Statistical Processing of Subjective Test Data for Sound Quality Evaluation of Automotive Horn

Product sound quality has a significant role in buying decision and customer satisfaction. An often used method to assess the sound quality of any product or equipment is a subjective listening test where the sound is heard by a panel of subjects (jury) who then rate the sound quality. Subjects use a semantic differential rating wherein they evaluate the presented sounds based on a bipolar variable. The two extremes of the rating scale are labeled with an adjective and its antonym respectively. In the present study, a subjective listening test has been conducted to assess sound quality of automotive horns. The data obtained are then analyzed using statistics to gain insights. Twenty two horn sound samples were judged by thirty participants aged 20-40 years who had normal hearing. Binaural head set (BHS) instrument was used to record horn sound samples in open ground (neglecting wind noise effect). Sounds are recorded two meter from horn in front direction and used for subjective test. For the subjective test and subsequent statistical analysis, a four step procedure has been used. In the first step, the participants were asked to rate the sound quality for each horn based on seven bipolar variables. These bipolar variables are soft/loud, calm/frightening, slow/fast, relax/tense, safe/danger, vague/distinct and pleasant/unpleasant. For each bipolar variable, a seven verbal interval scale was used ranging from one extreme to another in degree, for example extremely pleasant to extremely unpleasant

Laser diagnostics for characterization of sprays formed by a collapsing non-equilibrium bubble

In this paper, we investigate the use of laser diagnostic tools for in-plane imaging of bubble induced spray using a laser sheet and Mie scattering technique. A perspex plate of thickness 10 mm with a hole of diameter 1 mm in the center is placed in the middle of a glass tank filled with water such that the top surface of the plate coincides with the water surface. A bubble is created just below the hole using a low-voltage spark circuit such that it expands against the hole. This leads to the formation of two jets which impact leading to a spray and break-up into droplets. The spray evolution is observed using a laser sheet directed in a plane through the center of the hole. The illuminated plane is imaged using a high-speed camera based on the Mie scattering from glass beads suspended in the liquid. Results show that Mie scattering technique has potential in studying bubble-induced sprays with applications such as in fuel sprays, drug-delivery etc, and also for validation of numerical codes. We present results from our ongoing experiments in this paper

A novel multivariate STeady-state index during general ANesthesia (STAN)

The assessment of the adequacy of general anesthesia for surgery, namely the nociception/anti-nociception balance, has received wide attention from the scientific community. Monitoring systems based on the frontal EEG/EMG, or autonomic state reactions (e.g. heart rate and blood pressure) have been developed aiming to objectively assess this balance. In this study a new multivariate indicator of patients' steady-state during anesthesia (STAN) is proposed, based on wavelet analysis of signals linked to noxious activation. A clinical protocol was designed to analyze precise noxious stimuli (laryngoscopy/intubation, tetanic, and incision), under three different analgesic doses; patients were randomized to receive either remifentanil 2.0, 3.0 or 4.0 ng/ml. ECG, PPG, BP, BIS, EMG and [Formula: see text] were continuously recorded. ECG, PPG and BP were processed to extract beat-to-beat information, and [Formula: see text] curve used to estimate the respiration rate. A combined steady-state index based on wavelet analysis of these variables, was applied and compared between the three study groups and stimuli (Wilcoxon signed ranks, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests). Following institutional approval and signing the informed consent thirty four patients were enrolled in this study (3 excluded due to signal loss during data collection). The BIS index of the EEG, frontal EMG, heart rate, BP, and PPG wave amplitude changed in response to different noxious stimuli. Laryngoscopy/intubation was the stimulus with the more pronounced response [Formula: see text]. These variables were used in the construction of the combined index STAN; STAN responded adequately to noxious stimuli, with a more pronounced response to laryngoscopy/intubation (18.5-43.1 %, [Formula: see text]), and the attenuation provided by the analgesic, detecting steady-state periods in the different physiological signals analyzed (approximately 50 % of the total study time). A new multivariate approach for the assessment of the patient steady-state during general anesthesia was developed. The proposed wavelet based multivariate index responds adequately to different noxious stimuli, and attenuation provided by the analgesic in a dose-dependent manner for each stimulus analyzed in this study.The first author was supported by a scholarship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT SFRH/BD/35879/2007). The authors would also like to acknowledge the support of UISPA—System Integration and Process Automation Unit—Part of the LAETA (Associated Laboratory of Energy, Transports and Aeronautics) a I&D Unit of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Portugal. FCT support under project PEst-OE/EME/LA0022/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Experimental study of simulated micro-gravity vapor-liquid flow regimes

