Well fellow Detroit Tiger fans. We have all been led off a cliff. In hindsight though, I realize that the 163rd game the most exciting game I have watched to date. It was a roller coaster ride of great proportions and it couldn’t have had any more heartbreaks that what I had endured during it. I think that the Twins earned there way into the playoffs and will face a tough challenge less than 24 hours from when they were determined contenders for the Pennant. So as Cabrera would say, “SPARTY ON!” until next year. It is good to have the Tigers back in contention for something because there is something else that I realized I watched the game. The diversity among the players is very high and it makes me remember and reflect on just how great this country is. Baseball supports many cultures, superstitions, and most of all many different egos throughout the league and it all works its way out on the field. This is a great accomplishment and I give praise to the MLB, its owners and managers and players. Thanks for making America’s favorite pastime something great for America.

PEACE

Hey all,

I am attempting to enjoy my fine month of summer vacation from school and I hope you are as well. During my relaxation, I was watching a special on the Travel Channel on about Israel. I never even thought of Israel as a vacation spot that I would think about heading to. I always figured I would have to bring a military tank with me in order ever head to this Holy of lands. As I watched the show I started to change my mind about Israel being a possible place to visit in my life time to see. There were countless areas in which tourism was abundant and the land and seascapes were breath-taking and beautiful. Where else but the land described in holy books would you find such beauty. Interestingly enough I began to search for vacation spots in Israel and came across an excellent site for planning such an adventure at Israel-a-la-Carte.com. The site offers an interactive destination map for searching the cities of Israel. So, where to begin? I guess the very first thing I would need is a place to stay. I didn’t even know where to start to look for a hotel in Israel. The show depicted many sights that were beautiful to the eye but none of them really showed hotels. I decided that if I were going to head to Israel, I better check out to see if there are even hotels to stay in by the areas that were depicted in the show. I was contemplating on where to check first so I looked at a map of Israel to see what might catch my attention. I definitely wanted and ocean view so I started looking on the west side of the country. First, I chose the most popular major city on the Mediterranean coast and searched for hotels in Tel Aviv. This brought me to an abundance of choices in the area in which each and every one of them was more jaw-dropping than that of the last. Secondly, I thought that I would check out a place that was mentioned on the show that I watched. It is a city that was again on the Mediterranean coast but just north of Tel Aviv so I searched for Herzliya hotels to find areas in which I could stay in this area. Herzliya is home to Israel’s film industry and is an area rich in history. It has many museums to explore and I really liked the architecture and design depicted in the pictures of the surrounding area. After exploring these areas, I really would enjoy visiting this beautiful country and seeing some of Israel’s wonders. Where else could you go to see so many different cultures rich with history and elegance? There are plenty of other things I would love to do while I was there including: skiing in the mountains and diving in the ocean. There are also inland rivers which are host to great white water rafting adventures. I am grateful that there are shows and websites now that allow an adventurer and future traveler like myself to see what possibilities are out there and hopefully get a chance to see beautiful parts of this world we live in.

Until next time,

PEACE

Hey all,

For those of you who didn’t know, Kid Rock played for two consecutive sold-out crowds in the “D” on last Friday and Saturday night at Comerica Park. I was able to rock out with him on Saturday along with Alice in Chains and Cypress Hill as opening acts. I have to take the time to thank Kid Rock a.k.a. Robert Ritchie for never forgetting where he came from and always promoting Michigan and Detroit to the rest of the world. He started is claim to fame back in the early 90’s but didn’t hit main stream until his release of ‘Devil Without A Cause’ in 1998. I have been a fan since the beginning and was extra excited to see that he was gaining the attention of the rest of the country. I was at the State Theater for the start of his first solo tour in 1998 and I was 1 of 20-30 people in the upper deck while he filmed his video for the track ‘Bull-God’ for MTV. Last Saturday, 11 years later, I had to settle on watching the show from the giant screens because the tickets sold so fast. Every video I have seen of his has always shown homage to Michigan and especially Detroit and Mt. Clemens. He spent many years as a D.J. in these cities and believes in giving back. His recent endeavor has supported Michigan jobs. He has created a brewery for his own label of beer called BADASS Redneck Lager and the label is representative of his giant tattooed eagle that dorns his upper back. During the concert he took many moments to address the Michigan crowd and show empathy and gratitude for the trying economic times we have and continue to face and the fact that we spent money to come see him. He also took a moment to ask us as fans and Michiganders to join together in times of need and asked the crown to turn to one another and introduce themselves and shake hands. This felt good and really showed his compassion for his fans and his hometown. Hies final encore song was none other that ‘Born In the U.S.A.’ originated by Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen. This was a patriotic ending to a great show and I encourage each and everyone of us to make it to one of his shows in the future.

