Continuous State Dynamic Programming via Nonexpansive Approximation

This paper studies fitted value iteration for continuous state numerical dynamic programming using nonexpansive function approximators. A number of approximation schemes are discussed. The main contribution is to provide error bounds for approximate optimal policies generated by the value iteration algorithm.      

Peristaltic micropump system with piezoelectric actuators

This work presents a driving system for a peristaltic micropump that is based on piezoelectric actuation. The effects of the actuation sequence on pump performance are also considered. A valveless peristaltic micropump based on piezoelectric actuation is designed and fabricated using microelectromechanical system technology. The pump has three parts––silicon, Pyrex glass and commercially available bulk PZT (lead zirconate titanate) chips. The peristaltic micropump actuated by PZT chips comprises three chambers that are in series. The driving system consists of an ATmega 8535 microprocessor, a high voltage power supply, three differential amplifiers, a phase controller, an A/D converter, a 555 oscillator and an LCD module. It is supplied via a 110 Vrms 60-Hz AC line and is programmable. The system can produce step-function signals with voltages of up to 100 V_pp and frequencies ranging from 10 Hz to 1 kHz, as the inputs for the pump. Fluid pumping with air is successfully demonstrated. Additionally, 3-, 4- and 6-phase actuation sequences for the pump are designed and used to study the effects on pump performance, as revealed by the flow rate and the displacement of a pump diaphragm. The experimental results show that the flow rate and the displacement of the diaphragm actuated by the 4-phase sequence exceed those actuated by the 3- and 6-phase sequences. A flow rate of 17.6 μl min⁻¹ and a displacement of 2.91 μm (peak-to-peak) in 4-phase peristaltic motion are achieved at 100 Hz and 100 V_pp. The results demonstrate that the pump actuated in the 4-phase sequence is the most efficient. Consequently, the actuation sequences can affect the pump performance.     

Direct microscale imprinting of Al at room temperature with Si inserts

For direct imprinting of metals, hard materials such as diamond and SiC have been used to construct mold inserts in preference to Si, despite the ease in fabricating Si-based micro-/nano- scale structures. In this communication, we demonstrate that micron scale Al structures can be replicated with good fidelity at room temperature by compression molding with Si inserts without incurring insert damage. We further report on results of a finite element analysis of the mechanics of the molding process. The finite element results provide some understanding of the observed lack of damage to the Si inserts.     

Collapse-free thermal bonding technique for large area microchambers in plastic lab-on-a-chip applications

Bonding is an essential step to form microchannels or microchambers in lab-on-a-chip applications. In this paper, we present a novel plastic thermal bonding technique to seal and form large area microchambers (planar characteristic width and length on the order of 1 mm and characteristic thickness on the order of 10–100 μm) without collapse by introducing a holed pressure equalizing plate (HPEP) that includes holes of the same size and shape as the microchambers. To demonstrate the proposed technique, two types of large area microchambers [(1) 20 × 10 mm and 40 μm thick and (2) 12 × 2.5 mm and 120 μm thick] with microchannels were designed and replicated on plastic substrates by means of hot embossing and injection molding processes with prepared two nickel mold inserts. The replicated large area microchambers as well as the microchannels in the plastic lab-on-a-chip were successfully sealed (i.e., no leakage) and formed without any collapse by the proposed thermal bonding technique with the help of the HPEP.     

Perceptual image preview

Image preview is a convenient way to browse large or multiple images on small displays. However, current signal-level image resampling algorithms may remove many features of interest in the preview image. In this paper, we propose perceptual image preview which retains more perceptual features such that users can inspect features of interest by viewing the preview image only and without zooming in. This technology has two components, structure enhancement and perceptual feature visualization. Structure enhancement enhances the image structure while suppressing subtle details using a gradient modulation method, thus making the succedent perceptual features more apparent. For perceptual feature visualization, features of interest detected in the picture is visualized on the structure enhanced preview image. We demonstrate with two examples of most commonly used image quality features, image blur and noise. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by experimental results.     

