Probability of error for selection diversity as a function of dwelltime

An expression is derived for the probability of error of an N th-order selection diversity system for the case where the receiver is forced to swell on one channel for several symbols before being allowed to make a decision regarding the best channel. It is found that the time-varying nature of a fading channel causes significant degradation of the probability of error when the dwell time becomes longer than about 10% of the inverse of the fading bandwidth of the channel. The onset of degradation is a function of the signal-to-noise ratio and of the order of diversity. Specific probabilities of error are calculated for differential phase-shift keyed modulation (DPSK). However, the calculations can be done for any other modulation technique     

Components of genetic variance and covariance for linear type traits in Jersey cattle

First available appraisals for 67,644 Jersey cows were used to estimate relative magnitudes of additive and selected sources of nonadditive genetic variance and covariance for 13 type traits scored linearly from 50 to 99 points. Covariances among four types of relatives were used to estimate components of genetic variance and covariance for each of the 13 traits. Direct additive, direct dominance, and additive maternal genetic variances and the direct-maternal additive genetic covariance were estimated using covariances among paternal half-sibs, full-sibs, daughters and dams, and maternal half-sibs. Estimates of additive genetic variance were 11 to 36% of variance within herd-appraiser subclasses with largest values for stature, strength, rump angle, rump width, and udder depth. Dominance components were two to four times the magnitude of additive components for dairy character, rump width, fore udder, rear udder height, rear udder width, and suspensory ligament but much smaller for other traits. Maternal effects and the direct-maternal additive genetic covariance appeared small for all linear type traits.     

StoryGrid [educational computing]

The StoryGrid project undertook studying the role new interface technologies might play in education, particularly at the high school level. Unfortunately, technology often seizes center stage in high school classrooms; i.e., it becomes the topic of instruction. We believe that learning about technology would be most successful when technology is not the topic, but simply a tool used during instruction. StoryGrid, therefore, was designed to support and to enhance existing narrative activity in classrooms by adhering to the following goals: trigger reflection and interpretation, accommodate individual expression and encourage student discourse.     

Recovering spectral data from natural scenes with an RGB digital camera and colored filters

Many spectral‐recovery methods using RGB digital cameras assume the underlying smoothness of illuminant and reflectance spectra, and apply low‐dimensional linear models. The aim of the present work was to test whether a direct‐mapping method could be used instead of a linear‐models approach to recover spectral radiances and reflectances from natural scenes with an RGB digital camera and colored filters. In computer simulations, a conventional RGB digital camera with up to three colored filters was used to image scenes drawn from a hyperspectral image database. Three measures were used to evaluate recovery with the direct‐mapping method: goodness‐of‐fit, root‐mean‐square error, and a color‐difference metric. It was found that with two and three filters both spectral radiances and reflectances could be recovered sufficiently accurately for many practical applications. With little increase in computational complexity, an RGB camera and a few colored filters can provide significantly better recovery of natural scenes than an RGB camera alone. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 32, 352–360, 2007     

A 16-Mbit/s adapter chip for the IBM token-ring local area network

The authors describe a 9.02×9.02-mm chip built in 1-μm CMOS with two levels of metal and an additional mask level for fabricating capacitors. It contains both analog and digital circuits and has provisions for self-test. The function includes the transmitter, receiver, protocol handler, an microprocessor, as well as interfaces for RAM/ROM storage, IBM PC bus, IBM PS/2 bus, IBM 3174 bus, and Motorola 68000 bus. The physical design terrains are formed by 24K circuits of standard cell gates, a 10K-circuit equivalent hand-honed custom microprocessor, and an analog macro. The chip operates from a single 5-V supply, and the power consumption is 0.8 W nominal at 16 Mb/s. The chip can also be operated at 4 Mb/s     

Effects of Sodium Hydroxide and Selected Inorganic Phosphates on the Characteristics of Reduced Sodium Meat Emulsions

The effects of adding sodium hydroxide (NaOH), separately or in combinastion with various inorganic phosphates, on meat emulsion characteristics were studied. In comparing the addition of either NaPP or NaOH, 0.075% NaOH resulted in a higher raw emulsion pH and greater solubilized protein than 0.30% NaPP, but NaPP resulted in a more stable emulsion. The combination of 0.075% NaOH and 0.30% NaPP resulted in a soluble protein level less than when the ingredients were added individually and only slightly higher than if neither were present. The addition of NaOH (at 1 part NaOH to 4 parts phosphate) decreased cooked yields. With NaAPP and NaPP, NaOH reduced yields below that of the control.     

A generalized technique for evaluating reflection coefficients for ground-plane systems

General formulae are derived for the reflection of insolation from finite plane surfaces unto tilted sensors. These results are reduced to various special cases which are compared to known results when possible. Both circular and rectangular geometries are considered.     

A Statistical Method for Reconfiguration of Cognitive Radios

Recent developments in computer technology have enabled radio developers to accomplish in software what traditionally was performed with application-specific integrated circuits. A radio that has the core of its functionality implemented in software is called a software-defined radio. When an SDR has the capability to sense, reason, and dynamically adapt to requirements and environmental change, we call this more capable device a cognitive radio. Many private and public agencies are investing in the promise of CR to improve the utilization of radio frequency spectrum. They envision devices that can sense frequency vacancies and dynamically reconfigure to utilize idle channels. The promise of CR depends on the capability of a radio to change operating frequencies, power, and/or modulation schemes (physical layer flexibility). In addition to this physical layer flexibility, there are a large number of opportunities to capitalize on the interplay of the CR physical layer configuration and other parameters in the radio network protocol stack. At the core of CR functionality is the ability to select from thousands of potential configurations to maximize performance-be it in terms of spectrum use, throughput, or reliability. In this article, we describe a method for selecting from a number of potential configurations to fulfill the communication requirements of a CR network. By using accepted statistical methods, we show how parameters at the physical, data link, network, and application layers interact to affect performance. We build upon this parametric insight with our presentation of a technique for predicting radio performance.