PC-based Software Research Articles

Considerations when measuring from a single photograph: positional uncertainty of digital monoplotting

Digital photo coordinates captured off a single image – regardless of film size or camera orientation – can produce reliable measurements. A digital monoplotter, consisting of PC-based software and a standard digitizing tablet, was used with four examples to explore positional uncertainty associated with large- and small-format, vertical and oblique photography. To measure off a single photograph, the instrument determined elevation (Z) of a given (X, Y) point by querying a digital elevation model (DEM). Photo measurements were compared to map and field measurements using different DEMs: DEMs imported from an external source and created internally from control points. Results indicate positional error is random and systematic.

A Computerized Neural Network Method for Pattern Recognition of Cocaine Signatures

This article describes a practical procedure for rapidly searching a large database of cocaine signatures to identify database entries that closely resemble a given reference cocaine exhibit using a personal computer (PC). The procedure takes advantage of the pattern recognition capability of the multilayer perceptron neural network to identify similar cocaine signatures. A PC-based software implementation is now being used on a daily basis at the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) to aid forensic experts in identifying signatures that originate from the same batch. Intelligence reports generated from database searches have been useful to undercover agents in the field who are striving to build drug related conspiracy cases. This software was developed as a collaborative effort between the NCSBI and the Center for Systems and Engineering of the Research Triangle Institute.

Special facilities of a PC-based structural design software package for the marine industry

Most of the existing PC-based structural design software packages are not devised for the design and analysis of marine structures. Therefore, users who are not particularly familiar with structural analysis may find them difficult to use. This paper presents the procedure for developing a software package that can be easily employed to design and analyse marine structures. Some of the useful facilities are described in detail with their possible applications highlighted.

'EDCON': an educational control system analysis and design program

A PC-based software package called EDCON which is a useful tool for teaching basic control system theory is discussed. It provides a user friendly environment that allows students to vary system parameters and design requirements to see the effects on system response. The package is designed around the root locus plot of a unity feedback control system. It uses a second order approximation technique to calculate and graph the unit step response of the system for any value of gain, and gives all the time and frequency parameters of the system. The package was developed to be used as a complement to an undergraduate course in control systems analysis and design. >

Cardiac Emergency Simulator

ABSTRACT Cardiac Emergency Simulator is an IBM PC-based software program designed to teach the principles of advanced cardiac life support and other cardiac emergencies. The documentation advises the user to have a copy of the American Heart Association's Textbook of Advanced Cardiac Life Support available, and, indeed, the topics and protocols rather closely approximate those of the ACLS curriculum. Hardware requirements include an IBM PC compatible with 512K of RAM and a CGA or EGA adapter. A hard drive can be used but is not necessary, and the program can be run either from the keyboard or using a mouse. Although the documentation states that a mouse is easier to use than the keyboard, I personally found that the menu-driven program ran easily and intuitively either way. The initial menu includes an on-disk introduction, which I found very helpful. Although written documentation is a scant seven pages, I found it to

The essentials of shallow reflection data processing

Abstract The aims of processing shallow reflection data are no different from those established for petroleum seismology and the well known methods of this field can on the whole be adopted for high-resolution surveys. The need for rapid and economical processing is being met by the appearance of a range of PC-based packages and results can be obtained from initial data of reasonable quality which are comparable with those normal on the larger scale. This paper surveys the conventional seismic reflection processing sequence and points to some of the particular problems that can arise when it is applied to shallow data.

Design and Construction of Spliced 1-Girder Bridges

This summary paper is a condensation of a full report which containns information on over 40 bridge projects in North America. The paper gives design, production and erection considerations, and other details for many of these bridges. It also includes a fully worked example of preliminary design of a 350 ft (106 m) long overpass, made of two equal spans. The example calculations are done by a handheld calculator without need for any specialized computer facility. Also included is reference to a PC-based computer software for detailed time-dependent analysis of this bridge type.

