Edge detection in a hexagonal-image processing framework

With processing power of computers and capabilities of graphics devices increasing rapidly, the time is ripe to reconsider using hexagonal sampling for computer vision in earnest. This paper reports on an investigation of edge detection in the context of hexagonally sampled images. It presents a complete framework for processing hexagonally sampled images which addresses four key aspects: conversion of square to hexagonally sampled images, storage, processing, and display of these images. Results from using edge detection on this framework show that (a) the computational requirement for processing a hexagonally sampled image is less than that for square sampled images, and (b) a better qualitative performance which is due to the compact and circular nature of the hexagonal lattice. This last point needs to be exploited in the development of edge detectors for hexagonally sampled images.     

Ceramic Powder Synthesis by Spray Pyrolysis

A variety of spray pyrolysis (SP) techniques have been developed to directly produce ceramic powders from solutions. This paper reviews the current status of these processes in terms of the process parameters that enable the formation of particles with controlled morphology and composition. A model incorporating solute diffusion in the droplet and solvent evaporation from the droplet surface is presented to establish the critical parameters leading to solid particle formation. The model illustrates that solid particles can be obtained if solutes with high solubility and a large difference between the critical supersaturation and equilibrium concentration are used and if the process is designed to avoid solvent boiling. It is demonstrated that mixed metal oxide, non-oxide, and composite particles that are solid, hollow, porous, or fibrous can be produced by modifying the precursor characteristics, solution properties, and process parameters. The physical and chemical flexibility of SP processes offers numerous opportunities for the controlled synthesis of advanced ceramic powders and films. However, production rates are limited by the need to produce < 5-μm-diameter droplets and to avoid subsequent droplet coagulation. Developments in process controls, atomization, and system design are required for wider commercialization of SP-type processes.     

Analyzing multi-hop routing feasibility for sensor data harvesting using mobile sinks

This paper presents a modeling framework for characterizing the feasibility and impacts of multi-hop packet routing in sensor networks with mobile sinks. Data collection in sensor networks using mobile sinks has recently been investigated to improve energy performance at the cost of collection delay. Although the data collection can be accomplished with varying degrees of multi-hop routing, for a given data generation rate, as the extent of multi-hop routing increases, the round traversal time of the sink decreases. At the same time, the interference experienced by the mobile sink-to-sensor links and the consequent upload time go up. This paper characterizes these competing effects and develops a methodology for determining the extent of multi-hop routing that is feasible for given network and application parameters such as sensor data generation rate, wireless link capacity between sensors and mobile sink, the speed of the mobile sink and node density.     

Harnessing power from sea water using nano material as photocatalyst and solar energy as light source: the role of hydrocarbon as dual agent

The splitting of water in the presence of ordinary and nano TiO₂ was carried out using hydrocarbon as a dual agent and solar energy as a light source for these experiments. The hydrogen gas evolved was tested and measured using downward displacement of water. The observed results show that more hydrogen was evolved when nano TiO₂ was used as catalyst due to the larger surface area of the nano material. The splitting of sea water yields more hydrogen compared with ordinary water due to the presence of electron donating sodium ions in water. The added hydrocarbon plays a dual role as electron donor and as a trapping agent, which enhances the production of hydrogen to a greater extent compared with the regular donors such as olefin. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of unsteady flow of blood conveying iron oxide nanoparticles on melting surface due to free convection using Casson model

Iron oxide nanoparticles have great importance in future biomedical applications because of their intrinsic properties, such as low toxicity, colloidal stability, and surface engineering capability. So, blood containing iron oxide nanoparticles are used in biomedical sciences as contrast agents following intravenous administration. The current problem deals with an analysis of the melting heat transfer of blood consisting iron nanoparticles in the existence of free convection. The principal equations of the problem are extremely nonlinear partial differential equations which transmute into a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations by applying proper similarity transformations. The acquired similarity equalities are then solved numerically by Runge‐Kutta Felhsberg 45th‐order method. The results acquired are on the same level with past available results. Some noteworthy findings of the study are: the rate of heat transfer increases as the Casson parameter increases and also found that the temperature of the blood can be controlled by increasing or decreasing the Prandtl number. Hence, we conclude that flow and heat transfer of blood have significant clinical importance during the stages where the blood flow needs to be checked (surgery) and the heat transfer rate must be controlled (therapy).     

A Generalized Relationship for Determination of Tensile Strength of Fine-Grained Soils from Shrinkage Characteristics

Tensile strength of fine-grained soils has been extensively investigated by earlier researchers and several methodologies have been evolved for its determination. However, either most of these methods are not valid/applicable for a wide range of moisture contents or they involve tedious sample/specimen preparation. In this context, the methodology of determining tensile strength by employing thin films, which is available in the literature, has been found to be quite handy and useful. It has been observed that a unique relationship exists among the tensile strength, moisture content, and shrinkage characteristics of fine-grained soils. This methodology is appreciable due to its applicability to a wide range of moisture contents, comparable ease of sample preparation and testing, and the obtained results lack generalization. Exhaustive tests were conducted on fine-grained soils of entirely different characteristics and generalized relationships have been proposed between the percentage linear shrinkage, tensile strength, and moisture content (defined as liquid to solid ratio). Based on a critical analysis of the results available in the literature, the efficiency of such relationships for determination of tensile strength of fine-grained soils has been demonstrated. In the authors’ opinion, such relationships would be quite useful for determining tensile strength of fine-grained soils from their linear shrinkage, which can easily be measured in a conventional geotechnical engineering laboratory.     

Bio-inspired Optimization Routing Technique Using DNA Sequencing Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Personal Communications - Routing optimization is a promising platform in wireless sensor network (WSN) for many researchers to work on various problems related to the balancing of...     

Dielectric properties of 3d transition metal substituted BaTiO3 ceramics containing the hexagonal phase formation

The role of transition metals of the 3d series from V (Z = 23) to Zn (Z = 30) is investigated in modifying the crystallographic phase contents, microstructure and the dielectric properties of BaTiO₃ ceramics containing ≤10 at% substituents. All the transition metals brought about the phase conversion to hexagonal BaTiO₃ and the hexagonality is found to depend on Ba/Ti ratio as well as the processing conditions including the sintering temperature and the post sinter annealing. The ε_r-T characteristics are modified with increasing hexagonality by way of the tremendous decrease in dielectric constant with broad and diminished ε_max for the mixed phase ceramics giving way to flat ε_r-T curves for totally hexagonal specimens. Doping with >1% Zn²⁺ or ≥5% Mg²⁺ also render the ceramics completely hexagonal indicating that the crystal field effects of the 3d orbital electrons are not the cause for the conversion to hexagonal phase. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of Mn-doped ceramics reveal the prevalence of defect complexes involving oxygen vacancies and different valence states of Mn occupying the Ti-sites within the corner-sharing as well as face-sharing octahedra present in hexagonal BaTiO₃. EPR results also indicate defect complexes involving electron localization at Ti-sites and oxygen vacancies around the face-sharing octahedra. On annealing the ceramics in lower oxygen partial pressures at elevated temperatures leads to the reversion to corner shared (Ti³⁺–V_O) defect complex accompanied by the conversion to cubic/tetragonal phase. The alterations in the oxygen vacancy-metal impurity defect complexes and the modifications in the oxygen close packing are the cause for the prevalence of hexagonal BaTiO₃ at room temperature.