Inter-sensor propagation delay estimation using sources of opportunity

Propagation delays are intensively used for Structural Health Monitoring or Sensor Network Localization. In this paper, we study the performances of acoustic propagation delay estimation between two sensors, using sources of opportunity only. Such sources are defined as being uncontrolled by the user (activation time, location, spectral content in time and space), thus preventing the direct estimation with classical active approaches, such as TDOA, RSSI and AOA. Observation models are extended from the literature to account for the spectral characteristics of the sources in this passive context and we show how time-filtered sources of opportunity impact the retrieval of the propagation delay between two sensors. A geometrical analogy is then proposed that leads to a lower bound on the variance of the propagation delay estimation that accounts for both the temporal and the spatial properties of the sources field

Short-term memory effects of an auditory biofeedback on isometric force control: Is there a differential effect as a function of transition trials?

The aim of the present study was to investigate memory effects, force accuracy, and variability during constant isometric force at different force levels, using auditory biofeedback. Two types of transition trials were used: a biofeedback-no biofeedback transition trial and a no biofeedback-biofeedback transition trial. The auditory biofeedback produced a low- or high-pitched sound when participants produced an isometric force lower or higher than required, respectively. To achieve this goal, 16 participants were asked to produce and maintain two different isometric forces (30$\pm$5% and 90N$\pm$5%) during 25s. Constant error and standard deviation of the isometric force were calculated. While accuracy and variability of the isometric force varied according to the transition trial, a drift of the force appeared in the no biofeedback condition. This result suggested that the degradation of information about force output in the no biofeedback condition was provided by a leaky memory buffer which was mainly dependent on the sense of effort. Because this drift remained constant whatever the transition used, this memory buffer seemed to be independent of short-term memory processes.Comment: Human Movement Science (2011) epub ahead of prin

Influence of cutting process mechanics on surface integrity and electrochemical behavior of OFHC copper

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support received from IC ARTS and CEA ValducSuperfinishing machining has a particular impact on cutting mechanics, surface integrity and local electrochemical behavior. In fact, material removal during this process induces geometrical, mechanical and micro-structural modifications in the machined surface and sub-surface. However, a conventional 3D cutting process is still complex to study in terms of analytical/numerical modeling and experimental process monitoring. So, researchers are wondering if a less intricate configuration such as orthogonal cutting would be able to provide information about surface integrity as close as possible to that one generated by a 3D cutting process. For that reason, in the present paper, two different machining configurations were compared: face turning and orthogonal cutting. The work material is oxygen free high conductivity copper (OFHC) and the cutting tools are uncoated cemented carbide. The research work was performed in three steps. In the first step, the process mechanics of superfinishing machining of OFHC copper was performed. In the second step, the surface integrity and the chemical behavior of the machined samples were analyzed. Finally, in the third step, correlations between input parameters and output measures were conducted using statistical techniques. Results show that when applying low ratios between the uncut chip thickness and the cutting edge radius, the surface integrity and cutting energy are highly affected by the ploughing phenomenon. Otherwise, the most relevant cutting parameter is the feed. In order to compare face turning with orthogonal cutting, a new geometrical parameter was introduced, which has a strong effect in the electrochemical behavior of the machined surface

On the Convergence of critical points of the Ambrosio-Tortorelli functional

This work is devoted to study the asymptotic behavior of critical points $\{(u_\varepsilon,v_\varepsilon)\}_{\varepsilon>0}$ of the Ambrosio-Tortorelli functional. Under a uniform energy bound assumption, the usual $\Gamma$-convergence theory ensures that $(u_\varepsilon,v_\varepsilon)$ converges in the $L^2$-sense to some $(u_*,1)$ as $\varepsilon\to 0$, where $u_*$ is a special function of bounded variation. Assuming further the Ambrosio-Tortorelli energy of $(u_\varepsilon,v_\varepsilon)$ to converge to the Mumford-Shah energy of $u_*$, the later is shown to be a critical point with respect to inner variations of the Mumford-Shah functional. As a byproduct, the second inner variation is also shown to pass to the limit. To establish these convergence results, interior ($\mathscr{C}^\infty$) regularity and boundary regularity for Dirichlet boundary conditions are first obtained for a fixed parameter $\varepsilon>0$. The asymptotic analysis is then performed by means of varifold theory in the spirit of scalar phase transition problems. Lastly, a complete one-dimensional study allows one to exhibit non-minimizing critical points of the Ambrosio-Tortorelli functional that do satisfy our energy convergence assumption

A comprehensive model of the optical spectra of carbon nanotubes on substrate by polarized microscopy

