• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.77-83
• /
• 2009

This paper proposes a new noise-biased compensation of minimum statistics(MS) method using a nonlinear function and a priori speech absence probability(SAP) for speech enhancement in non-stationary noisy environments. The minimum statistics(MS) method is well known technique for noise power estimation in non-stationary noisy environments. It tends to bias the noise estimate below that of true noise level. The proposed method is combined with an adaptive parameter based on a sigmoid function and a priori speech absence probability (SAP) for biased compensation. Specifically. we apply the adaptive parameter according to the a posteriori SNR. In addition, when the a priori SAP equals unity, the adaptive biased compensation factor separately increases ${\delta}_{max}$ each frequency bin, and vice versa. We evaluate the estimation of noise power capability in highly non-stationary and various noise environments, the improvement in the segmental signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and the Itakura-Saito Distortion Measure (ISDM) integrated into a spectral subtraction (SS). The results shows that our proposed method is superior to the conventional MS approach.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.14-21
• /
• 2013

The erosion, suspension, and transport of sediment frequently occur in the coastal waters and estuarine. These processes often generate the so-called fluid mud layer, which is defined as a high-concentration aqueous suspension of fine grained sediment (> 10 g/l), consisting mainly of silt and clay-size particles. Therefore the high-resolution ultrasound is mostly used to detect or monitor the fluid mud layer. Because the sound attenuation tends to increase rapidly with the suspended sediment concentration, it is necessary to consider the accurate attenuation correction to estimate the backscattering strengths from the suspended sediment layers. In this paper, the volume backscattering strengths with various suspended sediment concentrations were measured using 5-MHz ultrasound signal in a small-scale water tank. The sound attenuation due to the viscosity and scattering from suspended sediment particles was predicted by the Richard's model and applied to the sonar equation to estimate the volume backscattering strengths from the suspended sediment concentrations. For the case that the additional attenuation was not considered, the volume backscattering strengths increased to the concentration of 20 g/l, and over this point, the backscattering strengths were roughly constant. However, for the case that the attenuation due to the suspended sediment concentration was considered, the backscattering strengths increased with the concentration.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.215-222
• /
• 2011

In order to obtain high resolution images, a focusing ultrasonic transducer operated in very high frequency (VHF) range was fabricated and its characteristics were evaluated. A 9-${\mu}m$ thick PVDF film with only one metalized surface for electric ground was adhered to a CCP (Copper-clad polyimide) film by using epoxy. It was pressed by a metal ball to form a concave surface and its rear side was filled with the epoxy. The radius of curvature and the f-number of the fabricated transducer are 7.5 mm and 1.7, respectively. The pulse-echo measurement results from a target located at the focal point showed that the frequency bandwidth was 35.0 MHz and the insertion loss near the peak frequency of approximately 40 MHz was about 60 dB. Those values agreed well with the simulation results by the KLM equivalent circuit analysis including the effect of the epoxy bonding layer. When the image of thin copper lines by the 35 MHz transducer of the UBM (Ultrasonic Backscattering Microscope) system was compared with the image by the transducer fabricated in this study, the fabricated transducer was observed that the axial resolution was improved although the lateral resolution was degraded.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.158-166
• /
• 2011

In the present study, copper and nickel foams with an open-celled structure as trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms were used to investigate the dependencies of group velocity and attenuation coefficient on structural properties such as trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) in trabecular bone. The group velocity and attenuation coefficient of the copper and nickel foams were measured by a through-transmission method in water, using a pair of broadband, unfocused transducers with a diameter of 12.7 mm and a center frequency of 1.0 MHz. The separation of the Biot's fast and slow waves was consistently observed in the ultrasonic signals transmitted through the copper and nickel foams. The group velocities of the copper and nickel foams showed highly positive correlations with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp. The attenuation coefficient of the copper foam showed a highly negative correlation with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp, whereas that of the nickle foam showed a highly positive correlation with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp. These results advance our understanding of those previously reported by other researchers using trabecular bone samples or phantoms.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.568-575
• /
• 2020