LONG LIVE THE KID ROCK AND ROLL!

PEACE

How Memristance Works

This document describes the physical mechanics of memristance as it operates in a cross-bar architecture configuration. Memristance is a theoretical concept that has been developed into a physical working mechanism by GALACA Enterpises Electronic Research Laboratories (GEERL) based in Troy, Michigan USA. It bridges the capability gaps that electronics will face in the near future according to Moore’s Law and will replace the transistor as the main component on integrated circuit (IC) chips.

FUNCTION – The function of the memristor is to provide the ability to remember current flow across a resistor permanently. This attribute will allow nano-scale switches to store information on a grand scale using minimal physical space. Test voltages small enough not the affect the resistance could read the data from the memristive circuit. These switching attributes resemble synapse functions in the brain which is a source of intrigue for further development in this area of research. While memristive circuits will never replace the transistor completely due to power factors, they will reduce the size of electronics considerably. The potential for nanoscale crossbar memory in comparison to modern flash technology can be described by placing the entire U.S. Library of Congress on a single thumb drive.

APPEARANCE – Crossbar type memristive circuits contain a lattice of 40-50nm wide by 2-3nm thick platinum wires that are laid on top of one another perpendicular top to bottom and parallel of one another side to side. The top and bottom layer are separated by a switching element approximately 3-30nm in thickness. The switching element consists of two equal parts of titanium dioxide (TiO₂). The layer connected to the bottom platinum wire is initially perfect TiO₂ and the other half is an oxygen deficient layer of TiO₂ represented by TiO_2-x where x represents the amount of oxygen deficiencies or vacancies. The entire circuit and mechanism cannot be seen by the naked eye and must be viewed under a scanning tunneling microscope, as seen in Figure 1, in order to visualize the physical set up of the crossbar design of the memristive circuit described in this section.

Figure 1 – View of Crossbar Memristor

            OPERATION – The memristor’s operation as a switch can be explained in three steps. These first of these steps is the application of power or more importantly current to the memristor. The second step consists of the amount of time that the current flows across the crossbar gap and how the titanium cube converts from a semi-conductor to a conductor. The final step is the actual memory of the cube that can be read as data.

STEP 1 – As explained above, each gap that connects two platinum wires contains a mixture of two titanium oxide layers. The initial state of the mixture is halfway between conductance and semi-conductance. Two wires are selected to apply power to in either a positive or negative direction. A positive direction will attempt to close the switch and a negative direction will attempt to open the switch. The application of this power will be able to completely open the circuit between the wires but it will not be able to completely close the circuit since the material is still a semi-conductor by nature. Power can be selectively placed on certain wires to open and close the switches in the memristor.

STEP 2 – the second step involves a process that takes place at the atom level and is not visible by any means. It involves the atomic process that the gap material, made from titanium dioxide, goes through that opens and closes the switch. The initial state of the gap is neutral meaning that it consists of one half of pure titanium dioxide TiO₂ and one half of oxygen starved titanium dioxide TiO_2-x where x in the initial state is 0.05. As positive current is applied, the positively charged oxygen vacancies push their way into the pure TiO₂ causing the resistance in the gap material to drop, becoming more conductive, and the current to rise. Inversely, as a negative current is applied the oxygen vacancies withdraw from the pure TiO₂ and condense in the TiO_2-x half of the gap material causing the pure and more resistive TiO₂ to have a greater ratio slowing the current in the circuit. When the current is raised the switch is considered open (HI) and for data purposes a binary 1. As current is reversed and the current is dropped the switch is considered closed (LOW) or a binary 0 for data purposes.

