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Summary This paper presents a theoretical study and the resulting architecture of an analogue-based standard deviation (SD) estimator, typically used in biomedical spike detectors to assess the noise level of bioelectrical recordings online. This well-known circuit generated a significant inaccuracy, so the aim was to increase the efficiency of spike detection through proper calculation of the noise SD, by developing a rigorous, original theoretical study. The approach consisted of establishing behavioural models for the SD estimation circuit to obtain a transfer function and compare different controllers. This modelling approach also highlighted the parameters available and the impact of their relationships on design optimisation. The behavioural models, inherently based on approximations, were then initially validated by comparing them with actual circuit behaviour, obtained using discrete components. These comparisons revealed that the models matched the actual circuit measurements. Finally, taking into account the conclusions of our theoretical study, an integrated version of this adaptive threshold spike detector was designed using 0.35-µm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor technology. Simulations of this circuit revealed that the proposed controller eliminated the static error and ensured efficient spike detection. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This paper investigates the thermal transport in hollow microscale and nanoscale spheres subject to electrical heat source using nontraditional thermal transport model. Working as supercapacitor electrodes, carbon hollow micrometer- and nanometer-sized spheres needs excellent heat transfer characteristics to maintain high specific capacitance, long cycle life, and high power density. In the nanoscale regime, the prediction of heat transfer from the traditional heat conduction equation based on Fourier's law deviates from the measured data. Consequently, the electrical heat source-induced heat transfer characteristics in hollow micrometer- and nanometer-sized spheres are studied using nontraditional thermal transport model. The effects of parameters on heat transfer in the hollow micrometer- and nanometer-sized spheres are discussed in this study. The results reveal that the heat transferred into the spherical interior, temperature and heat flux in the hollow sphere decrease with the increasing Knudsen number when the radius of sphere is comparable to the mean free path of heat carriers.

It is well known that poor strip tracking can lead to reducedproduct quality but also to mill delays. The resultingcosts for internal rejects, customer complaints and yieldlosses have historically been significant. Moreover, the severityof these issues increases dramatically when stripsbecome wider, thinner and harder. Ultimately the rollingprocess becomes completely unstable. Hence, to reducecost of poor quality for the current product mix as well asto enable product development it is vital that strip trackingis improved.Most strip tracking issues arise at the head or the tail ofthe strip. In the rougher mill the main issue is head camber,a shape defect of the bar where the head is curved. Aclear example of this shape is shown in Fig 1. Large headcamber of the transfer bar may result in further problemsdownstream in the finishing mill and should ideally thus beprevented.Another notorious problem closely related to strip trackingis tail pinching in the finishing mill. This is a phenomenonwhere the tail of the strip suddenly moves sideward’s andgets damaged right after it has left the previous stand. AnPoor strip tracking is one of the notorious problems threatening process stability in a hot strip mill. Theseissues often lead to tail pinching and in the worst cases even to cobbles. The main pillars of the strategy setout to tackle these issues for the Hot Strip Mills in IJmuiden are rougher mill camber control and finishing millstrip steering and tail control. For such applications, a camera based measurement system has been developedin-house that is simple, cost-effective and yet both accurate and robust. Moreover, as we show in this paper,the system has proven its merits both as a finishing mill interstand centerline deviation measurement aswell as a rougher mill camber measurement. In the latter application the measurement data can be used forautomatic levelling in the rougher mill. The results of production tests presented in this paper demonstrate thatthe camber measurement in combination with a basic rougher mill tilt set-up model is sufficient to reduce thetransfer bar camber significantly.

Vanaf 1 januari 2012 is de Wet inkomstenbelasting 2001 (hierna: Wet IB 2001) een fiscale stimuleringsmaatregel rijker: de Research & Development Aftrek (hierna: RDA). Ondertussen is dit de derde maatregel die als doel heeft innovatie in Nederland te stimuleren en hoogwaardige kennis voor Nederland te behouden. Sinds 1994 kennen we al de Wet Bevordering Speur- en Ontwikkelingswerk (hierna: WBSO). Daarnaast kent de Wet op de vennootschapsbelasting 1969 (hierna: Wet VPB 1969) vanaf 2007 haar eigen innovatieregeling: de innovatiebox.