• ETRI Journal
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.555-565
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• 2010

Parallel simulation is an efficient way to cope with long runtimes and high computational requirements in simulations of modern complex integrated electronic circuits and systems. This paper presents an algorithm for parallel simulation based on parallelization in equation formulation and simultaneous calculation of matrix contributions for nonlinear analog elements. In addition, the paper describes the development of a grid interface for a parallel simulator that enables a designer to perform simulations on distant computer clusters. Performances of the developed parallel simulation algorithm are evaluated by simulation of a microelectromechanical system.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.144-152
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• 2006

The telemedicine using independent client-server system via networks can provide high quality normalized services to many hospitals, specifically to local/rural area hospitals. This will eventually lead to a decreased medical cost because the centralized institute can handle big computer hardware systems and complicated software systems efficiently and economically, Customized cancer radiation treatment planning for each patient Is very useful for both a patient and a doctor because it makes possible for the most effective treatment with the least possible dose to patient. Radiation planners know that too small a dose to the tumor can result in recurrence of the cancer, while too large a dose to healthy tissue can cause complications or even death. The best solution is to build an accurate planning simulation system to provide better treatment strategies based on each patient's computerized tomography (CT) image. We are developing a web-based and a network-based customized cancer radiation therapy simulation system consisting of four Important computer codes; a CT managing code for preparing the patients target data from their CT image files, a parallel Monte Carlo high-energy beam code (PMCEPT code) for calculating doses against the target generated from the patient CT image, a parallel linear programming code for optimizing the treatment plan, and scientific data visualization code for efficient pre/post evaluation of the results. The whole softwares will run on a high performance Beowulf PC cluster of about 100-200 CPUs. Efficient management of the hardware and software systems is not an easy task for a hospital. Therefore, we integrated our system into the client-sewer system via network or web and provide high quality normalized services to many hospitals. Seamless communication with doctors is maintained via messenger function of the server-client system.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.10 no.4 s.50
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• pp.25-33
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to develop the curve fitted equations for practicality and actual calculation during seismic performance evaluation of buried pipelines. Curve fitting for strain curve according to the wavelength of the seismic wave was produced using the non-linear least square method and the equations with the best results was suggested. In addition, a degree and coefficient of polynomial fitting equation needed to use curve fitted equation were identified. Interpreting process during the test of resistance of earthquake of buried pipelines with various end boundary conditions were provided through example questions. The results of this study were used to conduct a dynamic response analysis and a seismic performance evaluation of concrete, steel, and FRP pipes with various end boundary conditions.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.30 no.4 s.247
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• pp.364-372
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• 2006

The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficiency and the prediction accuracy of developed large eddy simulation (LES) program for complex turbulent flows, such as recirculating and swirling flows. To save the computational cost, a Beowulf cluster system consisting 16 processors was constructed. The flows in backward-facing step and dump combustor were examined as representative recirculating and swirling flows. Firstly, a direct numerical simulation (DNS) for laminar backward-facing step flows was previously conducted to validate the overall performance of program. Then LES was carried out for turbulent backward-facing step flows. The results of laminar flow showed a qualitative and quantitative agreement between simulations and experiments. The simulations of the turbulent flow also showed reasonable results. Secondly, LES results for non-swirling and swirling flows in a dump combustor were compared with the results of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) using standard $k-{\varepsilon}$ model. The results show that LES has a better performance in predicting the mean axial and azimuthal velocities, comer recirculation zone (CRZ) and center toroidal recirculation zone (CTRZ) than those of RANS. Finally, it was examined the capability of LES for the description of unsteady phenomena.

