Classification of audio radar signals using radial basis function neural networks

Radial basis function (RBF) neural networks are used to classify real-life audio radar signals that are collected by a ground surveillance radar mounted on a tank. Currently, a human operator is required to operate the radar system to discern among signals bouncing off tanks, vehicles, planes, and so on. The objective of this project is to investigate the possibility of using a neural network to perform this target recognition task, with the aim of reducing the number of personnel required in a tank. Different signal classification methods in the neural net literature are considered. The first method employs a linear autoregressive (AR) model to extract linear features of the audio data, and then perform classification on these features, i.e, the AR coefficients. AR coefficient estimations based on least squares and higher order statistics are considered in this study. The second approach uses nonlinear predictors to model the audio data and then classifies the signals according to the prediction errors. The real-life audio radar data set used here was collected by an AN/PPS-15 ground surveillance radar and consists of 13 different target classes, which include men marching, a man walking, airplanes, a man crawling, and boats, etc. It is found that each classification method has some classes which are difficult to classify. Overall, the AR feature extraction approach is most effective and has a correct classification rate of 88% for the training data and 67% for data not used for training.     

Analysis of the mechanism of die soldering in aluminum die casting

A mechanism of soldering of an aluminum alloy die casting to a steel die is proposed. A soldering critical temperature is postulated, at which iron begins to react with aluminum to form an aluminum-rich liquid phase and solid intermetallic compounds. The liquid joins the die with the casting upon solidification. The critical temperature is determined by the elements in both the casting alloy and the die material and is equal to the solidus temperature of the resulting alloy. The critical temperature is used to predict the onset of die soldering, and the local liquid fraction is related to the soldering tendency. Experiments have been carried out to validate the concept and to determine the critical temperature for die soldering in an iron-aluminum system. Thermodynamic calculations are used to determine the critical temperature and soldering tendency for the cases of pure aluminum and a 380 alloy in a steel mold. Factors affecting the soldering tendency are discussed, and methods for reducing die soldering are suggested.     

Wavelength-tunable 40-GHz picosecond harmonically mode-locked fiber laser source

We demonstrate a novel 40-GHz mode-locked fiber laser that utilizes a single active device to provide both gain and mode-locking. The laser produces pulses as short as 2.2 ps, is tunable over a 27-nm band centered at 1553 nm, and exhibits long-term stability without cavity-length feedback control. The pulse train at 1556 nm was used in a 40-Gb/s transmission experiment over 45 km with a low 0.4-dB power penalty.     

Anthocyanin composition of the red wine Babić affected by maceration treatment

Identification of anthocyanins in the wine made of the Croatian autochthonous grape variety of Babić (Vitis vinifera L.) was carried out and their profile was determined by means of high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and mass spectrometric detection. Dependence of anthocyanins content and profile on maceration treatment conditions was investigated. Statistically significant differences of anthocyanins concentration in wines Babić produced by various maceration treatments were confirmed by the use of multivariate analysis of variances. The investigation results indicated that the maceration temperature exerts higher influence on anthocyanins concentration than the duration of maceration. In addition, on the basis of anthocyanin composition and using different multivariate statistical analyses, differentiation of wines Babić according to maceration treatments was procured.     

Modification of ASM3 for the determination of biomass adsorption/storage capacity in bulking sludge control.

The selector activated sludge (SAS) systems are known to prevent excessive growth of filamentous microorganisms responsible for bulking sludge, but these systems were hardly ever modelled. This study aimed to develop a model capable of predicting rapid substrate removal in the SAS systems. For this purpose, the Activated Sludge Model No. 3 (ASM3) was extended with three processes (adsorption, direct growth on the adsorbed substrate under aerobic or anoxic conditions). The modified ASM3 was tested against the results of batch experiments with the biomass originating from two full-scale SAS systems in Germany. The endogenous biomass was mixed with various readily biodegradable substrates (acetate, peptone, glucose and wastewater) and the utilisation of substrate (expresses as COD) and oxygen uptake rates (OURs) were measured during the experiments. In general, model predictions fitted to the experimental data, but a considerable number of kinetic (5) and stoichiometric (2) parameters needed to be adjusted during model calibration. The simulation results revealed that storage was generally a dominating process compared to direct growth in terms of the adsorbed substrate utilisation. The contribution of storage ranged from 65-71% (Plant A) and 69-92% (Plant B).     

