Visualization of industrial engineering data in Augmented Reality

This paper presents an innovative application of Augmented Reality (AR) techniques in the field of industrial engineering in which the user explores data from numerical simulations or the results of measurements and experiments, superimposed to the real object that they refer to. The user observes the object through a tablet PC, used as a video see-through handheld display. Data are visualized superimposed to the real object that represents a spatial reference relative to which the user can refer to, so the exploration is more natural compared to a traditional visualization software. Moreover, we have developed a new framework, called VTK4AR, that provides a set of useful software classes for the rapid development of AR applications for scientific visualization. VTK4AR is built on top of VTK (an open source API for scientific visualization), so it will be possible to employ a wide range of visualization techniques in many application fields, and moreover, it is possible to interactively manipulate data-sets in order to achieve a more effective way of visualization.     

A $\Gamma$-convergence result for doubling metric measures and associated perimeters

Abstract. In this paper we study the notion of perimeter associated with doubling metric measures or strongly weights. We prove that the metric perimeter in the sense of L. Ambrosio and M. Miranda jr. coincides with the metric Minkowski content and can be obtained also as a -limit of Modica-Mortola type degenerate integral functionals. Received: 27 August 2001 / Accepted: 29 November 2001 / Published online: 10 June 2002 Investigation supported by University of Bologna, funds for selected research topics and by GNAMPA of INdAM, Italy. The authors are very grateful to Luigi Ambrosio and Francesco Serra Cassano for making their preprints available to them, for listening with patience and for many unvaluable suggestions.     

On the role of the interface charge in non-ideal metal–semiconductor contacts

The bias dependent interface charge is considered as the origin of the observed non-ideality in current–voltage and capacitance–voltage characteristics. Using the simplified model for the interface electronic structure based on defects interacting with the continuum of interface states, the microscopic origin of empirical parameters describing the bias dependent interface charge function is investigated. The results show that in non-ideal metal–semiconductor contacts the interface charge function depends on the interface disorder parameter, density of defects, barrier pinning parameter and the effective gap center. The theoretical predictions are tested against several sets of published experimental data on bias dependent ideality factor and excess capacitance in various metal–semicoductor systems.     

Evolution of the Alfvénic correlation in the solar wind

Summary The radial evolution of Alfvénic correlation is such that its value decreases with increasing heliocentric distance. So far this behaviour has been interpreted as an increase in the local production of ?inward? modes interacting destructively with the ?outward? modes. This work, which deals with largescale turbulence, shows that local generation phenomena are not commonly found in the solar wind and that the Alfvénic character of the fluctuations mainly depend on the ?outward? modes alone. The interaction of these modes with density and/or magnetic-field structures convected by the wind causes their destruction and a consequent depletion of the Alfvénic correlation. The same effect would be obtained if ?inward? modes were really present. Our conclusions are that large-scale ?inward? modes are the spectral counterpart of non-propagating field and plasma structures convected by the solar wind and identified as both compression regions and pressure balance structures. Paper presented at the V Cosmic Physics National Conference, S. Miniato, November 27–30, 1990.     

Nonlinear modelling and control of a common rail injection system for diesel engines

Modern trends in designing mechatronic systems call for a synergic design of the separated subsystems (mechanic, electronic parts, control modules, etc.) concurring to the overall performance. Following this point of view, this paper presents a control oriented model and a nonlinear control design for a Common Rail injection system. First a model is developed, which is tuned in a virtual simulation environment, representing the injection system in details in a reliable replication of reality. Then a sliding mode control is developed. Both the model of the injection process and of the control law are validated by a virtual detailed simulation environment. The prediction capability of the model and the control efficiency are clearly shown.     

Relation de Rankine Hugoniot faible pour les lois de conservation avec contraintes primitives convexes

We describe a Weak Rankine Hugoniot relation for constrained discontinuous solutions of conservation laws. The constraint is convex in the primitive variable. Various examples show the potential interest of this approach. To cite this article: B. Després, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 342 (2006).     

The two-dimensional quantum Euclidean algebra

The algebra dual to Woronowicz's deformation of the two-dimensional Euclidean group is constructed. The same algebra is obtained from SU _q (2) via contraction on both the group and algebra levels.     

Finite Groups Acting on Homology 3-Spheres: On a Result of M. Reni

 We give a list including all finite groups G which admit smooth orientation preserving actions on homology 3-spheres (arbitrary actions, i.e. possibly with fixed points; if the action is free then the group G has periodic cohomology and the classification of such groups is well known). The main work in this direction is due to M. Reni. In the present paper, we complete and extend his results for the case of nonsolvable groups G. Received 19 March 2001; in revised form 15 September 2001