Computer simulation of the Sherritt nickel-copper matte acid leach process

The Sherritt acid leach process has been used in several locations for the recovery of nickel and copper from high-grade mattes, in order to produce a concentrated platinum group metals residue. Process steps include matte grinding, atmospheric leaching, pressure leaching, residue filtration, selenium removal, copper electrowinning, and nickel sulphate crystallization. Since 1987, computer simulation of the acid leach process has been utilized for process design, operability and control studies, control system testing, and personnel training. Material balances and dynamic simulations were generated on an IBM compatible personal computer, using flowsheet simulation software capable of communicating with other computers. A PC-based process control software package was also used to develop an operator console for the simulator, as a tool for personnel training. This paper presents an overview of the development and application of computer simulation for this process.

PC-based power systems software: comparing functions and features

State-of-the-art PC software for analyzing industrial and commercial electric power systems is surveyed. The most prominent commercially available software packages are analyzed. The result is a basis for determining the available capabilities and suitability for specific applications. Both power flow analysis and fault current analysis are covered.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

NUCLARR: a workstation software package to support risk assessment

Abstract In a multi-year effort sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, specialists in human factors, risk analysis, and software design have developed the Nuclear Computerized Library for Assessing Reactor Reliability (NUCLARR). This PC-based workstation software package supports probabilistic risk assessment and other risk analysis efforts by providing a repository of both human error probability rates, and hardware component failure data. System documentation includes a User's Guide which leads the user through simple installation procedures, presents detailed descriptions of resident data, and reviews the software package capabilities. The majority of failure rate estimates contained in NUCLARR have nuclear power plants as their source. However, many human failure rate estimates are not specific to the nuclear industry and may be used equally well for analyses in other settings. This paper discusses the capabilities of the data base, and includes sample human error and hardware failure data.

Organization and management of information systems functions: Comparative study of selected organizations in Bahrain

This study evaluates and compares the organizational structure, management and communications strategy of IS functions in selected organizations in Bahrain. The IS activities fit, with some variations, into Zmud's traditional IS roles model. The IS departments of two of the organizations maintain a successful project and work oriented matrix structure for software development functions and the usual functional structures for computer operation units. Two other organizations use the traditional functional structures, as they are primarily involved in acquisition, implementation, and maintenance of overseas developed application software. These operations are carried out with difficulty, as they become fire-fighting. The four organizations were fairly successful in maintaining the desired communication within their various IS sub-functions Some of them face difficulties in appointing and retaining qualified and experienced staff. With some exceptions, the organizations maintain no established steering committee that can formulate IS policy and plan and prepare project selection and resource utilization guidelines. The relationships of each IS department with its users during routine activities were satisfactory. Each organization encourages the user departments in using PC-based fourth generation software tools. But these organizations are a long way from adopting Zmud's evolving IS roles and organizational model. The findings also sudggested that Nolan's growth stages are applicable to these firms.

The Integrated Model Evaluation System (IMES): A Database for Evaluation of Exposure Assessment Models

The USEPA Office of Health and Environmental Assessment develops methodologies for conducting exposure and risk assessments. Protocols appropriate for specific analyses have been developed to aid in the selection of an exposure assessment model and to assess the validation and uncertainties associated with models used for toxic chemical exposure assessments in surface water, groundwater, and air. A software package has been developed to provide users with a quick and intuitive tool to access information for selected models and applications based on these protocols. The Integrated Model Evaluation System (IMES) is composed of three modules: 1) Selection, query systems for selecting a model based on technical criteria (currently for surface water, non-point source, and groundwater models); 2) Validation, a database containing validation and other information on over 50 models in various media; and 3) Uncertainty, a database demonstrating uncertainty simulations for several surface water models applied to exposure assessments of several chemicals. The selection modules are linked to the uncertainty and validation modules to access information for chosen models. The PC-based software system employs pull-down menus, help screens, and graphics to display its information.

