ActiveX Component Research Articles

Human-autonomous devices for English network teaching system based on artificial intelligence and WBIETS system

Human-autonomous has begun to develop into complex system control and advanced intelligent control, and is widely applied to various fields such as national defense, scientific research and economics. The design scheme of an English network teaching system based on artificial intelligence and WBIETS system is proposed in this paper. The transmission and real-time scheduling of English network teaching resources is realized through network supporting layer. The fuzzy clustering algorithm is used for English teaching resource scheduling. In the process of information retrieval, the MAC link reconfiguration model is used for information fusion. The artificial intelligence algorithm is used in the cloud computing environment to carry out the adaptive retrieval and fuzzy control of the English network teaching resources information, and the optimization design of the resource scheduling algorithm is realized. The ActiveX component object model is used to allocate and optimize English network teaching resources, and complete the software development and design of the system. Test results show that the design of the English network teaching system with the proposed method is good for the real-time performance of the English teaching resource scheduling, the resource clustering and distribution ability is strong, the output error rate is reduced, and the artificial intelligence configuration ability of English network teaching is improved.

Developing an integrated 2D and 3D WebGIS-based platform for effective landslide hazard management

Collaborative effort for the improvement of landslide database is important during the long-term risk reduction process in large hilly and mountainous regions. This paper presents a novel 2D and 3D WebGIS-based platform for landslide multi-level management and emergency response. The scalable network architecture and three-tier software architecture are designed to support survey data improvement performed by geological surveys in different administrative levels, fast spatial decision support for rescue and evacuation after sudden hazard incidents, as well as prevention information for public access. The web service integration is widely applied in the platform, and proved useful for keeping landslide-related information consistent and up-to-date, since it relies on joint efforts from different government departments with expertise, rather than the local and independent storage pattern. The combined utilization of 2D and 3D WebGIS takes advantage of their respective superiorities, and generates a superior display and analytic web environment for local decision-makers. The 2D map in ArcGIS Flexviewer is mainly for hazard query, spatial statistics and map overlaying analysis during routines, while the 3D scene in Skyline ActiveX component is useful in terrain exploration, rainfall situation analysis and sketch map plotting in emergencies. After elaborating the main modules and key algorithms, the user-friendly platform has been experimented and accepted by three levels of geological surveys in Zhejiang Province, China, and presented as an integrated WebGIS environment for effective landslide hazard management in large prone areas.

Modularized rule-based validation of a BIM model pertaining to model views

Abstract Diverse domain experts have defined the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) Model View Definition (MVD), which encompasses their specialized requirements for building data exchanges and reflects practical construction processes. However, once an IFC file, a neutral format, is mapped with the specifications of the MVD through the export and import features of building information modeling (BIM) authoring tools, end-users find it challenging to validate the IFC file with regard to conformance to the data exchange requirements of the applied MVD. In addition, software vendors have trouble identifying the causes of errors regarding model views when they debug numerous mappings of native models to be translated into the IFC schema. To address these challenges, this research suggests a robust MVD validation process using a modularized validation platform that evaluates an IFC instance file according to diverse types of rule sets of MVDs. To extract rule templates that consist of ten types of rule logic this research employs the MVD of the precast concrete domain. Using the identified rule logic and checking structures, the MVD validation tool, which includes an object-oriented checking method and the IFC server ActiveX component, allows users to define various types of rule sets and validate an IFC instance file with regard to compliance with the syntax and semantics specified in the modularized concepts of the MVD.

Validations for ensuring the interoperability of data exchange of a building information model

Abstract During the design and construction phases of building projects, domain experts iteratively exchange building information models. One of their goals is to ensure that the requirements and objectives of a proposed project are satisfied. In addition, most building information modeling software currently implements heterogeneous mapping processes in their IFC interfaces that bind their native models to the IFC format. However, such exchanges frequently do not realize intended geometric transformations, project requirements, and required syntactic and semantic conditions in building model data, exacerbating the problem of model integrity and resulting in expensive changes during the construction and operation phases. These problematic issues have been addressed by the development of solid frameworks for validating a building design. This paper surveys six currently available applications for validating building design data and identifies their strengths and weaknesses: The Express Engine's EXPRESSO, the JDSAI™, the EXPRESS Data Manager™, the IFC server ActiveX Component, the IfcDoc, and the Solibri Model Checker®. We also structured the validation processes into three types of tasks: 1) a syntax check of the assurance of compliance with the IFC schema defined by the EXPRESS language, 2) semantic and syntactic assessment in terms of conformity to model view definitions, which consist of concept modularizations, and 3) the validation of design programming requirements that evaluates regulations, project criteria, owner requirements, and functional performance. The purpose of this survey, based on available software that supports the validation of building model data for these three types of interoperability issues, is to integrate diverse checking approaches, as a basis for improving what are now widely distributed efforts.