Advanced product planning: a comprehensive process for systemic definition of new product requirements

This paper reports results of research into the definition of requirements for new consumer products––specifically, electro-mechanical products. The research dealt with the derivation of design requirements that are demonstrably aligned with stakeholder needs. The paper describes a comprehensive process that can enable product development teams to deal with statements of product requirements, as originally collected through market research activities, in a systematic and traceable manner from the early, fuzzy front end, stages of the design process. The process described has been based on principles of systems engineering. A case study from its application and evaluation drawn from the power sector is described in this paper. The case study demonstrates how the process can significantly improve product quality planning practices through revision of captured product requirements, analysis of stakeholder requirements and derivation of design requirements. The paper discusses benefits and issues from the use of the process by product development teams, and identifies areas for further research. Finally, the conclusions drawn from the reported research are presented.

Re-examining the causal structure of information technology impact research

About 20 years ago, Markus and Robey noted that most research on IT impacts had been guided by deterministic perspectives and had neglected to use an emergent perspective, which could account for contradictory findings. They further observed that most research in this area had been carried out using variance theories at the expense of process theories. Finally, they suggested that more emphasis on multilevel theory building would likely improve empirical reliability. In this paper, we reiterate the observations and suggestions made by Markus and Robey on the causal structure of IT impact theories and carry out an analysis of empirical research published in four major IS journals, Management Information Systems Quarterly (MISQ), Information Systems Research (ISR), the European Journal of Information Systems (EJIS), and Information and Organization (I&O), to assess compliance with those recommendations. Our final sample consisted of 161 theory-driven articles, accounting for approximately 21% of all the empirical articles published in these journals. Our results first reveal that 91% of the studies in MISQ, ISR, and EJIS focused on deterministic theories, while 63% of those in I&O adopted an emergent perspective. Furthermore, 91% of the articles in MISQ, ISR, and EJIS adopted a variance model; this compares with 71% from I&O that applied a process model. Lastly, mixed levels of analysis were found in 14% of all the surveyed articles. Implications of these findings for future research are discussed.     

Measuring information systems success: models,dimensions, measures,and interrelationships

Since DeLone and McLean (D&M) developed their model of IS success, there has been much research on the topic of success as well as extensions and tests of their model. Using the technique of a qualitative literature review, this research reviews 180 papers found in the academic literature for the period 1992–2007 dealing with some aspect of IS success. Using the six dimensions of the D&M model – system quality, information quality, service quality, use, user satisfaction, and net benefits – 90 empirical studies were examined and the results summarized. Measures for the six success constructs are described and 15 pairwise associations between the success constructs are analyzed. This work builds on the prior research related to IS success by summarizing the measures applied to the evaluation of IS success and by examining the relationships that comprise the D&M IS success model in both individual and organizational contexts.     

Test frame updating in CPM testing of Prolog programs

Category Partition Method (CPM) is a general approach to specification-based program testing, where test frame reduction and refinement are two important issues. Test frame reduction is necessary since too many test frames may be produced, and test frame refinement is important since during CPM testing new information about test frame generation may be achieved and considered incrementally. Besides the information provided by testers or users, implementation related knowledge offers alternative information for reducing and refining CPM test frames. This paper explores the idea by proposing a call patterns semantics based test frame updating method for Prolog programs, in which a call patterns analysis is used to collect information about the way in which procedures are used in a program. The updated test frames will be represented as constraints. The effect of our test frame updating is two-fold. On one hand, it removes “uncared” data from the original set of test frames; on the other hand, it refines the test frames to which we should pay more attention. The first effect makes the input domain on which a procedure must be tested a subset of the procedure’s input domain, and the latter makes testers stand more chance to find out the faults that are more likely to show their presence in the use of the program under consideration. Our test frame updating method preserves the effectiveness of CPM testing with respect to the detection of faults we care. The test case generation from the updated set of test frames is also discussed. In order to show the applicability of our method an approximation call patterns semantics is proposed, and the test frame updating on the semantics is illustrated by an example.