Mirror tracing task in yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners: A cross-sectional comparative study

Objectives: The present study compared yoga practitioners with age- and gender-matched yoga naïve persons on performance in a mirror tracing task which involved tracing a star pattern on a sheet of paper while looking at its reflection in a mirror. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study included twenty yoga practitioners of both sexes (15 females; group mean age ± SD; 24.8 ± 3.4 years) and twenty yoga naïve persons (15 females; group mean age ± SD; 24.2 ± 3.8 years) of the same age range. Both groups were assessed for performance in the mirror tracing task in three trials. The distance covered, total errors, and time taken to complete the task were noted. Results: Yoga practitioners made significantly less errors (P < 0.05) in the third trial and covered greater distance in star tracing in the first (P < 0.05) and second (P < 0.05) trials compared to yoga naïve participants. Mann– Whitney U-test was used for all comparisons. Conclusion: Yoga practice may be useful to facilitate learning in the tasks that require better perceptual and motor skills.

A Novel Inertial-Aided Star Pattern Matching Method for Distributed Multiple FoVs

An aerospace vehicle in high-speed flight involves distributed multiple fields of view (FoVs) of a star sensor, and the maneuvering of the vehicle requires inertial-aided star pattern matching. Accordingly, an inertial-aided star pattern matching method for distributed multiple FoVs is proposed. First, the observation and fusion principles of distributed multiple FoVs are illustrated. Then, an inertial-aided star pattern matching scheme is designed based on the space-time distribution of the line-of sight (LoS) vector and inertial measurement information. Next, an LoS vector estimation method assisted by inertial information and the dynamic establishment of a distributed local catalog are proposed. Finally, in a simulation, the dynamic establishment of the part catalog improves the efficiency of star pattern matching by reducing the catalog scale, and the usability of inertial-aided star pattern matching is analyzed for different gyro and accelerometer precisions.

CRL optics and silicon drift detector for P06 Microprobe experiments at 35 keV

A provisional setup for X-ray microprobe experiments at 35 keV is described. It is based on compound refractive lenses (CRLs) for nanofocusing and a Vortex silicon drift detector with 2 mm sensor thickness for increased sensitivity at high energies. The Microprobe experiment (PETRA III) generally uses Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors for submicrometer focusing in the energy range of 5–21 keV. However, various types of scanning X-ray microscopy experiments require higher excitation energies. The CRL optics were characterized by X-ray ptychography and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) knife edge scans on a siemens star pattern and showed beam sizes down to 110 nm. The performance of the new setup for microscopic X-ray diffraction (XRD)–XRF scanning X-ray microscopy measurements at 35 keV is demonstrated on a cross-section of a painting fragment.

A Scientific Study of Eastern Zhou Bronze Weapons with Tin-Rich Surface Decoration

In this paper we examined three bronze weapons with tin-rich surface decoration from the Eastern Zhou period: a sword (1966,0222.1) with a trellis pattern, a spearhead (1947,0712.426) with a hexagonal star pattern in the British Museum collections, and a sword (GT698) with a trellis pattern from a private collection. These weapons may have come from south eastern China, a region renowned for its weaponry production in the Eastern Zhou period, as both their styles and decorations are comparable to the sword of the Yue King Goujian and the spearhead of Wu King Fuchai, two of the most typical objects of this type. The manufacturing and surface tin-rich decoration techniques were investigated using microscopy, X-ray CT imaging, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that all the objects were made of high tin bronzes. The swords were made by casting a grip around the pre-cast blade and the pommel. The spearhead was an integral casting. The trellis pattern on the swords was probably produced by heating up a tin-rich paste applied to the surface and the thin hexagonal star decoration pattern on the spearhead was probably produced by brush painting with a mercury-tin amalgam followed by heating.

Algorithm with Patterned Singular Value Approach for Highly Reliable Autonomous Star Identification

In the work reported in this paper, a lost-in-space star pattern identification algorithm for agile spacecraft was studied. Generally, the operation of a star tracker is known to exhibit serious degradation or even failure during fast attitude maneuvers. While tracking methods are widely used solutions to handle the dynamic conditions, they require prior information about the initial orientation. Therefore, the tracking methods may not be adequate for autonomy of attitude and control systems. In this paper a novel autonomous identification method for dynamic conditions is proposed. Additional constraints are taken into account that can significantly decrease the number of stars imaged and the centroid accuracy. A strategy combining two existing classes for star pattern identification is proposed. The new approach is intended to provide a unique way to determine the identity of stars that promises robustness against noise and rapid identification. Moreover, representative algorithms implemented in actual space applications were utilized as counterparts to analyze the performance of the proposed method in various scenarios. Numerical simulations show that the proposed method is not only highly robust against positional noise and false stars, but also guarantees fast run-time, which is appropriate for high-speed applications.