Open source timed pressure control hardware and software for delivery of air mediated distensions in animal models

AbstractStudying the visceral sensory component of peripheral nervous systems can be challenging due to limited options for consistent and controlled stimulation. One method for mechanical stimulation of hollow organs, including colon and bladder, are controlled distensions mediated by compressed air. For example, distension of the bladder can be used as an assay for bladder nociception. Bladder distension causes a corresponding increase in abdominal electromyography, which increases with distension pressure and is attenuated with analgesics. However, the hardware used to control these distensions are primarily all one-off custom builds, without clear directions how to build your own. This has made it difficult for these methods to be fully utilized and replicated as not everyone has access, knowledge and resources required to build this controller. Here we show an open-source Arduino based system for controlling a solenoid valve to deliver timed pressure distensions in the experimental model. This device can be controlled by one of two methods through direct TTL pulses from the experimenters data acquisition software (ex. CED Spike2) or by a graphical user interface, where the user can set the time before, during, and after distension as well as the number of cycles. This systems low cost and relative ease to build will allow more groups to utilize timed pressure distensions in their experiments.Specifications table

Download Full-text

Rapid mapping accuracy assessment using low-cost UAV and open-source Structure from Motion

Rendiconti online della Società Geologica Italiana ◽

10.3301/rol.2020.19 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 52 ◽

pp. 55-61

Author(s):

Ettore Potente ◽

Cosimo Cagnazzo ◽

Alessandro Deodati ◽

Giuseppe Mastronuzzi

Keyword(s):

Open Source ◽

Structure From Motion ◽

Accuracy Assessment ◽

Low Cost ◽

Mapping Accuracy ◽

Rapid Mapping ◽

Source Structure

Download Full-text

PyDOSS: An open-source Python-based communicable disease outbreak surveillance system designed and used in a COVID-19 community care facility (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.21760 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Andrew Fang ◽

Jonathan Kia-Sheng Phua ◽

Terrence Chiew ◽

Daniel De-Liang Loh ◽

Lincoln Ming Han Liow ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Open Source ◽

Surveillance System ◽

Community Care ◽

Communicable Disease ◽

Low Cost ◽

Real Life ◽

Disease Outbreak ◽

Disease Spread ◽

Healthcare Team ◽

Increased Risk

BACKGROUND During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, community care facilities (CCF) were set up as temporary out-of-hospital isolation facilities to contain the surge of cases in Singapore. Confined living spaces within CCFs posed an increased risk of communicable disease spread among residents. OBJECTIVE This inspired our healthcare team managing a CCF operation to design a low-cost communicable disease outbreak surveillance system (CDOSS). METHODS Our CDOSS was designed with the following considerations: (1) comprehensiveness, (2) efficiency through passive reconnoitering from electronic medical record (EMR) data, (3) ability to provide spatiotemporal insights, (4) low-cost and (5) ease of use. We used Python to develop a lightweight application – Python-based Communicable Disease Outbreak Surveillance System (PyDOSS) – that was able perform syndromic surveillance and fever monitoring. With minimal user actions, its data pipeline would generate daily control charts and geospatial heat maps of cases from raw EMR data and logged vital signs. PyDOSS was successfully implemented as part of our CCF workflow. We also simulated a gastroenteritis (GE) outbreak to test the effectiveness of the system. RESULTS PyDOSS was used throughout the entire duration of operation; the output was reviewed daily by senior management. No disease outbreaks were identified during our medical operation. In the simulated GE outbreak, PyDOSS was able to effectively detect an outbreak within 24 hours and provided information about cluster progression which could aid in contact tracing. The code for a stock version of PyDOSS has been made publicly available. CONCLUSIONS PyDOSS is an effective surveillance system which was successfully implemented in a real-life medical operation. With the system developed using open-source technology and the code made freely available, it significantly reduces the cost of developing and operating CDOSS and may be useful for similar temporary medical operations, or in resource-limited settings.

Download Full-text

DEVELOPING A FREE AND OPEN-SOURCE GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE FOR CNN-BASED GEOMORPHIC FEATURE DETECTION: CAROLINA BAYS AS A CASE STUDY

10.1130/abs/2020am-354782 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mark Lundine ◽

◽

Arthur Trembanis

Keyword(s):

User Interface ◽

Open Source ◽

Graphical User Interface ◽

Feature Detection ◽

Carolina Bays ◽

Geomorphic Feature

Download Full-text

Process Emulation System for High-Power Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Actuators

Energy Harvesting and Systems ◽

10.1515/ehs-2014-0036 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (3-4) ◽

pp. 201-205

Author(s):

Igor Ille ◽

Sebastian Mojrzisch ◽

Jens Twiefel

Keyword(s):

Feedback Control ◽

Low Cost ◽

Stable Process ◽

Present System ◽

Wide Field ◽

Hardware In The Loop ◽

Ultrasonic Assisted ◽

Long Time ◽

Number Of Cycles ◽

High Flexibility

Abstract Ultrasonic actuators are used for a wide field of applications. The vibration energy can be used to realize many processes like ultrasonic welding or bonding. Furthermore there are many processes which run more efficient and faster combined with ultrasonic vibration like ultrasonic-assisted turning or drilling. Piezoelectric transducers are the main part of those applications. Most of the applications have a time-variant load behavior and need an amplitude feedback control to guarantee a stable process. To ensure correct function tests of the feedback control systems have to be done. In this case the processes have to be executed in association with a high number of cycles. To emulate the behavior of the environment the automotive and aerospace industries use hardware in the loop systems since a long time but there is no such a method for ultrasonic systems. This paper presents a method to realize high dynamic load emulation for different ultrasonic applications. Using a piezoelectric transformer it is possible to reproduce load curves by active damping on the secondary side of the transformer using a current proportional digital feedback circuit. A theoretical and experimental study of hardware in the loop system for ultrasonic applications is given by this paper. The present system allows testing a wide field of feedback control algorithms with high flexibility and a high number of cycles by utilization of low-cost components. This proceeding decreases design periods in association with feedback control.

