Comparison of thermal solar collector technologies and their applications

OpenAIRE

Alarcón Villamil, Alexander; Hortúa, Jairo Eduardo; López, Andrea

2013-01-01

This paper presents the operation of different thermal solar collector technologies and their main characteristics. It starts by providing a brief description of the importance of using solar collectors as an alternative to reduce the environmental impact caused by the production of non-renewable sources like coal and oil. Subsequently, it focuses on each solar concentrator technology and finishes with a theoretical analysis hub application in different industrial processes. En este artícu...

Self Assistive Technology for Disabled People – Voice Controlled Wheel Chair and Home Automation System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Puviarasi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the design of an innovative and low cost self-assistive technology that is used to facilitate the control of a wheelchair and home appliances by using advanced voice commands of the disabled people. This proposed system will provide an alternative to the physically challenged people with quadriplegics who is permanently unable to move their limbs (but who is able to speak and hear and elderly people in controlling the motion of the wheelchair and home appliances using their voices to lead an independent, confident and enjoyable life. The performance of this microcontroller based and voice integrated design is evaluated in terms of accuracy and velocity in various environments. The results show that it could be part of an assistive technology for the disabled persons without any third person’s assistance.

Application of information and communication technology in process reengineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Đurović Aleksandar M.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the role of information communication technologies in reengineering processes. General analysis of a process will show that information communication technologies improve their efficiency. Reengineering model based on the BPMN 2.0 standard will be applied to the process of seeking internship/job by students from Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering. In the paper, after defining the technical characteristics and required functionalities, web / mobile application is proposed, enabling better visibility of traffic engineers to companies seeking that education profile.

The Study of Application System for Small and Medium CTI Based on Voice Card

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhong Dong

2016-01-01

Full Text Available With the rapid development of computer telecommunications integration (CTI technology, the development of application system for small and medium CTI are updated constantly, but the study of application system for small and medium CTI, we are lack of a stability and unified model. In this paper, the author analyzes the unified structure platform of application system for small and medium CTI based on voice card. Meanwhile, the author introduces a suitable software architecture model and general procedural framework for application system for small and medium CTI based on voice card by using the idea of hierarchical design, which shows the versatility of the architecture. It provided an efficient channel for the development of small and medium CTI.

Application of membrane technologies for liquid radioactive waste processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

Membrane separation processes have made impressive progress since the first synthesis of membranes almost 40 years ago. This progress was driven by strong technological needs and commercial expectations. As a result the range of successful applications of membranes and membrane processes is continuously broadening. In addition, increasing application of membrane processes and technologies lies in the increasing variations of the nature and characteristics of commercial membranes and membrane apparatus. The objective of the report is to review the information on application of membrane technologies in the processing of liquid radioactive waste. The report covers the various types of membranes, equipment design, range of applications, operational experience and the performance characteristics of different membrane processes. The report aims to provide Member States with basic information on the applicability and limitations of membrane separation technologies for processing liquid radioactive waste streams

Engaging retailers: giving them voice or controlling their voice, a supplier's perspective

OpenAIRE

Jackson, Keith; Jackson, Jacqui; Hopkinson, Gillian

2013-01-01

This full paper from the Marketing and Retail track of BAM 2013 investigates the relationships between suppliers and retailers in the UK convenience store sector in terms of Hirschman's model whereby members of a group can influence it by either expressing their opinions (voice) or leaving it in protest (exit). Suppliers may create loyalty among retailers by raising exit costs and/or allowing them to express their voices. The investigation was carried out using the recorded turnover of the to...

Literature review of voice recognition and generation technology for Army helicopter applications

Science.gov (United States)

Christ, K. A.

1984-08-01

This report is a literature review on the topics of voice recognition and generation. Areas covered are: manual versus vocal data input, vocabulary, stress and workload, noise, protective masks, feedback, and voice warning systems. Results of the studies presented in this report indicate that voice data entry has less of an impact on a pilot's flight performance, during low-level flying and other difficult missions, than manual data entry. However, the stress resulting from such missions may cause the pilot's voice to change, reducing the recognition accuracy of the system. The noise present in helicopter cockpits also causes the recognition accuracy to decrease. Noise-cancelling devices are being developed and improved upon to increase the recognition performance in noisy environments. Future research in the fields of voice recognition and generation should be conducted in the areas of stress and workload, vocabulary, and the types of voice generation best suited for the helicopter cockpit. Also, specific tasks should be studied to determine whether voice recognition and generation can be effectively applied.

[Voice disorders in female teachers assessed by Voice Handicap Index].

Science.gov (United States)

Niebudek-Bogusz, Ewa; Kuzańska, Anna; Woźnicka, Ewelina; Sliwińska-Kowalska, Mariola

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the application of Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in the diagnosis of occupational voice disorders in female teachers. The subjective assessment of voice by VHI was performed in fifty subjects with dysphonia diagnosed in laryngovideostroboscopic examination. The control group comprised 30 women whose jobs did not involve vocal effort. The results of the total VHI score and each of its subscales: functional, emotional and physical was significantly worse in the study group than in controls (p teachers estimated their own voice problems as a moderate disability, while 12% of them reported severe voice disability. However, all non-teachers assessed their voice problems as slight, their results ranged at the lowest level of VHI score. This study confirmed that VHI as a tool for self-assessment of voice can be a significant contribution to the diagnosis of occupational dysphonia.

Shielding voices: The modulation of binding processes between voice features and response features by task representations.

Science.gov (United States)

Bogon, Johanna; Eisenbarth, Hedwig; Landgraf, Steffen; Dreisbach, Gesine

2017-09-01

Vocal events offer not only semantic-linguistic content but also information about the identity and the emotional-motivational state of the speaker. Furthermore, most vocal events have implications for our actions and therefore include action-related features. But the relevance and irrelevance of vocal features varies from task to task. The present study investigates binding processes for perceptual and action-related features of spoken words and their modulation by the task representation of the listener. Participants reacted with two response keys to eight different words spoken by a male or a female voice (Experiment 1) or spoken by an angry or neutral male voice (Experiment 2). There were two instruction conditions: half of participants learned eight stimulus-response mappings by rote (SR), and half of participants applied a binary task rule (TR). In both experiments, SR instructed participants showed clear evidence for binding processes between voice and response features indicated by an interaction between the irrelevant voice feature and the response. By contrast, as indicated by a three-way interaction with instruction, no such binding was found in the TR instructed group. These results are suggestive of binding and shielding as two adaptive mechanisms that ensure successful communication and action in a dynamic social environment.

Design and realization of intelligent tourism service system based on voice interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Lei-di; Long, Yi; Qian, Cheng-yang; Zhang, Ling; Lv, Guo-nian

2008-10-01

Voice technology is one of the important contents to improve the intelligence and humanization of tourism service system. Combining voice technology, the paper concentrates on application needs and the composition of system to present an overall intelligent tourism service system's framework consisting of presentation layer, Web services layer, and tourism application service layer. On the basis, the paper further elaborated the implementation of the system and its key technologies, including intelligent voice interactive technology, seamless integration technology of multiple data sources, location-perception-based guides' services technology, and tourism safety control technology. Finally, according to the situation of Nanjing tourism, a prototype of Tourism Services System is realized.

Voice Assessment of Student Work: Recent Studies and Emerging Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Eckhouse, Barry; Carroll, Rebecca

2013-01-01

Although relatively little attention has been given to the voice assessment of student work, at least when compared with more traditional forms of text-based review, the attention it has received strongly points to a promising form of review that has been hampered by the limits of an emerging technology. A fresh review of voice assessment in light…

Plasma spray technology process parameters and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sreekumar, K.P.; Karthikeyan, J.; Ananthapadmanabhan, P.V.; Venkatramani, N.; Chatterjee, U.K.

1991-01-01

The current trend in the structural design philosophy is based on the use of substrate with the necessary mechanical properties and a thin coating to exhibit surface properties. Plasma spray process is a versatile surface coating technique which finds extensive application in meeting advance technologies. This report describes the plasma spray technique and its use in developing coatings for various applications. The spray system is desribed in detail including the different variables such as power input to the torch, gas flow rate, powder properties, powder injection, etc. and their interrelation in deciding the quality of the coating. A brief write-up on the various plasma spray coatings developed for different applications is also included. (author). 15 refs., 15 figs., 2 tabs

Students' Voices about Information and Communication Technology in Upper Secondary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Olofsson, Anders D.; Lindberg, Ola J.; Fransson, Göran

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore upper secondary school students' voices on how information and communication technology (ICT) could structure and support their everyday activities and time at school. Design/methodology/approach: In all, 11 group interviews were conducted with a total of 46 students from three upper secondary…

Emotional voices in context: a neurobiological model of multimodal affective information processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Brück, Carolin; Kreifelts, Benjamin; Wildgruber, Dirk

2011-12-01

Just as eyes are often considered a gateway to the soul, the human voice offers a window through which we gain access to our fellow human beings' minds - their attitudes, intentions and feelings. Whether in talking or singing, crying or laughing, sighing or screaming, the sheer sound of a voice communicates a wealth of information that, in turn, may serve the observant listener as valuable guidepost in social interaction. But how do human beings extract information from the tone of a voice? In an attempt to answer this question, the present article reviews empirical evidence detailing the cerebral processes that underlie our ability to decode emotional information from vocal signals. The review will focus primarily on two prominent classes of vocal emotion cues: laughter and speech prosody (i.e. the tone of voice while speaking). Following a brief introduction, behavioral as well as neuroimaging data will be summarized that allows to outline cerebral mechanisms associated with the decoding of emotional voice cues, as well as the influence of various context variables (e.g. co-occurring facial and verbal emotional signals, attention focus, person-specific parameters such as gender and personality) on the respective processes. Building on the presented evidence, a cerebral network model will be introduced that proposes a differential contribution of various cortical and subcortical brain structures to the processing of emotional voice signals both in isolation and in context of accompanying (facial and verbal) emotional cues. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emotional voices in context: A neurobiological model of multimodal affective information processing

Science.gov (United States)

Brück, Carolin; Kreifelts, Benjamin; Wildgruber, Dirk

2011-12-01

Just as eyes are often considered a gateway to the soul, the human voice offers a window through which we gain access to our fellow human beings' minds - their attitudes, intentions and feelings. Whether in talking or singing, crying or laughing, sighing or screaming, the sheer sound of a voice communicates a wealth of information that, in turn, may serve the observant listener as valuable guidepost in social interaction. But how do human beings extract information from the tone of a voice? In an attempt to answer this question, the present article reviews empirical evidence detailing the cerebral processes that underlie our ability to decode emotional information from vocal signals. The review will focus primarily on two prominent classes of vocal emotion cues: laughter and speech prosody (i.e. the tone of voice while speaking). Following a brief introduction, behavioral as well as neuroimaging data will be summarized that allows to outline cerebral mechanisms associated with the decoding of emotional voice cues, as well as the influence of various context variables (e.g. co-occurring facial and verbal emotional signals, attention focus, person-specific parameters such as gender and personality) on the respective processes. Building on the presented evidence, a cerebral network model will be introduced that proposes a differential contribution of various cortical and subcortical brain structures to the processing of emotional voice signals both in isolation and in context of accompanying (facial and verbal) emotional cues.

Pegembangan Game dengan Menggunakan Teknologi Voice Recognition Berbasis Android

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franky Hadinata Marpaung

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is to create a new kind of game by using technology that rarely used in current games. It is developed as an entertainment media and also a social media in which the users can play the games together via multiplayer mode. This research uses Scrum development method since it supports small scaled developer and it supports software increment along the development. Using this game application, the users can play and watch interesting animations by controlling it with their voice, listen the character imitating the users’ voice, play various mini games both in single player or multiplayer mode via Bluetooth connection. The conclusion is that game application of My Name is Dug use voice recognition and inter-devices connection as its main features. It also has various mini games that support both single player and multiplayer.

Genome-editing technologies and their potential application in horticultural crop breeding

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Jin-Song; Ding, Jing; Li, Yi

2015-01-01

Plant breeding, one of the oldest agricultural activities, parallels human civilization. Many crops have been domesticated to satisfy human's food and aesthetical needs, including numerous specialty horticultural crops such as fruits, vegetables, ornamental flowers, shrubs, and trees. Crop varieties originated through selection during early human civilization. Other technologies, such as various forms of hybridization, mutation, and transgenics, have also been invented and applied to crop breeding over the past centuries. The progress made in these breeding technologies, especially the modern biotechnology-based breeding technologies, has had a great impact on crop breeding as well as on our lives. Here, we first review the developmental process and applications of these technologies in horticultural crop breeding. Then, we mainly describe the principles of the latest genome-editing technologies and discuss their potential applications in the genetic improvement of horticultural crops. The advantages and challenges of genome-editing technologies in horticultural crop breeding are also discussed. PMID:26504570

Supporting Student-Teacher Researchers’ Quest for Their Voice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rigoberto Castillo

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This article deals with teacher identity development of students enrolled in the teacher training program. The authors, who advocate inquiry-based teaching practices, propose reflective and organizational strategies to support these. In order to gain insights into the experiences and values of student-teacher-researchers (STRs here on to shape a professional teaching identity, a pre-service teacher and a professor in a second language (L2 program joined efforts to share their reflections on the process of inquiry and on the quest to find a voice when conducting and reporting their inquiry.

Mechanics of human voice production and control.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhaoyan

2016-10-01

As the primary means of communication, voice plays an important role in daily life. Voice also conveys personal information such as social status, personal traits, and the emotional state of the speaker. Mechanically, voice production involves complex fluid-structure interaction within the glottis and its control by laryngeal muscle activation. An important goal of voice research is to establish a causal theory linking voice physiology and biomechanics to how speakers use and control voice to communicate meaning and personal information. Establishing such a causal theory has important implications for clinical voice management, voice training, and many speech technology applications. This paper provides a review of voice physiology and biomechanics, the physics of vocal fold vibration and sound production, and laryngeal muscular control of the fundamental frequency of voice, vocal intensity, and voice quality. Current efforts to develop mechanical and computational models of voice production are also critically reviewed. Finally, issues and future challenges in developing a causal theory of voice production and perception are discussed.

Plasma technologies: applications to waste processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fauchais, P.

2007-01-01

Since the 1990's, plasma technologies have found applications in the processing of toxic wastes of military and industrial origin, like the treatment of contaminated solids and low level radioactive wastes, the decontamination of soils etc.. Since the years 2000, this development is becoming exponential, in particular for the processing of municipal wastes and the recovery of their synthesis gas. The advantage of thermal plasmas with respect to conventional combustion techniques are: a high temperature (more than 6000 K), a pyrolysis capability (CO formation instead of CO 2 ), about 90% of available energy above 1500 K (with respect to 23% with flames), a greater energy density, lower gas flow rates, and plasma start-up and shut-down times of only few tenth of seconds. This article presents: 1 - the present day situation of thermal plasmas development; 2 - some general considerations about plasma waste processing; 3 - the plasma processes: liquid toxic wastes, solid wastes (contaminated soils and low level radioactive wastes, military wastes, vitrification of incinerators fly ash, municipal wastes processing, treatment of asbestos fibers, treatment of chlorinated industrial wastes), metallurgy wastes (dusts, aluminium slags), medical and ship wastes, perspectives; 4 -conclusion. (J.S.)

Voices Project: Technological Innovations in Social Inclusion of People with Visual Impairment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janaina Cazini

2013-04-01

Full Text Available This article aims to analyze how technological innovations are contributing to inclusion of people with disabilities in society and at work, from the study of social innovations, assistive technology and digital inclusion presented in a case study on the Voices Project. The project, developed in partnership with the Association of Parents and Friends of the Blind and the Federal Technological University of Paraná, in the years 2008/2009, made a computer course for people with visual impairments. The theoretical survey and project data confirmed that social innovations really are essential tools for digital inclusion of people with disabilities contributing thus to their inclusion in the workplace.

[Near infrared spectroscopy based process trajectory technology and its application in monitoring and controlling of traditional Chinese medicine manufacturing process].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wen-Long; Qu, Hai-Bin

2016-10-01

In this paper, the principle of NIRS (near infrared spectroscopy)-based process trajectory technology was introduced.The main steps of the technique include:① in-line collection of the processes spectra of different technics; ② unfolding of the 3-D process spectra;③ determination of the process trajectories and their normal limits;④ monitoring of the new batches with the established MSPC (multivariate statistical process control) models.Applications of the technology in the chemical and biological medicines were reviewed briefly. By a comprehensive introduction of our feasibility research on the monitoring of traditional Chinese medicine technical process using NIRS-based multivariate process trajectories, several important problems of the practical applications which need urgent solutions are proposed, and also the application prospect of the NIRS-based process trajectory technology is fully discussed and put forward in the end. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Advanced distributed simulation technology: Digital Voice Gateway Reference Guide

Science.gov (United States)

Vanhook, Dan; Stadler, Ed

1994-01-01

The Digital Voice Gateway (referred to as the 'DVG' in this document) transmits and receives four full duplex encoded speech channels over the Ethernet. The information in this document applies only to DVG's running firmware of the version listed on the title page. This document, previously named Digital Voice Gateway Reference Guide, BBN Systems and Technologies Corporation, Cambridge, MA 02138, was revised for revision 2.00. This new revision changes the network protocol used by the DVG, to comply with the SINCGARS radio simulation (For SIMNET 6.6.1). Because of the extensive changes to revision 2.00 a separate document was created rather than supplying change pages.

Voice user interface design for emerging multilingual markets

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Van Huyssteen, G

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Multilingual emerging markets hold many opportunities for the application of spoken language technologies, such as automatic speech recognition (ASR) or test-to-speech (TTS) technologies in interactive voice response (IVR) systems. However...

DSP Based System for Real time Voice Synthesis Applications Development

OpenAIRE

Arsinte, Radu; Ferencz, Attila; Miron, Costin

2008-01-01

This paper describes an experimental system designed for development of real time voice synthesis applications. The system is composed from a DSP coprocessor card, equipped with an TMS320C25 or TMS320C50 chip, voice acquisition module (ADDA2),host computer (IBM-PC compatible), software specific tools.

Application of thermal technologies for processing of radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-12-01

The primary objective of this publication is to provide an overview of the various thermal technologies for processing various solid, liquid, organic and inorganic radioactive waste streams. The advantages, limitations and operating experience of various thermal technologies are explained. This publication also goes beyond previous work on thermal processes by addressing the applicability of each technology to national or regional nuclear programmes of specific relative size (major advanced programmes, small to medium programmes, and emerging programmes with other nuclear applications). The most commonly used thermal processing technologies are reviewed, and the key factors influencing the selection of thermal technologies as part of a national waste management strategy are discussed. Accordingly, the structure and content of this publication is intended to assist decision-makers, regulators, and those charged with developing such strategies to identify and compare thermal technologies for possible inclusion in the mix of available, country-specific waste management processes. This publication can be used most effectively as an initial cutting tool to identify whether any given technology will best serve the local waste management strategy in terms of the waste generated, technical complexity, available economic resources, environmental impact considerations, and end product (output) of the technology. If multiple thermal technologies are being actively considered, this publication should be instrumental in comparing the technologies and assisting the user to reach an informed decision based on local needs, economics and priorities. A detailed set of conclusions is provided in Section 7

Smart Homes with Voice Activated Systems for Disabled People

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bekir Busatlic

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Smart home refers to the application of various technologies to semi-unsupervised home control It refers to systems that control temperature, lighting, door locks, windows and many other appliances. The aim of this study was to design a system that will use existing technology to showcase how it can benefit people with disabilities. This work uses only off-the-shelf products (smart home devices and controllers, speech recognition technology, open-source code libraries. The Voice Activated Smart Home application was developed to demonstrate online grocery shopping and home control using voice comments and tested by measuring its effectiveness in performing tasks as well as its efficiency in recognizing user speech input.

Factors Affecting Youth Voice in Decision-Making Processes within Youth Development Programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Todd Tarifa

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Results of a study aimed at determining the factors affecting the level of inclusiveness of youth voice in the decision-making process of the 4-H youth development program are discussed in this paper. State and field level 4-H professionals identified potential factors which affect youth voice in the decision-making process. The information gathered was utilized to identify the degree to which youth voice was incorporated in the decision-making process, to better understand how to suit youth’s needs, identify promising practices, and diagnose barriers towards fostering youth voice within the 4-H youth development program. This feature article presents the findings of the study, and discusses potential ramifications and remedies.

Giving Voice to Emotion: Voice Analysis Technology Uncovering Mental States is Playing a Growing Role in Medicine, Business, and Law Enforcement.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Summer

2016-01-01

It's tough to imagine anything more frustrating than interacting with a call center. Generally, people don't reach out to call centers when they?re happy-they're usually trying to get help with a problem or gearing up to do battle over a billing error. Add in an automatic phone tree, and you have a recipe for annoyance. But what if that robotic voice offering you a smorgasbord of numbered choices could tell that you were frustrated and then funnel you to an actual human being? This type of voice analysis technology exists, and it's just one example of the many ways that computers can use your voice to extract information about your mental and emotional state-including information you may not think of as being accessible through your voice alone.

VoiceThread as a Peer Review and Dissemination Tool for Undergraduate Research

Science.gov (United States)

Guertin, L. A.

2012-12-01

VoiceThread has been utilized in an undergraduate research methods course for peer review and final research project dissemination. VoiceThread (http://www.voicethread.com) can be considered a social media tool, as it is a web-based technology with the capacity to enable interactive dialogue. VoiceThread is an application that allows a user to place a media collection online containing images, audio, videos, documents, and/or presentations in an interface that facilitates asynchronous communication. Participants in a VoiceThread can be passive viewers of the online content or engaged commenters via text, audio, video, with slide annotations via a doodle tool. The VoiceThread, which runs across browsers and operating systems, can be public or private for viewing and commenting and can be embedded into any website. Although few university students are aware of the VoiceThread platform (only 10% of the students surveyed by Ng (2012)), the 2009 K-12 edition of The Horizon Report (Johnson et al., 2009) lists VoiceThread as a tool to watch because of the opportunities it provides as a collaborative learning environment. In Fall 2011, eleven students enrolled in an undergraduate research methods course at Penn State Brandywine each conducted their own small-scale research project. Upon conclusion of the projects, students were required to create a poster summarizing their work for peer review. To facilitate the peer review process outside of class, each student-created PowerPoint file was placed in a VoiceThread with private access to only the class members and instructor. Each student was assigned to peer review five different student posters (i.e., VoiceThread images) with the audio and doodle tools to comment on formatting, clarity of content, etc. After the peer reviews were complete, the students were allowed to edit their PowerPoint poster files for a new VoiceThread. In the new VoiceThread, students were required to video record themselves describing their research

Construction site Voice Operated Information System (VOIS) test

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Debbie J.; Hettchen, William

1991-01-01

The Voice Activated Information System (VAIS), developed by USACERL, allows inspectors to verbally log on-site inspection reports on a hand held tape recorder. The tape is later processed by the VAIS, which enters the information into the system's database and produces a written report. The Voice Operated Information System (VOIS), developed by USACERL and Automated Sciences Group, through a ESACERL cooperative research and development agreement (CRDA), is an improved voice recognition system based on the concepts and function of the VAIS. To determine the applicability of the VOIS to Corps of Engineers construction projects, Technology Transfer Test Bad (T3B) funds were provided to the Corps of Engineers National Security Agency (NSA) Area Office (Fort Meade) to procure and implement the VOIS, and to train personnel in its use. This report summarizes the NSA application of the VOIS to quality assurance inspection of radio frequency shielding and to progress payment logs, and concludes that the VOIS is an easily implemented system that can offer improvements when applied to repetitive inspection procedures. Use of VOIS can save time during inspection, improve documentation storage, and provide flexible retrieval of stored information.

Application of image processing technology in yarn hairiness detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guohong ZHANG

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Digital image processing technology is one of the new methods for yarn detection, which can realize the digital characterization and objective evaluation of yarn appearance. This paper overviews the current status of development and application of digital image processing technology used for yarn hairiness evaluation, and analyzes and compares the traditional detection methods and this new developed method. Compared with the traditional methods, the image processing technology based method is more objective, fast and accurate, which is the vital development trend of the yarn appearance evaluation.

Biomechanical models of damage and healing processes for voice health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Granados Corsellas, Alba; Brunskog, Jonas; Jacobsen, Finn

2013-01-01

the vocal-fold plane are available. This data is used to improve existing continuum biomechanical models of the vocal-folds by analyzing the injury processes. The project is expected to result in methods that objectively demonstrate the impact of high voice-load on voice. A detailed description...

Identifying hidden voice and video streams

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Jieyan; Wu, Dapeng; Nucci, Antonio; Keralapura, Ram; Gao, Lixin

2009-04-01

Given the rising popularity of voice and video services over the Internet, accurately identifying voice and video traffic that traverse their networks has become a critical task for Internet service providers (ISPs). As the number of proprietary applications that deliver voice and video services to end users increases over time, the search for the one methodology that can accurately detect such services while being application independent still remains open. This problem becomes even more complicated when voice and video service providers like Skype, Microsoft, and Google bundle their voice and video services with other services like file transfer and chat. For example, a bundled Skype session can contain both voice stream and file transfer stream in the same layer-3/layer-4 flow. In this context, traditional techniques to identify voice and video streams do not work. In this paper, we propose a novel self-learning classifier, called VVS-I , that detects the presence of voice and video streams in flows with minimum manual intervention. Our classifier works in two phases: training phase and detection phase. In the training phase, VVS-I first extracts the relevant features, and subsequently constructs a fingerprint of a flow using the power spectral density (PSD) analysis. In the detection phase, it compares the fingerprint of a flow to the existing fingerprints learned during the training phase, and subsequently classifies the flow. Our classifier is not only capable of detecting voice and video streams that are hidden in different flows, but is also capable of detecting different applications (like Skype, MSN, etc.) that generate these voice/video streams. We show that our classifier can achieve close to 100% detection rate while keeping the false positive rate to less that 1%.

Understanding surveillance technologies spy devices, their origins & applications

CERN Document Server

Petersen, JK

2001-01-01

From electronic wire taps to baby monitors and long-distance video and listening devices, startling changes occur everyday in how we gather, interpret, and transmit information. An extraordinary range of powerful new technologies has come into existence to meet the requirements of this expanding field.Your search for a comprehensive resource for surveillance devices is over. Understanding Surveillance Technologies: Spy Devices, Their Origins and Applications serves as a provocative, broad-based, and visually appealing reference that introduces and describes the technologies rapidly moving into

The development of application technology for image processing in nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong Min; Lee, Yong Bum; Kim, Woog Ki; Sohn, Surg Won; Kim, Seung Ho; Hwang, Suk Yeoung; Kim, Byung Soo

1991-01-01

The object of this project is to develop application technology of image processing in nuclear facilities where image signal are used for reliability and safety enhancement of operation, radiation exposure reduce of operator, and automation of operation processing. We has studied such application technology for image processing in nuclear facilities as non-tactile measurement, remote and automatic inspection, remote control, and enhanced analysis of visual information. On these bases, automation system and real-time image processing system are developed. Nuclear power consists in over 50% share of electic power supply of our country nowdays. So, it is required of technological support for top-notch technology in nuclear industry and its related fields. Especially, it is indispensable for image processing technology to enhance the reliabilty and safety of operation, to automate the process in a place like a nuclear power plant and radioactive envionment. It is important that image processing technology is linked to a nuclear engineering, and enhance the reliability abd safety of nuclear operation, as well as decrease the dose rate. (Author)

Feasibility of automated speech sample collection with stuttering children using interactive voice response (IVR) technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, Adam P; Block, Susan; Kefalianos, Elaina; Onslow, Mark; Eadie, Patricia; Barth, Ben; Conway, Laura; Mundt, James C; Reilly, Sheena

2015-04-01

To investigate the feasibility of adopting automated interactive voice response (IVR) technology for remotely capturing standardized speech samples from stuttering children. Participants were 10 6-year-old stuttering children. Their parents called a toll-free number from their homes and were prompted to elicit speech from their children using a standard protocol involving conversation, picture description and games. The automated IVR system was implemented using an off-the-shelf telephony software program and delivered by a standard desktop computer. The software infrastructure utilizes voice over internet protocol. Speech samples were automatically recorded during the calls. Video recordings were simultaneously acquired in the home at the time of the call to evaluate the fidelity of the telephone collected samples. Key outcome measures included syllables spoken, percentage of syllables stuttered and an overall rating of stuttering severity using a 10-point scale. Data revealed a high level of relative reliability in terms of intra-class correlation between the video and telephone acquired samples on all outcome measures during the conversation task. Findings were less consistent for speech samples during picture description and games. Results suggest that IVR technology can be used successfully to automate remote capture of child speech samples.

Voice disorders in teachers and their associations with work-related factors: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantor Cutiva, Lady Catherine; Vogel, Ineke; Burdorf, Alex

2013-01-01

To provide a quantitative assessment of the occurrence of voice disorders among teachers and to identify associated work-related and individual factors in the teaching profession. A systematic review was conducted using three computerized databases on the occurrence of voice disorders among teachers and their associations with work-related and individual factors. Some of the keywords used were: "teacher", "voice disorder", "voice problem", and "dysphonia". Information regarding the occurrence of voice disorders and associations between work-related and individual factors and voice disorders were extracted from each paper. Occurrence and associations were expressed in prevalence and odds ratios, respectively. In total, 23 publications met the criteria for inclusion. All publications were cross-sectional studies. Prevalence estimates varied widely, reflecting disparity in definitions of "voice problem". Teachers had a significantly increased occurrence of voice disorders compared to other occupations. Several work-related and individual factors were consistently associated with voice disorders, most notably high levels of noise in classrooms, being a physical education instructor, and habitual use of a loud speaking voice. This review shows that teachers report voice disorders more often than non-teachers. Various work-related and individual factors are associated with reported voice disorders. Longitudinal studies are urgently required to get more insight into the development of voice disorders, their work-related determinants, and the consequences of these voice disorders for functioning and work performance among teachers. Describe the occurrence of voice disorders among teachers. Identify some work-related factors of voice disorders among teachers. Interpret the quality of the publications to describe or analyze the relationship between working conditions and voice disorders among teachers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Stars are Aligned: Nurses Must Exercise Their Voice

OpenAIRE

Meleis, Afaf I.

2015-01-01

The author develops in this editorial a claiming discourse whose purpose is to draw attention to the nurses to make their voices heard at a particularly propitious time for it (the stars are aligned). Afaf Meleis describes the current situation as the ideal for the nursing profession, finally, exercise your voice and contribute to optimizer health care through greater presence of nursing in all areas related to health. Demographic, educational, social and health changes, increasingly require ...

High quality voice synthesis middle ware; Kohinshitsu onsei gosei middle war

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

Toshiba Corp. newly developed a natural voice synthesis system, TOS Drive TTS (TOtally speaker Driven Text-To-Speech) system, in which natural high-quality read-aloud is greatly improved, and also developed as its application a voice synthesis middle ware. In the newly developed system, using as a model a narrator's voice recorded preliminarily, a metrical control dictionary is automatically learned that reproduces the characteristics of metrical patters such as intonation or rhythm of a human voice, as is a voice bases dictionary that reproduces the characteristics of a voice quality, enabling natural voice synthesis to be realized that picks up human voice characteristics. The system is high quality and also very compact, while the voice synthesis middle ware utilizing this technology is adaptable to various platforms such as MPU or OS. The system is very suitable for audio response in the ITS field having car navigation systems as the core; besides, expanded application is expected to an audio response system that used to employ a sound recording and reproducing system. (translated by NEDO)

Radiation processing applications in the Czechoslovak water treatment technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Vacek, K.; Pastuszek, F.; Sedláček, M.

The regeneration of biologically clogged water wells by radiation proved to be a successful and economically beneficial process among other promising applications of ionizing radiation in the water supply technology. The application conditions and experience are mentioned. The potential pathogenic Mycobacteria occuring in the warm washing and bathing water are resistant against usual chlorine and ozone concentrations. The radiation sensitivity of Mycobacteria allowed to suggest a device for their destroying by radiation. Some toxic substances in the underground water can be efficiently degraded by gamma radiation directly in the wells drilled as a hydraulic barrier surrounding the contaminated land area. Substantial decrease of CN - concentration and C.O.D. value was observed in water pumped from such well equipped with cobalt sources and charcoal. The removing of pathogenic contamination remains to be the main goal of radiation processing in the water purification technologies. The decrease of liquid sludge specific filter resistance and sedimentation acceleration by irradiation have a minor technological importance. The hygienization of sludge cake from the mechanical belt filter press by electron beam appears to be the optimum application in the Czechoslovak conditions. The potatoes and barley crop yields from experimental plots treated with sludge were higher in comparison with using the manure. Biological sludge from the municipal and food industry water purification plants contains nutritive components. The proper hygienization is a necessary condition for using them as a livestock feed supplement. Feeding experiments with broilers and pigs confirmed the possibility of partial (e.g. 50%) replacement of soya-, bone- or fish flour in feed mixtures by dried sludge hygienized either by heat or by the irradiation.

Radiation processing applications in the Czechoslovak water treatment technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vacek, K.; Pastuszek, F.; Sedlacek, M.

1986-01-01

The regeneration of biologically clogged water wells by radiation proved to be a successful and economically beneficial process among other promising applications of ionizing radiation in the water supply technology. The application conditions and experience are mentioned. The potential pathogenic Mycobacteria occuring in the warm washing and bathing water are resistant against usual chlorine and ozone concentrations. The radiation sensitivity of Mycobacteria allowed to suggest a device for their destroying by radiation. Some toxic substances in the underground water can be efficiently degraded by gamma radiation directly in the wells drilled as a hydraulic barrier surrounding the contaminated land area. Substantial decrease of CN - concentration and C.O.D. value was observed in water pumped from such well equipped with cobalt sources and charcoal. The removing of pathogenic contamination remains to be the main goal of radiation processing in the water purification technologies. The decrease of liquid sludge specific filter resistance and sedimentation acceleration by irradiation have a minor technological importance. The hygienization of sludge cake from the mechanical belt filter press by electron beam appears to be the optimum application in the Czechoslovak conditions. The potatoes and barley crop yields from experimental plots treated with sludge were higher in comparison with using the manure. Biological sludge from the municipal and food industry water purification plants contains nutritive components. The proper hygienization is a necessary condition for using them as a livestock feed supplement. Feeding experiments with broilers and pigs confirmed the possibility of partial (e.g. 50%) replacement of soya-, bone, or fish flour in feed mixtures by dried sludge hygienized either by heat or by the irradiation. (author)

A long distance voice transmission system based on the white light LED

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Chunyu; Wei, Chang; Wang, Yulian; Wang, Dachi; Yu, Benli; Xu, Feng

2017-10-01

A long distance voice transmission system based on a visible light communication technology (VLCT) is proposed in the paper. Our proposed system includes transmitter, receiver and the voice signal processing of single chip microcomputer. In the compact-sized LED transmitter, we use on-off-keying and not-return-to-zero (OOK-NRZ) to easily realize high speed modulation, and then systematic complexity is reduced. A voice transmission system, which possesses the properties of the low-noise and wide modulation band, is achieved by the design of high efficiency receiving optical path and using filters to reduce noise from the surrounding light. To improve the speed of the signal processing, we use single chip microcomputer to code and decode voice signal. Furthermore, serial peripheral interface (SPI) is adopted to accurately transmit voice signal data. The test results of our proposed system show that the transmission distance of this system is more than100 meters with the maximum data rate of 1.5 Mbit/s and a SNR of 30dB. This system has many advantages, such as simple construction, low cost and strong practicality. Therefore, it has extensive application prospect in the fields of the emergency communication and indoor wireless communication, etc.

Voice Biometrics for Information Assurance Applications

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kang, George

2002-01-01

.... The ultimate goal of voice biometrics is to enable the use of voice as a password. Voice biometrics are "man-in-the-loop" systems in which system performance is significantly dependent on human performance...

Influence of classroom acoustics on the voice levels of teachers with and without voice problems: a field study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pelegrin Garcia, David; Lyberg-Åhlander, Viveka; Rydell, Roland

2010-01-01

of the classroom. The results thus suggest that teachers with voice problems are more aware of classroom acoustic conditions than their healthy colleagues and make use of the more supportive rooms to lower their voice levels. This behavior may result from an adaptation process of the teachers with voice problems...... of the voice problems was made with a questionnaire and a laryngological examination. During teaching, the sound pressure level at the teacher’s position was monitored. The teacher’s voice level and the activity noise level were separated using mixed Gaussians. In addition, objective acoustic parameters...... of Reverberation Time and Voice Support were measured in the 30 empty classrooms of the study. An empirical model shows that the measured voice levels depended on the activity noise levels and the voice support. Teachers with and without voice problems were differently affected by the voice support...

Familiarity and Voice Representation: From Acoustic-Based Representation to Voice Averages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maureen Fontaine

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The ability to recognize an individual from their voice is a widespread ability with a long evolutionary history. Yet, the perceptual representation of familiar voices is ill-defined. In two experiments, we explored the neuropsychological processes involved in the perception of voice identity. We specifically explored the hypothesis that familiar voices (trained-to-familiar (Experiment 1, and famous voices (Experiment 2 are represented as a whole complex pattern, well approximated by the average of multiple utterances produced by a single speaker. In experiment 1, participants learned three voices over several sessions, and performed a three-alternative forced-choice identification task on original voice samples and several “speaker averages,” created by morphing across varying numbers of different vowels (e.g., [a] and [i] produced by the same speaker. In experiment 2, the same participants performed the same task on voice samples produced by familiar speakers. The two experiments showed that for famous voices, but not for trained-to-familiar voices, identification performance increased and response times decreased as a function of the number of utterances in the averages. This study sheds light on the perceptual representation of familiar voices, and demonstrates the power of average in recognizing familiar voices. The speaker average captures the unique characteristics of a speaker, and thus retains the information essential for recognition; it acts as a prototype of the speaker.

Privileging Younger Children's Voices in Research: Use of Drawings and a Co-Construction Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joanna Tay-Lim PhD Student

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The growing acknowledgement of the value of listening to children's views and experiences in social research, popularly termed as “listening to their voices,” brings with it methodological consequences. Regarding children as expert informants about their own lives carries with it the simultaneous call for researchers to be experts in developing and employing appropriate strategies that can effectively elicit the insights that children can bring to a research topic. With younger children, the use of participatory methodologies has been foregrounded as the key to unlocking their potential to contribute rich and useful perspectives to inform research into their lives. This article explores the usefulness of employing preschoolers' drawings within the context of a co-construction process to facilitate the children's construction of ideas and reinforce their voices in research. The case is made that the quality of the dialogical engagement is as important as the drawing itself, and both visual images and the verbal exchanges are central to the children's meaning-making process. In the co-construction process, both adult and child are (ideally equal players and the resulting dialogical process plays a major role in the constitution of the phenomena. The role of the researcher as the co-constructor can be a challenging one because it entails engaging and supporting children's views and the expression of these views. The discussion and illustrations from the first author's research projects contribute to the literature base on positioning preschool children as valid social actors in their communities. We operate through an ethos of empowerment of all participants, and aim for participatory research practice which has at its heart an active involvement in promoting the rights of children as citizens with voice and power. (Pascal & Bertram, 2009, p. 249

Additive Manufacturing Technologies Used for Processing Polymers: Current Status and Potential Application in Prosthetic Dentistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Revilla-León, Marta; Özcan, Mutlu

2018-04-22

There are 7 categories of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, and a wide variety of materials can be used to build a CAD 3D object. The present article reviews the main AM processes for polymers for dental applications: stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), material jetting (MJ), and material extrusion (ME). The manufacturing process, accuracy, and precision of these methods will be reviewed, as well as their prosthodontic applications. © 2018 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Application of Electro-Technologies in Processing of Flax Fiber

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. S. Vijaya Raghavan

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Flax fibers used for various applications are obtained from flax stems. Retting followed by drying and mechanical separation leads to the production of fibers. This review article discusses the application of electro-technologies in the production of bast fibers from the flax stem. In these technologies, flax stems harvested from the field are subjected to microwave assisted retting, followed by electro–osmotic dewatering which reduces the water content of the stems. Dewatered stems are transferred to a microwave chamber for further drying, thus retted stems are obtained for further processing.

