A Portable Piezoelectric Tactile Terminal for Braille Readers

This paper introduces a novel concept on reading assistive technologies for the blind: the TactoBook, a system that is able to translate entire electronic books (eBooks) to Braille code and to reproduce them in portable electronic Braille terminals. The TactoBook consists of a computer-based translator that converts fast and automatically any eBook into Braille. The Braille version of the eBook is then encrypted as a file and stored in a USB memory drive which is later inserted and reproduced in a compact, lightweight, and highly-portable tactile terminal. In particular, this paper presents a piezoelectric ultrasonic actuation approach to design and implement such portable Braille terminal. Actuating mechanism, design concept, first prototype, and performance results are presented and discussed.

Download Full-text

Senior Citizen Information System

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS ◽

10.47191/ijmra/v5-i1-06 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 05 (01) ◽

Author(s):

April Rose A. Zaragosa ◽

Keyword(s):

Information System ◽

Information Dissemination ◽

Senior Citizens ◽

Senior Citizen ◽

Application Development ◽

System Product ◽

Computer Based ◽

And Performance ◽

Performance Results ◽

Real Time Information

This developmental-descriptive research sought to design and developed a computer-based system, to be known as the Senior Citizens Information System, to provide real-time information dissemination among senior citizen members in the Municipality of Batad, Iloilo pertaining to their membership status and monetary assistance monitoring. The Rapid Application Development model was employed as the SDLC in the development of the system product. More so, the three-tier architecture was used as the architectural model. There were 120 senior citizens as user-respondents and five IT experts for evaluation. The system product was evaluated using a researchers-made survey instrument to determine if level of usability and performance. Results of the investigation shows that the system product was perceived as very good with its level of usability as well as its performance.

Download Full-text

The Relation Between Financial Incentives, Motivation, and Performance

Journal of Personnel Psychology ◽

10.1027/1866-5888/a000182 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 61-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Anaïs Thibault Landry ◽

Marylène Gagné ◽

Jacques Forest ◽

Sylvie Guerrero ◽

Michel Séguin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Financial Incentives ◽

Work Performance ◽

Autonomous Motivation ◽

Compensation Plans ◽

Work Settings ◽

Path Analyses ◽

Three Samples ◽

And Performance ◽

Performance Results

Abstract. To this day, researchers are debating the adequacy of using financial incentives to bolster performance in work settings. Our goal was to contribute to current understanding by considering the moderating role of distributive justice in the relation between financial incentives, motivation, and performance. Based on self-determination theory, we hypothesized that when bonuses are fairly distributed, using financial incentives makes employees feel more competent and autonomous, which in turn fosters greater autonomous motivation and lower controlled motivation, and better work performance. Results from path analyses in three samples supported our hypotheses, suggesting that the effect of financial incentives is contextual, and that compensation plans using financial incentives and bonuses can be effective when properly managed.

Download Full-text

People, Strategy and Performance: Results from the Second Work and Enterprise Business Survey

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e580082011-001 ◽

2005 ◽

Keyword(s):

Business Survey ◽

And Performance ◽

Performance Results

Download Full-text

Eliminating the gap between the use of assistive technologies and the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in leisure activities

Health Informatics Journal ◽

10.1177/14604582211005004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 146045822110050

Author(s):

Ioanna Dratsiou ◽

Maria Metaxa ◽

Evangelia Romanopoulou ◽

Foteini Dolianiti ◽

Dimitris Spachos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intellectual Disabilities ◽

Learning Experience ◽

Leisure Activities ◽

Assistive Technologies ◽

Global Satisfaction ◽

Constructive Learning ◽

Formal Caregivers ◽

Self Confidence ◽

Ict Tools ◽

And Performance

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools and Assistive Technologies (AT) can support people with Down Syndrome (PDS) and Intellectual Disabilities (PID) in increasing their self-confidence and independence, enhancing skills, and competences, participating in leisure activities. For families of PDS/PID, professionals, non-formal caregivers and volunteers, the challenge is to appreciate the benefits of ICT Tools in promoting inclusion. The aim of this study is to present the interdisciplinary and multidimensional scope of the DS Leisure project aiming at promoting the inclusion of PDS/PID through innovative ICT tools and their participation in inclusive leisure activities. Particularly, 24 individuals were asked to assess the global satisfaction and performance of PDS/PID, as well as the exploitation of ICT tools. Findings suggested that PDS/PID specific social, decision-making, and communication skills were significantly improved after their participation in the Experiential Activity and the e-Training platform was positively rated and considered a constructive learning experience.

