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Mixed reality telepresence is becoming an increasingly popular form of interaction in social and collaborative applications. We are interested in how created virtual spaces can be archived, mapped, shared, and reused among different applications. Therefore, we propose a decentralized blockchain-based peer-to-peer model of distribution, with virtual spaces represented as blocks. We demonstrate the integration of our system in a collaborative mixed reality application and discuss the benefits and limitations of our approach.
Distance and Room Effects Control for the PSFC, an Auditory Display using a Loudspeaker Array
(2000)
The Pioneer Sound Field Controller (PSFC), a loudspeaker array system, features realtime configuration of an entire sound field, including sound source direction, virtual distance, and context of simulated environment (room characteristics: room size and liveness) for each of two sound sources. In the PSFC system, there is no native parameter to specify the distance between the sound source and sound sink (listener) and also no function to control it directrly. This paper suggests the method to control virtual distance using basic parameters: volume, room size and liveness. The implementation of distance cue is an important aspect of 3D sounds. Virtual environments supporting room effects like reverberation not only gain realism but also provide additional information to users about surrounding space. The context switch of different aural attributes is done by using an API of the Sound Spatialization Framework. Therefore, when the sound sink move through two rooms, like a small bathroom and a large living room, the context of the sink switches and different sound is obtained.
Distance and Room Effects Control for the PSFC, an Auditory Display using a Loudspeaker Array
(2000)
The Pioneer Sound Field Controller (PSFC), a loudspeaker array system, features realtime configuration of an entire sound field,including sound source direction, virtual distance, and context of simulated environment (room characteristics: room size and liveness)for each of two sound sources. In the PSFC system, there is no native parameter to specify the distance between the sound source and sound sink (listener) and also no function to control it directrly. This paper suggests the method to control virtual distance using basic parameters: volume, room size and liveness. The implementation of distance cue is an important aspect of 3D sounds. Virtual environments supporting room effects like reverberation not only gain realism but also provide additional information to users about surrounding space. The context switch of different aural attributes is done by using an API of the Sound Spatialization Framework. Therefore, when the sound sink move through two rooms, like a small bathroom and a large living room, the context of the sink switches and different sound is obtained.
Differentiable Compound Optics and Processing Pipeline Optimization for End-to-end Camera Design
(2021)
Most modern commodity imaging systems we use directly for photography‐-or indirectly rely on for downstream applications‐-employ optical systems of multiple lenses that must balance deviations from perfect optics, manufacturing constraints, tolerances, cost, and footprint. Although optical designs often have complex interactions with downstream image processing or analysis tasks, today’s compound optics are designed in isolation from these interactions. Existing optical design tools aim to minimize optical aberrations, such as deviations from Gauss’ linear model of optics, instead of application-specific losses, precluding joint optimization with hardware image signal processing (ISP) and highly parameterized neural network processing. In this article, we propose an optimization method for compound optics that lifts these limitations. We optimize entire lens systems jointly with hardware and software image processing pipelines, downstream neural network processing, and application-specific end-to-end losses. To this end, we propose a learned, differentiable forward model for compound optics and an alternating proximal optimization method that handles function compositions with highly varying parameter dimensions for optics, hardware ISP, and neural nets. Our method integrates seamlessly atop existing optical design tools, such as Zemax. We can thus assess our method across many camera system designs and end-to-end applications. We validate our approach in an automotive camera optics setting‐-together with hardware ISP post processing and detection‐-outperforming classical optics designs for automotive object detection and traffic light state detection. For human viewing tasks, we optimize optics and processing pipelines for dynamic outdoor scenarios and dynamic low-light imaging. We outperform existing compartmentalized design or fine-tuning methods qualitatively and quantitatively, across all domain-specific applications tested.