Advanced scientific computational methods and their applications to nuclear technologies. (4) Overview of scientific computational methods, introduction of continuum simulation methods and their applications (4)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekimura, Naoto; Okita, Taira

2006-01-01

Scientific computational methods have advanced remarkably with the progress of nuclear development. They have played the role of weft connecting each realm of nuclear engineering and then an introductory course of advanced scientific computational methods and their applications to nuclear technologies were prepared in serial form. This is the fourth issue showing the overview of scientific computational methods with the introduction of continuum simulation methods and their applications. Simulation methods on physical radiation effects on materials are reviewed based on the process such as binary collision approximation, molecular dynamics, kinematic Monte Carlo method, reaction rate method and dislocation dynamics. (T. Tanaka)

Digital Technologies for Promoting "Student Voice" and Co-Creating Learning Experience in an Academic Course

Science.gov (United States)

Blau, Ina; Shamir-Inbal, Tamar

2018-01-01

"Student voice" (SV) refers to listening to and valuing students' views regarding their learning experiences, as well as treating them as equal partners in the evaluation process. This is expected, in turn, to empower students to take a more active role in shaping their learning. This study explores the role played by digital…

Sensory Processing: Advances in Understanding Structure and Function of Pitch-Shifted Auditory Feedback in Voice Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles R Larson

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The pitch-shift paradigm has become a widely used method for studying the role of voice pitch auditory feedback in voice control. This paradigm introduces small, brief pitch shifts in voice auditory feedback to vocalizing subjects. The perturbations trigger a reflexive mechanism that counteracts the change in pitch. The underlying mechanisms of the vocal responses are thought to reflect a negative feedback control system that is similar to constructs developed to explain other forms of motor control. Another use of this technique requires subjects to voluntarily change the pitch of their voice when they hear a pitch shift stimulus. Under these conditions, short latency responses are produced that change voice pitch to match that of the stimulus. The pitch-shift technique has been used with magnetoencephalography (MEG and electroencephalography (EEG recordings, and has shown that at vocal onset there is normally a suppression of neural activity related to vocalization. However, if a pitch-shift is also presented at voice onset, there is a cancellation of this suppression, which has been interpreted to mean that one way in which a person distinguishes self-vocalization from vocalization of others is by a comparison of the intended voice and the actual voice. Studies of the pitch shift reflex in the fMRI environment show that the superior temporal gyrus (STG plays an important role in the process of controlling voice F0 based on auditory feedback. Additional studies using fMRI for effective connectivity modeling show that the left and right STG play critical roles in correcting for an error in voice production. While both the left and right STG are involved in this process, a feedback loop develops between left and right STG during perturbations, in which the left to right connection becomes stronger, and a new negative right to left connection emerges along with the emergence of other feedback loops within the cortical network tested.

Study progression in application of process analytical technologies on film coating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tingting Peng

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Film coating is an important unit operation to produce solid dosage forms, thereby, the monitoring of this process is helpful to find problems in time and improve the quality of coated products. Traditional methods adopted to monitor this process include measurement of coating weight gain, performance of disintegration and dissolution test, etc. However, not only do these methods cause destruction to the samples, but also consume time and energy. There have recently emerged the applications of process analytical technologies (PAT on film coating, especially some novel spectroscopic and imaging technologies, which have the potential to real-time track the progress in film coating and optimize production efficiency. This article gives an overview on the application of such technologies for film coating, with the goal to provide a reference for the further researches.

Some novel concepts in radiation processing technology applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varshney, Lalit

2014-01-01

Search for better materials and processes has been a part of the evolution of mankind and it still continues to be so as it is being realized that earth's resources are not everlasting and effect of rapid growth on environment may adversely affect the future development. Sustainable development is the only choice for today for long term survival. Better quality and high functional materials, made by superior technologies are being demanded by the society. Radiation processing technology has significantly contributed to meet the expectation of the people in providing superior products and processes while preserving the environment. Processes are being developed where resources are fully utilized with maximum advantages and little disturbance to the environment. More than 1500 electron beam accelerators and about 500 Gamma Irradiators are presently in use and many are being deployed for radiation processing of medical supplies, pharmaceuticals and herbal materials, treat effluents and preserve food and agricultural products and several industrial products. DAE has an ambitious plan to deploy radiation technology for societal benefits in India. In the presentations some interesting applications of Radiation Processing Technology will be discussed which includes (1) Radiation Processing of Cashew Apple fruit for bio-ethanol production (2) High Energy Battery separators (3) Plant Growth Promoters and (4) Tunable biodegradability. The discussion would reveal how a waste product like cashew apple can be converted to useful materials and advanced materials like HEB separators and Tunable Biodegradable films can be made using radiation technology. Use of radiation de-polymerized polysaccharides in some experiments have shown unexpected increase in agriculture output giving new concepts to increase the productivity. (author)

High power CO II lasers and their material processing applications at Centre for Advanced Technology, India

Science.gov (United States)

Nath, A. K.; Paul, C. P.; Rao, B. T.; Kau, R.; Raghu, T.; Mazumdar, J. Dutta; Dayal, R. K.; Mudali, U. Kamachi; Sastikumar, D.; Gandhi, B. K.

2006-01-01

We have developed high power transverse flow (TF) CW CO II lasers up to 15kW, a high repetition rate TEA CO II laser of 500Hz, 500W average power and a RF excited fast axial flow CO II laser at the Centre for Advanced Technology and have carried out various material processing applications with these lasers. We observed very little variation of discharge voltage with electrode gap in TF CO II lasers. With optimally modulated laser beam we obtained better results in laser piercing and cutting of titanium and resolidification of 3 16L stainless steel weld-metal for improving intergranular corrosion resistance. We carried out microstructure and phase analysis of laser bent 304 stainless steel sheet and optimum process zones were obtained. We carried out laser cladding of 316L stainless steel and Al-alloy substrates with Mo, WC, and Cr IIC 3 powder to improve their wear characteristics. We developed a laser rapid manufacturing facility and fabricated components of various geometries with minimum surface roughness of 5-7 microns Ra and surface waviness of 45 microns between overlapped layers using Colmonoy-6, 3 16L stainless steel and Inconel powders. Cutting of thick concrete blocks by repeated laser glazing followed by mechanical scrubbing process and drilling holes on a vertical concrete with laser beam incident at an optimum angle allowing molten material to flow out under gravity were also done. Some of these studies are briefly presented here.

Multidimensional assessment of strongly irregular voices such as in substitution voicing and spasmodic dysphonia: a compilation of own research.

Science.gov (United States)

Moerman, Mieke; Martens, Jean-Pierre; Dejonckere, Philippe

2015-04-01

This article is a compilation of own research performed during the European COoperation in Science and Technology (COST) action 2103: 'Advance Voice Function Assessment', an initiative of voice and speech processing teams consisting of physicists, engineers, and clinicians. This manuscript concerns analyzing largely irregular voicing types, namely substitution voicing (SV) and adductor spasmodic dysphonia (AdSD). A specific perceptual rating scale (IINFVo) was developed, and the Auditory Model Based Pitch Extractor (AMPEX), a piece of software that automatically analyses running speech and generates pitch values in background noise, was applied. The IINFVo perceptual rating scale has been shown to be useful in evaluating SV. The analysis of strongly irregular voices stimulated a modification of the European Laryngological Society's assessment protocol which was originally designed for the common types of (less severe) dysphonia. Acoustic analysis with AMPEX demonstrates that the most informative features are, for SV, the voicing-related acoustic features and, for AdSD, the perturbation measures. Poor correlations between self-assessment and acoustic and perceptual dimensions in the assessment of highly irregular voices argue for a multidimensional approach.

Application of the V.R. technology to the 3D-CAD system for nuclear plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katoh, Toshisada; Tanaka, Kazuo; Kasai, Yasusuke; Kimura, Katsumi; Nakakoshi, Tetsuhiro

1993-01-01

The technology of the V.R. (Virtual Reality) is expected to improve the interface between the human and the computer by reality and easiness. The application of the V.R. technology to the nuclear power plant will bring the wide-spread use of the computer in various fields such as plant planning, design, training, and operation. The combination of the 3D-CAD plant data and the V.R. technologies will be easy approach to realize these applications because the 3D-CAD data for nuclear plant is constructed in the design stage. The prototype system investigates the feasibility of V.R. technologies in the nuclear plant. The stereo-scopic device and the voice processing device has been integrated to 3D-CAD system by 1992. We confirmed that these devices have a good effect on the improvement of the interface between the man and the computer. (orig.)

Novel thermal management structures and their applications in new hybrid technologies and feed-through structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carter, A.A.; Oliveira, R. de; Gandi, A.

1999-01-01

Novel techniques are described for fabricating a new thermal management structure (TMS), in the form of rigid low-mass structures with extremely high in-plane thermal conductivity. The core materials can be forms of thermally anisotropically conducting pyrolytic graphite that are directly encapsulated in a new thin-layering process. The structures can be used in a large variety of applications, including: (a) Efficient interfacing with ceramic materials and metals to provide new thermal management technologies. (b) Providing the source for a new hybrid technology where low-mass custom-designed multilayer thin-film circuits can be directly processed onto such structures. Alternatively, having been prefabricated on an independent substrate, hybrids can be efficiently interfaced to such thermal management structures. (c) Providing electrical connectivity between both sides of a TMS board through a new feedthrough technology that allows the fabrication of both single-sided and double-sided hybrids. These thermal management techniques and their applications are the subject of an international patent application number PCT/GB99/02180, filed in the names of the European Organization for Nuclear Research and Queen Mary and Westfield College, London. (orig.)

Application of radiation technology to sewage sludge processing: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Jianlong; Wang Jiazhuo

2007-01-01

Sewage sludge is unwanted residual solid wastes generated in wastewater treatment and its management is one of the most critical environmental issues of today. The treatment and disposal of sludge contribute a considerable proportion of the cost for running a wastewater treatment plant. The increasing amount of swage sludge and more and more legislative regulation of its disposal have stimulated the need for developing new technologies to process sewage sludge efficiently and economically. One ideal consideration is to recycle it after proper treatment. Radiation technology is regarded to be a promising alternative for its high efficiency in pathogen inactivation, organic pollutants oxidation, odor nuisance elimination and some other characteristics enhancement, which will facilitate the down-stream process of sludge treatment and disposal. Here we present a brief review of application of radiation technology on sewage sludge processing. Some basic information of two currently available irradiation systems and fundamental radiation chemistry are introduced firstly; then the world-wide application of this promising technology is reviewed; various effects of radiation on sludge is discussed in detail; and some concluding remarks are given and some future directions are also proposed

The application of radionuclides in technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braun, H.

1979-01-01

Open radioactive materials are being increasingly applied in technology. In this summarizing survey, a report is given on their use in engineering, particularly for the optimization of processes and plants (material transport procedure e.g. in ore processing, mining technology, in the production of various industrial goods), furthermore on their application in corrosion and wear investigations (e.g. corrosion-protecting coatings, motor components, processing tools etc.). (RB) [de

Evaluation of Speech Recognition of Cochlear Implant Recipients Using Adaptive, Digital Remote Microphone Technology and a Speech Enhancement Sound Processing Algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe, Jace; Morais, Mila; Schafer, Erin; Agrawal, Smita; Koch, Dawn

2015-05-01

Cochlear implant recipients often experience difficulty with understanding speech in the presence of noise. Cochlear implant manufacturers have developed sound processing algorithms designed to improve speech recognition in noise, and research has shown these technologies to be effective. Remote microphone technology utilizing adaptive, digital wireless radio transmission has also been shown to provide significant improvement in speech recognition in noise. There are no studies examining the potential improvement in speech recognition in noise when these two technologies are used simultaneously. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential benefits and limitations associated with the simultaneous use of a sound processing algorithm designed to improve performance in noise (Advanced Bionics ClearVoice) and a remote microphone system that incorporates adaptive, digital wireless radio transmission (Phonak Roger). A two-by-two way repeated measures design was used to examine performance differences obtained without these technologies compared to the use of each technology separately as well as the simultaneous use of both technologies. Eleven Advanced Bionics (AB) cochlear implant recipients, ages 11 to 68 yr. AzBio sentence recognition was measured in quiet and in the presence of classroom noise ranging in level from 50 to 80 dBA in 5-dB steps. Performance was evaluated in four conditions: (1) No ClearVoice and no Roger, (2) ClearVoice enabled without the use of Roger, (3) ClearVoice disabled with Roger enabled, and (4) simultaneous use of ClearVoice and Roger. Speech recognition in quiet was better than speech recognition in noise for all conditions. Use of ClearVoice and Roger each provided significant improvement in speech recognition in noise. The best performance in noise was obtained with the simultaneous use of ClearVoice and Roger. ClearVoice and Roger technology each improves speech recognition in noise, particularly when used at the same time

Voice and Video Telephony Services in Smartphone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Multimedia telephony is a delay-sensitive application. Packet losses, relatively less critical than delay, are allowed up to a certain threshold. They represent the QoS constraints that have to be respected to guarantee the operation of the telephony service and user satisfaction. In this work we introduce a new smartphone architecture characterized by two process levels called application processor (AP and mobile termination (MT, respectively. Here, they communicate through a serial channel. Moreover, we focus our attention on two very important UMTS services: voice and video telephony. Through a simulation study the impact of voice and video telephony is evaluated on the structure considered using the protocols known at this moment to realize voice and video telephony

Assessment voice synthesizers for reading in digital books

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sérvulo Fernandes da Silva Neto

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The digital accessibility shows ways to information access in digital media that assist people with different types of disabilities to a better interaction with the computer independent of its limitations. Of these tools are composed by voice synthesizers, that supposedly simplifying their access to any recorded knowledge through digital technologies. However such tools have emerged originally in countries foreign language. Which brings us to the following research problem: the voice synthesizers are appropriate for reading digital books in the Portuguese language? The objective of this study was to analyze and classify different software tools voice synthesizers in combination with software digital book readers to support accessibility to e-books in Portuguese. Through literature review were identified applications software voice synthesizers, composing the sample analyzed in this work. We used a simplified version of the method of Multiple Criteria Decision Support - MMDA, to assess these. In the research 12 were considered readers of e-books and 11 software voice synthesizer, tested with six formats of e-books (E-pub, PDF, HTML, DOC, TXT, and Mobi. In accordance with the results, the software Virtual Vision achieved the highest score. Relative to formats, it was found that the PDF has measured a better score when summed the results of the three synthesizers. In the studied universe contacted that many synthesizers simply cannot be used because they did not support the Portuguese language.

Citizen Journalism and Digital Voices: Instituting a Collaborative Process between Global Youth, Technology and Media for Positive Social Change

Science.gov (United States)

Worley, Robin

2011-01-01

Millions of youths in developing countries are described by UNICEF as "invisible and excluded." They live at the margins of society, facing challenges to their daily existence, powerless to make positive changes. But the emergence of citizen journalism and digital storytelling may offer these youths a chance to share their voices and…

A Survey of Equipment in the Singing Voice Studio and Its Perceived Effectiveness by Vocologists and Student Singers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerhard, Julia; Rosow, David E

2016-05-01

Speech-language pathologists have long used technology for the clinical measurement of the speaking voice, but present research shows that vocal pedagogues and voice students are becoming more accepting of technology in the studio. As a result, the equipment and technology used in singing voice studios by speech-language pathologists and vocal pedagogues are changing. Although guides exist regarding equipment and technology necessary for developing a voice laboratory and private voice studio, there are no data documenting the current implementation of these items and their perceived effectiveness. This study seeks to document current trends in equipment used in voice laboratories and studios. Two separate surveys were distributed to 60 vocologists and approximately 300 student singers representative of the general singing student population. The surveys contained questions about the inventory of items found in voice studios and perceived effectiveness of these items. Data were analyzed using descriptive analyses and statistical analyses when applicable. Twenty-six of 60 potential vocologists responded, and 66 student singers responded. The vocologists reported highly uniform inventories and ratings of studio items. There were wide-ranging differences between the inventories reported by the vocologist and student singer groups. Statistically significant differences between ratings of effectiveness of studio items were found for 11 of the 17 items. In all significant cases, vocologists rated usefulness to be higher than student singers. Although the order of rankings of vocologists and student singers was similar, a much higher percentage of vocologists report the items as being efficient and effective than students. The historically typical studio items, including the keyboard and mirror, were ranked as most effective by both vocologists and student singers. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

I like my voice better: self-enhancement bias in perceptions of voice attractiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Susan M; Harrison, Marissa A

2013-01-01

Previous research shows that the human voice can communicate a wealth of nonsemantic information; preferences for voices can predict health, fertility, and genetic quality of the speaker, and people often use voice attractiveness, in particular, to make these assessments of others. But it is not known what we think of the attractiveness of our own voices as others hear them. In this study eighty men and women rated the attractiveness of an array of voice recordings of different individuals and were not told that their own recorded voices were included in the presentation. Results showed that participants rated their own voices as sounding more attractive than others had rated their voices, and participants also rated their own voices as sounding more attractive than they had rated the voices of others. These findings suggest that people may engage in vocal implicit egotism, a form of self-enhancement.

Connections between voice ergonomic risk factors and voice symptoms, voice handicap, and respiratory tract diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Rantala, Leena M; Hakala, Suvi J; Holmqvist, Sofia; Sala, Eeva

2012-11-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the connections between voice ergonomic risk factors found in classrooms and voice-related problems in teachers. Voice ergonomic assessment was performed in 39 classrooms in 14 elementary schools by means of a Voice Ergonomic Assessment in Work Environment--Handbook and Checklist. The voice ergonomic risk factors assessed included working culture, noise, indoor air quality, working posture, stress, and access to a sound amplifier. Teachers from the above-mentioned classrooms reported their voice symptoms, respiratory tract diseases, and completed a Voice Handicap Index (VHI). The more voice ergonomic risk factors found in the classroom the higher were the teachers' total scores on voice symptoms and VHI. Stress was the factor that correlated most strongly with voice symptoms. Poor indoor air quality increased the occurrence of laryngitis. Voice ergonomics were poor in the classrooms studied and voice ergonomic risk factors affected the voice. It is important to convey information on voice ergonomics to education administrators and those responsible for school planning and taking care of school buildings. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

MOBILIZED STATE´S WORKERS: VOICES IN THE MEDIATIC CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR IDENTITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Mariel Sorribas

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In this study we analyze the identity fields of state workers in Cordoba (Argentina from the media frames developed by the largest newspaper coverage at the provincial level for the period 2002-2006. This will distinguish the different voices from which it is possible to reconstruct the identities (voices of the press, the protagonists and antagonists. Between the protagonist and antagonist build the identity of these workers around the axis unprivileged/privileged. The voice of the press makes their frames using other criteria, characterizing the protagonists based on the level of unification and massiveness of the actions of them, differing governmental procedures. The identity construction of the figure of the antagonist from the three voices is much more complex. This construction reveals that as of labor dispute, the content of the newspaper discourse shifts to a definition of political identities in the party system.

Advanced scientific computational methods and their applications to nuclear technologies. (3) Introduction of continuum simulation methods and their applications (3)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Satake, Shin-ichi; Kunugi, Tomoaki

2006-01-01

Scientific computational methods have advanced remarkably with the progress of nuclear development. They have played the role of weft connecting each realm of nuclear engineering and then an introductory course of advanced scientific computational methods and their applications to nuclear technologies were prepared in serial form. This is the third issue showing the introduction of continuum simulation methods and their applications. Spectral methods and multi-interface calculation methods in fluid dynamics are reviewed. (T. Tanaka)

Occupational voice demands and their impact on the call-centre industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duffy OM

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Within the last decade there has been a growth in the call-centre industry in the UK, with a growing awareness of the voice as an important tool for successful communication. Occupational voice problems such as occupational dysphonia, in a business which relies on healthy, effective voice as the primary professional communication tool, may threaten working ability and occupational health and safety of workers. While previous studies of telephone call-agents have reported a range of voice symptoms and functional vocal health problems, there have been no studies investigating the use and impact of vocal performance in the communication industry within the UK. This study aims to address a significant gap in the evidence-base of occupational health and safety research. The objectives of the study are: 1. to investigate the work context and vocal communication demands for call-agents; 2. to evaluate call-agents' vocal health, awareness and performance; and 3. to identify key risks and training needs for employees and employers within call-centres. Methods and design This is an occupational epidemiological study, which plans to recruit call-centres throughout the UK and Ireland. Data collection will consist of three components: 1. interviews with managers from each participating call-centre to assess their communication and training needs; 2. an online biopsychosocial questionnaire will be administered to investigate the work environment and vocal demands of call-agents; and 3. voice acoustic measurements of a random sample of participants using the Multi-dimensional Voice Program (MDVP. Qualitative content analysis from the interviews will identify underlying themes and issues. A multivariate analysis approach will be adopted using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM, to develop voice measurement models in determining the construct validity of potential factors contributing to occupational dysphonia. Quantitative data will be

Business process modeling for processing classified documents using RFID technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koszela Jarosław

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article outlines the application of the processing approach to the functional description of the designed IT system supporting the operations of the secret office, which processes classified documents. The article describes the application of the method of incremental modeling of business processes according to the BPMN model to the description of the processes currently implemented (“as is” in a manual manner and target processes (“to be”, using the RFID technology for the purpose of their automation. Additionally, the examples of applying the method of structural and dynamic analysis of the processes (process simulation to verify their correctness and efficiency were presented. The extension of the process analysis method is a possibility of applying the warehouse of processes and process mining methods.

Voice search for development

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Barnard, E

2010-09-01

Full Text Available of speech technology development, similar approaches are likely to be applicable in both circumstances. However, within these broad approaches there are details which are specific to certain languages (or lan- guage families) that may require solutions... to the modeling of pitch were therefore required. Similarly, it is possible that novel solutions will be required to deal with the click sounds that occur in some Southern Bantu languages, or the voicing Copyright  2010 ISCA 26-30 September 2010, Makuhari...

Interactive displays natural human-interface technologies

CERN Document Server

Bhowmik, Achintya K

2014-01-01

One of the first books to provide an in-depth discussion of the technologies, applications and trends in the rapidly emerging field of interactive displays (touch, gesture & voice) The book will cover the technologies, applications and trends in the field of interactive displays, namely interfaces based on touch, gesture and voice and those using a combination of these technologies. The book will be split into 4 main parts with each being dedicated to a specific user interface. Part 1 ''Touch Interfaces'' will provide a review of the currently deployed touch-screen technologies and applications. It will also cover the recent developments towards achieving thinner, lightweight and cost-reduced touch screen panels in the future via integration of touch functionalities. Part 2 ''Gesture Interfaces'' will examine techniques and applications in stereoscopic 3D computer vision, structured-light 3D computer vision and time-of-flight 3D computer vision in gesture interfaces. Part 3 ''Voice Interfaces'' will revie...

Smartphone App for Voice Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

... on. Feature: Taste, Smell, Hearing, Language, Voice, Balance Smartphone App for Voice Disorders Past Issues / Fall 2013 ... developed a mobile monitoring device that relies on smartphone technology to gather a week's worth of talking, ...

Photon technology. Laser process technology; Photon technology. Laser process gijutsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

For developing laser process technology by interaction between substance and photon, the present state, system, R and D issues and proposal of such technology were summarized. Development of the photon technology aims at the modification of bonding conditions of substances by quantum energy of photon, and the new process technology for generating ultra- high temperature and pressure fields by concentrating photon on a minute region. Photon technology contributes to not only the conventional mechanical and thermal forming and removal machining but also function added machining (photon machining) in quantum level and new machining technology ranging from macro- to micro-machining, creating a new industrial field. This technology extends various fields from the basis of physics and chemistry to new bonding technology. Development of a compact high-quality high-power high-efficiency photon source, and advanced photon transmission technology are necessary. The basic explication of an unsolved physicochemical phenomenon related to photon and substance, and development of related application technologies are essential. 328 refs., 147 figs., 13 tabs.

Digital Media Creates Youth Voices Heard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeff Sallee

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Oklahoma 4-H clubs and military service centers partnered with the Adobe Youth Voices (AYV program to give youth opportunities to raise their voices through digital media. This program reached out to underrepresented youth and gave them the tools and technology to effectively express themselves. The intent of this project was for 4-H members to create videos to educate, help and raise awareness in their communities of topics that were important to the youth. These experiences help youth gain knowledge towards helping others solve farm, home, and community problems. Participating youth selected issues that were important to them and created a short video, educating others and sharing their convictions on the topics of horse therapy, citizenship, bullying, and distracted driving.

Conducting evaluation research with children exposed to violence: How technological innovations in methodologies and data collection may enhance the process.

Science.gov (United States)

Wall, Michael A; Jenney, Angelique; Walsh, Margaret

2018-01-20

Research and program evaluation processes that engage children and youth are becoming much more common due to influences from children's rights and the acknowledgement that children have the capacity to contribute to research, both as participants and co-researchers (Roberts, 2017). Recent technological advances in the form of tablet and internet-based applications have provided researchers with additional methodological tools to better capture the voices and experiences of children and their caregivers (Livingstone & Blum-Ross, 2017). However, little has been written on the ways in which these new technological advances can improve research experiences for children who have been exposed to intimate partner and family violence, as well as other forms of traumatic experiences. This paper provides a review of current literature and a case study example of how one children's mental health agency has implemented tablet-based data collection procedures. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Chemometrics-based process analytical technology (PAT) tools: applications and adaptation in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries.

Science.gov (United States)

Challa, Shruthi; Potumarthi, Ravichandra

2013-01-01

Process analytical technology (PAT) is used to monitor and control critical process parameters in raw materials and in-process products to maintain the critical quality attributes and build quality into the product. Process analytical technology can be successfully implemented in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries not only to impart quality into the products but also to prevent out-of-specifications and improve the productivity. PAT implementation eliminates the drawbacks of traditional methods which involves excessive sampling and facilitates rapid testing through direct sampling without any destruction of sample. However, to successfully adapt PAT tools into pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical environment, thorough understanding of the process is needed along with mathematical and statistical tools to analyze large multidimensional spectral data generated by PAT tools. Chemometrics is a chemical discipline which incorporates both statistical and mathematical methods to obtain and analyze relevant information from PAT spectral tools. Applications of commonly used PAT tools in combination with appropriate chemometric method along with their advantages and working principle are discussed. Finally, systematic application of PAT tools in biopharmaceutical environment to control critical process parameters for achieving product quality is diagrammatically represented.

Voice over IP in the WiFi Network business models: Will voice be a killer application for WiFi Public Networks?

OpenAIRE

Infante, Jorge; Bellalta, Boris

2013-01-01

The stunning growth of WiFi networks, together with the spreading of mobile telephony and the increasing use of Voice over IP (VoIP) on top of Internet, pose relevant questions on the application of WiFi networks to support VoIP services that could be used as a complement and/or competition to the 2G/3G cellular networks. The paper explores the state of the art on the capability of WiFi networks to support voice services in a user itinerant context, identifying actual and future strengths, we...

Smart Homes with Voice Activated Systems for Disabled People

OpenAIRE

Bekir Busatlic; Nejdet Dogru; Isaac Lera; Enes Sukic

2017-01-01

Smart home refers to the application of various technologies to semi-unsupervised home control It refers to systems that control temperature, lighting, door locks, windows and many other appliances. The aim of this study was to design a system that will use existing technology to showcase how it can benefit people with disabilities. This work uses only off-the-shelf products (smart home devices and controllers), speech recognition technology, open-source code libraries. The Voice Activated Sm...

Summary of the Accelerator-Driven Transmutation Technologies and their applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wanger, T.P.

1995-10-01

During the past 15 years many advances have been made in the technology of high-power accelerators, and in the understanding of the beam-physics issues associated with their high-performance requirements. These developments have contributed significantly to the high level of confidence in the practicality of the applications that were the central point of the international Accelerator-Driven Transmutation Technologies (ADTT) Conference. Even so, there are many accelerator topics that needed to be addressed, and the Conference provided the opportunity to address these issues.

THz spectroscopy: An emerging technology for pharmaceutical development and pharmaceutical Process Analytical Technology (PAT) applications

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Huiquan; Khan, Mansoor

2012-08-01

As an emerging technology, THz spectroscopy has gained increasing attention in the pharmaceutical area during the last decade. This attention is due to the fact that (1) it provides a promising alternative approach for in-depth understanding of both intermolecular interaction among pharmaceutical molecules and pharmaceutical product quality attributes; (2) it provides a promising alternative approach for enhanced process understanding of certain pharmaceutical manufacturing processes; and (3) the FDA pharmaceutical quality initiatives, most noticeably, the Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative. In this work, the current status and progress made so far on using THz spectroscopy for pharmaceutical development and pharmaceutical PAT applications are reviewed. In the spirit of demonstrating the utility of first principles modeling approach for addressing model validation challenge and reducing unnecessary model validation "burden" for facilitating THz pharmaceutical PAT applications, two scientific case studies based on published THz spectroscopy measurement results are created and discussed. Furthermore, other technical challenges and opportunities associated with adapting THz spectroscopy as a pharmaceutical PAT tool are highlighted.

Experimental application of Business Process Management technology to manage clinical pathways: a pediatric kidney transplantation follow up case.

Science.gov (United States)

Andellini, Martina; Fernandez Riesgo, Sandra; Morolli, Federica; Ritrovato, Matteo; Cosoli, Piero; Petruzzellis, Silverio; Rosso, Nicola

2017-11-03

To test the application of Business Process Management technology to manage clinical pathways, using a pediatric kidney transplantation as case study, and to identify the benefits obtained from using this technology. Using a Business Process Management platform, we implemented a specific application to manage the clinical pathway of pediatric patients, and monitored the activities of the coordinator in charge of the case management during a 6-month period (from June 2015 to November 2015) using two methodologies: the traditional procedure and the one under study. The application helped physicians and nurses to optimize the amount of time and resources devoted to management purposes. In particular, time reduction was close to 60%. In addition, the reduction of data duplication, the integrated event management and the efficient data collection improved the quality of the service. The use of Business Process Management technology, usually related to well-defined processes with high management costs, is an established procedure in multiple environments; its use in healthcare, however, is innovative. The use of already accepted clinical pathways is known to improve outcomes. The combination of these two techniques, well established in their respective areas of application, could represent a revolution in clinical pathway management. The study has demonstrated that the use of this technology in a clinical environment, using a proper architecture and identifying a well-defined process, leads to real benefits in terms of resources optimization and quality improvement.

Application of reverse osmosis membrane technology for liquid radioactive waste processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Juan

2010-01-01

Liquid radioactive waste (LRW) processing should bear an acceptable level of residual radioactivity for discharge and meet the request of energy saving and waste minimization. Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane technology has been developed as a novel process for LRW processing. Five basic operating parameters of flux, recovery factor, rejection factor, concentration factor and decontamination factor were described, and the latter two parameters were the most important. Concentration factor and decontamination factor should be as high as possible and simultaneously the operating cost for membrane filtration should be low. Technical design considerations for membrane process were discussed and optimized from the aspects of pretreatment, membrane module choice and arrangement and membrane clear out. Application and investigation of RO membrane technology for LRW processing were introduced and it should be noted that the RO membrane technology has been introduced into overseas nuclear power plants for LRW processing and interiorly in the stage of investigation. (authors)

Function Activation on Intelligent Buildings Using Mobile Devices through Voice Commands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moumtadi Fatima

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Development of information and communication technologies has allowed the incorporation into different areas of human activity of apps that control electrical and electronic devices through voice commands. With these apps, in telemedicine people affected by some temporary decrease in their physical capacities have improved their level of autonomy; utilities have been added to educational environments to facilitate the use of IT applications to users with physical disability; finally, home automated solutions have made possible to any person with permanent limited mobility to take control over home devices using voice commands. In this article a home automated solution, developed over a client-server principle is presented. As the client device a MIDP 2.0 cell phone with a Java MicroEdition application loaded was used; as server a web server PC was used serving also as gateway towards a Konnex network, added with a speech recognizer engine. Fully functional prototype developed allowed take control over 3 devices with 87% success of the speech recognizer reliability, this percentage improved after the use of a drop-down menu of commands displayed over the monitor.

METHODS FOR QUALITY ENHANCEMENT OF USER VOICE SIGNAL IN VOICE AUTHENTICATION SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. N. Faizulaieva

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The reasonability for the usage of computer systems user voice in the authentication process is proved. The scientific task for improving the signal/noise ratio of the user voice signal in the authentication system is considered. The object of study is the process of input and output of the voice signal of authentication system user in computer systems and networks. Methods and means for input and extraction of voice signal against external interference signals are researched. Methods for quality enhancement of user voice signal in voice authentication systems are suggested. As modern computer facilities, including mobile ones, have two-channel audio card, the usage of two microphones is proposed in the voice signal input system of authentication system. Meanwhile, the task of forming a lobe of microphone array in a desired area of voice signal registration (100 Hz to 8 kHz is solved. The usage of directional properties of the proposed microphone array gives the possibility to have the influence of external interference signals two or three times less in the frequency range from 4 to 8 kHz. The possibilities for implementation of space-time processing of the recorded signals using constant and adaptive weighting factors are investigated. The simulation results of the proposed system for input and extraction of signals during digital processing of narrowband signals are presented. The proposed solutions make it possible to improve the value of the signal/noise ratio of the useful signals recorded up to 10, ..., 20 dB under the influence of external interference signals in the frequency range from 4 to 8 kHz. The results may be useful to specialists working in the field of voice recognition and speaker’s discrimination.

Psychological Therapies for Auditory Hallucinations (Voices): Current Status and Key Directions for Future Research

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Neil; Hayward, Mark; Peters, Emmanuelle; van der Gaag, Mark; Bentall, Richard P.; Jenner, Jack; Strauss, Clara; Sommer, Iris E.; Johns, Louise C.; Varese, Filippo; García-Montes, José Manuel; Waters, Flavie; Dodgson, Guy; McCarthy-Jones, Simon

2014-01-01

This report from the International Consortium on Hallucinations Research considers the current status and future directions in research on psychological therapies targeting auditory hallucinations (hearing voices). Therapy approaches have evolved from behavioral and coping-focused interventions, through formulation-driven interventions using methods from cognitive therapy, to a number of contemporary developments. Recent developments include the application of acceptance- and mindfulness-based approaches, and consolidation of methods for working with connections between voices and views of self, others, relationships and personal history. In this article, we discuss the development of therapies for voices and review the empirical findings. This review shows that psychological therapies are broadly effective for people with positive symptoms, but that more research is required to understand the specific application of therapies to voices. Six key research directions are identified: (1) moving beyond the focus on overall efficacy to understand specific therapeutic processes targeting voices, (2) better targeting psychological processes associated with voices such as trauma, cognitive mechanisms, and personal recovery, (3) more focused measurement of the intended outcomes of therapy, (4) understanding individual differences among voice hearers, (5) extending beyond a focus on voices and schizophrenia into other populations and sensory modalities, and (6) shaping interventions for service implementation. PMID:24936081

Analyzing the mediated voice - a datasession

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lawaetz, Anna

Broadcasted voices are technologically manipulated. In order to achieve a certain autencity or sound of “reality” paradoxically the voices are filtered and trained in order to reach the listeners. This “mis-en-scene” is important knowledge when it comes to the development of a consistent method o...... of analysis of the mediated voice...

A self-teaching image processing and voice-recognition-based, intelligent and interactive system to educate visually impaired children

Science.gov (United States)

Iqbal, Asim; Farooq, Umar; Mahmood, Hassan; Asad, Muhammad Usman; Khan, Akrama; Atiq, Hafiz Muhammad

2010-02-01

A self teaching image processing and voice recognition based system is developed to educate visually impaired children, chiefly in their primary education. System comprises of a computer, a vision camera, an ear speaker and a microphone. Camera, attached with the computer system is mounted on the ceiling opposite (on the required angle) to the desk on which the book is placed. Sample images and voices in the form of instructions and commands of English, Urdu alphabets, Numeric Digits, Operators and Shapes are already stored in the database. A blind child first reads the embossed character (object) with the help of fingers than he speaks the answer, name of the character, shape etc into the microphone. With the voice command of a blind child received by the microphone, image is taken by the camera which is processed by MATLAB® program developed with the help of Image Acquisition and Image processing toolbox and generates a response or required set of instructions to child via ear speaker, resulting in self education of a visually impaired child. Speech recognition program is also developed in MATLAB® with the help of Data Acquisition and Signal Processing toolbox which records and process the command of the blind child.

International Conference on Applications of Photonic Technology, Communications, Sensing, Materials and Signal Processing

CERN Document Server

Lessard, Roger; ICAPT '96; Applications of photonic technology 2

1997-01-01

This book presents a current review ofphotonic technologies and their applications. The papers published in this book are extended versions of the papers presented at the Inter­ national Conference on Applications ofPhotonic Technology (ICAPT'96) held in Montreal, Canada, on July 29 to August 1, 1996. The theme of this event was "Closing the Gap Between Theory, Developments and Applications. " The term photonics covers both optics and optical engineering areas of growing sci­ entific and commercial importance throughout the world. It is estimated that photonic tech­ nology-related applications to increase exponentially over the next few years and will play a significant role in the global economy by reaching a quarter of a trillion of US dollars by the year 2000. The global interest and advancements of this technology are represented in this book, where leading scientists of twenty-two countries with advanced technology in photon­ ics present their latest results. The papers selected herein are ...

NASA Technology Applications Team: Commercial applications of aerospace technology

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-01

The Research Triangle Institute (RTI) Team has maintained its focus on helping NASA establish partnerships with U.S. industry for dual use development and technology commercialization. Our emphasis has been on outcomes, such as licenses, industry partnerships and commercialization of technologies, that are important to NASA in its mission of contributing to the improved competitive position of U.S. industry. The RTI Team has been successful in the development of NASA/industry partnerships and commercialization of NASA technologies. RTI ongoing commitment to quality and customer responsiveness has driven our staff to continuously improve our technology transfer methodologies to meet NASA's requirements. For example, RTI has emphasized the following areas: (1) Methodology For Technology Assessment and Marketing: RTI has developed and implemented effective processes for assessing the commercial potential of NASA technologies. These processes resulted from an RTI study of best practices, hands-on experience, and extensive interaction with the NASA Field Centers to adapt to their specific needs. (2) Effective Marketing Strategies: RTI surveyed industry technology managers to determine effective marketing tools and strategies. The Technology Opportunity Announcement format and content were developed as a result of this industry input. For technologies with a dynamic visual impact, RTI has developed a stand-alone demonstration diskette that was successful in developing industry interest in licensing the technology. And (3) Responsiveness to NASA Requirements: RTI listened to our customer (NASA) and designed our processes to conform with the internal procedures and resources at each NASA Field Center and the direction provided by NASA's Agenda for Change. This report covers the activities of the Research Triangle Institute Technology Applications Team for the period 1 October 1993 through 31 December 1994.

Іnformation and communication technologies and their integration in the teaching process regulations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oksana Chekan

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In the article the role and place of ICT in the educational process of modern preschoolinstitutions have been outlined. The ways of integration the ICT into the educational process ofpreschool institutions have been specified. Psychological and educational literature about ICTin upbringing process have been analyzed. Theoretical foundations of information andcommunication technologies and their integration into the educational process of preschoolshave been studied. The key goals and objectives of the problem have been determined. Theterms of use the ICT in the preschools have been grounded. The didactic capabilities ofmultimedia technologies have been verified. Computer games as a factor of child’sdevelopment have been determined.Key words: information technologies, information and communication technologies,information society, computer games, multimedia.

Smart Power: New power integrated circuit technologies and their applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kuivalainen, Pekka; Pohjonen, Helena; Yli-Pietilae, Timo; Lenkkeri, Jaakko

1992-05-01

Power Integrated Circuits (PIC) is one of the most rapidly growing branches of the semiconductor technology. The PIC markets has been forecast to grow from 660 million dollars in 1990 to 1658 million dollars in 1994. It has even been forecast that at the end of the 1990's the PIC markets would correspond to the value of the whole semiconductor production in 1990. Automotive electronics will play the leading role in the development of the standard PIC's. Integrated motor drivers (36 V/4 A), smart integrated switches (60 V/30 A), solenoid drivers, integrated switch-mode power supplies and regulators are the latest standard devices of the PIC manufactures. ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) PIC solutions are needed for the same reasons as other ASIC devices: there are no proper standard devices, a company has a lot of application knowhow, which should be kept inside the company, the size of the product must be reduced, and assembly costs are wished to be reduced by decreasing the number of discrete devices. During the next few years the most probable ASIC PIC applications in Finland will be integrated solenoid and motor drivers, an integrated electronic lamp ballast circuit and various sensor interface circuits. Application of the PIC technologies to machines and actuators will strongly be increased all over the world. This means that various PIC's, either standard PIC's or full custom ASIC circuits, will appear in many products which compete with the corresponding Finnish products. Therefore the development of the PIC technologies must be followed carefully in order to immediately be able to apply the latest development in the smart power technologies and their design methods.