Download Full-text

Two Sides of the Same Coin. University-Industry Collaboration and Open Innovation as Enhancers of Firm Performance

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13073866 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 3866

Author(s):

Joana Costa ◽

Ana Rita Neves ◽

João Reis

Keyword(s):

Firm Performance ◽

Open Innovation ◽

Primary Data ◽

Company Performance ◽

Innovation Ecosystem ◽

Industry Collaboration ◽

And Performance ◽

Performance Results ◽

The Impact ◽

University Industry

Open innovation is proved to be determinant in the rationalization of sustainable innovation ecosystems. Firms, universities, governments, user communities and the overall environment are called to contribute to this dynamic process. This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the impact of open innovation on firms’ performance and to empirically assess whether university-industry collaborations are complementary or substitutes for this activity. Primary data were collected from a survey encompassing 908 firms, and then combined with performance indicators from SABI (Spanish and Portuguese business information). Econometric estimations were run to evaluate the role of open innovation and university-industry collaboration in the firm innovative propensity and performance. Results highlight the importance of diversity in collaborations with the academia and inbound open innovation strategy as enhancers of firm performance. The two activities reinforce each other. By testing the impact of open innovation practices on company performance, the need for heterogeneity in terms of contact type and university is also demonstrated. Findings cast light on the need to reformulate existing policy packages, reinforcing the ties with academia as well as the promotion of open innovation strategies. The connection to the innovation ecosystem needs to be further encouraged as well as the promotion of persistent connections with the knowledge sources in an open and multilateral framework.

Download Full-text

DESIGN, PREPRODUCTION, AND PERFORMANCE OF THE CDF RUN IIB SILICON DETECTOR

International Journal of Modern Physics A ◽

10.1142/s0217751x05027692 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 20 (16) ◽

pp. 3811-3814

Author(s):

◽

PAUL LUJAN

Keyword(s):

Building Block ◽

Silicon Detector ◽

Radiation Hardness ◽

Control Signals ◽

Lightweight Structure ◽

And Performance ◽

Performance Results ◽

And Control ◽

Radiation Hard ◽

Detector Design

A new silicon detector was designed by the CDF collaboration for Run IIb of the Tevatron at Fermilab. The main building block of the new detector is a "supermodule" or "stave", an innovative, compact and lightweight structure of several readout hybrids and sensors with a bus cable running directly underneath the sensors to carry power, data, and control signals to and from the hybrids. The hybrids use a new, radiation-hard readout chip, the SVX4 chip. A number of SVX4 chips, readout hybrids, sensors, and supermodules were produced and tested in preproduction. The performance (including radiation-hardness) and yield of these components met or exceeded all design goals. The detector design goals, solutions, and performance results are presented.

Download Full-text

Popularity and performance of bioinformatics software: the case of gene set analysis

BMC Bioinformatics ◽

10.1186/s12859-021-04124-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Chengshu Xie ◽

Shaurya Jauhari ◽

Antonio Mora

Keyword(s):

Comprehensive Evaluation ◽

Gene Set Analysis ◽

Tool Selection ◽

Functional Interpretation ◽

Selection Procedures ◽

Gene Set ◽

And Performance ◽

Reported Data ◽

Performance Results

Abstract Background Gene Set Analysis (GSA) is arguably the method of choice for the functional interpretation of omics results. The following paper explores the popularity and the performance of all the GSA methodologies and software published during the 20 years since its inception. "Popularity" is estimated according to each paper's citation counts, while "performance" is based on a comprehensive evaluation of the validation strategies used by papers in the field, as well as the consolidated results from the existing benchmark studies. Results Regarding popularity, data is collected into an online open database ("GSARefDB") which allows browsing bibliographic and method-descriptive information from 503 GSA paper references; regarding performance, we introduce a repository of jupyter workflows and shiny apps for automated benchmarking of GSA methods (“GSA-BenchmarKING”). After comparing popularity versus performance, results show discrepancies between the most popular and the best performing GSA methods. Conclusions The above-mentioned results call our attention towards the nature of the tool selection procedures followed by researchers and raise doubts regarding the quality of the functional interpretation of biological datasets in current biomedical studies. Suggestions for the future of the functional interpretation field are made, including strategies for education and discussion of GSA tools, better validation and benchmarking practices, reproducibility, and functional re-analysis of previously reported data.

Download Full-text

On improving the training of aircraft engineers

Economic Analysis Theory and Practice ◽

10.24891/ea.20.5.865 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (5) ◽

pp. 865-885

Author(s):

Leonid B. SOBOLEV

Keyword(s):

Aviation Industry ◽

Information Protection ◽

Global Trends ◽

Space Industry ◽

The Poor ◽

Military Aviation ◽

And Performance ◽

Performance Results ◽

The Military ◽

The U.S

Subject. The article continues the discussion about the method of training aircraft engineers to work in the military and civil segments of aviation and rocket-and-space industry. Objectives. The purpose is to improve the training of Russian engineers to work in the competitive market environment, on the basis of the analysis of experience in training the aviation engineers in leading foreign technical universities. Methods. The study rests on the comparative analysis of implementation of major projects in the military and civil segments of aviation in the U.S. and Russia, as well as programs for training aircraft engineers in both countries. Results. The analysis shows that the duration of modern large military aviation projects in both countries is the same (the comparison of cost is impossible, due to information protection in Russia), while in the civil segment of the aviation industry, Russia's lagging behind is significant both in terms of the duration of projects and performance results. One of the reasons is in the poor training of aircraft engineers to work in the competitive environment. Conclusions. It is crucial to reform Russian aviation universities in terms of conformity to global trends in multidisciplinarity and differentiation of financing and research base.

Download Full-text