Tying the Delivery of Activity Step Instructions to Step Performance: Evaluating a Basic Technology System with People with Special Needs

Objectives This study assessed a new technology system that automatically presented instructions for multistep activities to people with intellectual and sensory disabilities. The instructions were presented one at a time, and tied to the participants’ performance of the activity steps. That is, a new instruction occurred only after the participant had carried out the previous step. Methods The new system involved a Samsung Galaxy A10 with Android 10.0 operating system equipped with Amazon Alexa, MacroDroid, and Philips Hue applications and a Philips Hue indoor motion sensor. The assessment of the new system was carried out with seven participants who were exposed to two or three pairs of activities. They performed one activity of each pair with the new system and the other with a system presenting instructions at preset time intervals according to an alternating treatments design that included a cross-over phase. Results The mean percentage of correct responses tended to be higher with the new system than with the control system. Paired t-tests carried out to compare the sessions with the new system with the sessions with the control system of each participant showed that the differences in correct responses between the two sets of sessions were statistically significant for all participants. Conclusions The new system may represent a useful (advantageous) tool for supporting people like those involved in this study in the performance of multistep activities.

Effects of accelerated weathering test on the properties of larch wood

To investigate the changes of larch wood properties under the influence of long-standing exposure to the environment, the QUV accelerated weathering tester (fluorescent UV and condensation testers) was used to accelerate the weathering of wood within a given preset time, and the changes were studied by analogue simulation. The wood color changed noticeably under different weathering time, and it gradually darkened from light yellow to deep reddish brown. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis revealed that as the weathering time increased, the cell wall was broken, the pits were cracked, and the tracheids were damaged. The results of the energy spectrum analysis (O/C (oxygen/carbon)) showed an increasing trend in the ratio, indicating that the wood underwent an oxidation reaction induced by light. From the values of the two testing indexes and their change patterns with weathering time, the same trend was observed, with the values of modulus of elasticity (MOE) in static bending being greater than that in dynamic bending Ed (the dynamic modulus of elasticity). However, the variability of MOE was greater than that of Ed. A comparative analysis of the two detection indicators was performed. The relationship between the proposed combined correction Ed and weathering time was: y = 0.0000001017 t2 – 0.0006 t + 9.77.

Application of Assignment Problem and Traffic Intensity in Minimization of Traffic Congestion

In our daily life, we are facing several problems; Traffic congestion is one of them, which is becoming serious day by day. High number of vehicles on road, insufficient infrastructure, unreasonable developments are some reasons for increasing traffic congestion. The aim of this paper is to introduce a mathematical model which can be applied to traffic control system having fixed time signal with preset time to minimize traffic congestion at an intersection. In this paper, we use the concept of traffic intensity and Assignment model for traffic congestion minimization.

Assessment of a multimodal analgesia protocol in goats undergoing claw amputation

Objective: To evaluate the anti-nociceptive, sedative and behavioral effect of multimodal analgesic drugs in goat's undergoing unilateral claw amputation. Design: A randomized experimental design. Animals: Sixteen goats were randomly assigned into 4 groups (4 bucks per group). Procedure: Animals used in this study were randomly assigned into 4 groups, four animals for each group. All goats were anaesthetized by intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA) of the right forelimb cephalic vein with 2% lidocaine in a dose of 3mg/kg body weight (BW) before surgery. Administration of carprofen (50 mg/ml) at a dose 0.1 mg/kg BW took place before surgery on day 0 and was then repeated once daily for another 3 consecutive days postoperatively in groups Lidocaine (L), carprofen_lidocaine (CL), carprofen – romifidine - lidocaine (CRL), and carprofen – romifidine - butorphenol - lidocaine (CRBL). Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), serum IL-6 level, sedation score, and lameness score were determined at preset time intervals and the animals’ behavior was recorded. Results: The mean average of HR, RR and RT in IVRA treated animals was significantly increased until the end of surgery followed by gradual decrease up to 90 min post-surgery. In CRL and CRBL it showed a significant decrease compared to controls. There was a significant decrease in lameness score in CRL and CRBL treated animals from 30 min until 2 hours and for 3 days post-surgery. After injection of romifidine it showed a significant decrease of IL-6 levels compared to lidocaine and CL treated animals. Conclusion and clinical relevance: It was concluded that, the use of romifidine and buterphanol in the analgesic protocol during claw amputation in goats, alleviate pain response and potentiate the analgesic effects of IVRA. Addition of carprofen to the analgesic protocol can be used for long- term treatment of orthopedic pain in goats without complications.

A Novel Dictionary-Driven Mental Spelling Application Based on Code-Modulated Visual Evoked Potentials

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) based on code-modulated visual evoked potentials (c-VEPs) typically utilize a synchronous approach to identify targets (i.e., after preset time periods the system produces command outputs). Hence, users have only a limited amount of time to fixate a desired target. This hinders the usage of more complex interfaces, as these require the BCI to distinguish between intentional and unintentional fixations. In this article, we investigate a dynamic sliding window mechanism as well as the implementation of software-based stimulus synchronization to enable the threshold-based target identification for the c-VEP paradigm. To further improve the usability of the system, an ensemble-based classification strategy was investigated. In addition, a software-based approach for stimulus on-set determination is proposed, which allows for an easier setup of the system, as it reduces additional hardware dependencies. The methods were tested with an eight-target spelling application utilizing an n-gram word prediction model. The performance of eighteen participants without disabilities was tested; all participants completed word- and sentence spelling tasks using the c-VEP BCI with a mean information transfer rate (ITR) of 75.7 and 57.8 bpm, respectively.

LISCIC/PETROFER PROBE TO INVESTIGATE REAL INDUSTRIAL HARDENING PROCESSES AND SOME FUNDAMENTALS DURING QUENCHING OF STEEL PARTS IN LIQUID MEDIA

In the paper some unusual processes are considered during quenching such as self-regulated thermal process when metallic probe is covered by insulating polymeric layer, oscillation of temperature in surface layers of probe, creation a “shoulder” when quenching in polymer solution, possibility to perform austempering process just in cold liquids. Above mentioned processes build a basis for the new intensive quenching technologies and can bring a great benefit for heat treating industry when further carefully investigated. It is shown that initial temperature gradients, which cannot be governed by classical law of Fourier, can be tested by Liscic/Petrofer probe, etc. The paper discusses how organize such international investigation to satisfy contemporary practical needs and solve unsolved problems of science in the field of quenching. Also, the results of investigations can be used for software designing and cooling recipes development during quenching steel parts in liquid media. It makes a great progress because at preset time only cooling curves and cooling rates are available that are used for comparable purpose and cannot be used for recipes development.