Search

Paper has been extensively accepted as an ideal platform for fabricating low‐cost, flexible, and environmentally friendly electronics. However, current paper‐based pressure sensors have not fully demonstrated the unique merits of paper, such as cost efficiency, disposability, cuttability, and foldability, mainly because of the limitation of the applied metal electrodes and device configuration. Here, an all‐organic, all‐paper, cuttable, and foldable pressure sensor is demonstrated for the first time, with the high‐conductivity polypyrrole (PPy) printing paper as electrode and the low‐conductivity PPy tissue paper as active layer. Hollow and 3D all‐paper sensors are realized through fabricating the kirigami or origami structure since the device can be freely cut and folded, presenting a universal strategy promising for flexible device design. The cuttability and foldability of device create a unique 3D perception capability. The devices show high sensitivity (4.8 kPa−1 at < 5.5 kPa, 1.7 kPa−1 at 5.5–40 kPa) and wide detection range (up to 40 kPa), providing a capability for full‐range detection of human physiological and motion signals. These results open a feasible route to realize hollow and 3D sensors and fully demonstrate the potential of paper sensors for diverse applications to new‐generation green electronics and portable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper‐based devices are said to be easy to make and use. It is true, if you know how. We hope this Review will help people that are new to the field but also those more experienced who want to add some new functionalities to their systems. Tips and common pitfalls are provided in each section as well as references to recommended reading material. Paper devices have been in development for around two millennia, in one form or the other, and ingenious solutions can be borrowed from the world of paper toys, or closer to electrochemistry paper electronics developed from the 1960' onwards. Small projects on such systems can become a good practice even in laboratories not working on disposable sensors and low‐cost diagnostics as paper‐based devices are a great way to introduce new students to lab work and teach problem solving. We would also like to show that paper indeed has real life applications and is more than just a good keyword but with the number of publications on the topic, it might not always be easy to distinguish the advances from the background noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based microfluidics is characteristic of fluid transportation through spontaneous capillary action of paper and has exhibited great promise for a variety of applications especially for sensing. Furthermore, paper-based microfluidics enables the design of miniaturized electrochemical devices to be applied in the energy sector, which is especially attractive for the rapid growing market of small size disposable electronics. This review gives a brief summary on the basics of paper chemistry and capillary-driven microfluidic behavior, and highlights recent advances of paper-based microfluidics in developing electrochemical sensing devices and miniaturized energy storage/conversion devices. Their structural features, working principles and exemplary applications are comprehensively elaborated and discussed. Additionally, this review also points out the existing challenges and future opportunities of paper-based microfluidic electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Projected image on a screen is not always vivid enough when it is projected in a bright room. We generally have to choose either vivid image in a cark room or dull image in a bright room. We have suggested a new projection system which can realize high contrast image projection in a bright room. It is consisted of electronic paper screen, projector, and light-emitting diode room light. The electronic paper (e-Paper) screen alternates its whole surface white/black with 120 Hz. Room lights are controlled with the same frequency of 120 Hz with the opposite phase as that of the e-Paper screen. We have confirmed that our new system has achieved higher contrast than the conventional projection system and also enough readability of paper documents in the room simultaneously. We have thus confirmed that our new system can bring an ideal condition, for audience, which can realize a vivid image projection in a bright room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant attention is focused on paper electronics (PEs) for developing flexible and recyclable devices. These devices use paper as the substrate on which electrode materials are successively patterned. Among various conductive materials used for PEs, nanosilver ink is the most commonly used material due to its low cost and easy printing process. However, nanosilver electrodes tend to fracture when a paper substrate is bent or folded, leading to disconnections in printed circuits. To maintain the integrity of the circuit pattern during folding, a novel Kirigami fabrication method for PEs is proposed, in which a paper substrate is prepared by cutting along the edge of the printed electrode prior to use. The Kirigami method is experimentally proven to turn the deformation mode of nanosilver electrodes from bending to twisting, which effectively prevents electrodes from fracture. Experimental measurements reveal that the electrical resistance of the Kirigami electrode increases by merely 30% under full folding. Conductivity is maintained after full folding for 100 cycles. Finally, the Kirigami strategy is applied to different foldable PEs including angle sensors, electrostatic actuators, and locomotion robots. The successful implementation of the Kirigami strategy demonstrates high potential for use in diverse PEs with complicated foldable 3D architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High frequency paper-based electronics is developing fast, with smart yet low cost applications in view. However, the dielectric losses of paper remain a difficult hurdle