Integrated micro Pirani gauge based hermetical package monitoring for uncooled VO x bolometer FPAs

This paper presents the design and fabrication of a micro Pirani gauge using VO _x as the sensitive material for monitoring the pressure inside a hermetical package for micro bolometer focal plane arrays (FPAs). The designed Pirani gauge working in heat dissipating mode was intentionally fabricated using standard MEMS processing which is highly compatible with the FPAs fabrication. The functional layer of the micro Pirani gauge is a VO _x thin film designed as a 100 × 200 μm pixel, suspended 2 μm above the substrate. By modeling of rarefied gas heat conduction using the Extended Fourier’s law, finite element analysis is used to investigate the sensitivity of the pressure gauge. Also the thermal interactions between the micro Pirani gauge and bolometer FPAs are verified. From the fabricated prototype, the measured device TCR is about −0.8% K⁻¹ and the sensitivity about 1.84 × 10⁻³ W K⁻¹ mbar⁻¹.     

Estimating body shape of dressed humans

The paper presents a method to estimate the detailed 3D body shape of a person even if heavy or loose clothing is worn. The approach is based on a space of human shapes, learned from a large database of registered body scans. Together with this database we use as input a 3D scan or model of the person wearing clothes and apply a fitting method, based on ICP (iterated closest point) registration and Laplacian mesh deformation. The statistical model of human body shapes enforces that the model stays within the space of human shapes. The method therefore allows us to compute the most likely shape and pose of the subject, even if it is heavily occluded or body parts are not visible. Several experiments demonstrate the applicability and accuracy of our approach to recover occluded or missing body parts from 3D laser scans.     

Der Stand der Forschung zur Erfolgsmessung von Informationssystemen

Measuring information systems (IS) success is of great interest to both researchers and practitioners. This article examines multidimensional approaches to measuring IS success and explores the current state of IS success research through a literature review and by classifying articles published between 2003 and 2007. Based on a total of 41 academic journal and conference publications, the relevant research carried out is identified, while the research results are categorized, consolidated, and discussed. The results show that the dominant empirical research analyzes the individual impact of a certain type of information system by ascertaining users’ evaluation of it by means of surveys and then applying structural equation modeling. The DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model is the main theoretical basis of the reviewed empirical studies. This article provides researchers with a comprehensive review and structuring of IS success research. Furthermore, opportunities for additional development are identified and future research directions suggested.     

Straight ladder inclined angle in a field environment: the relationship among actual angle,method of set-up and knowledge

Ladder inclined angle is a critical factor that could lead to a slip at the base of portable straight ladders, a major cause of falls from heights. Despite several methods established to help workers achieve the recommended 75.5° angle for ladder set-up, it remains unclear if these methods are used in practice. This study explored ladder set-up behaviours in a field environment. Professional installers of a company in the cable and other pay TV industry were observed for ladder set-up at their worksites. The results showed that the actual angles of 265 ladder set-ups by 67 participants averaged 67.3° with a standard deviation of 3.22°. Although all the participants had training on recommended ladder set-up methods, only 3 out of 67 participants applied these methods in their daily work and even they failed to achieve the desired 75.5° angle. Therefore, ladder set-up remains problematic in real-world situations.

Practitioner Summary: Professional installers of a cable company were observed for portable straight ladder set-up at their worksites. The ladder inclined angle averaged 67.3° with a standard deviation of 3.22°, while the recommended angle is 75.5°. Only a few participants used the methods that they learned during training in their daily work.     

Narrow Band FLIP for Liquid Simulations

The Fluid Implicit Particle method (FLIP) for liquid simulations uses particles to reduce numerical dissipation and provide important visual cues for events like complex splashes and small‐scale features near the liquid surface. Unfortunately, FLIP simulations can be computationally expensive, because they require a dense sampling of particles to fill the entire liquid volume. Furthermore, the vast majority of these FLIP particles contribute nothing to the fluid's visual appearance, especially for larger volumes of liquid. We present a method that only uses FLIP particles within a narrow band of the liquid surface, while efficiently representing the remaining inner volume on a regular grid. We show that a naïve realization of this idea introduces unstable and uncontrollable energy fluctuations, and we propose a novel coupling scheme between FLIP particles and regular grid which overcomes this problem. Our method drastically reduces the particle count and simulation times while yielding results that are nearly indistinguishable from regular FLIP simulations. Our approach is easy to integrate into any existing FLIP implementation.     