STEP 3 – Step three explains the final step of memristance and is the actual step that makes the circuit memristive in nature. As explained previously, the concept of memristance is a resistor that can remember what current passed through it. When power is no longer applied to the circuit switches, the oxygen vacancies remain in the position that they were last before the power was shut down. This means that the value of the resistance of the material gap will remain until indefinitely until power is applied again. This is the true meaning of memristance. With an insignificant test voltage, one that won’t affect the movement of molecules in the material gap will allow the state of the switches to be read as data. This means that the memristor circuits are in fact storing data physically.

        As the summer semester raged on, I found myself complaining of ailments to fellow students, co-workers and my family. Now, it wasn’t apparent to me but I guess this was an everyday occurrence. I finally had to evaluate the situation when my wife was considering me to be a hypochondriac. I wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary to create these annoying aches and pains that I was voicing to others as they rolled their eyes thinking “Oh boy, here we go again.” Finally as I entered my so called office or “man-cave” in my basement I took a second look at my computer area and was realizing the first cause of my nagging condition. My computer chair had a few cracked wheels and the backrest was basically non-existence since it was stuck in the way-back position that would cause me serious bodily damage if I were to lean that far back. My keyboard was completely dilapidated complete with missing numbers and lopsided causing it to wobble as I type. I had figured out where to start and hopefully get on the fast track to better office health. I remembered that the term used for body-friendly tools or equipment was ergonomics. I had a few bucks left over from my tax return that was on the brink of being spent frivolously. I figured I could leverage this to get some new office equipment and convert my ergonomic absent home-office into something comfortable to crank out lab reports and feasibility studies for my engineering courses. After much deliberation, I found my source of products that provided me a great range of

My New Chair

 choices at low enough prices that I could handle. It is an online source called www.kareproducts.com. I started by looking to replace my sorry excuse for an office chair with something from their selection of ergonomic office chairs and I found a low-back style chair, which I prefer, at a great price. Next, I was after a new keyboard to replace mine that looked as if I got it in 1987. In the computer ergonomics section I found a ton of things I wanted to add to my list,

"Beam Me Up, Scotty!"

especially with the amount of typing I have been doing this semester. I have two technical communications based courses that are going to give my carpal tunnel syndrome before I am done. I decided on a new keyboard that splits in the middle. It took me a little bit to get used to but it is unbelievably comfortable on the wrists and fingers. Besides that I feel like I am in control of the Starship Enterprise when I am using it. I also picked up a great new mouse and an anti-glare screen. I never realized how my eyes were straining to see past the glare of my basement lights. This equipment has finally got me back to feeling like a well-oiled machine again and my friends and family are much more obliged to communicate with me. Since I replaced my chair, I started thinking about saving up to get me a new desk as well. I checked out some adjustable computer desks and there were some really customizable desks that could adjust to fit my style. I like to sit low to the ground in my chair and these desks adjust right with me. The monitor and be adjusted to many different locations and heights as well. I am here to say that I can finally get back to work comfortably and if you are developing aches and pains that you can’t describe, check out your office equipment before you start annoying your friends like I did.

Until we meet again,

PEACE

Anatomy Of An Accelerometer

This document describes the physical mechanics of the ACCELEROMETER, a Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) used in popular applications commonly seen in most consumer’s technological tool and toy boxes. The category of device, MEMS, describes the initial physical feature implicitly with the use of the word micro. While nano-technology ( 1 x 10^-9 ) is a common buzzword used for current and future of electronic developments, micro-technology (1 x 10^-6 ) is evident around us and can actually be seen by the human eye. The additional term electro-mechanical is used to describe the device as having electronic as well as mechanical operating characteristics.

