Various visual cues provide information about depth and shape in a scene. When several of these cues are simultaneously available in a single location in the scene, the visual system attempts to combine them. In this paper, we discuss three key issues relevant to the experimental analysis of depth cue combination in human vision: cue promotion, dynamic weighting of cues, and robustness of cue c...

Accurate and effective voice activity detection (VAD) is a fundamental step for robust speech or speaker recognition. In this study, we proposed a hierarchical framework approach for VAD and speech enhancement. The modified Wiener filter (MWF) approach is utilized for noise reduction in the speech enhancement block. For the feature selection and voting block, several discriminating features wer...

A novel method using luminescent molecule sensors is described for in situ measurement of fluid film thickness along the tool rake face in machining. The method uses an optically transparent sapphire tool to access the rake face, and measurement of radiation emitted by luminescing molecules dispersed in a machining fluid. By measuring the intensity of the emission, the film thickness is estimat...

Metalworking fluids provide an excellent environment for the growth and proliferation of a variety of bacteria and fungi. Historically, the incidence of infectious disease outbreaks at metalworking facilities has been rare. Consequently the primary focus of microbial contamination control efforts has been to prevent fluid biodeterioration. Research conducted over the past decade increasingly su...

Whole glove testing for a metalworking fluid (MWF) in the field was performed for the first time. Green latex gloves used in a machine shop were exposed for 20 min to MWF. The permeated amount (1.0 +/- 0.5 microg/cm(2)) was higher than the threshold (0.25 microg/cm(2)) for the ASTM F739-99a closed-loop normalized breakthrough time.

European Respiratory Society guidelines on the management of work-related asthma recommend that occupational asthma with an allergic mechanism should be diagnosed by both identifying the workplace as the cause, and confirming sensitisation to the asthmagen by specific inhalational challenge (SIC), in the absence of any available specific IgE tests [1, 2]. Used (contaminated) metalworking fluid ...

The risk of death for hemodialysis patients is thought to be highest on the days following the longest interval without dialysis (usually Mondays and Tuesdays); however, existing results are inconclusive. To clarify this we analyzed Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS) data of 22,163 hemodialysis patients from the United States, Europe, and Japan. Our study focused on the assoc...

Metalworking fluids (MWF) play a significant role in manufacturing processes, such as machining or forming. Consequently, a high number of MWF with varying chemical composition are commercially available. However, the working mechanisms of the MWF are still object of discussion in science and application. This paper addresses the possible interactions of additives with metal surfaces taking the...

Metalworking fluids (MWFs) are harmful to the environment and to the health of workers, resulting in pressures to re-design them in accordance with sustainable manufacturing principles. In this paper, we review research being performed at the University of Michigan to minimize the life cycle environmental and health impacts of metalworking fluids while simultaneously improving manufacturing per...