International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1987 / Town and Country Hotel, San Diego, California / The Deep Space Network is responsible for the acquisition of in-situ science and engineering measurements and navigation data from spacecraft whose missions are to explore the Solar System. It must respond to new opportunities in the mission set supported so as to maintain or enhance mission science value. The large capital investment in such a Network mandates an evolutionary design approach wherein upgrades can be effected at low cost, and if appropriate, on existing capability. The 64-Meter antenna design, completed in 1963, is an example of this approach, in that it has permitted a relatively low-cost upgrade which increases performance significantly. The technology assessment was completed in 1975, and the option was exercised in 1986, when needed. Several key characteristics of the DSN design approach, the costs to upgrade performance over the past several decades, and some fundamental constraints on performance are discussed. Finally, the specific 70-Meter upgrade task and resulting overall benefits to Voyager-Neptune and the mission set are summarized.

Navigation in large spaces is essential in any environment (both the real world and the virtual world) because one of the human fundamental needs is to know the surrounding environment and to freely navigate within the environment. For successful navigation in large-scale virtual environments (VEs), accurate spatial knowledge is required, especially in training and learning application domains. By acquiring accurate spatial knowledge, people can effectively understand spatial layout and objects in environments. In addition, spatial knowledge acquired from a large- scale VE can effectively be transferred to the real world activities. Numerous navigation techniques have been proposed to support successful navigation and effective spatial knowledge acquisition in large-scale VEs. Among them, walking-like navigation techniques have been shown to support spatial knowledge acquisition more effectively in large-scale VEs, compared to non-body-based and non-walking-based navigation techniques. However, walking-like navigation techniques in large-scale VEs still have some issues, such as whole-body fatigue, large-controlled-space and specialized system configuration that make the walking-like navigation techniques less convenient, and consequently less commonly used. Due to these issues, convenient non-walking-like navigation techniques are preferred although they are less effective for spatial learning. While most research and development efforts are centered around walking- like navigation techniques, a fresh approach is needed to effectively and conveniently support for human spatial learning. We propose an action-inspired approach, to design convenient and effective navigation techniques for supporting people to acquire accurate spatial knowledge acquisition or improve spatial learning. The action-inspired approach is based on our insights from learning, neuropsychological and neurophysiological theories. The theories suggest that action and perception are closely related and core elements of learning. Our observations indicated that specific body-parts are not necessarily related to learning. We identified two types of action-inspired approach, body-turn based and action-transferred. Body- turn based approach keeps body-turn but replaces cyclic leg-movements of original walking action with more convenient control to resolve the issues presented from walking-like navigation techniques. Action-transferred approach addresses the design trade-offs between effectiveness and convenience, the core concept of which is grounded in the motor equivalence theory. We provided two navigation techniques, body-turn based and action-transferred based ones, and demonstrated the benefits of our approach by evaluating these two navigation techniques for spatial knowledge acquisition in several empirical studies. We also developed our own walking-like navigation technique, Sensor- Fusion Walking-in-Place (SF-WIP) because we needed a reference navigation technique for estimating the effect of the action-transferred navigation technique on spatial knowledge acquisition compared to that of a walking-like navigation technique. We performed empirical user studies and the experimental results showed that body-turn based navigation technique was more effective for survey knowledge acquisition in a large-scale virtual maze, compared to a wand-joystick based common navigation technique (JS, i.e., non-body-based and non-walking-like navigation technique). However, no significant difference was found for route knowledge acquisition while the SF-WIP was more effective than the JS for both route and survey knowledge acquisition. The results of the SF-WIP were compatible to the results from other studies (using walking-like navigation techniques). The action-transferred navigation technique, named Finger-Walking-in-Place (FWIP), was more effective for both route and survey knowledge acquisition than the JS in the same large-scale, large-extent and visually impoverished virtual maze. In addition, our empirical studies showed that the SF-WIP and the FWIP are similarly effective for route and survey knowledge acquisition, suggesting that human's spatial learning ability is still supported by the transferred action (FWIP) as much as the original action (SF-WIP). Since there was no significant difference between FWIP and SF-WIP but the FWIP showed the better effect than the JS on spatial knowledge acquisition, we can infer that our action-transferred approach is useful for designing convenient and effective navigation techniques for spatial learning. Some design implications are discussed, suggesting that our action-transferred approach is not limited to navigation techniques and can be extensively used to design (general) interaction techniques. In particular, action-transferred design can be more effectively used for the users with disabilities (unable to use of a part of the body) or for fatigue/convenience reasons. Related to our theoretical reasoning, we established another user study to explore if the transferred action is still coupled with the perception that is known as coupled with the original action. Our study results supported that there was a close connection between distance perception and transferred action as literature suggests. Thus, this dissertation successfully supports our theoretical observations and our action-inspired approach to design of convenient and effective navigation techniques for spatial learning through our empirical studies. Although our conclusion is drawn from the empirical studies using a couple of NavTechs (body-turn and FWIP), and is therefore not the direct evidence at the neural level, it should be notable that our action-inspired design approach for effective spatial learning is strongly supported by the theories that have been demonstrated by a number of studies over time. / Ph. D.

