This book is the first major work covering applications in thermal engineering and offering a comprehensive introduction to optimal control theory, which has applications in mechanical engineering, particularly aircraft and missile trajectory optimization. The book is organized in three parts: The first part includes a brief presentation of function optimization and variational calculus, while the second part presents a summary of the optimal control theory. Lastly, the third part describes several applications of optimal control theory in solving various thermal engineering problems. These applications are grouped in four sections: heat transfer and thermal energy storage, solar thermal engineering, heat engines and lubrication.Clearly presented and easy-to-use, it is a valuable resource for thermal engineers and thermal-system designers as well as postgraduate students.

This book contains mainly the selected papers of the First International Workshop on Medical and Service Robots, held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in 2012. The high quality of the scientific contributions is the result of a rigorous selection and improvement based on the participants exchange of opinions and extensive peer-review. This process has led to the publishing of the present collection of 16 independent valuable contributions and points of view and not as standard symposium or conference proceedings.

The addressed issues are: Computational Kinematics, Mechanism Design, Linkages and Manipulators, Mechanisms for Biomechanics, Mechanics of Robots, Control Issues for Mechanical Systems, Novel Designs, Teaching Methods, all of these being concentrated around robotic systems for medical and service applications.

The results are of interest to researchers and professional practitioners as well as to Ph.D. students in the field of mechanical and electrical engineering.

This volume marks the start of a subseries entitled New Trends in Medical and Service Robots within the "Machine and Mechanism Science Series," presenting recent trends, research results and new challenges in the field of medical and service robotics.

"

3D Integration is being touted as the next semiconductor revolution. This book provides a comprehensive coverage on the design and modeling aspects of 3D integration, in particularly, focus on its electrical behavior. Looking from the perspective the Silicon Via (TSV) and Glass Via (TGV) technology, the book introduces 3DICs and Interposers as a technology, and presents its application in numerical modeling, signal integrity, power integrity and thermal integrity. The authors underscored the potential of this technology in design exchange formats and power distribution.

This book is a comprehensive guide to both the fundamentals of thermal sensors and their advanced functions. Key topics include sensor materials, CMOS-compatible sensors, measurement capabilities, thermal management and manufacturing processes. The introductory chapter covers the basic principles of thermal sensors from the essentials of heat transfer to smart wireless sensors. Later chapters illustrate the wide range of thermal sensor uses, from microprocessor thermal sensing to energy converter applications. Modeling and simulation techniques are used to explain the future direction of the field. Designed for researchers and practitioners working with wireless sensors and thermal management, Thermal Sensors: Principles and Applications for Semiconductor Industries is a valuable reference to the benefits and challenges these sensors offer. Advanced-level students studying mechanical or electrical engineering and networks will also find the content useful.

"Advances in Imaging & Electron Physics" merges two long-running serials-"Advances in Electronics & Electron Physics" and "Advances in Optical & Electron Microscopy." The series features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science and digital image processing, electromagnetic wave propagation, electron microscopy, and the computing methods used in all these domains.
Contributions from leading authorities Informs and updates on all the latest developments in the field

The book aims to describe the microscopic characterization of the soft matter in the light of new advances acquired in the science of microscopy techniques like AFM; SEM; TEM etc. It does not focus on the traditional information on the microscopy methods as well as systems already present in different books, but intends to answer more fundamental questions associated with commercially important systems by using new advances in microscopy. Such questions are generally not answered by other techniques. The contents of the book also reflect this as the chapters are not based on describing only material systems, but are based on the answering the problems or questions arising in their characterization. Both qualitative as well as quantitative analysis using such microscopic techniques is discussed. Moreover, efforts have been made to provide a broader reach as discussions on both polymers as well as biological matter have been included as different sections. Such a text with comprehensive overview of the various characterization possibilities using microscopy methods can serve as a valuable reference for microscopy experts as well as non-experts alike

