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Biography
Warren F. (Pete) Miller Jr.
Warren Fletcher "Pete" Miller Jr. (born March 17, 1943[1]) is an American nuclear engineer known for his work in the areas of computational physics, radioactive waste management, transport theory, nuclear reactor design and analysis, and the management of nuclear research and development programs. Miller served as the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Energy under Secretary of Energy St
  • 1.7K
  • 15 Nov 2022
Biography
George Escol Sellers
George Escol Sellers (November 26, 1808 – January 1, 1899) was an American businessman, mechanical engineer, and inventor. He is associated with designing railroad locomotives and related equipment. He was the target of a confusing name appropriation by author Mark Twain. Sellers was born on November 26, 1808, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1] His birthplace was near the Philadelphia Mint
  • 1.6K
  • 05 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Federated Learning of XAI Models in 6G Systems
The federated learning (FL) of neural networks has been widely investigated exploiting variants of stochastic gradient descent as the optimization method, it has not yet been adequately studied in the context of inherently explainable models. On the one side, eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) permits improving user experience of the offered communication services by helping end users trust (by design) that in-network AI functionality issues appropriate action recommendations. On the other side, FL ensures security and privacy of both vehicular and user data across the whole system.
  • 1.6K
  • 13 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Compaq Portable
The Compaq Portable is an early portable computer which was one of the first IBM PC compatible systems. It was Compaq Computer Corporation's first product, to be followed by others in the Compaq Portable series and later Compaq Deskpro series. It was not simply an 8088-CPU computer that ran a Microsoft DOS as a PC "work-alike", but contained a reverse-engineered BIOS, and a version of MS-DOS that was so similar to IBM's PC DOS that it ran nearly all its application software. The computer was also an early variation on the idea of an "all-in-one". It became available two years after the similar, but CP/M-based, Osborne 1 and Kaypro II. Columbia Data Products' MPC 1600 "Multi Personal Computer" had come out in June 1982. Other "work-alikes" included the MS-DOS and 8088-based, but not entirely IBM PC software compatible, Dynalogic Hyperion, and Eagle Computer's Eagle 1600 series, including the Eagle Spirit portable, and the Corona personal computer The latter two companies were threatened by IBM for BIOS copyright infringement, and settled out of court, agreeing to re-implement their BIOS There was also the Seequa Chameleon, which had both 8088 and Z80 CPUs to run with MS-DOS or CP/M OSes. Unlike Compaq, many of these companies had previously released computers based on Zilog's Z80 and Digital Research's CP/M operating system. Like Compaq, they recognized the replicability of the IBM PC's off-the-shelf parts, and saw that Microsoft retained the right to license MS-DOS. Only Compaq was able to fully capitalize, by aiming for complete IBM PC and PC DOS compatibility, while reverse-engineering the BIOS to head off copyright claims. Other contemporary systems include the portable Commodore SX-64, also known as the Executive 64, or VIP-64 in Europe, is a briefcase/suitcase-size "luggable" version of the popular Commodore 64 home computer built with an 8-bit MOS 6510 (6502-based) CPU microprocessor, and the first full-color portable computer. Like the Z80 and "work-alike" portables, its sales fell into insignificance in the face of the Compaq Portable series.
  • 1.6K
  • 31 Oct 2022
Biography
William Donald Scherzer
William Donald Scherzer (January 27, 1858 – July 20, 1893) was an American engineer who invented the rolling lift bridge. Scherzer's parents were William and Wilhelmina Scherzer, who immigrated from Germany in 1847.[1] Scherzer was born in Peru, Illinois on January 27, 1858 as the second son in a family of three sons and one daughter.[1] Scherzer received his primary education in publi
  • 1.6K
  • 13 Dec 2022
Biography
John S. Casement
John Stephen "Jack" Casement (January 19, 1829 – December 13, 1909) was a general and brigade commander in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a noted railroad contractor. He directed the construction of the Union Pacific's section of the Transcontinental Railroad, which linked the Western United States with the East. John S. Casement was born in Geneva, New York. He worked as
  • 1.6K
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Post-office Box
A post-office box or post office box (commonly referred to as a P.O. box or a postal box) is a uniquely addressable lockable box located on the premises of a post office station. In some regions, particularly in Africa, there is no 'door to door' delivery of mail, for example, in Kenya. Consequently, renting a PO box has traditionally been the only way to receive mail in such countries. However, some, like Jordan, have introduced mail home delivery. Generally, post office boxes are rented from the post office either by individuals or by businesses on a basis ranging from monthly to annual, and the cost of rent varies depending on the box size. Central business district (CBD) PO boxes are usually more expensive than rural PO boxes. In the United States, the rental rate used to be uniform across the country. Now, however, a postal facility can be in any of seven fee groups by location; in addition, certain customers qualify for free box rental, usually because the Postal Service does not offer carrier-route delivery to their physical addresses. In the United Kingdom, Royal Mail PO boxes are often little more than pigeon-holes in the secure section of a sorting office and are accessible only by staff. In such cases, the renter of the PO box will be issued with a card showing the PO box number and delivery office name and must produce this to the desk staff when collecting mail. For an additional fee, the Royal Mail will deliver received items to the renter's geographical address. Some private companies (e.g., United Parcel Service (UPS) and commercial mail receiving agencies) also offer similar services of renting a mailbox in a public location. The difference with an official PO box is that mail sent there is addressed to a street address (along with the box number), instead of just addressed to "PO Box CSX".
