Evaluating the relationship between moisture induced expansion and horizontal stress orientation in samples from the nonesuch formation

High horizontal stresses can cause numerous ground control problems in mines and other underground structures ultimately impacting worker safety, productivity and the economics of an underground operation. Mine layout and design can be optimized when the presence and orientation of these stresses are recognized and their impact minimized. A simple technique for correlating the principal horizontal stress direction in a sedimentary rock mass with the preferential orientation of moisture induced expansion in a sample of the same rock was introduced in the 1970s and has since gone un-reported and unused. This procedure was reexamined at a locality near the original test site at White Pine, Michigan in order to validate the original research and to consider its usefulness in mining and civil engineering applications in high horizontal stress conditions. This procedure may also be useful as an economical means for characterizing regional stress fields.

Inductive-Capacitive Resonant Circuit Sensors for Structural Health and Environmental Monitoring

Inductive-capacitive (LC) resonant circuit sensors are low-cost, wireless, durable, simple to fabricate and battery-less. Consequently, they are well suited to sensing applications in harsh environments or in situations where large numbers of sensors are needed. They are also advantageous in applications where access to the sensor is limited or impossible or when sensors are needed on a disposable basis. Due to their many advantages, LC sensors have been used for sensing a variety of parameters including humidity, temperature, chemical concentrations, pH, stress/pressure, strain, food quality and even biological growth. However, current versions of the LC sensor technology are limited to sensing only one parameter. The purpose of this work is to develop new types of LC sensor systems that are simpler to fabricate (hence lower cost) or capable of monitoring multiple parameters simultaneously. One design presented in this work, referred to as the multi-element LC sensor, is able to measure multiple parameters simultaneously using a second capacitive element. Compared to conventional LC sensors, this design can sense multiple parameters with a higher detection range than two independent sensors while maintaining the same overall sensor footprint. In addition, the two-element sensor does not suffer from interference issues normally encountered while implementing two LC sensors in close proximity. Another design, the single-spiral inductive-capacitive sensor, utilizes the parasitic capacitance of a coil or spring structure to form a single layer LC resonant circuit. Unlike conventional LC sensors, this design is truly planar, thus simplifying its fabrication process and reducing sensor cost. Due to the simplicity of this sensor layout it will be easier and more cost-effective for embedding in common building or packaging materials during manufacturing processes, thereby adding functionality to current products (such as drywall sheets) while having a minor impact on overall unit cost. These modifications to the LC sensor design significantly improve the functionality and commercial feasibility of this technology, especially for applications where a large array of sensors or multiple sensing parameters are required.

How to Improve the Production Process for interactive TV with semi-formal Methods

The central question for this paper is how to improve the production process by closing the gap between industrial designers and software engineers of television(TV)-based User Interfaces (UI) in an industrial environment. Software engineers are highly interested whether one UI design can be converted into several fully functional UIs for TV products with different screen properties. The aim of the software engineers is to apply automatic layout and scaling in order to speed up and improve the production process. However, the question is whether a UI design lends itself for such automatic layout and scaling. This is investigated by analysing a prototype UI design done by industrial designers. In a first requirements study, industrial designers had created meta-annotations on top of their UI design in order to disclose their design rationale for discussions with software engineers. In a second study, five (out of ten) industrial designers assessed the potential of four different meta-annotation approaches. The question was which annotation method industrial designers would prefer and whether it could satisfy the technical requirements of the software engineering process. One main result is that the industrial designers preferred the method they were already familiar with, which therefore seems to be the most effective one although the main objective of automatic layout and scaling could still not be achieved.

myTU - Neue Ideen und Konzepte

myTU, eine persönliche Lernplattform für Smartphones, die seit 2011 an der Technischen Universität Bergakademie Freiberg im Einsatz ist, wird zukünftig mit neuen und erweiterten Funktionen ausgestattet. Ziel ist es eine generalisierte Lernplattform für alle Hochschulen anzubieten, die das BYOD-Konzept konsequent umsetzt. Ausgehend von der derzeitigen Struktur und Umfang des Projektes wird eine Verbindung mit OPAL geschaffen, das Layout und die Schnittstellen generalisiert, Funktionen erweitert und ein mehrstufiges Authentisierungskonzept entwickelt und integriert. Im Folgenden wird der Status Quo erläutert und neue Konzepte des Projektes vorgestellt.

