Low-complexity heterogeneous architecture for H.264/HEVC video transcoding

High efficiency video coding (HEVC) was developed by the Joint Collaborative Team on video coding to replace the current H.264/AVC standard, which has been widely adopted over the last few years. Therefore, there is a lot of legacy content encoded with H.264/AVC, and an efficient conversion to HEVC is needed. This paper presents a hybrid transcoding algorithm which makes use of soft computing techniques as well as parallel processing. On the one hand, a fast quadtree level decision algorithm tries to exploit the information gathered at the H.264/AVC decoder to make faster decisions on coding unit splitting in HEVC using a Naïve–Bayes probabilistic classifier that is determined by a supervised data mining process. On the other hand, a parallel HEVC-encoding algorithm makes use of a heterogeneous platform composed of a multi-core central processing unit plus a graphics processing unit (GPU). In this way, from a coarse point of view, groups of frames or rows of a frame (both options are possible) are divided into threads to be executed on each core (each of which executes one of the aforementioned classifiers) and, from a finer point of view, all these threads work in a collaborative way on a single GPU to perform the motion estimation process on the co-processor. Experimental results show that the proposed transcoder can achieve a good tradeoff between coding efficiency and complexity compared with the anchor transcoder.     

A miniaturized flow reaction chamber for use in combination with QCM-D sensing

A miniaturized flow chamber for quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) has been developed. The main purpose was to reduce the total liquid sample consumption during an experiment, but also to gain advantages with respect to kinetics and mass transport by reducing the boundary diffusion layer. The bottom of the flow chamber is a QCM-D sensor surface, on which a polydimethylsiloxane spacer ring, fabricated onto a poly(methyl methacrylate) lid, is placed symmetrically around the QCM-D electrode (diameter ~10 mm). The spacer ring defines the inner chamber height (typically 40–50 μm) and provides sealing. Through the lid, there are inlet and outlet channels. The typical chamber volume is in the range of 2.5–3.5 μl (with a 10 μl dead volume). In flow mode, we have operated the cell at flow rates of 6–50 μl/min, i.e., volume turnovers of 2–17 per min. As a model system, to test the microcell, the formation of supported phospholipid bilayers on a SiO₂ surface was studied. For comparison, the same process was studied in a commercially available QCM-D equipment with significantly larger total volume (by a factor of 20). The decrease in effective sample consumption to produce a bilayer on the sensor surface in the chamber was approximately proportional to the decrease in chamber volume. Smaller volume also reduced the liquid exchange time. Potential improvements of the chamber include further optimization of the flow profile and, in addition, further miniaturization by decreasing the chamber height and the sensor radius.     

Effect of ultrasonic shot peening on microstructure and properties of 301SS

Ultrasonic shot peening (USP) is an efficient way to improve the mechanical behavior of 301 stainless steel by inducing severe plastic deformation on its surface. However, this surface treatment induces complex microstructural evolutions, such as grain refinement and phase transformation. Therefore, a better understanding of those evolution mechanisms is critical to optimize the USP treatment. In this work, we rely on various electron microscope observations to compare a specimen before and after a 5-min shot peening treatment. We found an affected layer of ~450?µm with a significant increase in hardness on the top surface by a factor of 2.7 times. Inside this layer, we noticed a nanoscale grain layer of ~130?µm, the most strengthened layer, containing nanoscale grain of α′, with few γ and a large amount of low angle grain boundaries on the topmost. Afterward, we observed coarse grains with deformation twins, which seem to be a preferential site for martensite nucleation, especially at their intersection, and a high density of dislocation. We also conducted experiments to determine a possible scenario for the microstructural evolution, based on those observations.     

On the benefits of a stress criterion for the simulation of cup drawing process

Experimental and numerical cup drawing process has been investigated on 0.65 mm zinc sheets. The cup exhibits anisotropic earrings due to the material microstructure. The material formability is studied through elliptical bulge tests in the rolling, diagonal and transverse direction. High anisotropy of the formability is observed. The numerical simulation of cup drawing is then made and demonstrates the correct fitting with experimental results. A stress formability criterion developed by Jansen et al. [14] is then implemented into a finite element method software and applied to predict the material rupture observed for some process conditions. The risk zone of the cup is subjected to some strain path changes according to the simulation whereas the strain value does not explain the rupture according to the experimental formability measured by the bulge tests. It has been shown that the rupture is due to some critical stresses, which are reached in the risk zone of the cup. The use of the stress criterion and its non-dependence on the strain path change allows the fracture prediction. Finally, the numerical fracture propagation by the “kill element method”, as briefly discussed by Bouchard et al. [4], is used and shows a good similarity with the experience.     

