Astrometric Telescope Facility isolation and pointing study

The Astrometric Telescope Facility (ATF), an optical telescope designed to detect extrasolar planetary systems, is scheduled to be a major user of the Space Station's Payload Pointing System (PPS). However, because the ATF has such a stringent pointing stability specification and requires + or - 180 deg roll about its line of sight, mechanisms to enhance the basic PPS capability are required. The ATF pointing performance achievable by the addition of a magnetic isolation and pointing system (MIPS) between the PPS upper gimbal and the ATF, and separately, by the addition of a passive isolation system between the Space Station and the PPS base was investigated. The candidate MIPS can meet the ATF requirements in the presence of a 0.01 g disturbance. It fits within the available annular region between the PPS and the ATF while meeting power and weight limitations and providing the required roll motion, payload data and power services. By contrast, the passive base isolator system must have an unrealistically low isolation bandwidth on all axes to meet ATF pointing requirements and does not provide roll about the line of sight

The Port Norfolk Project: Improved Raster Navigation Products From High Resolution Source Data

With increasing capabilities in technology, modern hydrographic surveys are comprised of similarly increasing amounts of data, only a minute fraction of which is currently available in the nautical charts produced by the NOAA Office of Coast Survey (OCS). Simultaneously, a tremendous amount of effort goes into the generalization and optimal cartographic representation of the hydrographic data onto raster products, from which the vector products are digitized. Preserving and maintaining a single database of high-resolution vector source data will retain— and make accessible—much more of the hydrographic data collected, alleviate the burden of generalization, and would allow for delivery of high-resolution vector products, as well as a very wide selection of raster products. From high-resolution source data, raster output could be generated at customer specifications. These “user-defined” raster products could be suitably tailored to meet anyone’s needs, regardless if they are a mariner, a scientist, a fisherman, a student, or a casual “common man” customer. The “user-defined” concept will ultimately improve our ability to meet the highly variable needs of our customers. This paper is intended as an exploratory endeavor, specifically, using the Paper Chart Editor component of CARIS HPD to create examples of the kinds of raster products one can create from high-resolution source data, how this process could optimize the current raster chart production workflow within OCS, while also providing a stronger focus on customer service. Finally, the capabilities and lessons learned from the experimentation with HPD will be applied toward the NOAA-wide implementation of Nautical Chart System II (NCSII)

Development and Implementation of a Long-Term Freshmen Service Project: The Design and Deployment of an Engineering Outreach Experience for Underserved Populations

Freshmen year programs in engineering have received recent and growing attention as a method to engage first year students in their profession and start them on a path to success. Service learning is a well-known pedagogical method that has been shown to improve retention, especially of underrepresented groups in engineering, and to promote deeper learning through reflection. This paper describes the implementation of a new long-term (full year) service learning project where 240 freshmen mechanical engineering students worked together in small teams to design and deploy an engineering outreach experience for a designated age-group of 4th-11th grade students. This educational experience is designed to expose the freshmen engineering students to a variety of concepts and skills necessary for successful negotiation of their engineering careers. The project encourages the freshmen to challenge their assumptions and conceptions of what an engineer is and does. Other knowledge and skills gained include understanding and using the engineering design process, effectively working on engineering teams, effectively communicating, planning and making decisions, all while solving an open-ended problem. The experience also asks the freshmen to consider diverse perspectives as they design for the targeted populations. The paper describes the project implementation and presents results from student reflections and from a survey. Lessons learned and recommendations for best practices are also presented

A comparison of digital and conventional sketching: Implications for conceptual design ideation

The study compared the use of digital and conventional sketching as influence upon conceptual design work. Results show a significantly increased focus of attention upon the sketching tool in the digital condition compared to conventional sketching with pen and paper. Both a statistical analysis and fine-grained qualitative comparison illustrate how increased frequencies of sketching tool focused activities resulted in both significantly more time spent in problem orientated work and the fragmentation of attempts to transition from problem definition to generative solution ideation. In contrast, reduced tool-focused activity in the conventional sketching condition appeared to provide opportunities for significantly increased solution ideation through design-driven moves to explore reflect upon and develop solution propositions. The implications of a tool orientated focus of attention are discussed in terms of its impact upon reflective solution ideation during conceptual design

Innovation in knowledge exchange: an approach to the dissemination of research findings in support of design practice

The ability to embody design intentions is critical to an industrial designer’s studio practice. These design embodiments support both the exploration of the design problem and the emergence and communication of solution ideas. From the ever present design sketch through to 3D computer aided design and rapid prototyping technologies, an increasing variety of digital, analogue and hybrid design tools are employed in the embodiment of design proposals during practice. A literature review identified existing studies of the implicit characteristics of tool use during design activity. These characteristics where employed in the design of a survey study. The survey took samples from two distinct groups, industrial design practitioners and students. A total of 244 designers; 138 practitioners and 106 students, were surveyed. Findings indicated a tendency for student design activity to be characterised by strong convergence and less exploration, leading to early fixation and attachment to concept. This was in contrast to practitioner responses suggesting a more open, divergent and iterative approach. A concern for conventional research dissemination, articulated through conference papers and academic journals, to engage a practice orientated audience lead to the development of a digital resource (IDsite) to disseminate the survey findings. Work on the digital resource is ongoing; however the paper describes an interim pilot of the resource with a small sample of design practitioners. Findings suggest that, although the resource requires further development in terms of the presentation of information, practitioners consider the approach to be of relevance to the profession

