Digital image capture — Filmless camera technology and techniques

Summaries  The digital imaging revolution continues apace, affecting the whole spectrum of the photographic industry. In many part of the world digital cameras now outsell conventional film cameras, and many of the disadvantages associated with digital image capture in the very recent past^1.2 have been nulified. As the digital industry grows, the various technologies involved continue to be ever innovative. With respect to digital cameras, the image sensor performance criteria have improved immeasurably since the launch of the first solid-state camera in the early 1980s. The charge-coupled semiconductor device (CCD), for so long the unrivalled image-capture component in digital cameras, is now being challenged by complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology and the innovatively re-designed Fujifilm Super CCD. In addition, the recent introduction of the Foveon full-colour imaging sensor has added a new dimension to digital image capture. This paper reviews current image-capture sensors and the way that the various digital imaging camera designs are able to record and reproduce colour images.

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Techniques et technologie de l’appareil sans pellicule et a capteur d’image numérique

Résumé  La révolution provoquée par l’imagerie numérique devient de plus en plus importante et a une influence sur le spectre entier de l’industrie photographique. Il y a beaucoup d’endroits dans le monde ou l’on vend plus d’appareils photo numériques que d’appareils photo de tradition, et beaucoup des inconvenients qui étaient relatifs à la capture d’image numérique dans le passé recent récent ont été supprimés. Au fur et à mesure que l’industrie photographique s’accroft, les plusieurs technologies relatives continuent d’être de plus en plus innovatrices. Quant aux appareils photo numériques, les critères de la performance du capteur d’image ont amélioré infiniment depuis le lancement du premier appareil photo à semi-conducteurs tot dans les annees 80. Le dispositif à transfert de charges (CCD), depuis si longtemps le composant sans pareil en ce qui concerne la capture d’image, est remis en question par la technologie du métal-oxyde-semi-conducteur complémentaire (CMOS) et par le Fujifilm Super CDD qui a été repensé d’une manière tres innovatrice. En plus, l’introduction récente du capteur Foveon pour image couleur a ajouté une nouvelle dimension à la capture d’image numérique. Cet article examine les capteurs d’image courants aussi bien que la fa?on dont les plusieurs conceptions d’appareils photo à imagerie numérique sont capables d’enregistrer et de reproducire des images en couleur.

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Digitale Fotografie — Technologie und Technik der film-losen Kamera

Zusammenfassung  Die digitale Revolution geht weiter voran und hat das ganze Spektrum der fotografischen Industrie ergriffen. In vielen Teilen der Welt werden heute mehr digitale Kameras als konventionelle Filmkameras verkauft, und viele der anfaenglichen Nachteile der digitalen Bilderfassung bestehen heute nicht mehr. Viele Innovationen treiben die Digitalindustrie voran. Bei Digitalkameras hat sich die Bildsensorleistung von den ersten Modellen in den fruehen 80er Jahren enorm entwickelt. Die Charge-coupled Device (CCD), so lange der unangefochtene K?nig der digitalen Bilderfassung, bekommt heute von komplimentĂren Metalloxidhalbleitern (CMOS) und von der innovativ neu-entwickelten Fujifilm Super CCD Konkurrenz. Dazu hat die Einführung des Foveron Vollfarbbildsensors der Digitalfotografie eine neue Dimension verliehen. Diese Arbeit vergleicht die gegenwartigen Bilderfassungssensoren, und wie verschiedene Digitalkamera-Varianten Farbbilder aufnehmen und wiedergeben.

     

Colored apparel and its potential influence on heterosexual attraction

The objective of this study is to determine if men would follow the “red effect” when choosing colors for women to wear on a date, and also to determine if the colors that men would wear when going on a date would be the same as the colors that females (their date) would wish them to wear. A set of psychophysical data was generated from this experiment, where participants were asked to rank a set of 10 colored samples based on preference for each question asked. There were three different sets of colored samples. The set of colored samples given to the participant depended on the question. A total of five questions were asked. Scaling analysis was done on the data to organize a set of items according to preferences providing values, an interval scale (Z values), that correspond to the relative perceptual differences among the stimuli. The Z values were graphed to show the general preference of colors for women to wear, and the preference of colors for men to wear. A Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient (SRCC) was calculated comparing each individual's rank order with the mean rank order for that specific question. An average Spearman's rank order was calculated for each question and each gender in order to determine the variability in answers. Scaling results indicate that men follow the “red effect,” but women preferred to wear other colors such as turquoise, blue, or yellow depending on the outfit. Males and females agreed that no matter the colored bottoms (denim or black), blue was the preferred color top for men to wear. SRCC results showed a lot of variability between individual answers and the mean answer indicating that participants' rankings did not necessarily agree with general color preferences presented in the scaling analysis. While scaling analysis might suggest certain color preferences such as men following the “red effect” and women preferring to wear blue, the poor correlation found using SRCC between the individual answers and the mean rank orders suggests that color preferences for each individual are inherently unique.     

