Versatile Manipulation Research Articles

Perceptual effects of spectral envelope and F0 manipulations using the STRAIGHT method

A versatile speech manipulation method, STRAIGHT (Speech Transformation and Representation using Adaptive Interpolation of weiGHTed spectrogram) [Kawahara, ICASSP (1997)], was applied to natural speech in order to test the effects of speech parameter manipulations. STRAIGHT consists of three procedures called STRAIGHT-core, TEMPO (Temporal domain Excitation extraction using a Minimum Perturbation Operator) and SPIKES (Synthetic Phase Impulse for Keeping Equivalent Sound). STRAIGHT-core is a method to extract a smoothed time-frequency representation, which is free from interferences due to the source periodicity. TEMPO is used to extract F0 and other source-related information. SPIKES provides artificial ‘‘naturalness’’ to the synthetic speech. As a base line, resynthesized speech, using the STRAIGHT method, was found to provide equivalent ‘‘naturalness’’ compared to the original speech when no parametric modification was introduced. Simultaneous manipulation of the spectral envelope and F0 illustrated that stretching the frequency axis of the spectral envelope, using the quantity of the cubic root of F0 stretching, preserved ‘‘naturalness’’ the best. Perceptual effects of group delay used in the SPIKES procedure were also investigated. [Work supported by CREST (Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology) of Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST).]

Solution robotics: The chemist's workbench

The use of a programmable continuous flow apparatus for the intelligent control of experiments is described. The system allows the versatile manipulation of a variety of pumps and valves, and the monitoring of several types of detectors. This permits a wide range of experiments involving solution operations to be carried out. The continuous flow approach to automation of experiments is compared to more conventional laboratory robotics. Application to the automated optimization and response surface modeling of a flow injection method for the determination of palladium is described. Modes of operation of the system (gradient vs. steady-state) are discussed and the limitations of the current apparatus are noted. The potential of the continuous flow approach to robotics is evaluated.

Variational Geometry Based on Logical Constraints and its Applications to Product Modelling

Summary Aiming at realizing versatile shape description and manipulation for product modeling, current problems and possible extensions are discussed about geometric modeling. A concept of variational geometry is introduced, which allows us to deal with flexible shape generation and manipulation. The concept has been implemented with the data representation embedded in logical expressions which can, at the same time, express geometric constraints corresponding to product requirements. Some of the ability of shape generation were demonstrated by several examples: cloth object creation, shape determination by geometric constraints, parametric variations of solid objects, and automatic process planning of sheet metal parts with bending.

人間腕形ロボットへのアプローチ 柔軟なマニピュレーションをめざして

人間腕形ロボットへのアプローチ 柔軟なマニピュレーションをめざして

Zone electrophoresis in open-tubular capillaries — recent advances

The separation of charged molecules using capillary zone electrophoresis has been directed toward biomacromolecules, such as native proteins. Although low dispersion of sample bands has been demonstrated, versatile manipulation of selectivity factors and insight into the theoretical and practical limitations of this technique are the main challenges for adequate instrument design.

A new technique for the efficient use of Macro-Mistnets

A cheap and simple method of adapting yacht masts to allow quick and efficient stringing and versatile manipulation of a 6,0 x 30,0 metre macro-mistnet, is described.

A low cost digital synthesizer system for music applications and psychoacoustic research

The availability of microcomputers has done little to give a musician or acoustic researcher of modest means access to computer‐assisted sound generation. To help remedy this situation, our work has resulted in an integrated digital sound synthesis system using a popular microcomputer and commercially available plug‐in synthesizer, all for less then $4000. One software package for music generation and another for psychoacoustic research viii be described. For music, the program VERSATRACS allows versatile manipulation of sound in real time or artificial time. Musical note entry is from a piano‐style keyboard. All notes and parameter modifications are held in memory for subsequent playback, editing, and permanent storage on floppy disk. For psychoacoustics, the program AUDIO EDITOR uses frequency‐vs‐time and amplitude‐vs‐time histories to control independently each of 16 available digital oscillators. A novel time window representation provides powerful editing features. Sound samples of music and research audio will be presented. [This work is supported partially under a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship.]

Injected Beam Chopper System for the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source Accelerator System

A new chopper system has been designed and built to allow versatile manipulation of the H- beam for the Intense Pulsed Neutron Source (IPNS) accelerator system. The beam is chopped at an energy of 750 keV, just before injection into the 50 MeV linear accelerator. The system consists of a high speed logic control system, a high power pulse amplifier and a travelling wave beam deflection electrode. The control system allows for up to four concurrently operable functions. The first mode is dedicated to personnel and equipment protection interlocking. The second is for low frequency pulse shaping. The third is a high frequency chop mode for RF synchronized injection of the 50 MeV beam into the Rapid Cycling Synchrotron (RCS). The fourth mode allows width and/or time modulation of the RF synchronized chopping to control the loading of the RF bucket area in the RCS.