Engineering Commons^™

Time Signature Detection By Using A Multi Resolution Audio Similarity Matrix, Mikel Gainza, Eugene Coyle

Conference papers

A method that estimates the time signature of a piece of music is presented. The approach exploits the repetitative structure of most music, where the same musical bar is repeated in different parts of a piece. The method utilised a multi-resolution audio similarity matrix approach, which allows comparisons between longer audio segments (bars) by combining comparisons of shorter segments (fraction of a note). The time signature method only depends on musical structure, and does not depend on the presence of percussive instruments or strong musical accents.

Blind Source Separation And Automatic Transcription Of Music Using Tensor Decompositions, Derry Fitzgerald

Conference papers

Recent advances in the use of tensor decompositions for the analysis of music are described. In particular, the use of such decompositions for sound source separation and the automatic transcription of music are explored.

A Combinatorial Creativity Approach To Composing Traditional Irish Reels, Nan Zheng, Bryan Duggan

Conference papers

In this paper we describe a system that uses a corpus of 864 traditional Irish reels as input into an algorithm that composes new tunes. The system performs a structural analysis of the tunes in the corpus and also counts n-gram note sequences in the tunes. It then recombines n-gram note sequences together in structures from the corpus to generate new tunes. We further present our evaluation of the generated tunes as performed by 29 domain experts.

Physiochemical Indicators Of Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Toxicity, Alan Casey

Doctoral

Numerous toxicity studies have been conducted to date both in vivo and in vitro on refined and raw Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNT). Differences in SWCNT toxicity and biocompatibility have been observed between these studies, and whilst these discrepancies have been attributed to factors such as varying percentages of remnant catalytic particles, differences in dispersion methods etc. the mechanisms underlying these inconsistencies have not been investigated. This study used standard spectroscopic and cellular techniques to elucidate the origins of these inconsistencies and also to estimate the validity of toxicological data evaluated form standard cytotoxic endpoints. Spectroscopic studies were conducted in …

Using Gis To Assess Ireland's Knowledge Economy And Its Readiness For Knowledge Based Activity, Niall Mcguinness

Dissertations

The attractiveness of emerging low wages economics to primary industries such as manufacturing and production is forcing many western economies to transition to knowledge economies. In the absence of many forms of primary industry lost to low wage economies, the European Union and its members are fast realising the importance of attracting knowledge based enterprise in order to maintain Europe’s economic climate. Ireland too has a stated aim to become a knowledge economy by the year 2010. This can be achieved by investing in higher education and attracting knowledge industry to the country. Ireland has made some progress to achieving …

Open Software To Innovation: The Critical Success Factors Of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (Mmorpg) In China And Ireland., Wei Chen

Dissertations

This project investigates the factors leading to the success of China’s Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) market and gives an analysis of how Open source has contributed to these success factors. It then will look at how the use of open source is mirrored in Ireland’s market for example, the software sector to see if the same factors are apparent or there are indicators of these. Knowledge Management plays a very important role for fasten the innovation of Open source software development in China.

Development Of Probalistic Techniques For Network Assessment With Significant Wind Generation, Asim Mumtaz

Masters

Due to increasing awareness of global warming and high energy costs, more electrical power is being generated by using renewable sources. However some of these sources are not as predictable as conventional generation and they also lack the ability to be dispatched in the same way. The increase in the amount of wind power connected to transmission networks has been significant in some countries. But due to the stochastic nature of wind power, it is difficult to predict exactly how much power can be generated at any given time. This variable nature of wind power can cause line overloading and …

Investigating Text Message Classification Using Case-Based Reasoning, Matt Healy

Masters

Text classification is the categorization of text into a predefined set of categories. Text classification is becoming increasingly important given the large volume of text stored electronically e.g. email, digital libraries and the World Wide Web (WWW). These documents represent a massive amount of information that can be accessed easily. To gain benefit from using this information requires organisation. One way of organising it automatically is to use text classification. A number of well known machine learning techniques have been used in text classification including Naïve Bayes, Support Vector Machines and Decision Trees, and the less commonly used are k-Nearest …

Transfer Function Modelling: A Student-Centred Learning Approach, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

Traditionally, the modelling of real systems in engineering, using transfer functions, has been done in a mathematically intense manner. However, non-traditional learners such as mature students, part-time students and students without a conventional second-level educational background may not have strong mathematical foundations; in addition, all students increasingly expect technical work which is practical and which motivates independent learning. This paper reports on, reflects on and evaluates an innovative experiment developed by the author to estimate a transfer function model of a person’s eye-brain-hand motor response. In the experiment, carried out using a PC with data acquisition capability, the person is …

Experiences With Virtual Learning Environments In Control Engineering Education, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

