The separation of reflected and transparent layers from real-world image sequence

This paper presents an optimal method for the separation of reflected and transparent layers from real-world scene images. Whereas past research has been applied to indoor environments and static cameras, our technique can be used for outdoor scenes and motion cameras. The method is based on spatio-temporal analysis, especially using epipolar plane images (EPI). The edge and color information of EPI has been used to segment the areas on EPIs efficiently and separate the reflected and transparent layers. This method can be used for refining building textures by removing reflections from captured images for the purpose of city modeling.     

Robot-vision architecture for real-time 6-DOF object localization

This paper presents a new robot-vision system architecture for real-time moving object localization. The 6-DOF (3 translation and 3 rotation) motion of the objects is detected and tracked accurately in clutter using a model-based approach without information of the objects’ initial positions. An object identification task and an object tracking task are combined under this architecture. The computational time-lag between the two tasks is absorbed by a large amount of frame memory. The tasks are implemented as independent software modules using stereo-vision-based methods which can deal with objects of various shapes with edges, including planar to smooth-curved objects, in cluttered environments. This architecture also leads to failure-recoverable object tracking, because the tracking processes can be automatically recovered, even if the moving objects are lost while tracking. Experimental results obtained with prototype systems demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed architecture.     

Building more solid bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology.

Introducing the ways of cultivating mental balance, B. A. Wallace and S. L. Shapiro (see record 2006-12925-003) attempted to build bridges between Buddhism and psychology. Their systematic categorization of Buddhist teachings and extensive review of empirical support from Western psychology are valuable for future study. However, it remains a matter of concern that some more profound parts of Buddhist philosophy can be disregarded by focusing only on practical aspects of Buddhism within the context of mental health. In this comment, the authors briefly address four substantial themes to be considered: reality, identity, causality, and logicality. They suggest that the way to interpret Buddhism as techniques for well-being would certainly be viable in encouraging the study of Buddhist teachings in psychology. Yet, such attempts should not result in superficial imports and applications of Buddhist practices but give due weight to the deeper philosophical issues to build more solid bridges between Buddhism and psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Studies on solder bump electromigration in Cu/Sn–3Ag–0.5Cu/Cu system

This paper aims to understand the solder bump electromigration phenomenon in the Cu/Sn–3Ag–0.5Cu/Cu system. A temperature of 453 K with a current density of 10 kA/cm² was applied. A void nucleated at the highest current density point at the cathode. As the void grew along the cathode side, a solder depletion occurred on the opposite side of the electron entry point, resulting in an open failure. A unique purposely-designed 3D model simulation methodology provides a good understanding of the void nucleation and growth behavior. The temperature of the solder joint during the electromigration test was measured successfully by the resistance change in the junction line between the two joints.     

A Gait Phase Measurement System Using Treadmill Motor Current

The article describes the development of a gait phase time-based split-belt treadmill measurement system. Conventional methods of measuring gait phase, such as the foot switch and force plate, require significant preparation and are costly. In this article, we propose a simple, cheap, and accurate gait phase measurement system that utilizes only the treadmill motor current value. Comparison of this algorithm with conventional methods reveals that the proposed algorithm is as accurate as the foot switch. Moreover, the proposed algorithm can estimate stance phase within a 0.2?s error of the measured value of the force plate in most cases (four out of five healthy subjects). This accuracy is higher than that of the foot switch which is widely used in the clinical field.     

Incorporation of Dust Particles into a Growing Film During Silicon Dioxide Deposition from a TEOS/O2 Plasma

The effects of gas flow rate on particle formation and film deposition during the preparation of silica thin film using a TEOS/O₂ plasma were investigated. Particle formation and growth are suppressed with increasing gas flow rates. The film deposition rate increases with increasing gas flow rate, reaches a maximum value, and eventually decreases again. However, the uniformity of the film tends to degrade at high gas flow rates. At a high gas flow rate, some particles trapped in the sheath near the grounded electrode pass through the sheath to reach the substrate and are then embedded in the growing film. A self-consistent sheath model combined with particle force balance based on charge fluctuation was developed to explain these experimental findings qualitatively. The model reveals that charge fluctuation is a key factor for the particle to overcome the potential barrier of the negatively charged particles to pass through the sheath, eventually reaching the substrate. The model further shows that the probability of a particle being deposited on the substrate is higher for increased gas flow rates, which correctly predicts the experimentally observed trend.     

