Design of different planar geometries of antenna arrays for isoflux radiation in GEO satellites

The synthesis of different planar geometries of antenna arrays for isoflux radiation is presented in this paper. This synthesis considers the reduction of the side lobe level and the isoflux radiation requirements for Geostationary Earth Orbit satellites. The behavior of the radiation is studied in three geometries of two-dimensional antenna arrays such as uniform planar arrays, aperiodic planar arrays (APA) and concentric ring arrays (CRA). The well-known methods of genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization are utilized for the optimization problem. In this way, the designs of APA and CRA presented in this paper could provide an acceptable solution for reducing the antenna hardware and simplifying the power feeding even more than results presented previously in the literature.     

Superoleophilic Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Effective Hydrocarbon Removal from Water

Various hydrocarbons are efficiently extracted from water by using a new sorbent material based on covalently functionalized magnetic nanoparticles. The functionalization of the magnetite nanoparticles with a self‐assembled monolayer of hexadecylphosphonic acid renders the nanoparticles oleophilic and the magnetic nature of magnetite allows for simple extraction of the hydrocarbon‐soaked sorbent. The sorbent material is capable of extracting single contaminants such as alkanes and aromatics and complex hydrocarbon mixtures such as crude oils in high extraction rates of up to 14 times the sorbent volume. Experimental results are explained by molecular dynamics simulations on the adsorption of single components from a hydrocarbon‐water mixture to the alkylphosphonic acid layer on the nanoparticles. The core–shell sorbent material is highly stable and therefore, reusable over several successive extraction cycles without degradation. The extraction performance is determined at different water temperatures, different water sources, and different magnetic core materials and evaluated compared to heptadecanoic acid functionalized magnetite. The new sorbent material provides the opportunity for an efficient, reliable, inexpensive, and environmental friendly removal of hydrocarbons from water.     

Carrier trapping in thin N2O-grown oxynitride/oxide di-layer for PowerMOSFET devices

A detailed study of the carrier trapping properties shown by the silicon/oxynitride/oxide gate layers in PowerVDMOS technologies is reported. A quantitative analysis of hole and electron trap densities versus the specific N₂O based nitridation process, extracted from Fowler–Nordheim constant current stress kinetics, allows a deep understanding of the role played by those defects in the susceptibility of every nitrided layer.     

Bounded-distance multi-clusterhead formation in wireless ad hoc networks

We present a clustering technique addressing redundancy for bounded-distance clusters, which means being able to determine the minimum number of cluster-heads per node, and the maximum distance from nodes to their cluster-heads. This problem is similar to computing a (k, r)-dominating set, (k, r)-DS, of the network. (k, r)-DS is defined as the problem of selecting a minimum cardinality vertex set D of the network such that every vertex u not in D is at a distance smaller than or equal to r from at least k vertices in D. In mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs), clusters should be computed distributively, because the topology may change frequently. We present the first centralized and distributed solutions to the (k, r)-DS problem for arbitrary topologies. The centralized algorithm computes a (k · ln Δ)-approximation, where Δ is the largest cardinality among all r-hop neighborhoods in the network. The distributed approach is extended for clustering applications, while the centralized is used as a lower bound for comparison purposes. Extensive simulations are used to compare the distributed solution with the centralized one. As a case study, we propose a novel multi-core multicast protocol that applies the distributed solution for the election of cores. The new protocol is compared against PUMA, one of the best performing multicast protocols for MANETS. Simulation results show that the new protocol outperforms PUMA on the context of static networks.     

A four-shell diffusion phantom of the head for electrical impedance tomography

A four-shell head phantom has been built and characterized. Its structure is similar to that of nonhomogeneous concentric shell domains used by numerical solvers that better approximate current distribution than phantoms currently used to validate electrical impedance tomography systems. Each shell represents a head tissue, namely, skin, skull, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain. A novel technique, which employs a volume conductive impermeable film, has been implemented to prevent ion diffusion between different agar regions without affecting current distribution inside the phantom. Comparisons between simulations and phantom measurements performed over four days are given to prove both the adherence to the model in the frequency range between 10 kHz and 1 MHz and its long-term stability.     

Design of a multiple-beam forming network using CORPS optimized for cellular systems

The design of beam-forming networks (BFNs) for a multibeam-steerable antenna array using Coherently Radiating Periodic Structures (CORPS) in cellular mobile communication systems is presented. In this paper, the CORPS technology is introduced and applied to the design of beam-forming networks in cellular systems for the first time. The CORPS-BFNs proposed show improved performance over the common way to feed antenna arrays used in mobile systems. In this design, the input ports of the feeding network design are optimized using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Two 2-beam design configurations of CORPS-BFN for a multibeam-steerable linear array on a cellular scenario are proposed and analyzed. Simulation results show the benefits of BFNs based on CORPS on a cellular mobile scenario based on the array factor response, in terms of side lobe level (SLL) and signal-to-interference (SIR) improvement capability. Furthermore, results for average SIR improvement, signal to interference plus noise power ratio (SINR) and BER are discussed.     

