This review focuses on recent developments in the chemistry of side chain liquid crystal polymers. It concentrates on current trends in synthetic methods and novel, well defined structures, supramolecular arrangements, properties, and applications. The review covers literature published in this century, apart from some areas, such as dendritic and elastomeric systems, which have been recently r...

We studied the anchoring properties in photo-aligned periodic domains of liquid crystals (LCs) in an alternating homeotropic and hybrid geometry. In this geometry, the surface anchoring energy was determined in using the directordistorted length of the LC near domain boundary, calculated in a linear approximation of the director profile within the continuum theory. The measurements were made us...

An image overlay system is presented to assist needle placement in conventional CT scanners. The device consists of a flat LCD display and a half mirror and is mounted on the gantry. Looking at the patient through the mirror, the CT image appears to be floating inside the patient with correct size and position, thereby providing the physician with two-dimensional “X-ray vision” to guide needle ...

This paper describes algorithms and hardware of the automatic output check system for liquid crystal dismain algorithmic dificulty of LCD check problem is detection of little defects in real time. To do this, the algorithm utilizing a priori information was designed. The methods used for functional LCD check do not require any human interference for its accommodation to new LCD types.

Weaire was supported in part by the EC Science Programme, contract SC*-CT92-0777 and HCM Network Contract ERBCHRX940542. Phelan was supported in part by Shell Research (Amsterdam) and an Irish-American Partnership studentship. The Surface Evolver has been used to minimise the surface area of various ordered structures for monodisperse foam. Additional features have enabled its application to fo...

This paper considers the phonological behavior of /C/ clusters in Urban East Norwegian (henceforth UEN), as recently discussed by Kristoffersen (2000). I will argue that the phonetic realization of such clusters depends on the relative timing of the articulatory gestures associated with // and the following consonant. Specifically, the patterning of /C/ clusters lends further support to Cho'...

An interactive classroom communication system (ICCS) involves the use of remote devices that permit all students in a class to respond to multiple choice questions displayed on a LCD projector. After responses are clicked in, the results are instantly aggregated and displayed in chart form. The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in attitudes toward ICCSs for 659 secondary s...

Some general arguments in the light of the application of the inorganic crystal scintillators in the search for rare processes are addressed. The continuous innovation provided by physics, chemistry and technology in their development allows the improvement of their performances. Also the possibility of detectors exploiting new materials is open and the further application to this field of rese...

We describe a simple, safe, and inexpensive image overlay system to assist surgical interventions inside a conventional CT scanner. The overlay system is mounted non-invasively on the gantry of the CT scanner and it consists of a seven degrees-of-freedom passive mounting arm, a flat LCD display, and a light brown acrylic plate as a half mirror. In a pre-operative calibration process, the displa...

A haptic device using flexible sheet such as rubber has already been proposed. Controlling the bias tension of the sheet, the device varies compliance of the sheet in the normal direction; users can feel compliance of various virtual objects if they touch the sheet. This device is integrated into a visual and haptic display. The haptic device uses transparent flexible sheet, and a liquid crysta...