A Random Access Protocol Approach to Stochastic Jumping Systems with Singular Perturbations

This paper focuses on the stochastic jumping systems with singular perturbation subject to a random access protocol. The key challenge with controller design issue of stochastic jumping systems is how to assess the coordination of communication orders. In this study, a joint Markov process is established, and a novel control law is proposed. In contrast with the existing methods, the developed controller is more general. Finally, a practical example is exhibited to show the effectiveness of the achieved theories.

Development of a Lightweight Prosthetic Hand for Patients with Amputated Fingers

Finger amputations are the most common upper limb amputation, and they occur approximately 100 times more often than hand amputations. We developed a prosthetic hand for amputees with a thumb and metacarpal. In this case of amputation, the installation of actuators and electrical components is difficult because space is considerably limited owing to the residual metacarpal. This design issue is solved by installing actuators vertically between finger modules and the mounting part where the electrical parts are embedded. With this design, the arrangement between the palm of the patient and the fingers of the prosthetic hand can be adjusted as well. Weight is also an especially important design issue in the development of a practical prosthetic hand because the patient perceives that weight. Most prosthetic hands are attached to the residual limb of the amputee by compressing the contact surface between the product and the amputated body part of the patient. Heavy weight causes users to feel discomfort and fatigue over extended periods of usage. In this study, all frames used in the proposed prosthetic hand were fabricated from nylon using multi-jet-fusion three-dimensional printing. As a result, the weight of the developed prosthetic hand was only 152.32 g but still had the desired strength and stiffness. Each prosthetic finger has four-degree-of-freedom. The distal interphalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, and metacarpophalangeal joints are coupled and driven by power from an actuator, which is transferred to each joint through the tendons. Adduction, abduction, and self-adaptive grasping motions were passively realized using linear and torsional springs. The prototype was fabricated based on these design concepts and functions, and its functionality was verified in experiments using diverse objects.

Different Design Approaches for Well-Being

Interior spaces have a great effect on human well-being because of their role as the follower of life. Flexibility becomes an important design issue while considering the subjective character of well-being in interiors. Therefore, not only the inhabitants' needs change during their lifetime, but especially interiors with multiple or changing users need to be considered with a design approach that can lead to multiple solutions that can be adapted to changing users and preferences. This chapter aims to evaluate a series of design approaches that are particularly attentive to a holistic conception of human well-being and that can be adopted with particular reference to interior design. Here it is not intended to identify a general hierarchy of such approaches, as their appropriateness depends on the context, on the user and on the interpretation of the designer himself. Therefore, it is important to know the potentials of different approaches in solving design problems with different priorities.

Financial Services

As shown in Chapter 13, the appropriate treatment of financial services is the single most important design issue that remains to be solved under the VAT. Conventional wisdom holds that margin-based financial services, as opposed to fee-based services, cannot be included in the VAT base calculated on the tax credit method. For this reason, most countries with a VAT exempt financial services entirely, whether margin-based or fee-based. To limit the effects of the rather broad EU type of exemption, two kinds of modifications have been adopted. First, the reach of the full exemption has been narrowed down by taxing fee-based financial services. Second, the cascading effects of the exemption have been mitigated by zero-rating the provision of financial services to registered businesses, providing for partial input VAT recovery. The chapter concludes by drawing some lessons from the analysis which may be useful for African countries.