Polarized optical microscopy and spectroscopy are progressively becoming key methods for the high-throughput characterization of individual carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and other one-dimensional nanostructures, on substrate and in devices. The optical response of CNTs on substrate in cross polarization experiments is usually limited by the polarization conservation of the optical elements in the experimental setup. We developed a theoretical model taking into account the depolarization by the setup and the optical response of the substrate. We show that proper modelization of the experimental data requires to take into account both non-coherent and coherent light depolarization by the optical elements. We also show how the nanotube signal can be decoupled from the complex reflection factor of the anti-reflection substrate which is commonly used to enhance the optical contrast. Finally, we describe an experimental protocol to extract the depolarization parameters and the complex nanotube susceptibility, and how it can improve the chirality assignment of individual carbon nanotubes in complex cases.Comment: 10 pages, 7 Figures, submitted to PRB. A supplementary information completes this pape

Evolution de la porosité interfaciale et écaillage induit par oxydation dans un système barrière thermique

International audienceL'exposé présente les premiers développements d'un modèle de prévision de la durée de vie (DDV) d'un système « barrière thermique », sous chargement thermique isotherme. Une base de données pertinente pour la mise au point de ce modèle a été constituée en réalisant des essais d'oxydation de différentes durées. La résistance à l'écaillage a été notamment étudiée par des essais de compression. Ceci a permis la quantification du dommage interfacial qui consiste en la germination, la croissance et la coalescence de cavités entre la sous-couche et l'oxyde. Un modèle traduisant l'évolution de ces cavités a été développé : nous montrons qu'il permet de retrouver les tendances observées expérimentalement et notamment l'indépendance de la déformation à l'écaillage en fonction de la taille des défauts vis-à-vis de la géométrie. À terme, on complétera ce modèle en introduisant l'évolution des contraintes dans le système barrière thermique et en simulant le flambage des décohésions interfaciales

Dynamic thermo-mechanical properties of various flowable resin composites

This study compared the storage modulus (E’), the loss modulus (E’’) and the loss tangent (tan δ) of various flowable resin composites. Grandio Flow (GRF), GrandioSo Heavy Flow (GHF), Filtek Supreme XTE (XTE) and Filtek Bulk Fill (BUL) flowable resins and Clinpro Sealant (CLI) ultra-flowable pit and fissure sealant resin were used. 25 samples were tested using a dynamical mechanical thermal analysis system in bending mode. Measurements were taken within a temperature range of 10 to 55°C. The results were statistically analyzed using mixed-effect and repeated-measure analysis of variance followed by paired multiple comparisons. For all the materials, the E’ values decrease with temperature, whereas the tan δ values increase. Irrespective of the temperature, GHF and GRF present E’ and E’’ values significantly higher than all the other materials and CLI presents values significantly lower than all the other materials. Observation of the values for all the materials reveals a linear progression of the tan δ values with temperature. A variation in temperature within a physiological range generates modifications in mechanical properties without damaging the material, however. Filler content in volume terms appears to be the crucial parameter in the mechanical behavior of tested materials

Whole-genome analyses reveal a novel prophage and cgSNPs-derived sublineages of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae ST196

Background: Brachyspira (B.) hyodysenteriae is a fastidious anaerobe spirochete that can cause swine dysentery, a severe mucohaemorragic colitis that affects pig production and animal welfare worldwide. In Switzerland, the population of B. hyodysenteriae is characterized by the predominance of macrolide-lincosamide-resistant B. hyodysenteriae isolates of sequence type (ST) ST196, prompting us to obtain deeper insights into the genomic structure and variability of ST196 using pangenome and whole genome variant analyses. Results: The draft genome of 14 B. hyodysenteriae isolates of ST196, sampled during a 7-year period from geographically distant pig herds, was obtained by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and compared to the complete genome of the B. hyodysenteriae isolate Bh743-7 of ST196 used as reference. Variability results revealed the existence of 30 to 52 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), resulting in eight sublineages of ST196. The pangenome analysis led to the identification of a novel prophage, pphBhCH20, of the Siphoviridae family in a single isolate of ST196, which suggests that horizontal gene transfer events may drive changes in genomic structure. Conclusions: This study contributes to the catalogue of publicly available genomes and provides relevant bioinformatic tools and information for further comparative genomic analyses for B. hyodysenteriae. It reveals that Swiss B. hyodysenteriae isolates of the same ST may have evolved independently over time by point mutations and acquisition of larger genetic elements. In line with this, the third type of mobile genetic element described so far in B. hyodysenteriae, the novel prophage pphBhCH20, has been identified in a single isolate of B. hyodysenteriae of ST196