FUNCTION – The function of an accelerometer is to provide accurate response to movement in measurable increments small enough to be converted to useful signals. This is accomplished by converting physical measurement of movement from a mass into electronic impulses that can be interpreted by a separate electronic device and measured compared to gravity or 1 g-force as the basic unit. Movement direction and degree of force can be determined with an accelerometer and can be used a 3-axis (x, y, and z-planes) configuration to provide a 3-dimensional response to be measured. Common uses of this can be seen in the user feedback feature of the Nintendo Wii video-game controller, in which speed, rotation, and force is measured from the user and provided as input data to the game console to influence movements on the monitor or television screen. Another example commonly encountered is the ability of Personal Digital Devices (PDA’s) such as cell phones and Apples I-Pod line to automatically re-orientate the screen to always be readable. The application of strain gauges that measure the forces applied to a mechanical structure is another popular and advantageous use of accelerometers.

APPEARANCE – The physical attributes of the accelerometer are replicable to the commonly seen Integrated Circuit (IC) design as seen in Figure 1 below. Slightly bigger than a dime,

source: www.directindustry.com

Figure 1 – Size Comparison and Physical Appearance

the overall dimensions are quite small and can be used in many applications. The outer casing is made of a silicon-type material that houses the internal MEMS. The manufacturer’s name and logistical markings are printed on the outer casing in white or black letters. The output is signaled via a wire bundle that exits the silicon portion and is held tight by a machine crimped steel coupling. The output wires are individually insulated as well as channeled through a separate insulation creating a one-wire transit for the data to be provided to the receiving device. There are many other designs styles and size ranges but the attributes described above are found in most common accelerometer applications.

            OPERATION – The accelerometer operates mechanically and then produces an electrical signal as an output. As previously stated in the functionality description, the force of movement measured by the accelerometer is accomplished mechanically by using a free floating mass and determining how hard and fast it moves relative to gravity. Early accelerometers used a large scale mechanism compared to the modern MEMS type accelerometers in which a mass was linked between two equally matched springs and the movement was measured relative to the resting position of the mass. In Figure 2 we can see the modern configuration of the accelerometer.

source: R.J. Noriega-Manez – Stanford University

Figure 2 – Physical Model of MEMS Accelerometer

v  Substrate – The material or portion of the MEMS that the movement of the sensing unit will measure against to determine the direction and magnitude of force applied to the system.

v  Anchor – The connecting element of the substrate to the rest of the sensing system to provide a rigid attachment point.

v  Resistor – Usually a piezo or pressure changing resistor is used to sense deflection and cause a change in resistance and subsequently a change in current. This can be received analogous or digitally to a sensing or measuring device.

v  Cantilever – This provides the physical means to allow deflection to be recorded based on its configuration of one side being connected rigidly and the other being unattached causing a spring-like effect to any movement or outside force encountered.

v  Test Mass – This calibrated to allow zero movement at rest and adds sensitivity to the system by allowing the slightest of force applied externally to the system to cause the cantilever to deflect and the resistor to change value and produce measureable results. This again can be communicated analogous or digitally to the sensing device and measured to provide input to a system or feedback to a measuring device (e.g. strain gauge). Depending on the sensitivity and complexity of the accelerometer system forces can be sensed and measured in very small increments to provide accurate feedback on forces that can’t be detected by humans.

The Process of Stopping A Bullet

Since the invention of gunpowder by the Chinese in 1232, humans have become a force to reckon with on the battlefield. The second major advancement in ranged warfare took place during the 15^th Century with the invention of the matchlock gun. This was the first mechanically fired weapon for personal use. Until this point in time personal body armor needed only to defeat swords and hand-made arrow tips fired from bows. This protection tended to be thick leather with a metallic outer shell to soften the blow and deflect a direct hit. This is not the case in modern day warfare and law enforcement realms. The threat to personal injury due to firearms has increased immensely due to technological advancements in ammunition and weaponry. The matchlocks fired a single .74 caliber (18.7mm) lead ball projectile with a muzzle velocity (MV) of about 800 fps and could fire up to 4 rounds per minute with and experienced soldier. The modern day military equivalent (U.S. M16A2) uses a .219 caliber (5.56mm) full-metal jacketed (FMJ) projectile and reaches a speed of 2800 fps and can fire at a rate of 800 rounds per minute with a 30 round capacity. It is evident by comparison that advancements in firearms would require a reciprocating level of advancement in body armor to match that threat in order to provide a chance of survival once hit.

