scholarly journals Development of a Low-Cost, Modular Muscle–Computer Interface for At-Home Telerehabilitation for Chronic Stroke

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1806
Author(s):  
Octavio Marin-Pardo ◽  
Coralie Phanord ◽  
Miranda Rennie Donnelly ◽  
Christopher M. Laine ◽  
Sook-Lei Liew
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Stroke Survivor ◽  
The United States ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Chronic Stroke ◽  
Biofeedback Training ◽  
Upper Limb Function ◽  
Biofeedback System ◽  
At Home

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in the United States. Recent studies have shown that high doses of repeated task-specific practice can be effective at improving upper-limb function at the chronic stage. Providing at-home telerehabilitation services with therapist supervision may allow higher dose interventions targeted to this population. Additionally, muscle biofeedback to train patients to avoid unwanted simultaneous activation of antagonist muscles (co-contractions) may be incorporated into telerehabilitation technologies to improve motor control. Here, we present the development and feasibility of a low-cost, portable, telerehabilitation biofeedback system called Tele-REINVENT. We describe our modular electromyography acquisition, processing, and feedback algorithms to train differentiated muscle control during at-home therapist-guided sessions. Additionally, we evaluated the performance of low-cost sensors for our training task with two healthy individuals. Finally, we present the results of a case study with a stroke survivor who used the system for 40 sessions over 10 weeks of training. In line with our previous research, our results suggest that using low-cost sensors provides similar results to those using research-grade sensors for low forces during an isometric task. Our preliminary case study data with one patient with stroke also suggest that our system is feasible, safe, and enjoyable to use during 10 weeks of biofeedback training, and that improvements in differentiated muscle activity during volitional movement attempt may be induced during a 10-week period. Our data provide support for using low-cost technology for individuated muscle training to reduce unintended coactivation during supervised and unsupervised home-based telerehabilitation for clinical populations, and suggest this approach is safe and feasible. Future work with larger study populations may expand on the development of meaningful and personalized chronic stroke rehabilitation.

scholarly journals Learning from Past Policy: Assessing United States Foreign Policy over Indonesia in Resolving the 1999 East Timor Crisis

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Sigit S. Nugroho
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
The United States ◽  
East Timor ◽  
United States Foreign Policy ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
High Degree ◽  
The U.S

Assessing the output of past foreign policy is instrumental for any country to learn policy-relevant insights, to appreciate its experience, and to improve its future conduct. To glean such insights, this article borrows Baldwin’s framework in assessing the success and failure in foreign policy. Using a case study analysis, it assesses the United States’ (U.S.) influence attempt towards Indonesia to resolve the 1999 East Timor humanitarian crisis. President Clinton’s decision to undergo an influence attempt primarily aimed to change Indonesia’s policy while gaining support from U.S. allies in the process. The article finds that Clinton’s decision was a highly successful attempt. This finding is based on several factors: (1) the attempt effectively attained the intended primary and secondary goals at a considerably high degree; (2) it was conducted at a considerably low cost for the U.S.; (3) it inflicted a high cost towards Indonesia; (4) the increase in Clinton’s stake strengthened the U.S. resolve to pursue the influence attempt; and (5) Clinton had successfully overcome the difficult undertaking as Indonesia possessed higher stake over East Timor. These findings provide some lessons for both U.S. and Indonesian foreign policymakers to chart future relations for the two nations.

scholarly journals Gender and Language Learning at Home and Abroad

2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eton Churchill
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
The United States ◽  
Oral Proficiency Interview ◽  
Japanese Male ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Learning At Home ◽  
At Home