This book serves as a single-source reference to Current Conveyors and their use in modern Analog Circuit Design. The authors describe the various types of current conveyors discovered over the past 45 years, details of all currently available, off-the-shelf integrated circuit current conveyors, and implementations of current conveyors using other, off-the-shelf IC building blocks. Coverage includes prominent bipolar/CMOS/Bi-CMOS architectures of current conveyors, as well as all varieties of starting from third generation current conveyors to universal current conveyors, their implementations and applications. *Describes all commercially available off-the-shelf IC current conveyors, as well as hardware implementations of current conveyors using other off-the-shelf ICs; * Describes numerous variants of current conveyors evolved over the past forty five years; * Describes a number of Bipolar/CMOS/Bi-CMOS architectures of current conveyors, along with their characteristic features; * Includes a comprehensive collection of over 400 application circuits using current conveyors; * Provides an exhaustive catalogue of current conveyor-based circuits for a variety of applications, including instrumentation amplifiers, precision rectifiers, simulated inductors, filters, sinusoidal oscillators, waveform generators, chaos generators, analog multipliers/dividers, memristive emulators and numerous others.

This thesis combines highly accurate optical spectroscopy data on the recently discovered iron-based high-temperature superconductors with an incisive theoretical analysis. Three outstanding results are reported: (1) The superconductivity-induced modification of the far-infrared conductivity of an iron arsenide with minimal chemical disorder is quantitatively described by means of a strong-coupling theory for spin fluctuation mediated Cooper pairing. The formalism developed in this thesis also describes prior spectroscopic data on more disordered compounds. (2) The same materials exhibit a sharp superconductivity-induced anomaly for photon energies around 2.5 eV, two orders of magnitude larger than the superconducting energy gap. The author provides a qualitative interpretation of this unprecedented observation, which is based on the multiband nature of the superconducting state. (3) The thesis also develops a comprehensive description of a superconducting, yet optically transparent iron chalcogenide compound. The author shows that this highly unusual behavior can be explained as a result of the nanoscopic coexistence of insulating and superconducting phases, and he uses a combination of two complementary experimental methods - scanning near-field optical microscopy and low-energy muon spin rotation - to directly image the phase coexistence and quantitatively determine the phase composition. These data have important implications for the interpretation of data from other experimental probes.

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to spintronics-based computing for the next generation of ultra-low power/highly reliable logic. It will cover aspects from device to system-level, including magnetic memory cells, device modeling, hybrid circuit structure, design methodology, CAD tools, and technological integration methods. This book is accessible to a variety of readers and little or no background in magnetism and spin electronics are required to understand its content. The multidisciplinary team of expert authors from circuits, devices, computer architecture, CAD and system design reveal to readers the potential of spintronics nanodevices to reduce power consumption, improve reliability and enable new functionality.

This follow-up to the first volume presents an integrated survey of the most recent research, engineering development and commercial application of amorphous and microcrystalline semiconductor devices, with emphasis on materials properties and their relationship to performance. A complete guide to the past, present and future of these devices, and a reference on the state-of-the-art of amorphous and microcrystalline devices in modern large-area microelectronics.

This revised and updated edition of the well-received book by C. Klingshirn provides an introduction to and an overview of all aspects of semiconductor optics, from IR to visible and UV. It has been split into two volumes and rearranged to offer a clearer structure of the course content. Inserts on important experimental techniques as well as sections on topical research have been added to support research-oriented teaching and learning. Volume 1 provides an introduction to the linear optical properties of semiconductors. The mathematical treatment has been kept as elementary as possible to allow an intuitive approach to the understanding of results of semiconductor spectroscopy. Building on the phenomenological model of the Lorentz oscillator, the book describes the interaction of light with fundamental optical excitations in semiconductors (phonons, free carriers, excitons). It also offers a broad review of seminal research results augmented by concise descriptions of the relevant experimental techniques, e.g., Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, ellipsometry, modulation spectroscopy and spatially resolved methods, to name a few. Further, it picks up on hot topics in current research, like quantum structures, mono-layer semiconductors or Perovskites. The experimental aspects of semiconductor optics are complemented by an in-depth discussion of group theory in solid-state optics. Covering subjects ranging from physics to materials science and optoelectronics, this book provides a lively and comprehensive introduction to semiconductor optics. With over 120 problems, more than 480 figures, abstracts to each chapter, as well as boxed inserts and a detailed index, it is intended for use in graduate courses in physics and neighboring sciences like material science and electrical engineering. It is also a valuable reference resource for doctoral and advanced researchers.