to overcome. First, the literature on the topic is reviewed and the contributions from moisture, air, mineral filler, and wood constituents to dielectric losses are highlighted. Then, the guidelines for future research are defined, including the need for systematic comparisons in controlled moisture conditions. In an effort to produce low loss materials for paper-based electronics, it is proposed here to impregnate paper with a low loss substance, after removing residual water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses one of the key issues in using paper electronics at microwave frequencies. As paper is hygroscopic, the varying moisture content can lead to differing dielectric and even conductive properties of paper electronics and must be taken into consideration in any device design. In this work, coplanar waveguides (CPWs) have been screen printed using silver ink on matt paper. Increasing the relative humidity between 40 and 90% is shown to increase the losses, decrease the propagation velocity and decrease the characteristic impedance of CPWs. The effect of water on both silver flake ink and the matt paper used in this work are considered, and it is shown that the change in permittivity of the substrate as a result of absorbed water within paper is the most dominant factor on the microwave characteristics. The reported findings should be considered in paper‐based applications at microwave frequencies, as the changes in transmission‐line parameters can lead to drastic variations in device and system operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, fabrication of frequency selective surface filters by coating paper with silver ink and subsequent laser etching the frequency filter pattern has been investigated. Three filter structures consisting of a combination of square and ring patches operating at 102, 113, and 126 GHz and with corresponding signal attenuation of −15.2, −15.4, and −14.5 dB were fabricated and simulated; −5 dB bandwidths were following, 93.3–112.2 GHz, 101.9–121.1 GHz, and 112.7–132.3, respectively. Also, the proposed screen printing with assistive laser etching could be used to reduce the number of used screens. Furthermore, paper based fabrication using a biodegradable ink could be an alternative fabrication process in future electronic manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials for electronics that function as electrical and/or thermal conductors are often rigid, expensive, difficult to source, and sometimes toxic. An electrically and thermally conductive nanocomposite that is lightweight, flexible, and ecofriendly could improve the environmental friendliness of the electronics sector and enable new applications. Considering this, flexible and electrically and thermally conductive materials are fabricated by functionalizing paper with nanocarbon conductive inks. Carnauba wax is emulsified in isopropyl alcohol and mixed with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) or with hybrids of GNPs and carbon nanofibers (CNFs). The percolation threshold of the hybrid samples is lowered compared with the pure GNP composites, due to their increased filler aspect ratio. The hybrid samples also exhibit superior bending and folding stability. Densification of the coating to decrease their sheet resistance enables them to achieve as low as ≈50 Ω sq−1 for the GNP‐based paper. The densification procedure improves the bending stability, the abrasion resistance, and the electromagnetic interference shielding of the paper‐based conductors. Finally, the compressed samples show an impressive enhancement of their thermal diffusivity. The flexible and multifunctional nanocarbon coated paper is a promising electrical conductor and thermally dissipative material and, at the same time, can increase the environmental sustainability of the electronics sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability and circular economy cover the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. Due to global trends (eg. increasing e‐waste and material consumption) and global sustainability goals also electronics industry has to consider how to increase sustainability in its products, operations and service models. VTT has demonstrated sustainable electronic solutions by developing bio‐based and renewable material processing, by utilizing high‐speed printing and hybrid integration manufacturing processes, and by evaluating environmental impact of electronic systems and devices. This paper covers the different aspects of sustainability and highlights solutions demonstrated at VTT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camera‐Monitor‐Systems, such as rear‐view and side mirrors, are becoming increasingly important. These systems must fulfill high safety requirements. Today's approaches deal with supervision of data and voltages. This paper introduces new methods of advanced monitoring of panel electronics and optical output. These measurements are correlated with images/video to be displayed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses a λ/4-type wave absorber for the microwave band made with conductive paper, which is paper with a coating of conductive material. A simplified wave absorber of this type is first designed and constructed for the X band and Ku band. Using the resulting absorption characteristics, experimental formulas are derived for the relative permittivity and surface resistance. These formulas are then used to design and construct a more practical wave absorber, whose absorption characteristics are measured. Excellent absorption characteristics, better than 20 dB, are verified in the intervals from 8.2 to 10.6 GHz and from 14.1 to 17.2 GHz for wave absorption in the X band and Ku band, respectively, although there is a difference of approximately 0.4 dB between the designed matching frequency and the measured value. Design guidelines for such a microwave absorber using a conductive coating are then presented. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 86(10): 100–107, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.1180 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper electronics represents a newly raised concept that includes various types of electronic devices and circuits on paper. In this work, the authors report multigate oxide‐based homojunction electric‐double‐layer thin‐film transistors (TFTs) with cellulose nanofibers electrolyte film as the gate dielectrics on paper substrate. These flexible TFTs exhibit high performance with a high ON/OFF ratio of 107 and a high mobility of around 26 cm2 V−1 s−1. Resistor‐loaded inverters are demonstrated both in a bottom‐gate mode and an in‐plane‐gate mode. Logic AND operation is realized in a device with two in‐plane gates. Significantly, the universal logic NAND is experimentally demonstrated using a one transistor/one resistor structure by combining NOT and AND logics together. The paper‐based TFT devices are very interesting for emerging areas such as disposable paper electronics and sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Inspired by future needs of flexible, simple, and low‐cost energy storage devices, smart graphene‐based micro‐supercapacitors on conventional Xerox paper substrates were developed. The use of redox‐active species (iodine redox couple) was explored to further improve the paper device's performance. The device based on printed graphene paper itself already had a remarkable maximum volumetric capacitance of 29.6 mF cm−3 (volume of whole device) at 6.5 mA cm−3. The performance of the hybrid electrode with redox‐active potassium iodide at the graphene surface was tested. Remarkably, the hybrid device showed improved volumetric capacitance of 130 mF cm−3. The maximum energy density for a graphene+KI device in H2SO4 electrolyte was estimated to be 0.026 mWh cm−3. Thus, this work offers a new simple, and lightweight micro‐supercapacitor based on low‐cost printed graphene paper, which will have great applications in portable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes integrated readout electronics for on‐panel fingerprint detection, focusing on two key building blocks: charge sense amplifier (CSA) and analog‐to‐digital converter (ADC). The CSA has been realized in a dual‐gate self‐aligned IGZO thin‐film transistor (TFT) technology with channel length downsizing to 3µm, enabling 1.3mm bezel size for the peripheral readout electronics and 1fps readout of a 1‐Mpixel 500dpi sensor array. The ADC has been realized in two different transistor technologies, IGZO and Indium‐Tin‐Zinc‐Oxide (ITZO). The ITZO ADC achieves a sampling rate of 1kS/s, which is 7.5x faster compared to the IGZO ADC, due to the larger mobility of ITZO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors discuss the report which examines evidence on electronic cigarettes commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO). They mention that the significant issue to regard is the role of marketing in urging smokers to move away from smoking while not drawing in non-smokers. They say that there is proof that smokers tries electronic (e)-cigarettes due to their desire for safer alternatives and a concern on the health risks of smoking.

This chapter describes the different types of paper and electronic surveys currently available and their costs and benefits in terms of equipment and printing costs, demands on staff time, and ease of use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid state lighting (SSL) has become the most preferred and efficient general lighting. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of critical components needed for SSL with the primary focus being on the critical components including those related to passive and active electronic components, circuit topologies, tradeoffs, agency and regulatory requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human quest for beauty is manifested in numerous body decoration fashions such as makeups, tattoos, and stickers. The ancient "kirigami" art offers a variety of choices for sticker-type body beautification, whereby with simple cutting, complex networks potential use as microfluidic channels and stretchable materials can be fabricated. Inspired by the fish-scale pattern and kirigami art, a fish-like wearable biosensor is designed and fabricated. This highly stretchable, well-aerated, disposable, and wearable fish sticker enables sweat collection, diagnostics, and motion monitoring. A structure of photonic crystals is integrated in the paper channels for fluorescence enhancement sensing of sweat lactic acid and urea, and a stretchable electronic paper network induced sensitive resistance changes during the movement. The sensor is amenable to a variety of applications, such as personal care and human-machine interaction. The combination of art and sensing also provides a pleasant-looking solution for both health and beauty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro‐LED displays are now emerging rapidly towards commercialization. This novel compound semiconductor display technology has the potential to interface very effectively to advanced electronics, in particular Si CMOS, to create new forms of display which also interrogate and communicate with their environment in sophisticated ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method of actuating liquid metal using capillary action via paper media is presented. This actuation method uses no electrical power and is capable of moving a liquid-metal slug up to 3 mm/s. A microstrip transmission line switch was fabricated to demonstrate this new actuation method. This switch has >40 dB isolation and <2 dB insertion loss across a 5-GHz span. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The facile fabrication of thin and foldable self‐healing electronics on a poly(vinyl alcohol)/cellulose nanocrystal (PVA/CNC) composite film is reported. The self‐healing property of the PVA/CNC nanocomposite film can be activated by spraying water on the film surface, via dynamic formation of hydrogen bonding. The self‐healing efficiency of PVA/CNC is influenced by the content of CNC in the film, pH of the spraying solution, and the temperature. Via vacuum filtration and pattern transfer techniques, both a supercapacitor and a temperature sensor are fabricated on the same PVA/CNC film using gold nanosheet (AuNS) and polyaniline/multiwalled nanotube (PANI/MWCNT) electrodes. The fabricated supercapacitor with a gel‐type electrolyte exhibits a high electrochemical performance, and the thermoresistive temperature sensor shows a linear sensitivity with a fast response. Both devices exhibit superior mechanical stability and self‐healing property over 100 repetitive folding and five repetitive healing cycles, respectively, retaining the device performance owing to the percolated network of the conductive materials. This work demonstrates that our paper‐like thin PVA/CNC film‐based self‐healable devices can serve as highly durable and deformable electronics with longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GaAs MESFET is a light-sensitive device. For normal microwave applications this is considered an undesirable property, and device manufacturers attempt to minimize it. In the last decade researchers discovered ways of utilizing this effect. In this article we present briefly the optical detection properties of the MESFET and describe some typical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA®) has standardized on a visually lossless, low-complexity, hardware-based compression algorithm for use over display links. This paper summarizes novel features of this new compression standard and provides some evaluation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OTFTs are fundamentally the most flexible transistor technology available. Combined with recent improvements in organic materials, this offers a route to truly flexible AMOLED displays, which will transform new markets such as wearables. Plastic Logic has developed a flexible OTFT AMOLED display using low temperature processes compatible with mass manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inkjet printing is a popular technique for depositing high-precision ink lines. This study reports the printing parameters' influence on the electrical properties of the sensing devices. The electrochemical sensors are fabricated with a commercial piezoelectric printer and silver ink. Different substrates are evaluated in the printing process, including paper, polyimide, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tapes. Ink depositions' temperature, ink drop spacing, length, and the number of the ink layer are also evaluated in this study. Higher temperatures (40 °C) make the substrate surface smoother, improving the printing quality. Controlling the ink drop spacing produces narrow continuous ink lines. The number of ink layers changes the film thickness, altering their electroactive surface area. The best printing parameters are PVC tape at 40 °C, 17 µm drop spacing, one layer, and 13 mm length. Under optimized conditions, three-electrode electrochemical systems are fully printed with silver ink, showing batch-to-batch reproducibility (RSD = 3%). Their analytical performance is evaluated for picric acid, hydrogen peroxide, and glucose quantification. The sensors are modified with glucose oxidase to quantify glucose in artificial saliva, confirming their analytical applicability. Therefore, this work reports fundamental aspects of inkjet printing, bringing valuable findings to guide new research involving inkjet-printed electrochemical biosensors/sensors ((bio)sensors). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new architecture light emitting transistor combining the drive transistor, storage capacitor and light emitter into a single device promises to greatly reduce AMOLED manufacturing costs by dramatically reducing the backplane circuit complexity. Here we demonstrate device operation at 60 Hz using only a switching transistor and show remarkable stability under bias stress, despite use of an organic channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taiwan plans to rapidly increase its industrial production capacity of electronic components while concurrently setting policies for its ecological transition. Given that the island is responsible for the manufacturing of a significant part of worldwide electronics components (including the most advanced CMOS technology nodes), the sustainability of the Taiwanese electronics industry is of critical interest. In this paper, we survey the environmental footprint of 16 Taiwanese electronic components manufacturers (ECMs) using corporate sustainability responsibility reports. Based on data from 2015 to 2020, we find out that the sample of ECMs in this study increased its greenhouse gas emissions by 7.5% per year, its final energy and electricity consumption by 8.8% and 8.9%, and its water usage by 6.1%. We show that the volume of manufactured electronic components and the environmental footprint compiled in this study are strongly correlated, which suggests that relative efficiency gains are not sufficient to curb the overall environmental footprint of ECMs on the island. Given the critical nature of the electronics industry for Taiwan's geopolitics and economics, the observed increase of energy consumption, and the slow renewable energy roll‐out, Taiwan could face a carbon lock‐in situation which will most likely prevent the achievement of carbon reduction goals and sustainability policies on the island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Versatile wood cellulose, the most prototypical abundant polymer on earth, is considered a promising natural material for the fabrication of biodegradable electronics. The development of biodegradable electronics may help alleviate the adverse environmental impact caused by the fast‐growing electronic waste (e‐waste). The focus of this review is to discuss recent major advances in biodegradable electronics with versatile wood cellulose in terms of supporting substrates and functional components. First, the biological