The first topic of this thesis proposes a digital negative phase shifter circuit which generates a clock with adjustable negative delays (phase shift) in order to avoid multi-locking hazards. Arbitrary negative phase can be generated by using multiplexers and voltage variable delay cells to select the required phase shift. The proposed design is implemented by 0.35 um CMOS 1P4M technology. A single-shot locking method is adopted to reduce the locking time. Most important of all, the negative phase shifter is predictable and adjustable. The simulation results show that the accuracy of the proposed design is better than 6%. The second topic is to describe a 10-bit, 80 MS/s analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for digital video broadcasting over terrestrial (DVB-T) receivers. The ADC is based on a four-channel parallel pipeline architecture which employs dynamic comparators and switch-capacitance sample-and-hold circuit to achieve high speed operation and low power consumption. Simulation results using a TSMC 0.35um 2P4M process show that the proposed ADC achieves 56dB spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) and 9.01-bit ENOB.

Audio description is considered a relatively new research field, and in South Africa it is not yet being used extensively to make visual channels accessible to blind audiences. Therefore research in this field is necessary. The literature review of this study shows that very little empirical research has been done where real audiences were tested. This study set out to test the impact of audio described film on the transportation, identification and comprehension of real audiences. The focus was on mise-en-shot elements specifically and the impact they have on the transportation, identification and comprehension of audiences. A thorough analysis of the two scenes and their audio descriptions showed that in the audio description the emphasis tends to be on the visual elements and not on the way these elements are presented (which forms part of mise-en-shot elements). The way the film is showed to the audience contributes to the film‟s meaning and the director often shows the film to the audience in a specific way to reach a certain effect or feeling in the film. If these mise-en-shot elements are not presented in the audio description of the film it, the blind audience cannot be expected to experience an equivalent effect to that of the sighted audience. In order to test the impact of mise-en-shot elements a methodology based on Bortolussi and Dixon‟s (2010) Psyconarratology was used. Immersion and transportation studies (Green and Brock, 2000 and Tal-Or & Cohen, 2010) were used to develop an experiment for the study. Two groups of respondents were tested by exposing one group to all the available channels of the film and another to only the audio description and soundtrack. The initial hypothesis of this study was that the audience exposed to the audio description and soundtrack of the film would experience less transportation, identification and comprehension due to the loss of mise-en-shot elements in the film. By using T-tests and qualitative comparisons of the responses it was found that the lack of mise-en-shot elements in the film had no statistically significant impact on the transportation of the audience. Furthermore it was found that the lack of mise-en-shot elements has an impact on the identification of the audience. The group that had access to all the channels were more able to identify with the characters. In terms of comprehension it was discovered that there were bigger differences between the two groups in the scenes were the director relied on the visual elements of the film. Thus there are opportunities for further research pertaining to the identification of the audience. Furthermore it is recommended that further research be done to include other film genres as well as alternative ways of doing audio description. South Africa as well as other countries can gain tremendously from the use of audio description to make visual channels accessible to blind audiences. To reach such a goal further research is needed in the field, not only to master the art of audio describing but to also create awareness for this aid. / Thesis (MA (Language Practice))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

Thesis (M.S.)--Springfield College, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--Springfield College, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--Springfield College, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--Springfield College, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 204-217).

Landauer's principle states that it costs at least k_BT ln 2 of work to reset one bit in the presence of a heat bath at temperature T. The bound of k_BT ln 2 is achieved in the unphysical infinite-time limit. Here we consider two different finite-time protocols - one with discretised time and the second in the continuous limit. We prove analytically that the discrete time protocol enables one to reset a bit with a work cost close to k_BT ln 2 in a finite time. We construct an explicit protocol that achieves this, which involves thermalising and changing the system's Hamiltonian so as to avoid quantum coherences. Using concepts and techniques pertaining to single-shot statistical mechanics, we furthermore prove that the heat dissipated is exponentially close to the minimal amount possible not just on average, but guaranteed with high confidence in every run. Moreover we exploit the protocol to design a quantum heat engine that works near the Carnot efficiency in finite time. We further contrast this to a continuous time version of the protocol which is substantially less energy sufficient. We also consider the fluctuations in the work cost, and calculate how their magnitude is suppressed by a factor depending on the length of the protocol. We demonstrate with an experiment how molecules are a natural test-bed for probing fundamental quantum thermodynamics. Single-molecule spectroscopy has undergone transformative change in the past decade with the advent of techniques permitting individual molecules to be distinguished and probed. By considering the time-resolved emission spectrum of organic molecules as arising from quantum jumps between states, we demonstrate that the quantum Jarzynski equality is satisfied in this set-up. This relates the heat dissipated into the environment to the free energy difference between the initial and final state. We demonstrate also how utilizing the quantum Jarzynski equality allows for the detection of energy shifts within a molecule, beyond the relative shift.

