No description available.

Concepts of tree coding and of rate-distortion theory are applied to the problem of the transmission of analog signals over digital channels. Coding schemes are developed which yield improvements of up to six dB in signal-to-noise ratio over conventional techniques for the reproduction of speech waveforms. / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

A measurement method of small-capacitance using transient waveforms is proposed in this thesis. A pi-circuit is used to express the stray capacitors between terminals and those from each terminal to ground. Two measuring modes, differential and common modes, are required to obtain the parameters of the circuit. The parameters are determined by transient current waveforms of the modes with an applied voltage, i.e., the open circuited voltage at the end of the current injection cable. The parameters of the pi-type circuit are obtained from a slope of the transient current waveforms or a waveform fitting by a nonlinear method. These methods enable the derivation without a voltage measurement by a probe connecting across the small capacitance, since the parasitic capacitance of the voltage probe obscures the small capacitance. / 博士(工学) / Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University

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The usefulness of vibrotactile feedback as a channel to communicate information has been widely recognized. However, most of the recent work on this subject uses actuators that are either too expensive or too large for many practical applications. This thesis explores the generation of vibrotacatile feedback patterns using a simple, inexpensive eccentric-mass motor that is constrained to use a constant voltage and a low on/off switching frequency. In particular, it explores the pulse timing method, which utilizes the slow transient response of the eccentric-mass motor to calculate pulse and rest times for an arbitrary envelope waveform shape. Several hardware tests were performed to (1) obtain a model of the transient response and (2) to verify that the resulting vibrations match the patterns predicted by the pulse timing method. Two custom built devices consisting of an eccentric-mass motor and a rigid housing were used in addition to a Wii remote. Vibrations for each device were measured and compared to the pattern predicted by the pulse timing method when the device was sitting on a table top and when the device was held in the hand. Results indicate that the vibrations match the predicted patterns very well in both cases. It was also determined that error in the motor's transient response model will result in some error between the measured and predicted vibrations. To assess whether this error affects perception of the intended envelope waveform, a study was performed in which users were asked to identify the envelope waveform of vibration patterns created using curve-fit models that contained various levels of error. An analysis of variance revealed that error in the curve-fit will have an effect on the perception of the envelope waveform if the error is large. Two more user studies were performed to determine the perceptual space of patterns generated using the pulse timing method, and to determine whether users could identify the meanings encoded within vibration features. The Perceptual Space study used a cluster-sorted Multi-Dimensional Scaling analysis to determine that envelope waveform, roughness (deviation from the envelope waveform), and amplitude are vibration features that may be used to encode information. Using these features, participants were presented with vibrations that contained GPS navigation instructions similar to those used in a car, and were asked to identify the associated meaning. Users were able to correctly identify all three features with an average accuracy of 80.6%, and were able to correctly identify the envelope waveform and roughness with accuracies of 96.9% and 94.5% respectively. These results are evidence that the pulse timing method (and eccentric-mass motors in general) are capable of generating complex vibrotactile feedback patterns that can be uniquely identified.

No description available.

No description available.

A new N-dimensional digital modulation technique is proposed as a bandwidth efficient method for the transmission of digital data. The technique uses an antipodal scheme in which parallel binary data signs baseband orthogonal waveforms derived from Hermite polynomials. Orthogonality guarantees recoverability of the data from N simultaneously transmitted Hermite waveforms. The signed Hermite waveform is transmitted over a radio link using either amplitude or frequency modulation. The bandwidth efficiency of the amplitude Hermite method is found to be as good as filtered BPSK in practice, while the bit error rates for both modulations are identical. Hermite Keying (HK), the FM modulation version of the N-dimensional Hermite transmission, outperforms constant envelope FSK in terms of spectrum efficiency. With a simple FM detector, the bit error rate of HK is as good as that of non-coherent FSK. In a frequency selective fading channel, the simulation results suggest that specific data bits of HK are relatively secure from errors, which is beneficial in some applications. Symbol synchronization is critical to the system. An optimal synchronization method for the N-dimensional antipodal scheme in additive white Gaussian noise channel is derived. Simulation results confirm that the synchronizer can operate successfully at E/No of 3 dB. / Ph. D.

