Real-time approximation of molecular interaction interfaces based on hierarchical space decomposition

The interaction interface between two molecules can be represented as a bisector surface equidistant from the two sets of spheres of varying radii representing atoms. We recursively divide a box containing both sphere-sets into uniform pairs of sub-boxes. The distance from each new box to each sphere-set is conservatively approximated by an interval, and the number of sphere-box computations is greatly reduced by pre-partitioning each sphere-set using a kd-tree. The subdivision terminates at a specified resolution, creating a box partition (BP) tree. A piecewise linear approximation of the bisector surface is then obtained by traversing the leaves of the BP tree and connecting points equidistant from the sphere-sets. In 124 experiments with up to 16,728 spheres, a bisector surface with a resolution of 1/2⁴ of the original bounding box was obtained in 28.8 ms on average.     

Development of panel generation system for seakeeping analysis

In this paper, a panel generation system for analyzing seakeeping performance of a ship is developed. Given a set of offset data representing the ship hull, the system first creates a surface model of the ship. From the surface model, the wetted part of the ship is obtained by computing the intersection between the water surface and the hull, which is then processed to generate quadrilateral panels for the hull and the water surface. The system is designed to handle various kinds of ships such as ships with a mono-skeg, a twin-skeg and/or a bulbous bow in either an automatic or an interactive manner. Moreover, it can generate input panels for three different seakeeping analysis methods. Examples are provided to demonstrate the capabilities of the system.     

A method to exchange procedurally represented 2D CAD model data using ISO 10303 STEP

Procedural models have the advantage of being easy to edit simply by changing the values of the parameters of their constructional operations. Such models are said to embody design intent, in the sense that modifications to them conform to the method of creation used by their original creator. They also comply with any constraints implied by the particular constructional operations used. This paper introduces the development and standardization process of the ISO 10303-112 specification and describes the concept of procedural 2D modeling, a method of representing procedural 2D CAD models in STEP in harmony with other STEP resources. The feasibility of procedural 2D modeling commands for the exchange of procedurally represented 2D CAD model data is demonstrated through an experiment where procedural 2D CAD model data in neutral form generated with an in-house 2D modeling system are translated to and modified in a commercial 3D mechanical CAD system.     

Controlled linear perturbation

We present an algorithmic solution to the robustness problem in computational geometry, called controlled linear perturbation, and demonstrate it on Minkowski sums of polyhedra. The robustness problem is how to implement real RAM algorithms accurately and efficiently using computer arithmetic. Approximate computation in floating point arithmetic is efficient but can assign incorrect signs to geometric predicates, which can cause combinatorial errors in the algorithm output. We make approximate computation accurate by performing small input perturbations, which we compute using differential calculus. This strategy supports fast, accurate Minkowski sum computation. The only prior robust implementation uses a less efficient algorithm, requires exact algebraic computation, and is far slower based on our extensive testing.     

Individual finger contribution in submaximal voluntary contraction of gripping

The objective of this study was to evaluate individual finger force and contribution to a gripping force, the difference between actual and expected finger forces and subjective discomfort rating at 10 different submaximal voluntary contraction (%MVC) levels (10-100% in 10 increments). Seventy-two participants randomly exerted gripping force with a multi-finger force measurement system. The individual finger force, gripping force and discomfort increased as %MVC levels increased. The middle and ring fingers exerted more force and contributed to a gripping force more than the index and little fingers due to their larger mass fractions of the digit flexor muscles. It was apparent at <50% MVC; however, the index finger increased its contribution and exerted even more force than expected at more than 50% MVC. Subjective discomfort supported the results of the objective measures. This could explain the conflicting findings between index and ring fingers in previous finger contribution studies. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Hand tool design is of special interest in ergonomics due to its association with musculoskeletal disorders in the hand. This study reveals a different contribution pattern of the fingers in submaximal voluntary contraction of gripping exertion.     