Many people have visual impairment and make up a population that is increasing each year. Haptic technology is often used to assist members of this population by providing a way of understanding visual information. Although haptic technology is relatively new, it is widely applied across a variety of domains (research and industry). However, a great number of users are dissatisfied with their assistive technology applications. Unfortunately, such dissatisfaction is likely to cause abandonment of the technology devices. In particular, recent research shows that the adoption rate of haptic technology is low. Discontinuing the use of assistive technology devices ultimately results in a waste of time, money, freedom, and reduced function for individuals with disabilities. Of all the factors that lead to abandonment, the most significant is the failure to meet user needs. Whether existing design approaches properly reflect assistive technology user needs should be explored, especially for haptic technology. Existing design approaches have rarely considered the heterogeneous needs of users in the same disability category (i.e., visual disability). Most previous studies on assistive technology have been oriented towards those with total blindness as opposed to those with residual vision (also referred to as low vision). In addition, researchers have paid less attention to older adults with low vision in terms of individual differences in haptic user interface (HUI) needs. There is also some doubt about the applicability of existing design approaches in such design contexts as users with visual disabilities using haptic user interfaces. The aim of this research was to investigate individual differences in users' capabilities in the haptic modality and user needs in HUIs. Particularly, age-related and vision-related individual differences were explored. Another aim was to develop a more accessible design approach applicable to users with visual disabilities and HUIs. The magnitude estimation technique was employed to examine how participants (classified by vision and age) perceive the same objective stimulus, such as haptic perception, differently. Brain plasticity theory was primarily applied to modify the existing design approach, PICTIVE. The effectiveness of modified and original PICTIVE methods was investigated in terms of the frequency of statements, gestures, satisfaction, and time to complete a given design task. HUI user needs were elicited from participants and were analyzed to understand age-related and vision-related individual differences. It was found that the haptic perception of the same objective stimulus was not significantly different between younger and older participants with low vision. The two age groups' overall preferences for a set of HUI user needs were not significantly different. In addition, the haptic perception of the same objective stimulus was not significantly different between sighted participants and those with low vision. The two vision groups' overall preferences on a set of HUI user needs were not significantly different as well. The two design methods resulted in significantly different outcomes. First, participants in the modified PICTIVE method made a significantly higher number of statements. Second, participants in the modified PICTIVE method showed a significantly higher number of gestures. Third, participants in the modified PICTIVE method took significantly more time because they had more design ideas to deliver. Last, both groups were satisfied with a given design method. In short, the research outcomes contribute to the advancement of knowledge and understanding of more "usable" accessibility for users with visual impairment and a more "accessible" participatory design approach to nontraditional user interfaces (i.e., haptic user interfaces) for users with visual impairment. / Ph. D.

No description available.

