CAD and creativity: does the computer really help?

We are frequently told by its exponents that computeraided design (CAD) liberates designers and gives them new ways of envisioning their work, but is this really true? CAD in architecture is examined to see to what extent it has enhanced creativity in design. This is partly done by applying a test of creativity advanced by contemporary architect Herman Hertzberger. In this analysis, CAD is found somewhat wanting, and some suggestions are made as to why this might be so

Assembly for recovering a capsule Patent

Assembly for opening flight capsule stabilizing and decelerating flaps with reference to capsule recover

Space capsule ejection assembly Patent

Describing assembly for opening stabilizing and decelerating flaps of flight capsules used in space researc

Dequantisation of the Dirac Monopole

Using a sheaf-theoretic extension of conventional principal bundle theory, the Dirac monopole is formulated as a spherically symmetric model free of singularities outside the origin such that the charge may assume arbitrary real values. For integral charges, the construction effectively coincides with the usual model. Spin structures and Dirac operators are also generalised by the same technique.Comment: 22 pages. Version to appear in Proc. R. Soc. London

Minimal kernels of Dirac operators along maps

Let $M$ be a closed spin manifold and let $N$ be a closed manifold. For maps $f\colon M\to N$ and Riemannian metrics $g$ on $M$ and $h$ on $N$, we consider the Dirac operator $D^f_{g,h}$ of the twisted Dirac bundle $\Sigma M\otimes_{\mathbb{R}} f^*TN$. To this Dirac operator one can associate an index in $KO^{-dim(M)}(pt)$. If $M$ is $2$-dimensional, one gets a lower bound for the dimension of the kernel of $D^f_{g,h}$ out of this index. We investigate the question whether this lower bound is obtained for generic tupels $(f,g,h)$

The weld-brazing metal joining process

Superior mechanical properties were obtained in metal joints weld-brazed between faying surfaces. Weld-braze applications and advantages are listed

Geometric variations of the Boltzmann entropy

We perform a calculation of the first and second order infinitesimal variations, with respect to energy, of the Boltzmann entropy of constant energy hypersurfaces of a system with a finite number of degrees of freedom. We comment on the stability interpretation of the second variation in this framework.Comment: 9 pages, no figure

The Energy-Momentum tensor on SpincSpin^c manifolds

On $Spin^c$ manifolds, we study the Energy-Momentum tensor associated with a spinor field. First, we give a spinorial Gauss type formula for oriented hypersurfaces of a $Spin^c$ manifold. Using the notion of generalized cylinders, we derive the variationnal formula for the Dirac operator under metric deformation and point out that the Energy-Momentum tensor appears naturally as the second fundamental form of an isometric immersion. Finally, we show that generalized $Spin^c$ Killing spinors for Codazzi Energy-Momentum tensor are restrictions of parallel spinors.Comment: To appear in IJGMMP (International Journal of Geometric Methods in Modern Physics), 22 page

Issues of Gender & Sexuality in Special Needs Children: Keeping Students with Autism & Learning Disability Safe at School

The following paper addresses some of the issues presented by students with Special Needs, (especially autism) at school. It particularly focusses upon sexuality and gender. For example, autism and gender dysphoria appear to co-occur more often than in typically developing students. However, these young people may not understand how their reality translates to living within the public arena. This is also true of sexuality. Acceptance, understanding and accommodation of these students needs to inform our measures for keeping safe at school; this is of utmost priority

Women & Girls on the Autism Spectrum: A Profile

Being female and autistic is poorly understood, but is autism really 'rare' in females? Historically, autism has been associated with traditionally masculine features and stereotypes of behaviour, with some believing autism only occurred in males [1]. This leads scientific enquiry to the critical question of whether there are more males living with autism or, conversely, do females on the autistic spectrum present differently to males and, therefore, are at risk of remaining undiagnosed