  • 1.6K
  • 08 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Sod Roof
A sod roof, or turf roof, is a traditional Scandinavian type of green roof covered with sod on top of several layers of birch bark on gently sloping wooden roof boards. Until the late 19th century, it was the most common roof on rural log houses in Norway and large parts of the rest of Scandinavia. Its distribution roughly corresponds to the distribution of the log building technique in the vernacular architecture of Finland and the Scandinavian peninsula. The load of approximately 250 kg per m² of a sod roof is an advantage because it helps to compress the logs and make the walls more draught-proof. In winter the total load may well increase to 400 or 500 kg per m² because of snow. Sod is also a reasonably efficient insulator in a cold climate. The birch bark underneath ensures that the roof will be waterproof. The term ‘sod roof’ is somewhat misleading, as the active, water-tight element of the roof is birch bark. The main purpose of the sod is to hold the birch bark in place. The roof might just as well have been called a "birch bark roof", but its grassy outward appearance is the reason for its name in Scandinavian languages: Norwegian and Swedish torvtak, Icelandic torfþak. A sod roof is well suited to the dynamics of a barter economy because the materials are ubiquitous and cost nothing, although the work is labour-intensive. However, a typical household in the era that sod roofs were most common would usually possess a lot of manpower, and neighbours would typically be invited to take part in the roofing party, similar to a barn raising in the United States . The Norwegian term dugnad denotes an established custom in rural communities, where large undertakings were accomplished with help from neighbours.
  • 1.6K
  • 29 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Flying Disc Games
Flying disc games are games played with discs, often called by the trademarked name Frisbees. Ultimate and disc golf are sports with substantial international followings.
  • 1.6K
  • 24 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Tom-Tom Drum
A tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snares, named from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala language. It was added to the drum kit in the early part of the 20th century. Most toms range in size between 6 and 20 inches (15 and 51 cm) in diameter, though floor toms can go as large as 24 inches (61 cm). It is not to be confused with a tam-tam, a gong. The Tom is popular and used by players worldwide.
  • 1.6K
  • 28 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Burt’s Solar Compass
Burt's solar compass is a surveying instrument that makes use of the sun's direction instead of magnetism. William Austin Burt invented his solar compass in 1835. It is a device which allows a person to find the north direction from the position of a shadow. The reason for this instrument was to get away from the erratic readings of a normal magnetized compass when in a local land territory of high iron ore content. The instrument was found to be so accurate that it was the choice of the United States government when surveying public lands, state boundaries, and railroad routes. It won awards from various organizations for its technology. It was used by surveyors from the nineteenth century into the twentieth century.
  • 1.6K
  • 19 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Geochemical Modeling Applications
The geochemical computer model is an important innovation that exponentially evolved in the last decades, and that now plays a vital role in several areas of study, ranging from developing new models for surface complexation, reactive transport models, or the generation of thermodynamic data used to simulate or predict solubility reactions. An important application of geochemical modeling involves supporting the explanation or characterization of engineering systems related to waste management, wastewater reuse, evaluation of water quality from a landfill, metal speciation within soils in industrial areas, new technologies or process for waste treatment, and even the evaluation of the potential to use solid wastes in carbon sequestering processes.
  • 1.6K
  • 03 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Stairlift
A stair lift is a mechanical device for lifting people, typically those with disabilities, up and down stairs. For sufficiently wide stairs, a rail is mounted to the treads of the stairs. A chair or lifting platform is attached to the rail. A person gets onto the chair or platform and is lifted up or down the stairs by the chair which moves along the rail. Stairlifts are known variously as stair lifts, stair-lifts, chair lifts, stair gliders and by other names. This type of chair lift should not be confused with the chairlift used by skiers. The term stair climber can refer either to stair lifts, or more commonly to the exercise equipment by the same name. Some of the first stair lifts to be produced commercially were advertised and sold in the U.S. in the 1930s by the Inclinator Company of America. Many users at the time were victims of polio. Now they are seen for use in elderly, fall-prone individuals, and the disabled who are unable to navigate stairs safely.
