Web-based collaborative inquiry learning

Abstract This study proposes a web-based collaborative inquiry learning system. This system uses the World-wide web (WWW) as a source of knowledge exploration, and provides exploratory problems to guide students to think and explore. A concept map is used as a tool of anchoring and representing knowledge during inquiry process. In the process of learning, learners are allowed to exchange the evidence they have collected, their personal opinions, and the concept maps that they have built. In order to effectively integrate the inquiry learning, collaborative learning, and concept map in the system, this study proposes a collaborative inquiry learning model and related learning activities. Two studies were constructed based on the collaborative inquiry learning model to investigate students' learning processes in the collaborative inquiry learning on the web.     

Human Face Detection in Digital Video Using SVMEnsemble

This Letter proposes automatic human face detection in digital video using a support vector machine (SVM) ensemble to improve the detection performance. The SVM ensemble consists of several independently trained SVMs using randomly chosen training samples via a bootstrap technique. Next, they are aggregated in order to make a collective decision via a majority voting scheme. Experimental results show that the proposed face detection method using SVM ensemble outperforms conventional methods such as using only single SVM and Multi-Layer Perceptron in terms of classification accuracy, false alarms, and missing rates.     

非最小相位FIR系统的自适应辨识

提出了一种基于线性代数方程组约束和梯度法的非最小相位FIR系统的自适应辨 识算法.选用的线性方程组具有列满秩的系数矩阵,保证了系统参数的唯一可识别性.由于只 采用高阶累量,故能够抑制任何高斯有色噪声的影响.重点讨论了梯度法中步长的选择,提出 了收敛速度最快的变步长.仿真实验的结果证实了算法的有效性.     

Efficient Algorithms for Computing a Complete Visibility Region in Three-Dimensional Space

Given a set P of polygons in three-dimensional space, two points p and q are said to be visible from each other with respect to P if the line segment joining them does not intersect any polygon in P . A point p is said to be completely visible from an area source S if p is visible from every point in S . The completely visible region CV(S, P) from S with respect to P is defined as the set of all points in three-dimensional space that are completely visible from S . We present two algorithms for computing CV(S, P) for P with a total of n vertices and a convex polygonal source S with m vertices. Our first result is a divide-and-conquer algorithm which runs in O(m ² n ² α(mn)) time and space, where α(mn) is the inverse of Ackermann's function. We next give an incremental algorithm for computing CV(S,P) in O(m ² n+mn ² α(n)) time and O(mn+n ² ) space. We also prove that CV(S,P) consists of Θ(mn+n ² ) surface elements such as vertices, edges, and faces. Received November 16, 1995; revised November 11, 1996.     

A novel integrated silicon capacitive microphone-floating electrode“electret” microphone (FEEM)

A novel principle “electret” microphone, i.e., floating electrode electret microphone, is proposed and implemented in this study. Single-chip fabrication and corrugation technique are used in the design and fabrication of the microphone. The floating electrode is encapsulated by highly insulated materials to ensure that there is no electric-leakage passage between the floating electrode and the electrodes of the microphone. Net-free electronic charges (not “bonded” charges as in traditional electret) in the floating electrode can excite the electric field, which is similar to that of the traditional electret. The floating electrode can be easily charged by use of the “hot” electron technique, available using the avalanche breakdown of the p⁺-n junction. Therefore, the electret microphone is rechargeable, which can greatly increase the lifetime of the device. The preamplifier has been on-chip integrated in a junction-field-effect transistor (JFET) source-follower type with resistors by use of ion implantation. Electret charges are banded in a deep potential trap, thus, this microphone can operate at a high temperature (as high as 300°C) and has high stability and reliability. Experiments show that the prototype has a 3-mV/Pa sensitivity and a larger than 21-kHz frequency bandwidth in a 1 mm ×1-mm diaphragm area. Microphone performance can be further improved by optimized process and design. The fabrication is completely integrated-circuit (IC) compatible, hence, the microphone shows promise in integrated acoustic systems     

Influence of calcination temperature on structural and optical properties of TiO2-SiO2 thin films prepared by sol-gel dip coating

We prepared TiO₂-SiO₂ thin films with various TiO₂/SiO₂ ratios by sol-gel dip coating method and explored the dependence of their structural and optical properties on calcination temperature. The absorption peaks relevant to Si—O, Si—O—Ti and Ti—O bonds appeared in the FTIR spectra. With increasing TiO₂ content, the intensity of Si—O bond peaks decreases and that of Ti—O bond peaks increases. The XRD results show that the temperature of transformation from amorphous to anatase phase is lowered as TiO₂ content increases. The crystallite size of anatase phase in composite thin films increases with increasing TiO₂ content and calcination temperature. At 1000°C, the mixed phase of anatase and rutile appears in the pure TiO₂ thin films. The rutile films are denser than the anatase films. The increase in refractive index of composite thin films with calcination temperature is related to the decreased thickness and increased density as a result of evaporation of water and organic matters below 400°C. On the other hand, it is related to the change in the crystal phase and crystallite size of the films over 400°C.     

