Sample records for speed limit

  1. Improving homogeneity by dynamic speed limit systems.

    PubMed

    van Nes, Nicole; Brandenburg, Stefan; Twisk, Divera

    2010-05-01

    Homogeneity of driving speeds is an important variable in determining road safety; more homogeneous driving speeds increase road safety. This study investigates the effect of introducing dynamic speed limit systems on homogeneity of driving speeds. A total of 46 subjects twice drove a route along 12 road sections in a driving simulator. The speed limit system (static-dynamic), the sophistication of the dynamic speed limit system (basic roadside, advanced roadside, and advanced in-car) and the situational condition (dangerous-non-dangerous) were varied. The homogeneity of driving speed, the rated credibility of the posted speed limit and the acceptance of the different dynamic speed limit systems were assessed. The results show that the homogeneity of individual speeds, defined as the variation in driving speed for an individual subject along a particular road section, was higher with the dynamic speed limit system than with the static speed limit system. The more sophisticated dynamic speed limit system tested within this study led to higher homogeneity than the less sophisticated systems. The acceptance of the dynamic speed limit systems used in this study was positive, they were perceived as quite useful and rather satisfactory. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Driver speed selection on high-speed two-lane highways: Comparing speed profiles between uniform and differential speed limits.

    PubMed

    Russo, Brendan J; Savolainen, Peter T; Gates, Timothy J; Kay, Jonathan J; Frazier, Sterling

    2017-07-04

    Although a considerable amount of prior research has investigated the impacts of speed limits on traffic safety and operations, much of this research, and nearly all of the research related to differential speed limits, has been specific to limited access freeways. The unique safety and operational issues on highways without access control create difficulty relating the conclusions from prior freeway-related speed limit research to 2-lane highways, particularly research on differential limits due to passing limitations and subsequent queuing. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess differences in driver speed selection with respect to the posted speed limit on rural 2-lane highways, with a particular emphasis on the differences between uniform and differential speed limits. Data were collected from nearly 59,000 vehicles across 320 sites in Montana and 4 neighboring states. Differences in mean speeds, 85th percentile speeds, and the standard deviation in speeds for free-flowing vehicles were examined across these sites using ordinary least squares regression models. Ultimately, the results of the analysis show that the mean speed, 85th percentile speed, and variability in travel speeds for free-flowing vehicles on 2-lane highways are generally lower at locations with uniform 65 mph speed limits, compared to locations with differential limits of 70 mph for cars and 60 mph for trucks. In addition to posted speed limits, several site characteristics were shown to influence speed selection including shoulder widths, frequency of horizontal curves, percentage of the segment that included no passing zones, and hourly volumes. Differences in vehicle speed characteristics were also observed between states, indicating that speed selection may also be influenced by local factors, such as driver population or enforcement.

  3. Dynamic Speed Adaptation for Path Tracking Based on Curvature Information and Speed Limits.

    PubMed

    Gámez Serna, Citlalli; Ruichek, Yassine

    2017-06-14

    A critical concern of autonomous vehicles is safety. Different approaches have tried to enhance driving safety to reduce the number of fatal crashes and severe injuries. As an example, Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) systems warn the driver when the vehicle exceeds the recommended speed limit. However, these systems only take into account fixed speed limits without considering factors like road geometry. In this paper, we consider road curvature with speed limits to automatically adjust vehicle's speed with the ideal one through our proposed Dynamic Speed Adaptation (DSA) method. Furthermore, 'curve analysis extraction' and 'speed limits database creation' are also part of our contribution. An algorithm that analyzes GPS information off-line identifies high curvature segments and estimates the speed for each curve. The speed limit database contains information about the different speed limit zones for each traveled path. Our DSA senses speed limits and curves of the road using GPS information and ensures smooth speed transitions between current and ideal speeds. Through experimental simulations with different control algorithms on real and simulated datasets, we prove that our method is able to significantly reduce lateral errors on sharp curves, to respect speed limits and consequently increase safety and comfort for the passenger.

  4. Dynamic Speed Adaptation for Path Tracking Based on Curvature Information and Speed Limits †

    PubMed Central

    Gámez Serna, Citlalli; Ruichek, Yassine

    2017-01-01

    A critical concern of autonomous vehicles is safety. Different approaches have tried to enhance driving safety to reduce the number of fatal crashes and severe injuries. As an example, Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) systems warn the driver when the vehicle exceeds the recommended speed limit. However, these systems only take into account fixed speed limits without considering factors like road geometry. In this paper, we consider road curvature with speed limits to automatically adjust vehicle’s speed with the ideal one through our proposed Dynamic Speed Adaptation (DSA) method. Furthermore, ‘curve analysis extraction’ and ‘speed limits database creation’ are also part of our contribution. An algorithm that analyzes GPS information off-line identifies high curvature segments and estimates the speed for each curve. The speed limit database contains information about the different speed limit zones for each traveled path. Our DSA senses speed limits and curves of the road using GPS information and ensures smooth speed transitions between current and ideal speeds. Through experimental simulations with different control algorithms on real and simulated datasets, we prove that our method is able to significantly reduce lateral errors on sharp curves, to respect speed limits and consequently increase safety and comfort for the passenger. PMID:28613251

  5. Criteria for setting speed limits in urban and suburban areas in Florida

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2003-03-01

    Current methods of setting speed limits include maximum statutory limits by road class and geometric characteristics and speed zoning practice for the roads where the legislated limit does not reflect local differences. Speed limits in speed zones ar...

  6. A speed limit compliance model for dynamic speed display sign.

    PubMed

    Ardeshiri, Anam; Jeihani, Mansoureh

    2014-12-01

    Violating speed limits is a major cause of motor vehicle crashes. Various techniques have been adopted to ensure that posted speed limits are obeyed by drivers. This study investigates the effect of dynamic speed display signs (DSDSs) on drivers' compliance with posted speed limit. An extensive speed data collection upstream of, adjacent to, and downstream of DSDS locations on multiple road classes with different speed limits (25, 35, and 45 mph) was performed short-term and long-term after DSDS installation. Conventional statistical analysis, regression models, and a Bayesian network were developed to assess the DSDS's effectiveness. General compliance with speed limit (upstream of the DSDS location), time of day, day of week, duration of DSDS operation, and distance from the DSDS location were significantly correlated with speed limit compliance adjacent to the DSDS. While compliance with the speed limit due to the DSDS increased by 5%, speed reduction occurred in 40% of the cases. Since drivers were likely to increase their speed after passing the DSDS, it should be installed on critical points supplemented with enforcement. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Raising the speed limit from 75 to 80mph on Utah rural interstates: Effects on vehicle speeds and speed variance.

    PubMed

    Hu, Wen

    2017-06-01

    In November 2010 and October 2013, Utah increased speed limits on sections of rural interstates from 75 to 80mph. Effects on vehicle speeds and speed variance were examined. Speeds were measured in May 2010 and May 2014 within the new 80mph zones, and at a nearby spillover site and at more distant control sites where speed limits remained 75mph. Log-linear regression models estimated percentage changes in speed variance and mean speeds for passenger vehicles and large trucks associated with the speed limit increase. Logistic regression models estimated effects on the probability of passenger vehicles exceeding 80, 85, or 90mph and large trucks exceeding 80mph. Within the 80mph zones and at the spillover location in 2014, mean passenger vehicle speeds were significantly higher (4.1% and 3.5%, respectively), as were the probabilities that passenger vehicles exceeded 80mph (122.3% and 88.5%, respectively), than would have been expected without the speed limit increase. Probabilities that passenger vehicles exceeded 85 and 90mph were non-significantly higher than expected within the 80mph zones. For large trucks, the mean speed and probability of exceeding 80mph were higher than expected within the 80mph zones. Only the increase in mean speed was significant. Raising the speed limit was associated with non-significant increases in speed variance. The study adds to the wealth of evidence that increasing speed limits leads to higher travel speeds and an increased probability of exceeding the new speed limit. Results moreover contradict the claim that increasing speed limits reduces speed variance. Although the estimated increases in mean vehicle speeds may appear modest, prior research suggests such increases would be associated with substantial increases in fatal or injury crashes. This should be considered by lawmakers considering increasing speed limits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

  8. Maximum speed limits. Volume 2, The development of speed limits : a review of the literature

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1970-10-01

    This report contains the literature review conducted as a part of the project "A Study for the Selection of Maximum Speed Limits." Five aspects of speed and speed control are discussed. These topics include: the history of speed limits; the relations...

  9. 45 CFR 3.26 - Speed limit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Speed limit. 3.26 Section 3.26 Public Welfare... INSTITUTES OF HEALTH FEDERAL ENCLAVE Traffic Regulations § 3.26 Speed limit. The speed limit is 25 miles per hour, unless otherwise posted. A driver of a vehicle may not exceed the speed limit. ...

  10. 14 CFR 25.1505 - Maximum operating limit speed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Maximum operating limit speed. 25.1505... Operating Limitations § 25.1505 Maximum operating limit speed. The maximum operating limit speed (V MO/M MO airspeed or Mach Number, whichever is critical at a particular altitude) is a speed that may not be...

  11. 14 CFR 25.1505 - Maximum operating limit speed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Maximum operating limit speed. 25.1505... Operating Limitations § 25.1505 Maximum operating limit speed. The maximum operating limit speed (V MO/M MO airspeed or Mach Number, whichever is critical at a particular altitude) is a speed that may not be...

  12. 45 CFR 3.26 - Speed limit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Speed limit. 3.26 Section 3.26 Public Welfare... INSTITUTES OF HEALTH FEDERAL ENCLAVE Traffic Regulations § 3.26 Speed limit. The speed limit is 25 miles per hour, unless otherwise posted. A driver of a vehicle may not exceed the speed limit. ...

  13. 14 CFR 23.33 - Propeller speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Propeller speed and pitch limits. 23.33... Propeller speed and pitch limits. (a) General. The propeller speed and pitch must be limited to values that... the all engine(s) operating climb speed specified in § 23.65, the propeller must limit the engine r.p...

  14. 14 CFR 23.33 - Propeller speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Propeller speed and pitch limits. 23.33... Propeller speed and pitch limits. (a) General. The propeller speed and pitch must be limited to values that... the all engine(s) operating climb speed specified in § 23.65, the propeller must limit the engine r.p...

  15. Safety and operational impacts of differential speed limits on two-lane rural highways in Montana.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-07-01

    Speed limit policies can be broadly classified into two categories. Uniform speed limit policies establish the same maximum limit for all vehicles, while differential speed limit policies set a lower limit for heavy trucks in comparison to cars and l...

  16. Safety and operational impacts of differential speed limits on two-lane rural highways in Montana : project summary.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-07-01

    Speed limit policies can be broadly classified into two categories. Uniform speed limit policies establish the same maximum limit for all vehicles, while differential speed limit policies set a lower limit for heavy trucks in comparison to cars and l...

  17. Traffic safety effects of new speed limits in Sweden.

    PubMed

    Vadeby, Anna; Forsman, Åsa

    2018-05-01

    The effects of speed, both positive and negative, make speed a primary target for policy action. Driving speeds affect the risk of being involved in a crash and the injury severity as well as the noise and exhaust emissions. Starting 2008, the Swedish Transport Administration performed a review of the speed limits on the national rural road network. This review resulted in major changes of the speed limits on the rural road network. It was predominantly roads with a low traffic safety standard and unsatisfactory road sides that were selected for reduced speed limits, as well as roads with a good traffic safety record being selected for an increase in speed limits. During 2008 and 2009, speed limit changed on approximately 20,500km of roads, out of which approximately 2700km were assigned an increase, and 17,800km were assigned a reduction in speed limits. The aim of this study is predominantly to describe and analyse the longterm traffic safety effect of increased, as well as, reduced speed limits, but also to analyse the changes in actual driving speeds due to the changed speed limits. Traffic safety effects are investigated by means of a before and after study with control group and the effects on actual mean speeds are measured by a sampling survey in which speed was measured at randomly selected sites before and after the speed limit changes. Results show a reduction in fatalities on rural roads with reduced speed limit from 90 to 80km/h where the number of fatalities decreased by 14 per year, while no significant changes were seen for the seriously injured. On motorways with an increased speed limit to 120km/h, the number of seriously injured increased by about 15 per year, but no significant changes were seen for the number of deaths. The number of seriously injured increased on all types of motorways, but the worst development was seen for narrow motorways (21.5m wide). For 2+1 roads (a continuous three-lane cross-section with alternating passing lanes and the two directions of travel separated by a median barrier) with decreased speed limit from 110 to 100km/h, the seriously injured decreased by about 16 per year. As regards the change of mean speeds, a decrease in speed limit with 10km/h led to a decrease of mean speeds of around 2-3km/h and an increase of the speed limit with 10km/h resulted in an increase of mean speed by 3km/h. In conclusion, the results show that in total about 17 lives per year have been saved on the road network with changed speed limits. For comparison, 397 road users were killed in total during 2008. The number of seriously injured remain in principle unchanged. It should also be noted that the results are obtained for the road network which changed the speed limits during 2008 and 2009, and it is not certain that the results can be generalised to another road network. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. 14 CFR 25.1516 - Other speed limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Other speed limitations. 25.1516 Section 25.1516 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT... Limitations § 25.1516 Other speed limitations. Any other limitation associated with speed must be established...

  19. 14 CFR 25.1516 - Other speed limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Other speed limitations. 25.1516 Section 25.1516 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT... Limitations § 25.1516 Other speed limitations. Any other limitation associated with speed must be established...

  20. 14 CFR 27.33 - Main rotor speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Main rotor speed and pitch limits. 27.33... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: NORMAL CATEGORY ROTORCRAFT Flight General § 27.33 Main rotor speed and pitch limits. (a) Main rotor speed limits. A range of main rotor speeds must be established that— (1) With power on...

  1. 14 CFR 29.33 - Main rotor speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Main rotor speed and pitch limits. 29.33... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY ROTORCRAFT Flight General § 29.33 Main rotor speed and pitch limits. (a) Main rotor speed limits. A range of main rotor speeds must be established that— (1) With power on...

  2. 14 CFR 29.33 - Main rotor speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Main rotor speed and pitch limits. 29.33... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY ROTORCRAFT Flight General § 29.33 Main rotor speed and pitch limits. (a) Main rotor speed limits. A range of main rotor speeds must be established that— (1) With power on...

  3. 14 CFR 27.33 - Main rotor speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Main rotor speed and pitch limits. 27.33... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: NORMAL CATEGORY ROTORCRAFT Flight General § 27.33 Main rotor speed and pitch limits. (a) Main rotor speed limits. A range of main rotor speeds must be established that— (1) With power on...

  4. Evaluating the impacts of proposed speed limit increases in Michigan : research spotlight.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-07-01

    Recent proposed speed limit legislation led MDOT to evaluate the : states current speed limit policies and potential alternatives. Currently, : Michigan freeways have a maximum speed limit of 70 mph for passenger : vehicles and 60 mph for trucks a...

  5. Are Students Aware of the Speed Limits on a University Campus?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brooks, Johnell; Raines, Stephanie; Klein, Nathan; Crisler, Matt; Wills, Rebekkah; Mossey, Mary; Koon, Beatrice; McKibben, Eric; Ogle, Jennifer; Robinson, Geary

    2010-01-01

    Driving speed is an important traffic safety issue. The lack of adherence to posted speed limits is a safety concern, especially on university campuses where the populations of drivers are at increased risk for crashes involving speeding due to their young age. Thus, driver speed and knowledge of speed limits on university campuses is an important…

  6. Safe speed limits for a safe system: The relationship between speed limit and fatal crash rate for different crash types.

    PubMed

    Doecke, Sam D; Kloeden, Craig N; Dutschke, Jeffrey K; Baldock, Matthew R J

    2018-05-19

    The objective of this article is to provide empirical evidence for safe speed limits that will meet the objectives of the Safe System by examining the relationship between speed limit and injury severity for different crash types, using police-reported crash data. Police-reported crashes from 2 Australian jurisdictions were used to calculate a fatal crash rate by speed limit and crash type. Example safe speed limits were defined using threshold risk levels. A positive exponential relationship between speed limit and fatality rate was found. For an example fatality rate threshold of 1 in 100 crashes it was found that safe speed limits are 40 km/h for pedestrian crashes; 50 km/h for head-on crashes; 60 km/h for hit fixed object crashes; 80 km/h for right angle, right turn, and left road/rollover crashes; and 110 km/h or more for rear-end crashes. The positive exponential relationship between speed limit and fatal crash rate is consistent with prior research into speed and crash risk. The results indicate that speed zones of 100 km/h or more only meet the objectives of the Safe System, with regard to fatal crashes, where all crash types except rear-end crashes are exceedingly rare, such as on a high standard restricted access highway with a safe roadside design.

  7. Analysis of inconsistencies related to design speed, operating speed, and speed limits.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2004-02-01

    The objective of this research was to examine the relationship among design speeds, operating speeds and speed limits and address safety and operational concerns regarding the presence of disparities among these speed metrics. Roadway sections were s...

  8. 50 CFR 38.13 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Speed limits. 38.13 Section 38.13 Wildlife... NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM MIDWAY ATOLL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Prohibitions § 38.13 Speed limits. No person on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge will exceed the speed limit for automobiles, trucks...

  9. Automated section speed control on motorways: an evaluation of the effect on driving speed.

    PubMed

    De Pauw, Ellen; Daniels, Stijn; Brijs, Tom; Hermans, Elke; Wets, Geert

    2014-12-01

    Automated section speed control is a fairly new traffic safety measure that is increasingly applied to enforce speed limits. The advantage of this enforcement system is the registration of the average speed at an entire section, which would lead to high speed limit compliances and subsequently to a reduction in the vehicle speed variability, increased headway, more homogenised traffic flow and increased traffic capacity. However, the number of studies that analysed these effects are limited. The present study evaluates the speed effect of two section speed control systems in Flanders, Belgium. Both sections are located in the opposite direction of a three-lane motorway with a posted speed limit of 120 km/h. Speed data were collected at different points: from 6 km before the entrance of the section to 6 km downstream from the section. The effect was analysed through a before- and after comparison of travel speeds. General time trends and fluctuations were controlled through the analysis of speeds at comparison locations. On the enforced sections considerable decreases were found of about 5.84 km/h in the average speed, 74% in the odds of drivers exceeding the speed limit and 86% in the odds of drivers exceeding the speed limit by more than 10%. At the locations up- and downstream from the section also favourable effects were found for the three outcomes. Furthermore a decrease in the speed variability could be observed at all these data points. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Quantum Speed Limits across the Quantum-to-Classical Transition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shanahan, B.; Chenu, A.; Margolus, N.; del Campo, A.

    2018-02-01

    Quantum speed limits set an upper bound to the rate at which a quantum system can evolve. Adopting a phase-space approach, we explore quantum speed limits across the quantum-to-classical transition and identify equivalent bounds in the classical world. As a result, and contrary to common belief, we show that speed limits exist for both quantum and classical systems. As in the quantum domain, classical speed limits are set by a given norm of the generator of time evolution.

  11. Speed limit recommendation in vicinity of signalized, high-speed intersection.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-04-01

    We evaluated the traffic operations and safety effects of 5 mph and 10 mph speed limit reductions in the vicinity of highspeed, : signalized intersections with advance warning flashers (AWF). Traffic operational effects of the reduced speed : limits ...

  12. 45 CFR 3.26 - Speed limit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Speed limit. 3.26 Section 3.26 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION CONDUCT OF PERSONS AND TRAFFIC ON THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH FEDERAL ENCLAVE Traffic Regulations § 3.26 Speed limit. The speed limit is 25 miles per...

  13. 45 CFR 3.26 - Speed limit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Speed limit. 3.26 Section 3.26 Public Welfare Department of Health and Human Services GENERAL ADMINISTRATION CONDUCT OF PERSONS AND TRAFFIC ON THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH FEDERAL ENCLAVE Traffic Regulations § 3.26 Speed limit. The speed limit is 25 miles per...

  14. 45 CFR 3.26 - Speed limit.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Speed limit. 3.26 Section 3.26 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION CONDUCT OF PERSONS AND TRAFFIC ON THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH FEDERAL ENCLAVE Traffic Regulations § 3.26 Speed limit. The speed limit is 25 miles per...

  15. Maximum speed limits. Volume 3, A programmed implementation manual for setting a speed limit based on the 85th percentile

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1970-10-01

    This report contains the implementation manual developed as a part of the project "Maximum Speed Limits." The manual consists of a programed educational unit and a field workguide concerning the setting of speed limits based on the 85th percentile sp...

  16. 14 CFR 25.33 - Propeller speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Propeller speed and pitch limits. 25.33... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANES Flight General § 25.33 Propeller speed and pitch limits. (a) The propeller speed and pitch must be limited to values that will ensure— (1) Safe operation...

  17. 14 CFR 29.1517 - Limiting height-speed envelope.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Limiting height-speed envelope. 29.1517... Operating Limitations § 29.1517 Limiting height-speed envelope. For Category A rotorcraft, if a range of heights exists at any speed, including zero, within which it is not possible to make a safe landing...

  18. 14 CFR 25.33 - Propeller speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Propeller speed and pitch limits. 25.33... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANES Flight General § 25.33 Propeller speed and pitch limits. (a) The propeller speed and pitch must be limited to values that will ensure- (1) Safe operation...

  19. 14 CFR 29.1517 - Limiting height-speed envelope.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Limiting height-speed envelope. 29.1517... Operating Limitations § 29.1517 Limiting height-speed envelope. For Category A rotorcraft, if a range of heights exists at any speed, including zero, within which it is not possible to make a safe landing...

  20. LAVIA--an evaluation of the potential safety benefits of the French intelligent speed adaptation project.

    PubMed

    Driscoll, R; Page, Y; Lassarre, S; Ehrlich, J

    2007-01-01

    This paper presents the potential safety benefits of the experimental French LAVIA Intelligent Speed Adaptation system, according to road network and system mode, based on observed driving speeds, distributions of crash severity and crash injury risk. Results are given for car frontal and side impacts that together, represent 80% of all serious and fatal injuries in France. Of the three system modes tested (advisory, driver select, mandatory), our results suggest that driver select would most significantly reduce serious injuries and death. We estimate this 100% utilization of cars equipped with this type of speed adaptation system would decrease injury rates by 6% to 16% over existing conditions depending on the type of crash (frontal or side) and road environment considered. Some limitations associated with the analysis are also identified. LAVIA is the acronym for Limiteur s'Adaptant à la VItesse Autorisée, a French Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) project that was set up towards the end of 1999. At the time, 1998 French national road safety statistics recorded 8437 road related deaths, a figure which had shown virtually no positive evolution since 1994. Detailed analysis of the contributory factors involved in fatal road crashes highlighted the time-honoured crash and injury causation mechanisms - alcohol, speed and seatbelts. Of the three, excessive speed (over and above the posted speed limit) was a contributory factor in half of all fatal crashes Inappropriate behaviour such as excessive speeding can be dealt with either by legislative or driver-incentive programmes. The first of these two solutions involves the introduction of new legislation and/or the enforcement of existing laws. This is the domain of Public Authorities and will not be discussed in detail here. Alternatively, incentive schemes can involve the implementation of speed related driver assistance systems, categorised according to their voluntary or mandatory character and the degree of autonomy proposed to or imposed on the driver. The LAVIA project set out to address several possible combinations of these two factors. The generic term Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) encompasses a wide range of different technologies aimed at improving road safety by reducing traffic speed and homogenising traffic flow, within the limit of posted speed limits. "Fixed speed limit" systems inform the vehicle of the posted speed limit whereas "variable speed limit" systems take into account certain locations on the road network where a speed below the posted limit is desirable, such as sharp curves, pedestrian crossings or crash black spots. Taken one step further, speed limit systems may also take into account weather and traffic flow conditions. These systems are known as "dynamic speed limit" systems and benefit from real time updates for a specific location. The different ISA systems are generally characterised by the degree of freedom of choice given to the driver in moderating his or her speed. Speed limit technologies may be advisory (informing drivers of the current speed limit and speed limit changes), voluntary (allowing the driver to decide whether or not to implement speed limitation) or mandatory (imposing the current speed limit). The information supplied may be provided by way of the road infrastructure (and associated equipment), may be acquired autonomously by the vehicle or may be based on an interaction between the infrastructure and the vehicle. Even the most basic of these systems should be considered as a very useful driver aid, helping the driver to stay within the posted speed limit, avoiding "unnecessary" speeding fines through inattention, modelling driver behaviour through the long term reduction of speeds and reducing driver workload by limiting visual speedometer controls. Vehicle-based ISA systems should not be confused with internal systems. These latter systems rely upon the driver entering the desired travel speed, which is then maintained by cruise control or set as a maximum value by automatic speed regulators. Although these systems will not be discussed in detail here, it should be noted that the engine management technologies that they employ are a vital component of ISA systems.

  1. Driving on urban roads: How we come to expect the 'correct' speed.

    PubMed

    Charlton, Samuel G; Starkey, Nicola J

    2017-11-01

    The subjective categories that drivers use to distinguish between different road types have been shown to influence the speeds they choose to drive but as yet we do not understand the road features that drivers use to make their discriminations. To better understand how drivers describe and categorise the roads they drive, 55 participants were recruited to drive a video of familiar urban roads in a driving simulator at the speed they would drive these roads in their own cars (using the accelerator and brake pedal in the driving simulator to adjust their speed). The participants were then asked to sort photos of the roads they had just driven into piles so that their driving would be the same on all roads in one pile but different to the other piles. Finally, they answered a series of questions about each road to indicate what speed they would drive, the safe speed for the road, their speed limit belief as well as providing ratings of comfort, difficulty and familiarity. Overall, drivers' categorisation of roads was informed by a number of factors including speed limit belief, road features and markings (including medians), road width, and presence of houses, driveways and footpaths. The participants' categories were congruent with what they thought the speed limits were, but not necessarily the actual speed limits. Mismatches between actual speed limits and speed limit beliefs appeared to result from category-level expectations about speed limits that took precedence over recent experience in the simulator. Roads that historically had a 50km/h speed limit but had been reduced to 40km/h were still regarded as 50km/h roads by the participants, underscoring the point that simply posting a sign with a lower speed limit is not enough to overcome drivers' expectations and habits associated with the visual appearance of a road. The findings provided insights into how drivers view and categorise roads, and identify specific areas that could be used to improve speed limit credibility. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. [Spanish drivers' beliefs about speed. Speeding is a major issue of road safety].

    PubMed

    Montoro González, Luis; Roca Ruiz, Javier; Lucas-Alba, Antonio

    2010-11-01

    Extending and updating our knowledge concerning drivers' motivational and cognitive processes is of essential importance if we are to apply policies with long-lasting effects. This study presents data from a representative national survey analyzing the Spanish drivers' beliefs about speed, the risks of speeding, the degree of violation of speed-limits and the reasons for speeding. Results indicate that Spanish drivers rate speeding as a serious offence, yet not among the most dangerous ones. All in all, they claim to comply mostly with the speed limits. However, some interesting violation patterns emerge: observance is lower for generic speed limits according to road type (vs. specific limits shown by certain road signs), and particularly in motorways (vs. single carriageways and urban areas). Risk perception and reasons for speeding emerge as the main factors predicting the levels of speed violations reported. Results suggest that any effective intervention strategy should consider such factors, namely the link between speed, road safety, and drivers' specific reasons for speeding.

  3. Maximum speed limits. Volume 4, An implementation method for setting a speed limit based on the 85th percentile speed

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1970-10-01

    This volume contains an explanation of a method for setting a speed limit which was developed as a part of the project conducted by the Institute for Research in Public Safety under Contract No. FH-11-7275, "A Study for the Selection of Maximum Speed...

  4. 14 CFR 23.33 - Propeller speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... the all engine(s) operating climb speed specified in § 23.65, the propeller must limit the engine r.p... approved overspeed, a means to limit the maximum engine and propeller speed to not more than the maximum... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Propeller speed and pitch limits. 23.33...

  5. 14 CFR 23.33 - Propeller speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... the all engine(s) operating climb speed specified in § 23.65, the propeller must limit the engine r.p... approved overspeed, a means to limit the maximum engine and propeller speed to not more than the maximum... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Propeller speed and pitch limits. 23.33...

  6. 14 CFR 23.33 - Propeller speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... the all engine(s) operating climb speed specified in § 23.65, the propeller must limit the engine r.p... approved overspeed, a means to limit the maximum engine and propeller speed to not more than the maximum... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Propeller speed and pitch limits. 23.33...

  7. 65 mph speed limit : analysis of fatal accident injury severity

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1989-11-01

    Several studies of the fatality experience in the 38 states that implemented a65 mph speed : limit on Rural Interstate highways in 1987 concluded that the higher speed limit has : caused fatalities to increase. This relationship between the speed lim...

  8. Speed limiter integrated fatigue analyzer (SLIFA) for speed and fatigue control on diesel engine truck and bus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wahyudi, Haris; Pranoto, Hadi; Leman, A. M.; Sebayang, Darwin; Baba, I.

    2017-09-01

    Every second, the number of road traffic deaths is increased globally with millions more sustaining severe injuries and living with long-term adverse health consequences. Jakarta alone in year 2015 had recorded 556 people died due to road accidents, approximately reached 6.231 road accident cases. The identified major contributory factors of such unfortunate events are both driver fatigue and over speeding habit especially related to the driving of truck and bus. This paper presents the idea on how to control the electronic system from input fuel system of injection pump and the combustion chamber engine will control the valve solenoid in injection pump which can lock and fuel will stop for moment, and speed limit can be success, by using sensor heart rate we can input reduce speed limit when fatigue detection driver. Integration process this tool can be relevant when Speed Limiter Integrated Fatigue Analyser (SLIFA) trial in the diesel engine for truck and bus, the result of this research Speed Limiter Integrated Fatigue Analyser (SLIFA) able to control speed of diesel engine for truck and bus almost 30km/h, 60km/h, and until 70 km/h. The installation of the sensor heart rate as the input speed limit SLIFA would work when the driver is detected to be in the fatigue condition. We make Speed Limiter Integrated Fatigue Analyser (SLIFA) for control and monitoring system for diesel engine in truck and bus. Speed Limiter Integrated Fatigue Analyser (SLIFA) system can save the historical of the speed record, fatigue, rpm, and body temperature of the driver.

  9. Safety impacts of differential speed limits on rural interstate highways

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2005-10-01

    To compare the safety effects of a uniform speed limit (USL) for all vehicles as opposed to a differential speed limit (DSL) for cars and heavy trucks, detailed crash data, speed monitoring data, and traffic volumes were sought for rural interstate h...

  10. Speed limits of aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Everling, E

    1923-01-01

    This paper is restricted to the question of attainable speed limits and attacks the problem from different angles. Theoretical limits due to air resistance are presented along with design factors which may affect speed such as wing loads, wing areas, wing section shifting, landing speeds, drag-lift ratios, and power coefficients.

  11. Lowering thresholds for speed limit enforcement impairs peripheral object detection and increases driver subjective workload.

    PubMed

    Bowden, Vanessa K; Loft, Shayne; Tatasciore, Monica; Visser, Troy A W

    2017-01-01

    Speed enforcement reduces incidences of speeding, thus reducing traffic accidents. Accordingly, it has been argued that stricter speed enforcement thresholds could further improve road safety. Effective speed monitoring however requires driver attention and effort, and human information-processing capacity is limited. Emphasizing speed monitoring may therefore reduce resource availability for other aspects of safe vehicle operation. We investigated whether lowering enforcement thresholds in a simulator setting would introduce further competition for limited cognitive and visual resources. Eighty-four young adult participants drove under conditions where they could be fined for travelling 1, 6, or 11km/h over a 50km/h speed-limit. Stricter speed enforcement led to greater subjective workload and significant decrements in peripheral object detection. These data indicate that the benefits of reduced speeding with stricter enforcement may be at least partially offset by greater mental demands on drivers, reducing their responses to safety-critical stimuli on the road. It is likely these results under-estimate the impact of stricter speed enforcement on real-world drivers who experience significantly greater pressures to drive at or above the speed limit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Effects on speed and safety of point-to-point speed enforcement systems: evaluation on the urban motorway A56 Tangenziale di Napoli.

    PubMed

    Montella, Alfonso; Imbriani, Lella Liana; Marzano, Vittorio; Mauriello, Filomena

    2015-02-01

    In this paper, we evaluated the effects on speed and safety of the point-to-point (P2P) speed enforcement system activated on the urban motorway A56 in Italy. The P2P speed enforcement is a relatively new approach to traffic law enforcement that involves the calculation of the average speed over a section. To evaluate the speed effects, we performed a before-after analysis of speed data investigating also effects on non-compliance to speed limits. To evaluate the safety effects, we carried out an empirical Bayes observational before-and-after study. The P2P system led to very positive effects on both speed and safety. As far as the effects on the section average travel speeds, the system yielded to a reduction in the mean speed, the 85th percentile speed, the standard deviation of speed, and the proportion of drivers exceeding the speed limits, exceeding the speed limits more than 10km/h, and exceeding the speed limits more than 20km/h. The best results were the decrease of the speed variability and the reduction of the excessive speeding behaviour. The decrease in the standard deviation of speed was 26% while the proportion of light and heavy vehicles exceeding the speed limits more than 20km/h was reduced respectively by 84 and 77%. As far as the safety effects, the P2P system yielded to a 32% reduction in the total crashes, with a lower 95% confidence limit of the estimate equal to 22%. The greatest crash reductions were in rainy weather (57%), on wet pavement (51%), on curves (49%), for single vehicle crashes (44%), and for injury crashes (37%). It is noteworthy that the system produced a statistically significant reduction of 21% in total crashes also in the part of the motorway where it was not activated, thus generating a significant spillover effect. The investigation of the effects of the P2P system on speed and safety over time allowed to develop crash modification functions where the relationship between crash modification factors and speed parameters (mean speed, 85th percentile speed, and standard deviation of speed) was expressed by a power function. Crash modification functions show that the effect of speed on safety is greater on curves and for injury crashes. Even though the study results show excellent outcomes, we must point out that the crash reduction effects decreased over time and speed, speed variability, and non-compliance to speed limits significantly increased over time. To maintain its effectiveness over time, P2P speed enforcement must be actively managed, i.e. constantly monitored and supported by appropriate sanctions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. 15 CFR 265.12 - Speeding or reckless driving.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... of traffic, weather, and road surface and having regard to the actual and potential hazards existing...) of this section, the speed limit on the site is 25 m.p.h., unless another speed limit has been duly posted, and no person shall drive a motor vehicle on the site in excess of the speed limit. ...

  14. 15 CFR 265.12 - Speeding or reckless driving.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... of traffic, weather, and road surface and having regard to the actual and potential hazards existing...) of this section, the speed limit on the site is 25 m.p.h., unless another speed limit has been duly posted, and no person shall drive a motor vehicle on the site in excess of the speed limit. ...

  15. 15 CFR 265.12 - Speeding or reckless driving.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... of traffic, weather, and road surface and having regard to the actual and potential hazards existing...) of this section, the speed limit on the site is 25 m.p.h., unless another speed limit has been duly posted, and no person shall drive a motor vehicle on the site in excess of the speed limit. ...

  16. 15 CFR 265.12 - Speeding or reckless driving.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... of traffic, weather, and road surface and having regard to the actual and potential hazards existing...) of this section, the speed limit on the site is 25 m.p.h., unless another speed limit has been duly posted, and no person shall drive a motor vehicle on the site in excess of the speed limit. ...

  17. 36 CFR 4.21 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... park road. Signs indicating that vehicle speed is determined by the use of radiomicrowaves or other... of park road under repair or construction. (3) 45 miles per hour: upon all other park roads. (b) The superintendent may designate a different speed limit upon any park road when a speed limit set forth in paragraph...

  18. 36 CFR 4.21 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... park road. Signs indicating that vehicle speed is determined by the use of radiomicrowaves or other... of park road under repair or construction. (3) 45 miles per hour: upon all other park roads. (b) The superintendent may designate a different speed limit upon any park road when a speed limit set forth in paragraph...

  19. 36 CFR 4.21 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... park road. Signs indicating that vehicle speed is determined by the use of radiomicrowaves or other... of park road under repair or construction. (3) 45 miles per hour: upon all other park roads. (b) The superintendent may designate a different speed limit upon any park road when a speed limit set forth in paragraph...

  20. 36 CFR 4.21 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... park road. Signs indicating that vehicle speed is determined by the use of radiomicrowaves or other... of park road under repair or construction. (3) 45 miles per hour: upon all other park roads. (b) The superintendent may designate a different speed limit upon any park road when a speed limit set forth in paragraph...

  1. 36 CFR 4.21 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... park road. Signs indicating that vehicle speed is determined by the use of radiomicrowaves or other... of park road under repair or construction. (3) 45 miles per hour: upon all other park roads. (b) The superintendent may designate a different speed limit upon any park road when a speed limit set forth in paragraph...

  2. 33 CFR 401.28 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Speed limits. 401.28 Section 401... TRANSPORTATION SEAWAY REGULATIONS AND RULES Regulations Seaway Navigation § 401.28 Speed limits. (a) The maximum speed over the bottom for a vessel of more than 12 m in overall length shall be regulated so as not to...

  3. 49 CFR 213.57 - Curves; elevation and speed limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Curves; elevation and speed limitations. 213.57... speed limitations. (a) The maximum crosslevel on the outside rail of a curve may not be more than 8... applicable September 21, 1999.) (b)(1) The maximum allowable operating speed for each curve is determined by...

  4. 49 CFR 392.6 - Schedules to conform with speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Schedules to conform with speed limits. 392.6... DRIVING OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES General § 392.6 Schedules to conform with speed limits. No motor... points in such period of time as would necessitate the commercial motor vehicle being operated at speeds...

  5. 49 CFR 213.329 - Curves, elevation and speed limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Curves, elevation and speed limitations. 213.329... Higher § 213.329 Curves, elevation and speed limitations. (a) The maximum crosslevel on the outside rail... lower than the inside rail. (b) (1) The maximum allowable operating speed for each curve is determined...

  6. 49 CFR 213.57 - Curves; elevation and speed limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Curves; elevation and speed limitations. 213.57... speed limitations. (a) The maximum crosslevel on the outside rail of a curve may not be more than 8... applicable September 21, 1999.) (b)(1) The maximum allowable operating speed for each curve is determined by...

  7. 49 CFR 213.329 - Curves, elevation and speed limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Curves, elevation and speed limitations. 213.329... Higher § 213.329 Curves, elevation and speed limitations. (a) The maximum crosslevel on the outside rail... lower than the inside rail. (b) (1) The maximum allowable operating speed for each curve is determined...

  8. 49 CFR 392.6 - Schedules to conform with speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Schedules to conform with speed limits. 392.6... DRIVING OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES General § 392.6 Schedules to conform with speed limits. No motor... points in such period of time as would necessitate the commercial motor vehicle being operated at speeds...

  9. 33 CFR 401.28 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Speed limits. 401.28 Section 401... TRANSPORTATION SEAWAY REGULATIONS AND RULES Regulations Seaway Navigation § 401.28 Speed limits. (a) The maximum speed over the bottom for a vessel of more than 12 m in overall length shall be regulated so as not to...

  10. European birds adjust their flight initiation distance to road speed limits.

    PubMed

    Legagneux, Pierre; Ducatez, Simon

    2013-10-23

    Behavioural responses can help species persist in habitats modified by humans. Roads and traffic greatly affect animals' mortality not only through habitat structure modifications but also through direct mortality owing to collisions. Although species are known to differ in their sensitivity to the risk of collision, whether individuals can change their behaviour in response to this is still unknown. Here, we tested whether common European birds changed their flight initiation distances (FIDs) in response to vehicles according to road speed limit (a known factor affecting killing rates on roads) and vehicle speed. We found that FID increased with speed limit, although vehicle speed had no effect. This suggests that birds adjust their flight distance to speed limit, which may reduce collision risks and decrease mortality maximizing the time allocated to foraging behaviours. Mobility and territory size are likely to affect an individuals' ability to respond adaptively to local speed limits.

  11. Forgetting induced speeding: Can prospective memory failure account for drivers exceeding the speed limit?

    PubMed

    Bowden, Vanessa K; Visser, Troy A W; Loft, Shayne

    2017-06-01

    It is generally assumed that drivers speed intentionally because of factors such as frustration with the speed limit or general impatience. The current study examined whether speeding following an interruption could be better explained by unintentional prospective memory (PM) failure. In these situations, interrupting drivers may create a PM task, with speeding the result of drivers forgetting their newly encoded intention to travel at a lower speed after interruption. Across 3 simulated driving experiments, corrected or uncorrected speeding in recently reduced speed zones (from 70 km/h to 40 km/h) increased on average from 8% when uninterrupted to 33% when interrupted. Conversely, the probability that participants traveled under their new speed limit in recently increased speed zones (from 40 km/h to 70 km/h) increased from 1% when uninterrupted to 23% when interrupted. Consistent with a PM explanation, this indicates that interruptions lead to a general failure to follow changed speed limits, not just to increased speeding. Further testing a PM explanation, Experiments 2 and 3 manipulated variables expected to influence the probability of PM failures and subsequent speeding after interruptions. Experiment 2 showed that performing a cognitively demanding task during the interruption, when compared with unfilled interruptions, increased the probability of initially speeding from 1% to 11%, but that participants were able to correct (reduce) their speed. In Experiment 3, providing participants with 10s longer to encode the new speed limit before interruption decreased the probability of uncorrected speeding after an unfilled interruption from 30% to 20%. Theoretical implications and implications for road design interventions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  12. Effects of transverse rumble strips on safety of pedestrian crosswalks on rural roads in China.

    PubMed

    Liu, Pan; Huang, Jia; Wang, Wei; Xu, Chengcheng

    2011-11-01

    The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the impacts of transverse rumble strips in reducing crashes and vehicle speeds at pedestrian crosswalks on rural roads in China. Using crash data reported at 366 sites, the research team conducted an observational before-after study using a comparison group and the Empirical Bayesian (EB) method to evaluate the effectiveness of transverse rumble strips in reducing crashes at pedestrian crosswalks. It was found that transverse rumble strips may reduce expected crash frequency at pedestrian crosswalks by 25%. The research team collected more than 15,000 speed observations at 12 sites. The speed data analysis results show that transverse rumble strips significantly reduce vehicle speeds in vicinity of pedestrian crosswalks on rural roads with posted speed limits of 60 km/h and 80 km/h. On average, the mean speed at pedestrian crosswalks declined 9.2 km/h on roads with a speed limit of 60 km/h; and 11.9 km/h on roads with a speed limit of 80 km/h. The 85th percentile speed declined 9.1 km/h on roads with a speed limit of 60 km/h; and 12.0 km/h on roads with a speed limit of 80 km/h. However, the speed reduction impacts were not found to be statistically significant for the pedestrian crosswalk on the road with a speed limit of 40 km/h. The study also looked extensively at the influence area of transverse rumble strips on rural roads. Speed profiles developed in this study show that the influence area of transverse rumble strips is generally less than 0.3 km. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Exceeding the speed limit: prevalence and determinants in Iran.

    PubMed

    Moradi, Ali; Motevalian, Seyed Abbas; Mirkoohi, Maryam; McKay, Mary Pat; Rahimi-Movaghar, Vafa

    2013-01-01

    Speeding is one of the most common risk behaviours associated with crashes causing signficant injury. The objective of this study is to explore the prevalence and determinants of speeding on a road between Tehran and Hamadan, Iran. In a cross-sectional study in 2009, stretches of the road were studied including three groups of posted speed limits: < 50 km/h, 50-100 km/h and > 100 km/h. Each stretch was evaluated both in daylight and dark. Randomly identified driver's speed was checked by a handheld speed camera and then the driver was invited to participate in a survey. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-Square, crude and adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval and multiple logistic regression models. Overall, 52.8% of the drivers were travelling more than 10 km/h above the posted limit. Where limits were < 50 km/h, 74.6% of drivers were speeding. This declined to 46.9% for sections with limits between 50 and 100 km/h and to 36.9% for sections posted more than 100 km/h. Finally, more than half the drivers were observed to be speeding. Driving more than the posted limit was far more likely on the areas with the lowest posted speed limits, personal passenger vehicles, modern vehicles not using seat belts, and male drivers.

  14. 14 CFR 23.1507 - Operating maneuvering speed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Operating maneuvering speed. 23.1507... Limitations and Information § 23.1507 Operating maneuvering speed. The maximum operating maneuvering speed, VO, must be established as an operating limitation. VO is a selected speed that is not greater than VS√n...

  15. 14 CFR 23.1507 - Operating maneuvering speed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Operating maneuvering speed. 23.1507... Limitations and Information § 23.1507 Operating maneuvering speed. The maximum operating maneuvering speed, VO, must be established as an operating limitation. VO is a selected speed that is not greater than VS√n...

  16. Variable Speed Limit (VSL) - Best Management Practice [Summary

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-01-01

    In variable speed limit (VSL) zones, the speed : limit changes in response to traffic congestion, : adverse weather, or road conditions. VSL zones are : often highly automated and have been employed : successfully in several U.S. and European : locat...

  17. 49 CFR 213.9 - Classes of track: operating speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Classes of track: operating speed limits. 213.9... speed limits. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and §§ 213.57(b), 213.59(a), 213.113(a), and 213.137(b) and (c), the following maximum allowable operating speeds apply— [In miles per...

  18. 49 CFR 213.9 - Classes of track: operating speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Classes of track: operating speed limits. 213.9... speed limits. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section and §§ 213.57(b), 213.59(a), 213.113(a), and 213.137(b) and (c), the following maximum allowable operating speeds apply— [In miles per...

  19. 14 CFR 25.33 - Propeller speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... used to limit the low pitch position of the propeller blades must be set so that the engine does not... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Propeller speed and pitch limits. 25.33... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANES Flight General § 25.33 Propeller speed and pitch limits...

  20. 14 CFR 25.33 - Propeller speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... used to limit the low pitch position of the propeller blades must be set so that the engine does not... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Propeller speed and pitch limits. 25.33... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANES Flight General § 25.33 Propeller speed and pitch limits...

  1. 14 CFR 25.33 - Propeller speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... used to limit the low pitch position of the propeller blades must be set so that the engine does not... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Propeller speed and pitch limits. 25.33... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANES Flight General § 25.33 Propeller speed and pitch limits...

  2. Speed limits set lower than engineering recommendations : project summary report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-08-01

    The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) generally ensures that posted speed limits are set in accordance with engineering recommendations, which means that speed limits are typically set such that they are about equal to the observed 85th-perc...

  3. Evaluation of work zone speed limits : an objective and subjective analysis of work zones in Missouri.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-02-01

    This study objectively and subjectively examined speed characteristics and driver compliance with the posted speed limit : in Missouri work zones. The objective evaluation collected vehicle speeds from four work zones with different : configurations ...

  4. Variable Speed Limit (VSL) - Best Management Practice

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-07-01

    The Variable Speed Limit (VSL) system on the I-4 corridor in Orlando was implemented by Florida Department of Transportation in 2008, and since its deployment, it was revealed that the majority of traffic exceeds the speed limit by more mph when the ...

  5. Evaluating outcomes of raising speed limits on high speed non-freeways.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-04-01

    The purpose of this research was to assist in determining the potential impacts of implementing a : proposed 65 mph speed limit on non-freeways in Michigan. Consideration was given to a broad range of : performance measures, including operating speed...

  6. Cost-benefit evaluation of large truck-automobile speed limit differentials on rural interstate highways.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2005-11-01

    Speed differentials between large trucks and automobiles on rural interstate highways are due to : both state regulated speed limits and commercial trucking company policies that restrict maximum truck : speeds. The initial portion of this effort inv...

  7. Work zone variable speed limit systems: Effectiveness and system design issues.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-03-01

    Variable speed limit (VSL) systems have been used in a number of countries, particularly in Europe, as a method to improve flow and increase safety. VSLs use detectors to collect data on current traffic and/or weather conditions. Posted speed limits ...

  8. Work zone variable speed limit systems : effectiveness and system design issues.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-03-01

    Variable speed limit (VSL) systems have been used in a number of countries, particularly in Europe, as a method to improve flow and increase safety. VSLs use detectors to collect data on current traffic and/or weather conditions. Posted speed limits ...

  9. Field test of the impact of setting and enforcing rational speed limits : final report for Gulfport, Mississippi--demonstration community

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2007-10-01

    To address concerns regarding the need to restore credibility to speed limits, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) jointly undertook tests of rational speed limits, which have...

  10. Impact of the 65 mph speed limit on Virginia's rural interstate highways, 1989-1992.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1994-01-01

    In April of 1987, Congress passed the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act (STURAA), which permitted states to raise their maximum speed limit on rural interstate highways to 65 mph. Virginia's 65 mph speed limit went into eff...

  11. Field Validation of the Stability Limit of a Multi MW Turbine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kallesøe, Bjarne S.; Kragh, Knud A.

    2016-09-01

    Long slender blades of modern multi-megawatt turbines exhibit a flutter like instability at rotor speeds above a critical rotor speed. Knowing the critical rotor speed is crucial to a safe turbine design. The flutter like instability can only be estimated using geometrically non-linear aeroelastic codes. In this study, the estimated rotor speed stability limit of a 7 MW state of the art wind turbine is validated experimentally. The stability limit is estimated using Siemens Wind Powers in-house aeroelastic code, and the results show that the predicted stability limit is within 5% of the experimentally observed limit.

