Variable Directivity Acoustical Warning Device (AWD) as an Optimized Locomotive Horn

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant S. Nash ◽  
Jason C. Ross ◽  
Basant K. Parida ◽  
Abdullatif K. Zaouk ◽  
Swamidas K. (John) Punwani
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Simulation Modeling ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Environmental Noise ◽  
The United States ◽  
Development Effort ◽  
The Public ◽  
Acoustic Simulation ◽  
Grade Crossings ◽  
Warning Device

It is estimated that up to 9.3 million people may be impacted by locomotive horn noise and up to 4.6 million of those may be severely impacted.1 In 2009, there were over 1,900 incidents, over 700 injuries, and over 240 fatalities at highway-rail grade crossings.2 Approximately 4,000 times per year, a train and highway vehicle collide at one of over 262,000 public and private highway-rail grade crossings in the United States. Compared to a collision between two highway vehicles, a collision with a train is eleven times more likely to result in a fatality, and five and a half times more likely to result in a disabling injury. Approximately half of all collisions occur at grade crossings that are not fully equipped with warning devices. Some of the drivers involved in these collisions may have been unaware of the approaching train.3 The National Academy of Engineering Committee on Technology for a Quieter America has indicated that the public would benefit if a train horn was more directional and has recommended that research and development be undertaken to better understand the effects on safety, with benefits to the public.4 As a part of an ongoing Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)-sponsored research and development effort, the authors have developed an Acoustical Warning Device (AWD) prototype with an overall goal of maximizing safety at a grade crossing and minimizing environmental noise pollution (at the wayside and in the cabin of a locomotive in reducing railroad worker occupational hazard noise exposure). An initial prototype was created that consisted of one acoustical element. An advanced prototype is currently being developed with three acoustical elements to provide variable directivity and steering capabilities through beamforming. A digitized horn signal has been created based on characteristics from an analog air-pressure locomotive horn. The initial AWD prototype has been analyzed for detectability and noise impact area and the directivity pattern of its sound emissions have been tested. The expected performance of the advanced three-unit prototype has been evaluated based on the test results of the initial prototype and acoustic simulation modeling. During development of the initial AW D prototype, spectrograms, polar directivity plots, frequency response plots, 1/3-octave band plots, and LAeq measurements of the AWD propagation were analyzed to ensure proper functionality of the AWD, in accordance with FRA and QinetiQ North America’s (QNA) specifications. Based on acoustic simulation modeling, the advanced AWD prototype is expected to generate sound up to 110 dBA at 100 feet forward of the locomotive. The AWD prototype is expected to improve detectability and reduced environmental noise exposure to the community and locomotive cabin.

Feasibility of a Variable-Directivity Locomotive Horn

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason C. Ross ◽  
Basant K. Parida ◽  
Abdullatif K. Zaouk ◽  
Grant S. Nash ◽  
Swamidas K. (John) Punwani
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Directivity Pattern ◽  
Development Effort ◽  
Narrow Beam ◽  
The Public ◽  
Noise Impact ◽  
Impact Area ◽  
Grade Crossing ◽  
Grade Crossings

It is estimated that up to 9.3 million persons may be impacted by locomotive horn noise and up to 4.6 million of those may be severely impacted.1 In 2009, there were over 1,900 incidents, over 700 injuries and over 240 fatalities at highway-rail grade crossings.2 The National Academy of Engineering Committee on Technology for a Quieter America has indicated that the public would benefit if train warning horns were more directional and has recommended that research and development be undertaken to better understand the effects on safety and benefits to the public.3 A directive train horn has the potential to focus audible warning signals to desired locations including pedestrians and motorists at highway-rail grade crossings while minimizing noise to the surrounding community and employees in the locomotive cab. As a part of an ongoing Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)-sponsored research and development effort, the authors have examined the feasibility of and recommended an acoustical specification for an optimized train horn that would improve the detectability of the warning signal for motorists at critical positions along the crossing road while reducing the area of environmental noise impact. The detectability, noise impact area and occupational noise exposure have been compared for the optimized horn and several typical standard horns. Near the beginning of most sounding events (1/4-mile from the grade crossing) the optimized horn reduces noise exposure because a narrow beam of sound can be generated and focused at the grade-crossing. As the train approaches the crossing, the beam width must become wider. It is found that detectability could be improved and noise impact area reduced by up to 57%, but the optimized horn must have a directivity pattern and amplitude that dynamically changes as a function of train position relative to the crossing. Current acoustic source technologies which generate directive sound were examined including “acoustic hailing devices” (AHDs) which are recent technological advancements typically used for naval communications. Capable of focusing high amplitudes of sound within a narrow beam and dynamically changing the directivity pattern through electronic beam steering, AHDs have been identified as a feasible means of meeting the required specifications. A critical design issue for the optimized horn is controlling the directivity pattern at low frequencies. Development and testing of a prototype is in progress and actual improvements to detectability and reductions in noise impact will be analyzed. The paper briefly discusses the feasibility of the optimized horn and general information on cost and implementation.

