Profile Meters Research Articles

Testing & Evaluation of Road Bounce PRO-Mobile Phone App Based Technology for Road Measurement

Road roughness plays a crucial role in assessing the overall condition of a road. It impacts various factors such as vehicle operating costs, speed, comfort, safety, fuel efficiency, and wear and tear. Every road user seeks a smooth and pleasant driving experience. The measurement of road roughness is a key task that influences maintenance decisions. According to the Indian Road Congress (IRC) standards, roughness measurements should be conducted every 6 months on highways to determine the necessary functional overlay requirements based on the roughness index. Roughness measurements using profile meters namely Rod & Level, Dipstick, Merlin etc. all are time consuming. The Road Roughness Measurement System (RTRRMS) is a system installed on vehicles to assess how the vehicle reacts to the pavement profile. In India, the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) has developed a 5th Wheel Bump Indicator that is mounted on cars to measure roughness. The RTRRMS 5th Wheel Bump Indicator utilizes binary true/false information and range-based analog data generated by digital accelerometers commonly found in smartphones. This measurement system is facilitated through an application called "ROAD BOUNCE”. This paper aims to showcase the results obtained from the testing and assessment of an App-based roughness measurement technology in terms of its precision and user-friendliness. The evaluation was conducted across various vehicles and mobile phones, considering different factors such as speed, tire pressure, gradients, and more. Keywords:- Road Bounce, RTRRMS, Roughness Measurement, Cell Phone based Roughness.

Three-dimensional scanning of soil surface and furrow profiles using a portable and affordable unit

Soil surface and furrow profiles in soil dynamics research and applications are usually measured using manual profile meters and laser-based scanners. Manual profile meters are laborious to use, and laser-based scanners could be expensive and not portable. An approach was developed for measuring soil surface and furrow profiles using a portable and affordable 3D scanner. The developed approach was validated by using the 3D scanner to measure the width and depth of a V-groove (with known dimensions) created in three types of soils (coarse sand, Black Vertosol and Red Ferrosol) at different soil water contents moulded in a soil box. Average error of ±1.83% was found for all the three soil types and soil water contents. Results from the 3D scanner were also validated in the field by comparison to profiles measured with a pinned profile meter. In terms of percentage difference in readings, the 3D scanner results showed 16, 5 and 4% greater furrow width, ridge height and cross-sectional area, respectively, and 1% less furrow backfill. These differences were partly due to profile meter pins digging into loose soil and limitation with accurate width measurement. Data acquisition and processing with the 3D scanner unit were significantly faster than with the pinned profile meter. In general, it could be concluded that the developed methodology has the level of accuracy required for soil surface and furrow profile measurements. Furthermore, this approach is a cost-effective alternative to using laser-based scanners.

Light Drone-Based Application to Assess Soil Tillage Quality Parameters.

The evaluation of soil tillage quality parameters, such as cloddiness and surface roughness produced by tillage tools, is based on traditional methods ranging, respectively, from manual or mechanical sieving of ground samples to handheld rulers, non-contact devices or Precision Agriculture technics, such as laser profile meters. The aim of the study was to compare traditional methods of soil roughness and cloddiness assessment (laser profile meter and manual sieving), with light drone RGB 3D imaging techniques for the evaluation of different tillage methods (ploughed, harrowed and grassed). Light drone application was able to replicate the results obtained by the traditional methods, introducing advantages in terms of time, repeatability and analysed surface while reducing the human error during the data collection on the one hand and allowing a labour-intensive field monitoring solution for digital farming on the other. Indeed, the profilometer positioning introduces errors and may lead to false reading due to limited data collection. Future work could be done in order to streamline the data processing operation and so to produce a practical application ready to use and stimulate the adoption of new evaluation indices of soil cloddiness, such as Entropy and the Angular Second Moment (ASM), which seem more suitable than the classic ones to achieved data referred to more extended surfaces.

