Emergent Spontaneous Movements Based on Embodiment: Toward a General Principle for Early Development

We investigate whether spontaneous movements, which initiate and guide early development in animals, can be accounted for by the properties underlying embodiment. We constructed computer and robotic models of several biological species with biologically plausible musculoskeletal bodies and nervous systems, and extracted the embodied and motor networks based on inter-muscle connectivities. In computer simulations and robot experiments, we found that the embodied and motor networks had similar global and local topologies, suggesting the key role of embodiment in generating spontaneous movements in animals

Microstructure evolution of TI-SN-NB alloy prepared by mechanical alloying

In the present study, Ti-16Sn-4Nb alloy was prepared by mechanical alloying (MA). Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) were used to characterise the phase transformation and the microstructure evolution. Results indicated that ball milling to 8 h led to the formation of a supersaturated hcp &alpha;-Ti and partial amorphous phase due to the solid solution of Sn and Nb into Ti lattice. The microstructure of the bulk sintered Ti-16Sn-4Nb alloy samples made from the powders at shorter ball milling times, i.e. 20 min- 2 h, exhibited a primary &alpha; surrounded by a Widmanst&auml;tten structure (transformed &beta;); while in the samples made from the powders at longer ball milling times, i.e. 5- 10 h, the alloy evolved to a microstructure with a disordered and fine &beta; phase dispersed homogeneously within the &alpha; matrix. These results contribute to the understanding of the microstructure evolution in alloys of this type prepared by powder metallurgy.<br /

Processing and mechanical properties of hollow sphere aluminum foams

Hollow sphere metallic foams are a new class of cellular material that possesses the attractive advantages of uniform cell size distribution and regular cell shape. These result in more predictable physical and mechanical properties than those of cellular materials with a random cell size distribution and irregular cell shapes. In the present study, single aluminum hollow spheres with three kinds of sphere wall thickness as 0.1 mm, 0.3 mm and 0.5 mm were processed by a new pressing method. Hollow sphere aluminum foam samples were prepared by bonding together single hollow spheres with simple cubic packing (SC) and body-centered cubic packing (BCC). Compressive tests were carried out to evaluate the deformation behaviors and mechanical properties of the hollow sphere aluminum foams. Effects of the sphere wall thickness and packing style on the mechanical properties were investigated.<br /

Emergent Spontaneous Movements Based on Embodiment: Toward a General Principle for Early Development

We investigate whether spontaneous movements, which initiate and guide early development in animals, can be accounted for by the properties underlying embodiment. We constructed computer and robotic models of several biological species with biologically plausible musculoskeletal bodies and nervous systems, and extracted the embodied and motor networks based on inter-muscle connectivities. In computer simulations and robot experiments, we found that the embodied and motor networks had similar global and local topologies, suggesting the key role of embodiment in generating spontaneous movements in animals

Measuring the Rate of Obsolescence of Patents in Japanese Manufacturing Firms

This article assesses the rate of obsolescence of patents with measurements of the rate in Japan. Our study departs from Parkes and Schankerman (1989) and Schankerman (1998) because of its application of the ordered probit model. The application of this model enables us to consider the case of noncontinuous renewal fees. The estimated value of the rate of obsolescence in Chemicals is apparently large. Values of obsolescence rate in each industry except Chemicals are located above 24%. The obsolescence rate obtained by our estimates is apparently higher than in previous studies

Patent Applications and the Grant Lag under Early Disclosure System: Empirical Estimates for Japanese Firms

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the length of the grant lag under the early disclosure system in Japan. First, we measure the length of the grant lag. Second, we investigate whether reducing the grant lag significantly increases patent applications. We use data from 1985 to 2000 on 101 Japanese companies. The parameter for the grant lag was significantly negative in all equations. Therefore, reducing the grant lag increases patent applications. We also empirically investigated the determination of R\D. The grant lag significantly affects R\

Market Value and Patent Quality in Japanese Manufacturing Firms

We investigate the effect of quality of patents on the market value of firms represented by the Tobin's q. We consider the number of objections as well as the number of citations. We construct the database of patent stock, citation-weighted patent stock and objection-weighted patent stock. Our analysis is pioneering work involving Japanese data, as we were unable to find any pre-existing Japanese data that considered both truncation problems and quality of the patent. Our study departs from Hall, Jaffe and Trajtenberg (2000) because of the application of objections as well as the consideration of the quality of patent citations

Market Value and Patent Quality in Japanese Manufacturing Firms

We investigate the effect of quality of patents on the market value of firms represented by the Tobin's q. We consider the number of objections as well as the number of citations. We construct the database of patent stock, citation-weighted patent stock and objection-weighted patent stock. Our analysis is pioneering work involving Japanese data, as we were unable to find any pre-existing Japanese data that considered both truncation problems and quality of the patent. Our study departs from Hall, Jaffe and Trajtenberg (2000) because of the application of objections as well as the consideration of the quality of patent citations