Development of open educational resources for renewable energy and the energy transition process
(2021)
Design of domestic soundscapes - Evaluation of household appliances in laboratory and reality
(2011)
Magnetic Resonance (MR) elastography is a method for measuring tissue elasticity via phase images acquired with an MR scanner. The propagation of periodic mechanical waves through the tissue can be captured by means of a modified phase contrast sequence. These waves are generated with a mechanical oscillator (actuator) and coupled into the tissue through the skin. The actuator must be capable of generating a sinusoidal excitation with excellent phase and amplitude stability, while not disturbing the MR imaging process. In this work, an actuator based on a piezoelectric principle was developed. Based on the imaging evaluation of several material samples, the housing for the piezoelectric ceramic was constructed of aluminum. Smaller parts of the housing were manufactured from brass and titanium to fulfill the mechanical constraints. A lever was used to transfer the oscillation generated by the piezoelectric ceramic to the point of excitation. The lever amplifies the piezoelectric motion, allowing for a more compact design. Three different lever designs were characterized by an acceleration sensor both outside and inside the magnet. It was shown that the rigidity of the lever, as determined by its material and form, was decisive in determining the resonant frequency of the system and therefore the maximum practical frequency of operation. It was also shown that the motion of the oscillator is unaffected by the electromagnetic fields of the MR imager. The final design can be placed directly in the magnet bore within a few centimeters of the tissue volume to be imaged without generating significant artifacts. An amplitude range of 0–1 mm in the frequency range from 0 to over 300 Hz was achieved, sufficient for performing most MR elastography applications. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts in Magnetic Resonance (Magn Reson Engineering) 15: 239–254, 2002
Design of a Helical Keyboard
(1996)
Inspired by the cyclical nature of octaves and helical structure of a scale (Shepard, '82 and '83), we prepared a model of a piano-style keyboard (prototyped in Mathematica), which was then geometrically warped into a left-handed helical configuration, one octave/revolution, pitch mapped to height. The natural orientation of upper frequency keys higher on the helix suggests a parsimonious left-handed chirality, so that ascending notes cross in front of a typical listener left to right. Our model is being imported (via the dxf file format) into (Open Inventor/)VRML, where it can be driven by MIDI events, realtime or sequenced, which stream is both synthesized (by a Roland Sound Module), and spatialized by a heterogeneous spatial sound backend (including the Crystal River Engineering Acoustetron II and the Pioneer Sound Field Control speaker-array System), so that the sound of the respective notes is directionalized with respect to sinks, avatars of the human user, by default in the tube of the helix. This is a work-in-progress which we hope to be fully functional within the next few months.
This paper deals with the design of a micro-scale ORC plant for teaching and research including the development of an automated control concept. The aim is to provide a safe and environmentally acceptable micro-scale heat engine, which can be developed, implemented and used in university labs for the education of students as well as for small research projects. The test rig allows the support of several learning outcomes on a multi-disciplinary level particularly for the implementation and simulation of small power systems. Special attention was given to the organic working fluid characteristics and its selection process. In addition to the above-mentioned performance goals, favourable safety properties and low global warming potential were decisive in the selection of the novel organic fluid called 3M™ Novec™ 649. The performance and the fluid behaviour of Novec 649 in a micro-scale power cycle are of major interest and the research goal for the test rig presented in this paper. Due to the expected power output of 1 kW, a scroll expander was chosen as the generator drive for the micro plant. In order to design the major parts of the ORC, the thermodynamic simulation software EBSILON®Professional was used. The supply temperature was set to 140 °C. As a result of the simulation, feasible expander inlet pressures spread from 5.5 bar to 8.5 bar. This leads to thermal efficiencies of the ORC in the order of 5 %. Adding a recuperator to the cycle system decreases the operating pressure range but in the end, the thermal efficiency can be increased by 1.5 %-points up to 6.2 %. Finally, an automated control concept is introduced, where the pump is controlled via the fill level measurement system.
