Classification of Malaysian vowels using formant based features

Automatic speech recognition (ASR) has made great strides with the development of digital signal processing hardware and software, especially using English as the language of choice. Despite of all these advances, machines cannot match the performance of their human counterparts in terms of accuracy and speed, especially in case of speaker independent speech recognition. In this paper, a new feature based on formant is presented and evaluated on Malaysian spoken vowels. These features were classified and used to identify vowels recorded from 80 Malaysian speakers. A back propagation neural network (BPNN) model was developed to classify the vowels. Six formant features were evaluated, which were the first three formant frequencies and the distances between each of them. Results, showed that overall vowel classification rate of these three formant combinations are comparatively the same but differs in terms of individual vowel classification

Utilizing rapid prototyping 3D printer for fabricating flexographic PDMS printing plate

Recently printed electronic field is significantly growth. Printed electronic is to develop electrical devices by printing method. Conventional printing method that has been studied for this kind of printed electronic such as flexographic, micro contact printing, screen printing, gravure and ink jet. In flexographic and microcontact printing, a printing plate is used to transfer the designed and desired pattern to substrate through conformed contact. Therefore printing plate is play a big role in this area. Printing plate making by photopolymer which used in flexographic have limitation in achieving a micro-scale of pattern size. However, printing plate of microcontact printing have an advantages in producing micro, even nano-scale size by PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane). Hence, rapid prototyping 3D printer was used for developing a PDMS micro-scale printing plate which will be used in reel to reel (R2R) flexographic due to high speed, low cost, mass production of this type of printing process. The flexibility of 3D printer in producing any shape of pattern easily, contributed the success of this study. A nickel plating and glass etching master pattern was used in this study too as master pattern mould since 3D printer has been reached the micro size limitation. The finest multiple solid line array with 1mm width and 2mm gap pattern of printing plate was successfully fabricated by 3D printer master mould due to size limitation of the FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printer nozzle itself. However, the micro-scale multiple solid line array of 100micron and 25micron successfully made by nikel platting and glass etching master mould respectively. Those types of printing plate producing method is valueable since it is easy, fast and low cost, used for micro-flexographic in printed electronic field or biomedical application

The influence of religiosity on safety behavior of workers: A Proposed Framework

There has been a growing body of studies on religion and human safety behaviour in recent years. However, psychologists seem to be more inclined to pairing religiosity and non-occupational risky behaviour (such as smoking, substance abuse, drinking and driving) in their studies, while safety scientists have hardly explored the influence of religiosity on occupational safety behaviour such as taking shortcuts or breaking the rules. To close this gap, this paper suggests that empirical studies should be conducted to explore possible associations between religiosity and safety behaviour at the workplace. To facilitate such studies, a conceptual framework is proposed based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). This paper explains the rationale of choosing TPB. While TPB postulates that both the behavioural intention and perceived behavioural control explain the behaviour, it is interesting to examine the effect of religiosity on occupational behaviour. Examining religiosity as a new construct in occupational safety behaviour studies can help trigger the interest of other religious scholars, psychologists and safety scientists to use religiosity as a construct more rigorously in their future studies on safety to address the gap. Such studies can also help formulate or enhance safety interventions, since these human-related incidents and accidents seem endemic in high-risk industries

2-Methyl-N-[(3-methyl-2-pyrid­yl)carbamothio­yl]benzamide

In the title compound, C15H15N3OS, the thio­urea group is stabilized by an intra­molecular hydrogen bond between the carbonyl O atom and the thio­amide group. A C—H⋯N intramolecular hydrogen bond is also present. Mol­ecules are linked by inter­molecular N—H⋯O and C—H⋯S hydrogen bonds

A study of printed La₂O₃ on carbon-glass substrate for micro-flexographic printing process using angle resolve x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AEXPS) analysis