Graphical analysis and visualization of 3-D properties of molecules and solids

A simple approach is presented for visualizing three-dimensional properties of molecular and crystalline systems by using PC-based molecular drawing software. This allows a scientist with lower-cost PC-graphics capability to carry out analysis of data, such as wave functions and electron density, which would otherwise require a dedicated graphics workstation and expensive specialized software. In this approach, a data set [x,y,z,f1(x,y,z)] is transformed to a new set of data [x,y,z] for values of f1 meeting specified requirements. The function f1, which varies throughout a chemical system is difficult to visualize. However, a more manageable data set is obtained if the set of Cartesian coordinates corresponding to locations in the system where f1 has a specified value are used. This set of points can then be visualized and plotted with standard graphics software or PC-based molecular modeling programs. In addition, the use of PC-based molecular graphics permits one to superimpose the data describing molecular properties on drawings of the molecular geometry. The entire object can then be rotated to facilitate a clear analysis of the property of the molecule.

PC-based packages for identification, optimization, and adaptive control

PC-based integrated environments are proposed for identification, optimization and adaptive control of industrial processes. The identification package uses the recursive least-squares method for parameter estimation and the predictive least-squares criterion for order selection. The optimization package concerns the optimal tuning of digital PID controllers, given the discrete model of the controlled process, which can be obtained via the identification procedure. The adaptive control package considers several certainty equivalence adaptive control strategies by combining various control strategies by combining various control strategies with several recursive identification schemes. One representative example, using a real process, is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the techniques used and the usefulness of the integrated environments.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Description and Quantitative Modeling of Oolitic Reservoir Analogs Within the Lower Kansas City Group (Pennsylvanian), Southeastern Kansas

A significant number of petroleum reservoirs within the Kansas City Group in central and western Kansas are dominantly oolitic grainstones that cap 10- to 30-m-thick, shallowing-upward, carbonate-rich depositional sequences. Coeval units that occur at and near the surface in southeastern Kansas contain similar porous lithofacies that have been examined in detail via cores, outcrops, and an extensive log database to better understand the equivalent reservoirs. These studies suggest that individual oolitic, reservoir-quality units in the Bethany Falls Limestone (equivalent to the K zone in the subsurface) developed at several relative sea level stands that occurred during development of a highstand systems tract within this depositional sequence. As many as three grain-rich parasequences may occur at a given location. The occurrence of multiple parasequences indicates a relatively complex history of K-zone deposition, which likely resulted in significant effects on reservoir architecture. Two-dimensional forward modeling of this sequence with our interactive, PC-based software has revealed that limited combinations of parameters such as shelf configuration, eustasy, sedimentation rates, and subsidence rates generate strata successions similar to those observed. Sensitivity analysis coupled with regional characterization of processes suggest ranges of values that these parameters could have had during deposition of these units. The ultimatemore » goal of this modeling is to improve our ability to predict facies development in areas of potential and known hydrocarbon accumulations.« less

Regional Evacuation Modeling System (REMS): A decision support system for emergency area evacuations

In this paper we present a decision support system being developed at the University of Florida. The system is a PC-based software package that is capable of testing different emergency scenarios due to hurricanes, chemical accidents or nuclear accidents. The underlying models are optimization models based on a regional transportation network. One of the most significant aspects of the software is its ability to handle time dimension of the problem explicitly. It is this aspect of REMS that makes incorporation at any time of road blockages due to the presence of extremely hazardous substances or inundation of roads due to accidents or flooding possible in evacuation scenarios tested. The software has the ability to animate the evacuation process in time and display the flow of traffic on the links of the transportation network in a time-lapsed manner with color codes. Additionally REMS is also capable to animate the progress of the plume exposure pathway of an extremely hazardous substances as it evolves in time onto the evacuation network and to display the dynamic vehicle flow in time simultaneously.