Advances in Gammalloy Materials-Processes-Application Technology: Successes, Dilemmas, and Future

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Young-Won; Kim, Sang-Lan

2018-04-01

For the last several years, gamma titanium aluminide ( γ-TiAl)-based alloys, called "gammalloys," in specific alloy-microstructure forms began to be implemented in civil aero-engines as cast or wrought low-pressure turbine (LPT) blades and in select ground vehicle engines as cast turbocharger rotors and wrought exhaust valves. Their operation temperatures are approximately up to 750°C for LPT blades and around 1000°C for turbocharger rotors. This article critically assesses current engineering gammalloys and their limitations and introduces eight strengthening pathways that can be adopted immediately for the development of advanced, higher temperature gammalloys. Intelligent integration of the pathways into the emerging application-specific research and development processes is emphasized as the key to the advancement of the gammalloy technology to the next higher engineering performance levels.

Trend and current practices of palm oil mill effluent polishing: Application of advanced oxidation processes and their future perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Bello, Mustapha Mohammed; Abdul Raman, Abdul Aziz

2017-08-01

Palm oil processing is a multi-stage operation which generates large amount of effluent. On average, palm oil mill effluent (POME) may contain up to 51, 000 mg/L COD, 25,000 mg/L BOD, 40,000 TS and 6000 mg/L oil and grease. Due to its potential to cause environmental pollution, palm oil mills are required to treat the effluent prior to discharge. Biological treatments using open ponding system are widely used for POME treatment. Although these processes are capable of reducing the pollutant concentrations, they require long hydraulic retention time and large space, with the effluent frequently failing to satisfy the discharge regulation. Due to more stringent environmental regulations, research interest has recently shifted to the development of polishing technologies for the biologically-treated POME. Various technologies such as advanced oxidation processes, membrane technology, adsorption and coagulation have been investigated. Among these, advanced oxidation processes have shown potentials as polishing technologies for POME. This paper offers an overview on the POME polishing technologies, with particularly emphasis on advanced oxidation processes and their prospects for large scale applications. Although there are some challenges in large scale applications of these technologies, this review offers some perspectives that could help in overcoming these challenges. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Educational Technology and Student Voice: Examining Teacher Candidates' Perceptions

Science.gov (United States)

Byker, Erik Jon; Putman, S. Michael; Handler, Laura; Polly, Drew

2017-01-01

Student Voice is a term that honors the participatory roles that students have when they enter learning spaces like classrooms. Student Voice is the recognition of students' choice, creativity, and freedom. Seminal educationists--like Dewey and Montessori--centered the purposes of education in the flourishing and valuing of Student Voice. This…

Voice Morphing Using 3D Waveform Interpolation Surfaces and Lossless Tube Area Functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lavner Yizhar

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Voice morphing is the process of producing intermediate or hybrid voices between the utterances of two speakers. It can also be defined as the process of gradually transforming the voice of one speaker to that of another. The ability to change the speaker's individual characteristics and to produce high-quality voices can be used in many applications. Examples include multimedia and video entertainment, as well as enrichment of speech databases in text-to-speech systems. In this study we present a new technique which enables production of a given number of intermediate voices or of utterances which gradually change from one voice to another. This technique is based on two components: (1 creation of a 3D prototype waveform interpolation (PWI surface from the LPC residual signal, to produce an intermediate excitation signal; (2 a representation of the vocal tract by a lossless tube area function, and an interpolation of the parameters of the two speakers. The resulting synthesized signal sounds like a natural voice lying between the two original voices.

Perceiving a stranger's voice as being one's own: a 'rubber voice' illusion?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zane Z Zheng

2011-04-01

Full Text Available We describe an illusion in which a stranger's voice, when presented as the auditory concomitant of a participant's own speech, is perceived as a modified version of their own voice. When the congruence between utterance and feedback breaks down, the illusion is also broken. Compared to a baseline condition in which participants heard their own voice as feedback, hearing a stranger's voice induced robust changes in the fundamental frequency (F0 of their production. Moreover, the shift in F0 appears to be feedback dependent, since shift patterns depended reliably on the relationship between the participant's own F0 and the stranger-voice F0. The shift in F0 was evident both when the illusion was present and after it was broken, suggesting that auditory feedback from production may be used separately for self-recognition and for vocal motor control. Our findings indicate that self-recognition of voices, like other body attributes, is malleable and context dependent.

Plasma processing: Technologies and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naddaf, M.; Saloum, S.

2005-01-01

This study aims to present the fundamentals of physics of plasmas, methods of generation, diagnostics, and applications for processing of materials. The first chapter defines plasma in general as well as its main parameters, the most important differential equations in plasma physics, and classifies the types of plasmas. the various methods and techniques to create and sustain plasma are presented in the second chapter. Chapter 3 focuses on plasma diagnostic methods and tools. While chapter 4 deals with applications of plasma processing such as; surface modification of materials, plasma ashing and etching, plasma cutting, and the environmental applications of plasma. Plasma polymerization and its various applications have been presented in more details in the last chapter. (Author)

Voice Based City Panic Button System

Science.gov (United States)

Febriansyah; Zainuddin, Zahir; Bachtiar Nappu, M.

2018-03-01

The development of voice activated panic button application aims to design faster early notification of hazardous condition in community to the nearest police by using speech as the detector where the current application still applies touch-combination on screen and use coordination of orders from control center then the early notification still takes longer time. The method used in this research was by using voice recognition as the user voice detection and haversine formula for the comparison of closest distance between the user and the police. This research was equipped with auto sms, which sent notification to the victim’s relatives, that was also integrated with Google Maps application (GMaps) as the map to the victim’s location. The results show that voice registration on the application reaches 100%, incident detection using speech recognition while the application is running is 94.67% in average, and the auto sms to the victim relatives reaches 100%.

HTR process heat applications, status of technology and economical potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnet, H.

1997-01-01

The technical and industrial feasibility of the production of high temperature heat from nuclear fuel is presented. The technical feasibility of high temperature heat consuming processes is reviewed and assessed. The conclusion is drawn that the next technological step for pilot plant scale demonstration is the nuclear heated steam reforming process. The economical potential of HTR process heat applications is reviewed: It is directly coupled to the economical competitiveness of HTR electricity production. Recently made statements and pre-conditions on the economic competitiveness in comparison to world market coal are reported. (author). 8 figs

Industrial accelerators and their applications

CERN Document Server

Hamm, Marianne E

2012-01-01

This unique new book is a comprehensive review of the many current industrial applications of particle accelerators, written by experts in each of these fields. Readers will gain a broad understanding of the principles of these applications, the extent to which they are employed, and the accelerator technology utilized. The book also serves as a thorough introduction to these fields for non-experts and laymen. Due to the increased interest in industrial applications, there is a growing interest among accelerator physicists and many other scientists worldwide in understanding how accelerators are used in various applications. The government agencies that fund scientific research with accelerators are also seeking more information on the many commercial applications that have been or can be developed with the technology developments they are funding. Many industries are also doing more research on how they can improve their products or processes using particle beams.

Voice Savers for Music Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Cookman, Starr

2012-01-01

Music teachers are in a class all their own when it comes to voice use. These elite vocal athletes require stamina, strength, and flexibility from their voices day in, day out for hours at a time. Voice rehabilitation clinics and research show that music education ranks high among the professionals most commonly affected by voice problems.…

[THE APPLICATION OF SHORT-TERM EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS IN DIAGNOSING OCCUPATIONAL VOICE DISORDERS].

Science.gov (United States)

Niebudek-Bogusz, Ewa; Just, Marcin; Tyc, Michał; Wiktorowicz, Justyna; Morawska, Joanna; Śliwińska-Kowalska, Mariola

2015-01-01

An objective determination of the range of vocal efficiency is rather difficult. The aim of the study was to assess the possibility of application of short-term acoustic efficiency analysis in diagnosing occupational voice disorders. The study covered 98 people (87 women and 11 men) diagnosed with occupational dysphonia throuigh videostroboscopic examination. The control group comprised 100 people (81 women and 19 men) with normal voices. The short-term acoustic analysis was carried out by means of DiagnoScope software, including classical parameters (Jitter group, Shimmer group and the assessment of noise degree NHR), as well as new short-term efficiency parameters determined in a short time period during sustained phonation of the vowel "a." The results were then compared. Results: The values of all the examined classical parameters were considerably higher in the study group of pathological voices than in the control group of normal voices (p = 0.00). The aerodynamic parameter, maximum phonation time, was significantly shorter by over 0.5 s in the study group than in the control group. The majority of the acoustic efficiency parameters were also considerably worse in the study group of subjects with occupational dysphonia than in the control group (p = 0.00). Moreover, the correlation between the efficiency parameters and most of the classical acoustic parameters in the study group implies that for the voices with occupational pathology the decreased efficiency of the vocal apparatus is reflected in the acoustic voice structure. Effliciency parameters determined during short-term acoustic analysis can be an objective indicator of the decreased phonatory function of the larnx, useful in diagnosing occupational vocal pathology.

Quantum Computation-Based Image Representation, Processing Operations and Their Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei Yan

2014-10-01

Full Text Available A flexible representation of quantum images (FRQI was proposed to facilitate the extension of classical (non-quantum-like image processing applications to the quantum computing domain. The representation encodes a quantum image in the form of a normalized state, which captures information about colors and their corresponding positions in the images. Since its conception, a handful of processing transformations have been formulated, among which are the geometric transformations on quantum images (GTQI and the CTQI that are focused on the color information of the images. In addition, extensions and applications of FRQI representation, such as multi-channel representation for quantum images (MCQI, quantum image data searching, watermarking strategies for quantum images, a framework to produce movies on quantum computers and a blueprint for quantum video encryption and decryption have also been suggested. These proposals extend classical-like image and video processing applications to the quantum computing domain and offer a significant speed-up with low computational resources in comparison to performing the same tasks on traditional computing devices. Each of the algorithms and the mathematical foundations for their execution were simulated using classical computing resources, and their results were analyzed alongside other classical computing equivalents. The work presented in this review is intended to serve as the epitome of advances made in FRQI quantum image processing over the past five years and to simulate further interest geared towards the realization of some secure and efficient image and video processing applications on quantum computers.

Voice Use Among Music Theory Teachers: A Voice Dosimetry and Self-Assessment Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiller, Isabel S; Morsomme, Dominique; Remacle, Angélique

2017-07-25

This study aimed (1) to investigate music theory teachers' professional and extra-professional vocal loading and background noise exposure, (2) to determine the correlation between vocal loading and background noise, and (3) to determine the correlation between vocal loading and self-evaluation data. Using voice dosimetry, 13 music theory teachers were monitored for one workweek. The parameters analyzed were voice sound pressure level (SPL), fundamental frequency (F0), phonation time, vocal loading index (VLI), and noise SPL. Spearman correlation was used to correlate vocal loading parameters (voice SPL, F0, and phonation time) and noise SPL. Each day, the subjects self-assessed their voice using visual analog scales. VLI and self-evaluation data were correlated using Spearman correlation. Vocal loading parameters and noise SPL were significantly higher in the professional than in the extra-professional environment. Voice SPL, phonation time, and female subjects' F0 correlated positively with noise SPL. VLI correlated with self-assessed voice quality, vocal fatigue, and amount of singing and speaking voice produced. Teaching music theory is a profession with high vocal demands. More background noise is associated with increased vocal loading and may indirectly increase the risk for voice disorders. Correlations between VLI and self-assessments suggest that these teachers are well aware of their vocal demands and feel their effect on voice quality and vocal fatigue. Visual analog scales seem to represent a useful tool for subjective vocal loading assessment and associated symptoms in these professional voice users. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating a voice recognition system: finding the right product for your department.

Science.gov (United States)

Freeh, M; Dewey, M; Brigham, L

2001-06-01

The Department of Radiology at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center has been in the process of transitioning from the traditional film-based department to a digital imaging department for the past 2 years. The department is now transitioning from the traditional method of dictating reports (dictation by radiologist to transcription to review and signing by radiologist) to a voice recognition system. The transition to digital operations will not be complete until we have the ability to directly interface the dictation process with the image review process. Voice recognition technology has advanced to the level where it can and should be an integral part of the new way of working in radiology and is an integral part of an efficient digital imaging department. The transition to voice recognition requires the task of identifying the product and the company that will best meet a department's needs. This report introduces the methods we used to evaluate the vendors and the products available as we made our purchasing decision. We discuss our evaluation method and provide a checklist that can be used by other departments to assist with their evaluation process. The criteria used in the evaluation process fall into the following major categories: user operations, technical infrastructure, medical dictionary, system interfaces, service support, cost, and company strength. Conclusions drawn from our evaluation process will be detailed, with the intention being to shorten the process for others as they embark on a similar venture. As more and more organizations investigate the many products and services that are now being offered to enhance the operations of a radiology department, it becomes increasingly important that solid methods are used to most effectively evaluate the new products. This report should help others complete the task of evaluating a voice recognition system and may be adaptable to other products as well.

Enhanced Living by Assessing Voice Pathology Using a Co-Occurrence Matrix

OpenAIRE

Muhammad, Ghulam; Alhamid, Mohammed F.; Hossain, M. Shamim; Almogren, Ahmad S.; Vasilakos, Athanasios V.

2017-01-01

A large number of the population around the world suffers from various disabilities. Disabilities affect not only children but also adults of different professions. Smart technology can assist the disabled population and lead to a comfortable life in an enhanced living environment (ELE). In this paper, we propose an effective voice pathology assessment system that works in a smart home framework. The proposed system takes input from various sensors, and processes the acquired voice signals an...

Voice loops as coordination aids in space shuttle mission control.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, E S; Watts-Perotti, J; Woods, D D

1999-01-01

Voice loops, an auditory groupware technology, are essential coordination support tools for experienced practitioners in domains such as air traffic management, aircraft carrier operations and space shuttle mission control. They support synchronous communication on multiple channels among groups of people who are spatially distributed. In this paper, we suggest reasons for why the voice loop system is a successful medium for supporting coordination in space shuttle mission control based on over 130 hours of direct observation. Voice loops allow practitioners to listen in on relevant communications without disrupting their own activities or the activities of others. In addition, the voice loop system is structured around the mission control organization, and therefore directly supports the demands of the domain. By understanding how voice loops meet the particular demands of the mission control environment, insight can be gained for the design of groupware tools to support cooperative activity in other event-driven domains.

Validity of Mind Monitoring System as a Mental Health Indicator using Voice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naoki Hagiwara

2017-05-01

Full Text Available We have been developing a method of evaluating the mental health condition of a person based on the sound of their voice. Currently, we have applied this technology to create a smartphone application that shows the vitality and the mental activity as mental health condition indices. Using voice to measure one’s mental health condition is a non-invasive method. Moreover, this application can be used continually through a smartphone call. Unlike a periodic checkup every year, it could be used for monitoring on a daily basis. The purpose of this study is to compare the vitality index to the widely used Beck depression inventory (BDI and to evaluate its validity. This experiment was conducted at the Center of Innovation Program of the University of Tokyo with 50 employees of one corporation as participants between early December 2015 and early February 2016. Each participant was given a smartphone with our application that recorded his/her voice automatically during calls. In addition, the participants had to read and record a fixed phrase daily. The BDI test was conducted at the beginning of the experimental period. The vitality index was calculated based on the voice data collected during the first two weeks of the experiment and was considered as the vitality index at the time when the BDI test was conducted. When the vitality and the mental activity indicators were compared to BDI score, we found that there was a negative correlation between the BDI score and these indices. Additionally, these indices were a useful method to discriminate a participant of high risk of disease with a high BDI score. And the mental activity index shows a higher performance than the vitality index.

The application of short-term efficiency analysis in diagnosing occupational voice disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewa Niebudek-Bogusz

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background: An objective determination of the range of vocal efficiency is rather difficult. The aim of the study was to assess the possibility of application of short-term acoustic efficiency analysis in diagnosing occupational voice disorders. Material and Methods: The study covered 98 people (87 women and 11 men diagnosed with occupational dysphonia through videostroboscopic examination. The control group comprised 100 people (81 women and 19 men with normal voices. The short-term acoustic analysis was carried out by means of DiagnoScope software, including classical parameters (Jitter group, Shimmer group and the assessment of noise degree NHR, as well as new short-term efficiency parameters determined in a short time period during sustained phonation of the vowel “a.” The results were then compared. Results: The values of all the examined classical parameters were considerably higher in the study group of pathological voices than in the control group of normal voices (p = 0.00. The aerodynamic parameter, maximum phonation time, was significantly shorter by over 0.5 s in the study group than in the control group. The majority of the acoustic efficiency parameters were also considerably worse in the study group of subjects with occupational dysphonia than in the control group (p = 0.00. Moreover, the correlation between the efficiency parameters and most of the classical acoustic parameters in the study group implies that for the voices with occupational pathology the decreased efficiency of the vocal apparatus is reflected in the acoustic voice structure. Conclusions: Efficiency parameters determined during short-term acoustic analysis can be an objective indicator of the decreased phonatory function of the larynx, useful in diagnosing occupational vocal pathology. Med Pr 2015;66(2:225–234

Advanced scientific computational methods and their applications of nuclear technologies. (1) Overview of scientific computational methods, introduction of continuum simulation methods and their applications (1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oka, Yoshiaki; Okuda, Hiroshi

2006-01-01

Scientific computational methods have advanced remarkably with the progress of nuclear development. They have played the role of weft connecting each realm of nuclear engineering and then an introductory course of advanced scientific computational methods and their applications to nuclear technologies were prepared in serial form. This is the first issue showing their overview and introduction of continuum simulation methods. Finite element method as their applications is also reviewed. (T. Tanaka)

Advanced secondary batteries: Their applications, technological status, market and opportunity

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, M.

1989-03-01

Program planning for advanced battery energy storage technology is supported within the NEMO Program. Specifically this study had focused on the review of advanced battery applications; the development and demonstration status of leading battery technologies; and potential marketing opportunity. Advanced secondary (or rechargeable) batteries have been under development for the past two decades in the U.S., Japan, and parts of Europe for potential applications in electric utilities and for electric vehicles. In the electric utility applications, the primary aim of a battery energy storage plant is to facilitate peak power load leveling and/or dynamic operations to minimize the overall power generation cost. In the application for peak power load leveling, the battery stores the off-peak base load energy and is discharged during the period of peak power demand. This allows a more efficient use of the base load generation capacity and reduces the need for conventional oil-fired or gas-fire peak power generation equipment. Batteries can facilitate dynamic operations because of their basic characteristics as an electrochemical device capable of instantaneous response to the changing load. Dynamic operating benefits results in cost savings of the overall power plant operation. Battery-powered electric vehicles facilitate conservation of petroleum fuel in the transportation sector, but more importantly, they reduce air pollution in the congested inner cities.

Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) and potential system applications

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, David L.; Balombin, Joseph R.; Sohn, Philip Y.

1990-01-01

A description of the advanced communications technology satellite (ACTS) system is given with special emphasis on the communication characteristics. Potential satellite communications scenarios, including future operational ACTS-like satellite systems, are discussed. The description of the ACTS system updates previously published ACTS system references. Detailed information on items such as experimental ground stations is presented. The potential services can be generically described as voice, video, and data services. The implementation of these services on future operational ACTS-like systems can lead to unique quality, flexibility, and capacity characteristics at lower service costs. The specific service applications that could be supported range from low to high data rates and include both domestic and international applications.

The Use of Speech Technology to Protect the Document Turnover

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandr M. Alyushin

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The wide current paper documents implementation in practice workflows are shown. The basic aspects of document protection related to the protection of their content and legal components are underlined. For contextual component assigned semantic information aspect of the document is considered. For legal component attributed facts and conditions for the creation, approval, negotiation of the document to specific persons is viewed. The documents protection problem importance is shown in connection with possible terrorist threats. The importance of such factor as the time of fraud detection towards the efficiency of documents protection is shown. The fraud detection time requirements for documents of different nature – financial, legal, management is analyzed. The documents used for the operational management of dangerous objects is point out as the most sensitive to the falsification. It is shown that their deliberate falsification can lead to accidents and technogenic catastrophes and human casualties. A comparative analysis of currently used protecting documents methods are presented. Biometric and non-biometric methods of documents protection are point out.Theanalysis of their short comings are given. The conclusion about the prospects of document protection on the basis of the voice signature technology are done. The basic steps of voice information processing in the implementation of this technology are analyzed. The software that implements a documents counterfeiting new protection technology is proposed. The technology is based on the audiomarkers usage at the end of the document, which contains a general information about it. The technology is applicable to the wide range of documents such as financial and valuable papers, contracts, etc. One of the most important advantages of this technology is that any changes in the document can not be done without the author of the document because audiomarker keeps the biometric data of the person

Plasma technology in metallurgical processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haile, O.

1995-12-31

This literature work is mainly focusing on the mechanisms of plasma technology and telling about metallurgical processing, particularly iron and steelmaking as well as the advantage of the unique properties of plasma. The main advantages of plasma technology in metallurgical operations is to direct utilization of naturally available raw materials and fuels without costly upgrading andlor beneficiation, improved environmental impact, improve process control, significant amplification of reactor and process equipment utilization and increased efficiency of raw materials, energy and man power. This literature survey is based on the publication `plasma technology in metallurgical processing` presents a comprehensive account of the physical, electrical, and mechanical aspects of plasma production and practical processing. The applications of plasma technology in metallurgical processing are covered in depth with special emphasis on developments in promising early stages. Plasma technology of today is mature in the metallurgical process applications. A few dramatic improvements are expected in the near future this giving an impetus to the technologists for the long range planning. (18 refs.) (author)

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) in a Control Center Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Pirani, Joseph; Calvelage, Steven

2010-01-01

The technology of transmitting voice over data networks has been available for over 10 years. Mass market VoIP services for consumers to make and receive standard telephone calls over broadband Internet networks have grown in the last 5 years. While operational costs are less with VoIP implementations as opposed to time division multiplexing (TDM) based voice switches, is it still advantageous to convert a mission control center s voice system to this newer technology? Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) has converted its mission voice services to a commercial product that utilizes VoIP technology. Results from this testing, design, and installation have shown unique considerations that must be addressed before user operations. There are many factors to consider for a control center voice design. Technology advantages and disadvantages were investigated as they refer to cost. There were integration concerns which could lead to complex failure scenarios but simpler integration for the mission infrastructure. MSFC HOSC will benefit from this voice conversion with less product replacement cost, less operations cost and a more integrated mission services environment.

Associations between the Transsexual Voice Questionnaire (TVQMtF ) and self-report of voice femininity and acoustic voice measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Dacakis, Georgia; Oates, Jennifer; Douglas, Jacinta

2017-11-01

The Transsexual Voice Questionnaire (TVQ MtF ) was designed to capture the voice-related perceptions of individuals whose gender identity as female is the opposite of their birth-assigned gender (MtF women). Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the TVQ MtF is ongoing. To investigate associations between TVQ MtF scores and (1) self-perceptions of voice femininity and (2) acoustic parameters of voice pitch and voice quality in order to evaluate further the validity of the TVQ MtF . A strong correlation between TVQ MtF scores and self-ratings of voice femininity was predicted, but no association between TVQ MtF scores and acoustic measures of voice pitch and quality was proposed. Participants were 148 MtF women (mean age 48.14 years) recruited from the La Trobe Communication Clinic and the clinics of three doctors specializing in transgender health. All participants completed the TVQ MtF and 34 of these participants also provided a voice sample for acoustic analysis. Pearson product-moment correlation analysis was conducted to examine the associations between TVQ MtF scores and (1) self-perceptions of voice femininity and (2) acoustic measures of F0, jitter (%), shimmer (dB) and harmonic-to-noise ratio (HNR). Strong negative correlations between the participants' perceptions of their voice femininity and the TVQ MtF scores demonstrated that for this group of MtF women a low self-rating of voice femininity was associated with more frequent negative voice-related experiences. This association was strongest with the vocal-functioning component of the TVQ MtF . These strong correlations and high levels of shared variance between the TVQ MtF and a measure of a related construct provides evidence for the convergent validity of the TVQ MtF . The absence of significant correlations between the TVQ MtF and the acoustic data is consistent with the equivocal findings of earlier research. This finding indicates that these two measures assess different aspects of the voice

3rd Workshop on Branching Processes and their Applications

CERN Document Server

González, Miguel; Gutiérrez, Cristina; Martínez, Rodrigo; Minuesa, Carmen; Molina, Manuel; Mota, Manuel; Ramos, Alfonso; WBPA15

2016-01-01

This volume gathers papers originally presented at the 3rd Workshop on Branching Processes and their Applications (WBPA15), which was held from 7 to 10 April 2015 in Badajoz, Spain (http://branching.unex.es/wbpa15/index.htm). The papers address a broad range of theoretical and practical aspects of branching process theory. Further, they amply demonstrate that the theoretical research in this area remains vital and topical, as well as the relevance of branching concepts in the development of theoretical approaches to solving new problems in applied fields such as Epidemiology, Biology, Genetics, and, of course, Population Dynamics. The topics covered can broadly be classified into the following areas: 1. Coalescent Branching Processes 2. Branching Random Walks 3. Population Growth Models in Varying and Random Environments 4. Size/Density/Resource-Dependent Branching Models 5. Age-Dependent Branching Models 6. Special Branching Models 7. Applications in Epidemiology 8. Applications in Biology and Genetics Offer...

Advanced modeling of management processes in information technology

CERN Document Server

Kowalczuk, Zdzislaw

2014-01-01

This book deals with the issues of modelling management processes of information technology and IT projects while its core is the model of information technology management and its component models (contextual, local) describing initial processing and the maturity capsule as well as a decision-making system represented by a multi-level sequential model of IT technology selection, which acquires a fuzzy rule-based implementation in this work. In terms of applicability, this work may also be useful for diagnosing applicability of IT standards in evaluation of IT organizations. The results of this diagnosis might prove valid for those preparing new standards so that – apart from their own visions – they could, to an even greater extent, take into account the capabilities and needs of the leaders of project and manufacturing teams. The book is intended for IT professionals using the ITIL, COBIT and TOGAF standards in their work. Students of computer science and management who are interested in the issue of IT...

Making women's voices heard: technological change and women's employment in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng Choon Sim, C

1999-01-01

This paper examines the 1994-96 UN University Institute for New Technologies policy research project on technological change and women's employment in Asia. The project was conducted to provide a voice for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) representing women workers. It focuses on the Malaysian experience in terms of the impact of technology on women's work and employment in the telecommunications and electronic industry. The results of the NGO research project revealed that the shift to a more intensive production has no uniform impact on women. Although new jobs were created, women employment status remains vulnerable. Meaning, female workers are afraid of the technological redundancy, casualization of labor, as well as health and safety hazards associated with new technology. A good example of the effect of industrialization to women¿s rights is the situation in Malaysia. Although cutting edge technology, combined with restructuring, has yielded some benefits in terms of a vastly expanded network and services, better performances and economies of scale, employment situation of the majority of women still remained in the low-skilled or semi-skilled categories. In order to upgrade women employment status along with the technological advancement, open communication and cooperation of all types is needed to ensure a successful outcome.

A new method for selectively enhancing hemisphere processing: voice frequency amplification influences the strength of attribute framing.

Science.gov (United States)

McCormick, Michael; Seta, John J

2012-01-01

An attribute framing effect occurs when positive or negative associations produced by positive or negative frames are mapped onto evaluations resulting in a more favourable evaluation for the positively framed attribute. We used a new voice frequency manipulation to differentially enhance right versus left hemisphere processing. In doing so we found a strong attribute framing effect when a speaker with a low-frequency voice enhanced the contextual processing style of the right hemisphere. However, a framing effect was not obtained when a speaker with a high-frequency voice enhanced the inferential/analytical processing style of the left hemisphere. At the theoretical level our results provide evidence that the contextual processing style of the right hemisphere is especially susceptible to associative implications, such as those found in attribute framing manipulations. At the applied level we provide a simple method for altering the effectiveness of persuasion messages.

Masculine Voices Predict Well-Being in Female-to-Male Transgender Individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Watt, Seth O; Tskhay, Konstantin O; Rule, Nicholas O

2018-05-01

Voices convey important social information about an individual's identity, including gender. This is especially relevant to transgender individuals, who cite voice alteration as a primary goal of the gender alignment process. Although the voice is a primary target of testosterone therapy among female-to-male (FTM) trans people, little research has explored the effects of such changes on their psychological well-being. Here, we investigated how FTMs' vocal gender related to their well-being. A total of 77 FTMs (M age  = 25.45 years, SD = 6.77) provided voice samples and completed measures of their well-being and psychological health. An independent group of 32 naïve raters (M age  = 22.16 years, SD = 8.21) subsequently rated the voice samples for masculinity. We found that FTMs whose voices sounded more congruent with their experienced gender (i.e., sounded more masculine) reported greater well-being (better life satisfaction, quality of life, and self-esteem; lower levels of anxiety and depression) than FTMs with less gender congruent (i.e., more feminine) voices (β = .48). The convergence between outwardly perceived vocal gender and gender identity brought about through hormone replacement therapy may therefore support greater well-being for FTMs.

[The Bell Labs contributions to (singing) voice enginee­ring].

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, C

While in «art» and «traditional» music, the nimbleness of the voice and the mastering of the vocal tone are put into pers­pective, in «popular» music, sound engineering takes the lead, and relegates the vocal virtuosity of the interpreter to second place. We propose to study here three technologies with contri­butions to music. All are developed and patented by the Bell Labs: The artificial larynx (and its derivatives, Sonovox and TalkBox), the vocoder and the speech synthesis. After a presen­tation of the source-filter theory, vital to these innovations, the principle of these three technologies is explained. A brief historical is outlined and is complemented by examples of films and musical selections depicting these processes. In light of these elements, we conclude: Sound engineering, and in parti­cular the modification of voice sonority, has become an indis­pensable component in the process of «pop» artistic musical creation.

Playful Interaction with Voice Sensing Modular Robots

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heesche, Bjarke; MacDonald, Ewen; Fogh, Rune

2013-01-01

This paper describes a voice sensor, suitable for modular robotic systems, which estimates the energy and fundamental frequency, F0, of the user’s voice. Through a number of example applications and tests with children, we observe how the voice sensor facilitates playful interaction between child...... children and two different robot configurations. In future work, we will investigate if such a system can motivate children to improve voice control and explore how to extend the sensor to detect emotions in the user’s voice....

Raising voices: How sixth graders construct authority and knowledge in argumentative essays

Science.gov (United States)

Monahan, Mary Elizabeth

This qualitative classroom-based study documents one teacher-researcher's response to the "voice" debate in composition studies and to the opposing views expressed by Elbow and Bartholomae. The author uses Bakhtin's principle of dialogism, Hymes's theory of communicative competence, as well as Ivanic's discussion of discoursally constructed identities to reconceptualize voice and to redesign writing instruction in her sixth grade classroom. This study shows how students, by redefining and then acting on that voice pedagogy in terms that made sense to them, shaped the author's understanding of what counts as "voiced" writing in non-narrative discourse. Based on a grounded-theory analysis of the twenty-six sixth graders' argumentative essays in science, the author explains voice, not as a property of writers or of texts, but as a process of "knowing together"---a collaborative, but not entirely congenial, exercise of establishing one's authority by talking with, against, and through other voices on the issue. As the results of this study show, the students' "I-Ness" or authorial presence within their texts, was born in a nexus of relationships with "rivals," "allies" and "readers." Given their teacher's injunctions to project confidence and authority in argumentative writing, the students assumed fairly adversarial stances toward these conversational partners throughout their essays. Exaggerating the terms for voiced writing built into the curriculum, the sixth graders produced essays that read more like caricatures than examples of argumentation. Their displays of rhetorical bravado and intellectual aggressiveness, however offsetting to the reader, still enabled these sixth graders to composed voiced essays. This study raises doubts about the value of urging students to sound like their "true selves" or to adopt the formal registers of academe. Students, it seems clear, stand to gain by experimenting with a range of textual identities. The author suggests that voice

Technology Applications Team: Applications of aerospace technology

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

Highlights of the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) Applications Team activities over the past quarter are presented in Section 1.0. The Team's progress in fulfilling the requirements of the contract is summarized in Section 2.0. In addition to our market-driven approach to applications project development, RTI has placed increased effort on activities to commercialize technologies developed at NASA Centers. These Technology Commercialization efforts are summarized in Section 3.0. New problem statements prepared by the Team in the reporting period are presented in Section 4.0. The Team's transfer activities for ongoing projects with the NASA Centers are presented in Section 5.0. Section 6.0 summarizes the status of four add-on tasks. Travel for the reporting period is described in Section 7.0. The RTI Team staff and consultants and their project responsibilities are listed in Appendix A. The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of many individuals to the RTI Technology Applications Team program. The time and effort contributed by managers, engineers, and scientists throughout NASA were essential to program success. Most important to the program has been a productive working relationship with the NASA Field Center Technology Utilization (TU) Offices. The RTI Team continues to strive for improved effectiveness as a resource to these offices. Industry managers, technical staff, medical researchers, and clinicians have been cooperative and open in their participation. The RTI Team looks forward to continuing expansion of its interaction with U.S. industry to facilitate the transfer of aerospace technology to the private sector.

The application of CAD / CAM technology in Dentistry

Science.gov (United States)

Susic, I.; Travar, M.; Susic, M.

2017-05-01

Information and communication technologies have found their application in the healthcare sector, including the frameworks of modern dentistry. CAD / CAM application in dentistry is the process by which is attained finished dental restoration through fine milling process of ready ceramic blocks. CAD / CAM is an acronym of english words Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) / Computer-Aided-Manufacture (CAM), respectively dental computer aided design and computer aided manufacture of inlays, onlays, crowns and bridges. CAD / CAM technology essentially allows you to create a two-dimensional and three-dimensional models and their materialization by numerical controlled machines. In order to operate more efficiently, reduce costs, increase user/patient satisfaction and ultimately achieve profits, many dental offices in the world have their attention focused on implementation of modern IT solutions in everyday practice. In addition to the specialized clinic management software, inventory control, etc., or hardware such as the use of lasers in cosmetic dentistry or intraoral scanning, recently the importance is given to the application of CAD / CAM technology in the field of prosthetic. After the removal of pathologically altered tooth structure, it is necessary to achieve restoration that will be most similar to the anatomy of a natural tooth. Applying CAD / CAM technology on applicable ceramic blocks it can be obtained very quick, but also very accurate restoration, in the forms of inlays, onlays, bridges and crowns. The paper presents the advantages of using this technology as well as satisfaction of the patients and dentists by using systems as: Cercon, Celay, Cerec, Lava, Everest, which represent imperative of modern dentistry in creating fixed dental restorations.

Supercritical fluid technology: concepts and pharmaceutical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Deshpande, Praful Balavant; Kumar, G Aravind; Kumar, Averineni Ranjith; Shavi, Gopal Venkatesh; Karthik, Arumugam; Reddy, Meka Sreenivasa; Udupa, Nayanabhirama

2011-01-01

In light of environmental apprehension, supercritical fluid technology (SFT) exhibits excellent opportunities to accomplish key objectives in the drug delivery sector. Supercritical fluid extraction using carbon dioxide (CO(2)) has been recognized as a green technology. It is a clean and versatile solvent with gas-like diffusivity and liquid-like density in the supercritical phase, which has provided an excellent alternative to the use of chemical solvents. The present commentary provides an overview of different techniques using supercritical fluids and their future opportunity for the drug delivery industry. Some of the emerging applications of SFT in pharmaceuticals, such as particle design, drug solubilization, inclusion complex, polymer impregnation, polymorphism, drug extraction process, and analysis, are also covered in this review. The data collection methods are based on the recent literature related to drug delivery systems using SFT platforms. SFT has become a much more versatile and environmentally attractive technology that can handle a variety of complicated problems in pharmaceuticals. This cutting-edge technology is growing predominantly to surrogate conventional unit operations in relevance to the pharmaceutical production process. Supercritical fluid technology has recently drawn attention in the field of pharmaceuticals. It is a distinct conception that utilizes the solvent properties of supercritical fluids above their critical temperature and pressure, where they exhibit both liquid-like and gas-like properties, which can enable many pharmaceutical applications. For example, the liquid-like properties provide benefits in extraction processes of organic solvents or impurities, drug solubilization, and polymer plasticization, and the gas-like features facilitate mass transfer processes. It has become a much more versatile and environmentally attractive technology that can handle a variety of complicated problems in pharmaceuticals. This review is

Research on application of computer technologies in jewelry process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junbo Xia

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Jewelry production is a process of precious raw materials and low losses in processing. The traditional manual mode is unable to meet the needs of enterprises in reality, while the involvement of computer technology can just solve this practical problem. At present, the problem of restricting the application for computer in jewelry production is mainly a failure to find a production model that can serve the whole industry chain with the computer as the core of production. This paper designs a “synchronous and diversified” production model with “computer aided design technology” and “rapid prototyping technology” as the core, and tests with actual production cases, and achieves certain results, which are forward-looking and advanced.

Innovative Technology for the Assisted Delivery of Intensive Voice Treatment (LSVT[R]LOUD) for Parkinson Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Halpern, Angela E.; Ramig, Lorraine O.; Matos, Carlos E. C.; Petska-Cable, Jill A.; Spielman, Jennifer L.; Pogoda, Janice M.; Gilley, Phillip M.; Sapir, Shimon; Bennett, John K.; McFarland, David H.

2012-01-01

Purpose: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of a newly developed assistive technology system, Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Companion (LSVT[R] Companion[TM], hereafter referred to as "Companion"), to support the delivery of LSVT[R]LOUD, an efficacious speech intervention for individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). Method: Sixteen…

Natural language processing-based COTS software and related technologies survey.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stickland, Michael G.; Conrad, Gregory N.; Eaton, Shelley M.

2003-09-01

Natural language processing-based knowledge management software, traditionally developed for security organizations, is now becoming commercially available. An informal survey was conducted to discover and examine current NLP and related technologies and potential applications for information retrieval, information extraction, summarization, categorization, terminology management, link analysis, and visualization for possible implementation at Sandia National Laboratories. This report documents our current understanding of the technologies, lists software vendors and their products, and identifies potential applications of these technologies.

Optical voice encryption based on digital holography.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajput, Sudheesh K; Matoba, Osamu

2017-11-15

We propose an optical voice encryption scheme based on digital holography (DH). An off-axis DH is employed to acquire voice information by obtaining phase retardation occurring in the object wave due to sound wave propagation. The acquired hologram, including voice information, is encrypted using optical image encryption. The DH reconstruction and decryption with all the correct parameters can retrieve an original voice. The scheme has the capability to record the human voice in holograms and encrypt it directly. These aspects make the scheme suitable for other security applications and help to use the voice as a potential security tool. We present experimental and some part of simulation results.

The role of the medial temporal limbic system in processing emotions in voice and music.

Science.gov (United States)

Frühholz, Sascha; Trost, Wiebke; Grandjean, Didier

2014-12-01

Subcortical brain structures of the limbic system, such as the amygdala, are thought to decode the emotional value of sensory information. Recent neuroimaging studies, as well as lesion studies in patients, have shown that the amygdala is sensitive to emotions in voice and music. Similarly, the hippocampus, another part of the temporal limbic system (TLS), is responsive to vocal and musical emotions, but its specific roles in emotional processing from music and especially from voices have been largely neglected. Here we review recent research on vocal and musical emotions, and outline commonalities and differences in the neural processing of emotions in the TLS in terms of emotional valence, emotional intensity and arousal, as well as in terms of acoustic and structural features of voices and music. We summarize the findings in a neural framework including several subcortical and cortical functional pathways between the auditory system and the TLS. This framework proposes that some vocal expressions might already receive a fast emotional evaluation via a subcortical pathway to the amygdala, whereas cortical pathways to the TLS are thought to be equally used for vocal and musical emotions. While the amygdala might be specifically involved in a coarse decoding of the emotional value of voices and music, the hippocampus might process more complex vocal and musical emotions, and might have an important role especially for the decoding of musical emotions by providing memory-based and contextual associations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Technology and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogdany, J.; Vesztergombi, G.

