My personal history in the early explorations of computer graphics

Gary Demos discovered computer graphics while hearing a computer-generated film presentation at CalTech in 1970 by John Whitney Sr. Gary then began working under the direction of Ivan Sutherland in Utah to develop early computer graphics hardware and software. In 1974 Gary and John Whitney Jr. started the “Motion Picture Project” at Information International to produce computer generated simulated scenes for movies (Futureworld, Looker, and Tron) and commercials. These early computer-generated visuals were quite challenging given the level of software and hardware technology available in the 1970’s. In 1981 Gary and John left Information International to form Digital Productions, where they produced effects for the movies Last Starfighter and “2010”, which were both released in 1984. Digital Productions used the Cray XMP computer, together with the Digital Film Printer that they had developed at Information International. Following a hostile takeover by Omibus of Digital Productions in 1986, Whitney/Demos Productions was formed, using a Thinking Machine parallel computer. This paper describes the technical challenges and achievements of this early visual computing.     

Genetic subsets regression

Subset regression procedures have been shown to provide better overall performance than stepwise regression procedures. However, due to the combinatorial nature of evaluating each potential subset, subset regression techniques are costly to use. To resolve this difficulty, the use of a simple genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to reduce the number of subsets which must be evaluated. Any of a number of popular criteria, including Mallows' C_p, MSE, R², AIC, etc., can be used to drive the search strategy associated with the use of the GA. Several illustrated examples on its use are provided.     

Supporting Scientific Collaboration: Methods, Tools and Concepts

This paper discusses the interrelationship between e-Science and CSCW in terms of key substantive, methodological and conceptual innovations made in both fields. In so doing, we hope to draw out the existing relationship between CSCW and e-Science research, and to map out some key future challenges where the two areas of research may become more closely aligned. In considering what may be required to draw the two more closely together, the paper focuses primarily on investigations that have been undertaken in two dedicated initiatives into e-Science, along with the key issues emerging from these studies.     

Enterprise Performance Management: Making it Work

Abstract

Enterprise performance management (EPM) is the integration of control and improvement methods imbedded with analytics. Its methods include the strategy map, balanced scorecards, costing (including activity based cost management), budgeting, forecasting and resource capacity requirements planning. These methods fuel other core solutions such as customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), risk management, and human capital management systems, as well as lean management and Six Sigma initiatives.     

THE RELATIONSHIP OF CONTROL AND LEARNING TO PROJECT PERFORMANCE

ABSTRACT

Management controls can be divided into two types that can have opposite effects on organizational learning: behavioral controls, which promote efficiency but also stifle much of the learning opportunity, and outcome controls, which foster interaction among stakeholders can add to the learning environment. This article reports on a study that confirms these observations and explores the nature of their direct and indirect influences on project performance. Data from a sample of software development professionals confirms that behavioral controls and learning directly influence project performance, while outcome controls contribute only indirectly through their impact on learning.     

2005亚洲信息电子展(CeBIT)巡礼

亚洲公司首次占据了以前属于欧洲公司的位置，主导了显示器展厅，而有些欧洲公司缺席了今年的展览。     

A Multi‐Strategic Concept‐Spotting Approach for Robust Understanding of Spoken Korean

We propose a multi‐strategic concept‐spotting approach for robust spoken language understanding of conversational Korean in a hostile recognition environment such as in‐car navigation and telebanking services. Our concept‐spotting method adopts a partial semantic understanding strategy within a given specific domain since the method tries to directly extract pre‐defined meaning representation slot values from spoken language inputs. In spite of partial understanding, we can efficiently acquire the necessary information to compose interesting applications because the meaning representation slots are properly designed for specific domain‐oriented understanding tasks. We also propose a multi‐strategic method based on this concept‐spotting approach such as a voting method. We present experiments conducted to verify the feasibility of these methods using a variety of spoken Korean data.     

Multilevel metal interconnection utilizing CVD tungsten and liftoff processing

Interconnections between semiconductor devices in integrated circuits continue to present difficult problems in the tradeoffs between RC time constants, production worthiness, reliability, structural complexity, and compactibility for any single technology. A process and structure has been demonstrated for integrated circuit interconnections which uses a conformai tungsten layer deposited by chemical vapor deposition to provide step coverage into via holes of variable height. The film is then patterned with a via interconnect pattern designed for liftoff processing, layers of chromium copper and chromium are then depositedinsitu on the wafers by way of evaporation. The undesired material is lifted off in a solvent process and the resulting metal pattern is used as the mask for the reactive ion etching of CVD tungsten. This combination of materials and process allows for high conductivity reliable interconnections with negligable step coverage problems. Processing and test information will be presented in the paper.     

2008年全球芯片与设备市场放缓

消费者已感受到经济增长放缓的压力,全球半导体与电子设备供应商也是如此。据iSuppli公司,这些厂商在2008年面临需求增长放慢的局面。 在全球电子设备市场中,六大领域中的五个预计2008年增长率将低于2007年,这五个领域是：电脑、工业设备、汽车设备、有线通讯和无线通讯。     

Advanced optical tweezers for the study of cellular and molecular biomechanics

Optical tweezers are an important tool for studying cellular and molecular biomechanics. We present a robust optical tweezers device with advanced features including: multiple optical traps, acousto-optic trap steering, and back focal plane interferometry position detection. We integrate these features into an upright microscope, with no compromise to its capabilities (differential interference contrast microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, etc.). Acousto-optic deflectors (AODs) steer each beam and can create multiple time-shared traps. Position detection, force calibrations and AOD performance are presented. The system can detect subnanometer displacements and forces below 0.1 pN.