The hands-free telephone problem: an annotated bibliography update

Providing means for a full-duplex hands-free telephone conversation is still a research topic in many communication and signal processing laboratories around the world. More than ninety publications mainly from the last two and a half years support this statement. The reason for these activities lies in the complexity of the problem: full-duplex telephone communication without hand-sets requires electronic replicas of the loudspeaker-enclosure-microphone systems used by the communicating parties. The impulse response of such a system is typically several 100 ms long and time varying. Therefore, the replica has to be adaptive while the adaptation is controlled by speech signals. Regarding these requirements the hands-free telephone problem may currently be considered as one of the most challenging signal processing problems. This bibliography supplements a bibliography composed approximately two and a half years ago [29]. Brief summaries are given on papers published since then.     

Simulation based on learning methods

The use of simulation technology as a tool for planning and control is of increasing significance in most fields of production. The main part of the expenditure concerning simulation analyses is the modelling of the considered production. Despite the use of modern building-block-oriented modelling technology, this modelling can often not be done by the user, but only by external experts. Against this backdrop, an adaptive simulation system is being developed by the Institute for Industrial Manufacturing and Management (IFF) at the University of Stuttgart. It independently adapts to real production processes, i.e. it learns about the interdependencies of production processes, and, in this way, supports the user in constructing and maintaining the model. In terms of information technology, the research in the field of artificial intelligence, especially in the subdomain of machine learning, is the basis for the realization of such adaptive systems.     

Microwave signatures of snow crusts Modelling and measurements

Abstract

The particle-size dependence of microwave scattering from snow is investigated. Frozen crusts have been analysed, and the microslruclure is described by correlation functions. Relations between the correlation length and various quantities such as ice-intercept lengths or volume-to-surface ratios are checked. The scattering is calculated using the Bom approximation and is linked to the emissivity through the albedo. The model yields good agreement with the microwave data from C to K bands, and the predicted particle-size dependence is verified. The claims that the variance and the correlation length of the permittivity fluctuations are the characteristic parameters are confirmed. Initial uncertainties with respect to the validity of the Born approximation for an air-ice mixture are clarified.     

Ultra‐thin resin embedding method for scanning electron microscopy of individual cells on high and low aspect ratio 3D nanostructures

The preparation of biological cells for either scanning or transmission electron microscopy requires a complex process of fixation, dehydration and drying. Critical point drying is commonly used for samples investigated with a scanning electron beam, whereas resin‐infiltration is typically used for transmission electron microscopy. Critical point drying may cause cracks at the cellular surface and a sponge‐like morphology of nondistinguishable intracellular compartments. Resin‐infiltrated biological samples result in a solid block of resin, which can be further processed by mechanical sectioning, however that does not allow a top view examination of small cell–cell and cell–surface contacts. Here, we propose a method for removing resin excess on biological samples before effective polymerization. In this way the cells result to be embedded in an ultra‐thin layer of epoxy resin. This novel method highlights in contrast to standard methods the imaging of individual cells not only on nanostructured planar surfaces but also on topologically challenging substrates with high aspect ratio three‐dimensional features by scanning electron microscopy.     

Imaging connected porosity of crystalline rock by contrast agent‐aided X‐ray microtomography and scanning electron microscopy

We set out to study connected porosity of crystalline rock using X‐ray microtomography and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS) with caesium chloride as a contrast agent. Caesium is an important radionuclide regarding the final deposition of nuclear waste and also forms dense phases that can be readily distinguished by X‐ray microtomography and SEM‐EDS. Six samples from two sites, Olkiluoto (Finland) and Grimsel (Switzerland), where transport properties of crystalline rock are being studied in situ, were investigated using X‐ray microtomography and SEM‐EDS. The samples were imaged with X‐ray microtomography, immersed in a saturated caesium chloride (CsCl) solution for 141, 249 and 365 days and imaged again with X‐ray microtomography. CsCl inside the samples was successfully detected with X‐ray microtomography and it had completely penetrated all six samples. SEM‐EDS elemental mapping was used to study the location of caesium in the samples in detail with quantitative mineral information. Precipitated CsCl was found in the connected pore space in Olkiluoto veined gneiss and in lesser amounts in Grimsel granodiorite. Only a very small amount of precipitated CsCl was observed in the Grimsel granodiorite samples. In Olkiluoto veined gneiss caesium was found in pinitised areas of cordierite grains. In the pinitised areas caesium was found in notable excess compared to chloride, possibly due to the combination of small pore size and negatively charged surfaces. In addition, elevated concentrations of caesium were found in kaolinite and sphalerite phases. The findings concerning the location of CsCl were congruent with X‐ray microtomography.     

Material properties of a

A study was carried out to investigate changes in mechanical properties and degradation of self-reinforced fibrillated poly-96L/4D-lactide (SR-PLA96) rods in vitro and in vivo. The viscosity-average molecular weight, Mv, of the intact sterile (gamma irradiated) rods was around 50 000 g mol-1. The SR-PLA96 rods of diameter 1.1 mm by 30 mm and diameter 4.5 mm by 50 mm were immersed in phosphate-buffered saline or implanted in the dorsal subcutis of rabbits. Bending, shear and torsion strength and bending modulus, together with the changes of viscosity and crystallinity, were measured up to 24 wk. The strength values showed only a slight decrease during the follow-up period with the exception of torsion strength, that decreased to 52% of the initial value during 24 wk. There were no statistically significant differences in the strength retention between in vitro and in vivo groups. Crystallinity increased over time, being 46–49% at 24 wk. The Mv of the rods decreased over 50% by 24 wk. These promising results motivated us to continue the studies with the fixation of experimental cortical bone osteotomies with SR-PLA96 intramedullary rods. © 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers     

High speed scanning calorimetry for amorphous alloys

A high speed scanning calorimeter has been developed for simultaneous measurements of heat capacity and electrical resistivity of thin strips. The system was designed for amorphous alloys but can be used for other materials as well. The specimen is heated by an electrical current at rates ranging from 250 to 40,000 K·s^–1, and the temperature is sensed by an IR pyrometer ranging down to room temperature. The maximum data acquisition rate is 50 kHz. Operational characteristics of the system are given, and various phenomena that affect design and operation are discussed. Data are taken for some Metglas alloys. Glass transition and crystallization temperatures as well as rough viscosity data are evaluated. At high heating rates the glass transition is spread over a wide temperature range. The formation of metastable crystalline phases can be bypassed so that stable phases form directly from the amorphous state.     

Multiple models,multiplicative noise and linear quadratic control—algorithmic aspects

Numerical solution of certain linear quadratic (LQ) control problems for robust design is addressed. An iterative method is suggested and analysed for solving a minimax multiple model LQ control problem. A convergent iterative method is studied for finding the constant feedback gains of a given linear controller so as to solve a spectral radius functional minimization problem for multiple plants. Furthermore, a convergent iterative method is proposed for solving the maximum entropy parametric LQ control problem with multiplicative noise.