Lasers have a wide and growing range of applications in medicine. Lasers for Medical Applications summarises the wealth of recent research on the principles, technologies and application of lasers in diagnostics, therapy and surgery.
Part one gives an overview of the use of lasers in medicine, key principles of lasers and radiation interactions with tissue. To understand the wide diversity and therefore the large possible choice of these devices for a specific diagnosis or treatment, the respective types of the laser (solid state, gas, dye, and semiconductor) are reviewed in part two. Part three describes diagnostic laser methods, for example optical coherence tomography, spectroscopy, optical biopsy, and time-resolved fluorescence polarization spectroscopy. Those methods help doctors to refine the scope of involvement of the particular body part or, for example, to specify the extent of a tumor. Part four concentrates on the therapeutic applications of laser radiation in particular branches of medicine, including ophthalmology, dermatology, cardiology, urology, gynecology, otorhinolaryngology (ORL), neurology, dentistry, orthopaedic surgery and cancer therapy, as well as laser coatings of implants. The final chapter includes the safety precautions with which the staff working with laser instruments must be familiar.
With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, this important book summarizes international achievements in the field of laser applications in medicine in the past 50 years. It provides a valuable contribution to laser medicine by outstanding experts in medicine and engineering.
Describes the interaction of laser light with tissueReviews every type of laser used in medicine: solid state, gas, dye and semiconductorDescribes the use of lasers for diagnostics

"Advances in Imaging and Electron Physics" merges two long-running serials--A"dvances in Electronics and Electron Physics" and "Advances in Optical and Electron Microscopy." This series features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science and digital image processing, electromagnetic wave propagation, electron microscopy, and the computing methods used in all these domains.
Contributions from leading authorities Informs and updates on all the latest developments in the field

This book provides a broad yet detailed introduction to neural networks and machine learning in a statistical framework. A single, comprehensive resource for study and further research, it explores the major popular neural network models and statistical learning approaches with examples and exercises and allows readers to gain a practical working understanding of the content. This updated new edition presents recently published results and includes six new chapters that correspond to the recent advances in computational learning theory, sparse coding, deep learning, big data and cloud computing. Each chapter features state-of-the-art descriptions and significant research findings. The topics covered include: * multilayer perceptron; * the Hopfield network; * associative memory models;* clustering models and algorithms; * t he radial basis function network; * recurrent neural networks; * nonnegative matrix factorization; * independent component analysis; *probabilistic and Bayesian networks; and * fuzzy sets and logic. Focusing on the prominent accomplishments and their practical aspects, this book provides academic and technical staff, as well as graduate students and researchers with a solid foundation and comprehensive reference on the fields of neural networks, pattern recognition, signal processing, and machine learning.

Mismatch or best match? This book demonstrates that best matching of individual entities to each other is essential to ensure smooth conduct and successful competitiveness in any distributed system, natural and artificial. Interactions must be optimized through best matching in planning and scheduling, enterprise network design, transportation and construction planning, recruitment, problem solving, selective assembly, team formation, sensor network design, and more. Fundamentals of best matching in distributed and collaborative systems are explained by providing: Methodical analysis of various multidimensional best matching processes Comprehensive taxonomy, comparing different best matching problems and processes Systematic identification of systems' hierarchy, nature of interactions, and distribution of decision-making and control functions Practical formulation of solutions based on a library of best matching algorithms and protocols, ready for direct applications and apps development. Designed for both academics and practitioners, oriented to systems engineers and applied operations researchers, diverse types of best matching processes are explained in production, manufacturing, business and service, based on a new reference model developed at Purdue University PRISM Center: "The PRISM Taxonomy of Best Matching". The book concludes with major challenges and guidelines for future basic and applied research in the area of best matching.