This case study investigates the language learning experiences, both at home and abroad, of a male Japanese high school learner of English. The qualitative data consist of field notes taken in Japan and the United States, interview data, and a semi-structured diary. Proficiency data include an oral proficiency interview (OPI), an institutional TOEFL, a dictation, and a narrative recorded immediately following the study abroad experience. By examining dynamics at different levels of analysis, it is argued that gender played a significant role in shaping short-term and long-term language learning opportunities and outcomes. This case study contributes to the study abroad literature in two ways. First, it adds a case study of a Japanese male to the literature on the gendered experience abroad. Secondly, it allows us to investigate how language study at home and abroad differs for a single learner, and how gender contributes to these differences. 本研究は、一人の日本人男子高校生の日本とアメリカにおける英語学習経験を調査したケーススタディである。日米両国で記録したフィールドノート、インタビュー、記載様式をある程度規定した日記などの質的データを資料とした。習熟度に関する資料としては、OPI と呼ばれる会話測定能力テスト、TOEFL、ディクテーション、留学経験直後に録音した体験談などを使用した。多様なレベルのダイナミクスを検証し、ジェンダーが、短期・長期両方にわたる言語学習の機会と成果を得るために、重要な役割を果たしていることを論じた。本研究は、日本人男性のケーススタディである点、個人においても母国と外国とでは言語学習の方法が異なり、ジェンダーがその違いにどのように影響しているかを探ることができた点において、海外留学体験におけるジェンダーの影響を扱った研究分野に貢献するものである。

scholarly journals Case Study: Use of Open Education Resources in Business Capstone

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena D. Mathien
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
The United States ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Open Education ◽  
Learning Design ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Business Course ◽  
Open Education Resources ◽  
The Cost

Recent studies on textbook costs in the United States have indicated that there is a direct relationship between textbook costs and student success. With textbook costs increasing at a rate higher than the cost of living, many students have cited the textbook cost as an extremely important factor when obtaining (or not obtaining) a textbook. Open educational resources (OER) are tools that educators can use to supplement or build a course. OER are free for anyone to reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute and are a low-cost, tailored solution for faculty and students. There have been calls for research that demonstrates how OER are being put into practice. This case study examines the responses of users to a voluntary survey in a capstone business course that implemented OER in lieu of traditional textbooks. The study suggests that, for teachers and students, as well as self-directed learners, OER provide a valuable resource to eliminate the pay wall, improve learning design, and support the power of the community through sharing and collaboration.

scholarly journals 10 years of EPOC: A scoping review of Emotiv’s portable EEG device

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolas S Williams ◽  
Genevieve M McArthur ◽  
Nicholas A Badcock
Keyword(s):  
Signal Processing ◽  
Experimental Research ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
User Authentication ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
The United States ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Emotional States ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
Meta Analyses

AbstractBACKGROUNDCommercially-made low-cost electroencephalography (EEG) devices have become increasingly available over the last decade. One of these devices, Emotiv EPOC, is currently used in a wide variety of settings, including brain-computer interface (BCI) and cognitive neuroscience research.PURPOSEThe aim of this study was to chart peer-reviewed reports of Emotiv EPOC projects to provide an informed summary on the use of this device for scientific purposes.METHODSWe followed a five-stage methodological framework for a scoping review that included a systematic search using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. We searched the following electronic databases: PsychINFO, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore. We charted study data according to application (BCI, clinical, signal processing, experimental research, and validation) and location of use (as indexed by the first author’s address).RESULTSWe identified 382 relevant studies. The top five publishing countries were the United States (n = 35), India (n = 25), China (n = 20), Poland (n = 17), and Pakistan (n = 17). The top five publishing cities were Islamabad (n = 11), Singapore (n = 10), Cairo, Sydney, and Bandung (n = 7 each). Most of these studies used Emotiv EPOC for BCI purposes (n = 277), followed by experimental research (n = 51). Thirty-one studies were aimed at validating EPOC as an EEG device and a handful of studies used EPOC for improving EEG signal processing (n = 12) or for clinical purposes (n = 11).CONCLUSIONSIn its first 10 years, Emotiv EPOC has been used around the world in diverse applications, from control of robotic limbs and wheelchairs to user authentication in security systems to identification of emotional states. Given the widespread use and breadth of applications, it is clear that researchers are embracing this technology.

What Went Wrong? Lessons Learned from Studying ERP Implementation Across Cultures

2005 ◽  
pp. 87-106
Author(s):  
Celia Romm Livermore
Keyword(s):  
Implementation Process ◽  
The United States ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Erp Implementation ◽  
Two Cultures ◽  
The Two Cultures ◽  
Case Study Data

Following a literature review that sets this research in context, case study data from two companies, one in the United States and one in Israel, are presented. Data are used to compare the implementation process of SAP Enterprise Planning Systems (ERPs) in the two cultures. The unique patterns of the implementation process that emerge from the two case studies are discussed as examples of the decision-making patterns typical of the two cultures. When relevant, areas where the findings did not agree with the theory are highlighted. The conclusions section explores the implications from this research to broader issues of ERP implementation across cultures, including the implementation of ERP systems within the higher education sector, and possible directions for future research emanating from this study.