  12. Effect of In-Vehicle Audio Warning System on Driver’s Speed Control Performance in Transition Zones from Rural Areas to Urban Areas

    PubMed Central

    Yan, Xuedong; Wang, Jiali; Wu, Jiawei

    2016-01-01

    Speeding is a major contributing factor to traffic crashes and frequently happens in areas where there is a mutation in speed limits, such as the transition zones that connect urban areas from rural areas. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of an in-vehicle audio warning system and lit speed limit sign on preventing drivers’ speeding behavior in transition zones. A high-fidelity driving simulator was used to establish a roadway network with the transition zone. A total of 41 participants were recruited for this experiment, and the driving speed performance data were collected from the simulator. The experimental results display that the implementation of the audio warning system could significantly reduce drivers’ operating speed before they entered the urban area, while the lit speed limit sign had a minimal effect on improving the drivers’ speed control performance. Without consideration of different types of speed limit signs, it is found that male drivers generally had a higher operating speed both upstream and in the transition zones and have a larger maximum deceleration for speed reduction than female drivers. Moreover, the drivers who had medium-level driving experience had the higher operating speed and were more likely to have speeding behaviors in the transition zones than those who had low-level and high-level driving experience in the transition zones. PMID:27347990

  13. 40 CFR 1037.640 - Variable vehicle speed limiters.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 34 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Variable vehicle speed limiters. 1037... POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW HEAVY-DUTY MOTOR VEHICLES Special Compliance Provisions § 1037.640 Variable vehicle speed limiters. This section specifies provisions that apply for vehicle...

  14. 40 CFR 1037.640 - Variable vehicle speed limiters.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 34 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Variable vehicle speed limiters. 1037... POLLUTION CONTROLS CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW HEAVY-DUTY MOTOR VEHICLES Special Compliance Provisions § 1037.640 Variable vehicle speed limiters. This section specifies provisions that apply for vehicle...

  15. Cost-benefit analysis of the 55-mph speed limit

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Forester, T.H.; McNown, R.F.; Singell, L.D.

    1984-01-01

    This article presents the results of an empirical study which estimates the number of reduced fatalities as a result of the imposed 55-mph speed limit. Time series data for the US from 1952 to 1979 is employed in a regression model capturing the relation between fatalities, average speed, variability of speed, and the speed limit. Also discussed are the alternative approaches to valuing human life and the value of time. Provided is a series of benefit-cost ratios based on alternative measures of the benefits and costs from life saving. The paper concludes that the 55-mph speed limit is not costmore » efficient unless additional time on the highway is valued significantly below levels estimated in the best reasearch on the value of time. 12 references, 1 table.« less

  16. Safety effects of reducing the speed limit from 90km/h to 70km/h.

    PubMed

    De Pauw, Ellen; Daniels, Stijn; Thierie, Melissa; Brijs, Tom

    2014-01-01

    Speed is one of the main risk factors in traffic safety, as it increases both the chances and the severity of a crash. In order to achieve improved traffic safety by influencing the speed of travel, road authorities may decide to lower the legally imposed speed limits. In 2001 the Flemish government decided to lower speed limits from 90km/h to 70km/h on a considerable number of highways. The present study examines the effectiveness of this measure using a comparison group before- and after study to account for general trend effects in road safety. Sixty-one road sections with a total length of 116km were included. The speed limits for those locations were restricted in 2001 and 2002. The comparison group consisted of 19 road sections with a total length of 53km and an unchanged speed limit of 90km/h throughout the research period. Taking trend into account, the analyses showed a 5% decrease [0.88; 1.03] in the crash rates after the speed limit restriction. A greater effect was identified in the case of crashes involving serious injuries and fatalities, which showed a decrease of 33% [0.57; 0.79]. Separate analyses between crashes at intersections and at road sections showed a higher effectiveness at road sections. It can be concluded from this study that speed limit restrictions do have a favorable effect on traffic safety, especially on severe crashes. Future research should examine the cause for the difference in the effect between road sections and intersections that was identified, taking vehicle speeds into account. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. 50 CFR 38.13 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 8 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Speed limits. 38.13 Section 38.13 Wildlife and Fisheries UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM MIDWAY ATOLL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Prohibitions § 38.13 Speed limits. No...

  18. 50 CFR 38.13 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Speed limits. 38.13 Section 38.13 Wildlife and Fisheries UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM MIDWAY ATOLL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Prohibitions § 38.13 Speed limits. No...

  19. 50 CFR 38.13 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Speed limits. 38.13 Section 38.13 Wildlife and Fisheries UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM MIDWAY ATOLL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Prohibitions § 38.13 Speed limits. No...

  20. 50 CFR 38.13 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Speed limits. 38.13 Section 38.13 Wildlife and Fisheries UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (CONTINUED) THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM MIDWAY ATOLL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Prohibitions § 38.13 Speed limits. No...

  1. Evaluation of 70 mph speed limit in Kentucky.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-05-01

    The objective of this study was to document the change in operating speeds of cars and trucks on rural interstates and parkways as a result of the change in speed limit from 65 mph to 70 mph. The 85th percentile speed increased 1.3 mph for cars (74.6...

  2. 36 CFR § 1004.21 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... determine the speed of a vehicle on a Presidio Trust road. Signs indicating that vehicle speed is determined... hour: upon sections of Presidio Trust road under repair or construction. (3) 45 miles per hour: upon all other Presidio Trust roads. (b) The Board may designate a different speed limit upon any Presidio...

  3. Investigations of Section Speed on Rural Roads in Podlaskie Voivodeship

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ziolkowski, Robert

    2017-10-01

    Excessive speed is one of the most important factors considered in road safety and not only affects the severity of a crash but is also related to the risk of being involved in a crash. In Poland the problem of speeding drivers is widely common. Properly recognized and defined drivers behaviour is the base for any effective activities taken towards road safety improvements. Effective enforcement of speed limits especially on rural road plays an important role but conducted speed investigations basically focus on spot speed omitting travel speed on longer sections of roads which can better reflect driver’s behaviour. Possible solutions for rural roads are limited to administrative means of speed limitations, installations of speed cameras and police enforcement. However due to their limited proved effectiveness new solutions are still being sought. High expectations are associated with the sectional speed system that has recently been introduced in Poland and covered a number of national road sections. The aim of this paper is to investigate section speed on chosen regional and district roads located in Podlaskie Voivodeship. Test sections included 19 road segments varied in terms of functional and geometric characteristics. Speed measurements on regional and district roads were performed with the use of a set of two ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras. Conducted research allowed to compare driver’s behaviour in terms of travel speed depending on roads’ functional classification as well as to evaluate the influence of chosen geometric parameters on average section speed.

  4. Vibration compensation for high speed scanning tunneling microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Croft, D.; Devasia, S.

    1999-12-01

    Low scanning speed is a fundamental limitation of scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs), making real time imaging of surface processes and nanofabrication impractical. The effective scanning bandwidth is currently limited by the smallest resonant vibrational frequency of the piezobased positioning system (i.e., scanner) used in the STM. Due to this limitation, the acquired images are distorted during high speed operations. In practice, the achievable scan rates are much less than 1/10th of the resonant vibrational frequency of the STM scanner. To alleviate the scanning speed limitation, this article describes an inversion-based approach that compensates for the structural vibrations in the scanner and thus, allows STM imaging at high scanning speeds (relative to the smallest resonant vibrational frequency). Experimental results are presented to show the increase in scanning speeds achievable by applying the vibration compensation methods.

  5. The credibility of speed limits on 80 km/h rural roads: The effects of road and person(ality) characteristics.

    PubMed

    Goldenbeld, Charles; van Schagen, Ingrid

    2007-11-01

    The present study aimed to operationalise the concept of credible speed limits and to make a first step to elaborate it in such a way that road authorities can put the concept into practice. The study focused on the credibility of an 80 km/h limit for different rural roads and assessed the effects of characteristics of the road and its environment as well as the effects of person and personality characteristics. Almost 600 Dutch car drivers were asked to judge 27 photographs of (different) rural roads with a posted speed limit of 80 km/h. To determine the degree of credibility, for each road scene the subjects filled in the preferred speed and the speed limit they considered to be safe. The results show large differences in both preferred speed and the safe speed limit between the road scenes, both below and above the limit of 80 km/h. These differences were related to a number of characteristics of the road and the road environment, such as the presence or absence of a curve and characteristics concerning the field of view (sight distance, clarity of situation). There were also large differences between subjects and these were related to age, the degree of sensation seeking, the number of speeding tickets in the last 3 years and the part of the country they lived in. Subjects were influenced by more or less the same road features.

  6. 32 CFR 935.132 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 6 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Speed limits. 935.132 Section 935.132 National... WAKE ISLAND CODE Motor Vehicle Code § 935.132 Speed limits. Each person operating a motor vehicle on... day, road and weather conditions, the kind of motor vehicle, and the proximity to persons or buildings...

  7. 32 CFR 935.132 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 6 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Speed limits. 935.132 Section 935.132 National... WAKE ISLAND CODE Motor Vehicle Code § 935.132 Speed limits. Each person operating a motor vehicle on... day, road and weather conditions, the kind of motor vehicle, and the proximity to persons or buildings...

  8. 32 CFR 935.132 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 6 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Speed limits. 935.132 Section 935.132 National... WAKE ISLAND CODE Motor Vehicle Code § 935.132 Speed limits. Each person operating a motor vehicle on... day, road and weather conditions, the kind of motor vehicle, and the proximity to persons or buildings...

  9. 32 CFR 935.132 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Speed limits. 935.132 Section 935.132 National... WAKE ISLAND CODE Motor Vehicle Code § 935.132 Speed limits. Each person operating a motor vehicle on Wake Island shall operate it at a speed— (a) That is reasonable, safe, and proper, considering time of...

  10. 32 CFR 935.132 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 6 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Speed limits. 935.132 Section 935.132 National... WAKE ISLAND CODE Motor Vehicle Code § 935.132 Speed limits. Each person operating a motor vehicle on Wake Island shall operate it at a speed— (a) That is reasonable, safe, and proper, considering time of...

  11. Tightening Quantum Speed Limits for Almost All States.

    PubMed

    Campaioli, Francesco; Pollock, Felix A; Binder, Felix C; Modi, Kavan

    2018-02-09

    Conventional quantum speed limits perform poorly for mixed quantum states: They are generally not tight and often significantly underestimate the fastest possible evolution speed. To remedy this, for unitary driving, we derive two quantum speed limits that outperform the traditional bounds for almost all quantum states. Moreover, our bounds are significantly simpler to compute as well as experimentally more accessible. Our bounds have a clear geometric interpretation; they arise from the evaluation of the angle between generalized Bloch vectors.

  12. Can anti-speeding messages based on protection motivation theory influence reported speeding intentions?

    PubMed

    Glendon, A Ian; Walker, Britta L

    2013-08-01

    The study investigated the effects of anti-speeding messages based on protection motivation theory (PMT) components: severity, vulnerability, rewards, self-efficacy, response efficacy, and response cost, on reported speeding intentions. Eighty-three participants aged 18-25 years holding a current Australian driver's license completed a questionnaire measuring their reported typical and recent speeding behaviors. Comparisons were made between 18 anti-speeding messages used on Australian roads and 18 new anti-speeding messages developed from the PMT model. Participants reported their reactions to the 36 messages on the perceived effectiveness of the message for themselves and for the general population of drivers, and also the likelihood of themselves and other drivers driving within the speed limit after viewing each message. Overall the PMT model-derived anti-speeding messages were better than jurisdiction-use anti-speeding messages in influencing participants' reported intention to drive within the speed limit. Severity and vulnerability were the most effective PMT components for developing anti-speeding messages. Male participants reported significantly lower intention to drive within the speed limit than did female participants. However, males reported significantly higher intention to drive within the speed limit for PMT-derived messages compared with jurisdiction-based messages. Third-person effects were that males reported anti-speeding messages to be more effective for the general driving population than for themselves. Females reported the opposite effect - that all messages would be more effective for themselves than for the general driving population. Findings provided support for using a sound conceptual basis as an effective foundation for anti-speeding message development as well as for evaluating proposed anti-speeding messages on the target driver population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Perils of using speed zone data to assess real-world compliance to speed limits.

    PubMed

    Chevalier, Anna; Clarke, Elizabeth; Chevalier, Aran John; Brown, Julie; Coxon, Kristy; Ivers, Rebecca; Keay, Lisa

    2017-11-17

    Real-world driving studies, including those involving speeding alert devices and autonomous vehicles, can gauge an individual vehicle's speeding behavior by comparing measured speed with mapped speed zone data. However, there are complexities with developing and maintaining a database of mapped speed zones over a large geographic area that may lead to inaccuracies within the data set. When this approach is applied to large-scale real-world driving data or speeding alert device data to determine speeding behavior, these inaccuracies may result in invalid identification of speeding. We investigated speeding events based on service provider speed zone data. We compared service provider speed zone data (Speed Alert by Smart Car Technologies Pty Ltd., Ultimo, NSW, Australia) against a second set of speed zone data (Google Maps Application Programming Interface [API] mapped speed zones). We found a systematic error in the zones where speed limits of 50-60 km/h, typical of local roads, were allocated to high-speed motorways, which produced false speed limits in the speed zone database. The result was detection of false-positive high-range speeding. Through comparison of the service provider speed zone data against a second set of speed zone data, we were able to identify and eliminate data most affected by this systematic error, thereby establishing a data set of speeding events with a high level of sensitivity (a true positive rate of 92% or 6,412/6,960). Mapped speed zones can be a source of error in real-world driving when examining vehicle speed. We explored the types of inaccuracies found within speed zone data and recommend that a second set of speed zone data be utilized when investigating speeding behavior or developing mapped speed zone data to minimize inaccuracy in estimates of speeding.

  14. 78 FR 19981 - Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model EMB-550 Airplanes; Flight Envelope Protection: High Speed...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-03

    ...; Flight Envelope Protection: High Speed Limiting AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... protection: high speed limiting. As published, the document contained an error in that the Special Conditions...

  15. 32 CFR 263.6 - Speeding or reckless driving.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ..., weather, and road surface and having regard to the actual and potential hazards existing. (b) Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed, the speed limit on the site is 15 m.p.h., unless another speed limit has been duly posted, and no person shall drive a motor vehicle on the site in excess...

  16. 32 CFR 263.6 - Speeding or reckless driving.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ..., weather, and road surface and having regard to the actual and potential hazards existing. (b) Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed, the speed limit on the site is 15 m.p.h., unless another speed limit has been duly posted, and no person shall drive a motor vehicle on the site in excess...

  17. 32 CFR 263.6 - Speeding or reckless driving.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ..., weather, and road surface and having regard to the actual and potential hazards existing. (b) Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed, the speed limit on the site is 15 m.p.h., unless another speed limit has been duly posted, and no person shall drive a motor vehicle on the site in excess...

  18. 32 CFR 263.6 - Speeding or reckless driving.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ..., weather, and road surface and having regard to the actual and potential hazards existing. (b) Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed, the speed limit on the site is 15 m.p.h., unless another speed limit has been duly posted, and no person shall drive a motor vehicle on the site in excess...

  19. 32 CFR 263.6 - Speeding or reckless driving.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ..., weather, and road surface and having regard to the actual and potential hazards existing. (b) Except when a special hazard exists that requires lower speed, the speed limit on the site is 15 m.p.h., unless another speed limit has been duly posted, and no person shall drive a motor vehicle on the site in excess...

  20. 77 FR 69572 - Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model EMB-550 Airplanes; Flight Envelope Protection: High Speed...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-20

    ... Envelope Protection: High Speed Limiting AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice... inadvertently or intentionally exceeding a speed approximately equivalent to V FC or attaining V DF . Current Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 25 do not relate to a high speed limiter that might...

  1. Using Mandated Speed Limits to Measure the Value of a Statistical Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashenfelter, Orley; Greenstone, Michael

    2004-01-01

    In 1987 the federal government permitted states to raise the speed limit on their rural interstate roads, but not on their urban interstate roads, from 55 mph to 65 mph. Since the states that adopted the higher speed limit must have valued the travel hours they saved more than the fatalities incurred, this institutional change provides an…

  2. Evaluation of electronic speed limit signs on US 30.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-09-01

    This study documents the speed : reduction impacts of two dynamic, : electronic school zone speed limit signs : at United Community Schools between : Ames and Boone, Iowa. The school : facility is situated along US Highway 30, : a rural four-lane div...

  3. Evaluation of variable advisory speed limits in work zones.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-08-01

    Variable advisory speed limit (VASL) systems could be effective at both urban and rural work zones, at both uncongested and congested sites. At uncongested urban work zones, the average speeds with VASL were lower than without VASL. But the standard ...

  4. Safety impacts of different speed limits on cars and trucks : final report

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1994-05-01

    The objectives of this study were to determine whether differential or uniform speed limits are more beneficial to transportation safety and traffic operations on Interstate highways. The approach to achieving this objective was to examine speed and ...

  5. Using road markings as a continuous cue for speed choice.

    PubMed

    Charlton, Samuel G; Starkey, Nicola J; Malhotra, Neha

    2018-08-01

    The potential for using road markings to indicate speed limits was investigated in a driving simulator over the course of two sessions. Two types of experimental road markings, an "Attentional" set designed to provide visually distinct cues to indicate speed limits of 60, 80 and 100 km/h, and a "Perceptual" set designed to also affect drivers' perception of speed, were compared to a standard undifferentiated set of markings. Participants (n = 20 per group) were assigned to one of four experimental groups (Attentional-Explicit, Attentional-Implicit, Perceptual-Explicit, Perceptual-Implicit) or a Control group (n = 22; standard road markings). The Explicit groups were instructed about the meaning of the road markings while those in the Implicit and Control groups did not receive any explanation. Participants drove five 10 km simulated roads containing three speed zones (60, 80 and 100 km/h) during the first session. The participants returned to the laboratory approximately 3 days later to drive five more trials including roads they had not seen before, a trial that included a secondary task, and a trial where speed signs were removed and only markings were present. The findings indicated that both types of road markings improved drivers' compliance with speed limits compared to the control group, but that explicit instruction as to the meaning of the markings was needed to realise their full benefit. Although previous research has indicated the benefit of road markings used as warnings to indicate speed reductions in advance of horizontal or vertical curves, the findings of the present experiment also suggest that systematically associating road markings with specific speed limits may be a useful way to improve speed limit compliance and increase speed homogeneity. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  6. Speed behaviour in work zone crossovers. A driving simulator study.

    PubMed

    Domenichini, Lorenzo; La Torre, Francesca; Branzi, Valentina; Nocentini, Alessandro

    2017-01-01

    Reductions in speed and, more critically, in speed variability between vehicles are considered an important factor to reduce crash risk in work zones. This study was designed to evaluate in a virtual environment the drivers' behaviour in response to nine different configurations of a motorway crossover work zone. Specifically, the speed behaviour through a typical crossover layout, designed in accordance with the Italian Ministerial Decree 10 July 2002, was compared with that of eight alternative configurations which differ in some characteristics such as the sequence of speed limits, the median opening width and the lane width. The influence of variable message signs, of channelizing devices and of perceptual treatments based on Human Factor principles were also tested. Forty-two participants drove in driving simulator scenarios while data on their speeds and decelerations were collected. The results indicated that drivers' speeds are always higher than the temporary posted speed limits for all configurations and that speeds decreases significantly only within the by-passes. However the implementation of higher speed limits, together with a wider median opening and taller channelization devices led to a greater homogeneity of the speeds adopted by the drivers. The presence of perceptual measures generally induced both the greatest homogenization of speeds and the largest reductions in mean speed values. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Effects of vehicle power on passenger vehicle speeds.

    PubMed

    McCartt, Anne T; Hu, Wen

    2017-07-04

    During the past 2 decades, there have been large increases in mean horsepower and the mean horsepower-to-vehicle weight ratio for all types of new passenger vehicles in the United States. This study examined the relationship between travel speeds and vehicle power, defined as horsepower per 100 pounds of vehicle weight. Speed cameras measured travel speeds and photographed license plates and drivers of passenger vehicles traveling on roadways in Northern Virginia during daytime off-peak hours in spring 2013. The driver licensing agencies in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia provided vehicle information numbers (VINs) by matching license plate numbers with vehicle registration records and provided the age, gender, and ZIP code of the registered owner(s). VINs were decoded to obtain the curb weight and horsepower of vehicles. The study focused on 26,659 observed vehicles for which information on horsepower was available and the observed age and gender of drivers matched vehicle registration records. Log-linear regression estimated the effects of vehicle power on mean travel speeds, and logistic regression estimated the effects of vehicle power on the likelihood of a vehicle traveling over the speed limit and more than 10 mph over the limit. After controlling for driver characteristics, speed limit, vehicle type, and traffic volume, a 1-unit increase in vehicle power was associated with a 0.7% increase in mean speed, a 2.7% increase in the likelihood of a vehicle exceeding the speed limit by any amount, and an 11.6% increase in the likelihood of a vehicle exceeding the limit by 10 mph. All of these increases were highly significant. Speeding persists as a major factor in crashes in the United States. There are indications that travel speeds have increased in recent years. The current findings suggest the trend toward substantially more powerful vehicles may be contributing to higher speeds. Given the strong association between travel speed and crash risk and crash severity, this is cause for concern.

  8. Rapid assessment of road safety policy change: relaxation of the national speed enforcement law in Russia leads to large increases in the prevalence of speeding.

    PubMed

    Bhalla, Kavi; Paichadze, Nino; Gupta, Shivam; Kliavin, Vladimir; Gritsenko, Elena; Bishai, David; Hyder, Adnan A

    2015-02-01

    Reducing vehicle speed is among the most effective road safety strategies. We assess how a new policy in Russia that eliminates fines for driving up to 20 km/h above the speed limit has affected the prevalence of speeding. We measured speeds periodically in 13 districts of two Russian regions during 2011-2013 and analysed the effect of the policy using difference-in-differences to control for seasonality. We find that the prevalence of speeding was declining steadily but half of the gains since mid-2011 were lost immediately after the new policy. Overall speeding increased significantly by 13 percentage points (pp, 95% CI 4 to 19). Speeding more than 10 km/h above the limit increased significantly by 10 pp (95% CI 2 to 12), and extreme speeding increased but not significantly (1.7 pp, 95% CI -1.1 to 4.5). Road traffic injuries will likely increase in Russia unless speeding fines are reinstated. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  9. Status report on the effects of the 65 mph speed limit on Virginia's rural interstate highway system : submitted to the Secretary of Transportation and Public Safety from the Secretarial Task Force on Interstate Highway Speed limits.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1989-01-01

    In 1987, the Secretary of Transportation and Public Safety created a task force to study the potential effects of raising the speed limit on rural interstate highways in Virginia. In its 1988 session, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation ...

  10. 14 CFR 25.1515 - Landing gear speeds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... Limitations § 25.1515 Landing gear speeds. (a) The established landing gear operating speed or speeds, V LO... retraction speed, the two speeds must be designated as V LO(EXT) and V LO(RET), respectively. (b) The...

  11. 14 CFR 25.1515 - Landing gear speeds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... Limitations § 25.1515 Landing gear speeds. (a) The established landing gear operating speed or speeds, V LO... retraction speed, the two speeds must be designated as V LO(EXT) and V LO(RET), respectively. (b) The...

  12. 14 CFR 25.1515 - Landing gear speeds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... Limitations § 25.1515 Landing gear speeds. (a) The established landing gear operating speed or speeds, V LO... retraction speed, the two speeds must be designated as V LO(EXT) and V LO(RET), respectively. (b) The...

  13. 14 CFR 25.1515 - Landing gear speeds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... Limitations § 25.1515 Landing gear speeds. (a) The established landing gear operating speed or speeds, V LO... retraction speed, the two speeds must be designated as V LO(EXT) and V LO(RET), respectively. (b) The...

  14. 14 CFR 25.1515 - Landing gear speeds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... Limitations § 25.1515 Landing gear speeds. (a) The established landing gear operating speed or speeds, V LO... retraction speed, the two speeds must be designated as V LO(EXT) and V LO(RET), respectively. (b) The...

  15. Evaluating the impacts of speed limit policy alternatives.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-07-01

    As of June 2014, Michigan is one of eight states with a differential speed limit in place on its rural : freeways, which sets a maximum speed of 70 mph for passenger vehicles and 60 mph for trucks and : buses. In select urban environments, these spee...

  16. The impact of the 65 MPH speed limit on Virginia's rural interstate highways through 1990.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1992-01-01

    In April of 1987, Congress passed the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act (STURAA), which permitted states to raise their maximum speed limit on rural interstate highways (rural interstates) to 65 mph. Virginia's 65 mph speed...

  17. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hessell, Steven M.; Morris, Robert L.; McGrogan, Sean W.

    A powertrain including an engine and torque machines is configured to transfer torque through a multi-mode transmission to an output member. A method for controlling the powertrain includes employing a closed-loop speed control system to control torque commands for the torque machines in response to a desired input speed. Upon approaching a power limit of a power storage device transferring power to the torque machines, power limited torque commands are determined for the torque machines in response to the power limit and the closed-loop speed control system is employed to determine an engine torque command in response to the desiredmore » input speed and the power limited torque commands for the torque machines.« less

  18. Towards setting credible speed limits: Identifying factors that affect driver compliance on urban roads.

    PubMed

    Gargoum, Suliman A; El-Basyouny, Karim; Kim, Amy

    2016-10-01

    Road geometry, vehicle characteristics, and weather conditions are all factors that impact a driver's perception of a safe or credible speed and, consequently, the driver's decision on whether or not to comply with the posted speed limit. In fact, the role a road's environment plays in a driver's perception of a credible speed limit is a topic that has attracted the interest of many researchers in recent years. Despite that, not many studies have considered using empirical data to investigate what features of the road environment influence a driver's compliance choice. This paper aims to address this matter by exploring the relationships between features of the road surroundings (geometric, temporal factors, and weather conditions) and driver compliance with speed limits. The paper uses data from almost 600 different urban roads in the city of Edmonton, at which over 35 million vehicle spot speeds were collected. Compliance was represented using a categorical ordered response variable, and mixed-effects-logistic-regression models were fitted. Two different models were built, one for arterials and another for collector roads. In general, the findings show that the more restricted drivers become, particularly on arterials, the more likely drivers are to comply with speed limits; potential restrictions include on-street parking and the absence of lateral shoulders. Furthermore, higher traffic activity during peak hours, and presumably on shoulder weekdays, both increase the likelihood of compliance on arterials. Similarly, posted speed limits and traffic volume are both positively correlated with compliance on both arterial and collector roads. The findings of this research provide evidence of the existence of an empirical relationship between road features and compliance, highlighting the importance of setting credible speed limits on roads and the possibility of achieving higher compliance rates through modifications to the road environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. A one year pay-as-you-speed trial with economic incentives for not speeding.

    PubMed

    Stigson, Helena; Hagberg, Jan; Kullgren, Anders; Krafft, Maria

    2014-01-01

    The objective was to identify whether it was possible to change driver behavior by economic incentives and thereby reduce crash risk. Furthermore, the objective was to evaluate the participants' attitudes toward the pay-as-you-speed (PAYS) concept. A one-year PAYS trial with economic incentives for keeping speed limits using intelligent speed assistance (ISA) was conducted in Sweden during 2011-2012. The full incentive was a 30 percent discount off the insurance premium. The participants were private insurance customers and were randomized into a test group (initial n = 152, final n = 128) and a control group (initial n = 98, final n = 68). When driving, the drivers in the test group were informed and warned visually when the speed limit was exceeded. They could also follow their driving results on a personal website. The control group was not given any feedback at all. To reflect the impact of the PAYS concept the proportion of distance driven above the speed limit was compared between the 2 groups. The introduction of a PAYS concept shows that the test group significantly reduced the proportion of distance driven above the speed limit. The proportion of driving at a speed exceeding 5 km/h over the speed limit was 6 percent for the test group and 14 percent for the control group. It also showed that the effect was higher the higher the violation of speed. The result remained constant over time. It was shown that a PAYS concept is an effective way to reduce speed violations. Hence, it has the possibility to reduce crash severity and thereby to save lives. This could be an important step toward a safer road transport system. The majority of the participants were in favor of the concept, which indicates the potential of a new insurance product in the future.

  20. Evaluation of the Impacts of Differential Speed Limits on Interstate Highways in Idaho

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-10-01

    In this research, an evaluation of the impacts of differential speed limits on rural interstate highways in Idaho was completed. The main purpose for this research was to determine if there have been any speed or safety effects after enacting the DSL...

  1. Limits and signatures of relativistic spaceflight

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yurtsever, Ulvi; Wilkinson, Steven

    2018-01-01

    While special relativity imposes an absolute speed limit at the speed of light, our Universe is not empty Minkowski spacetime. The constituents that fill the interstellar/intergalactic vacuum, including the cosmic microwave background photons, impose a lower speed limit on any object travelling at relativistic velocities. Scattering of cosmic microwave photons from an ultra-relativistic object may create radiation with a characteristic signature allowing the detection of such objects at large distances.

  2. Generalized Geometric Quantum Speed Limits

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pires, Diego Paiva; Cianciaruso, Marco; Céleri, Lucas C.; Adesso, Gerardo; Soares-Pinto, Diogo O.

    2016-04-01

    The attempt to gain a theoretical understanding of the concept of time in quantum mechanics has triggered significant progress towards the search for faster and more efficient quantum technologies. One of such advances consists in the interpretation of the time-energy uncertainty relations as lower bounds for the minimal evolution time between two distinguishable states of a quantum system, also known as quantum speed limits. We investigate how the nonuniqueness of a bona fide measure of distinguishability defined on the quantum-state space affects the quantum speed limits and can be exploited in order to derive improved bounds. Specifically, we establish an infinite family of quantum speed limits valid for unitary and nonunitary evolutions, based on an elegant information geometric formalism. Our work unifies and generalizes existing results on quantum speed limits and provides instances of novel bounds that are tighter than any established one based on the conventional quantum Fisher information. We illustrate our findings with relevant examples, demonstrating the importance of choosing different information metrics for open system dynamics, as well as clarifying the roles of classical populations versus quantum coherences, in the determination and saturation of the speed limits. Our results can find applications in the optimization and control of quantum technologies such as quantum computation and metrology, and might provide new insights in fundamental investigations of quantum thermodynamics.

  3. Speed Profiles for Improvement of Maritime Emission Estimation.

    PubMed

    Yau, Pui Shan; Lee, Shun-Cheng; Ho, Kin Fai

    2012-12-01

    Maritime emissions play an important role in anthropogenic emissions, particularly for cities with busy ports such as Hong Kong. Ship emissions are strongly dependent on vessel speed, and thus accurate vessel speed is essential for maritime emission studies. In this study, we determined minute-by-minute high-resolution speed profiles of container ships on four major routes in Hong Kong waters using Automatic Identification System (AIS). The activity-based ship emissions of NO(x), CO, HC, CO(2), SO(2), and PM(10) were estimated using derived vessel speed profiles, and results were compared with those using the speed limits of control zones. Estimation using speed limits resulted in up to twofold overestimation of ship emissions. Compared with emissions estimated using the speed limits of control zones, emissions estimated using vessel speed profiles could provide results with up to 88% higher accuracy. Uncertainty analysis and sensitivity analysis of the model demonstrated the significance of improvement of vessel speed resolution. From spatial analysis, it is revealed that SO(2) and PM(10) emissions during maneuvering within 1 nautical mile from port were the highest. They contributed 7%-22% of SO(2) emissions and 8%-17% of PM(10) emissions of the entire voyage in Hong Kong.

  4. Effect of speed limit increase on crash rate on rural two-lane highways in Louisiana.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2006-08-01

    This study investigated the impact of a speed limit increase on the crash rate on rural twolane roads in Louisiana. The Louisiana crash database for 1999-2004 was used to compare rates of different crash severities and types before and after a speed ...

  5. 36 CFR 1004.21 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... of a vehicle on a Presidio Trust road. Signs indicating that vehicle speed is determined by the use... sections of Presidio Trust road under repair or construction. (3) 45 miles per hour: upon all other Presidio Trust roads. (b) The Board may designate a different speed limit upon any Presidio Trust road when...

  6. 36 CFR 1004.21 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... of a vehicle on a Presidio Trust road. Signs indicating that vehicle speed is determined by the use... sections of Presidio Trust road under repair or construction. (3) 45 miles per hour: upon all other Presidio Trust roads. (b) The Board may designate a different speed limit upon any Presidio Trust road when...

  7. 36 CFR 1004.21 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... of a vehicle on a Presidio Trust road. Signs indicating that vehicle speed is determined by the use... sections of Presidio Trust road under repair or construction. (3) 45 miles per hour: upon all other Presidio Trust roads. (b) The Board may designate a different speed limit upon any Presidio Trust road when...

  8. 36 CFR 1004.21 - Speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... of a vehicle on a Presidio Trust road. Signs indicating that vehicle speed is determined by the use... sections of Presidio Trust road under repair or construction. (3) 45 miles per hour: upon all other Presidio Trust roads. (b) The Board may designate a different speed limit upon any Presidio Trust road when...

  9. Quantum speed limit for arbitrary initial states

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Ying-Jie; Han, Wei; Xia, Yun-Jie; Cao, Jun-Peng; Fan, Heng

    2014-01-01

    The minimal time a system needs to evolve from an initial state to its one orthogonal state is defined as the quantum speed limit time, which can be used to characterize the maximal speed of evolution of a quantum system. This is a fundamental question of quantum physics. We investigate the generic bound on the minimal evolution time of the open dynamical quantum system. This quantum speed limit time is applicable to both mixed and pure initial states. We then apply this result to the damped Jaynes-Cummings model and the Ohimc-like dephasing model starting from a general time-evolution state. The bound of this time-dependent state at any point in time can be found. For the damped Jaynes-Cummings model, when the system starts from the excited state, the corresponding bound first decreases and then increases in the Markovian dynamics. While in the non-Markovian regime, the speed limit time shows an interesting periodic oscillatory behavior. For the case of Ohimc-like dephasing model, this bound would be gradually trapped to a fixed value. In addition, the roles of the relativistic effects on the speed limit time for the observer in non-inertial frames are discussed. PMID:24809395

  10. Electron bulk speed lags the protons in the collisionless solar wind

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tong, Y.; Bale, S. D.; Salem, C. S.; Pulupa, M.

    2017-12-01

    We use a large, statistical set of in situ measurements of the solar wind electron distribution from the Wind/3DP instrument to show that the magnetic field-aligned core electron-proton drift speed tend to small values at high collisionality and asymptotes towards a large limiting value in the collisionless limit. This collisionless drift-limit, when normalized to the local Alfven speed is large and may drive instabilities.

  11. Prevalence, knowledge, attitude and practice of speeding in two districts in Kenya: Thika and Naivasha.

    PubMed

    Bachani, Abdulgafoor M; Hung, Yuen Wai; Mogere, Stephen; Akungah, Daniel; Nyamari, Jackim; Stevens, Kent A; Hyder, Adnan A

    2013-12-01

    In Kenya, RTIs had the second highest increase in disability-adjusted life years between 1990 and 2010, compared to other conditions. This study aims to determine the prevalence, knowledge, attitudes and practices for speeding in Thika and Naivasha districts in Kenya. Direct observations of vehicle speed were conducted at various times during the day and different days of the week on six roads selected based on a multi-stage sampling method in two districts to determine the prevalence of speeding. Roadside KAP interviews were administered to drivers, at motorcycle bays, petrol stations, and rest areas. Eight rounds of speed observations and four rounds of KAP interviews were conducted between July 2010 and November 2012. Results from the speeding observational studies show an overall high proportion of vehicles speeding above posted limits in both districts, with an average of 46.8% in Thika and 40.2% in Naivasha. Trend analysis revealed a greater decline in this prevalence in Thika (OR: 0.804, 95% CI: 0.793-0.814) than in Naivasha (OR: 0.932, 95% CI: 0.919-0.945) over the study period. On average, 58.8% of speeding vehicles in Thika and 57.2% of speeding vehicles in Naivasha travelled at 10 km/h or higher above speed limit. While the majority of respondents agreed that speeding is a cause of road traffic crashes in both Thika (70.3%) and Naivasha (68.7%), knowledge of speed limits at the location of the interview was limited. Enforcement levels also remained low, but subsequent rounds of data collection showed improvement, especially in Thika. This study demonstrates an improvement in the prevalence of speeding in two districts of Kenya over 2010-2012. It also highlights the need for further action to be taken to address the problem, and represents new data on speeding in Kenya and Africa. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Gravitational radiation and the ultimate speed in Rosen's bimetric theory of gravity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Caves, C. M.

    1980-01-01

    In Rosen's bimetric theory of gravity the (local) speed of gravitational radiation is determined by the combined effects of cosmological boundary values and nearby concentrations of matter. It is possible for the speed of gravitational radiation to be less than the speed of light. It is here shown that the emission of gravitational radiation prevents particles of nonzero rest mass from exceeding the speed of gravitational radiation. Observations of relativistic particles place limits on the speed of gravitational radiation and the cosmological boundary values today, and observations of synchroton radiation from compact radio sources place limits on the cosmological boundary values in the past.

  13. Preventing road injuries in children by applying feedback devices.

    PubMed

    Spiegel, Rainer; Farahmand, Parvis; Da Silva, Fábio Anciães; Claassen, Jens; Kalla, Roger

    2012-01-01

    The objective of this article is to determine how to prevent road injuries in schoolchildren by reducing the prevalence of speeding. On a busy road in the neighborhood of a preschool and two secondary schools in Oberhaching (greater Munich, Germany), a board was mounted next to the road (visible to the drivers as well as the pedestrians). The board consisted of a picture of a smiling child. Underneath the picture, an LED display read "Thank you!" in green blinking letters when the speed limit was adhered to and "Slowly!" in red blinking letters when speeding was detected. The main outcome assessment was the number of drivers adhering to the speed limit in the experimental condition (i.e., facing the device) compared to the number in the control condition (on the same road within the same time period but traveling in the opposite direction; i.e., drivers not facing the device). In the control condition 27.6 percent (230) of drivers adhered to the speed limit compared to 41.1 percent (427) of drivers in the experimental condition, χ(2) = 36.1, P < .0001. Only 12 drivers exceeded the speed limit by more than 20 km per hour in the experimental condition, whereas 34 drivers did so in the control condition, χ(2) = 9.6, P < .01. The display is associated with a significantly lower percentage of speeding drivers but does not seem to be sufficient, because the majority of drivers still did not observe the speed limit in the presence of the display. Additional factors on how speed reduction can be achieved will be discussed in the light of future applications and possible modifications of the device.

  14. Speed Profiles for Improvement of Maritime Emission Estimation

    PubMed Central

    Yau, Pui Shan; Lee, Shun-Cheng; Ho, Kin Fai

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Maritime emissions play an important role in anthropogenic emissions, particularly for cities with busy ports such as Hong Kong. Ship emissions are strongly dependent on vessel speed, and thus accurate vessel speed is essential for maritime emission studies. In this study, we determined minute-by-minute high-resolution speed profiles of container ships on four major routes in Hong Kong waters using Automatic Identification System (AIS). The activity-based ship emissions of NOx, CO, HC, CO2, SO2, and PM10 were estimated using derived vessel speed profiles, and results were compared with those using the speed limits of control zones. Estimation using speed limits resulted in up to twofold overestimation of ship emissions. Compared with emissions estimated using the speed limits of control zones, emissions estimated using vessel speed profiles could provide results with up to 88% higher accuracy. Uncertainty analysis and sensitivity analysis of the model demonstrated the significance of improvement of vessel speed resolution. From spatial analysis, it is revealed that SO2 and PM10 emissions during maneuvering within 1 nautical mile from port were the highest. They contributed 7%–22% of SO2 emissions and 8%–17% of PM10 emissions of the entire voyage in Hong Kong. PMID:23236250

  15. Traffic safety facts 1994 : speed

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1995-01-01

    Speeding - exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions - is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. In 1994, speed was a factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes, and 12,480 lives were lost in speed...

  16. Speed Variance and Its Influence on Accidents.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garber, Nicholas J.; Gadirau, Ravi

    A study was conducted to investigate the traffic engineering factors that influence speed variance and to determine to what extent speed variance affects accident rates. Detailed analyses were carried out to relate speed variance with posted speed limit, design speeds, and other traffic variables. The major factor identified was the difference…

  17. A health impact assessment of a proposed bill to decrease speed limits on local roads in Massachusetts (U.S.A.).

    PubMed

    James, Peter; Ito, Kate; Banay, Rachel F; Buonocore, Jonathan J; Wood, Benjamin; Arcaya, Mariana C

    2014-10-02

    Decreasing traffic speeds increases the amount of time drivers have to react to road hazards, potentially averting collisions, and makes crashes that do happen less severe. Boston's regional planning agency, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), conducted a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) that examined the potential health impacts of a proposed bill in the state legislature to lower the default speed limits on local roads from 30 miles per hour (mph) to 25 mph. The aim was to reduce vehicle speeds on local roads to a limit that is safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and children. The passage of this proposed legislation could have had far-reaching and potentially important public health impacts. Lower default speed limits may prevent around 18 fatalities and 1200 serious injuries to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians each year, as well as promote active transportation by making local roads feel more hospitable to cyclists and pedestrians. While a lower speed limit would increase congestion and slightly worsen air quality, the benefits outweigh the costs from both a health and economic perspective and would save the state approximately $62 million annually from prevented fatalities and injuries.

  18. A Health Impact Assessment of a Proposed Bill to Decrease Speed Limits on Local Roads in Massachusetts (U.S.A.)

    PubMed Central

    James, Peter; Ito, Kate; Banay, Rachel F.; Buonocore, Jonathan J.; Wood, Benjamin; Arcaya, Mariana C.

    2014-01-01

    Decreasing traffic speeds increases the amount of time drivers have to react to road hazards, potentially averting collisions, and makes crashes that do happen less severe. Boston’s regional planning agency, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), conducted a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) that examined the potential health impacts of a proposed bill in the state legislature to lower the default speed limits on local roads from 30 miles per hour (mph) to 25 mph. The aim was to reduce vehicle speeds on local roads to a limit that is safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and children. The passage of this proposed legislation could have had far-reaching and potentially important public health impacts. Lower default speed limits may prevent around 18 fatalities and 1200 serious injuries to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians each year, as well as promote active transportation by making local roads feel more hospitable to cyclists and pedestrians. While a lower speed limit would increase congestion and slightly worsen air quality, the benefits outweigh the costs from both a health and economic perspective and would save the state approximately $62 million annually from prevented fatalities and injuries. PMID:25279544

  19. Effects of Raising Speed Limits on Motor Vehicle Emissions

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-03-01

    In 1974 the Federal government introduced a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour (mph) in response to the Arab oil embargo and subsequent energy crisis. This limit was raised to 65 mph for rural interstate freeways in 1987. In November of 1995, ...

  20. The Longitudinal Stability of Flying Boats as Determined by Tests of Models in the NACA Tank II : Effect of Variations in Form of Hull on Longitudinal Stability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Olson, Roland E.; Truscott, Starr

    1942-01-01

    Data taken from tests at constant speed to establish trim limits of stability, tests at accelerated speeds to determine stable limits of center of gravity shift, and tests at decelerated speeds to obtain landing characteristics of several model hull forms were used to establish hull design effect on longitudinal stability of porpoising. Results show a reduction of dead rise angle as being the only investigated factor reducing low trim limit. Various methods of reducing afterbody interference increased upper trim limit

  1. Grip and limb force limits to turning performance in competition horses

    PubMed Central

    Tan, Huiling; Wilson, Alan M.

    2011-01-01

    Manoeuverability is a key requirement for successful terrestrial locomotion, especially on variable terrain, and is a deciding factor in predator–prey interaction. Compared with straight-line running, bend running requires additional leg force to generate centripetal acceleration. In humans, this results in a reduction in maximum speed during bend running and a published model assuming maximum limb force as a constraint accurately predicts how much a sprinter must slow down on a bend given his maximum straight-line speed. In contrast, greyhounds do not slow down or change stride parameters during bend running, which suggests that their limbs can apply the additional force for this manoeuvre. We collected horizontal speed and angular velocity of heading of horses while they turned in different scenarios during competitive polo and horse racing. The data were used to evaluate the limits of turning performance. During high-speed turns of large radius horizontal speed was lower on the bend, as would be predicted from a model assuming a limb force limit to running speed. During small radius turns the angular velocity of heading decreased with increasing speed in a manner consistent with the coefficient of friction of the hoof–surface interaction setting the limit to centripetal force to avoid slipping. PMID:21147799

  2. Grip and limb force limits to turning performance in competition horses.

    PubMed

    Tan, Huiling; Wilson, Alan M

    2011-07-22

    Manoeuverability is a key requirement for successful terrestrial locomotion, especially on variable terrain, and is a deciding factor in predator-prey interaction. Compared with straight-line running, bend running requires additional leg force to generate centripetal acceleration. In humans, this results in a reduction in maximum speed during bend running and a published model assuming maximum limb force as a constraint accurately predicts how much a sprinter must slow down on a bend given his maximum straight-line speed. In contrast, greyhounds do not slow down or change stride parameters during bend running, which suggests that their limbs can apply the additional force for this manoeuvre. We collected horizontal speed and angular velocity of heading of horses while they turned in different scenarios during competitive polo and horse racing. The data were used to evaluate the limits of turning performance. During high-speed turns of large radius horizontal speed was lower on the bend, as would be predicted from a model assuming a limb force limit to running speed. During small radius turns the angular velocity of heading decreased with increasing speed in a manner consistent with the coefficient of friction of the hoof-surface interaction setting the limit to centripetal force to avoid slipping.

  3. Examination of the wind speed limit function in the Rothermel surface fire spread model

    Treesearch

    Patricia L. Andrews; Miguel G. Cruz; Richard C. Rothermel

    2013-01-01

    The Rothermel surface fire spread model includes a wind speed limit, above which predicted rate of spread is constant. Complete derivation of the wind limit as a function of reaction intensity is given, along with an alternate result based on a changed assumption. Evidence indicates that both the original and the revised wind limits are too restrictive. Wind limit is...

  4. 14 CFR 27.1521 - Powerplant limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ...) The gas temperature limits for turbine engines over the range of operating and atmospheric conditions... rotational speed shown under the rotor speed requirements in § 27.1509(c); and (3) The gas temperature limits for turbine engines over the range of operating and atmospheric conditions for which certification is...

  5. 14 CFR 27.1521 - Powerplant limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ...) The gas temperature limits for turbine engines over the range of operating and atmospheric conditions... rotational speed shown under the rotor speed requirements in § 27.1509(c); and (3) The gas temperature limits for turbine engines over the range of operating and atmospheric conditions for which certification is...

  6. 14 CFR 27.1521 - Powerplant limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ...) The gas temperature limits for turbine engines over the range of operating and atmospheric conditions... rotational speed shown under the rotor speed requirements in § 27.1509(c); and (3) The gas temperature limits for turbine engines over the range of operating and atmospheric conditions for which certification is...

  7. 14 CFR 27.1521 - Powerplant limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ...) The gas temperature limits for turbine engines over the range of operating and atmospheric conditions... rotational speed shown under the rotor speed requirements in § 27.1509(c); and (3) The gas temperature limits for turbine engines over the range of operating and atmospheric conditions for which certification is...

  8. 14 CFR 27.1521 - Powerplant limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ...) The gas temperature limits for turbine engines over the range of operating and atmospheric conditions... rotational speed shown under the rotor speed requirements in § 27.1509(c); and (3) The gas temperature limits for turbine engines over the range of operating and atmospheric conditions for which certification is...

  9. Traffic safety facts 1998 : speeding

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1998-01-01

    Speeding exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for : The economic cost : of speeding-related : crashes is estimated : to be $27.7 billion : each year. : conditions is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traf...

  10. Speeds in school zones.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-02-01

    School speed zones are frequently requested traffic controls for school areas, based on the common belief : that if the transportation agency would only install a reduced speed limit, then drivers would no longer : speed through the area. This resear...

  11. Peer influence predicts speeding prevalence among teenage drivers.

    PubMed

    Simons-Morton, Bruce G; Ouimet, Marie Claude; Chen, Rusan; Klauer, Sheila G; Lee, Suzanne E; Wang, Jing; Dingus, Thomas A

    2012-12-01

    Preventing speed-related crashes could reduce costs and improve efficiency in the transportation industry. This research examined the psychosocial and personality predictors of observed speeding among young drivers. Survey and driving data were collected from 42 newly-licensed teenage drivers during the first 18months of licensure. Speeding (i.e., driving 10mph over the speed limit; about 16km/h) was assessed by comparing speed data collected with recording systems installed in participants' vehicles with posted speed limits. Speeding was correlated with elevated g-force event rates (r=0.335, pb0.05), increased over time, and predicted by day vs. night trips, higher sensation seeking, substance use, tolerance of deviance, susceptibility to peer pressure, and number of risky friends. Perceived risk was a significant mediator of the association between speeding and risky friends. The findings support the contention that social norms may influence teenage speeding behavior and this relationship may operate through perceived risk. Copyright © 2012 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Reliability analysis of degradable networks with modified BPR

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yu-Qing; Zhou, Chao-Fan; Jia, Bin; Zhu, Hua-Bing

    2017-12-01

    In this paper, the effect of the speed limit on degradable networks with capacity restrictions and the forced flow is investigated. The link performance function considering the road capacity is proposed. Additionally, the probability density distribution and the cumulative distribution of link travel time are introduced in the degradable network. By the mean of distinguishing the value of the speed limit, four cases are discussed, respectively. Means and variances of link travel time and route one of the degradable road network are calculated. Besides, by the mean of performing numerical simulation experiments in a specific network, it is found that the speed limit strategy can reduce the travel time budget and mean travel time of link and route. Moreover, it reveals that the speed limit strategy can cut down variances of the travel time of networks to some extent.