1994-07-01

The workshop on Parallel Processing, Technology and Applications, held February 10-11, Budapest, Hungary, covered a variety of topics on computer data processing and parallel computing. One of the 17 presentations discussed the need for massively parallel processing in support of future high energy experiments

You're a What? Voice Actor

Science.gov (United States)

Liming, Drew

2009-01-01

This article talks about voice actors and features Tony Oliver, a professional voice actor. Voice actors help to bring one's favorite cartoon and video game characters to life. They also do voice-overs for radio and television commercials and movie trailers. These actors use the sound of their voice to sell a character's emotions--or an advertised…

Voice Over Internet Protocol Testbed Design for Non-Intrusive, Objective Voice Quality Assessment

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Manka, David L

2007-01-01

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is an emerging technology with the potential to assist the United States Marine Corps in solving communication challenges stemming from modern operational concepts...

Application study of nuclear technologies for dual use

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Jae Gon; Chung, W. S.; Park, W. S.; Lee, K. W.; Cha, H. K.; Han, M. H.; Yoon, J. S.; Honh, D. H.; Park, J. Y.; Lee, C. H.; Yeo, J. W.; Jung, M.; Ra, G. H

2000-02-01

The projects for the joint development of technology common to the civilian and military sectors are being carried out at national level to maximize the utilization of limited resources. The technologies have been identified through a process which considered whether they are duplicates of the present military technology, whether they are necessary, and whether their realization is feasible. In addition, the problems surfaced during the identification process have been analyzed and suggestions to vitalize the military application of civilian nuclear technology are presented in the contexts of personal channel, institutional networking, R and D information exchange, and budgetary support. (author)

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF FIRMWARE FOR INPUT AND EXTRACTION OF USER’S VOICE SIGNAL IN VOICE AUTHENTICATION SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. N. Faizulaieva

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Scientific task for improving the signal-to-noise ratio for user’s voice signal in computer systems and networks during the process of user’s voice authentication is considered. The object of study is the process of input and extraction of the voice signal of authentication system user in computer systems and networks. Methods and means for input and extraction of the voice signal on the background of external interference signals are investigated. Ways for quality improving of the user’s voice signal in systems of voice authentication are investigated experimentally. Firmware means for experimental unit of input and extraction of the user’s voice signal against external interference influence are considered. As modern computer means, including mobile, have two-channel audio card, two microphones are used in the voice signal input. The distance between sonic-wave sensors is 20 mm and it provides forming one direction pattern lobe of microphone array in a desired area of voice signal registration (from 100 Hz to 8 kHz. According to the results of experimental studies, the usage of directional properties of the proposed microphone array and space-time processing of the recorded signals with implementation of constant and adaptive weighting factors has made it possible to reduce considerably the influence of interference signals. The results of firmware experimental studies for input and extraction of the user’s voice signal against external interference influence are shown. The proposed solutions will give the possibility to improve the value of the signal/noise ratio of the useful signals recorded up to 20 dB under the influence of external interference signals in the frequency range from 4 to 8 kHz. The results may be useful to specialists working in the field of voice recognition and speaker discrimination.

Machine Learning for Text-Independent Speaker Verification : How to Teach a Machine to RecognizeHuman Voices

OpenAIRE

Imoscopi, Stefano

2016-01-01

The aim of speaker recognition and veri cation is to identify people's identity from the characteristics of their voices (voice biometrics). Traditionally this technology has been employed mostly for security or authentication purposes, identi cation of employees/customers and criminal investigations. During the last decade the increasing popularity of hands-free and voice-controlled systems and the massive growth of media content generated on the internet has increased the need for technique...

Computer technology: its potential for industrial energy conservation. A technology applications manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1979-01-01

Today, computer technology is within the reach of practically any industrial corporation regardless of product size. This manual highlights a few of the many applications of computers in the process industry and provides the technical reader with a basic understanding of computer technology, terminology, and the interactions among the various elements of a process computer system. The manual has been organized to separate process applications and economics from computer technology. Chapter 1 introduces the present status of process computer technology and describes the four major applications - monitoring, analysis, control, and optimization. The basic components of a process computer system also are defined. Energy-saving applications in the four major categories defined in Chapter 1 are discussed in Chapter 2. The economics of process computer systems is the topic of Chapter 3, where the historical trend of process computer system costs is presented. Evaluating a process for the possible implementation of a computer system requires a basic understanding of computer technology as well as familiarity with the potential applications; Chapter 4 provides enough technical information for an evaluation. Computer and associated peripheral costs and the logical sequence of steps in the development of a microprocessor-based process control system are covered in Chapter 5.

Human voice perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Latinus, Marianne; Belin, Pascal

2011-02-22

We are all voice experts. First and foremost, we can produce and understand speech, and this makes us a unique species. But in addition to speech perception, we routinely extract from voices a wealth of socially-relevant information in what constitutes a more primitive, and probably more universal, non-linguistic mode of communication. Consider the following example: you are sitting in a plane, and you can hear a conversation in a foreign language in the row behind you. You do not see the speakers' faces, and you cannot understand the speech content because you do not know the language. Yet, an amazing amount of information is available to you. You can evaluate the physical characteristics of the different protagonists, including their gender, approximate age and size, and associate an identity to the different voices. You can form a good idea of the different speaker's mood and affective state, as well as more subtle cues as the perceived attractiveness or dominance of the protagonists. In brief, you can form a fairly detailed picture of the type of social interaction unfolding, which a brief glance backwards can on the occasion help refine - sometimes surprisingly so. What are the acoustical cues that carry these different types of vocal information? How does our brain process and analyse this information? Here we briefly review an emerging field and the main tools used in voice perception research. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Comparison of VHI scores in teachers with voice disorders and the non-professional dysphonic population].

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzańska, Anna; Niebudek-Bogusz, Ewa; Woźnicka, Ewelina; Kopczyńska, Jerzy; Sliwińska-Kowalska, Mariola

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the application of Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in the diagnosis of occupational voice disorders in teachers as compared with the dysphonic non-teachers population. The subjective assessment of voice by VHI was performed in 105 teachers with dysphonia and 60 dysphonic subjects whose jobs did not involve vocal effort. The control group comprised 65 healthy individuals with normal voice. The results of total VHI score and each of its subscales, functional, emotional and physical, were significantly worse in the study groups (I and II) than in the control group (p teachers and 16% of non-teachers reported severe voice disability. All individuals in the control group assessed their voice problems as minor, their results fell within the range of the lowest level of VHI score. This study confirmed that VHI as a tool for self-assessment of voice can significantly contribute to the diagnosis of occupational and non-occupational dysphonia.

Electrolarynx Voice Recognition Utilizing Pulse Coupled Neural Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatchul Arifin

2010-08-01

Full Text Available The laryngectomies patient has no ability to speak normally because their vocal chords have been removed. The easiest option for the patient to speak again is by using electrolarynx speech. This tool is placed on the lower chin. Vibration of the neck while speaking is used to produce sound. Meanwhile, the technology of "voice recognition" has been growing very rapidly. It is expected that the technology of "voice recognition" can also be used by laryngectomies patients who use electrolarynx.This paper describes a system for electrolarynx speech recognition. Two main parts of the system are feature extraction and pattern recognition. The Pulse Coupled Neural Network – PCNN is used to extract the feature and characteristic of electrolarynx speech. Varying of β (one of PCNN parameter also was conducted. Multi layer perceptron is used to recognize the sound patterns. There are two kinds of recognition conducted in this paper: speech recognition and speaker recognition. The speech recognition recognizes specific speech from every people. Meanwhile, speaker recognition recognizes specific speech from specific person. The system ran well. The "electrolarynx speech recognition" has been tested by recognizing of “A” and "not A" voice. The results showed that the system had 94.4% validation. Meanwhile, the electrolarynx speaker recognition has been tested by recognizing of “saya” voice from some different speakers. The results showed that the system had 92.2% validation. Meanwhile, the best β parameter of PCNN for electrolarynx recognition is 3.

Voice following radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoicheff, M.L.

1975-01-01

This study was undertaken to provide information on the voice of patients following radiotherapy for glottic cancer. Part I presents findings from questionnaires returned by 227 of 235 patients successfully irradiated for glottic cancer from 1960 through 1971. Part II presents preliminary findings on the speaking fundamental frequencies of 22 irradiated patients. Normal to near-normal voice was reported by 83 percent of the 227 patients; however, 80 percent did indicate persisting vocal difficulties such as fatiguing of voice with much usage, inability to sing, reduced loudness, hoarse voice quality and inability to shout. Amount of talking during treatments appeared to affect length of time for voice to recover following treatments in those cases where it took from nine to 26 weeks; also, with increasing years since treatment, patients rated their voices more favorably. Smoking habits following treatments improved significantly with only 27 percent smoking heavily as compared with 65 percent prior to radiation therapy. No correlation was found between smoking (during or after treatments) and vocal ratings or between smoking and length of time for voice to recover. There was no relationship found between reported vocal ratings and stage of the disease

ATC/pilot voice communications: A survey of the literature

Science.gov (United States)

Prinzo, O. Veronika; Britton, Thomas W.

1993-11-01

The first radio-equipped control tower in the United States opened at the Cleveland Municipal Airport in 1930. From that time to the present, voice radio communications have played a primary role in air safety. Verbal communications in air traffic control (ATC) operations have been frequently cited as causal factors in operational errors and pilot deviations in the FAA Operational Error and Deviation System, the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), and reports derived from government sponsored research projects. Collectively, the data provided by these programs indicate that communications constitute a significant problem for pilots and controllers. Although the communications problem was well known the research literature was fragmented, making it difficult to appreciate the various types of verbal communications problems that existed and their unique influence on the quality of ATC/pilot communications. This is a survey of the voice radio communications literature. The 43 reports in the review represent survey data, field studies, laboratory studies, narrative reports, and reviews. The survey topics pertain to communications taxonomies, acoustical correlates and cognitive/psycholinguistic perspectives. Communications taxonomies were used to identify the frequency and types of information that constitute routine communications, as well as those communications involved in operational errors, pilot deviations, and other safety-related events. Acoustical correlate methodologies identified some qualities of a speaker's voice, such as loudness, pitch, and speech rate, which might be used potentially to monitor stress, mental workload, and other forms of psychological or physiological factors that affect performance. Cognitive/psycho-linguistic research offered an information processing perspective for understanding how pilots' and controllers' memory and language comprehension processes affect their ability to communicate effectively with one another. This

Speech Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-05-01

The VDE system developed had the capability of recognizing up to 248 separate words in syntactic structures. 4 The two systems described are isolated...AND SPEAKER RECOGNITION by M.J.Hunt 5 ASSESSMENT OF SPEECH SYSTEMS ’ ..- * . by R.K.Moore 6 A SURVEY OF CURRENT EQUIPMENT AND RESEARCH’ by J.S.Bridle...TECHNOLOGY IN NAVY TRAINING SYSTEMS by R.Breaux, M.Blind and R.Lynchard 10 9 I-I GENERAL REVIEW OF MILITARY APPLICATIONS OF VOICE PROCESSING DR. BRUNO

Using the Voice to Design Ceramics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Flemming Tvede; Jensen, Kristoffer

2011-01-01

Digital technology makes new possibilities in ceramic craft. This project is about how experiential knowledge that the craftsmen gains in a direct physical and tactile interaction with a responding material can be transformed and utilized in the use of digital technologies. The project presents...... to make ceramic results. The system demonstrates the close connection between digital technology and craft practice....... SoundShaping, a system to create ceramics from the human voice. Based on a generic audio feature extraction system, and the principal component analysis to ensure that the pertinent information in the voice is used, a 3D shape is created using simple geometric rules. This shape is output to a 3D printer...

PREFACE: Sensors and their Applications XIV

Science.gov (United States)

Prosser, S. J.; Al-Shamma'a, A. I.

2007-09-01

The fourteenth conference in the Sensors and their Applications series took place at the Liverpool John Moores University in Liverpool, UK from 11-13 September 2007. The event was organised by the Instrument Science and Technology Group of the Institute of Physics. Previous conferences in this series were held in Manchester (1983 and 1993), Southampton (1985 and 1998), Cambridge (1987), Canterbury (1989), Edinburgh (1991), Dublin (1995), Glasgow (1997), Cardiff (1999), London (2001), Limerick (2003) and Chatham (2005). The event provided a forum for academic researchers and industrial engineers working in all areas of sensors, instrumentation and measurement to update themselves on the latest technical developments and applications, share knowledge and stimulate new ideas. The third decade of this conference series continues to highlight new technologies and applications as the sensor market benefits from enhanced signal processing power and wireless networking. Through presentation of oral papers, discussions at exhibited posters and informal exchanges of ideas, the conference continues to provide excellent knowledge transfer and networking opportunities. The high quality programme, headlined by notable contributions from invited speakers, included microsensors, automotive sensors, gas sensing, non-destructive inspection, food and healthcare, sensor signal processing, wireless sensing, modelling and imaging techniques. As in previous years, this conference was particularly highlighted by a large number of sensor applications papers. We take this opportunity to thank all of those who have contributed to the event. Our thanks also go to our colleagues in the Instrument Science and Technology Group for their support and encouragement, particularly in the refereeing of papers, and to the Sensors and Instrumentation Knowledge Transfer Network. Special thanks go to Claire Garland from the Conferences Department of the Institute of Physics and the local team at Liverpool

Voice-enabled Knowledge Engine using Flood Ontology and Natural Language Processing

Science.gov (United States)

Sermet, M. Y.; Demir, I.; Krajewski, W. F.

2015-12-01

The Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS) is a web-based platform developed by the Iowa Flood Center (IFC) to provide access to flood inundation maps, real-time flood conditions, flood forecasts, flood-related data, information and interactive visualizations for communities in Iowa. The IFIS is designed for use by general public, often people with no domain knowledge and limited general science background. To improve effective communication with such audience, we have introduced a voice-enabled knowledge engine on flood related issues in IFIS. Instead of navigating within many features and interfaces of the information system and web-based sources, the system provides dynamic computations based on a collection of built-in data, analysis, and methods. The IFIS Knowledge Engine connects to real-time stream gauges, in-house data sources, analysis and visualization tools to answer natural language questions. Our goal is the systematization of data and modeling results on flood related issues in Iowa, and to provide an interface for definitive answers to factual queries. The goal of the knowledge engine is to make all flood related knowledge in Iowa easily accessible to everyone, and support voice-enabled natural language input. We aim to integrate and curate all flood related data, implement analytical and visualization tools, and make it possible to compute answers from questions. The IFIS explicitly implements analytical methods and models, as algorithms, and curates all flood related data and resources so that all these resources are computable. The IFIS Knowledge Engine computes the answer by deriving it from its computational knowledge base. The knowledge engine processes the statement, access data warehouse, run complex database queries on the server-side and return outputs in various formats. This presentation provides an overview of IFIS Knowledge Engine, its unique information interface and functionality as an educational tool, and discusses the future plans

Citizen voices performing public participation in science and environment communication

CERN Document Server

Carvalho, Anabela; Doyle, Julie

2012-01-01

How is "participation" ascribed meaning and practised in science and environment communication? And how are citizen voices articulated, invoked, heard, marginalised or silenced in those processes? Citizen Voices takes its starting point in the so-called dialogic or participatory turn in scientific and environmental governance in which practices claiming to be based on principles of participation, dialogue and citizen involvement have proliferated. The book goes beyond the buzzword of "participation" in order to give empirically rich, theoretically informed and critical accounts of how citizen participation is understood and enacted in mass mediation and public engagement practices. A diverse series of studies across Europe and the US are presented, providing readers with empirical insights into the articulation of citizen voices in different national, cultural and institutional contexts. Building bridges across media and communication studies, science and technology studies, environmental studies and urban pl...

Radiation technology in emerging industrial applications. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

In many industrial applications radiation processing has proven to be a technology of choice either because of its economic competitiveness or its technical superiority. Although the chemical effects of ionizing radiation have been known for more than a century, its industrial applications became possible only after the availability of reliable gamma sources and powerful electron accelerators during the last couple of decades.The programmes of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in radiation processing are implemented through the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications and the Department of Technical Co-operation. The IAEA has been active in this field for many years, contributing to new developments, training, promotion and transfer of technology. In September 1997, the IAEA held an international symposium in Zakopane, Poland on the 'Use of radiation technology for the conservation of environment' where the status of current developments and of applications of radiation processing in the control of environmental pollution was reviewed (IAEA-TECDOC-1023, 1998). Recent developments and achievements in various aspects of radiation processing have been assessed continuously through the organization of consultants meetings, advisory group meetings and research co-ordination meetings. Worldwide growing interest in the use of radiation technology in various new industrial applications, as exemplified by the reports and presentations made at these meetings, has led the IAEA to organize a symposium to cover every aspect of radiation processing and, exclusively, the emerging industrial applications of radiation technology. The International Symposium on Radiation Technology in Emerging Industrial Applications was convened in November 2000 in Beijing, China. Its main purpose was to bring scientists,technologists, industrialists and regulatory authorities together with a view of exchanging information and reviewing the status of current developments and

Radiation technology in emerging industrial applications. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-09-01

In many industrial applications radiation processing has proven to be a technology of choice either because of its economic competitiveness or its technical superiority. Although the chemical effects of ionizing radiation have been known for more than a century, its industrial applications became possible only after the availability of reliable gamma sources and powerful electron accelerators during the last couple of decades.The programmes of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in radiation processing are implemented through the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications and the Department of Technical Co-operation. The IAEA has been active in this field for many years, contributing to new developments, training, promotion and transfer of technology. In September 1997, the IAEA held an international symposium in Zakopane, Poland on the 'Use of radiation technology for the conservation of environment' where the status of current developments and of applications of radiation processing in the control of environmental pollution was reviewed (IAEA-TECDOC-1023, 1998). Recent developments and achievements in various aspects of radiation processing have been assessed continuously through the organization of consultants meetings, advisory group meetings and research co-ordination meetings. Worldwide growing interest in the use of radiation technology in various new industrial applications, as exemplified by the reports and presentations made at these meetings, has led the IAEA to organize a symposium to cover every aspect of radiation processing and, exclusively, the emerging industrial applications of radiation technology. The International Symposium on Radiation Technology in Emerging Industrial Applications was convened in November 2000 in Beijing, China. Its main purpose was to bring scientists,technologists, industrialists and regulatory authorities together with a view of exchanging information and reviewing the status of current developments and

Application of repetitive pulsed power technology to chemical processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaye, R.J.; Hamil, R.

1995-01-01

The numerous sites of soil and water contaminated with organic chemicals present an urgent environmental concern that continues to grow. Electron and x-ray irradiation have been shown to be effective methods to destroy a wide spectrum of organic chemicals, nitrates, nitrites, and cyanide in water by breaking molecules to non-toxic products or entirely mineralizing the by-products to gas, water, and salts. Sandia National Laboratories is developing Repetitive High Energy Pulsed Power (RHEPP) technology capable of producing high average power, broad area electron or x-ray beams. The 300 kW RHEPP-II facility accelerates electrons to 2.5 MeV at 25 kA over 1,000 cm 2 in 60 ns pulses at repetition rates of over 100 Hz. Linking this modular treatment capability with the rapid optical-sensing diagnostics and neutral network characterization software algorithms will provide a Smart Waste Treatment (SWaT) system. Such a system would also be applicable for chemical manufacture and processing of industrial waste for reuse or disposal. This talk describes both the HREPP treatment capability and sensing technologies. Measurements of the propagated RHEPP-II beam and dose profiles are presented. Sensors and rapid detection software are discussed with application toward chemical treatment

Agricultural and Food Processing Applications of Pulsed Power and Plasma Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Takaki, Koichi

Agricultural and food processing applications of pulsed power and plasma technologies are described in this paper. Repetitively operated compact pulsed power generators with a moderate peak power are developed for the agricultural and the food processing applications. These applications are mainly based on biological effects and can be categorized as germination control of plants such as Basidiomycota and arabidopsis inactivation of bacteria in soil and liquid medium of hydroponics; extraction of juice from fruits and vegetables; decontamination of air and liquid, etc. Types of pulsed power that have biological effects are caused with gas discharges, water discharges, and electromagnetic fields. The discharges yield free radicals, UV radiation, intense electric field, and shock waves. Biologically based applications of pulsed power and plasma are performed by selecting the type that gives the target objects the adequate result from among these agents or byproducts. For instance, intense electric fields form pores on the cell membrane, which is called electroporation, or influence the nuclei. This paper mainly describes the application of the pulsed power for the germination control of Basidiomycota i.e. mushroom, inactivation of fungi in the soil and the liquid medium in hydroponics, and extraction of polyphenol from skins of grape.

Flat detectors and their clinical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spahn, Martin

2005-01-01

Diagnostic and interventional flat detector X-ray systems are penetrating the market in all application segments. First introduced in radiography and mammography, they have conquered cardiac and general angiography and are getting increasing attention in fluoroscopy. Two flat detector technologies prevail. The dominating method is based on an indirect X-ray conversion process, using cesium iodide scintillators. It offers considerable advantages in radiography, angiography and fluoroscopy. The other method employs a direct converter such as selenium which is particularly suitable for mammography. Both flat detector technologies are based on amorphous silicon active pixel matrices. Flat detectors facilitate the clinical workflow in radiographic rooms, foster improved image quality and provide the potential to reduce dose. This added value is based on their large dynamic range, their high sensitivity to X-rays and the instant availability of the image. Advanced image processing is instrumental in these improvements and expand the range of conventional diagnostic methods. In angiography and fluoroscopy the transition from image intensifiers to flat detectors is facilitated by ample advantages they offer, such as distortion-free images, excellent coarse contrast, large dynamic range and high X-ray sensitivity. These characteristics and their compatibility with strong magnetic fields are the basis for improved diagnostic methods and innovative interventional applications. (orig.)

Voice Disorder Classification Based on Multitaper Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients Features

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ömer Eskidere

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs are widely used in order to extract essential information from a voice signal and became a popular feature extractor used in audio processing. However, MFCC features are usually calculated from a single window (taper characterized by large variance. This study shows investigations on reducing variance for the classification of two different voice qualities (normal voice and disordered voice using multitaper MFCC features. We also compare their performance by newly proposed windowing techniques and conventional single-taper technique. The results demonstrate that adapted weighted Thomson multitaper method could distinguish between normal voice and disordered voice better than the results done by the conventional single-taper (Hamming window technique and two newly proposed windowing methods. The multitaper MFCC features may be helpful in identifying voices at risk for a real pathology that has to be proven later.

Membrane processes in nuclear technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakrzewska-Trznadel, G.

2006-01-01

The treatment of radioactive wastes is necessary taking into account the potential hazard of radioactive substances to human health and surrounding environment. The choice of appropriate technology depends on capital and operational costs, wastes amount and their characteristics, appointed targets of the process, e.g. the values of decontamination factors and volume reduction coefficients. The conventional technologies applied for radioactive waste processing, such as precipitation coupled with sedimentation, ion exchange and evaporation have many drawbacks. These include high energy consumption and formation of secondary wastes, e.g. the sludge from sediment tanks, spent ion exchange adsorbents and regeneration solutions. There are also many limitations of such processes, i.e. foaming and drop entrainment in evaporators, loses of solvents and production of secondary wastes in solvent extraction or bed clogging in ion exchange columns. Membrane processes as the newest achievement of the process engineering can successfully supersede many non-effective, out-of-date methods. But in some instances they can also complement these methods whilst improving the parameters of effluents and purification economy. This monograph presents own research data on the application of recent achievements in the area of membrane processes for solving selected problems in nuclear technology. Relatively big space was devoted to the use of membrane processing of low and intermediate radioactive liquid wastes because of numerous applications of these processes in nuclear centres over the world and also because of the interests of the author that was reflected by her recent research projects and activity. This work presents a review on the membrane methods recently introduced into the nuclear technology against the background of the other, commonly applied separation techniques, with indications of the possibilities and prospects for their further developments. Particular attention was paid

Sustainable Consumer Voices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klitmøller, Anders; Rask, Morten; Jensen, Nevena

2011-01-01

Aiming to explore how user driven innovation can inform high level design strategies, an in-depth empirical study was carried out, based on data from 50 observations of private vehicle users. This paper reports the resulting 5 consumer voices: Technology Enthusiast, Environmentalist, Design Lover...

Factors influencing smallholder cocoa production : a management analysis of behavioural decision-making processes of technology adoption and application

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Taher, S.

1996-01-01

The objectives of the study were to expand present knowledge on the technology adoption and application rates for production inputs and fermentation processing related to farmers' decision- making, and to formulate an optimal technology application policy, particularly for smallholder cocoa

Emotional voice processing: investigating the role of genetic variation in the serotonin transporter across development.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tobias Grossmann

Full Text Available The ability to effectively respond to emotional information carried in the human voice plays a pivotal role for social interactions. We examined how genetic factors, especially the serotonin transporter genetic variation (5-HTTLPR, affect the neurodynamics of emotional voice processing in infants and adults by measuring event-related brain potentials (ERPs. The results revealed that infants distinguish between emotions during an early perceptual processing stage, whereas adults recognize and evaluate the meaning of emotions during later semantic processing stages. While infants do discriminate between emotions, only in adults was genetic variation associated with neurophysiological differences in how positive and negative emotions are processed in the brain. This suggests that genetic association with neurocognitive functions emerges during development, emphasizing the role that variation in serotonin plays in the maturation of brain systems involved in emotion recognition.

Analogical Reasoning in the Engineering Design Process and Technology Education Applications

OpenAIRE

2008-01-01

This synthesis paper discusses the research exploring analogical reasoning, the role of analogies in the engineering design process, and educational applications for analogical reasoning. Researchers have discovered that analogical reasoning is often a fundamental cognitive tool in design problem solving. Regarding the possible role of analogical reasoning in the context of technology education; analogies may be a useful tool to develop student’s design skills, teach abstract or complex conce...

Giving children voice in the design of technology for education in the developing world

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helene Gelderblom

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Of the numerous projects that involve ICTs to solve the problems of the developing world, many are unsuccessful. Reasons include lack of attention to how the human and social systems need to adapt to the new technologies, problems with the intent of the initiators, and lack of user involvement. Focusing on the design of ICT for education and acknowledging the range of complex reasons for possible failure, this article focuses on lack on involvement of end users (specifically children in the design and development of ICT solutions. Children in the developing world are not given voice when it comes to the design of technology aimed at providing them with better education. Through examination of the concept of “children’s voice” as well as through discussion of a practical design case to support underprivileged children in South Africa, this article shows that (1 listening to children requires that adult co-designers have the correct attitude towards their child partners and that they are committed to really hearing them; (2 power relations and context plays an important role in the contribution children can make; and (3 South African children have the ability to provide essential input into the design of technology for education.

A Wireless LAN and Voice Information System for Underground Coal Mine

OpenAIRE

Yu Zhang; Wei Yang; Dongsheng Han; Young-Il Kim

2014-01-01

In this paper we constructed a wireless information system, and developed a wireless voice communication subsystem based on Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) for underground coal mine, which employs Voice over IP (VoIP) technology and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to achieve wireless voice dispatching communications. The master control voice dispatching interface and call terminal software are also developed on the WLAN ground server side to manage and implement the voice dispatching co...

The state of the art on the dry decontamination technologies applicable to highly radioactive contaminants and their needs for the national nuclear fuel cycle developent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Won Zin; Lee, K. W.; Won, H. J.; Jung, C. H.; Chol, W. K.; Kim, G. N.; Moon, J. K.

2000-12-01

This report is intended to establish their needs to support the dry decontamination activities applicable to highly radioactive contaminants based on the requirement of technologies development suggested from the national nuclear fuel cycle projects, such as DUPIC, advanced spent fuel management and long-lived radionuclides conversion. The technology needs associated with decontamination addressed the requirements associated with the efficiency of decontamination technology, the reduction of secondary wastes, applicabilities and the remote operation. And also, Characterization and decontamination technologies for various contaminants are reviewed and analysed. Based on the assessment, Unit dry decontamination processes are selected and the schematic flow diagram for decontamination of highly radioactive contaminants

The state of the art on the dry decontamination technologies applicable to highly radioactive contaminants and their needs for the national nuclear fuel cycle developent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Won Zin; Lee, K.W.; Won, H.J.; Jung, C.H.; Chol, W.K.; Kim, G.N.; Moon, J.K

2000-12-01

This report is intended to establish their needs to support the dry decontamination activities applicable to highly radioactive contaminants based on the requirement of technologies development suggested from the national nuclear fuel cycle projects, such as DUPIC, advanced spent fuel management and long-lived radionuclides conversion. The technology needs associated with decontamination addressed the requirements associated with the efficiency of decontamination technology, the reduction of secondary wastes, applicabilities and the remote operation. And also, Characterization and decontamination technologies for various contaminants are reviewed and analysed. Based on the assessment, Unit dry decontamination processes are selected and the schematic flow diagram for decontamination of highly radioactive contaminants.

A FRAMEWORK FOR INTELLIGENT VOICE-ENABLED E-EDUCATION SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azeta A. A.

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Although the Internet has received significant attention in recent years, voice is still the most convenient and natural way of communicating between human to human or human to computer. In voice applications, users may have different needs which will require the ability of the system to reason, make decisions, be flexible and adapt to requests during interaction. These needs have placed new requirements in voice application development such as use of advanced models, techniques and methodologies which take into account the needs of different users and environments. The ability of a system to behave close to human reasoning is often mentioned as one of the major requirements for the development of voice applications. In this paper, we present a framework for an intelligent voice-enabled e-Education application and an adaptation of the framework for the development of a prototype Course Registration and Examination (CourseRegExamOnline module. This study is a preliminary report of an ongoing e-Education project containing the following modules: enrollment, course registration and examination, enquiries/information, messaging/collaboration, e-Learning and library. The CourseRegExamOnline module was developed using VoiceXML for the voice user interface(VUI, PHP for the web user interface (WUI, Apache as the middle-ware and MySQL database as back-end. The system would offer dual access modes using the VUI and WUI. The framework would serve as a reference model for developing voice-based e-Education applications. The e-Education system when fully developed would meet the needs of students who are normal users and those with certain forms of disabilities such as visual impairment, repetitive strain injury (RSI, etc, that make reading and writing difficult.

Evolving Spiking Neural Networks for Recognition of Aged Voices.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Marco; Vellasco, Marley M B R; Cataldo, Edson

2017-01-01

The aging of the voice, known as presbyphonia, is a natural process that can cause great change in vocal quality of the individual. This is a relevant problem to those people who use their voices professionally, and its early identification can help determine a suitable treatment to avoid its progress or even to eliminate the problem. This work focuses on the development of a new model for the identification of aging voices (independently of their chronological age), using as input attributes parameters extracted from the voice and glottal signals. The proposed model, named Quantum binary-real evolving Spiking Neural Network (QbrSNN), is based on spiking neural networks (SNNs), with an unsupervised training algorithm, and a Quantum-Inspired Evolutionary Algorithm that automatically determines the most relevant attributes and the optimal parameters that configure the SNN. The QbrSNN model was evaluated in a database composed of 120 records, containing samples from three groups of speakers. The results obtained indicate that the proposed model provides better accuracy than other approaches, with fewer input attributes. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Voice - How humans communicate?

Science.gov (United States)

Tiwari, Manjul; Tiwari, Maneesha

2012-01-01

Voices are important things for humans. They are the medium through which we do a lot of communicating with the outside world: our ideas, of course, and also our emotions and our personality. The voice is the very emblem of the speaker, indelibly woven into the fabric of speech. In this sense, each of our utterances of spoken language carries not only its own message but also, through accent, tone of voice and habitual voice quality it is at the same time an audible declaration of our membership of particular social regional groups, of our individual physical and psychological identity, and of our momentary mood. Voices are also one of the media through which we (successfully, most of the time) recognize other humans who are important to us-members of our family, media personalities, our friends, and enemies. Although evidence from DNA analysis is potentially vastly more eloquent in its power than evidence from voices, DNA cannot talk. It cannot be recorded planning, carrying out or confessing to a crime. It cannot be so apparently directly incriminating. As will quickly become evident, voices are extremely complex things, and some of the inherent limitations of the forensic-phonetic method are in part a consequence of the interaction between their complexity and the real world in which they are used. It is one of the aims of this article to explain how this comes about. This subject have unsolved questions, but there is no direct way to present the information that is necessary to understand how voices can be related, or not, to their owners.

Obligatory and facultative brain regions for voice-identity recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Roswandowitz, Claudia; Kappes, Claudia; Obrig, Hellmuth; von Kriegstein, Katharina

2018-01-01

Abstract Recognizing the identity of others by their voice is an important skill for social interactions. To date, it remains controversial which parts of the brain are critical structures for this skill. Based on neuroimaging findings, standard models of person-identity recognition suggest that the right temporal lobe is the hub for voice-identity recognition. Neuropsychological case studies, however, reported selective deficits of voice-identity recognition in patients predominantly with right inferior parietal lobe lesions. Here, our aim was to work towards resolving the discrepancy between neuroimaging studies and neuropsychological case studies to find out which brain structures are critical for voice-identity recognition in humans. We performed a voxel-based lesion-behaviour mapping study in a cohort of patients (n = 58) with unilateral focal brain lesions. The study included a comprehensive behavioural test battery on voice-identity recognition of newly learned (voice-name, voice-face association learning) and familiar voices (famous voice recognition) as well as visual (face-identity recognition) and acoustic control tests (vocal-pitch and vocal-timbre discrimination). The study also comprised clinically established tests (neuropsychological assessment, audiometry) and high-resolution structural brain images. The three key findings were: (i) a strong association between voice-identity recognition performance and right posterior/mid temporal and right inferior parietal lobe lesions; (ii) a selective association between right posterior/mid temporal lobe lesions and voice-identity recognition performance when face-identity recognition performance was factored out; and (iii) an association of right inferior parietal lobe lesions with tasks requiring the association between voices and faces but not voices and names. The results imply that the right posterior/mid temporal lobe is an obligatory structure for voice-identity recognition, while the inferior parietal

NASA technology applications team: Applications of aerospace technology

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

This report covers the activities of the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) Technology Applications Team for the period 1 October 1992 through 30 September 1993. The work reported herein was supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Contract No. NASW-4367. Highlights of the RTI Applications Team activities over the past year are presented in Section 1.0. The Team's progress in fulfilling the requirements of the contract is summarized in Section 2.0. In addition to our market-driven approach to applications project development, RTI has placed increased effort on activities to commercialize technologies developed at NASA Centers. These Technology Commercialization efforts are summarized in Section 3.0. New problem statements prepared by the Team in the reporting period are presented in Section 4.0. The Team's transfer activities for ongoing projects with the NASA Centers are presented in Section 5.0. Section 6.0 summarizes the status of four add-on tasks. Travel for the reporting period is described in Section 7.0. The RTI Team staff and consultants and their project responsibilities are listed in Appendix A. Appendix B includes Technology Opportunity Announcements and Spinoff! Sheets prepared by the Team while Appendix C contains a series of technology transfer articles prepared by the Team.

Nurses using futuristic technology in today's healthcare setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Debra M; Kapadia, Amar; Kintzel, Jessie; Anton, Bonnie B

2009-01-01

Human computer interaction (HCI) equates nurses using voice assisted technology within a clinical setting to document patient care real time, retrieve patient information from care plans, and complete routine tasks. This is a reality currently utilized by clinicians today in acute and long term care settings. Voice assisted documentation provides hands & eyes free accurate documentation while enabling effective communication and task management. The speech technology increases the accuracy of documentation, while interfacing directly into the electronic health record (EHR). Using technology consisting of a light weight headset and small fist size wireless computer, verbal responses to easy to follow cues are converted into a database systems allowing staff to obtain individualized care status reports on demand. To further assist staff in their daily process, this innovative technology allows staff to send and receive pages as needed. This paper will discuss how leading edge and award winning technology is being integrated within the United States. Collaborative efforts between clinicians and analyst will be discussed reflecting the interactive design and build functionality. Features such as the system's voice responses and directed cues will be shared and how easily data can be documented, viewed and retrieved. Outcome data will be presented on how the technology impacted organization's quality outcomes, financial reimbursement, and employee's level of satisfaction.

Integration thermal processes through Pinch technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rios H, Carlos Mario; Grisales Rincon, Rogelio; Cardona, Carlos Ariel

2004-01-01

This paper presents the techniques of heat integration used for process optimization, their fortresses and weaknesses during the implementation in several specific process are also discussed. It is focused to the pinch technology, explaining algorithms for method applications in the industry. The paper provides the concepts and models involved in different types of commercial software applying this method for energy cost reduction, both in design of new plants and improve of old ones. As complement to benefits of the energy cost reduction it is analysed other favorable aspects of process integration, as the emissions waste reduction and the combined heat end power systems

Understanding the mechanisms of familiar voice-identity recognition in the human brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Maguinness, Corrina; Roswandowitz, Claudia; von Kriegstein, Katharina

2018-03-31

Humans have a remarkable skill for voice-identity recognition: most of us can remember many voices that surround us as 'unique'. In this review, we explore the computational and neural mechanisms which may support our ability to represent and recognise a unique voice-identity. We examine the functional architecture of voice-sensitive regions in the superior temporal gyrus/sulcus, and bring together findings on how these regions may interact with each other, and additional face-sensitive regions, to support voice-identity processing. We also contrast findings from studies on neurotypicals and clinical populations which have examined the processing of familiar and unfamiliar voices. Taken together, the findings suggest that representations of familiar and unfamiliar voices might dissociate in the human brain. Such an observation does not fit well with current models for voice-identity processing, which by-and-large assume a common sequential analysis of the incoming voice signal, regardless of voice familiarity. We provide a revised audio-visual integrative model of voice-identity processing which brings together traditional and prototype models of identity processing. This revised model includes a mechanism of how voice-identity representations are established and provides a novel framework for understanding and examining the potential differences in familiar and unfamiliar voice processing in the human brain. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Applicable approach of the wireless technology for Korean nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, Do Young; Lee, Soo Ill

2013-01-01

Highlights: • To apply wireless technology for Korean NPPs, several stipulations are proposed. • WLAN is proposed as the most appropriate wireless technology for Korean NPPs. • WLAN can be applied to the specific fields except in the control system. • An attitude survey on wireless showed that 94.7% agree with the necessity of wireless. - Abstract: Recently, many nuclear power plants (NPPs) over the world use various types of wireless systems for the advantages. Unfortunately, wireless technologies are not currently installed in any Korean NPPs because it is difficult to solve the negative impact of unexpected outcomes or failures from the influence of the wireless technologies, which is electromagnetic interference and radio-frequency interference (EMI/RFI). Moreover, a lack of desire on the part of Korean nuclear industry to implement it leads to give up benefit from the wireless technologies. To install the wireless technologies with maximum benefit and minimum risk, a systematic approach, which quantify the negative impact and prevent the influence, is essential; therefore, this paper describes an applicable research result on the wireless technology for Korean NPPs based on regulatory guides and current wireless hardware and software technologies. Also, survey on the needs for the wireless technology for Korean nuclear power plants was conducted, because the level of awareness of workers in NPPs regarding wireless technologies is very important issue. In this paper, we propose an applicable system to enhance the applicability for the wireless technology for Korean NPPs. The result based on proposed applicable system shows that wireless local area network (WLAN) is the representative candidate for Korean NPPs, which can be applied to the specific fields of radiation monitoring, voice and data communication, component monitoring and instrumentation, and wireless cameras

Applicable approach of the wireless technology for Korean nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ko, Do Young, E-mail: kodoyoung@khnp.co.kr; Lee, Soo Ill

2013-12-15

Highlights: • To apply wireless technology for Korean NPPs, several stipulations are proposed. • WLAN is proposed as the most appropriate wireless technology for Korean NPPs. • WLAN can be applied to the specific fields except in the control system. • An attitude survey on wireless showed that 94.7% agree with the necessity of wireless. - Abstract: Recently, many nuclear power plants (NPPs) over the world use various types of wireless systems for the advantages. Unfortunately, wireless technologies are not currently installed in any Korean NPPs because it is difficult to solve the negative impact of unexpected outcomes or failures from the influence of the wireless technologies, which is electromagnetic interference and radio-frequency interference (EMI/RFI). Moreover, a lack of desire on the part of Korean nuclear industry to implement it leads to give up benefit from the wireless technologies. To install the wireless technologies with maximum benefit and minimum risk, a systematic approach, which quantify the negative impact and prevent the influence, is essential; therefore, this paper describes an applicable research result on the wireless technology for Korean NPPs based on regulatory guides and current wireless hardware and software technologies. Also, survey on the needs for the wireless technology for Korean nuclear power plants was conducted, because the level of awareness of workers in NPPs regarding wireless technologies is very important issue. In this paper, we propose an applicable system to enhance the applicability for the wireless technology for Korean NPPs. The result based on proposed applicable system shows that wireless local area network (WLAN) is the representative candidate for Korean NPPs, which can be applied to the specific fields of radiation monitoring, voice and data communication, component monitoring and instrumentation, and wireless cameras.

