A Cost effective and user friendly approach for mini-DSTs design

Author(s):  
Clara Bertolini ◽  
Giuseppe Tripaldi ◽  
Elena Manassero ◽  
Enzo Beretta ◽  
Dario Viberti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 60-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Alliano ◽  
Kimberly Herriger ◽  
Anthony D. Koutsoftas ◽  
Theresa E. Bartolotta

Abstract Using the iPad tablet for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) purposes can facilitate many communicative needs, is cost-effective, and is socially acceptable. Many individuals with communication difficulties can use iPad applications (apps) to augment communication, provide an alternative form of communication, or target receptive and expressive language goals. In this paper, we will review a collection of iPad apps that can be used to address a variety of receptive and expressive communication needs. Based on recommendations from Gosnell, Costello, and Shane (2011), we describe the features of 21 apps that can serve as a reference guide for speech-language pathologists. We systematically identified 21 apps that use symbols only, symbols and text-to-speech, and text-to-speech only. We provide descriptions of the purpose of each app, along with the following feature descriptions: speech settings, representation, display, feedback features, rate enhancement, access, motor competencies, and cost. In this review, we describe these apps and how individuals with complex communication needs can use them for a variety of communication purposes and to target a variety of treatment goals. We present information in a user-friendly table format that clinicians can use as a reference guide.


Biosensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Nirmita Dutta ◽  
Peter B. Lillehoj ◽  
Pedro Estrela ◽  
Gorachand Dutta

Cytokines are soluble proteins secreted by immune cells that act as molecular messengers relaying instructions and mediating various functions performed by the cellular counterparts of the immune system, by means of a synchronized cascade of signaling pathways. Aberrant expression of cytokines can be indicative of anomalous behavior of the immunoregulatory system, as seen in various illnesses and conditions, such as cancer, autoimmunity, neurodegeneration and other physiological disorders. Cancer and autoimmune diseases are particularly adept at developing mechanisms to escape and modulate the immune system checkpoints, reflected by an altered cytokine profile. Cytokine profiling can provide valuable information for diagnosing such diseases and monitoring their progression, as well as assessing the efficacy of immunotherapeutic regiments. Toward this goal, there has been immense interest in the development of ultrasensitive quantitative detection techniques for cytokines, which involves technologies from various scientific disciplines, such as immunology, electrochemistry, photometry, nanotechnology and electronics. This review focusses on one aspect of this collective effort: electrochemical biosensors. Among the various types of biosensors available, electrochemical biosensors are one of the most reliable, user-friendly, easy to manufacture, cost-effective and versatile technologies that can yield results within a short period of time, making it extremely promising for routine clinical testing.


Technologies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Luca Maule ◽  
Alessandro Luchetti ◽  
Matteo Zanetti ◽  
Paolo Tomasin ◽  
Marco Pertile ◽  
...  

Any severe motor disability is a condition that limits the ability to interact with the environment, even the domestic one, caused by the loss of control over one’s mobility. This work presents RoboEYE, a power wheelchair designed to allow users to move easily and autonomously within their homes. To achieve this goal, an innovative, cost-effective and user-friendly control system was designed, in which a non-invasive eye tracker, a monitor, and a 3D camera represent some of the core elements. RoboEYE integrates functionalities from the mobile robotics field into a standard power wheelchair, with the main advantage of providing the user with two driving options and comfortable navigation. The most intuitive and direct modality foresees the continuous control of frontal and angular wheelchair velocities by gazing at different areas of the monitor. The second, semi-autonomous modality allows navigation toward a selected point in the environment by just pointing and activating the wished destination while the system autonomously plans and follows the trajectory that brings the wheelchair to that point. The purpose of this work was to develop the control structure and driving interface designs of the aforementioned driving modalities taking into account also uncertainties in gaze detection and other sources of uncertainty related to the components to ensure user safety. Furthermore, the driving modalities, in particular the semi-autonomous one, were modeled and qualified through numerical simulations and experimental verification by testing volunteers, who are regular users of standard electric wheelchairs, to verify the efficiency, reliability and safety of the proposed system for domestic use. RoboEYE resulted suitable for environments with narrow passages wider than 1 m, which is comparable with a standard domestic door and due to its properties with large commercialization potential.