The twin pressures of the need for students to learn a wider variety of concepts, ideally in a self-learning mode, and the reduction in class contact time has led to the use of increased levels of information technology in control engineering education. This paper reports on, reflects on, and evaluates the author’s use of virtual laboratories (computer based laboratories available on the internet) in control engineering modules at DIT Kevin St. The use of the virtual laboratories helps in the ongoing evolution of the teaching approach from a traditional didactic lecture and laboratory course to a more learner-centred approach. The …

Stability Analysis And Control Synthesis Of Affine Fuzzy Systems, Ruiyao Gao, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

This paper presents an approach to stability analysis and control synthesis of affine fuzzy systems. The analysis is based on quadratic Lyapunov functions. The approach considers the nonlinear offset terms in affine fuzzy systems as non-vanishing perturbations added to the corresponding nominal linear blending systems. The affine fuzzy system is bounded by an ultimate limit if the corresponding linear blending system is exponentially stable. A state feedback controller with an extra term is designed with guaranteed global stability. The ultimate bounds are determined for both the open loop system and the compensated system.

Identification Of A Time-Delayed Process Model Using An Overparameterisation Method, John Roe, Ruiyao Gao, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

An extensive literature exists on the estimation of the model parameters of time-delayed processes. This paper briefly reviews the main overparameterisation methods for the Single-Input, Single Output (SISO) and Multi-Input, Multi-Output (MIMO) model parameter (and time delay) estimation problem. Subsequently, two algorithms, and their modifications, are discussed, and their performances are assessed in simulation. Results indicate that both the algorithms can suitably identify the model parameters, including the time delay. The third author has taught the method successfully to students taking advanced level control courses at DIT for a number of years; these experiences will be briefly reported. The paper …

Some Aspects Of Process Control In Semiconductor Manufacturing, Keelin Relihan, Shane Geraghty, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

This paper outlines some aspects of process control in semiconductor manufacturing. Starting with an outline of the semiconductor manufacturing process, the contribution will discuss temperature control of the chemical vapour deposition stage and the control of the wafer etching process, based on the industrial experience of the first two authors. Subsequently, the authors draw the attention of the semiconductor manufacturing community to the potential of properly tuned PID controllers for the achievement of simple and high performance control solutions.

Experiences Of Assessment Using Multiple Choice Questions On A First Year Engineering Module In Electrical Engineering, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

This contribution will report on, and evaluate, the use of multiple-choice questions, in both continuous assessment and terminal examination modes, on a first year module in electrical engineering at Dublin Institute of Technology. The author’s experiences are that multiple-choice questions tend to be student friendly (e.g. given a choice in a terminal examination, students will opt to attempt the questions with multiple choice parts). The author has used the assessment method over three academic years, and some assessment data is reported and analysed in the contribution. The pedagogical approach is explicitly pragmatic.

Biotechnology, Life Sciences And Control Engineering:Some Synthesis Issues, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

The synthesis of biotechnology, life sciences and control engineering is receiving increasing interest. The purpose of this contribution (and the associated poster) is to raise awareness of some of this synthesis work.

Hazardous Emissions Monitoring And Control, Aidan O'Dwyer, Jesus Cabello

Conference papers

There is an increasing awareness in society of the need to protect our fragile environment. Meeting environmental requirements is recognised as one of the six 21st century business drivers for automatic control. Chemical companies, for example, use automatic control to minimise waste production because of increasing prohibitions against discharge and/or disposal of toxic substances. New plants are moving towards a “zero-discharge” concept [1]. In a recent report [2], greater emphasis on automatic control is suggested as a technological response of both the speciality chemicals and pharmaceutical sub-sectors to key business drivers up to 2015. This contribution reports on recent developments …

Sensors For The Detection Of Hazardous Emissions, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

This contribution will detail recent developments in sensor technology for the detection of hazardous emissions. The accurate measurement of such emissions is necessary if they are to be controlled to the appropriate regulations.

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Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

An Investigation Of Planar Monopole Antennas For Modern Portable Applications, Jonathan Arthur Evans

Doctoral

Current trends in portable and mobile communications are towards greater numbers of different systems often with wider bandwidths, operating within a single device. Antenna systems for these devices need to be capable of operating over a wide frequency range or multiple frequency bands, typically between 900MHz and 6GHz (e.g. GSM, IMT-2000, Wi-Fi and WiMax). Portable and mobile applications also require antennas to be optimised with respect to radiation pattern, efficiency and physical size. A greater understanding of the characteristics and design challenges of broadband and multi-band antennas forms the core motivation of this work. The antennas developed as part of …

A Simple Sol-Gel Processing For The Development Of High-Temperature Stable Photoactive Anatase Titania, Suresh Pillai, Declan Mccormack, John Colreavy

Articles

No abstract provided.