Radiation processing: a versatile technology for industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabalfin, E.G.

1996-01-01

Soon after the discovery of x-ray in 1895 and radioactivity in 1896, it was recognized that ionizing radiation can modify the chemical, physical and/or biological properties of materials. However, it was only in the late 50's, when large radiation sources become available, has this unique property of radiation found industrial applications in radiation processing. Today, radiation processing has been used by industry in such diverse applications, such as radiation sterilization/decontamination of medical products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and their raw materials; radiation cross-linking of wire and cable insulation; production of heat shrinkable materials and polymer foam; and radiation curing of coatings, adhesives and inks on a wide variety of substrates. In addition to being a clean environment-friendly technology, radiation processing can also be used for the conservation of the environment by such processes as radiation treatment of flue gases to remove SO 2 and NO x and disinfection of sewage sludge. Because of the many advantages offered by radiation processing, industry is showing strong interest in the technology as evidenced by the growing number of industrial radiation facilities in many countries. (author)

Application of electro-technology in heating industrial processes; Aplicacion de electrotecnologia en procesos industriales de calentamiento

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez Milla, Guillermo [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Temixco, Morelos (Mexico)

2001-07-01

The electro-technologies are systems and equipment that use electricity to produce and to process consumer goods. Also they can be used in industrial processes such as drying, heating, heat treatment and smelting. These technologies have demonstrated that electricity can not only be used for lighting system, motor operation or electrolysis, but that can also be applied in many industrial processes and allow the reduction of production costs to increase the productivity as well as to improve the safety and conditions at work. Combined to the former, the electro technologies offer other additional advantages such as facilitating the automation, robotization and computerized supervision of industrial production. The great variety of these technologies and their ample application fields makes difficult a presentation of them showing their advantages in the energy efficiency field and with respect to the added value of the product to be finished, as well as its impact to the environment when diminishing the polluting agents to the atmosphere. The present article mentions diverse types of electro technologies, doing emphasis in those dedicated to provide heat impulse due to the impact that, by their application, can produce in the electrical system and to the deduction of polluting agents to the environment. Table 1 shows the diverse rank of industries that can use electro technologies. The table of the type of industries that can use electro technologies is shown, as well as the evaluation of these. [Spanish] Las electrotecnologias son sistemas y equipos que utilizan electricidad para producir y procesar bienes de consumo. Tambien pueden ser usados en procesos industriales tales como secado, calentamiento, tratamiento con calor y fundicion. Estas tecnologias han demostrado que la electricidad no solo se puede usar para alumbrado, alimentacion de motores o electrolisis, sino que puede aplicarse en muchos procesos industriales y permitir la reduccion de costos de

Ultrashort pulse laser technology laser sources and applications

CERN Document Server

Schrempel, Frank; Dausinger, Friedrich

2016-01-01

Ultrashort laser pulses with durations in the femtosecond range up to a few picoseconds provide a unique method for precise materials processing or medical applications. Paired with the recent developments in ultrashort pulse lasers, this technology is finding its way into various application fields. The book gives a comprehensive overview of the principles and applications of ultrashort pulse lasers, especially applied to medicine and production technology. Recent advances in laser technology are discussed in detail. This covers the development of reliable and cheap low power laser sources as well as high average power ultrashort pulse lasers for large scale manufacturing. The fundamentals of laser-matter-interaction as well as processing strategies and the required system technology are discussed for these laser sources with respect to precise materials processing. Finally, different applications within medicine, measurement technology or materials processing are highlighted.

Application of passive sonar technology to mineral processing and oil sands applications : if you can measure it, you can manage it

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Keefe, C.; Viega, J.; Fernald, M. [CiDRA Corp., Wallingford, CT (United States)

2007-07-01

SONAR-based flow and entrained air measurement instruments were described. This new class of industrial flow and compositional analyzers was developed by CiDRA to provide new measurement insight and quantifiable value to industrial process operators. Passive sonar array-based processing units have been installed worldwide in several industrial applications and are particularly suited for a wide range of mineral processing applications, including slurry flow rate measurement and fluid characterization. This paper also described the SONAR-based, clamp-on SONARtrac technology, a scalable platform that provides several other value added measurements and information such as speed of sound, entrained air/gas, gas hold-up, and velocity profile. Oil sands, tailings and bitumen slurries present considerable measurement challenges for in-line flow measurement devices in terms of measurement accuracy, reliability and maintenance. The sonar-based technology platform has been used in a variety of oil sands processes, hydrotransport, and minerals beneficiation applications. This paper described these applications with particular reference to difficult slurry flow measurement and control in the areas of comminution and flotation such as mill discharge, hydrocyclone feed/overflow, final concentrate, thickener discharge, and tailings. 5 refs., 4 tabs., 23 figs.

Energy Savings Through Thermally Efficient Crucible Technology: Fundamentals, Process Modeling, and Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Wenwu; Pinto, Brian

2017-12-01

Melting and holding molten metals within crucibles accounts for a large portion of total energy demand in the resource-intensive nonferrous foundry industry. Multivariate mathematical modeling aided by detailed material characterization and advancements in crucible technologies can make a significant impact in the areas of cost-efficiency and carbon footprint reduction. Key thermal properties such as conductivity and specific heat capacity were studied to understand their influence on crucible furnace energy consumption during melting and holding processes. The effects of conductivity on thermal stresses and longevity of crucibles were also evaluated. With this information, accurate theoretical models using finite element analysis were developed to study total energy consumption and melting time. By applying these findings to recent crucible developments, considerable improvements in field performance were reported and documented as case studies in applications such as aluminum melting and holding.

Experiences with voice to design ceramics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Flemming Tvede; Jensen, Kristoffer

2014-01-01

This article presents SoundShaping, a system to create ceramics from the human voice and thus how digital technology makes new possibilities in ceramic craft. The article is about how experiential knowledge that the craftsmen gains in a direct physical and tactile interaction with a responding...... material can be transformed and utilised in the use of digital technologies. SoundShaping is based on a generic audio feature extraction system and the principal component analysis to ensure that the pertinent information in the voice is used. Moreover, 3D shape is created using simple geometric rules....... The shape is output to a 3D printer to make ceramic results. The system demonstrates the close connection between digital technology and craft practice. Several experiments and reflections demonstrate the validity of this work....

Experiences with Voice to Design Ceramics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Flemming Tvede; Jensen, Kristoffer

2013-01-01

This article presents SoundShaping, a system to create ceramics from the human voice and thus how digital technology makes new possibilities in ceramic craft. The article is about how experiential knowledge that the craftsmen gains in a direct physical and tactile interaction with a responding...... material can be transformed and utilized in the use of digital technologies. SoundShaping is based on a generic audio feature extraction system and the principal component analysis to ensure that the pertinent information in the voice is used. Moreover, 3D shape is created using simple geometric rules....... The shape is output to a 3D printer to make ceramic results. The system demonstrates the close connection between digital technology and craft practice. Several experiments and reflections demonstrate the validity of this work....

Understanding the 'Anorexic Voice' in Anorexia Nervosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Pugh, Matthew; Waller, Glenn

2017-05-01

In common with individuals experiencing a number of disorders, people with anorexia nervosa report experiencing an internal 'voice'. The anorexic voice comments on the individual's eating, weight and shape and instructs the individual to restrict or compensate. However, the core characteristics of the anorexic voice are not known. This study aimed to develop a parsimonious model of the voice characteristics that are related to key features of eating disorder pathology and to determine whether patients with anorexia nervosa fall into groups with different voice experiences. The participants were 49 women with full diagnoses of anorexia nervosa. Each completed validated measures of the power and nature of their voice experience and of their responses to the voice. Different voice characteristics were associated with current body mass index, duration of disorder and eating cognitions. Two subgroups emerged, with 'weaker' and 'stronger' voice experiences. Those with stronger voices were characterized by having more negative eating attitudes, more severe compensatory behaviours, a longer duration of illness and a greater likelihood of having the binge-purge subtype of anorexia nervosa. The findings indicate that the anorexic voice is an important element of the psychopathology of anorexia nervosa. Addressing the anorexic voice might be helpful in enhancing outcomes of treatments for anorexia nervosa, but that conclusion might apply only to patients with more severe eating psychopathology. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Experiences of an internal 'anorexic voice' are common in anorexia nervosa. Clinicians should consider the role of the voice when formulating eating pathology in anorexia nervosa, including how individuals perceive and relate to that voice. Addressing the voice may be beneficial, particularly in more severe and enduring forms of anorexia nervosa. When working with the voice, clinicians should aim to address both the content of the voice and how

Examining the potential of information technology to improve public insurance application processes: enrollee assessments from a concurrent mixed method analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Abhay Nath; Ketsche, Patricia; Marton, James; Snyder, Angela; McLaren, Susan

2014-01-01

To assess the perceived readiness of Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees to use information technologies (IT) in order to facilitate improvements in the application processes for these public insurance programs. We conducted a concurrent mixed method study of Medicaid and CHIP enrollees in a southern state. We conducted focus groups to identify enrollee concerns regarding the current application process and their IT proficiency. Additionally, we surveyed beneficiaries via telephone about their access to and use of the Internet, and willingness to adopt IT-enabled processes. 2013 households completed the survey. We used χ(2) analysis for comparisons across different groups of respondents. A majority of enrollees will embrace IT-enabled enrollment, but a small yet significant group continues to lack access to facilitating technologies. Moreover, a segment of beneficiaries in the two programs continues to place a high value on personal interactions with program caseworkers. IT holds the promise of improving efficiency and reducing barriers for enrollees, but state and federal agencies managing public insurance programs need to ensure access to traditional processes and make caseworkers available to those who require and value such assistance, even after implementing IT-enabled processes. The use of IT-enabled processes is essential for effectively managing eligibility and enrollment determinations for public programs and private plans offered through state or federally operated exchanges. However, state and federal officials should be cognizant of the technological readiness of recipients and provide offline help to ensure broad participation in the insurance market. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Industrial applications of nuclear technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vargas, Celso

2010-01-01

Industrial applications of nuclear technology have been very diverse worldwide. This type of technology has begun to introduce in Costa Rica to evaluate and improve different industrial processes. These applications have been classified into two or three categories, according to the criteria used. Nucleonic control systems, the gamma logging and radiotracers are determined. (author) [es

Application of various technological processes in red clover seed processing

OpenAIRE

Đokić, Dragoslav; Stanisavljević, Rade; Terzić, Dragan; Marković, Jordan; Radivojević, Gordana; Anđelković, Bojan; Barać, Saša

2012-01-01

This paper presents the results of the processing of natural red clover seed on the processing equipment using different technological methods. Red clover seed, for the establishment and crop utilization, must be of high purity, germination, and high genetic values. These requirements are achieved by processing, or removing impurities and poor quality seeds. Red clover seed processing involves a number of operations, of which the most important are: cleaning, packaging, labeling and storage. ...

Application of plasma technology to nuclear engineering fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Masaaki; Akatsuka, Hiroshi

1996-01-01

In order to discuss about the application of the plasma technology to nuclear engineering fields, we mention two subjects, the oxygenation of metal chloride waste by oxygen plasma and the characterization of fine particles generated in the plasma process. Through the experimental results of two subjects, both of the advantage and the disadvantage of the plasma technology and their characteristics are shown and discussed. The following conclusions are obtained. The reactive plasma is effective to oxygenate the chloride wastes. The particle generation which is one of the disadvantages must not be specialized and its characteristics can be estimated. Consequently, the plasma technology should be applicable to nuclear engineering fields adopting its advantage and overcoming its disadvantage. (author)

HTR's role in process heat applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuhr, Reiner

2008-01-01

Advanced high-temperature nuclear reactors create a number of new opportunities for nuclear process heat applications. These opportunities are based on the high-temperature heat available, smaller reactor sizes, and enhanced safety features that allow siting close to process plants. Major sources of value include the displacement of premium fuels and the elimination of CO 2 emissions from combustion of conventional fuels and their use to produce hydrogen. High value applications include steam production and cogeneration, steam methane reforming, and water splitting. Market entry by advanced high-temperature reactor technology is challenged by the evolution of nuclear licensing requirements in countries targeted for early applications, by the development of a customer base not familiar with nuclear technology and related issues, by convergence of oil industry and nuclear industry risk management, by development of public and government policy support, by resolution of nuclear waste and proliferation concerns, and by the development of new business entities and business models to support commercialization. New HTR designs may see a larger opportunity in process heat niche applications than in power given competition from larger advanced light water reactors. Technology development is required in many areas to enable these new applications, including the commercialization of new heat exchangers capable of operating at high temperatures and pressures, convective process reactors and suitable catalysts, water splitting system and component designs, and other process-side requirements. Key forces that will shape these markets include future fuel availability and pricing, implementation and monetization of CO 2 emission limits, and the formation of international energy and environmental policy that will support initiatives to provide the nuclear licensing frameworks and risk distribution needed to support private investment. This paper was developed based on a plenary

Industrial applications of radiation technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabharwal, Sunil

2005-01-01

In recent years, radiation processing has emerged as an alternative to conventional technologies such as thermal and chemical processing for many industrial applications. The industry is expanding at a fast rate all over the world. The actual industrial benefits on commercial basis, however, depends on the need of the individual society and may vary from country to country. In India, the applications of radiation technology have been found in areas of health care, agriculture, food preservation, industry and environment. Both gamma radiation and electron beam accelerators are being utilized for this purpose. Presently, 6 commercial gamma irradiators housing about 1.5 million curie 60 Co and an annual turnover of over US$ 2 million and 3 commercial electron beam (EB) accelerators with installed capacity of 185 kW are commercially operating in India. The new areas being explored include use of electron beam irradiation for surface treatment, radiation processed membranes for a variety of applications and radiation processing of natural polymers. In the present paper, the current status of this program, especially the recent developments and future direction of radiation processing technology is reviewed. (author)

Voice Biometrics as a Way to Self-service Password Reset

Science.gov (United States)

Hohgräfe, Bernd; Jacobi, Sebastian

Password resets are time consuming. Especially when urgent jobs need to be done, it is cumbersome to inform the user helpdesk, to identify oneself and then to wait for response. It is easy to enter a wrong password multiple times, which leads to the blocking of the application. Voice biometrics is an easy and secure way for individuals to reset their own password. Read more about how you can ease the burden of your user helpdesk and how voice biometric password resets benefit your expense situation without harming your security.

Village voice: towards inclusive information technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garside, Ben

2009-04-15

A decade ago it was dubbed the 'digital divide'. Now, the gap in information and communications technologies (ICTs) between North and South is gradually shrinking. The developing world accounts for two-thirds of total mobile phone subscriptions, and Africa has the world's fastest growing mobile phone market. By gaining a toehold in affordable ICTs, the poor can access the knowledge and services they need, such as real-time market prices, to boost their livelihoods. But to be sustainable, technologies need to factor in social realities. These include how people already share knowledge, and adapt to introduced technologies: mobile phones, for instance, confer status but can eat into much-needed income. Many development agencies opt for technology-led solutions that fail to 'take'. Approaches that keep development concerns at their core and people as their central focus are key.

Obligatory and facultative brain regions for voice-identity recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Roswandowitz, Claudia; Kappes, Claudia; Obrig, Hellmuth; von Kriegstein, Katharina

2018-01-01

Recognizing the identity of others by their voice is an important skill for social interactions. To date, it remains controversial which parts of the brain are critical structures for this skill. Based on neuroimaging findings, standard models of person-identity recognition suggest that the right temporal lobe is the hub for voice-identity recognition. Neuropsychological case studies, however, reported selective deficits of voice-identity recognition in patients predominantly with right inferior parietal lobe lesions. Here, our aim was to work towards resolving the discrepancy between neuroimaging studies and neuropsychological case studies to find out which brain structures are critical for voice-identity recognition in humans. We performed a voxel-based lesion-behaviour mapping study in a cohort of patients (n = 58) with unilateral focal brain lesions. The study included a comprehensive behavioural test battery on voice-identity recognition of newly learned (voice-name, voice-face association learning) and familiar voices (famous voice recognition) as well as visual (face-identity recognition) and acoustic control tests (vocal-pitch and vocal-timbre discrimination). The study also comprised clinically established tests (neuropsychological assessment, audiometry) and high-resolution structural brain images. The three key findings were: (i) a strong association between voice-identity recognition performance and right posterior/mid temporal and right inferior parietal lobe lesions; (ii) a selective association between right posterior/mid temporal lobe lesions and voice-identity recognition performance when face-identity recognition performance was factored out; and (iii) an association of right inferior parietal lobe lesions with tasks requiring the association between voices and faces but not voices and names. The results imply that the right posterior/mid temporal lobe is an obligatory structure for voice-identity recognition, while the inferior parietal lobe is

Taking Care of Your Voice

Science.gov (United States)

... negative effect on voice. Exercise regularly. Exercise increases stamina and muscle tone. This helps provide good posture ... testing man-made and biological materials and stem cell technologies that may eventually be used to engineer ...

Your Cheatin' Voice Will Tell on You: Detection of Past Infidelity from Voice.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Susan M; Harrison, Marissa A

2017-01-01

Evidence suggests that many physical, behavioral, and trait qualities can be detected solely from the sound of a person's voice, irrespective of the semantic information conveyed through speech. This study examined whether raters could accurately assess the likelihood that a person has cheated on committed, romantic partners simply by hearing the speaker's voice. Independent raters heard voice samples of individuals who self-reported that they either cheated or had never cheated on their romantic partners. To control for aspects that may clue a listener to the speaker's mate value, we used voice samples that did not differ between these groups for voice attractiveness, age, voice pitch, and other acoustic measures. We found that participants indeed rated the voices of those who had a history of cheating as more likely to cheat. Male speakers were given higher ratings for cheating, while female raters were more likely to ascribe the likelihood to cheat to speakers. Additionally, we manipulated the pitch of the voice samples, and for both sexes, the lower pitched versions were consistently rated to be from those who were more likely to have cheated. Regardless of the pitch manipulation, speakers were able to assess actual history of infidelity; the one exception was that men's accuracy decreased when judging women whose voices were lowered. These findings expand upon the idea that the human voice may be of value as a cheater detection tool and very thin slices of vocal information are all that is needed to make certain assessments about others.

Models and standards for production systems integration: Technological process and documents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lečić Danica

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Electronic business demands from production companies to collaborate with customers, suppliers and end users and start electronic manufacturing. To achieve this goal companies have to integrate their subsystems (Application to Application-A2A and they have to collaborate with their business partners (Business to Business - B2B. For this purpose models and unique standards for integration are necessary. In this paper, ebXML and OAGI specifications have been used to present metamodel process by UML class diagram and standardized model of document Working Order for technological process in the form of OAGI BOD XML document. Based on it, from an example, model of technological process is presented by activity diagram (DA in XML form and an appearance of document Working Order. Just as well, rules of transformation DA to XML are presented.

Common diagnoses and treatments in professional voice users.

Science.gov (United States)

Franco, Ramon A; Andrus, Jennifer G

2007-10-01

Common problems among all patients seen by the laryngologist are also common among professional voice users. These include laryngopharyngeal reflux, muscle tension dysphonia, fibrovascular vocal fold lesions (eg, nodules and polyps), cysts, vocal fold scarring, changes in vocal fold mobility, and age-related changes. Microvascular lesions and their associated sequelae of vocal fold hemorrhage and laryngitis due to voice overuse are more common among professional voice users. Much more common among professional voice users is the negative impact that voice problems have on their ability to work, on their overall sense of well-being, and sometimes on their very sense of self. This article reviews the diagnosis and treatment options for these and other problems among professional voice users, describing the relevant roles of medical treatment, voice therapy, and surgery. The common scenario of multiple concomitant entities contributing to a symptom complex is underscored. Emphasis is placed on gaining insight into the "whole" patient so that individualized management plans can be developed. Videos of select diagnoses accompany this content online.

Voice Quality in Mobile Telecommunication System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evaldas Stankevičius

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The article deals with methods measuring the quality of voice transmitted over the mobile network as well as related problem, algorithms and options. It presents the created voice quality measurement system and discusses its adequacy as well as efficiency. Besides, the author presents the results of system application under the optimal hardware configuration. Under almost ideal conditions, the system evaluates the voice quality with MOS 3.85 average estimate; while the standardized TEMS Investigation 9.0 has 4.05 average MOS estimate. Next, the article presents the discussion of voice quality predictor implementation and investigates the predictor using nonlinear and linear prediction methods of voice quality dependence on the mobile network settings. Nonlinear prediction using artificial neural network resulted in the correlation coefficient of 0.62. While the linear prediction method using the least mean squares resulted in the correlation coefficient of 0.57. The analytical expression of voice quality features from the three network parameters: BER, C / I, RSSI is given as well.Article in Lithuanian

Habermas, Pupil Voice, Rationalism, and Their Meeting with Lacan's Objet Petit A

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Paul; Murphy, Mark

2012-01-01

"Pupil voice" is a movement within state education in England that is associated with democracy, change, participation and the raising of educational standards. While receiving much attention from educators and policy makers, less attention has been paid to the theory behind the concept of pupil voice. An obvious point of theoretical…

Pinch technology in theory and its application to a biomass integrated gasification and humid air turbine process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia, B.L.

1998-03-01

The Pinch Technology has become a powerful tool for the optimization of the design of heat exchanger networks during the last 20 years. In this work, the different aspects of the methodology have been studied both in a theoretical way and in a practical approach. The first part of the work is a systematic analysis of the pinch technology: what it is, how it works, what are its advantages and disadvantages. There is also a brief discussion about the pinch method and other methods which handle energy recovery problems. Once the philosophy of the pinch technology has been theoretically studied, the second part of the work is its application to two different processes. The first process analyzed is a relatively simple but realistically practical problem based on a two distillation columns system. The knowledge gained during the calculations of this process is used in the second and more complex one. This second process is an integrated biomass gasification and humid air turbine (IGHAT) which has been already optimized by a heat balance program. The application of the pinch technology to this process shows the huge potential for improvements that this technology can provide in order to save energy. All the calculations are handled by the pinch technology software program `SuperTarget`. This program is evaluated along the work. In spite of some shortcomings that have been noticed, the usefulness of the program can be claimed 26 refs, 28 figs, 7 tabs

National Security Technology Incubator Evaluation Process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

2007-12-31

This report describes the process by which the National Security Technology Incubator (NSTI) will be evaluated. The technology incubator is being developed as part of the National Security Preparedness Project (NSPP), funded by a Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) grant. This report includes a brief description of the components, steps, and measures of the proposed evaluation process. The purpose of the NSPP is to promote national security technologies through business incubation, technology demonstration and validation, and workforce development. The NSTI will focus on serving businesses with national security technology applications by nurturing them through critical stages of early development. An effective evaluation process of the NSTI is an important step as it can provide qualitative and quantitative information on incubator performance over a given period. The vision of the NSTI is to be a successful incubator of technologies and private enterprise that assist the NNSA in meeting new challenges in national safety and security. The mission of the NSTI is to identify, incubate, and accelerate technologies with national security applications at various stages of development by providing hands-on mentoring and business assistance to small businesses and emerging or growing companies. To achieve success for both incubator businesses and the NSTI program, an evaluation process is essential to effectively measure results and implement corrective processes in the incubation design if needed. The evaluation process design will collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data through performance evaluation system.

Village voice: towards inclusive information technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garside, Ben

2009-04-15

A decade ago it was dubbed the 'digital divide'. Now, the gap in information and communications technologies (ICTs) between North and South is gradually shrinking. The developing world accounts for two-thirds of total mobile phone subscriptions, and Africa has the world's fastest growing mobile phone market. By gaining a toehold in affordable ICTs, the poor can access the knowledge and services they need, such as real-time market prices, to boost their livelihoods. But to be sustainable, technologies need to factor in social realities. These include how people already share knowledge, and adapt to introduced technologies: mobile phones, for instance, confer status but can eat into much-needed income. Many development agencies opt for technology-led solutions that fail to 'take'. Approaches that keep development concerns at their core and people as their central focus are key.

Discriminating male and female voices: differentiating pitch and gender.

Science.gov (United States)

Latinus, Marianne; Taylor, Margot J

2012-04-01

Gender is salient, socially critical information obtained from faces and voices, yet the brain processes underlying gender discrimination have not been well studied. We investigated neural correlates of gender processing of voices in two ERP studies. In the first, ERP differences were seen between female and male voices starting at 87 ms, in both spatial-temporal and peak analyses, particularly the fronto-central N1 and P2. As pitch differences may drive gender differences, the second study used normal, high- and low-pitch voices. The results of these studies suggested that differences in pitch produced early effects (27-63 ms). Gender effects were seen on N1 (120 ms) with implicit pitch processing (study 1), but were not seen with manipulations of pitch (study 2), demonstrating that N1 was modulated by attention. P2 (between 170 and 230 ms) discriminated male from female voices, independent of pitch. Thus, these data show that there are two stages in voice gender processing; a very early pitch or frequency discrimination and a later more accurate determination of gender at the P2 latency.

Mapping Phonetic Features for Voice-Driven Sound Synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Janer, Jordi; Maestre, Esteban

In applications where the human voice controls the synthesis of musical instruments sounds, phonetics convey musical information that might be related to the sound of the imitated musical instrument. Our initial hypothesis is that phonetics are user- and instrument-dependent, but they remain constant for a single subject and instrument. We propose a user-adapted system, where mappings from voice features to synthesis parameters depend on how subjects sing musical articulations, i.e. note to note transitions. The system consists of two components. First, a voice signal segmentation module that automatically determines note-to-note transitions. Second, a classifier that determines the type of musical articulation for each transition based on a set of phonetic features. For validating our hypothesis, we run an experiment where subjects imitated real instrument recordings with their voice. Performance recordings consisted of short phrases of saxophone and violin performed in three grades of musical articulation labeled as: staccato, normal, legato. The results of a supervised training classifier (user-dependent) are compared to a classifier based on heuristic rules (user-independent). Finally, from the previous results we show how to control the articulation in a sample-concatenation synthesizer by selecting the most appropriate samples.

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR SOIL PROCESSING AND EFFICIENCY OF THEIR APPLICATION IN THE GROWING OF GRAIN CULTURES IN CHERKASY REGION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulanchuk V.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Scientific and technological progress plays an important role in improving the efficiency of the production of grain products. At the same time, it also has a negative impact on the ecology of soils. World experience shows the possibility of suspending and overcoming destructive land processes by introducing innovative soil cultivation technologies in the cultivation of agricultural crops. Purpose. This article aims to substantiate expediency of introduction of innovative resource-saving technologies of soil cultivation at cultivation of grain crops in Cherkasy region. Results. In the article it is proved that the efficiency of grain production in agricultural enterprises of Cherkasy region, which are using minimal (Mini-till and zero (No-till tillage technologies, in comparison with enterprises that use traditional grain growing technology, have indicators, as the price of sale of 1 centner of grain, the profit per 1 centner of grain and the level of profitability, that are much higher. Thus, the price of 1 centner of grain produced by the “LNZ-Agro” (Mini-till in 2013-2015 was higher 573.86 UAH, at the “Shpola-Agro-Industry” (No-till at 390,94 UAH, profit per 1 centner grain is higher than 477.23 and 249.14 UAH; the level of profitability of grain – higher than 201.5 and 71.8 percentage points. A similar situation is observed in the production of the main grain crops (wheat and maize for grain. With the application of the newest soil cultivation technologies, there is a decrease in the calculation of fuel consumption and depreciation deductions per hectare. The expediency of using resource-saving technologies for soil tillage during the cultivation of grain products in agricultural enterprises of the Cherkasy region also indicates by such indicator as the amount of profit per 1 hectare of crops. So, LNZ-Agro (Mini-till for one hectare of crops received a profit of 43947 UAH, “Shpola-Agro-Industry” (No-till –16491

Finite Markov processes and their applications

CERN Document Server

Iosifescu, Marius

2007-01-01

A self-contained treatment of finite Markov chains and processes, this text covers both theory and applications. Author Marius Iosifescu, vice president of the Romanian Academy and director of its Center for Mathematical Statistics, begins with a review of relevant aspects of probability theory and linear algebra. Experienced readers may start with the second chapter, a treatment of fundamental concepts of homogeneous finite Markov chain theory that offers examples of applicable models.The text advances to studies of two basic types of homogeneous finite Markov chains: absorbing and ergodic ch

ISO 19157 standard application in technological process of the production of digital topographic maps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Drobnjak Siniša M.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Standardization in the field of geographical information related to the definition of the system of collection, preparation, storage, maintenance, presentation and sharing of geographic information. Quality information of available spatial data are vital in the process of selecting a dataset where data value is directly related to its quality. Users of spatial data can choose data from multiple datasets. Therefore. It is necessary to compare the quality of datasets and determine which best meet customer requirements. Digital topographic maps for its visuality, brevity and easy of use have a big advantage over other spatial datasets and is therefore fully justified request for the development of the system of determining, evaluating and impart their quality. The main objective of this paper is to describe the possibilities of application of ISO 19157 'Geographic information - Data quality' standard in technological process of the production of digital topographic maps.

How to help teachers' voices.

Science.gov (United States)

Saatweber, Margarete

2008-01-01

It has been shown that teachers are at high risk of developing occupational dysphonia, and it has been widely accepted that the vocal characteristics of a speaker play an important role in determining the reactions of listeners. The functions of breathing, breathing movement, breathing tonus, voice vibrations and articulation tonus are transmitted to the listener. So we may conclude that listening to the teacher's voice at school influences children's behavior and the perception of spoken language. This paper presents the concept of Schlaffhorst-Andersen including exercises to help teachers improve their voice, breathing, movement and their posture. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Wireless Technology Application to Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jeong Kweon; Jeong, See Chae; Jeong, Ki Hoon; Oh, Do Young; Kim, Jae Hack

2009-01-01

Wireless technologies are getting widely used in various industrial processes for equipment condition monitoring, process measurement and other applications. In case of Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), it is required to review applicability of the wireless technologies for maintaining plant reliability, preventing equipment failure, and reducing operation and maintenance costs. Remote sensors, mobile technology and two-way radio communication may satisfy these needs. The application of the state of the art wireless technologies in NPPs has been restricted because of the vulnerability for the Electromagnetic Interference and Radio Frequency Interference (EMI/RFI) and cyber security. It is expected that the wireless technologies can be applied to the nuclear industry after resolving these issues which most of the developers and vendors are aware of. This paper presents an overview and information on general wireless deployment in nuclear facilities for future application. It also introduces typical wireless plant monitoring system application in the existing NPPs

Heterogeneous Wireless Mesh Network Technology Evaluation for Space Proximity and Surface Applications

Science.gov (United States)

DeCristofaro, Michael A.; Lansdowne, Chatwin A.; Schlesinger, Adam M.

2014-01-01

NASA has identified standardized wireless mesh networking as a key technology for future human and robotic space exploration. Wireless mesh networks enable rapid deployment, provide coverage in undeveloped regions. Mesh networks are also self-healing, resilient, and extensible, qualities not found in traditional infrastructure-based networks. Mesh networks can offer lower size, weight, and power (SWaP) than overlapped infrastructure-perapplication. To better understand the maturity, characteristics and capability of the technology, we developed an 802.11 mesh network consisting of a combination of heterogeneous commercial off-the-shelf devices and opensource firmware and software packages. Various streaming applications were operated over the mesh network, including voice and video, and performance measurements were made under different operating scenarios. During the testing several issues with the currently implemented mesh network technology were identified and outlined for future work.

12th Workshop on Stochastic Models, Statistics and Their Applications

CERN Document Server

Rafajłowicz, Ewaryst; Szajowski, Krzysztof

2015-01-01

This volume presents the latest advances and trends in stochastic models and related statistical procedures. Selected peer-reviewed contributions focus on statistical inference, quality control, change-point analysis and detection, empirical processes, time series analysis, survival analysis and reliability, statistics for stochastic processes, big data in technology and the sciences, statistical genetics, experiment design, and stochastic models in engineering. Stochastic models and related statistical procedures play an important part in furthering our understanding of the challenging problems currently arising in areas of application such as the natural sciences, information technology, engineering, image analysis, genetics, energy and finance, to name but a few. This collection arises from the 12th Workshop on Stochastic Models, Statistics and Their Applications, Wroclaw, Poland.

Anti-voice adaptation suggests prototype-based coding of voice identity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianne eLatinus

2011-07-01

Full Text Available We used perceptual aftereffects induced by adaptation with anti-voice stimuli to investigate voice identity representations. Participants learned a set of voices then were tested on a voice identification task with vowel stimuli morphed between identities, after different conditions of adaptation. In Experiment 1, participants chose the identity opposite to the adapting anti-voice significantly more often than the other two identities (e.g., after being adapted to anti-A, they identified the average voice as A. In Experiment 2, participants showed a bias for identities opposite to the adaptor specifically for anti-voice, but not for non anti-voice adaptors. These results are strikingly similar to adaptation aftereffects observed for facial identity. They are compatible with a representation of individual voice identities in a multidimensional perceptual voice space referenced on a voice prototype.

Exploring multiliteracies, student voice, and scientific practices in two elementary classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Allison, Elizabeth Rowland

barriers to integrating multiliteracies and scientific practices into science teaching. The issues include time, increased standards accountability, and lack of comfort with effective integration of technology. The fourth theme revealed that students have the ability to shape and define their learning while supporting other voices through collaborative science experiences.

Adhesives technology for electronic applications materials, processing, reliability

CERN Document Server

Licari, James J

2011-01-01

Adhesives are widely used in the manufacture and assembly of electronic circuits and products. Generally, electronics design engineers and manufacturing engineers are not well versed in adhesives, while adhesion chemists have a limited knowledge of electronics. This book bridges these knowledge gaps and is useful to both groups. The book includes chapters covering types of adhesive, the chemistry on which they are based, and their properties, applications, processes, specifications, and reliability. Coverage of toxicity, environmental impacts and the regulatory framework make this book par

The process for technology transfer in Baltimore

Science.gov (United States)

Golden, T. S.

1978-01-01

Ingredients essential for a successful decision process relative to proper technological choices for a large city were determined during four years of experience in the NASA/Baltimore Applications Project. The general approach, rationale, and process of technology transfer are discussed.

Accelerating the commercialization of university technologies for military healthcare applications: the role of the proof of concept process

Science.gov (United States)

Ochoa, Rosibel; DeLong, Hal; Kenyon, Jessica; Wilson, Eli

2011-06-01

The von Liebig Center for Entrepreneurism and Technology Advancement at UC San Diego (vonliebig.ucsd.edu) is focused on accelerating technology transfer and commercialization through programs and education on entrepreneurism. Technology Acceleration Projects (TAPs) that offer pre-venture grants and extensive mentoring on technology commercialization are a key component of its model which has been developed over the past ten years with the support of a grant from the von Liebig Foundation. In 2010, the von Liebig Entrepreneurism Center partnered with the U.S. Army Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), to develop a regional model of Technology Acceleration Program initially focused on military research to be deployed across the nation to increase awareness of military medical needs and to accelerate the commercialization of novel technologies to treat the patient. Participants to these challenges are multi-disciplinary teams of graduate students and faculty in engineering, medicine and business representing universities and research institutes in a region, selected via a competitive process, who receive commercialization assistance and funding grants to support translation of their research discoveries into products or services. To validate this model, a pilot program focused on commercialization of wireless healthcare technologies targeting campuses in Southern California has been conducted with the additional support of Qualcomm, Inc. Three projects representing three different universities in Southern California were selected out of forty five applications from ten different universities and research institutes. Over the next twelve months, these teams will conduct proof of concept studies, technology development and preliminary market research to determine the commercial feasibility of their technologies. This first regional program will help build the needed tools and processes to adapt and replicate this model across other regions in the

Voice Handicap Index (VHI in Persian Speaking Parkinson\\'s Disease Patients

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Fatemeh Madjdinasab

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: “Voice” is affected more and sooner than other speech subsystems in Parkinson's Disease (PD. Voice Handicap Index (VHI is the most applicable subjective self-rating questionnaire in VD patients. The aim of this study was the investigation of Voice handicap in Iranian PD patients. Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional, analytical and non-interventional study was done on 50 (35 males, 15 females patients who reported a VD related to their PD. They were selected from thepatients referring to movement disorders’ clinic in Rasool Akram Hospital affiliated withTehran University of medical sciences, through easy sampling. VHI total score (VHIT and its domains (functional-VHIF, Emotional VHIE, Physical VHIP was assessed in all of participants and by gender segregation. Results: 83% of patients reported voice handicap. There wasn't any difference between VHIT and its mentioned 3 domains in both sexes. There is positive correlation between VHIT, VHIE and VHIF with age. VHIT and VHIF had a positive relationship with disease duration (DD. The males VHIT and the mentioned domains had positive correlations with DD. Conclusion: Most of Iranian PD patients feel handicap due to voice disorder caused by PD and their quality of life was affected by voice impairment. Increase in age and disease duration caused more voice disorder and reduced quality of life especially patients feel more handicaps in functional domain (VHIF. In addition, the males feel more handicap than females when DD develops.

The Voice of Anger: Oscillatory EEG Responses to Emotional Prosody.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renata Del Giudice

Full Text Available Emotionally relevant stimuli and in particular anger are, due to their evolutionary relevance, often processed automatically and able to modulate attention independent of conscious access. Here, we tested whether attention allocation is enhanced when auditory stimuli are uttered by an angry voice. We recorded EEG and presented healthy individuals with a passive condition where unfamiliar names as well as the subject's own name were spoken both with an angry and neutral prosody. The active condition instead, required participants to actively count one of the presented (angry names. Results revealed that in the passive condition the angry prosody only elicited slightly stronger delta synchronization as compared to a neutral voice. In the active condition the attended (angry target was related to enhanced delta/theta synchronization as well as alpha desynchronization suggesting enhanced allocation of attention and utilization of working memory resources. Altogether, the current results are in line with previous findings and highlight that attention orientation can be systematically related to specific oscillatory brain responses. Potential applications include assessment of non-communicative clinical groups such as post-comatose patients.

Application of remedy studies to the development of a soil washing pilot plant that uses mineral processing technology: a practical experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, W.S.; Phillips, C.R.; Hicks, R.; Luttrell, J.; Cox, C.

1999-01-01

Soil washing employing mineral processing technology to treat radionuclide-contaminated soils has been examined as a remedy alternative to the exclusive excavation, transportation, and disposal of the soil. Successful application depends on a thorough remedy study, employing a systematic tiered approach that is efficient, self-limiting, and cost effective. The study includes: (1) site and soil characterization to determine the basic mineral and physical properties of both the soil and contaminants and to identify their relative associations; (2) treatment studies to evaluate the performance of process units for contaminant separation; (3) conceptual process design to develop a treatment pilot plant; and (4) engineering design to construct, test, and optimize the actual full-scale plant. A pilot plant using soil washing technology for the treatment of radium-contaminated soil was developed, tested, and demonstrated. The plant used particle-size separation to produced a remediated product that represented approximately 50% of the contaminated soil. Subsequently, it was modified for more effective performance and application to soil with alternate characteristics; it awaits further testing. The economic analysis of soil washing using the pilot plant as a model indicates that a remedy plan based on mineral processing technology is very competitive with the traditional alternative employing excavation, transportation, and disposal exclusively, even when disposal costs are modest or when recovery of remediated soil during treatment is low. This paper reviews the tiered approach as it applies to mineral processing technology to treat radionuclide-contaminated soils and a pilot plant developed to test the soil washing process. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Familiarization and Application of ICTs in Agricultural Advisory ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to provide agricultural advisory services. For the .... their own agricultural offices with extension process owners and Subject Mater Specialists (SMSs), and three .... information in any format (i.e., voice, data, text and image), computers, the Internet, CD-. ROMs, email ...