Study on metrological relations between instant tool displacements and surface roughness during precise ball end milling

The study presents an analysis of relations between the instantaneous tool displacements and surface roughness formed during ball end milling of surface with inclination towards the tool’s axis. A novel experimental method for the estimation of ball end mill’s working part vibrations, considering displacements correlated with the geometrical errors of tool-toolholder-spindle system and deflections caused by milling forces has been proposed. The experiments have been conducted on hard-to-cut low carbon hardened alloy steel. Milling tests involved the use of monolithic ball end mills varied in terms of overhang l values. In the first stage, the finishing machining of inclined surface with variable cutting speeds vc was carried out. During the experiment, the instantaneous tool’s joining part displacements have been measured with the application of laser displacements sensor. Subsequently, in order to obtain the tool’s tip instantaneous displacements, the analytical extrapolation method has been proposed. In the next stage, the machined surface roughness has been measured with the application of stylus and optical profile meters. The investigations show that the value of tool’s overhang significantly affects the mechanisms of surface roughness generation during finishing ball end milling. In case of milling with the rigid tool (l = 35 mm), the surface roughness is strongly correlated with kinematic-geometric model, as well as with geometrical errors of machining system. Nevertheless, in case of milling with the slender tool (l = 85 mm), the surface roughness formation is mainly affected by the tool’s working part dynamic deflections caused by milling forces.

A Random Plasma Glucose in Gynecologic Patients

Objective: To determine gynecologic pathologies associated with abnormal plasma glucose in order to provide clinicians with an opportunity to achieve prevention or early detection of diabetes and better control of co-morbidities linked to hyperglycemia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including all adult gynecologic non pregnant patients admitted for routine consultation between 1st and 30th August 2012 at the university clinics of Kinshasa, DR Congo, irrespective of their clinical status. Information generated by their charts was used for extensive identification of general characteristics. Random venous blood glucose was assayed upon recruitment by use of One Touch Profile Meters (Lifescan, Johnson & Johnson, High Wycombe, U.K.). Using Odds ratios and logistic regression calculation we assessed risk for abnormal glucose concentration. Results: This study recruited 99 participants whose general characteristics are (mean ± SD): 34.3 ± 13.0 years, 1.7 ± 2.7 and 2.3 ± 1.2 for age, parity and gravidity, respectively. The five major complaints were: pelvic/back pain (33.3%), vaginal discharge with/without pruritus (10.1%), mastodynia (8.1%), amenorrhea (7.1%), infertility and abnormal uterine bleeding (6.1% each). The major diagnoses were myoma (13.1%), urinary infection (11.1%), polycystic ovaries syndrome (9.1%), breast cancer 9.1%), infertility (9.1%), cervicitis (7.1%), vaginitis (5.1%) and ovarian cyst (4%). The mean plasma glucose concentrations of the sample was 123.7 ± 51.6 mg/dL, and none of the 11 (11.1%) who qualified as diabetic patients (having >200 mg/dL) presented with symptoms of marked hyperglycemia. Micropolycystic ovaries syndrome and cervical cancer significantly raised the risk for pathologic glucose concentration (OR 9.8; CI 1.1-86.8 and OR 35.1; CI 1.6-75.1, respectively), mostly when patients were either ≥ 35 years old or overweight/obese or both. Conclusions: Ignored hyperglycemia that can be present in certain gynecological situations years before the development of overt diabetes could be regarded as missed opportunity for early detection of diabetes. In turn, better glycemic control is expected to improve the situations concerned.

