Development of service-oriented products based on the inverse manufacturing concept

To achieve sustainability, resource consumption and waste generation must be drastically decreased. For societal acceptance, preservation of both quality of life and corporate profits are essential. One promising approach is to shift the source of value from the amount of product sold to the quality of services the product provides. This paper describes the need for redesigning recycling systems from a manufacturing perspective and then discusses the possibility of this "servicification" of products, describing our experience with prototype development. We discuss development of product prototypes and their business, using consumer facsimile machines as an example of "service-oriented products". Traditional thought presumes that only products comprising new materials and components are valuable. Consideration of a service-oriented product can serve as a stimulus to revise this mode of thought and to control delivery and quality of disposed products. This paper also provides a life cycle simulation of the developed service-oriented business. Simulation results indicate that service-oriented business can potentially reduce environmental impact while extending business opportunities from the viewpoint of whole product life cycles.     

Fast agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm using Locality-Sensitive Hashing

The single linkage method is a fundamental agglomerative hierarchical clustering algorithm. This algorithm regards each point as a single cluster initially. In the agglomeration step, it connects a pair of clusters such that the distance between the nearest members is the shortest. This step is repeated until only one cluster remains. The single linkage method can efficiently detect clusters in arbitrary shapes. However, a drawback of this method is a large time complexity of O(n ²), where n represents the number of data points. This time complexity makes this method infeasible for large data. This paper proposes a fast approximation algorithm for the single linkage method. Our algorithm reduces the time complexity to O(nB) by rapidly finding the near clusters to be connected by Locality-Sensitive Hashing, a fast algorithm for the approximate nearest neighbor search. Here, B represents the maximum number of points going into a single hash entry and it practically diminishes to a small constant as compared to n for sufficiently large hash tables. Experimentally, we show that (1) the proposed algorithm obtains clustering results similar to those obtained by the single linkage method and (2) it runs faster for large data than the single linkage method. Hisashi Koga received the M.S. and Ph.D. degree in information science in 1995 and 2002, respectively, from the University of Tokyo. From 1995 to 2003, he worked as a researcher at Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. Since 2003, he has been a faculty member at the University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo (Japan). Currently, he is an associate professor at the Graduate School of Information Systems, University of Electro-Communications. His research interest includes various kinds of algorithms such as clustering algorithms, on-line algorithms, and algorithms in network communications. Tetsuo Ishibashi received the M.E. degree in information systems design from the Graduate School of Information Systems at the University of Electro-Communications in 2004. Presently, he is a system engineer at Fujitsu Broad Solution & Consulting Inc. Toshinori Watanabe received the B.E. degree in aeronautical engineering in 1971 and the D.E. degree in 1985, both from the University of Tokyo. In 1971, he worked at Hitachi as a researcher in the field of information systems design. His experience includes demand forecasting, inventory and production management, VLSI design automation, knowledge-based nonlinear optimizer, and a case-based evolutionary learning system nicknamed TAMPOPO. He also engaged in FGCS (Fifth Generation Computer System) project of Japan and developed a new hierarchical message-passing parallel cooperative VLSI layout problem solver that ran on PIM (Parallel Inference Machine) in 1991. Since 1992, he has been a professor at the Graduate School of Information Systems, University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo, Japan. His areas of interest include media analysis, learning intelligence, and the semantics of information systems. He is a member of the IEEE.     

Extraction rice-planted areas by RADARSAT data using neural networks

A classification technique using the neural networks has recently been developed. We apply a neural network of learning vector quantization (LVQ) to classify remote-sensing data, including microwave and optical sensors, for the estimation of a rice-planted area. The method has the capability of nonlinear discrimination, and the classification function is determined by learning. The satellite data were observed before and after planting rice in 1999. Three sets of RADARSAT and one set of SPOT/HRV data were used in Higashi–Hiroshima, Japan. Three RADARSAT images from April to June were used for this study. The LVQ classification was applied the RADARSAT and SPOT to evaluate the estimate of the area of planted-rice. The results show that the true production rate of the rice-planted area estimation of RADASAT by LVQ was approximately 60% compared with that of SPOT by LVQ. It is shown that the present method is much better than the SAR image classification by the maximum likelihood method.     

HDD seeking acoustics analysis by a transfer function approach

A new approach to analyze HDD seeking acoustics is proposed. An acoustic transfer function was derived that has seeking current as input and seeking acoustics as response. The derivation and the advantage and limitation of this acoustic transfer function approach is discussed in details in this paper. HDD seeking acoustics is mainly determined by the seeking current spectrum and the mechanical design. The acoustics transfer function represents the mechanical design, and was used to diagnose trouble mechanical modes and to guide servo design to reduce specific seeking current frequency content. The acoustic transfer function approach also enables quick performance prediction of combination of different mechanical designs and seeking currents. Various HDDs with different seeking current profiles and mechanical designs were evaluated experimentally and numerically. Finally, a new seeking servo algorithm was evaluated, and good agreement was shown between the numerical prediction using the acoustics transfer function approach and the measured seeking acoustics.     