Constructing a user experience user experience-based mobile learning environment

Mobile learning, in the past defined as learning with mobile devices, now refers to any type of learning-on-the-go or learning that takes advantage of mobile technologies. This new definition shifted its focus from the mobility of technology to the mobility of the learner (O'Malley and Stanton 2002; Sharples, Arnedillo-Sanchez et al. 2009). Placing emphasis on the mobile learner’s perspective requires studying “how the mobility of learners augmented by personal and public technology can contribute to the process of gaining new knowledge, skills, and experience” (Sharples, Arnedillo-Sanchez et al. 2009). The demands of an increasingly knowledge based society and the advances in mobile phone technology are combining to spur the growth of mobile learning. Around the world, mobile learning is predicted to be the future of online learning, and is slowly entering the mainstream education. However, for mobile learning to attain its full potential, it is essential to develop more advanced technologies that are tailored to the needs of this new learning environment. A research field that allows putting the development of such technologies onto a solid basis is user experience design, which addresses how to improve usability and therefore user acceptance of a system. Although there is no consensus definition of user experience, simply stated it focuses on how a person feels about using a product, system or service. It is generally agreed that user experience adds subjective attributes and social aspects to a space that has previously concerned itself mainly with ease-of-use. In addition, it can include users’ perceptions of usability and system efficiency. Recent advances in mobile and ubiquitous computing technologies further underline the importance of human-computer interaction and user experience (feelings, motivations, and values) with a system. Today, there are plenty of reports on the limitations of mobile technologies for learning (e.g., small screen size, slow connection), but there is a lack of research on user experience with mobile technologies. This dissertation will fill in this gap by a new approach in building a user experience-based mobile learning environment. The optimized user experience we suggest integrates three priorities, namely a) content, by improving the quality of delivered learning materials, b) the teaching and learning process, by enabling live and synchronous learning, and c) the learners themselves, by enabling a timely detection of their emotional state during mobile learning. In detail, the contributions of this thesis are as follows: • A video codec optimized for screencast videos which achieves an unprecedented compression rate while maintaining a very high video quality, and a novel UI layout for video lectures, which together enable truly mobile access to live lectures. • A new approach in HTTP-based multimedia delivery that exploits the characteristics of live lectures in a mobile context and enables a significantly improved user experience for mobile live lectures. • A non-invasive affective learning model based on multi-modal emotion detection with very high recognition rates, which enables real-time emotion detection and subsequent adaption of the learning environment on mobile devices. The technology resulting from the research presented in this thesis is in daily use at the School of Continuing Education of Shanghai Jiaotong University (SOCE), a blended-learning institution with 35.000 students.

Development of a process model for the automatic miniload warehouse expansion

This paper provides an insight to the development of a process model for the essential expansion of the automatic miniload warehouse. The model is based on the literature research and covers four phases of a warehouse expansion: the preparatory phase, the current state analysis, the design phase and the decision making phase. In addition to the literature research, the presented model is based on a reliable data set and can be applicable with a reasonable effort to ensure the informed decision on the warehouse layout. The model is addressed to users who are usually employees of logistics department, and is oriented on the improvement of the daily business organization combined with the warehouse expansion planning.

Novel calculation method for chain conveyor systems

Sidexflexing plastic chains are used increasingly in material handling due to their highly flexible conveying design and layout options. These systems are often equipped with so called modular belts. Due to their specific force transmission, detailed calculation methods are not yet available. In the following, a generally valid calculation approach is derived and its difference to existing solutions shown by examples.

Konstruktive Gestaltung eines bioinspirierten Kommissionier-Greifers für intralogistische Handhabungsaufgaben

In diesem Beitrag wird ein neuartiger biologisch inspirierter Universalgreifer beschrieben. Dieser soll in einem automatisierten Kommissionier-Szenario selbstständig Waren aus Kisten greifen, anheben und an anderer Stelle ablegen um somit das manuelle Kommissionieren von Hand zu substituieren. Auf dem Weg zu einer ausgereiften Konstruktion werden zahlreiche Fragestellungen zur Gestaltung und Anordnung der Finger und deren Antrieb gelöst. Ein für diesen Anwendungsfall entwickelter Biegeaktor wird zur Krümmung der Finger eingesetzt und bietet als Alleinstellungsmerkmal ein nahezu verschleißfreies Gelenk bei einem sehr einfachen konstruktiven Aufbau.

Characterization of a novel picornavirus isolate from a diseased European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

A novel picornavirus was isolated from specimens of a diseased European eel (Anguilla anguilla). This virus induced a cytopathic effect in eel embryonic kidney cells and high mortality in a controlled transmission study using elvers. Eel picornavirus has a genome of 7,496 nucleotides that encodes a polyprotein of 2,259 amino acids. It has a typical picornavirus genome layout, but its low similarity to known viral proteins suggests a novel species in the family Picornaviridae.

Long-term diffusion experiment at Mont Terri: first results from field and laboratory data