Breeding Season Distribution of Cerulean Warblers in Arkansas in the 1990s

The Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) has been declining in numbers in its North American nesting range, and the same is true in Arkansas. To provide specific sites that can be monitored in the future, this study describes places where the bird was documented in the state in the 1990s. The warbler was found in mature deciduous forest in both upland and bottomland situations but was most abundant in the upland Ozark forests and uncommon in other regions of the state. Most (70%) of the occupied sites were on federal and state lands. Pattern of overall distribution was essentially the same in the 1990s as it was in an earlier period through 1973. Data in one case suggest that group selection type of forest harvest may produce habitats that are beneficial to Cerulean Warblers

Fluoroboranes : I. Preparation and properties of trifluoromethyldi-n-butylborane : II. A study of doboron tetrafluoride

A large-scale preparative method for potassium di-n-butylborate in triethylamine solvent has been developed. The reaction of potassium di-n-butylborate I with trifluoromethyl iodide has been shown to yield trifluoromethyl di-n-butylborane and other products. Reaction of this substance with boron trifluoride gave trifluoromethyl boron difluoride. Reactions of diboron tetrafluoride, boron tribromide, and di-n-butylboron chloride with trifluoromethyl mercury iodide and bis(trifluoromethyl) mercury have also been studied. In each case a free radical mechanism leads to extensive decomposition of the trifluoromethyl group. The design and operation of an all-glass, excepting the stainless steel detector unit, gas chromatograph is given. The instrument was operative on both a preparative and analytical scale handling samples that range in size from less than 0.25 ml up to five ml. The experimental equipment and technique for the determination of the infrared spectrum of volatile compounds and compounds of marginal stability is described. The apparatus and technique were used to determine the infrared spectrum of diboron tetrafluoride

Mode-of-use Innovation in Interactive Product Development

Mode-of-use innovation, or the innovative means by which products may be used, is considered as one lever for design-driven innovation. The current study explored how the mode-of-use concept may apply to state-of-the-art product interactions and enhance user experience, in turn providing opportunities for design-driven innovation within the interactive product space. Implications for understanding how mode-of-use may be applied to interactive product design are finally discussed. Although more work is required to understand how best more novel explorative interactions may stimulate initial feelings of innovativeness, caution is required in providing mode-of-use innovations that allow opportunities for clear understanding of interaction as related to function feedback, mapping well onto user expectations.clos

Reflecting on Design Sketching: Implications for Problem-Framing and Solution-focused Conceptual Ideation

Background This investigation examines the role and use of sketching as tool of design representation during conceptual design activity. In particular we focus upon sketching???s relationship with problem framing and solution-focused strategies and reasoning in the proposition, exploration and development of solution ideas. This research was conducted to contribute to furthering knowledge and understanding of sketching for use in design pedagogy and the development of conceptual design tools. Methods In a qualitative content analysis (QCA) a coding frame based upon the constructs naming, framing, moving and reflecting is employed in the analysis of a concept design protocol using the think-aloud method. The protocol???s transcriptions were segmented before being encoded through the concept-driven coding frame. The analysis and discussion of results proceeds through reference to the encoded protocol data and is supported by the synchronic charting of design activity. Results Sketching activity during conceptual design provides opportunities for previous frames of reference to re-emerge and be re-engaged in new ways. The act of sketching appeared to facilitate frequent shifts of attention to and from sub-problems and sub-solutions. This thus provided opportunities to laterally explore different aspects of emergent solution ideas in a concurrent manner. These frequent shifting of attention may act as a catalyst for appositional reasoning across different aspects of the design problem. The participant???s solution-focused thoughts appeared to both influence and be influenced by sketching activity, affording fresh insights and perspectives to emerge. Conclusion The study of sketching and other tools of design representation provides opportunities to better understand the kinds of designerly ways of knowing, thinking and action required in practice. Findings have implications for design pedagogy and the development of conceptual design tools.clos

Perceptions of product innovativeness and desirability : the influence of an education in design

Background: Although previous research has contributed to the development of the concept of design innovation, a lack of understanding related to how people actually perceive design innovation still exists. This study aims to investigate perceptions of innovation, and how these perceptions may differ as a result of such factors as background and education. Method: Eleven products were selected from among the winners of the 2012 Reddot design awards as examples of innovative product design. Twenty design students and twenty students from a non-design background assessed the innovativeness and desirability of each product using a 5-point Likert scale. Based on Rampino???s innovation framework (2011), innovativeness of Form, Technology, and Mode of Use were assessed together with holistic innovativeness. Results: The design and non-design students showed significant differences in their perceptions of holistic innovativeness, F (1,38) = 4.372, p < .05. They also perceived Mode of Use differently, indicated by an interaction effect between their major and the types of product they assessed. The results of a correlation analysis between innovativeness and desirability showed that holistic innovativeness is positively related to desirability. In contrast, innovativeness of Technology has a relatively weak relationship to product desire. Conclusion: A greater understanding of how design innovation is perceived provides useful insights which may then be utilized in the design and development of more desirable, innovative products. In this regard, the investigation provides a foundation for successive studies to link the conceptual principle of design innovation to real-world innovation as it is perceived and experienced by the user.clos