Verán ustedes las chozas más humildes. El discurso de pobreza en la diplomacia pública cardenista dirigida a Estados Unidos

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-281
Author(s):  
Sylvia Dümmer Scheel
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New Deal ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Government ◽  
Lazaro Cardenas ◽  
The New Deal

El artículo analiza la diplomacia pública del gobierno de Lázaro Cárdenas centrándose en su opción por publicitar la pobreza nacional en el extranjero, especialmente en Estados Unidos. Se plantea que se trató de una estrategia inédita, que accedió a poner en riesgo el “prestigio nacional” con el fin de justificar ante la opinión pública estadounidense la necesidad de implementar las reformas contenidas en el Plan Sexenal. Aprovechando la inusual empatía hacia los pobres en tiempos del New Deal, se construyó una imagen específica de pobreza que fuera higiénica y redimible. Ésta, sin embargo, no generó consenso entre los mexicanos. This article analyzes the public diplomacy of the government of Lázaro Cárdenas, focusing on the administration’s decision to publicize the nation’s poverty internationally, especially in the United States. This study suggests that this was an unprecedented strategy, putting “national prestige” at risk in order to explain the importance of implementing the reforms contained in the Six Year Plan, in the face of public opinion in the United States. Taking advantage of the increased empathy felt towards the poor during the New Deal, a specific image of hygienic and redeemable poverty was constructed. However, this strategy did not generate agreement among Mexicans.

27. Immigration and other evils: A profile of Dr. C. K. Clarke and the eugenics movement in Canada

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
L. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mentally Ill ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cornell University ◽  
The Public ◽  
Canadian Population ◽  
Historical Figures ◽  
The Social ◽  
Eugenics Movement ◽  
The Government ◽  
Mental Defectives

Dr. C.K. Clarke (1857-1924) was one of Canada’s most prominent psychiatrists. He sought to improve the conditions of asylums, helped to legitimize psychiatry and established formal training for nurses. At the beginning of the 20th Century, Canada experienced a surge of immigration. Yet – as many historians have shown – a widespread anti-foreigner sentiment within the public remained. Along with many other members of the fledgling eugenics movement, Clarke believed that the proportion of “mental defectives” was higher in the immigrant population than in the Canadian population and campaigned to restrict immigration. He appealed to the government to track immigrants and deport them once they showed signs of mental illness. Clarke’s efforts lead to amendments to the Immigration Act in 1919, which authorized deportation of people who were not Canadian-born, regardless of how many years that had been in Canada. This change applied not only to the mentally ill but also to those who could no longer work due to injury and to those who did not follow social norms. Clarke is a fascinating example of how we judge historical figures. He lived in a time where what we now think of as xenophobia was a socially acceptable, even worthy attitude. As a leader in eugenics, therefore, he was a progressive. Other biographers have recognized Clarke’s racist opinions, some of whom justify them as keeping with the social values of his era. In further exploring Clarke’s interest in these issues, this paper relies on his personal scrapbooks held in the CAMH archives. These documents contain personal papers, poems and stories that proclaim his anti-Semitic and anti-foreigner views. Whether we allow his involvement in the eugenics movement to overshadow his accomplishments or ignore his racist leanings to celebrate his memory is the subject of ongoing debate. Dowbiggin IR. Keeping America Sane: Psychiatry and Eugenics in the United States and Canada 1880-1940. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 1997. McLaren A. Our Own Master Race: Eugenics in Canada 1885-1945. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1990. Roberts B. Whence They Came: Deportation from Canada 1900-1935. Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press, 1988.

Kim Kardashian: the Leader of the Influencers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laila Fariha Zein ◽  
Adib Rifqi Setiawan
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
The United States ◽  
Armenian Genocide ◽  
The Public ◽  
Self Defense ◽  
Global Commerce ◽  
The World ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
International Issues ◽  
Global Influence

