Kenichi Seki

Thermal Management of Software Changes in Product Lifecycle of Consumer Electronics

Because the power consumption of consumer electronic products varies according to processor execution, which depends on software, thermal risk may be increased by software changes, including software updates or the installation of new applications, even after hardware development has been completed. In this paper, we first introduce a typical system-level thermal simulation model, coupling the activities within modules related to software, electrical parts, and mechanical structure. Then, we investigate a case study of thermal management in both the development and maintenance phases of the product lifecycle. Reusing the simulation model, the thermal risk of software changes that may cause an enormous number of variations can be efficiently evaluated.

Design Information Management for Product Sound Quality: Requirement Definition

In a current design information management of consumer products, it is difficult to take into consideration of the sensory preference of users in requirements definition phase. Especially, sensory preference on sound of products might be different individually and depend on environment where the products are used. The engineering metrics are necessary to be connected to the sensory preference of users to design the right products to user preferences. In this paper we propose a process to manage design information considering product sound quality, and investigate a consistent description method using SysML (Systems Modeling Language) from requirement definition to engineering metrics setting. Picking up a camera as an example of consumer products we extract customer demands using the evaluation grid method according to the cases where the camera is used. By applying the DSM (Design Structure Matrix) clustering analysis to the results of the interview, we cluster the fundamental requirements relating functional and performance requirements which include sound quality. Also a stepwise refinement from the requirement definition to the architectural design is performed using SysML diagrams, and the appropriate engineering metrics are derived.

System level thermal design-process modeling for functional/structure design using SysML and MDM

The conventional thermal design process for consumer electronics focusing exclusively on hardware is becoming insufficient for limiting thermal risk in the market. This study uses system modeling language (SysML) and a multiple- domain matrix (MDM) to examine the thermal design process at the system level, which comprises both hardware and software. The entire thermal design process is visualized using an MDM comprising design structure matrices for the function, performance, and structure of a product and the correlations between them. It is demonstrated through the trade-off study of image processor selection and a machine design that our proposed thermal design process can lead better product specifications in terms of thermal performance and parts cost.

MDM-Based Kansei Design Approach to Appeal on Customer Senses for Products

In recent times, the importance of a product’s kansei quality has been increasing to enhance the value of consumer products. In this study, we introduce the evaluation grid method to clarify customer demands, including kansei (human sensitivity) requirements for products. To capture the structure of these requirements, requirement clusters are extracted from a design structure matrix clustering analysis from evaluation test results for a camera. We show that the possibility to satisfy customer demands using the kansei quality is comprehended through multiple senses. The kansei design process is modeled as a multi-domain matrix (MDM) form. Using the domain mapping matrix, we clarify the functions related to kansei and set the engineering metrics at the component level. Finally, we propose a MDM-based representation to show the kansei design information flow from the requirement definition to functional and structural design processes.

Ultrastructure and Some Biologic Properties of Human Oocytes and Granulosa Cells Cultured in Vitro**Supported in part by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare (1979).††Presented in part at the Thirty-Sixth Annual Meeting of The American Fertility Society, March 18 to 22, Houston, Texas.

Of follicular oocytes with germinal vesicles, 79% resumed meiosis within 48 hours in modified Hams F-10 medium for oocyte culture, and 59% of them reached the second-metaphase stage of meiosis. An increase in cortical granules and tubular aggregates and a decrease in the Golgi apparatus were observed during the maturation process. Scanning electron microscopy of the oocyte surface revealed a decrease in number and length of microvilli. Nuclear DNA contents diminished to approximately one-half, but cytoplasmic protein contents measured by cytofluorometry were unchanged after culture in spite of these structural changes. Insemination with washed spermatozoa resulted in fertilization of 5 of 43 zona-intact cultured oocytes. After removal of the zona, 6 of 17 cultured oocytes showed polyspermic penetration, although immature oocytes were not fertilized even after removal of the zona. Cultured granulosa cells secreted progesterone spontaneously, and its amount was correlated with follicular size. Ultrastructurally, mitochondria with laminar cristae, enlarged nuclei, dispersed Golgi apparatus, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, lipid droplets in the ooplasm, and granular cytoplasmic protrusions were observed on the oocyte surface.