How have Japanese companies become world leaders in the automotive and electronics industries, among others? What is the secret of their success? Two leading Japanese business experts, Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi, are the first to tie the success of Japanese companies to their ability to create new knowledge and use it to produce successful products and technologies. In The Knowledge-Creating Company, Nonaka and Takeuchi provide an inside look at how Japanese companies go about creating this new knowledge organizationally. The authors point out that there are two types of knowledge: explicit knowledge, contained in manuals and procedures, and tacit knowledge, learned only by experience, and communicated only indirectly, through metaphor and analogy. U.S. managers focus on explicit knowledge. The Japanese, on the other hand, focus on tacit knowledge. And this, the authors argue, is the key to their success--the Japanese have learned how to transform tacit into explicit knowledge. To explain how this is done--and illuminate Japanese business practices as they do so--the authors range from Greek philosophy to Zen Buddhism, from classical economists to modern management gurus, illustrating the theory of organizational knowledge creation with case studies drawn from such firms as Honda, Canon, Matsushita, NEC, Nissan, 3M, GE, and even the U.S. Marines. For instance, using Matsushita's development of the Home Bakery (the world's first fully automated bread-baking machine for home use), they show how tacit knowledge can be converted to explicit knowledge: when the designers couldn't perfect the dough kneading mechanism, a software programmer apprenticed herself withthe master baker at Osaka International Hotel, gained a tacit understanding of kneading, and then conveyed this information to the engineers. In addition, the authors show that, to create knowledge, the best management style is neither top-down nor bottom-up, but rather what they call "middle-up-down," in which the middle managers form a bridge between the ideals of top management and the chaotic realities of the frontline. As we make the turn into the 21st century, a new society is emerging. Peter Drucker calls it the "knowledge society," one that is drastically different from the "industrial society," and one in which acquiring and applying knowledge will become key competitive factors. Nonaka and Takeuchi go a step further, arguing that creating knowledge will become the key to sustaining a competitive advantage in the future. Because the competitive environment and customer preferences changes constantly, knowledge perishes quickly. With The Knowledge-Creating Company, managers have at their fingertips years of insight from Japanese firms that reveal how to create knowledge continuously, and how to exploit it to make successful new products, services, and systems.

The knowledge-creating company

This is the first handbook where the world’s foremost “experts on expertise” review our scientific knowledge on expertise and expert performance and how experts may differ from non-experts in terms of their development, training, reasoning, knowledge, social support, and innate talent. Methods are described for the study of experts’ knowledge and their performance of representative tasks from their domain of expertise. The development of expertise is also studied by retrospective interviews and the daily lives of experts are studied with diaries. In 15 major domains of expertise, the leading researchers summarize our knowledge of the structure and acquisition of expert skill and knowledge and discuss future prospects. General issues that cut across most domains are reviewed in chapters on various aspects of expertise, such as general and practical intelligence, differences in brain activity, self-regulated learning, deliberate practice, aging, knowledge management, and creativity.

The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance

A NEW book by Mr. Udny Yule is a statistical event which, though of great rarity, is all the more welcome when it occurs. This, however, is not a formal treatment of a subject which has already shaken down into definite lines of development, or even a systematic introduction to such a subject. Rather is it an account in volume form of Mr. Yule's incursion into a novel and interesting field of research. The Statistical Study of Literary Vocabulary By G. Udny Yule. Pp. ix + 306. (Cambridge: At the University Press, 1944.) 25s. net.

The Statistical Study of Literary Vocabulary

This article is focused on reviewing the current state-of-the-art of optical fibre pressure sensors for medical applications. Optical fibres have inherent advantages due to their small size, immunity to electromagnetic interferences and their suitability for remote monitoring and multiplexing. The small dimensions of optical fibre-based pressure sensors, together with being lightweight and flexible, mean that they are minimally invasive for many medical applications and, thus, particularly suited to in vivo measurement. This means that the sensor can be placed directly inside a patient, e.g., for urodynamic and cardiovascular assessment. This paper presents an overview of the recent developments in optical fibre-based pressure measurements with particular reference to these application areas.

Optical Fibre Pressure Sensors in Medical Applications

Application of Higuchi's fractal dimension from basic to clinical neurophysiology

The radiation resistance-repair genes in Deinococcus radiodurans (DR) and E-coli were analyzed in terms of the
A, T, C, G nucleotide fluctuations. The studied genes were Rec-A, Rec-Q, and the unique DR PprA gene. In an
ATCG sequence, each base was assigned a number equal to its atomic number. The resulting numerical
sequence was the basis of the statistical analysis. Fractal analysis using the Higuchi method gave a fractal
dimension increase of the Deinococcus radiodurans genes as compared to E-coli, which is comparable to the
enhancement observed in the human HAR1 region (HAR1F gene) over that of the chimpanzee. Near neighbor
fluctuation was also studied via the Black-Scholes model where the increment sequence was treated as a random
walk series. The Deinococcus radiodurans radiation gene standard deviations were consistently higher than that
of the E-coli deviations, and agree with the fractal analysis results. The sequence stacking interaction was
studied using the published nucleotide-pair melting free energy values and Deinococcus radiodurans radiation
genes were shown to possess larger negative free energies. The high sensitivity of the fractal dimension as a
biomarker was tested with correlation analysis of the gamma ray dose versus fractal dimension, and the R square
values were found to be above 0.9 (N=5). When compared with other nucleotide sequences such as the rRNA
sequences, HAR1 and its chimpanzee counterpart, the higher fluctuation (correlated randomness) and larger
negative free energy of a DR radiation gene suggested that a radiation resistance-repair sequence exhibited
higher complexity. As the HAR1 nucleotide sequence complexity and its transcription activity of co-expressing
cortex protein reelin supported a positive selection event in humans, a similar inference of positive selection of
coding genes could be drawn for Deinococcus radiodurans when compared to E-coli. The origin of such a
positive selection would be consistent with that of a Martian environment.