Video streaming technologies using ActiveX and LabVIEW

The goal of this paper is to present the possibilities of remote image processing through data exchange between two programming technologies: LabVIEW and ActiveX. ActiveX refers to the process of controlling one program from another via ActiveX component; where one program acts as the client and the other as the server. LabVIEW can be either client or server. Both programs (client and server) exist independent of each other but are able to share information. The client communicates with the ActiveX objects that the server opens to allow the sharing of information [7]. In the case of video streaming [1] [2], most ActiveX controls can only display the data, being incapable of transforming it into a data type that LabVIEW can process. This becomes problematic when the system is used for remote image processing. The LabVIEW environment itself provides little if any possibilities for video streaming, and the methods it does offer are usually not high performance, but it possesses high performance toolkits and modules specialized in image processing, making it ideal for processing the captured data. Therefore, we chose to use existing software, specialized in video streaming along with LabVIEW and to capture the data provided by them, for further use, within LabVIEW. The software we studied (the ActiveX controls of a series of media players that utilize streaming technology) provide high quality data and a very small transmission delay, ensuring the reliability of the results of the image processing.

DigiSeis—A software component for digitizing seismic signals using the PC sound card

An innovative software-based approach to develop an inexpensive experimental seismic recorder is presented. This approach requires no hardware as the built-in PC sound card is used for digitization of seismic signals. DigiSeis, an ActiveX component is developed to capture the digitized seismic signals from the sound card and deliver them to applications for processing and display. A seismic recorder application software SeisWave is developed over this component, which provides real-time monitoring and display of seismic events picked by a pair of external geophones. This recorder can be used as an educational aid for conducting seismic experiments. It can also be connected with suitable seismic sensors to record earthquakes. The software application and the ActiveX component are available for download. This component can be used to develop seismic recording applications according to user specific requirements.

SteamTablesGrid: An ActiveX control for thermodynamic properties of pure water

An ActiveX control, steam tables grid ( StmTblGrd) to speed up the calculation of the thermodynamic properties of pure water is developed. First, it creates a grid (matrix) for a specified range of temperature (e.g. 400–600 K with 40 segments) and pressure (e.g. 100,000–20,000,000 Pa with 40 segments). Using the ActiveX component SteamTables, the values of selected properties of water for each element (nodal point) of the 41×41 matrix are calculated. The created grid can be saved in a file for its reuse. A linear interpolation within an individual phase, vapor or liquid is implemented to calculate the properties at a given value of temperature and pressure. A demonstration program to illustrate the functionality of StmTblGrd is written in Visual Basic 6.0. Similarly, a methodology is presented to explain the use of StmTblGrd in MS-Excel 2007. In an Excel worksheet, the enthalpy of 1000 random datasets for temperature and pressure is calculated using StmTblGrd and SteamTables. The uncertainty in the enthalpy calculated with StmTblGrd is within ±0.03%. The calculations were performed on a personal computer that has a “Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.2 GHz, RAM 1.0 GB” processor and Windows XP. The total execution time for the calculation with StmTblGrd was 0.3 s, while it was 60.0 s for SteamTables. Thus, the ActiveX control approach is reliable, accurate and efficient for the numerical simulation of complex systems that demand the thermodynamic properties of water at several values of temperature and pressure like steam flow in a geothermal pipeline network.

OrificeMeter: An ActiveX component to determine fluid flow in a pipeline

An ActiveX component OrificeMeter to calculate steam flow in a pipeline is written in Visual Basic 6.0. The algorithm is based on the ISO-5167-2 formulation. The calculation procedure is an iterative process, which requires the thermodynamic properties of steam. The thermodynamic properties are calculated with the ActiveX component SteamTables. The restrictions in the construction of the orifice meter are programmed as an error parameter. Similarly, the two limitations on the values of Reynolds number are programmed as a warning parameter. These parameters help the user to locate inconsistency in the input data.