Net Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEBs) have received increased attention in recent years as a result of constant concerns for energy supply constraints, decreasing energy resources, increasing energy costs and rising impact of greenhouse gases on world climate. Promoting whole, building strategies that employ passive measures with energy efficient systems and technologies using renewable energy, became a European political strategy since the publication of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive recast in May 2010 by the European Parliament and Council. Designing successful NZEBs however, represents a challenge since the definitions are yet generic assessment method and monitoring approach are under development and the literature is relatively scarce about the best sets of solutions for different typologies and climates likely to deliver an actual and reliable performance in terms of energy balance (consumed vs generated) on a cost-effective basis. Beside this, the lessons learned from already built NZEBs examples are relatively scarce. The authors of this paper, who are participants in the IEA SHC Task 40-ECBCS Annex 52, “Towards Net Zero Energy Solar Buildings”, are willing to share insights from on-going research work on some best practice leading NZEBs residential buildings. Although there is no standard approach for designing a Net Zero-Energy Building (there are many different possible combinations of passive and efficient active measures, utility equipment and on-site energy generation technologies able to achieve the net-zero energy performance), a close examination of the chosen strategies and the relative performance indicators of the selected case studies reveal that it is possible to achieve zero-energy performance using well known strategies adjusted accordingly to balance climate driven-demand for space heating/cooling, lighting, ventilation and others energy uses with climate-driven supply from renewable energy resources.
Adaptive and contacting seals such as brush seals have been successfully applied to turbomachinery for several years. In large steam turbine applications, however, various challenges still persist. Special focus is directed at the long-term performance and longevity of brushes on conventional spring-backed seal segments in steam turbines. This issue is particularly related to wear during startup conditions. This paper discusses the results of wear tests, derived from simulated transient turbine behavior, where the resultant seal leakage under steady state conditions is monitored. It is shown that the brush seal is significantly capable of adapting to varying operating conditions, but exhibits a degree of performance degradation during the initial startups. Together with previously reported mid-term wear data and an experience based long-term phenomenological approach a general model for brush seal performance degradation is developed. This model can be used for performance prediction and exerts influence on brush seal design.
In this paper we describe the design of a virtual reality simulator for traditional intuitive archery. Traditional archers aim without a target figure. Good shooting results require an excellent body-eye coordination that allows the user to perform identical movements when drawing the bow. Our simulator provides a virtual archery experience and supports the user to learn and practice the motion sequence of traditional archery in a virtual environment. We use an infrared tracking system to capture the user’s movements in order to correct his movement. To provide a realistic haptic feedback a real bow is used as interaction device. Our system provides a believable user experience and supports the user to learn how to shoot in the traditional way. Following a user-centered iterative design approach we developed a number of prototypes and evaluated them for refinement in sequent iteration cycles. For illustration purposes we created a short video clip in our virtual studio about this project that presents the main ideas in an informative yet entertaining way.
This paper describes the modeling, optimization, mechanical design, and experimental characterization of a high power density wound field synchronous machine (WFSM) for electric vehicle traction applications. The WFSM is designed for brushless rotor field excitation using an axial flux hydrodynamic capacitive power coupler (CPC). The flexible design environment, which was used for large-scale multiobjective optimization of the WFSM, is described. A prototype WFSM, spray cooled with automatic transmission fluid, with an 80-kW output at a base speed of 4000 r/min has been tested. The prototyped WFSM achieves volumetric torque and power densities of 17.22 N·m/L and 7.19 kW/L referred to the envelope cylindrical volume of the active materials plus spray cooling rings. The specific torque and power densities are 4.69 N·m/kg and 1.95 kW/kg referred to the mass of the active materials and the shaft. The prototyped CPC provided up to 1-kW excitation power with a mass 600 g and volume of 0.271 L.
Cyberspatial audio applications are distinguished from the broad range of spatial audio applications in a number of important ways that help to focus this review. Most significant is that cyberspatial audio is most often designed to be responsive to user inputs. In contrast to non-interactive auditory displays, cyberspatial auditory displays typically allow active exploration of the virtual environment in which users find themselves. Thus, at least some portion of the audio presented in a cyberspatial environment must be selected, processed, or otherwise rendered with minimum delay relative to user input. Besides the technological demands associated with realtime delivery of spatialized sound, the type and quality of auditory experiences supported are also very different from those associated with displays that support stationary sound localization.
