Bias

Bias has several different meanings, most relating to an offset of some sort.

Viewpoint

A bias is a prejudice in a general or specific sense, usually in the sense
for having a predilection to one particular view or ideology. One is said to
be biased if one is influenced by one's biases. A bias could for example
lead one to accept or non-accept the truth of a claim, not because of the
strength of the claim itself, but because it does or does not correspond to
one's own preconceived ideas.

An example of bias is having an Americo-centric point of view (the point of
view of an American, in particular one from the US), or similar for another country.

A systematic bias is a bias resulting from some system. For example, a
committee on evolution that meets in a Christian church and is primarilly
advertised through fliers in Bibles may have a bias towards Christian views
of evolution.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Statistics

In statistics, the word bias has at least two different senses, one
referring to something considered very bad, the other referring to something
that is occasionally desirable. See bias (statistics).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Science

In philosophy of science and experiment design, bias refers to psychological
factors which affect scientific hypothesis testing. The variants culture
bias, cognitive bias, confirmation bias, infrastructure bias, and notation
bias are widely recognized.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Electronics/Electrical Engineering

In electrical engineering, the term bias has the following meanings:

  1. A systematic deviation of a value from a reference value.
  2. The amount by which the average of a set of values departs from a
     reference value.
  3. Electrical, mechanical, magnetic, or other force (field) applied to a
     device to establish a reference level to operate the device.
  4. In telegraph signaling systems, the development of a positive or
     negative DC voltage at a point on a line that should remain at a
     specified reference level, such as zero.

     Note: A bias may be applied or produced by (i) the electrical
     characteristics of the line, (ii) the terminal equipment, and (iii) the
     signaling scheme.

Most often, bias simply refers to a fixed DC voltage applied to the same
point in a circuit as an AC signal, frequently to select the desired
operating response of a semiconductor (forward or reverse bias). For
example, a bias voltage is applied to a transistor in an electronic
amplifier to allow the transistor to operate in a particular region of its
transconductance curve.

Bias is also a term used for a high-frequency AC signal added to the audio
signal recorded onto magnetic tape. This signal is used to inaudibly correct
for the non-linearity of the magnetic characteristics (see coercivity) of
the tape, thus lowering the distortion of the recording. Different levels of
bias are needed for different types of tape, hence most recorders offer a
bias setting switch on the front panel, or switch automatically according to
cutouts on the tape cassette shell.

Bias is used in direct broadcast satellites such as DirecTV and Dish
Network, the IRD box actually powers the feedhorn or LNB receiver mounted on
the dish arm. This bias is changed from a lower voltage to a higher voltage
to select the polarization of the LNB, so that it receives signals that are
polarized either clockwise or counterclockwise, thereby allowing it to
receive twice as many channels.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Commune

Bias is a commune in the Landes dˇpartement, in France.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Textiles

On a woven fabric, the bias is the 45-degree diagonal line, along which it
is most stretchable, and along which the fabric is often cut.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sports

In sports, bias is the irregular weight or shape of a ball, which may cause
it to curve or swerve in an unexpected manner. That result may also in
itself be called bias.

How to - Physics - History - Companies - Internet - Video Games - List of Phobias - September 11, 2001
Radio - Timelines - Chemistry - Genealogy - Family - Film - SARS - Cancer - Medicine - DVD - Calendar
Countries - Disease - Health Science - Dentistry - Economics - AIDS - Law - Autism - Statistics - Bible
Recipes - Architecture - Computers - History of the Internet - Personal computer - Apple Macintosh
War - Presidents of the United States - United States Constitution - Universe - Philosophy - Animals
Biology - United States Constitution - Marketing Topics - Sports - Television - History of Computing

Debt Help - Free Credit Report - Mortgages - Loans - Cheap Flights