Assessment of methods for computing the closest point projection,penetration, and gap functions in contact searching problems

In computational contact mechanics problems, local searching requires calculation of the closest point projection of a contactor point onto a given target segment. It is generally supposed that the contact boundary is locally described by a convex region. However, because this assumption is not valid for a general curved segment of a three‐dimensional quadratic serendipity element, an iterative numerical procedure may not converge to the nearest local minimum. To this end, several unconstrained optimization methods are tested: the Newton–Raphson method, the least square projection, the sphere and torus approximation method, the steepest descent method, the Broyden method, the Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno method, and the simplex method. The effectiveness and robustness of these methods are tested by means of a proposed benchmark problem. It is concluded that the Newton–Raphson method in conjunction with the simplex method significantly increases the robustness of the local contact search procedure of pure penalty contact methods, whereas the torus approximation method can be recommended for contact searching algorithms, which employ the Lagrange method or the augmented Lagrangian method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Post-Social Turn: Challenges for Housing Research

In an editorial entitled ‘Living Room’ for the journal Urban Geography (Vol. 25, 2004) Susan Smith made reference to the ‘tired state of housing studies’. Smith argued that the ‘post-social turn’ in sociology and cultural geography has largely gone unnoticed by housing researchers and because of this, the radical implications of its epistemology have yet to be explicitly addressed. This post-social turn, elsewhere referred to as Science and Technology Studies, Actor Network theory, feminist technoscience and post-humanism, calls on researchers to decentre the human as the nucleus of social life and in turn recognize the significance of non-human actors (e.g. animals, technology and material artefacts) within social analysis. While in recent years housing scholars have begun to embrace post-structuralist accounts of social life, including discursive and constructionist theories, there has only been limited engagement with post-social assumptions and concepts. In view of this gap, this paper reviews recent developments in post-social theory with a specific focus on the implications of this approach for housing studies.     

Is the use of particle air filtration justified? Costs and benefits of filtration with regard to health effects,building cleaning and occupant productivity

Estimates of costs and the corresponding benefits of particle filtration have been derived for a standard office building. Reduction in occupants’ exposure to particles during their workday is anticipated to reduce their morbidity and mortality. Filtration may also reduce the costs associated with building and HVAC cleaning. Conversely, losses of occupant productivity due to sensory offending pollutants emitted from used ventilation filters can lead to significant economic losses. The results of the present analysis are strongly dependent on several key input parameters; consequently, the sensitivity of the results to these parameters was evaluated as part of this study. The study also acknowledges that the benefits-to-costs ratio depends on the perspective of the stakeholder: the employer renting the building is impacted by occupant performance and building energy costs; the building owner is impacted by maintenance of the building and its HVAC system; society is impacted by the employees’ health and welfare. Regardless of perspective, particle filtration is anticipated to lead to annual savings significantly exceeding the running costs for filtration. However, economic losses resulting from even a small decrease in productivity caused by sensory pollutants emitted from used ventilation filters have the potential to substantially exceed the annual economic benefits of filtration. Further studies are required to determine if meaningful benefits can be obtained from more frequent filter replacement or application of different filtration techniques that limit the emission of offending pollutants into the ventilation air.     

Biocidal polymers (II): Determination of biological activity of novel N-halamine biocidal polymers and evaluation for use in water filters

Novel N-halamine biocidal polymers were prepared by co-polymerizing a heterocyclic ring-based monomer with tolylene-2,6-diisocyanate and toluene-2,4-diisocyanate. The resulting polyurethanes were halogenated; chlorinated, brominated or iodinated. The rate of bacterial killing by the halogenated derivatives was determined both with and without halogen quenching and one of them was evaluated for use in water filters. The effect of these polymers on bacterial growth-rates was also determined.