Voice Disorders in Occupations with Vocal Load in Slovenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Boltežar, Lučka; Šereg Bahar, Maja

2014-12-01

The aim of this paper is to compare the prevalence of voice disorders and the risk factors for them in different occupations with a vocal load in Slovenia. A meta-analysis of six different Slovenian studies involving teachers, physicians, salespeople, catholic priests, nurses and speech-and-language therapists (SLTs) was performed. In all six studies, similar questions about the prevalence of voice disorders and the causes for them were included. The comparison of the six studies showed that more than 82% of the 2347 included subjects had voice problems at some time during their career. The teachers were the most affected by voice problems. The prevalent cause of voice problems was the vocal load in teachers and salespeople and respiratory-tract infections in all the other occupational groups. When the occupational groups were compared, it was stated that the teachers had more voice problems and showed less care for their voices than the priests. The physicians had more voice problems and showed better consideration of vocal hygiene rules than the SLTs. The majority of all the included subjects did not receive instructions about voice care during education. In order to decrease the prevalence of voice disorders in vocal professionals, a screening program is recommended before the beginning of their studies. Regular courses on voice care and proper vocal technique should be obligatory for all professional voice users during their career. The inclusion of dysphonia in the list of occupational diseases should be considered in Slovenia as it is in some European countries.

Development and application of gamma scanning technology for on-line investigation of industrial process columns and vessels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaafar Abdullah

1999-01-01

Plant Assessment Technology (PAT) group, in association with Intelligent System (IS) Group and Engineering Services Department of Malaysian Institute for Nuclear Technology Research (MINT) has developed gamma scanning facilities for on-line investigation of industrial process columns and vessels. The technology, based on the principle of gamma-ray absorption, has been successfully applied for troubleshooting of a number of distillation columns and process vessels in petroleum refineries, gas processing plants and chemical plants in the country and the region. This paper outlines basic characteristics of the system and describes the inspection procedures, and in addition, case studies are also presented. The case studies are purposely chosen to illustrate the versatility of the technology, and furthermore to demonstrate the economic benefits which can be realised from the application of this technology. (author)

Interactive Augmentation of Voice Quality and Reduction of Breath Airflow in the Soprano Voice.

Science.gov (United States)

Rothenberg, Martin; Schutte, Harm K

2016-11-01

In 1985, at a conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, Martin Rothenberg first described a form of nonlinear source-tract acoustic interaction mechanism by which some sopranos, singing in their high range, can use to reduce the total airflow, to allow holding the note longer, and simultaneously enrich the quality of the voice, without straining the voice. (M. Rothenberg, "Source-Tract Acoustic Interaction in the Soprano Voice and Implications for Vocal Efficiency," Fourth International Conference on Vocal Fold Physiology, New Haven, Connecticut, June 3-6, 1985.) In this paper, we describe additional evidence for this type of nonlinear source-tract interaction in some soprano singing and describe an analogous interaction phenomenon in communication engineering. We also present some implications for voice research and pedagogy. Copyright © 2016 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology of Voice Disorders in Latvian School Teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Trinite, Baiba

2017-07-01

The prevalence of voice disorders in the teacher population in Latvia has not been studied so far and this is the first epidemiological study whose goal is to investigate the prevalence of voice disorders and their risk factors in this professional group. A wide cross-sectional study using stratified sampling methodology was implemented in the general education schools of Latvia. The self-administered voice risk factor questionnaire and the Voice Handicap Index were completed by 522 teachers. Two teachers groups were formed: the voice disorders group which included 235 teachers with actual voice problems or problems during the last 9 months; and the control group which included 174 teachers without voice disorders. Sixty-six percent of teachers gave a positive answer to the following question: Have you ever had problems with your voice? Voice problems are more often found in female than male teachers (68.2% vs 48.8%). Music teachers suffer from voice disorders more often than teachers of other subjects. Eighty-two percent of teachers first faced voice problems in their professional carrier. The odds of voice disorders increase if the following risk factors exist: extra vocal load, shouting, throat clearing, neglecting of personal health, background noise, chronic illnesses of the upper respiratory tract, allergy, job dissatisfaction, and regular stress in the working place. The study findings indicated a high risk of voice disorders among Latvian teachers. The study confirmed data concerning the multifactorial etiology of voice disorders. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhanced Living by Assessing Voice Pathology Using a Co-Occurrence Matrix.

Science.gov (United States)

Muhammad, Ghulam; Alhamid, Mohammed F; Hossain, M Shamim; Almogren, Ahmad S; Vasilakos, Athanasios V

2017-01-29

A large number of the population around the world suffers from various disabilities. Disabilities affect not only children but also adults of different professions. Smart technology can assist the disabled population and lead to a comfortable life in an enhanced living environment (ELE). In this paper, we propose an effective voice pathology assessment system that works in a smart home framework. The proposed system takes input from various sensors, and processes the acquired voice signals and electroglottography (EGG) signals. Co-occurrence matrices in different directions and neighborhoods from the spectrograms of these signals were obtained. Several features such as energy, entropy, contrast, and homogeneity from these matrices were calculated and fed into a Gaussian mixture model-based classifier. Experiments were performed with a publicly available database, namely, the Saarbrucken voice database. The results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system in light of its high accuracy and speed. The proposed system can be extended to assess other disabilities in an ELE.

Novel Materials, Processing, and Device Technologies for Space Exploration with Potential Dual-Use Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Hepp, A. F.; Bailey, S. G.; McNatt, J. S.; Chandrashekhar, M. V. S.; Harris, J. D.; Rusch, A. W.; Nogales, K. A.; Goettsche, K. V.; Hanson, W.; Amos, D.;

Open Innovation and Technology Maturity Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2007-09-11

INFOLOGIC Inc. All rights reserved. Innovation Management Model  Product: Technology-heavy (e.g: Airplane, iPod) OR Service-heavy (e.g: Starbucks ...System, eBay)  Process: Any critical business process to ensure the success of product (e.g: iTune for iPod, Marketing and Supply Chain Management...Integration and Voice of the Customer Voice of the Customer Integration M A T U R I T Y VALUE Radical Innovation Evolutionary Innovation INCREMENTAL

Landmarks in the historical development of twenty first century food processing technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, N N; Koubaa, Mohamed; Roohinejad, Shahin; Juliano, Pablo; Alpas, Hami; Inácio, Rita S; Saraiva, Jorge A; Barba, Francisco J

2017-07-01

Over a course of centuries, various food processing technologies have been explored and implemented to provide safe, fresher-tasting and nutritive food products. Among these technologies, application of emerging food processes (e.g., cold plasma, pressurized fluids, pulsed electric fields, ohmic heating, radiofrequency electric fields, ultrasonics and megasonics, high hydrostatic pressure, high pressure homogenization, hyperbaric storage, and negative pressure cavitation extraction) have attracted much attention in the past decades. This is because, compared to their conventional counterparts, novel food processes allow a significant reduction in the overall processing times with savings in energy consumption, while ensuring food safety, and ample benefits for the industry. Noteworthily, industry and university teams have made extensive efforts for the development of novel technologies, with sound scientific knowledge of their effects on different food materials. The main objective of this review is to provide a historical account of the extensive efforts and inventions in the field of emerging food processing technologies since their inception to present day. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct diode lasers and their advantages for materials processing and other applications

Science.gov (United States)

Fritsche, Haro; Ferrario, Fabio; Koch, Ralf; Kruschke, Bastian; Pahl, Ulrich; Pflueger, Silke; Grohe, Andreas; Gries, Wolfgang; Eibl, Florian; Kohl, Stefanie; Dobler, Michael

2015-03-01

The brightness of diode lasers is improving continuously and has recently started to approach the level of some solid state lasers. The main technology drivers over the last decade were improvements of the diode laser output power and divergence, enhanced optical stacking techniques and system design, and most recently dense spectral combining. Power densities at the work piece exceed 1 MW/cm2 with commercially available industrial focus optics. These power densities are sufficient for cutting and welding as well as ablation. Single emitter based diode laser systems further offer the advantage of fast current modulation due their lower drive current compared to diode bars. Direct diode lasers may not be able to compete with other technologies as fiber or CO2-lasers in terms of maximum power or beam quality. But diode lasers offer a range of features that are not possible to implement in a classical laser. We present an overview of those features that will make the direct diode laser a very valuable addition in the near future, especially for the materials processing market. As the brightness of diode lasers is constantly improving, BPP of less than 5mm*mrad have been reported with multikW output power. Especially single emitter-based diode lasers further offer the advantage of very fast current modulation due to their low drive current and therefore low drive voltage. State of the art diode drivers are already demonstrated with pulse durations of direct current control allows pulses of several microseconds with hundreds of watts average power. Spot sizes of less than 100 μm are obtained at the work piece. Such a diode system allows materials processing with a pulse parameter range that is hardly addressed by any other laser system. High productivity material ablation with cost effective lasers is enabled. The wide variety of wavelengths, high brightness, fast power modulation and high efficiency of diode lasers results in a strong pull of existing markets, but

Sol-Gel processing of silica nanoparticles and their applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Lok P; Bhattacharyya, Sriman K; Kumar, Rahul; Mishra, Geetika; Sharma, Usha; Singh, Garima; Ahalawat, Saurabh

2014-11-06

Recently, silica nanoparticles (SNPs) have drawn widespread attention due to their applications in many emerging areas because of their tailorable morphology. During the last decade, remarkable efforts have been made on the investigations for novel processing methodologies to prepare SNPs, resulting in better control of the size, shape, porosity and significant improvements in the physio-chemical properties. A number of techniques available for preparing SNPs namely, flame spray pyrolysis, chemical vapour deposition, micro-emulsion, ball milling, sol-gel etc. have resulted, a number of publications. Among these, preparation by sol-gel has been the focus of research as the synthesis is straightforward, scalable and controllable. Therefore, this review focuses on the recent progress in the field of synthesis of SNPs exhibiting ordered mesoporous structure, their distribution pattern, morphological attributes and applications. The mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) with good dispersion, varying morphology, narrow size distribution and homogeneous porous structure have been successfully prepared using organic and inorganic templates. The soft template assisted synthesis using surfactants for obtaining desirable shapes, pores, morphology and mechanisms proposed has been reviewed. Apart from single template, double and mixed surfactants, electrolytes, polymers etc. as templates have also been intensively discussed. The influence of reaction conditions such as temperature, pH, concentration of reagents, drying techniques, solvents, precursor, aging time etc. have also been deliberated. These MSNPs are suitable for a variety of applications viz., in the drug delivery systems, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), biosensors, cosmetics as well as construction materials. The applications of these SNPs have also been briefly summarized. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using Hierarchical Time Series Clustering Algorithm and Wavelet Classifier for Biometric Voice Classification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simon Fong

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Voice biometrics has a long history in biosecurity applications such as verification and identification based on characteristics of the human voice. The other application called voice classification which has its important role in grouping unlabelled voice samples, however, has not been widely studied in research. Lately voice classification is found useful in phone monitoring, classifying speakers’ gender, ethnicity and emotion states, and so forth. In this paper, a collection of computational algorithms are proposed to support voice classification; the algorithms are a combination of hierarchical clustering, dynamic time wrap transform, discrete wavelet transform, and decision tree. The proposed algorithms are relatively more transparent and interpretable than the existing ones, though many techniques such as Artificial Neural Networks, Support Vector Machine, and Hidden Markov Model (which inherently function like a black box have been applied for voice verification and voice identification. Two datasets, one that is generated synthetically and the other one empirically collected from past voice recognition experiment, are used to verify and demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed voice classification algorithm.

VOICE QUALITY BEFORE AND AFTER THYROIDECTOMY

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Dora CVELBAR

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Voice disorders are a well-known complication which is often associated with thyroid gland diseases and because voice is still the basic mean of communication it is very important to maintain its quality healthy. Objectives: The aim of this study referred to questions whether there is a statistically significant difference between results of voice self-assessment, perceptual voice assessment and acoustic voice analysis before and after thyroidectomy and whether there are statistically significant correlations between variables of voice self-assessment, perceptual assessment and acoustic analysis before and after thyroidectomy. Methods: This scientific research included 12 participants aged between 41 and 76. Voice self-assessment was conducted with the help of Croatian version of Voice Handicap Index (VHI. Recorded reading samples were used for perceptual assessment and later evaluated by two clinical speech and language therapists. Recorded samples of phonation were used for acoustic analysis which was conducted with the help of acoustic program Praat. All of the data was processed through descriptive statistics and nonparametric statistical methods. Results: Results showed that there are statistically significant differences between results of voice self-assessments and results of acoustic analysis before and after thyroidectomy. Statistically significant correlations were found between variables of perceptual assessment and acoustic analysis. Conclusion: Obtained results indicate the importance of multidimensional, preoperative and postoperative assessment. This kind of assessment allows the clinician to describe all of the voice features and provides appropriate recommendation for further rehabilitation to the patient in order to optimize voice outcomes.

Very low bit rate voice for packetized mobile applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knittle, C.D.; Malone, K.T.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that transmitting digital voice via packetized mobile communications systems that employ relatively short packet lengths and narrow bandwidths often necessitates very low bit rate coding of the voice data. Sandia National Laboratories is currently developing an efficient voice coding system operating at 800 bits per second (bps). The coding scheme is a modified version of the 2400 bps NSA LPC-10e standard. The most significant modification to the LPC-10e scheme is the vector quantization of the line spectrum frequencies associated with the synthesis filters. An outline of a hardware implementation for the 800 bps coder is presented. The speech quality of the coder is generally good, although speaker recognition is not possible. Further research is being conducted to reduce the memory requirements and complexity of the vector quantizer, and to increase the quality of the reconstructed speech. This work may be of use dealing with nuclear materials

APPLICATION OF GRANULATION TECHNOLOGY IN VARIOUS INDUSTRIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. V. YEGOROV

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Science and practice proved the high efficiency of granulated mixed fodders. This article presents an overview of granulation technologies for various industries. This article discusses the application of granulation technologies in various industries. The processes of granulation are mass technological processes currently used in a wide range of industries: feed industry, food industry, pharmaceutical industry, fertilizer production, polyethylene, metal production, mining, etc. A wide range of different materials are granulated, including chemicals, iron ore, mixed fodder, and much more. Granulation is a process of pressing or shaping a material in the form of granules.  Granulation is widely used in the production of pigments, dyes, synthetic detergents, catalysts, plastics, soot, chemical reagents, etc. The use of granular raw materials in the metallurgical industry helps not only to mechanize processes, but also to increase their intensity by increasing the contact surface of interacting media. Granular fertilizers retain their properties for a long time. In the mining industry, granulation processes are used at the stage of preparation and enrichment of raw materials and release of the finished product.  Particular attention is paid to the feed industry. Granulation allows to ensure stable homogeneity, to improve sanitary and hygienic parameters, to increase nutritional value, to increase the storage period, improve the physical properties. However, despite all the advantages, the existing granulation production lines have a relatively high productivity and, at the same time, a high energy intensity. In this regard, this article proposes a technology for improving the granulation of mixed fodders. According to a preliminary literary review, It should be concluded that improving the technology of the granulation process for feed production is a topical issue in the feed industry today. The development of technology for improving the

Liquid crystals: high technology materials for potential applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saeed, M.A.; Badaruddin; Rizvi, T.Z.

1993-01-01

Liquid crystals have very rapidly emerged as a basis of many high technology fields within the last few decades. These materials because of their intriguing physical properties are regarded as the fourth state of matter. At present the applications of liquid crystals are established in digital display devices, electro-optical switches, optical computing, acousto-optics, thermo-indicators, laser thermo-recording, photo-chemical image recording and optical communication networks. More recently due to the concept of molecularly based electronics (MBE): the logical extreme for miniaturization of electronic device, liquid crystals are foreseen to play a vital role in the future optics based technologies. This paper gives a brief introduction to liquid crystals, the types of meso phases found in these materials together with their applications in research and industry. Some technical details of the construction liquid crystal cells for some typical applications in digital displays and other electro optical devices have also been discussed with special emphasis on relevant physical processes occurring at molecular level. (author)

Voice synthesis application

Science.gov (United States)

Lightstone, P. C.; Davidson, W. M.

1982-04-01

The military detection assessment laboratory houses an experimental field system which assesses different alarm indicators such as fence disturbance sensors, MILES cables, and microwave Racons. A speech synthesis board which could be interfaced, by means of a computer, to an alarm logger making verbal acknowledgement of alarms possible was purchased. Different products and different types of voice synthesis were analyzed before a linear predictive code device produced by Telesensory Speech Systems of Palo Alto, California was chosen. This device is called the Speech 1000 Board and has a dedicated 8085 processor. A multiplexer card was designed and the Sp 1000 interfaced through the card into a TMS 990/100M Texas Instrument microcomputer. It was also necessary to design the software with the capability of recognizing and flagging an alarm on any 1 of 32 possible lines. The experimental field system was then packaged with a dc power supply, LED indicators, speakers, and switches, and deployed in the field performing reliably.

Cereal bran fractionation: processing techniques for the recovery of functional components and their applications to the food industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Soukoulis, Christos; Aprea, Eugenio

2012-04-01

Bran is the outer part of cereal grains that is separated during the cereals de-hulling and milling processes. It was considered in the past a by-product of cereal industry employed mainly as animal feed. Cereal bran, being particularly rich in different functional biopolymers, bio-active compounds and essential fatty acids, attracted the interest of pharmaceutical and food industry. Furthermore, the peculiar techno-functional properties of brans together with their particular physiological and nutritional aspects have led to a great interest in their incorporation as main or secondary components in different groups of food products including bakery and confectionery products, breakfast cereals and extruded foodstuffs, emulsions and functional dairy products and pasta products. In the first part of the present work the main fractionation processes, bran fractions properties and their physicochemical and technological properties are briefly reviewed. In the second part, relevant applications, with emphasis on patents, in food industry are reviewed as well.

``Low Power Wireless Technologies: An Approach to Medical Applications''

Science.gov (United States)

Bellido O., Francisco J.; González R., Miguel; Moreno M., Antonio; de La Cruz F, José Luis

Wireless communication supposed a great both -quantitative and qualitative, jump in the management of the information, allowing the access and interchange of it without the need of a physical cable connection. The wireless transmission of voice and information has remained in constant evolution, arising new standards like BluetoothTM, WibreeTM or ZigbeeTM developed under the IEEE 802.15 norm. These newest wireless technologies are oriented to systems of communication of short-medium distance and optimized for a low cost and minor consume, becoming recognized as a flexible and reliable medium for data communications across a broad range of applications due to the potential that the wireless networks presents to operate in demanding environments providing clear advantages in cost, size, power, flexibility, and distributed intelligence. About the medical applications, the remote health or telecare (also called eHealth) is getting a bigger place into the manufacturers and medical companies, in order to incorporate products for assisted living and remote monitoring of health parameteres. At this point, the IEEE 1073, Personal Health Devices Working Group, stablish the framework for these kind of applications. Particularly, the 1073.3.X describes the physical and transport layers, where the new ultra low power short range wireless technologies can play a big role, providing solutions that allow the design of products which are particularly appropriate for monitor people’s health with interoperability requirements.

Hoarseness in School-Aged Children and Effectiveness of Voice Therapy in International Classification of Functioning Framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Akın Şenkal, Özgül; Özer, Cem

2015-09-01

The hoarseness in school-aged children disrupts the educational process because it affects the social progress, communication skills, and self-esteem of children. Besides otorhinolaryngological examination, the first treatment option is voice therapy when hoarseness occurs. The aim of the study was to determine the factors increasing the hoarseness in school-aged children by parental interview and to know preferable voice therapy on school-aged children within the frame of International Classification of Functioning (ICF). Retrospective analysis of data gathered from patient files. A total of 75 children (56 boys and 19 girls) were examined retrospectively. The age range of school-aged children is 7-14 years and average is 10.86 ± 2.51. A detailed history was taken from parents of children involved in this study. Information about vocal habits of children was gathered within the frame of ICF and then the voice therapies of children were started by scheduling appointments by an experienced speech-language pathologist. The differences between before and after voice therapy according to applied voice therapy methods, statistically significant differences were determined between maximum phonation time values and s/z rate. The relationship between voice therapy sessions and s/z rate with middle degree significance was found with physiological voice therapy sessions. According to ICF labels, most of voice complaints are matching with "body functions" and "activity and limitations." The appropriate voice therapy methods for hoarseness in school-aged children must be chosen and applied by speech-language therapists. The detailed history, which is received from family during the examination, within the frame of ICF affects the processes of choosing the voice therapy method and application of them positively. Child's family is very important for a successful management. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost reductions of fuel cells for transport applications: fuel processing options

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teagan, W P; Bentley, J; Barnett, B [Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge, MA (United States)

1998-03-15

The highly favorable efficiency/environmental characteristics of fuel cell technologies have now been verified by virtue of recent and ongoing field experience. The key issue regarding the timing and extent of fuel cell commercialization is the ability to reduce costs to acceptable levels in both stationary and transport applications. It is increasingly recognized that the fuel processing subsystem can have a major impact on overall system costs, particularly as ongoing R and D efforts result in reduction of the basic cost structure of stacks which currently dominate system costs. The fuel processing subsystem for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology, which is the focus of transport applications, includes the reformer, shift reactors, and means for CO reduction. In addition to low cost, transport applications require a fuel processor that is compact and can start rapidly. This paper describes the impact of factors such as fuel choice operating temperature, material selection, catalyst requirements, and controls on the cost of fuel processing systems. There are fuel processor technology paths which manufacturing cost analyses indicate are consistent with fuel processor subsystem costs of under $150/kW in stationary applications and $30/kW in transport applications. As such, the costs of mature fuel processing subsystem technologies should be consistent with their use in commercially viable fuel cell systems in both application categories. (orig.)

Application of fusion plasma technology. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sabri, Z.A.

1976-06-01

This report presents principal findings of studies conducted at Iowa State on Applications of Fusion Plasma Technology. Two tasks were considered. The first was to identify and investigate plasma processes for near term industrial applications of already developed plasma technology. The second was to explore the potential of reprocessing the fuel for fusion test facilities in a closed-cycle system. For the first task, two applications were considered. One was alumina reduction in magnetically confined plasmas, and the other was uranium enrichment using plasma centrifuges. For the second task, in-core and ex-core plasma purification were considered. Separation techniques that are compatible with the plasma state were identified and preliminary analysis of their effectiveness were carried out. The effects of differential ionization of impurities on the separation effectiveness are considered. Possible technical difficulties in both tasks are identified and recommendations for future work are given

Virtual reality and interactive gaming technology for obese and diabetic children: is military medical technology applicable?

Science.gov (United States)

Talbot, Thomas Brett

2011-03-01

The Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center has pursued a number of technologies that may have application to the problems of obesity and diabetes management in children. Children are getting fatter because of increased caloric intake and less physical activity. Furthermore, technology advances have failed to significantly improve metabolic control of type 1 diabetes. Behavioral strategies should target video games, mobile phones, and other popular items used by children and seen by them as necessities. Exergaming is considerably more active than traditional video gaming and can be equivalent to moderate-intensity exercise. Diabetes equipment such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps lack integration and live connectivity and suffer from a poor user interface. In contrast, mobile phones offer wireless connectivity, an excellent voice-enabled interface, and cloud connectivity that could possibly serve as a motivational and compliance tool for diabetes patients through text messaging to the patient, parents, and physician. Mobile phones have the potential to motivate and educate obese children as well. Exergaming for obese children could also be integrated into award systems of game consoles and game play time. The key to successful implementation of these strategies depends on the ability to integrate and connect the various technologies. © 2011 Diabetes Technology Society.

Performer's attitudes toward seeking health care for voice issues: understanding the barriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilman, Marina; Merati, Albert L; Klein, Adam M; Hapner, Edie R; Johns, Michael M

2009-03-01

Contemporary commercial music (CCM) performers rely heavily on their voice, yet may not be aware of the importance of proactive voice care. This investigation intends to identify perceptions and barriers to seeking voice care among CCM artists. This cross-sectional observational study used a 10-item Likert-based response questionnaire to assess current perceptions regarding voice care in a population of randomly selected participants of professional CCM conference. Subjects (n=78) were queried regarding their likelihood to seek medical care for minor medical problems and specifically problems with their voice. Additional questions investigated anxiety about seeking voice care from a physician specialist, speech language pathologist, or voice coach; apprehension regarding findings of laryngeal examination, laryngeal imaging procedures; and the effect of medical insurance on the likelihood of seeking medical care. Eighty-two percent of subjects reported that their voice was a critical part of their profession; 41% stated that they were not likely to seek medical care for problems with their voice; and only 19% were reluctant to seek care for general medical problems (Peducation about the importance of voice care is needed in this population of vocal performers.

The specificity of neural responses to music and their relation to voice processing: an fMRI-adaptation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Armony, Jorge L; Aubé, William; Angulo-Perkins, Arafat; Peretz, Isabelle; Concha, Luis

2015-04-23

Several studies have identified, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a region within the superior temporal gyrus that preferentially responds to musical stimuli. However, in most cases, significant responses to other complex stimuli, particularly human voice, were also observed. Thus, it remains unknown if the same neurons respond to both stimulus types, albeit with different strengths, or whether the responses observed with fMRI are generated by distinct, overlapping neural populations. To address this question, we conducted an fMRI experiment in which short music excerpts and human vocalizations were presented in a pseudo-random order. Critically, we performed an adaptation-based analysis in which responses to the stimuli were analyzed taking into account the category of the preceding stimulus. Our results confirm the presence of a region in the anterior STG that responds more strongly to music than voice. Moreover, we found a music-specific adaptation effect in this area, consistent with the existence of music-preferred neurons. Lack of differences between musicians and non-musicians argues against an expertise effect. These findings provide further support for neural separability between music and speech within the temporal lobe. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Voice, Schooling, Inequality, and Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, James

2013-01-01

The rich studies in this collection show that the investigation of voice requires analysis of "recognition" across layered spatial-temporal and sociolinguistic scales. I argue that the concepts of voice, recognition, and scale provide insight into contemporary educational inequality and that their study benefits, in turn, from paying attention to…

Audiovisual speech facilitates voice learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheffert, Sonya M; Olson, Elizabeth

2004-02-01

In this research, we investigated the effects of voice and face information on the perceptual learning of talkers and on long-term memory for spoken words. In the first phase, listeners were trained over several days to identify voices from words presented auditorily or audiovisually. The training data showed that visual information about speakers enhanced voice learning, revealing cross-modal connections in talker processing akin to those observed in speech processing. In the second phase, the listeners completed an auditory or audiovisual word recognition memory test in which equal numbers of words were spoken by familiar and unfamiliar talkers. The data showed that words presented by familiar talkers were more likely to be retrieved from episodic memory, regardless of modality. Together, these findings provide new information about the representational code underlying familiar talker recognition and the role of stimulus familiarity in episodic word recognition.

Disability: a voice in Australian bioethics?

Science.gov (United States)

Newell, Christopher

2003-06-01

The rise of research and advocacy over the years to establish a disability voice in Australia with regard to bioethical issues is explored. This includes an analysis of some of the political processes and engagement in mainstream bioethical debate. An understanding of the politics of rejected knowledge is vital in understanding the muted disability voices in Australian bioethics and public policy. It is also suggested that the voices of those who are marginalised or oppressed in society, such as people with disability, have particular contribution to make in fostering critical bioethics.

The voices of seduction: cross-gender effects in processing of erotic prosody

Science.gov (United States)

Ethofer, Thomas; Wiethoff, Sarah; Anders, Silke; Kreifelts, Benjamin; Grodd, Wolfgang

2007-01-01

Gender specific differences in cognitive functions have been widely discussed. Considering social cognition such as emotion perception conveyed by non-verbal cues, generally a female advantage is assumed. In the present study, however, we revealed a cross-gender interaction with increasing responses to the voice of opposite sex in male and female subjects. This effect was confined to erotic tone of speech in behavioural data and haemodynamic responses within voice sensitive brain areas (right middle superior temporal gyrus). The observed response pattern, thus, indicates a particular sensitivity to emotional voices that have a high behavioural relevance for the listener. PMID:18985138

[Diagnostics and therapy in professional voice-users].

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, B; Echternach, M

2010-04-01

Voice is one of the most important instruments for expression and communication in humans. Dysphonia remains very frequent. Generally people in voice-intensive professions, such as teachers, call center employees, singers and actors suffer from these complaints. In recent years methods have been developed which facilitate appropriate diagnosis and therapy, based on the criteria of evidence based medicine, in voice patients appropriate to their degree of disease. The basic protocol of the European Laryngological Society offers a standardized evaluation of multidimensional voice parameters. In our own patient collective there were statistically significant improvements in voice quality, according to a pre/post mean value comparison, in both phonomicrosurgical (n=45) and voice therapy (n=30) patients in relation to RBH, DSI and VHI.

A Wireless LAN and Voice Information System for Underground Coal Mine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Zhang

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper we constructed a wireless information system, and developed a wireless voice communication subsystem based on Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN for underground coal mine, which employs Voice over IP (VoIP technology and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP to achieve wireless voice dispatching communications. The master control voice dispatching interface and call terminal software are also developed on the WLAN ground server side to manage and implement the voice dispatching communication. A testing system for voice communication was constructed in tunnels of an underground coal mine, which was used to actually test the wireless voice communication subsystem via a network analysis tool, named Clear Sight Analyzer. In tests, the actual flow charts of registration, call establishment and call removal were analyzed by capturing call signaling of SIP terminals, and the key performance indicators were evaluated in coal mine, including average subjective value of voice quality, packet loss rate, delay jitter, disorder packet transmission and end-to- end delay. Experimental results and analysis demonstrate that the wireless voice communication subsystem developed communicates well in underground coal mine environment, achieving the designed function of voice dispatching communication.

Clinical Features of Psychogenic Voice Disorder and the Efficiency of Voice Therapy and Psychological Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tezcaner, Zahide Çiler; Gökmen, Muhammed Fatih; Yıldırım, Sibel; Dursun, Gürsel

2017-11-06

The aim of this study was to define the clinical features of psychogenic voice disorder (PVD) and explore the treatment efficiency of voice therapy and psychological evaluation. Fifty-eight patients who received treatment following the PVD diagnosis and had no organic or other functional voice disorders were assessed retrospectively based on laryngoscopic examinations and subjective and objective assessments. Epidemiological characteristics, accompanying organic and psychological disorders, preferred methods of treatment, and previous treatment outcomes were examined for each patient. A comparison was made based on voice disorders and responses to treatment between patients who received psychotherapy and patients who did not. Participants in this study comprised 58 patients, 10 male and 48 female. Voice therapy was applied in all patients, 54 (93.1%) of whom had improvement in their voice. Although all patients were advised to undergo psychological assessment, only 60.3% (35/58) of them underwent psychological assessment. No statistically significant difference was found between patients who did receive psychological support concerning their treatment responses and patients who did not. Relapse occurred in 14.7% (5/34) of the patients who applied for psychological assessment and in 50% (10/20) of those who did not. There was a statistically significant difference in relapse rates, which was higher among patients who did not receive psychological support (P therapy is an efficient treatment method for PVD. However, in the long-term follow-up, relapse of the disease is observed to be higher among patients who failed to follow up on the recommendation for psychological assessment. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

AUTHORIAL VOICE IN ISLAMIC COLLEGE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT STUDENTS’ ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nur Afifi

2014-11-01

Full Text Available While considered elusive and abstract, authorial voice is paramount in English writing. Unfortunately, many of Indonesian EFL learners found it is highly challeging to show their voice in their writing. The importance of voice is even exaggerated in argumentative writing, since this kind of writing needs obvious stance of the writer. This study investigates the authorial voice students made in their argumentative writing. The purpose of this study is to gain the picture of students‟ writing ability especially in authorial voice to map the road in guiding the next writing classes. The object of the study is the argumentative writing made by English department students at one Indonesian State College of Islamic Studies in their writing III course. Using Hyland‟s interactional model of voice (2008 the data analysis results the authorial presence in the essays is in position 2 at 0 – 4 scale which means the reader feels somehow weak presence of the authorial voice in the essay. This result confirms the findings of some previous studies that EFL learners especially from „interdependent‟ cultural background tend to find this authorial voice difficult in writing English essay.

Voice restoration following total laryngectomy by tracheoesophageal prosthesis: Effect on patients' quality of life and voice handicap in Jordan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wreikat Mahmoud M

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Little has been reported about the impact of tracheoesophageal (TE speech on individuals in the Middle East where the procedure has been gaining in popularity. After total laryngectomy, individuals in Europe and North America have rated their quality of life as being lower than non-laryngectomized individuals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in quality of life and degree of voice handicap reported by laryngectomized speakers from Jordan before and after establishment of TE speech. Methods Twelve male Jordanian laryngectomees completed the University of Michigan Head & Neck Quality of Life instrument and the Voice Handicap Index pre- and post-TE puncture. Results All subjects showed significant improvements in their quality of life following successful prosthetic voice restoration. In addition, voice handicap scores were significantly reduced from pre- to post-TE puncture. Conclusion Tracheoesophageal speech significantly improved the quality of life and limited the voice handicap imposed by total laryngectomy. This method of voice restoration has been used for a number of years in other countries and now appears to be a viable alternative within Jordan.

Investigating the neural correlates of voice versus speech-sound directed information in pre-school children.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nora Maria Raschle

Full Text Available Studies in sleeping newborns and infants propose that the superior temporal sulcus is involved in speech processing soon after birth. Speech processing also implicitly requires the analysis of the human voice, which conveys both linguistic and extra-linguistic information. However, due to technical and practical challenges when neuroimaging young children, evidence of neural correlates of speech and/or voice processing in toddlers and young children remains scarce. In the current study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI in 20 typically developing preschool children (average age  = 5.8 y; range 5.2-6.8 y to investigate brain activation during judgments about vocal identity versus the initial speech sound of spoken object words. FMRI results reveal common brain regions responsible for voice-specific and speech-sound specific processing of spoken object words including bilateral primary and secondary language areas of the brain. Contrasting voice-specific with speech-sound specific processing predominantly activates the anterior part of the right-hemispheric superior temporal sulcus. Furthermore, the right STS is functionally correlated with left-hemispheric temporal and right-hemispheric prefrontal regions. This finding underlines the importance of the right superior temporal sulcus as a temporal voice area and indicates that this brain region is specialized, and functions similarly to adults by the age of five. We thus extend previous knowledge of voice-specific regions and their functional connections to the young brain which may further our understanding of the neuronal mechanism of speech-specific processing in children with developmental disorders, such as autism or specific language impairments.

A Qualitative Examination of Youth Voice in the Decision-Making Process within the 4-H Youth Development Program: Promoting Promising Practices in Overcoming Barriers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janet Fox

2008-12-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses a national study designed to identify and describe obstacles to youth voice in the decision-making process in the 4-H youth development program from the perception of three distinct populations - State 4-H Program Leaders, 4-H State Youth Development Specialists, and 4-H Youth Agents/Educators. When examining these professionals’ views on the barriers affecting youth voice in the decision-making process, time and scheduling seem to consistently present the largest barrier to youth voice. Involvement in the decision-making process provides a wide range of hurdles including the opportunity structures, involvement procedures, representation and dynamics within the process. Adult power and control provides a significant hurdle to authentic engagement of youth voice in the decision-making progress. Respect barriers were described by concepts such as preconceived notions, trust and valuing input. Additional barriers were identified including organizational culture, lack of transportation, lack of knowledge/experience, lack of preparation, lack of training, fear, misguided leadership, unclear expectations, participation, staffing and lack of resources.

Impurities in alfalfa seed and their impact on processing technology

OpenAIRE

Đokić, Dragoslav; Stanisavljević, Rade; Marković, Jordan; Terzić, Dragan; Anđelković, Bojan

2012-01-01

The aim of this research was to determine relevant parameters and optimal alfalfa seed processing technology by a comparative analysis of two systems of machinery for processing natural alfalfa seed of different purity (59.0% and 71.0%) and with different content of impurities. The relevant parameters monitored during the test were: pure seed (%), weed seeds and seeds of other crops (%), inert matter (%), amount of processed seed (kg), seed processing time (min), consumption of steel powder (...

The Utilization of Urine Processing for the Advancement of Life Support Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Grossi-Soyster, Elysse; Hogan, John; Flynn, Michael

2014-01-01

The success of long-duration missions will depend on resource recovery and the self-sustainability of life support technologies. Current technologies used on the International Space Station (ISS) utilize chemical and mechanical processes, such as filtration, to recover potable water from urine produced by crewmembers. Such technologies have significantly reduced the need for water resupply through closed-loop resource recovery and recycling. Harvesting the important components of urine requires selectivity, whether through the use of membranes or other physical barriers, or by chemical or biological processes. Given the chemical composition of urine, the downstream benefits of urine processing for resource recovery will be critical for many aspects of life support, such as food production and the synthesis of biofuels. This paper discusses the beneficial components of urine and their potential applications, and the challenges associated with using urine for nutrient recycling for space application.

Teachers’ voice use in teaching environment. Aspects on speakers’ comfort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyberg-Åhlander, Viveka; Rydell, Roland; Löfqvist, Anders

2015-01-01

use and prevalence of voice problems in teachers and to explore their ratings of vocally loading aspects of their working environment. Method: A questionnaire-survey in 467 teachers aiming to explore the prevalence of voice problems in teaching staff identified teachers with voice problems and vocally...... in the teaching environment and aspects of the classroom environment were also measured. Results: Teachers with voice problems were more affected by any loading factor in the work-environment and were more perceptive of the room acoustics. Differences between the groups were found during field......-measurements of the voice, while there were no differences in the findings from the clinical examinations of larynx and voice. Conclusion: Teachers suffering from voice problems react stronger to loading factors in the teaching environment. It is in the interplay between the individual and the work environment that voice...

Directed-energy process technology efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, P.

1985-01-01

A summary of directed-energy process technology for solar cells was presented. This technology is defined as directing energy or mass to specific areas on solar cells to produce a desired effect in contrast to exposing a cell to a thermal or mass flow environment. Some of these second generation processing techniques are: ion implantation; microwave-enhanced chemical vapor deposition; rapid thermal processing; and the use of lasers for cutting, assisting in metallization, assisting in deposition, and drive-in of liquid dopants. Advantages of directed energy techniques are: surface heating resulting in the bulk of the cell material being cooler and unchanged; better process control yields; better junction profiles, junction depths, and metal sintering; lower energy consumption during processing and smaller factory space requirements. These advantages should result in higher-efficiency cells at lower costs. The results of the numerous contracted efforts were presented as well as the application potentials of these new technologies.

Voice over IP Security

CERN Document Server

Keromytis, Angelos D

2011-01-01

Voice over IP (VoIP) and Internet Multimedia Subsystem technologies (IMS) are rapidly being adopted by consumers, enterprises, governments and militaries. These technologies offer higher flexibility and more features than traditional telephony (PSTN) infrastructures, as well as the potential for lower cost through equipment consolidation and, for the consumer market, new business models. However, VoIP systems also represent a higher complexity in terms of architecture, protocols and implementation, with a corresponding increase in the potential for misuse. In this book, the authors examine the

APPLICATION OF CLOUD TECHNOLOGY IN THE STOMATOLOGISTS EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oksana A. Zorina

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Study the possibility of applying cloud technologies for the control of knowledge and the certification of specialists has been studied in the framework of realization of educational programs of internship and residency training in dental specialties. It was found that the management of the educational process in online mode is possible on the basis of distance education technologies using cloud technology. 

Voice pedagogy-what do we need?

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Brian P; Herbst, Christian T

2016-12-01

The final keynote panel of the 10th Pan-European Voice Conference (PEVOC) was concerned with the topic 'Voice pedagogy-what do we need?' In this communication the panel discussion is summarized, and the authors provide a deepening discussion on one of the key questions, addressing the roles and tasks of people working with voice students. In particular, a distinction is made between (1) voice building (derived from the German term 'Stimmbildung'), primarily comprising the functional and physiological aspects of singing; (2) coaching, mostly concerned with performance skills; and (3) singing voice rehabilitation. Both public and private educators are encouraged to apply this distinction to their curricula, in order to arrive at more efficient singing teaching and to reduce the risk of vocal injury to the singers concerned.