To explain the process of defeating this threat it is first beneficial to analyze the projectile being fired. Since there are multitudes of rounds to choose from to examine closer a common military round used by countries all over the world should prove to be sufficient for this purpose. The AK-47 round, which is a .30 caliber (7.62mm) and 39mm in length has the MV of approximately 2700 fps. This round has a full-metal jacket (FMJ) projectile which means that it is comprised of a lead core surrounded, or jacketed, by a copper shell. The projectile is manufactured into a cylinder with a cone-shaped leading edge. The rifle in which this projectile, or bullet, is fired has spiraled grooves, called rifling, that span the length of the barrel causing the projectile to spin. This produces more accuracy since the projectile travels on a truer line. Once the target is struck with the bullet, it deforms causing the tip to “mushroom”. This slows the bullet and spreads out the energy creating the maximum amount of damage. This would explain why the entrance hole, or wound, will be considerably smaller that the exit, if there is one. The bullet can ricochet around the skeletal system in a human or animal, for example, in which the bullet could come to rest inside the intended target.

Now that there is a general understanding of the mechanics of a bullet, the process of defeating it can be addressed. This can be separated in the following four major steps: 1) Bullet Strikes Armor, 2) Bullet is Caught, 3) Impact Energy is Dispersed, 4) Bullet is Stopped.

Step one takes place when the bullet makes the first contact with the body armor. The armor’s first objective is to cause the bullet not to strike the intended target. The simple way to do this is by covering center of body mass which is where vital organs are located. There are several designs to accomplish this but most have the same basic components. The main vest is either pulled over the head or wrapped around the chest and secured in the front by Velcro or snaps. This provides the majority of the coverage area. Additional coverage components can be attached to cover the vulnerable areas such as under the arms and the arms themselves. Once the arm is lifted there is substantial vulnerability and a separate section attaches to the front and rear sections of the vest to ensure maximum coverage in this area. The shoulder and upper arm can also be shielded from impact by flexible pieces of armor that strap to the vest at the shoulder area and then around the arm. This provides a restricted mobility in exchange for protection of the upper arms.

Step two involves the body armor’s attempt to catch the bullet. Modern day body armor is constructed of a high tensile strength material that is woven in a tight mesh. The most commonly known material used is Kevlar 129, by DuPont. Kevlar is an organic fiber known as an aramid because it is a member of the aromatic polyamide family. These fibers have high strength, high modulus, toughness and thermal stability. The tensile strength of these fibers is 525,000 psi which is 4.7 times that of steel alloy. This mesh has the capability to overcome the penetrating energy of the bullet causing it slow in speed. As the bullet slow down its energy start to spread causing the force to start dissipating lowering the psi factor and restricting its destruction.

 The third step in this process is to deform the bullet and disperse the energy to an even wider span than in step two. As the bullet “mushrooms” it can break apart. This is unfortunate to happen inside the target because of the damage provided by multiple projectiles as the bullet fragments, but because this can happen inside the armor it becomes beneficial. The fragments are easily caught in the woven mesh of the aramid fibers like Kevlar. Additionally the deformed bullet is no longer spinning and has lost its penetrating tip eliminating the chances of making it through the armor.

