Application of the Resources Model to the Supervision of an Automated Process

The present study was designed to ascertain how far flagging up potential errors can improve the automatic interpretation of technical documents. We used the resources model to analyze the supervised retro-conversion of architectural floor plans from the perspective of distributed cognition. Results showed that automated assistance helps users to correct errors spotted by the system and saves time. Surprisingly, they also showed that flagging up possible errors may make users less effective in identifying and correcting errors that go unnoticed by the system. Responses to a questionnaire probing the participants’ confidence in the system suggested that they were so trusting that they lowered their vigilance in those areas that had not been signaled by the system, leading to the identification of fewer errors there. Thus, although the participants’ confidence in the automated assistance system led to improved performances in those areas it highlighted, it also meant that areas to which the system did not draw attention were less thoroughly checked.     

Improvement of conical corrugated horn analysis using Gaussianbeams

The classical analysis of a conical corrugated horn is extended out of the balanced hybrid conditions using a vectorial multimodal Gaussian beam expansion. An experimental validation is also presented     

Mixed digital/analog signal processing for a single-chip 2B1Q U-interface transceiver

Mixed analog-digital signal processing aspects of a 5-V single-chip U-interface 2B1Q transceiver are discussed. Analog signal processing preconditions the signal by reducing jitter-induced echo and nonlinear echo components, and by maximizing the dynamic range utilization of the 13-b analog-to-digital (A/D) converter. The digital signal processor performs the high-pass filtering, precursor equalization, linear echo cancellation, far-end signal equalization, and timing recovery functions. The analog signal preconditioning technique allows the entire digital signal processing (DSP) section to be designed without a single dedicated multiplier. The U-interface transceiver has been realized in a 1.5-μm double-metal CMOS process, resulting in a circuit area of 77 mm². Total power consumption is 300 mW. To comply with the ANSI-specified performance test procedures, a crosstalk noise generator and injection circuit were custom built along with a jitter generation system, all of which match the ANSI noise and jitter templates. Testing was performed over the 15 ANSI loops and countless other random configurations. Full compliance with the standard protocol and timing limits was achieved on all the loops     

The estimation of the charge transfer resistance by graphical analysis of inclined semicircular complex impedance diagrams

Recently a graphical method for the determination of the charge transfer resistance, obtained from impedance measurements, was developed. The original method was limited to perfect, semicircular Nyquist plots. Extension to inclined or depressed semicircular arcs is made possible by a few simple mathematical and graphical manipulations.     

Definition of encapsulation barrier requirements: A method applied to organic solar cells

To reach sufficient lifetime for commercial applications, organic solar cells (OPV) require encapsulation with a low permeability barrier material toward atmosphere oxidizing agents, specifically water. Moreover, barrier materials should have the same driving aspects as organic devices like transparency, flexibility and low cost processing techniques such as coating or lamination. The generally admitted value of 10^?6 g m^?2 day^?1 for water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) derived from OLED technology should not be considered as an applicable golden rule and some recent studies demonstrate that OPV cells can be protected with medium barrier materials with a WVTR of around 10^?3 g?m^?2 day^?1. This improved stability is mainly related to the development of new cell architectures. However, a global barrier requirement cannot be defined, but has to be on one hand established in direct relationship between intrinsic stability of the device and on the other hand on the targeted lifetime and operating conditions. In this study, we applied a method to define rapidly the barrier requirement of two OPV cell types named classical and inverted structures. This method combines barrier measurements of encapsulating materials with accelerated lifetime experiments of encapsulated cells and enables to establish the barrier levels necessary to ensure the protection of a given device depending on the intrinsic stability and targeted lifetime.     

The influence of preparation and doping on the reducibility of hematite by hydrogen

Samples of hematite and of hematite doped with 1 at% lithium and 1 at% vanadium are prepared by the hot kerosene drying technique. The doped samples are also prepared by an impregnation method. The various samples are used to study the reduction with hydrogen to form iron. The results indicate that the rates of reduction are strongly influenced by the particle size of the initial samples and by the repartition of the additive in the bulk and surface layer of the hematite particles. It has been shown that both additives can retard the rate of reduction. The lithium exerts its maximum influence when present in solid solution and vanadium when concentrated in the surface layer. The importance of a careful preparation of samples to be used for reduction studies, is stressed.