Gaussian filters for nonlinear filtering problems

We develop and analyze real-time and accurate filters for nonlinear filtering problems based on the Gaussian distributions. We present the systematic formulation of Gaussian filters and develop efficient and accurate numerical integration of the optimal filter. We also discuss the mixed Gaussian filters in which the conditional probability density is approximated by the sum of Gaussian distributions. A new update rule of weights for Gaussian sum filters is proposed. Our numerical tests demonstrate that new filters significantly improve the extended Kalman filter with no additional cost, and the new Gaussian sum filter has a nearly optimal performance     

Preparation and electrical properties of sintered oxide composed of MnFeNiO4 with a cubic spinel structure

The preparation and electrical properties of a sintered body consisting of cubic spinel oxide MnFeNiO₄ were investigated. A sintered body with cubic spinel and NaCl-type oxides prepared at 1400 °C in Ar could be converted to one consisting of monophase cubic spinel oxide by oxidation at 1000 °C for more than 48 h in air. The electrical conductivity of a sintered body consisting of monophase cubic spinel oxide was confirmed to increase exponentially with increasing temperature, indicating that the oxide has intrinsic negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor characteristics. The electrical conduction of the oxide was concluded to be controlled by the small polaron hopping mechanism. Changes in electrical conductivity, mobility, and charge carrier jump frequency in temperature dependence at 400 °C are assumed to be related to the variation in cation distribution accompanying the disproportionation of Mn ions.     

Effects of Spark-Plasma Sintering Treatment on Cold-Sprayed Copper Coatings

Cold-spray is well known as an effective coating technique to make thick metallic coatings. However, cold-sprayed metallic coatings usually have low tensile strengths due to low adhesion strength between particles, and low ductility due to low adhesion strength between particles and work hardening. Spark-plasma sintering (SPS) is a pressure-sintering technique that employs a large pulsed direct current. Compared to annealing heat treatment (AHT), SPS is expected to effectively improve the adhesion strength between particles in cold-sprayed metallic coatings. In order to investigate the effects of SPS, cold-sprayed Cu coatings were treated by both SPS and AHT under a wide range of temperatures. The microstructures and mechanical properties of the treated specimens were investigated primarily by scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction analysis, hardness tests, and tensile tests. Despite comparable values for porosity, crystal grain size, plastic strain distribution, hardness, and yield stress, the tensile strength and ductility of the specimen treated by SPS at 400 °C (SPS400) were significantly higher than those of the specimen treated by AHT at 450 °C. Based on these results, it was determined that SPS treatment is more effective in improving the adhesion strength between the particles in cold-sprayed Cu coatings than AHT.     

Improvement in efficiency-bandwidth product in small dielectricloaded antennas

The efficiency-bandwidth product (EB) is used in the evaluation of small dielectric loaded monopole antennas (DLMAs). The EBs of the DLMAs have been precisely measured on the basis of the Wheeler cap method. As a result, an improvement in the EB of electrically small cylindrical DLMAs has been confirmed experimentally in comparison with that in a bare monopole antenna. In addition, within the category of electrically small antennas considered here, it seems that there exists an optimum value of permittivity for the dielectric loading for which the best EB value is obtained     

Minimal state space realizations in Jacobson normal form

We derive a procedure for a minimal state space realization of a rational transfer matrix over an arbitrary field. The procedure is based on the Smith-McMillan form and leads to a state transition matrix in Jacobson normal form.     

An analysis of limit cycle and velocity history in Mazda’s <Emphasis Type="Italic">keiretsu</Emphasis>

This article proposes the use of limit cycle theory and velocity history as effective tools for analyzing the behavior of members of an organized network. Specifically, the limit cycle and velocity history of firms in the Kansai Yokokai, one of the three major groups of suppliers that constitute Mazda’s keiretsu, are examined using a new analytical approach. Based on the data obtained, the organizational behavior of the suppliers is subsumed into four categorical patterns, each of which is related to the limit cycle and velocity history. The research implications, as well as the weakness of the limit cycle, are also discussed.     

东京多摩美术大学图书馆

<正>多摩美术大学图书馆是日本建筑大师伊东丰雄(Toyo Ito)的新作,坐落在东京多摩美术大学八王子校区内,位于一座公园后略微倾斜的草坪上。设计伊始,伊东丰雄领导的团队计划将整座图     

Thermal Behavior of Potato Starch and Water-Vaporization Behavior of Its Paste Controlled with Amino Acid and Peptide-Rich Food Materials

ABSTRACT: The particular effect of 4 kinds of amino acid and peptide-rich food material (APRM) containing different charged amino acid contents on the gelatinization and retrogradation behavior of potato starch granules and on the water-vaporization behavior was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, rapid viscoanalysis, x-ray diffractometry, thermal gravimetry-differential thermal analysis, and pulsed NMR. APRM with a high-charged amino acid content produced unique gelatinization and retrogradation behavior in terms of an elevated gelatinization temperature, reduced viscosity, higher setback, and lower retrograded starch melting enthalpy. The recovered x-ray diffraction intensity decreased with increasing charged amino acid content. APRM with high-charged amino acid content could provide an improved paste having easy vaporization of external water in the swollen starch granules due to the reduced swelling.     

Effect of laser power on electrical conductivity of BaTi5O11 films prepared by laser chemical vapor deposition method

BaTi₅O₁₁ films were prepared on Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si substrates by a laser chemical vapor deposition method. The effect of laser power (P _L) on the electrical conductivity of the BaTi₅O₁₁ films was investigated. The electrical resistivity of the grains was much higher than that of the grain boundaries, which indicated that the electrical conductivity along the grain boundary was dominant. For the BaTi₅O₁₁ films, the conduction was mainly attributed to oxygen vacancies, and the electrical conductivity was strongly affected by their microstructures and the concentration of the charge carriers. With increasing the P _L, the grain size increased and the grain-boundary density decreased, which resulted in the decrease of the electrical conductivity. At the same time, the increase of T _dep led to higher concentration of charge carriers, which resulted in the increase of electrical conductivity.