The Curious Timekeeper: Creative Thesis in Interactive Sculpture

When we interact with computers, we have set expectations about our interactive experience, operating a mouse and keyboard to elicit predictable responses on a screen. Intersecting the world of Computing with Fine Art gains us potential to innovate outside these bounds by restricting the expected performance of a computer-- setting it to a particular purpose rather than allowing it to run anyone\u27s software. To challenge standard human-computer interaction, this work set out to create an interesting and unusual interactive experience, fully integrated into a sculpture. The approach was to design a system to form a small environment, having many components rather than risking everything on any one feature. To push the bounds of Fine Art interactions, the work addresses time-control using video in a manner that painting or static sculpture cannot achieve. The result is The Curious Timekeeper, a large sculpture of a whimsical bird that hopes to bewilder viewers, to encourage them to consider the role of computing in their lives and in art

Development and application of evanescent wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy for studies of electrochemical and interfacial processes

This thesis is concerned with the application of evanescent wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (EW-CRDS) and evanescent wave broadband cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy (EW-BB-CEAS) for studies of electrochemical and interfacial processes. These include nanoparticle adsorption/dissolution, polymer nanoparticle formation and surface-bound electrochemical redox reactions. Different experimental setups have been designed to investigate these systems. EW-CRDS is a surface sensitive technique, which allows absorption measurements at solid/liquid and solid/air interfaces. Surface reactions can easily be monitored in real time. A pulsed or modulated laser beam is coupled into an optical cavity which consists of at least one optical element, in which the beam is total internal reflected. At the position of total internal reflection (TIR), an evanescent field is established with the amplitude decaying exponentially with distance from the boundary. The evanescent field can be exploited to investigate the absorbance properties of the liquid phase in the first few hundred nanometres of the solution above the silica surface. These types of instruments have high temporal resolution (up to 2 kHz repetition rate), coupled with high sensitivity (minimum detectable interfacial absorbance per pass: ~80 ppm) which enables the investigation of a variety of processes relating to fundamental questions in the field of physical chemistry and materials science. The aforementioned sensitivity and resolution make EW-CRDS an ideal tool for those investigations, especially if combined with other techniques such as electrochemistry or microfluidic and hydrodynamic techniques. In this thesis, different instrumentational setups will be discussed. EW-BB-CEAS is another example for a TIR based absorption spectroscopic technique and can give additional spectral information about the investigated surface processes by employing broadband light such as supercontinuum radiation. In this case, the amplified light intensity within the optical cavity is measured rather than the light decay. By employing complementary techniques, such as electrochemistry and atomic force microscopy and by fitting experimental data using finite-element modelling, surface processes can not only be described accurately but also kinetic information such as rate constants for the aforementioned systems can be calculated

Development and application of evanescent wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy for studies of electrochemical and interfacial processes

This thesis is concerned with the application of evanescent wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (EW-CRDS) and evanescent wave broadband cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy (EW-BB-CEAS) for studies of electrochemical and interfacial processes. These include nanoparticle adsorption/dissolution, polymer nanoparticle formation and surface-bound electrochemical redox reactions. Different experimental setups have been designed to investigate these systems. EW-CRDS is a surface sensitive technique, which allows absorption measurements at solid/liquid and solid/air interfaces. Surface reactions can easily be monitored in real time. A pulsed or modulated laser beam is coupled into an optical cavity which consists of at least one optical element, in which the beam is total internal reflected. At the position of total internal reflection (TIR), an evanescent field is established with the amplitude decaying exponentially with distance from the boundary. The evanescent field can be exploited to investigate the absorbance properties of the liquid phase in the first few hundred nanometres of the solution above the silica surface. These types of instruments have high temporal resolution (up to 2 kHz repetition rate), coupled with high sensitivity (minimum detectable interfacial absorbance per pass: ~80 ppm) which enables the investigation of a variety of processes relating to fundamental questions in the field of physical chemistry and materials science. The aforementioned sensitivity and resolution make EW-CRDS an ideal tool for those investigations, especially if combined with other techniques such as electrochemistry or microfluidic and hydrodynamic techniques. In this thesis, different instrumentational setups will be discussed. EW-BB-CEAS is another example for a TIR based absorption spectroscopic technique and can give additional spectral information about the investigated surface processes by employing broadband light such as supercontinuum radiation. In this case, the amplified light intensity within the optical cavity is measured rather than the light decay. By employing complementary techniques, such as electrochemistry and atomic force microscopy and by fitting experimental data using finite-element modelling, surface processes can not only be described accurately but also kinetic information such as rate constants for the aforementioned systems can be calculated.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Literature of the Holocaust perpetrator. A comparative literary analysis of Jonathan Littell's "The Kindly Ones" with German Väterliteratur (Father literature).