Hole-injection properties of annealed polythiophene films to replace PEDOT–PSS in multilayered OLED systems

Hole-injection properties of annealed poly(alkoxy- and alkylthiophene) films in OLEDs were studied. Among them, annealed poly(3,3′-dihexyloxy-2,2′-bithiophene) (aPHOBT) film exhibited good hole-injection properties and a triple-layered OLED with the structure ITO/aPHOBT/PVK/Alq3/Mg–Ag (device I) showed much higher performance than a double-layered device without the aPHOBT layer (device II, ITO/PVK/Alq3/Mg–Ag). Device I was slightly inferior to a device having a PEDOT–PSS layer as the hole injector (device III, ITO/PEDOT– PSS/PVK/Alq3/Mg–Ag) in the low-intermediate region of the applied voltage (6–11 V), but gave comparable luminance to III when the applied voltage exceeded 11 V.     

Chlorophyll assembled electrode for photovoltaic conversion device

Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) assembled in hydrophobic domain by fatty acid with long alkyl hydrocarbon chain such as myristic acid (Myr), stearic acid (Ste) and cholic acid (Cho) modified onto nanocrystalline TiO₂ electrode is prepared and the photovoltaic properties of the nanocrystalline TiO₂ film by Chl-a are studied. Incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) value at 660 nm in photocurrent action spectrum of Chl-a/Ste-TiO₂, Chl-a/Myr-TiO₂ and Chl-a/Cho-TiO₂ electrodes are 5.0%, 4.1% and 4.1%, respectively. Thus, the IPCE is maximum using Chl-a/Ste-TiO₂ electrode. From the results of photocurrent responses with light intensity of 100 mW cm⁻² irradiation or monochromatic light with 660 nm, generated photocurrent increases using Chl-a/Ste-TiO₂ electrode compared with the other Chl-a assembled TiO₂ electrodes. These results show that the hydrophobic domain formed by stearic acid with long alkyl hydrocarbon chain is suitable for fixation of Chl-a onto TiO₂ film electrodes and photovoltaic performance is improved using Chl-a onto Ste-TiO₂ film electrode.     

Periodical shedding of cloud cavitation from a single hydrofoil in high-speed cryogenic channel flow

In order to explain criteria for periodical shedding of the cloud cavitation, flow patterns of cavitation around a plano-convex hydrofoil were observed using a cryogenic cavitation tunnel of a blowdown type. Two hydrofoils of similarity of 20 and 60 mm in chord length with two test sections of 20 and 60 mm in width were prepared. Working fluids were water at ambient temperature, hot water and liquid nitrogen. The parameter range was varied between 0.3 and 1.4 for cavitation number, 9 and 17 m/sec for inlet flow velocity, and −8° and 8° for the flow incidence angle, respectively. At incidence angle 8°, that is, the convex surface being suction surface, periodical shedding of the whole cloud cavitation was observed on the convex surface under the specific condition with cavitation number and inlet flow velocity, respectively, 0.5, 9 m/sec for liquid nitrogen at 192°C and 1.4, 11 m/sec for water at 88°C, whereas under the supercavitation condition, it was not observable. Periodical shedding of cloud cavitation occurs only in the case that there are both the adverse pressure gradient and the slow flow region on the hydrofoil.     

Synthesis of zirconium diboride platelets from mechanically activated ZrCl4 and B powder mixture

ZrB₂ platelets were prepared by mechanochemical processing a zirconium (IV) chloride–boron mixture with subsequent annealing from 800 °C to 1200 °C. The phases present were identified by X-ray diffraction. The size and morphology of the synthesized ZrB₂ powders were characterized by scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. At 800 °C, ZrO₂ was detected in absence of ZrB₂. At or above 1000 °C, ZrCl₄–B converted to ZrB₂. Moreover, at 1200 °C, ZrCl₄–B completely converted to ZrB₂ without trace quantities of residual ZrO₂. The synthesized ZrB₂ consisted of platelets with a diameter of 0.1–2.1 μm and a thickness of 40–200 nm.