Micro-flexographic printing process involved in patterning technique from micron to nano scale range to be used for graphic, electronic and bio-medical device on variable substrates. Adhesive property of printing process could be described as an interchangeably with some ink or medium and substrate which was applied to one surface of two separate items that bonded together. Lanthanum oxide (La2O3) had been used as a rare earth metal candidate as printing ink medium. This metal deposit was printed on carbon-glass substrate. The choose of Lanthanum Oxide as a target is due to its wide application in producing electronic devices such as thin film battery and printed circuit board. The La2O3 deposited on the surface of carbon-glass substrate was then analyzed using Angle Resolve X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ARXPS). The position for each synthetic component in the narrow scan of Lanthanum (La) 3d and O 1s are referred to the electron binding energy (eV). This research was focused on 3 narrow scan regions which are C 1s, O 1s and La 3d. Further discussion of the spectrum evaluation was discussed in detail. Here, it was proposed that from the adhesive properties of La was suitable as an alternative medium for micro-flexographic printing technique in printing multiple fine solid lines image at micro to nano scale feature. Hence, this paper will describe the capability of this particular metal as rare earth metal in a practice of micro-flexographic printing process

A Framework of an Intelligent Maintenance Prognosis Tool

The technology of prognosis has become a significant approach but its implementation in maintenance has a major extension. The ability prognosis in the medical area has been established to estimate the future of human health. However, in maintenance, application of prognosis is not yet seen as a practical use for making better maintenance decision. To date, research in this area has been done in proposing prognosis techniques or model but leaving the implementation of prognosis as their future work. In this paper, an overview of prognosis in maintenance is presented. By using the data-driven approach, a framework for implementing of an intelligent maintenance prognosis tool is introduced. The framework utilizes the existing equipment operating performance data in the industry for prognosis process. Next, the framework combines the ability of prognosis in estimating remaining useful life (RUL) of equipment with the maintenance action knowledge to generate a well-received maintenance plan

Single-stage parallel coupled microstrip line bandpass filter using weak coupling technique

The frequency-dispersive characteristic of a two-port parallel coupled microstrip line (PCML) can be obtained using equivalent J-inverter network parameters. The latter is obtained from its corresponding admittance parameters. Hence, the behaviour of transmission zero frequency, fundamental response frequency and harmonic response frequency of the PCML can be shown. The former is realigned by varying a centrally located single groove size to suppress the first spurious harmonic passband of the filter. Using the J-inverter parameters, the transmission zero of J-susceptance null of a PCML can be realigned by employing a single groove with specific dimension. This simultaneously cancels the first harmonic resonance. In this paper, the behaviour of the J-inverter parameters with varying coupling gaps is presented. The effect of having weak coupling characteristic is then presented. The proposed technique is then justified by two single-stage bandpass filters of PCML with weak coupling characteristic

Study on Finite Element Analysis of Fine Solid Lines by Flexographic Printing in Printed Antennas for RFID Transponder

Printing is offering the feasibility of producing mass quantities of a wide variety of electronic components and devices quickly and at lower cost. Flexography is mainly used for packaging applications, but is also poses a potential method for the micro manufacture of electronic devices, smart packaging and RFID. The flexographic printing process poses as an attractive candidate for printing electronics for its high speed printing capabilities where such volume and large active areas need to be printed. Therefore an investigation for its potential usage in printing electronics are highly in demand hence a research for suitable conductive ink related to this process is vital. Multiple fine solid lines of high quality are essential to enable printing of ink tracks for electronic applications. A step by step approach by printing multiple solid lines, measurements of printing plates and printed images and finite element analysis (FEA) need to be carried out in advance to help comprehending this process that is influenced by many interacting parameters. Plate characteristics are among a number of process parameters that will influence print line quality, which will affect the electrical performance of printed tracks. Printing trials have also been carried out in comparison various ink to check the compatibility and the suitability of the ink developed for printing RFID antennas

N-[(2,4-Dimethyl­phen­yl)carbamothio­yl]-2-methyl­benzamide

The title compound, C17H18N2OS, adopts a trans–cis geometry of the thio­urea group which is stabilized by intra­molecular hydrogen bonds between the O atom of the carbonyl group and the H atom of the thio­amide group. A C—H⋯S intramolecular hydrogen bond is also present. In the crystal structure, mol­ecules are linked by inter­molecular N—H⋯S hydrogen bonds to form centrosymmetric dimers