biodegradation and structural hierarchy of versatile wood cellulose is briefly introduced, followed by highlighting three types of cellulose substrates (opaque and hazy cellulose paper, transparent and clear cellulose film, and transparent and hazy cellulose film) for biodegradable electronics. Then, recent progress and research achievements in the use of versatile wood cellulose with multiscale dimensions in biodegradable electronics as a functional component (e.g., advanced light management layer, high capacitance dielectric, and ionic conductor) or even smart materials (e.g., mechanochromic layer, humidity sensing layer, adaptable adhesive layer, and piezoelectric component) are summarized in detail. Finally, an overview of challenges and perspectives for biodegradable electronics with versatile cellulose is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few years, nanocellulose, as a new‐emerging colloid, has developed into a large family and gained increasing attention owing to its favorable properties. It represents a ubiquitous feature in electronics as different components according to principles extend across energy, lighting management, and transistors and biosensors to information technologies. Within these decades, there are a lot of remarkable phenomena, effects, and performances relevant to a few additional attributes of nanocellulose, making the electronics perform better and better. Toward the rapid nanotechnology development and the need of the society, characterizing this important nanomaterial and making more and more new electronics have become important things to be done. This review consolidates the contribution of nanocellulose to nano‐related electronics, summarizes these methods to utilize nanocellulose as any component in devices, and points out the attributes of the nanocellulose. In the devices, the recent advances into solid‐state electronics, optoelectronic devices, and flexible/wearable electronics are categorized. The intrinsic electrical, dielectric and electronic structures, and properties of nanocellulose related to the device performances are particularly summarized and analyzed, which is believed beneficial in providing a judgment criterion for devices in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on qualification and requirements for interested individual who wanted to be contributors of "The Photogrammetric Record." The primary requirement includes on the submission of articles through electronic formatted in Microsoft (MS) Word and the use of "The Photogrammetric Record" template (photrec.dot). In addition, low resolution versions of the figures should be appended to the text in the Word document.

Reports developments related to engineering as of May 1, 2004. Selection of professors Robert Cripps and Brian Day to the editorial board of the journal "Strain"; Solicitation of research papers by the American Society for Engineering Education and Tsinghua University for an electronic conference on engineering education; Joint membership arrangement between the British Society for Strain Management and Society of Environmental Engineers.

The field of biology has seen tremendous technological progress in recent years, fuelled by the exponential growth in processing power and high‐level computing, and the rise of global information sharing. Low‐cost single‐board computers are predicted to be one of the key technological advancements to further revolutionise this field.So far, an overview of current uptake of these devices and a general guide to help researchers integrate them in their work has been missing. In this paper I focus on the most widely used single‐board computer, the Raspberry Pi, and review its broad applications and uses across the biological domain.Since its release in 2012, the Raspberry Pi has been increasingly taken up by biologists, in the laboratory, the field and in the classroom, and across a wide range of disciplines. A hugely diverse range of applications exists that ranges from simple solutions to dedicated custom‐build devices, including nest‐box monitoring, wildlife camera trapping, high‐throughput behavioural recording, large‐scale plant phenotyping, underwater video surveillance, closed‐loop operant learning experiments and autonomous ecosystem monitoring. Despite the breadth of its implementations, the depth of uptake of the Raspberry Pi by the scientific community is still limited.The broad capabilities of the Raspberry Pi, combined with its low cost, ease of use and large user community make it a great research tool for almost any project. To help accelerate the uptake of the Raspberry Pi by the scientific community, I provide detailed guidelines, recommendations and considerations, and 30+ step‐by‐step guides on a dedicated accompanying website (http://raspberrypi‐guide.github.io). I hope this paper will help generate more awareness about the Raspberry Pi among scientists and thereby both fuel the democratisation of science and ultimately help advance our understanding of biology, from the micro‐ to the macro‐scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aims to establish the mechanism by which virtual reality (VR) media characteristics affect learning transfer in a VR‐based job‐training environment. The two main determinants of learning transfer are the technology and the learner, but not many studies have considered both factors simultaneously. Objectives: This study aims to ascertain the mechanism by which VR media characteristics affect learning transfer with flow as a mediator, and to explore whether presence moderates the effect of VR media characteristics on flow. Methods: A survey of semiconductor facilities engineers who received VR‐based job training was conducted. A total of 106 responses were used in the statistical analysis. A path analysis was conducted to determine the promotional mechanism that connects VR media characteristics, flow, and learning transfer. Results and Conclusions: The results were as follows. First, VR media characteristics had a positive impact on learning transfer. Second, flow acted as a mediator in the relationship between VR media characteristics and learning transfer. Third, presence played a moderating role in the relationship between VR media characteristics and flow. Key takeaways: This study is significant as it identifies elements to consider in relation to both the technological and learner aspects of VR while designing a VR‐based job‐training programme. A corporation should consider VR media characteristics from a technological perspective, and flow and presence from a learner's perspective. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Corporations provide virtual reality (VR)‐based job training because of its positive impact.Interactions between the VR environment and learners impact flow.Presence is important as learner's subjective awareness affects efficacy. What this paper adds: VR media characteristics influence learning transfer in VR‐based job training.VR media characteristics affect flow, which, in turn, affects learning transfer.Presence moderates the relationship between VR media characteristics and flow. Implications for practice and/or policy: VR media characteristics influence learning transfer in VR‐based job training.VR media characteristics affect flow, which, in turn, affects learning transfer.Presence moderates the relationship between VR media characteristics and flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electromagnetic printer head has traditionally been used in the impact dot-matrix printer based on the electromagnetic attractions. The traditional technique, however, is approaching its limit. To find a breakthrough for this limit, efforts have been made to develop a printer head based on the piezoelectric effect. So far, however, there has not been realized a piezoelectric printer head with a better performance than that of the electromagnetic printer head. This paper discusses the direction to be aimed at by the high-performance printer head based on the piezoelectric effect. The reported direction can be summarized as the use of the longitudinal stiffened piezoelectric effect, instead of the transversal piezoelectric effect considered in the past, as well as the use of the lever mechanism which is isolated structurally from the piezoelectric element, instead of the traditional bimorph structure. The first piezoelectric printer head for some commercial printer products has already been successfully fabricated based on the essential idea in this paper, indicating its practical usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Collaborative problem solving (CPS) is important for success in the 21st century, especially for teamwork and communication in technology‐enhanced environments. Measurement of CPS skills has emerged as an essential aspect in educational assessment. Modern research in CPS relies on theory‐driven measurements that are usually carried out as manual annotations over recorded logs of collaborative activities. However, manual annotation has limited scalability and is not conductive towards CPS assessments at scale. Objective: We explore possibilities for automated annotation of actions in collaborative‐teams, especially chat messages. We evaluate two approaches that employ machine learning for automated classification of CPS events. Method: Data were collected from engineering, physics and electronics students' participation in a simulation‐based task on electronics concepts, in which participants communicated via text‐chat messages. All task activities were logged and time stamped. Data have been manually classified for the CPS skills, using an ontology that includes both social and cognitive dimensions. In this article, we describe computational linguistic methods for automatically classifying the CPS skills from logged data, with a view towards automating CPS assessments. Results: We applied two machine learning methods to our data. A Naïve Bayes classifier has been previously used in CPS research, but it is only moderately successful on our data. We also present a k‐nearest‐neighbours (kNN) classifier that uses distributional semantic models for measuring text similarity. This classifier shows strong agreement between automated and human annotations. The study also demonstrates that automatic spelling correction and slang normalization of chat texts are useful for accurate automated annotation. Implications: Our results suggest that a kNN classifier can be very effective for accurate annotation of CPS events. It achieves reasonably strong results even when trained on only half of the available data. This shows a promise towards reduction of manual data annotation for CPS measurement. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Collaborative problem solving (CPS) is important for success in the 21st century, especially when teamwork and communication occur in technology‐enhanced environments.Measurement of CPS skills requires classification and annotation of team interactions, in particular their communications, such as chat messages. What this paper adds: We explore possibilities for automated classification of CPS activities using machine learning approaches. Implications for practice: One of the approaches we explored is particularly effective and can help reduce the amount of manual annotations needed for CPS measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze the feasibility of reactive jamming in a satellite communications scenario and propose a countermeasure that takes advantage of the constraints associated with reactive jamming. A reactive jammer is a type of jammer that has the ability to sense a portion of spectrum and immediately transmit a jamming signal when it senses a signal it wants to jam. Thus, a reactive jammer can counter the processing gain associated with frequency hopping spread spectrum. This paper provides a three-step approach to analyzing the primary constraints associated with reactive jamming, as well as detailed example scenarios (both theoretical and simulated) that demonstrate the feasibility analysis. Additional clarity is provided by splitting the analysis into uplink and downlink jamming. A strategy to mitigate the effects of reactive jamming is presented, which takes advantage of the geometric constraints of reactive jamming by using a coding and interleaving scheme that results in the transmitted bits appearing at the very beginning of each hop. This work demonstrates that reactive jamming is a valid threat to satellite communication systems. The analysis and simulation results suggest that as long as the geographical area around user terminals is free of reactive jammers, substantial mitigation can be achieved using the proposed mitigation strategy. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study discusses the development of a basic electronics knowledge (BEK) assessment as a pretest activity for undergraduate students in engineering and related fields. The 28 BEK items represent 12 key concepts, including properties of serial circuits, knowledge of electrical laws (e.g., Kirchhoff's and Ohm's laws), and properties of digital multimeters. This paper first discusses a psychometric evaluation of the BEK assessment to understand its basic measurement properties and to examine various group‐level differences based on demographic, institutional, and instructor characteristics. Subsequently, the relationship between BEK scores on the 23 retained items and performance on an existing complex collaborative simulation‐based electronics task is discussed. Results demonstrated that basic content knowledge alone may not be sufficient for students to demonstrate knowledge of electronics skills on more complex tasks. The research also carries great importance given ongoing concerns about improving the overall state and diversity of the engineering workforce and its associated pipeline to meet the demands of the national economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photonic curing has been shown to be effective in heating inks and functional films to very high temperatures, in excess of 1000C, on low-temperature substrates such as polymers and paper. This paper reviews the basic principles of the technology and expounds on implications to applications and materials, including cost and performance. Specifically, application with thin film transistors and with radio frequency identification tags are presented. Some of this work has been previously presented by the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the recognition of moving images and proposes a new framework in which the local features, the global structure, and motion information are handled comprehensively. The method is applied to the extraction of facial expressions and its effectiveness is demonstrated. In most conventional moving image recognition methods, recognition is performed on the basis of the sequence of recognition results for individual frames. However, the authors believe that the motion information should be more positively utilized in the recognition of the individual frames. When the time-series data are combined into the recognition of a still image, however, the amount of information is tremendous, making the processing complicated. The method proposed in this paper extends the concept of the labeled graph matching method, which has been used for still images, to moving images. The proposed method handles sparse graphs and can prevent an increase in the amount of computation. By dynamically adjusting the features to be handled according to the stage of processing, complex processing in dynamic image recognition can be integrated in a simple and straightforward way. As practical examples, the human head, and parts of the head, are extracted, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed method. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 3, 87(10): 35–43, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecjc.20106 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a beam pattern selection diversity technique using an adaptive array antenna. In the system using an adaptive array antenna, beam control in the uplink is carried out for all terminals in the cell. Hence, it is necessary to determine the antenna weights for all terminals at the base station, so that the amount of computation is increased and the base station configuration becomes complex in a cellular system that seeks to be capable of handling as many terminals as possible. In this paper, the beam patterns are generated only for a limited number of terminals in the cell, while other terminals share the generated radiation patterns, so that the amount of computation can be reduced substantially. In general, in a system using an adaptive array antenna, the interference suppression capability is significantly affected by the angle of arrival of the propagation channel. In this paper, the angle of arrival of the channel is modeled by a normal distribution and the proposed system is investigated in a micro-cell environment. As a result of numerical simulation, it is found that the proposed method can reduce the processing effort by 20% in the micro-cell environment, while the characteristics are sufficiently competitive with the results obtained when optimum radiation patterns are generated for all terminals. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 86(5): 32–41, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.10020 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metals and organics possess two very dissimilar surface energies, hence, do not naturally adhere to each other. This incompatibility is exacerbated by surface roughness yet advances in wearables and bioelectronics call for their integration. Mesoscale mechanical bonds, however, transcend the necessities of surface energy matching while taking advantage of surface texture. Herein, transient carrier fluids, particle size polydispersity, and capillary‐driven autonomous size‐sorting are exploited to conformally jam undercooled liquid metal particles on textured soft substrate. The well packed undercooled metal particles are then chemically activated to induce phase change, leading to a solid electrically conductive metal trace. Static and dynamic deposition of the particles is amenable to this surface‐templated printing of conductive traces. This process allows for printing across surfaces with varying surface features like on the brain, on paper (asymmetric porosity), or across smooth and rough brain sections. By tuning particle size and slurry concentration, good particle packing is demonstrated on a multi‐scale rough surface like a rose flower. This printing method is therefore compatible with delicate (low modulus), heat sensitive, and textured substrates hence compatible with biological tissues and organic substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discharge voltage prediction of engineering gap configurations is a great challenge for external insulation design in high‐voltage engineering. This paper presents an air gap discharge voltage prediction model based on the support vector regression (SVR). A series of features are defined on the shortest interelectrode path of an air gap, and they are extracted from the electric field calculation results using the finite element method. These electric field features are considered as the input parameters of the SVR‐based model, and the output is the air gap discharge voltage. The genetic algorithm is used for parameter optimization of the SVR model. Trained by a few experimental data of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers standard rod–rod gaps, this model is applied to predict the standard lightning impulse flashover voltages of parallel gaps for insulator strings under different gap configurations. The prediction results coincide well with the experimental data collected from previous publications. The mean absolute percentage error of the eight test samples is within 4.07%, which is acceptable for engineering applications. The SVR‐based model may be helpful to guide the structure design and insulation coordination of parallel gaps and insulator strings, thus reducing the required full‐scale tests. © 2019 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complex smart product is usually made up of three main systems, namely the mechanical, electronic, and software systems. The current paper proposes a targeted design structure for the electronic system of a bespoke training equipment, so that it enables customized training strategies for ball sports. This is achieved through innovative technical solutions which enable customizable ball trajectories through programmed rotational angles of the launching system. In this case, the electronic system provides focused solutions to determine and project the specific ball trajectories, while ensuring a high degree of repeatability. Selecting the appropriate electronic components, which facilitate and enhance the capabilities of hardware components, is key in order to create a bespoke and modular training equipment concept. In order to actuate and control custom 3D printed components, an adaptable electronic system is designed. In this case, the electronic system commands the actuation of the motors and controls the acquisition of data from various sensors for the proper functioning of the product prototype. For the design and manufacturing of the bespoke sports training equipment, principal and secondary motors are used, which actuate several components: a custom 3D printed launch blade; a microcontroller; a gyroscope for position management and control; a sensor for sending commands from a remote control; an Arduino board for communication between motors and the software application; switching sources; motor drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using 6‐digit product‐level data of exports in electronics, this paper finds robust evidence that China's exports adversely affect both the intensive export margin and the extensive export margin of its competitors for the 1992–2018 period. The displacement effects of China's exports on the intensive margin apply especially for the group of intermediate and capital electronic goods and are much more robust and significantly larger in magnitude than the displacement effects found in other studies using aggregated trade data. Finally, we find that China's displacement effect is increasing in China's advantage relative to its competitors in terms of human capital index and internet access of its population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, an analytic methodology for designing output‐matching network (OMN) is presented. The proposed OMN integrates harmonic control circuit and reduces the complexities of design and circuit structure. Besides, the second and third harmonics control are provided for two operated frequencies. In order to verify the method, a 1.8/2.65 GHz dual‐band high‐efficiency PA adopting a GaN HEMT is presented. Experimental results show the drain efficiencies of 76.2% and 71.6%, output power of 43 and 42.7 dBm at 1.8 and 2.65 GHz, respectively. In addition, the drain efficiency more than 65% can be maintained from 1.55‐2.0 GHz and 2.65‐2.8 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

George Soros's reflexivity theory is quite compatible with second order cybernetics. Indeed his work shows how to apply ideas in second order cybernetics to economics, finance and political science. This paper briefly reviews three theories of reflexivity in cybernetics. It provides an introduction to Soros's version of reflexivity theory and reviews applications in economics and finance. Soros's approach to economics is based on different assumptions about information and about human behaviour. His approach to finance is more holistic than most current work in finance. He does not emphasize mathematical models but rather sees finance as a human player game with himself as a participant. The paper concludes that Soros's work is a very important contribution to and expansion of contemporary social science. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]