2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Višnja Oreščanin ◽  
Robert Kollar ◽  
Karlo Nađ ◽  
Ivanka Mikelić ◽  
Nenad Mikulić

Boat Pressure Washing Wastewater Treatment with Calcium Oxide and/or Ferric ChlorideThe aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of (1) chemical precipitation by calcium oxide, (2) coagulation/flocculation by ferric chloride (FC), and (3) the combination these two methods in reducing the toxicity of wastewater generated by boat pressure washing. All three methods gave satisfactory results in the removal of colour, turbidity, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Pb. The concentrations of heavy metals were lowered below national limits with 1 g of CaO, 2.54 mg of Fe3+ in the form of FeCl3x6H2O, and the combination of 0.25 g of CaO and 5.08 mg of Fe3+ per 50 mL of wastewater. Both CaO (1.50 g per 50 mL of wastewater) and FC proved efficient, but their combination yielded a significantly better performance: 99.41 %, 100.00 %, 97.87 %, 99.09 %, 99.90 %, 99.46 % and 98.33 % for colour, turbidity, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Pb respectively. For colour, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Pb removal efficiencies increased in the following order: FC<CaO<CaO+FC, while this order for turbidity and Fe was as follows: CaO<FC<CaO+FC. As expected, all three methods increased the concentration of total dissolved solids in the final effluent. Our results suggest that the combined treatment of marina wastewaters with calcium oxide followed by ferric chloride is efficient, cost-effective, and user-friendly.


Author(s):  
Gyanendra Gurung ◽  
Kshama Roy

Abstract The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) in managing pipeline database and automating routine engineering processes has become a standard practice in the pipeline industry. While maintaining a central database provides security, integrity, and easy management of data throughout the pipeline’s lifecycle, GIS enables spatial analysis of pipeline data in addition to streamlining access and visualization of results. One of the major benefits of GIS integration lies in the ease of automating the alignment sheet generation for pipelines. This paper introduces a simplified pipeline alignment sheet generation workflow using GIS datasets to produce highly customizable alignment sheets in AutoCAD, a much-preferred format in the pipeline industry. By utilizing existing GIS and AutoCAD features to generate the alignment sheet, writing complicated geo-processing or plotting algorithms is minimized, which in turn reduces the risks of committing any systematic errors. This robust and user-friendly workflow not only ensures safety but also leads to a cost-effective solution.


2018 ◽  
Vol 08 (02) ◽  
pp. 82-86
Author(s):  
Irfan Ilahi ◽  
M. Uzair Ilyas Tahir Kheli ◽  
Ehtesham- ulHaq

Background: Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) or vacuum dressings involve the application of a controlled negative pressure on the wound. Traditionally, STSGs were fixed with bolster technique, where sutures are used to fix pressure dressings over the top of recently placed grafts. Taking it a step further in our study we applied an effective and user friendly filler material (surgical roll gauze) on very large defects. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy of gauze-based negative pressure wound therapy as an adjunctive therapy to STSG, over complex and very large wounds. Material & Methods: This descriptive study was conducted at Army Burn Center, Combined Military Hospital Kharian and PNS Shifa Hospital Karachi from January 2016 to June 2017. Gauze based VAC system used. Negative pressure was applied at -80 mm Hg. Evaluation was carried out to assess the performance of gauze-based NPWT. Results: Total of 63 patients, 42 males and 21 females, with mean age of 32 years SD+15 were included in the study. The wound size included in the study ranged from 12x10 cm to 88x66 cm. Mean duration of NPWT dressings was 15 days and 313 dressings were employed in total with satisfactory healing achieved in 3 to 4 VAC dressings in most of the cases. Mean duration of hospital stay was 23.92 days at which point graft uptake percentage was in the range of 90% (n=7) to 100% (n=20). Only 3.2% (n=2) cases required partial re-grafting for complete coverage of residual wounds. Conclusion: Gauze-based Negative-pressure wound therapy over split thickness skin graft is a cost-effective addition to the care and management of large and complex wounds


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-261
Author(s):  
Hartono Bancong ◽  
Ana Dhiqfaini Sultan ◽  
Subaer Subaer ◽  
Muris Muris