  13. Enhanced speed in fluorescence imaging using beat frequency multiplexing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mikami, Hideharu; Kobayashi, Hirofumi; Wang, Yisen; Hamad, Syed; Ozeki, Yasuyuki; Goda, Keisuke

    2016-03-01

    Fluorescence imaging using radiofrequency-tagged emission (FIRE) is an emerging technique that enables higher imaging speed (namely, temporal resolution) in fluorescence microscopy compared to conventional fluorescence imaging techniques such as confocal microscopy and wide-field microscopy. It works based on the principle that it uses multiple intensity-modulated fields in an interferometric setup as excitation fields and applies frequency-division multiplexing to fluorescence signals. Unfortunately, despite its high potential, FIRE has limited imaging speed due to two practical limitations: signal bandwidth and signal detection efficiency. The signal bandwidth is limited by that of an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) employed in the setup, which is typically 100-200 MHz for the spectral range of fluorescence excitation (400-600 nm). The signal detection efficiency is limited by poor spatial mode-matching between two interfering fields to produce a modulated excitation field. Here we present a method to overcome these limitations and thus to achieve higher imaging speed than the prior version of FIRE. Our method achieves an increase in signal bandwidth by a factor of two and nearly optimal mode matching, which enables the imaging speed limited by the lifetime of the target fluorophore rather than the imaging system itself. The higher bandwidth and better signal detection efficiency work synergistically because higher bandwidth requires higher signal levels to avoid the contribution of shot noise and amplifier noise to the fluorescence signal. Due to its unprecedentedly high-speed performance, our method has a wide variety of applications in cancer detection, drug discovery, and regenerative medicine.

  14. Examples of variable speed limit applications : speed management workshop

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-01-09

    VSL systems are a type of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) that utilizes traffic : speed and volume detection, weather information, and road surface condition technology to determine appropriate speeds at which drivers should be traveling, giv...

  15. Intelligent advisory speed limit dedication in highway using VANET.

    PubMed

    Jalooli, Ali; Shaghaghi, Erfan; Jabbarpour, Mohammad Reza; Noor, Rafidah Md; Yeo, Hwasoo; Jung, Jason J

    2014-01-01

    Variable speed limits (VSLs) as a mean for enhancing road traffic safety are studied for decades to modify the speed limit based on the prevailing road circumstances. In this study the pros and cons of VSL systems and their effects on traffic controlling efficiency are summarized. Despite the potential effectiveness of utilizing VSLs, we have witnessed that the effectiveness of this system is impacted by factors such as VSL control strategy used and the level of driver compliance. Hence, the proposed approach called Intelligent Advisory Speed Limit Dedication (IASLD) as the novel VSL control strategy which considers the driver compliance aims to improve the traffic flow and occupancy of vehicles in addition to amelioration of vehicle's travel times. The IASLD provides the advisory speed limit for each vehicle exclusively based on the vehicle's characteristics including the vehicle type, size, and safety capabilities as well as traffic and weather conditions. The proposed approach takes advantage of vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) to accelerate its performance, in the way that simulation results demonstrate the reduction of incident detection time up to 31.2% in comparison with traditional VSL strategy. The simulation results similarly indicate the improvement of traffic flow efficiency, occupancy, and travel time in different conditions.

  16. Limiting critical speed response on the SSME Alternate High Pressure Fuel Turbopump (ATD HPFTP) with bearing deadband

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goggin, David G.; Darden, J. M.

    1992-01-01

    Yammamoto (1954) described the influence of bearing deadband on the critical speed response of a rotor-bearing system. Practical application of these concepts to limit critical speed response of turbopump rotors is described. Nonlinear rotordynamic analyses are used to define the effect of bearing deadband and rotor unbalance on the Space Shuttle Main Engine Alternate High Pressure Fuel Turbopump. Analysis results are used with hot fire test data to verify the presence of a lightly damped critical speed within the operating speed range. With the proper control of rotor unbalance and bearing deadband, the response of this critical speed is reduced to acceptable levels without major design modifications or additional sources of damping.

  17. The influence of curbs on driver behaviors in four-lane rural highways--A driving simulator based study.

    PubMed

    Yang, Qiang; Overton, Ryan; Han, Lee D; Yan, Xuedong; Richards, Stephen H

    2013-01-01

    The speed limit of 55mph (88km/h) is typically used on rural highways in the U.S. For locations where curbs are installed along these roadways, some transportation agencies have suggested the use of a lower 45mph (72km/h) speed limit because, according to AASHTO, running into curbs at high speeds may cause significant vehicular damage and even severe injuries. However, it has also been argued that lowering the speed limit after the installation of curbs may cause confusion in drivers, who do not perceive the risk associated with the newly installed curbs and tend to operate their vehicles at the same speed as before. To better understand driver behavior on rural highways before and after curb installation, and with different speed limits, researchers at the University of Tennessee conducted a series of experiments in two-lane and four-lane highways on a high-fidelity driving simulator. This paper mainly presents the findings from the four-lane study, and compares the results from the previous two-lane study. The scenario matrix consists of several dimensions including posted speed limit (45 and 55mph, or 72 and 88km/h), curb installation, lateral clearance between the edge of travel lane and the curb (2ft, 6ft, and no-curb, or 0.6m, 1.8m, and no-curb), weather (clear and fog), traffic conditions in the next lane (1400veh/h and 400veh/h), etc. For each subject under different experimental scenarios, detailed driving parameters, such as driving speed and vehicle position in the travel lane, were recorded and analyzed subsequently. Results of the study suggest that driver behaviors are influenced by the various factors in a complex and interrelated manner. It is likely that drivers do not perceive the risk from the curb in determining their speed on four-lane rural highways. However, it is found that curbs may provide certain guidance to drivers, especially in selecting lane position. Compared to the previous research in two-lane conditions, it is found that drivers are more likely to choose driving speeds according to posted speed limits, rather than lane configurations. It is also found that the relative speed between driver's vehicle and ambient traffic or curbs is an important factor determining drivers' perception of risk and thus their driving behavior. The influence of subjective effects of these factors to their driving behavior is also observed in the study. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Traffic safety facts 1995 : speeding

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-01-01

    Speeding - exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions - is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. In 1995, speeding was a contributing factor in 31 percent of all fatal crashes, and 13,256 lives we...

  19. Traffic safety facts 1996 : speeding

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-01-01

    Speeding - exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions - is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. In 1996, speeding was a contributing factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes, and 12,998 lives we...

  20. Traffic safety facts 1999 : speeding

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-01-01

    Speeding -- exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions -- is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. In 1999, speeding was a contributing factor in 30% of all fatal crashes, and 12,628 lives were lo...

  1. [Attention to speed and guide traffic signs with eye movements].

    PubMed

    Conchillo Jiménez, Ángela; Pérez-Moreno, Elisa; Recarte Goldaracena, Miguel Ángel

    2010-11-01

    The goal of this research is to describe the visual search patterns for diverse traffic signs. Twelve drivers of both genders and different driving experience levels took part in real driving research with an instrumented car provided with an eye-tracking system. Looking at signs has a weak relation with speed reduction in cases where actual driving speed was higher. Nevertheless, among the people who looked at the sign, the percentage of those who reduce the speed below the limit is greater than of those who do not look at the sign. Guide traffic signs, particularly those mounted over the road, are more frequently glanced at than speed limit signs, with a glance duration of more than one second, in sequences of more than two consecutive fixations. Implications for driving and the possibilities and limitations of eye movement analysis for traffic sign research are discussed.

  2. Reducing air-pollution: a new argument for getting drivers to abide by the speed limit?

    PubMed

    Delhomme, P; Chappé, J; Grenier, K; Pinto, M; Martha, C

    2010-01-01

    Speeding is one of the main factors of car crash-risk, but it also contributes to increasing air-pollution. In two studies we attempted to lead drivers to abide by speed limits using "reducing air-pollution" as a new argument. We presented prevention messages that highlighted the role of speeding in increasing "crash-risk", "air-pollution", or both (Studies 1 and 2). The messages were also positively or negatively framed (Study 2). Given that women are more concerned with environmental issues than are men, we expected the following hypotheses to be validated for women. The message with the "air-pollution" argument was expected to be evaluated more positively than the "crash-risk" message (H1). The "air-pollution" and "crash-risk and air-pollution" messages were expected to be more effective than the "crash-risk" message on the behavioral intention to observe speed limits (H2a) and on the perceived efficacy of speed-limit observance in reducing air-pollution (H2b; Studies 1 and 2). Furthermore, positive framing was expected to be more effective than negative framing (H3), and presenting a message to be more effective than presenting no message (H4; Study 2). Broadly, our results argue in favor of our hypotheses. However in Study 2, the effects of message framing did not allow us to conclude that negative or positive framing was superior. All in all, messages with the "air-pollution" argument were more effective at leading drivers to observe speed limits. Thus, environmental protection may be a fruitful route to explore for increasing road safety.

  3. High-Lift Systems on Commercial Subsonic Airliners

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rudolph, Peter K. C.

    1996-01-01

    The early breed of slow commercial airliners did not require high-lift systems because their wing loadings were low and their speed ratios between cruise and low speed (takeoff and landing) were about 2:1. However, even in those days the benefit of high-lift devices was recognized. Simple trailing-edge flaps were in use, not so much to reduce landing speeds, but to provide better glide-slope control without sideslipping the airplane and to improve pilot vision over the nose by reducing attitude during low-speed flight. As commercial-airplane cruise speeds increased with the development of more powerful engines, wing loadings increased and a real need for high-lift devices emerged to keep takeoff and landing speeds within reasonable limits. The high-lift devices of that era were generally trailing-edge flaps. When jet engines matured sufficiently in military service and were introduced commercially, airplane speed capability had to be increased to best take advantage of jet engine characteristics. This speed increase was accomplished by introducing the wing sweep and by further increasing wing loading. Whereas increased wing loading called for higher lift coefficients at low speeds, wing sweep actually decreased wing lift at low speeds. Takeoff and landing speeds increased on early jet airplanes, and, as a consequence, runways worldwide had to be lengthened. There are economical limits to the length of runways; there are safety limits to takeoff and landing speeds; and there are speed limits for tires. So, in order to hold takeoff and landing speeds within reasonable limits, more powerful high-lift devices were required. Wing trailing-edge devices evolved from plain flaps to Fowler flaps with single, double, and even triple slots. Wing leading edges evolved from fixed leading edges to a simple Krueger flap, and from fixed, slotted leading edges to two- and three-position slats and variable-camber (VC) Krueger flaps. The complexity of high-lift systems probably peaked on the Boeing 747, which has a VC Krueger flap and triple-slotted, inboard and outboard trailing-edge flaps. Since then, the tendency in high-lift system development has been to achieve high levels of lift with simpler devices in order to reduce fleet acquisition and maintenance costs. The intent of this paper is to: (1) review available high-lift devices, their functions, and design criteria; (2) appraise high-lift systems presently in service on commercial air liners; (3) present personal study results on high-lift systems; (4) develop a weight and cost model for high-lift systems; and (5) discuss the development tendencies of future high-lift systems.

  4. Overall impact of speed-related initiatives and factors on crash outcomes.

    PubMed

    D'Elia, A; Newstead, S; Cameron, M

    2007-01-01

    From December 2000 until July 2002 a package of speed-related initiatives and factors took place in Victoria, Australia. The broad aim of this study was to evaluate the overall impact of the package on crash outcomes. Monthly crash counts and injury severity proportions were assessed using Poisson and logistic regression models respectively. The model measured the overall effect of the package after adjusting as far as possible for non-speed road safety initiatives and socio-economic factors. The speed-related package was associated with statistically significant estimated reductions in casualty crashes and suggested reductions in injury severity with trends towards increased reductions over time. From December 2000 until July 2002, three new speed enforcement initiatives were implemented in Victoria, Australia. These initiatives were introduced in stages and involved the following key components: More covert operations of mobile speed cameras, including flash-less operations; 50% increase in speed camera operating hours; and lowering of cameras' speed detection threshold. In addition, during the period 2001 to 2002, the 50 km/h General Urban Speed Limit (GUSL) was introduced (January 2001), there was an increase in speed-related advertising including the "Wipe Off 5" campaign, media announcements were made related to the above enforcement initiatives and there was a speeding penalty restructure. The above elements combine to make up a package of speed-related initiatives and factors. The package represents a broad, long term program by Victorian government agencies to reduce speed based on three linked strategies: more intensive Police enforcement of speed limits to deter potential offenders, i.e. the three new speed enforcement initiatives just described - supported by higher penalties; a reduction in the speed limit on local streets throughout Victoria from 60 km/h to 50 km/h; and provision of information using the mass media (television, radio and billboard) to reinforce the benefits of reducing low level speeding - the central message of "Wipe Off 5". These strategies were implemented across the entire state of Victoria with the intention of covering as many road users as possible. This study aimed to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the speed-related package. The study objectives were: to document the increased speed camera activity in each speed limit zone and in Melbourne compared with the rest of Victoria; to evaluate the overall effect on crash outcomes of the package; to account as far as possible for the effect on crash outcomes of non-speed road safety initiatives and socio-economic factors, which would otherwise influence the speed-related package evaluation; and to examine speed trends in Melbourne and on Victorian rural highways, especially the proportions of vehicles travelling at excessive speeds. This paper presents the results of the evaluation of the overall impact on crash outcomes associated with the speed-related package, after adjusting as far as possible for the effect of non-speed road safety initiatives and socio-economic factors. D'Elia, Newstead and Cameron (2007) document the study results in full.

  5. Speed limits set lower than engineering recommendations.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-08-01

    The purpose of this project is to provide the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) with a better understanding of the : operational and safety impacts of setting posted speed limits below engineering recommended values. This practice has been :...

  6. Rural variable speed limits : phase II.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-05-01

    The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) installed its first variable speed limit (VSL) corridor along : Interstate 80 in the Elk Mountain Corridor in the Spring of 2009 in an effort to improve safety and reduce road closures, : particularly ...

  7. Extending the boundaries of the Declaration of Helsinki: a case study of an unethical experiment in a non-medical setting

    PubMed Central

    Richter, E.; Barach, P.; Berman, T.; Ben-David, G; Weinberger, Z.

    2001-01-01

    To examine the ethical issues involved in governmental decisions with potential health risks, we review the history of the decision to raise the interurban speed limit in Israel in light of its impact on road death and injury. In 1993, the Israeli Ministry of Transportation initiated an "experiment" to raise the interurban speed limit from 90 to 100 kph. The "experiment" did not include a protocol and did not specify cut-off points for early termination in the case of adverse results. After the raise in the speed limit, the death toll on interurban roads rose as a result of a sudden increase in speeds and case fatality rates. The committee's decision is a case study in unfettered human experimentation and public health risks when the setting is non-medical and lacks a defined ethical framework. The case study states the case for extending Helsinki type safeguards to experimentation in non-medical settings. Key Words: Declaration of Helsinki • human experimentation • speed limit PMID:11314157

  8. Overt vs. covert speed cameras in combination with delayed vs. immediate feedback to the offender.

    PubMed

    Marciano, Hadas; Setter, Pe'erly; Norman, Joel

    2015-06-01

    Speeding is a major problem in road safety because it increases both the probability of accidents and the severity of injuries if an accident occurs. Speed cameras are one of the most common speed enforcement tools. Most of the speed cameras around the world are overt, but there is evidence that this can cause a "kangaroo effect" in driving patterns. One suggested alternative to prevent this kangaroo effect is the use of covert cameras. Another issue relevant to the effect of enforcement countermeasures on speeding is the timing of the fine. There is general agreement on the importance of the immediacy of the punishment, however, in the context of speed limit enforcement, implementing such immediate punishment is difficult. An immediate feedback that mediates the delay between the speed violation and getting a ticket is one possible solution. This study examines combinations of concealment and the timing of the fine in operating speed cameras in order to evaluate the most effective one in terms of enforcing speed limits. Using a driving simulator, the driving performance of the following four experimental groups was tested: (1) overt cameras with delayed feedback, (2) overt cameras with immediate feedback, (3) covert cameras with delayed feedback, and (4) covert cameras with immediate feedback. Each of the 58 participants drove in the same scenario on three different days. The results showed that both median speed and speed variance were higher with overt than with covert cameras. Moreover, implementing a covert camera system along with immediate feedback was more conducive to drivers maintaining steady speeds at the permitted levels from the very beginning. Finally, both 'overt cameras' groups exhibit a kangaroo effect throughout the entire experiment. It can be concluded that an implementation strategy consisting of covert speed cameras combined with immediate feedback to the offender is potentially an optimal way to motivate drivers to maintain speeds at the speed limit. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. A machine learning approach for gait speed estimation using skin-mounted wearable sensors: From healthy controls to individuals with multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    McGinnis, Ryan S; Mahadevan, Nikhil; Moon, Yaejin; Seagers, Kirsten; Sheth, Nirav; Wright, John A; DiCristofaro, Steven; Silva, Ikaro; Jortberg, Elise; Ceruolo, Melissa; Pindado, Jesus A; Sosnoff, Jacob; Ghaffari, Roozbeh; Patel, Shyamal

    2017-01-01

    Gait speed is a powerful clinical marker for mobility impairment in patients suffering from neurological disorders. However, assessment of gait speed in coordination with delivery of comprehensive care is usually constrained to clinical environments and is often limited due to mounting demands on the availability of trained clinical staff. These limitations in assessment design could give rise to poor ecological validity and limited ability to tailor interventions to individual patients. Recent advances in wearable sensor technologies have fostered the development of new methods for monitoring parameters that characterize mobility impairment, such as gait speed, outside the clinic, and therefore address many of the limitations associated with clinical assessments. However, these methods are often validated using normal gait patterns; and extending their utility to subjects with gait impairments continues to be a challenge. In this paper, we present a machine learning method for estimating gait speed using a configurable array of skin-mounted, conformal accelerometers. We establish the accuracy of this technique on treadmill walking data from subjects with normal gait patterns and subjects with multiple sclerosis-induced gait impairments. For subjects with normal gait, the best performing model systematically overestimates speed by only 0.01 m/s, detects changes in speed to within less than 1%, and achieves a root-mean-square-error of 0.12 m/s. Extending these models trained on normal gait to subjects with gait impairments yields only minor changes in model performance. For example, for subjects with gait impairments, the best performing model systematically overestimates speed by 0.01 m/s, quantifies changes in speed to within 1%, and achieves a root-mean-square-error of 0.14 m/s. Additional analyses demonstrate that there is no correlation between gait speed estimation error and impairment severity, and that the estimated speeds maintain the clinical significance of ground truth speed in this population. These results support the use of wearable accelerometer arrays for estimating walking speed in normal subjects and their extension to MS patient cohorts with gait impairment.

  10. A Vehicular Mobile Standard Instrument for Field Verification of Traffic Speed Meters Based on Dual-Antenna Doppler Radar Sensor

    PubMed Central

    Du, Lei; Sun, Qiao; Cai, Changqing; Bai, Jie; Fan, Zhe; Zhang, Yue

    2018-01-01

    Traffic speed meters are important legal measuring instruments specially used for traffic speed enforcement and must be tested and verified in the field every year using a vehicular mobile standard speed-measuring instrument to ensure speed-measuring performances. The non-contact optical speed sensor and the GPS speed sensor are the two most common types of standard speed-measuring instruments. The non-contact optical speed sensor requires extremely high installation accuracy, and its speed-measuring error is nonlinear and uncorrectable. The speed-measuring accuracy of the GPS speed sensor is rapidly reduced if the amount of received satellites is insufficient enough, which often occurs in urban high-rise regions, tunnels, and mountainous regions. In this paper, a new standard speed-measuring instrument using a dual-antenna Doppler radar sensor is proposed based on a tradeoff between the installation accuracy requirement and the usage region limitation, which has no specified requirements for its mounting distance and no limitation on usage regions and can automatically compensate for the effect of an inclined installation angle on its speed-measuring accuracy. Theoretical model analysis, simulated speed measurement results, and field experimental results compared with a GPS speed sensor with high accuracy showed that the dual-antenna Doppler radar sensor is effective and reliable as a new standard speed-measuring instrument. PMID:29621142

  11. A Vehicular Mobile Standard Instrument for Field Verification of Traffic Speed Meters Based on Dual-Antenna Doppler Radar Sensor.

    PubMed

    Du, Lei; Sun, Qiao; Cai, Changqing; Bai, Jie; Fan, Zhe; Zhang, Yue

    2018-04-05

    Traffic speed meters are important legal measuring instruments specially used for traffic speed enforcement and must be tested and verified in the field every year using a vehicular mobile standard speed-measuring instrument to ensure speed-measuring performances. The non-contact optical speed sensor and the GPS speed sensor are the two most common types of standard speed-measuring instruments. The non-contact optical speed sensor requires extremely high installation accuracy, and its speed-measuring error is nonlinear and uncorrectable. The speed-measuring accuracy of the GPS speed sensor is rapidly reduced if the amount of received satellites is insufficient enough, which often occurs in urban high-rise regions, tunnels, and mountainous regions. In this paper, a new standard speed-measuring instrument using a dual-antenna Doppler radar sensor is proposed based on a tradeoff between the installation accuracy requirement and the usage region limitation, which has no specified requirements for its mounting distance and no limitation on usage regions and can automatically compensate for the effect of an inclined installation angle on its speed-measuring accuracy. Theoretical model analysis, simulated speed measurement results, and field experimental results compared with a GPS speed sensor with high accuracy showed that the dual-antenna Doppler radar sensor is effective and reliable as a new standard speed-measuring instrument.

  12. Alternative Fuels Data Center

    Science.gov Websites

    Low-Speed Vehicle Access to Roadways Low-speed vehicles are only permitted on highways with speed limits up to 35 miles per hour (mph) or up to 45 mph in some municipalities or boroughs. Low-speed highway that allows low-speed vehicle use. Operators of low-speed vehicles are subject to all traffic laws

  13. Long-term implications of observing an expanding cosmological civilization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olson, S. Jay

    2018-01-01

    Suppose that advanced civilizations, separated by a cosmological distance and time, wish to maximize their access to cosmic resources by rapidly expanding into the universe. How does the presence of one limit the expansionistic ambitions of another, and what sort of boundary forms between their expanding domains? We describe a general scenario for any expansion speed, separation distance and time. We then specialize to a question of particular interest: What are the future prospects for a young and ambitious civilization if they can observe the presence of another at a cosmological distance? We treat cases involving the observation of one or two expanding domains. In the single-observation case, we find that almost any plausible detection will limit one's future cosmic expansion to some extent. Also, practical technological limits to expansion speed (well below the speed of light) play an interesting role. If a domain is visible at the time one embarks on cosmic expansion, higher practical limits to expansion speed are beneficial only up to a certain point. Beyond this point, a higher speed limit means that gains in the ability to expand are more than offset by the first-mover advantage of the observed domain. In the case of two visible domains, it is possible to be `trapped' by them if the practical speed limit is high enough and their angular separation in the sky is large enough, i.e. one's expansion in any direction will terminate at a boundary with the two visible civilizations. Detection at an extreme cosmological distance has surprisingly little mitigating effect on our conclusions.

  14. Takeoff certification considerations for large subsonic and supersonic transport airplanes using the Ames flight simulator for advanced aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Snyder, C. T.; Drinkwater, F. J., III; Fry, E. B.; Forrest, R. D.

    1973-01-01

    Data for use in development of takeoff airworthiness standards for new aircraft designs such as the supersonic transport (SST) and the large wide-body subsonic jet transport are provided. An advanced motion simulator was used to compare the performance and handling characteristics of three representative large jet transports during specific flight certification tasks. Existing regulatory constraints and methods for determining rotation speed were reviewed, and the effects on takeoff performance of variations in rotation speed, pitch attitude, and pitch attitude rate during the rotation maneuver were analyzed. A limited quantity of refused takeoff information was obtained. The aerodynamics, wing loading, and thrust-to-weight ratio of the subject SST resulted in takeoff speeds limited by climb (rather than lift-off) considerations. Take-off speeds based on U.S. subsonic transport requirements were found unacceptable because of the criticality of rotation-abuse effects on one-engine-inoperative climb performance. Adequate safety margin was provided by takeoff speeds based on proposed Anglo-French supersonic transport (TSS) criteria, with the limiting criterion being that takeoff safety speed be at least 1.15 times the one-engine-inoperative zero-rate-of-climb speed. Various observations related to SST certification are presented.

  15. Evaluation of safety ratings of roads based on frontal crashes with known crash pulse and injury outcome.

    PubMed

    Stigson, H

    2009-06-01

    The objective in this study, using data from crashed cars fitted with on-board crash pulse recorders, was to present differences in average crash severity, distribution of crash severity, and injury outcomes, based on an independent safety rating of roads, also taking road type and speed limit into consideration. Furthermore, the objective was to evaluate differences in injury risk, based on the distribution of crash severity. The investigation included both frontal two-vehicle crashes and single-vehicle crashes with known injury outcome. In total, 209 real-world crashes involving cars fitted with crash pulse recorders were included. For all crashes, average mean acceleration and change of velocity of the vehicle acceleration pulse were measured and calculated. All crash spots were classified according to an independent road safety rating program (European Road Assessment Programme Road Protection Score), where the safety quality of roads is rated in relation to posted speed limits. The crash severity and injury outcome in crashes that occurred on roads with good safety ratings were compared with crashes on roads with poor safety ratings. The data were also divided into subcategories according to posted speed limit and road type, to evaluate whether there was a difference in crash severity and injury outcome within the categories. In total, crash severity was statistically significantly lower in crashes occurring on roads with good safety ratings than in crashes occurring on roads with poor safety ratings. It was found that crash severity and injury risk were lower on roads with good safety ratings with a speed limit of above 90 km/h compared with roads with poor safety ratings, irrespective of speed limit. On the other hand, crash severity was higher on roads with good safety ratings with speed limit of 70 km/h than on roads with poor safety ratings with the same speed limit. Though it was found that a higher speed limit resulted in higher crash severity on roads with poor safety ratings, the opposite was found on roads with good safety ratings. The main reason for this was that lanes for traffic traveling in opposite directions were more often separated at higher speeds on roads with good safety ratings. On divided roads with good safety ratings, there were no crashes resulting in crash severity above the level corresponding to a 10 percent risk of sustaining serious or fatal injury. This indicates that one of the most important safety measures is divided roads.

  16. Feedback interventions and driving speed: A parametric and comparative analysis

    PubMed Central

    Houten, Ron Van; Nau, Paul A.

    1983-01-01

    Five experiments were conducted to assess the effects of several variables on the efficacy of feedback in reducing driving speed. Experiment 1 systematically varied the criterion used to define speeding, and results showed that the use of a lenient criterion (20 km/hr over the speed limit), which allowed for the posting of high percentages of drivers not speeding, was more effective in reducing speeding than the use of a stringent criterion (10 km/hr over the speed limit). In Experiment 2 an analysis revealed that posting feedback reduced speeding on a limited access highway and the effects persisted to some degree up to 6 km. Experiments 3 and 4 compared the effectiveness of an unmanned parked police vehicle (Experiment 3) and a police air patrol speeding program (Experiment 4) with the feedback sign and determined whether the presence of either of these enforcement variables could potentiate the efficacy of the sign. The results of both experiments demonstrated that although the two enforcement programs initially produced larger effects than the feedback sign, the magnitude of their effect attenuated over time. Experiment 5 compared the effectiveness of a traditional enforcement program with a warning program which included handing out a flier providing feedback on the number and types of accidents occuring on the road during the past year. This experiment demonstrated that the warning program produced a marked reduction in speeding and the traditional enforcement program did not. Furthermore, the warning program and a feedback sign together produced an even greater reduction in speeding than either alone. PMID:16795666

  17. Effectiveness and acceptance of the intelligent speeding prediction system (ISPS).

    PubMed

    Zhao, Guozhen; Wu, Changxu

    2013-03-01

    The intelligent speeding prediction system (ISPS) is an in-vehicle speed assistance system developed to provide quantitative predictions of speeding. Although the ISPS's prediction of speeding has been validated, whether the ISPS can regulate a driver's speed behavior or whether a driver accepts the ISPS needs further investigation. Additionally, compared to the existing intelligent speed adaptation (ISA) system, whether the ISPS performs better in terms of reducing excessive speeds and improving driving safety needs more direct evidence. An experiment was conducted to assess and compare the effectiveness and acceptance of the ISPS and the ISA. We conducted a driving simulator study with 40 participants. System type served as a between-subjects variable with four levels: no speed assistance system, pre-warning system developed based on the ISPS, post-warning system ISA, and combined pre-warning and ISA system. Speeding criterion served as a within-subjects variable with two levels: lower (posted speed limit plus 1 mph) and higher (posted speed limit plus 5 mph) speed threshold. Several aspects of the participants' driving speed, speeding measures, lead vehicle response, and subjective measures were collected. Both pre-warning and combined systems led to greater minimum time-to-collision. The combined system resulted in slower driving speed, fewer speeding exceedances, shorter speeding duration, and smaller speeding magnitude. The results indicate that both pre-warning and combined systems have the potential to improve driving safety and performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Guidelines for Speed Reduction in Towns Along Rural Highways

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-10-01

    This report presents the results of the study undertaken to develop a guideline for setting up speed limit in towns along rural highways of Nevada. Generally, speed zones are provided in towns along rural highways to reduce speed-related crashes. How...

  19. Running Speed Can Be Predicted from Foot Contact Time during Outdoor over Ground Running.

    PubMed

    de Ruiter, Cornelis J; van Oeveren, Ben; Francke, Agnieta; Zijlstra, Patrick; van Dieen, Jaap H

    2016-01-01

    The number of validation studies of commercially available foot pods that provide estimates of running speed is limited and these studies have been conducted under laboratory conditions. Moreover, internal data handling and algorithms used to derive speed from these pods are proprietary and thereby unclear. The present study investigates the use of foot contact time (CT) for running speed estimations, which potentially can be used in addition to the global positioning system (GPS) in situations where GPS performance is limited. CT was measured with tri axial inertial sensors attached to the feet of 14 runners, during natural over ground outdoor running, under optimized conditions for GPS. The individual relationships between running speed and CT were established during short runs at different speeds on two days. These relations were subsequently used to predict instantaneous speed during a straight line 4 km run with a single turning point halfway. Stopwatch derived speed, measured for each of 32 consecutive 125m intervals during the 4 km runs, was used as reference. Individual speed-CT relations were strong (r2 >0.96 for all trials) and consistent between days. During the 4km runs, median error (ranges) in predicted speed from CT 2.5% (5.2) was higher (P<0.05) than for GPS 1.6% (0.8). However, around the turning point and during the first and last 125m interval, error for GPS-speed increased to 5.0% (4.5) and became greater (P<0.05) than the error predicted from CT: 2.7% (4.4). Small speed fluctuations during 4km runs were adequately monitored with both methods: CT and GPS respectively explained 85% and 73% of the total speed variance during 4km runs. In conclusion, running speed estimates bases on speed-CT relations, have acceptable accuracy and could serve to backup or substitute for GPS during tarmac running on flat terrain whenever GPS performance is limited.

  20. Factors associated with gait speed recovery after total knee arthroplasty: A longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Pua, Yong-Hao; Seah, Felicia Jie-Ting; Clark, Ross Allan; Lian-Li Poon, Cheryl; Tan, John Wei-Ming; Chong, Hwei-Chi

    2017-04-01

    Gait speed limitations can remain significant issues after a total knee arthroplasty (TKA) but their associated factors are not well understood. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with acute gait speed recovery post-TKA. We performed a prospective longitudinal study of 1765 patients who underwent primary TKA between July 2013 and July 2015. At 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks postsurgery, fast gait speed was measured. The factors associated with gait speed over time since TKA were identified using multivariable generalized least squares modeling. Lower postoperative quadriceps strength and knee flexion range of motion were closely associated with lower gait speed over time (0.084m/s, 0.064m/s, and 0.055m/s change in gait speed per interquartile range change in ipsilateral quadriceps strength, contralateral quadriceps strength, and knee flexion range of motion, respectively). Additional strong predictors of lower gait speed included older age (0.11m/s), lower levels of preoperative Short Form 36 physical function (0.066m/s), greater body mass (0.046m/s), and the preoperative use of a walking aid (overall P < 0.001). Patients who reported that they limited their daily activities due to a fear of falling also had poorer gait speed (0.033m/s and 0.054m/s slower gait speed for "Occasional" and "Often" categories, respectively, vs. "None"). Gait speed recovery post-TKA is driven by both physical and psychological factors, suggesting that identifying and treating the underlying physical and cognitive causes of gait speed limitations may be crucial to optimize functional recovery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Additional road markings as an indication of speed limits: results of a field experiment and a driving simulator study.

    PubMed

    Daniels, Stijn; Vanrie, Jan; Dreesen, An; Brijs, Tom

    2010-05-01

    Although speed limits are indicated by road signs, road users are not always aware, while driving, of the actual speed limit on a given road segment. The Roads and Traffic Agency developed additional road markings in order to support driver decisions on speed on 70 km/h roads in Flanders-Belgium. In this paper the results are presented of two evaluation studies, both a field study and a simulator study, on the effects of the additional road markings on speed behaviour. The results of the field study showed no substantial effect of the markings on speed behaviour. Neither did the simulator study, with slightly different stimuli. Nevertheless an effect on lateral position was noticed in the simulator study, showing at least some effect of the markings. The role of conspicuity of design elements and expectations towards traffic environments is discussed. Both studies illustrate well some strengths and weaknesses of observational field studies compared to experimental simulator studies. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Some applications of equilibrium thermodynamic properties to continuum gasdynamics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1976-01-01

    The speed of sound for the propagation of isentropic disturbances in a gas is developed, including corrections for chemical reaction. The term zero frequency is used to describe this isentropic limit sound speed; the term signifies that change in the gasdynamic variables are all very slow compared with the chemical rate changes in the gas. A faster, nonisentropic speed of propagation occurs for disturbances where the changes in gasdynamic variables are fast compared with the chemical rate changes. In the limit, this is known as the infinite frequency or frozen sound speed - the former term calling attention to the very high frequency of the disturbance, the latter term calling attention to the frozen character of the chemical reactions under such rapid changes of state. The true sound speed for a disturbance of finite frequency is shown to be between these two limits and is expressed in terms of the chemical relaxation time. The Riemann invariants that are useful in determining the changes in flow speed along characteristic directions in supersonic flow are derived in terms of integrations of acoustic impedance, and example results are given for air.

  3. Fuzzy Variable Speed Limit Device Modification and Testing - Phase II

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2001-07-01

    In a previous project, Northern Arizona University (NAU) and the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) designed and implemented the prototype of a variable speed limit (VSL) system for rural highways. The VSL system implements a real-time fuzzy...

  4. Limits on Lorentz Invariance Violation from Coulomb Interactions in Nuclei and Atoms.

    PubMed

    Flambaum, V V; Romalis, M V

    2017-04-07

    Anisotropy in the speed of light that has been constrained by Michelson-Morley-type experiments also generates anisotropy in the Coulomb interactions. This anisotropy can manifest itself as an energy anisotropy in nuclear and atomic experiments. Here the experimental limits on Lorentz violation in _{10}^{21}Ne are used to improve the limits on Lorentz symmetry violations in the photon sector, namely, the anisotropy of the speed of light and the Coulomb interactions, by 7 orders of magnitude in comparison with previous experiments: the speed of light is isotropic to a part in 10^{28}.

  5. Peer Influence Predicts Speeding Prevalence Among Teenage Drivers

    PubMed Central

    Ouimet, Marie Claude; Chen, Rusan; Klauer, Sheila G.; Lee, Suzanne E.; Wang, Jing; Dingus, Thomas A.

    2012-01-01

    Objective This research examined the psychosocial and personality predictors of observed speeding among young drivers. Method. Survey and driving data were collected from 42 newly-licensed teenage drivers during the first 18 months of licensure. Speeding (i.e., driving 10 mph over the speed limit; about 16 km/h) was assessed by comparing speed data collected with recording systems installed in participants’ vehicles with posted speed limits. Questionnaire data collected at baseline were used to predict speeding rates using random effects regression analyses. For mediation analysis, data collected at baseline and at 6, 12, and 18 months after licensure were used. Results. Speeding was correlated with elevated g-force event rates, including hard braking and turning (r = 0.335, p < 0.05), but not with crashes and near crashes (r = 0.227; ns). Speeding prevalence increased over time. In univariate analyses speeding was predicted by day vs. night trips, higher sensation seeking, substance use, tolerance of deviance, susceptibility to peer pressure, and number of risky friends. In multivariate analyses the number of risky friends was the only significant predictor of speeding. Perceived risk was a significant mediator of the association between speeding and risky friends. Conclusion. The findings support the contention that social norms may influence teenage speeding behavior and this relationship may operate through perceived risk. PMID:23206513

  6. Intelligent Advisory Speed Limit Dedication in Highway Using VANET

    PubMed Central

    Md Noor, Rafidah; Yeo, Hwasoo; Jung, Jason J.

    2014-01-01

    Variable speed limits (VSLs) as a mean for enhancing road traffic safety are studied for decades to modify the speed limit based on the prevailing road circumstances. In this study the pros and cons of VSL systems and their effects on traffic controlling efficiency are summarized. Despite the potential effectiveness of utilizing VSLs, we have witnessed that the effectiveness of this system is impacted by factors such as VSL control strategy used and the level of driver compliance. Hence, the proposed approach called Intelligent Advisory Speed Limit Dedication (IASLD) as the novel VSL control strategy which considers the driver compliance aims to improve the traffic flow and occupancy of vehicles in addition to amelioration of vehicle's travel times. The IASLD provides the advisory speed limit for each vehicle exclusively based on the vehicle's characteristics including the vehicle type, size, and safety capabilities as well as traffic and weather conditions. The proposed approach takes advantage of vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) to accelerate its performance, in the way that simulation results demonstrate the reduction of incident detection time up to 31.2% in comparison with traditional VSL strategy. The simulation results similarly indicate the improvement of traffic flow efficiency, occupancy, and travel time in different conditions. PMID:24999493

  7. Matching Countermeasures to Driver Types and Speeding Behavior : Traffic Tech

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2017-06-01

    Speeding is a common behavior; most drivers exceed the speed limit some of the time. It is also a complicated behavior that varies by driver and situation. Speeding-related crashes take a large annual toll in injuries, lost lives, and high economic c...

  8. Ways to estimate speeds for the purposes of air quality conformity analyses.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2002-01-01

    A speed post-processor refers to equations or lookup tables that can determine vehicle speeds on a particular roadway link using only the limited information available in a long-range planning model. An estimated link speed is usually based on volume...

  9. 36 CFR 1192.175 - High-speed rail cars, monorails and systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false High-speed rail cars... TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Other Vehicles and Systems § 1192.175 High-speed rail cars, monorails and systems. (a) All cars for high-speed rail systems, including but not limited to those using “maglev” or high speed...

  10. 36 CFR 1192.175 - High-speed rail cars, monorails and systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false High-speed rail cars... TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Other Vehicles and Systems § 1192.175 High-speed rail cars, monorails and systems. (a) All cars for high-speed rail systems, including but not limited to those using “maglev” or high speed...

  11. 36 CFR 1192.175 - High-speed rail cars, monorails and systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false High-speed rail cars... TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Other Vehicles and Systems § 1192.175 High-speed rail cars, monorails and systems. (a) All cars for high-speed rail systems, including but not limited to those using “maglev” or high speed...

  12. 36 CFR § 1192.175 - High-speed rail cars, monorails and systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true High-speed rail cars... TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Other Vehicles and Systems § 1192.175 High-speed rail cars, monorails and systems. (a) All cars for high-speed rail systems, including but not limited to those using “maglev” or high speed...

  13. 36 CFR 1192.175 - High-speed rail cars, monorails and systems.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false High-speed rail cars... TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Other Vehicles and Systems § 1192.175 High-speed rail cars, monorails and systems. (a) All cars for high-speed rail systems, including but not limited to those using “maglev” or high speed...

  14. 14 CFR 25.1511 - Flap extended speed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Flap extended speed. 25.1511 Section 25... Limitations § 25.1511 Flap extended speed. The established flap extended speed V FE must be established so that it does not exceed the design flap speed V F chosen under §§ 25.335(e) and 25.345, for the...

  15. 14 CFR 25.1517 - Rough air speed, VRA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Rough air speed, VRA. 25.1517 Section 25... Limitations § 25.1517 Rough air speed, VRA. A rough air speed, VRA, for use as the recommended turbulence... specified in § 25.335(d); and (3) Is sufficiently less than VMO to ensure that likely speed variation during...

  16. 14 CFR 25.1511 - Flap extended speed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Flap extended speed. 25.1511 Section 25... Limitations § 25.1511 Flap extended speed. The established flap extended speed V FE must be established so that it does not exceed the design flap speed V F chosen under §§ 25.335(e) and 25.345, for the...

  17. 14 CFR 25.1517 - Rough air speed, VRA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Rough air speed, VRA. 25.1517 Section 25... Limitations § 25.1517 Rough air speed, VRA. A rough air speed, VRA, for use as the recommended turbulence... specified in § 25.335(d); and (3) Is sufficiently less than VMO to ensure that likely speed variation during...

  18. Examination of media coverage of increasing the speed limit to 65 mph

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1988-09-01

    Heightened newspaper and television coverage of the proposed 65 mph limit may have encouraged increased travel speeds which in turn could have produced an increase in fatalities prior to passage of the national legislation. To pursue this further, NH...

  19. Effects of raising and lowering speed limits on selected roadway sections

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-01-01

    The objective of this research was to examine the effects of raising and lowering posted speed limits on driver behavior for urban and rural nonlimited access highways. Sites selected for study were furnished by the participating States. The study wa...

  20. 14 CFR 25.1511 - Flap extended speed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Flap extended speed. 25.1511 Section 25.1511 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT... Limitations § 25.1511 Flap extended speed. The established flap extended speed V FE must be established so...

  1. 14 CFR 25.1511 - Flap extended speed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Flap extended speed. 25.1511 Section 25.1511 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT... Limitations § 25.1511 Flap extended speed. The established flap extended speed V FE must be established so...

  2. 14 CFR 25.1511 - Flap extended speed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Flap extended speed. 25.1511 Section 25.1511 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT... Limitations § 25.1511 Flap extended speed. The established flap extended speed V FE must be established so...

  3. Overall Impact of Speed-Related Initiatives and Factors on Crash Outcomes

    PubMed Central

    D’Elia, A.; Newstead, S.; Cameron, M.

    2007-01-01

    From December 2000 until July 2002 a package of speed-related initiatives and factors took place in Victoria, Australia. The broad aim of this study was to evaluate the overall impact of the package on crash outcomes. Monthly crash counts and injury severity proportions were assessed using Poisson and logistic regression models respectively. The model measured the overall effect of the package after adjusting as far as possible for non-speed road safety initiatives and socio-economic factors. The speed-related package was associated with statistically significant estimated reductions in casualty crashes and suggested reductions in injury severity with trends towards increased reductions over time. From December 2000 until July 2002, three new speed enforcement initiatives were implemented in Victoria, Australia. These initiatives were introduced in stages and involved the following key components: More covert operations of mobile speed cameras, including flash-less operations; 50% increase in speed camera operating hours; and lowering of cameras’ speed detection threshold. In addition, during the period 2001 to 2002, the 50 km/h General Urban Speed Limit (GUSL) was introduced (January 2001), there was an increase in speed-related advertising including the “Wipe Off 5” campaign, media announcements were made related to the above enforcement initiatives and there was a speeding penalty restructure. The above elements combine to make up a package of speed-related initiatives and factors. The package represents a broad, long term program by Victorian government agencies to reduce speed based on three linked strategies: more intensive Police enforcement of speed limits to deter potential offenders, i.e. the three new speed enforcement initiatives just described - supported by higher penalties; a reduction in the speed limit on local streets throughout Victoria from 60 km/h to 50 km/h; and provision of information using the mass media (television, radio and billboard) to reinforce the benefits of reducing low level speeding - the central message of “Wipe Off 5”. These strategies were implemented across the entire state of Victoria with the intention of covering as many road users as possible. PMID:18184508

  4. Modeling and analyzing traffic safety perceptions: An application to the speed limit reduction pilot project in Edmonton, Alberta.

    PubMed

    El-Basyouny, Karim; El-Bassiouni, Mohamed Yahia

    2013-03-01

    To address the speeding problem in residential areas, the City of Edmonton initiated a pilot project to reduce the posted speed limit from 50km/h to 40km/h within six residential communities. This paper investigates the community perceptions of traffic safety within the six pilot communities in two phases: prior to project initiation (pre-pilot) and following the end of the project (post-pilot). This objective was accomplished by analyzing the results of two random dialing telephone surveys comprising 300 residents each. A preliminary analysis showed compatible demographic configurations for the two samples and confirmed that the residents were aware of both the posted speed limits and the adopted speed management controls. For the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), a two-group (pre-pilot and post-pilot) three-factor model was used to assess the residents' perceptions of the speeding behavior (Speeding), their concerns about traffic safety issues (Concerns), and their perceptions of traffic safety (Safety). Comparing the CFA results of the post-pilot survey versus those of the pre-pilot survey, it was evident that there was a significant decrease in Speeding and Concerns accompanied by a significant increase in Safety. A structural equations model (SEM) was also fitted to the data in order to assess the impact of Speeding and Concerns on Safety. The results showed that Concerns increase significantly with Speeding, and that both factors have significant negative impacts on Safety. However, while the impact of Concerns on Safety was direct, that of Speeding on Safety was largely indirect (i.e., mediated through Concerns). Overall, the multivariate analysis has demonstrated that the pilot project was successful in improving the residents' perceptions of traffic safety in their community. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Human Kinematics of Cochlear Implant Surgery: An Investigation of Insertion Micro-Motions and Speed Limitations.

    PubMed

    Kesler, Kyle; Dillon, Neal P; Fichera, Loris; Labadie, Robert F

    2017-09-01

    Objectives Document human motions associated with cochlear implant electrode insertion at different speeds and determine the lower limit of continuous insertion speed by a human. Study Design Observational. Setting Academic medical center. Subjects and Methods Cochlear implant forceps were coupled to a frame containing reflective fiducials, which enabled optical tracking of the forceps' tip position in real time. Otolaryngologists (n = 14) performed mock electrode insertions at different speeds based on recommendations from the literature: "fast" (96 mm/min), "stable" (as slow as possible without stopping), and "slow" (15 mm/min). For each insertion, the following metrics were calculated from the tracked position data: percentage of time at prescribed speed, percentage of time the surgeon stopped moving forward, and number of direction reversals (ie, going from forward to backward motion). Results Fast insertion trials resulted in better adherence to the prescribed speed (45.4% of the overall time), no motion interruptions, and no reversals, as compared with slow insertions (18.6% of time at prescribed speed, 15.7% stopped time, and an average of 18.6 reversals per trial). These differences were statistically significant for all metrics ( P < .01). The metrics for the fast and stable insertions were comparable; however, stable insertions were performed 44% slower on average. The mean stable insertion speed was 52 ± 19.3 mm/min. Conclusion Results indicate that continuous insertion of a cochlear implant electrode at 15 mm/min is not feasible for human operators. The lower limit of continuous forward insertion is 52 mm/min on average. Guidelines on manual insertion kinematics should consider this practical limit of human motion.

  6. 14 CFR 25.1513 - Minimum control speed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Minimum control speed. 25.1513 Section 25.1513 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT... Limitations § 25.1513 Minimum control speed. The minimum control speed V MC determined under § 25.149 must be...

  7. 14 CFR 25.1513 - Minimum control speed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Minimum control speed. 25.1513 Section 25.1513 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AIRCRAFT... Limitations § 25.1513 Minimum control speed. The minimum control speed V MC determined under § 25.149 must be...

  8. The impact of the 65 mph speed limit on Virginia's rural interstate highways through 1989.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1990-01-01

    In April 1987, Congress passed the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act (STURAA) which permitted states to raise their maximum speed limit on rural interstate highways (rural interstates) to 65 mph. Since then, 40 states, incl...

  9. Extending the Constant Power Speed Range of the Brushless DC Motor through Dual Mode Inverter Control -- Part II: Laboratory Proof-of-Principle

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lawler, J.S.

    2001-10-29

    Previous theoretical work has shown that when all loss mechanisms are neglected the constant power speed range (CPSR) of a brushless dc motor (BDCM) is infinite when the motor is driven by the dual-mode inverter control (DMIC) [1,2]. In a physical drive, losses, particularly speed-sensitive losses, will limit the CPSR to a finite value. In this paper we report the results of laboratory testing of a low-inductance, 7.5-hp BDCM driven by the DMIC. The speed rating of the test motor rotor limited the upper speed of the testing, and the results show that the CPSR of the test machine ismore » greater than 6:1 when driven by the DMIC. Current wave shape, peak, and rms values remained controlled and within rating over the entire speed range. The laboratory measurements allowed the speed-sensitive losses to be quantified and incorporated into computer simulation models, which then accurately reproduce the results of lab testing. The simulator shows that the limiting CPSR of the test motor is 8:1. These results confirm that the DMIC is capable of driving low-inductance BDCMs over the wide CPSR that would be required in electric vehicle applications.« less

  10. Energy efficiency : potential fuel savings generated by a national speed limit would be influenced by many other factors.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-11-07

    "Congress expressed interest in obtaining information on using a national speed limit to reduce fuel consumption. In response to the request, we reviewed existing literature and consulted knowledgeable stakeholders on the following: (1) What is the r...