This book provides a cohesive overview of the current technological advances in computational radiology, and their applications in orthopaedic interventions. Contributed by the leading researchers in the field, this volume covers not only basic computational radiology techniques such as statistical shape modeling, CT/MRI segmentation, augmented reality and micro-CT image processing, but also the applications of these techniques to various orthopaedic interventional tasks. Details about following important state-of-the-art development are featured: 3D preoperative planning and patient-specific instrumentation for surgical treatment of long-bone deformities, computer assisted diagnosis and planning of periacetabular osteotomy and femoroacetabular impingement, 2D-3D reconstruction-based planning of total hip arthroplasty, image fusion for computer-assisted bone tumor surgery, intra-operative three-dimensional imaging in fracture treatment, augmented reality based orthopaedic interventions and education, medical robotics for musculoskeletal surgery, inertial sensor-based cost-effective surgical navigation, and computer assisted hip resurfacing using patient-specific instrument guides. Edited and authored by leading researchers in the field, this work is an essential reference for biomedical engineers, computer scientists and orthopaedic surgeons to develop or use computational radiology approaches for orthopaedic surgery and interventions.

This book provides techniques to tackle the design challenges raised by the increasing diversity and complexity of emerging, heterogeneous architectures for embedded systems. It describes an approach based on techniques from software engineering called aspect-oriented programming, which allow designers to control today's sophisticated design tool chains, while maintaining a single application source code. Readers are introduced to the basic concepts of an aspect-oriented, domain specific language that enables control of a wide range of compilation and synthesis tools in the partitioning and mapping of an application to a heterogeneous (and possibly multi-core) target architecture. Several examples are presented that illustrate the benefits of the approach developed for applications from avionics and digital signal processing. Using the aspect-oriented programming techniques presented in this book, developers can reuse extensive sections of their designs, while preserving the original application source-code, thus promoting developer productivity as well as architecture and performance portability. Describes an aspect-oriented approach for the compilation and synthesis of applications targeting heterogeneous embedded computing architectures. Includes examples using an integrated tool chain for compilation and synthesis. Provides validation and evaluation for targeted reconfigurable heterogeneous architectures. Enables design portability, given changing target devices* Allows developers to maintain a single application source code when targeting multiple architectures.

Focusing on connection technologies used for both single-mode and multimode fibers, this book explains multifiber connections such as mass-fusion splice and multifiber connectors. Information on fluoride glass fibers, doped fibers (EDFA), and components is included.

This thesis sheds important new light on the puzzling properties of Strontium Ruthenate. Using a sophisticated weak-coupling approach, exact within certain limits, it shows that proper treatment of spin-orbit and multi-band effects is crucial to the physics. Based on the results of these calculations, it resolves a crucial, long-standing puzzle in the field: It demonstrates why the experimentally observed time-reversal breaking is not incompatible with the observed lack of measurable edge currents. Lastly, the thesis makes predictions for the properties of the material under uniaxial strain, which are in good agreement with recent experiments -resolving the mystery of the so-called 3K phase, and suggesting the intriguing possibility that under strain the superconductor may become conventional.

Sensors are used for civil infrastructure performance assessment and health monitoring, and have evolved significantly through developments in materials and methodologies. "Sensor Technologies for Civil Infrastructure Volume I" provides an overview of sensor hardware and its use in data collection.

The first chapters provide an introduction to sensing for structural performance assessment and health monitoring, and an overview of commonly used sensors and their data acquisition systems. Further chapters address different types of sensor including piezoelectric transducers, fiber optic sensors, acoustic emission sensors, and electromagnetic sensors, and the use of these sensors for assessing and monitoring civil infrastructures. Developments in technologies applied to civil infrastructure performance assessment are also discussed, including radar technology, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and nanotechnology.

"Sensor Technologies for Civil Infrastructure" provides a standard reference for structural and civil engineers, electronics engineers, and academics with an interest in the field.
Describes sensing hardware and data collection, covering a variety of sensorsExamines fiber optic systems, acoustic emission, piezoelectric sensors, electromagnetic sensors, ultrasonic methods, and radar and millimeter wave technologyCovers strain gauges, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), multifunctional materials and nanotechnology for sensing, and vision-based sensing and lasers