The impact of culture on entrepreneurship is a widely accepted phenomenon. Cultural factors influence entrepreneurship via different mechanisms on the macro-, meso-, and micro-level of a country. Building on existing research, we draw a clear link between national cultural dimensions and entrepreneurship, using a new model that arranges different cultural dimensions in groups based on their particular function: political, social, or individual (PSI-model) and that distinguishes between values and practices where relevant. The PSI-model provides a coherent theoretical framework on which different cultural dimensions and their impact on entrepreneurship can be analysed, allowing for particular attention to be drawn to social practices and social values. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between culture and entrepreneurship, providing empirical evidence of how specific cultural dimensions influence entrepreneurship. The findings are of relevance from a policy perspective and can be used to generate practical recommendations for national institutions interested in promoting entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial activities. The findings are also transferable to other fields related to national cultural dimensions such as level of innovation, investment, budgeting etc.
The links between innovativeness as a driver of economic performance, and the determinants of innovativeness have been investigated by management scholars and economists for decades, focusing mostly on “hard factors” as investment in research and development, or education. Focusing on a relatively neglected, but in times of globalization even more important aspect, the infuence of cultural characteristics on innovativeness, we apply diferent econometric models to test for links between cultural tightness and looseness on the one hand, and national innovativeness on the other hand. We fnd that cultural tightness—in the sense of homogenous and intolerant societies—has a negative link to national innovativeness, while cultural looseness—in the sense of tolerant and diverse societies—displays a positive link to national innovativeness.
The working paper at hand assumes that differences of innovativeness of different countries can be explained to a certain extent by cultural differences. Thus, the paper deals with the research question of which cultural dimensions have an influence on national innovativeness. Previous research mainly uses the Hofstede-dimensions to describe cultural differences and often focuses on single parameters to describe national innovativeness (e.g. number of patents per capita). This paper, instead, uses the dimensions of the GLOBE-study which builds on the findings of Hofstede but is more up-to-date and comprehensive and uses two innovation indexes – the Global Innovation Index (GII) and the Innovation Union Scoreboard (IUS) – to describe national innovativeness. The authors use correlation analysis to find relationships between the GLOBEdimensions and the innovation indexes. They find positive correlations of innovativeness (both indexes) to Future Orientation (practice scale), Gender Egalitarianism (value scale), Human Orientation (value scale) and Uncertainty Avoidance (practice scale) as well as negative correlations to In-Group Collectivism (practice scale), Future Orientation (value scale) and Uncertainty Avoidance (value scale). Some of the findings are contrary to existing hypotheses, e.g. only a weak negative correlation of Power Distance to one of the indexes. Furthermore the findings show significant differences between practice scales and value scales, especially concerning Future Orientation and Uncertainty Avoidance which deserve further examination. Overall it can be concluded that culture has an impact on national innovativeness. The different cultural dimensions of the GLOBE-study show a multi-faceted interrelationship between culture and innovation. To come to a concise answer for the question which dimensions affect national innovativeness in which way additional research will be necessary.
Cost optimal meter placement in low and medium voltagte grids considering stochastic dependencies
(2013)
The late immersion of multi-touch sensitive displays enables the use of tangibles on multi-touch screens. There a several wide spread and/or sophisticated solutions to fulfill this need but they seem to have some flaws. One popular system at the time of writing is an overlay frame that can be placed on a normal display with the corresponding size. The frame creates a grid with infrared light emitting diodes. The disruption of this grid can be detected and messages with the positions are sent via usb to a connected computer. This system is quite robust in matters of ambient light insensitivity and also fast to calibrate. Unfortunately it is not created with the recognition of tangibles in mind and printed patterns can not be resolved. This article summarizes an attempt to create fiducials that are recognized by an infrared multi-touch frame as fingers. Those false fingers are checked by a software for known patterns. Once a known pattern (= fiducial) has been recognized its position and orientation are send with the finger positions towards the interactive software. The usability is tested with an example application where tangibles and finger touches are used in combination.
Forums such as Stack Overflow are used by many software developers to find a solution for a given coding problem. Found solutions, i.e. forum posts containing relevant source code, are utilized in a copy and paste manner. This behavior carries the risk that vulnerabilities contained in the source code of the forum posts are spread. Software developers should be able to identify vulnerable source code at an early stage, thereby preventing copying the corresponding source code. In this paper, we introduce the tool CopypastaVulGuard that identifies vulnerable source code in forum posts and allows software developers to omit the source code by marking the forum posts as dangerous. Our tool consists of a browser extension and a management application capable to address as examples SQL injections, remote code executions and deprecated functions based on a dump of the archive.org Stack Overflow data set. We present an evaluation of our tool's possible impact and relevance considering pros/cons and selected research questions.