Undoubtedly the historical settings and aspects of the Nazi Holocaust have been examined for many decades. Research has focused much on the victims of the Holocaust. However, the examination of the perpetrators of the Nazi Holocaust continues to cause anxiety and controversy. In my thesis I examine what possible constraints are imposed on authors/narrators and also readers by the sensitive and explosive subject of the representation of Holocaust perpetrators. I compare four texts of German Väterliteratur with Jonathan Littell’s “The Kindly Ones” to examine the questions of aesthetics and ethics in the literary representation of Holocaust perpetrators, and if we can deduce their motives and motivations from these representations. The examination of these Holocaust perpetrator representations is an important contribution to our understanding of the past as well as a contribution to the formation of public cultural memory and identity. All of the examined narratives form part of a continuously growing body of literary expressions of the Holocaust perpetrator and highlight a distinct obligation to the history they narrate – be it fictional or real. My research includes a comparative literary analysis of authentic narratives featuring fictional perpetrators in order to find meaning in these representations that enable the reader to form not only a connection with a dark part of the German past but also with post-war and post-unification debates on the representation of the Holocaust. It also demonstrates a recognition that Holocaust perpetrators are as multifaceted and multidimensional as the narratives they occupy. My thesis is not an exhaustive compilation but rather forms a small sample discussion that enables the reader to emphasise the Holocaust perpetrator. The narratives representing Holocaust perpetrators in contemporary literature serve to transmit history into the future as part of public and personal memory discourse, and the remembrance of history

Centering Proximity: Why giving platforms should center the organizations on the frontlines of social change

Social change happens in communities. And proximate organizations make that change happen.Proximate organizations are those closest to the causes and the communities they're directly serving.They are these communities.Proximate organizations are often (not always) small in size. Though nonprofits with less than $1M in budget represent 92% of nonprofits, they only receive around 20% of individual donations.More and more giving is happening online-- increasing by over 42% in the past three years alone. Online giving platforms are also growing, playing an increasingly important role in facilitating those donations.Imagine a world where online giving platforms channeled more of the power and promise of generosity to these proximate organizations.This publication focuses on that possibility.It is the output of listening to 25 leaders of proximate organizations - just a microcosm of the thousands of leaders working in communities around the country

Laccase-catalyzed synthesis of conducting polyaniline-lignosulfonate composite

Enzymatic polymerization of aniline was first performed in lignosulfonate (LGS) template system. High-redox-potential catalyst laccase, isolated from Aspergillus, was used as a biocatalyst in the synthesis of conducting polyaniline/lignosulfonate (PANI-ES-LGS) complex using atmospheric oxygen as the oxidizing agent. The linear templates (LGS), also serving as the dopants, could facilitate the directional alignment of the monomer and improve the solubility of the conducting polymer. The process of the polymerization was monitored using UV-Vis spectroscopy, by which the conditions for laccase-catalyzed synthesis of PANI-ES-LGS complex were also optimized. The structure characterizations and solubility of the complex were carried out using corresponding characterization techniques respectively. The PANI-ES-LGS suspensions obtained was used as coating for cotton with a conventional padder to explore the applications of the complex. The variable optoelectronic properties of the coated cotton were confirmed by cyclic voltammetry and color strength test. The molecular weight changes of LGS treated by laccase were also studied to discuss the mechanism of laccase catalyzed aniline polymerization in LGS template system.This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (21274055, 51173071), Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-12-0883), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (JUSRP51312B), China Scholarship Council and the Graduate Student Innovation project (KYLX_1140)

A calibration method for broad-bandwidth cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy performed with supercontinuum radiation

An efficient calibration method has been developed for broad-bandwidth cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy. The calibration is performed using phase shift cavity ring-down spectroscopy, which is conveniently implemented through use of an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF). The AOTF permits a narrowband portion of the SC spectrum to be scanned over the full high-reflectivity bandwidth of the cavity mirrors. After calibration the AOTF is switched off and broad-bandwidth CEAS can be performed with the same light source without any loss of alignment to the set-up. We demonstrate the merits of the method by probing transitions of oxygen molecules O-2 and collisional pairs of oxygen molecules (O-2)(2) in the visible spectral range

Conductive cotton prepared by polyaniline in situ polymerization using laccase

The high-redox-potential catalyst laccase, isolated from Aspergillus, was first used as a biocatalyst in the oxidative polymerization of water-soluble conductive polyaniline, and then conductive cotton was prepared by in situ polymerization under the same conditions. The polymerization of aniline was performed in a water dispersion of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) micellar solution with atmospheric oxygen serving as the oxidizing agent. This method is ecologically clean and permits a greater degree of control over the kinetics of the reaction. The conditions for polyaniline synthesis were optimized. Characterizations of the conducting polyaniline and cotton were carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, the fabric induction electrostatic tester, and the far-field EMC shielding effectiveness test fixture.This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21274055, 51173071), the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (NCET-12-0883), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK2011157), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (JUSRP51312B), and the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (IRT1135)

Trace species detection in the near infrared using Fourier transform broadband cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy: Initial studies on potential breath analytes

Cavity enhanced absorption measurements have been made of several species that absorb light between 1.5 and 1.7 µm using both a supercontinuum source and superluminescent light emitting diodes. A system based upon an optical enhancement cavity of relatively high finesse, consisting of mirrors of reflectivity ∼99.98%, and a Fourier transform spectrometer, is demonstrated. Spectra are recorded of isoprene, butadiene, acetone and methane, highlighting problems with spectral interference and unambiguous concentration determinations. Initial results are presented of acetone within a breath-like matrix indicating ppm precision at <∼10 ppm acetone levels. Instrument sensitivities are sufficiently enhanced to enable the detection of atmospheric levels of methane. Higher detection sensitivities are achieved using the supercontinuum source, with a minimum detectable absorption coefficient of ∼4 × 10(-9) cm(-1) reported within a 4 min acquisition time. Finally, two superluminescent light emitting diodes are coupled together to increase the wavelength coverage, and measurements are made simultaneously on acetylene, CO(2), and butadiene. The absorption cross-sections for acetone and isoprene have been measured with an instrumental resolution of 4 cm(-1) and are found to be 1.3 ± 0.1 × 10(-21) cm(2) at a wavelength of 1671.9 nm and 3.6 ± 0.2 × 10(-21) cm(2) at 1624.7 nm, respectively