The Design of Table-Centric Interactive Spaces, by Daniel J. Wigdor A thesis submitted in partial conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto © Copyright by Daniel J. Wigdor, 2008 Direct-touch tabletops offer compelling uses as direct, multi-touch, multi-user displays for face to face collaborative work. As task complexity and group size increase, the addition to the tabletop of multiple, vertical displays allows for more information content, while reducing the need to multiplex the tabletop display area. We dub such systems table-centric interactive spaces. Although compelling, these spaces offer unique challenges. In particular, the displays in such spaces are seen by the users at angles not typically found in combination in other environments. First, the viewing imagery shown on a horizontal display by seated participants means that that imagery is distorted, receding away from the users’ eyes. Second, the sharing of information by users sitting around a horizontal display necessitates that on-screen content be oriented at non-optimal angles for some subset of those users. Third, positioning vertical displays around the table means that some subset of the seated users will be looking at those displays at odd angles. In this thesis, we investigate the challenges associated with these viewing angles. We begin with a examination of related work, including tabletop technology and interaction techniques. Next, we report the results of controlled experiments measuring performance of reading, graphical perception, and ancillary display control under the angles we identified. Next, we present a set of design issues encountered in our work with table-centric spaces. We then review a series of interaction techniques built to address those issues. These techniques are evaluated through the construction and validation of an application scenario. Through these examinations, we hope to provide designers with insights as to how to enable users to take full advantage of ancillary displays, while maintaining the advantages and affordances of collocated table-centric work.

Miniature Inverted-repeat Transposable Elements (MITEs) are a type of transposable element (TE) that lacks coding capacity. It has been established that in rice that certain Stowaway MITEs are mobilized by transposases from the Tc1/Mariner superfamily of TEs. To retrieve all Tc1/Mariner TEs from the genome, bioinformatic approaches were performed. A total of 295 Tc1/Mariner TEs that encoded a full or partial transposase were recorded which 100 were newly described. Sequence alignment, and identification of the catalytic motif placed these transposases into eight groups. A functional link was established by comparing the terminal sequences of the Stowaway-like MITEs to the termini of the terminal sequences of Tc1/Mariner TEs. A yeast excision assay was used to experimentally test these functional links. Majority of the Stowaway-like MITE and transposase combinations tested did not indicate a functional link. However, a possible functional link was observed between the AATp3-13 transposase and AAStow-5 Stowaway-like MITEs.

Miniature Inverted-repeat Transposable Elements (MITEs) are a type of transposable element (TE) that lacks coding capacity. It has been established that in rice that certain Stowaway MITEs are mobilized by transposases from the Tc1/Mariner superfamily of TEs. To retrieve all Tc1/Mariner TEs from the genome, bioinformatic approaches were performed. A total of 295 Tc1/Mariner TEs that encoded a full or partial transposase were recorded which 100 were newly described. Sequence alignment, and identification of the catalytic motif placed these transposases into eight groups. A functional link was established by comparing the terminal sequences of the Stowaway-like MITEs to the termini of the terminal sequences of Tc1/Mariner TEs. A yeast excision assay was used to experimentally test these functional links. Majority of the Stowaway-like MITE and transposase combinations tested did not indicate a functional link. However, a possible functional link was observed between the AATp3-13 transposase and AAStow-5 Stowaway-like MITEs.

The Design of Table-Centric Interactive Spaces, by Daniel J. Wigdor A thesis submitted in partial conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto © Copyright by Daniel J. Wigdor, 2008 Direct-touch tabletops offer compelling uses as direct, multi-touch, multi-user displays for face to face collaborative work. As task complexity and group size increase, the addition to the tabletop of multiple, vertical displays allows for more information content, while reducing the need to multiplex the tabletop display area. We dub such systems table-centric interactive spaces. Although compelling, these spaces offer unique challenges. In particular, the displays in such spaces are seen by the users at angles not typically found in combination in other environments. First, the viewing imagery shown on a horizontal display by seated participants means that that imagery is distorted, receding away from the users’ eyes. Second, the sharing of information by users sitting around a horizontal display necessitates that on-screen content be oriented at non-optimal angles for some subset of those users. Third, positioning vertical displays around the table means that some subset of the seated users will be looking at those displays at odd angles. In this thesis, we investigate the challenges associated with these viewing angles. We begin with a examination of related work, including tabletop technology and interaction techniques. Next, we report the results of controlled experiments measuring performance of reading, graphical perception, and ancillary display control under the angles we identified. Next, we present a set of design issues encountered in our work with table-centric spaces. We then review a series of interaction techniques built to address those issues. These techniques are evaluated through the construction and validation of an application scenario. Through these examinations, we hope to provide designers with insights as to how to enable users to take full advantage of ancillary displays, while maintaining the advantages and affordances of collocated table-centric work.