Education at the University of Aizu is focussed upon computer science. Besides being the subject matter of many courses, however, the computer also plays a vital role in the educational process itself, both in the distribution of instructional media, and in providing students with valuable practical experience. All students have unlimited access (24-hours-a-day) to individual networked workstations, most of which are multimedia-capable (even video capture is possible in two exercise rooms). Without software and content tailored for computer-aided instruction, the hardware becomes an expensive decoration. In any case, there is a need to better educate the instructors and students in the use of the equipment. In the interest of facilitating effective, collaborative use of network-based computers in teaching, this article explores the impact that a network environment can have on such activities. First, as a general overview, and to examine the motivation for the use of a network environment in teaching, this article reviews a range of different styles of collaboration. Then the article shows what kind of tools are available for use, within the context of what has come to be called Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW).
Process models in industrial applications, e.g. predictive maintenance or automation, are subject to both divergence from the underlying system due to their time-variant nature and to high complexity resulting from a wide operational range being covered. Hence, regression models require high accuracy for the present system state and at the same time need to be valid across the whole system operating space. While accuracy for the current system state can be gained by updating the model on the current data, the overall validity must often be retrieved from historical or design data. We propose a method to find an appropriate compromise for these two demands. A pre-trained artificial neural network (ANN) is continually updated on the current sensor data stream using convex optimisation. Thus, a unique and optimal solution is generated in each update step, while robust regression accuracy on the domain that is not covered by the arriving data subset is maintained. This is achieved by introducing a data management system to provide some historical data, constraining the optimisation problem and manipulating the architecture of the ANN. Models updated with this method show reasonable stability but display plastic behaviour at the current operating point.
Higher control engineering concepts, including artificial intelligence and model-based control, are recently becoming more popular in complex industrial applications because they enable a significant increase in efficiency. E.g., a model-based approach can be used to enhance the control and monitoring of several coupled components of a larger turbomachinery train. This requires dynamic models of the components, including all machine characteristics, which may experience a shift in their behavior over the course of their lifetime. Such changes occur due to natural fouling, wear of sub-components or external effects induced by maintenance measures. To overcome this problem, we model machine-characteristic maps with artificial neural networks, which may be used as part of prediction models in a model predictive control unit. If an appropriate data set is available, this allows us to adapt the model to the current behavior of the machine without requiring in-depth knowledge about the underlying physics of this “concept drift”, as it is known in literature. However, the training of neural networks is usually connected with high computational effort while the task needs to be executed in real-time during operation. Furthermore, in real operating conditions, machine sensors can only provide labeled data from the current operating point of the machine, which can be stationary for long operation periods of up to several months. In general, this yields only an unrepresentative data subset of the machine-characteristics, which is not sufficient to retrain the whole model to a new state. To solve these problems, we firstly reduce the model adaptation to a convex optimization problem, which can be efficiently solved in real-time conditions. Secondly, we use a specialized data management system with which we can integrate historical data to supplement the unrepresentative data subset. In this paper we show the application of the outlined method on a compressor map and discuss the advantages and requirements of the method in the context of modeling applications for industrial turbomachinery.
The construction of a basis of a certain lattice of interest is a basic tool in many fields of algorithmic number theory. All too often we can not compute with the original lattices because of irrational numbers involved but have to work with approximations of them. While helpful bounds were shown about the reduction of lattice bases in cite{buchmann94reducing}, here we introduce the notion of a $(epsilon,delta)$-constructable basis of a lattice and determine the precision of vectors that is necessary to extend a set to a $(epsilon,delta)$-constructable basis.
