Analysis of Test Application Time for Test Data Compression Methods Based on Compression Codes

We present an analysis of test application time for test data compression techniques that are used for reducing test data volume and testing time in system-on-a-chip (SOC) designs. These techniques are based on data compression codes and on-chip decompression. The compression/decompression scheme decreases test data volume and the amount of data that has to be transported from the tester to the SOC. We show via analysis as well as through experiments that the proposed scheme reduces testing time and allows the use of a slower tester. Results on test application time for the ISCAS'89 circuits are obtained using an ATE testbench developed in VHDL to emulate ATE functionality.     

Rate-proportional servers: a design methodology for fair queueingalgorithms

Generalized processor sharing (GPS) has been considered as an ideal scheduling discipline based on its end-to-end delay bounds and fairness properties. Until recently, emulation of GPS in a packet server has been regarded as the ideal means of designing a packet-level scheduling algorithm to obtain low delay bounds and bounded unfairness. Strict emulation of GPS, as required in the weighted fair queueing (WFQ) scheduler, however, incurs a time-complexity of O(N) where N is the number of sessions sharing the link. Efforts in the past to simplify the implementation of WFQ, such as self-clocked fair queueing (SCFQ), have resulted in degrading its isolation properties, thus affecting the delay bound. We present a methodology for the design of scheduling algorithms that provide the same end-to-end delay bound as that of WFQ and bounded unfairness without the complexity of GPS emulation. The resulting class of algorithms, called rate-proportional servers (RPSs), are based on isolating scheduler properties that give rise to ideal delay and fairness behavior. Network designers can use this methodology to construct efficient fair-queueing algorithms, balancing their fairness with implementation complexity     

Upper bounds for blocking probabilities in large multi‐rate loss networks

In this paper, we consider large loss networks with fixed routing and multirate traffic. We use singlelink formulae and standard results on multidimensional Gaussian distributions to obtain upper bounds for blocking probabilities of new calls under light up to critical loading conditions. This is the loading regime of interest for many practical applications such as admission control in ATM networks. The main advantage of our approach is that the complexity does not scale with the size of the system, making it numerically attractive. Comparison with simulation results show that we get good upper bounds. We conclude by discussing the correlation between links in a network.     

Distributed algorithms for multicast path setup in data networks

Establishing a multicast tree in a point-to-point network of switch nodes, such as a wide-area asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, can be modeled as the NP-complete Steiner problem in networks. In this paper, we introduce and evaluate two distributed algorithms for finding multicast trees in point-to-point data networks. These algorithms are based on the centralized Steiner heuristics, the shortest path heuristic (SPH) and the Kruskal-based shortest path heuristic (K-SPH), and have the advantage that only the multicast members and nodes in the neighborhood of the multicast tree need to participate in the execution of the algorithm. We compare our algorithms by simulation against a baseline algorithm, the pruned minimum spanning-tree heuristic that is the basis of many previously published algorithms for finding multicast trees. Our results show that the competitiveness (the ratio of the sum of the heuristic tree's edge weights to that of the best solution found) of both of our algorithms was, on the average, 25% better in comparison to that of the pruned spanning-tree approach. In addition, the competitiveness of our algorithms was, in almost all cases, within 10% of the best solution found by any of the Steiner heuristics considered, including both centralized and distributed algorithms. Limiting the execution of the algorithm to a subset of the nodes in the network results in an increase in convergence time over the pruned spanning-tree approach, but this overhead can be reduced by careful implementation     

Solar drying vs. open sun drying: A framework for financial evaluation

Initiatives towards large-scale dissemination of solar dryers for drying of agri-produce face severe competition from the largely prevalent practice of open sun drying in most of the developing countries. Therefore, solar drying systems must offer exceptionally attractive financial gains to enhance their acceptance among the potential users. A modest attempt to develop a simple framework to facilitate a comparison of the financial feasibility of solar drying as against open sun drying has been made in the present work. Results of some exemplifying calculations are presented and briefly discussed.     

Freezing-induced splashing during impact of molten metal droplets with high Weber numbers

The impact of molten tin droplets (0.6 mm diameter) on solid surfaces was observed for a range of impact velocities (10–30 m/s), substrate temperatures (25–200 °C) and substrate materials (stainless steel, aluminum and glass). The substrate was mounted on the rim of a rotating flywheel and the collision of single droplets with the moving substrate was photographed. Droplet impact Reynolds number ranged from 2.2 × 10⁴ to 6.5 × 10⁴ and Weber number from 8.0 × 10² to 7.2 × 10³. On a hot surface there was no splashing and droplets spread to form disk-like splats with smooth edges. Solidification around the edges of droplets spreading on cold surfaces created a solid rim that obstructed flow and triggered splashing. An analytical model was developed to predict the transition temperature at which splashing disappeared by assuming that the thickness of the solid layer had to equal that of the splat in the time the droplet spread to its maximum extent in order to obstruct liquid flow. The model predicted the transition temperature for aluminum and stainless steel surfaces, assuming that thermal contact resistance between the droplet and substrate varied between 10⁻⁶ and 10⁻⁷ m² K/W. The model also predicted that tin droplets would not splash on glass surfaces maintained at or above room temperature, and this was confirmed by experiments.     

Design of a flat field fiber with very small dispersion slope

We have given designs of a small dispersion fiber with large effective area and small dispersion slope. The fiber has flat modal field over the central part of the core, which provides large mode field diameter (8.3 μm at λ₀=1550 nm) leading to the relatively large effective area (A_eff=56.1 μm²) required to reduce nonlinear effects. The total dispersion of the proposed fiber is in the range of 2.7–3.4 ps/km/nm in the wavelength range of 1530 to 1610 nm, which covers the entire C- and L-bands of erbium doped fiber amplifiers. The dispersion slope at λ₀=1550 nm is 0.01 ps/km/nm², which is also very small.     

4D Printing of Shape Memory Materials for Textiles: Mechanism,Mathematical Modeling,and Challenges

Shape memory materials (SMMs) in 3D printing (3DP) technology garnered much attention due to their ability to respond to external stimuli, which direct this technology toward an emerging area of research, “4D printing (4DP) technology.” In contrast to classical 3D printed objects, the fourth dimension, time, allows printed objects to undergo significant changes in shape, size, or color when subjected to external stimuli. Highly precise and calibrated 4D materials, which can perform together to achieve robust 4D objects, are in great demand in various fields such as military applications, space suits, robotic systems, apparel, healthcare, sports, etc. This review, for the first time, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, focuses on recent advances in SMMs (e.g., polymers, metals, etc.) based wearable smart textiles and fashion goods. This review integrates the basic overview of 3DP technology, fabrication methods, the transition of 3DP to 4DP, the chemistry behind the fundamental working principles of 4D printed objects, materials selection for smart textiles and fashion goods. The central part summarizes the effect of major external stimuli on 4D textile materials followed by the major applications. Lastly, prospects and challenges are discussed, so that future researchers can continue the progress of this technology.     

Pad effects on material-removal rate in chemical-mechanical planarization

The role of a porous pad in controlling material-removal rate (MRR) during the chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) process has been studied numerically. The numerical results are used to develop a phenomenological model that correlates the forces on each individual abrasive particle to the applied nominal pressure. The model provides a physical explanation for the experimentally observed domains of pressure-dependent MRR, where the pad deformation controls the load sharing between active-abrasive particles and direct pad-wafer contact. The predicted correlations between MRR and slurry characteristics, i.e., particle size and concentration, are in agreement with experimentally measured trends reported by Ouma¹ and Izumitani.²