Development and usability of the EasySeating App as a tool for wheelchair and postural support devices prescription (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Klein ◽  
Marcelo Archanjo ◽  
Rodrigo Suigh ◽  
Roseli de Deus Lopes
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Qualitative Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Wheelchair Users ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Postural Support ◽  
Stage 1 ◽  
Support Devices

BACKGROUND EasySeating is a mobile health (mHealth) app that supports the prescription of wheelchair and postural support devices (WPSD). It can be used by occupational therapists (OT) and physiotherapists (PT) who prescribe these devices. The app offers a framework for the prescription procedures, showing images, metrics and details that can guide the prescriber to decide the best equipment for wheelchair users. OBJECTIVE to present the development and usability of the EasySeating app. METHODS This study was divided into three stages and was carried out as an iterative process with eighty eight participants (n=88) that provided information for the software development and its usability. In the Stage 1 data was gathered to develop the first prototype, followed by the Stage 2 where four prototypes were improved by the feedback from experts. Finally in the Stage 3 the usability was tested. Data collection was performed through semi-structured interviews, focus groups and heuristics evaluation. Data analysis was descriptive and qualitative. RESULTS In the Stage 1 was identified the lack of a uniform terminology used by practitioners; however this information was used to create the first prototype based on a range of postural devices reported. In the Stage 2, qualitative information was used to improve the app including images, more options of devices. In Stage 3, the usability test improved the app in the following aspects: smartness, increasing the dialog and feedback with the practitioner. CONCLUSIONS The three stages enable to define a uniform terminology; to identify and recommend a framework for prescription comprising rehabilitation practitioners, technicians and wheelchair users; to document a method to develop a mHealth that can have reproducibility by the international community interested in assistive technology assessment using technology, a new trend in an era of the fourth industrial revolution.

scholarly journals Strategic positioning of a motorcycle manufacturer within the Fourth Industrial Revolution

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoé J. Bosch ◽  
Dirk Rossouw
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Initial Contact ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Strategic Positioning ◽  
Head Office ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
The Individual

Orientation: Whilst the South African motorcycle industry faces a declining market, an additional challenge remains – the movement of the market into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), calling for strategic amendments.Research purpose: The purpose of this research was to investigate and analyse the current strategies of a specific manufacturer, with the aim of establishing a strategic positioning suitable for the 4IR to gain a competitive advantage.Motivation for the study: Acquired knowledge resulted in the establishment of various suggestions and recommendations, benefitting the manufacturer to gain a competitive advantage in the 4IR and thus strengthening its strategic positioning.Research design, approach and method: Following an interpretive paradigm, a qualitative approach was used, allowing for in-depth analysis of 29 semi-structured interviews at five different dealerships and the regional head office in South Africa. Interviewees were selected using purposive and convenience sampling for the initial contact with the individual dealerships and regional head office of the motorcycle manufacturer. Thereafter, further interviewees were acquired based on the study requirements. Content analysis was applied to analyse the data.Main findings: Some interviewees were less acquainted with the strategy and positioning of the manufacturer. Strong customer engagement strategies are necessary whilst targeting new markets.Practical/managerial implications: Additional training is required, ensuring the equal acquisition of knowledge amongst employees. The introduction of technologies and the 4IR to customers is required to grow the market. New markets need to be identified and analysed to ensure efficient targeting.Contribution/value-add: Whilst South Africa addresses the 4IR differently to Europe; this study’s focus provides insights for the specific manufacturer to accurately conquer the changing environment.

scholarly journals Occupational therapy in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

2018 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 272-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lili Liu
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Arts And Crafts ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Complex Relationships