Test-retest reliability of Purdue Pegboard performance in thermoneutral and cold ambient conditions

In the cold, Purdue Pegboard (PP) performance declines. The purpose of this study was to determine if this cold-induced impairment is consistent across days (i.e. test-retest reliability) in 5°C. In thermoneutral air (25°C), 14 men were familiarised to the dominant hand (PPa) and bimanual (PPb) PP tasks. They then experienced two 90-min cold exposures (Day 1, Day 2) while wearing ～1 clo. Bare hands were maintained throughout. Performance on both tasks showed high reliability from day to day (intraclass correlations >0.700) in both thermoneutral and cold conditions. However for both tasks, room temperature performance did not predict performance in the cold (intraclass correlations <0.450). When screening applicants for manual labour in the cold, one must consider that room temperature dexterity does not correlate with dexterity in the cold. It is recommended that a 60-min period of cold exposure be employed to assess manual dexterity in these workers. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This study shows that PP performance in room temperature does not predict performance in the cold but performance in the cold is consistent from day to day. When screening applicants for manual labour in the cold, it is recommended that dexterity tests be conducted in the same ambient conditions.     

New receipt-free voting scheme using double-trapdoor commitment

It is considered to be the most suitable solution for large scale elections to design an electronic voting scheme using blind signatures and anonymous channels. Based on this framework, Okamoto first proposed a receipt-free voting scheme [30] for large scale elections. However, in the following paper, Okamoto [31] proved that the scheme [30] was not receipt-free and presented two improved schemes. One scheme requires the help of the parameter registration committee and the other needs a stronger physical assumption of the voting booth. In this paper, we utilize the double-trapdoor commitment to propose a new receipt-free voting scheme based on blind signatures for large scale elections. Neither the parameter registration committee nor the voting booth is required in our scheme. We also present a more efficient zero-knowledge proof for secret permutation. Therefore, our scheme is much more efficient than Okamoto’s schemes [30] and [31] with the weaker physical assumptions. Moreover, we prove that our scheme can achieve the desired security properties.     

First-order side channel attacks on Zhang’s countermeasures

Zhang’s three countermeasures are known to be secure against certain first-order side channel attacks such as differential power analysis and correlation power analysis. This security comes from the countermeasures’ use of random points to blind the message and random integers to blind the secret scalar. In this paper, we propose first-order side channel attack methods that can perfectly break these three countermeasures. Even though Zhang’s countermeasures use random points and random integers our attacks are made possible by the fact that intermediate values computed by these countermeasures are dependent on specific values that we can guess. The experimental results verify that the proposed attack methods can successfully break existing countermeasures.     

An empirical framework for user mobility models: Refining and modeling user registration patterns

In this paper, we examine user registration patterns in empirical WLAN traces, identify elusive patterns that are abused as user movements in constructing empirical mobility models, and analyze them to build up a realistic user mobility model. The examination shows that about 38–90% of transitions are irrelevant to actual user movements. In order to refine the elusive movements, we investigate the geographical relationships among APs and propose a filtering framework for removing them from the trace data. We then analyze the impact of the false-positive movements on an empirical mobility model. The numerical results indicate that the proposed framework improves the fidelity of the empirical mobility model. Finally, we devise an analytical model for characterizing realistic user movements, based on the analysis on the elusive user registration patterns, which emulates elusive user registration patterns and generates true user mobile patterns.     

Step-by-step improvement of MPS method in simulating violent free-surface motions and impact-loads

The violent free-surface motions and the corresponding impact loads are numerically simulated by using the Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method, which was originally proposed by Koshizuka and Oka [10] for incompressible flows. In the original MPS method, there were several defects including non-optimal source term, gradient and collision models, and search of free-surface particles, which led to less-accurate fluid motions and non-physical pressure fluctuations. In the present study, how those defects can be remedied is illustrated by step-by-step improvements in the respective processes of the revised MPS method. For illustration, two examples are studied; (i) dam breaking problem and (ii) liquid sloshing inside a rectangular tank. The improvement of each step is explained and numerically demonstrated. The numerical results are also compared against the experimental results of Martin and Moyce [12] for dam-breaking problem and Kishev et al. [9] for sloshing problem. The numerical results for violent free-surface motions and impact pressures are in good agreement with their experimental data.