Download Full-text

Implementation of a Six-Layer Smart Factory Architecture with Special Focus on Transdisciplinary Engineering Education

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21092944 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (9) ◽

pp. 2944

Author(s):

Benjamin James Ralph ◽

Marcel Sorger ◽

Benjamin Schödinger ◽

Hans-Jörg Schmölzer ◽

Karin Hartl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Open Source ◽

User Interfaces ◽

Industrial Revolution ◽

Low Cost ◽

Material Behavior ◽

Sensor Data ◽

Management Tool ◽

Special Focus ◽

Programming Environments ◽

Metal Processing

Smart factories are an integral element of the manufacturing infrastructure in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. Nevertheless, there is frequently a deficiency of adequate training facilities for future engineering experts in the academic environment. For this reason, this paper describes the development and implementation of two different layer architectures for the metal processing environment. The first architecture is based on low-cost but resilient devices, allowing interested parties to work with mostly open-source interfaces and standard back-end programming environments. Additionally, one proprietary and two open-source graphical user interfaces (GUIs) were developed. Those interfaces can be adapted front-end as well as back-end, ensuring a holistic comprehension of their capabilities and limits. As a result, a six-layer architecture, from digitization to an interactive project management tool, was designed and implemented in the practical workflow at the academic institution. To take the complexity of thermo-mechanical processing in the metal processing field into account, an alternative layer, connected with the thermo-mechanical treatment simulator Gleeble 3800, was designed. This framework is capable of transferring sensor data with high frequency, enabling data collection for the numerical simulation of complex material behavior under high temperature processing. Finally, the possibility of connecting both systems by using open-source software packages is demonstrated.

Download Full-text

Induction of Neural Plasticity Using a Low-Cost Open Source Brain-Computer Interface and a 3D-Printed Wrist Exoskeleton

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21020572 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 572

Author(s):

Mads Jochumsen ◽

Taha Al Muhammadee Janjua ◽

Juan Carlos Arceo ◽

Jimmy Lauber ◽

Emilie Simoneau Buessinger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Open Source ◽

Neural Plasticity ◽

Motor Evoked Potentials ◽

Low Cost ◽

True Positive Rate ◽

Positive Rate ◽

3D Printed ◽

Major Factors ◽

And Control ◽

Bci System

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have been proven to be useful for stroke rehabilitation, but there are a number of factors that impede the use of this technology in rehabilitation clinics and in home-use, the major factors including the usability and costs of the BCI system. The aims of this study were to develop a cheap 3D-printed wrist exoskeleton that can be controlled by a cheap open source BCI (OpenViBE), and to determine if training with such a setup could induce neural plasticity. Eleven healthy volunteers imagined wrist extensions, which were detected from single-trial electroencephalography (EEG), and in response to this, the wrist exoskeleton replicated the intended movement. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited using transcranial magnetic stimulation were measured before, immediately after, and 30 min after BCI training with the exoskeleton. The BCI system had a true positive rate of 86 ± 12% with 1.20 ± 0.57 false detections per minute. Compared to the measurement before the BCI training, the MEPs increased by 35 ± 60% immediately after and 67 ± 60% 30 min after the BCI training. There was no association between the BCI performance and the induction of plasticity. In conclusion, it is possible to detect imaginary movements using an open-source BCI setup and control a cheap 3D-printed exoskeleton that when combined with the BCI can induce neural plasticity. These findings may promote the availability of BCI technology for rehabilitation clinics and home-use. However, the usability must be improved, and further tests are needed with stroke patients.

Download Full-text

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT IN OPEN DESIGN COMMUNITIES: A PROCESS PERSPECTIVE

International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management ◽

10.1142/s021987701100260x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 08 (04) ◽

pp. 557-575 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

CHRISTINA RAASCH

Keyword(s):

Product Development ◽

Open Source ◽

Low Cost ◽

Industrial Practice ◽

Open Design ◽

Open Development ◽

Development Processes ◽

Design Projects ◽

Process Perspective ◽

Significant Attention

Open source (OS) has raised significant attention in industrial practice and in scholarly research as a new and successful mode of product development. This paper is among the first to study open source development processes outside their original context, the software industry. In particular, we investigate the development of tangible products in so-called open design projects. We study how open design projects address the challenges usually put forward in the literature as barriers to the open development of tangible products. The analysis rests on the comparative qualitative investigation of four cases from different industries. We find that, subject to certain contingencies, open design processes can be organized to resemble OSS development processes to a considerable degree. Some practices are established specifically to uphold OS principles in the open design context, while others starkly differ from those found in OSS development. Our discussion focusses on different aspects of modularity as well as the availability of low-cost tools.

Download Full-text