Background. While occupational therapy’s inception was from the Arts and Crafts movement and the moral treatment movement with war veterans, the profession has evolved to requiring a professional entry-level master’s degree to practice, and involves complex relationships with clients across the life span. Throughout history, a consistent impact of each industrial revolution has been the loss of jobs to automation. This consequence is even more profound today with the exponential growth of innovations and automation. Purpose. The objectives of this article are to (a) set the context by reviewing the evolution, or five eras, of occupational therapy in Canada; (b) present what is meant by the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”; and (c) examine the technological innovations faced by occupational therapists and our clients as we enter the “sixth” era of occupational therapy in Canada. Key Issues. Although occupational therapy, as a profession, has low risk for automation, a great number of our clients will not be able to reskill fast enough to keep up with job market requirements. Telerehabilitation, the Internet of Things, virtual reality, 3-D printing, robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous vehicles are challenging ways occupational therapists provide services to clients. Implications. It is recommended that occupational therapists engage with disciplines beyond current typical connections, as our expertise is called upon to advocate for ourselves and our clients who are end users of these technologies.

scholarly journals TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF USING THE BLENDED LEARNING APPROACH FOR STEM-RELATED SUBJECTS WITHIN THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-593
Author(s):  
Jayaluxmi Naidoo ◽  
Asheena Singh-Pillay
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
And Mathematics

Globally, as society enters the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we require a transformation in pedagogy. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related subjects are vital to succeeding within the Fourth Industrial Revolution. To provide quality STEM education, teachers’ perceptions related to the teaching and learning of STEM-related subjects is essential to understand. This qualitative research took place at one university in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and explored teachers’ perceptions of using blended learning for STEM-related subjects. Wenger’s Communities of Practice Theory framed this research. Data were generated from workshops and semi-structured interviews. The results of this research indicated that blended learning is impeded by the lack of technology-based tools; is hampered by teacher professional development; offered the use of virtual hours for consultation and feedback and increased engagement and collaboration within STEM-related milieus. These results provide a glimpse of what teachers perceive regarding the use of blended learning for secondary school mathematics and technology. Globally, these results have relevance when considering the importance of teachers’ perceptions of using blended learning for STEM-related subjects, as society embraces the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Keywords: blended learning, communities, practice, fourth industrial revolution, mathematics teaching, qualitative, STEM-related subjects, STEM teachers, technology teaching, technology-enabled learning.

scholarly journals THE CHALLENGES OF THE NEW INDUSTRIAL POLICY AT THE THRESHOLD OF THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (26) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miloš D. Lutovac ◽  
Aleksandar Živković
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Global Politics ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The Public ◽  
Know How ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Industrial Revolutions

The process of industrialization has gone through three stages that have been described as Industrial Revolution. We are currently at the threshold of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that will fundamentally change the way we live and work. We still do not know how this will unfold exactly, but one thing is clear: the answer to it must be integrated and comprehensive, including all stakeholders in global politics, from the public and private sectors to the academic community and civil society. The speed of current technological discoveries compared to previous industrial revolutions cannot be measured. The breadth and depth of these changes affect the transformation of the overall production and management systems. This paper aims to present the main characteristics of Industry 4.0 and describe how they affect the creation of new industrial policies in countries around the world.

IR 4.0. IN PARLIAMENT: CONCEPTUALISING THE APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING IN THE PARLIAMENT OF MALAYSIA’S PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (20) ◽  
pp. 124-137
Author(s):  
Muthanna Saari
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Machine Learning ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Human Values ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
The Government

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0.) offers significant opportunities to humankind in revitalising human values through which the emerging technologies inevitably seam into daily societal life. Legislatures face ever-increasing challenges in fulfilling their duties in such a complicated society which subsequently entails complex legislations. Parliamentary questions (PQs) as one of the traditional tools utilised by parliamentarians provide a quintessential mechanism to achieve the oversight functions of parliament. However, there are still immense undiscovered potentials of PQs, yet many previous studies have not looked into the content of the questions and the consequences of the response to the conduct of governments. This paper set out to examine the usefulness of IR 4.0. namely, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning towards improving the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of parliament and the government. The research data of this exploratory and interpretative study is drawn from three main sources: literature studies, semi-structured interviews, and participant observation of the existing PQs processing in the Dewan Rakyat, Parliament of Malaysia. This study has found that generally, the approval of such technologies introduction to the parliamentary businesses is contingent upon its ability to capture complex considerations in the existing environment.

scholarly journals FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: WHAT COMPETENCES ARE NECESSARY FOR EMPLOYEES?

