Dynamic mechanical properties and morphology of high‐density polyethylene/CaCO3 blends with and without an impact modifier

Dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry were used to investigate the relaxations and crystallization of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) reinforced with calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) particles and an elastomer. Five series of blends were designed and manufactured, including one series of binary blends composed of HDPE and amino acid treated CaCO₃ and four series of ternary blends composed of HDPE, treated or untreated CaCO₃, and a polyolefin elastomer [poly(ethylene‐co‐octene) (POE)] grafted with maleic anhydride. The analysis of the tan δ diagrams indicated that the ternary blends exhibited phase separation. The modulus increased significantly with the CaCO₃ content, and the glass‐transition temperature of POE was the leading parameter that controlled the mechanical properties of the ternary blends. The dynamic mechanical properties and crystallization of the blends were controlled by the synergistic effect of CaCO₃ and maleic anhydride grafted POE, which was favored by the core–shell structure of the inclusions. The treatment of the CaCO₃ filler had little influence on the mechanical properties and morphology. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 3907–3914, 2007     

Wearable cognitive assistants in a factory setting: a critical review of a promising way of enhancing cognitive performance and well-being

Cognition, Technology & Work - Rapid technological innovations are constantly influencing the complexification and automatization of the work lines pushing human operators to use diverse...     

'Tacitus' project: identifying multi-sensory perceptions in creative 3D practice for the development of a haptic computing system for applied artists

This paper outlines the major motivating factors concerning a novel collaborative project between Edinburgh College of Art and Edinburgh Virtual Environment Centre. The Tacitus project will investigate the use of multi-modal virtual environments, specifically, the haptic (touch) modality, with regards to the creative processes employed by designers working within the field of applied arts. The salient areas of research are described, and the methods by which information regarding these areas will be obtained are considered. Initial investigations have revealed a strong need to mimic the traditional applied artists' workspaces, with co-location of visual and haptic cues a priority.     

Abdominal sensory equipment involved in external host discrimination in a solitary parasitoid wasp

Already parasitized hosts are often of poorer quality than healthy hosts. It is therefore usually advantageous for parasitoid females to recognize and reject them. Parasitized hosts can be identified on the basis of various physical or chemical marks present on the surface or inside the hosts or their surroundings in the case of concealed host. Here we studied host discrimination behaviors of females of a certain population of Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae, a solitary ectoparasitoid, which are known to reject large-sized parasitized hosts after an abdominal examination of their surface. We first investigated females' recognition behaviors of host parasitism status when confronted to small-sized hosts (Drosophila melanogaster pupae) as host size may influence the use of different cues for host selection. We showed that, in such a situation, females also discriminate parasitized hosts after an external host exploration with the tip of their ovipositor sheath (third valvulae). We then described the sense organs present on the different parts of the ovipositor by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy analysis. As the extremity of the third valvulae bears only one type of sensilla that appears to be chemoreceptors, we considered these sensilla as highly likely to be involved in host discrimination in P. vindemmiae. To our knowledge, this is the first time that receptors located on the ovipositor sheath are described as implicated in host discrimination in parasitoid wasps. We discuss potential chemical markers that might be detected by these receptors.     

Camera Control in Computer Graphics

Recent progress in modelling, animation and rendering means that rich, high fidelity virtual worlds are found in many interactive graphics applications. However, the viewer's experience of a 3D world is dependent on the nature of the virtual cinematography, in particular, the camera position, orientation and motion in relation to the elements of the scene and the action. Camera control encompasses viewpoint computation, motion planning and editing. We present a range of computer graphics applications and draw on insights from cinematographic practice in identifying their different requirements with regard to camera control. The nature of the camera control problem varies depending on these requirements, which range from augmented manual control (semi‐automatic) in interactive applications, to fully automated approaches. We review the full range of solution techniques from constraint‐based to optimization‐based approaches, and conclude with an examination of occlusion management and expressiveness in the context of declarative approaches to camera control.     

A review of smart homes- present state and future challenges

In the era of information technology, the elderly and disabled can be monitored with numerous intelligent devices. Sensors can be implanted into their home for continuous mobility assistance and non-obtrusive disease prevention. Modern sensor-embedded houses, or smart houses, cannot only assist people with reduced physical functions but help resolve the social isolation they face. They are capable of providing assistance without limiting or disturbing the resident's daily routine, giving him or her greater comfort, pleasure, and well-being. This article presents an international selection of leading smart home projects, as well as the associated technologies of wearable/implantable monitoring systems and assistive robotics. The latter are often designed as components of the larger smart home environment. The paper will conclude by discussing future challenges of the domain.     

Non-Hierarchical Architected Materials with Extreme Stiffness and Strength

Stretch-dominated truss and plate microstructures are contenders in the quest for realizing architected materials with extreme stiffness and strength. In the low volume fraction limit, closed-cell isotropic plate microstructures meet theoretical upper bounds on stiffness but have low buckling strength, whereas open-cell truss microstructures have high buckling strength at the cost of significantly reduced stiffness. At finite volume fractions, the picture becomes less clear but both are outperformed by hollow truss lattice and hierarchical microstructures in terms of buckling strength. Despite significant advances in manufacturing methods, hollow and multi-scale hierarchical microstructures are still challenging to build. The question is if there exist realizable microstructures providing stiffness and strength matching or even beating hard-to-realize hollow or hierarchical microstructures? Herein, single-scale non-hierarchical (first order) microstructures that beat the buckling strength of hollow truss lattice structures by a factor of 2.4 and first- and second-order plate microstructures by factors of 5 and 1.4, respectively, are systematically designed, built, and tested. Stiffness of the microstructures is within 40% of theoretical bounds and beats both truss and second order plate microstructures. The microstructures are realized with 3D printing. Experiments validate theoretical predictions and additional insight is provided through numerical modeling of a CT-scanned sample.     

The other side of ranking schemes: generating weights for specified outcomes

This paper treats the problem of how to determine weights in a ranking, which will cause a selected entity to attain the highest possible position. We establish that there are two types of entities in a ranking scheme: those which can be ranked as number one and those which cannot. These two types of entities can be identified using the “ranking hull” of the data; a polyhedral set that envelops the data. Only entities with data points on the boundary of this hull can attain the number one position. There are no weights that will make an entity whose data point is in the interior of the hull to ever attain the number one position. We deal with these two types of entities separately. In the first case, we propose an approach for finding a set of weights that, under special conditions, will result in a selected entity achieving the top of the ranking without ties and without ignoring any of the attributes. For the second category of entities, we devise a procedure to guarantee that these entities will attain their highest possible position in the ranking. The first case will require using interior point methods to solve a linear program (LP). The second case involves a binary mixed integer formulation. These two mathematical programs were tested on data from a well‐known university ranking.     

Delivering public value through open government data initiatives in a Smart City context

By using ICT in an innovative way, governments can improve the delivery of services and interaction with stakeholders. Open data is a way to help public organizations became more open and improve interaction with stakeholders. This paper aims to identify what are the public values enhancements acquired on smart city environment that discloses open data. We propose a conceptual model to analyze the smart city initiative. We contextualized the model taking a smart city domain by analyzing three related-initiatives that comprises open data in a smart city case carried at Rio de Janeiro Operations Center (COR) in Brazil by seven deep-interviewees directly involved - from inside and outside – in this case. The findings reveal evidences that open data initiatives contribute to enhance the delivery of public value in smart city contexts.