Radiation processing technology in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khairul Zaman Hj Mohd Dahlan

2004-01-01

Radiation processing technology is widely used in industry to enhance efficiency and productivity, improve product quality and competitiveness. Efforts have been made by MINT to expand the application of radiation processing technology for modification of indigenous materials such as natural rubber and rubber based products, palm oil and palm oil based products and polysaccharide into new and high value added products. This paper described MINT experiences on developing products through R and D from the laboratory to the pilot plant stage and commercialization. The paper also explained some issues and challenges that MINT encountered in the process of commercialization of its R and D results. (author)

High temperature heat exchanger application in power engineering and energy-technological processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shpilrain, E.E.

1986-01-01

The possibilities for intensification of various processes in metallurgy and chemical technology, the prospects for enhancing power plant efficiency are often linked with temperature increase of reagents, heat carriers and working fluids. In some cases elevated temperatures give the opportunity to use new and principally different technologies, enhance capacities of power production units and technological apparatuses, improve their economical performance. The variety of problems where high temperature heat exchangers are or can be used are extremely wide. It is therefore impossible to overview all of them in one lecture. Therefore the author tries to consider only some examples which are typical and gives an impression of what kind of problems arise in these cases

The Center for Environmental Technology Innovative Technology Screening Process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertrand, C.M.

1995-02-01

The Center for Environmental Technology's (CET) mission is to provide a fully integrated system for accelerated evaluation, development, commercialization, and public acceptance of creative environmental solutions which match the foremost demands in today's environmentally sensitive world. In short, CET will create a means to provide quick, effective solutions for environmental needs. To meet this mission objective, CET has created a unique and innovative approach to eliminating the usual barriers in developing and testing environmental technologies. The approach paves the way for these emerging, cutting-edge technologies by coordinating environmental restoration and waste management activities of industry, universities, and the government to: efficiently and effectively transfer technology to these users, provide market-driven, cost-effective technology programs to the public and DOE, and aid in developing innovative ideas by initiating efforts between DOE facilities and private industry. The central part to this mission is selecting and evaluating specific innovative technologies for demonstration and application at United States Department of Energy (DOE) installations. The methodology and criteria used for this selection, which is called the CET Innovative Technology Screening Process, is the subject of this paper. The selection criteria used for the screening process were modeled after other DOE technology transfer programs and were further developed by CET's Technology Screening and Evaluation Board (TSEB). The process benefits both CET and the proposing vendors by providing objective selection procedures based on predefined criteria. The selection process ensures a rapid response to proposing vendors, all technologies will have the opportunity to enter the selection process, and all technologies are evaluated on the same scale and with identical criteria

Voice and Speech Quality Perception Assessment and Evaluation

CERN Document Server

Jekosch, Ute

2005-01-01

Foundations of Voice and Speech Quality Perception starts out with the fundamental question of: "How do listeners perceive voice and speech quality and how can these processes be modeled?" Any quantitative answers require measurements. This is natural for physical quantities but harder to imagine for perceptual measurands. This book approaches the problem by actually identifying major perceptual dimensions of voice and speech quality perception, defining units wherever possible and offering paradigms to position these dimensions into a structural skeleton of perceptual speech and voice quality. The emphasis is placed on voice and speech quality assessment of systems in artificial scenarios. Many scientific fields are involved. This book bridges the gap between two quite diverse fields, engineering and humanities, and establishes the new research area of Voice and Speech Quality Perception.

The Contextualized Technology Adaptation Process (CTAP): Optimizing Health Information Technology to Improve Mental Health Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyon, Aaron R; Wasse, Jessica Knaster; Ludwig, Kristy; Zachry, Mark; Bruns, Eric J; Unützer, Jürgen; McCauley, Elizabeth

2016-05-01

Health information technologies have become a central fixture in the mental healthcare landscape, but few frameworks exist to guide their adaptation to novel settings. This paper introduces the contextualized technology adaptation process (CTAP) and presents data collected during Phase 1 of its application to measurement feedback system development in school mental health. The CTAP is built on models of human-centered design and implementation science and incorporates repeated mixed methods assessments to guide the design of technologies to ensure high compatibility with a destination setting. CTAP phases include: (1) Contextual evaluation, (2) Evaluation of the unadapted technology, (3) Trialing and evaluation of the adapted technology, (4) Refinement and larger-scale implementation, and (5) Sustainment through ongoing evaluation and system revision. Qualitative findings from school-based practitioner focus groups are presented, which provided information for CTAP Phase 1, contextual evaluation, surrounding education sector clinicians' workflows, types of technologies currently available, and influences on technology use. Discussion focuses on how findings will inform subsequent CTAP phases, as well as their implications for future technology adaptation across content domains and service sectors.

The Contextualized Technology Adaptation Process (CTAP): Optimizing Health Information Technology to Improve Mental Health Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lyon, Aaron R.; Wasse, Jessica Knaster; Ludwig, Kristy; Zachry, Mark; Bruns, Eric J.; Unützer, Jürgen; McCauley, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

Health information technologies have become a central fixture in the mental healthcare landscape, but few frameworks exist to guide their adaptation to novel settings. This paper introduces the Contextualized Technology Adaptation Process (CTAP) and presents data collected during Phase 1 of its application to measurement feedback system development in school mental health. The CTAP is built on models of human-centered design and implementation science and incorporates repeated mixed methods assessments to guide the design of technologies to ensure high compatibility with a destination setting. CTAP phases include: (1) Contextual evaluation, (2) Evaluation of the unadapted technology, (3) Trialing and evaluation of the adapted technology, (4) Refinement and larger-scale implementation, and (5) Sustainment through ongoing evaluation and system revision. Qualitative findings from school-based practitioner focus groups are presented, which provided information for CTAP Phase 1, contextual evaluation, surrounding education sector clinicians’ workflows, types of technologies currently available, and influences on technology use. Discussion focuses on how findings will inform subsequent CTAP phases, as well as their implications for future technology adaptation across content domains and service sectors. PMID:25677251

New ultraportable display technology and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Alvelda, Phillip; Lewis, Nancy D.

1998-08-01

MicroDisplay devices are based on a combination of technologies rooted in the extreme integration capability of conventionally fabricated CMOS active-matrix liquid crystal display substrates. Customized diffraction grating and optical distortion correction technology for lens-system compensation allow the elimination of many lenses and systems-level components. The MicroDisplay Corporation's miniature integrated information display technology is rapidly leading to many new defense and commercial applications. There are no moving parts in MicroDisplay substrates, and the fabrication of the color generating gratings, already part of the CMOS circuit fabrication process, is effectively cost and manufacturing process-free. The entire suite of the MicroDisplay Corporation's technologies was devised to create a line of application- specific integrated circuit single-chip display systems with integrated computing, memory, and communication circuitry. Next-generation portable communication, computer, and consumer electronic devices such as truly portable monitor and TV projectors, eyeglass and head mounted displays, pagers and Personal Communication Services hand-sets, and wristwatch-mounted video phones are among the may target commercial markets for MicroDisplay technology. Defense applications range from Maintenance and Repair support, to night-vision systems, to portable projectors for mobile command and control centers.

Measurement of Voice Onset Time in Maxillectomy Patients

OpenAIRE

Hattori, Mariko; Sumita, Yuka I.; Taniguchi, Hisashi

2014-01-01

Objective speech evaluation using acoustic measurement is needed for the proper rehabilitation of maxillectomy patients. For digital evaluation of consonants, measurement of voice onset time is one option. However, voice onset time has not been measured in maxillectomy patients as their consonant sound spectra exhibit unique characteristics that make the measurement of voice onset time challenging. In this study, we established criteria for measuring voice onset time in maxillectomy patients ...

In-line and Real-time Monitoring of Resonant Acoustic Mixing by Near-infrared Spectroscopy Combined with Chemometric Technology for Process Analytical Technology Applications in Pharmaceutical Powder Blending Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Ryoma; Takahashi, Naoyuki; Nakamura, Yasuaki; Hattori, Yusuke; Ashizawa, Kazuhide; Otsuka, Makoto

2017-01-01

Resonant acoustic ® mixing (RAM) technology is a system that performs high-speed mixing by vibration through the control of acceleration and frequency. In recent years, real-time process monitoring and prediction has become of increasing interest, and process analytical technology (PAT) systems will be increasingly introduced into actual manufacturing processes. This study examined the application of PAT with the combination of RAM, near-infrared spectroscopy, and chemometric technology as a set of PAT tools for introduction into actual pharmaceutical powder blending processes. Content uniformity was based on a robust partial least squares regression (PLSR) model constructed to manage the RAM configuration parameters and the changing concentration of the components. As a result, real-time monitoring may be possible and could be successfully demonstrated for in-line real-time prediction of active pharmaceutical ingredients and other additives using chemometric technology. This system is expected to be applicable to the RAM method for the risk management of quality.

Teacher Perspectives on Technology Integration Professional Development: Formal, Informal, and Independent Learning Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Monty; Dexter, Sara

2018-01-01

This mixed-methods study examined the technology integration learning activities of four teachers throughout one year using weekly quantitative surveys and a series of three qualitative individual interviews. Through the teachers' own voices an illustration of their learning processes is presented, and the gap between what is supported by their…

Muted 'voice': The writing of two groups of postgraduate ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate and account for the weak emergence of 'voice' in the writing of students embarking upon their postgraduate studies in Geosciences. The two elements of 'voice' that are emphasised are 'voice' as style of expression and 'voice' as the ability to write distinctly, yet building upon ...

Comparison of cepstral coefficients to other voice evaluation parameters in patients with occupational dysphonia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewa Niebudek-Bogusz

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Special consideration has recently been given to cepstral analysis with mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs. The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of MFCCs in acoustic analysis for diagnosing occupational dysphonia in comparison to subjective and objective parameters of voice evaluation. Materials and Methods: The study comprised 2 groups, one of 55 female teachers (mean age: 45 years with occupational dysphonia confirmed by videostroboscopy and 40 female controls with normal voice (mean age: 43 years. The acoustic samples involving sustained vowels "a" and four standardized sentences were analyzed by computed analysis of MFCCs. The results were compared to acoustic parameters of jitter and shimmer groups, noise to harmonic ratio, Yanagihara index evaluating the grade of hoarseness, the aerodynamic parameter: maximum phonation time and also subjective parameters: GRBAS perceptual scale and Voice Handicap Index (VHI. Results: The compared results revealed differences between the study and control groups, significant for MFCC2, MFCC3, MFCC5, MFCC6, MFCC8, MFCC10, particularly for MFCC6 (p < 0.001 and MFCC8 (p < 0.009, which may suggest their clinical applicability. In the study group, MFCC4, MFCC8 and MFCC10 correlated significantly with the major objective parameters of voice assessment. Moreover, MFCC8 coefficient, which in the female teachers correlated with all eight objective parameters, also showed the significant relation with perceptual voice feature A (asthenity of subjective scale GRBAS, characteristic of weak tired voice. Conclusions: The cepstral analysis with mel frequency cepstral coefficients is a promising tool for evaluating occupational voice disorders, capable of reflecting the perceptual voice features better than other methods of acoustic analysis. Med Pr 2013;64(6:805–816

Acoustic cues for the recognition of self-voice and other-voice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingdi eXu

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Self-recognition, being indispensable for successful social communication, has become a major focus in current social neuroscience. The physical aspects of the self are most typically manifested in the face and voice. Compared with the wealth of studies on self-face recognition, self-voice recognition (SVR has not gained much attention. Converging evidence has suggested that the fundamental frequency (F0 and formant structures serve as the key acoustic cues for other-voice recognition (OVR. However, little is known about which, and how, acoustic cues are utilized for SVR as opposed to OVR. To address this question, we independently manipulated the F0 and formant information of recorded voices and investigated their contributions to SVR and OVR. Japanese participants were presented with recorded vocal stimuli and were asked to identify the speaker—either themselves or one of their peers. Six groups of 5 peers of the same sex participated in the study. Under conditions where the formant information was fully preserved and where only the frequencies lower than the third formant (F3 were retained, accuracies of SVR deteriorated significantly with the modulation of the F0, and the results were comparable for OVR. By contrast, under a condition where only the frequencies higher than F3 were retained, the accuracy of SVR was significantly higher than that of OVR throughout the range of F0 modulations, and the F0 scarcely affected the accuracies of SVR and OVR. Our results indicate that while both F0 and formant information are involved in SVR, as well as in OVR, the advantage of SVR is manifested only when major formant information for speech intelligibility is absent. These findings imply the robustness of self-voice representation, possibly by virtue of auditory familiarity and other factors such as its association with motor/articulatory representation.

POTENTIAL AND FUTURE TRENDS ON INDUSTRIAL RADIATION PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION IN EMERGING COUNTRY - BRAZIL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sampa, M.H.O.; Omi, N.M.; Rela, C.S.; Tsai, D.

2004-01-01

Brazil started the use of radiation technology in the seventies on crosslinking polyethylene for insulation of wire and electronic cables and sterilization of medical care devices. The present status of industrial applications of radiation shows that the use of this technology is increasing according to the economical development and the necessity to become the products manufactured in the local industries competitive in quality and price for internal and external market. The on going development activities in this area are concentrated on polymers processing (materials modification), foodstuff treatment and environmental protection. The development, the promotion and the technical support to consolidate this technology to the local industries is the main attribution of Institute for Energetic and Nuclear Research-IPEN, a governmental Institution

POTENTIAL AND FUTURE TRENDS ON INDUSTRIAL RADIATION PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION IN EMERGING COUNTRY - BRAZIL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sampa, M.H.O.; Omi, N.M.; Rela, C.S.; Tsai, D.

2004-10-06

Brazil started the use of radiation technology in the seventies on crosslinking polyethylene for insulation of wire and electronic cables and sterilization of medical care devices. The present status of industrial applications of radiation shows that the use of this technology is increasing according to the economical development and the necessity to become the products manufactured in the local industries competitive in quality and price for internal and external market. The on going development activities in this area are concentrated on polymers processing (materials modification), foodstuff treatment and environmental protection. The development, the promotion and the technical support to consolidate this technology to the local industries is the main attribution of Institute for Energetic and Nuclear Research-IPEN, a governmental Institution.

Development of Industrial Process Diagnosis and Measurement Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Sung Hee; Kim, Jong Bum; Moon, Jin Ho

2010-04-01

Section 1. Industrial Gamma CT Technology for Process Diagnosis: The project is aimed to develop industrial process gamma tomography system for investigation on structural and physical malfunctioning and process media distribution by means of sealed gamma source and radioactive materials. Section 2. Development of RI Hydraulic Detection Technology for Industrial Application: The objectives in this study are to develop the evaluation technology of the hydrological characteristics and the hydraulic detection technology using radioisotope, and to analyze the hydrodynamics and pollutant transport in water environment like surface and subsurface. Section 3. Development of RT-PAT System for Powder Process Diagnosis: The objective of this project is the development of a new radiation technology to improve the accuracy of the determination of moisture content in a powder sample by using radiation source through the so-called RT-PAT (Radiation Technology-Process Analytical Technology), which is a new concept of converging technology between the radiation technology and the process analytical technology

Development of industrial process diagnosis and measurement technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Sunghee; Kim, Jongbum; Moon, Jinho; Suh, Kyungsuk; Kim, Jongyun

2012-04-01

Section1. Industrial Gamma CT Technology for Process Diagnosis The project is aimed to develop industrial process gamma tomography system for investigation on structural and physical malfunctioning and process media distribution by means of sealed gamma source and radioactive materials. Section2. Development of RI Hydraulic Detection Technology for Industrial Application The objectives in this study are to develop the evaluation technology of the hydrological characteristics and the hydraulic detection technology using radioisotope, and to analyze the hydrodynamics and pollutant transport in water environment like surface and subsurface. Section3. Development of RT-PAT System for Powder Process Diagnosis The objective of this project is the development of a new radiation technology to improve the accuracy of the determination of moisture content in a powder sample by using radiation source through the so-called RT-PAT (Radiation Technology-Process Analytical Technology), which is a new concept of converging technology between the radiation technology and the process analytical technology

Application of Technology of Hydrodynamic Cavitation Processing High-Viscosity Oils for the Purpose of Improving the Rheological Characteristics of Oils

Science.gov (United States)

Zemenkov, Y. D.; Zemenkova, M. Y.; Vengerov, A. A.; Brand, A. E.

2016-10-01

There is investigated the technology of hydrodynamic cavitational processing viscous and high-viscosity oils and the possibility of its application in the pipeline transport system for the purpose of increasing of rheological properties of the transported oils, including dynamic viscosity shear stress in the article. It is considered the possibility of application of the combined hydrodynamic cavitational processing with addition of depressor additive for identification of effect of a synergism. It is developed the laboratory bench and they are presented results of modeling and laboratory researches. It is developed the hardware and technological scheme of application of the developed equipment at industrial objects of pipeline transport.

[The prevalence, causes and specific features of voice disturbances in teachers].

Science.gov (United States)

Orlova, O S; Vasilenko, Iu S; Zakharova, A F; Samokhvalova, L O; Kozlova, P A

2000-01-01

The paper analyzes voice disturbances, their causes and specific features in teachers based on the questionnaires filled by 934 general educational school teachers. The teachers have been found to associate voice disturbances not only with changes in the voice timbre, but with different subjective feelings that make their professional activity difficult. The major factors that cause voice disturbances are the voice overloads that differ in teachers of different specialities, their inability to use the voice, psychoemotional stresses, and frequent colds, as well as a combination of several factors. The incidence of vocal apparatus diseases does not tend to decrease, which makes it necessary to implement combined medical and pedagogical prophylactic measures to prevent dysphonia.

Application of information technology in the process analysis of structural subdivisions of light industry enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Тарана Тахир кызы Мусаева

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The problems of application of information technologies in the process analysis of structural subdivisions of the enterprises of light industry enterprises are considered. For the functional cost analysis in the company it was prepared a computerized structure of the workplace and its principle of operation is described. The functionality of the computerized workplace is tested for textile enterprises. The results showed that the use of information technology has good prospects at the implementation of the quality management system at the textile enterprises

Formation of the Integral Ecological Quality Index of the Technological Processes in Machine Building Based on Their Energy Efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Egorov, Sergey B.; Kapitanov, Alexey V.; Mitrofanov, Vladimir G.; Shvartsburg, Leonid E.; Ivanova, Natalia A.; Ryabov, Sergey A.

2016-01-01

The aim of article is to provide development of a unified assessment methodology in relation to various technological processes and the actual conditions of their implementation. To carry the energy efficiency analysis of the technological processes through comparison of the established power and the power consumed by the actual technological…

Plasma ion implantation technology for broad industrial application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deb, D.; Siambis, J.; Symons, R.

1994-01-01

The recently invented Plasma Ion Implantation (PII) process (1987) [J. R. Conrad, U.S. Patent No. 764394 (August 16, 1988)] is currently under intense industrial engineering investigation and development. A critical component of PII for broad industrial utilization is the availability of an efficient modulator system that applies the high voltage pulse to the workpiece. A modulator technology assessment and selection is carried out. The requirements of the PII process favor the selection of a hard-tube modulator. The PII process favors the application of beam switch tube technology such as the Litton L-5012 and L-5097. These Litton tubes have already been selected by LANL and utilized in their pilot engineering demonstration experiment with GM and the University of Wisconsin. The performance, physical operation, and potential enhancements of the Litton beam switch tubes L-5012 and L-5097 will be discussed in connection with the requirements of the emerging plasma ion implantation industrial modulator technology

A New Framework for Evaluating the Functional Capabilities of Intra-Enterprise Application Integration Technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Moradi

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Enterprise Application Integration (EAI technologies facilitate the sharing of information and business processes of interrelated information systems in order to achieve the target integrated systems. Different EAI solutions and technologies provide various capabilities which lead to the complexity of their evaluation process. To reduce this complexity, appropriate tools for evaluating the functional capabilities of EAI technologies are required. This paper proposes a new framework for evaluating the functional capabilities of EAI technologies, which simplify the process of evaluating the functional capabilities of intra-enterprise integration technologies and solutions.The proposed framework for evaluating the EAI technologies was enhanced using the structural and conceptual aspects of previous frameworks. It offers a new schema for which various EAI technologies are categorized in different classes and are evaluated based on their supporting level for functional integration capabilities’ criteria.The new framework offers two lists containing integration technologies and their associated classifications, and functional capabilities of integration technologies. The proposed framework is a novel one which can be used by information system experts for evaluation and comparison purposes of various integration technologies.

Vacuum science, technology, and applications

CERN Document Server

Naik, Pramod K

2018-01-01

Vacuum plays an important role in science and technology. The study of interaction of charged particles, neutrals and radiation with each other and with solid surfaces requires a vacuum environment for reliable investigations. Vacuum has contributed immensely to advancements made in nuclear science, space, metallurgy, electrical/electronic technology, chemical engineering, transportation, robotics and many other fields. This book is intended to assist students, scientists, technicians and engineers to understand the basics of vacuum science and technology for application in their projects. The fundamental theories, concepts, devices, applications, and key inventions are discussed.

Voice Quality Measuring Setup with Automatic Voice over IP Call Generator and Lawful Interception Packet Analyzer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PLEVA Matus

Full Text Available This paper describes the packet measuring laboratory setup, which could be used also for lawful interception applications, using professional packet analyzer, Voice over IP call generator, free call server (Asterisk linux setup and appropriate software and hardware described below. This setup was used for measuring the quality of the automatically generated VoIP calls under stressed network conditions, when the call manager server was flooded with high bandwidth traffic, near the bandwidth limit of the connected switch. The call generator realizes 30 calls simultaneously and the packet capturer & analyzercould decode the VoIP traffic, extract RTP session data, automatically analyze the voice quality using standardized MOS (Mean Opinion Score values and describe also the source of the voice degradation (jitter, packet loss, codec, delay, etc..

Superior voice recognition in a patient with acquired prosopagnosia and object agnosia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoover, Adria E N; Démonet, Jean-François; Steeves, Jennifer K E

2010-11-01

Anecdotally, it has been reported that individuals with acquired prosopagnosia compensate for their inability to recognize faces by using other person identity cues such as hair, gait or the voice. Are they therefore superior at the use of non-face cues, specifically voices, to person identity? Here, we empirically measure person and object identity recognition in a patient with acquired prosopagnosia and object agnosia. We quantify person identity (face and voice) and object identity (car and horn) recognition for visual, auditory, and bimodal (visual and auditory) stimuli. The patient is unable to recognize faces or cars, consistent with his prosopagnosia and object agnosia, respectively. He is perfectly able to recognize people's voices and car horns and bimodal stimuli. These data show a reverse shift in the typical weighting of visual over auditory information for audiovisual stimuli in a compromised visual recognition system. Moreover, the patient shows selectively superior voice recognition compared to the controls revealing that two different stimulus domains, persons and objects, may not be equally affected by sensory adaptation effects. This also implies that person and object identity recognition are processed in separate pathways. These data demonstrate that an individual with acquired prosopagnosia and object agnosia can compensate for the visual impairment and become quite skilled at using spared aspects of sensory processing. In the case of acquired prosopagnosia it is advantageous to develop a superior use of voices for person identity recognition in everyday life. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Methodology for Measuring Voice Quality Using PESQ and Interactive Voice Response in the GSM Channel Designed by OpenBTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavol Partila

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This article discusses a methodology for rating the quality of mobile calls. Majority telecommunications service from the perspective of the whole world is using mobile telephony networks. One of the problems affecting this service and its quality are landscape barriers, which prevent the spread signal. Price and complex construction of classic BTS does not allow their dense distribution. In such cases, one solution is to use OpenBTS technology. Design of OpenBTS is more available, so it can be applied to much more places and more complex points. Purpose of this measurement is a model for effective stations deployment, due to shape and distribution of local barriers that reduce signal power, and thus the quality of speech. GSM access point for our mobile terminals is OpenBTS USRP N210 station. The PESQ method for evaluating of speech quality is compared with the subjective evaluation, which provides Asterisk PBX with IVR call back. Measurement method was taken into account the call quality depending on terminal position. The measured results and its processing bring knowledge to use this technology for more complicated locations with degraded signal level and increases the quality of voice services in telecommunications.

The recognition of female voice based on voice registers in singing techniques in real-time using hankel transform method and macdonald function

Science.gov (United States)

Meiyanti, R.; Subandi, A.; Fuqara, N.; Budiman, M. A.; Siahaan, A. P. U.

2018-03-01

A singer doesn’t just recite the lyrics of a song, but also with the use of particular sound techniques to make it more beautiful. In the singing technique, more female have a diverse sound registers than male. There are so many registers of the human voice, but the voice registers used while singing, among others, Chest Voice, Head Voice, Falsetto, and Vocal fry. Research of speech recognition based on the female’s voice registers in singing technique is built using Borland Delphi 7.0. Speech recognition process performed by the input recorded voice samples and also in real time. Voice input will result in weight energy values based on calculations using Hankel Transformation method and Macdonald Functions. The results showed that the accuracy of the system depends on the accuracy of sound engineering that trained and tested, and obtained an average percentage of the successful introduction of the voice registers record reached 48.75 percent, while the average percentage of the successful introduction of the voice registers in real time to reach 57 percent.

The Use of Visual Thinking Strategies and Art to Help Nurses Find Their Voices.

Science.gov (United States)

Moorman, Margaret

2017-08-01

Health care is increasingly complex, as nurses navigate working in teams and conveying critical information to others. Clear communication and accuracy are critical for nurses because they communicate to patients and other members of the health care team. Art, and more specifically, Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), are ways for nurses to practice communication and clear articulation of ideas. VTS also allows nurses to explore finding their voices and working with others to provide safe and effective communication among the team, including patients and their families.

Technologies to promote the inclusion of Indigenous knowledge holders in digital cultural heritage preservation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koch Kapuire, Gereon; Winschiers-Theophilus, Heike; Stanley, Colin

2018-01-01

component in the equation is community engagement, thereby hearing and respecting their voices in the co-design process which ensures technology adaptation. In this paper we present an on-going project of an indigenous technology development with the ovaHimba tribe, who strongly epitomise their cultural...... norms and values, still living a traditional life style in the rural area with relatively little exposure to technology. In the absence of communities’ expectations of existing human computer interaction standards we attempt to co-develop unique designs reflecting local worldviews. Hence this paper...

Voice quality in relation to voice complaints and vocal fold condition during the screening of female student teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Meulenbroek, Leo F P; de Jong, Felix I C R S

2011-07-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptual examination of voice quality with the condition of the vocal folds and voice complaints during voice screening in female student teachers. This research was a cross-sectional study in 214 starting student teachers using the four-point grade scale of the GRBAS and laryngostroboscopic assessment of the vocal folds. The voice quality was assessed by speech pathologists using the ordinal 4-point G-scale (overall dysphonia) of the GRBAS method in a running speech sample. Glottal closure and vocal fold lesions were recorded. A questionnaire was used for assessing voice complaints. More students with an insufficient glottal closure (89%) were rated dysphonic compared with students with sufficient glottal closure (80%). Students with sufficient glottal closure had a significantly lower mean G-score (1.21) compared with the group with insufficient glottal closure (1.52) (P = 0.038). This study showed a larger percentage of students with vocal fold lesions (96%) labeled a dysphonic voice compared to students with no vocal fold problems (81%). Students with no vocal fold lesions had a significantly lower mean G-score (1.20) compared with the group with vocal fold lesions (2.05) (P=0.002). A dysphonic voice (G≥1) was rated in 76% of the students without voice complaints compared with 86% of the students with voice complaints. Students with no voice complaints had a lower mean G-score (1.07) compared with the group with voice complaints (1.41) (P=0.090). The present study showed that perceptual assessment of the voice and voice complaints is not sufficient to check if the future professional is at risk. Therefore, preventive measures are needed to detect students at risk early in their education and this depends on broader assessment: on the one hand, assessing voice quality and voice complaints and on the other hand, examination of the vocal folds of all starting students. Copyright © 2011 The Voice Foundation

Speaking comfort and voice use of teachers in classrooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brunskog, Jonas; Pelegrin Garcia, David

2010-01-01

Teachers suffer from voice problems more often than the rest of the population, as a consequence of the intensive use of their voices during teaching. Noise and classroom acoustics have been defined as hazards eventually leading to voice problems. In order to make a good classroom acoustic design...... to preserve the teachers’ voices and maximize their comfort, it is necessary to understand the underlaying relationship between classroom acoustics and teachers’ voice production. This paper presents a brief summary of investigations looking into this relationship. A pilot study, carried out in different...... located at various distances, in rooms with very different acoustics. A field study in schools of southern Sweden found out that teachers with and without voice problems, during actual teaching, are affected differently by the support of the classroom. A last laboratory experiment was carried out...

Using voice to create hospital progress notes: Description of a mobile application and supporting system integrated with a commercial electronic health record.

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Thomas H; Alonso, W David; Markiel, J Andrew; Lybarger, Kevin; White, Andrew A

2018-01-01

We describe the development and design of a smartphone app-based system to create inpatient progress notes using voice, commercial automatic speech recognition software, with text processing to recognize spoken voice commands and format the note, and integration with a commercial EHR. This new system fits hospital rounding workflow and was used to support a randomized clinical trial testing whether use of voice to create notes improves timeliness of note availability, note quality, and physician satisfaction with the note creation process. The system was used to create 709 notes which were placed in the corresponding patient's EHR record. The median time from pressing the Send button to appearance of the formatted note in the Inbox was 8.8 min. It was generally very reliable, accepted by physician users, and secure. This approach provides an alternative to use of keyboard and templates to create progress notes and may appeal to physicians who prefer voice to typing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lax Vox as a Voice Training Program for Teachers: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mailänder, Eva; Mühre, Lea; Barsties, Ben

2017-03-01

The objective of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a 3-week training program with the voice therapy "Lax Vox" for teachers. Four healthy female teachers participated as volunteers for the study. Several voice measurements of perception, acoustics, aerodynamics, and self-evaluation were investigated. Furthermore, a survey to rate the applicability of Lax Vox was also part of the study. To assess the treatment effects of the Lax Vox training, an effect size analysis (d unb ) was conducted. After 3 weeks of training, medium and large improvements were found in some parameters of perceptual and acoustic voice quality assessments (d unb >0.50 and d unb >0.80, respectively). Furthermore, medium improvements were revealed in some parameters of self-evaluation (ie, physical and total scale of the Voice Handicap Index) and aerodynamic (ie, maximum phonation time) assessments (all d unb >0.50). Additionally, acoustic measures of vocal function showed an expansion in the upper contour of voice range profiles after training. Particularly, the main improvements in the voice range profile was found in the modal and the beginning of the falsetto voice registers. There was an increase of the intensity levels of about 4.6 dB. No changes were revealed in some acoustic measures of the voice range profile, self-evaluation measurements, and the perception of breathy voice quality (all d unb teachers appears to improve select measures of voice quality, maximum phonation time, vocal function, self-evaluation, and perceived applicability. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Start/End Delays of Voiced and Unvoiced Speech Signals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herrnstein, A

1999-09-24

Recent experiments using low power EM-radar like sensors (e.g, GEMs) have demonstrated a new method for measuring vocal fold activity and the onset times of voiced speech, as vocal fold contact begins to take place. Similarly the end time of a voiced speech segment can be measured. Secondly it appears that in most normal uses of American English speech, unvoiced-speech segments directly precede or directly follow voiced-speech segments. For many applications, it is useful to know typical duration times of these unvoiced speech segments. A corpus, assembled earlier of spoken ''Timit'' words, phrases, and sentences and recorded using simultaneously measured acoustic and EM-sensor glottal signals, from 16 male speakers, was used for this study. By inspecting the onset (or end) of unvoiced speech, using the acoustic signal, and the onset (or end) of voiced speech using the EM sensor signal, the average duration times for unvoiced segments preceding onset of vocalization were found to be 300ms, and for following segments, 500ms. An unvoiced speech period is then defined in time, first by using the onset of the EM-sensed glottal signal, as the onset-time marker for the voiced speech segment and end marker for the unvoiced segment. Then, by subtracting 300ms from the onset time mark of voicing, the unvoiced speech segment start time is found. Similarly, the times for a following unvoiced speech segment can be found. While data of this nature have proven to be useful for work in our laboratory, a great deal of additional work remains to validate such data for use with general populations of users. These procedures have been useful for applying optimal processing algorithms over time segments of unvoiced, voiced, and non-speech acoustic signals. For example, these data appear to be of use in speaker validation, in vocoding, and in denoising algorithms.

Alexa, Siri, Cortana, and More: An Introduction to Voice Assistants.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoy, Matthew B

2018-01-01

Voice assistants are software agents that can interpret human speech and respond via synthesized voices. Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, Microsoft's Cortana, and Google's Assistant are the most popular voice assistants and are embedded in smartphones or dedicated home speakers. Users can ask their assistants questions, control home automation devices and media playback via voice, and manage other basic tasks such as email, to-do lists, and calendars with verbal commands. This column will explore the basic workings and common features of today's voice assistants. It will also discuss some of the privacy and security issues inherent to voice assistants and some potential future uses for these devices. As voice assistants become more widely used, librarians will want to be familiar with their operation and perhaps consider them as a means to deliver library services and materials.

AN EXPERIMENT WITH THE VOICE TO DESIGN CERAMICS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Flemming Tvede

2013-01-01

from the human voice and thus how digital technology makes new possibilities in ceramic craft. 3D digital shape is created using simple geometric rules and is output to a 3D printer to make ceramic objects. The system demonstrates the close connection between digital technology and craft practice....

Improving Logistics Processes in Industry Using Web Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Jánošík, Ján; Tanuška, Pavol; Václavová, Andrea

2016-12-01

The aim of this paper is to propose the concept of a system that takes advantage of web technologies and integrates them into the management process and management of internal stocks which may relate to external applications and creates the conditions to transform a Computerized Control of Warehouse Stock (CCWS) in the company. The importance of implementing CCWS is in the elimination of the claims caused by the human factor, as well as to allow the processing of information for analytical purposes and their subsequent use to improve internal processes. Using CCWS in the company would also facilitate better use of the potential tools Business Intelligence and Data Mining.

Wireless body area networks technology, implementation, and applications

CERN Document Server

Yuce, Mehmet R

2011-01-01

The book provides a comprehensive overview for the latest WBAN systems, technologies, and applications. The chapters of the book have been written by various specialists who are experts in their areas of research and practice. The book starts with the basic techniques involved in designing and building WBAN systems. It explains the deployment issues and then moves into the application areas of WBAN. The remaining chapters focus on the development of hardware, signal processing algorithms, and wireless communication and network design for wearable and implantable body sensors used in WBAN appli

Phytofabricated gold nanoparticles and their biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Bashir; Hafeez, Nabia; Bashir, Shumaila; Rauf, Abdur; Mujeeb-Ur-Rehman

2017-05-01

In a couple of decades, nanotechnology has become a trending technology owing to its integrated science collection that incorporates variety of fields such as chemistry, physics, medicine, catalytic processes, food processing industries, electronics and energy sectors. One of the emerging fields of nanotechnology that has gained momentous admiration is nano-biotechnology. Nano-biotechnology is an integrated combination of biology with nanotechnology that encompasses the tailoring, and synthesis of small particles that are less than 100nm in size and subsequent exploitation of these particles for their biological applications. Though the variety of physical techniques and chemical procedures are known for the nanoparticles synthesis, biological approach is considered to be the preferred one. Environmental hazards and concerns associated with the physical and chemical approaches of nanoparticles synthesis has added impetus and zenith to the biological approach involving the use of plants and microorganisms. The current review article is focused on the synthesis of plant-derived (phytochemical) gold nanoparticles alongside their scope in biomedical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Voice and choice by delegation.

Science.gov (United States)

van de Bovenkamp, Hester; Vollaard, Hans; Trappenburg, Margo; Grit, Kor

2013-02-01

In many Western countries, options for citizens to influence public services are increased to improve the quality of services and democratize decision making. Possibilities to influence are often cast into Albert Hirschman's taxonomy of exit (choice), voice, and loyalty. In this article we identify delegation as an important addition to this framework. Delegation gives individuals the chance to practice exit/choice or voice without all the hard work that is usually involved in these options. Empirical research shows that not many people use their individual options of exit and voice, which could lead to inequality between users and nonusers. We identify delegation as a possible solution to this problem, using Dutch health care as a case study to explore this option. Notwithstanding various advantages, we show that voice and choice by delegation also entail problems of inequality and representativeness.

Decision Gate Process for Assessment of a Technology Development Portfolio

Science.gov (United States)

Kohli, Rajiv; Fishman, Julianna; Hyatt, Mark

2012-01-01

The NASA Dust Management Project (DMP) was established to provide technologies (to TRL 6 development level) required to address adverse effects of lunar dust to humans and to exploration systems and equipment, which will reduce life cycle cost and risk, and will increase the probability of sustainable and successful lunar missions. The technology portfolio of DMP consisted of different categories of technologies whose final product is either a technology solution in itself, or one that contributes toward a dust mitigation strategy for a particular application. A Decision Gate Process (DGP) was developed to assess and validate the achievement and priority of the dust mitigation technologies as the technologies progress through the development cycle. The DGP was part of continuous technology assessment and was a critical element of DMP risk management. At the core of the process were technology-specific criteria developed to measure the success of each DMP technology in attaining the technology readiness levels assigned to each decision gate. The DGP accounts for both categories of technologies and qualifies the technology progression from technology development tasks to application areas. The process provided opportunities to validate performance, as well as to identify non-performance in time to adjust resources and direction. This paper describes the overall philosophy of the DGP and the methodology for implementation for DMP, and describes the method for defining the technology evaluation criteria. The process is illustrated by example of an application to a specific DMP technology.

Processing, properties and applications of composites using powder-coated epoxy towpreg technology

Science.gov (United States)

Bayha, T. D.; Osborne, P. P.; Thrasher, T. P.; Hartness, J. T.; Johnston, N. J.; Marchello, J. M.; Hugh, M. K.

1993-01-01

Composite manufacturing using the current prepregging technology of impregnating liquid resin into three-dimensionally reinforced textile preforms can be a costly and difficult operation. Alternatively, using polymer in the solid form, grinding it into a powder, and then depositing it onto a carbon fiber tow prior to making a textile preform is a viable method for the production of complex textile shapes. The powder-coated towpreg yarn is stable, needs no refrigeration, contains no solvents and is easy to process into various woven and braided preforms for later consolidation into composite structures. NASA's Advanced Composites Technology (ACT) program has provided an avenue for developing the technology by which advanced resins and their powder-coated preforms may be used in aircraft structures. Two-dimensional braiding and weaving studies using powder-coated towpreg have been conducted to determine the effect of resin content, towpreg size and twist on textile composite properties. Studies have been made to customize the towpreg to reduce friction and bulk factor. Processing parameters have been determined for three epoxy resin systems on eight-harness satin fabric, and on more advanced 3-D preform architectures for the downselected resin system. Processing effects and the resultant mechanical properties of these textile composites will be presented and compared.

Singing voice outcomes following singing voice therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dastolfo-Hromack, Christina; Thomas, Tracey L; Rosen, Clark A; Gartner-Schmidt, Jackie

2016-11-01

The objectives of this study were to describe singing voice therapy (SVT), describe referred patient characteristics, and document the outcomes of SVT. Retrospective. Records of patients receiving SVT between June 2008 and June 2013 were reviewed (n = 51). All diagnoses were included. Demographic information, number of SVT sessions, and symptom severity were retrieved from the medical record. Symptom severity was measured via the 10-item Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI-10). Treatment outcome was analyzed by diagnosis, history of previous training, and SVHI-10. SVHI-10 scores decreased following SVT (mean change = 11, 40% decrease) (P singing lessons (n = 10) also completed an average of three SVT sessions. Primary muscle tension dysphonia (MTD1) and benign vocal fold lesion (lesion) were the most common diagnoses. Most patients (60%) had previous vocal training. SVHI-10 decrease was not significantly different between MTD and lesion. This is the first outcome-based study of SVT in a disordered population. Diagnosis of MTD or lesion did not influence treatment outcomes. Duration of SVT was short (approximately three sessions). Voice care providers are encouraged to partner with a singing voice therapist to provide optimal care for the singing voice. This study supports the use of SVT as a tool for the treatment of singing voice disorders. 4 Laryngoscope, 126:2546-2551, 2016. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Photon technology. Laser processing technology; Photon technology. Laser process gijutsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

Survey has been conducted to develop laser processing technology utilizing the interaction between substance and photon. This is a part of the leading research on photon technology development. The photon technology development is aimed at novel technology development highly utilizing the quantum nature of photons. In the field of laser processing, high quality photons are used as tools, special functions of atoms and molecules will be discovered, and processing for functional fabrication (photon machining) will be established. A role of laser processing in industries has become significant, which is currently spreading not only into cutting and welding of materials and scalpels but also into such a special field as ultrafine processing of materials. The spreading is sometimes obstructed due to the difficulty of procurement of suitable machines and materials, and the increase of cost. The purpose of this study is to develop the optimal laser technology, to elucidate the interaction between substance and photon, and to develop the laser system and the transmission and regulation systems which realize the optimal conditions. 387 refs., 115 figs., 25 tabs.

