Commercial Speech Recognition Technology in the Military Domain: Results of Two Recent Research Efforts

While speech recognition technology has long held the potential for improving the effectiveness of military operations, it has only been within the last several years that speech systems have enabled the realization of that potential. Commercial speech recognition technology developments aimed at improving robustness for automotive and cellular phone applications have capabilities that can be exploited in various military systems. This paper discusses the results of two research efforts directed toward applying commercial-off-the-shelf speech recognition technology in the military domain. The first effort discussed is the development and evaluation of a speech recognition interface to the Theater Air Planning system responsible for the generation of air tasking orders in a military Air Operations Center. The second effort examined the utility of speech versus conventional manual input for tasks performed by operators in an unmanned aerial vehicle control station simulator. Both efforts clearly demonstrate the military benefits obtainable from the proper application of speech technology.     

Inclusion precipitation diagram for the Fe-O-Ca-AI system

The inclusion precipitation diagram for the Fe-O-Ca-Al system at 1823 K was developed in terms of Henrian activities from thermodynamic data. In the diagram, stability surfaces separate the O-Ca-Al saturated and unsaturated volumes and the location of a point represents the chemistry of the steel. By allowing the chemistry of the steel to change by the formation of reaction products, the sequence of precipitation of the inclusion phases can be predicted. From the inclusion precipitation diagram, projections of interphase boundaries on the Ca-Al, Ca-O and Al-O planes and the stability lines for constant aluminum contents, it was concluded that 1) the Ca:Al ratio in liquid iron determines the identity of the inclusion phases, 2) the calcium and aluminum contents can vary over a narrow range for each calcium aluminate phase, 3) in steels containing aluminum with an activity >0.01, calcium has little effect as a deoxidizer, and 4) close control of the calcium and aluminum contents is required to obtain a specific calcium aluminate inclusion phase. Activity coefficients are hypothesized that relate the ratios of the calcium and aluminum contents of liquid steel, the identity of the precipitating inclusion phases and the calculated activity ratioshCa/hAl. Formerly Graduate Student, State University of NY at Buffalo     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(N-acryloyl’-methyl piperazinium(+1)) tetrachlorometallate (II) compounds

Summary The interactions of metal ions with poly(N-acryloyl N-methyl piperazine) in the solid state were studied. The Cu(II) and Zn(II) compounds were prepared and characterized by means of elemental analysis; FT-IR, electronic spectroscopies, and thermogravimetric analysis. PM3 semiempirical calculations on the polymer conformations and the Zn(II) complex have been performed. The piperazine group in the polymer shows the conformations; namely; the chair and a distorted chair conformation. Both structures differ by just ca. 10 kcal/mol. In the compounds MCl₄(PAPH)₂ the MCl₄ ^2- complex ion presents a distorted tetrahedral geometry. The electronic spectrum of the yellow Cu(II) coordination compound shows a band at 894 nm. In the IR spectra, an absorption band at 3020 cm^-1 has been assigned to the v(N-H) stretching mode of the NH⁺ group. The protonated nitrogen atom is the one bonded to the methyl group due to the larger basicity according to the calculated electronic charge density and to the lower steric hindrance. The interaction of the MCl₄ ^2- anion and the polymer is achieved by hydrogen bonding at the NH⁺ group and the chloride with N-H ···Cl distances lying betwen 1.7 to 3.3 A°.     

In vitro cellular response to titanium electrochemically coated with hydroxyapatite compared to titanium with three different levels of surface roughness

The in vitro response of primary human osteoblast-like (HOB) cells to a novel hydroxyapatite (HA) coated titanium substrate, produced by a low temperature electrochemical method, was compared to three different titanium surfaces: as-machined, Al₂O₃-blasted, plasma-sprayed with titanium particles. HOB cells were cultured on different surfaces for 3, 7 and 14 days at 37 °C. The cell morphology was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cell growth and proliferation were assessed by the measurement of total cellular DNA and tritiated thymidine incorporation. Measurement of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) production was used as an indicator of the phenotype of the cultured HOB cells. After three days incubation, the electrochemically coated HA surface produced the highest level of cell proliferation, and the Al₂O₃-blasted surface the lowest. Interestingly, as the incubation time was increased to 7 days all surfaces produced a large drop in tritiated thymidine incorporation apart from the Al₂O₃-blasted surface, which showed a small increase. Cells cultured on all four surfaces showed an increased expression of ALP with increased incubation time, although there was not a statistically significant difference between surfaces at each time point. Typical osteoblast morphology was observed for cells cultured on all samples. The HA coated sample showed evidence of a deposited phase after three days of incubation, which was not observed on any other surface. Cells incubated on the HA coated substrate appeared to exhibit the highest number of cell processes attaching to the surface, which was indicative of optimal cell attachment. The crystalline HA coating, produced by a low temperature route, appeared to result in a more bioactive surface on the c.p. Ti substrate than was observed for the other three different Ti surfaces.     

Sexual-abuse experiences in a clinical population: Comparisons of familial and nonfamilial abuse.

Examined the characteristics and long-term sequelae of sexual-abuse (SA) experiences of 101 women (aged 20–51 yrs) who were in outpatient group psychotherapy. Following an SA interview, 26 Ss were placed into a familial abuse (FA) group, 35 into a nonfamilial abuse group, and 26 into a no-abuse group. FA Ss reported higher current levels of depression and anxiety when thinking about the abuse. Younger age at the time of the 1st SA incident, more extensive sexual involvement during the abuse, and a greater number of lifetime abuse incidents were associated with higher levels of reported distress about the abuse. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Enhancement of social learning family interventions for childhood conduct disorder.

Identifies approaches for maximizing treatment gains for the conduct-disordered child. Relevant studies were organized into 3 approaches: enhancements and expansions (a) within a dyadic (parent–child) interaction model, (b) within a broad-based model that acknowledges a wider range of family influences, and (c) through a multisystems model. Social learning family intervention (SLFI) enhancements within the dyadic model have centered on either the strengthening of parental skills already included in the SLFI regimen or the adding of new interactional strategies. Some gains, but only partial success, have been achieved with the dyadic model supplements. SLFI expansions from a broad-based model have focused on parental adjustment, parental expectations during treatment, and social-environmental stressors. The multisystems adjuncts to SLFI include cognitive-behavioral interventions to affect peer relations and ecological approaches to sweep across domains. The broad-based and multisystems expansions have produced promising but undertested treatment regimens. Related areas of investigation included therapy process research, medication combined with SLFI, and the involvement of fathers in treatment. Recommendations are offered for improvement of SLFI research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The mother-professional model in academia.

Asserts that universities must stop discriminating against women who must combine professional and familial responsibilities. Part-time faculty appointments for female academic psychologists would facilitate self-esteem and reduce uncertainty about future employment. (0 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Maximizing and role of correction method in probability learning in chicks.

Results of 3 experiments with a total of 41 White Leghorn chicks show that Ss were able to maximize on both 70:30 visual and spatial probability tasks. This contradicts M. E. Bitterman's view that avian species match on visual probability learning, whereas mammalian species maximize. The method of unlimited correction attenuated the rate of maximizing by chicks on a 70:30 spatial 2-key operant task; limited or discrete-trial correction did not attenuate maximizing on the same task. Unlimited correction did not attenuate maximizing on a 70:30 spatial, T-maze task. It is concluded that correction attenuates maximizing by reducing trial discreteness, which, in turn, may interfere with accuracy in estimating event probabilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)