SteamTables: An approach of multiple variable sets

Using the IAPWS-95 formulation, an ActiveX component SteamTablesIIE in Visual Basic 6.0 is developed to calculate thermodynamic properties of pure water as a function of two independent intensive variables: (1) temperature ( T) or pressure ( P) and (2) T, P, volume ( V), internal energy ( U), enthalpy ( H), entropy ( S) or Gibbs free energy ( G). The second variable cannot be the same as variable 1. Additionally, it calculates the properties along the separation boundaries (i.e., sublimation, saturation, critical isochor, ice I melting, ice III to ice IIV melting and minimum volume curves) considering the input parameter as T or P for the variable 1. SteamTablesIIE is an extension of the ActiveX component SteamTables implemented earlier considering T (190 to 2000 K) and P (3.23×10 −8 to 10000 MPa) as independent variables. It takes into account the following 27 intensive properties: temperature ( T), pressure ( P), fraction, state, volume ( V), density ( Den), compressibility factor ( Z 0), internal energy ( U), enthalpy ( H), Gibbs free energy ( G), Helmholtz free energy ( A), entropy ( S), heat capacity at constant pressure ( C p ), heat capacity at constant volume ( C v ), coefficient of thermal expansion ( CTE), isothermal compressibility ( Z iso ), speed of sound ( VelS), partial derivative of P with T at constant V ( dPdT), partial derivative of T with V at constant P ( dTdV), partial derivative of V with P at constant T ( dVdP), Joule-Thomson coefficient ( JTC), isothermal throttling coefficient ( IJTC), viscosity ( Vis), thermal conductivity ( ThrmCond), surface tension ( SurfTen), Prandtl number ( PrdNum) and dielectric constant ( DielCons).

Qrtzgeotherm: An ActiveX component for the quartz solubility geothermometer

An ActiveX component, QrtzGeotherm, to calculate temperature and vapor fraction in a geothermal reservoir using quartz solubility geothermometry was written in Visual Basic 6.0. Four quartz solubility equations along the liquid–vapor saturation curve: (i) a quadratic equation of 1/ T and pressure, (ii) a linear equation relating log SiO 2 to the inverse of absolute temperature ( T), (iii) a polynomial of T including logarithmic terms and (iv) temperature as a polynomial of SiO 2 including logarithmic terms are programmed. The QrtzGeotherm has input parameters: (i) HRes—the reservoir enthalpy (kJ/kg), (ii) SiO2TD—silica concentration in total discharge (ppm), (iii) GeoEq—number of quartz solubility equation and (iv) TempGuess—a guess value of the reservoir temperature (°C). The reservoir enthalpy H res is assumed to be the same as the total discharge enthalpy H R. The output parameters are (i) TempRes—reservoir temperature (°C) and (ii) VapRes—reservoir vapor fraction. The first step is to calculate the total discharge concentration of silica SiO2TD from the concentration of silica SiO2Col of separated water, sampled after N-separations of vapor and water. To use QrtzGeotherm in MS-Excel, three functions SiO2TD, GeoResTemp and GeoResVap for an N-stage separation of geothermal reservoir fluid are written in Visual Basic for Application (VBA). Similarly, a demonstration program, QrtzGeothrm, is written in Visual Basic 6.0.

Part II: Preparing and Assessing First-Year Radiology Resident On-Call Readiness: Technical Implementation

The effectiveness of using a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM)-based interactive examination system in evaluating the readiness of first year radiology residents before taking overnight call in the emergency department (ED) was reported in part I of this article. This report describes technical aspects for the design and implementation of this system. The examination system consists of two modules: Data Collection and Image Viewing. The Data Collection module was a personal computer (PC)-based DICOM storage server based on a free public domain software package, the Mallinckrodt Central Test Node. The Image Viewing module was a Java-based DICOM viewer created using another freeware package: zDicom ActiveX component. The examination takes place once a year at the end of the first 6-month rotation. Cases selected for the examination were actual clinical cases according to the American Society of Emergency Radiology core curriculum. In the 3-hour timed examination, each resident was required to read the cases and provide clinical findings and recommendations. Upper-level residents also participated in the examination to serve as a control. Answers were scored by two staff radiologists. We have been using this examination system successfully in our institution since 2003 to evaluate the readiness of the first-year residents before they take overnight call in the ED. This report describes a step-by-step procedure for implementing this system into a PC-based platform. This DICOM viewing software is available as freeware to other academic radiology institutions. The total cost for implementing this system is approximately 2000 US dollars.

