Index rendering: hardware-efficient architecture for 3-D graphics in multimedia system

Real-time three-dimensional (3D) graphics is emerging rapidly in multimedia applications, but it suffers from requirements for huge computation, high bandwidth, and large buffer. In order to achieve hardware efficiency for 3D graphics rendering, we propose a novel approach named index rendering. The basic concept of index rendering is to realize a 3D rendering pipeline by using asynchronous multi-dataflows. Triangle information can be divided into several parts with each part capable of being transferred independently and asynchronously. Finally, all data are converged by the index to generate the final image. The index rendering approach can eliminate unnecessary operations in the traditional 3D graphics pipeline, the unnecessary operations are caused by the invisible pixels and triangles in the 3D scene. Previous work, deferred shading, eliminates the operations relating to invisible pixels, but it requires huge tradeoffs in bandwidth and buffer size. With index rendering, we can eliminate operations on both invisible pixels and triangles with fewer tradeoffs as compared with the deferred shading approach. The simulation and analysis results show that the index rendering approach can reduce 10%-70% of lighting operations when using the flat and Gouraud shading process and decrease 30%-95% when using Phong shading. Furthermore, it saves 70% of buffer size and 50%-70% of bandwidth compared with the deferred shading approach. The result also indicates that this approach of index rendering is especially suitable for low-cost portable rendering devices. Hence, index rendering is a hardware-efficient architecture for 3D graphics, and it makes rendering hardware more easily integrated into multimedia systems, especially system-on-a-chip (SOC) designs.     

A Lie group approach to a neural system for three-dimensionalinterpretation of visual motion

A novel approach is presented to neural network computation of three-dimensional rigid motion from noisy two-dimensional image flow. It is shown that the process of 3-D interpretation of image flow can be viewed as a linear signal transform. The elementary signals of this linear transform are the 2-D vector fields of the six infinitesimal generators of the 3-D Euclidean group. This transform can be performed by a neural network. Results are also reported of neural network simulations for the 3-D interpretation of image flow and a comparison of the performance of this approach with that using conventional methods. Computer simulation results verify the Lie-group-based neural network approach to three-dimensional motion perception.     

Nanocrystallization of Zr61Al7.5Cu17.5Ni10Si4 metallic glass

The primary nanocrystallization behavior and microstructural evolution of the Zr₆₁Al_7.5Cu_17.5Ni₁₀Si₄ alloy during annealing were investigated by isothermal differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. During continuous heating of the 4Si and the base (contains no Si) amorphous alloys at a heating rate of 10 K/min, the saturation point of nucleation for the 4Si amorphous alloy occurs at a crystallization fraction of 78%, which is significantly higher than 65% for the base alloy, implying that these metalloid atoms would extend the nucleation stage and refine crystalline particles. The sequence of crystallization phase from the amorphous matrix for the isothermally annealed 4Si amorphous alloy at 703 K is observed to be Zr₂Cu and Zr₂Ni at the early stage, Zr₃Al at an intermediate stage, and Zr₂Si at the final stage. Moreover, enrichment of Si atoms at the interface between Zr₂Cu crystal and the amorphous matrix is detected. This may result in increasing the thermal stability of the remaining amorphous phase and retardation of the crystal growth of Zr₂Cu particles.     

Accelerating Advanced MRI Reconstructions on GPUs

Computational acceleration on graphics processing units (GPUs) can make advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reconstruction algorithms attractive in clinical settings, thereby improving the quality of MR images across a broad spectrum of applications. This paper describes the acceleration of such an algorithm on NVIDIA's Quadro FX 5600. The reconstruction of a 3D image with 128(3) voxels achieves up to 180 GFLOPS and requires just over one minute on the Quadro, while reconstruction on a quad-core CPU is twenty-one times slower. Furthermore, relative to the true image, the error exhibited by the advanced reconstruction is only 12%, while conventional reconstruction techniques incur error of 42%.     