Influences of the dynamic strain aging on the J–R fracture characteristics of the ferritic steels for reactor coolant piping system

The leak-before-break (LBB) design of the piping system for nuclear power plants has been based on the premise that the leakage due to the through-wall crack can be detected by using leak detection systems before a catastrophic break. The piping materials are required to have excellent J–R fracture characteristics. However, where ferritic steels for reactor coolant piping systems operate at the temperatures where dynamic strain aging (DSA) could occur, the fracture resistance could be reduced with the influence of DSA under dynamic loading. Therefore, in order to apply the LBB design concept to the piping system under seismic loading, both static and dynamic J–R characteristics must be evaluated.Materials used in this study are SA516 Gr.70 for the elbow pipe and SA508 Cl.1a for the main pipe and their welding joints. The crack extension during the dynamic and the static J–R tests was measured by the direct current potential drop (DCPD) and the compliance method, respectively. This paper describes the influences of the dynamic strain aging on the J–R fracture characteristics with the loading rate of the pipe materials and their welding joints.     

Effect of irradiation on the impact and seismic response of a spent fuel storage and transport cask

The spent fuel storage and transport cask must withstand various accident conditions such as fire, free drop and puncture in accordance with the requirement of the IAEA and domestic regulations. The spent fuel storage and transport cask should maintain the structural safety not to release radioactive material in any condition. And also the effects of the irradiation should be considered because the spent fuels stored in the cask for a long time and be possible to change the mechanical properties of the cask.In this study, the changed mechanical properties of the cask after irradiation for the 30 years storage periods are assumed and applied to the impact analysis using ABAQUS/Explicit code and seismic analysis using ANSYS code. The stress intensity on each part of the cask is calculated and the effects of irradiation are studied and structural integrity of the package is evaluated.     

Comparison of a‐Si and Poly‐Si for AMOLED displays

Abstract— The characteristics of OLED backplanes including the intrinsic properties of a‐Si TFTs and LTPS TFTs will be reviewed. While LTPS TFTs reveal satisfactory stability in AMOLED‐display applications, a‐Si AMOLEDs show better uniformity and are capable of driving OLEDs. However, the stability of a‐Si TFTs under long‐term operation is still unacceptable and remains to be the key issue constraining the commercialization of a‐Si TFT AMOLEDs.     

The surface chemistry of alkyl and arylphosphate vapor phase lubricants on Fe foil

The surface chemistry of tributylphosphate (TBP) and tricresylphosphate (TCP) on a polycrystalline Fe surface was studied using temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy to illustrate some of the initial steps in the reaction mechanisms of alkyl and arylphosphate vapor phase lubricants. During heating, TBP [(C₄H₉O)₃P=O] adsorbed on the Fe surface decomposes via C–O bond scission to give butyl surface intermediates [C₄H₉–] that react via β-hydride elimination to desorb as 1-butene [CH₃CH₂CH=CH₂] and H₂ without appreciable carbon deposition onto the surface. The thermal decomposition of 1-iodobutane [I-C₄H₉] on Fe was observed to proceed via the same β-hydride elimination mechanism. In contrast to tributylphosphate, meta-tricresylphosphate (m-TCP) [(CH₃–C₆H₄O)₃P=O] decomposes on Fe via P–O bond scission to produce methylphenoxy intermediates [CH₃–C₆H₄O–]. During heating to 800 K, methylphenoxy intermediates either desorb as m-cresol [CH₃–C₆H₄–OH] via hydrogenation or decompose further to generate tolyl intermediates [CH₃–C₆H₄–]. Some of the tolyl intermediates desorb as toluene [CH₃–C₆H₅] via hydrogenation but the majority decompose resulting in H₂ and CO desorption and carbon deposition onto the Fe surface. The P–O bond scission mechanism of m-TCP was verified by showing that the temperature programmed reaction spectra of m-cresol yield products that are almost identical to those of m-TCP. These results provide insight into the origin of the differences in the performance of alkyl and arylphosphates as vapor phase lubricants. The alkylphosphates decompose via alkyl intermediates that readily undergo β-hydride elimination and desorb into the gas phase as olefins, thus removing carbon from the surface. In contrast, the arylphosphates generate aryloxy intermediates by P–O bond scission and aryl intermediates by further C–O bond scission. Neither of these intermediates can undergo β-hydride elimination and thus they decompose to deposit carbon onto the Fe surface. The higher efficiency for carbon deposition may be the primary reason for the superior performance of the arylphosphates over alkylphosphates as vapor phase lubricants.