Low-temperature post-treatment of anaerobically treated-sewage in anaerobic filter with cationic-polymer addition.

The post-treatment of domestic sewage pretreated in a 6 m3 UASB was investigated in two high-rate anaerobic filter (AF) reactors operated in parallel. The difference between the two AF reactors was only the addition of cationic polymer to the second reactor (AF + P). The reactors were operated at low temperatures, ranged between 13 and 20 degrees C. The media in each AF reactor consisted of vertical sheets of reticulated-polyurethane foam (RPF) with knobs. The results demonstrated that the AF + P reactor (HRT = 3 h) with cationic polymer addition (2 mg/L) was an efficient system for post-treatment. The removal efficiencies for total, suspended, colloidal and dissolved COD were, respectively, 41, 86 and 76 and 12% in the AF + P reactor and they were, respectively, 80, 97, 77 and 66% in the UASB + (AF + P) system. The removal of total, suspended and colloidal COD in the UASB + (AF + P) system were significantly higher than those achieved in the UASB + AF system. As hardly any nutrient was removed in the UASB + (AF + P) system, the effluent after pathogen removal is a valuable product for irrigation and fertilisation to close the water and nutrients cycle.     

Latchup-free ESD protection design with complementary substrate-triggered SCR devices

The turn-on mechanism of silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) devices is essentially a current triggering event. While a current is applied to the base or substrate of an SCR device, it can be quickly triggered on into its latching state. In this paper, latchup-free electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuits, which are combined with the substrate-triggered technique and an SCR device, are proposed. A complementary circuit style with the substrate-triggered SCR device is designed to discharge both the pad-to-V/sub SS/ and pad-to-V/sub DD/ ESD stresses. The novel complementary substrate-triggered SCR devices have the advantages of controllable switching voltage, adjustable holding voltage, faster turn-on speed, and compatible to general CMOS process without extra process modification such as the silicide-blocking mask and ESD implantation. The total holding voltage of the substrate-triggered SCR device can be linearly increased by adding the stacked diode string to avoid the transient-induced latchup issue in the ESD protection circuits. The on-chip ESD protection circuits designed with the proposed complementary substrate-triggered SCR devices and stacked diode string for the input/output pad and power pad have been successfully verified in a 0.25-/spl mu/m salicided CMOS process with the human body model (machine model) ESD level of /spl sim/7.25 kV (500 V) in a small layout area.     

Theoretical analysis of cladding-mode waveguide dispersion and its effects on the spectra of long-period fiber grating

A new method to control the free spectral range (FSR) of a long-period fiber grating (LPFG) is proposed and theoretically analyzed. As the refractive index decreases radially outward in the silica cladding by graded doping of fluorine, waveguide dispersion in the cladding modes was modified to result in the effective indexes change and subsequently the phase-matching conditions for coupling with the core mode in a LPFG. Enlargement of the FSR in a LPFG was theoretically confirmed.     

An investigation of sugar extraction methods and the use of microwave power for date syrup processing: efficiency and color related considerations.

This study investigates the effect of extraction methods on the color of date syrup and the potential use of microwave power for syrup processing. Sugar solutions were extracted from dates by boiling, soaking and blending. Color and sugar content of the extracted solutions were measured, and the percentage of sugar extracted form the total fruit sugar determined. Boiling was found to be the most efficient method of extraction whereby 74% of total samples sugar was extracted. In contrast, only 54.2% of fruit sugar was extracted by blending and 42% by soaking. In addition, solutions extracted by soaking and blending had a foaming problem in the subsequent concentration process. The extraction method had no effect on the product final color. The extracted solution was concentrated using two heating methods: conventional and microwave heating at a 600 W capacity and a frequency of 2450 MHz applied at three power levels: 10, 7, and 6. In the heating process, 180 minutes were needed to achieve a 77% degrees Brix using convective heating, while it took 81, 138, and 166 minutes of microwave heating at power level 10, 7, and 6, respectively to achieve the same concentration. Water activity of the syrup was measured within a sugar content range of 50 to 80% degrees Brix and the sugar concentration at which the product is shelf stable was determined at 76%.