2018 ◽  
pp. 66-79
Author(s):  
T. V. Kondratyuk
Keyword(s):  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Market Transformation ◽  
Considerable Impact ◽  
General Skills ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Office Employees

The fourth industrial revolution has considerable impact on labor market transformation – professions, approaches to workchange. Already today the success of the company in many respects depends on ability of her employees to use technologies, and in particular, to do it creatively and innovatively.On the basis of empirical data it is analysed as far as the staff of the Russian companies feels influence of the new industrial revolution, what skills are necessary for adaptation in the conditions of digital transformation of business, whether linear office employees are ready to technological transformations in the companies and whether possess necessary skills and abilities.Research is conducted in three stages. Directly empirical analysis is carried out on the basis of the data collected by means of questioning through a webform (selection has made 153 persons).It is concluded that among the general skills the requirement will grow in is unique human abilities, such as emotional intelligence, creativity, skill to communicate and soon. Importance technical knowledge – ability effectively to work with the software, programming, the general digital literacy grows. If the conditional part of «soft» skills is developed at employees at sufficient level already today, technical abilities cause concern.As a whole, for creation of successful and competitive labor the companies need to work in two directions – to form systems of training and monitoring of skills and knowledge according to requirements of the market, and also to advance ideas of life time learning, that is continuous in dependent education.

scholarly journals Use of a design challenge to develop postural support devices for intermediate wheelchair users

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda N. Onguti ◽  
Deepti Tanuku ◽  
Elizabeth J. Himelfarb Hurwitz ◽  
Nathaniel C. Moller ◽  
Youseph Yazdi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Thinking ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Wheelchair Users ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Not For Profit ◽  
Design Challenge ◽  
Postural Support ◽  
Support Devices ◽  
Low And Middle Income

The provision of an appropriate wheelchair, one that provides proper fit and postural support, promotes wheelchair users’ physical health and quality of life. Many wheelchair users have postural difficulties, requiring supplemental postural support devices for added trunk support. However, in many low- and middle-income settings, postural support devices are inaccessible, inappropriate or unaffordable. This article describes the use of the design challenge model, informed by a design thinking approach, to catalyse the development of an affordable, simple and robust postural support device for low- and middle-income countries. The article also illustrates how not-for-profit organisations can utilise design thinking and, in particular, the design challenge model to successfully support the development of innovative solutions to product or process challenges.

Design of objective lens for 200-kV high-resolution electron microscopes

1983 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 314-315
Author(s):  
K. Tsuno ◽  
T. Honda ◽  
Y. Harada ◽  
M. Naruse
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Computer Technology ◽  
Axial Magnetic Field ◽  
Chromatic Aberration ◽  
Objective Lens ◽  
Resolution Electron ◽  
Correction Of Astigmatism ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Electron Microscopes ◽  
Stage 1

Developement of computer technology provides much improvements on electron microscopy, such as simulation of images, reconstruction of images and automatic controll of microscopes (auto-focussing and auto-correction of astigmatism) and design of electron microscope lenses by using a finite element method (FEM). In this investigation, procedures for simulating the optical properties of objective lenses of HREM and the characteristics of the new lens for HREM at 200 kV are described.The process for designing the objective lens is divided into three stages. Stage 1 is the process for estimating the optical properties of the lens. Firstly, calculation by FEM is made for simulating the axial magnetic field distributions Bzc of the lens. Secondly, electron ray trajectory is numerically calculated by using Bzc. And lastly, using Bzc and ray trajectory, spherical and chromatic aberration coefficients Cs and Cc are numerically calculated. Above calculations are repeated by changing the shape of lens until! to find an optimum aberration coefficients.

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