Nonlinear, local and highly parallel algorithms can perform several simple but important visual computations. Specific classes of algorithms can be considered in an abstract way. I study here the class of polynomial algorithms to exemplify some of the important issues for visual processing like linear vs. nonlinear and local vs. global. Polynomial algorithms are a natural extension of Perceptrons to time dependent grey level images.. Although they share most of the limitations of Perceptrons, they are powerful parallel computational devices. Several of their properties are characterized and especially (a) their equivalence with Perceptrons for geometrical figures and (b) the synthesis of non-linear algorithms (mappings) via associative learning. Finally, the paper considers how algorithms of this type could be implemented in nervous hardware, in terms of synaptic interactions strategically located in a dendritic tree.

At Saab Dynamics AB there are a number of projects where cameras are an important part of a sensor system. Examples of such projects are monitoring for civil security and 3D mapping, where several cameras are used. The cameras can for example be located in airplanes, helicopters or cars and therefore it is important to have a robust function for recording data. One way to achieve a quick recording with sufficient storage size is to use SATA flash disks. To reduce the size and power consumption of the recording equipment and to enable project-specific adaptations it is desirable to use an FPGA as an interface to SATA devices. This thesis concerns the development of such an interface implemented on an FPGA. The theory behind the SATA interconnect standard is described along with the design work and its challenges.

The charge equalization for the battery power source with battery power modules (BPMs) in series is presented in the thesis. The bidirectional power converters in BPMs are able to serve as chargers with buck conversion during the charging stage. Even though connected in series, all modules can substantially be operated individually, retaining the advantages of independent operation, such as flexible control, easy protection, simple maintenance, and favorable battery power management. Investigation results indicate that automatic charge equalization is possible for the discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) operation. On the other hand, charge equalization can be achieved much faster by individually regulating the charging currents at the continuous conduction mode (CCM). According to the analyzed results, an equalization strategy is proposed to solve the charge imbalance problem by scheduling the individual battery current. Experiments are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of charge equalization.

This thesis studies the operating characteristics of the boost type battery power modules (BPMs) with series and parallel configurations. Under different operating conditions, the BPMs can be operated at the continuous conduction mode (CCM), the discontinuous conduction mode (DCM), or the hybrid mode with a combination of CCM and DCM. The current distribution and balance discharging among BPMs with different configurations are analyzed in detail. Experiments are carried out to demonstrate the analysis results. Finally, a circuit configuration with arrayed BPMs is proposed for adaptable management and maintenance of a battery power system.

In this dissertation, I examine the practice of what I term serial memoir in the second-half of the twentieth century in American literature, arguing that serial memoir represents an emerging and significant trend in life writing as it illustrates a transition in how a particular generation of writers understands lived experience and its textual representation. During the second-half of the twentieth century, and in tandem with the rapid technological advancements of postmodern and postindustrial culture, I look at the serial authorship and publication of multiple self-reflexive texts and propose that serial memoir presents a challenge to the historically privileged techniques of linear storytelling, narrative closure, and the possibility for autonomous subjectivity in American life writing. As generic boundaries become increasingly fluid, postmodern memoirists are able to be both more innovative and overt about how they have constructed the self at particular moments in time. Following the trend of examining life writing through contemporary theories about culture, narrative, and techniques of self-representation, I engage the serial memoirs of Mary McCarthy, Maya Angelou, Art Spiegelman, and Augusten Burroughs as I suggest that these authors iterate the self as serialized, recursive, genealogically constructed, and material. Finally, the fact that these are well-known memoirists underscores the degree to which serial memoir has become mainstream in American autobiographical writing. Serial memoir emphasizes such issues as temporality and memory, repetition and recursivity, and witnessing and testimony, and as such, my objective in this project is to theorize the practice of serial memoir, a form that has been largely neglected in critical work, as I underscore its significance in relation to twentieth-century American culture. I contend that seriality in contemporary American memoir is a burgeoning and powerful form of self-expression, and that a close examination of how authors are presenting and re-presenting themselves as they challenge conventional life writing narrative structures will influence not only the way we read and understand contemporary memoir, but will impact our approaches to self-reflexive narrative structures and provide us with new ways to understand ourselves, and our lives, in relation to the serial culture in which we live.

This thesis presents a novel configuration of battery power by the outputs with serial connection of battery power modules (BPMs) for high voltage level loads. As compared to the conventional application of series-connected battery bank, this configuration operates the BPMs individually, and thus has the advantages of flexible control, convenient maintenance, and easily favorable battery management. The associated converter is equipped to a single battery pack, so that has lower component stresses leading to a higher circuit efficiency. The operation and the design of a lead-acid battery power with series boost-typed BPMs are illustrated. The operation and the design of the converter are illustrated. The control of the power converters is accomplished by a complex programmable logic device (CPLD). To improve the converter efficiency, the technique of synchronous rectification is introduced. For the BPMs designed for discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) operation, charge equalization can be automatically achieved under the same duty-ratio, but is adequate only for batteries with a small difference. On the other hand, charge equalization for the BPMs with continuous conduction mode (CCM) can easily be accomplished by regulating the duty-ratios of the converters.