Ce manuscrit présente l'étude de la fabrication de couches minces de silicium basée sur des différents types de dépôt chimique en phase vapeur assisté par plasma (PECVD) pour des applications dans le photovoltaïque. Tout d'abord, nous avons combiné une chimie du plasma halogéné en utilisant un mélange de SiF4/H2 et la technique plasmas distributés matriciellement à résonance cyclotronique électronique (MDECR) PECVD pour le dépôt de μc-Si:H à grande vitesse. Nous trouvons que les conditions d'énergie ionique modérée sont bénéfiques pour obtenir une diminution significative de la densité des nano-vides, et ainis nous pouvons obtenir un matériaux de meilleure qualité avec une meilleure stabilité. Une méthode de dépôt en deux étapes a été introduite comme moyen alternatif d'éliminer la formation d'une couche d'incubation amorphe pendant la croissance du film. Ensuite, nous avons exploré la technique d'excitation Tailored Voltage Waveform (TVW) pour les processus plasma radiofréquence capacitivement couplé (RF-CCP). Grâce à l'utilisation de TVW, il est possible d'étudier indépendamment l'influence de l'énergie ionique sur le dépôt de matériaux à une pression de processus relativement élevée. Basé sur ce point, nous avons étudié le dépôt de μc-Si:H et a-Si:H à partir des plasma de SiF4/H2/Ar et de SiH4/H2, respectivement. A partir d'une analyse des propriétés structurelles et électroniques, nous constatons que la variation de l'énergie ionique peut directement traduite dans la qualité du matériaux. Les résultats se sont appliqués aux dispositifs photovoltaïques et ont établi des liens complets entre les paramètres de plasma contrôlables par TVW et les propriétés de matériaux déposé, et finalement, les performances du dispositif photovoltaïque correspondant. Enfin, nous avons trouvé que dans le cas du dépôt de couches minces de silicium à partir du plasma de SiF4/H2/Ar à l'aide de sawtooth TVW, on peut réaliser un processus de dépôt sur une électrode, sans aucun dépôt ou gravure. contre-électrode. Ceci est dû à deux effets: la nature multi-précurseur du processus de surface résultant et la réponse de plasma spatiale asymétrique par l'effet d'asymétrie de pente de la sawtooth TVW. La découverte de tels procédés “electrode-selective” encourage la perspective que l'on puisse choisir un ensemble de conditions de traitement pour obtenir une grande variété de dépôts désirés sur une électrode, tout en laissant l'autre vierge. / This thesis describes the study of silicon thin film materials deposition and the resulting photovoltaic devices fabrication using different types of plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) techniques.In the first part, we combine a SiF4/H2 plasma chemistry with the matrix-distributed electron cyclotron resonance (MDECR) PECVD to obtain high growth rate microcrystalline silicon (µc-Si:H). Due to the special design of MDECR system, careful investigation of the impact energy of impinging ions to material deposition can be accessible. We find that moderate ion energy conditions is beneficial to achieve a significant drop in the density of nano-voids, thus a higher quality material with better stability can be obtained. A two-step deposition method is introduced as an alternative way to eliminate the existence of amorphous incubation layer during film growth.The second part of work is dedicate to the exploration of the Tailored Voltage Waveforms (TVWs) excitation technique for capacitively coupled plasmas (CCP) processes. As an advantage over the conventional sinusoidal excitations, TVWs technique provide an elegant solution for the ion flux-energy decoupling in CCP discharges through the electrical asymmetry effect, which makes the independent study of the impact of ion energy for material deposition at relatively high process pressure possible. Based on this insight, we have studied the deposition of µc-Si:H and amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) from the SiF4/H2/Ar and SiH4/H2 plasma chemistry, respectively. From the structural and electronic properties analysis, we find that the variation of ion energy can be directly translated into the material quality. We have further applied these results to photovoltaic applications and established bottom-up links from the controllable plasma parameters via TVWs to the deposited material properties, and eventually to the resulting device quality.In the last part, as a further application of TVWs, an “electrode-selective” effect has been discovered in the CCP processes. In the case of silicon thin film deposition from the SiF4/H2/Ar plasma chemistry, one can achieve a deposition process on one electrode, while at the same time either no deposition or an etching process on the counter electrode. This is due to two effects: the multi-precursor nature of the resulting surface process and the asymmetric plasma response through the utilization of TVWs. Moreover, such deposition/etching balance can be directly controlled through H2 flow rate. From a temporal asymmetry point of view, we have further studied the impact of process pressure and reactor geometry to the asymmetric plasma response for both the single-gas and multi-gas plasmas using the sawtooth waveforms. The product of pressure and inter-electrode distance P·di is deduced to be a crucial parameter in determine the plasma heating mode, so that a more flexible control over the discharge asymmetry as well as the relating “electrode-selective” surface process can be expected.