PC and Mainframe Computer-Graphics Techniques Applied to Volumetric Evaluation of a Mature Oil Field

Summary Mapping and volumetric analysis of large reservoirs are important steps in evaluating mature oil fields for secondary and tertiary development. This paper describes how a research group mapped and conducted an extensive volumetric analysis on the Zenith pool, a large, mature oil field in central Kansas, with a Data General MV20000 minicomputer with Surface III™ mapping software and a PC with Surfer™ and spreadsheet software. A step-by-step procedure was developed to generate structure, isopach, and porosity maps for the five main reservoirs in the field. Lotus 123™ spreadsheets were developed to compile locations, formation tops, and other critical data for more than 500 wells. These data were sent to the minicomputer to generate contour maps depicting structure, isopachs, and porosities with output directed to an electrostatic color plotter. Grid-to-grid manipulation and cross multiplication of these contour maps allowed construction of a porosity-foot map for each reservoir. The final contour maps incorporated the effects of oil/water contact (OWC) with a porosity cutoff determined from porosity/permeability crossplots. Integration of the porosity-foot maps facilitated volumetric and spatial comparison with historic production data. PC-derived crossplots were used to determine distribution and ranges of data that were in turn depicted as color-coded ranges on maps. Oil production and oil recovery per quarter section, initial production potential, and completion date for each well were mapped with this technique. The main advantages of the mainframe were computational speed and high-quality graphics. However, complementary analysis with PC-based contour-mapping software provided similar results and served as an independent check for each mapping step.

A PC-based software package for automated punch-selection and tool-path generation for a CNC nibbling machine

Nibbling is a progressive-punching process to shear sheet metal to create blanks of complex shapes, which are later bent into 3-dimensional products. It is particularly suitable for low- to mid-volume production and complex-shaped workpieces because it is fairly fast and does not require the construction of mating tool- and die-sets. However, the amount of time and effort required before the actual machining commences for the selection of suitable standardised punches, for the computation of the feed to achieve the required surface roughness, for the definition of the tool paths and for the preparation of NC program paper tapes, may make this material-processing method relatively unattractive, if the volume of production is low. To overcome the obstacles mentioned, PC-based computer software has been developed. The use is required only to define the workpiece profile by draughting the drawing using AutoCAD, a popular and easily available CAD software. The software implementation is achieved by interfacing AutoCAD to run an external program coded in a combination of C and AutoLisp. The software processes the geometry entity file created by AutoCAD to determine the definition of the external and internal profile of the workpiece. It then: uses a number of heuristic rules to select suitable punches; computes the feed for each line segment to achieve the required surface-roughness; and generates and presents graphically the tool paths with respect to the workpiece for the user to verify before the generation of the paper tape. It will also allow the user to select punches manually for any portion of the profile and where the automatically- or manually-selected punches are not capable of punching out any particular portion of the workpiece, the software will highlight the portion for the user to modify. This paper discusses: the method used to extract information about the workpiece profile from the AutoCAD DXF file; the organization and processing of this information to allow the automatic punch selection; the method used to generate the tool paths; and the interface of AutoCAD and the external program.

Managing Software Projects Designed Using a Graphic Language

Experience with development of engine control software using a graphic design language is presented. The Bendix integrated software development environment centers around an internally developed graphic design language, the Bendix Orthogonal Graphics System (BOGS). BOGS graphics are used to specify every software function, including program flow, and are automatically processed to generate deliverable code. Additional software tools aid in testing and documenting the engine control software. Many software tools are developed in-house, with the benefits of faster response on tool changes and tools better matched to user needs. BOGS is shown to aid in creating structured, modular, readable software that is efficient. The same BOGS language and supporting tools can be used to specify all engine control software designs, independent of target language or CPU. Bendix engine control software designs have common architectural features that support real time control and testing. Self-test functions are common between projects. PC-based software test stations are used to achieve real time software testing on the target CPU at the developer's desk. Speed of execution of tools has improved dramatically as they were rehosted on PC-compatible machines and rewritten to take maximum advantage of the PC capabilities.

Software tools for indexing: what we need

PC-based software for document processing has become quite sophisticated, but the software tools available for embedding index entries in text files do not meet the needs of professional indexers. The author outlines basic index requirements of American publishers, and deficiencies in the current software and their user interfaces. The indexing capabilities of Microsoft word, WordPerfect, WordStar, XyWrite, and macrex are reviewed. Suggestions are offered for improvement in sorting algorithms, formatting capabilities, and user interface design.