A new system for computer-aided preoperative planning and intraoperative navigation during corrective jaw surgery.

A new system for computer-aided corrective surgery of the jaws has been developed and introduced clinically. It combines three-dimensional (3-D) surgical planning with conventional dental occlusion planning. The developed software allows simulating the surgical correction on virtual 3-D models of the facial skeleton generated from computed tomography (CT) scans. Surgery planning and simulation include dynamic cephalometry, semi-automatic mirroring, interactive cutting of bone and segment repositioning. By coupling the software with a tracking system and with the help of a special registration procedure, we are able to acquire dental occlusion plans from plaster model mounts. Upon completion of the surgical plan, the setup is used to manufacture positioning splints for intraoperative guidance. The system provides further intraoperative assistance with the help of a display showing jaw positions and 3-D positioning guides updated in real time during the surgical procedure. The proposed approach offers the advantages of 3-D visualization and tracking technology without sacrificing long-proven cast-based techniques for dental occlusion evaluation. The system has been applied on one patient. Throughout this procedure, we have experienced improved assessment of pathology, increased precision, and augmented control.     

Bioinspired Intervertebral Disc with Multidirectional Stiffness Prepared via Multimaterial Additive Manufacturing

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) has become a significant public health issue worldwide. This can result in loss of spinal function affecting patient health and quality of life. Artificial total disc replacement (A-TDR) is an effective approach for treating symptomatic DDD that compensates for lost functionality and helps patients perform daily activities. However, because current A-TDR devices lack the unique structure and material characteristics of natural intervertebral discs (IVDs), they fail to replicate the multidirectional stiffness needed to match physiological motions and characterize anisotropic behavior. It is still unclear how the multidirectional stiffness of the disc is affected by structural parameters and material characteristics. Herein, a bioinspired intervertebral disc (BIVD-L) based on a representative human lumbar segment is developed. The proposed BIVD-L reproduces the multidirectional stiffness needed for the most common physiological kinematic behaviors. The results demonstrate that the multidirectional stiffness of the BIVD-L can be regulated by structural and material parameters. The results of this research deepen knowledge of the biomechanical behavior of the human lumbar disc and may provide new inspirations for the design and fabrication of A-TDR devices for both engineering and functional applications.     

Metal Organic Framework Crystals in Mixed‐Matrix Membranes: Impact of the Filler Morphology on the Gas Separation Performance

Mixed‐matrix membranes comprising NH₂‐MIL‐53(Al) and Matrimid or 6FDA‐DAM have been investigated. The metal organic framework (MOF) loading has been varied between 5 and 20 wt%, while NH₂‐MIL‐53(Al) with three different morphologies, nanoparticles, nanorods, and microneedles has been dispersed in Matrimid. The synthesized membranes have been tested in the separation of CO₂ from CH₄ in an equimolar mixture. At 3 bar and 298 K for 8 wt% MOF loading, incorporation of NH₂‐MIL‐53(Al) nanoparticles leads to the largest improvement compared to nanorods and microneedles. The incorporation of the best performing filler, i.e., NH₂‐MIL‐53(Al) nanoparticles, into the highly permeable 6FDA‐DAM has a larger effect, and the CO₂ permeability increases up to 85% with slightly lower selectivities for 20 wt% MOF loading. Specifically, these membranes have a permeability of 660 Barrer with a CO₂/CH₄ separation factor of 28, leading to a performance very close to the Robeson limit of 2008. Furthermore, a new non‐destructive technique based on Raman spectroscopy mapping is introduced to assess the homogeneity of the filler dispersion in the polymer matrix. The MOF contribution can be calculated by modeling the spectra. The determined homogeneity of the MOF filler distribution in the polymer is confirmed by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy analysis.     

Near- and Far-Field Characterization of Planar mm-Wave Antenna Arrays with Waveguide-to-Microstrip Transition

We present the design and characterization of planar mm-wave patch antenna arrays with waveguide-to-microstrip transition using both near- and far-field methods. The arrays were designed for metrological assessment of error sources in antenna measurement. One antenna was designed for the automotive radar frequency range at 77 GHz, while another was designed for the frequency of 94 GHz, which is used, e.g., for imaging radar applications. In addition to the antennas, a simple transition from rectangular waveguide WR-10 to planar microstrip line on Rogers 3003? substrate has been designed based on probe coupling. For determination of the far-field radiation pattern of the antennas, we compare results from two different measurement methods to simulations. Both a far-field antenna measurement system and a planar near-field scanner with near-to-far-field transformation were used to determine the antenna diagrams. The fabricated antennas achieve a good matching and a good agreement between measured and simulated antenna diagrams. The results also show that the far-field scanner achieves more accurate measurement results with regard to simulations than the near-field scanner. The far-field antenna scanning system is built for metrological assessment and antenna calibration. The antennas are the first which were designed to be tested with the measurement system.