The photoelectric effect experiment generally uses a very sophisticated and expensive apparatus. Some high schools and even universities in Indonesia cannot afford to conduct this experiment because of the high price of the apparatus. The purpose of this study was to develop a user-friendly, and cost-effective teaching aids which can be used to demonstrate the concepts of modern physics related to the photoelectric effect. The stages of this study employed the Four-D model, namely define, design, develop, and disseminate. Based on experts and practitioner evaluation, the developed teaching aids and practicum devices of photoelectric effect experiment were found to be valid and reliable. The results of the experiment by using this developed teaching aids of the photoelectric effect showed that there is a linear relationship between the stopping potential and the frequency of light emitted by the LED. These results are consistent with Millikan's experimental results, the first physicist who succeed in proving Einstein's hypothesis of the photoelectric effect, that in the photoelectric effect the stopping potential does not depend on the intensity of light but depends only on the frequency of light. In this study, the Planck’s constant value obtained is 6.408x10-34 J.s. Although this value is slightly smaller than the accepted value of Planck's constant that is 6.626x10-34 J.s, it is good enough considering the instrumental error occurred during the measurement of current and voltage. Furthermore, the students’ perception of the developed teaching aids and practicum devices of the photoelectric effects experiment are 74.9% (good) and 80.2% (very good), respectively. This indicates that the photoelectric effect experiment teaching aids and practicum devices that have been developed can be used to demonstrate and prove the concepts of modern physics related to the photoelectric phenomena correctly.Keywords: Teaching Aids, Photoelectric Effect, Students’ Perception


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-25
Author(s):  
Nor Azman Ismail ◽  
Fadzrul Izwan Jamaluddin ◽  
Akmal Harraz Hamidan ◽  
Ahmad Fariz Ali ◽  
Su Elya Mohamed ◽  
...  

Usability is an important aspect that every website should focus more. It tells us how well and success website will function with real users. Many people often think usability tests are expensive and time-consuming. It can be a cost-effective and time saver with usability testing instead of spending more time fixing an unusable website. This study evaluates the usability of encyclopedia websites by using automated usability testing tools and questionnaire methods. The questionnaire was developed based on a standard form called Website Analysis and Measurement Inventory (WAMMI) that identified 20 common usability questions divided into five categories. Each category deals with one aspect of usability. Simultaneously, the automated usability testing tools used in this study were Pingdom and GT Metrix to calculate and analyse the website performance of selected encyclopedia websites based on website components including page load time, media size and overall web performance grades. This study could help web designer, developer, and practitioners design better and more user-friendly encyclopedia websites.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-21
Author(s):  
Péter Decsi ◽  
Ádám Bors ◽  
Péter Kocsor ◽  
Bálint Vörös ◽  
Barnabás Horváth ◽  
...  

Distance-learning has become widespread around the world. Many training areas such as engineering require the acquisition of practical rather than theoretical knowledge. In this paper, a framework is presented in the form of four pilot projects which is used for practical laboratory measurements in a distance-learning environment. Four demonstration devices consisting of an induction motor drivetrain, a magnetorheological clutch as well as a rolling resistance and an ultrasonicsensor were built and several examples of measurements presented.The system, based on accessible and user-friendly hardware, is cost-effective, simple to program and can be adapted to suit any application.


Author(s):  
Thomas E. Grissom ◽  
Andrew DuKatz ◽  
Hubert A. Kordylewski ◽  
Richard P. Dutton

Recent healthcare legislation, financial pressures, and regulatory oversight have increased the need to create improved mechanisms for performance measurement, quality management tracking, and outcomes-based research. The Anesthesia Quality Institute (AQI) has established the National Anesthesia Clinical Outcomes Registry (NACOR) to support these requirements for a wide-range of customers including individual anesthesiologists, anesthesia practices, hospitals, and credentialing agencies. Concurrently, the availability of increased digital sources of healthcare data make it possible to capture massive quantities of data in a more efficient and cost-effective manner than ever before. With NACOR, AQI has established a user-friendly, automated process to effectively and efficiently collect a wide-range of anesthesia-related data directly from anesthesia practices. This review will examine the issues guiding the evolution of NACOR as well as some potential pitfalls in its growth and usage.


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