The fourth and final step for this process is to continue dispersing of the energy into subsequent layers of the Kevlar-type material or into a ceramic plate for higher protection levels. This will eliminate the bullet’s penetrating properties causing it to stop in the armor and not penetrate into the intended target. This step in successfully in stopping the penetration from a bullet fired by a rifle does have limits. The first is that all body armor is rated to a certain threat level based on the type and size of the round that is the most powerful in nature and must comply with standard issued by the U.S. Department of Justice. For instance, a Level III type armor would be required to defeat the AK-47 round that is mentioned previously. An additional aspect of the body armor’s stopping capabilities is that energy is conserved based on Newton’s Conservation of Energy Law. This states that energy cannot dissipate but can only change forms. With that being said, the energy of the bullet which can reach upwards of 3000 ft. lbs. of energy needs to be absorbed by more than just the armor. This extra energy is absorbed by the target and can cause blunt force trauma in human targets. This is a small price to pay compared to being struck by the bullet itself but it is still significant enough to mention. There have been cases in which the victim still sustained enough blunt force trauma to result in death even though the bullet was stopped.

Hello again all! It has been a few since I last posted up because I have had a few obligations but no worries, I’m back! I have had a chance to spend some quality time in the student center this semester due to the fact that I have a major gap between classes and a couple of hours to burn. I have made some observations since I have been doing this and I was looking for some feedback on a few things.

1) There are like 150 paper airplanes stuck in the ceiling tiles. What, how, and why the hell are these up there. A Couple of other compadres on campus have explained that these have been there for years and that it is like a conversation piece for student orientation. Does anyone have any insight into the intriguing nature of this strange phenomenon? I watch Fringe, the TV show, and I think that this would make for a great episode. There must be some explanation based on fringe science behind this.

IS THIS THE ANSWER??

2) If you eat at SUBWAY, you will smell like SUBWAY all the rest of the day. Now this may or may not be significant but there are some hungry people wondering around campus, God bless them, and I don’t want to smell like a walking $5 footlong. What the heck is up with that? Is it the bread or is there some kind of scientific advertising scheme linked to aroma therapy. Maybe it has something to do with the paper airplanes. 

DON'T EAT ME!

3) Why the heck does Pizza Hut close at 3:00 pm? This is strange in the fact that everything else is open. And Pizza Hut – Taco Bell – KFC have the same owners but only Taco Bell and KFC are linked together. Another bedazzling inquiry of mine. 

Pizza Hut, Kuwait (Open after 3)

I haven’t a clue to the answers to these questions but I bet somebody does. Maybe I will have to call in the MythBusters crew to figure this out. Anyhow, I hope you are all enjoying your semester. I know I am not.

PEACE

We are back at it again for the summer stint folks that have to endure the academia over the next 14 weeks. It should be and adventure! It is nice to be able to park easily but it is kind of depressing in a way because of the lack of people around campus. We need to make summer semesters mandatory! Relax, I am just joking. It would be nice to see some summer events this semester as the heat rolls in. I am sure we could get some one to put on a Slip-N-Slide competition where we can cascade a bunch of the plastic runways together and slick them up with oil and see just how far we can get some energetic college student to go. I am probably stretching the fabric of reality here a bit but it is fun to dream a bit sometimes and get my mind off the books.

Here is a few inspirational videos for the summer

This one is a bit more intense:

PEACE

Well my fellow WSUers. It is that time again when exams are finished and final grades are somewhere between the professor’s grade book and our transcripts. Now it is usually not a surprise when the grade rolls in but if you are like me, I can’t open another door before one is shut. The SS semester is a mere week away and I can’t look down that path yet until my final grades are posted. This is painful as a preparedness freak because I need to get books and schedules lined up to prepare for the next bout with knowledge absorption over the summer. Do most students take some sort of summer courses? This is a question I would like to know the answer to. For the engineering curriculum (136 credits), I can’t see how in the world this could be accomplished in four years without going in the summer. I have been at it for 2 1/2 years now with one year (3 semesters) to go. This will put my total at 3 1/2 years with full-time spring/summer coursework to boot.

I hope all of you did well on your finals and are hopefully getting ready for along summer off. If you are like me and will be down on campus for the summer here’s to a great semester! I hope to continue to hear from my fellow bloggers over the summer and will continue to post throughout. Until next time.

PEACE

I leave you with my man Kid Rock and a video filmed in the D.

http://www.mtv.com/videos/kid-rock/285704/roll-on.jhtml