Experimental Study For The Conditions Of Analog Switching In Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Cells, V. Manjuladevi, Yuri Panarin, J.K. Vij

Articles

The authors study the effect of the spontaneous polarization (PS) of a ferroelectric liquid crystal mixture with compensated helix and of the thickness of the alignment layer (da) on the analog switching in a cell. The quality of analog switching is established in terms of its contrast ratio, texture in the dark state, and the electrostatic energy. The latter approximates to PS 2da for da

Influence Of Electric Field And Light On An Easy Axis Of Nlc Confined By Rectangular Channel At Weak Surface Anchoring, S.V. Pasechnik, A.V. Dubtsov, Yuri Panarin, D.V. Shmeliova, V.A. Tsvetkov, V.G. Chigrinov

Articles

We present new experimental results on combined action of light and electric field on a nematic liquid crystal in a rectangular channel at a weak surface anchoring. The first experimental study of slow surface dynamics at combined action of electric field and polarized light in new experimental geometry was performed. Influence of polarized light on spatial twist-like deformation of a director field induced by electric field was established.

Discontinuous Change In The Smectic Layer Thickness In Ferrielectric Liquid Crystals, V. P. Panov, J. K. Vij, Yuri Panarin, C. Blanc, V. Lorman, J. W. Goodby

Articles

The temperature dependence of the thickness of thick free-standing films is studied using a high-resolution film thickness measurement technique. A small discontinuity in the temperature dependence of the smectic layer thickness at every phase transition between ferro-, ferri-, and antiferroelectric phases is observed. We show that the major contribution to it arises from a change in the smectic tilt angle.

Pure Non-Blocking Lc Based Matrix Optical Switch For All-Optical Fibre Networks, Yuri Panarin, V. Alex

Articles

New pure non-blocking matrix optical switch scheme for fiber networks is presented. The optical switch is based on conventional LCD technology, where the each pixel controls the polarization state of the light beam. The suggested switch offers several advantages over the conventional cross-point architecture such as: cost; complexity; size; adjustment; and optical performance

Optical Performance Of Non-Blocking 4x4 Optical Switch: Simulation And Experiment, V. Alex, A. Dubtsov, Yuri Panarin, T. Wilkinson

Articles

A prototype of pure non-blocking 4x4 optical LC switch was designed and built. This switch is based on conventional LCD technology, where the each pixel controlled the polarization state of the light beam. An addressing algorithm was described. The optical performance of the switch, such as cross-talk and insertion loss, was simulated and experimentally studied. The suggested approach offers several advantages over the conventional cross-point architecture such as: cost; complexity; size; adjustment; and optical performance.

Increasing Effectiveness Of Public Private Partnerships In The Irish Construction Industry, Louis Gunnigan

Doctoral

By 2003 the first Irish Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects had reached the operational stage. Media reports were emerging of significant differences in the effectiveness of these projects.

This research set out to find a means by which effectiveness of PPPs could be increased and to develop a model that would assist PPP practitioners with this task in the future. Through a literature review, the Irish PPP process was mapped, the changes encountered in the introduction of PPP were investigated and a conceptual model – based on a traditional process model - was proposed. The model was tested by examining …

Realising Electronic Tendering In The Irish Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore

Conference papers

No abstract provided.

Efficiency Gains To Be Won Through The Introduction Of Electronic Tendering In The Construction Industry, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

The tendering process predominantly adopted in the Irish construction industry is largely paper-dependent. However, the increase in the availability of high speed Information Communications Technology (ICT) has meant that construction consultants can disseminate this information more cost effectively in an electronic format. The aim of this paper is to present a status report on an industry-led network project currently being undertaken by the Construction Information Technology Alliance (CITA) in Ireland. This project aims to demonstrate how greater effectiveness and efficiency can be applied to the tendering process by the application of ICT already used widely in other industries. The status …

Citax: Defining Xml Standards For Data Exchange In The Construction Industry Supply Chain, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

The current methods of ordering, delivering and invoicing of products in the construction industry is enormously inefficient, with vast quantities of paperwork, duplication of effort, scanning, re-keying and resolving mismatches between invoices, delivery dockets and purchase orders. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Construction IT Alliance eXchange (CITAX) project and, in particular, to outline the work carried out-to-date by a special interest group within the project. They are seeking to define a universal set of eXtensible Mark-Up Language (XML) message standards that will allow suppliers and contractors to exchange information with each other in supply chain activity. …

Dit Frequency Based Incremental Attribute Selection For Gre., John D. Kelleher

Conference papers

The DIT system uses an incremental greedy search to generate descriptions, (similar to the incremental algorithm described in (Dale and Reiter, 1995) ) incremental algorithm). The selection of the next attribute to be tested for inclusion in the description is ordered by the absolute frequency of each attribute in the training corpus. Attributes are selected in descending order of frequency (i.e. the attribute that occurred most frequently in the training corpus is selected first).