Body-bar frameworks provide a special class of frameworks which are well understood generically, with a full combinatorial theory for rigidity. Given a symmetric body-bar framework, this paper exploits group representation theory to provide necessary conditions for rigidity in the form of very simply stated restrictions on the numbers of those structural components that are unshifted by the sym...

We present an evolution-based method for optimal mechanism synthesis. It is based on the embedding of the Euclidean motion group in the space of affine displacements upon which an object-oriented Euclidean metric is imposed. This Euclidean structure allows the use of curve and surface evolution techniques from computer aided design and image processing. We demonstrate the algorithm by synthesiz...

Bridges with reinforeerneut corrosion problems are now under careful inspection in Taiwan. Costly maintenance programs are underway and raising S"erious safety concem. There are various engineering solutions to salt-induced corrosion. Among them epoxycoated reinforcing bars, commonly referred to as rebar, are frequently used in marine environment and other areas due to its durability, reasonabl...

Peters RM, Staibano P, Goldreich D. Tactile orientation perception: an ideal observer analysis of human psychophysical performance in relation to macaque area 3b receptive fields. J Neurophysiol 114: 3076 –3096, 2015. First published September 9, 2015; doi:10.1152/jn.00631.2015.—The ability to resolve the orientation of edges is crucial to daily tactile and sensorimotor function, yet the means ...