Beneficiation of lunar ilmenite

One of the most important commodities lacking in the moon is free oxygen which is required for life and used extensively for propellent. Free oxygen, however, can be obtained by liberating it from the oxides and silicates that form the lunar rocks and regolith. Ilmenite (FeTiO3) is considered one of the leading candidates for production of oxygen because it can be reduced with a reasonable amount of energy and it is an abundant mineral in the lunar regolith and many mare basalts. In order to obtain oxygen from ilmenite, a method must be developed to beneficiate ilmenite from lunar material. Two possible techniques are electrostatic or magnetic methods. Both methods have complications because lunar ilmenite completely lacks Fe(3+). Magnetic methods were tested on eucrite meteorites, which are a good chemical simulant for low Ti mare basalts. The ilmenite yields in the experiments were always very low and the eucrite had to be crushed to xxxx. These data suggest that magnetic separation of ilmenite from fine grain lunar basalts would not be cost effective. Presently, experiments are being performed with electrostatic separators, and lunar regolith is being waited for so that simulants do not have to be employed

Waste heat recovery in automobile engines : potential solutions and benefits

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2005.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 32-33).Less than 30% of the energy in a gallon of gasoline reaches the wheels of a typical car; most of the remaining energy is lost as heat. Since most of the energy consumed by an internal combustion engine is wasted, capturing much of that wasted energy can provide a large increase in energy efficiency. For example, a typical engine producing 100 kilowatts of driveshaft power expels 68 kilowatts of heat energy through the radiator and 136 kilowatts through the exhaust. The possibilities of where and how to capture this lost energy are examined in this paper. The solution of recovering heat energy from the exhaust through the catalytic converter with a Stirling engine was examined due to its practicality. A novel approach for combining a Stirling engine and a catalytic converter that would be effective was designed. The power output and efficiency of the Stirling Engine were analyzed and it was found that the average overall car efficiency could be raised 7% with the new design.by Joaquin G. Ruiz.S.B

A Computerized Audio-Visual Speech Model

This thesis describes an expert system able to animate (graphically) and reproduce (acoustically) a text in any language which uses the Latin alphabet. A rule editor has been developed to create and modify the set of letter-to-sound rules of the target language. A parser has been implemented to apply the set of rules and translate text-to-speech. Each phoneme has a unique sound and thus requires its particular positioning of the vocal organs which are displayed in two different projections: a front view and a profile cross view of a human face in synchronization with the output sounds of the speech synthesizer

Enhancing Missing Data Imputation of Non-stationary Signals with Harmonic Decomposition

Dealing with time series with missing values, including those afflicted by low quality or over-saturation, presents a significant signal processing challenge. The task of recovering these missing values, known as imputation, has led to the development of several algorithms. However, we have observed that the efficacy of these algorithms tends to diminish when the time series exhibit non-stationary oscillatory behavior. In this paper, we introduce a novel algorithm, coined Harmonic Level Interpolation (HaLI), which enhances the performance of existing imputation algorithms for oscillatory time series. After running any chosen imputation algorithm, HaLI leverages the harmonic decomposition based on the adaptive nonharmonic model of the initial imputation to improve the imputation accuracy for oscillatory time series. Experimental assessments conducted on synthetic and real signals consistently highlight that HaLI enhances the performance of existing imputation algorithms. The algorithm is made publicly available as a readily employable Matlab code for other researchers to use

Test-bed of a real time detection system for L/H and H/L transitions implemented with the ITMS platform

A basic requirement of the data acquisition systems used in long pulse fusion experiments is to detect events of interest in the acquired signals in real time. Developing such applications is usually a complex task, so it is necessary to develop a set of hardware and software tools that simplify their implementation. An example of these tools is the Intelligent Test and Measurement System (ITMS), which offers distributed data acquisition, distribution and real time processing capabilities with advanced, but easy to use, software tools that simplify application development and system setup. This paper presents the application of the ITMS platform to solve the problem of detecting L/H and H/L transitions in real time based on the use of efficient pattern recognition algorithms

Building the Core Architecture of a Multiagent System Product Line: With an example from a future NASA Mission