  11. Evaluation of variable speed limits on I-270/I-255 in St. Louis.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-10-01

    In May of 2008, MoDOT installed a Variable Speed Limit (VSL) system along the I270/I255 corridor in St. Louis. This project evaluated the VSL system and its potential impacts and benefits to the transportation users. The technical system ...

  12. An investigation of issues related to raising the rural interstate speed limit in Virginia.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1988-01-01

    In April of 1987, Congress passed the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987, which allows the states to raise, without penalty, the speed limit on interstate highways outside of urbanized areas with a population of 50,0...

  13. 14 CFR 23.1583 - Operating limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... restrictions on smoking in the airplane. (p) Types of surface. A statement of the types of surface on which... type flight tests, together with recommended entry speeds and any other associated limitations. No... demonstrated in the type flight tests, together with recommended entry speeds and any other associated...

  14. 14 CFR 23.1583 - Operating limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... restrictions on smoking in the airplane. (p) Types of surface. A statement of the types of surface on which... type flight tests, together with recommended entry speeds and any other associated limitations. No... demonstrated in the type flight tests, together with recommended entry speeds and any other associated...

  15. Measurement of whole-body vibration exposure from speed control humps

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khorshid, E.; Alkalby, F.; Kamal, H.

    2007-07-01

    The main objective of speed control humps is to introduce shocks and high vibration levels when a car passes over them if its speed is higher than the allowable limit. Hump geometry is a major factor in altering the level of these shocks and specifying the speed limit. However, there is no study of the relationship between whole body vibration due to passing over a speed control hump and lower back pain or occupational diseases. In this study, an experimental investigation is conducted to evaluate health risks associated with different geometry speed control humps. Vibration levels and shocks are measured by a seat pad accelerometer placed under the driver's seat to evaluate hazard risks on the human body's lower back. The assessment is based on two standard methods of measuring whole body vibration: the British standard BS 6841 and the new ISO/DIS standard 2631-5. These methods are used to assess the effects of vehicle type, passenger location in the vehicle, vehicle speed, and speed control hump geometry. It was found that circular speed control humps currently installed on many public roads should be modified in order to eliminate hazards. Two newly designed speed humps were proved to be less hazardous than circular speed control humps.

  16. Summary of state speed laws

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2006-04-01

    This summary reports only the status of State statutes or regulations that are concerned with either speed limit or speed-related violations. Local laws are not reported. Unless otherwise indicated, the status of the State laws or regulations reporte...

  17. Summary of state speed laws

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2007-08-01

    This summary reports only the status of State statutes or regulations that are concerned with either speed limit or speed-related violations. Local laws are not reported. Unless otherwise indicated, the status of the State laws or regulations reporte...

  18. 77 FR 14346 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Implementation of Vessel Speed Restrictions To...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-09

    ... Collection; Comment Request; Implementation of Vessel Speed Restrictions To Reduce the Threat of Ship... implementing speed restrictions to reduce the incidence and severity of ship collisions with North Atlantic... document that a deviation from the 10-knot speed limit was necessary for safe maneuverability under certain...

  19. Effects of automated speed enforcement in Montgomery County, Maryland, on vehicle speeds, public opinion, and crashes.

    PubMed

    Hu, Wen; McCartt, Anne T

    2016-09-01

    In May 2007, Montgomery County, Maryland, implemented an automated speed enforcement program, with cameras allowed on residential streets with speed limits of 35 mph or lower and in school zones. In 2009, the state speed camera law increased the enforcement threshold from 11 to 12 mph over the speed limit and restricted school zone enforcement hours. In 2012, the county began using a corridor approach, in which cameras were periodically moved along the length of a roadway segment. The long-term effects of the speed camera program on travel speeds, public attitudes, and crashes were evaluated. Changes in travel speeds at camera sites from 6 months before the program began to 7½ years after were compared with changes in speeds at control sites in the nearby Virginia counties of Fairfax and Arlington. A telephone survey of Montgomery County drivers was conducted in Fall 2014 to examine attitudes and experiences related to automated speed enforcement. Using data on crashes during 2004-2013, logistic regression models examined the program's effects on the likelihood that a crash involved an incapacitating or fatal injury on camera-eligible roads and on potential spillover roads in Montgomery County, using crashes in Fairfax County on similar roads as controls. About 7½ years after the program began, speed cameras were associated with a 10% reduction in mean speeds and a 62% reduction in the likelihood that a vehicle was traveling more than 10 mph above the speed limit at camera sites. When interviewed in Fall 2014, 95% of drivers were aware of the camera program, 62% favored it, and most had received a camera ticket or knew someone else who had. The overall effect of the camera program in its modified form, including both the law change and the corridor approach, was a 39% reduction in the likelihood that a crash resulted in an incapacitating or fatal injury. Speed cameras alone were associated with a 19% reduction in the likelihood that a crash resulted in an incapacitating or fatal injury, the law change was associated with a nonsignificant 8% increase, and the corridor approach provided an additional 30% reduction over and above the cameras. This study adds to the evidence that speed cameras can reduce speeding, which can lead to reductions in speeding-related crashes and crashes involving serious injuries or fatalities.

  20. A Review of Vehicles Speed on School Safety Zone Areas in Pekanbaru City

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dwi Putri, Lusi; Soehardi, Fitridawati; Saleh, Alfian

    2017-12-01

    School Safety Zone is a location or region on particular roads that are time-based speed zone to set the speed of the vehicle in the school environment. The maximum speed limit permits entering a School Safety Zone, especially in Pekanbaru City is 25 km / h and an outline of the speed limit permit vehicles that pass through the School Safety Zone in Indonesia is generally 20-30 km / h. However, the vehicles speeds that pass School Safety Zone are higher than permit speeds.To ensure the level of vehicle offense across the territory of the School Safety Zone so it is necessary a primary data which is taken randomly based on field survey for 3 days at schools that has that facility ie SDN 3 Jalan Kesehatan Pekanbaru City, SDN 68 Jalan Balam Ujung Kota Pekanbaru and SDN 143 Jalan Taskurun Kota Pekanbaru. Furthermore, the data were taken in good condition that is at 6:30 to 7:30 am and at 12:00 to 13:00 pm. In addition, the data obtained is mileage and travel time of the vehicle. Both of these data can generate good speed value that passes through the area of School Safety Zone. Based on the research findings, the vehicle speed passing through the area of School Safety Zone is incompatible with speed permit at 35 km / h with a maximum average percentage of the rate of offense in the area of the school zone is 91.7%. This indicates that the vehicle passes School Safety Zone not following the rules of the maximum limit area and can be potentially harmful to elementary school students.

  1. Fuel Consumption of Tractor-Trailer Trucks as Affected by Speed Limit and Payload Weight

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1975-11-01

    The effect of speed limit and payload weight on fuel consumption was determined in tests of tractor-trailer rigs. Two virtually identical vehicles were used, one loaded with a 28,000 lb payload and the other carrying 42,000 lbs; each was driven over ...

  2. Effect of Variation of Speed Limits on Intercity Bus Fuel Consumption, Coach and Driver Utilization, and Corporate Profitability

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1975-11-01

    The effect of speed limit and passenger load on fuel consumption was determined using actual intercity buses with simulated passenger loads over different types of terrain. In addition to road tests, laboratory type measurements were made on four int...

  3. Research on the Safety Impacts of Speed Limiter Device Installations on Commercial Motor Vehicles: Phase II

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-03-01

    The purpose of this project was to identify the impacts of implementing speed limiters (SL) in commercial vehicle fleet operations. These impacts may be related to safety through a reduction in the number and/or severity of crashes, and/or address op...

  4. 75 FR 80735 - Special Conditions: Gulfstream Model GVI Airplane; High Incidence Protection

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-23

    ..., Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington, 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227... from stalling, limits the angle of attack at which the airplane can be flown during normal low speed... limit impacts the stall speed determination, the stall characteristics, the stall warning demonstration...

  5. Appendices : evaluation of variable speed limits on I-270/I-255 in St. Louis.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-10-01

    In May of 2008, MoDOT installed a Variable Speed Limit (VSL) system along the I-270/I-255 corridor in : St. Louis. This project evaluated the VSL system and its potential impacts and benefits to the : transportation users. The technical system ...

  6. Development of a speeding-related crash typology

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-04-01

    Speeding, the driver behavior of exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions, has consistently been estimated to be a contributing factor to a significant percentage of fatal and nonfatal crashes. The U.S. Department of Transp...

  7. Control model design to limit DC-link voltage during grid fault in a dfig variable speed wind turbine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nwosu, Cajethan M.; Ogbuka, Cosmas U.; Oti, Stephen E.

    2017-08-01

    This paper presents a control model design capable of inhibiting the phenomenal rise in the DC-link voltage during grid- fault condition in a variable speed wind turbine. Against the use of power circuit protection strategies with inherent limitations in fault ride-through capability, a control circuit algorithm capable of limiting the DC-link voltage rise which in turn bears dynamics that has direct influence on the characteristics of the rotor voltage especially during grid faults is here proposed. The model results so obtained compare favorably with the simulation results as obtained in a MATLAB/SIMULINK environment. The generated model may therefore be used to predict near accurately the nature of DC-link voltage variations during fault given some factors which include speed and speed mode of operation, the value of damping resistor relative to half the product of inner loop current control bandwidth and the filter inductance.

  8. Ultrafast Imaging using Spectral Resonance Modulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Eric; Ma, Qian; Liu, Zhaowei

    2016-04-01

    CCD cameras are ubiquitous in research labs, industry, and hospitals for a huge variety of applications, but there are many dynamic processes in nature that unfold too quickly to be captured. Although tradeoffs can be made between exposure time, sensitivity, and area of interest, ultimately the speed limit of a CCD camera is constrained by the electronic readout rate of the sensors. One potential way to improve the imaging speed is with compressive sensing (CS), a technique that allows for a reduction in the number of measurements needed to record an image. However, most CS imaging methods require spatial light modulators (SLMs), which are subject to mechanical speed limitations. Here, we demonstrate an etalon array based SLM without any moving elements that is unconstrained by either mechanical or electronic speed limitations. This novel spectral resonance modulator (SRM) shows great potential in an ultrafast compressive single pixel camera.

  9. Operating limitations of high speed jet lubricated ball bearings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zaretsky, E. V.; Signer, H.; Bamberger, E. N.

    1975-01-01

    A parametric study was performed with 120-mm bore angular-contact ball bearings having a nominal contact angle of 20 degrees. The bearings had either an inner- or an outer-race land riding cage, and lubrication was by recirculating oil jets which had either a single or dual orifice. Thrust load, speed, and lubricant flow rate were varied. Test results were compared with those previously reported and obtained from bearings of the same design which were under-race lubricated but run under the same conditions. Jet lubricated ball bearings were limited to speeds less than 2,500,000 DN, and bearings having inner-race land riding cages produced lower temperatures than bearings with outer-race land riding cages. For a given lubricant flow rate dual orifice jets produced lower bearing temperatures than single orifice jets, but under-race lubrication produced lower bearing temperatures under all conditions of operation with no apparent bearing speed limitation.

  10. Parallel algorithms for quantum chemistry. I. Integral transformations on a hypercube multiprocessor

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Whiteside, R.A.; Binkley, J.S.; Colvin, M.E.

    1987-02-15

    For many years it has been recognized that fundamental physical constraints such as the speed of light will limit the ultimate speed of single processor computers to less than about three billion floating point operations per second (3 GFLOPS). This limitation is becoming increasingly restrictive as commercially available machines are now within an order of magnitude of this asymptotic limit. A natural way to avoid this limit is to harness together many processors to work on a single computational problem. In principle, these parallel processing computers have speeds limited only by the number of processors one chooses to acquire. Themore » usefulness of potentially unlimited processing speed to a computationally intensive field such as quantum chemistry is obvious. If these methods are to be applied to significantly larger chemical systems, parallel schemes will have to be employed. For this reason we have developed distributed-memory algorithms for a number of standard quantum chemical methods. We are currently implementing these on a 32 processor Intel hypercube. In this paper we present our algorithm and benchmark results for one of the bottleneck steps in quantum chemical calculations: the four index integral transformation.« less

  11. Gait speed is limited but improves over the course of acute care physical therapy.

    PubMed

    Braden, Heather J; Hilgenberg, Sean; Bohannon, Richard W; Ko, Man-Soo; Hasson, Scott

    2012-01-01

    Gait is a common focus of physical therapists' management of patients in acute care settings. Walking speed, the distance a patient covers per unit time, has been advocated as a "sixth vital sign." However, the feasibility of measuring walking speed and the degree to which walking speed is limited or improves over the course of therapy in the acute care setting are unclear. The purpose of this study of patients undergoing physical therapy during acute care hospitalization, therefore, was to determine whether walking speed can be measured in acute care and whether walking speed is limited and changes over the course of therapy. This was an observational cross-sectional study. Participants were 46 hospital inpatients, mean age 75.0 years (SD = 7.8), referred to physical therapy and able to walk at least 20 ft. Information regarding diagnosis, comorbidities, physical assistance, device use, body height, and weight was obtained. Speed was determined during initial and final physical therapy visits while patients walked at their self-selected speed over a marked course in a hospital corridor. Therapists reported that walking speed was clinically feasible, requiring inexpensive, available resources, 4 minutes' additional time, and simple calculations for documentation. Initial walking speed was a mean of 0.33 m/s (SD = 0.21; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.27-0.39), whereas final speed was 0.37 m/s (SD = 0.20; 95% CI: 0.31-0.43). The Wilcoxon test showed the increase in walking speed (0.04 m/s) to be significant (P = .005) over a mean therapy period of 2.0 days (SD = 1.4) and total hospitalization period of 5.5 days (SD = 3.6). The effect size and standardized response mean were 0.19 and 0.36, respectively. Minimal detectable change was 0.18 m/s. Walking speed is a feasible measure for patients admitted to an acute care hospital. It shows that patients walk slowly relative to community requirements but that their speed improves even over a short course of therapy.

  12. Comment on "Modified quantum-speed-limit bounds for open quantum dynamics in quantum channels"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mirkin, Nicolás; Toscano, Fabricio; Wisniacki, Diego A.

    2018-04-01

    In a recent paper [Phys. Rev. A 95, 052118 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevA.95.052118], the authors claim that our criticism, in Phys. Rev. A 94, 052125 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevA.94.052125, to some quantum speed limit bounds for open quantum dynamics that appeared recently in literature are invalid. According to the authors, the problem with our analysis would be generated by an artifact of the finite-precision numerical calculations. We analytically show here that it is not possible to have any inconsistency associated with the numerical precision of calculations. Therefore, our criticism of the quantum speed limit bounds continues to be valid.

  13. Evaluating safety and operations of high-speed signalized intersections.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-03-01

    This Final Report reviews a research effort to evaluate the safety and operations of high-speed intersections in the State of : Oregon. In particular, this research effort focuses on four-leg, signalized intersections with speed limits of 45 mph or :...

  14. Evaluating safety and operation of high-speed intersections.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-03-01

    This Final Report reviews a research effort to evaluate the safety and operations of high-speed intersections in the State of : Oregon. In particular, this research effort focuses on four-leg, signalized intersections with speed limits of 45 mph or :...

  15. Development of a speeding-related crash typology : [summary report].

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-01-01

    Speeding, the driver behavior of exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast : for conditions, has consistently been shown to be a contributing factor to a signifcant percentage of fatal and nonfatal crashes. Between 1990 and 2006, the frequ...

  16. Introduction of Cooperative Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Systems to Improve Speed Harmonization

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-03-01

    This project executed a preliminary experiment of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I)-based speed harmonization in which speed guidance was communicated directly to vehicles. This experiment involved a set of micro-simulation experiments and a limited nu...

  17. 14 CFR 25.1517 - Rough air speed, VRA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Rough air speed, VRA. 25.1517 Section 25... Limitations § 25.1517 Rough air speed, VRA. A rough air speed, VRA, for use as the recommended turbulence... rough air encounters will not cause the overspeed warning to operate too frequently. In the absence of a...

  18. Quadrupedal galloping control for a wide range of speed via vertical impulse scaling.

    PubMed

    Park, Hae-Won; Kim, Sangbae

    2015-03-25

    This paper presents a bio-inspired quadruped controller that allows variable-speed galloping. The controller design is inspired by observations from biological runners. Quadrupedal animals increase the vertical impulse that is generated by ground reaction forces at each stride as running speed increases and the duration of each stance phase reduces, whereas the swing phase stays relatively constant. Inspired by this observation, the presented controller estimates the required vertical impulse at each stride by applying the linear momentum conservation principle in the vertical direction and prescribes the ground reaction forces at each stride. The design process begins with deriving a planar model from the MIT Cheetah 2 robot. A baseline periodic limit cycle is obtained by optimizing ground reaction force profiles and the temporal gait pattern (timing and duration of gait phases). To stabilize the optimized limit cycle, the obtained limit cycle is converted to a state feedback controller by representing the obtained ground reaction force profiles as functions of the state variable, which is monotonically increasing throughout the gait, adding impedance control around the height and pitch trajectories of the obtained limit cycle and introducing a finite state machine and a pattern stabilizer to enforce the optimized gait pattern. The controller that achieves a stable 3 m s(-1) gallop successfully adapts the speed change by scaling the vertical ground reaction force to match the momentum lost by gravity and adding a simple speed controller that controls horizontal speed. Without requiring additional gait optimization processes, the controller achieves galloping at speeds ranging from 3 m s(-1) to 14.9 m s(-1) while respecting the torque limit of the motor used in the MIT Cheetah 2 robot. The robustness of the controller is verified by demonstrating stable running during various disturbances, including 1.49 m step down and 0.18 m step up, as well as random ground height and model parameter variations.

  19. An investigation of the speeding-related crash designation through crash narrative reviews sampled via logistic regression.

    PubMed

    Fitzpatrick, Cole D; Rakasi, Saritha; Knodler, Michael A

    2017-01-01

    Speed is one of the most important factors in traffic safety as higher speeds are linked to increased crash risk and higher injury severities. Nearly a third of fatal crashes in the United States are designated as "speeding-related", which is defined as either "the driver behavior of exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions." While many studies have utilized the speeding-related designation in safety analyses, no studies have examined the underlying accuracy of this designation. Herein, we investigate the speeding-related crash designation through the development of a series of logistic regression models that were derived from the established speeding-related crash typologies and validated using a blind review, by multiple researchers, of 604 crash narratives. The developed logistic regression model accurately identified crashes which were not originally designated as speeding-related but had crash narratives that suggested speeding as a causative factor. Only 53.4% of crashes designated as speeding-related contained narratives which described speeding as a causative factor. Further investigation of these crashes revealed that the driver contributing code (DCC) of "driving too fast for conditions" was being used in three separate situations. Additionally, this DCC was also incorrectly used when "exceeding the posted speed limit" would likely have been a more appropriate designation. Finally, it was determined that the responding officer only utilized one DCC in 82% of crashes not designated as speeding-related but contained a narrative indicating speed as a contributing causal factor. The use of logistic regression models based upon speeding-related crash typologies offers a promising method by which all possible speeding-related crashes could be identified. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. Unshrouded Centrifugal Turbopump Impeller Design Methodology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Prueger, George H.; Williams, Morgan; Chen, Wei-Chung; Paris, John; Williams, Robert; Stewart, Eric

    2001-01-01

    Turbopump weight continues to be a dominant parameter in the trade space for reduction of engine weight. Space Shuttle Main Engine weight distribution indicates that the turbomachinery make up approximately 30% of the total engine weight. Weight reduction can be achieved through the reduction of envelope of the turbopump. Reduction in envelope relates to an increase in turbopump speed and an increase in impeller head coefficient. Speed can be increased until suction performance limits are achieved on the pump or due to alternate constraints the turbine or bearings limit speed. Once the speed of the turbopump is set the impeller tip speed sets the minimum head coefficient of the machine. To reduce impeller diameter the head coefficient must be increased. A significant limitation with increasing head coefficient is that the slope of the head-flow characteristic is affected and this can limit engine throttling range. Unshrouded impellers offer a design option for increased turbopump speed without increasing the impeller head coefficient. However, there are several issues with regard to using an unshrouded impeller: there is a pump performance penalty due to the front open face recirculation flow, there is a potential pump axial thrust problem from the unbalanced front open face and the back shroud face, and since test data is very limited for this configuration, there is uncertainty in the magnitude and phase of the rotordynamic forces due to the front impeller passage. The purpose of the paper is to discuss the design of an unshrouded impeller and to examine the hydrodynamic performance, axial thrust, and rotordynamic performance. The design methodology will also be discussed. This work will help provide some guidelines for unshrouded impeller design.

  1. High-speed wavefront modulation in complex media (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Turtaev, Sergey; Leite, Ivo T.; Cizmár, TomáÅ.¡

    2017-02-01

    Using spatial light modulators(SLM) to control light propagation through scattering media is a critical topic for various applications in biomedical imaging, optical micromanipulation, and fibre endoscopy. Having limited switching rate, typically 10-100Hz, current liquid-crystal SLM can no longer meet the growing demands of high-speed imaging. A new way based on binary-amplitude holography implemented on digital micromirror devices(DMD) has been introduced recently, allowing to reach refreshing rates of 30kHz. Here, we summarise the advantages and limitations in speed, efficiency, scattering noise, and pixel cross-talk for each device in ballistic and diffusive regimes, paving the way for high-speed imaging through multimode fibres.

  2. Optimal speed limits for school buses on Virginia highways : a report to Virginia's Superintendent of Public Instruction.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1990-01-01

    On Virginia's rural interstate highways there is a three-tiered speed limit: 45 mph for school buses, 55 mph for trucks, and 65 mph for other vehicles. On the urban interstate highways, school buses are restricted to 45 mph, but other traffic has a 5...

  3. Item-Level Time Limits Are Not a Panacea

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmitz, Florian; Wilhelm, Oliver

    2015-01-01

    The excellent paper by Goldhammer (this issue) deals with a most relevant and very pervasive problem of ability assessment: the evaluation of performance by considering speed and accuracy of performance. Goldhammer proposes item-level time limits as a possible remedy for individual differences in the speed-accuracy trade-off (SATO) to keep time…

  4. Reading Faster

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nation, Paul

    2009-01-01

    This article describes the visual nature of the reading process as it relates to reading speed. It points out that there is a physical limit on normal reading speed and beyond this limit the reading process will be different from normal reading where almost every word is attended to. The article describes a range of activities for developing…

  5. Analyzing pedestrian crash injury severity under different weather conditions.

    PubMed

    Li, Duo; Ranjitkar, Prakash; Zhao, Yifei; Yi, Hui; Rashidi, Soroush

    2017-05-19

    Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users due to the lack of mass, speed, and protection compared to other types of road users. Adverse weather conditions may reduce road friction and visibility and thus increase crash risk. There is limited evidence and considerable discrepancy with regard to impacts of weather conditions on injury severity in the literature. This article investigated factors affecting pedestrian injury severity level under different weather conditions based on a publicly available accident database in Great Britain. Accident data from Great Britain that are publicly available through the STATS19 database were analyzed. Factors associated with pedestrian, driver, and environment were investigated using a novel approach that combines a classification and regression tree with random forest approach. Significant severity predictors under fine weather conditions from the models included speed limits, pedestrian age, light conditions, and vehicle maneuver. Under adverse weather conditions, the significant predictors were pedestrian age, vehicle maneuver, and speed limit. Elderly pedestrians are associated with higher pedestrian injury severities. Higher speed limits increase pedestrian injury severity. Based on the research findings, recommendations are provided to improve pedestrian safety.

  6. Automation and Mankind

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1960-08-07

    limited by the cap- abilities of the human organism in the matter of control of its processes. In our time, the speeds of technological processes are...in many cases limited by conditions of control. The speed of human reaction is limited and therefore, at pre- sent, only processes of a relatively...forwiard, It can e foreseer thast automIation will comp~letely free Mans -Pn work unler conlitions’ of high texpemratures pressures,, anid nollutA-: or

  7. Automated speed enforcement pilot project for the Capital Beltway : feasibility of photo-radar.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1992-01-01

    Because of increasing difficulties in enforcing posted speed limits on the Capital Beltway around Washington, D.C., local officials proposed that experiments be conducted with photo-radar to determine if that method of automated speed enforcement (wi...

  8. Evaluation of free flow speeds on interrupted flow facilities.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-05-01

    The efficacy of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) simple model of predicting segment free flow speed by adding 5 miles per hour (mph) to the posted speed limit was compared to the performance of the new 2010 Highway Capacity Manual (HCM...

  9. Evaluating safety and operation of high-speed signalized intersections : final report, March 2010.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-03-01

    This Final Report reviews a research effort to evaluate the safety and operations of high-speed intersections in the State of : Oregon. In particular, this research effort focuses on four-leg, signalized intersections with speed limits of 45 mph or :...

  10. Summary of state speed laws, current as of January 1, 1997

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-01-01

    This summary reports the status of State statutes (or regulations) that are concerned with either speed limit or speed related violations as of January 1, 1997. The summary is divided into three areas: (1) Introduction; (2) Summary Tables; and (3) a ...

  11. New VASCAR-plus timing mechanism test results

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1993-04-01

    In a previous study (Analysis of VASCAR, DOT HS 807-748, May 1993), it was found that the VASCAR-plus timing mechanism was biased against the speed limit violator. The VASCAR speed reading was higher than the actual speed. At that time, it was sugges...

  12. A study of the feasibility of using photo-radar for traffic speed enforcement in Virginia.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1993-01-01

    Because of increasing difficulties in enforcing posted speed limits on the Capital Beltway around Washington, D.C., local officials proposed that experiments be conducted with photo-radar to determine if that method of automated speed enforcement (wi...

  13. Automated feedback to foster safe driving in young drivers : Phase 2.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-12-01

    Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) represents a promising approach to reduce speeding. A core principle for ISA systems is that they provide real-time feedback to drivers, prompting them to reduce speed when some threshold at or above the limit is re...

  14. A Status report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction on a study of optimal school bus speed limits on Virginia highways.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1988-01-01

    The study was prompted by the fact that on Virginia's rural interstate highways there is a three-tiered speed limit: 45 mph for school buses, 55 mph for other buses and trucks, and 65 mph for passenger vehicles. On the urban interstate system, school...

  15. Evaluation of the traffic safety benefits of a lower speed limit and restriction of trucks to use of right lane only on I-10 over the Atchafalaya Basin.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-01-01

    To improve traffic operation and safety, several states have implemented truck lane restriction and differential speed limit policies on freeways. In response to an 11-vehicle crash in September 2003, the Louisiana State Department of Transportation ...

  16. 77 FR 67391 - Notice of Proposed Supplementary Rules on Public Land in Water Canyon, Humboldt County, NV

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-09

    ... speed limit is proposed because there have been numerous accidents along the main access/canyon road in Zone 1. These accidents have primarily been a result of excess speed due to no posted or enforceable..., or irritant gas device. Motor vehicle includes, but is not limited to, automobiles, motorcycles, all...

  17. Quantum speed limits in open system dynamics.

    PubMed

    del Campo, A; Egusquiza, I L; Plenio, M B; Huelga, S F

    2013-02-01

    Bounds to the speed of evolution of a quantum system are of fundamental interest in quantum metrology, quantum chemical dynamics, and quantum computation. We derive a time-energy uncertainty relation for open quantum systems undergoing a general, completely positive, and trace preserving evolution which provides a bound to the quantum speed limit. When the evolution is of the Lindblad form, the bound is analogous to the Mandelstam-Tamm relation which applies in the unitary case, with the role of the Hamiltonian being played by the adjoint of the generator of the dynamical semigroup. The utility of the new bound is exemplified in different scenarios, ranging from the estimation of the passage time to the determination of precision limits for quantum metrology in the presence of dephasing noise.

  18. Automated feedback to foster safe driving in young drivers: phase 2 : traffic tech.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-12-01

    Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) provides a promising approach to reduce speeding. A core principle of ISA is real-time feedback that lets drivers know when they are driving over the speed limit. The overall goal of the study was to provide insight...

  19. 14 CFR 25.1583 - Operating limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... any regime of flight (climb, cruise, or descent) unless a higher speed is authorized for flight test... applicable to the particular design, explaining that: (i) Full application of pitch, roll, or yaw controls should be confined to speeds below the maneuvering speed; and (ii) Rapid and large alternating control...

  20. 14 CFR 25.1583 - Operating limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... any regime of flight (climb, cruise, or descent) unless a higher speed is authorized for flight test... applicable to the particular design, explaining that: (i) Full application of pitch, roll, or yaw controls should be confined to speeds below the maneuvering speed; and (ii) Rapid and large alternating control...

  1. 14 CFR 25.1583 - Operating limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... any regime of flight (climb, cruise, or descent) unless a higher speed is authorized for flight test... applicable to the particular design, explaining that: (i) Full application of pitch, roll, or yaw controls should be confined to speeds below the maneuvering speed; and (ii) Rapid and large alternating control...

  2. 14 CFR 25.1583 - Operating limitations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... any regime of flight (climb, cruise, or descent) unless a higher speed is authorized for flight test... applicable to the particular design, explaining that: (i) Full application of pitch, roll, or yaw controls should be confined to speeds below the maneuvering speed; and (ii) Rapid and large alternating control...

  3. Driver speed limit compliance in school zones : assessing the impact of sign saturation.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-10-01

    School zones are often viewed as an effective way to reduce driving speeds and thereby improve : safety near our nations schools. The effect of school zones on reducing driving speeds, however, is : minimal at best. Studies have shown that over 90...

  4. Analytical design of a parasitic-loading digital speed controller for a 400-hertz turbine driven alternator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ingle, B. D.; Ryan, J. P.

    1972-01-01

    A design for a solid-state parasitic speed controller using digital logic was analyzed. Parasitic speed controllers are used in space power electrical generating systems to control the speed of turbine-driven alternators within specified limits. The analysis included the performance characteristics of the speed controller and the generation of timing functions. The speed controller using digital logic applies step loads to the alternator. The step loads conduct for a full half wave starting at either zero or 180 electrical degrees.

  5. Goal neglect, fluid intelligence and processing speed: Manipulating instruction load and inter-stimulus interval.

    PubMed

    Iveson, Matthew H; Della Sala, Sergio; Anderson, Mike; MacPherson, Sarah E

    2017-05-01

    Goal maintenance is the process where task rules and instructions are kept active to exert their control on behavior. When this process fails, an individual may ignore a rule while performing the task, despite being able to describe it after task completion. Previous research has suggested that the goal maintenance system is limited by the number of concurrent rules which can be maintained during a task, and that this limit is dependent on an individual's level of fluid intelligence. However, the speed at which an individual can process information may also limit their ability to use task rules when the task demands them. In the present study, four experiments manipulated the number of instructions to be maintained by younger and older adults and examined whether performance on a rapid letter-monitoring task was predicted by individual differences in fluid intelligence or processing speed. Fluid intelligence played little role in determining how frequently rules were ignored during the task, regardless of the number of rules to be maintained. In contrast, processing speed predicted the rate of goal neglect in older adults, where increasing the presentation rate of the letter-monitoring task increased goal neglect. These findings suggest that goal maintenance may be limited by the speed at which it can operate. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Cross-cultural differences in drivers' speed choice.

    PubMed

    Wallén Warner, Henriette; Ozkan, Türker; Lajunen, Timo

    2009-07-01

    The aim of the present study was to examine if there are any cross-cultural differences between Swedish and Turkish drivers' rating of the variables in the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) with regard to complying with the speed limit. A sample of 219 Swedish and 252 Turkish drivers completed a questionnaire including questions based on the theory of planned behaviour (i.e. regarding attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, intention and behaviour). The results show that country differences in drivers' intention to comply with the speed limit as well as their self-reported compliance could be explained by differences found in their attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control. Furthermore, drivers who live in a country with fewer road traffic fatalities (i.e. Sweden), compared with drivers who live in a country with more road traffic fatalities (i.e. Turkey), reported a more positive attitude towards complying with the speed limit, a more positive subjective norm, a higher perceived behavioural control, a higher intention and a larger proportion of the time spent complying.

  7. Assessment of risks for high-speed rail grade crossings on the Empire Corridor : next generation high-speed rail program

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-08-01

    The report describes a risk-based approach for assessing the implications of higher train speeds on highway-railroad grade crossing safety, and allocating limited resources to best reduce this risk. To predict accident frequency, an existing DOT mode...

  8. 32 CFR 636.22 - Speed regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...). (d) The following special speed limits apply: (1) When passing troop formations, 10 miles per hour... vehicles and will obey the following off-road driving speeds: Day Driving: Trails, 16 MPH Cross County, 6 MPH Night Driving: Trails, 5 MPH (with headlights) Cross Country, 5 MPH Night Driving: Trails, 4 MPH...

  9. 32 CFR 636.22 - Speed regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...) of this section). (d) The following special speed limits apply: (1) When passing troop formations, 10... tactical vehicles and will obey the following off-road driving speeds: Day Driving: Trails, 16 MPH Cross County, 6 MPH Night Driving: Trails, 5 MPH (with headlights) Cross Country, 5 MPH Night Driving: Trails...

  10. 32 CFR 636.22 - Speed regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...). (d) The following special speed limits apply: (1) When passing troop formations, 10 miles per hour... vehicles and will obey the following off-road driving speeds: Day Driving: Trails, 16 MPH Cross County, 6 MPH Night Driving: Trails, 5 MPH (with headlights) Cross Country, 5 MPH Night Driving: Trails, 4 MPH...

  11. 32 CFR 636.22 - Speed regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    .... (b) Drivers will operate their vehicles at a reasonable and prudent speed based on traffic and road... drivers will obey posted speed limits; however, drivers will not exceed 40 miles per hour on paved roads and 25 miles per hour on unpaved roads and tank trails. Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicles (CUCV's) are...

  12. 32 CFR 636.22 - Speed regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... operate their vehicles at a reasonable and prudent speed based on traffic and road conditions, regardless... obey posted speed limits; however, drivers will not exceed 40 miles per hour on paved roads and 25 miles per hour on unpaved roads and tank trails. Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicles (CUCV's) are tactical...

  13. Aerodynamic Characteristics of the 30mm XM788E1 and XM789 projectiles

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-10-01

    successfully predicted the effect of a cubic Magnus moment on the damping rates by means of an amplitude-plane analysis. However, the amplitude-plane...technique becomes cumbersome for a projectile with both Magnus and pitch-dariping moment non-linearities. The effects of changi,,y epi- cyclic...show the existence of a slow arm limit- cycle yaw at high subsonic speeds, and a limit-epicycle yaw at lower subsonic speeds. The effect of the limit

  14. 76 FR 78 - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard; Engine Control Module Speed Limiter Device

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-03

    ... be equipped with an electronic control module (ECM) that is capable of limiting the maximum speed of the vehicle. 2. The ECM shall be set at no more than 68 mph by the manufacturer. 3. The ECM should be... ECM to be adjusted to let the vehicle exceed 68 mph. 4. Immediately upon the rule taking effect...

  15. High Speed Stability and Control Characteristics of a 0.17-Scale Model of the McDonnell XF2H-1 Airplane (TED No. NACA DE 318)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Axelson, John A.; Emerson, Horace F.

    1949-01-01

    High-speed wind-tunnel tests were conducted of two versions of a 0.17-scale model of the McDonnell XF2H-1 airplane to ascertain the high-speed stability and control characteristics and to study means for raising the high-speed buffet limit of the airplane, The results for the revised model, employing a thinner wing and tail than the original model, revealed a mild diving tendency from 0.75 to 0.80 Mach number, followed by a marked climbing tendency from 0.80 to 0.875 Mach number. The high-speed climbing tendency was caused principally by the pitching-moment characteristics of the wing. At 0.875 Mach number the results for the revised model indicated stick-fixed directional instability over a limited range of yaw angles, apparently caused by separated flow over the vertical tail. The test results indicate that the high-speed buffet limit of the airplane can probably be raised by reducing the thickness and changing the relative location of the horizontal and vertical tails, and by revising the inner portion of the wing to have a lower thickness-to-chord ratio and reduced trailing-edge angle. The addition of the wing-tip tanks to the revised model resulted in a forward shift in the neutral point below 0.82 Mach number.

  16. A Reconfigurable Real-Time Compressive-Sampling Camera for Biological Applications

    PubMed Central

    Fu, Bo; Pitter, Mark C.; Russell, Noah A.

    2011-01-01

    Many applications in biology, such as long-term functional imaging of neural and cardiac systems, require continuous high-speed imaging. This is typically not possible, however, using commercially available systems. The frame rate and the recording time of high-speed cameras are limited by the digitization rate and the capacity of on-camera memory. Further restrictions are often imposed by the limited bandwidth of the data link to the host computer. Even if the system bandwidth is not a limiting factor, continuous high-speed acquisition results in very large volumes of data that are difficult to handle, particularly when real-time analysis is required. In response to this issue many cameras allow a predetermined, rectangular region of interest (ROI) to be sampled, however this approach lacks flexibility and is blind to the image region outside of the ROI. We have addressed this problem by building a camera system using a randomly-addressable CMOS sensor. The camera has a low bandwidth, but is able to capture continuous high-speed images of an arbitrarily defined ROI, using most of the available bandwidth, while simultaneously acquiring low-speed, full frame images using the remaining bandwidth. In addition, the camera is able to use the full-frame information to recalculate the positions of targets and update the high-speed ROIs without interrupting acquisition. In this way the camera is capable of imaging moving targets at high-speed while simultaneously imaging the whole frame at a lower speed. We have used this camera system to monitor the heartbeat and blood cell flow of a water flea (Daphnia) at frame rates in excess of 1500 fps. PMID:22028852

  17. Breaking the speed limit--comparative sprinting performance of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and brown trout (Salmo trutta)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Castro-Santos, Theodore; Sanz-Ronda, Francisco Javier; Ruiz-Legazpi, Jorge

    2013-01-01

    Sprinting behavior of free-ranging fish has long been thought to exceed that of captive fish. Here we present data from wild-caught brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and brown trout (Salmo trutta), volitionally entering and sprinting against high-velocity flows in an open-channel flume. Performance of the two species was nearly identical, with the species attaining absolute speeds > 25 body lengths·s−1. These speeds far exceed previously published observations for any salmonid species and contribute to the mounting evidence that commonly accepted estimates of swimming performance are low. Brook trout demonstrated two distinct modes in the relationship between swim speed and fatigue time, similar to the shift from prolonged to sprint mode described by other authors, but in this case occurring at speeds > 19 body lengths·s−1. This is the first demonstration of multiple modes of sprint swimming at such high swim speeds. Neither species optimized for distance maximization, however, indicating that physiological limits alone are poor predictors of swimming performance. By combining distributions of volitional swim speeds with endurance, we were able to account for >80% of the variation in distance traversed by both species.

  18. Assessment of power step performances of variable speed pump-turbine unit by means of hydro-electrical system simulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Béguin, A.; Nicolet, C.; Hell, J.; Moreira, C.

    2017-04-01

    The paper explores the improvement in ancillary services that variable speed technologies can provide for the case of an existing pumped storage power plant of 2x210 MVA which conversion from fixed speed to variable speed is investigated with a focus on the power step performances of the units. First two motor-generator variable speed technologies are introduced, namely the Doubly Fed Induction Machine (DFIM) and the Full Scale Frequency Converter (FSFC). Then a detailed numerical simulation model of the investigated power plant used to simulate power steps response and comprising the waterways, the pump-turbine unit, the motor-generator, the grid connection and the control systems is presented. Hydroelectric system time domain simulations are performed in order to determine the shortest response time achievable, taking into account the constraints from the maximum penstock pressure and from the rotational speed limits. It is shown that the maximum instantaneous power step response up and down depends on the hydro-mechanical characteristics of the pump-turbine unit and of the motor-generator speed limits. As a results, for the investigated test case, the FSFC solution offer the best power step response performances.

  19. High-speed flow visualization in hypersonic, transonic, and shock tube flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kleine, H.; Olivier, H.

    2017-02-01

    High-speed flow visualisation has played an important role in the investigations conducted at the Stoßwellenlabor of the RWTH Aachen University for many decades. In addition to applying the techniques of high-speed imaging, this laboratory has been actively developing new or enhanced visualisation techniques and approaches such as various schlieren methods or time-resolved Mach-Zehnder interferometry. The investigated high-speed flows are inherently highly transient, with flow Mach numbers ranging from about M = 0.7 to M = 8. The availability of modern high-speed cameras has allowed us to expand the investigations into problems where reduced reproducibility had so far limited the amount of information that could be extracted from a limited number of flow visualisation records. Following a brief historical overview, some examples of recent studies are given, which represent the breadth of applications in which high-speed imaging has been an essential diagnostic tool to uncover the physics of high-speed flows. Applications include the stability of hypersonic corner flows, the establishment of shock wave systems in transonic airfoil flow, and the complexities of the interactions of shock waves with obstacles of various shapes.

  20. Modeling and simulation of soft sensor design for real-time speed and position estimation of PMSM.

    PubMed

    Omrane, Ines; Etien, Erik; Dib, Wissam; Bachelier, Olivier

    2015-07-01

    This paper deals with the design of a speed soft sensor for permanent magnet synchronous motor. At high speed, model-based soft sensor is used and it gives excellent results. However, it fails to deliver satisfactory performance at zero or very low speed. High-frequency soft sensor is used at low speed. We suggest to use a model-based soft sensor together with the high-frequency soft sensor to overcome the limitations of the first one at low speed range. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. SPEED READING--IS THE PRESENT EMPHASIS DESIRABLE.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    BERGER, ALLEN

    THE RESEARCH RESULTS FOR SEVEN AREAS OF THE SPEED READING CONTROVERSY ARE REPORTED. TERMINOLOGY FOR THE PROGRAM IS A PROBLEM AREA. MANY PEOPLE CONTEND THAT SPEED READING IS NOT READING IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE. MEASUREMENT IS OFTEN LIMITED OR EMPHASIZES READING RATE ONLY. FIRMS, ESPECIALLY THOSE NOT CLOSELY CONNECTED WITH SCHOOLS, SOMETIMES MAKE…

  2. Measuring motor speed through typing: a surrogate for the finger tapping test

    PubMed Central

    Austin, Daniel; Jimison, Holly; Hayes, Tamara; Mattek, Nora; Kaye, Jeffrey; Pavel, Misha

    2011-01-01

    Motor speed is an important indicator and predictor of both cognitive and physical function. One common assessment of motor speed is the finger tapping test (FTT), which is typically administered as part of a neurological or neuropsychological assessment. However, the FTT suffers from several limitations including infrequent in-person administration, the need for a trained assessor and dedicated equipment, and potential short term sensory-motor fatigue. In this article, we propose an alternative method of measuring motor speed, with face validity to the FTT, that addresses these limitations by measuring the interkeystroke interval (IKI) of familiar and repeated login data collected in the home during a subject’s regular computer use. We show significant correlations between the mean tapping speed from the FTT and the median IKIs of the non-dominant (r=0.77) and dominant (r=0.70) hands, respectively, in an elderly cohort of subjects living independently. Finally, we discuss how the proposed method for measuring motor speed fits well into the framework of unobtrusive and continuous in-home assessment. PMID:21494919

  3. Relationship Between Head-Turn Gait Speed and Lateral Balance Function in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

    PubMed

    Singh, Harshvardhan; Sanders, Ozell; McCombe Waller, Sandy; Bair, Woei-Nan; Beamer, Brock; Creath, Robert A; Rogers, Mark W

    2017-10-01

    To determine and compare gait speed during head-forward and side-to-side head-turn walking in individuals with lower versus greater lateral balance. Cross-sectional study. University research laboratory. Older adults (N=93; 42 men, 51 women; mean age ± SD, 73 ± 6.08y) who could walk independently. (1) Balance tolerance limit (BTL), defined as the lowest perturbation intensity where a multistep balance recovery pattern was first evoked in response to randomized lateral waist-pull perturbations of standing balance to the left and right sides, at 6 different intensities (range from level 2: 4.5-cm displacement at 180cm/s 2 acceleration, to level 7: 22.5-cm displacement at 900cm/s 2 acceleration); (2) gait speed, determined using an instrumented gait mat; (3) balance, evaluated with the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale; and (4) mobility, determined with the Timed Up and Go (TUG). Individuals with low versus high BTL had a slower self-selected head-forward gait speed and head-turn gait speed (P=.002 and P<.001, respectively); the magnitude of difference was greater in head-turn gait speed than head-forward gait speed (Cohen's d=1.0 vs 0.6). Head-turn gait speed best predicted BTL. BTL was moderately and positively related (P=.003) to the ABC Scale and negatively related (P=.017) to TUG. Head-turn gait speed is affected to a greater extent than head-forward gait speed in older individuals with poorer lateral balance and at greater risk of falls. Moreover, head-turn gait speed can be used to assess the interactions of limitations in lateral balance function and gait speed in relation to fall risk in older adults. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Motor vehicle driver death and high state maximum speed limits: 1991-1993.

    PubMed

    Yamane, Grover K; Bradshaw, Benjamin S

    2008-09-01

    To measure the association between motor vehicle crash (MVC) driver death and high state maximum speed limits. This study used a case-control design and assessed driver deaths from three major types of MVCs: non-collision; collision with motor vehicles in transit; and collision with stationary objects. The study period was 1991-1993. For each type of crash, case subject populations of fatally injured drivers were obtained from the U.S. Department of Transportation Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Four control subject populations, each associated with a different cause of death, were obtained from a U.S. national death certificate database (the causes of death were unintentional poisoning, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, drowning, and diabetes mellitus). Subjects were considered exposed if the state in which they crashed (for cases) or died (for controls) had a maximum speed limit greater than 55 mph. Each of the three case subject populations was compared against each of the four control subject populations. Odds ratios (ORs) were adjusted for age and gender. For non-collision driver death, ORs ranged from 3.06 to 6.56, depending on the year and control group; all the ORs were significant. For collision with motor vehicles in transit driver death, ORs ranged from 1.12 to 2.22; all the ORs were significant. For collision with stationary objects driver death, ORs ranged from 0.87 to 1.83. There was a moderately strong and significant association between non-collision driver death and high state maximum speed limits. For collision with motor vehicles in transit driver death, the association was somewhat milder but still consistent. For collision with stationary objects driver death, the presence of an association was unclear. During 1991-1993, the effects of high state maximum speed limits may have been different for different types of MVCs.

  5. Automatic spin-chain learning to explore the quantum speed limit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Xiao-Ming; Cui, Zi-Wei; Wang, Xin; Yung, Man-Hong

    2018-05-01

    One of the ambitious goals of artificial intelligence is to build a machine that outperforms human intelligence, even if limited knowledge and data are provided. Reinforcement learning (RL) provides one such possibility to reach this goal. In this work, we consider a specific task from quantum physics, i.e., quantum state transfer in a one-dimensional spin chain. The mission for the machine is to find transfer schemes with the fastest speeds while maintaining high transfer fidelities. The first scenario we consider is when the Hamiltonian is time independent. We update the coupling strength by minimizing a loss function dependent on both the fidelity and the speed. Compared with a scheme proven to be at the quantum speed limit for the perfect state transfer, the scheme provided by RL is faster while maintaining the infidelity below 5 ×10-4 . In the second scenario where a time-dependent external field is introduced, we convert the state transfer process into a Markov decision process that can be understood by the machine. We solve it with the deep Q-learning algorithm. After training, the machine successfully finds transfer schemes with high fidelities and speeds, which are faster than previously known ones. These results show that reinforcement learning can be a powerful tool for quantum control problems.