Ultrasound has been widely used in various industrial fields. One of challenging application areas is cooling microelectronics. Ultrasonic cooling systems can work with air, argon (Ar) and nitrogen (N₂) instead of conventional refrigerant such as freon gas, which can cause global warming. Furthermore, ultrasonic systems do not have moving parts, thus high durability can be obtained. So it is necessary to develop ultrasonic cooling systems due to environmental issues and durability points. In this paper, the design and fabrication processes are explained. When designing the system, a feasibility test was performed with a prototype cooler. Based on the result, finite element analysis with ANSYS software was performed. The predicted anti-resonance frequency for a piezoelectric actuator was 34.8 kHz, which was in good agreement with the experimental result of 34.6 kHz with 0.6% error. In addition, the predicted anti-resonance frequency for the ultrasonic waveguide was 39.4 kHz, which also agreed well with the experimental value of 39.8 kHz with 1.0% error. Based on these results, the developed ultrasonic waveguide might be applicable in microchip cooling.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.16-23
• /
• 2020

In High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) treatment, effective localization of HIFU focus is important for developing a safe treatment plan. While Magnetic Resonance Imaging guided HIFU (MRIgHIFU) can visualize the ultrasound path during the treatment for localizing HIFU focus, it is challenging in ultrasound imaging guided HIFU (USIgHIFU). In the present study, a real-time ultrasound beam visualization technique capable of localizing HIFU focus is presented for USIgHIFU. In the proposed method, a short pulse, with the same center frequency of an imaging ultrasound transducer below the regulated acoustic intensity (i.e., Ispta < 720 mW/㎠), was transmitted through a HIFU transducer whereupon backscattered signals were received by the imaging transducer. To visualize the HIFU beam path, the backscattered signals underwent dynamic receive focusing and subsequent echo processing. From in vitro experiments with bovine serum albumin gel phantoms, the HIFU beam path was clearly depicted with low acoustic intensity (i.e., Ispta of 94.8 mW/㎠) and the HIFU focus was successfully localized before any damages were produced. This result indicates that the proposed ultrasound beam path visualization method can be used for localizing the HIFU focus in real time while minimizing unwanted tissue damage in USIgHIFU treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.149-163
• /
• 2004

The purpose of this study is to present a plan to activate the production and consumption of environmently friendly agricultural products through an analysis on the understanding degree, the level and inclination of consumption, the satisfaction degree of consumption, and the comprehension degree of production and circulation process of the environmently friendly agricultural products. 1 reviewed the literature and did survey In this study. The results are as follows : (1) As a result of an analysis on the understanding degree of the environmently friendly agricultural products, it is shown to get 6.37 points out of 10 and also, there is a difference between age, educational background, and income level. (2) In the case of research on the method to distinguish the environmently friendly agricultural products from others, it is proved that consumers have a strong faith on quality guarantee marks and there is a difference between gender, income level, and consumption period. (3) It is also shown that consumers purchase environmently friendly agricultural products for the family member's health in the survey on the motivation for purchasing them. And also, there is a difference between men and women. (4) The result of the survey on the consumption scale of the environmently friendly agricultural products shows that 94 people(60.3％) spend more than 50％ of their gloss foodstuffs cost purchasing them and 20 people(12.8％) spend 30-50％. (5) In the survey on the amount and the frequency of the purchasing items of the envirounently friendly agricultural products, respondents count livestock products mostly in amount while point out main cereals and a kinds of soy and pastes in frequency. (6) Consumers ask that the price of environmently friendly agricultural products is a little expensive or reasonable and there is no differences between individual groups. (7) In the case of the purchase of foreign environmently friendly agricultural products, there are more people who want to purchase domestic ones than those who want foreign ones. Therefore, it is shown that environmently friendly agricultural products have a counterpower after the market-open to import. (8) As a result of the analysis on the quality of environmently friendly agricultural products, it is proved that they have better quality than general agricultural products and also, it is found out that women feel larger differences than men in quality. (9) In the analysis on the satisfaction degree of the environmently friendly agricultural products, it is proved that respondents trust the safety and nutrition of them whereas they are not satisfied with the external shape of them. (10) It is analyzed that tile conversion of consumer's consciousness is the most critical factor for development of environmently friendly agriculture. (11) The factors to activate the consumption of environmently friendly agricultural products are proved in order of the enlargement of direct transaction, the conversion of consumer's consciousness, the easiness of purchase, activating consumers'unions, and publicity.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.369-378
• /
• 2020