ASE 파일 파싱과 모델 데이터베이스 연동을 통한 3D 웹 서비스 설계 및 구현

본 논문의 목적은 기존의 정적인 정보검색의 형태를 탈피하여 동적이면서 사용자 지향적인 범용 3D모델 데이터 렌더링을 인터넷 사용자들에게 제공할 수 있는 환경을 설계 및 구현하는 것이다. 이는 3차원 렌더링 프로그램을 실행하여 사용자가 원하는 정보의 결과를 확인하거나 변경하는 등의 동적 정보를 제공하는 웹 서비스를 구현하는 것이다. 이를 위해 가장 보편적인 3차원 모델 데이터, 3D 스튜디오 맥스의 텍스트 출력물인 ASE 포맷 파일을 파싱하여 렌더링 해주는 3D Viewer 프로그램을 제작하고, 이를 ActiveX 컴포넌트인 OCX로 만들어 웹 페이지 상에서 실행 가능하게 한다. 데이터의 효율적 관리와 사용자와의 상호작용을 위하여 ASE 모델들을 위한 데이터베이스를 구축하여 사용자 상호작용적인 Web 3D 웹 서비스를 실현한다. 이를 통하여 인터넷을 통한 실시간적인 정보 교환이나, 네트워크상의 가상공간 내에서의 공동 업무 작업의 가능성을 내다본다. The purpose of this paper is to implement Web 3D environment that is not provider - oriented but client-oriented in order to provide dynamic information and to analyze knowledges by executing programs on Web pages. For these, The 3D Viewer program that parses and renders ASE files - the most general 3D Model Data file and exported text file of 3D Max Studio - is made and then converted into ActiveX 3D Viewer Component that can be used on the Web. With the purpose of managing ASE and texture file efficiently and interacting between clients and server, ActiveX Component link ASP and Database with Web Service. The 3D View Web Service can make dynamic information and cooperative works easier in Networked Virtual Reality.

Steam tables for pure water as an ActiveX component in Visual Basic 6.0

The IAPWS-95 formulation for the thermodynamic properties of pure water was implemented as an ActiveX component ( SteamTables) in Visual Basic 6.0. For input parameters as temperature ( T=190–2000 K) and pressure ( P=3.23×10 −8–10,000 MPa) the program SteamTables calculates the following properties: volume ( V), density ( D), compressibility factor ( Z 0), internal energy ( U), enthalpy ( H), Gibbs free energy ( G), Helmholtz free energy ( A), entropy ( S), heat capacity at constant pressure ( C p ), heat capacity at constant volume ( C v ), coefficient of thermal expansion ( CTE), isothermal compressibility ( Z iso ), velocity of sound ( VelS), partial derivative of P with T at constant V (d Pd T), partial derivative of T with V at constant P (d Td V), partial derivative of V with P at constant T (d Vd P), Joule–Thomson coefficient ( JTC), isothermal throttling coefficient ( IJTC), viscosity ( Vis), thermal conductivity ( ThrmCond), surface tension ( SurfTen), Prandtl number ( PrdNum) and dielectric constant ( DielCons) for the liquid and vapor phases of pure water. It also calculates T as a function of P (or P as a function of T) along the sublimation, saturation and critical isochor curves, depending on the values of P (or T). The SteamTables can be incorporated in a program in any computer language, which supports object link embedding (OLE) in the Windows environment. An application of SteamTables is illustrated in a program in Visual Basic 6.0 to tabulate the values of the thermodynamic properties of water and vapor. Similarly, four functions, Temperature(Press), Pressure(Temp), State(Temp, Press) and WtrStmTbls(Temp, Press, Nphs, Nprop), where Temp, Press, Nphs and Nprop are temperature, pressure, phase number and property number, respectively, are written in Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) to use the SteamTables in a workbook in MS-Excel.