• Atmosphere
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 2005

Today, the outreach of National Meteorological Service such as PC cluster based Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) technique is vigorous in the world wide. In this regard, WMO (World Meteorological Organization) asked KMA (Korea Meteorological Administration) to formulate a regional project, which cover most of RA II members, using similar technical system with KMA's. In that sense, Meteorological Research Institute (METRI) in KMA developed Mongolian NWP System (MNWPS) based on PC cluster and transferred the technology to Weather Service Center in Mongolia. The hybrid parallel algorithm and channel bonding technique were adopted to cut cost and showed 41% faster performance than single MPI (Message Passing Interface) approach. The cluster technique of Beowulf type was also adopted for convenient management and saving resources. The Linux based free operating system provide very cost effective solution for operating multi-nodes. Additionally, the GNU software provide many tools, utilities and applications for construction and management of a cluster. A flash flood event happened in Mongolia (2 September 2003) was selected for test run, and MNWPS successfully simulated the event with initial and boundary condition from Global Data Assimilation and Prediction System (GDAPS) of KMA. Now, the cluster based NWP System in Mongolia has been operated for local prediction around the region and provided various auxiliary charts.

• Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.16-18
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• 2004

Single system image(SSI) have been the mainstay high-performance computing for many years. SSI requires the integration and aggregation of all types of resources in a cluster to present a single interface to users. In this paper, we describe a cluster computing architecture with the concept of single process space(SPS) where all processes share a uniform process identification scheme. With SPS, a process on any node can create child process on the same or different node or communicate with any other process on a remote node, as if they are on a single node. For this purpose, SPS is built with the support of unique cluster-wide pid, signal forwarding, and remote fork. We propose a novel design of SPS cluster which addresses the scalability and flexibility problem of traditional clusterwidely unique pid implementation by using blocked pid assignment. We have implemented this new design of SPS cluster, and we demonstrate its performance by comparing it to Beowulf distributed process space. Benchmark performance results show that our design of SPS cluster realized both scalability and flexibility that are essential to building SPS cluster.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.21-34
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• 2008

The parallel Monte Carlo electron and photon transport (PMCEPT) code [Kum and Lee, J. Korean Phys. Soc. 47, 716 (2006)] for calculating electron and photon beam doses has been developed based on the three dimensional geometry defined by computed tomography (CT) images and implemented on the Beowulf PC cluster. Understanding the limitations of Monte Carlo codes is useful in order to avoid systematic errors in simulations and to suggest further improvement of the codes. We evaluated the PMCEPT code by comparing its normalized depth doses for electron and photon beams with those of MCNP5, EGS4, DPM, and GEANT4 codes, and with measurements. The PMCEPT results agreed well with others in homogeneous and heterogeneous media within an error of $1{\sim}3%$ of the dose maximum. The computing time benchmark has also been performed for two cases, showing that the PMCEPT code was approximately twenty times faster than the MCNP5 for 20-MeV electron beams irradiated on the water phantom. For the 18-MV photon beams irradiated on the water phantom, the PMCEPT was three times faster than the GEANT4. Thus, the results suggest that the PMCEPT code is indeed appropriate for both fast and accurate simulations.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.20
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• pp.47-61
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• 2010

The Uncanny Valley is a hypothesis introduced by a roboticist, Masahiro Mori. The theory holds that as robots and other facsimiles of humans look and act more human-like, the emotional response from a human spectator to them will become increasingly empathic, until they approach realistic similarity to humans but not quite exactly like them, when those images stop being likable and instead become repulsive and "uncanny." Although the scientific validity of this hypothesis is still debatable, it is true that many spectators has tendency to reject hyper-realistic animation. For that reason, the great success of the recent movie Avatar is remarkable. Computer animations that try to represent humans in hyper-realistic way fall into a paradox: successful result images would look too mundane and unsuccessful ones look "wrong". On top of that, audience would expect from hyper-realistic animation to see same level of acting of live-action films, which is usually not the case. The subtle differences between digital characters and real actors irritate spectators and hinder them in absorbtion. The biggest difference between Avatar and other hyper-realistic animation is the referent of their representation. While Avatar pursues a similar hyper-realistic visual style, the referents of the representation shown in this movie are totally alien to us thus impossible to compare with the real counterparts. Unlike characters in other hyper-realistic animations who had to fight an uphill battle with great actors in real life, those in Avatar have criteria of their own. That is why this movie can be free from the dreadful valley and let the audience absorb into the spectacle.