  6. Limits on an energy dependence of the speed of light from a flare of the active galaxy PKS 2155-304.

    PubMed

    Aharonian, F; Akhperjanian, A G; Barres de Almeida, U; Bazer-Bachi, A R; Becherini, Y; Behera, B; Beilicke, M; Benbow, W; Bernlöhr, K; Boisson, C; Bochow, A; Borrel, V; Braun, I; Brion, E; Brucker, J; Brun, P; Bühler, R; Bulik, T; Büsching, I; Boutelier, T; Carrigan, S; Chadwick, P M; Charbonnier, A; Chaves, R C G; Chounet, L-M; Clapson, A C; Coignet, G; Costamante, L; Dalton, M; Degrange, B; Deil, C; Dickinson, H J; Djannati-Ataï, A; Domainko, W; Drury, L O'C; Dubois, F; Dubus, G; Dyks, J; Egberts, K; Emmanoulopoulos, D; Espigat, P; Farnier, C; Feinstein, F; Fiasson, A; Förster, A; Fontaine, G; Füssling, M; Gabici, S; Gallant, Y A; Gérard, L; Giebels, B; Glicenstein, J F; Glück, B; Goret, P; Hadjichristidis, C; Hauser, D; Hauser, M; Heinz, S; Heinzelmann, G; Henri, G; Hermann, G; Hinton, J A; Hoffmann, A; Hofmann, W; Holleran, M; Hoppe, S; Horns, D; Jacholkowska, A; de Jager, O C; Jung, I; Katarzyński, K; Kaufmann, S; Kendziorra, E; Kerschhaggl, M; Khangulyan, D; Khélifi, B; Keogh, D; Komin, Nu; Kosack, K; Lamanna, G; Lenain, J-P; Lohse, T; Marandon, V; Martin, J M; Martineau-Huynh, O; Marcowith, A; Maurin, D; McComb, T J L; Medina, C; Moderski, R; Moulin, E; Naumann-Godo, M; de Naurois, M; Nedbal, D; Nekrassov, D; Niemiec, J; Nolan, S J; Ohm, S; Olive, J-F; de Oña Wilhelmi, E; Orford, K J; Osborne, J L; Ostrowski, M; Panter, M; Pedaletti, G; Pelletier, G; Petrucci, P-O; Pita, S; Pühlhofer, G; Punch, M; Quirrenbach, A; Raubenheimer, B C; Raue, M; Rayner, S M; Renaud, M; Rieger, F; Ripken, J; Rob, L; Rosier-Lees, S; Rowell, G; Rudak, B; Ruppel, J; Sahakian, V; Santangelo, A; Schlickeiser, R; Schöck, F M; Schröder, R; Schwanke, U; Schwarzburg, S; Schwemmer, S; Shalchi, A; Skilton, J L; Sol, H; Spangler, D; Stawarz, Ł; Steenkamp, R; Stegmann, C; Superina, G; Tam, P H; Tavernet, J-P; Terrier, R; Tibolla, O; van Eldik, C; Vasileiadis, G; Venter, C; Vialle, J P; Vincent, P; Vivier, M; Völk, H J; Volpe, F; Wagner, S J; Ward, M; Zdziarski, A A; Zech, A

    2008-10-24

    In the past few decades, several models have predicted an energy dependence of the speed of light in the context of quantum gravity. For cosmological sources such as active galaxies, this minuscule effect can add up to measurable photon-energy dependent time lags. In this Letter a search for such time lags during the High Energy Stereoscopic System observations of the exceptional very high energy flare of the active galaxy PKS 2155-304 on 28 July 2006 is presented. Since no significant time lag is found, lower limits on the energy scale of speed of light modifications are derived.

  7. Performance analysis of air-water quantum key distribution with an irregular sea surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Hua-bin; Zhou, Yuan-yuan; Zhou, Xue-jun; Wang, Lian

    2018-05-01

    In the air-water quantum key distribution (QKD), the irregular sea surface has some influence on the photon polarization state. The wind is considered as the main factor causing the irregularity, so the model of irregular sea surface based on the wind speed is adopted. The relationships of the quantum bit error rate with the wind speed and the initial incident angle are simulated. Therefore, the maximum secure transmission depth of QKD is confirmed, and the limitation of the wind speed and the initial incident angle is determined. The simulation results show that when the wind speed and the initial incident angle increase, the performance of QKD will fall down. Under the intercept-resend attack condition, the maximum safe transmission depth of QKD is up to 105 m. To realize safe communications in the safe diving depth of submarines (100 m), the initial incident angle is requested to be not exceeding 26°, and with the initial incident angle increased, the limitation of wind speed is decreased.

  8. Effect of mass and charge transport speed and direction in porous anodes on microbial electrolysis cell performance.

    PubMed

    Sleutels, Tom H J A; Hamelers, Hubertus V M; Buisman, Cees J N

    2011-01-01

    The use of porous electrodes like graphite felt as anode material has the potential of achieving high volumetric current densities. High volumetric current densities, however, may also lead to mass transport limitations within these porous materials. Therefore, in this study we investigated the mass and charge transport limitations by increasing the speed of the forced flow and changing the flow direction through the porous anode. Increase of the flow speed led to a decrease in current density when the flow was directed towards the membrane caused by an increase in anode resistance. Current density increased at higher flow speed when the flow was directed away from the membrane. This was caused by a decrease in transport resistance of ions through the membrane which increased the buffering effect of the system. Furthermore, the increase in flow speed led to an increase of the coulombic efficiency by 306%. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Prevalence of drink driving and speeding in China: a time series analysis from two cities.

    PubMed

    Li, Q; He, H; Duan, L; Wang, Y; Bishai, D M; Hyder, A A

    2017-03-01

    To confront the public health challenge imposed by road traffic injuries in China. A consortium of international partners designed and implemented targeted interventions, such as social media campaigns, advocacy for legislative change and law enforcement training, to reduce the percentage of drink driving and speeding in two Chinese cities, Dalian and Suzhou, from 2010 to 2014. Time series models were developed to detect changes in the prevalence of drink driving and speeding using data collected through four years of observational studies. This analysis, based on 15 rounds of data, shows that from May 2011 to November 2014, the percentage of vehicles driving above the speed limit decreased from 31.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 29.2-34.5) to 7.4% (95% CI: 7.0-7.9) in Dalian and from 13.5% (95% CI: 11.7-15.5) to 6.9% (95% CI: 6.4-7.4) in Suzhou. Drink driving decreased from 1.7% (95% CI: 1.1-2.4) in January 2011 to 0.5% (95% CI: 0.2-0.9) in November 2014 in Dalian and from 6.4% (95% CI: 5.4-7.4) to 0.5% (95% CI: 0.1-2.4) in Suzhou during approximately the same period. Time series models confirmed declining trends in both risk factors in both cities (P-value: 0.06 for speeding prevalence in Suzhou; all other P-values are below 0.05). Disaggregated by vehicle type, saloon cars and SUVs were more likely to exceed the posted speed limit than other types of vehicles in both cities. The speeding rate was higher where the posted speed limit is lower. In Dalian, more drivers were driving above the posted speed limit on weekdays than on weekends (11.4% vs 6.8%); Suzhou had a similar pattern, but the difference was smaller (14.0% vs 12.2%). Despite the challenge in accurately attributing the observed changes to one programme, the substantial reduction in the prevalence of the two risk factors suggests that through coordinated actions, internationally recognized best practices in road safety may be effective in improving road traffic safety in China. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  10. Wind turbine

    DOEpatents

    Cheney, Jr., Marvin C.

    1982-01-01

    A wind turbine of the type having an airfoil blade (15) mounted on a flexible beam (20) and a pitch governor (55) which selectively, torsionally twists the flexible beam in response to wind turbine speed thereby setting blade pitch, is provided with a limiter (85) which restricts unwanted pitch change at operating speeds due to torsional creep of the flexible beam. The limiter allows twisting of the beam by the governor under excessive wind velocity conditions to orient the blades in stall pitch positions, thereby preventing overspeed operation of the turbine. In the preferred embodiment, the pitch governor comprises a pendulum (65,70) which responds to changing rotor speed by pivotal movement, the limiter comprising a resilient member (90) which engages an end of the pendulum to restrict further movement thereof, and in turn restrict beam creep and unwanted blade pitch misadjustment.

  11. Tracking multiple objects is limited only by object spacing, not by speed, time, or capacity.

    PubMed

    Franconeri, S L; Jonathan, S V; Scimeca, J M

    2010-07-01

    In dealing with a dynamic world, people have the ability to maintain selective attention on a subset of moving objects in the environment. Performance in such multiple-object tracking is limited by three primary factors-the number of objects that one can track, the speed at which one can track them, and how close together they can be. We argue that this last limit, of object spacing, is the root cause of all performance constraints in multiple-object tracking. In two experiments, we found that as long as the distribution of object spacing is held constant, tracking performance is unaffected by large changes in object speed and tracking time. These results suggest that barring object-spacing constraints, people could reliably track an unlimited number of objects as fast as they could track a single object.

  12. The science of computing - Parallel computation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Denning, P. J.

    1985-01-01

    Although parallel computation architectures have been known for computers since the 1920s, it was only in the 1970s that microelectronic components technologies advanced to the point where it became feasible to incorporate multiple processors in one machine. Concommitantly, the development of algorithms for parallel processing also lagged due to hardware limitations. The speed of computing with solid-state chips is limited by gate switching delays. The physical limit implies that a 1 Gflop operational speed is the maximum for sequential processors. A computer recently introduced features a 'hypercube' architecture with 128 processors connected in networks at 5, 6 or 7 points per grid, depending on the design choice. Its computing speed rivals that of supercomputers, but at a fraction of the cost. The added speed with less hardware is due to parallel processing, which utilizes algorithms representing different parts of an equation that can be broken into simpler statements and processed simultaneously. Present, highly developed computer languages like FORTRAN, PASCAL, COBOL, etc., rely on sequential instructions. Thus, increased emphasis will now be directed at parallel processing algorithms to exploit the new architectures.

  13. Limiting Speed of the Bacterial Flagellar Motor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nirody, Jasmine; Berry, Richard; Oster, George

    The bacterial flagellar motor (BFM) drives swimming in a wide variety of bacterial species, making it crucial for several fundamental biological processes including chemotaxis and community formation. Recent experiments have shown that the structure of this nanomachine is more dynamic than previously believed. Specifically, the number of active torque-generating units (stators) was shown to vary across applied loads. This finding invalidates the experimental evidence reporting that limiting (zero-torque) speed is independent of the number of active stators. Here, we put forward a model for the torque generation mechanism of this motor and propose that the maximum speed of the motor increases as additional torque-generators are recruited. This is contrary to the current widely-held belief that there is a universal upper limit to the speed of the BFM. Our result arises from the assumption that stators disengage from the motor for a significant portion of their mechanochemical cycles at low loads. We show that this assumption is consistent with current experimental evidence and consolidate our predictions with arguments that a processive motor must have a high duty ratio at high loads.

  14. Plasma Modeling with Speed-Limited Particle-in-Cell Techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jenkins, Thomas G.; Werner, G. R.; Cary, J. R.; Stoltz, P. H.

    2017-10-01

    Speed-limited particle-in-cell (SLPIC) modeling is a new particle simulation technique for modeling systems wherein numerical constraints, e.g. limitations on timestep size required for numerical stability, are significantly more restrictive than is needed to model slower kinetic processes of interest. SLPIC imposes artificial speed-limiting behavior on fast particles whose kinetics do not play meaningful roles in the system dynamics, thus enabling larger simulation timesteps and more rapid modeling of such plasma discharges. The use of SLPIC methods to model plasma sheath formation and the free expansion of plasma into vacuum will be demonstrated. Wallclock times for these simulations, relative to conventional PIC, are reduced by a factor of 2.5 for the plasma expansion problem and by over 6 for the sheath formation problem; additional speedup is likely possible. Physical quantities of interest are shown to be correct for these benchmark problems. Additional SLPIC applications will also be discussed. Supported by US DoE SBIR Phase I/II Award DE-SC0015762.

  15. Frictional Torque on a Rotating Disc

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mungan, Carl E.

    2012-01-01

    Resistance to motion often includes a dry frictional term independent of the speed of an object and a fluid drag term varying linearly with speed in the viscous limit. (At higher speeds, quadratic drag can also occur.) Here, measurements are performed for an aluminium disc mounted on bearings that is given an initial twist and allowed to spin…

  16. Driving Skills of Young Adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder: Regulating Speed and Coping with Distraction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Oliveira, Rita F.; Wann, John P.

    2011-01-01

    In two experiments, we used an automatic car simulator to examine the steering control, speed regulation and response to hazards of young adults with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and limited driving experience. In Experiment 1 participants either used the accelerator pedal to regulate their speed, or used the brake pedal when they…

  17. The High Speed Photometer for the Space Telescope

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bless, R. C.

    1982-01-01

    An overview of the high speed photometer (HSP), its optics and detectors, its electronics, its mechanical structure, and some observational considerations are presented. The capabilities and limitations of the HSP are outlined.

  18. Activities of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Road Safety Programme (formerly RS10) in Russia: promising results from a sub-national project.

    PubMed

    Slyunkina, Ekaterina S; Kliavin, Vladimir E; Gritsenko, Elena A; Petruhin, Alexandr B; Zambon, Francesco; He, Huan; Hyder, Adnan A

    2013-12-01

    In Russia, the high Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs) rate has been attributed to two well-known risk factors - the low rates of seatbelt and child restraints use and speeding. Despite the importance of understanding both speeding and seatbelt use patterns for the purpose of direct interventions or monitoring road safety situation, no study has assessed the current status of speeding among all vehicles and seatbelt wearing rates among all vehicle occupants in Russia. We are aware that alcohol is a known risk factor for RTI in the country however the work focused on seat belts and speed. This research was conducted as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Road Safety Programme and focuses on observed speeding and seatbelt use in two Russian regions: Lipetskaya and Ivanovskaya Oblast. Data was collected through observational surveys on selected roads in the two interventions sites (Lipetskaya and Ivanovskaya Oblast) between October 2010 and March 2013. The percentage of seatbelt use by drivers and passengers and the percentage of speeding vehicles by speed limit and road types were calculated. Observational studies on speeding show signs that drivers are speeding less from the first survey held in July 2011 in Lipetskaya Oblast and March 2012 in Ivanovksya Oblast. Overall the observational studies showed a consistent reduction in the proportion of vehicles exceeding the speed limit: from 54.7% (2012) to 40.1% (2013) in Ivanovskaya Oblast and from 47.0% (2011) to 26.1% (2013) in Lipetskaya Oblast. Observational studies on seatbelt use demonstrate an increase in seatbelt wearing rates from the first survey held in October 2010 in Lipetskaya Oblast and April 2011 in Ivanovskaya Oblast. The overall prevalence of seatbelt use increased from 52.4% (2010) to 73.5% (2013) amongst all occupants in Lipetskaya Oblast and from 47.5% (2011) to 88.8% (2013) in Ivanovskaya Oblast. Preliminary results show some promising signs that speeding and seatbelt use are moving in the right direction in both intervention sites subsequent to the various countermeasures being implemented under the Global Road Safety Programme. The study demonstrates the need for further targeted interventions to increase drivers' compliance with the speed limit and seatbelt use. However, it is too early to draw any definite conclusions or to fully attribute the effect to the interventions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Lattice Boltzmann scheme for mixture modeling: analysis of the continuum diffusion regimes recovering Maxwell-Stefan model and incompressible Navier-Stokes equations.

    PubMed

    Asinari, Pietro

    2009-11-01

    A finite difference lattice Boltzmann scheme for homogeneous mixture modeling, which recovers Maxwell-Stefan diffusion model in the continuum limit, without the restriction of the mixture-averaged diffusion approximation, was recently proposed [P. Asinari, Phys. Rev. E 77, 056706 (2008)]. The theoretical basis is the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook-type kinetic model for gas mixtures [P. Andries, K. Aoki, and B. Perthame, J. Stat. Phys. 106, 993 (2002)]. In the present paper, the recovered macroscopic equations in the continuum limit are systematically investigated by varying the ratio between the characteristic diffusion speed and the characteristic barycentric speed. It comes out that the diffusion speed must be at least one order of magnitude (in terms of Knudsen number) smaller than the barycentric speed, in order to recover the Navier-Stokes equations for mixtures in the incompressible limit. Some further numerical tests are also reported. In particular, (1) the solvent and dilute test cases are considered, because they are limiting cases in which the Maxwell-Stefan model reduces automatically to Fickian cases. Moreover, (2) some tests based on the Stefan diffusion tube are reported for proving the complete capabilities of the proposed scheme in solving Maxwell-Stefan diffusion problems. The proposed scheme agrees well with the expected theoretical results.

  20. Modeling the effect of varying swim speeds on fish passage through velocity barriers

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Castro-Santos, T.

    2006-01-01

    The distance fish can swim through zones of high-velocity flow is an important factor limiting the distribution and conservation of riverine and diadromous fishes. Often, these barriers are characterized by nonuniform flow conditions, and it is likely that fish will swim at varying speeds to traverse them. Existing models used to predict passage success, however, typically include the unrealistic assumption that fish swim at a constant speed regardless of the speed of flow. This paper demonstrates how the maximum distance of ascent through velocity barriers can be estimated from the swim speed-fatigue time relationship, allowing for variation in both swim speed and water velocity.

  1. Flight Investigation of the Low-Speed Characteristics of a 45 deg Swept-Wing Fighter-Type Airplane with Blowing Boundary-Layer Control Applied to the Leading- and Trailing-Edge Flaps

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Quigley, Hervey C.; Anderson, Seth B.; Innis, Robert C.

    1960-01-01

    A flight investigation has been conducted to study how pilots use the high lift available with blowing-type boundary-layer control applied to the leading- and trailing-edge flaps of a 45 deg. swept-wing airplane. The study includes documentation of the low-speed handling qualities as well as the pilots' evaluations of the landing-approach characteristics. All the pilots who flew the airplane considered it more comfortable to fly at low speeds than any other F-100 configuration they had flown. The major improvements noted were the reduced stall speed, the improved longitudinal stability at high lift, and the reduction in low-speed buffet. The study has shown the minimum comfortable landing-approach speeds are between 120.5 and 126.5 knots compared to 134 for the airplane with a slatted leading edge and the same trailing-edge flap. The limiting factors in the pilots' choices of landing-approach speeds were the limits of ability to control flight-path angle, lack of visibility, trim change with thrust, low static directional stability, and sluggish longitudinal control. Several of these factors were found to be associated with the high angles of attack, between 13 deg. and 15 deg., required for the low approach speeds. The angle of attack for maximum lift coefficient was 28 deg.

  2. S3: School Zone Safety System Based on Wireless Sensor Network

    PubMed Central

    Yoo, Seong-eun; Chong, Poh Kit; Kim, Daeyoung

    2009-01-01

    School zones are areas near schools that have lower speed limits and where illegally parked vehicles pose a threat to school children by obstructing them from the view of drivers. However, these laws are regularly flouted. Thus, we propose a novel wireless sensor network application called School zone Safety System (S3) to help regulate the speed limit and to prevent illegal parking in school zones. S3 detects illegally parked vehicles, and warns the driver and records the license plate number. To reduce the traveling speed of vehicles in a school zone, S3 measures the speed of vehicles and displays the speed to the driver via an LED display, and also captures the image of the speeding vehicle with a speed camera. We developed a state machine based vehicle detection algorithm for S3. From extensive experiments in our testbeds and data from a real school zone, it is shown that the system can detect all kinds of vehicles, and has an accuracy of over 95% for speed measurement. We modeled the battery life time of a sensor node and validated the model with a downscaled measurement; we estimate the battery life time to be over 2 years. We have deployed S3 in 15 school zones in 2007, and we have demonstrated the robustness of S3 by operating them for over 1 year. PMID:22454567

  3. Dynamic Projection Mapping onto Deforming Non-Rigid Surface Using Deformable Dot Cluster Marker.

    PubMed

    Narita, Gaku; Watanabe, Yoshihiro; Ishikawa, Masatoshi

    2017-03-01

    Dynamic projection mapping for moving objects has attracted much attention in recent years. However, conventional approaches have faced some issues, such as the target objects being limited to rigid objects, and the limited moving speed of the targets. In this paper, we focus on dynamic projection mapping onto rapidly deforming non-rigid surfaces with a speed sufficiently high that a human does not perceive any misalignment between the target object and the projected images. In order to achieve such projection mapping, we need a high-speed technique for tracking non-rigid surfaces, which is still a challenging problem in the field of computer vision. We propose the Deformable Dot Cluster Marker (DDCM), a novel fiducial marker for high-speed tracking of non-rigid surfaces using a high-frame-rate camera. The DDCM has three performance advantages. First, it can be detected even when it is strongly deformed. Second, it realizes robust tracking even in the presence of external and self occlusions. Third, it allows millisecond-order computational speed. Using DDCM and a high-speed projector, we realized dynamic projection mapping onto a deformed sheet of paper and a T-shirt with a speed sufficiently high that the projected images appeared to be printed on the objects.

  4. Changes in speed distribution: Applying aggregated safety effect models to individual vehicle speeds.

    PubMed

    Vadeby, Anna; Forsman, Åsa

    2017-06-01

    This study investigated the effect of applying two aggregated models (the Power model and the Exponential model) to individual vehicle speeds instead of mean speeds. This is of particular interest when the measure introduced affects different parts of the speed distribution differently. The aim was to examine how the estimated overall risk was affected when assuming the models are valid on an individual vehicle level. Speed data from two applications of speed measurements were used in the study: an evaluation of movable speed cameras and a national evaluation of new speed limits in Sweden. The results showed that when applied on individual vehicle speed level compared with aggregated level, there was essentially no difference between these for the Power model in the case of injury accidents. However, for fatalities the difference was greater, especially for roads with new cameras where those driving fastest reduced their speed the most. For the case with new speed limits, the individual approach estimated a somewhat smaller effect, reflecting that changes in the 15th percentile (P15) were somewhat larger than changes in P85 in this case. For the Exponential model there was also a clear, although small, difference between applying the model to mean speed changes and individual vehicle speed changes when speed cameras were used. This applied both for injury accidents and fatalities. There were also larger effects for the Exponential model than for the Power model, especially for injury accidents. In conclusion, applying the Power or Exponential model to individual vehicle speeds is an alternative that provides reasonable results in relation to the original Power and Exponential models, but more research is needed to clarify the shape of the individual risk curve. It is not surprising that the impact on severe traffic crashes was larger in situations where those driving fastest reduced their speed the most. Further investigations on use of the Power and/or the Exponential model at individual vehicle level would require more data on the individual level from a range of international studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Determinants of the reliability of ultrasound tomography sound speed estimates as a surrogate for volumetric breast density

    PubMed Central

    Khodr, Zeina G.; Sak, Mark A.; Pfeiffer, Ruth M.; Duric, Nebojsa; Littrup, Peter; Bey-Knight, Lisa; Ali, Haythem; Vallieres, Patricia; Sherman, Mark E.; Gierach, Gretchen L.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: High breast density, as measured by mammography, is associated with increased breast cancer risk, but standard methods of assessment have limitations including 2D representation of breast tissue, distortion due to breast compression, and use of ionizing radiation. Ultrasound tomography (UST) is a novel imaging method that averts these limitations and uses sound speed measures rather than x-ray imaging to estimate breast density. The authors evaluated the reproducibility of measures of speed of sound and changes in this parameter using UST. Methods: One experienced and five newly trained raters measured sound speed in serial UST scans for 22 women (two scans per person) to assess inter-rater reliability. Intrarater reliability was assessed for four raters. A random effects model was used to calculate the percent variation in sound speed and change in sound speed attributable to subject, scan, rater, and repeat reads. The authors estimated the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for these measures based on data from the authors’ experienced rater. Results: Median (range) time between baseline and follow-up UST scans was five (1–13) months. Contributions of factors to sound speed variance were differences between subjects (86.0%), baseline versus follow-up scans (7.5%), inter-rater evaluations (1.1%), and intrarater reproducibility (∼0%). When evaluating change in sound speed between scans, 2.7% and ∼0% of variation were attributed to inter- and intrarater variation, respectively. For the experienced rater’s repeat reads, agreement for sound speed was excellent (ICC = 93.4%) and for change in sound speed substantial (ICC = 70.4%), indicating very good reproducibility of these measures. Conclusions: UST provided highly reproducible sound speed measurements, which reflect breast density, suggesting that UST has utility in sensitively assessing change in density. PMID:26429241

  6. Determinants of the reliability of ultrasound tomography sound speed estimates as a surrogate for volumetric breast density

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Khodr, Zeina G.; Pfeiffer, Ruth M.; Gierach, Gretchen L., E-mail: GierachG@mail.nih.gov

    Purpose: High breast density, as measured by mammography, is associated with increased breast cancer risk, but standard methods of assessment have limitations including 2D representation of breast tissue, distortion due to breast compression, and use of ionizing radiation. Ultrasound tomography (UST) is a novel imaging method that averts these limitations and uses sound speed measures rather than x-ray imaging to estimate breast density. The authors evaluated the reproducibility of measures of speed of sound and changes in this parameter using UST. Methods: One experienced and five newly trained raters measured sound speed in serial UST scans for 22 women (twomore » scans per person) to assess inter-rater reliability. Intrarater reliability was assessed for four raters. A random effects model was used to calculate the percent variation in sound speed and change in sound speed attributable to subject, scan, rater, and repeat reads. The authors estimated the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for these measures based on data from the authors’ experienced rater. Results: Median (range) time between baseline and follow-up UST scans was five (1–13) months. Contributions of factors to sound speed variance were differences between subjects (86.0%), baseline versus follow-up scans (7.5%), inter-rater evaluations (1.1%), and intrarater reproducibility (∼0%). When evaluating change in sound speed between scans, 2.7% and ∼0% of variation were attributed to inter- and intrarater variation, respectively. For the experienced rater’s repeat reads, agreement for sound speed was excellent (ICC = 93.4%) and for change in sound speed substantial (ICC = 70.4%), indicating very good reproducibility of these measures. Conclusions: UST provided highly reproducible sound speed measurements, which reflect breast density, suggesting that UST has utility in sensitively assessing change in density.« less

  7. Limited angle breast ultrasound tomography with a priori information and artifact removal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jintamethasawat, Rungroj; Zhu, Yunhao; Kripfgans, Oliver D.; Yuan, Jie; Goodsitt, Mitchell M.; Carson, Paul L.

    2017-03-01

    In B-mode images from dual-sided ultrasound, it has been shown that by delineating structures suspected of being relatively homogeneous, one can enhance limited angle tomography to produce speed of sound images in the same view as X-ray Digital Breast Tomography (DBT). This could allow better breast cancer detection and discrimination, as well as improved registration of the ultrasound and X-ray images, because of the similarity of SOS and X-ray contrast in the breast. However, this speed of sound reconstruction method relies strongly on B-mode or other reflection mode segmentation. If that information is limited or incorrect, artifacts will appear in the reconstructed images. Therefore, the iterative speed of sound reconstruction algorithm has been modified in a manner of simultaneously utilizing the image segmentations and removing most artifacts. The first step of incorporating a priori information is solved by any nonlinearnonconvex optimization method while artifact removal is accomplished by employing the fast split Bregman method to perform total-variation (TV) regularization for image denoising. The proposed method was demonstrated in simplified simulations of our dual-sided ultrasound scanner. To speed these computations two opposed 40-element ultrasound linear arrays with 0.5 MHz center frequency were simulated for imaging objects in a uniform background. The proposed speed of sound reconstruction method worked well with both bent-ray and full-wave inversion methods. This is also the first demonstration of successful full-wave medical ultrasound tomography in the limited angle geometry. Presented results lend credibility to a possible translation of this method to clinical breast imaging.

  8. Geographic variation in speed of seed germination in central Oregon ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.).

    Treesearch

    John C. Weber; Frank C. Sorensen

    1992-01-01

    Variation in speed of seed germination was investigated among ponderosa pine trees representing 225 locations in central Oregon. Results suggested that at least some of the geographic variation is related to the severity of summer drought. In general, germination speed was greater in locations with shod, drought-limited growing seasons. Levels of geographic variation...

  9. Aerodynamic Performance Measurements for a Forward Swept Low Noise Fan

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fite, E. Brian

    2006-01-01

    One source of noise in high tip speed turbofan engines, caused by shocks, is called multiple pure tone noise (MPT's). A new fan, called the Quiet High Speed Fan (QHSF), showed reduced noise over the part speed operating range, which includes MPT's. The QHSF showed improved performance in most respects relative to a baseline fan; however, a partspeed instability discovered during testing reduced the operating range below acceptable limits. The measured QHSF adiabatic efficiency on the fixed nozzle acoustic operating line was 85.1 percent and the baseline fan 82.9 percent, a 2.2 percent improvement. The operating line pressure rise at design point rotational speed and mass flow was 1.764 and 1.755 for the QHSF and baseline fan, respectively. Weight flow at design point speed was 98.28 lbm/sec for the QHSF and 97.97 lbm/sec for the baseline fan. The operability margin for the QHSF approached 0 percent at the 75 percent speed operating condition. The baseline fan maintained sufficient margin throughout the operating range as expected. Based on the stage aerodynamic measurements, this concept shows promise for improved performance over current technology if the operability limitations can be solved.

  10. Evidence against a speed limit in multiple-object tracking.

    PubMed

    Franconeri, S L; Lin, J Y; Pylyshyn, Z W; Fisher, B; Enns, J T

    2008-08-01

    Everyday tasks often require us to keep track of multiple objects in dynamic scenes. Past studies show that tracking becomes more difficult as objects move faster. In the present study, we show that this trade-off may not be due to increased speed itself but may, instead, be due to the increased crowding that usually accompanies increases in speed. Here, we isolate changes in speed from variations in crowding, by projecting a tracking display either onto a small area at the center of a hemispheric projection dome or onto the entire dome. Use of the larger display increased retinal image size and object speed by a factor of 4 but did not increase interobject crowding. Results showed that tracking accuracy was equally good in the large-display condition, even when the objects traveled far into the visual periphery. Accuracy was also not reduced when we tested object speeds that limited performance in the small-display condition. These results, along with a reinterpretation of past studies, suggest that we might be able to track multiple moving objects as fast as we can a single moving object, once the effect of object crowding is eliminated.

  11. Limiting (zero-load) speed of the rotary motor of Escherichia coli is independent of the number of torque-generating units

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Bin; Zhang, Rongjing; Yuan, Junhua

    2017-01-01

    Rotation of the bacterial flagellar motor is driven by multiple torque-generating units (stator elements). The torque-generating dynamics can be understood in terms of the “duty ratio” of the stator elements, that is, the fraction of time a stator element engages with the rotor during its mechanochemical cycle. The dependence of the limiting speed (zero-load speed) of the motor on the number of stator elements is the determining test of the duty ratio, which has been controversial experimentally and theoretically over the past decade. Here, we developed a method combining laser dark-field microscopy and optical trapping to resolve this controversy. We found that the zero-load speed is independent of the number of stator elements for the bacterial flagellar motor in Escherichia coli, demonstrating that these elements have a duty ratio close to 1. PMID:29109285

  12. Limiting (zero-load) speed of the rotary motor of Escherichia coli is independent of the number of torque-generating units.

    PubMed

    Wang, Bin; Zhang, Rongjing; Yuan, Junhua

    2017-11-21

    Rotation of the bacterial flagellar motor is driven by multiple torque-generating units (stator elements). The torque-generating dynamics can be understood in terms of the "duty ratio" of the stator elements, that is, the fraction of time a stator element engages with the rotor during its mechanochemical cycle. The dependence of the limiting speed (zero-load speed) of the motor on the number of stator elements is the determining test of the duty ratio, which has been controversial experimentally and theoretically over the past decade. Here, we developed a method combining laser dark-field microscopy and optical trapping to resolve this controversy. We found that the zero-load speed is independent of the number of stator elements for the bacterial flagellar motor in Escherichia coli , demonstrating that these elements have a duty ratio close to 1.

  13. Recent advancements towards green optical networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davidson, Alan; Glesk, Ivan; Buis, Adrianus; Wang, Junjia; Chen, Lawrence

    2014-12-01

    Recent years have seen a rapid growth in demand for ultra high speed data transmission with end users expecting fast, high bandwidth network access. With this rapid growth in demand, data centres are under pressure to provide ever increasing data rates through their networks and at the same time improve the quality of data handling in terms of reduced latency, increased scalability and improved channel speed for users. However as data rates increase, present technology based on well-established CMOS technology is becoming increasingly difficult to scale and consequently data networks are struggling to satisfy current network demand. In this paper the interrelated issues of electronic scalability, power consumption, limited copper interconnect bandwidth and the limited speed of CMOS electronics will be explored alongside the tremendous bandwidth potential of optical fibre based photonic networks. Some applications of photonics to help alleviate the speed and latency in data networks will be discussed.

  14. Solar wind helium ions - Observations of the Helios solar probes between 0.3 and 1 AU

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Marsch, E.; Rosenbauer, H.; Schwenn, R.; Muehlhaeuser, K.-H.; Neubauer, F. M.

    1982-01-01

    A Helios solar probe survey of solar wind helium ion velocity distributions and derived parameters between 0.3 and 1 AU is presented. Distributions in high-speed wind are found to generally have small total anisotropies, with some indication that, in the core part, the temperatures are greater parallel rather than perpendicular to the magnetic field. The anisotropy tends to increase with heliocentric radial distance, and the average dependence of helium ion temperatures on radial distance from the sun is described by a power law. Differential ion speeds with values of more than 150 km/sec are observed near perihelion, or 0.3 AU. The role of Coulomb collisions in limiting differential ion speeds and the ion temperature ratio is investigated, and it is found that collisions play a distinct role in low-speed wind, by limiting both differential ion velocity and temperature.

  15. Mate Finding, Sexual Spore Production, and the Spread of Fungal Plant Parasites.

    PubMed

    Hamelin, Frédéric M; Castella, François; Doli, Valentin; Marçais, Benoît; Ravigné, Virginie; Lewis, Mark A

    2016-04-01

    Sexual reproduction and dispersal are often coupled in organisms mixing sexual and asexual reproduction, such as fungi. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of mate limitation on the spreading speed of fungal plant parasites. Starting from a simple model with two coupled partial differential equations, we take advantage of the fact that we are interested in the dynamics over large spatial and temporal scales to reduce the model to a single equation. We obtain a simple expression for speed of spread, accounting for both sexual and asexual reproduction. Taking Black Sigatoka disease of banana plants as a case study, the model prediction is in close agreement with the actual spreading speed (100 km per year), whereas a similar model without mate limitation predicts a wave speed one order of magnitude greater. We discuss the implications of these results to control parasites in which sexual reproduction and dispersal are intrinsically coupled.

  16. Speed and efficiency limits of multilevel incoherent heat engines.

    PubMed

    Mukherjee, V; Niedenzu, W; Kofman, A G; Kurizki, G

    2016-12-01

    We present a comprehensive theory of heat engines (HE) based on a quantum-mechanical "working fluid" (WF) with periodically modulated energy levels. The theory is valid for any periodicity of driving Hamiltonians that commute with themselves at all times and do not induce coherence in the WF. Continuous and stroke cycles arise in opposite limits of this theory, which encompasses hitherto unfamiliar cycle forms, dubbed here hybrid cycles. The theory allows us to discover the speed, power, and efficiency limits attainable by incoherently operating multilevel HE depending on the cycle form and the dynamical regimes.

  17. Feasibility of shutter-speed DCE-MRI for improved prostate cancer detection.

    PubMed

    Li, Xin; Priest, Ryan A; Woodward, William J; Tagge, Ian J; Siddiqui, Faisal; Huang, Wei; Rooney, William D; Beer, Tomasz M; Garzotto, Mark G; Springer, Charles S

    2013-01-01

    The feasibility of shutter-speed model dynamic-contrast-enhanced MRI pharmacokinetic analyses for prostate cancer detection was investigated in a prebiopsy patient cohort. Differences of results from the fast-exchange-regime-allowed (FXR-a) shutter-speed model version and the fast-exchange-limit-constrained (FXL-c) standard model are demonstrated. Although the spatial information is more limited, postdynamic-contrast-enhanced MRI biopsy specimens were also examined. The MRI results were correlated with the biopsy pathology findings. Of all the model parameters, region-of-interest-averaged K(trans) difference [ΔK(trans) ≡ K(trans)(FXR-a) - K(trans)(FXL-c)] or two-dimensional K(trans)(FXR-a) vs. k(ep)(FXR-a) values were found to provide the most useful biomarkers for malignant/benign prostate tissue discrimination (at 100% sensitivity for a population of 13, the specificity is 88%) and disease burden determination. (The best specificity for the fast-exchange-limit-constrained analysis is 63%, with the two-dimensional plot.) K(trans) and k(ep) are each measures of passive transcapillary contrast reagent transfer rate constants. Parameter value increases with shutter-speed model (relative to standard model) analysis are larger in malignant foci than in normal-appearing glandular tissue. Pathology analyses verify the shutter-speed model (FXR-a) promise for prostate cancer detection. Parametric mapping may further improve pharmacokinetic biomarker performance. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Quantum speed limit constraints on a nanoscale autonomous refrigerator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mukhopadhyay, Chiranjib; Misra, Avijit; Bhattacharya, Samyadeb; Pati, Arun Kumar

    2018-06-01

    Quantum speed limit, furnishing a lower bound on the required time for the evolution of a quantum system through the state space, imposes an ultimate natural limitation to the dynamics of physical devices. Quantum absorption refrigerators, however, have attracted a great deal of attention in the past few years. In this paper, we discuss the effects of quantum speed limit on the performance of a quantum absorption refrigerator. In particular, we show that there exists a tradeoff relation between the steady cooling rate of the refrigerator and the minimum time taken to reach the steady state. Based on this, we define a figure of merit called "bounding second order cooling rate" and show that this scales linearly with the unitary interaction strength among the constituent qubits. We also study the increase of bounding second-order cooling rate with the thermalization strength. We subsequently demonstrate that coherence in the initial three qubit system can significantly increase the bounding second-order cooling rate. We study the efficiency of the refrigerator at maximum bounding second-order cooling rate and, in a limiting case, we show that the efficiency at maximum bounding second-order cooling rate is given by a simple formula resembling the Curzon-Ahlborn relation.

  19. Applications of variable speed control for contending with recurrent highway congestion.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-07-01

    This research project developed vital operational guidelines for design of a variable speed limit (VSL) system and its integrated operations with ramp metering control in contending with recurrent highway congestion. The developed guidelines can serv...

  20. The effect of law enforcement deployment patterns on motorists' speeds : final report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2003-12-01

    The combination of increased demands on Oregons transportation system and limited law enforcement resources has led the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to investigate whether a relationship exists between motorists speeds and law enf...

  1. Variable speed limits system for Elk Mountain corridor.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-10-01

    "Determining an appropriate speed for the current conditions can be difficult for the driver. Equally difficult is for law : enforcement agencies to enforce and cite someone going too fast for conditions. In many cases, drivers are cited for going : ...

  2. Alternative Fuels Data Center

    Science.gov Websites

    a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour (mph) and that must comply with the safety standards in Title have a posted speed limit of 45 mph or less except to cross at an intersection. A county, municipality

  3. 49 CFR 213.307 - Class of track: operating speed limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... operating speed for trains 1 is— Class 6 track 110 m.p.h. Class 7 track 125 m.p.h. Class 8 track 160 m.p.h. 2 Class 9 track 200 m.p.h. 1 Freight may be transported at passenger train speeds if the following... 150 m.p.h. are authorized by this part only in conjunction with a rule of particular applicability...

  4. Computer program for analysis of high speed, single row, angular contact, spherical roller bearing, SASHBEAN. Volume 2: Mathematical formulation and analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aggarwal, Arun K.

    1993-01-01

    Spherical roller bearings have typically been used in applications with speeds limited to about 5000 rpm and loads limited for operation at less than about 0.25 million DN. However, spherical roller bearings are now being designed for high load and high speed applications including aerospace applications. A computer program, SASHBEAN, was developed to provide an analytical tool to design, analyze, and predict the performance of high speed, single row, angular contact (including zero contact angle), spherical roller bearings. The material presented is the mathematical formulation and analytical methods used to develop computer program SASHBEAN. For a given set of operating conditions, the program calculates the bearings ring deflections (axial and radial), roller deflections, contact areas stresses, depth and magnitude of maximum shear stresses, axial thrust, rolling element and cage rotational speeds, lubrication parameters, fatigue lives, and rates of heat generation. Centrifugal forces and gyroscopic moments are fully considered. The program is also capable of performing steady-state and time-transient thermal analyses of the bearing system.

  5. Helicopter far-field acoustic levels as a function of reduced main-rotor advancing blade-tip Mach number

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mueller, Arnold W.; Smith, Charles D.; Lemasurier, Philip

    1990-01-01

    During the design of a helicopter, the weight, engine, rotor speed, and rotor geometry are given significant attention when considering the specific operations for which the helicopter will be used. However, the noise radiated from the helicopter and its relationship to the design variables is currently not well modeled with only a limited set of full-scale field test data to study. In general, limited field data have shown that reduced main-rotor advancing blade-tip Mach numbers result in reduced far-field noise levels. The status of a recent helicopter noise research project is reviewed. It is designed to provide flight experimental data which may be used to further understand helicopter main-rotor advancing blade-tip Mach number effects on far-field acoustic levels. Preliminary results are presented relative to tests conducted with a Sikorsky S-76A helicopter operating with both the rotor speed and the flight speed as the control variable. The rotor speed was operated within the range of 107 to 90 percent NR at nominal forward speeds of 35, 100, and 155 knots.

  6. Evaluation of a five-year Bloomberg Global Road Safety Program in Turkey.

    PubMed

    Gupta, S; Hoe, C; Özkan, T; Lajunen, T J; Vursavas, F; Sener, S; Hyder, A A

    2017-03-01

    Turkey was included in the Bloomberg Philanthropies funded Global Road Safety Program (2010-14) with Ankara and Afyonkarahisar (Afyon) selected for interventions to manage speed and encourage seat-belt use. The objectives of this study are to present the monitoring and evaluation findings of seat-belt use and speed in Afyon and Ankara over the five years and to assess overall impact of the program on road traffic injury, and death rates in Turkey. Quasi-experimental before after without comparison. In collaboration with the Middle East Technical University, roadside observations and interviews were coupled with secondary data to monitor changes in risk factors and outcomes at the two intervention sites. The percentage of seat-belt use among drivers and front-seat passengers in Afyon and Ankara increased significantly between 2010 and 2014 with increased self-reported use and preceded by an increase in tickets (fines) for not using seat belts. There were uneven improvements in speed reduction. In Afyon, the average speed increased significantly from 46.3 km/h in 2012 to about 52.7 km/h in 2014 on roads where the speed limits were 50 km/h. In Ankara, the average speed remained less than 55 km/h during the program period (range: 50-54 km/h; P < 0.005) for roads where the speed limits were 50 km/h; however, the average speed on roads with speed limits of 70 km/h decreased significantly from 80.6 km/h in 2012 to 68.44 km/h in 2014 (P < 0.005). The program contributed to increase in seat-belt use in Afyon and Ankara and by drawing political attention to the issue can contribute to improvements in road safety. We are optimistic that the visible motivation within Turkey to substantially reduce road traffic injuries will lead to increased program implementation matched with a robust evaluation program, with suitable controls. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  7. Piloted Simulation Assessment of a High-Speed Civil Transport Configuration. [conducted with the Langley six-degree-of-freedom Visual Motion Simulator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jackson, E. Bruce; Raney, David L.; Glaab, Louis J.; Derry, Stephen D.

    2002-01-01

    An assessment of a proposed configuration of a high-speed civil transport was conducted by using NASA and industry research pilots. The assessment was conducted to evaluate operational aspects of the configuration from a pilot's perspective, with the primary goal being to identify potential deficiencies in the configuration. The configuration was evaluated within and at the limits of the design operating envelope to determine the suitability of the configuration to maneuver in a typical mission as well as in emergency or envelope-limit conditions. The Cooper-Harper rating scale was used to evaluate the flying qualities of the configuration. A summary flying qualities metric was also calculated. The assessment was performed in the Langley six-degree-of-freedom Visual Motion Simulator. The effect of a restricted cockpit field-of-view due to obstruction by the vehicle nose was not included in this study. Tasks include landings, takeoffs, climbs, descents, overspeeds, coordinated turns, and recoveries from envelope limit excursions. Emergencies included engine failures, loss of stability augmentation, engine inlet unstarts, and emergency descents. Minimum control speeds and takeoff decision, rotation, and safety speeds were also determined.

  8. An open simulation approach to identify chances and limitations for vulnerable road user (VRU) active safety.

    PubMed

    Seiniger, Patrick; Bartels, Oliver; Pastor, Claus; Wisch, Marcus

    2013-01-01

    It is commonly agreed that active safety will have a significant impact on reducing accident figures for pedestrians and probably also bicyclists. However, chances and limitations for active safety systems have only been derived based on accident data and the current state of the art, based on proprietary simulation models. The objective of this article is to investigate these chances and limitations by developing an open simulation model. This article introduces a simulation model, incorporating accident kinematics, driving dynamics, driver reaction times, pedestrian dynamics, performance parameters of different autonomous emergency braking (AEB) generations, as well as legal and logical limitations. The level of detail for available pedestrian accident data is limited. Relevant variables, especially timing of the pedestrian appearance and the pedestrian's moving speed, are estimated using assumptions. The model in this article uses the fact that a pedestrian and a vehicle in an accident must have been in the same spot at the same time and defines the impact position as a relevant accident parameter, which is usually available from accident data. The calculations done within the model identify the possible timing available for braking by an AEB system as well as the possible speed reduction for different accident scenarios as well as for different system configurations. The simulation model identifies the lateral impact position of the pedestrian as a significant parameter for system performance, and the system layout is designed to brake when the accident becomes unavoidable by the vehicle driver. Scenarios with a pedestrian running from behind an obstruction are the most demanding scenarios and will very likely never be avoidable for all vehicle speeds due to physical limits. Scenarios with an unobstructed person walking will very likely be treatable for a wide speed range for next generation AEB systems.

  9. Defining sarcopenia in terms of incident adverse outcomes.

    PubMed

    Woo, Jean; Leung, Jason; Morley, J E

    2015-03-01

    The objectives of this study were to compare the performance of different diagnoses of sarcopenia using European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People, International Working Group on Sarcopenia, and the US Foundation of National Institutes of Health (FNIH) criteria, and the screening tool SARC-F, against the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia consensus panel definitions, in predicting physical limitation, slow walking speed, and repeated chair stand performance, days of hospital stay and mortality at follow up. Longitudinal study. Community survey in Hong Kong. Participants were 4000 men and women 65 years and older living in the community. Information from questionnaire regarding activities of daily living, physical functioning limitations, and constituent questions of SARC-F; body mass index (BMI), grip strength (GS), walking speed, and appendicular muscle mass (ASM). FNIH, consensus panel definitions, and the screening tool SARC-F all have similar AUC values in predicting incident physical limitation and physical performance measures at 4 years, walking speed at 7 years, days of hospital stay at 7 years, and mortality at 10 years. None of the definitions predicted increase in physical limitation at 4 years or mortality at 10 years in women, and none predicted all the adverse outcomes. The highest AUC values were observed for walking speed at 4 and 7 years. When applied to a Chinese elderly population, criteria used for diagnosis of sarcopenia derived from European, Asian, and international consensus panels, from US cutoff values defined from incident physical limitation, and the SARC-F screening tool, all have similar performance in predicting incident physical limitation and mortality. Copyright © 2015 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Variable speed limit system for Elk Mountain corridor.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2010-10-01

    Determining an appropriate speed for the current conditions can be difficult for the driver. Equally difficult is for law : enforcement agencies to enforce and cite someone going too fast for conditions. In many cases, drivers are cited for going : t...

  11. Speed limits for overwidth vehicles on Virginia highways.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1980-01-01

    This memorandum examines the data collected during the Research Council's 1976 study of the transportation of 12- and 14-foot wide manufactured housing units to determine whether the data were adequate for analyzing the effects of wide load speeds on...

  12. Sleep-related vehicle crashes on low speed roads.

    PubMed

    Filtness, A J; Armstrong, K A; Watson, A; Smith, S S

    2017-02-01

    Very little is known about the characteristics of sleep related (SR) crashes occurring on low speed roads compared with current understanding of the role of sleep in crashes occurring on high speed roads e.g. motorways. To address this gap, analyses were undertaken to identify the differences and similarities between (1) SR crashes occurring on roads with low (≤60km/h) and high (≥100km/h) speed limits, and (2) SR crashes and not-SR crashes occurring on roads with low speed limits. Police reports of all crashes occurring on low and high speed roads over a ten year period between 2000 and 2009 were examined for Queensland, Australia. Attending police officers identified all crash attributes, including 'fatigue/fell asleep', which indicates that the police believe the crash to have a causal factor relating to falling asleep, sleepiness due to sleep loss, time of day, or fatigue. Driver or rider involvement in crashes was classified as SR or not-SR. All crash-associated variables were compared using Chi-square tests (Cramer's V=effect size). A series of logistic regression was performed, with driver and crash characteristics as predictors of crash category. A conservative alpha level of 0.001 determined statistical significance. There were 440,855 drivers or riders involved in a crash during this time; 6923 (1.6%) were attributed as SR. SR crashes on low speed roads have similar characteristics to those on high speed roads with young (16-24y) males consistently over represented. SR crashes on low speed roads are noticeably different to not-SR crashes in the same speed zone in that male and young novice drivers are over represented and outcomes are more severe. Of all the SR crashes identified, 41% occurred on low speed roads. SR crashes are not confined to high speed roads. Low speed SR crashes warrant specific investigation because they occur in densely populated areas, exposing a greater number of people to risk and have more severe outcomes than not-SR crashes on the same low speed roads. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Is Intelligent Speed Adaptation ready for deployment?