Biomolecular Electronics the electrical control of biological phenomena is a scientific challenge that, once fully realized, will find a wide range of applications from electronics and computing to medicine and therapeutic techniques. This new arena of biomolecular electronics is approached using familiar concepts from many areas such as electrochemistry, device electronics andsome mechanisms of gene expression level control. Practical techniques are explored by which electrical and electronic means can be used to control biological reactions and processes. Also, the current and future applications for this new and expanding field are discussed. This book is aimed at scientists and engineers involved in both research and commercial applications across fields including bioelectronics, bionanotechnology, electrochemistry and nanomedicine providing a state-of-the-art survey of what's going on at the boundary between biology and electronic technology at the micro- and nano- scales, along with a suggestive insight into future possible developments.
Demystifies the science and applications of electrically-driven biological reactions.Explains how the techniques of bioelectronics and electrochemistry can be deployed as biological control technologies.Provides applications information for diverse areas frombio-electrochemistry to electrical control of gene expression levels."

This book presents the latest achievements in the theory and practice of SEMS Group interaction by scientists from the Russian Academy of Sciences. It also discusses the development of methods for the design and simulation of SEMS Group interaction based on the principles of safety, flexibility and adaptability in behavior and intelligence and parallelism in information processing, computation and control. Recently, the task has been to ensure the functioning of robots within the framework of collective collaboration, so that they function efficiently, reliably and safely in real time. The topics covered include, but are not limited to, the following: - the planning behavior of the SEMS group;- methods and principles of designing of automatic control systems;- mathematical and computer modeling group interaction;- safety, flexibility and adaptability of the SEMS Group;- information-measuring soft- and hardware. This book is intended for students, scientists and engineers specializing in the field of smart electromechanical systems and robotics.

Metamaterials, artificial electromagnetic media achieved by structuring on the subwave-length-scale were initially suggested for the negative index and superlensing. They became a paradigm for engineering electromagnetic space and controlling propagation of waves. The research agenda is now shifting on achieving tuneable, switchable, nonlinear and sensing functionalities. The time has come to talk about the emerging research field of metadevices employing active and tunable metamaterials with unique functionalities achieved by structuring of functional matter on the subwave-length scale. This book presents the first systematic and comprehensive summary of the reviews written by the pioneers and top-class experts in the field of metamaterials. It addresses many grand challenges of the cutting edge research for creating smaller and more efficient photonic structures and devices.

Single mode equivalent network representations have been a key tool for the industrial design and development of a large variety of microwave systems. The reduced dimensions and increased complexity of modern microwave equipment, however, makes the inclusion of the higher order mode interactions essential for the correct industrial design and optimization of all microwave hardware. In this context, the analytical techniques originally exploited to develop single mode networks have recently been extended to produce multi-mode algorithms that can form the basis of fast and accurate Computer Aided Design tools. Furthermore, alternative multi-modal techniques, involving resonant rather than guided modes, have recently been developed for the design of waveguide components of arbitrary shape. This book describes in detail a number of modern multi-modal techniques for the analysis and design of passive microwave components. The authors comprehensively cover modal analysis of waveguides and cavities; discuss several multi-mode procedures for the study of both basic and arbitrarily shaped waveguide junctions and, finally, describe specific applications such as inductively coupled filters, waveguide couplers, metal insert and dual-mode filters. The book will be of interest to professional engineers and researchers in the microwave engineering field as well as students engaged in research at an advanced level. Distinctive features of this book include:

• detailed explanation of several multi-mode analysis techniques for the analysis of waveguide components based on both canonical and arbitrary waveguide profiles
• measured versus simulated results for a number of specific application examples
• accompanying software that allows the reader to input their own data thereby demonstrating how the techniques described can be effectively used to develop fast and accurate CAD tools.

This volume is the first of the new series Advances in Dynamics and Delays. It offers the latest advances in the research of analyzing and controlling dynamical systems with delays, which arise in many real-world problems. The contributions in this series are a collection across various disciplines, encompassing engineering, physics, biology, and economics, and some are extensions of those presented at the IFAC (International Federation of Automatic Control) conferences since 2011. The series is categorized in five parts covering the main themes of the contributions: * Stability Analysis and Control Design * Networks and Graphs * Time Delay and Sampled-Data Systems * Computational and Software Tools * Applications This volume will become a good reference point for researchers and PhD students in the field of delay systems, and for those willing to learn more about the field, and it will also be a resource for control engineers, who will find innovative control methodologies for relevant applications, from both theory and numerical analysis perspectives.