Two‐phase flow behavior in microtube reactors during biodiesel production from waste cooking oil

Flow patterns in the course of transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO), sunflower oil (SFO) with water and/or oleic acid as a model of WCO, and pure SFO in the presence of a KOH catalyst in microtubes were investigated. FAME yield for the transesterification of WCO reached more than 89% in the microtube reactors with a residence time of 252 s at 333 K. The flow patterns when using WCO were changed from a liquid–liquid slug flow at the inlet region to a parallel flow at the middle region, and then to a homogeneous liquid flow at the outlet region as the reaction proceeded at 333 K. Fine droplets containing glycerol and methanol generally formed in oil slugs when using pure SFO, but were almost unobservable when using WCO. The soap produced from free fatty acids was considered to be the main factor affecting the flow patterns of WCO and SFO. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010     

The effect of hydrogen annealing on the molybdenum doped ZnO thin film

The electrical characteristics of hydrogen annealing on the molybdenum doped ZnO (MZO) thin film were discussed in the paper. The MZO film was deposited by an radio frequency sputtering, then it was annealed in hydrogen with a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition system. The resistivity of MZO was decreased from 1.1 × 10^?2 to 9.5 × 10^?3 Ω cm after the hydrogen annealing. Improvements of the electrical properties are both due to the defects repairing through annealing and hydrogen doping effects of the MZO thin film. The higher temperature annealed MZO film shows slightly lower transmittance which is due to the higher carrier concentration.     

Effect of milling on the anisotropic grain growth in a sintered Ba5Nb4O15 specimen and its effect on microwave dielectric properties

In this study, relationships between the processing, microstructure, and properties of barium niobate (Ba₅Nb₄O₁₅) are investigated. The milling of a Ba₅Nb₄O₁₅ powder in water is effective with respect to size reduction. However, after milling in water, BaCO₃ is formed within the slurry. With the increase in the amount of BaCO₃ formed, the aspect ratio of the elongated Ba₅Nb₄O₁₅ grains increases. The formation of the elongated Ba₅Nb₄O₁₅ grains prohibits the densification. Hence, the microwave dielectric properties, including permittivity and quality factor, are poor because of the low density. In addition, milling in ethanol is carried out for comparison: A lower amount of BaCO₃ is formed after milling in ethanol; the extent of anisotropic grain growth is thus reduced.     

Low-power clock-deskew buffer for high-speed digital circuits

An IC containing four clock deskew buffers using the delay-locked-loop technology has been fabricated in a 0.6 μm single poly double metal CMOS process. The core chip area is 0.9×0.9 mm ². The maximum operating frequency is 80 MHz, and the total power dissipation of the four deskew buffers is 59 mW for a 3 V supply voltage. The maximum clock skew after deskewing is less than 300 ps, and the peak-to-peak clock jitter is less than 170 ps. The deskew range is 0.5-3.8 ns     

关于建设大型再生铝合金板带厂的设想

在有色金属结构材料中,废旧铝具有最高的可再生利用性,最大限度地回收废旧铝与充分有效地加以再生利用是建设节约型社会与环境友好型社会的重要一环,是又好又快建设可持续发展铝工业的必由之路.笔者首次提出中国有必要建设大型再生铝合金板带厂的意见,从各方面探讨了建厂的可行性,在长江三角洲或珠江三角洲地区建一个生产能力180 kt/a的再生铝合金板带厂,在资源、能源、技术、经济、环保、市场、政策、国际环境等方面都是可行的.产品种类为再生1XXX、3XXX、5XXX系合金民用板带.     

Adenocarcinoma combined with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the gallbladder

Adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder combined with a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) in the gallbladder in an 81-year-old woman is reported. The resected gallbladder showed two distinct tumor components, the epithelioid type of MPNST and adenocarcinoma with areas of mucin production. Although the immediate postoperative course was uneventful, a pathologic fracture of her right upper femur developed 4 months after the cholecystectomy. The pathology was determined to be a feature of metastatic MPNST rather than of adenocarcinoma. A whole body bone scan revealed multiple metastases, including the left parietal skull, left ninth rib, seventh thoracic vertebra, and right upper third of the femur. Despite cholecystectomy and postoperative irradiation therapy, she died 6 months after diagnosis of the tumor. Without an autopsy the primary site of the MPNST was unknown. We found that the prognosis was very poor in patients with distal metastatic MPNST, especially in older patients.