    PubMed

    Carsten, Oliver

    2012-09-01

    There have been 30 years of research on Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA), the in-vehicle system that is designed to promote compliance with speed limits. Extensive trials of ISA in real-world driving have shown that ISA can significantly reduce speeding, users have been found to have generally positive attitudes and at least some sections of the public have been shown to be willing to purchase ISA systems. Yet large-scale deployment of a system that could deliver huge accident reductions is still by no means guaranteed. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  14. Assessing the effects of noise abatement measures on health risks: A case study in Istanbul

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ongel, Aybike, E-mail: aybike.ongel@eng.bahcesehir.edu.tr; Sezgin, Fatih, E-mail: fatih.sezgin@ibb.gov.tr

    In recent decades, noise pollution caused by industrialization and increased motorization has become a major concern around the world because of its adverse effects on human well-being. Therefore, transportation agencies have been implementing noise abatement measures in order to reduce road traffic noise. However, limited attention is given to noise in environmental assessment of road transportation systems. This paper presents a framework for a health impact assessment model for road transportation noise emissions. The model allows noise impacts to be addressed with the health effects of air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from road transportation. The health damages assessed inmore » the model include annoyance, sleep disturbance, and cardiovascular disease in terms of acute myocardial infarction. The model was applied in a case study in Istanbul in order to evaluate the change in health risks from the implementation of noise abatement strategies. The noise abatement strategies evaluated include altering pavement surfaces in order to absorb noise and introducing speed limits. It was shown that significant improvements in health risks can be achieved using open graded pavement surfaces and introducing speed limits on highways. - Highlights: • Transportation noise has a significant effect on health. • Noise should be included in the environmental assessment of transportation systems. • Traffic noise abatement measures include noise reducing pavements and speed limits. • Noise abatement measures help reduce the health risks of transportation noise. • Speed limit reduction on uncongested roads is an effective way to reduce health risks.« less

  15. Internal Wave Impact on the Performance of a Hypothetical Mine Hunting Sonar

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-10-01

    time steps) to simulate the propagation of the internal wave field through the mine field. Again the transmission loss and acoustic signal strength...dependent internal wave perturbed sound speed profile was evaluated by calculating the temporal variability of the signal excess (SE) of acoustic...internal wave perturbation of the sound speed profile, was calculated for a limited sound speed field time section. Acoustic signals were projected

  16. A Novel Fixed-Target Task to Determine Articulatory Speed Constraints in Persons with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mefferd, Antje S.; Green, Jordan R.; Pattee, Gary

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The goal of this study was to determine if talkers with ALS are limited in their ability to increase lower lip and jaw speed at an early stage of the disease when their speaking rate and intelligibility are only minimally or not affected. Method: A novel metronome paced fixed-target task was used to assess movement speed capacities during…

  17. Diffusive Cosmic-Ray Acceleration at Shock Waves of Arbitrary Speed with Magnetostatic Turbulence. I. General Theory and Correct Nonrelativistic Speed Limit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schlickeiser, R.; Oppotsch, J.

    2017-12-01

    The analytical theory of diffusive acceleration of cosmic rays at parallel stationary shock waves of arbitrary speed with magnetostatic turbulence is developed from first principles. The theory is based on the diffusion approximation to the gyrotropic cosmic-ray particle phase-space distribution functions in the respective rest frames of the up- and downstream medium. We derive the correct cosmic-ray jump conditions for the cosmic-ray current and density, and match the up- and downstream distribution functions at the position of the shock. It is essential to account for the different particle momentum coordinates in the up- and downstream media. Analytical expressions for the momentum spectra of shock-accelerated cosmic rays are calculated. These are valid for arbitrary shock speeds including relativistic shocks. The correctly taken limit for nonrelativistic shock speeds leads to a universal broken power-law momentum spectrum of accelerated particles with velocities well above the injection velocity threshold, where the universal power-law spectral index q≃ 2-{γ }1-4 is independent of the flow compression ratio r. For nonrelativistic shock speeds, we calculate for the first time the injection velocity threshold, settling the long-standing injection problem for nonrelativistic shock acceleration.

  18. Quantum Speed Limit of a Photon under Non-Markovian Dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Zhen-Yu; Zhu, Shi-Qun

    2014-02-01

    Quantum speed limit (QSL) time under noise has drawn considerable attention in real quantum computational processes. Though non-Markovian noise is found to be able to accelerate quantum evolution for a damped Jaynes—Cummings model, in this work we show that non-Markovianity will slow down the quantum evolution of an experimentally controllable photon system. As an application, QSL time of a photon can be controlled by regulating the relevant environment parameter properly, which nearly reaches the currently available photonic experimental technology.

  19. Speed limit study for the State of Louisiana : technical assistance report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-11-01

    The investigation has included an inventory of current road and traffic speed conditions in Louisiana, a review of practice in neighboring states, a literature review of findings in other states and other countries, a survey of District Traffic Opera...

  20. Modeling of 85th percentile speed for rural highways for enhanced traffic safety.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-03-01

    Traffic operation on two-lane rural highways and setting posted speed limits are some of the difficult tasks faced by the : Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) and other transportation agencies. The present study was undertaken to : develop ...

  1. Non-linear dynamic compensation system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lin, Yu-Hwan (Inventor); Lurie, Boris J. (Inventor)

    1992-01-01

    A non-linear dynamic compensation subsystem is added in the feedback loop of a high precision optical mirror positioning control system to smoothly alter the control system response bandwidth from a relatively wide response bandwidth optimized for speed of control system response to a bandwidth sufficiently narrow to reduce position errors resulting from the quantization noise inherent in the inductosyn used to measure mirror position. The non-linear dynamic compensation system includes a limiter for limiting the error signal within preselected limits, a compensator for modifying the limiter output to achieve the reduced bandwidth response, and an adder for combining the modified error signal with the difference between the limited and unlimited error signals. The adder output is applied to control system motor so that the system response is optimized for accuracy when the error signal is within the preselected limits, optimized for speed of response when the error signal is substantially beyond the preselected limits and smoothly varied therebetween as the error signal approaches the preselected limits.

  2. Development of a 300,000-pixel ultrahigh-speed high-sensitivity CCD

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ohtake, H.; Hayashida, T.; Kitamura, K.; Arai, T.; Yonai, J.; Tanioka, K.; Maruyama, H.; Etoh, T. Goji; Poggemann, D.; Ruckelshausen, A.; van Kuijk, H.; Bosiers, Jan T.

    2006-02-01

    We are developing an ultrahigh-speed, high-sensitivity broadcast camera that is capable of capturing clear, smooth slow-motion videos even where lighting is limited, such as at professional baseball games played at night. In earlier work, we developed an ultrahigh-speed broadcast color camera1) using three 80,000-pixel ultrahigh-speed, highsensitivity CCDs2). This camera had about ten times the sensitivity of standard high-speed cameras, and enabled an entirely new style of presentation for sports broadcasts and science programs. Most notably, increasing the pixel count is crucially important for applying ultrahigh-speed, high-sensitivity CCDs to HDTV broadcasting. This paper provides a summary of our experimental development aimed at improving the resolution of CCD even further: a new ultrahigh-speed high-sensitivity CCD that increases the pixel count four-fold to 300,000 pixels.

  3. Flight motor modulation with speed in the hawkmoth Manduca sexta.

    PubMed

    Hedrick, Tyson L; Martínez-Blat, Jorge; Goodman, Mariah J

    2017-01-01

    The theoretical underpinnings for flight, including animal flight with flapping wings, predict a curvilinear U-shaped or J-shaped relationship between flight speed and the power required to maintain that speed. Experimental data have confirmed this relationship for a variety of bird and bat species but not insects, possibly due to differences in aerodynamics and physiology or experimental difficulties. Here we quantify modulation of the main flight motor muscles (the dorsolongitudinal and dorsoventral) via electromyography in hawkmoths (Manduca sexta) flying freely over a range of speeds in a wind tunnel and show that these insects exhibit a U-shaped speed-power relationship, with a minimum power speed of 2ms -1 , indicating that at least large flying insects achieve sufficiently high flight speeds that drag and power become limiting factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Nilsson's Power Model connecting speed and road trauma: applicability by road type and alternative models for urban roads.

    PubMed

    Cameron, M H; Elvik, R

    2010-11-01

    Nilsson (1981) proposed power relationships connecting changes in traffic speeds with changes in road crashes at various levels of injury severity. Increases in fatal crashes are related to the 4(th) power of the increase in mean speed, increases in serious casualty crashes (those involving death or serious injury) according to the 3(rd) power, and increases in casualty crashes (those involving death or any injury) according to the 2(nd) power. Increases in numbers of crash victims at cumulative levels of injury severity are related to the crash increases plus higher powers predicting the number of victims per crash. These relationships are frequently applied in OECD countries to estimate road trauma reductions resulting from expected speed reductions. The relationships were empirically derived based on speed changes resulting from a large number of rural speed limit changes in Sweden during 1967-1972. Nilsson (2004) noted that there had been very few urban speed limit changes studied to test his power model. This paper aims to test the assumption that the model is equally applicable in all road environments. It was found that the road environment is an important moderator of Nilsson's power model. While Nilsson's model appears satisfactory for rural highways and freeways, the model does not appear to be directly applicable to traffic speed changes on urban arterial roads. The evidence of monotonically increasing powers applicable to changes in road trauma at increasing injury severity levels with changes in mean speed is weak. The estimated power applicable to serious casualties on urban arterial roads was significantly less than that on rural highways, which was also significantly less than that on freeways. Alternative models linking the parameters of speed distributions with road trauma are reviewed and some conclusions reached for their use on urban roads instead of Nilsson's model. Further research is needed on the relationships between serious road trauma and urban speeds. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Multi-epoch VLBA Imaging of 20 New TeV Blazars: Apparent Jet Speeds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piner, B. Glenn; Edwards, Philip G.

    2018-01-01

    We present 88 multi-epoch Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) images (most at an observing frequency of 8 GHz) of 20 TeV blazars, all of the high-frequency-peaked BL Lac (HBL) class, that have not been previously studied at multiple epochs on the parsec scale. From these 20 sources, we analyze the apparent speeds of 43 jet components that are all detected at four or more epochs. As has been found for other TeV HBLs, the apparent speeds of these components are relatively slow. About two-thirds of the components have an apparent speed that is consistent (within 2σ) with no motion, and some of these components may be stationary patterns whose apparent speed does not relate to the underlying bulk flow speed. In addition, a superluminal tail to the apparent speed distribution of the TeV HBLs is detected for the first time, with eight components in seven sources having a 2σ lower limit on the apparent speed exceeding 1c. We combine the data from these 20 sources with an additional 18 sources from the literature to analyze the complete apparent speed distribution of all 38 TeV HBLs that have been studied with very long baseline interferometry at multiple epochs. The highest 2σ apparent speed lower limit considering all sources is 3.6c. This suggests that bulk Lorentz factors of up to about 4, but probably not much higher, exist in the parsec-scale radio-emitting regions of these sources, consistent with estimates obtained in the radio by other means such as brightness temperatures. This can be reconciled with the high Lorentz factors estimated from the high-energy data if the jet has velocity structures consisting of different emission regions with different Lorentz factors. In particular, we analyze the current apparent speed data for the TeV HBLs in the context of a model with a fast central spine and a slower outer layer.

  6. Aerodynamic Characteristics of Airfoils at High Speeds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Briggs, L J; Hull, G F; Dryden, H L

    1925-01-01

    This report deals with an experimental investigation of the aerodynamical characteristics of airfoils at high speeds. Lift, drag, and center of pressure measurements were made on six airfoils of the type used by the air service in propeller design, at speeds ranging from 550 to 1,000 feet per second. The results show a definite limit to the speed at which airfoils may efficiently be used to produce lift, the lift coefficient decreasing and the drag coefficient increasing as the speed approaches the speed of sound. The change in lift coefficient is large for thick airfoil sections (camber ratio 0.14 to 0.20) and for high angles of attack. The change is not marked for thin sections (camber ratio 0.10) at low angles of attack, for the speed range employed. At high speeds the center of pressure moves back toward the trailing edge of the airfoil as the speed increases. The results indicate that the use of tip speeds approaching the speed of sound for propellers of customary design involves a serious loss in efficiency.

  7. Effects of line dancing on physical function and perceived limitation in older adults with self-reported mobility limitations.

    PubMed

    Bennett, Crystal G; Hackney, Madeleine E

    2018-06-01

    Older adults with mobility limitations are at greater risk for aging-related declines in physical function. Line dancing is a popular form of exercise that can be modified, and is thus feasible for older adults with mobility limitations. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of 8 weeks of line dancing on balance, muscle strength, lower extremity function, endurance, gait speed, and perceived mobility limitations. An experimental design randomly assigned older adults to either an 8-week line dancing or usual care group. The convenience sample consisted of 23 participants with mobility limitations (age range: 65-93 years). The intervention used simple routines from novice line dance classes. At baseline and at 8 weeks, balance, knee muscle strength, lower extremity function, endurance, gait speed, and mobility limitations were measured. ANCOVA tests were conducted on each dependent variable to assess the effects of the intervention over time. Results found significant positive differences for the intervention group in lower extremity function (p < 0.01); endurance (p < 0.01); gait speed (p < 0.001); and self-reported mobility limitations (p < 0.05). Eight weeks of line dancing significantly improved physical function and reduced self-reported mobility limitations in these individuals. Line dancing could be recommended by clinicians as a potential adjunct therapy that addresses mobility limitations. Implications for Rehabilitation Line dancing may be an alternative exercise for older adults who need modifications due to mobility limitations. Line dancing incorporates cognitive and motor control. Line dancing can be performed alone or in a group setting. Dancing improves balance which can reduce risk of falls.

  8. Simulated Altitude Performance of Combustor of Westinghouse 19XB-1 Jet-Propulsion Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Childs, J. Howard; McCafferty, Richard J.

    1948-01-01

    A 19XB-1 combustor was operated under conditions simulating zero-ram operation of the 19XB-1 turbojet engine at various altitudes and engine speeds. The combustion efficiencies and the altitude operational limits were determined; data were also obtained on the character of the combustion, the pressure drop through the combustor, and the combustor-outlet temperature and velocity profiles. At altitudes about 10,000 feet below the operational limits, the flames were yellow and steady and the temperature rise through the combustor increased with fuel-air ratio throughout the range of fuel-air ratios investigated. At altitudes near the operational limits, the flames were blue and flickering and the combustor was sluggish in its response to changes in fuel flow. At these high altitudes, the temperature rise through the combustor increased very slowly as the fuel flow was increased and attained a maximum at a fuel-air ratio much leaner than the over-all stoichiometric; further increases in fuel flow resulted in decreased values of combustor temperature rise and increased resonance until a rich-limit blow-out occurred. The approximate operational ceiling of the engine as determined by the combustor, using AN-F-28, Amendment-3, fuel, was 30,400 feet at a simulated engine speed of 7500 rpm and increased as the engine speed was increased. At an engine speed of 16,000 rpm, the operational ceiling was approximately 48,000 feet. Throughout the range of simulated altitudes and engine speeds investigated, the combustion efficiency increased with increasing engine speed and with decreasing altitude. The combustion efficiency varied from over 99 percent at operating conditions simulating high engine speed and low altitude operation to less than 50 percent at conditions simulating operation at altitudes near the operational limits. The isothermal total pressure drop through the combustor was 1.82 times as great as the inlet dynamic pressure. As expected from theoretical considerations, a straight-line correlation was obtained when the ratio of the combustor total pressure drop to the combustor-inlet dynamic pressure was plotted as a function of the ratio of the combustor-inlet air density to the combustor-outlet gas density. The combustor-outlet temperature profiles were, in general, more uniform for runs in which the temperature rise was low and the combustion efficiency was high. Inspection of the combustor basket after 36 hours of operation showed very little deterioration and no appreciable carbon deposits.

  9. Control of wind turbine generators connected to power systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hwang, H. H.; Mozeico, H. V.; Gilbert, L. J.

    1978-01-01

    A unique simulation model based on a Mode-O wind turbine is developed for simulating both speed and power control. An analytical representation for a wind turbine that employs blade pitch angle feedback control is presented, and a mathematical model is formulated. For Mode-O serving as a practical case study, results of a computer simulation of the model as applied to the problems of synchronization and dynamic stability are provided. It is shown that the speed and output of a wind turbine can be satisfactorily controlled within reasonable limits by employing the existing blade pitch control system under specified conditions. For power control, an additional excitation control is required so that the terminal voltage, output power factor, and armature current can be held within narrow limits. As a result, the variation of torque angle is limited even if speed control is not implemented simultaneously with power control. Design features of the ERDA/NASA 100-kW Mode-O wind turbine are included.

  10. Compact, high-speed algorithm for laying out printed circuit board runs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zapolotskiy, D. Y.

    1985-09-01

    A high speed printed circuit connection layout algorithm is described which was developed within the framework of an interactive system for designing two-sided printed circuit broads. For this reason, algorithm speed was considered, a priori, as a requirement equally as important as the inherent demand for minimizing circuit run lengths and the number of junction openings. This resulted from the fact that, in order to provide psychological man/machine compatibility in the design process, real-time dialog during the layout phase is possible only within limited time frames (on the order of several seconds) for each circuit run. The work was carried out for use on an ARM-R automated work site complex based on an SM-4 minicomputer with a 32K-word memory. This limited memory capacity heightened the demand for algorithm speed and also tightened data file structure and size requirements. The layout algorithm's design logic is analyzed. The structure and organization of the data files are described.

  11. Impedance of strip-traveling waves on an elastic half space - Asymptotic solution

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Crandall, S. H.; Nigam, A. K.

    1973-01-01

    The dynamic normal-load distribution across a strip that is required to maintain a plane progressive wave along its length is studied for the case where the strip is of infinite length and lies on the surface of a homogeneous isotropic elastic half space. This configuration is proposed as a preliminary idealized model for analyzing the dynamic interaction between soils and flexible foundations. The surface load distribution across the strip and the motion of the strip are related by a pair of dual integral equations. An asymptotic solution is obtained for the limiting case of small wavelength. The nature of this solution depends importantly on the propagation velocity of the strip-traveling wave in comparison with the Rayleigh wave speed, the shear wave speed and the dilatational wave speed. When the strip-traveling wave propagates faster than the Rayleigh wave speed, a pattern of trailing Rayleigh waves is shed from the strip. The limiting amplitude of the trailing waves is provided by the asymptotic solution.

  12. Association of serum bicarbonate with incident functional limitation in older adults.

    PubMed

    Yenchek, Robert; Ix, Joachim H; Rifkin, Dena E; Shlipak, Michael G; Sarnak, Mark J; Garcia, Melissa; Patel, Kushang V; Satterfield, Suzanne; Harris, Tamara B; Newman, Anne B; Fried, Linda F

    2014-12-05

    Cross-sectional studies have found that low serum bicarbonate is associated with slower gait speed. Whether bicarbonate levels independently predict the development of functional limitation has not been previously studied. Whether bicarbonate was associated with incident persistent lower extremity functional limitation and whether the relationship differed in individuals with and without CKD were assessed in participants in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study, a prospective study of well functioning older individuals Functional limitation was defined as difficulty in walking 0.25 miles or up 10 stairs on two consecutive reports 6 months apart in the same activity (stairs or walking). Kidney function was measured using eGFR by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration creatinine equation, and CKD was defined as an eGFR<60 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). Serum bicarbonate was measured using arterialized venous blood gas. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to assess the association of bicarbonate (<23, 23-25.9, and ≥26 mEq/L) with functional limitation. Mixed model linear regression was performed to assess the association of serum bicarbonate on change in gait speed over time. Of 1544 participants, 412 participants developed incident persistent functional limitation events over a median 4.4 years (interquartile range, 3.1 to 4.5). Compared with ≥26 mEq/L, lower serum bicarbonate was associated with functional limitation. After adjustment for demographics, CKD, diabetes, body mass index, smoking, diuretic use, and gait speed, lower serum bicarbonate was significantly associated with functional limitation (hazard ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.08 to 1.68 and hazard ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.12 to 2.22 for bicarbonate levels from 23 to 25.9 and <23, respectively). There was not a significant interaction of bicarbonate with CKD. In addition, bicarbonate was not significantly associated with change in gait speed. Lower serum bicarbonate was associated with greater risk of incident, persistent functional limitation. This association was present in individuals with and without CKD. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  13. Association of Serum Bicarbonate with Incident Functional Limitation in Older Adults

    PubMed Central

    Yenchek, Robert; Ix, Joachim H.; Rifkin, Dena E.; Shlipak, Michael G.; Sarnak, Mark J.; Garcia, Melissa; Patel, Kushang V.; Satterfield, Suzanne; Harris, Tamara B.; Newman, Anne B.

    2014-01-01

    Background and objectives Cross-sectional studies have found that low serum bicarbonate is associated with slower gait speed. Whether bicarbonate levels independently predict the development of functional limitation has not been previously studied. Whether bicarbonate was associated with incident persistent lower extremity functional limitation and whether the relationship differed in individuals with and without CKD were assessed in participants in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study, a prospective study of well functioning older individuals Design, setting, participants, & measurements Functional limitation was defined as difficulty in walking 0.25 miles or up 10 stairs on two consecutive reports 6 months apart in the same activity (stairs or walking). Kidney function was measured using eGFR by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration creatinine equation, and CKD was defined as an eGFR<60 ml/min per 1.73 m2. Serum bicarbonate was measured using arterialized venous blood gas. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to assess the association of bicarbonate (<23, 23–25.9, and ≥26 mEq/L) with functional limitation. Mixed model linear regression was performed to assess the association of serum bicarbonate on change in gait speed over time. Results Of 1544 participants, 412 participants developed incident persistent functional limitation events over a median 4.4 years (interquartile range, 3.1 to 4.5). Compared with ≥26 mEq/L, lower serum bicarbonate was associated with functional limitation. After adjustment for demographics, CKD, diabetes, body mass index, smoking, diuretic use, and gait speed, lower serum bicarbonate was significantly associated with functional limitation (hazard ratio, 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.08 to 1.68 and hazard ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.12 to 2.22 for bicarbonate levels from 23 to 25.9 and <23, respectively). There was not a significant interaction of bicarbonate with CKD. In addition, bicarbonate was not significantly associated with change in gait speed. Conclusions Lower serum bicarbonate was associated with greater risk of incident, persistent functional limitation. This association was present in individuals with and without CKD. PMID:25381341

  14. Illegal road crossing behavior of pedestrians at overpass locations: Factors affecting gap acceptance, crossing times and overpass use.

    PubMed

    Demiroz, Y I; Onelcin, P; Alver, Y

    2015-07-01

    The aim of designing overpasses is to provide safe road crossings for pedestrians by helping them to avoid conflicts with motor vehicles. However, the number of pedestrians who do not use overpasses to cross the road is very high. An observational survey of illegal road crossings was conducted at four overpass locations in Izmir, Turkey to determine the crossing time, crossing speed of the pedestrians and their distance and time gap perception for safe road-crossing within 25 m of the overpasses in both directions. Crossing time is the time needed for a pedestrian to cross a particular road. Time gap is strongly related with safety margin. If a pedestrian chooses a larger time gap, then the arrival time of the oncoming vehicle to the crossing point of the pedestrian increases thus, the possibility of a collision decreases. Each overpass was observed on weekdays during peak afternoon (12.30-13.30) and evening hours (17.00-18.00). At all overpass locations 454 illegal crossings were observed. ANOVA results revealed that age had a significant effect both on safety margin and crossing time. During the observations a survey was conducted among pedestrians who completed their crossings either using the overpass or at street level within 25 m of the overpass (n=231). Factors affecting the crossing choice of pedestrians were specified in the surveys. The major part of the respondents (71.7%) indicated that time saving was the main reason for crossing at street level. Pedestrians' crossing speeds were extracted from the video recordings to observe the effect of speed limit on pedestrian behavior. As a result, at locations where the speed limit was 70 km/h, pedestrians' average crossing speed was found to be 1.60 m/s and 1.73 m/s while at locations where the speed limit was 50 km/h, pedestrians' average crossing speed was found to be 1.04 m/s and 0.97 m/s. This shows that pedestrians feel safer while crossing when the vehicle speed is low. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. CMOS Image Sensors for High Speed Applications.

    PubMed

    El-Desouki, Munir; Deen, M Jamal; Fang, Qiyin; Liu, Louis; Tse, Frances; Armstrong, David

    2009-01-01

    Recent advances in deep submicron CMOS technologies and improved pixel designs have enabled CMOS-based imagers to surpass charge-coupled devices (CCD) imaging technology for mainstream applications. The parallel outputs that CMOS imagers can offer, in addition to complete camera-on-a-chip solutions due to being fabricated in standard CMOS technologies, result in compelling advantages in speed and system throughput. Since there is a practical limit on the minimum pixel size (4∼5 μm) due to limitations in the optics, CMOS technology scaling can allow for an increased number of transistors to be integrated into the pixel to improve both detection and signal processing. Such smart pixels truly show the potential of CMOS technology for imaging applications allowing CMOS imagers to achieve the image quality and global shuttering performance necessary to meet the demands of ultrahigh-speed applications. In this paper, a review of CMOS-based high-speed imager design is presented and the various implementations that target ultrahigh-speed imaging are described. This work also discusses the design, layout and simulation results of an ultrahigh acquisition rate CMOS active-pixel sensor imager that can take 8 frames at a rate of more than a billion frames per second (fps).

  16. Identifying beliefs underlying pre-drivers' intentions to take risks: An application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

    PubMed

    Rowe, Richard; Andrews, Elizabeth; Harris, Peter R; Armitage, Christopher J; McKenna, Frank P; Norman, Paul

    2016-04-01

    Novice motorists are at high crash risk during the first few months of driving. Risky behaviours such as speeding and driving while distracted are well-documented contributors to crash risk during this period. To reduce this public health burden, effective road safety interventions need to target the pre-driving period. We use the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to identify the pre-driver beliefs underlying intentions to drive over the speed limit (N=77), and while over the legal alcohol limit (N=72), talking on a hand-held mobile phone (N=77) and feeling very tired (N=68). The TPB explained between 41% and 69% of the variance in intentions to perform these behaviours. Attitudes were strong predictors of intentions for all behaviours. Subjective norms and perceived behavioural control were significant, though weaker, independent predictors of speeding and mobile phone use. Behavioural beliefs underlying these attitudes could be separated into those reflecting perceived disadvantages (e.g., speeding increases my risk of crash) and advantages (e.g., speeding gives me a thrill). Interventions that can make these beliefs safer in pre-drivers may reduce crash risk once independent driving has begun. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Validated biomechanical model for efficiency and speed of rowing.

    PubMed

    Pelz, Peter F; Vergé, Angela

    2014-10-17

    The speed of a competitive rowing crew depends on the number of crew members, their body mass, sex and the type of rowing-sweep rowing or sculling. The time-averaged speed is proportional to the rower's body mass to the 1/36th power, to the number of crew members to the 1/9th power and to the physiological efficiency (accounted for by the rower's sex) to the 1/3rd power. The quality of the rowing shell and propulsion system is captured by one dimensionless parameter that takes the mechanical efficiency, the shape and drag coefficient of the shell and the Froude propulsion efficiency into account. We derive the biomechanical equation for the speed of rowing by two independent methods and further validate it by successfully predicting race times. We derive the theoretical upper limit of the Froude propulsion efficiency for low viscous flows. This upper limit is shown to be a function solely of the velocity ratio of blade to boat speed (i.e., it is completely independent of the blade shape), a result that may also be of interest for other repetitive propulsion systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Digitally controlled analog proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller for high-speed scanning probe microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dukic, Maja; Todorov, Vencislav; Andany, Santiago; Nievergelt, Adrian P.; Yang, Chen; Hosseini, Nahid; Fantner, Georg E.

    2017-12-01

    Nearly all scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) contain a feedback controller, which is used to move the scanner in the direction of the z-axis in order to maintain a constant setpoint based on the tip-sample interaction. The most frequently used feedback controller in SPMs is the proportional-integral (PI) controller. The bandwidth of the PI controller presents one of the speed limiting factors in high-speed SPMs, where higher bandwidths enable faster scanning speeds and higher imaging resolution. Most SPM systems use digital signal processor-based PI feedback controllers, which require analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters. These converters introduce additional feedback delays which limit the achievable imaging speed and resolution. In this paper, we present a digitally controlled analog proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller. The controller implementation allows tunability of the PID gains over a large amplification and frequency range, while also providing precise control of the system and reproducibility of the gain parameters. By using the analog PID controller, we were able to perform successful atomic force microscopy imaging of a standard silicon calibration grating at line rates up to several kHz.

  19. Digitally controlled analog proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller for high-speed scanning probe microscopy.

    PubMed

    Dukic, Maja; Todorov, Vencislav; Andany, Santiago; Nievergelt, Adrian P; Yang, Chen; Hosseini, Nahid; Fantner, Georg E

    2017-12-01

    Nearly all scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) contain a feedback controller, which is used to move the scanner in the direction of the z-axis in order to maintain a constant setpoint based on the tip-sample interaction. The most frequently used feedback controller in SPMs is the proportional-integral (PI) controller. The bandwidth of the PI controller presents one of the speed limiting factors in high-speed SPMs, where higher bandwidths enable faster scanning speeds and higher imaging resolution. Most SPM systems use digital signal processor-based PI feedback controllers, which require analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters. These converters introduce additional feedback delays which limit the achievable imaging speed and resolution. In this paper, we present a digitally controlled analog proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller. The controller implementation allows tunability of the PID gains over a large amplification and frequency range, while also providing precise control of the system and reproducibility of the gain parameters. By using the analog PID controller, we were able to perform successful atomic force microscopy imaging of a standard silicon calibration grating at line rates up to several kHz.

  20. An implicit non-self-report measure of attitudes to speeding: development and validation.

    PubMed

    Hatfield, Julie; Fernandes, Ralston; Faunce, Gavin; Job, R F Soames

    2008-03-01

    Speeding is a major contributor to road trauma and attitudes toward speeding are hypothesised to be a key determinant of the behaviour. Attitudinal research is limited by reliance on self-report measures and the attendant possibility of reporting biases. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) aims to measure attitudes without reliance on self-report, by assessing the association between a target-concept and an evaluation, in terms of reaction time for compatible versus non-compatible pairings. The present research aimed to develop and evaluate an IAT to measure attitudes to speeding. Forty-five licensed drivers completed the speed-related IAT, and drove a driving simulator. Participants also completed a questionnaire that assessed self-reported attitudes to speeding, and several variables theoretically related to attitudes, including speeding behaviour. Observed IAT results suggested that attitudes toward speeding are negative, and were generally consistent with results derived from the simulated driving and self-reported behaviours, beliefs, and attitudes. Thus, the speed-related IAT appears to be a valid measure of attitudes toward speeding, which might be used to measure attitudes in road safety research without reliance on self-report.

  1. A Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of the Lift and Drag Characteristics of Hydrofoils at Subcritical and Supercritical Speeds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wadlin, Kenneth L; Shuford, Charles L , Jr; Mcgehee, John R

    1955-01-01

    A theoretical and experimental investigation at subcavitation speeds was made of the effect of the free-water surface and rigid boundaries on the lift and drag of an aspect-ratio-10 hydrofoil at both subcritical and supercritical speeds and of an aspect ratio-4 hydrofoil at supercritical speeds. Approximate theoretical solutions for the effects of the free-water surface and rigid boundaries on drag at subcritical speeds are developed. An approximate theoretical solution for the effects of these boundaries on drag at subcritical speeds is also presented. The agreement between theory and experiment at both supercritical and subcritical speeds is satisfactory for engineering calculations of hydrofoil characteristics from aerodynamic data. The experimental investigation indicated no appreciable effect of the limiting speed of wave propagation on lift-curve slope or angle of zero lift. It also showed that the increase in drag as the critical speed is approached from the supercritical range is gradual. The result is contrary to the abrupt increase at the critical speed predicted by theory.

  2. Speed limit-related issues on gravel roads.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-03-01

    In the United States, there are nearly 1.6 million miles of unpaved roads. Total length of unpaved roads in Kansas is : about 98,000 miles, of which about 78,000 miles are gravel roads. Most of the gravel roads are not typically posted : with speed l...

  3. Legal Issues Raised by ORBIS, a Motor Vehicle Speed Detection Device Taking Photos of Speeders

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1973-12-01

    The report reviews the legal basis for certain potential challenges to the use of unmanned mechanical devices which (a) detect motor vehicles exceeding predetermined speed limits, and (b) photograph both the front portion of these vehicles and the fa...

  4. Calculated performance, stability and maneuverability of high-speed tilting-prop-rotor aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, Wayne; Lau, Benton H.; Bowles, Jeffrey V.

    1986-01-01

    The feasibility of operating tilting-prop-rotor aircraft at high speeds is examined by calculating the performance, stability, and maneuverability of representative configurations. The rotor performance is examined in high-speed cruise and in hover. The whirl-flutter stability of the coupled-wing and rotor motion is calculated in the cruise mode. Maneuverability is examined in terms of the rotor-thrust limit during turns in helicopter configuration. Rotor airfoils, rotor-hub configuration, wing airfoil, and airframe structural weights representing demonstrated advance technology are discussed. Key rotor and airframe parameters are optimized for high-speed performance and stability. The basic aircraft-design parameters are optimized for minimum gross weight. To provide a focus for the calculations, two high-speed tilt-rotor aircraft are considered: a 46-passenger, civil transport and an air-combat/escort fighter, both with design speeds of about 400 knots. It is concluded that such high-speed tilt-rotor aircraft are quite practical.

  5. Study on Stability of High Speed Traction Drive CVT for Aircraft Generator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goi, Tatsuhiko; Tanaka, Hirohisa; Nakashima, Kenichi; Watanabe, Koji

    A half-toroidal traction drive CVT has a feature of small spin at traction pitch in whole speed ratio range of 1:4, which suits to transmit high rotational speed with minimum temperature increase of traction surface. Research activity on traction drive CVT has commenced in 1996 for applying it to an aircraft 24,000rpm constant-speed generator instead of a hydro-static transmission. This paper shows fundamental design of 90kW traction drive integrated drive generator, ``T-IDG", and stability analysis on a sensor-less electro-hydraulic speed control servo-mechanism by bond graphs. The performance test of T-IDG mounted on a test bench and an actual jet engine proved that the control system using sensor-less servomechanism can keep the generator speed within MIL-STD-704E allowable limit against steep changes of speed and load.

  6. Propagation of a Free Flame in a Turbulent Gas Stream

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mickelsen, William R; Ernstein, Norman E

    1956-01-01

    Effective flame speeds of free turbulent flames were measured by photographic, ionization-gap, and photomultiplier-tube methods, and were found to have a statistical distribution attributed to the nature of the turbulent field. The effective turbulent flame speeds for the free flame were less than those previously measured for flames stabilized on nozzle burners, Bunsen burners, and bluff bodies. The statistical spread of the effective turbulent flame speeds was markedly wider in the lean and rich fuel-air-ratio regions, which might be attributed to the greater sensitivity of laminar flame speed to flame temperature in those regions. Values calculated from the turbulent free-flame-speed analysis proposed by Tucker apparently form upper limits for the statistical spread of free-flame-speed data. Hot-wire anemometer measurements of the longitudinal velocity fluctuation intensity and longitudinal correlation coefficient were made and were employed in the comparison of data and in the theoretical calculation of turbulent flame speed.

  7. HPOTP low-speed flexible rotor balancing, phase 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Giordano, J.; Zorzi, E.

    1985-01-01

    A method was developed that shows promise in overcoming many balancing limitations. This method establishes one or more windows for low speed, out-of-housing balancing of flexible rotors. These windows are regions of speed and support flexibility where two conditions are simultaneously fulfilled. First, the rotor system behaves flexibly; therefore, there is separation among balance planes. Second, the response due to balance weights is large enough to reliably measure. The analytic formulation of the low-speed flexible rotor balancing method is described. The results of proof-of-principle tests conducted under the program are presented. Based on this effort, it is concluded that low speed flexible rotor balancing is a viable technology. In particular, the method can be used to balance a rotor bearing system at low speed which results in smooth operation above more than one bending critical speed. Furthermore, this balancing methodology is applicable to SSME turbopump rotors.

  8. A Novel Speed Compensation Method for ISAR Imaging with Low SNR

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yongxiang; Zhang, Shuanghui; Zhu, Dekang; Li, Xiang

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, two novel speed compensation algorithms for ISAR imaging under a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) condition have been proposed, which are based on the cubic phase function (CPF) and the integrated cubic phase function (ICPF), respectively. These two algorithms can estimate the speed of the target from the wideband radar echo directly, which breaks the limitation of speed measuring in a radar system. With the utilization of non-coherent accumulation, the ICPF-based speed compensation algorithm is robust to noise and can meet the requirement of speed compensation for ISAR imaging under a low SNR condition. Moreover, a fast searching implementation strategy, which consists of coarse search and precise search, has been introduced to decrease the computational burden of speed compensation based on CPF and ICPF. Experimental results based on radar data validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. PMID:26225980

  9. Preliminary Results of the Determination of Inlet-Pressure Distortion Effects on Compressor Stall and Altitude Operating Limits of the J57-P-1 Turbojet Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wallner, L. E.; Lubick, R. J.; Chelko, L. J.

    1955-01-01

    During an investigation of the J57-P-1 turbojet engine in the Lewis altitude wind tunnel, effects of inlet-flow distortion on engine stall characteristics and operating limits were determined. In addition to a uniform inlet-flow profile, the inlet-pressure distortions imposed included two radial, two circumferential, and one combined radial-circumferential profile. Data were obtained over a range of compressor speeds at an altitude of 50,000 and a flight Mach number of 0.8; in addition, the high- and low-speed engine operating limits were investigated up to the maximum operable altitude. The effect of changing the compressor bleed position on the stall and operating limits was determined for one of the inlet distortions. The circumferential distortions lowered the compressor stall pressure ratios; this resulted in less fuel-flow margin between steady-state operation and compressor stall. Consequently, the altitude operating Limits with circumferential distortions were reduced compared with the uniform inlet profile. Radial inlet-pressure distortions increased the pressure ratio required for compressor stall over that obtained with uniform inlet flow; this resulted in higher altitude operating limits. Likewise, the stall-limit fuel flows required with the radial inlet-pressure distortions were considerably higher than those obtained with the uniform inlet-pressure profile. A combined radial-circumferential inlet distortion had effects on the engine similar to the circumferential distortion. Bleeding air between the two compressors eliminated the low-speed stall limit and thus permitted higher altitude operation than was possible without compressor bleed.

  10. Flight speed and performance of the wandering albatross with respect to wind.

    PubMed

    Richardson, Philip L; Wakefield, Ewan D; Phillips, Richard A

    2018-01-01

    Albatrosses and other large seabirds use dynamic soaring to gain sufficient energy from the wind to travel large distances rapidly and with little apparent effort. The recent development of miniature bird-borne tracking devices now makes it possible to explore the physical and biological implications of this means of locomotion in detail. Here we use GPS tracking and concurrent reanalyzed wind speed data to model the flight performance of wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans soaring over the Southern Ocean. We investigate the extent to which flight speed and performance of albatrosses is facilitated or constrained by wind conditions encountered during foraging trips. We derived simple equations to model observed albatross ground speed as a function of wind speed and relative wind direction. Ground speeds of the tracked birds in the along-wind direction varied primarily by wind-induced leeway, which averaged 0.51 (± 0.02) times the wind speed at a reference height of 5 m. By subtracting leeway velocity from ground velocity, we were able to estimate airspeed (the magnitude of the bird's velocity through the air). As wind speeds increased from 3 to 18 m/s, the airspeed of wandering albatrosses flying in an across-wind direction increased by 0.42 (± 0.04) times the wind speed (i.e. ~ 6 m/s). At low wind speeds, tracked birds increased their airspeed in upwind flight relative to that in downwind flight. At higher wind speeds they apparently limited their airspeeds to a maximum of around 20 m/s, probably to keep the forces on their wings in dynamic soaring well within tolerable limits. Upwind airspeeds were nearly constant and downwind leeway increased with wind speed. Birds therefore achieved their fastest upwind ground speeds (~ 9 m/s) at low wind speeds (~ 3 m/s). This study provides insights into which flight strategies are optimal for dynamic soaring. Our results are consistent with the prediction that the optimal range speed of albatrosses is higher in headwind than tailwind flight but only in wind speeds of up to ~ 7 m/s. Our models predict that wandering albatrosses have oval-shaped airspeed polars, with the fastest airspeeds ~ 20 m/s centered in the across-wind direction. This suggests that in upwind flight in high winds, albatrosses can increase their ground speed by tacking like sailboats.

  11. Flying Qualities (Qualites de Vol)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-02-01

    a typical lan-ling condition ,n " High kift’ý confirpurati.on, low speed , goar down, No criticaitiss come tip from the liy-ear...lateral canitol tark. In case of low~ speed , high dive ang~le or, for delayel bombe, ( i-e. i/ A > " ) , CMh’. f,7eqvtiacy responsev curlve moves toward the...approach case or the initial slope manoeuvre limiting or carefree handling of a non-lirear command in a . high speed facilities will usually have

  12. 78 FR 66252 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-05

    ... actions are intended to alert pilots to avoid certain engine speeds during steady- state operations...%. The proposed requirements were intended to alert pilots to avoid certain engine speeds during steady... the RFMs, advising pilots of the change, and installing a decal as described in Bell Alert Service...

  13. 76 FR 17022 - Special Conditions: Gulfstream Model GVI Airplane; High Incidence Protection

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-28

    ... Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone..., limits the angle of attack at which the airplane can be flown during normal low speed operation, and... the stall speed determination, the stall characteristics, the stall warning demonstration, and the...

  14. High-speed imaging using compressed sensing and wavelength-dependent scattering (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shin, Jaewook; Bosworth, Bryan T.; Foster, Mark A.

    2017-02-01

    The process of multiple scattering has inherent characteristics that are attractive for high-speed imaging with high spatial resolution and a wide field-of-view. A coherent source passing through a multiple-scattering medium naturally generates speckle patterns with diffraction-limited features over an arbitrarily large field-of-view. In addition, the process of multiple scattering is deterministic allowing a given speckle pattern to be reliably reproduced with identical illumination conditions. Here, by exploiting wavelength dependent multiple scattering and compressed sensing, we develop a high-speed 2D time-stretch microscope. Highly chirped pulses from a 90-MHz mode-locked laser are sent through a 2D grating and a ground-glass diffuser to produce 2D speckle patterns that rapidly evolve with the instantaneous frequency of the chirped pulse. To image a scene, we first characterize the high-speed evolution of the generated speckle patterns. Subsequently we project the patterns onto the microscopic region of interest and collect the total light from the scene using a single high-speed photodetector. Thus the wavelength dependent speckle patterns serve as high-speed pseudorandom structured illumination of the scene. An image sequence is then recovered using the time-dependent signal received by the photodetector, the known speckle pattern evolution, and compressed sensing algorithms. Notably, the use of compressed sensing allows for reconstruction of a time-dependent scene using a highly sub-Nyquist number of measurements, which both increases the speed of the imager and reduces the amount of data that must be collected and stored. We will discuss our experimental demonstration of this approach and the theoretical limits on imaging speed.

  15. Correlation of the Trim Limits of Stability Obtained for a PB2Y-3 Flying Boat and a 1/8-Size Powered Dynamic Model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Garrison, Charlie C.; Hacskaylo, Andrew

    1947-01-01

    Tests of a PB2Y-3 flying boat were made at the U.S> Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Md., to determine its hydrodynamic trim limits of stability. Corresponding tests were also made of a 1/8-size powered dynamic model of the same flying boat in Langley tank no. 1. During the tank tests, the full-size testing procedure was reproduced as closely as possible in order to obtain data for a direct correlation of the results. As a nominal gross load of 66,000 pounds, the lower trim limits of the full-size and model were in good agreement above a speed of 80 feet per second. As the speed decreased below 80 feet per second, the difference between the model trim limits and full-scale trim limits gradually became larger. The upper trim limit of the model with flaps deflected 0 deg was higher than that of the full-size, but the difference was small over the speed range compared. At flap deflections greater than 0 deg, it was not possible to trim either the model of the airplane to the upper limit with the center of gravity at 28 percent of the mean aerodynamic chord. The decrease in the lower trim limits with increase in flap deflection showed good agreement for the airplane and model. The lower trim limits obtained at different gross loads for the full-size airplane were reduced to approximately a single curve by plotting trim against the square root of C(sub delta (sub o)) divided by C(sub V).

  16. Size as a determinant of reading speed

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bailey, I.; Clear, R.; Berman, S.

    1992-03-01

    The speed of reading unrelated words as a function of luminance, size, and contrast, was measured with an eye movement monitor for fifteen young adults. Subjects read up to 5,000 words in a test session, with the exact number depending upon their acuity. The size of the smallest legible print at a given luminance and contrast for these subjects was found to fit well to the Blackwell-Taylor detection threshold data above about 1 minute of arc. At lower sizes inclusion of a resolution size term provided an excellent fit. Reading speed was fit to a number of visual performance models.more » It was found that for most subjects that a ratio of the print size to an estimate of the threshold print size (a VL{sub size}) gave the best fits to the data. The threshold size was computed with a fit to the Blackwell-Taylor detection threshold data, modified to include a resolution size term as above. For the sole remaining subject a slightly better fit was obtained with a VL{sub contrast} model, where again the thresholds were modified by a limiting size term. The implication of these results for visual performance modeling is discussed. The reading speed for all subjects varied rapidly with size near the acuity limit, but became almost independent of visibility parameters as long as size is two times the acuity limit. These results show that size is a powerful determinant of reading speed, and suggest that minification of about 1/2 power could be used as a field test for adequate visibility.« less

  17. Size as a determinant of reading speed

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bailey, I.; Clear, R.; Berman, S.

    1992-03-01

    The speed of reading unrelated words as a function of luminance, size, and contrast, was measured with an eye movement monitor for fifteen young adults. Subjects read up to 5,000 words in a test session, with the exact number depending upon their acuity. The size of the smallest legible print at a given luminance and contrast for these subjects was found to fit well to the Blackwell-Taylor detection threshold data above about 1 minute of arc. At lower sizes inclusion of a resolution size term provided an excellent fit. Reading speed was fit to a number of visual performance models.more » It was found that for most subjects that a ratio of the print size to an estimate of the threshold print size (a VL[sub size]) gave the best fits to the data. The threshold size was computed with a fit to the Blackwell-Taylor detection threshold data, modified to include a resolution size term as above. For the sole remaining subject a slightly better fit was obtained with a VL[sub contrast] model, where again the thresholds were modified by a limiting size term. The implication of these results for visual performance modeling is discussed. The reading speed for all subjects varied rapidly with size near the acuity limit, but became almost independent of visibility parameters as long as size is two times the acuity limit. These results show that size is a powerful determinant of reading speed, and suggest that minification of about 1/2 power could be used as a field test for adequate visibility.« less

  18. A limit on the variation of the speed of light arising from quantum gravity effects

    DOE PAGES

    Abdo, A. A.; Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; ...

    2009-10-28

    A cornerstone of Einstein's special relativity is Lorentz invariance—the postulate that all observers measure exactly the same speed of light in vacuum, independent of photon-energy. While special relativity assumes that there is no fundamental length-scale associated with such invariance, there is a fundamental scale (the Planck scale, l Planck ≈ 1.62 x 10 -33 cm or E Planck = M Planckc 2 ≈ 1.22 x 10 19 GeV), at which quantum effects are expected to strongly affect the nature of space–time. There is great interest in the (not yet validated) idea that Lorentz invariance might break near the Planck scale.more » A key test of such violation of Lorentz invariance is a possible variation of photon speed with energy. Even a tiny variation in photon speed, when accumulated over cosmological light-travel times, may be revealed by observing sharp features in γ-ray burst (GRB) light-curves. In this paper, we report the detection of emission up to ~31 GeV from the distant and short GRB 090510. We find no evidence for the violation of Lorentz invariance, and place a lower limit of 1.2E Planck on the scale of a linear energy dependence (or an inverse wavelength dependence), subject to reasonable assumptions about the emission (equivalently we have an upper limit of l Planck/1.2 on the length scale of the effect). Finally, our results disfavour quantum-gravity theories in which the quantum nature of space–time on a very small scale linearly alters the speed of light.« less

  19. A limit on the variation of the speed of light arising from quantum gravity effects.

    PubMed

    Abdo, A A; Ackermann, M; Ajello, M; Asano, K; Atwood, W B; Axelsson, M; Baldini, L; Ballet, J; Barbiellini, G; Baring, M G; Bastieri, D; Bechtol, K; Bellazzini, R; Berenji, B; Bhat, P N; Bissaldi, E; Bloom, E D; Bonamente, E; Bonnell, J; Borgland, A W; Bouvier, A; Bregeon, J; Brez, A; Briggs, M S; Brigida, M; Bruel, P; Burgess, J M; Burnett, T H; Caliandro, G A; Cameron, R A; Caraveo, P A; Casandjian, J M; Cecchi, C; Celik, O; Chaplin, V; Charles, E; Cheung, C C; Chiang, J; Ciprini, S; Claus, R; Cohen-Tanugi, J; Cominsky, L R; Connaughton, V; Conrad, J; Cutini, S; Dermer, C D; de Angelis, A; de Palma, F; Digel, S W; Dingus, B L; do Couto E Silva, E; Drell, P S; Dubois, R; Dumora, D; Farnier, C; Favuzzi, C; Fegan, S J; Finke, J; Fishman, G; Focke, W B; Foschini, L; Fukazawa, Y; Funk, S; Fusco, P; Gargano, F; Gasparrini, D; Gehrels, N; Germani, S; Gibby, L; Giebels, B; Giglietto, N; Giordano, F; Glanzman, T; Godfrey, G; Granot, J; Greiner, J; Grenier, I A; Grondin, M-H; Grove, J E; Grupe, D; Guillemot, L; Guiriec, S; Hanabata, Y; Harding, A K; Hayashida, M; Hays, E; Hoversten, E A; Hughes, R E; Jóhannesson, G; Johnson, A S; Johnson, R P; Johnson, W N; Kamae, T; Katagiri, H; Kataoka, J; Kawai, N; Kerr, M; Kippen, R M; Knödlseder, J; Kocevski, D; Kouveliotou, C; Kuehn, F; Kuss, M; Lande, J; Latronico, L; Lemoine-Goumard, M; Longo, F; Loparco, F; Lott, B; Lovellette, M N; Lubrano, P; Madejski, G M; Makeev, A; Mazziotta, M N; McBreen, S; McEnery, J E; McGlynn, S; Mészáros, P; Meurer, C; Michelson, P F; Mitthumsiri, W; Mizuno, T; Moiseev, A A; Monte, C; Monzani, M E; Moretti, E; Morselli, A; Moskalenko, I V; Murgia, S; Nakamori, T; Nolan, P L; Norris, J P; Nuss, E; Ohno, M; Ohsugi, T; Omodei, N; Orlando, E; Ormes, J F; Ozaki, M; Paciesas, W S; Paneque, D; Panetta, J H; Parent, D; Pelassa, V; Pepe, M; Pesce-Rollins, M; Petrosian, V; Piron, F; Porter, T A; Preece, R; Rainò, S; Ramirez-Ruiz, E; Rando, R; Razzano, M; Razzaque, S; Reimer, A; Reimer, O; Reposeur, T; Ritz, S; Rochester, L S; Rodriguez, A Y; Roth, M; Ryde, F; Sadrozinski, H F-W; Sanchez, D; Sander, A; Saz Parkinson, P M; Scargle, J D; Schalk, T L; Sgrò, C; Siskind, E J; Smith, D A; Smith, P D; Spandre, G; Spinelli, P; Stamatikos, M; Stecker, F W; Strickman, M S; Suson, D J; Tajima, H; Takahashi, H; Takahashi, T; Tanaka, T; Thayer, J B; Thayer, J G; Thompson, D J; Tibaldo, L; Toma, K; Torres, D F; Tosti, G; Troja, E; Uchiyama, Y; Uehara, T; Usher, T L; van der Horst, A J; Vasileiou, V; Vilchez, N; Vitale, V; von Kienlin, A; Waite, A P; Wang, P; Wilson-Hodge, C; Winer, B L; Wood, K S; Wu, X F; Yamazaki, R; Ylinen, T; Ziegler, M

    2009-11-19

    A cornerstone of Einstein's special relativity is Lorentz invariance-the postulate that all observers measure exactly the same speed of light in vacuum, independent of photon-energy. While special relativity assumes that there is no fundamental length-scale associated with such invariance, there is a fundamental scale (the Planck scale, l(Planck) approximately 1.62 x 10(-33) cm or E(Planck) = M(Planck)c(2) approximately 1.22 x 10(19) GeV), at which quantum effects are expected to strongly affect the nature of space-time. There is great interest in the (not yet validated) idea that Lorentz invariance might break near the Planck scale. A key test of such violation of Lorentz invariance is a possible variation of photon speed with energy. Even a tiny variation in photon speed, when accumulated over cosmological light-travel times, may be revealed by observing sharp features in gamma-ray burst (GRB) light-curves. Here we report the detection of emission up to approximately 31 GeV from the distant and short GRB 090510. We find no evidence for the violation of Lorentz invariance, and place a lower limit of 1.2E(Planck) on the scale of a linear energy dependence (or an inverse wavelength dependence), subject to reasonable assumptions about the emission (equivalently we have an upper limit of l(Planck)/1.2 on the length scale of the effect). Our results disfavour quantum-gravity theories in which the quantum nature of space-time on a very small scale linearly alters the speed of light.

