Feature extraction and ML techniques for static gesture recognition

The main objective of this study is to explore the utility of a neural network-based approach in hand gesture recognition. The proposed system presents two recognition algorithms to recognize a set of six specific static hand gestures, namely open, close, cut, paste, maximize, and minimize. The hand gesture image is passed through three stages: preprocessing, feature extraction, and classification. In the first method, the hand contour is used as a feature that treats scaling and translation of problems (in some cases). However, the complex moment algorithm is used to describe the hand gesture and to treat the rotation problem in addition to scaling and translation. The back-propagation learning algorithm is employed in the multilayer neural network classifier. The second method proposed in this article achieves better recognition rate than the first method.     

Fabricating capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers with wafer-bonding technology

Introduces a new method for fabricating capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) that uses a wafer bonding technique. The transducer membrane and cavity are defined on an SOI (silicon-on-insulator) wafer and on a prime wafer, respectively. Then, using silicon direct bonding in a vacuum environment, the two wafers are bonded together to form a transducer. This new technique, capable of fabricating large CMUTs, offers advantages over the traditionally micromachined CMUTs. First, forming a vacuum-sealed cavity is relatively easy since the wafer bonding is performed in a vacuum chamber. Second, this process enables better control over the gap height, making it possible to fabricate very small gaps (less than 0.1 /spl mu/m). Third, since the membrane is made of single crystal silicon, it is possible to predict and control the mechanical properties of the membrane to within 5%. Finally, the number of process steps involved in making a CMUT has been reduced from 22 to 15, shortening the device turn-around time. All of these advantages provide repeatable fabrication of CMUTs featuring predictable center frequency, bandwidth, and collapse voltage.     

Analysis of different factors affecting cathodic protection for deep well casings

This paper introduces a comparative theoretical investigation of the conventional cathodic protection (CP) and the pulse cathodic protection (PCP) systems to show how both of them behave under different operating conditions. The effectiveness of the PCP system is also highlighted for a typical large‐scale configuration as well as some field measurements have been carried out. The performance of PCP system has been analyzed in the light of getting better protection‐current distribution along the protected well casing at reduced anode current together with reducing the stray current (corrosion) at any nearby unprotected structure(s). Many factors have been investigated to show their effects on the performance of the CP system, namely, soil resistivity, voltage pulse waveform and frequency, and multi‐layer soil. In addition, the performance of both the conventional CP and the PCP systems has been compared to that when utilizing unused/abandoned well casing as anode energized by the conventional CP system. The PCP system shows better performance than that of the conventional CP, and a similar performance at high soil resistivity to that when using unused/abandoned well casing. On the other hand, the utilization of the unused/abandoned well casing gives superior performance, especially at low soil resistivities, where the protection‐current profiles of both the conventional CP and the PCP systems decay sharply.     

Testing for heteroskedasticity and spatial correlation in a random effects panel data model

A panel data regression model with heteroskedastic as well as spatially correlated disturbances is considered, and a joint LM test for homoskedasticity and no spatial correlation is derived. In addition, a conditional LM test for no spatial correlation given heteroskedasticity, as well as a conditional LM test for homoskedasticity given spatial correlation, are also derived. These LM tests are compared with marginal LM tests that ignore heteroskedasticity in testing for spatial correlation, or spatial correlation in testing for homoskedasticity. Monte Carlo results show that these LM tests, as well as their LR counterparts, perform well, even for small N and T. However, misleading inferences can occur when using marginal, rather than joint or conditional LM tests when spatial correlation or heteroskedasticity is present.     

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic Lamb wave transducers using rectangular membranes

This paper details the theory, fabrication, and characterization of a new Lamb wave device. Built using capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs), the structure described uses rectangular membranes to excite and receive Lamb waves on a silicon substrate. An equivalent circuit model for the transducer is proposed that produces results, which match well with those observed by experiment. During the derivation of this model, emphasis is placed on the resistance presented to the transducer membranes by the Lamb wave modes. Finite element analysis performed in this effort shows that the dominant propagating mode in the device is the lowest order antisymmetric flexural wave (A/sub 0/). Furthermore, most of the power that couples into the Lamb wave is due to energy in the vibrating membrane that is transferred to the substrate through the supporting posts of the device. The manufacturing process of the structure, which relies solely on fundamental IC-fabrication techniques, is also discussed. The resulting device has an 18 /spl mu/m-thick substrate that is almost entirely made up of crystalline silicon and operates at a frequency of 2.1 MHz. The characterization of this device includes S-parameter and laser vibrometer measurements as well as delay-line transmission data. The insertion loss, as determined by both S-parameter and delay-line transmission measurements, is 20 dB at 2.1 MHz. When configured as a delay-line oscillator, the device functions well as a sensor with sensitivity to changes in the mass loading of its substrate.     

Study of the Interactions of Organic Sulfides with Active Species in the Cationic Polymerization of 1,3-Pentadiene

Summary Different alkyl sulfides (dimethylsulfide, ditertiobutylsulfide and diphenylsulfide) were investigated in the polymerization of 1,3-pentadiene initiated by aluminum trichloride in polar solvent in order to control the polymerization and to study the interaction between the electron donor and the active species. Thus, it was found that dimethylsulfide totally inhibited the polymerization, while thanks to its steric hindrance the polymerization occurred in the presence of ditertiobutylsulfide. However, for this electron donor, a transfer activity was evidenced at room temperature and at 0°C, which contributes to prevent the control of the polymerization. Diphenylsulfide stabilizes a little the active centers with nearly no transfer reaction. However in the studied experimental conditions, the stabilization was not sufficient to obtain a living polymerization.