Marketing sophistication in private sawmilling companies in the United States

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoou (Jane) Han ◽  
Eric Hansen
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Systematic Investigation ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Marketing Strategies ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Stakeholder Orientation ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Field Notes

Recent research in the field of marketing documents a shift from a production–sales orientation to a customer–market–stakeholder orientation. However, there is no systematic investigation of marketing sophistication in firms. This study examines marketing sophistication in the context of private sawmilling companies in the United States using a case study approach. Specifically, marketing culture and marketing strategies in the companies are the focus of the study. Data were collected from 20 firms via personal interviews, website information, and field notes. Findings show that the studied companies do not have a holistic understanding of marketing and a production-oriented mentality still largely presents. An enhanced understanding of marketing would benefit the firms. However, it is also quite clear that many of the studied companies are starting to pursue an outward-looking, market-oriented approach to marketing.

scholarly journals The WeReha Project for an Innovative Home-Based Exercise Training in Chronic Stroke Patients: A Clinical Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 117957352097986
Author(s):  
Rosa Grazia Bellomo ◽  
Teresa Paolucci ◽  
Aristide Saggino ◽  
Letizia Pezzi ◽  
Alessia Bramanti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Study ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Recovery Of Function ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Chronic Stroke ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Biofeedback System ◽  
At Home

Background: Telerehabilitation (TR) in chronic stroke patients has emerged as a promising modality to deliver rehabilitative treatment-at-home. The primary objective of our methodical clinical study was to determine the efficacy of a novel rehabilitative device in terms of recovery of function in daily activities and patient satisfaction and acceptance of the medical device provided. Methods: A 12-week physiotherapy program (balance exercises, upper and lower limb exercises with specific motor tasks using a biofeedback system and exergaming) was administered using the WeReha device. Twenty-five ( N = 25) chronic stroke outpatients were enrolled, and the data of 22 patients was analyzed. Clinical data and functional parameters were collected by Berg Balance scale (BBS), Barthel Index (BI), Fugl-Meyer scale (FM), Modified Rankin scale (mRS), and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) questionnaire at baseline (T0), after treatment (T1), and at the 12-week follow-up (T2). Statistical tests were used to detect significant differences ( P < .05), and Cohen’s (Co) value was calculated. Results: BI scores improved significantly after treatment ( P = .036; Co 0.776, medium), as well as BBS scores ( P = .008; Co 1.260, high). The results in FM scale ( P = .003) and mRS scores ( P = .047) were significant post treatment. Follow-up scores remained stable across all scales, except the BI. The A and C sub-scales of the TAM correlated significantly to only a T2 to T1 difference for BI scores with P = .021 and P = .042. Conclusion: Currently, the WeReha program is not the conventional therapy for stroke patients, but it could be an integrative telerehabilitative resource for such patients as a conventional exercise program-at-home. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03964662.

Medical and Surgical Supply Costs: Case Study of a Costly Low-Cost Technology

1997 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 526-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mae Thamer ◽  
Kevin J. Fitzpatrick ◽  
Seymour Perry
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hospital Charges ◽  
Medicare Beneficiaries ◽  
Total Hospital ◽  
Medicare Program ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Supply Costs ◽  
Mean Charge

AbstractThere is a paucity of research regarding the contribution of “low-cost” technologies to the escalation of medical costs in the United States. We examined total charges for medical and surgical supplies (MSS) among all hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries in 1994; a total of US $16.8 billion was spent on MSS, or $1,397 per hospitalization. For selected surgical procedures, both the proportion of total hospital charges attributed to MSS and the mean charge per hospitalization were considerably higher. Concerns regarding excessive payments for MSS and the lack of accountability by the Medicare program are discussed. Itemization of MSS supplies may serve to eliminate wasteful use and lead to decreased costs.

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