  20. What benefit does Intelligent Speed Adaptation deliver: a close examination of its effect on vehicle speeds.

    PubMed

    Lai, Frank; Carsten, Oliver

    2012-09-01

    Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) is a driver support system which brings the speed limit information into the vehicle. This paper describes the UK ISA field trials taken place between 2004 and 2006 and presents evidence on how drivers' choice of speed is altered. The ISA system was observed to have a distinctive effect in transforming the speed distribution from a conventional bell shape to an asymmetric distribution biased towards the high speed end. ISA not only diminished excessive speeding, but also led to a reduction in speed variation, prompting a positive implication to accident reduction. The use of an overridable ISA system also provided an opportunity to investigate where drivers would choose to have ISA based on observed behaviour instead of opinion. Evidence shows that ISA tends to be overridden on roads where it was perhaps needed most. Behavioural difference among driver groups also suggests that ISA tends to be overridden by those drivers who in safety terms stand to benefit most from using it, as with other safety systems. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. SU-E-J-155: Utilizing Varian TrueBeam Developer Mode for the Quantification of Mechanical Limits and the Simulation of 4D Respiratory Motion

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Moseley, D; Dave, M

    Purpose: Use Varian TrueBeam Developer mode to quantify the mechanical limits of the couch and to simulate 4D respiratory motion. Methods: An in-house MATLAB based GUI was created to make the BEAM XML files. The couch was moved in a triangular wave in the S/I direction with varying amplitudes (1mm, 5mm, 10mm, and 50mm) and periods (3s, 6s, and 9s). The periods were determined by specifying the speed. The theoretical positions were compared to the values recorded by the machine at 50 Hz. HD videos were taken for certain tests as external validation. 4D Respiratory motion was simulated by anmore » A/P MV beam being delivered while the couch moved in an elliptical manner. The ellipse had a major axis of 2 cm (S/I) and a minor axis of 1 cm (A/P). Results: The path planned by the TrueBeam deviated from the theoretical triangular form as the speed increased. Deviations were noticed starting at a speed of 3.33 cm/s (50mm amplitude, 6s period). The greatest deviation occurred in the 50mm- 3s sequence with a correlation value of −0.13 and a 27% time increase; the plan essentially became out of phase. Excluding these two, the plans had correlation values of 0.99. The elliptical sequence effectively simulated a respiratory pattern with a period of 6s. The period could be controlled by changing the speeds or the dose rate. Conclusion: The work first shows the quantification of the mechanical limits of the couch and the speeds at which the proposed plans begin to deviate. These limits must be kept in mind when programming other couch sequences. The methodology can be used to quantify the limits of other axes. Furthermore, the work shows the possibility of creating 4D respiratory simulations without using specialized phantoms or motion-platforms. This can be further developed to program patient-specific breathing patterns.« less

  2. Trends and characteristics of animal-vehicle collisions in the United States.

    PubMed

    Sullivan, John M

    2011-02-01

    Since 1990, fatal animal-vehicle collisions (AVCs) in the United States have more than doubled. This paper examines annual AVC trends in the United States over a 19-year period, seasonal and diurnal patterns of AVC risk, the geographic distribution of crash risk by state, and the association between posted speed limit and AVC crash risk in darkness. AVCs were compiled from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the General Estimates System (GES) for the years 1990-2008 to examine annual crash trends for fatal and nonfatal crashes. Seasonal trends for fatal AVCs were examined with the aggregated FARS dataset; seasonal trends for fatal and nonfatal AVCs were also examined by aggregating four years of Michigan crash data. State-by-state distributions of fatal AVCs were also described with the aggregated FARS dataset. Finally, the relationship between posted speed limit and the odds that a fatal or nonfatal AVC occurred in darkness were examined with logistic regressions using the aggregated FARS and Michigan datasets. Between 1990 and 2008, fatal AVCs increased by 104% and by 1.3 crashes per trillion vehicle miles travelled per year. Although not all AVCs involve deer, daily and seasonal AVC crash trends follow the general activity pattern of deer populations, consistent with prior reports. The odds that a fatal AVC occurred in darkness were also found to increase by 2.3% for each mile-per-hour increase in speed; a similar, albeit smaller, effect was also observed in the aggregated Michigan dataset, among nonfatal crashes. AVCs represent a small but increasing share of crashes in the United States. Seasonal and daily variation in the pattern of AVCs seem to follow variation in deer exposure and ambient light level. Finally, the relative risk that a fatal and nonfatal AVC occurred in darkness is influenced by posted speed limit, suggesting that a driver's limited forward vision at night plays a role in AVCs, as it does in pedestrian collisions. The association between speed limit and crash risk in darkness suggests that AVC risk might be reduced with countermeasures that improve a driver's forward view of the road. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Scaling of Magnetic Reconnection in Relativistic Collisionless Pair Plasmas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, Yi-Hsin; Guo, Fan; Daughton, William; Li, Hui; Hesse, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Using fully kinetic simulations, we study the scaling of the inflow speed of collisionless magnetic reconnection in electron-positron plasmas from the non-relativistic to ultra-relativistic limit. In the anti-parallel configuration, the inflow speed increases with the upstream magnetization parameter sigma and approaches the speed of light when sigma is greater than O(100), leading to an enhanced reconnection rate. In all regimes, the divergence of the pressure tensor is the dominant term responsible for breaking the frozen-in condition at the x-line. The observed scaling agrees well with a simple model that accounts for the Lorentz contraction of the plasma passing through the diffusion region. The results demonstrate that the aspect ratio of the diffusion region, modified by the compression factor of proper density, remains approximately 0.1 in both the non-relativistic and relativistic limits.

  4. DMD-based quantitative phase microscopy and optical diffraction tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Renjie

    2018-02-01

    Digital micromirror devices (DMDs), which offer high speed and high degree of freedoms in steering light illuminations, have been increasingly applied to optical microscopy systems in recent years. Lately, we introduced DMDs into digital holography to enable new imaging modalities and break existing imaging limitations. In this paper, we will first present our progress in using DMDs for demonstrating laser-illumination Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM) with shotnoise limited detection. After that, we will present a novel common-path quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) system based on using a DMD. Building on those early developments, a DMD-based high speed optical diffraction tomography (ODT) system has been recently demonstrated, and the results will also be presented. This ODT system is able to achieve video-rate 3D refractive-index imaging, which can potentially enable observations of high-speed 3D sample structural changes.

  5. Use of Visual and Proprioceptive Feedback to Improve Gait Speed and Spatiotemporal Symmetry Following Chronic Stroke: A Case Series

    PubMed Central

    Feasel, Jeff; Wentz, Erin; Brooks, Frederick P.; Whitton, Mary C.

    2012-01-01

    Background and Purpose Persistent deficits in gait speed and spatiotemporal symmetry are prevalent following stroke and can limit the achievement of community mobility goals. Rehabilitation can improve gait speed, but has shown limited ability to improve spatiotemporal symmetry. The incorporation of combined visual and proprioceptive feedback regarding spatiotemporal symmetry has the potential to be effective at improving gait. Case Description A 60-year-old man (18 months poststroke) and a 53-year-old woman (21 months poststroke) each participated in gait training to improve gait speed and spatiotemporal symmetry. Each patient performed 18 sessions (6 weeks) of combined treadmill-based gait training followed by overground practice. To assist with relearning spatiotemporal symmetry, treadmill-based training for both patients was augmented with continuous, real-time visual and proprioceptive feedback from an immersive virtual environment and a dual belt treadmill, respectively. Outcomes Both patients improved gait speed (patient 1: 0.35 m/s improvement; patient 2: 0.26 m/s improvement) and spatiotemporal symmetry. Patient 1, who trained with step-length symmetry feedback, improved his step-length symmetry ratio, but not his stance-time symmetry ratio. Patient 2, who trained with stance-time symmetry feedback, improved her stance-time symmetry ratio. She had no step-length asymmetry before training. Discussion Both patients made improvements in gait speed and spatiotemporal symmetry that exceeded those reported in the literature. Further work is needed to ascertain the role of combined visual and proprioceptive feedback for improving gait speed and spatiotemporal symmetry after chronic stroke. PMID:22228605

  6. Spinal fusion limits upper body range of motion during gait without inducing compensatory mechanisms in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients.

    PubMed

    Holewijn, R M; Kingma, I; de Kleuver, M; Schimmel, J J P; Keijsers, N L W

    2017-09-01

    Previous studies show a limited alteration of gait at normal walking speed after spinal fusion surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), despite the presumed essential role of spinal mobility during gait. This study analyses how spinal fusion affects gait at more challenging walking speeds. More specifically, we investigated whether thoracic-pelvic rotations are reduced to a larger extent at higher gait speeds and whether compensatory mechanisms above and below the stiffened spine are present. 18 AIS patients underwent gait analysis at increasing walking speeds (0.45 to 2.22m/s) before and after spinal fusion. The range of motion (ROM) of the upper (thorax, thoracic-pelvic and pelvis) and lower body (hip, knee and ankle) was determined in all three planes. Spatiotemporal parameters of interest were stride length and cadence. Spinal fusion diminished transverse plane thoracic-pelvic ROM and this difference was more explicit at higher walking speeds. Transversal pelvis ROM was also decreased but this effect was not affected by speed. Lower body ROM, step length and cadence remained unaffected. Despite the reduction of upper body ROM after spine surgery during high speed gait, no altered spatiotemporal parameters or increased compensatory ROM above or below the fusion (i.e. in the shoulder girdle or lower extremities) was identified. Thus, it remains unclear how patients can cope so well with such major surgery. Future studies should focus on analyzing the kinematics of individual spinal levels above and below the fusion during gait to investigate possible compensatory mechanisms within the spine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Relationships between thrill seeking, speeding attitudes, and driving violations among a sample of motorsports spectators and drivers.

    PubMed

    Yıldırım-Yenier, Zümrüt; Vingilis, Evelyn; Wiesenthal, David L; Mann, Robert E; Seeley, Jane

    2016-01-01

    Motor racing includes high speed driving and risky maneuvers and can result in negative outcomes for both spectators and drivers. Interest in motorsports is also associated with risky driving attitudes and behaviors on public roads as well as with individual difference variables, such as sensation seeking. However, whether the links between motorsports involvement and risky driving tendencies differ for spectators and drivers has remained mainly unexamined. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between thrill seeking, attitudes toward speeding, and self-reported driving violations among a sample of motorsports spectators and drivers. A web-based survey was conducted and sampled 408 members and visitors of car club and racing websites in Ontario, Canada. The questionnaire included measures of (i) motorsports involvement, (ii) thrill seeking (Driver Thrill Seeking Scale), (iii) attitudes (Attitudes toward Speed Limits on Roadways and Competitive Attitudes toward Driving Scale); (iv) self-reported driving violations (adapted from Driver Behaviour Questionnaire), and (v) background variables. Path analysis was performed to test the relationships among the variables. For both spectators and drivers, thrill seeking directly predicted driving violations; competitive attitudes toward driving further mediated this relationship. Attitudes toward speed limits, however, mediated the relationship between thrill seeking and violations only for drivers. We observed significant relationships among individual difference measures, motorsports involvement, speeding attitudes and violations that may inform road safety interventions, including differences in the relationships among thrill seeking, speeding attitudes, and violations for motorsports spectators and drivers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. 14 CFR 121.420 - Flight navigators: Initial and transition ground training.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... limitations and methods of compensation. (6) Cruise control charts and data, including fuel consumption rates... type airplane: (1) Limitations on climb, cruise, and descent speeds. (2) Each item of navigational...

  9. 14 CFR 121.420 - Flight navigators: Initial and transition ground training.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... limitations and methods of compensation. (6) Cruise control charts and data, including fuel consumption rates... type airplane: (1) Limitations on climb, cruise, and descent speeds. (2) Each item of navigational...

  10. Optical microwave interactions in semiconductor devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Figueroa, L.; Slayman, C. W.; Yen, H. W.

    1980-11-01

    The results of an extensive characterization of high speed analog modulation of (GaAl)As injection lasers, high speed optical detectors, and mode locking of (GaAl)As injection lasers are presented. Commercial injection lasers were successfully modulated up to 5 GHz. The 5 GHz value represents a practical upper limit to the modulation bandwith of existing commercial lasers. The laser equivalent circuit was characterized and the parasitics were found to play a significant role in the high speed modulation of the injection laser.

  11. Numerical modeling of probe velocity effects for electromagnetic NDE methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shin, Y. K.; Lord, W.

    The present discussion of magnetic flux (MLF) leakage inspection introduces the behavior of motion-induced currents. The results obtained indicate that velocity effects exist at even low probe speeds for magnetic materials, compelling the inclusion of velocity effects in MLF testing of oil pipelines, where the excitation level and pig speed are much higher than those used in the present work. Probe velocity effect studies should influence probe design, defining suitable probe speed limits and establishing training guidelines for defect-characterization schemes.

  12. Quantitative Studies on the Propagation and Extinction of Near-Limit Premixed Flames under Normal- and Micro-gravity

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Egolfopoulos, F. N.; Dong, Y.; Spedding, G.; Cuenot, B.; Poinsot, T.

    2001-01-01

    Strained laminar flames have been systematically studied, as the understanding of their structure and dynamic behavior is of relevance to turbulent combustion.. Most of these studies have been conducted in opposed-jet, stagnation-type flow configurations. Studies at high strain rates are important in quantifying and understanding the response of vigorously burning flames and determine extinction states. Studies of weakly strained flames can be of particular interest for all stoichiometries. For example, the laminar flame speeds, S(sup o)(sub u), can be accurately determined by using the counterflow technique only if measurements are obtained at very low strain rates. Furthermore, near-limit flames are stabilized by weak strain rates. Previous studies have shown that near-limit flames are particularly sensitive to chain mechanisms, thermal radiation, and unsteadiness. The stabilization and study of weakly strained flames is complicated by the presence of buoyancy that can render the flames unstable to the point of extinction. Thus, the use of microgravity (mu-g) becomes essential in order to provide meaningful insight into this important combustion regime. In our past studies the laminar flame speeds and extinction strain rates were directly measured at ultra-low strain rates. The laminar flame speeds were measured by having a positively strained planar flame undergoing a transition to a negatively strained Bunsen flame and by measuring the propagation speed during that transition. The extinction strain rates of near-limit flames were measured in mu-g. Results obtained for CH4/air and C3H8/air mixtures are in agreement with those obtained by Maruta et al.

  13. SU-E-T-144: Effective Analysis of VMAT QA Generated Trajectory Log Files for Medical Accelerator Predictive Maintenance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Able, CM; Baydush, AH; Nguyen, C

    Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of SPC analysis for a model predictive maintenance process that uses accelerator generated parameter and performance data contained in trajectory log files. Methods: Each trajectory file is decoded and a total of 131 axes positions are recorded (collimator jaw position, gantry angle, each MLC, etc.). This raw data is processed and either axis positions are extracted at critical points during the delivery or positional change over time is used to determine axis velocity. The focus of our analysis is the accuracy, reproducibility and fidelity of each axis. A reference positional trace of the gantry andmore » each MLC is used as a motion baseline for cross correlation (CC) analysis. A total of 494 parameters (482 MLC related) were analyzed using Individual and Moving Range (I/MR) charts. The chart limits were calculated using a hybrid technique that included the use of the standard 3σ limits and parameter/system specifications. Synthetic errors/changes were introduced to determine the initial effectiveness of I/MR charts in detecting relevant changes in operating parameters. The magnitude of the synthetic errors/changes was based on: TG-142 and published analysis of VMAT delivery accuracy. Results: All errors introduced were detected. Synthetic positional errors of 2mm for collimator jaw and MLC carriage exceeded the chart limits. Gantry speed and each MLC speed are analyzed at two different points in the delivery. Simulated Gantry speed error (0.2 deg/sec) and MLC speed error (0.1 cm/sec) exceeded the speed chart limits. Gantry position error of 0.2 deg was detected by the CC maximum value charts. The MLC position error of 0.1 cm was detected by the CC maximum value location charts for every MLC. Conclusion: SPC I/MR evaluation of trajectory log file parameters may be effective in providing an early warning of performance degradation or component failure for medical accelerator systems.« less

  14. Rockwell-Rocketdyne flywheel test results

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Steele, R.S. Jr.; Babelay, E.F. Jr.; Sutton, B.J.

    1981-01-01

    Results are presented of the spin test evaluation of the Rockwell-Rocketdyne RPE-10 design flywheel at the Oak Ridge Flywheel Evaluation Laboratory. Details of the static evaluation, including measures of weight, inertia, natural frequencies, and radiography, are also presented. The flywheel was subjected to seven spin cycles with a maximum of 383 rps, 105% of design speed. At that speed, the energy stored was 1.94 kWhr at 36.1 Whr/kg. The maximum speed was limited by the inability of the test facility to accommodate the increasing eccentric shift of both hub disks with increasing speed. No material degradation was observed during themore » testing.« less

  15. Rockwell-Rocketdyne flywheel test results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Steele, R. S., Jr.; Babelay, E. F., Jr.; Sutton, B. J.

    1981-01-01

    Results are presented of the spin test evaluation of the Rockwell-Rocketdyne RPE-10 design flywheel at the Oak Ridge Flywheel Evaluation Laboratory. Details of the static evaluation, including measures of weight, inertia, natural frequencies, and radiography, are also presented. The flywheel was subjected to seven spin cycles with a maximum of 383 rps, 105% of design speed. At that speed, the energy stored was 1.94 kWhr at 36.1 Whr/kg. The maximum speed was limited by the inability of the test facility to accommodate the increasing eccentric shift of both hub disks with increasing speed. No material degradation was observed during the testing.

  16. Evaluating the impacts of grades on vehicular speeds on interstate highways.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xinqiang; Li, Zhibin; Wang, Yinhai; Cui, Zhiyong; Shi, Chaojian; Wu, Huafeng

    2017-01-01

    Grade variation on interstate highways affects the roadway geometric design, vehicle performance and driver behavior, thus possibly exerting an unexpected effect on vehicular speed. Hence, determining the internal relationship between grade and speed is important and useful for drivers, traffic regulators and other traffic participants. However, the problem with performing this research is the lack of large-scale gradient and speed data. Google Earth (GE) provides an application programming interface for extracting elevation data worldwide. The elevation dataset from GE can be easily converted to grade data. In addition, our team has collected and stored speed series data for different freeways over several years. Based on the above obtainable grade and speed datasets, we conducted research on the effect of grades on free flow speeds from two perspectives. First, the influence of grades on speed was analyzed from both quantitative and qualitative aspects. The analysis of the distributions of four typical types of speeds demonstrated a decreasing tendency as the speed increased. Steeper grades generated a more intense speed fluctuation in terms of the four types of speeds. Second, a model based on the Student's t-test was developed to evaluate the level of significant difference among speed series under neighboring grades. The Student's t-test demonstrated that adjacent grades do not significantly influence the speeds. In summary, speeds under different grades showed obviously different tendencies. The findings of this study can help transport authorities set more reasonable speed limits and improve the geometric design of interstates with grade variation constraints.

  17. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Herfst, Rodolf; Dekker, Bert; Witvoet, Gert

    One of the major limitations in the speed of the atomic force microscope (AFM) is the bandwidth of the mechanical scanning stage, especially in the vertical (z) direction. According to the design principles of “light and stiff” and “static determinacy,” the bandwidth of the mechanical scanner is limited by the first eigenfrequency of the AFM head in case of tip scanning and by the sample stage in terms of sample scanning. Due to stringent requirements of the system, simply pushing the first eigenfrequency to an ever higher value has reached its limitation. We have developed a miniaturized, high speed AFMmore » scanner in which the dynamics of the z-scanning stage are made insensitive to its surrounding dynamics via suspension of it on specific dynamically determined points. This resulted in a mechanical bandwidth as high as that of the z-actuator (50 kHz) while remaining insensitive to the dynamics of its base and surroundings. The scanner allows a practical z scan range of 2.1 μm. We have demonstrated the applicability of the scanner to the high speed scanning of nanostructures.« less

  18. Scanning digital lithography providing high speed large area patterning with diffraction limited sub-micron resolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wen, Sy-Bor; Bhaskar, Arun; Zhang, Hongjie

    2018-07-01

    A scanning digital lithography system using computer controlled digital spatial light modulator, spatial filter, infinity correct optical microscope and high precision translation stage is proposed and examined. Through utilizing the spatial filter to limit orders of diffraction modes for light delivered from the spatial light modulator, we are able to achieve diffraction limited deep submicron spatial resolution with the scanning digital lithography system by using standard one inch level optical components with reasonable prices. Raster scanning of this scanning digital lithography system using a high speed high precision x-y translation stage and piezo mount to real time adjust the focal position of objective lens allows us to achieve large area sub-micron resolved patterning with high speed (compared with e-beam lithography). It is determined in this study that to achieve high quality stitching of lithography patterns with raster scanning, a high-resolution rotation stage will be required to ensure the x and y directions of the projected pattern are in the same x and y translation directions of the nanometer precision x-y translation stage.

  19. Speed Limits: Orientation and Semantic Context Interactions Constrain Natural Scene Discrimination Dynamics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rieger, Jochem W.; Kochy, Nick; Schalk, Franziska; Gruschow, Marcus; Heinze, Hans-Jochen

    2008-01-01

    The visual system rapidly extracts information about objects from the cluttered natural environment. In 5 experiments, the authors quantified the influence of orientation and semantics on the classification speed of objects in natural scenes, particularly with regard to object-context interactions. Natural scene photographs were presented in an…

  20. 14 CFR 29.33 - Main rotor speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... helicopters required to have a main rotor low speed warning under paragraph (e) of this section, it must be... warning for helicopters. For each single engine helicopter, and each multiengine helicopter that does not... be furnished either through the inherent aerodynamic qualities of the helicopter or by a device. (3...

  1. 14 CFR 29.33 - Main rotor speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... helicopters required to have a main rotor low speed warning under paragraph (e) of this section, it must be... warning for helicopters. For each single engine helicopter, and each multiengine helicopter that does not... be furnished either through the inherent aerodynamic qualities of the helicopter or by a device. (3...

  2. 14 CFR 27.33 - Main rotor speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... helicopters required to have a main rotor low speed warning under paragraph (e) of this section. It must be... warning for helicopters. For each single engine helicopter, and each multiengine helicopter that does not... be furnished either through the inherent aerodynamic qualities of the helicopter or by a device. (3...

  3. 14 CFR 27.33 - Main rotor speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... helicopters required to have a main rotor low speed warning under paragraph (e) of this section. It must be... warning for helicopters. For each single engine helicopter, and each multiengine helicopter that does not... be furnished either through the inherent aerodynamic qualities of the helicopter or by a device. (3...

  4. 14 CFR 27.33 - Main rotor speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... helicopters required to have a main rotor low speed warning under paragraph (e) of this section. It must be... warning for helicopters. For each single engine helicopter, and each multiengine helicopter that does not... be furnished either through the inherent aerodynamic qualities of the helicopter or by a device. (3...

  5. 14 CFR 29.33 - Main rotor speed and pitch limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... helicopters required to have a main rotor low speed warning under paragraph (e) of this section, it must be... warning for helicopters. For each single engine helicopter, and each multiengine helicopter that does not... be furnished either through the inherent aerodynamic qualities of the helicopter or by a device. (3...

  6. 14 CFR 23.203 - Turning flight and accelerated turning stalls.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... use of the flight controls, but without increasing power and without— (1) Excessive loss of altitude... permissible speed or allowable limit load factor. (c) Compliance with the requirements of this section must be.../speedbrakes: Retracted and extended unless they have no measureable effect at low speeds. (5) Power: (i) Power...

  7. 14 CFR 23.203 - Turning flight and accelerated turning stalls.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... use of the flight controls, but without increasing power and without— (1) Excessive loss of altitude... permissible speed or allowable limit load factor. (c) Compliance with the requirements of this section must be.../speedbrakes: Retracted and extended unless they have no measureable effect at low speeds. (5) Power: (i) Power...

  8. 78 FR 65206 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-31

    ... engine speeds during steady- state operations. These actions are intended to alert pilots to avoid... intended to alert pilots to avoid certain engine speeds during steady- state operations, prevent failure of... decal as described in Bell Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 430-05-34, dated June 10, 2005 (ASB 430-05...

  9. 78 FR 65202 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-31

    ... engine speeds during steady-state operations. These actions are intended to alert pilots to avoid certain... operation between speeds of 71% and 92%. The proposed requirements were intended to alert pilots to avoid... amending the RFM, advising pilots of the change, and installing a decal as described in Bell Alert Service...

  10. 78 FR 65200 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-31

    ... vibrations at certain engine speeds during steady- state operations. These actions are intended to alert... proposed requirements were intended to alert pilots to avoid certain engine speeds during steady-state... the change, and installing a decal as described in Bell Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 407-05-67...

  11. AUTOMOTIVE DIESEL MAINTENANCE 1. UNIT VI, MAINTAINING MECHANICAL GOVERNORS--DETROIT DIESEL ENGINES.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Human Engineering Inst., Cleveland, OH.

    THIS MODULE OF A 30-MODULE COURSE IS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF MECHANICAL GOVERNORS USED ON DIESEL ENGINES. TOPICS ARE (1) TYPES OF GOVERNORS AND ENGINE LOCATION, (2) GOVERNOR APPLICATIONS, (3) LIMITING SPEED MECHANICAL GOVERNOR, (4) VARIABLE SPEED MECHANICAL GOVERNOR, AND (5) CONSTANT SPEED…

  12. 14 CFR 23.1545 - Airspeed indicator.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ...) The following markings must be made: (1) For the never-exceed speed V NE, a radial red line. (2) For the caution range, a yellow arc extending from the red line specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this... gear and wing flaps retracted, and the upper limit at the maximum structural cruising speed V NO...

  13. Accessible Buildings for People with Walking and Reaching Limitations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steinfeld, Edward; And Others

    Research was reviewed and conducted regarding the accessibility of buildings for physically disabled persons. Data was produced regarding anthropometrics (eye level and reach limits for ambulant, semiambulant, and wheelchair bound persons); wheelchair maneuvers; speed and distance (maximum travel distances for people with limitations of stamina);…

  14. Ankle Plantarflexor Spasticity Does Not Restrict the Recovery of Ankle Plantarflexor Strength or Ankle Power Generation for Push-Off During Walking Following Traumatic Brain Injury.

    PubMed

    Williams, Gavin; Banky, Megan; Olver, John

    2016-01-01

    The main aim of this project was to determine the impact of plantarflexor spasticity on muscle performance for ambulant people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). A large metropolitan rehabilitation hospital. Seventy-two ambulant people with TBI who were attending physiotherapy for mobility limitations. Twenty-four participants returned for a 6-month follow-up reassessment. Cross-sectional cohort study. Self-selected walking speed, Tardieu scale, ankle plantarflexor strength, and ankle power generation (APG). Participants with ankle plantarflexor spasticity had significantly lower self-selected walking speed; however, there was no significant difference in ankle plantarflexor strength or APG. Participants with ankle plantarflexor spasticity were not restricted in the recovery of self-selected walking speed, ankle plantarflexor strength, or APG, indicating equivalent ability to improve their mobility over time despite the presence of spasticity. Following TBI, people with ankle plantarflexor spasticity have significantly greater mobility limitations than those without spasticity, yet retain the capacity for recovery of self-selected walking speed, ankle plantarflexor strength, and APG.

  15. Open | SpeedShop: An Open Source Infrastructure for Parallel Performance Analysis

    DOE PAGES

    Schulz, Martin; Galarowicz, Jim; Maghrak, Don; ...

    2008-01-01

    Over the last decades a large number of performance tools has been developed to analyze and optimize high performance applications. Their acceptance by end users, however, has been slow: each tool alone is often limited in scope and comes with widely varying interfaces and workflow constraints, requiring different changes in the often complex build and execution infrastructure of the target application. We started the Open | SpeedShop project about 3 years ago to overcome these limitations and provide efficient, easy to apply, and integrated performance analysis for parallel systems. Open | SpeedShop has two different faces: it provides an interoperable tool set covering themore » most common analysis steps as well as a comprehensive plugin infrastructure for building new tools. In both cases, the tools can be deployed to large scale parallel applications using DPCL/Dyninst for distributed binary instrumentation. Further, all tools developed within or on top of Open | SpeedShop are accessible through multiple fully equivalent interfaces including an easy-to-use GUI as well as an interactive command line interface reducing the usage threshold for those tools.« less

  16. High-speed time-reversed ultrasonically encoded (TRUE) optical focusing inside dynamic scattering media at 793 nm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Yan; Lai, Puxiang; Ma, Cheng; Xu, Xiao; Suzuki, Yuta; Grabar, Alexander A.; Wang, Lihong V.

    2014-03-01

    Time-reversed ultrasonically encoded (TRUE) optical focusing is an emerging technique that focuses light deep into scattering media by phase-conjugating ultrasonically encoded diffuse light. In previous work, the speed of TRUE focusing was limited to no faster than 1 Hz by the response time of the photorefractive phase conjugate mirror, or the data acquisition and streaming speed of the digital camera; photorefractive-crystal-based TRUE focusing was also limited to the visible spectral range. These time-consuming schemes prevent this technique from being applied in vivo, since living biological tissue has a speckle decorrelation time on the order of a millisecond. In this work, using a Tedoped Sn2P2S6 photorefractive crystal at a near-infrared wavelength of 793 nm, we achieved TRUE focusing inside dynamic scattering media having a speckle decorrelation time as short as 7.7 ms. As the achieved speed approaches the tissue decorrelation rate, this work is an important step forward toward in vivo applications of TRUE focusing in deep tissue imaging, photodynamic therapy, and optical manipulation.

  17. Toward an Effective Long-Term Strategy for Preventing Motor Vehicle Crashes and Injuries

    PubMed Central

    Mawson, Anthony R.; Walley, E. Kenneth

    2014-01-01

    Casualties due to motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) include some 40,000 deaths each year in the United States and one million deaths worldwide. One strategy that has been recommended for improving automobile safety is to lower speed limits and enforce them with speed cameras. However, motor vehicles can be hazardous even at low speeds whereas properly protected human beings can survive high-speed crashes without injury. Emphasis on changing driver behavior as the focus for road safety improvements has been largely unsuccessful; moreover, drivers today are increasingly distracted by secondary tasks such as cell phone use and texting. Indeed, the true limiting factor in vehicular safety is the capacity of human beings to sense and process information and to make rapid decisions. Given that dramatic reductions in injuries and deaths from MVCs have occurred over the past century due to improvements in safety technology, despite increases in the number of vehicles on the road and miles driven per vehicle, we propose that an effective long-term strategy for reducing MVC-related injury would be continued technological innovation in vehicle design, aimed at progressively removing the driver from routine operational decision-making. Once this is achieved, high rates of speed could be achieved on open highways, with minimal risk of crashes and injury to occupants and pedestrians. PMID:25116634

  18. Assessment of softball bat safety performance using mid-compression polyurethane softballs.

    PubMed

    McDowell, Mark

    2004-07-01

    There is currently much debate about the safety of the sport of softball. Batted-ball speed and average pitcher reaction time are factors often used to determine safe performance. Batted-ball speed is shown to be the most important factor to consider when determining safe play. Average pitcher reaction time is explained and directly correlated to batted-ball speed. Eleven aluminum multi-wall, three aluminum single-wall and two composite softball bats were tested with mid-compression polyurethane softballs averaging 1721+/-62 N/6.4 mm to represent the relative bat-ball performance for the sport of slowpitch softball. Nine men and six women were chosen for this study out of a test group of over three hundred slowpitch softball players. On average, aluminum bat performance results were within the recommended safety limits established by the national softball associations. However, when composite bats were used, their performance results exceeded the recommended safety limits which can pose a significant safety risk. Using aluminum softball bats, batted-ball speeds ranged from 80 to 145km x h(-1) Using composite softball bats, batted-ball speeds ranged from 146 to 161 km x h(-1). The scientific relevance of this study is to provide performance information that can lead to injury prevention in the sport of softball.

  19. Fast distributed large-pixel-count hologram computation using a GPU cluster.

    PubMed

    Pan, Yuechao; Xu, Xuewu; Liang, Xinan

    2013-09-10

    Large-pixel-count holograms are one essential part for big size holographic three-dimensional (3D) display, but the generation of such holograms is computationally demanding. In order to address this issue, we have built a graphics processing unit (GPU) cluster with 32.5 Tflop/s computing power and implemented distributed hologram computation on it with speed improvement techniques, such as shared memory on GPU, GPU level adaptive load balancing, and node level load distribution. Using these speed improvement techniques on the GPU cluster, we have achieved 71.4 times computation speed increase for 186M-pixel holograms. Furthermore, we have used the approaches of diffraction limits and subdivision of holograms to overcome the GPU memory limit in computing large-pixel-count holograms. 745M-pixel and 1.80G-pixel holograms were computed in 343 and 3326 s, respectively, for more than 2 million object points with RGB colors. Color 3D objects with 1.02M points were successfully reconstructed from 186M-pixel hologram computed in 8.82 s with all the above three speed improvement techniques. It is shown that distributed hologram computation using a GPU cluster is a promising approach to increase the computation speed of large-pixel-count holograms for large size holographic display.

  20. Toward an effective long-term strategy for preventing motor vehicle crashes and injuries.

    PubMed

    Mawson, Anthony R; Walley, E Kenneth

    2014-08-11

    Casualties due to motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) include some 40,000 deaths each year in the United States and one million deaths worldwide. One strategy that has been recommended for improving automobile safety is to lower speed limits and enforce them with speed cameras. However, motor vehicles can be hazardous even at low speeds whereas properly protected human beings can survive high-speed crashes without injury. Emphasis on changing driver behavior as the focus for road safety improvements has been largely unsuccessful; moreover, drivers today are increasingly distracted by secondary tasks such as cell phone use and texting. Indeed, the true limiting factor in vehicular safety is the capacity of human beings to sense and process information and to make rapid decisions. Given that dramatic reductions in injuries and deaths from MVCs have occurred over the past century due to improvements in safety technology, despite increases in the number of vehicles on the road and miles driven per vehicle, we propose that an effective long-term strategy for reducing MVC-related injury would be continued technological innovation in vehicle design, aimed at progressively removing the driver from routine operational decision-making. Once this is achieved, high rates of speed could be achieved on open highways, with minimal risk of crashes and injury to occupants and pedestrians.

  1. Compensator design for improved counterbalancing in high speed atomic force microscopy.

    PubMed

    Bozchalooi, I S; Youcef-Toumi, K; Burns, D J; Fantner, G E

    2011-11-01

    High speed atomic force microscopy can provide the possibility of many new scientific observations and applications ranging from nano-manufacturing to the study of biological processes. However, the limited imaging speed has been an imperative drawback of the atomic force microscopes. One of the main reasons behind this limitation is the excitation of the AFM dynamics at high scan speeds, severely undermining the reliability of the acquired images. In this research, we propose a piezo based, feedforward controlled, counter actuation mechanism to compensate for the excited out-of-plane scanner dynamics. For this purpose, the AFM controller output is properly filtered via a linear compensator and then applied to a counter actuating piezo. An effective algorithm for estimating the compensator parameters is developed. The information required for compensator design is extracted from the cantilever deflection signal, hence eliminating the need for any additional sensors. The proposed approach is implemented and experimentally evaluated on the dynamic response of a custom made AFM. It is further assessed by comparing the imaging performance of the AFM with and without the application of the proposed technique and in comparison with the conventional counterbalancing methodology. The experimental results substantiate the effectiveness of the method in significantly improving the imaging performance of AFM at high scan speeds. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

  2. Compensator design for improved counterbalancing in high speed atomic force microscopy

    PubMed Central

    Bozchalooi, I. S.; Youcef-Toumi, K.; Burns, D. J.; Fantner, G. E.

    2011-01-01

    High speed atomic force microscopy can provide the possibility of many new scientific observations and applications ranging from nano-manufacturing to the study of biological processes. However, the limited imaging speed has been an imperative drawback of the atomic force microscopes. One of the main reasons behind this limitation is the excitation of the AFM dynamics at high scan speeds, severely undermining the reliability of the acquired images. In this research, we propose a piezo based, feedforward controlled, counter actuation mechanism to compensate for the excited out-of-plane scanner dynamics. For this purpose, the AFM controller output is properly filtered via a linear compensator and then applied to a counter actuating piezo. An effective algorithm for estimating the compensator parameters is developed. The information required for compensator design is extracted from the cantilever deflection signal, hence eliminating the need for any additional sensors. The proposed approach is implemented and experimentally evaluated on the dynamic response of a custom made AFM. It is further assessed by comparing the imaging performance of the AFM with and without the application of the proposed technique and in comparison with the conventional counterbalancing methodology. The experimental results substantiate the effectiveness of the method in significantly improving the imaging performance of AFM at high scan speeds. PMID:22128989

  3. Compensator design for improved counterbalancing in high speed atomic force microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bozchalooi, I. S.; Youcef-Toumi, K.; Burns, D. J.; Fantner, G. E.

    2011-11-01

    High speed atomic force microscopy can provide the possibility of many new scientific observations and applications ranging from nano-manufacturing to the study of biological processes. However, the limited imaging speed has been an imperative drawback of the atomic force microscopes. One of the main reasons behind this limitation is the excitation of the AFM dynamics at high scan speeds, severely undermining the reliability of the acquired images. In this research, we propose a piezo based, feedforward controlled, counter actuation mechanism to compensate for the excited out-of-plane scanner dynamics. For this purpose, the AFM controller output is properly filtered via a linear compensator and then applied to a counter actuating piezo. An effective algorithm for estimating the compensator parameters is developed. The information required for compensator design is extracted from the cantilever deflection signal, hence eliminating the need for any additional sensors. The proposed approach is implemented and experimentally evaluated on the dynamic response of a custom made AFM. It is further assessed by comparing the imaging performance of the AFM with and without the application of the proposed technique and in comparison with the conventional counterbalancing methodology. The experimental results substantiate the effectiveness of the method in significantly improving the imaging performance of AFM at high scan speeds.

  4. Analysis of the electrical harmonic characteristics of a slip recovery variable speed generating system for wind turbine applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herrera, J. I.; Reddoch, T. W.

    1988-02-01

    Variable speed electric generating technology can enhance the general use of wind energy in electric utility applications. This enhancement results from two characteristic properties of variable speed wind turbine generators: an improvement in drive train damping characteristics, which results in reduced structural loading on the entire wind turbine system, and an improvement in the overall efficiency by using a more sophisticated electrical generator. Electronic converter systems are the focus of this investigation -- in particular, the properties of a wound-rotor induction generator with the slip recovery system and direct-current link converter. Experience with solid-state converter systems in large wind turbines is extremely limited. This report presents measurements of electrical performances of the slip recovery system and is limited to the terminal characteristics of the system. Variable speed generating systems working effectively in utility applications will require a satisfactory interface between the turbine/generator pair and the utility network. The electrical testing described herein focuses largely on the interface characteristics of the generating system. A MOD-O wind turbine was connected to a very strong system; thus, the voltage distortion was low and the total harmonic distortion in the utility voltage was less than 3 percent (within the 5 percent limit required by most utilities). The largest voltage component of a frequency below 60 Hz was 40 dB down from the 60-Hz less than component.

  5. Speeding up low-mass planetary microlensing simulations and modeling: The caustic region of influence

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Penny, Matthew T., E-mail: penny@astronomy.ohio-state.edu

    2014-08-01

    Extensive simulations of planetary microlensing are necessary both before and after a survey is conducted: before to design and optimize the survey and after to understand its detection efficiency. The major bottleneck in such computations is the computation of light curves. However, for low-mass planets, most of these computations are wasteful, as most light curves do not contain detectable planetary signatures. In this paper, I develop a parameterization of the binary microlens that is conducive to avoiding light curve computations. I empirically find analytic expressions describing the limits of the parameter space that contain the vast majority of low-mass planetmore » detections. Through a large-scale simulation, I measure the (in)completeness of the parameterization and the speed-up it is possible to achieve. For Earth-mass planets in a wide range of orbits, it is possible to speed up simulations by a factor of ∼30-125 (depending on the survey's annual duty-cycle) at the cost of missing ∼1% of detections (which is actually a smaller loss than for the arbitrary parameter limits typically applied in microlensing simulations). The benefits of the parameterization probably outweigh the costs for planets below 100 M{sub ⊕}. For planets at the sensitivity limit of AFTA-WFIRST, simulation speed-ups of a factor ∼1000 or more are possible.« less

  6. Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure, Incident Cardiovascular Events and Death in Elderly Persons: The Role of Functional Limitation in the Cardiovascular Health Study

    PubMed Central

    Peralta, Carmen A.; Katz, Ronit; Newman, Anne B.; Psaty, Bruce M.; Odden, Michelle C.

    2014-01-01

    Whether limitation in ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) or gait speed can identify elders in whom the association of systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure with cardiovascular events (CVD) and death differs is unclear. We evaluated whether limitation in ADL or gait speed modify the association of SBP or DBP with incident CVD (N= 2,358) and death (N=3,547) in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Mean age was 78 ± 5 and 21% reported limitation in ≥1 ADL. There were 778 CV events and 1,289 deaths over 9 years. Among persons without and with ADL limitation, SBP was associated with incident CVD: HR (per 10 mmHg increase) 1.08 (95% CI 1.03, 1.13) and 1.06 (0.97, 1.17), respectively. ADL modified the association of DBP with incident CVD. Among those without ADL limitation, DBP was weakly associated with incident CVD, HR 1.04 (0.79, 1.37) for DBP > 80, compared with <65 mmHg. Among those with ADL limitation, DBP was inversely associated with CVD: HR 0.65 (0.44, 0.96) for DBP 66–80 mmHg and HR 0.49 (0.25, 0.94) for DBP > 80, compared to DBP ≤ 65. Among persons with ADL limitation, a DBP 66–80 had the lowest risk for death, HR 0.72 (0.57, 0.91), compared with DBP ≤ 65. Associations did not vary by 15 feet walking speed ADL can identify elders in whom diastolic hypotension is associated with higher CV risk and death. Functional status, rather than chronologic age alone, should inform design of hypertension trials in elders. PMID:24935945

  7. Pay as You Speed, ISA with incentive for not speeding: results and interpretation of speed data.

    PubMed

    Lahrmann, Harry; Agerholm, Niels; Tradisauskas, Nerius; Berthelsen, Kasper K; Harms, Lisbeth

    2012-09-01

    To simulate a market introduction of Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) and to study the effect of a Pay as You Speed (PAYS) concept, a field trial with 153 drivers was conducted during 2007-2009. The participants drove under PAYS conditions for a shorter or a longer period. The PAYS concept consisted of informative ISA linked with economic incentive for not speeding, measured through automatic count of penalty points whenever the speed limit was exceeded. The full incentive was set to 30% of a participant's insurance premium. The participants were exposed to different treatments, with and without incentive crossed with informative ISA present or absent. The results showed that ISA is an efficient tool for reducing speeding particularly on rural roads. The analysis of speed data demonstrated that the proportion of distance driven above the speed where the ISA equipment responded (PDA) was a sensitive measure for reflecting the effect of ISA, whereas mean free flow speed and the 85th percentile speed, were less sensitive to ISA effects. The PDA increased a little over time but still remained at a low level; however, when ISA was turned off, the participants' speeding relapsed to the baseline level. Both informative ISA and incentive ISA reduced the PDA, but there was no statistically significant interaction. Informative reduced it more than the incentive. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Beyond maximum speed—a novel two-stimulus paradigm for brain-computer interfaces based on event-related potentials (P300-BCI)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaufmann, Tobias; Kübler, Andrea

    2014-10-01

    Objective. The speed of brain-computer interfaces (BCI), based on event-related potentials (ERP), is inherently limited by the commonly used one-stimulus paradigm. In this paper, we introduce a novel paradigm that can increase the spelling speed by a factor of 2, thereby extending the one-stimulus paradigm to a two-stimulus paradigm. Two different stimuli (a face and a symbol) are presented at the same time, superimposed on different characters and ERPs are classified using a multi-class classifier. Here, we present the proof-of-principle that is achieved with healthy participants. Approach. Eight participants were confronted with the novel two-stimulus paradigm and, for comparison, with two one-stimulus paradigms that used either one of the stimuli. Classification accuracies (percentage of correctly predicted letters) and elicited ERPs from the three paradigms were compared in a comprehensive offline analysis. Main results. The accuracies slightly decreased with the novel system compared to the established one-stimulus face paradigm. However, the use of two stimuli allowed for spelling at twice the maximum speed of the one-stimulus paradigms, and participants still achieved an average accuracy of 81.25%. This study introduced an alternative way of increasing the spelling speed in ERP-BCIs and illustrated that ERP-BCIs may not yet have reached their speed limit. Future research is needed in order to improve the reliability of the novel approach, as some participants displayed reduced accuracies. Furthermore, a comparison to the most recent BCI systems with individually adjusted, rapid stimulus timing is needed to draw conclusions about the practical relevance of the proposed paradigm. Significance. We introduced a novel two-stimulus paradigm that might be of high value for users who have reached the speed limit with the current one-stimulus ERP-BCI systems.

  9. Oral and Hand Movement Speeds are Associated with Expressive Language Ability in Children with Speech Sound Disorder

    PubMed Central

    Peter, Beate

    2013-01-01

    This study tested the hypothesis that children with speech sound disorder have generalized slowed motor speeds. It evaluated associations among oral and hand motor speeds and measures of speech (articulation and phonology) and language (receptive vocabulary, sentence comprehension, sentence imitation), in 11 children with moderate to severe SSD and 11 controls. Syllable durations from a syllable repetition task served as an estimate of maximal oral movement speed. In two imitation tasks, nonwords and clapped rhythms, unstressed vowel durations and quarter-note clap intervals served as estimates of oral and hand movement speed, respectively. Syllable durations were significantly correlated with vowel durations and hand clap intervals. Sentence imitation was correlated with all three timed movement measures. Clustering on syllable repetition durations produced three clusters that also differed in sentence imitation scores. Results are consistent with limited movement speeds across motor systems and SSD subtypes defined by motor speeds as a corollary of expressive language abilities. PMID:22411590

  10. Economy of flight at supersonic speeds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, R. T.

    1976-01-01

    Prandtl's theory is used to determine the airflow over bodies and wings adapted to supersonic flight. By making use of these results, and by incorporating in them an allowance for the probable skin friction, some estimates of expected lift-drag ratios are made for various flight speeds with the best configuration. At each speed a slender body and wings having the best angle of sweepback are considered. For the range of supersonic speeds shown an airplane of normal density and loading would be required to operate at an altitude of the order of 60,000 feet. The limiting value of 1-1/2 times the speed of sound corresponds to a flight speed of 1000 miles per hour. At this speed about 1.5 miles per gallon of fuel are expected. It is interesting to note that this value corresponds to a value of more than 15 miles per gallon when the weight is reduced to correspond to that of an ordinary automobile.