The aim of the thesis is twofold. First, a need is exposed for adopting a situated design perspective in designing computer-based tools that support knowledge work. Second, an examination is made of what this perspective may reveal concerning the nature of processes and relations within the design situation. This is done to understand better what it means for users and developers, as well as other stakeholders, to approach and capture the tacit knowing within the work context. The argument for adopting a situated design perspective is based on experience drawn from development projects, as well as literature reviews. In these projects, the design situations encountered are best characterized as explorative and iteratively interpreted. Here, approaching and understanding the work context, together with the users, has at best been a pursuit of the vision of the future system guided by local circumstances, and where the users had difficulties in expressing and understanding what it is they want and how they want it. This implies that formal engineering methods, where the development work is reduced to an engineering endeavor based on a rationalistic perspective, are not sufficient. The situated design perspective is presented in this thesis as a conceptual model of the design practice, highlighting its constituent worlds, processes, and relations. The model depicts designing as an explorative and sense-making process, navigating between what is wanted or envisioned and what may be negotiated and discovered. It emphasizes the importance of the artifact being designed as a means to capture, communicate, and discover what is possible in the work context. The model makes clear that the design process is highly situated, and that it cannot take place outside the work context because of interdependent relationships. It is designing within the living work context, not design for an objectified one. Thus, it cannot be planned as a pure engineering endeavor, but needs to be viewed as a situated practice.

Thesis (Ph.D, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2011-01-31 20:52:11.162 / One of the most severe hazards for buried pipelines, which are sometimes referred to as lifelines due to their essential role in delivering vital resources, is the hazard due to Permanent Ground Deformation (PGD). Earthquake induced PGD can be caused by surface faulting, landslides and seismic settlement. In this thesis, the behaviour of buried pipelines subject to normal faulting has been experimentally investigated through a series of centrifuge tests performed on both continuous and jointed pipelines. Both pipe and soil displacements were measured using image analysis. Signal processing techniques were then developed to filter this data so as to enable the calculation of curvature and other aspects of the response from the observed pipe deformations. First, a series of centrifuge tests was conducted on continuous pipelines of varying materials, representing a wide range of pipe stiffness relative to the soil and investigating the effect of pipe stiffness relative to the soil on soil-pipe interaction. The experimentally derived p-y curves at different locations along the pipe were compared to the recommended soil-pipe interaction models in the relevant guidelines. These p-y curves showed that the central shearing region was not captured well with independent soil springs. The response of the pipelines predicted by the ALA (2001) guideline, however, was shown to match the experimental data within 50%. Two new simplified design approaches were then developed. The first features calculations based on simplified pressure distributions. The second featured peak curvature normalized using a characteristic length, ipipe, the distance from peak to zero moment. A series of centrifuge tests using brittle pipes was also performed. The pipes were buried at three different depths, and the post-failure fracture angle of the pipe was measured to be used as an input for design of liners. Based on the experimental data, a computationally efficient approach was developed to estimate the initial fracture angle which occurs immediately after the pipe breaks. The last series of centrifuge tests was conducted on jointed pipelines with five different joint stiffnesses to investigate the flexural behaviour of jointed pipelines under normal faulting. Based on the observed pipe response, a simplified kinematic model was proposed to estimate the maximum joint rotation for a given geometry, pipe segment length, and the magnitude of the imposed ground displacement. / Ph.D