In this thesis, we used a encryption mechanism based on AES(Advenced Encryption Standard). Except for this mechanism, we also combine RS-232 Serial Communication Control, Smartcard and EM card which originally used in the Entrance Guard System to implement a new system. Eventually, this new system applies to a certain rental system practically. We also introduce some functions of this rental system based on the encryption mechanism, station initialization, bike rental, bike allocation and bike rental for credit card for example. In addition, we will describe what problems we met and the solutions we introduced to the problems finally.

The advancements of semiconductor processing technology have led to the ability for computing platforms to operate on large amounts of data at very high clock speeds. To fully utilize this processing power the components must have data continually available for operation upon and transport to other system components. To enable this data requirement, high speed serial links have replaced slower parallel communication protocols. Serial interfaces inherently require fewer signals for communication and thus reduce the device pin count, area and cost. A serial communication interface can also be run at a higher frequency because the clock skew between channels is no longer an issue since the data transmitted on various channels is independent. Serial data transmission also comes with a set of drawbacks when signal integrity is considered. The data must propagate through a channel that induces unwanted effects onto the signals such as intersymbol interference. These channel effects must be understood and mitigated to successfully transmit data without creating bit errors upon reception at the target component. Previously developed adaptive equalization techniques have been used to filter the effects of intersymbol interference from the transmitted data in the signal. This report explores the modeling and implementation of a system comprised of a transmitter, channel, and receiver to understand how intersymbol interference can be removed through a decision-feedback equalizer realized in hardware. The equalizer design, implementation, and measurements are the main focus of this report and are based on previous works in the areas of integrated circuit testing, channel modeling, and equalizer design. Simulation results from a system modeled in Simulink are compared against the results from a hardware model implemented with an FPGA, analog to digital converter and discrete circuit elements. In both the software and hardware models, bit errors were eliminated for certain amounts of intersymbol interference when a receiver with decision-feedback equalization was used instead of a receiver without equalization. / text

To survive in a complex changing environment humans frequently need to adapt their behaviour incidentally from normal interactions in the environment without any specific intention to learn. Whilst there is a considerable body of research into incidental learning of sequential information there is still fundamental debate regarding its cognitive basis, the associated neural mechanisms and the way in which it is affected by neurological disease. These issues were explored, in normal participants and neurological patients, using manipulations of the Serial Reaction Task [SRT] in which participants gradually learn a stimulus sequence (usually screen locations) after responding to each item by pressing corresponding response buttons. The first two experiments (chapter 3) demonstrate that the specific metric used to quantify learning and the occurrence of highly salient repeat locations may inflate estimates of learning in tasks with increased motor demands. The next three experiments (chapter 4) examine whether a secondary (not directly behaviourally relevant) information source during the SRT facilitates chunking in memory and overall learning. In a spatial SRT task (specified by horizontal location), additional spatial information (vertical location) enhanced learning but a secondary perceptual property (colour) produced a cost. However, in a perceptual SRT a secondary perceptual property (colour) had no effect. The next study demonstrates that impairments of incidental learning in Parkinson’s disease are partially reduced by administration of l-Dopa. Implications for models of striatal function and studies suggesting implicit learning is impaired by l-Dopa are discussed. Finally, the impact of Deep Brain Stimulation of the GPi is investigated in a population known to have only limited cognitive deficits relating to their illness (dystonia). Despite previous reports of impaired intentional learning in participants with a high genetic risk of Dystonia, there was no evidence for any impairment before or after stimulation. Implications across studies and future research directions are also discussed.

Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) on Caenorhabditis elegans RNA from FACS sorted embryonic body wall muscle cells has identified nearly 8000 genes expressed in nematode body wall muscle. Approximately 60% of these are genes are expressed at low levels (<5 tags/~50,000-100,000 tag library). Low-abundance transcripts have typically been overlooked since most are considered experimental or contamination errors. Consequently, research has been focused on transcripts that are most enriched in the particular tissue of interest. Here I focus on the analysis of low-expressed transcripts in the muscle SAGE libraries in order to investigate what percentage of these are in fact expressed in muscle and are not false positives. Most well characterized C. elegans body wall muscle genes are not expressed at low levels, therefore I anticipate that focusing on these rarely expressed genes will allow for the identification of muscle components that have been previously unrecognized. RT-PCR was performed on RNA isolated from purified body wall muscle cells to initially estimate what fraction of these low abundance transcripts present in the SAGE data are indeed expressed in muscle. I examined 128 genes, of which 84 were represented by a single SAGE tag. From this initial list, 38% of the low-expressed transcripts were verified for their presence in body wall muscle. Subsequently, reporter GFP fusions were used to deduce if these low-expressed transcripts are indeed expressed in vivo within muscle. Of the low-expressed genes that tested positive via RT-PCR, 42% showed in vivo expression in body wall muscle. When the results from the RT-PCR and in vivo expression experiments are combined, I can extrapolate that at least 16% of low-expressed genes identified by the SAGE libraries are in fact expressed in muscle and are not false positives. RNAi and knockout analysis were performed in order to investigate the role of low-expressed muscle genes in myofilament structure. RNAi results show that 14/34 (41%) of the genes screened had mild defects in myofilament organization. The SAGE libraries identified 6388 low-expressed transcripts, this work suggests that at least 16% (1022 genes) of these are in fact expressed in muscle and may reveal new components previously overlooked by other approaches.