An examination of the relationship between workload and fatigue within and across consecutive days of work: Is the relationship static or dynamic?

Cognitive–energetical theories of information processing were used to generate predictions regarding the relationship between perceived workload and fatigue within and across consecutive days of work. Repeated measures were taken aboard a naval vessel from a sample of 20 Navy patrol vessel crew members during nonroutine and routine patrols. The hypotheses were tested through growth curve modeling. There was a nonmonotonic relationship between workload and fatigue in the routine patrol; moderate workload was associated with the lowest fatigue. The relationship between workload and fatigue changed over consecutive days in the nonroutine patrol. At the beginning of the patrol, low workload was associated with fatigue. At the end of the patrol, high workload was associated with fatigue. These results suggest that the optimal level of workload can change over time and thus have implications for the management of fatigue, particularly where prolonged operations are involved. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

DIAGENETIC EVOLUTION OF INCISED CHANNEL SANDSTONES: IMPLICATIONS FOR RESERVOIR CHARACTERISATION OF THE LOWER CARBONIFEROUS MARAR FORMATION, GHADAMES BASIN, WESTERN LIBYA

This paper assesses the diagenetic history of potential fluvial hydrocarbon reservoir rocks deposited within incised valley systems of the Lower Carboniferous Marar Formation in western Libya. Outcrop data were collected in the Tinedhan Anticline, located at the southern margin of the Ghadames Basin. Four discrete intervals with channelized sandstones were identified in a section dominated by alternating offshore mudstones and shallow-marine clastics. The incised channels were cut during major sea-level lowstands, and filled by fluvial sandstone packages up to 50 m thick. Fifty-eight samples from four different localities, representing three lowstand systems tracts, were analysed to obtain a statistically meaningful mineralogical and compositional dataset. In addition to burial compaction, three main diagenetic events influenced the reservoir quality of the sandstones. Firstly, early eodiagenesis involved kaolinitization of plagioclase grains. This began before subsequent calcite cementation, probably as a result of flushing by meteoric pore-waters. The deformation of kaolinite during later compaction resulted in the formation of pseudomatrix which further reduced porosity and permeability. Kaolinite is commonly transformed to illite at temperatures above 140°C in the presence of K-feldspar. Although K-feldspar was recorded in the samples, no illite was observed, suggesting that the Lower Carboniferous strata in the study area were not buried in excess of approximately 3.5 km. The second diagenetic phase was the precipitation of calcite cement, present either dispersed throughout the sandbodies or as concretions up to 2 m across, in both cases reducing reservoir quality. The high intergranular volumes (IGV) of calcite-cemented sandstones (ranging between 35% and 40%) suggest that cementation occurred at burial depths of <500 m. Sandstones without calcite cement have lower IGV of between 17% and 25% as a result of mechanical and chemical compaction. Stable C and O isotope analysis of the calcite cement also supports precipitation at shallow burial depths, indicating a meteoric pore-water source for the calcite. The third and final diagenetic stage was partial chloritisation of kaolinite during meso-diagenesis. The elevated temperatures required for this transformation indicate burial to a minimum depth of approximately 2.5 km, which is consistent with the compaction data. Despite these diagenetic effects, the fluvial sandstones have an average porosity of 12%, with a range from 0.5% up to 25%. Permeability measurements on four sandstone samples indicate that the development of pseudomatrix did not reduce permeability significantly.     

Mid-infrared GaSb-based EP-VCSELl emitting at 2.63 μm

Electrically-pumped GaSb-based vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers emitting up to 2.63 μm at room temperature are reported. The whole structure was grown monolithically in one run by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy. This heterostructure is composed of two n-doped AlAsSb/GaSb DBRs, a type-I GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb multiquantum- well active region and an InAsSb/GaSb tunnel junction. A quasi-CW (1 μs, 5 %) operation was obtained at room temperature for 35 μm-diameter devices with threshold current of 85 mA.     

2.61 /spl mu/m GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb type I quantum well laser diodes with low threshold

Double quantum well laser diodes based on the GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb system emitting at 2.61 /spl mu/m in continuous-wave regime have been fabricated. In the pulsed regime for a 100 /spl mu/m-wide 1600 /spl mu/m-long device a record threshold current density of 76 A/cm/sup 2/ per quantum well was obtained.     

Low-Power Log-Domain CMOS Filter Bank for 2-D Sound Source Localization

This paper proposes the design of a novel current-mode front-end for the extraction of localization spectral cues from two audio signals, together with test results. The front-end consists of two parallel filter banks, envelope extraction and comparison circuitry, together with an AGC loop. The extracted cues are intended to be further processed in order to determine the source azimuth and elevation. A current-mode log-domain implementation using subthreshold MOS operation is used for micropower operation while still achieving a good bandwidth and linearity. A current-mode solution is also preferred because of the ease of implementation of certain mathematical operations. The front-end splits the input signals into different frequency bands and computes monaural and interaural spectral cues from the resulting signal envelopes for each band. The front-end has been optimized to operate at a supply voltage of 1.8 V and most blocks have been designed using a differential architecture. To our knowledge, this is the first log-domain implementation of a front-end for 2-D localization cues extraction. The design has been carried out using a standard double-poly double-metal 0.8 m CMOS process with V _T = 0.8 V. The bandpass filters which form the main core of the chip exhibit a measured dynamic range of 62 dB corresponding to 1.9% THD, while the total power dissipation is 890 W.     

Comparative study of gigahertz CMOS LC quadrature voltage-controlled oscillators with relevance to phase noise

This review paper presents a comparative study of published integrated submicron CMOS quadrature voltage-controlled oscillator designs, based on LC resonator tanks operating at gigahertz frequencies. Although special reference to phase noise reduction is made, the comparison also concerns issues such as power consumption, tuning range and the phase accuracy of the quadrature signals. The effect of supply voltage reduction on the choice of the oscillator topology is also included in the discussion.     

Air damping of high performance resonating micro-mirrors with angular vertical comb-drive actuators

Microsystem Technologies - The maximum scan angle amplitude of resonating micro-mirrors, intended for micro-projection display applications is limited by air damping. Three-dimensional transient...     

Effect of austenitising conditions on the impact properties of an alloyed austempered ductile iron of initially pearlitic matrix structure

This study sets out to investigate the effect of austenitising conditions on the microstructure and impact properties of an austempered ductile iron containing Copper and Nickel and having an initially fully pearlitic structure. Un-notched Izod impact test specimens were solution treated in the range 850–1000 °C for durations between 15 and 360 min. and then austempered at 360 °C for 180 min.

It was shown that increasing the austenitising temperature increases the amount of carbon taken in solution by the original austenite. This reduces the driving force controlling the transformation of the austenite to the ausferrite product, ferrite and austenite. As a result, the retained austenite volume in the final microstructure increases but simultaneously its stability falls. This places an upper limit on the austenitising temperature and the amount of retained austenite permissible. On the other hand, for optimum properties, the austenitising temperature and time must be high and long enough respectively to ensure complete austenitisation.

It was also shown that generally, in irons with an initially pearlitic structure, the impact properties increase steadily to a maximum value as the austenitising time increases to about 180 min. and remain constant as the soaking period extends further. Optimum properties are obtained following austenitising between 850 and 900 °C for durations of 120 to 180 min. and correspond to heat treatment cycles which saturate the initial austenite with carbon.     

Essential design and fabrication considerations for the reliable performance of an electrothermal MEMS microgripper

Microsystem Technologies - Over the past years, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have become a vital component within a wide range of technologies, making the study of their performance and...