Patterns of topographic change in sub-humid badlands determined by high resolution multi-temporal topographic surveys

Badlands are highly erodible landscapes with sparse vegetation and rapid runoff responses. Badland surfaces experience high erosion rates that may have a direct and marked influence on river channel networks and catchment scale sediment budgets. Erosion rates from badlands have been widely estimated by discrete observations of topographic change measured by erosion pins or profile meters. Recent developments in survey instrumentation provide the opportunity to build high-resolution topographic models over multiple spatial scales at sub-centimeter accuracy. In this paper we demonstrate how reliable estimates of topographic variables and temporal change can be derived for badlands by repeat Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) surveys undertaken at multiple temporal (event to annual) scales.A total of seven TLS-surveys were obtained in an experimental sub-humid badland located in the Central Pyrenees. Data analyses were conducted on two temporal scales: (a) five rainfall events and (b) three long term (spaced over an annual cycle) scales. Our results show a clear erosional pattern for most of the badland at the annual scale (i.e. annual net change at around −6cmyr−1). Aspect, surface roughness and slope were significant predictors of topographic change, although the sign and magnitude of the change differed at the event scale. Net topographic change at the event scale varied from −1.8 to 1.4cm. Although these patterns could be also affected by swell-shrink processes, surface roughness was more important at controlling badland geomorphological processes at the event-scale than the annual scale. Our observations suggest that longer-term studies may underestimate the importance of surface roughness as a control on badland geomorphology. At the annual scale the effect of aspect in the sign of the topographic change was removed and slope becomes more important. Erosion proved to be dominant on slopes higher than 100%. Overall, the results indicate that coupling of appropriately-scaled spatial and temporal data is critical to understand topographic changes and their drivers on badlands. Although the approach outlined in this paper was only applied to a relatively small area, with careful survey design and application of new survey technology, it could readily be upscaled to cover entire badland systems. Such surveys would permit detailed analysis of controls of sedimentological connectivity across badlands and their influence on channel networks and catchment sediment budgets.

Correlating ERT with AEM in a rock slide mapping project, same shape but different quantities

SUMMARY We investigate an active rock slide in Western Norway with ground- and airborne resistivity mapping to ultimately find weakness zones & sliding planes embedded in crystalline bedrock. The study area comprises phyllite, a low grade metamorphic rock type that tends to be reworked to clay in disturbed zones. Mapping these electrically conductive clay zones was the aim of the survey. GPS measurements over the last 5 years indicate that precipitation drives rock slide movements. The role of ground water is thus a crucial factor to investigate for risk assessment in the area. Based on a successful airborne electromagnetic (AEM) demonstration survey, we conducted a total of 1.600 profile meters of ground resistivity (ERT) measurements to confirm AEM anomalies, to gain precise 2D geometries and to link conductivity anomalies with geology. All resistivity results confirm AEM anomalies and refine their lateral extent. In the East we find consistency between a strong conductor, dipping sub horizontal SW with an outcropping thrust fault, separating phyllite and gneiss. In the West a conductor dipping steeply NNW seems to be fed by surface water and may represent a formerly unknown sliding plane. While ERT and AEM anomaly shapes generally agree within their mutual resolution limitations, the resistivity values significantly deviate. It remains unclear whether anisotropy or strong 3D artefacts cause this disagreement.

Improving fairness in a WRED-based DiffServ network: A fluid-flow approach

The DiffServ architecture has been proposed as a scalable approach for upgrading the Internet, adding service differentiation functionalities. However, several aspects of this architecture still have to be analyzed and solved. For this reason, network designers need to be provided with tools which are able to estimate the average behavior of a DiffServ network with a high level of accuracy and in a short time. In this paper a fluid-flow model of a DiffServ network supporting Assured Forwarding Per-Hop Behavior (PHB) and loaded with TCP flows is proposed. At the edge of the network, two rate three color markers (TRTCM) are employed as profile meters, while within the network core routers implement a Weighted RED (WRED) buffer management mechanism. In order to demonstrate the high accuracy of the proposed model, a comparison between model and simulation results is performed, taking into account not just a bottleneck link, but a complex network topology. The proposed analytical framework is then used to analyze the impact of several factors on the fair sharing of network resources between traffic aggregates with the same traffic profile, and to achieve some guidelines for WRED parameter settings with the aim of reducing unfairness.

Analytical performance of glucometers used for routine glucose self-monitoring of diabetic patients

Background: Glucometry is an essential part of diabetes treatment, but so far, no standard quality control procedure verifying blood glucose meter results is available. In this study, we evaluated the analytical performance of eight glucose meters: GX and Esprit™ (Bayer Diagn.), MediSense® Card Sensor, ExacTech (MediSense®) with strips Selfcare™ (Cambridge Diagn), One Touch® Basic, One Touch® II, One Touch® Profile (Lifescan) and Glucotrend® (Boehringer Mannheim/Roche). Methods: The evaluation included within-run imprecision, linearity, comparison with the laboratory method and calculation of differences between individual glucometers. Results: Within-run imprecision ranged from 1.5% to 4.5%, linearity assessed as the correlation between measured and calculated glucose concentrations yielded r 2 values from 0.97 to 0.981. Analytical bias of glucose concentration values obtained by the glucometry amounted from 0.14% to 16.9% of values measured by the laboratory method. Bias higher than 5% was found for One Touch® Basic, II and Profile meters (however, glucose concentrations in plasma obtained by the laboratory method One Touch® meters showed analytical bias from 3.0% to 8.8%). The regression analysis yielded slope values from 0.77 to 1.09 and r 2 values from 0.86 to 0.98. The best correlations with the laboratory method were found for One Touch® Basic, II Profile, Glucotrend® and Esprit™ meters. The calculated differences between the individual glucose meters can constitute 0.02–1.49 mmol/l (0.96–26.9%) at glucose concentration 5.55 mmol/l, and 0.16–4.16 mmol/l (0.96–24.96%) at glucose concentration 16.67 mmol/l. Error grid analyses have shown that Glucometers One Touch® Basic and One Touch® Profile yielded all results in zone A (acceptable). The remaining glucometers yielded 1–7% of results in zones B (insignificant errors), C or D (lack of detection and treatment). Conclusions: All studied glucometers had both small deviation from laboratory reference values (<10%) and high concurrence with results obtained by the laboratory method.

A Detector of Magnesium Atomic Beam

A detector of neutral Mg atoms is described. The operating principle of the detector is based on variations in the emissive ability of a tungsten filament exposed to an atomic Mg beam. The emission current of the detector reaches several tens of microamperes, with the flux density of Mg atoms being ∼1014 particles/(s cm2). The spatial resolution of the detector is of the order of magnitude of the filament diameter (0.1 mm). The results of the study of changes in the atomic Mg beam shape caused by variation of the temperature of the magnesium vapor source from 440 to 460°C are presented. The detector can be used for improving the spatial resolution of ion-beam profile meters based on the use of a magnesium vapor jet.

Explicit allocation of best-effort packet delivery service

This paper presents the allocated-capacity framework for providing different levels of best-effort service in times of network congestion. The allocated-capacity framework-extensions to the Internet protocols and algorithms-can allocate bandwidth to different users in a controlled and predictable way during network congestion. The framework supports two complementary ways of controlling the bandwidth allocation: sender-based and receiver-based. In today's heterogeneous and commercial Internet the framework can serve as a basis for charging for usage and for more efficiently utilizing the network resources. We focus on algorithms for essential components of the framework: a differential dropping algorithm for network routers and a tagging algorithm for profile meters at the edge of the network for bulk-data transfers. We present simulation results to illustrate the effectiveness of the combined algorithms in controlling transmission control protocol (TCP) traffic to achieve certain targeted sending rates.

Evaluation of a new critical-care medicine instrument for real-time electrolytes and blood gas measurements

Background: Glucometry is an essential part of diabetes treatment, but so far, no standard quality control procedure verifying blood glucose meter results is available. In this study, we evaluated the analytical performance of eight glucose meters: GX and Esprit™ (Bayer Diagn.), MediSense® Card Sensor, ExacTech (MediSense®) with strips Selfcare™ (Cambridge Diagn), One Touch® Basic, One Touch® II, One Touch® Profile (Lifescan) and Glucotrend® (Boehringer Mannheim/Roche). Methods: The evaluation included within-run imprecision, linearity, comparison with the laboratory method and calculation of differences between individual glucometers. Results: Within-run imprecision ranged from 1.5% to 4.5%, linearity assessed as the correlation between measured and calculated glucose concentrations yielded r2 values from 0.97 to 0.981. Analytical bias of glucose concentration values obtained by the glucometry amounted from 0.14% to 16.9% of values measured by the laboratory method. Bias higher than 5% was found for One Touch® Basic, II and Profile meters (however, glucose concentrations in plasma obtained by the laboratory method One Touch® meters showed analytical bias from 3.0% to 8.8%). The regression analysis yielded slope values from 0.77 to 1.09 and r2 values from 0.86 to 0.98. The best correlations with the laboratory method were found for One Touch® Basic, II Profile, Glucotrend® and Esprit™ meters. The calculated differences between the individual glucose meters can constitute 0.02–1.49 mmol/l (0.96–26.9%) at glucose concentration 5.55 mmol/l, and 0.16–4.16 mmol/l (0.96–24.96%) at glucose concentration 16.67 mmol/l. Error grid analyses have shown that Glucometers One Touch® Basic and One Touch® Profile yielded all results in zone A (acceptable). The remaining glucometers yielded 1–7% of results in zones B (insignificant errors), C or D (lack of detection and treatment). Conclusions: All studied glucometers had both small deviation from laboratory reference values (<10%) and high concurrence with results obtained by the laboratory method.

Development of On-line Roll Grinding System for Hot Strip Mill.

Schedule Free-Rolling (SFR), which means rolling with unrestricted rolling schedules in the processing of strips of various materials and widths, should be developed to realize hot-charge-rolling and hot-direct-rolling whose importance has been increasing in hot strip rolling mills. As a technique to make SFR practical, we have developed a non-driven cup type On-line Roll Grinder (ORG) which smooths the wear of a work roll on line. Our experiments have proven that the ORG has the basic capabilities required for an on-line roll grinder: high grinding capacity, long grinding wheel life and appropriate roughness of the finished surface. In addition, the ORG is free of welding and dulling and maintains stable grinding characteristics for a long time. We have also developed an on-line roll grinding system equipped with an On-line roll Profile Meter which can measure the profile of a revolving roll without contact. The data taken by these profile meters is fed back to the ORG, thereby increasing its grinding accuracy and allowing it to grind a roll to the required profile.

Shape Meter Using Image Processing Technology for Hot Rolling

Recently development of new type rolling mills has made it possible to dynamically control the profile and the shape of hot rolled strips. In order to improve the performance of new type mills, profile and shape meters are required. The profile meter with high accuracy has been put to practical use, on the other hand the shape meter has not been widely used because of strip fluttering and the poor atmospheric conditions for example steam, dust and high temperature. Sumitomo Metals succeeded in developing a new shape meter with high accuracy applying laser and image processing technology. This system eliminates the measurement errors caused by the strip fluttering. Furthermore, it can be used even in the hot, steamy and dusty stomosphere. This system has been put into operation in the finishing mill of Kashima Steel Work’s hot strip mill and it has contributed to the improvement in the quality of hot strip coil.

Profile Meters for Detailed Measurement of Soil Surface Heights

Profile Meters for Detailed Measurement of Soil Surface Heights

Paper 36: Specimens Used for Checking Contact Profile Recording Instruments and M-System Profile Meters and Certification of Specimens

This paper describes the results of experimental investigations of a visual interference method of certifying simple profile specimens and the basic expressions for calculating a photoelectric scanning system for interference fringes employed in certifying specimens of regular complex shape.