This paper examines inquiries generated in three different online educational programs in Korea at the secondary educational level. Data covers 12,023 inquiries recorded during the first semester of 2019 and the compared groups among three programs are divided by four criteria: its type, period, inquirer, and the way of response. Statistical comparisons using Chi-square test suggest that there are significant differences in frequency rates of inquiries among three programs. First, 'Program A' has more inquiries by student themselves, mostly in the middle of the semester about the contents. Second, inquiries are more frequent for 'Program B' by the coordinating teachers about system-related or evaluation-related questions, either at the beginning or the end of the semester. Third, in the case of 'Program C', parents of health-impaired students are the main inquirers who ask admin-related questions at the beginning of the semester. With respect to the way of response to inquiries, more than 95% of inquiries are answered immediately for all three programs. These quantitative findings are also supported qualitatively, by face-to-face interviews with operators of the three programs. Results of this paper can be used for educational practitioners and experts when they design and operate the customized online educational programs with different purposes and different target-students in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.105 no.4
• /
• pp.486-495
• /
• 2016

This study was conducted to contribute to propose the improvement by looking into the use of private forest support system and then analyzing the status of support system and problems among forest owners. The study result showed that the recognition of private forest support system was 57.8% in sincere forest managers and 47.6% in forest successors, but only 17.6% in forest owner. The application experience was 79.2% in sincere forest managers, and 58.6% in forest successors, but 28.6% in forest owner which was significantly low as was shown in the recognition. Response on 'not knowing the support system' as the reason they were not able to ask for support was 36.1%, 43.0%, 78.6% in sincere forest managers, forest successors, and forest owner respectively in that order, which were the same results with the recognition. In the contrast, the effects of support for private forest management were higher in forest owner than sincere forest managers and forest successors, and overall level of satisfaction was also 28.5% in sincere forest managers and 36.8% in forest successors and 41.5% in forest owner. It turned out that forest owner who had somewhat low numbers of application had rather high satisfaction on overall management. Therefore, in order to attract active forest management from forest owner who take up most of forest owners in South Korea, the recognition on private forest support system is needed to improve and the local government and the Forestry Association should come up with active plans for public relations and support.

• Proceedings of the Technology Innovation Conference
• /
• 1997.12a
• /
• pp.159-176
• /
• 1997

This paper deals with demand surveys for big science and technology research facilities and equipments to advance national S'||'&'||'T research infrastructure. We perform surveys thrice based on applied Delphi method on the future demand of big S'||'&'||'T research facilities and equipments among Korean scientists and engineers. We employ the concept of big S'||'&'||'T research facilities and equipments as follows: \circled1 The operating size of it is equivalent to that of an institute or research center, and/or \circled2 The users in various disciplines are many, and/or \circled3 The application areas or spill-over effects are large, and/or \circled4 The scale and scope of research objects is equivalent to that of mega science area such as earth.oceanography.space, and/or \circled5 The expenses for installing and operating it are to be supported by government, and/or \circled5 The facilities are expected as necessary for international joint research, and/or \circled7 It is necessary for promoting creative basic science and developing creative technology. We ask the respondents to answer the following questionnaire: - How to prioritize the equipments according to the degree of importance\ulcorner $\square$ Promotion of basic science and mega science, the development of the technologies to enhance the public welfare, the competitiveness of industrial technologies, the job creation for the S'||'&'||'T personnel, and international cooperation. - Who should be in charge of acquisition and operation of the equipments\ulcorner $\square$ Industry, Government Research Institutes, Academy, ERC and SRC. - When shall we acquire the equipment\ulcorner $\square$ Within 2000, 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017. - How shall we acquire the equipments\ulcorner $\square$ International Joint Development, Domestic Development, Acquisition from Overseas, - How much will the equipment generate spill-over effects to national competitiveness\ulcorner $\square$ Promotion of basic science, contribution to the economy, supply of S'||'&'||'T personnel, and international cooperation. We suggest the following equipments as prioritized candidates after consulting the officers from MOST, MOE, MIC, MOEN and experts from KBSI and STEPI:(table omitted) where, #1, Korea Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor, #2. 800 MHz Superconduction Fourier-Transform Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer, #3. Ion Accelerator, #4. Seismic Test Facility, #5. Transonic Wind Tunnel, #6. Radio Telescope for Very Long Baseline Interferometer, #7. 3000t Universal(or Large Structure) Testing Machine, #8. Compost Facility or Plasma Pyrolysis Facility.