In this thesis, the study focuses on the tunable frequency ratio of Sierpinski Gasket fractal antennas and we use the SAW substrate of piezoelectric material. By using the fractal structure and the substrate of piezoelectric material, the goal of the miniaturized antenna is achieved. The proposed antenna can be widely used in wireless communication products. Firstly, we design the Sierpinski Gasket fractal antenna on the FR4 substrate. The asymmetric geometry of Sierpinski Gasket fractal structure is proposed and we choose the proper discontinuity locations to design the three-band and tunable antenna for IEEE 802.11b/g/a wireless communication systems. The preliminary design of the Sierpinski Gasket fractal structure on the piezoelectric substrate allows us to compare simulated and measured results to improve the non-ideal processing factors. Finally, comparing with the existing products, we reduce the size of the miniaturized fractal antenna to 5x5mm^2 on the SAW substrate by coplanar waveguide, coupled-fed, shorting with conductive adhesive and high iteration stage of half-Sierpinski Gasket fractal structure for GPS band and IEEE 802.11b/g applications.

The aim of this study is to design and build a miniature spray cooling system, in which the manufactured and adopted chamber, pump and heat exchanger are smaller than the conventional ones. An experiment was conducted to explore the cooling performance of the spray cooling system after its size has been minimized. In the experiment, copper was used to make the heated surface and different working media, such as DI water, as nanofludics with silver and multi-walled carbon nanotubes powder were sprayed on the heated surface to enhance the heat dissipation efficiency of the system. The experiment in this study was set according to two conditions: transient and steady state, with Weber number as the main parameter, to observe the boiling phenomenon of different working media on heated surface and to record the temperature changes of the heated surface. The results were shown in boiling curve and cooling curve. The ultimate goal of this study was to obtain a better understanding of the cooling performance of the miniature spray cooling system in order to apply it to micro-electronic cooling devices, thereby solving the problem of the sharp increase in heating power per unit area on electronic components.

The relationship between hyperlipidemia and pancreatitis remains obscure in dogs. The aim of the present study was to investigate any possible association between hyperlipidemia and pancreatitis in dogs. In the first part of the study, Miniature Schnauzers with hypertriglyceridemia were found to have significantly higher serum cPLI concentrations than Miniature Schnauzers with normal serum triglyceride concentrations (P=0.0001). Also, Miniature Schnauzers with severe hypertriglyceridemia (>862 mg/dL) had 4.5 times higher odds (P=0.0343) for having a serum cPLI concentration consistent with pancreatitis. In the second part of the study, 17 Miniature Schnauzers prospectively enrolled with a history of pancreatitis were significantly more likely to have hypertriglyceridemia (71 percent) after resolution of pancreatitis than 34 age-matched Miniature Schnauzers without a history of pancreatitis (33 percent; odds ratio=5.02; P=0.0163). For the third part of the study, assessment of the feasibility and usefulness of a novel density gradient ultracentrifugation method using NaBiEDTA for lipoprotein profiling in dogs was attempted. Density gradient ultracentrifugation using NaBiEDTA was found to be useful for the study of lipoprotein profiles in dogs. Significant differences were detected in the lipoprotein profiles (mainly involving TRL and specific LDL fractions) among healthy Miniature Schnauzers, dogs of various other breeds, and hypertriglyceridemic Miniature Schnauzers. In the fourth part of the study, the effect of a commercially available low-fat diet on serum lipid and pancreas-specific lipase (Spec cPL) concentrations and lipoprotein profiles in Miniature Schnauzers with primary hypertriglyceridemia was evaluated. The study diet was found to be effective in significantly reducing serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations and changing the lipoprotein profiles of the dogs studied within 2 months. However, there was no significant effect of the study diet on serum Spec cPL concentrations. In the last part of the study, serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations and lipoprotein profiles were compared between dogs with naturally occurring pancreatitis and healthy dogs. The majority of dogs with naturally occurring pancreatitis had normal serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations. Important differences were identified in lipoprotein profiles between dogs with pancreatitis (higher LDL2, LDL3, and LDL4 fractions and lower TRL, HDL2a, and HDL3c fractions) and healthy control dogs.

Pulse tube refrigerators (PTR) are robust, rugged cryocoolers that do not have a moving component at their cold ends. They are often employed for cryogenic cooling of high performance electronics in space applications where reliability is paramount. Miniaturizing these refrigerators has been a subject of intense research interest because of the benefits of minimal size and weight for airborne operation and because miniature coolers would be an enabling technology for other applications. Despite much effort, the extent of possible PTR miniaturization is still uncertain. To partially remedy this, an investigation of the miniaturization of pulse tube refrigerators has been undertaken using several numerical modeling techniques. In support of these models, experiments were performed to determine directional hydrodynamic parameters characteristic of stacked screens of #635 stainless steel and #325 phosphor bronze wire mesh, two fine-mesh porous materials suitable for use in the regenerator and heat exchanger components of miniature PTRs. Complete system level and pulse tube component level CFD models incorporating these parameters were then employed to quantitatively estimate the effects of several phenomena expected to impact the performance of miniature PTRs. These included the presence of preferential flow paths in an annular region near the regenerator wall and increased viscous and thermal boundary layer thicknesses relative to the pulse tube diameter. The effects of tapering or chamfering the junctions between components of dissimilar diameters were also investigated. The results of these models were subsequently applied to produce successively smaller micro-scale PTR models having total volumes as small as 0.141 cc for which sufficient net cooling was predicted to make operation at cryogenic temperatures feasible. The results of this investigation provide design criteria for miniaturized PTRs and establish the feasibility of their operation at frequencies up to 1000 Hz with dimensions roughly an order of magnitude smaller than those that have recently been demonstrated, provided that challenges related to their regenerator fillers and compressors can be addressed.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

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