Subsurface structures in initial stage of FeSi2 growth studied by high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy

The initial stage of iron silicide formation is investigated by high-resolution Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. During the Fe deposition on Si(001) at 470 °C, the formation of FeSi₂ is confirmed by the surface peak analysis. Initially, FeSi₂ grows epitaxially so that one of the major crystallographic axes is parallel to the <111> axis of the Si substrate. With increasing Fe deposition, the deviation between the major crystallographic axis of the silicide region and Si<111> increases although the electron diffraction pattern is independent of the amount of Fe deposition. Therefore, the subsurface crystallographic structure of iron silicide is transformed from a cubic-like to a low-symmetry structure.     

Effect of SiC on Interfacial Reaction and Sintering Mechanism of TiB2

Compacts of TiB₂ with densities approaching 100% are difficult to obtain using pressureless sintering. The addition of SiC was very effective in improving the sinterability of TiB₂. The oxygen content of the raw TiB₂ powder used in this research was 1.5 wt%. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that the powder surface consisted mainly of TiO₂ and B₂O₃. Using vacuum sintering at 1700°C under 13–0.013 Pa, TiB₂ samples containing 2.5 wt% SiC achieved 96% of their theoretical density, and a density of 99% was achieved by HIPing. TEM observations revealed that SiC reacts to form an amorphous phase. TEM-EELS analysis indicated that the amorphous phase includes Si, O, and Ti, and X-ray diffraction showed the reaction to be TiO₂+ SiC → SiO₂+ TiC. Therefore, the improved sinterability of TiB₂ resulted from the SiO₂ liquid phase that was formed during sintering when the raw TiB₂ powder had 1.5 wt% oxygen.     

Depolymerization of fluoroalkyl methacrylate polymers as studied with thermogravimetry

Thermal behaviors of a few kinds of poly(fluoroalkyl methacrylate) prepared by γ-or UV-ray polymerization were investigated by using thermogravimetric measurements with the intermittent analysis of the gaseous products. The degradation of fluoroalkyl methacrylate polymers, monomeric units of which were CH₂=C(CH₃)COOCH₂(CF₂CF₂)_nH, n = 1, 2, and 3, proceeded according to the depolymerization mechanism reproducing the pristine monomer exclusively, but the thermogram in inert atmosphere showed the features of a two-step reaction. Two species of polymer differing in the heat stability were supposed to exist in the polymeric substance produced by γ- or UV-ray irradiation, and the fraction of polymer having lower heat stability increased with the increasing length of the fluoroalkyl ester group. In air, however, the thermogram of poly(fluoroalkyl methacrylate) showed no such a stepwise weight decrease as was observed in inert atomsphere with the elevating temperature, and the temperatures at which the depolymerization was introduced shifted to a much higher region. The results were ascribed to the reaction of initiating polymer radicals produced on polymer having lower stability with oxygen to form hydroperoxide, which once stabilized the polymer radicals and obstructed the initiaition of the unzipping reaction till higher temperature.     

Depolymerization of poly(fluoroalkyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) as studied with thermogravimetry

Thermal behaviors of a few kinds of poly(fluoroalkyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) prepared by γ-ray copolymerization were investigated by using thermogravimetric measurements together with the intermittent analysis of the gaseous products. The thermal degradation of copolymers composed of one of fluoroalkyl methacrylates of the following structures: CH₂?C(CH₃)COOCH₂(CF₂CF₂)_nH, where n = 1,2, and 3, and methyl methacrylate proceeded according to the depolymerization mechanism reproducing the pristine component comonomers exclusively, but their thermograms in inert atmosphere showed the feature of a two-step reaction. In air, however, thermograms of copolymers did not show such a stepwise decrease in weight with the elevating temperature, and temperatures at which depolymerization was introduced shifted to a much higher region. The overall aspects of depolymerization of copolymers seemed to be much similar to that of fluoroalkyl methacrylate homopolymer previously reported, and the retardation of depolymerization by air was considered to be due mainly to the stabilization of once-formed polymer radicals by oxygen.     

An incentive game based evolutionary model for crowd sensing networks

Crowd sensing networks can be used for large scale sensing of the physical world or other information service by leveraging the available sensors on the phones. The collector hopes to collect as much as sensed data at relatively low cost. However, the sensing participants want to earn much money at low cost. This paper examines the evolutionary process among participants sensing networks and proposes an evolutionary game model to depict collaborative game phenomenon in the crowd sensing networks based on the principles of game theory in economics. A effectively incentive mechanism is established through corrected the penalty function of the game model accordance with the cooperation rates of the participant, and corrected the game times in accordance with it’s payoff. The collector controls the process of game by adjusting the price function. We find that the proposed incentive game based evolutionary model can help decision makers simulate evolutionary process under various scenarios. The crowd sensing networks structure significantly influence cooperation ratio and the total number of participant involved in the game, and the distribution of population with different game strategy. Through evolutionary game model, the manager can select an optimal price to facilitate the system reach equilibrium state quickly, and get the number of participants involved in the game. The incentive game based evolutionary model in crowd sensing networks provides valuable decision-making support to managers.     

RUNA: a multimodal command language for home robot users

This article describes a multimodal command language for home robot users, and a robot system which interprets users’ messages in the language through microphones, visual and tactile sensors, and control buttons. The command language comprises a set of grammar rules, a lexicon, and nonverbal events detected in hand gestures, readings of tactile sensors attached to the robots, and buttons on the controllers in the users’ hands. Prototype humanoid systems which immediately execute commands in the language are also presented, along with preliminary experiments of faceto-face interactions and teleoperations. Subjects unfamiliar with the language were able to command humanoids and complete their tasks with brief documents at hand, given a short demonstration beforehand. The command understanding system operating on PCs responded to multimodal commands without significant delay. This work was presented in part at the 13th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, January 31–February 2, 2008     

Success rates in a multimodal command language for home robot users

This article considers the success rates in a multimodal command language for home robot users. In the command language, the user specifies action types and action parameter values to direct robots in multiple modes such as speech, touch, and gesture. The success rates of commands in the language can be estimated by user evaluations in several ways. This article presents some user evaluation methods, as well as results from recent studies on command success rates. The results show that the language enables users without much training to command home robots at success rates as high as 88%–100%. It is also shown that multimodal commands combining speech and button-press actions included fewer words and were significantly more successful than single-modal spoken commands.     

Effects of core machining configuration on the debonding toughness of foam core sandwich panels

Core machining is often applied to improve the formativeness of foam core and the manufacturing effectiveness of sandwich panels. This paper investigates the effects of core machining configuration on the interfacial debonding toughness of foam core sandwich panels fabricated by vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding process. Several machining configurations are conducted to foam core, and skin–core debonding toughness of fabricated sandwich panels is evaluated using double-cantilever-beam tests. The sandwich panels with core cuts exhibited higher apparent fracture toughness than the panels without core cut, specifically in the case of perforated core. The relationship between core machining configuration and measured fracture toughness is discussed based on the experimental observations and the numerical analyses of energy release rates.