131 research outputs found
Design and User Satisfaction of Interactive Maps for Visually Impaired People
Multimodal interactive maps are a solution for presenting spatial information
to visually impaired people. In this paper, we present an interactive
multimodal map prototype that is based on a tactile paper map, a multi-touch
screen and audio output. We first describe the different steps for designing an
interactive map: drawing and printing the tactile paper map, choice of
multi-touch technology, interaction technologies and the software architecture.
Then we describe the method used to assess user satisfaction. We provide data
showing that an interactive map - although based on a unique, elementary,
double tap interaction - has been met with a high level of user satisfaction.
Interestingly, satisfaction is independent of a user's age, previous visual
experience or Braille experience. This prototype will be used as a platform to
design advanced interactions for spatial learning
Soft SUSY Breaking Grand Unification: Leptons vs Quarks on the Flavor Playground
We systematically analyze the correlations between the various leptonic and
hadronic flavor violating processes arising in SUSY Grand Unified Theories.
Using the GUT-symmetric relations between the soft SUSY breaking parameters, we
assess the impact of hadronic and leptonic flavor observables on the SUSY
sources of flavor violation.Comment: 39 pages, 10 figure
Analysis of the Y(4140) and related molecular states with QCD sum rules
In this article, we assume that there exist scalar , , and
molecular states, and study their masses using
the QCD sum rules. The numerical results indicate that the masses are about
above the corresponding ,
, and thresholds, the Y(4140) is unlikely a scalar molecular state. The scalar ,
, and molecular states maybe not exist, while the scalar , , and
molecular states maybe exist.Comment: 19 pages, 36 figures, slight revisio
Wavefunction topology of two-dimensional time-reversal symmetric superconductors
We discuss the topology of the wavefunctions of two-dimensional time-reversal
symmetric superconductors. We consider (a) the planar state, (b) a system with
broken up-down reflection symmetry, and (c) a system with general spin-orbit
interaction. We show explicitly how the relative sign of the order parameter on
the two Fermi surfaces affects this topology, and clarify the meaning of the
classification for these topological states.Comment: only the Introduction has been modified from v
Photospheric Magnetic Field: Relationship Between North-South Asymmetry and Flux Imbalance
Photospheric magnetic fields were studied using the Kitt Peak synoptic maps
for 1976-2003. Only strong magnetic fields (B>100 G) of the equatorial region
were taken into account. The north-south asymmetry of the magnetic fluxes was
considered as well as the imbalance between positive and negative fluxes. The
north-south asymmetry displays a regular alternation of the dominant hemisphere
during the solar cycle: the northern hemisphere dominated in the ascending
phase, the southern one in the descending phase during Solar Cycles 21-23. The
sign of the imbalance did not change during the 11 years from one polar-field
reversal to the next and always coincided with the sign of the Sun's polar
magnetic field in the northern hemisphere. The dominant sign of leading
sunspots in one of the hemispheres determines the sign of the magnetic-flux
imbalance. The sign of the north-south asymmetry of the magnetic fluxes and the
sign of the imbalance of the positive and the negative fluxes are related to
the quarter of the 22-year magnetic cycle where the magnetic configuration of
the Sun remains constant (from the minimum where the sunspot sign changes
according to Hale's law to the magnetic-field reversal and from the reversal to
the minimum). The sign of the north-south asymmetry for the time interval
considered was determined by the phase of the 11-year cycle (before or after
the reversal); the sign of the imbalance of the positive and the negative
fluxes depends on both the phase of the 11-year cycle and on the parity of the
solar cycle. The results obtained demonstrate the connection of the magnetic
fields in active regions with the Sun's polar magnetic field in the northern
hemisphere.Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures, 2 table
Gluino Production in Electron-Positron Annihilation
We discuss the pair production of gluinos in electron-positron annihilation
at LEP, in a model with soft supersymmetry breaking, allowing for mixing
between the squarks. In much of the parameter space of the Minimal
Supersymmetric Model (MSSM) the cross section corresponds to a branching
ratio above , even up to . A non-observation of gluinos at
this level restricts the allowed MSSM parameter space. In particular, it leads
to lower bounds on the soft mass parameters in the squark sector.Comment: 24 pages LATEX plus 10 pages of figures (not included, available on
request). Full postscript version available by anonymous ftp at node
VSFYS1.FI.UIB.NO in subdirectory OSLAND, file BERGEN94-10.PS), Bergen
Scientific/Technical Report No. 1994-1
Variable-range hopping in quasi-one-dimensional electron crystals
We study the effect of impurities on the ground state and the low-temperature
dc transport in a 1D chain and quasi-1D systems of many parallel chains. We
assume that strong interactions impose a short-range periodicicity of the
electron positions. The long-range order of such an electron crystal (or
equivalently, a charge-density wave) is destroyed by impurities. The 3D
array of chains behaves differently at large and at small impurity
concentrations . At large , impurities divide the chains into metallic
rods. The low-temperature conductivity is due to the variable-range hopping of
electrons between the rods. It obeys the Efros-Shklovskii (ES) law and
increases exponentially as decreases. When is small, the metallic-rod
picture of the ground state survives only in the form of rare clusters of
atypically short rods. They are the source of low-energy charge excitations. In
the bulk the charge excitations are gapped and the electron crystal is pinned
collectively. A strongly anisotropic screening of the Coulomb potential
produces an unconventional linear in energy Coulomb gap and a new law of the
variable-range hopping . remains
constant over a finite range of impurity concentrations. At smaller the
2/5-law is replaced by the Mott law, where the conductivity gets suppressed as
goes down. Thus, the overall dependence of on is nonmonotonic.
In 1D, the granular-rod picture and the ES apply at all . The conductivity
decreases exponentially with . Our theory provides a qualitative explanation
for the transport in organic charge-density wave compounds.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures. (v1) The abstract is abridged to 24 lines. For
the full abstract, see the manuscript (v2) several changes in presentation
per referee's comments. No change in result
Mass spectrum of the axial-vector hidden charmed and hidden bottom tetraquark states
In this article, we perform a systematic study of the mass spectrum of the
axial-vector hidden charmed and hidden bottom tetraquark states using the QCD
sum rules, and identify the as an axial-vector tetraquark state
tentatively.Comment: 24 pages, 38 figures, slight revisio
The anomalous Higgs-top couplings in the MSSM
The anomalous couplings of the top quark and the Higgs boson has been studied
in an effective theory resulting in the framework of the minimal supersymmetric
extension of the standard model (MSSM) when the heavy fields are integrated
out. Constraints on the parameters of the model from the experimental data on
the ratio are derived.Comment: Latex, 26 pages + 13 ps figures, final version in PR
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