Space missions in the near future will require power plants and cooling systems to operate in space. Such systems will often incorporate two-phase (vapor-liquid) heat transfer loops. Heat transfer processes such as boiling and condensation involve two-phase flow and are gravity dependent. Such unit operations would, therefore, be expected to behave differently in a micro-gravitational ( micro-g ) environment. In this study, a unique approach to study the flow patterns of vapor-liquid flow on earth is presented. Simulation of a micro-g vapor-liquid flow on earth is accomplished by the use of two immiscible liquids of equal density. This equal density two-liquid system makes the buoyancy forces approach zero which is the case for real vapor-liquid flow in micro-g conditions. Water and properly selected oils are used in the experiments. In simulating micro-g vapor-liquid flow, the oil which is more viscous and more wettable liquid represents the liquid phase and water (less viscous and less wettable with respect to waxed tube surface) corresponds to the vapor phase. The experiments are carried out in a horizontal pyrex glass tube (6.1 m long and 2.54 cm ID). Data are obtained for five different fluid systems to study the effect of viscosity ratio, interfacial tension, and wettability of two fluids on flow regime boundary lines. Comparison of the simulated versus actual micro-g vapor-liquid flow regime data indicates the validity of this simulation approach. The experimental results are also compared against Taitel-Dukler and Weisman et al. model predictions under micro-g conditions. A flow regime map for vapor-liquid flow in a micro-g environment is developed for usage in designing two-phase systems in space applications. The effect of gravity on nucleate boiling is also considered. The static and dynamic forces acting on a growing vapor bubble on heating surface are evaluated and how their interaction causes the bubble to detach from the surface is presented. By using a force balance, the bubble departure radius is calculated and compared with experimental measurements from literature under micro-g conditions

Erosion in Second Stage Cyclones: Effects of Cyclone Length and Outlet Gas Velocity

Severe erosion in the lower cone and in the upper dipleg of second stage cyclones have been observed in commercial cyclones. The main objective of this study is to shed light on the mechanism by which this erosion takes place, and how different design and operating parameters affect the erosion. Experimental data on how parameters such as the cyclone length-to diameter ratio (L/D), inlet solids loading and gas outlet velocity affect second stage cyclone erosion are presented. The outlet gas velocity was varied by changing the size of the vortex tube diameter. The effect of a vortex stabilizer on cyclone cone erosion is also discussed

Reconfigurable logic for hardware IP protection: Opportunities and challenges

Protecting the intellectual property (IP) of integrated circuit (IC) design is becoming a significant concern of fab-less semiconductor design houses. Malicious actors can access the chip design at any stage, reverse engineer the functionality, and create illegal copies. On the one hand, defenders are crafting more and more solutions to hide the critical portions of the circuit. On the other hand, attackers are designing more and more powerful tools to extract useful information from the design and reverse engineer the functionality, especially when they can get access to working chips. In this context, the use of custom reconfigurable fabrics has recently been investigated for hardware IP protection. This paper will discuss recent trends in hardware obfuscation with embedded FPGAs, focusing also on the open challenges that must be necessarily addressed for making this solution viable

Electromagnetic Transmission of Intellectual Property Data to Protect FPGA Designs

International audienceOver the past 10 years, the designers of intellectual properties(IP) have faced increasing threats including cloning, counterfeiting, andreverse-engineering. This is now a critical issue for the microelectronicsindustry. The design of a secure, efficient, lightweight protection scheme fordesign data is a serious challenge for the hardware security community. In thiscontext, this chapter presents two ultra-lightweight transmitters using sidechannel leakage based on electromagnetic emanation to send embedded IPidentity discreetly and quickl

Detection of Gas Bypassing due to Jet Streaming in Deep Fluidized Beds of Group A Particles

Tests were conducted in deep fluidized beds with and without gas bypassing to develop a technique to detect jet streaming. By placing differential pressure (DP) transmitters across a middle section of the fluidized bed, it was found that jet streaming can be detected by analyzing the DP fluctuations

Hydrodynamic Scale-Up of Circulating Fluidized Beds

A general procedure that can be used to scale up circulating fluidized beds is presented. It consists of developing a mathematical model in conjunction with measuring 1) the radial dispersion coefficient (Dr) using gas tracers, 2) the radial solids velocity profile using a Pitot tube and 3) the radial distribution of solids density (1 - ε) using an optical probe. If the resulting information is obtained in a riser 200 mm or greater in diameter, it can be used in conjunction with the mathematical model for scale-up

Osteogenesis evaluation of duck’s feet derived collagen/hydroxyapatite sponges immersed in dexamethasone

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the osteogenesis effects of DC and DC/HAp sponge immersed in without and with dexamethasone. Methods: The experimental groups in this study were DC and DC/HAp sponge immersed in without dexamethasone (Dex(â )DC and Dex(â )-DC/HAp group) and with dexamethasone (Dex(+)-DC and Dex(+)-DC/HAp group). We characterized DC and DC/HAp sponge using compressive strength, scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Also, osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs on sponge (Dex(â )DC, Dex(â )-DC/HAp, Dex(+)-DC and Dex(+)-DC/HAp group) was assessed by SEM, 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Results: In this study, we assessed osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs on Duckâ s feet-derived collagen (DC)/ HAp sponge immersed with dexamethasone Dex(+)-DC/HAp. These results showed that Dex(+)-DC/HAp group increased cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs during 28 days. Conclusion: From these results, Dex(+)-DC/HAp can be envisioned as a potential biomaterial for bone regeneration applications.This work was supported by Technology Commercialization Support Program [grant number 814005-03-3-HD020], Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MIFAFF).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio