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Reconstruction of 3-D objects from multiaspect high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is of great importance for SAR technology applications. In this paper, simple building objects are modeled as cuboids, and an approach for automatic reconstruction of 3-D building objects from multiaspect SAR images in meter resolution is developed. The edge detector of constant false alarm rate and a Hough transform technique for parallel line segment pairs are first employed to extract the parallelogram-like image of the building walls in SAR images. A set of probability density functions is presented to describe the object images and their multiaspect coherence. The maximum-likelihood estimation of an object is then derived from its multiaspect object images. A hybrid priority criterion is defined to evaluate the reliability of the reconstruction result. An automatic reconstruction algorithm is further developed to match object images of different aspects and, finally, to reconstruct the building objects. Besides, an iterative method is proposed for the coregistration of multiaspect building images. Four-aspect simulated images of a virtual scene and four-aspect Pi-SAR images over the campus of Tohoku University, Japan, are investigated. Reconstruction of building objects from their multiaspect images shows the fidelity of the whole process chain and the feasibility of 3-D objects automatic reconstruction from multiaspect SAR images. At last, a practical application that is based on spaceborne meter-resolution SAR is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents the production and validation of retrieved rainfall data obtained from satellite-borne microwave radiometers by the Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP) Project. Using various attributes of precipitation derived from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite data, the GSMaP has implemented hydrometeor profiles derived from Precipitation Radar (PR), statistical rain/no-rain classification, and scattering algorithms using polarization-corrected temperatures (PCTs) at 85.5 and 37 GHz. Combined scattering-based surface rainfalls are computed depending on rainfall intensities. PCT85 is not used for stronger rainfalls, because strong depressions of PCT85 are related to tall precipitation-top heights. Therefore, for stronger rainfalls, PCT37 is used, with PCT85 used for weaker rainfalls. With the suspiciously strong rainfalls retrieved from PCT85 deleted, the combined rainfalls correspond well to the PR rain rates over land. The GSMaP algorithm for the TRMM Microwave tmager (TMI) is validated using the TRMM PR, ground radar [Kwajalein (KWAJ) radar and COBRA], and Radar Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) precipitation analysis (RA). Monthly surface rainfalls retrieved from six microwave radiometers (GSMaP̱MWR) are compared with the gauge-based dataset. Rain rates retrieved from the TMI (GSMaP̱TMI) are in better agreement with the PR estimates over land everywhere except over tropical Africa in the boreal summer. Validation results of the KWAJ radar and COBRA show a good linear relationship for instantaneous rainfall rates, while validation around Japan using the RA shows a good relationship in the warm season. Poor results, connected to weak- precipitation cases, are found in the cold season around Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2003, three years of the current 5-year national project for development of coated conductors using Y-system superconductors have passed and remarkable results have been achieved. In this paper, the current status and future prospects are reviewed. The group of Fujikura and SRL has worked on a long tape with high performance in the PLD-YBCO supercon- ducting tapes on the IBAD-GZO buffered substrates. The highest Ic × L value of the tape is over 50 k Am which is 212 m in length and 245 A of critical current (Ic). Additionally, a 500 m long IBAD-buffered tape with a reasonable in-plane texture was produced using a large scale IBAD apparatus by Fujikura. In the other group, long tape processing has been developed focusing on lowering production cost. An extremely high Ic value of 692 A was obtained in a short sample by the advanced TFA-MOD method on a CeO2 (PLD)/GZO(IBAD)/Hastelloy substrate. In the efforts for the long tape processing, a 25 m long tape with the Ic value of 100 A by a continuous reel-to-reel system and a 40 m long tape with 155 A by a batch system were realized. 100 m class long tapes were also obtained with the MOCVD and PLD-HoBCO processes. Both groups are aiming for 500 m long tapes with the high Ic value of 300 A/cm-w with a production rate of 5 m/h. Furthermore, feasibility studies for applications using coated conductors have already began due to the above mentioned success of long tape production. Several kinds of coils using the long coated conductors such as solenoid and pancake types and spiral shaped conductors for the cable were made. Reasonable high performance results were confirmed in the trials. New approaches on the preliminary studies for the applications of cables, transformers, motors and current limiters etc. are planned in this project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of the SMES using high temperature superconducting (HTS) coil has progressed as a Japanese national project since FY 2004. The objective of the project is to obtain around twice the normal energy density via an HTS-LTS ‘hybrid’ coil system compared to an LTS coil system. The HTS coil is composed of sixteen double-pancake coils and the double-pancake coil is wound with a Bi2212 Rutherford-type cable. The HTS coil is operated at 4.2 K in liquid helium bath with the LTS coil, and operated at maximum field of 8.9 T. Before we made a hybrid coil system, we verified the design issues using HTS experimental coils. In this paper mechanical compression tests, DC operation tests and thermal runaway tests using the experimental coils are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the relationship between earthquakes and electrical phenomena, signals of three parameters were observed continuously at Sennan in Akita Prefecture, Japan: ground acceleration (GAC), earth potential difference (EPD), and electrostatic field in the atmosphere (EFA). A large metal plate was used as an electrostatic antenna to observe EFA variation. For this paper, we used the digital natural observation (D-NOB) method as a signal processing technique and found clear EPD and EFA waveforms during seismic wave propagation. Our observation and examination results show that GAC causes EPD variation. Subsequently, the EPD variation induces EFA variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the development of the AntConc corpus analysis toolkit, originally designed for use in a technical writing course at Osaka University, Japan, but now adopted in institutions throughout the world as an easy-to-use, freeware, multiplatform alternative to the many commercial concordance programs. First, I will explain how the software was originally tailored to the needs of students in the Osaka writing course and later to a general audience through the requests and feedback from teachers and students around the world. Then, I will give an overview of tools in the most recent version of AntConc and explain their value using examples from the classroom. Finally, I will discuss some of the software's limitations and future developments, and suggest applications in professional communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the characteristics of commercial memory devices for space use, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched a Solid State Recorder (SSR) on the Mission Demonstration test Satellite-1 (MDS-1 or ‘Tsubasa’) into geo-stationary transfer orbit (GTO) in February 2002. Passing through the radiation belt exposed the MDS-1 to severe radiation environment in every orbit. This flight experiment allowed the observation of Single-Event Upsets (SEU) and Total Ionizing Dose (TID) effect on a large number of stacked 64 Mbit Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAM). As a result, the actual SEU rates could be calculated, and the capabilities of two types of on-the-fly Error Detection and Correction (EDAC) mechanisms were confirmed. This paper presents the results of the space experiment of SSR, focusing especially on SEU analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-temperature superconducting dipole floating in the magnetic field of a normal conducting coil has been developed for the Ring Trap (RT)-1 plasma confinement apparatus at the University of Tokyo. The RT-1 device consists of the floating superconducting dipole, a levitation coil made of normal conductor, a vacuum vessel for plasma confinement and detachable services for the floating dipole. This paper describes the design concept and operating scenario of the floating dipole as well as the required services such as a HTS persistent current switch necessary to realize this scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the correlation between the peak specific absorption rate (SAR) and the maximum temperature increase in head models of adults and children due to a dipole antenna. Much attention is paid to the effect of variation of electrical and thermal constants on the correlation for the child models, since these constants of child tissues are different from those of adult tissues. For investigating these correlations thoroughly, a total of 1400 situations are considered for the following six models: 3-year-old child, 7-year-old child, and adult models developed at the Nagoya Institute of Technology and the Osaka the University. The numerical results are analyzed on the basis of statistics. We find that the maximum temperature increases in the head can be estimated linearly in terms of peak SAR averaged over 1- or 10-g of tissue. In particular, no clear difference is observed between the adult and child models in terms of the slopes correlating the maxi- mum temperature increase with the peak SAR. Also, the effect of electrical and thermal constants of tissue on these correlation is found to be marginal. Further, we discuss possible maximum temperature increases in the head and brain for SAR limits prescribed in safety guidelines. For the adult model developed at the Osaka Univ., these are found to be 0.26°C and 0.10°C at the SAR value of 1.6 W/kg for 1-g cubic tissue and 0.59°C and 0.21 °C at the SAR value of 2.0 W/kg for 10-g cubic tissue. Similarly, for the 3-year-old child model at Osaka Univ., these are 0.23°C and 0.11 °C for the value of 1-g SAR and 0.53°C and 0.20°C for the value of 10-g SAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacuum circuit breakers (VCBs) have been developed and widely applied in Japan to meet the requirements of increasing energy consumption and also in national security of various areas. As a result, for example, a 168 kV two break porcelain type and a 100 kA one break VCB have already appeared in the Japanese market and they are currently being exported to world-wide markets. VCBs interrupt currents in vacuum, and this means they do not exhaust dissolved gases which are sometimes harmful to the human body or cause effects on the environment. Therefore, by its nature, the recycling of materials and safety to the human body have been realized, and also no global warming effects would be expected. Energy is extremely essential and important in human daily life, and many types of circuit breakers play important roles in electrical power transmission and distribution systems to maintain the systems reliability and safety by switching the systems under several conditions. Since vacuum circuit breakers possess a lot of advantages such as high current interrupting capabilities, small size, and Low cost, they will be used much more in the future, and at this moment, we believe it is very worthy to discuss and consider thoroughly future trends of VCBs. In this paper, the results of the developments in Japan will be reviewed, the reflection of the results will be stated, and the subjects of engineering in the 21st century will be discussed. These will include recycling, safeguards to the human body and the fireless nature of VCBs; and it will be demonstrated that the developmental works of VCBs are being wonderfully explored in Japan now and in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the growing digitalization of broadcasting, Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting for Cable (ISDB-C) digital broadcasting over cable TV networks has been increasingly adopted in Japan. Cable TV transmission technologies in Japan can be classified into three types: 1) the transmodulation system, which consists of retransmission of received broadcast signals after converting their modulation; 2) the pass-through system, consisting of retransmission of received broadcast signals without changing their modulation but converting only the frequency as required; and 3) the ReMux system, which consists of first demodulating the received broadcast signal, then combining services before retransmission. In this paper, we describe the multiple TS transmission system and TS division system standardized by the Japan CATV Engineering Association and Japan Cable Laboratories, as well as two-way operation and the headend in the sky service, which is a commercial program distribution service launched in Japan for cable operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the key technology of the Uplink Center facility for ISDB-S that provides HDTV based digital broadcasting services in Japan. It especially focuses on the unique aspects of the base-band signal processing, such as multiplexing, channel coding, and clock synchronization, as they relate to the ISDB-S transmission system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital terrestrial broadcasting in Japan specifies a service profile not only for fixed receivers in the home, but also for personal mobile terminals such as acellular phones and PDAs. Services for personal mobile terminals are expected to become more attractive with sufficient functionality and flexibility by utilizing the network connectivity of mobile terminals. In order to verify the possibilities of digital television broadcasting (DTV) services for personal mobile terminals and clarify technical problems at the commercial level, we developed a prototype mobile terminal capable of receiving digital terrestrial broadcasting in addition to the Internet. This paper describes the assumed DTV service for personal mobile terminals and the technical architecture of the developed mobile terminal with regard to the hardware and the software. Several experiments using the developed mobile terminal were conducted and the performance was evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Association of Radio Industries and Businesses in Japan decided the specifications for a digital terrestrial broadcasting system called ISDB-T in 1998. The ISDB-T transmission system is recommended in ITU-R Recommendation BT.1306. Planning criteria of the ISDB-T system are recommended in ITU-R Recommendation BT.1368. This paper describes the transmission scheme of the ISDB-T system. First, it explains features of the ISDB-T system. Second, it describes transmission systems such as modulation, error correction, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing framing, transmission and multiplexing configuration control, guard interval, etc. Finally, it concludes discussion of the ISDB-T transmission system and describes transmission parameters used in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will launch the Engineering Test Satellite VIII (ETS-VIII) in 2006 to support the next generation of mobile satellite communications covering the area of Japan (beam coverage El = 38° to 58°). In this paper, a satellite-tracking left-handed circularly polarized triangular-patch array antenna is developed for ground applications. The targeted minimum gain of the antenna is set to 5 dBic at the central elevation angle (El = 48°), in the Tokyo area, for applications using data transfer of around a hundred kbps. The antenna is composed of three equilateral triangular patches for both reception and transmission units operating at 2.50 and 2.65 GHz frequency bands, respectively. The antenna was simulated by method of moments (MoM) analysis, and measurement of the fabricated antenna was performed to confirm the simulation results. The measurement results show that the frequency characteristics and the 5-dBic gain coverage in the conical-cut plane of the fabricated antenna satisfy the specifications for ETS-VIII. A prototype of the proposed antenna system is employed in outdoor experiments using a pseudosatellite and shows good performance from El = 38° to 58°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

R&D of fundamental technologies for superconducting AC Power equipment (Super-ACE project) started as a national project, for a five-year plan since fiscal 2000 by MIT and NEDO. This project is to research and develop the basic technology of super-conductive cable, fault current limiter and transformer. This paper summarizes the research and development of following 2 types FCL. The R&D of the SN transition resistive type superconducting thin film fault current limiter aims to establish large-current/high-voltage technology by arranging films in multi-parallel/series, and increasing the current-carrying capacity through widening the area of the thin film of the current limiting element. The R&D of the reactor for a rectifier-type fault current limiter using coils of superconducting wire of the Ag sheath Bi2223 tape, aiming to apply it to high-voltage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio-frequency interference (RFI) is an increasingly serious problem for passive and active microwave sensing of the Earth. To satisfy their measurement objectives, many spaceborne passive sensors must operate in unprotected bands, and future sensors may also need to operate in unprotected bands. Data from these sensors are likely to be increasingly contaminated by RFI as the spectrum becomes more crowded. In a previous paper we reported on a preliminary investigation of RFI observed over the United States in the 6.9-GHz channels of the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) on the Earth Observing System Aqua satellite. Here, we extend the analysis to an investigation of RFI in the 6.9- and 10.7-GHz AMSR-E channels over the global land domain and for a one-year observation period. The spatial and temporal characteristics of the RFI are examined by the use of spectral indices. The observed RI?! at 6.9 GHz is most densely concentrated in the United States, Japan, and the Middle East, and is sparser in Europe, while at 10.7 GHz the RFI is concentrated mostly in England, Italy, and Japan. Classification of RFI using means and standard deviations of the spectral indices is effective in identifying strong RFI. In many cases, however, it is difficult, using these indices, to distinguish weak RFI from natural geophysical variability. Geophysical retrievals using RFI-filtered data may therefore contain residual errors due to weak RFI. More robust radiometer designs and continued efforts to protect spectrum allocations will be needed in future to ensure the viability of spaceborne passive microwave sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to examine estimation methods of iron losses of rotating machines, a verification model of the surface permanent magnet (SPM) motor is manufactured and measured by the investigation committee of the IEE of Japan. The effect of stress due to the insertion to aluminum case on magnetic characteristics can also be investigated by using the model. In this paper, features of the benchmark model are discussed, and some results of calculation and measurement are shown. Various kinds of methods for estimating iron losses due to distorted elliptical rotating flux are discussed. It is illustrated that the difference between results estimated using those methods and measured iron loss is within 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind retrieval from Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1 (JERS-1) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) using an L-band model function in coastal regions is evaluated. It is known that JERS-1 SAR has excessive ambiguities. This paper also gives a quantitative evaluation of excessive ambiguities in coastal scenes of JERS-1 SAR. First, focusing on the cases where wind blows from the shore in Sagami Bay, we investigate phenomena of wind speed increase with offshore distance using European Remote sensing Satellite-1 (ERS-1) SAR-derived wind speeds. The relation between wind speed and offshore distance is well formulated, which indicates the transition of the atmospheric boundary layer from land to sea surface. Wind speeds derived from JERS-1 SAR should be overestimated due to the excessive ambiguity. Then, for observation time of each JERS-1 SAR capturing the cases that wind blows from the shore in Sagami Bay, the expected wind speed growth profile is derived from the wind speed growth formula and an in situ wind observation of Hiratsuka Experiment Station. We convert the wind-speed profile into the sigma-0 profile by an L-band model function. Finally, the profiles of JERS-1 SAR-observed and the estimated sigma-0 are compared, and the excessive ambiguity is estimated as the difference between them. As a result, the dynamic range of first azimuth ambiguity is as large as that of the wind-relating signal from the ocean surface. Moreover, higher order azimuth ambiguities and range ambiguity also may have a significant impact on near-shore wind retrieval. Ambiguities, Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1 (JERS-1) synthetic aperture radar (SAR), L-band model function, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) wind retrieval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan has witnessed prosperous industrial growth since the 1960s, and this growth has given rise to increased awareness by the government and the people regarding environmental responsibility. This responsibility includes the use of "green" materials and the recycling of important resources. Legislation, including the appliances law, requires the Japanese electronics industry to comply with more stringent environmental stipulations. However, Japanese electronics companies have captured international attention by preempting legislation with the introduction of lead-free products in the market with an ambitious target of eliminating the use of lead in electronic products. In this paper, we investigate corporate strategies regarding lead-free product development in light of legislative and environmental issues in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the results of lightning current measurement on transmission lines in Japan. Publication of the characteristics of lightning current amplitude in papers written on the issue; Methods used for conducting field investigations of lightning current in Japan; Results of lightning current measurement using magnetic links on transmission lines.

This article introduces a series of articles related to papers presented at the 2003 Symposium on VLSI Circuits, which was held at the Rihga Royal Hotel, Kyoto, Japan during June 12-14, 2003, published in the April 2004 issue of the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits. The 2003 Technical Program Committees of the Symposium selected 77 papers to be presented. These papers covered a vast scope of digital, analog, memory, signal processing, and wireless and wire-line communication circuits.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the guest editors discusses various research papers selected from the Very-Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) Circuits symposium on advancements in semiconductor industry that was held in Kyoto, Japan from June 12 to 14, 2013.

Information about several papers discussed at the 55th annual meeting of the History of Science Society of Japan on the history of Japanese computing from May 24-25, 2008 is presented. Topics include the development of Kyoto Daigaku Digital Computer I (KDC-I), the role of physicist Eiichi Goto in Japanese computing, and the research strategies of the Electrical Technology Laboratory (ETL). The symposium featured several historians including Chigusa Kita, Shunshi Koyama and Takushi Otani.

The article profiles Abbas Jamalipour, candidate for member-at-large of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers Inc. (IEEE) Communications Society. Jamalipour has been an educator at the Sydney University in Australia since 1998 and obtained his doctorate degreee from Nagoya University in Japan. He has written and co-authored seven books and holds two patents. He used to be the chair of Satellite & Space Communications from 2004-2006. Among the position statement of Jamalipour notes that he will promote a fast and fair review processing system for the publication of papers.

Information about several papers discussed at the meeting of IEC Working Groups (WGs) and Maintenance Team (MT) in the Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association (JEMA) headquarters in Tokyo, Japan in April 16-20, 2007 is presented. Topics include the 10 IEC documents on coil insulation of rotating machines. It featured several machines including the IEC/TC112/WG3, IEC 60034-18-41/42, and PD inception voltage (PDIV)/PD extinction voltage (PDEV).

The article reports on the mini-symposium on polymer nanocomposites held in Tokyo, Japan on September 28, 2005. It was sponsored by the Technical Committee on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation and the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. The meeting was convened by Toshikatsu Tanaka, Professor of Waseda University. Several research papers on polymer nanocomposites were presented during the symposium.

The article informs that on April 20, 2005, the Science and Technology Foundation of Japan presented the 21st Japan Prize in the categories of information and media technology and cell biology to Makoto Nagao, a computer programmer. Nagao received the award for his pioneering contributions to natural language processing and intelligent image processing. Nagao led the research of machine translation and for the first time in the world, successfully developed a Japanese-to-English and an English-to-Japanese translation system for abstracts of scientific and technical papers. Nagao has proposed methods appropriate to the analysis of long and complex Japanese sentences, and has achieved extensive results in the field of context analysis. Since 1990, Nagao has made essential proposals regarding the ideal form of digital libraries that incorporate natural language and image processing technologies, including digital library system configurations, user interfaces, and network configurations. Nagao developed and opened Ariadne, one of the earliest digital library prototype systems.

Highlights the 9th Spacecraft Charging Technology Conference in Tsukuba, Japan. Papers presented; Spacecraft-plasma interactions; Space plasma science instrumentation.

The article announces 35th Annual International Conference of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC'13) to be held in Osaka, Japan from July 3-7, 2013 along with call for paper submission.

The article provides information on the invitation of papers for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Asian Solid State Circuit Conference to be held from November 12-14, 2012 in Kobe, Japan.

This paper reports an overview of the development of large Earth-station reflector antennas for satellite communication systems in Japan. KDD (now, KDDI) developed a Cassegrain reflector antenna 20 m in diameter at KDD Ibaraki Space Communication Laboratory for Japan's first Earth station in 1963. This antenna was the first Earth station using a Cassegrain antenna in the world. It was awarded an IEEE Milestone as the “First Transpacific Reception of a Television (TV) Signal via Satellite, 1963” on November 23, 2009. The authors describe design technologies for large Earth-station reflector antennas, including beam-waveguide feed systems and reflector-shaping techniques. These design technologies have contributed tremendously to the popularization and advancement of satellite communication systems. The shaped Cassegrain antenna, fed by a four-reflector beam-waveguide feed, is symbolic of the standard Earth-station antenna all over the world. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Information about the National Convention of the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan held on March 15-17, 2007 in Toyama, Japan is presented. The convention attracted 1,507 regular papers and 163 lectures that covered almost every aspect of electrical engineering. The number of paid participants rose to about 1,300, which is more than the organizing committee had expected.

A Japanese firm has taken computer technology into new areas of human activity by developing a complex, computer-controlled toilet system. The $5,000 Neorest toilet from Toto automatically raises and lowers the seat as needed, flushes the bowl, deodorizes the air and cleans itself. The system also provides controls for heating the toilet seat and even replaces toilet paper with a bidet-like water sprayer and dryer, called a personal cleansing system. The toilet is powered by a 128-kilobyte ROM chip with separate RAM chips, offering a total of 512 kilobytes of memory, located in a motherboard in the seat.