Thesis (M.H.A.)--University of Michigan, 1969.

This thesis focuses on implementation of the swing-up, switching and stabilizing controllers for the rotary inverted pendulum. An energy based method to swing-up the pendulum and a state feedback controller to keep the pendulum in the upright position are employed. The mixed H2/H∞; state feedback controller is used to stabilize the pendulum with reduced oscillations. The results have been compared with the standard full state feedback and LQR. The Quanser rotary inverted pendulum is used as the testbed. All controllers are implemented in real-time using dSPACE 1104 rapid prototyping system. Microstick II with dsPIC33FJ128MC802 and Simulink embedded target for Microchip® is used as a standalone way to implement the controllers.

The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz defines “double time” as “the apparent doubling of the tempo […] achieved by halving the prevailing note value.” A more precise term for this concept is “double-time feel.” The question of how a musical performance creates double-time feel has received little scholarly attention. Grove’s explanation is incomplete because “halving the prevailing note value” is sometimes perceived by listeners as diminution within an unchanged tempo. My hypothesis is that swing rhythm, pervasive in many styles of jazz, not only facilitates the use of double-time feel but allows for subtle gradations in its use. I offer a model that classifies rhythms according to how strongly they support (or undermine) a double-time feel in a swing rhythm context, and I apply the model to performances by Louis Armstrong and Lee Morgan. My analysis demonstrates these artists’ fine-grained control over double-time feel and suggests directions for future research.

This thesis is separeted into two parts. First deals with progress of Czech modern pop music and jazz from 40th till present with focus on swing music. Second part is devotes to the Metroklub dance-orchestra, its history and progress from WW II till present. This part focuses also on tranformation under the repertoire, public activity and also on individual members of this band.

Strong dependency on fossil fuels and the associated price and supply chain risk increase the need for more efficient utilisation of existing non-renewable energy sources. Carbon capture and hydrogen purification technologies are expected to play a key role in the future low-carbonised energy matrix. Integrated Gasification Combined Cycles (IGCCs) are one of the emerging clean coal technologies which pave the way for producing power from coal with a higher net power efficiency than conventional PC-fired boiler power plants. It is also advantageous that in an IGCC power plant a carbon capture unit can be applied to a stream having a very high CO2 partial pressure ahead of gas combustion that would not be available in case of a PC-fired boiler power plant, leading to less energy penalty involved in carbon capture. At the same time, the production of ultrapure hydrogen is both a sought target and an appropriate environmental solution because it is commonly utilised as feedstock in refineries’ hydrotreaters and hydrocrackers as well as energy carrier in fuel cells. A high purity of hydrogen has been commercially produced out of raw synthesis gas using a Hydrogen Pressure Swing Adsorption (H2 PSA) process. In this thesis, it was aimed to design and optimise a bespoke H2 PSA system tailored for a decarbonised syngas feed originating from a carbon capture unit. Therefore, a novel H2 PSA has been studied that is applied to an advanced IGCC plant for cogenerating power and ultrapure hydrogen (99.99+ mol%) with pre-combustion CO2 capture. In designing the H2 PSA, it is essential to increase the recovery of ultrapure hydrogen product to its maximum since the power consumption for compressing the H2 PSA tail gas up to the gas turbine operating pressure should be minimised to save the total auxiliary power consumption. Hydrogen recovery was raised by increasing the complexity of the PSA step configuration that allows a PSA cycle to have a lower feed flow to one column being used for adsorption and more pressure equalisation steps. An in-depth economic analysis was carried out and discussed in detail. The industrial advanced IGCC performances have also been improved by process integration between the H2 PSA unit and other units in the plant.