The diffusion of radionuclides is an important safety aspect for nuclear waste disposal in argillaceous host rocks. A long-term diffusion experiment, termed DI-A, is being carried out at the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory in the Opalinus Clay formation. The aim of this experiment is the understanding of the migration and sorption behaviour of cationic and anionic species in consolidated clays. This study reports on the experimental layout and the first results obtained from the DI-A experiment, which include the investigation of HTO, Na-22(+), Cs+, and I- migration during a period of 1 year by analysing these tracers in the water circulating in the borehole. In addition, results obtained from through-diffusion experiments on small-sized samples with HTO, I-, and Cl-36(-) are presented. The decrease of tracer concentrations in the borehole is fastest for Cs+, followed by Na-22(+), HTO, and finally I-. The chemical composition of the artificial pore water in the borehole shows very little variation with time, thus indicating almost no chemical disturbance around the borehole. Through-diffusion experiments in the laboratory that were performed parallel to the bedding plane with two different methods yielded effective diffusion coefficients for HTO of 4-5 X 10(-11) m(2) s(-1) and significantly lower ones for anions Cl- and I- (0.7-1.6 X 10(-11) m(2) s(-1)). The results indicate the importance of anion exclusion effects arising from the negatively charged clay surfaces. Furthermore, they demonstrate the anisotropic diffusion properties of the clay formation with significantly increased diffusion rates parallel to bedding relative to the perpendicular direction. The tracer data of the in situ experiment were successfully described with 2D diffusion models using diffusion and sorption parameters obtained from the above mentioned and other laboratory studies. The modelling results indicate that HTO and I- diffused with no retardation. The retardation of Na+ and Cs+ could be described by empirical sorption expressions from previously derived batch sorption (Cs+) or diffusion (Na+) experiments. Overall, the obtained results demonstrate the feasibility of the technical concept to study the diffusion of nonsorbing and sorbing tracers in consolidated clays. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Propositional and situational representations of text

Two informationally equivalent texts were constructed which described a fictitious town, emphasizing its spatial layout. In one version (Survey text), spatial information was in geographic terms, while in the other version (Route text), the equivalent information was provided in the form of directions for driving through the town. Subjects recalled these texts and verified old as well as inference statements. In Experiment I, subjects were able to recall the texts quite well, while showing little ability to use the information they had acquired to make inferences about spatial relations in the town which had not been directly stated in the text. With simpler texts, subjects in Experiment II were able to make infereces, especially when the form of the question corresponded to the version of the text they had read. It was concluded that free recall depended on the construction of a propositional textbase during comprehension, while inferences required a situation model, either in the form of a mental map or a procedural representation of the town. It could be shown that the form of the situation model depended on both the representation invited by the text and subject biases.

Getting the big picture: Development of spatial scaling abilities

Spatial scaling is an integral aspect of many spatial tasks that involve symbol-to-referent correspondences (e.g., map reading, drawing). In this study, we asked 3–6-year-olds and adults to locate objects in a two-dimensional spatial layout using information from a second spatial representation (map). We examined how scaling factor and reference features, such as the shape of the layout or the presence of landmarks, affect performance. Results showed that spatial scaling on this simple task undergoes considerable development, especially between 3 and 5 years of age. Furthermore, the youngest children showed large individual variability and profited from landmark information. Accuracy differed between scaled and un-scaled items, but not between items using different scaling factors (1:2 vs. 1:4), suggesting that participants encoded relative rather than absolute distances.

Diversity of morphological patterns in supramolecular polymers formed from the amphiphilic oligomers of pyrenes

Herein we demonstrate that a substitution type of the pyrene in short amphiphilic oligomers determines a morphology of the assemblies formed. Thus, 1.6- and 2.7-linkages lead to a formation of micrometer-sized 2D supromolecular polymers with a constant thickness 2 nm (pictures A and B). These assemblies possess a high degree of an internal order: the interior consists of hydrophobic pyrenes and alkyl chains, whereas the exterior exists as a net of hydrophilic negatively charged phosphates. Contrary, a 1.8-linkage exclusiveley leads to a formation of long nanometer thick helical supramolecular polymers (picturee C). These structures tend to form even more complex assemblies (bundles, superhelixes). Moreover, for all samples the polymerization process occurs via a nucleation-elongation mechanism. To study Py3 self-assembly, we carried out whole set of spectroscopic (UV/vis, fluorescence, DLS) and microscopic experiments (AFM).

Hierarchical self-assembly of nucleotide-appended oligopyrenotides into defined supramolecular objects

Supramolecular DNA assembly blends DNA building blocks with synthetic organic molecules giving structural and functional advantages. Incorporating extended aromatic molecules as connectors of DNA strands allows folding of these strands through π-π stacking (DNA 'foldamers'). In previous work it was shown that short oligopyrenotides behave as staircase-like foldamers, which cooperatively self-assemble into 2D supramolecular polymers in aqueous medium. Herein, we demonstrate that 10-mer DNA-sequence conjugated with seven pyrene unites forms dimensionally-defined supramolecular polymers under thermodynamic conditions in water. We present the self-assembly behavior, morphologycal studies (AFM and TEM), and the spectroscopic properties (UV/vis, CD) of the investigated pyrene - conjugated DNA-sequence.

Formation of supramolecular polymers by chrysene oligomers

Supramolecular assembly of π-conjugated systems is of large interested due to the possibility to use them in electronic devices.[1] Chrysene is a polyaromatic hydrocarbon which has been studied e.g for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).[2] In continuation of our previous work involving the supramolecular polymerisation of pyrene oligomers [3] an oligomer consisting of three chrysenes linked by phophodiesters was synthesised (Chry3). UV-Vis measurements show that aggregates of Chry3 are formed in aqueous medium. This is illustrated by general hypochromicity, a change in vibronic band intensities and, in particular, the appearance of a red-shifted absorption band in the S0 → S2 transition. The data suggest the formation of J-aggregates. The formation of supramolecular polymers is further studied by temperature-dependent absorption- and fluorescence measurements, and by atomic force microscopy (AFM).