  11. Oral and hand movement speeds are associated with expressive language ability in children with speech sound disorder.

    PubMed

    Peter, Beate

    2012-12-01

    This study tested the hypothesis that children with speech sound disorder have generalized slowed motor speeds. It evaluated associations among oral and hand motor speeds and measures of speech (articulation and phonology) and language (receptive vocabulary, sentence comprehension, sentence imitation), in 11 children with moderate to severe SSD and 11 controls. Syllable durations from a syllable repetition task served as an estimate of maximal oral movement speed. In two imitation tasks, nonwords and clapped rhythms, unstressed vowel durations and quarter-note clap intervals served as estimates of oral and hand movement speed, respectively. Syllable durations were significantly correlated with vowel durations and hand clap intervals. Sentence imitation was correlated with all three timed movement measures. Clustering on syllable repetition durations produced three clusters that also differed in sentence imitation scores. Results are consistent with limited movement speeds across motor systems and SSD subtypes defined by motor speeds as a corollary of expressive language abilities.

  12. High-speed digital signal normalization for feature identification

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ortiz, J. A.; Meredith, B. D.

    1983-01-01

    A design approach for high speed normalization of digital signals was developed. A reciprocal look up table technique is employed, where a digital value is mapped to its reciprocal via a high speed memory. This reciprocal is then multiplied with an input signal to obtain the normalized result. Normalization improves considerably the accuracy of certain feature identification algorithms. By using the concept of pipelining the multispectral sensor data processing rate is limited only by the speed of the multiplier. The breadboard system was found to operate at an execution rate of five million normalizations per second. This design features high precision, a reduced hardware complexity, high flexibility, and expandability which are very important considerations for spaceborne applications. It also accomplishes a high speed normalization rate essential for real time data processing.

  13. Fourier domain mode locking at 1050 nm for ultra-high-speed optical coherence tomography of the human retina at 236,000 axial scans per second.

    PubMed

    Huber, R; Adler, D C; Srinivasan, V J; Fujimoto, J G

    2007-07-15

    A Fourier domain mode-locked (FDML) laser at 1050 nm for ultra-high-speed optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of the human retina is demonstrated. Achievable performance, physical limitations, design rules, and scaling principles for FDML operation and component choice in this wavelength range are discussed. The fiber-based FDML laser operates at a sweep rate of 236 kHz over a 63 nm tuning range, with 7 mW average output power. Ultra-high-speed retinal imaging is demonstrated at 236,000 axial scans per second. This represents a speed improvement of approximately10x over typical high-speed OCT systems, paving the way for densely sampled volumetric data sets and new imaging protocols.

  14. Acceleration of small, light projectiles (including hydrogen isotopes) to high speeds using a two-stage light gas gun

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Combs, S.K.; Foust, C.R.; Gouge, M.J.

    1990-05-01

    Small, light projectiles have been accelerated to high speeds using a two-stage light gas gun at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. With 35-mg plastic projectiles (4 mm in diameter), speeds of up to 4.5 km/s have been recorded. The pipe gun'' technique for freezing hydrogen isotopes {ital in} {ital situ} in the gun barrel has been used to accelerate deuterium pellets (nominal diameter of 4 mm) to velocities of up to 2.85 km/s. The primary application of this technology is for plasma fueling of fusion devices via pellet injection of hydrogen isotopes. Conventional pellet injectors are limited to pellet speeds inmore » the range 1--2 km/s. Higher velocities are desirable for plasma fueling applications, and the two-stage pneumatic technique offers performance in a higher velocity regime. However, experimental results indicate that the use of sabots to encase the cryogenic pellets and protect them from the high peak pressures will be required to reliably attain intact pellets at speeds of {approx}3 km/s or greater. In some limited tests, lithium hydride pellets were accelerated to speeds up to 4.2 km/s. Also, repetitive operation of the two-stage gun (four plastic pellets fired at {approx}0.5 Hz) was demonstrated for the first time in preliminary tests. The equipment and operation are described, and experimental results and some comparisons with a theoretical model are presented.« less

  15. Acceleration of small, light projectiles (including hydrogen isotopes) to high speeds using a two-stage light gas gun

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Combs, S.K.; Foust, C.R.; Gouge, M.J.

    1989-01-01

    Small, light projectiles have been accelerated to high speeds using a two-stage light gas gun at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. With 35-mg plastic projectiles (4 mm in diameter), speeds of up to 4.5 km/s have been recorded. The pipe gun'' technique for freezing hydrogen isotopes in situ in the gun barrel has been used to accelerate deuterium pellets (nominal diameter of 4 mm) to velocities of up to 2.85 km/s. The primary application of this technology is for plasma fueling of fusion devices via pellet injection of hydrogen isotopes. Conventional pellet injectors are limited to pellet speeds in the rangemore » 1-2 km/s. Higher velocities are desirable for plasma fueling applications, and the two-stage pneumatic technique offers performance in a higher velocity regime. However, experimental results indicate that the use of sabots to encase the cryogenic pellets and protect them for the high peak pressures will be required to reliably attain intact pellets at speeds of {approx}3 km/s or greater. In some limited tests, lithium hydride pellets were accelerated to speeds of up to 4.2 km/s. Also, repetitive operation of the two-stage gun (four plastic pellets fired at {approx}0.5 Hz) was demonstrated for the first time in preliminary tests. The equipment and operation are described, and experimental results and some comparisons with a theoretical model are presented. 17 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.« less

  16. High-speed GaN/GaInN nanowire array light-emitting diode on silicon(111).

    PubMed

    Koester, Robert; Sager, Daniel; Quitsch, Wolf-Alexander; Pfingsten, Oliver; Poloczek, Artur; Blumenthal, Sarah; Keller, Gregor; Prost, Werner; Bacher, Gerd; Tegude, Franz-Josef

    2015-04-08

    The high speed on-off performance of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) grown in c-plane direction is limited by long carrier lifetimes caused by spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization. This work demonstrates that this limitation can be overcome by m-planar core-shell InGaN/GaN nanowire LEDs grown on Si(111). Time-resolved electroluminescence studies exhibit 90-10% rise- and fall-times of about 220 ps under GHz electrical excitation. The data underline the potential of these devices for optical data communication in polymer fibers and free space.

  17. High speed all-optical networks

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chlamtac, Imrich

    1993-01-01

    An inherent problem of conventional point-to-point WAN architectures is that they cannot translate optical transmission bandwidth into comparable user available throughput due to the limiting electronic processing speed of the switching nodes. This report presents the first solution to WDM based WAN networks that overcomes this limitation. The proposed Lightnet architecture takes into account the idiosyncrasies of WDM switching/transmission leading to an efficient and pragmatic solution. The Lightnet architecture trades the ample WDM bandwidth for a reduction in the number of processing stages and a simplification of each switching stage, leading to drastically increased effective network throughputs.

  18. Changes of instability thresholds of rotor due to bearing misalignments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Springer, H.; Ecker, H.; Gunter, E. J.

    1985-01-01

    The influence of bearing misalignment upon the dynamic characteristics of statistically indeterminant rotor bearing systems is investigated. Both bearing loads and stability speed limits of a rotor may be changed significantly by magnitude and direction of bearing misalignment. The useful theory of short journal bearings is introduced and simple analytical expressions, governing the misalignment problem, are carried out. Polar plots for the bearing load capacities and stability maps, describing the speed limit in terms of misalignment, are presented. These plots can be used by the designer to estimate deviations between calculation and experimental data due to misalignment effects.

  19. An examination of loads and responses of a wind turbine undergoing variable-speed operation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wright, A.D.; Buhl, M.L. Jr.; Bir, G.S.

    1996-11-01

    The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has recently developed the ability to predict turbine loads and responses for machines undergoing variable-speed operation. The wind industry has debated the potential benefits of operating wind turbine sat variable speeds for some time. Turbine system dynamic responses (structural response, resonance, and component interactions) are an important consideration for variable-speed operation of wind turbines. The authors have implemented simple, variable-speed control algorithms for both the FAST and ADAMS dynamics codes. The control algorithm is a simple one, allowing the turbine to track the optimum power coefficient (C{sub p}). The objective of this paper is tomore » show turbine loads and responses for a particular two-bladed, teetering-hub, downwind turbine undergoing variable-speed operation. The authors examined the response of the machine to various turbulent wind inflow conditions. In addition, they compare the structural responses under fixed-speed and variable-speed operation. For this paper, they restrict their comparisons to those wind-speed ranges for which limiting power by some additional control strategy (blade pitch or aileron control, for example) is not necessary. The objective here is to develop a basic understanding of the differences in loads and responses between the fixed-speed and variable-speed operation of this wind turbine configuration.« less

  20. Splitting attention reduces temporal resolution from 7 Hz for tracking one object to <3 Hz when tracking three.

    PubMed

    Holcombe, Alex O; Chen, Wei-Ying

    2013-01-09

    Overall performance when tracking moving targets is known to be poorer for larger numbers of targets, but the specific effect on tracking's temporal resolution has never been investigated. We document a broad range of display parameters for which visual tracking is limited by temporal frequency (the interval between when a target is at each location and a distracter moves in and replaces it) rather than by object speed. We tested tracking of one, two, and three moving targets while the eyes remained fixed. Variation of the number of distracters and their speed revealed both speed limits and temporal frequency limits on tracking. The temporal frequency limit fell from 7 Hz with one target to 4 Hz with two targets and 2.6 Hz with three targets. The large size of this performance decrease implies that in the two-target condition participants would have done better by tracking only one of the two targets and ignoring the other. These effects are predicted by serial models involving a single tracking focus that must switch among the targets, sampling the position of only one target at a time. If parallel processing theories are to explain why dividing the tracking resource reduces temporal resolution so markedly, supplemental assumptions will be required.

  1. Limits to high-speed simulations of spiking neural networks using general-purpose computers.

    PubMed

    Zenke, Friedemann; Gerstner, Wulfram

    2014-01-01

    To understand how the central nervous system performs computations using recurrent neuronal circuitry, simulations have become an indispensable tool for theoretical neuroscience. To study neuronal circuits and their ability to self-organize, increasing attention has been directed toward synaptic plasticity. In particular spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) creates specific demands for simulations of spiking neural networks. On the one hand a high temporal resolution is required to capture the millisecond timescale of typical STDP windows. On the other hand network simulations have to evolve over hours up to days, to capture the timescale of long-term plasticity. To do this efficiently, fast simulation speed is the crucial ingredient rather than large neuron numbers. Using different medium-sized network models consisting of several thousands of neurons and off-the-shelf hardware, we compare the simulation speed of the simulators: Brian, NEST and Neuron as well as our own simulator Auryn. Our results show that real-time simulations of different plastic network models are possible in parallel simulations in which numerical precision is not a primary concern. Even so, the speed-up margin of parallelism is limited and boosting simulation speeds beyond one tenth of real-time is difficult. By profiling simulation code we show that the run times of typical plastic network simulations encounter a hard boundary. This limit is partly due to latencies in the inter-process communications and thus cannot be overcome by increased parallelism. Overall, these results show that to study plasticity in medium-sized spiking neural networks, adequate simulation tools are readily available which run efficiently on small clusters. However, to run simulations substantially faster than real-time, special hardware is a prerequisite.

  2. Extending the process limits of laser polymer welding with high-brilliance beam sources (recent status and prospects of POLYBRIGHT)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Olowinsky, A.; Boglea, A.

    2011-03-01

    Plastics play an important role in almost every facet of our lives and constitute a wide variety of products, from everyday products such as food and beverage packaging, over furniture and building materials to high tech products in the automotive, electronics, aerospace, white goods, medical and other sectors [1]. The objective of PolyBright, the European Research project on laser polymer welding, is to provide high speed and flexible laser manufacturing technology and expand the limits of current plastic part assembly. New laser polymer joining processes for optimized thermal management in combination with adapted wavelengths will provide higher quality, high processing speed up to 1 m/s and robust manufacturing processes at lower costs. Key innovations of the PolyBright project are fibre lasers with high powers up to 500 W, high speed scanning and flexible beam manipulation systems for simultaneous welding and high-resolution welding, such as dynamic masks and multi kHz scanning heads. With this initial step, PolyBright will break new paths in processing of advanced plastic products overcoming the quality and speed limitations of conventional plastic part assembly. Completely new concepts for high speed processing, flexibility and quality need to be established in combination with high brilliance lasers and related equipment. PolyBright will thus open new markets for laser systems with a short term potential of over several 100 laser installations per year and a future much larger market share in the still growing plastic market. PolyBright will hence establish a comprehensive and sustainable development activity on new high brilliance lasers that will strengthen the laser system industry.

  3. High Speed Computational Ghost Imaging via Spatial Sweeping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yuwang; Liu, Yang; Suo, Jinli; Situ, Guohai; Qiao, Chang; Dai, Qionghai

    2017-03-01

    Computational ghost imaging (CGI) achieves single-pixel imaging by using a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) to generate structured illuminations for spatially resolved information encoding. The imaging speed of CGI is limited by the modulation frequency of available SLMs, and sets back its practical applications. This paper proposes to bypass this limitation by trading off SLM’s redundant spatial resolution for multiplication of the modulation frequency. Specifically, a pair of galvanic mirrors sweeping across the high resolution SLM multiply the modulation frequency within the spatial resolution gap between SLM and the final reconstruction. A proof-of-principle setup with two middle end galvanic mirrors achieves ghost imaging as fast as 42 Hz at 80 × 80-pixel resolution, 5 times faster than state-of-the-arts, and holds potential for one magnitude further multiplication by hardware upgrading. Our approach brings a significant improvement in the imaging speed of ghost imaging and pushes ghost imaging towards practical applications.

  4. Rotorcraft air transportation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gilbert, G. A.

    1983-01-01

    Intermodal relationships and the particular ways in which they affect public transportation applications of rotorcraft are addressed. Some aspects of integrated services and general comparisons with other transportation modes are reviewed. Two potential application scenarios are discussed: down-to-downtown rotorcraft service and urban public transport rotorcraft service. It is concluded that to integrate well with ground access modes community rotorcraft service should be limited stop service with published schedules, and operate on a few specific routes between a few specific destinations. For downtown-to-downtown service, time savings favorable to rotorcraft are benefits that reflect its more direct access, relatively higher line-haul travel speeds, and less circuitous travel. For the scenario of public transport within urban areas, first, improving cruise speeds has a limited potential due to allowing for a ""station spacing'' effect. Secondly, public acceptance of higher acceleration/deceleration rates may be just as effective as a technological innovation as achieving higher cruise speeds.

  5. Adjusting for car occupant injury liability in relation to age, speed limit, and gender-specific driver crash involvement risk.

    PubMed

    Keall, Michael; Frith, William

    2004-12-01

    It is well established that older drivers' fragility is an important factor associated with higher levels of fatal crash involvement for older drivers. There has been less research on age-related fragility with respect to the sort of minor injuries that are more common in injury crashes. This study estimates a quantity that is related to injury fragility: the probability that a driver or a passenger of that driver will be injured in crashes involving two cars. The effects of other factors apart from drivers' fragility are included in this measure, including the fragility of the passengers, the crashworthiness of cars driven, seatbelt use by the occupants, and characteristics of crashes (including configuration and impact speed). The car occupant injury liability estimates appropriately includes these factors to adjust risk curves by age, gender, and speed limit accounting for overrepresentation in crashes associated with fragility and these other factors.

  6. Thermodynamics in variable speed of light theories

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Racker, Juan; Facultad de Ciencias Astronomicas y Geofisicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque S/N; Sisterna, Pablo

    2009-10-15

    The perfect fluid in the context of a covariant variable speed of light theory proposed by J. Magueijo is studied. On the one hand the modified first law of thermodynamics together with a recipe to obtain equations of state are obtained. On the other hand the Newtonian limit is performed to obtain the nonrelativistic hydrostatic equilibrium equation for the theory. The results obtained are used to determine the time variation of the radius of Mercury induced by the variability of the speed of light (c), and the scalar contribution to the luminosity of white dwarfs. Using a bound for themore » change of that radius and combining it with an upper limit for the variation of the fine structure constant, a bound on the time variation of c is set. An independent bound is obtained from luminosity estimates for Stein 2015B.« less

  7. Controlling chaos faster.

    PubMed

    Bick, Christian; Kolodziejski, Christoph; Timme, Marc

    2014-09-01

    Predictive feedback control is an easy-to-implement method to stabilize unknown unstable periodic orbits in chaotic dynamical systems. Predictive feedback control is severely limited because asymptotic convergence speed decreases with stronger instabilities which in turn are typical for larger target periods, rendering it harder to effectively stabilize periodic orbits of large period. Here, we study stalled chaos control, where the application of control is stalled to make use of the chaotic, uncontrolled dynamics, and introduce an adaptation paradigm to overcome this limitation and speed up convergence. This modified control scheme is not only capable of stabilizing more periodic orbits than the original predictive feedback control but also speeds up convergence for typical chaotic maps, as illustrated in both theory and application. The proposed adaptation scheme provides a way to tune parameters online, yielding a broadly applicable, fast chaos control that converges reliably, even for periodic orbits of large period.

  8. Resilience in the Disabling Effect of Gait Speed Among Older Turkish and Moroccan Immigrants and Native Dutch.

    PubMed

    Klokgieters, Silvia S; van Tilburg, Theo G; Deeg, Dorly J H; Huisman, Martijn

    2018-06-01

    To investigate the factors that inhibit the disabling effect of impairments among citizens who have migrated from Turkey and Morocco and native Dutch according to a resilience perspective. Using data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam with 928 native Dutch, 255 Turks, and 199 Moroccans aged 55 to 65, linear regression analysis assessed whether country of origin, mastery, income, and contact frequency modified the relationship between gait speed and activity limitations. Turks, but not Moroccans, demonstrated stronger associations between gait speed and activity limitations than the Dutch. Mastery modified the association among the Dutch and the Turks. Income modified the association only among the Dutch. Effect modification by contact frequency was not observed. Moroccans and Dutch appeared to be more resilient against impairments than Turks. As none of the resilience factors buffered in all three populations, we conclude that resilience mechanisms are not universal across populations.

  9. Mathematical simulation of forced expiration.

    PubMed

    Elad, D; Kamm, R D; Shapiro, A H

    1988-07-01

    Flow limitation during forced expiration is simulated by a mathematical model. This model draws on the pressure-area law obtained in the accompanying paper, and the methods of analysis for one-dimensional flow in collapsible tubes developed by Shapiro (Trans. ASME J. Biomech. Eng. 99: 126-147, 1977). These methods represent an improvement over previous models in that 1) the effects of changing lung volume and of parenchymal-bronchial interdependence are simulated; 2) a more realistic representation of collapsed airways is employed; 3) a solution is obtained mouthward of the flow-limiting site by allowing for a smooth transition from sub- to supercritical flow speeds, then matching mouth pressure by imposing an elastic jump (an abrupt transition from super- to subcritical flow speeds) at the appropriate location; and 4) the effects of levels of effort (or vacuum pressure) in excess of those required to produce incipient flow limitation are examined, including the effects of potential physiological limitation.

  10. Evaluating the impacts of grades on vehicular speeds on interstate highways

    PubMed Central

    Li, Zhibin; Wang, Yinhai; Cui, Zhiyong; Shi, Chaojian; Wu, Huafeng

    2017-01-01

    Grade variation on interstate highways affects the roadway geometric design, vehicle performance and driver behavior, thus possibly exerting an unexpected effect on vehicular speed. Hence, determining the internal relationship between grade and speed is important and useful for drivers, traffic regulators and other traffic participants. However, the problem with performing this research is the lack of large-scale gradient and speed data. Google Earth (GE) provides an application programming interface for extracting elevation data worldwide. The elevation dataset from GE can be easily converted to grade data. In addition, our team has collected and stored speed series data for different freeways over several years. Based on the above obtainable grade and speed datasets, we conducted research on the effect of grades on free flow speeds from two perspectives. First, the influence of grades on speed was analyzed from both quantitative and qualitative aspects. The analysis of the distributions of four typical types of speeds demonstrated a decreasing tendency as the speed increased. Steeper grades generated a more intense speed fluctuation in terms of the four types of speeds. Second, a model based on the Student’s t-test was developed to evaluate the level of significant difference among speed series under neighboring grades. The Student’s t-test demonstrated that adjacent grades do not significantly influence the speeds. In summary, speeds under different grades showed obviously different tendencies. The findings of this study can help transport authorities set more reasonable speed limits and improve the geometric design of interstates with grade variation constraints. PMID:28863157

  11. Relationships between Fine-Motor, Visual-Motor, and Visual Perception Scores and Handwriting Legibility and Speed

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klein, Sheryl; Guiltner, Val; Sollereder, Patti; Cui, Ying

    2011-01-01

    Occupational therapists assess fine motor, visual motor, visual perception, and visual skill development, but knowledge of the relationships between scores on sensorimotor performance measures and handwriting legibility and speed is limited. Ninety-nine students in grades three to six with learning and/or behavior problems completed the Upper-Limb…

  12. Analysis of high-speed growth of silicon sheet in inclined-meniscus configuration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thomas, P. D.; Brown, R. A.

    1985-01-01

    The study of high speed growth of silicon sheet in inclined-meniscus configurations is discussed. It was concluded that the maximum growth rates in vertical and inclined growth are set by thermal-capillary limits. Also, the melt/crystal interface was determined to be flat. And, vertical growth is qualitatively modelled by one dimensional heat transfer.

  13. 75 FR 49365 - Airworthiness Directives; BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model BAe 146-100A and -200A Airplanes

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-13

    ... lift to ensure that the wheel brakes can provide the necessary speed reduction. * * * * * The effects... brakes can provide the necessary speed reduction. A review of the changing operational profile of the... landing to provide aerodynamic braking and to dump lift to ensure that the wheel brakes can provide the...

  14. Energy Conversion and Combustion Sciences

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-03-08

    Property issues Flameholding (flammability limit) Flame propagation (turbulent-flame speed) combustion-Mixing interaction shock Cavity Based Scramjet ...focusing: • “Very-high” speed (space access) region • Overlapping interests and close coordination with AF programs ( scramjet , rockets etc.). • NSF...and Relevant Conditions Hypersonics Gas Turbines Rockets M > 0.1 Re ? Da ? wrinkled flame ball laminar flame Auto Engines PGC (1

  15. The World in Slow Motion: Using a High-Speed Camera in a Physics Workshop

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dewanto, Andreas; Lim, Geok Quee; Kuang, Jianhong; Zhang, Jinfeng; Yeo, Ye

    2012-01-01

    We present a physics workshop for college students to investigate various physical phenomena using high-speed cameras. The technical specifications required, the step-by-step instructions, as well as the practical limitations of the workshop, are discussed. This workshop is also intended to be a novel way to promote physics to Generation-Y…

  16. Speed-Accuracy Response Models: Scoring Rules Based on Response Time and Accuracy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maris, Gunter; van der Maas, Han

    2012-01-01

    Starting from an explicit scoring rule for time limit tasks incorporating both response time and accuracy, and a definite trade-off between speed and accuracy, a response model is derived. Since the scoring rule is interpreted as a sufficient statistic, the model belongs to the exponential family. The various marginal and conditional distributions…

  17. Effects of Implementation Intentions on the Self-Reported Frequency of Drivers' Compliance with Speed Limits

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elliott, Mark A.; Armitage, Christopher J.

    2006-01-01

    This study tested the efficacy of implementation intentions in the context of drivers' speeding behavior. Participants (N = 300) completed self-report measures of goal intention and behavior, and they were randomly assigned to an experimental condition, which required them to specify an implementation intention, or a control condition. One month…

  18. A Novel Fixed-Target Task to Determine Articulatory Speed Constraints in Persons with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

    PubMed Central

    Mefferd, Antje S.; Green, Jordan R.; Pattee, Gary

    2011-01-01

    Purpose The goal of this study was to determine if talkers with ALS are limited in their ability to increase lower lip and jaw speed at an early stage of the disease when their speaking rate and intelligibility are only minimally or not affected. Method A novel metronome paced fixed-target task was used to assess movement speed capacities during lower lip and jaw oscillations in seven talkers with ALS and seven age and gender matched controls. Results Lower lip peak speeds were significantly lower in talkers with mild ALS than in healthy talkers suggesting a lower lip speed constraint in talkers with mild ALS. Jaw peak speeds tended to be lower, but jaw displacements tended to be larger in talkers with mild ALS than in healthy talkers. Because greater speeds are typically expected for larger displacements, outcomes also suggest a jaw speed constraint in talkers with mild ALS. Conclusions Lower lip and jaw peak speeds may be sensitive measures to identify bulbar motor performance decline at an early stage of the disease when speaking rate and intelligibility are only minimally affected. PMID:22000045

  19. Air/sea DMS gas transfer in the North Atlantic: evidence for limited interfacial gas exchange at high wind speed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bell, T. G.; De Bruyn, W.; Miller, S. D.; Ward, B.; Christensen, K.; Saltzman, E. S.

    2013-05-01

    Shipboard measurements of eddy covariance DMS air/sea fluxes and seawater concentration were carried out in the North Atlantic bloom region in June/July 2011. Gas transfer coefficients (k660) show a linear dependence on mean horizontal wind speed at wind speeds up to 11 m s-1. At higher wind speeds the relationship between k660 and wind speed weakens. At high winds, measured DMS fluxes were lower than predicted based on the linear relationship between wind speed and interfacial stress extrapolated from low to intermediate wind speeds. In contrast, the transfer coefficient for sensible heat did not exhibit this effect. The apparent suppression of air/sea gas flux at higher wind speeds appears to be related to sea state, as determined from shipboard wave measurements. These observations are consistent with the idea that long waves suppress near surface water side turbulence, and decrease interfacial gas transfer. This effect may be more easily observed for DMS than for less soluble gases, such as CO2, because the air/sea exchange of DMS is controlled by interfacial rather than bubble-mediated gas transfer under high wind speed conditions.

  20. Air-sea dimethylsulfide (DMS) gas transfer in the North Atlantic: evidence for limited interfacial gas exchange at high wind speed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bell, T. G.; De Bruyn, W.; Miller, S. D.; Ward, B.; Christensen, K.; Saltzman, E. S.

    2013-11-01

    Shipboard measurements of eddy covariance dimethylsulfide (DMS) air-sea fluxes and seawater concentration were carried out in the North Atlantic bloom region in June/July 2011. Gas transfer coefficients (k660) show a linear dependence on mean horizontal wind speed at wind speeds up to 11 m s-1. At higher wind speeds the relationship between k660 and wind speed weakens. At high winds, measured DMS fluxes were lower than predicted based on the linear relationship between wind speed and interfacial stress extrapolated from low to intermediate wind speeds. In contrast, the transfer coefficient for sensible heat did not exhibit this effect. The apparent suppression of air-sea gas flux at higher wind speeds appears to be related to sea state, as determined from shipboard wave measurements. These observations are consistent with the idea that long waves suppress near-surface water-side turbulence, and decrease interfacial gas transfer. This effect may be more easily observed for DMS than for less soluble gases, such as CO2, because the air-sea exchange of DMS is controlled by interfacial rather than bubble-mediated gas transfer under high wind speed conditions.

  1. Influence of a Locomotor Training Approach on Walking Speed and Distance in People With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury: A Randomized Clinical Trial

    PubMed Central

    Roach, Kathryn E.

    2011-01-01

    Background Impaired walking limits function after spinal cord injury (SCI), but training-related improvements are possible even in people with chronic motor incomplete SCI. Objective The objective of this study was to compare changes in walking speed and distance associated with 4 locomotor training approaches. Design This study was a single-blind, randomized clinical trial. Setting This study was conducted in a rehabilitation research laboratory. Participants Participants were people with minimal walking function due to chronic SCI. Intervention Participants (n=74) trained 5 days per week for 12 weeks with the following approaches: treadmill-based training with manual assistance (TM), treadmill-based training with stimulation (TS), overground training with stimulation (OG), and treadmill-based training with robotic assistance (LR). Measurements Overground walking speed and distance were the primary outcome measures. Results In participants who completed the training (n=64), there were overall effects for speed (effect size index [d]=0.33) and distance (d=0.35). For speed, there were no significant between-group differences; however, distance gains were greatest with OG. Effect sizes for speed and distance were largest with OG (d=0.43 and d=0.40, respectively). Effect sizes for speed were the same for TM and TS (d=0.28); there was no effect for LR. The effect size for distance was greater with TS (d=0.16) than with TM or LR, for which there was no effect. Ten participants who improved with training were retested at least 6 months after training; walking speed at this time was slower than that at the conclusion of training but remained faster than before training. Limitations It is unknown whether the training dosage and the emphasis on training speed were optimal. Robotic training that requires active participation would likely yield different results. Conclusions In people with chronic motor incomplete SCI, walking speed improved with both overground training and treadmill-based training; however, walking distance improved to a greater extent with overground training. PMID:21051593

  2. Modeling the Covariance Structure of Complex Datasets Using Cognitive Models: An Application to Individual Differences and the Heritability of Cognitive Ability.

    PubMed

    Evans, Nathan J; Steyvers, Mark; Brown, Scott D

    2018-06-05

    Understanding individual differences in cognitive performance is an important part of understanding how variations in underlying cognitive processes can result in variations in task performance. However, the exploration of individual differences in the components of the decision process-such as cognitive processing speed, response caution, and motor execution speed-in previous research has been limited. Here, we assess the heritability of the components of the decision process, with heritability having been a common aspect of individual differences research within other areas of cognition. Importantly, a limitation of previous work on cognitive heritability is the underlying assumption that variability in response times solely reflects variability in the speed of cognitive processing. This assumption has been problematic in other domains, due to the confounding effects of caution and motor execution speed on observed response times. We extend a cognitive model of decision-making to account for relatedness structure in a twin study paradigm. This approach can separately quantify different contributions to the heritability of response time. Using data from the Human Connectome Project, we find strong evidence for the heritability of response caution, and more ambiguous evidence for the heritability of cognitive processing speed and motor execution speed. Our study suggests that the assumption made in previous studies-that the heritability of cognitive ability is based on cognitive processing speed-may be incorrect. More generally, our methodology provides a useful avenue for future research in complex data that aims to analyze cognitive traits across different sources of related data, whether the relation is between people, tasks, experimental phases, or methods of measurement. © 2018 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

  3. Slow Reading in Glaucoma: Is it due to the Shrinking Visual Span in Central Vision?

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Rong; Patel, Bhavika N.; Girkin, Christopher

    2017-01-01

    Purpose Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells. Patients with bilateral glaucoma read slower than normal cohorts. Here we examined the factors that may underlie slow reading in glaucoma and determined the best predictor of reading speed in glaucoma. Methods A total of 38 subjects participated in this study: 17 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (mean age = 64.71 years) and 21 age-similar normal controls (58.24 years). For each subject, we measured binocular visual acuity (BVA); binocular contrast sensitivity (BCS); stereoacuity; visual field mean deviation (MD); and the visual span (i.e., the number of letters recognizable at one glance) known to limit reading speed. The visual span was measured with a trigram letter-recognition task in which subjects identify trigrams flashed at varying letter positions left and right of the fixation. Oral reading speed was measured with short blocks of text. Results Even after controlling for age, glaucoma patients showed significantly slower reading speed (by 19%, P < 0.05) and smaller visual span (by 11 bits, P < 0.001) compared to normal controls. While their BVA was relatively normal (20/20 Snellen equivalent), their BCS (P < 0.001); stereoacuity (P < 0.001); and visual field MD (P < 0.001) showed pronounced deficits. Multiple regression analysis further revealed that reading speed in glaucoma was best predicted by the visual span. Conclusions Our results showed that slower reading speed in glaucoma was closely related to the shrinkage of the visual span. Our findings further support the view that the visual span plays a limiting role in reading speed. PMID:29131903

  4. Slow Reading in Glaucoma: Is it due to the Shrinking Visual Span in Central Vision?

    PubMed

    Kwon, MiYoung; Liu, Rong; Patel, Bhavika N; Girkin, Christopher

    2017-11-01

    Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells. Patients with bilateral glaucoma read slower than normal cohorts. Here we examined the factors that may underlie slow reading in glaucoma and determined the best predictor of reading speed in glaucoma. A total of 38 subjects participated in this study: 17 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (mean age = 64.71 years) and 21 age-similar normal controls (58.24 years). For each subject, we measured binocular visual acuity (BVA); binocular contrast sensitivity (BCS); stereoacuity; visual field mean deviation (MD); and the visual span (i.e., the number of letters recognizable at one glance) known to limit reading speed. The visual span was measured with a trigram letter-recognition task in which subjects identify trigrams flashed at varying letter positions left and right of the fixation. Oral reading speed was measured with short blocks of text. Even after controlling for age, glaucoma patients showed significantly slower reading speed (by 19%, P < 0.05) and smaller visual span (by 11 bits, P < 0.001) compared to normal controls. While their BVA was relatively normal (20/20 Snellen equivalent), their BCS (P < 0.001); stereoacuity (P < 0.001); and visual field MD (P < 0.001) showed pronounced deficits. Multiple regression analysis further revealed that reading speed in glaucoma was best predicted by the visual span. Our results showed that slower reading speed in glaucoma was closely related to the shrinkage of the visual span. Our findings further support the view that the visual span plays a limiting role in reading speed.

  5. Within-day variability on short and long walking tests in persons with multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Feys, Peter; Bibby, Bo; Romberg, Anders; Santoyo, Carme; Gebara, Benoit; de Noordhout, Benoit Maertens; Knuts, Kathy; Bethoux, Francois; Skjerbæk, Anders; Jensen, Ellen; Baert, Ilse; Vaney, Claude; de Groot, Vincent; Dalgas, Ulrik

    2014-03-15

    To compare within-day variability of short (10 m walking test at usual and fastest speed; 10MWT) and long (2 and 6-minute walking test; 2MWT/6MWT) tests in persons with multiple sclerosis. Observational study. MS rehabilitation and research centers in Europe and US within RIMS (European network for best practice and research in MS rehabilitation). Ambulatory persons with MS (Expanded Disability Status Scale 0-6.5). Subjects of different centers performed walking tests at 3 time points during a single day. 10MWT, 2MWT and 6MWT at fastest speed and 10MWT at usual speed. Ninety-five percent limits of agreement were computed using a random effects model with individual pwMS as random effect. Following this model, retest scores are with 95% certainty within these limits of baseline scores. In 102 subjects, within-day variability was constant in absolute units for the 10MWT, 2MWT and 6MWT at fastest speed (+/-0.26, 0.16 and 0.15m/s respectively, corresponding to +/-19.2m and +/-54 m for the 2MWT and 6MWT) independent on the severity of ambulatory dysfunction. This implies a greater relative variability with increasing disability level, often above 20% depending on the applied test. The relative within-day variability of the 10MWT at usual speed was +/-31% independent of ambulatory function. Absolute values of within-day variability on walking tests at fastest speed were independent of disability level and greater with short compared to long walking tests. Relative within-day variability remained overall constant when measured at usual speed. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Method and apparatus for reducing rotor blade deflections, loads, and/or peak rotational speed

    DOEpatents

    Moroz, Emilian Mieczyslaw; Pierce, Kirk Gee

    2006-10-17

    A method for reducing at least one of loads, deflections of rotor blades, or peak rotational speed of a wind turbine includes storing recent historical pitch related data, wind related data, or both. The stored recent historical data is analyzed to determine at least one of whether rapid pitching is occurring or whether wind speed decreases are occurring. A minimum pitch, a pitch rate limit, or both are imposed on pitch angle controls of the rotor blades conditioned upon results of the analysis.

  7. Induction motor speed control using varied duty cycle terminal voltage via PI controller

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Azwin, A.; Ahmed, S.

    2018-03-01

    This paper deals with the PI speed controller for the three-phase induction motor using PWM technique. The PWM generated signal is utilized for voltage source inverter with an optimal duty cycle on a simplified induction motor model. A control algorithm for generating PWM control signal is developed. Obtained results shows that the steady state error and overshoot of the developed system is in the limit under different speed and load condition. The robustness of the control performance would be potential for induction motor performance improvement.

  8. Modeling Parasitic Energy Losses and the Impact of Advanced Tribological Concepts on Fuel Efficiency - Final CRADA Report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fenske, George

    2016-11-28

    Our primary task for this project was to perform FMEP calculations for a broad range of parameters including engine type [spark ignition (SI) or compression ignition (CI)], engine size, engine mode (speed and load), lubricant viscosity, asperity friction, surface finish, oil type (mineral or synthetic), and additive (friction modifier), as discussed previously [1–3]. The actual analysis was limited to a large diesel engine and it included both load and speed dependencies as well as lubricant viscosity and speed.

  9. Wind speed reductions by large-scale wind turbine deployments lower turbine efficiencies and set low generation limits.

    PubMed

    Miller, Lee M; Kleidon, Axel

    2016-11-29

    Wind turbines generate electricity by removing kinetic energy from the atmosphere. Large numbers of wind turbines are likely to reduce wind speeds, which lowers estimates of electricity generation from what would be presumed from unaffected conditions. Here, we test how well wind power limits that account for this effect can be estimated without explicitly simulating atmospheric dynamics. We first use simulations with an atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) that explicitly simulates the effects of wind turbines to derive wind power limits (GCM estimate), and compare them to a simple approach derived from the climatological conditions without turbines [vertical kinetic energy (VKE) estimate]. On land, we find strong agreement between the VKE and GCM estimates with respect to electricity generation rates (0.32 and 0.37 W e m -2 ) and wind speed reductions by 42 and 44%. Over ocean, the GCM estimate is about twice the VKE estimate (0.59 and 0.29 W e m -2 ) and yet with comparable wind speed reductions (50 and 42%). We then show that this bias can be corrected by modifying the downward momentum flux to the surface. Thus, large-scale limits to wind power use can be derived from climatological conditions without explicitly simulating atmospheric dynamics. Consistent with the GCM simulations, the approach estimates that only comparatively few land areas are suitable to generate more than 1 W e m -2 of electricity and that larger deployment scales are likely to reduce the expected electricity generation rate of each turbine. We conclude that these atmospheric effects are relevant for planning the future expansion of wind power.

  10. Wind speed reductions by large-scale wind turbine deployments lower turbine efficiencies and set low generation limits

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Lee M.; Kleidon, Axel

    2016-01-01

    Wind turbines generate electricity by removing kinetic energy from the atmosphere. Large numbers of wind turbines are likely to reduce wind speeds, which lowers estimates of electricity generation from what would be presumed from unaffected conditions. Here, we test how well wind power limits that account for this effect can be estimated without explicitly simulating atmospheric dynamics. We first use simulations with an atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) that explicitly simulates the effects of wind turbines to derive wind power limits (GCM estimate), and compare them to a simple approach derived from the climatological conditions without turbines [vertical kinetic energy (VKE) estimate]. On land, we find strong agreement between the VKE and GCM estimates with respect to electricity generation rates (0.32 and 0.37 We m−2) and wind speed reductions by 42 and 44%. Over ocean, the GCM estimate is about twice the VKE estimate (0.59 and 0.29 We m−2) and yet with comparable wind speed reductions (50 and 42%). We then show that this bias can be corrected by modifying the downward momentum flux to the surface. Thus, large-scale limits to wind power use can be derived from climatological conditions without explicitly simulating atmospheric dynamics. Consistent with the GCM simulations, the approach estimates that only comparatively few land areas are suitable to generate more than 1 We m−2 of electricity and that larger deployment scales are likely to reduce the expected electricity generation rate of each turbine. We conclude that these atmospheric effects are relevant for planning the future expansion of wind power. PMID:27849587

  11. Air pollution impacts of speed limitation measures in large cities: The need for improving traffic data in a metropolitan area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baldasano, José M.; Gonçalves, María; Soret, Albert; Jiménez-Guerrero, Pedro

    2010-08-01

    Assessing the effects of air quality management strategies in urban areas is a major concern worldwide because of the large impacts on health caused by the exposure to air pollution. In this sense, this work analyses the changes in urban air quality due to the introduction of a maximum speed limit to 80 km h -1 on motorways in a large city by using a novel methodology combining traffic assimilation data and modelling systems implemented in a supercomputing facility. Albeit the methodology has been non-specifically developed and can be extrapolated to any large city or megacity, the case study of Barcelona is presented here. Hourly simulations take into account the entire year 2008 (when the 80 km h -1 limit has been introduced) vs. the traffic conditions for the year 2007. The data has been assimilated in an emission model, which considers hourly variable speeds and hourly traffic intensity in the affected area, taken from long-term measurement campaigns for the aforementioned years; it also permits to take into account the traffic congestion effect. Overall, the emissions are reduced up to 4%; however the local effects of this reduction achieve an important impact for the adjacent area to the roadways, reaching 11%. In this sense, the speed limitation effects assessed represent enhancements in air quality levels (5-7%) of primary pollutants over the area, directly improving the welfare of 1.35 million inhabitants (over 41% of the population of the Metropolitan Area) and affecting 3.29 million dwellers who are potentially benefited from this strategy for air quality management (reducing 0.6% the mortality rates in the area).

  12. 76 FR 31800 - Airworthiness Directives; Viking Air Limited Model DHC-3 (Otter) Airplanes

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-02

    ...: ``Airspeed limitation: VMO = 144 MPH for the effective date of this land/ski plane and VMO = 134 MPH for... limit for land/ in-service (TIS) after the ski plane and 134 MPH, VMO speed limit for seaplane... land/ski the effective date of this plane and/or with a red radial at 134 MPH for a seaplane. This...

  13. System solution to improve energy efficiency of HVAC systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chretien, L.; Becerra, R.; Salts, N. P.; Groll, E. A.

    2017-08-01

    According to recent surveys, heating and air conditioning systems account for over 45% of the total energy usage in US households. Three main types of HVAC systems are available to homeowners: (1) fixed-speed systems, where the compressor cycles on and off to match the cooling load; (2) multi-speed (typically, two-speed) systems, where the compressor can operate at multiple cooling capacities, leading to reduced cycling; and (3) variable-speed systems, where the compressor speed is adjusted to match the cooling load of the household, thereby providing higher efficiency and comfort levels through better temperature and humidity control. While energy consumption could reduce significantly by adopting variable-speed compressor systems, the market penetration has been limited to less than 10% of the total HVAC units and a vast majority of systems installed in new construction remains single speed. A few reasons may explain this phenomenon such as the complexity of the electronic circuitry required to vary compressor speed as well as the associated system cost. This paper outlines a system solution to boost the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) of a traditional single-speed unit through using a low power electronic converter that allows the compressor to operate at multiple low capacity settings and is disabled at high compressor speeds.

  14. White-Tailed Deer Response to Vehicle Approach: Evidence of Unclear and Present Danger

    PubMed Central

    Blackwell, Bradley F.; Seamans, Thomas W.; DeVault, Travis L.

    2014-01-01

    The fundamental causes of animal-vehicle collisions are unclear, particularly at the level of animal detection of approaching vehicles and decision-making. Deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) are especially costly in terms of animal mortality, property damage, and safety. Over one year, we exposed free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to vehicle approach under low ambient light conditions, from varying start distances, and vehicle speeds from 20 km/h to approximately 90 km/h. We modeled flight response by deer to an approaching vehicle and tested four hypotheses: 1) flight-initiation distance (FID) would correlate positively with start distance (indicating a spatial margin of safety); 2) deer would react to vehicle speed using a temporal margin of safety; 3) individuals reacting at greater FIDs would be more likely to cross the path of the vehicle; and 4) crossings would correlate positively with start distance, approach speed, and distance to concealing/refuge cover. We examined deer responses by quantiles. Median FID was 40% of start distance, irrespective of start distance or approach speed. Converting FID to time-to-collision (TTC), median TTC was 4.6 s, but uncorrelated with start distance or approach speed. The likelihood of deer crossing in front of the vehicle was not associated with greater FIDs or other explanatory variables. Because deer flight response to vehicle approach was highly variable, DVCs should be more likely with increasing vehicle speeds because of lower TTCs for a given distance. For road sections characterized by frequent DVCs, we recommend estimating TTC relative to vehicle speed and candidate line-of-sight distances adjusted downward by (1-P), where P represents our findings for the proportion of start distance by which >75% of deer had initiated flight. Where road design or conservation goals limit effectiveness of line-of-sight maintenance, we suggest incorporation of roadway obstacles that force drivers to slow vehicles, in addition to posting advisory speed limits. PMID:25333922

  15. Influence of age, speed and duration of monotonous driving task in traffic on the driver's useful visual field.

    PubMed

    Rogé, Joceline; Pébayle, Thierry; Lambilliotte, Elina; Spitzenstetter, Florence; Giselbrecht, Danièle; Muzet, Alain

    2004-10-01

    Recent research has shown that the useful visual field deteriorates in simulated car driving when the latter can induce a decrease in the level of activation. The first aim of this study was to verify if the same phenomenon occurs when driving is performed in a simulated road traffic situation. The second aim was to discover if this field also deteriorates as a function of the driver's age and of the vehicle's speed. Nine young drivers (from 22 to 34 years) and nine older drivers (from 46 to 59 years) followed a vehicle in road traffic during two two-hour sessions. The car-following task involved driving at 90 km.h(-1) (speed limit on road in France) in one session and at 130 km.h(-1) (speed limit on motorway in France) in the other session. While following the vehicle, the driver had to detect the changes in colour of a luminous signal located in the central part of his/her visual field and a visual signal that appeared at different eccentricities on the rear lights of the vehicles in the traffic. The analysis of the data indicates that the useful visual field deteriorates with the prolongation of the monotonous simulated driving task, with the driver's age and with the vehicle's speed. The results are discussed in terms of general interference and tunnel vision.

  16. Analysis of the electrical harmonic characteristics of a slip recovery variable speed generating system for wind turbine applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Herrera, J.I.; Reddoch, T.W.

    1988-02-01

    Variable speed electric generating technology can enhance the general use of wind energy in electric utility applications. This enhancement results from two characteristic properties of variable speed wind turbine generators: an improvement in drive train damping characteristics, which results in reduced structural loading on the entire wind turbine system, and an improvement in the overall efficiency by using a more sophisticated electrical generator. Electronic converter systems are the focus of this investigation -- in particular, the properties of a wound-rotor induction generator with the slip recovery system and direct-current link converter. Experience with solid-state converter systems in large wind turbinesmore » is extremely limited. This report presents measurements of electrical performances of the slip recovery system and is limited to the terminal characteristics of the system. Variable speed generating systems working effectively in utility applications will require a satisfactory interface between the turbine/generator pair and the utility network. The electrical testing described herein focuses largely on the interface characteristics of the generating system. A MOD-O wind turbine was connected to a very strong system; thus, the voltage distortion was low and the total harmonic distortion in the utility voltage was less than 3% (within the 5% limit required by most utilities). The largest voltage component of a frequency below 60 Hz was 40 dB down from the 60-Hz< component. 8 refs., 14 figs., 8 tabs.« less

  17. Adaptation of superconducting fault current limiter to high-speed reclosing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koyama, T.; Yanabu, S.

    2009-10-01

    Using a high temperature superconductor, we constructed and tested a model superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL). The superconductor might break in some cases because of its excessive generation of heat. Therefore, it is desirable to interrupt early the current that flows to superconductor. So, we proposed the SFCL using an electromagnetic repulsion switch which is composed of a superconductor, a vacuum interrupter and a by-pass coil, and its structure is simple. Duration that the current flow in the superconductor can be easily minimized to the level of less than 0.5 cycle using this equipment. On the other hand, the fault current is also easily limited by large reactance of the parallel coil. There is duty of high-speed reclosing after interrupting fault current in the electric power system. After the fault current is interrupted, the back-up breaker is re-closed within 350 ms. So, the electromagnetic repulsion switch should return to former state and the superconductor should be recovered to superconducting state before high-speed reclosing. Then, we proposed the SFCL using an electromagnetic repulsion switch which employs our new reclosing function. We also studied recovery time of the superconductor, because superconductor should be recovered to superconducting state within 350 ms. In this paper, the recovery time characteristics of the superconducting wire were investigated. Also, we combined the superconductor with the electromagnetic repulsion switch, and we did performance test. As a result, a high-speed reclosing within 350 ms was proven to be possible.

  18. Efficient Learning for the Poor: New Insights into Literacy Acquisition for Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abadzi, Helen

    2008-01-01

    Reading depends on the speed of visual recognition and capacity of short-term memory. To understand a sentence, the mind must read it fast enough to capture it within the limits of the short-term memory. This means that children must attain a minimum speed of fairly accurate reading to understand a passage. Learning to read involves "tricking" the…

  19. Fort Hamilton High School Project SPEED: Special Education to Eliminate Dropouts. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1982-1983.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nicolaidis, Mary; Sica, Michael

    The major goal of Project SPEED (at Fort Hamilton High School, Brooklyn, New York) was dropout prevention. In its first year of operation, 1982-83, the project provided English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, bilingual instruction in basic skills required for graduation, and guidance services to approximately 300 limited English proficient…

  20. The Speed of Obsolescence: Evidence from the Dutch Public Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Loo, Jasper B.

    2007-01-01

    HRD is extensively concerned with human capital investment, but only focuses on how skills and knowledge become obsolete to a limited extent. In this paper we look at the speed of obsolescence. Using data from a survey among Dutch public sector employees, we find that the yearly rate of skills obsolescence is 2.6%. Subsequent analyses show that…

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