tested were more fragile and shorter lived than conventional probes; they obeyed the same calibration laws but with slightly larger experimental uncertainty. In spite of these disadvantages, measurements of mean statistical quantities and spectra demonstrate the ability of the subminiature sensors to provide the measurements in the near wall region of turbulent boundary layers that are more accurate than conventional sized probes

Comment on "Control landscapes are almost always trap free: a geometric assessment"

We analyze a recent claim that almost all closed, finite dimensional quantum systems have trap-free (i.e., free from local optima) landscapes (B. Russell et.al. J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 50, 205302 (2017)). We point out several errors in the proof which compromise the authors' conclusion. Interested readers are highly encouraged to take a look at the "rebuttal" (see Ref. [1]) of this comment published by the authors of the criticized work. This "rebuttal" is a showcase of the way the erroneous and misleading statements under discussion will be wrapped up and injected in their future works, such as R. L. Kosut et.al, arXiv:1810.04362 [quant-ph] (2018).Comment: 6 pages, 1 figur

Relationship of roof falls in underground coal mines to fractures mapped on ERTS-1 imagery

ERTS imagery is of unique value for mapping of certain fractures that are not identifiable on aircraft imagery. Because color infrared and ERTS imagery complement each other both sources of data were used to map fractures in western Indiana and eastern Illinois. In the Kings Station Mine, Gibson County, Indiana, most roof falls reported had occurred in areas where mapped fractures were closely spaced and intersecting. Using this information as a basis for extrapolation, roof fall hazard maps were prepared for other mine sites. Various coal resources programs related to energy and environment also were conducted

Interaction Between a Vortex and a Turbulent Boundary Layer. Part 1: Mean Flow Evolution and Turbulence Properties

An experimental study was conducted to examine the interaction between a single weak streamwise vortex and a two-dimensional turbulent boundary layer. Attention was focused on characterizing the effect of the boundary layer on the vortex, including the effects of a moderate adverse pressure gradient. Rapid growth of the vortex core was observed, and a flattening of the core shape occurred when the dimension of the core radius became comparable to the distance of the vortex center from the surface. Adverse pressure gradients caused an increase in the rate of core growth, and therefore, a stronger distortion of the core shape. Measurements of surface skin friction beneath the vortex and some of the Reynolds stresses are presented

Fracture mapping and strip mine inventory in the Midwest by using ERTS-1 imagery

Analysis of the ERTS-1 imagery and high-altitude infrared photography indicates that useful fracture data can be obtained in Indiana and Illinois despite a glacial till cover. ERTS MSS bands 5 and 7 have proven most useful for fracture mapping in coal-bearing rocks in this region. Preliminary results suggest a reasonable correlation between image-detected fractures and mine roof-fall accidents. Information related to surface mined land, such as disturbed area, water bodies, and kind of reclamation, has been derived from the analysis of ERTS imagery