  • 1.6K
  • 10 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Social Learning Tools
Social learning tools are tools used for pedagogical and andragogical purposes that utilize social software and/or social media in order to facilitate learning through interactions between individuals and systems. The idea of setting up "social learning tools" is to make education more convenient and widespread. It also allows an interaction between users and/or the software which can bring a different aspect to learning. People can acquire knowledge by distance learning tools, for instance, Facebook, Twitter, Khan Academy and so on. Social learning tools may mediate in formal or informal learning environments to help create connections between learners, instructors and information. These connections form dynamic knowledge networks. Social learning tools are used in schools for teaching/learning and in businesses for training. Within a school environment, the use of social learning tools can affect not only the user (student) but his/her caretaker as well as his/her instructor. It brings a different approach to the traditional way of learning which affects the student and his/her support circle. Companies also use social learning tools. They used them to improve knowledge transfer within departments and across teams. Businesses use a variety of these tools to create a social learning environment. They are also used in company settings to help improve team work, problem solving, and performance in stressful situations. Social learning tools are used for people who are willing to share their good ideas/thoughts with someone else. The ideas can be related to either the academic studies or any other daily skills that we want to share with others. Social learning tools connect learning to our daily lives. It creates a learning environment more truthful to today's society. There are a couple of common elements that should be present in a social learning tool. Technology should be involved to allow physical and cognitive learning. There should be interactions between the people who use the tool and interactions with the software. Another element is trust. Users should trust the software and what other people have created.
  • 1.6K
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Active Design
Active Design is a set of building and planning principles that promote physical activity. Active design in a building, landscape or city design integrates physical activity into the occupants' everyday routines, such as walking to the store or making a photocopy. Active design involves urban planners, architects, transportation engineers, public health professionals, community leaders and other professionals in building places that encourage physical activity as an integral part of life. While not an inherent part of active design, most designers employing "active design" are also concerned with the productive life of their buildings and their building's ecological footprint.
  • 1.6K
  • 21 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Arms Export Control Act
The Arms Export Control Act of 1976 (Title II of Pub.L. 94–329, 90 Stat. 729, enacted June 30, 1976, codified at 22 U.S.C. ch. 39) gives the President of the United States the authority to control the import and export of defense articles and defense services. The H.R. 13680 legislation was passed by the 94th Congressional session and enacted into law by the 38th President of the United States Gerald R. Ford on June 30, 1976. The Act of Congress requires international governments receiving weapons from the United States to use the armaments for legitimate self-defense. Consideration is given as to whether the exports "would contribute to an arms race, aid in the development of weapons of mass destruction, support international terrorism, increase the possibility of outbreak or escalation of conflict, or prejudice the development of bilateral or multilateral arms control or nonproliferation agreements or other arrangements." The Act also places certain restrictions on American arms traders and manufacturers, prohibiting them from the sale of certain sensitive technologies to certain parties and requiring thorough documentation of such trades to trusted parties. When the President is aware of the possibility of violations of the AECA, the law requires a report to Congress on the potential violations. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducts an industry outreach program called the Project Shield America to prevent foreign adversaries, terrorists, and criminal networks from obtaining U.S. munitions and strategic technology.
  • 1.6K
  • 09 Nov 2022
Biography
Jim Bell
James Dalton Bell (born 1958) is an American crypto-anarchist who created the idea of arranging for anonymously sponsored assassination payments via the Internet, which he called "assassination politics".[1] He was imprisoned on felony charges of tax evasion in 1997.[1] In 2001, Wired called Bell "one of the Internet's most famous essayists"[2] and "the world's most notorious crypto-convict".[3]
  • 1.6K
  • 30 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Texture
In physical chemistry and materials science, texture is the distribution of crystallographic orientations of a polycrystalline sample (it is also part of the geological fabric). A sample in which these orientations are fully random is said to have no distinct texture. If the crystallographic orientations are not random, but have some preferred orientation, then the sample has a weak, moderate or strong texture. The degree is dependent on the percentage of crystals having the preferred orientation. Texture is seen in almost all engineered materials, and can have a great influence on materials properties. The texture forms in materials during thermo-mechanical processes, for example during production processes e.g. rolling. Consequently, the rolling process is often followed by a heat treatment to reduce the amount of unwanted texture. Controlling the production process in combination with the characterization of texture and the material's microstructure help to determine the materials properties, i.e. the processing-microstructure-texture-property relationship. Also, geologic rocks show texture due to their thermo-mechanic history of formation processes. One extreme case is a complete lack of texture: a solid with perfectly random crystallite orientation will have isotropic properties at length scales sufficiently larger than the size of the crystallites. The opposite extreme is a perfect single crystal, which likely has anisotropic properties by geometric necessity.
  • 1.6K
  • 01 Dec 2022
Biography
Elmer William Engstrom
Elmer William Engstrom (August 25, 1901 – October 30, 1984) was an American electrical engineer and corporate executive prominent for his role in the development of television. Engstrom was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1901 as son of Emil Engstrom, a power plant engineer, and Anna (Nelson) Engstrom. After attending the Mechanical Arte High School in Saint Paul, Minnesota, he obtained
  • 1.6K
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Cygnus CRS Orb-3
Cygnus CRS Orb-3, also known as Orbital Sciences CRS Flight 3 or Orbital 3, was an attempted flight of Cygnus, an automated cargo spacecraft developed by United States-based company Orbital Sciences, on 28 October 2014. The mission was intended to launch at 6:22 PM that evening. This flight, which would have been its fourth to the International Space Station and the fifth of an Antares launch vehicle, resulted in the Antares rocket exploding seconds after liftoff.
  • 1.6K
  • 24 Oct 2022
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