ATCG nucleotide fluctuation of Deinococcus radiodurans radiation genes

LabVIEW graphical programming is used at the introductory engineering physics level to expand the student mindset in an early stage. The virtual instrumentation and computational capabilities are incorporated into the laboratory exercises. The virtual instrumentation serves as a practical equipment simulation tool, especially for those with expensive equipment such as the E/M ratio and fiber optics laboratory exercises. The computational capabilities serves as a powerful numerical simulation tool for assessing uncertainties where closed form mathematical expressions are not available. A few selected LabVIEW programming designs are presented as illustration with additional emphasis on preparing the students for continuing to the upper division courses and for conducting undergraduate research. The role of LabVIEW parallel programming is contrasted with other text oriented languages such as Visual Basic in simple examples such as the virtual instrumentation of light switches. While the LabVIEW data acquisition feature is not taught in this introductory course, its deployment as a software interface certainly streamlines the data collection procedure for the students and adds remote control capability. Furthermore, our campus has student clubs such as the Robotics Club. LabVIEW can serve as an integral part of this kind of extracurricular activity that combines mechanical, electrical and optical engineering principles. Due to the low cost of purchasing a student version, LabVIEW is cost effective in a teaching environment.

Labview Graphical Programming In An Introductory Engineering Physics Course

A college outreach engineering education program designed for high school students was implemented in a community college using the three principles of K-12 engineering education, namely, product design, science knowledge, and mindset development. The means of transforming a science question into a design driven one was illustrated using examples and projects from the fields of astronomy and bio-optics. The relevant scientific principles were presented by introducing various iterated designs in an interactive learning environment. A high school level research component using astronomy and bio-optics-related public data was also implemented to enrich the students’ exposure to numerical processing techniques accessible in Microsoft Excel. Examples including solar events driven by magnetic field topology, cosmological images generated by IllustrisTNG Project, muon flux data, Killer T-cell motion, and wound assay cell migration are used in the teaching of iterated designs. A Path Diagram assessment model based on a LISREL computation scheme with learning intent and engineering mindset as latent variables was used to gauge the effectiveness of an implementation, the results of which would be used in the subsequent semester’s implementation of the research component. The materials developed in a College Now course, where high school students take a research course at a community college, would be readily adaptable to other four-year college programs. The possible future incorporation of an introductory engineering course for high school student education, using the MIT low-cost $100 muon detector and Fermi Lab QuarkNet muon scintillation detector, is discussed.

/pdf/assessment-of-high-school-engineering-education-outreach-37dfcef084.pdf

Assessment of high-school engineering education outreach program employing project-based learning in astronomy and bio-optics within a college setting

Short-range speckle correlation techniques were used to measure the refractive index of turbid biological media The refractive index depends on the cell content, which is about 80% water and 15% protein The variation in water or protein content produced various small shifts in the oscillatory features of the speckle intensity spatial correlation function for correlation distances shorter than the transport mean free path Optical diffusion profiles in transmission, and long range speckle intensity correlation techniques were used to measure the transport mean free path The optical system was calibrated with a porous silicate slab, and live yeast was the biological system studied It is found that the techniques employed could serve as markers for the cell's water and protein contents Consistent results were also found for chicken tissue and a combined yeast sample Extension to abnormal cell detection, and the application to in-situ refractive index mapping are also discussed

Speckle intensity correlation and optical diffusion profile in biological media

The Arduino microcontroller has been incorporated in our community college student projects, including interface with GPS receiver for the application of measuring ionospheric disturbance. Our Arduino microcontroller was designed with an ATmega328 chip that enables the training of our community college students to work on the CUNY miniaturized satellite (CubeSat) project at the NASA critical review phase. The Arduino teaching protocol was implemented with our experience in teaching the National Instruments LabVIEW controlled data acquisition board and Lego Mindstorms NXT programming lessons. Particular satellite engineering criteria, such as power consumption, interface algorithm, etc., are highlighted in contrast to those criteria in a typical data acquisition environment. The operation timing issue in CubeSat module necessitates the inclusion of number crunching in the Arduino lessons as well. Arduino microcontroller application was found to be supportive in a laser lab class where students learn about general lab control and data acquisition techniques in addition to their laser work. Less critical applications such as FM detection with Arduino microcontrollers are popular in hobby electronics and readily attract the attention of students in introductory lab sessions. Currently an application of the Arduino microcontroller in field operation is being developed with Brookhaven National Lab to strengthen our engineering technology curriculum. Extension to the use of Arduino microcontroller in atmospheric disturbance studies is also discussed.

Tak Cheung

Papers

ATCG nucleotide fluctuation of Deinococcus radiodurans radiation genes

Labview Graphical Programming In An Introductory Engineering Physics Course

Assessment of high-school engineering education outreach program employing project-based learning in astronomy and bio-optics within a college setting

Speckle intensity correlation and optical diffusion profile in biological media

Applications of Arduino Microcontroller in Student Projects in a Community College