Evaluation of a passive pediatric leg exoskeleton during gait

Background: Children with hemiparesis are commonly prescribed ankle foot orthoses to help improve gait; however, these orthoses often result in only small and variable changes in gait. Research with adult stroke survivors has suggested that orthoses that extend beyond the ankle using long, passive tendon-like structures (i.e. exotendons) can improve walking. Objectives: The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of an exotendon-based exoskeleton on pediatric gait. Study design: Repeated-measures study. Methods: Two typically-developing children and two children with hemiparesis completed a gait analysis, walking without and with the exoskeleton. The exotendon was tested at three stiffness levels. Results: All children were able to walk comfortably with the exoskeleton, with minimal changes in step width. Walking speed increased and lower limb joint symmetry improved for the children with hemiparesis with the exoskeleton. Each participant had changes in muscle activity while walking with the exoskeleton, although the impact on specific muscles and response to exotendon stiffness varied. Conclusion: Exotendon-based exoskeletons may provide an alternative solution for optimizing gait in therapy and in the community for children with hemiparesis. Determining the optimal stiffness and configuration for each child is an important area of future research.

The Effect of Whole-Body Haptic Feedback on Driver’s Perception in Negotiating a Curve

It remains uncertain regarding the safety of driving in autonomous vehicles that, after a long, passive control and inattention to the driving situation, how the drivers will be effectively informed to take-over the control in emergency. In particular, the active role of vehicle force feedback on the driver’s risk perception on curves has not been fully explored. To investigate it, the current paper examined the driver’s cognitive and visual responses to the whole-body haptic feedback during curve negotiations. The effects of force feedback on drivers’ responses on curves were investigated in a high-fidelity driving simulator while measuring EEG and visual gaze over ten participants. The preliminary analyses of the first two participants revealed that pupil diameter and fixation time on the curves were significantly longer when the driver received whole-body feedback, compared to none. The findings suggest that whole-body feedback can be used as an effective “advance notification” of hazards.

Older age of onset in child L2 acquisition can be facilitative: evidence from the acquisition of English passives by Spanish natives

We report a longitudinal comprehension study of (long) passive constructions in two native-Spanish child groups differing by age of initial exposure to L2 English (young group: 3;0–4;0; older group: 6;0–7;0), where amount of input, L2 exposure environment, and socioeconomic status are controlled. Data from a forced-choice task show that both groups comprehend active sentences, not passives, initially (after 3·6 years of exposure). One year later, both groups improve, but only the older group reaches ceiling on both actives and passives. Two years from initial testing, the younger group catches up. Input alone cannot explain why the younger group takes five years to accomplish what the older group does in four. We claim that some properties take longer to acquire at certain ages because language development is partially constrained by general cognitive and linguistic development (e.g. de Villiers, 2007; Long & Rothman, 2014; Paradis, 2008, 2010, 2011; Tsimpli, 2014).

Long passives in Norwegian: Evidence for complex predicates

The purpose of this article is to show that Norwegian has complex predicates, in which two verbs are reanalyzed as one predicate in a monoclausal structure, comparable to complex predicates that have been proposed for other languages. The central evidence comes from the construction called the long passive, in which the subject of the first verb is typically the patient of the second verb. Norwegian long passives often have passive morphology on both verbs, and I consider this a case of verbal feature agreement. The article also discusses evidence for complex predicates from active sentences.

High-Sealing Microvalves for PCR

This paper reviews several suitable microvalves for polymerase chain reaction (PCR). First, three type micro-valves in PCR chips are discussed, including pneumatic, servomotor-controlled and passive plug microvalves. Then we present our servomotor-controlled microvalves, with the structure of long passive plug. This valve had many obvious advantages such as simple fabrication and operation, perfect sealing, the ability to withstand relatively high pressure. Furthermore, the microvalve can be operated in a self-actuated mode.

Study on Airborne Single Passive Location Technology

The airborne passive location has the characteristics of good mobility and scope range is wide. The location accuracy of traditional angle-measure only passive location is low and the location time is long. Passive location that use phase change rate as observation information can overcome these shortcomings noticed above. Research the process of filtering principle of MVEKF algorithm and its application in airborne single passive location. Come up with the principle of phase change rate location method, and from simulation results, using MVEKF algorithm in airborne single passive location can reach the result that positioning precisely and convergence rapidly.

Grenadiers of the World Oceans: Biology, Stock Assessment, and Fisheries

<em>Abstract</em>.—Surveys undertaken in 2003 and 2005 have increased our knowledge of the distribution of roundnose grenadier <em>Coryphaenoides rupestris </em>in the North Atlantic. The data suggest a wide distribution of young grenadier in the high seas and support previous assumptions about long passive migrations of this species at early life-history stages.