This thesis analyses long term and short term environmental effects on geothermal power plant performance and discusses adaptive ways to improve performance. Mokai 1 geothermal power plant has been used as a case study for this investigation. Mokai 1 is a combined cycle plant where the binary cycles are air-cooled. The plant performance of an air-cooled binary cycle geothermal power plant is dependent on the environment (resource characteristics as well as weather conditions). For modelling such a power plant, two time scales are of interest: the yearly basis for aggregate plant performance for design and operations; and the daily basis for hourly plant performances for an accurate dispatch prediction. Adaptive methodology for long term performance improvement has been introduced in this work which would save money and effort in the future by keeping the provisions to adapt to changes in resource characteristics based on geothermal reservoir modelling. The investigation was carried out using a steady state computer simulator of Mokai 1 geothermal power plant. The steady sate simulator was built specifically for this work. The deviation in performance of various components is less than 5% compared to the original plant design. The model is very generic and it can be used for other plants with simple adaptation or can be used for future plant design. One of the main contributions of this work is an iterative method for modelling the environmental effect on short term performance on the air-cooled organic Rankine cycle. The ambient temperature is identified as the most influencing parameter on short term performance which influences the performance of the whole cycle in two ways. Firstly, by changing the equilibrium pressure inside the condenser, the turbine outlet pressure changes and hence, the turbine pressure ratio also changes. The turbine pressure ratio is a major parameter determining power generated by a turbine; therefore, the plant output is affected. Secondly, by changing the condenser outlet temperature with the ambient temperature, the pump inlet and outlet condition and consequently vaporizer equilibrium temperature and pressure are influenced. The developed method sought the equilibrium conditions of both condenser and vaporizer iteratively. In short, ORC cycle shifts on the T-s plane depending on the ambient temperature. This method iteratively seeks the shifted ORC on the T,s plane. Two case studies have been carried out to demonstrate the method. The developed method shows robustness and converges exponentially. The model is effective for cycles that use saturated vapour as well as superheated vapour. The model essentially assumes steady state operation of the power cycle. The possible unit time where this model can be applied is bounded by the time required by a system to come into steady state. The saturated vapour cycle yielded average error 4.20% with maximum error 9.25% and the superheated vapour cycle yielded average error 2.12% with maximum error 5.60%. The main advantage of the developed method is that it requires a minimum number of inputs: condenser (p,T), vaporizer (p,T), condenser heat load, turbine efficiency (overall), pump work and the extremum conditions of all the components. These inputs should represent typical operating conditions of a plant. The model can predict the appropriate plant performance depending on the system heat input (geothermal fluid flow in this case) and the heat sink temperature. As the method is based on basic thermodynamics rather than empirical or semi-empirical approaches, this method is widely applicable. The main focus of this work is on the ORC but the developed method is applicable to any closed Rankine cycle. In addition, application of the developed iterative method to predict plant performance based on mean yearly weather data is also discussed in the thesis. Water-augmented cooling system and optimization of plant operating point parameters have been proposed as adaptive measures to improve short term performance. Developed iterative method has been used for the short term performance analysis. The water-augmented cooling system is specifically suitable to mitigate the reduced power output during the summer. The simulated average gain in power during the summer (Jan, Feb, Nov and Dec) of an ORC of Mokai 1 geothermal power plant by incorporating a water-augmented cooling system was 2.3% and the average gain for the whole year was 1.6% based on the weather data of Taupo for the year 2005. A cost benefit analysis showed that water-augmented cooling system is more economical compared to other alternative renewable energies considered to meet summer peak demand. From the green house gas emissions perspective, water-augmented cooling is a better option than the gas fired peaking plants. Adaptive approach for short term performance improvement by optimizing operating point parameters of an air-cooled binary cycle has huge potential with possible maximum improvement in power output by about 50%. The optimization takes in to account the effects of the geothermal resource characteristics and the weather conditions. The optimization is achieved by manipulating cycle mass flow rate and vaporizer equilibrium condition. Further study on the optimizing operating points to achieve improved short term performance has been recommended for future work.