The healthcare sector's digital transformation necessitates the involvement of stakeholders through participation and co-creation processes. This study aims to investigate the understanding and implementation of participation and co-creation in the development of hybrid interaction technologies in healthcare. Eight interdisciplinary research projects were examined through semi-structured group interviews with 49 participants from academia, industry, and the application field. The interviews focused on participants' perspectives on project goals, user groups, access to the field, methods of participation and co-creation, and user motivation. The results highlight the diverse understandings of participation and co-creation, with some perceiving them as research-driven and others as already embedded in user- centered design. The projects emphasized user needs but often excluded stakeholders from collaborative decision-making. Challenges in achieving continuous involvement and co-decision were acknowledged. The findings underscore the need for reflexive practice and evaluation of participation and co-creation throughout the development process, as well as further research on participation across projects. By addressing these challenges and embracing participatory approaches, digital health applications can better address ethical concerns, build trust, and increase acceptance and adoption in the healthcare sector.
Actin filaments are conductive to ionic currents, mechanical and voltage solitons. These travelling localisations can be utilised to generate computing circuits from actin networks. The propagation of localisations on a single actin filament is experimentally unfeasible to control. Therefore, we consider excitation waves propagating on bundles of actin filaments. In computational experiments with a two-dimensional slice of an actin bundle network we show that by using an arbitrary arrangement of electrodes, it is possible to implement two-inputs-one-output circuits.
Computational investigation of oxy-combustion of pulverized coal and biomass in a swirl burner
(2022)
Computational investigation of hemodynamics in hardshell venous reservoirs: A comparative study
(2019)
Extracorporeal circulation using heart‐lung‐machines is associated with a profound activation of corpuscular and plasmatic components of circulating blood, which can also lead to deleterious events such as systemic inflammatory response and hemolysis. Individual components used to install the extracorporeal circulation have an impact on the level of activation, most predominantly membrane oxygenators and hardshell venous reservoirs as used in extracorporeal systems. The blood flows in two different hardshell reservoirs are computationally investigated. A special emphasis is placed on the prediction of an onset of transition and turbulence generation. Reynolds‐averaged numerical simulations (RANS) based on a transitional turbulence model, as well as large eddy simulations (LES) are applied to achieve an accurate prediction. In the LES analysis, the non‐Newtonian behavior of the blood is considered via the Carreau model. Blood damage potential is quantified applying the Modified Index of Hemolysis (MIH) based on the predicted flow fields. The results indicate that the flows in both reservoirs remain predominantly laminar. For one of the reservoirs, considerable turbulence generation is observed near the exit site, caused by the specific design for the connection with the drainage tube. This difference causes the MIH of this reservoir to be nearly twice as large as compared to the alternative design. However, a substantial improvement of these performance criteria can be expected by a local geometry modification.
In order to improve the interactivity between users and computers, recent technologies focus on incorporating gesture recognition into interactive systems. The aim of this article is to evaluate the effectiveness of using a Myo control armband and the Kinect 2 for recognition of gestures in order to interact with virtual objects in a weather report scenario. The Myo armband has an inertial measurement unit and is able to read electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles, which can be recognized as gestures, which are trained by machine learning. A Kinect sensor was used to build up a dataset which contains motion recordings of 8 different gestures and was also build up by a gesture training machine learning algorithm. Both input methods, the Kinect 2 and the Myo armband, were evaluated with the same interaction patterns in a user study, which allows a direct comparison and reveals benefits and limits of each technique.
Room reverberation alters the spatial impression and timbre of a sound by modulating its spectral and temporal characteristics. Thus, we argue that, on a perceptual level, reverberation basically breaks down into interaural differences and spectro-temporal cues and that the separation of a perceived timbre into a sound source and a surrounding room is a purely cognitive process. To investigate the connection between the perception of reverberation cues and timbre analysis, the sensitivity for changes in reverberation was compared to timbre perception abilities. The Timbre Perception Test was used to measure the perception of the temporal envelope, spectral centroid, and spectral flux of artificial sounds. Sensitivity for changes in reverberation time was tested with a discrimination task using speech and noise with speech-alike spectral and temporal envelopes as source signals. Musical and acoustical expertise was assessed through the Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index and self-reports on experience with and knowledge of acoustics. There was a considerable correlation between timbre and reverberance perception ability, but timbre perception and academic experience predicted only 41% of the variance in reverberance perception. Still, perception abilities related to similar acoustical phenomena seem to be better indicators of listening skills than self-reports on acoustical or musical expertise.