The effect of transformational leadership and job autonomy on promotive and prohibitive voice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Mari; Unterrainer, Christine; Jønsson, Thomas Faurholt

2018-01-01

Although there is a vast amount of research on leadership and improvement-oriented voice behavior, the amount of cross-lagged research on leadership that also incorporates more challenging forms of voice is sparse. This paper reports on a two-wave study of white-collar workers in a Norwegian...... medical technology company, investigating the relationship among employees’ perceived transformational leadership behaviors, job autonomy, and promotive and prohibitive voice. Testing our results cross-lagged, we demonstrate that perceived transformational leadership is significantly related...... to prohibitive voice over time, whereas this effect worked in the opposite direction for promotive voice. We also explore the boundary conditions of transformational leadership, demonstrating that perceived job autonomy strengthens the effect of transformational leadership on prohibitive voice. Implications...

Microwave plasma emerging technologies for chemical processes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de la Fuente, Javier F.; Kiss, Anton A.; Radoiu, Marilena T.; Stefanidis, Georgios D.

2017-01-01

Microwave plasma (MWP) technology is currently being used in application fields such as semiconductor and material processing, diamond film deposition and waste remediation. Specific advantages of the technology include the enablement of a high energy density source and a highly reactive medium,

[Hearing voices does not always constitute a psychosis].

Science.gov (United States)

Sommer, I E C; van der Spek, D W

2016-01-01

Hearing voices (i.e. auditory verbal hallucinations) is mainly known as part of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. However, hearing voices is a symptom that can occur in many psychiatric, neurological and general medical conditions. We present three cases of non-psychotic patients with auditory verbal hallucinations caused by different disorders. The first patient is a 74-year-old male with voices due to hearing loss, the second is a 20-year-old woman with voices due to traumatisation. The third patient is a 27-year-old woman with voices caused by temporal lobe epilepsy. Hearing voices is a phenomenon that occurs in a variety of disorders. Therefore, identification of the underlying disorder is essential to indicate treatment. Improvement of coping with the voices can reduce their impact on a patient. Antipsychotic drugs are especially effective when hearing voices is accompanied by delusions or disorganization. When this is not the case, the efficacy of antipsychotic drugs will probably not outweigh the side-effects.

Clinical voice analysis of Carnatic singers.

Science.gov (United States)

Arunachalam, Ravikumar; Boominathan, Prakash; Mahalingam, Shenbagavalli

2014-01-01

Carnatic singing is a classical South Indian style of music that involves rigorous training to produce an "open throated" loud, predominantly low-pitched singing, embedded with vocal nuances in higher pitches. Voice problems in singers are not uncommon. The objective was to report the nature of voice problems and apply a routine protocol to assess the voice. Forty-five trained performing singers (females: 36 and males: 9) who reported to a tertiary care hospital with voice problems underwent voice assessment. The study analyzed their problems and the clinical findings. Voice change, difficulty in singing higher pitches, and voice fatigue were major complaints. Most of the singers suffered laryngopharyngeal reflux that coexisted with muscle tension dysphonia and chronic laryngitis. Speaking voices were rated predominantly as "moderate deviation" on GRBAS (Grade, Rough, Breathy, Asthenia, and Strain). Maximum phonation time ranged from 4 to 29 seconds (females: 10.2, standard deviation [SD]: 5.28 and males: 15.7, SD: 5.79). Singing frequency range was reduced (females: 21.3 Semitones and males: 23.99 Semitones). Dysphonia severity index (DSI) scores ranged from -3.5 to 4.91 (females: 0.075 and males: 0.64). Singing frequency range and DSI did not show significant difference between sex and across clinical diagnosis. Self-perception using voice disorder outcome profile revealed overall severity score of 5.1 (SD: 2.7). Findings are discussed from a clinical intervention perspective. Study highlighted the nature of voice problems (hyperfunctional) and required modifications in assessment protocol for Carnatic singers. Need for regular assessments and vocal hygiene education to maintain good vocal health are emphasized as outcomes. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning Media Application Based On Microcontroller Chip Technology In Early Age

Science.gov (United States)

Ika Hidayati, Permata

2018-04-01

In Early childhood cognitive intelligence need right rncdia learning that can help a child’s cognitive intelligence quickly. The purpose of this study to design a learning media in the form of a puppet can used to introduce human anatomy during early childhood. This educational doll utilizing voice recognition technology from EasyVR module to receive commands from the user to introduce body parts on a doll, is used as an indicator TED. In addition to providing the introduction of human anatomy, this dolljut. a user can give a shout out to mainly play previously stored voice module sound recorder. Results obtained from this study is that this educational dolls can detect more than voice and spoken commands that can be random detected. Distance concrete of this doll in detecting the sound is up to a distance of 2.5 meters.

Dominant distortion classification for pre-processing of vowels in remote biomedical voice analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poorjam, Amir Hossein; Jensen, Jesper Rindom; Little, Max A

2017-01-01

for pathological voice assessments and investigate the impact of four major types of distortion that are commonly present during recording or transmission in voice analysis, namely: background noise, reverberation, clipping and compression, on Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) – the most widely...

Trailblazers and Cassandras: Other Voices in Northern Ireland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McQuaid, Sara Dybris

2012-01-01

’ voices and alternative positions in the process of conflict interpretation and resolution. This essay will outline a ‘thumbnail’ sketch of three areas in which ‘other’ voices are sidelined or silenced: in terms of political discourses; community discourses; and wider academic and public discourses......’ and ‘Cassandras’ the essay concludes that the arguments forwarded by other voices are not disappeared but adapted and realigned to the reigning discourses, and that there is not so much a culture of silence surrounding ‘other’ voices as a certain selective and sectarian hearing in picking them up. Whilst...... it follows that ‘other’ voices have failed to dissolve the magnetic field of Northern Irish politics, the essay suggests that in order to rise to current political challenges in Northern Ireland it is worthwhile sounding out the historical and contemporary ‘other’ voices for carefully thought out and non...

The Sound of Voice: Voice-Based Categorization of Speakers' Sexual Orientation within and across Languages.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Sulpizio

Full Text Available Empirical research had initially shown that English listeners are able to identify the speakers' sexual orientation based on voice cues alone. However, the accuracy of this voice-based categorization, as well as its generalizability to other languages (language-dependency and to non-native speakers (language-specificity, has been questioned recently. Consequently, we address these open issues in 5 experiments: First, we tested whether Italian and German listeners are able to correctly identify sexual orientation of same-language male speakers. Then, participants of both nationalities listened to voice samples and rated the sexual orientation of both Italian and German male speakers. We found that listeners were unable to identify the speakers' sexual orientation correctly. However, speakers were consistently categorized as either heterosexual or gay on the basis of how they sounded. Moreover, a similar pattern of results emerged when listeners judged the sexual orientation of speakers of their own and of the foreign language. Overall, this research suggests that voice-based categorization of sexual orientation reflects the listeners' expectations of how gay voices sound rather than being an accurate detector of the speakers' actual sexual identity. Results are discussed with regard to accuracy, acoustic features of voices, language dependency and language specificity.

Voice and Narrative in L1 Writing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krogh, Ellen; Piekut, Anke

2015-01-01

This paper investigates issues of voice and narrative in L1 writing. Three branches of research are initial-ly discussed: research on narratives as resources for identity work, research on writer identity and voice as an essential aspect of identity, and research on Bildung in L1 writing. Subsequ...... training of voice and narratives as a resource for academic writing, and that the Bildung potential of L1 writing may be tied to this issue.......This paper investigates issues of voice and narrative in L1 writing. Three branches of research are initial-ly discussed: research on narratives as resources for identity work, research on writer identity and voice as an essential aspect of identity, and research on Bildung in L1 writing...... in lower secondary L1, she found that her previous writing strategies were not rewarded in upper secondary school. In the second empiri-cal study, two upper-secondary exam papers are investigated, with a focus on their approaches to exam genres and their use of narrative resources to address issues...

Laser Processing Technology using Metal Powders

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jang, Jeong-Hwan; Moon, Young-Hoon [Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2012-03-15

The purpose of this paper is to review the state of laser processing technology using metal powders. In recent years, a series of research and development efforts have been undertaken worldwide to develop laser processing technologies to fabricate metal-based parts. Layered manufacturing by the laser melting process is gaining ground for use in manufacturing rapid prototypes (RP), tools (RT) and functional end products. Selective laser sintering / melting (SLS/SLM) is one of the most rapidly growing rapid prototyping techniques. This is mainly due to the processes's suitability for almost any materials, including polymers, metals, ceramics and many types of composites. The interaction between the laser beam and the powder material used in the laser melting process is one of the dominant phenomena defining feasibility and quality. In the case of SLS, the powder is not fully melted during laser scanning, therefore the SLS-processed parts are not fully dense and have relatively low strength. To overcome this disadvantage, SLM and laser cladding (LC) processes have been used to enable full melting of the powder. Further studies on the laser processing technology will be continued due to the many potential applications that the technology offers.

Advanced Turbine Technology Applications Project (ATTAP)

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-01

Reports technical effort by AlliedSignal Engines in sixth year of DOE/NASA funded project. Topics include: gas turbine engine design modifications of production APU to incorporate ceramic components; fabrication and processing of silicon nitride blades and nozzles; component and engine testing; and refinement and development of critical ceramics technologies, including: hot corrosion testing and environmental life predictive model; advanced NDE methods for internal flaws in ceramic components; and improved carbon pulverization modeling during impact. ATTAP project is oriented toward developing high-risk technology of ceramic structural component design and fabrication to carry forward to commercial production by 'bridging the gap' between structural ceramics in the laboratory and near-term commercial heat engine application. Current ATTAP project goal is to support accelerated commercialization of advanced, high-temperature engines for hybrid vehicles and other applications. Project objectives are to provide essential and substantial early field experience demonstrating ceramic component reliability and durability in modified, available, gas turbine engine applications; and to scale-up and improve manufacturing processes of ceramic turbine engine components and demonstrate application of these processes in the production environment.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Technology as a Global Learning Tool: Information Systems Success and Control Belief Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Charlie C.; Vannoy, Sandra

2013-01-01

Voice over Internet Protocol- (VoIP) enabled online learning service providers struggling with high attrition rates and low customer loyalty issues despite VoIP's high degree of system fit for online global learning applications. Effective solutions to this prevalent problem rely on the understanding of system quality, information quality, and…

Microwave waste processing technology overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petersen, R.D.

1993-02-01

Applications using microwave energy in the chemical processing industry have increased within the last ten years. Recently, interest in waste treatment applications process development, especially solidification, has grown. Microwave waste processing offers many advantages over conventional waste treatment technologies. These advantages include a high density, leach resistant, robust waste form, volume and toxicity reduction, favorable economics, in-container treatment, good public acceptance, isolated equipment, and instantaneous energy control. The results from the {open_quotes}cold{close_quotes} demonstration scale testing at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons facility are described. Preliminary results for a transuranic (TRU) precipitation sludge indicate that volume reductions of over 80% are achievable over the current immobilization process. An economic evaluation performed demonstrated cost savings of $11.68 per pound compared to the immobilization process currently in use on wet sludge.

Microwave waste processing technology overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petersen, R.D.

1993-02-01

Applications using microwave energy in the chemical processing industry have increased within the last ten years. Recently, interest in waste treatment applications process development, especially solidification, has grown. Microwave waste processing offers many advantages over conventional waste treatment technologies. These advantages include a high density, leach resistant, robust waste form, volume and toxicity reduction, favorable economics, in-container treatment, good public acceptance, isolated equipment, and instantaneous energy control. The results from the open-quotes coldclose quotes demonstration scale testing at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons facility are described. Preliminary results for a transuranic (TRU) precipitation sludge indicate that volume reductions of over 80% are achievable over the current immobilization process. An economic evaluation performed demonstrated cost savings of $11.68 per pound compared to the immobilization process currently in use on wet sludge

Voice disorders in the workplace: productivity in spasmodic dysphonia and the impact of botulinum toxin.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Tanya K; Hu, Amanda; Hillel, Allen D

2013-11-01

The impact of the disordered voice on standard work productivity measures and employment trends is difficult to quantify; this is in large part due to the heterogeneity of the disease processes. Spasmodic dysphonia (SD), a chronic voice disorder, may be a useful model to study this impact. Self-reported work measures (worked missed, work impairment, overall work productivity, and activity impairment) were studied among patients receiving botulinum toxin (BTX) treatments for SD. It was hypothesized that there would be a substantial difference in work-related measures between the best and worst voicing periods. In addition, job types, employment shifts, and vocal requirements during the course of vocal disability from SD were investigated for each individual, and the impact of SD on these patterns was studied. A total of 145 patients with SD, either adductor or abductor, who were established in routine therapeutic BTX injections agreed to participate in a self-administered questionnaire study. Seventy-two participants were currently working and provided highly detailed information on work-related measures. Their answers characterized the effect of SD on their employment status, productivity at work, activity impairment outside of work, employment retention or change, and whether the individual perceived that BTX therapy affected these measures. Patients were asked to complete the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) instrument to determine these measures for their best and worst voicing weeks over the duration since their previous BTX injection. Voice-specific quality of life instruments (Voice Handicap Index-10) and perceptual assessments (Consensus Auditory Perceptual Evaluation of Voice) were elicited to provide correlations of work measures with patient-perceived voice handicap and clinician-perceived voice quality. Cross-sectional analysis using self-administered questionnaire. A total of 108 patients reported ever working during their diagnosis and

Reliability in perceptual analysis of voice quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Bele, Irene Velsvik

2005-12-01

This study focuses on speaking voice quality in male teachers (n = 35) and male actors (n = 36), who represent untrained and trained voice users, because we wanted to investigate normal and supranormal voices. In this study, both substantial and methodologic aspects were considered. It includes a method for perceptual voice evaluation, and a basic issue was rater reliability. A listening group of 10 listeners, 7 experienced speech-language therapists, and 3 speech-language therapist students evaluated the voices by 15 vocal characteristics using VA scales. Two sets of voice signals were investigated: text reading (2 loudness levels) and sustained vowel (3 levels). The results indicated a high interrater reliability for most perceptual characteristics. Connected speech was evaluated more reliably, especially at the normal level, but both types of voice signals were evaluated reliably, although the reliability for connected speech was somewhat higher than for vowels. Experienced listeners tended to be more consistent in their ratings than did the student raters. Some vocal characteristics achieved acceptable reliability even with a smaller panel of listeners. The perceptual characteristics grouped in 4 factors reflected perceptual dimensions.

Self-Voice, but Not Self-Face, Reduces the McGurk Effect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Aruffo

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The McGurk effect represents a perceptual illusion resulting from the integration of an auditory syllable dubbed onto an incongruous visual syllable. The involuntary and impenetrable nature of the illusion is frequently used to support the multisensory nature of audiovisual speech perception. Here we show that both self-speech and familiarized speech reduce the effect. When self-speech was separated into self-voice and self-face mismatched with different faces and voices, only self-voice weakened the illusion. Thus, a familiar vocal identity automatically confers a processing advantage to multisensory speech, while a familiar facial identity does not. When another group of participants were familiarized with the speakers, participants' ability to take advantage of that familiarization was inversely correlated with their overall susceptibility to the McGurk illusion.

Nano technologies, technologies converging and potential biomedical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capuano, V.

2005-01-01

The applications of nano technology to biology and medicine appear really promising for diagnostics, for various therapeutic approaches and in medical instrumentations. The growing synergism among nano technology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive sciences, their convergence (NBIC) from the nano scale, could involve on next decades great changes in medicine, from a reactive to a predictive and preventive approach. It is expected that NBIC converging technologies could achieve tremendous improvements in human abilities and enhance societal achievement of related social and ethical implications, in the framework of a constant dialogue between science and society [it

Developing Student Voices on the Internet.

Science.gov (United States)

Dresang, Eliza T.

1997-01-01

Books and online discussion groups encourage youth to develop strong narrative voices. Includes an annotated bibliography of books and Internet sites dealing with discovering the self and others; exploring race, culture, archeology, technology, war, poverty, gender and urban problems; creating and critiquing stories; and publishing industry…

Recent developments of diffusion processes and their applications fluid, heat and mass

CERN Document Server

Öchsner, Andreas; Murch, Graeme

2015-01-01

This topical volume on ""Recent Developments of Diffusion Processes and their Applications: Fluid, Heat and Mass"" addresses diffusion in a wider sense with a special focus on technical applications. Diffusion phenomena play an important role in the development of modern engineering materials and related fields. Understanding these different transport phenomena at many levels, from atomistic to macro, has therefore long attracted the attention of many researchers in materials science and engineering and related disciplines. The present topical volume captures a representative cross-section of

[Role of aerodynamic parameters in voice function assessment].

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Yong-qing; Lin, Sheng-zhi; Xu, Xin-lin; Zhou, Li; Zhuang, Pei-yun; Jiang, Jack J

2012-10-01

To investigate the application and significance of aerodynamic parameters in voice function assessment. The phonatory aerodynamic system (PAS) was used to collect aerodynamic parameters from subjects with normal voice, vocal fold polyp, vocal fold cyst, and vocal fold immobility. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to compare measurements across groups. Phonation threshold flow (PTF), mean flow rate (MFR), maximum phonation time (MPT), and glottal resistance (GR) in one hundred normal subjects were significantly affected by sex (P efficiency (VE) were not (P > 0.05). PTP, PTF, MFR, SGP, and MPT were significantly different between normal voice and voice disorders (P 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis found that PTP, PTF, SGP, MFR, MPT, and VE in one hundred thirteen voice dis orders had similar diagnostic utility (P aerodynamic parameters of the three degrees of voice dysfunction due to vocal cord polyps were compared and found to have no significant differences (P > 0.05). PTP, PTF, MFR, SGP and MPT in forty one patients with vocal polyps were significantly different after surgical resection of vocal cord polyps (P aerodynamic parameters can objectively and effectively evaluate the variations of vocal function, and have good auxiliary diagnostic value.

Analysis of the Auditory Feedback and Phonation in Normal Voices.

Science.gov (United States)

Arbeiter, Mareike; Petermann, Simon; Hoppe, Ulrich; Bohr, Christopher; Doellinger, Michael; Ziethe, Anke

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the auditory feedback mechanisms and voice quality during phonation in response to a spontaneous pitch change in the auditory feedback. Does the pitch shift reflex (PSR) change voice pitch and voice quality? Quantitative and qualitative voice characteristics were analyzed during the PSR. Twenty-eight healthy subjects underwent transnasal high-speed video endoscopy (HSV) at 8000 fps during sustained phonation [a]. While phonating, the subjects heard their sound pitched up for 700 cents (interval of a fifth), lasting 300 milliseconds in their auditory feedback. The electroencephalography (EEG), acoustic voice signal, electroglottography (EGG), and high-speed-videoendoscopy (HSV) were analyzed to compare feedback mechanisms for the pitched and unpitched condition of the phonation paradigm statistically. Furthermore, quantitative and qualitative voice characteristics were analyzed. The PSR was successfully detected within all signals of the experimental tools (EEG, EGG, acoustic voice signal, HSV). A significant increase of the perturbation measures and an increase of the values of the acoustic parameters during the PSR were observed, especially for the audio signal. The auditory feedback mechanism seems not only to control for voice pitch but also for voice quality aspects.

TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT PROCESS FRAMEWORK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ikura Yamamoto

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The effective management of technology as a source of competitive advantage is of vital importance for many organizations. It is necessary to understand, communicate and integrate technology strategy with marketing, financial, operations and human resource strategies. This is of particular importance when one considers the increasing cost, pace and complexity of technology developments, combined with shortening product life cycles. A five process model provides a framework within which technology management activities can be understood: identification, selection, acquisition, exploitation and protection. Based on this model, a technology management assessment procedure has been developed, using an ``action research’’ approach. This paper presents an industrial case study describing the first full application of the procedure within a high-volume manufacturing business. The impact of applying the procedure is assessed in terms of benefits to the participating business, together with improvements to the assessment procedure itself, in the context of the action research framework. Keyword: Technology, Strategy, Management, Assessment

Student Voice and the Common Core

Science.gov (United States)

Yonezawa, Susan

2015-01-01

Common Core proponents and detractors debate its merits, but students have voiced their opinion for years. Using a decade's worth of data gathered through design-research on youth voice, this article discusses what high school students have long described as more ideal learning environments for themselves--and how remarkably similar the Common…

The future of diode pumped solid state lasers and their applicability to the automotive industry

Science.gov (United States)

Solarz, R.; Beach, R.; Hackel, L.

1994-03-01

The largest commercial application of high power lasers is for cutting and welding. Their ability to increase productivity by introducing processing flexibility and integrated automation into the fabrication process is well demonstrated. This paper addresses the potential importance of recent developments in laser technology to further impact their use within the automotive industry. The laser technology we will concentrate upon is diode laser technology and diode-pumped solid-state laser technology. We will review present device performance and cost and make projections for the future in these areas. Semiconductor laser arrays have matured dramatically over the last several years. They are lasers of unparalleled efficiency (greater than 50%), reliability (greater than 10,000 hours of continuous operation), and offer the potential of dramatic cost reductions (less than a dollar per watt). They can be used directly in many applications or can be used to pump solid-state lasers. When used as solid-state laser pump arrays, they simultaneously improve overall laser efficiency, reduce size, and improve reliability.

Voices of courage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noraida Abdullah Karim

2007-07-01

Full Text Available In May 2007 the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children1 presented its annual Voices of Courage awards to three displaced people who have dedicated their lives to promoting economic opportunities for refugee and displaced women and youth. These are their (edited testimonies.

The application of RFIDs in libraries : an assessment of technological, management and professional issues

OpenAIRE

Gibb, Forbes; Thornley, Clare V.; Ferguson, Stuart; Weckert, John

2011-01-01

This paper starts by outlining the technologies involved in RFIDs and reviews the issues raised by their general application. It then identifies their potential application areas within the library sector based on a generic process view of library activities. Finally it highlights the issues that are raised by their application in libraries and provides an assessment of which of these issues are likely to raise ethical concerns for library professionals. The purpose is to provide an overview ...

Voice disorders in teachers. A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Regina Helena Garcia; Pereira, Eny Regina Bóia Neves; Hidalgo, Caio Bosque; Tavares, Elaine Lara Mendes

2014-11-01

Voice disorders are very prevalent among teachers and consequences are serious. Although the literature is extensive, there are differences in the concepts and methodology related to voice problems; most studies are restricted to analyzing the responses of teachers to questionnaires and only a few studies include vocal assessments and videolaryngoscopic examinations to obtain a definitive diagnosis. To review demographic studies related to vocal disorders in teachers to analyze the diverse methodologies, the prevalence rates pointed out by the authors, the main risk factors, the most prevalent laryngeal lesions, and the repercussions of dysphonias on professional activities. The available literature (from 1997 to 2013) was narratively reviewed based on Medline, PubMed, Lilacs, SciELO, and Cochrane library databases. Excluded were articles that specifically analyzed treatment modalities and those that did not make their abstracts available in those databases. The keywords included were teacher, dysphonia, voice disorders, professional voice. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessments of Voice Use and Voice Quality among College/University Singing Students Ages 18–24 through Ambulatory Monitoring with a Full Accelerometer Signal

Science.gov (United States)

Schloneger, Matthew; Hunter, Eric

2016-01-01

The multiple social and performance demands placed on college/university singers could put their still developing voices at risk. Previous ambulatory monitoring studies have analyzed the duration, intensity, and frequency (in Hz) of voice use among such students. Nevertheless, no studies to date have incorporated the simultaneous acoustic voice quality measures into the acquisition of these measures to allow for direct comparison during the same voicing period. Such data could provide greater insight into how young singers use their voices, as well as identify potential correlations between vocal dose and acoustic changes in voice quality. The purpose of this study was to assess the voice use and estimated voice quality of college/university singing students (18–24 y/o, N = 19). Ambulatory monitoring was conducted over three full, consecutive weekdays measuring voice from an unprocessed accelerometer signal measured at the neck. From this signal were analyzed traditional vocal dose metrics such as phonation percentage, dose time, cycle dose, and distance dose. Additional acoustic measures included perceived pitch, pitch strength, LTAS slope, alpha ratio, dB SPL 1–3 kHz, and harmonic-to-noise ratio. Major findings from more than 800 hours of recording indicated that among these students (a) higher vocal doses correlated significantly with greater voice intensity, more vocal clarity and less perturbation; and (b) there were significant differences in some acoustic voice quality metrics between non-singing, solo singing and choral singing. PMID:26897545

European consumers' acceptance of beef processing technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Barcellos, Marcia Dutra; Kügler, Jens Oliver; Grunert, Klaus G.

2010-01-01

The use of new technologies in beef production chains may affect consumers' opinion of meat products. A qualitative study was performed to investigate consumers' acceptance of seven beef processing technologies: marinating by injection aiming for increased 1) healthiness; 2) safety; and 3) eating...... adults (19-60 years old) participated in eight focus groups in Spain, France, Germany and the UK. Results suggested a relationship between acceptance of new beef products, technology familiarity and perceived risks related to its application. Excessive manipulation and fear of moving away from 'natural......' beef were considered negative outcomes of technological innovations. Beef processing technologies were predominantly perceived as valuable options for convenience shoppers and less demanding consumers. Overall, respondents supported the development of 'non-invasive' technologies that were able...

Measurement of voice onset time in maxillectomy patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hattori, Mariko; Sumita, Yuka I; Taniguchi, Hisashi

2014-01-01

Objective speech evaluation using acoustic measurement is needed for the proper rehabilitation of maxillectomy patients. For digital evaluation of consonants, measurement of voice onset time is one option. However, voice onset time has not been measured in maxillectomy patients as their consonant sound spectra exhibit unique characteristics that make the measurement of voice onset time challenging. In this study, we established criteria for measuring voice onset time in maxillectomy patients for objective speech evaluation. We examined voice onset time for /ka/ and /ta/ in 13 maxillectomy patients by calculating the number of valid measurements of voice onset time out of three trials for each syllable. Wilcoxon's signed rank test showed that voice onset time measurements were more successful for /ka/ and /ta/ when a prosthesis was used (Z = -2.232, P = 0.026 and Z = -2.401, P = 0.016, resp.) than when a prosthesis was not used. These results indicate a prosthesis affected voice onset measurement in these patients. Although more research in this area is needed, measurement of voice onset time has the potential to be used to evaluate consonant production in maxillectomy patients wearing a prosthesis.

Measurement of Voice Onset Time in Maxillectomy Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariko Hattori

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective speech evaluation using acoustic measurement is needed for the proper rehabilitation of maxillectomy patients. For digital evaluation of consonants, measurement of voice onset time is one option. However, voice onset time has not been measured in maxillectomy patients as their consonant sound spectra exhibit unique characteristics that make the measurement of voice onset time challenging. In this study, we established criteria for measuring voice onset time in maxillectomy patients for objective speech evaluation. We examined voice onset time for /ka/ and /ta/ in 13 maxillectomy patients by calculating the number of valid measurements of voice onset time out of three trials for each syllable. Wilcoxon’s signed rank test showed that voice onset time measurements were more successful for /ka/ and /ta/ when a prosthesis was used (Z=−2.232, P=0.026 and Z=−2.401, P=0.016, resp. than when a prosthesis was not used. These results indicate a prosthesis affected voice onset measurement in these patients. Although more research in this area is needed, measurement of voice onset time has the potential to be used to evaluate consonant production in maxillectomy patients wearing a prosthesis.

Can a voice disorder be an occupational disease?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daša Gluvajić

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Voice disorders are all changes in the voice quality that can be detected by hearing. Some etiological factors that contribute to the development of voice disorders are related to occupation, working environment and working conditions. In modern societies one third of the labour force works in professions with vocal loading. In such professions, voice disorders influence work ability and quality of life. For an occupational disease, the exposure to harmful factors in the workplace is essential and causes the development of a disorder in a previously healthy individual. In some European countries, voice disorders in teachers, which do not improve after proper treatment are recognized as occupational diseases. In Slovenia, no organic or functional voice disorder is listed on the current list of occupational diseases. Prevention and cure of occupational voice disorders can contribute to better safety at the workplace and improve the workers’ health. Voice professionals must also know that they are responsible for their own health and that they must actively take care of it.

Connections between voice ergonomic risk factors in classrooms and teachers' voice production.

Science.gov (United States)

Rantala, Leena M; Hakala, Suvi; Holmqvist, Sofia; Sala, Eeva

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate if voice ergonomic risk factors in classrooms correlated with acoustic parameters of teachers' voice production. The voice ergonomic risk factors in the fields of working culture, working postures and indoor air quality were assessed in 40 classrooms using the Voice Ergonomic Assessment in Work Environment - Handbook and Checklist. Teachers (32 females, 8 males) from the above-mentioned classrooms recorded text readings before and after a working day. Fundamental frequency, sound pressure level (SPL) and the slope of the spectrum (alpha ratio) were analyzed. The higher the number of the risk factors in the classrooms, the higher SPL the teachers used and the more strained the males' voices (increased alpha ratio) were. The SPL was already higher before the working day in the teachers with higher risk than in those with lower risk. In the working environment with many voice ergonomic risk factors, speakers increase voice loudness and use more strained voice quality (males). A practical implication of the results is that voice ergonomic assessments are needed in schools. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Improving Logistics Processes in Industry Using Web Technologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jánošík Ján

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to propose the concept of a system that takes advantage of web technologies and integrates them into the management process and management of internal stocks which may relate to external applications and creates the conditions to transform a Computerized Control of Warehouse Stock (CCWS in the company. The importance of implementing CCWS is in the elimination of the claims caused by the human factor, as well as to allow the processing of information for analytical purposes and their subsequent use to improve internal processes. Using CCWS in the company would also facilitate better use of the potential tools Business Intelligence and Data Mining.

"Teachers' Voices for School Change": An Introduction to Educative Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, Mary-Ellen

1993-01-01

Reviews a book, "Teachers' Voices for School Change" by Andrew Gitlin, on educative research and teacher voice, examining the educative research process which grounds reflection in the life histories of teacher researchers, presenting four case studies on educative research, and reflecting on the educative research process itself.…

Review on the Processing and Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites and Nanocoatings and Their Applications in the Packaging, Automotive and Solar Energy Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Kerstin; Bugnicourt, Elodie; Latorre, Marcos; Jorda, Maria; Echegoyen Sanz, Yolanda; Lagaron, José M.; Miesbauer, Oliver; Bianchin, Alvise; Hankin, Steve; Bölz, Uwe; Pérez, Germán; Jesdinszki, Marius; Lindner, Martina; Scheuerer, Zuzana; Castelló, Sara; Schmid, Markus

2017-01-01

For the last decades, nanocomposites materials have been widely studied in the scientific literature as they provide substantial properties enhancements, even at low nanoparticles content. Their performance depends on a number of parameters but the nanoparticles dispersion and distribution state remains the key challenge in order to obtain the full nanocomposites’ potential in terms of, e.g., flame retardance, mechanical, barrier and thermal properties, etc., that would allow extending their use in the industry. While the amount of existing research and indeed review papers regarding the formulation of nanocomposites is already significant, after listing the most common applications, this review focuses more in-depth on the properties and materials of relevance in three target sectors: packaging, solar energy and automotive. In terms of advances in the processing of nanocomposites, this review discusses various enhancement technologies such as the use of ultrasounds for in-process nanoparticles dispersion. In the case of nanocoatings, it describes the different conventionally used processes as well as nanoparticles deposition by electro-hydrodynamic processing. All in all, this review gives the basics both in terms of composition and of processing aspects to reach optimal properties for using nanocomposites in the selected applications. As an outlook, up-to-date nanosafety issues are discussed. PMID:28362331

Review on the Processing and Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites and Nanocoatings and Their Applications in the Packaging, Automotive and Solar Energy Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kerstin Müller

2017-03-01

Full Text Available For the last decades, nanocomposites materials have been widely studied in the scientific literature as they provide substantial properties enhancements, even at low nanoparticles content. Their performance depends on a number of parameters but the nanoparticles dispersion and distribution state remains the key challenge in order to obtain the full nanocomposites’ potential in terms of, e.g., flame retardance, mechanical, barrier and thermal properties, etc., that would allow extending their use in the industry. While the amount of existing research and indeed review papers regarding the formulation of nanocomposites is already significant, after listing the most common applications, this review focuses more in-depth on the properties and materials of relevance in three target sectors: packaging, solar energy and automotive. In terms of advances in the processing of nanocomposites, this review discusses various enhancement technologies such as the use of ultrasounds for in-process nanoparticles dispersion. In the case of nanocoatings, it describes the different conventionally used processes as well as nanoparticles deposition by electro-hydrodynamic processing. All in all, this review gives the basics both in terms of composition and of processing aspects to reach optimal properties for using nanocomposites in the selected applications. As an outlook, up-to-date nanosafety issues are discussed.

Electron beam application in industrial polymer processing - Review and outlook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gielenz, G.

2001-01-01

Full text: The various established industrial electron beam (EB) applications as related to polymers, their corresponding material and process fundamentals are discussed in this paper. The basics of nowadays most common irradiation processes, which are for continuous stranded products: Single Beam, Rotary Technique; Single Beam, Multiple Pass Technique; Dual Beam, Multiple Pass Technique; and Single Beam, Single (Multiple) Pass Technique by means of a conveyor belt or cart system for discontinuous goods are briefly addressed together with some typical examples for illustration. Some comments on the (dis)advantages and the future economic optimization potential which EB processing technologies could provide to the respective polymer processing industries are presented with respect to material, accelerator equipment and related product handling hardware. The future competitiveness of irradiation crosslinking technologies, which offer numerous advantages in comparison to conventional CV curing and silane crosslinking technologies, only can be maintained by increasing their economic attractiveness, which is: high processing speeds, high material throughput at low production costs and comparatively low capital investment of the hardware involved. Other, more sophisticated irradiation process proposals found in the literature and respective patent publications will be briefly presented, although all of which lack more or less practical evidence for industrial economic and reliable application. Finally, the authors vision of a more efficient, economical EB-process design, by combining quasi state of the art EB-equipment components with a novel beam deflection system to practically achieve a 'Dual Beam, Four Side Crossfiring Process' for continuous strand-products, will be presented. (author)

Electro-chemically-based technologies for processing of tungsten components in fusion technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holstein, N.; Konys, J.; Krauss, W.; Lorenz, J.

2010-01-01

In fusion technology layers and bulk components fabricated from tungsten and W-alloys are used as functional materials, e.g. as coatings of blanket modules or T-permeation barriers and also as structural components in a He-cooled divertor. Their application under high heat loads and temperatures is besides manufacturing, also challenging regarding joining, caused e.g. by expansion mismatches in combination with steel or other diffusion issues. Driven by these needs, electro-chemically-based technologies were analyzed concerning their advantages in processing in the fields of soft structuring of tungsten alloys and in deposition of functional scales. The Electro-Chemistry (EC) of tungsten is characterized by its affection to build up passivation layers in aqueous media during the initial oxidation, which is the result of an unavoidable basic electrochemical reaction with water (W + 3H 2 O → WO 3 + 3H 2 ), although the element standard potential is situated between common EC material like iron and copper. (orig.)

Voice Habits and Behaviors: Voice Care Among Flamenco Singers.

Science.gov (United States)

Garzón García, Marina; Muñoz López, Juana; Y Mendoza Lara, Elvira

2017-03-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze the vocal behavior of flamenco singers, as compared with classical music singers, to establish a differential vocal profile of voice habits and behaviors in flamenco music. Bibliographic review was conducted, and the Singer's Vocal Habits Questionnaire, an experimental tool designed by the authors to gather data regarding hygiene behavior, drinking and smoking habits, type of practice, voice care, and symptomatology perceived in both the singing and the speaking voice, was administered. We interviewed 94 singers, divided into two groups: the flamenco experimental group (FEG, n = 48) and the classical control group (CCG, n = 46). Frequency analysis, a Likert scale, and discriminant and exploratory factor analysis were used to obtain a differential profile for each group. The FEG scored higher than the CCG in speaking voice symptomatology. The FEG scored significantly higher than the CCG in use of "inadequate vocal technique" when singing. Regarding voice habits, the FEG scored higher in "lack of practice and warm-up" and "environmental habits." A total of 92.6% of the subjects classified themselves correctly in each group. The Singer's Vocal Habits Questionnaire has proven effective in differentiating flamenco and classical singers. Flamenco singers are exposed to numerous vocal risk factors that make them more prone to vocal fatigue, mucosa dehydration, phonotrauma, and muscle stiffness than classical singers. Further research is needed in voice training in flamenco music, as a means to strengthen the voice and enable it to meet the requirements of this musical genre. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acoustic Analysis of Voice in Singers: A Systematic Review

Science.gov (United States)

Gunjawate, Dhanshree R.; Ravi, Rohit; Bellur, Rajashekhar

2018-01-01

Purpose: Singers are vocal athletes having specific demands from their voice and require special consideration during voice evaluation. Presently, there is a lack of standards for acoustic evaluation in them. The aim of the present study was to systematically review the available literature on the acoustic analysis of voice in singers. Method: A…

Decision Gate Process for Assessment of a NASA Technology Development Portfolio

Science.gov (United States)

Kohli, Rajiv; Fishman, Julianna L.; Hyatt, Mark J.

2012-01-01

The NASA Dust Management Project (DMP) was established to provide technologies (to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6) required to address adverse effects of lunar dust to humans and to exploration systems and equipment, to reduce life cycle cost and risk, and to increase the probability of sustainable and successful lunar missions. The technology portfolio of DMP consisted of different categories of technologies whose final product was either a technology solution in itself, or one that contributes toward a dust mitigation strategy for a particular application. A Decision Gate Process (DGP) was developed to assess and validate the achievement and priority of the dust mitigation technologies as the technologies progress through the development cycle. The DGP was part of continuous technology assessment and was a critical element of DMP risk management. At the core of the process were technology-specific criteria developed to measure the success of each DMP technology in attaining the technology readiness levels assigned to each decision gate. The DGP accounts for both categories of technologies and qualifies the technology progression from technology development tasks to application areas. The process provided opportunities to validate performance, as well as to identify non-performance in time to adjust resources and direction. This paper describes the overall philosophy of the DGP and the methodology for implementation for DMP, and describes the method for defining the technology evaluation criteria. The process is illustrated by example of an application to a specific DMP technology.

Sound induced activity in voice sensitive cortex predicts voice memory ability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca eWatson

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The ‘temporal voice areas’ (TVAs (Belin et al., 2000 of the human brain show greater neuronal activity in response to human voices than to other categories of nonvocal sounds. However, a direct link between TVA activity and voice perceptionbehaviour has not yet been established. Here we show that a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI measure of activity in the TVAs predicts individual performance at a separately administered voice memory test. This relation holds whengeneral sound memory ability is taken into account. These findings provide the first evidence that the TVAs are specifically involved in voice cognition.

Integrating cues of social interest and voice pitch in men's preferences for women's voices.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Benedict C; Feinberg, David R; Debruine, Lisa M; Little, Anthony C; Vukovic, Jovana

2008-04-23

Most previous studies of vocal attractiveness have focused on preferences for physical characteristics of voices such as pitch. Here we examine the content of vocalizations in interaction with such physical traits, finding that vocal cues of social interest modulate the strength of men's preferences for raised pitch in women's voices. Men showed stronger preferences for raised pitch when judging the voices of women who appeared interested in the listener than when judging the voices of women who appeared relatively disinterested in the listener. These findings show that voice preferences are not determined solely by physical properties of voices and that men integrate information about voice pitch and the degree of social interest expressed by women when forming voice preferences. Women's preferences for raised pitch in women's voices were not modulated by cues of social interest, suggesting that the integration of cues of social interest and voice pitch when men judge the attractiveness of women's voices may reflect adaptations that promote efficient allocation of men's mating effort.