Este trabalho foi estruturado visando apresentar os efeitos causados pelo shot peening (jateamento por esferas) em componentes mecânicos. Este processo introduz tensões residuais compressivas na superfície do material, o que retarda a nucleação de trincas de fadiga, promovendo aumento na vida em fadiga. O material utilizado foi o aço SAE 1060, laminado, com um perfil de 15 por 5mm. Para o jateamento foram selecionados dois tamanhos de esferas de aço: S110 e S280. Para cada tamanho foram realizadas três condições de cobertura superficial no material: 80%, 100% e 500%. Foram realizados metalografia, ensaio de tração, análise de tensões residuais, curvas de fadiga, rugosidade, perfil de microdureza e efetuadas análises da fratura e da superfície do material com e sem jateamento. Os resultados apontaram uma melhoria significativa no desempenho em fadiga com a esfera S110 na condição de 100% de cobertura associado às tensões residuais compressivas obtidas. / This work study the effects of shot peening on mechanical components. This process introduces compressive residual stresses in the surface of the material, and cause delays the nucleation of cracks of fatigue, promoting increase in the life fatigue. The material used was SAE 1060 steel, cold rolled, with section of 15x5mm. For the shot peening two sizes of steel spheres had been selected: S110 and S280. For each size three conditions of superficial covering in the material had been carried through: 80%, 100% and 500%. Had been realized analysis of metallography, tensile test, analysis of residual stresses, fatigue test, analysis of roughness, hardness test, surface analysis in the material with and without shot peening. The results indicated a significant improvement in the fatigue performance with the S110 sphere in the 100% of covering condition associated with the compressive residual stresses.

Este trabalho foi estruturado visando apresentar os efeitos causados pelo shot peening (jateamento por esferas) em componentes mecânicos. Este processo introduz tensões residuais compressivas na superfície do material, o que retarda a nucleação de trincas de fadiga, promovendo aumento na vida em fadiga. O material utilizado foi o aço SAE 1060, laminado, com um perfil de 15 por 5mm. Para o jateamento foram selecionados dois tamanhos de esferas de aço: S110 e S280. Para cada tamanho foram realizadas três condições de cobertura superficial no material: 80%, 100% e 500%. Foram realizados metalografia, ensaio de tração, análise de tensões residuais, curvas de fadiga, rugosidade, perfil de microdureza e efetuadas análises da fratura e da superfície do material com e sem jateamento. Os resultados apontaram uma melhoria significativa no desempenho em fadiga com a esfera S110 na condição de 100% de cobertura associado às tensões residuais compressivas obtidas. / This work study the effects of shot peening on mechanical components. This process introduces compressive residual stresses in the surface of the material, and cause delays the nucleation of cracks of fatigue, promoting increase in the life fatigue. The material used was SAE 1060 steel, cold rolled, with section of 15x5mm. For the shot peening two sizes of steel spheres had been selected: S110 and S280. For each size three conditions of superficial covering in the material had been carried through: 80%, 100% and 500%. Had been realized analysis of metallography, tensile test, analysis of residual stresses, fatigue test, analysis of roughness, hardness test, surface analysis in the material with and without shot peening. The results indicated a significant improvement in the fatigue performance with the S110 sphere in the 100% of covering condition associated with the compressive residual stresses.