In today’s world, it is easier and easier to stay connected with people who are halfway across the world. Social media and a globalizing economy have created new methods of business, trade and socialization resulting in vast amounts of communication and effecting global commerce. Like her or hate her, Kimberly Noel Kardashian West as known as Kim Kardashian has capitalized on social media platforms and the globalizing economy. Kim is known for two things: famous for doing nothing and infamous for a sex tape. But Kim has not let those things define her. With over 105 million Instagram followers and 57 million Twitter followers, Kim has become a major global influence. Kim has travelled around the world, utilizing the success she has had on social media to teach make-up master classes with professional make-up artist, Mario Dedivanovic. She owns or has licensed several different businesses including: an emoji app, a personal app, a gaming app, a cosmetics line, and a fragrance line. Not to be forgotten, the Kardashian family show, ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ has been on the air for ten years with Kim at the forefront. Kim also has three books: ‘Kardashian Konfidential’, ‘Dollhouse’, and ‘Selfish’. With her rising social media following, Kim has used the platforms to show her support for politicians and causes, particularly, recognition of the Armenian genocide. Kim also recently spoke at the Forbes’ women’s summit. Following the summit, Kim tweeted out her support for a recent movement on Twitter, #freeCyntoiaBrown which advocated for a young woman who claimed to have shot and killed the man who held her captive as a teenage sex slave in self-defense. Kim had her own personal lawyers help out Cyntoia on her case. Kim has also moved beyond advocating for issues within the confines of the United States. As mentioned earlier, she is known for advocating for recognition of the Armenian genocide. In the last two years, her show has made it a point to address the Armenian situation as it was then and as it is now. Kim has been recognized as a global influencer by others across the wordl. We believe Kim has become the same as political leaders when it comes to influencing the public. Kim’s story reveals that the new reality creates a perfect opportunity for mass disturbances or for initiating mass support or mass disapproval. Although Kim is typically viewed for her significance to pop culture, Kim’s business and social media following have placed her deep into the mix of international commerce. As her businesses continue to grow and thrive, we may see more of her influence on international issues and an increase in the commerce from which her businesses benefit.

Interaction of Ukrainian Diaspora and the USA Government Regarding Celebration of Ukrainian Independence Day on January 22

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (47) ◽  
pp. 136-145
Author(s):  
Halyna Shchyhelska
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
House Of Representatives ◽  
The United States ◽  
100Th Anniversary ◽  
Totalitarian Regime ◽  
The Public ◽  
Us Congress ◽  
The Us ◽  
Public Consciousness ◽  
The Usa

2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of Ukrainian independence. OnJanuary 22, 1918, the Ukrainian People’s Republic proclaimed its independence by adopting the IV Universal of the Ukrainian Central Rada, although this significant event was «wiped out» from the public consciousness on the territory of Ukraine during the years of the Soviet totalitarian regime. At the same time, January 22 was a crucial event for the Ukrainian diaspora in the USA. This article examines how American Ukrainians interacted with the USA Government institutions regarding the celebration and recognition of the Ukrainian Independence day on January 22. The attention is focused on the activities of ethnic Ukrainians in the United States, directed at the organization of the special celebration of the Ukrainian Independence anniversaries in the US Congress and cities. Drawing from the diaspora press and Congressional Records, this article argues that many members of Congress participated in the observed celebration and expressed kind feelings to the Ukrainian people, recognised their fight for freedom, during the House of Representatives and Senate sessions. Several Congressmen submitted the resolutions in the US Congress urging the President of United States to designate January 22 as «Ukrainian lndependence Day». January 22 was proclaimed Ukrainian Day by the governors of fifteen States and mayors of many cities. Keywords: January 22, Ukrainian independence day, Ukrainian diaspora, USA, interaction, Congress

Pharmacist for a Healthy India – Swasth Bharath

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 3151-3154
Author(s):  
G. N. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Pharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
High Technology ◽  
Pharmaceutical Sector ◽  
The Public ◽  
Pharmacy Council ◽  
Global Player

India has emerged as a global player for pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical revolution of 1970-90 of Indian Pharma Industry had demonstrated that India could be self-sufficient in the manufacture of essential drugs at affordable prices. The turnover of Indian Pharmaceutical is over $30 billion in 2015 including $15 billion in exports.  It was a great honor to preside the 67th Indian pharmaceutical congress held in Mysore. The topic of Pharmacists for a Healthy India is close to my heart and being a regulator myself, I feel that the Pharmacy fraternity can play a much larger role in contributing to the healthcare system in India. Pharmacist as such are involved in a big way in the regulation of drugs, be it manufacture, be it sale or research and development. A contribution of the Pharmacists is there at every stage till the drug reaches the consumer safely. For this purpose, the society needs a pool of well qualified and experienced pharmacists, which requires regular updating of their knowledge to keep pace with the developments taking place in the pharmaceutical sector. The advancements in technology and the emerging challenges in the health sector require pharmacists to shoulder the responsibilities towards the utilization of scientific knowledge in the use of modern medicines and the protection of the public against dangers of wrong use of drugs. The Pharmacy Council of India on its part will have to ensure that the courses offered for creating a high technology based are calibrated in such a way that the education and skills developed suit to the requirements of the Pharmaceutical Industry as well as needs to the patients

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