The field of Software Product Lines (SPL) emphasizes building a core architecture for a family of software products from which concrete products can be derived rapidly. This helps to reduce time-to-market, costs, etc., and can result in improved software quality and safety. Current AOSE methodologies are concerned with developing a single Multiagent System. We propose an initial approach to developing the core architecture of a Multiagent Systems Product Line (MAS-PL), exemplifying our approach with reference to a concept NASA mission based on multiagent technology

SOCIEDAD DEPORTIVA: FIGURACIÓN, PROGRESO Y CONTROL SOCIAL EN EL DEPORTE AFICIONADO INDIVIDUAL

The Norbert Elias’s social theory was offer very important contributes for the modern social reflection, considering aspects before unseen like manners and others specifics protocols of each society, extending the compress of social happen to multiples dimensions of social interaction like group sports, therefore showing the transformations across the time which show the changes that over time such practices have become paradigmatic changes in modern Western societies. In this paper, we analyze some individual sports, -the fitness and running-, which also manifest the process of civilization, from the internalization of specific configurations and concepts such as time management, body image, the idea of progress, etc., which will have a higher incidence of the stamp of the individuality of such sports.La teoría social de Norbert Elías ha ofrecido importantes aportes para la reflexión de la sociedad moderna, contemplando aspectos antes inadvertidos como los modales y demás protocolos específicos de cada sociedad, ampliando la comprensión del acontecer social a múltiples dimensiones de la interacción social, como por ejemplo los deportes de conjunto, los cuales demuestran las transformaciones que a través del tiempo han convertido tales prácticas en paradigmáticas de los cambios ocurridos en las sociedades occidentales modernas. En este trabajo, se analizan algunos deportes individuales –el conjunto del fitness y el running-, los cuales también manifiestan el proceso civilizatorio, desde la interiorización de figuraciones y conceptualizaciones específicas como el control del tiempo, la imagen corporal, la idea de progreso, etc., las cuales tendrán una incidencia mayor por la impronta de la individualidad de tales deportes.  A teoria social de Norbert Elias tem oferecido importantes aportes para a reflexão da sociedade moderna, contemplando aspectos antes inadvertidos como os modais e demais protocolos específicos de cada sociedade. Dessa forma, tem ampliado a compreensão dos fatos sociais a múltiplas dimensões da interação social, como, por exemplo, os esportes coletivos, os quais demonstram as transformações que através do tempo tem convertido tais práticas em paradigmas das mudanças ocorridas nas sociedades ocidentais modernas. Neste trabalho, alguns esportes individuais são analisados – o conjunto de fitness e running -, os quais também manifestam o processo civilizatório, desde a interiorização de figurações e conceitualizações específicas como o controle do tempo, a imagem corporal, a ideia de progresso, etc., as quais terão uma incidência maior pela marca da individualidade de tais esportes. 

CLIL Implementation applied to Mathematics for Engineering

CLIL methodology aims to facilitate the learning of contents in a second language. Authors have tested an experience of implementation in English of these methods in subjects of Mathematics for Engineering at the University of Malaga.CLIL methodology aims to facilitate the learning of contents in a second language. Authors have tested an experience of implementation in English of these methods in subjects of Mathematics for Engineering at the University of Malaga. - Objectives: To create groups which will be taught in English. To try to integrate concepts and maths terminology in the target language, in this case English, maintaining the lessons in Spanish. To improve the integration of foreign students and our student’s knowledge in the target language in order to gain mobility to other universities where English is offered. To elaborate teaching materials and assessment tests in English. - Method: Experience has been developed for two academic years in Engineering degrees at Malaga University in the frame of the Educational Innovative Project PIE17-181. Many students hold an adequate level of English, but some others do not know it enough to follow full teaching in English without difficulties. By keeping lessons and assessments in Spanish, we integrated, in a gradual way, materials such as notes, summaries, exercises and powerpoint documents , all written in English. The use of ICTs has been important for the development of this implementation. - Results: This methodology improves the student's English, mainly in the field of scientific/technical terminology, without loss of content in mathematics. - Conclusions: Among others, we believe that the results are positive and we will continue with this experience.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech