Intra-Actions: Experiments with Velocity and Position in Continuous Controllers

Continuous MIDI controllers commonly output their position only, with no influence of the performative energy with which they were set. In this paper, creative uses of time as a parameter in continuous controller mapping are demonstrated: the speed of movement affects the position mapping and control output. A set of SuperCollider classes are presented, developed in the author’s practice in computer music, where they have been used together with commercial MIDI controllers. The creative applications employ various approaches and metaphors for scaling time, but also machine learning for recognising patterns. In the techniques, performer, controller and synthesis ‘intra-act’, to use Karen Barad’s term: because position and velocity are derived from the same data, sound output cannot be predicted without the temporal context of performance

Topographic Synthesis: Parameter distribution in spatial texture

Topographic synthesis involves the distribution of ar- rayed structures of parameter values for simultaneous synthesis processes assigned to different channels in a multi-loudspeaker system. In this model, the concept of sound synthesis extends to the design of spatial texture, and morphology is considered not only as change in sound over time, but also as an instantaneous difference in spatially distributed simultaneous sound. The term topography, here, refers to the sonic relief articulated across the perspectival field – the array of possible sonic spatial perspectives within a loudspeaker system – as spatial configurations are shifted over time. The paper presents a set of algorithms which distribute relative properties of texture in multichannel speaker arrays, es- pecially relevant to high density loudspeaker arrays (HDLA), some of which have non-linear, self-organising properties. The processes have been designed in Super- Collider, for a flexible live context, but can be applied in fixed media composition as well

A Technological Development Model for Strategy Formation

Summary form only given, as follows. The author presents a technological development model for product and company development based on a distinction between explicit and implicit technologies. Implicit technologies are evolving technologies while explicit technologies are established technologies. Based on empirical data from Swedish companies, a number of strategic dimensions are discussed such as network interaction and combining knowledge from various sources. These concepts are then used to present an integrated model of strategy formation and product and company development. It is argued that this view of technological development facilitates the understanding and analysis of innovation and entrepreneurship in highly changing and changeable technological and market environments. In these situations traditional management models based on predictability and planning are not sufficient if one is to understand how radical technological breakthroughs take place and be able to create favorable conditions for their occurrenc

Guide for users of the National Transonic Facility

The National Transonic Facility (NTF) is a fan-driven, closed-circuit, continuous flow, pressurized wind tunnel. The test section is 2.5 m x 2.5 m and 7.62 m long with a slotted-wall configuration. The NTF will have a Mach number range from 0.2 to 1.2, with Reynolds number up to 120 10 to the sixth power at Mach 1 (based on a reference length of 0.25 m). The pressure range for the facility will be from 1 to about 9 bars (1 ban = 100 kPa), and the temperature can be varied from 340 to 78 K. This report provides potential users of the NTF with the information required for preliminary planning to test programs and for preliminary layout of models and model supports which may be used in such programs

An evaluation of linear acoustic theory for a hovering rotor

Linear acoustic calculations are compared with previously reported data for a small-scale hovering rotor operated at high tip Mach numbers. A detailed calculated description of the distributions of blade surface pressure and shear stress due to skin friction is presented. The noise due to skin friction and loading, in the rotor disk plane, is small compared to thickness noise. The basic conclusions of Boxwell et al about the importance of nonlinear effects are upheld. Some approximations involved in the current theories for the inclusion of nonlinear effects are discussed. Using a model nonlinear problem, it is shown that to use the acoustic analogy, good knowledge of the flowfield is required

Analysis of Intangible Factors in Waste Minimization Projects

Continual population growth and rising standards of living that accelerate the consumption of limited resources, are forcing society to encourage conservation of these resources. These resources not only include raw material, but also the areas to dispose of the wastes. As a result, communities are driving industries towards waste minimization by limiting waste generation and landfill availability. Firms\u27\u27 environmentally friendly strategies can gain competitive advantage by leading in environmental practices. This advantage emanates from the reduction of risk of environmental regulatory overreaction, as well as improved asset utilization and landfill utilization. However, these intangible benefits are difficult to identify and evaluate particularly with tools that were developed when intangibles were less critical. Many firms simply institute policies that force the tactical decision-makers to make environmentally friendly decisions. However, these policies can commit the firm to act in ways that are not in their best interest, since actions that absorb too many of the firm\u27\u27s resources without sufficient beneficial impact, can generate competitive disadvantages. This paper surveys the available analytical tools that are available to support effective decision-making dealing with intangible costs and benefits. It provides ways to identify some of the intangible benefits and address the value they generate. This paper looks at a case study, where there was an opportunity to reuse a large volume of oven bricks, showing how two companies addressed this opportunit

On-Line Team Project Communication Tool Set

Team projects offer a valuable mechanism for effective learning. However, communication within the team, with the instructor and between different teams is a challenging task that can greatly limit the effectiveness of the learning experience. Some of the tools and concepts that are being developed for distance learning applications can be used to enhance team project communication within teams that are geographically separated as well as for in-campus teams. This article documents a set of on-line tools that allow for asynchronous team participation and timely monitoring and feedback by the instructor

Strategy Planning for Technological Discontinuities in a Changing Regulatory Environment

This paper describes an approach to the analysis of publicly available financial data for individual industries. These methods enable the analyst to assess past practices and the historical rate of technological diffusion during the transition period of discontinuous technological change. This assessment can provide a basis of comparison for current changes in their industry. These methods are applied to small rural telephone companies during the period of 1960 to 1996. Annual data is presented detailing the change from aerial distribution cable to buried cable by the roughly 600 rural telephone companies financed through loans from the Rural Utilities Services, a branch of the US Department of Agriculture. This change took place at a time when these companies were regulated public utilities. As such they were guaranteed profit and were not subject to competition. With the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and the expectation of nationwide competition in telecommunications services, these firms will be faced with a much more volatile environment, in which firms can fail. Measuring past events through this approach can accentuate critical business practices. This analysis of longitudinal data can provide the rural telephone companies assessment of the change in technology diffusion based on the new competitive forces, and provide direction to management as it attempts to sail in this new uncharted territor