Creating and Justifying Research and Development Value: Scope,Scale, Skill and Social Networking of R&D

In this paper we describe a framework for analysing the creation and justification of Research & Development. The 4S framework is developed for analysing the scope, scale, skills and social network aspects of Research & Development value. The framework is based on social system theory, a process contingency model, and recent Research & Development metrics. We present a first empirical assessment based on a workshop using the 4S framework for leveraging Research & Development. Results that assist in the assessment of value creation utilising R & D within networks are very relevant in high tech industries. The multi–dimensional process approach of this framework seems promising for understanding and managing R&D value creation, but needs further operationalisation. Case studies are described and a Dutch network on leveraging R&D has been initiated.     

The effect of multiple time scales and subexponentiality in MPEGvideo streams on queueing behavior

Guided by the empirical observation that real-time MPEG video streams exhibit both multiple time scale and subexponential characteristics, we construct a video model that captures both of these characteristics and is amenable to queueing analysis. We investigate two fundamental approaches for extracting the model parameters: using sample path and second-order statistics-based methods. The model exhibits the following two canonical queueing behaviors. When strict stability conditions are satisfied, i.e., the conditional mean of each scene is smaller than the capacity of the server, precise modeling of the interscene dynamics (long-term dependency) is not essential for the accurate prediction of small to moderately large queue sizes. In this case, the queue length distribution is determined using quasistationary (perturbation theory) analysis. When weak stability conditions are satisfied, i.e., the conditional mean of at least one scene type is greater than the capacity of the server, the dominant effect for building a large queue size is the subexponential (long-tailed) scene length distribution. In this case, precise modeling of intrascene statistics is of secondary importance for predicting the large queueing behavior. A fluid model, whose arrival process is obtained from the video data by replacing scene statistics with their means, is shown to asymptotically converge to the exact queue distribution. Using the transition scenario of moving from one stability region to the other by a change in the value of the server capacity, we synthesize recent queueing theoretic advances and ad hoc results in video modeling, and unify a broad range of seemingly contradictory experimental observations found in the literature. As a word of caution for the widespread usage of second-order statistics modeling methods, we construct two processes with the same second-order statistics that produce distinctly different queueing behaviors     

Object-oriented H.263 compatible video coding platform forconferencing applications

This paper describes a prototype video coding platform meant for the conception and testing of multimedia products such as next-generation videophones. The platform is largely based on ITU-T Recommendation H.263, with a number of additional object-oriented quality enhancement features which make it especially well suited for very low bit-rate coding of “head-and-shoulders” video material typical of real-time multimedia applications, video teleconferencing, and video telephony. These features consist of: (1) segmentation into objects of interest, (2) segmentation-based prefiltering, (3) model-assisted rate control, (4) adaptive vector quantization, and finally (5) segmentation-based postfiltering. In the spirit of Recommendation H.263, these enhancements are modular and can be selectively turned on or off, thereby enabling a wide variety of coding modes     

The impact of modeling short circuit branches in state estimation

The authors discuss the modeling of zero impedance branches (short circuits) in power system state estimation. The concept of state variable in power system state estimation is generalized, and an extended version of the numerical observability method is proposed to cope with complex situations involving multiple short circuit branches, as they occur in some station arrangements. The impact of short circuit exact representation on bad data identification is also discussed     

Special features of synthesis of a heat-resistant glass-ceramic coating

In order to protect Ni–Cr alloys from high-temperature corrosion, a new heat-resistant glass-ceramic coating was developed with a glass matrix synthesized on the basis of a composite R _x O–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–TiO₂ (R–Li^–, Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Ba²⁺) system. The special features of the formation of crystalline phases in the glasses in heat treatment and the optimum regime for the formation of a glass ceramic structure are described.Translated from Steklo i Keramika, No. 3, pp. 30–32, March, 1996.     

Effects of forced power transfer on high speed generator-loadsystems

A computer-aided method for investigating disturbances due to the forced paralleling of out of phase high speed salient pole AC generator systems feeding isolated loads is presented. The method is used to predict the system performance including the reverse voltage across the rotating bridge rectifier of the field exciter. This paper presents the fundamentals and the modeling approach used in the development of this method. In addition, the results of using this approach to compute the machine parameters under different load conditions including saturation effects due to magnetic material nonlinearities and space harmonics effects due to machine geometry and winding layouts are presented. The computed parameters are validated by comparison to test data. These parameters form the main data for simulating the forced paralleling of out of phase high speed salient pole AC generator systems feeding isolated loads. Further, the results of using this modeling approach in a case study to predict the system performance due to forced power transfer are summarized and are shown to be in good agreement with test data     

A novel double-circuit-rotor balanced induction motor for improvedslip-energy recovery drive performance. I. Modeling and simulation

A new construction for the rotor windings of balanced wound-rotor induction motors employed in the slip energy recovery drives is proposed, in this paper, to reduce the time harmonics which are commonly generated in the machine. The proposed machine has a double-circuit in the rotor. One circuit is star connected while the other is delta connected. Each of these two circuits is connected to a diode-bridge rectifier to achieve a twelve-pulse operation characteristics. The main objective of this paper is to develop a new model which is capable of simulating the proposed machine, neglecting nonlinearities due to magnetic saturation, and its associated converters. Such a model is further complicated due to the presence of the two rotor circuits and their mutual interaction     

Vessel wall detection and blood noise reduction in intravascularultrasound imaging

Scattering from blood limits the contrast between the vessel wall and the lumen in intravascular ultrasound imaging. This makes it difficult to localize the vessel wall, especially on still images. This paper presents a method for automatic detection of vessel walls and reduction of blood noise based on correlation of the RF-signal between adjacent frames. The ultrasound RF-signal is quadrature demodulated, digitized, stored in memory, and transferred to a computer for processing and analysis. The absolute value of the cross-correlation coefficient between two adjacent frames is used to differentiate between stationary and fluctuating signals. Models and numerical calculations presented in this work indicate that the cross-correlation coefficient obtained from a radially dilating vessel wall will be larger than 0.8 under standard 20 MHz imaging conditions. The corresponding value from blood is less than 0.2 for blood velocities exceeding 0.5 cm s^-1 . The blood-noise filter is based on detecting this difference in correlation and displays vessel wall regions with no modifications, while regions detected as blood are rejected. A simplified vessel-wall detector that is suitable for real-time implementation is proposed. The performance of this detector and the blood noise filter are demonstrated by in vitro experiments