The Analogue Computer as a Voltage-Controlled Synthesiser

This paper re-appraises the role of analogue computers within electronic and computer music and provides some pointers to future areas of research. It begins by introducing the idea of analogue computing and placing in the context of sound and music applications. This is followed by a brief examination of the classic constituents of an analogue computer, contrasting these with the typical modular voltage-controlled synthesiser. Two examples are presented, leading to a discussion on some parallels between these two technologies. This is followed by an examination of the current state-of-the-art in analogue computation and its prospects for applications in computer and electronic music

Polynomial inequalities for non-commuting operators

We prove an inequality for polynomials applied in a symmetric way to non-commuting operators

An Alternative Index of Industrial Production for Ireland using Manufacturing Wages. ESRI Research Notes 2013/2/2

Industrial production in Ireland experienced a sharp decline towards the end of the last decade. The CSO’s monthly Industrial Production and Turnover Index provides timely indicators of the volume of manufacturing output, and could be expected to follow the path of the economy over time. The index suggests a downturn in manufacturing took place between early 2008 and mid-2010, with a rapid recovery then lasting until the final quarter of 2012. More recently, the pharmaceutical patent cliff (discussed in detail in FitzGerald, this issue) resulted in a large drop-off in industrial production

Ultrasonically Assisted Hammer-Action Penetrators in Planetary Regolith

This paper describes the effects of combining ultrasonic vibration with hammer-action style penetrators, such as the HP3 probe on the InSight mission. By synchronizing short pulses of vibration with the impact of the hammer, the number of hammer strikes required to reach a specified depth was reduced by over a third in some cases, depending on the sand and amplitude of vibration used. Additional investigations looked at comparing the performance of pure hammering with pure pulsing, allowing recommendations for operational procedures if this technology were to be taken forward in the future

A Survey-based Analysis of Irish Savings Behaviour by Age. ESRI Research Notes 2014/01/01

The savings behaviour of Irish households in recent years has often been described as precautionary. Domestic and international crises have lead to heightened uncertainty, persistent unemployment and low economic growth. At the same time, personal disposable income and personal consumption expenditure have been reduced. The difference between them (personal savings) has been large, despite a very low interest rate environment. The personal savings ratio has increased from an average of 4 per cent of disposable income for 2001-2007 to 8 per cent on average for 2008-2012