Scheduling shipments in closed-loop sortation conveyors

At the very core of most automated sorting systems— for example, at airports for baggage handling and in parcel distribution centers for sorting mail—we find closed-loop tilt tray sortation conveyors. In such a system, trays are loaded with cargo as they pass through loading stations, and are later tilted upon reaching the outbound container dedicated to a shipment’s destination. This paper addresses the question of whether the simple decision rules typically applied in the real world when deciding which parcel should be loaded onto what tray are, indeed, a good choice. We formulate a short-term deterministic scheduling problem where a finite set of shipments must be loaded onto trays such that the makespan is minimized. We consider different levels of flexibility in how to arrange shipments on the feeding conveyors, and distinguish between unidirectional and bidirectional systems. In a comprehensive computational study, we compare these sophisticated optimization procedures with widespread rules of thumb, and find that the latter perform surprisingly well. For almost all problem settings, some priority rule can be identified which leads to a low-single-digit optimality gap. In addition, we systematically evaluate the performance gains promised by different sorter layouts.     

Amperometric biosensor for formic acid in air

The possibility of developing a simple, inexpensive and specific personal passive “real-time” air sampler incorporating a biosensor for formic acid was investigated. The sensor is based on the enzymatic reaction between formic acid and formate dehydrogenase (FDH) with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) as a co-factor and Meldola's blue as mediator. An effective way to immobilise the enzyme, co-factor and Meldola's blue on screen-printed, disposable, electrodes was found to be in a mixture of glycerol and phosphate buffer covered with a gas-permeable membrane. Steady-state current was reached after 4–15 min and the limit of detection was calculated to be below 1 mg/m³. However, the response decreased by 50% after storage at −15°C for 1 day.     

Human-centred approaches in slipperiness measurement.

A number of human-centred methodologies--subjective, objective, and combined--are used for slipperiness measurement. They comprise a variety of approaches from biomechanically-oriented experiments to psychophysical tests and subjective evaluations. The objective of this paper is to review some of the research done in the field, including such topics as awareness and perception of slipperiness, postural and balance control, rating scales for balance, adaptation to slippery conditions, measurement of unexpected movements, kinematics of slipping, and protective movements during falling. The role of human factors in slips and falls will be discussed. Strengths and weaknesses of human-centred approaches in relation to mechanical slip test methodologies are considered. Current friction-based criteria and thresholds for walking without slipping are reviewed for a number of work tasks. These include activities such as walking on a level or an inclined surface, running, stopping and jumping, as well as stair ascent and descent, manual exertion (pushing and pulling, load carrying, lifting) and particular concerns of the elderly and mobility disabled persons. Some future directions for slipperiness measurement and research in the field of slips and falls are outlined. Human-centred approaches for slipperiness measurement do have many applications. First, they are utilized to develop research hypotheses and models to predict workplace risks caused by slipping. Second, they are important alternatives to apparatus-based friction measurements and are used to validate such methodologies. Third, they are used as practical tools for evaluating and monitoring slip resistance properties of footwear, anti-skid devices and floor surfaces.     

High-temperature superconducting microwave devices: Fundamental issues in materials, physics, and engineering

High-T _c superconductivity has generated a great deal of interest because of the challenges it presents in the fields of material science, condensed matter physics, and electrical engineering, and because of the potential applications which may result from these research efforts. Thin-film passive microwave components may become the first high-temperature superconducting (HTS) devices available for widespread use and commercialization. In this article, we review aspects of material science, physics, and engineering which directly impact high-T _c superconducting microwave devices and discuss issues which determine the performance of these devices. Methods of growing HTS thin films on large-area substrates, techniques for fabricating single-level HTS passive microwave components, and the relevant properties of high-T _c superconducting films are discussed, with a focus on thin films of the HTS material YBa₂Cu₃O_7–. Several known mechanisms for microwave loss in both the superconductor and the dielectric substrate are presented. An overview of the general classes of superconducting passive microwave devices is given, and representative microwave devices which have been recently demonstrated are described in detail. Examples of a select few HTS active microwave components are also presented. Potential microwave applications are illustrated with comparisons to current technology.