A radix-8 wafer scale FFT processor

Wafer Scale Integration promises radical improvements in the performance of digital signal processing systems. This paper describes the design of a radix-8 systolic (pipeline) fast Fourier transform processor for implementation with wafer scale integration. By the use of the radix-8 FFT butterfly wafer that is currently under development, continuous data rates of 160 MSPS are anticipated for FFTs of up to 4096 points with 16-bit fixed point data.     

Note on a vertical water-jet emanating downwards from a slit in the air

Summary In this study the critical dimensionless parameters, controlling the alternate 90° turn and oscillation along the axis of a vertical water-jet emanating downwards from a slit in the air are determined.     

Response spectrum analysis of piping systems with elastic-plastic gap supports

A new seismic support device and its application in piping systems is described. The device, E-BAR (patented), can be cost effectively used for snubber replacement programs, mitigation of hydraulic transients, pipe whip and as a thermal stop. The device has pre-set gaps to allow free thermal movement. During a seismic or other dynamic load event, if the pipe movement exceeds the gap dimension, the device acts as an elastic or elastic-plastic restraint. The device also has a unique design feature for not exceeding the restraint force beyond a specified limit design value. To analyze piping systems with gap supports having elastic-plastic characteristics, modal analysis procedures for both response spectrum and time history methods are developed. The comparison of responses obtained from the procedures with nonlinear time history analysis and test results available in the literature shows excellent correlation. A pilot program conducted for snubber replacement with E-BARs demonstrates that the limit force feature of E-BAR makes them very attractive for snubber replacement. This is because a particular E-BAR with a specified limit design force can be selected, such that, the E-BAR replacing the snubber does not require any modifications be made to the existing support steel and hardware.     

Data-logging: effects on practical science

Abstract This paper describes an investigation into the processes and effects of using electronic data-logging in practical science. A pilot study of classical laboratory work in schools was compared with similar tasks performed with data-logging systems. A more detailed exploration of pupils' performance was then conducted through an extensive series of observations in a range of secondary schools. The results reinforce previous indications of the potential benefits of data-logging, but such benefits must be viewed in the curriculum context of the type of measurement activity and the pedagogical context of teaching and learning objectives. The paper concludes with a discussion of the latter issues.     

Robustly good trellis codes

The relationship between the distance properties of trellis codes and the computational effort and error performance of sequential decoding is studied and optimum distance profile (ODP) and optimum free distance (OFD) trellis codes are constructed for 8-PSK and 16 QAM modulation. A comparison of the performance of both the ODP and the OFD trellis codes reveals that neither class of codes results in the best trade-off between error performance and computational effort when sequential decoding is used. A new algorithm is then proposed to construct robustly good trellis codes for use with sequential decoding. New trellis codes with asymptotic coding gains up to 6.66 dB are obtained using this algorithm, and the new codes achieve nearly the same free distances as the OFD codes and nearly the same distance profiles as the ODP codes     

Use of gas plasmas to increase breakdown strengths in polycarbonatefilm/foil capacitors

It is shown that the electrical breakdown voltages of polycarbonate film/metal foil capacitors can be increased. This can be achieved by briefly exposing the metal foil in these spirally wound film foil sections to a low-pressure, low-temperature gas plasma. Exposure of tin/lead foil to a 96% CF₄/4% O₂ gas plasma for four min, for example, produced >500% increase in breakdown voltage of sealed polycarbonate capacitors     

Silicon-substrate microelectrode arrays for parallel recording ofneural activity in peripheral and cranial nerves

A new process for the fabrication of regeneration microelectrode arrays for peripheral and cranial nerve applications is presented. This type of array is implanted between the severed ends of nerves, the axons of which regenerate through via holes in the silicon and are thereafter held fixed with respect to the microelectrodes. The process described is designed for compatibility with industry-standard CMOS or BiCMOS processes (it does not involve high-temperature process steps nor heavily-doped etch-stop layers), and provides a thin membrane for the via holes, surrounded by a thick silicon supporting rim. Many basic questions remain regarding the optimum via hole and microelectrode geometries in terms of both biological and electrical performance of the implants, and therefore passive versions were fabricated as tools for addressing these issues in on-going work. Versions of the devices were implanted in the rat peroneal nerve and in the frog auditory nerve. In both cases, regeneration was verified histologically and it was observed that the regenerated nerves had reorganized into microfascicles containing both myelinated and unmyelinated axons and corresponding to the grid pattern of the via holes. These microelectrode arrays were shown to allow the recording of action potential signals in both the peripheral and cranial nerve settings, from several microelectrodes in parallel     

Improving the quality of shortwave broadcast reception indoors byusing an anti-fading probe antenna

When shortwave (SW) broadcasts are received on self-contained receivers indoors, there generally is a reduction in signal strength and an increase in the speed and depth of fading in comparison with reception in open spaces outdoors. Even when the received signal level is adequate, the quality of reception indoors is degraded. This comes about because the fields indoors are a superposition of components of radiated signal from the distant transmitter plus other components representing energy reradiated or scattered by nearby conductors such as house wiring or plumbing. Since many of the near-field components originate very close to the receiver, it is possible to reduce their effect by deriving the receiver input from two or more probes-i.e., pickup devices specially designed to respond to fields in their immediate vicinity without disturbing those fields. To achieve the desired probe action, advantage can be taken of the high input impedance of portable, battery-powered receivers designed for use with small telescoping whip antennas. Spacing of multiple probes in the order of a few tens of centimeters suffices to give an output significantly smoother and of higher quality than that obtainable with the receiver's whip antenna by itself. The high signal levels of many SW broadcasts make it practical to use small, inefficient antennas. This article describes an Anti-Fading Probe Antenna (APA), which produces a worthwhile improvement in reception quality indoors. It is simple to build, requires no adjustment, and may even improve received signal quality in some outdoor situations     

A multichannel neural probe for selective chemical delivery at thecellular level

A bulk-micromachined multichannel silicon probe capable of selectively delivering chemicals at the cellular level as well as electrically recording from and stimulating neurons in vivo has been developed. The process buries multiple flow channels in the probe substrate, resulting in a hollow-core device, Microchannel formation requires only one mask in addition to those normally used for probe fabrication and is compatible with on-chip signal-processing circuitry. Flow in these microchannels has been studied theoretically and experimentally. For an effective channel diameter of 10 μm, a channel length of 4 mm, and water as the injected fluid, the flow velocity at 11 torr is about 1.3 mm/s, delivering 100 pl in 1 s. Intermixing of chemicals, with the tissue fluid due to natural diffusion through the outlet orifice becomes significant for dwell times in excess of about 30 min, and a shutter is proposed for chronic use. The probe has been used for acute monitoring of the neural responses to various chemical stimuli in guinea pig superior and inferior colliculus