A educação inclusiva visa garantir o direito de todos os alunos de estarem juntos, aprendendo e participando do contexto escolar sem nenhuma discriminação. A presente pesquisa investigou este espaço de interação, onde os alunos, com e sem deficiência, vivenciam experiências de aprendizagem na sala de ensino regular. A pesquisa abordou a qualidade dos materiais educacionais a partir da abordagem Design para a Experiência e da teoria das Inteligências Múltiplas, visando promover as experiências dos usuários no contexto da educação inclusiva. A investigação teórica da pesquisa relata marcos históricos da educação no Brasil e o crescimento através de normas e leis para a educação de todos no pais, trazendo a base do Desenho Universal para Aprendizagem, somados a assuntos como: Design Instrucional, Inteligências Múltiplas, até chegar na Interação e Qualidade dos materiais. A fase inicial da pesquisa gerou subsídios que embasam o instrumento de coleta de dados através de um questionário, que foi conduzido a partir de entrevistas com especialistas da área da educação: professores da sala de aula regular, educador especial, e psicopedagogo a fim de verificar as diretrizes de qualidades propostas. Foram selecionados alguns materiais de aprendizagem utilizados no ensino fundamental e verificados previamente pela pesquisadora. Após, foram elencados dois materiais com os seguintes critérios: (i) aquele que se julgou mais apto a proporcionar experiências a todos os alunos e (ii) o que se julgou gerar menor experiência (segundo perspectiva da pesquisadora). A verificação foi realizada por professores, de forma voluntária, através do instrumento fornecido pela pesquisadora. Para comprovação do estudo, foi realizado uma triangulação com os dados obtidos. Por fim, alcançou-se um conjunto de diretrizes capazes de auxiliar no desenvolvimento e projeto de novos materiais educacionais com o foco na educação inclusiva. / Inclusive education aims to ensure the right of all students to be together, learning and participating in the school context without any discrimination. “This study investigated learning experiences of students with and without disabilities in a regular classroom. The study addressed the quality of educational materials from the Design approach to experience and theory of Multiple Intelligences to promote the experiences of users in the context of inclusive education. The study addressed the quality of educational materials from the Design approach to the experience and theory of Multiple Intelligences to promote the experiences of users in the context of inclusive education. The theoretical investigation reports landmarks of education in Brazil and growth through rules and laws education for everyone in the country, bringing the base of Universal Design for Learning, adding subjects like: Instructional Design, Multiple Intelligences, reaching the interaction and quality of materials. The initial theoretical investigation stage generated resources that support the data collection instrument through a survey form, which was conducted from interviews with education experts in the field: regular classroom teachers, special educators, and educational psychologists in order to verify the proposed guidelines qualities. We selected some learning materials used in elementary school and previously checked by the researcher. After two school materials with the following criteria were selected: (i) the one judged most able to provide experiences to all the students and (ii) what was judged to generate less experience (according to the researcher). The verification was performed by teachers, on a voluntary basis, through the instrument provided by the researcher. For the study verification, a triangulation with the obtained data was performed. Finally, a set of guidelines that can assist in the development and design of new educational materials with the focus on inclusive education was reached.

We see this world rich with culture, emotion, and human connections. The human built world can afford a sense of beauty, sublimity, and resonance, and through our advancements in technology also bringing the advancements in society. At the center of these advancements are interactions, conversations, connections, collaborations, and relationships, within and across multiple disciplines, with and without technology. For the last decades, as the computer technologies have been developing, the importance of human-computer systems interaction problems are also growing with the passage of time. This is not only because of the computer systems performance and characteristics have been improved, but also due to the growing number of computer users and of their expectations about general computer systems capabilities as universal tools for human work and life facilitation. Interface design is important for several reasons and the current growth of the different web applications are characterized by an increasing availability of online different services or products trading and different search facilities like flight search web sites, provided by most commercial airlines. In this study we will therefore create an understanding of the most important interaction design principles for the designers of online booking systems. The research methodology used in the research is design and creation. The method components used in this study are documents and interviews. The theoretical study has identified some important aspects covering the human computer interaction, usability of interactive interface, user feedback and the user-centered design approach for the development of such online booking systems. These aspects have been verified through the three interviews with the interviewees having different experience levels. The result shows that the interaction design is really important in designing of interactive online booking system. Therefore, the designers of such systems need to have an understanding of the most important design principles like the usability and functionality of the system, the approach should be iterative in design, provide proper feedback, minimum steps in booking process, risk management, and user-centered approach should be included in your design principles. It is also important for the designers of online booking systems to be aware of the usability factor of the system. The cognitive psychology is also vital for designers to understand how users think and perceive things. Designers need to have a good balance between context and graphics of the interface of such systems. The result also has been shown in the design of prototype with the most important interaction design principles and other factors. / Program: Magisterutbildning i informatik

In industrial processes decreasing variation is very important while achieving the targets. For manufacturers, finding out optimal settings of product and process parameters that are capable of producing desired results under great conditions is crucial. In most cases, the quality response is measured on a continuous scale. However, in some cases, the desired quality response may be qualitative (categorical). There are many effective methods to design robust products/process through industrial experimentation when the response variable is continuous. But methods proposed so far in the literature for robust design with categorical response variables have various limitations. This study offers a simple and effective method for the analysis of categorical response data for robust product or process design. This method handles both location and dispersion effects to explore robust settings in an effective way. The method is illustrated on two cases: A foam molding process design and an iron-casting process design.