Nesta tese procuramos caracterizar o Policarbonato Bisfenol-A, Durolon&#174 sob o ponto de vista elétrico, separando a reação dipolar e os processos de condução. Apesar de preparadas de forma análoga, as amostras (&#8773 30&#956m de espessura) mostraram comportamento pouco reprodutível, principalmente da componente condutiva. Várias anomalias foram detectadas embora não estudadas em detalhe pela pobre reprodutibilidade já mencionada. Além das técnicas usuais de polarização e despolarização isotérmicas, despolarização termoestimulada e de polarização termoestimulada, empregou-se pela primeira vez, em medidas desta natureza, a técnica de oscilação senoidal da temperatura, estando o campo elétrico aplicado. Media-se a corrente daí decorrente, procurando-se trabalhar sempre com uma mesma amostra. Na região de 50&#176C a 70&#176C, diferenças de fase superiores a 90&#176 foram encontradas (o sinal de corrente atrasado em relação ao de temperatura). Uma análise simples destes resultados indica que, neste caso, tanto a condutividade como a suscetibilidade diminuem com o crescimento da temperatura (dX/dT&#8773 -1x10-3/&#176C). Medidas de polarização termoestimulada, também, mostram uma inversão da corrente em relação ao campo aplicado desde cerca da temperatura ambiente ate &#8773 90&#176C. Um estudo sistemático da condução a 120&#176C indica que portadores são emitidos do eletródio, e que o trânsito dos mesmos é rápido (menor do que o tempo em que a polarização se estabelece, &#8773 2 min). Tensões e correntes espontâneas foram detectadas mesmo em amostras providas de eletródios de mesmo metal (uma correlação com a ordem empregada na metalização foi suspeitada, seguindo observação anteriormente feita pelo Prof. B. Gross). Algumas medidas com eletródios Al-Al, Al-Au e Au-Au foram feitas. Finalmente, sugestões para trabalhos futuros são feitas. / In this work the electrical characterization of the Polycarbonate Bisphenol-A, Durolon &#174 was attempted, trying to separate the dipole and the conduction processes. However, poor reproducibility, mainly in the conductivity, was achieved even for samples (&#8773 30&#956m thick usually) taken from the same batch. Anomalies were detected but not studied in detail owing the poor reproducibility referred above. Beside the usual techniques like the isothermal polarization and depolarization in short-circuit, thermally depolarization currents and thermally stimulated polarization, in a new one, employed by the first time for the study of transport and polarization, the temperature was oscillated and the ensuing current oscillation was monitored. Large phase shifts (the current lagging the temperature oscillation), even greater &#8773 90&#176 were found in the range 50&#176C 70&#176C. A simple analysis indicates that in this case both the conductivity as well as the susceptibility are decreased for increasing temperature (dX/dT&#8773 -1x10-3/&#176C). Accordingly thermally stimulated polarization shows a current reversal with respect to the electric field from room temperature to &#8773 90&#176C. A systematic study of the conduction process at 120&#176C was carried out, the analysis of which indicates that carriers are emitted from the electrode, whose transit across the sample is shorter than the duration of the polarization current (&#8773 2 min). Spontaneous tensions and currents were detected even for samples provisioned with similar electrodes (a correlation with the actual sequence of metallization, following a suggestion by Prof. B. Gross, was surmised). A few measurements with Al-Al, Al-Au and Au-Au electrodes were carried out. Finally suggestions for future work are given.

The objective of this study was to see if practicing a lick on the chromatic harmonica could influence or inspire my playing on the diatonic harmonica, and vice versa. The licks I practiced were all in the style of Western Swing. To answer this, I used the following research questions: In what ways can practicing the chromatic harmonica make me a better diatonic harmonica player and vice versa? What are the similarities and differences between the diatonic and the chromatic harmonica in the context of playing Western Swing? What possibilities and limitations does each instrument have when playing Western Swing? The method I used was to record my practicing process and to record two different versions of three tunes. On these three recordings I improvised using both diatonic and chromatic harmonicas. The results showed that, though the differences between the instruments are significant, there is enough common ground to enable an exchange of ideas. The differences were not an obstacle, but a means to find new ways of playing a certain lick. These new ways could then be applied to the other harmonica, creating new variations on licks that I would not have come up with otherwise. Playing the same lick on the two different instruments proved to be an efficient way to learn more about both instruments. Through my method, I was able to become my own teacher and my own muse. I also discovered two distinct sides of me, the chromatic me and the diatonic me.

This thesis contains two main parts, theoretical and implementation. In the theoretical part, there are described the different segmentation methods. Mainly it is about description method Level Set. The aim of practical part was to create a java module for segmentation of biomedical images using Level Set methods. The work solves example of a simple GUI for the display of results.

This paper is about my process of composing and performing music inspired by The Great American Songbook. Doing this via tools acquired by analyzing the works from composers like Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Arthur Johnston and other composers from that era. I have analyzed and found common associations with form and harmony, the use of melodic content and often used clichés which I have incorporated in my own composing. It also deals with my progress to arrange and rehearse the music to present it in form of a concert at The Royal College of Music on the 6thof March 2020. I reflect about the process of composing and if I achieved the same level of freedom playing my compositions as I have playing jazz standards. I come to the conclusion that I feel as confident performing these tunes as I do music from The Great American Songbook. / <p>Medverkande på konserten: Björn Bäckström (tenorsaxofon), Erik Tengholm (trumpet), Lars Ullberg (trombon), Jonny Ek (piano), Uno Dvärby (kontrabas), Jakob Bylund (trummor). Till uppsatsen bifogas inspelningar och partitur på mina egna kompositioner som är kopplade till arbetet: It's Time, Diminished Results, You can't keep this up, Midnight mood, Oh sweet Olivia och Dortmund Express. Även bifogas inspelning på Don't Get Around Much Anymore, skriven av Duke Ellington, som framförts vid konserttillfället. </p>