Cermet-type hydrogen separation membrane obtained from fine particles of high temperature proton-conductive oxide and palladium

A mixed ionic and electronic conducting hydrogen separation membrane, which consisted of proton-conductive oxide and metallic palladium, was fabricated. A porous alumina tube was employed as a support, and proton-conductive oxide particles were introduced into a microporous top layer of the support by an impregnation method. Palladium particles were deposited into the same porous layer by chemical vapor deposition. Hydrogen permeated preferentially via the membrane thus obtained with a hydrogen permeance (PH₂) of 1.2 × 10^− 9 mol·m^− 2·s^− 1·Pa^− 1 at 873 K. Selectivity for hydrogen (PH₂/PN₂) increased with the operating temperature due to an increase in proton conductivity of the membrane, and PH₂/PN₂ = 5.7 was attained at 873 K.     

Low-Force Electric Contact Processes on Cu Electrodes

A contact process between large-scale integration (LSI) pads and test probes at low contact force is a key to developing a probe card with smaller pitch and higher pin count. In this paper, we report on the characteristics of low-force contact methods on Cu electrodes. One is the fritting process, in which an electric breakdown is utilized to break the surface oxide, and the other is the heating treatment in hydrogen gas aimed at deoxidizing the surface Cu oxide. Conventional tungsten needle probes were used as testing probes, and contact resistances at low contact force of 1-5 mN were measured. Contact resistances smaller than 1 Omega were obtained by the fritting processes, in which the voltage and the current were 10 V and 280-320 mA, respectively. A deoxidization process at over 260degC was found to be effective for decreasing the contact resistance. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was utilized to investigate the surface state of hydrogen-treated Cu, and the deoxidization of Cu₂O to Cu was observed in samples treated at 260degC, while no change was found in that at 150degC.     

Real-time exploration of a multi-robot rescue system in disaster areas

A system procedure is proposed for a multi-robot rescue system that performs real-time exploration over disaster areas. Real-time exploration means that every robot exploring the area always has a communication path to human operators standing by at a base station and that the communication path is configured by ad hoc wireless networking. Real-time exploration is essential in multi-robot systems for USAR (urban search and rescue) because operators must communicate with every robot to support the victim detection process and ad hoc networking is suitable to configure a communication path among obstacles. The proposed system procedure consists of the autonomous classification of robots into search and relay types and behavior algorithms for each class of robot. Search robots explore the areas and relay robots act as relay terminals between search robots and the base station. The rule of the classification and the behavior algorithm refer to the forwarding table of each robot constructed for ad hoc networking. The table construction is based on DSDV (destination-sequenced distance vector) routing that informs each robot of its topological position in the network and other essentials. Computer simulations are executed with a specific exploration strategy of search robots. The results show that a multi-robot rescue system can perform real-time exploration with the proposed system procedure and reduce exploration time in comparison with the case where the proposed scheme is not adopted.     

Shape space estimation by higher-rank of SOM

The aim of this study is to develop an estimation method for a shape space. In this work, “shape space” means a nonlinear subspace formed by a class of visual shapes, in which the continuous change in shapes is naturally represented. By using the shape space, various operations dealing with shapes, such as identification, classification, recognition, and interpolation can be carried out in the shape space. This paper introduces an algorithm based on a generative model of shapes. A higher-rank of the self-organizing map (SOM²) is used to implement the shape space estimation method. We use this method to estimate the shape space of artificial contours. In addition, we present results from a simulation of omnidirectional camera images taken from mobile robots. Our technique accurately predicts changes in image properties as the robot’s attitude changes. Finally, we consider the addition of local features to our method. We show that the inclusion of local features solves the correspondence problem. These results suggest the potential of our technique in the future.     

Spectral interferometric microscope with tandem liquid-crystal Fabry-Perot interferometers for extension of the dynamic range in three-dimensional step-height measurement

The maximum measurable range of a spectral interference microscope depends on the coherence length of the light transmitted by its tunable spectral filter. To achieve a large range in step-height measurement we have developed a new tunable spectral filter that uses tandem liquid-crystal Fabry-Perot interferometers (LC-FPIs), which can simultaneously attain both a high spectral resolution and a large tuning range. Fringe visibility measurements were carried out, and it was found that the coherence length of the light transmitted through tandem LC-FPIs is two times larger than that transmitted through a single LC-FPI. Using this novel tunable spectral filter, we developed a new spectral interference microscope for the measurement of three-dimensional shapes of discontinuous objects. Experimental results of step-height measurements both with a single LC-FPI and with tandem LC-FPIs are presented for a combination of standard steel gauge block sets with 1-, 99-, and 100-microm steps. A large range (1-100 microm) of measurement with submicrometer resolution was achieved with tandem LC-FPIs that was not possible with our previous system in which a single LC-FPI was used.     

Analysis of trichothecenes in barley tea and beer by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A simple method for analysis of trichothecenes [Type A: diacetoxyscirpenol, neosolaniol, HT-2 toxin, and T-2 toxin, Type B: deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, fusarenon-X, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, 15-acetyldeoxynivarenol] in barley tea and beer using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) was developed. Trichothecenes were extracted with ethyl acetate-methanol (19:1). The solvent was evaporated to dryness and the residue was dissolved in water-methanol (3:1) for injection into the LC/MS/MS. The LC separation was performed with an octadecylated silica column at a flow-rate of 0.2 mL/min, using a mobile phase consisting of water, methanol and acetonitrile. MS/MS was used in multiple reaction monitoring, employing electrospray ionization (ESI-MRM). The recoveries of trichothecenes from drinks at 1 microg/L (Type A) and 10 microg/L (Type B) were 52.5-115.2% (barley tea) and 68.1-127.5% (beer). Five barley tea and ten beer samples were analyzed by this method. Trichothecenes were not detected in them. This method may have applications in quality assurance.