Preparation,characterization, and analysis of anti-corrosion subsea coatings

Within this work, a two-component anti-corrosive epoxy primer formulation, Sigmacover? 280, and its resulting films were prepared and evaluated. The optimum coating time following formulation was extended by adding an appropriate amount of solvent as a controlled thinner. The draw down coating method was identified to be a reproducible and a robust paint film deposition process. Gravimetric analysis, Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and through-dry testing were used in the characterization of the curing and drying behavior of each applied primer film. The shortest time for achieving a through-dry state occurred with thinner films cured at the higher temperature, as seen in the film curing/drying. The minimum covercoating time and full cure time of the paint films, cured under the different conditions, were evaluated by means of its dryness, hardness, and curing state studies/characterization.     

Poly(vinyl chloride) and wood flour press mould composites: New bonding strategies

In this work, different strategies for improving the association between hydrophilic wood flour surfaces and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) hydrophobic surfaces were tested. Three new coupling agents, based on living radical polymerisation (LRP), involving PVC were synthesised and tested in formulations with PVC and wood flour. The melt mixing behaviour was analysed in terms of the torque exerted by the mixing blades and related to the structural properties of the mixture. These products were ground and sheets were produced by press moulding. The composites were characterised by dynamic mechanical analysis. It was found that the use of a new block copolymer poly(vinyl chloride)‐b‐poly(hydroxypropyl acrylate)‐b‐poly(vinyl chloride), prepared by LRP, increases the elastic modulus of the composite, under controlled conditions, involving the use of specific amounts of the copolymer. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Photorealistic ink‐jet digital printing – factors influencing image quality,image stability and print durability

Digital cameras have now replaced film‐based cameras as the most popular method of still image capture. As a consequence, there has been a rise in growth of the photo‐realistic digital‐printer market as many amateur and professional photographers choose to produce their own hard copy images. The most popular digital printing technology for producing photo‐realistic images is currently drop‐on‐demand ink jet. There has been much research into key factors influencing the quality, stability and durability of images produced using this, and other, digital printing technologies. A key area of study in achieving photo‐realistic images from digital printing systems has been ink‐receivable layers and dye/pigment colorants, and most importantly compatibility between the two. As with any new technology it is important to achieve an acceptable standard of performance and, to this end, research work has been instigated by the International Standards Institute since the mid‐1990s, to achieve a set of standards appertaining to areas such as light fastness, water fastness, thermal stability, humidity fastness and pollution susceptibility. This paper reviews the current state regarding the aforementioned areas with respect to their influence on print quality, stability and durability.     

Poly(vinyl chloride)–wood flour press mould composites: The influence of raw materials on performance properties

In this paper is described an approach to the study of the influence of the nature and the composition on the performance properties of wood flour/poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC) composites. The raw materials were mixed on a two-roll mill. The final composites were obtained by controlled press moulding. The results indicate that properties such as surface tension and flexibility do not change significantly with the composition in the chosen composition range. The colour is easily controlled by variation in the content and the type of wood flour. A thermal and morphological study has been performed on the raw materials and on the composites to assess the effect of wood flour on the stability of the composites. The inclusion of wood flour into PVC leads to poorer tensile properties. This effect is related to the lack of association between the wood flour and the PVC.     

Investigation of polymer blends of polyamide-6 and poly(methyl methacrylate) synthesized by RAFT polymerization

Morphological and thermal properties of immiscible and incompatible polymer blends of commercial polyamide-6 (PA-6) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization have been studied in the presence of a compatibilizer consisting of either a random copolymer of styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA) or a diblock copolymer poly(methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene (PMMA-PS) also synthesized via RAFT polymerization. Blends of PA-6/PMMA were obtained by extrusion mixing. During melt compounding in the extruder, the functional groups of the polymer components were reacted in the presence of a compatibilizer, which changed considerably the morphology of the blend. After compatibilization, particles of PMMA in the PA-6 were smaller and better dispersed. The morphology and thermal properties of the blends were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DCS).     

The role of colorants in the generation,storage, and output of digital still images

The purpose of this review is to highlight the important role that dye and pigment colorants play in the areas of image generation, image storage, and image output with respect to digital still images. Colorants in the form of dyes and pigments play an integral part in the digital still imaging process, from the initial conversion of the original greyscale image into a full‐colour RGB additive image, followed by electronic image storage, and finally to hard‐copy output via non‐impact printing technologies such as inkjet and thermal dye transfer. In addition, both dyes and pigments are also utilised for image generation in the fast‐developing world of electronic paper display technologies. Dyes and pigments were the mainstay of many of the early analogue photographic processes in the areas of image capture and image reproduction, and this review sets out to show that, in the new age of digital imaging, this situation is still prevalent.