Estudos utilizando imagens laríngeas de sujeitos normais captadas por videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade revelam o uso de diversas ferramentas e métricas em diferentes populações. No entanto, é evidente a escassez de normatizações operacionais e de parâmetros vocais de referência. Os objetivos desse estudo foram obter parâmetros da dinâmica vocal utilizando ferramentas computacionais de uso corrente pelo Grupo de Pesquisa em Engenharia Médica (GPEM - CNPq) e caracterizar o padrão vibratório das pregas vocais de sujeitos normais por meio das ondas da área glótica e quimografia de alta velocidade do utilizando Videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade. Metodologia: A partir de imagens laríngeas captadas pela videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade foram extraídos os parâmetros quantitativos: i) tempos de fases e período total do ciclo vibratório das pregas vocais das ondas da área glótica, ii) tempos de fases e período total do ciclo vibratório das pregas vocais da quimografia de alta velocidade, iii) coeficientes (de abertura, de fechamento e de velocidade). Além disso, foram analisados os parâmetros qualitativos das ondas da área glótica e da quimografia de alta velocidade de acordo com a aplicação de protocolos elaborados para classificação de padrões visuais. Resultados: Das ondas da área glótica foram obtidos os valores médios, em milissegundos, de fase fechada: feminino=0.83 e masculino= 2.47; de abertura: feminino= 2.43 e masculino= 2.95; de fechamento: feminino=2.08 e masculino= 2.53; aberta: feminino= 6.15 e masculino= 6.18, período total do ciclo vibratório: feminino=6.98 e masculino= 8.65; coeficientes: de fechamento: feminino=0.14 e masculino=0.29, de abertura: feminino=0.85 e masculino=0.70, de velocidade: feminino=1.16 e masculino=1.19, além de 73% dos traçados apresentarem sinal periódico. Quanto à quimografia de alta velocidade os parâmetros quantitativos obtidos foram: fase fechada: feminino=1.75 e masculino=3.32, de abertura: feminino= 1.47 e masculino= 2.32; de fechamento: feminino= 1.51 e masculino= 2.22; aberta: feminino= 2.91 e masculino= 4.56, e período total do ciclo vibratório: feminino= 4.67 e masculino= 7.89. Os coeficientes obtidos foram: de fechamento: feminino= 0.37 e masculino= 0.42.; de abertura: feminino= 0.62 e masculino= 0.57; e de velocidade: feminino= 1.02 e masculino= 1.12. 59% de simetria em amplitude e 54% de assimetria de fase foram encontrados no traçado da quimografia de ata velocidade de sujeitos normais. Conclusão: A partir do uso de ferramentas computacionais específicas para analisar imagens laríngeas da videolaringoscopia de alta velocidade foi possível obter parâmetros quantitativos e qualitativos das ondas da área glótica e quimografia de alta velocidade de sujeitos normais e obter dados de referência quanto à normalidade para futuros estudos. / Several studies using laryngeal images from high-speed videolaryngoscopy of normal subjects reveals the diversity of tools and metrics used for different population. However, shortage of operational standardization and references of vocal fold parameters are evident. The main objectives of this study were to obtain parameters of vocal dynamics using computational tools of Medical Engineering Research Group (GPEM - CNPq) and to characterize the vocal fold\'s vibration pattern of normal subjects using glottal area waveforms and high-speed kymography. Methods: From laryngeal images of high-speed videolaryngoscopy we extracted the following quantitative parameters: i) phase time of glottal area waveforms, ii) phase time of vibratory cicle\'s total period, iii) quocients of high-speed kymography. Furthermore, qualitative parameters of glottal area waveform were analyzed according to visual pattern protocol. Results: Media values of glottal area waveforms, in milliseconds, of closed phase: female=0.83 and male= 2.47; opening phase: female= 2.43 and male= 2.95; closing phase: female= 2.08 and male= 2.53; opened phase: female=6.15 and male= 6.18, vibratory cicle of total period: female= 6.98 and male= 8.65, closing quotient: female= 0.14 and male= 0.29; opening quotient: female= 0.85 and male= 0.70; speed quotient: female= 1.16 and male= 1.19, besides 73% showed periodic signal. As the high- speed kymography the quantitative parameters obtained were: closed phase: female= 1.75 and male= 3.32; opening phase: female= 1.47 and male= 2.32; closing phase: female= 1.51 and male= 2.22; opened phase: female= 2.91 and male= 4.56, and vibratory cicie of total period: female= 4.67 and male= 7.89. The quotients obtained were: closing quotient: female= 0.37and male= 0.42; opening quotient: female= 0.62 and male= 0.57; speed quotient: female= 1.02 and male= 1.12. 59% amplitude symmetry and 54% phase asymmetry were obtained in the high- speed kymography of normal subjects. Conclusion: using specific computational tools to analyse high-speed laryngeal images we obtained quantitative and qualitative parameters of glottal area waveforms and high-speed kymography that can be used as a standard reference data for normal subjects.