Introduction: Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease is a multisystem neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by asymmetric impairment in regions of the midbrain, forebrain, and brainstem. Of the known neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson’s is the second most commonly diagnosed worldwide with a global prevalence expected to reach 9 million individuals by 2030. As fall rates range between 35-68% annually, falling during walking is amongst the primary concerns for this demographic. Interestingly, despite the close association between loss of arm swing (due to Parkinson’s Disease) and future falls, evidence to-date has not examined the effect different arm swing conditions have on walking stability during unperturbed and perturbed (cognitive and mechanical) conditions. Dynamic stability research in this demographic is further limited in that evidence examining differences between the least and most affected leg is sparse. Research Objectives: To examine the differences between natural arm swing (unrestricted) and when arm swing was physical restricted (restricted) in people with Parkinson’s Disease. The effect of arm swing was assessed when people with Parkinson’s Disease walked in steady-state, dual-task, destabilizing terrains as well as in response to slips. Additionally, this thesis examined differences between the least and most affected sides, during the aforementioned conditions, that stem from the asymmetric progression in Parkinson’s Disease. Methods: Twenty individuals with Parkinson’s Disease were recruited for this research. Individuals walked on a CAREN-Extended System with unrestricted (natural) and restricted (absent) arm swing. Arm conditions were combined with steady-state walking, walking while performing a secondary dual-task, walking on minor destabilizing environments (hilly, rocky and mediolateral translational), and in response to slips for the heel-strikes of the perturbed (slipped) leg and recovery (contralateral) leg. The minor destabilizing terrains were assessed separately to steady-state walking for the arm swing condition resulting in three types of analyses (arms-rocky, arms-rolling hills, and arms-mediolateral). Data were processed in Vicon, Visual 3D, and OpenSim before being exported to Matlab to calculate dynamic stability (Margin of Stability, Harmonic Ratios and Coefficient of Variation), average spatiotemporal parameters, as well as trunk linear and angular velocities. Statistical analyses were conducted in SPSS with a significance level set a priori at (p<0.05). Results: During unperturbed walking with the restricted arm swing condition, compared to unrestricted, average trunk angular velocity increased in the transverse plane while instantaneous linear velocity at heel-strike decreased in the sagittal plane. Further, on the least affected leg, the Margin of Stability increased, average step length decreased, and coefficient of variation for step length increased. Contrastingly, step time coefficient of variation increased in the most affected leg. In the presence of the dual-task, average angular velocity in the frontal plane increased, average step time decreased (most affected leg), and step width coefficient of variation increased (bilaterally). Compared to unrestricted arm swing, restricted arm swing reduced average step length (arm-rolling hills) and time (arm-rocky), and increased COV step time (arm-rolling hills). The arm-rolling hills analysis revealed that the most affected leg had a shorter step length than the least affected. The destabilizing surface effects revealed that during the arm-rolling hills and arm-rocky analyses step time decreased, step width increased, and the COV for step time, length and width increased. No main effects occurred for the arm-mediolateral analysis. Additionally, when comparing the arm swing conditions in response to a slip, the restricted arm swing condition, compared to unrestricted, caused a faster step time during the slipped step. Compared to the most affected leg, the least affected had a wider step width during the slipped step. During the recovery step, the least affected leg had a larger anteroposterior Margin of Stability and longer step time than the most affected. Conclusion: The findings revealed that when people with Parkinson’s Disease walk without arm swing, trunk rotational velocity increases which internally perturbs gait. This destabilization elicited unique responses from dynamic stability metrics that were specific to the terrain encountered. Since Parkinson’s Disease primarily affects movement timing, the results suggest that loss of arm swing is particularly perturbing to foot placement timing while changes in spatial foot placement reflect compensation to maintain an existing level of global dynamic stability and symmetry. Additionally, the evidence indicates that the independent behavior of the least and most affected leg respond uniquely to loss of arm swing. However, as people with Parkinson’s Disease adjust the least affected leg’s foot placement to mirror the contralateral leg, functional interlimb differences may only be revealed when individuals encounter perturbations.