Design of micro-hammers for ultrasonic source applications

Silicon-conductive nanopaper for Li-ion batteries

People with disabilities generally do not have the same access to health care, education and employment opportunities. It is known that, very often, they do not receive the support they need, and end up experiencing the taste of exclusion to perform their daily activities. Analyzing the overall rates of people with disabilities, it is possible to perceive that social inclusion of minorities is not a simple task. One of these daily activities is the use of information technology. Considering the cost of commercial Assistive Technology devices are very expensive for developing countries like Brazil, we proposed a comparative evaluation between the low-cost wearable head-based device and the performance values obtained in Kurauchi et al. [8] work, to analyses the viability of this low-cost device. This Experimental results indicate that IOM presented a better accuracy than the two other devices, providing accurate mouse pointer positioning. Even though the speed of the low-cost IOM device was very similar than the devices analyzed and compared, the most significant result was the low-cost device accuracy was 100%, error rate was 0%.

Human factors researchers at Idaho National Laboratory are collaborating with a utility partner to address human factors in the modernization of their radiological waste control room. The collaborating utility, Palo Verde, plans to remove all control boards associated with the liquid radiological waste system, which include controls, indicators, and alarm systems, and replace them with modernized digital instrumentation and controls and displays. To be sure the new system either supports current operational performance or enhances it, researchers have carried out three planning and analysis activities: expert operator review, function allocation analysis, and human factor principles and design applications. Researchers utilized access to expert operators to gain information about the system. Operators were asked to detail a procedure exemplifying typical interactions with the liquid radiological waste system and provide it to Idaho National Laboratory with a list of functionalities to incorporate (Section 4.1). Later, operators were asked to provide additional feedback to inform a prototype with adequate realism to support sound analysis of the system design (Section 4.2). Other operators not associated with the utility partner were also involved in experiment design and prototype evaluation (Section 4.2). Due to the extent of the upgrade, care was given to measure the change in the operator’s role (Section 7). As part of the modernization, some plant systems are expected to be equipped with automation or sensors that send information directly to the control where previously operators were required to enter controlled areas to find the information. Such updates made slight changes to operator role requirements, but the impact was negligible. The way the system is operated will remain largely the same, but operator convenience and safety is expected to increase. Additionally, to map operator tasks during the selected procedure, an Operational Sequence Diagram was created (Section 7.1). The diagram helped to account for every interaction and piece of equipment needed to create the prototype design. Alternatively, the diagram can be created following the final design to identify any function reallocations due to redesign. Human factors principles were also applied to the design. An ergonomic assessment was performed on the workspace resulting in various recommendations for placing and designing the new workstation (Section 6). A 3 D mockup of the control room was created to depict the options available with in-depth descriptions of each. Furthermore the prototype design incorporates well known human factors principles. However, to be sure the principles are sound in the control room context, the researches have designed an experiment to measure the impact design decision has on operator performance. The experiment is described in detail in Section 5. Lastly, a tool emerged as this effort began called the NUREG 0711 Crosswalk (Section 8). The tool has multiple uses, but it was primarily intended to communicate how the researcher’s action directly mapped to specific results suggested in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission review guideline. The tool also maps how current results impact future decisions in the modernization process.

Fumonisin mycotoxins are a persistent challenge to human and livestock health in tropical and sub-tropical maize cropping systems, and more efficient methods are needed to reduce their presence in food systems. We constructed a novel, low-cost device for sorting grain, the “DropSort”, and tested its effectiveness on both plastic kernel models and fumonisin-contaminated maize. Sorting plastic kernels of known size and shape enabled us to optimize the sorting performance of the DropSort. The device sorted maize into three distinct fractions as measured by bulk density and 100-kernel weight. The level of fumonisin was lower in the heaviest fractions of maize compared to the unsorted samples. Based on correlations among fumonisin and bulk characteristics of each fraction, we found that light fraction 100-kernel weight could be an inexpensive proxy for unsorted fumonisin concentration. Single kernel analysis revealed significant relationships among kernel fumonisin content and physical characteristics that could prove useful for future sorting efforts. The availability of a low-cost device (materials~USD 300) that can be used to reduce fumonisin in maize could improve food safety in resource-limited contexts in which fumonisin contamination remains a pressing challenge.

The existing Human Machine Interface (HMI) for the Army’s Universal Ground Control Station (UGCS) represents a 1980s, windows-based technology which is neither intuitive nor scalable for operators. It creates high levels of cognitive load on the operators, and its closed architecture limits its adaptability for UAS missions as technologies evolve. This research presents a methodology for creating and evaluating next generation HMI designs while leveraging GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) and TELLUS flight simulation software in the creation of five HMI prototype designs. A proof of concept approach in the evaluation of prototypes was performed with five UAS Aircraft Operators (15W MOS) and five USMA cadets; examination of the impact of age and experience on the perceived value of new HMI designs will influence recommendations on full experimental design. The value-focused approach to design presented in this paper and prototype designs provide a basis for full prototype development and experimental testing through PM UAS with the Intelligence and Maneuver Centers of Excellence. Results include a trade space and sensitivity analysis towards development of improved HMI designs. The methodology and high performing prototypes for HMI design will be integrated by the PM UAS CSI Project Office for further development and full experimental analysis.

Comprehensive characterization of wideband ultrasonic transducers and specifically optoacoustic detectors is achieved through the analysis of their frequency response as a function of the incident angle. The tests are performed under well-defined, repeatable operating conditions. Backillumination of a blackened, acoustically matched planar surface with a short laser pulse creates an acoustic impulse which is used as a wideband ultrasonic source. Upon illumination with a short laser pulse, the bandwidth of our source shows a -6 dB point of 12 MHz and a low-frequency roll-off around 300 kHz. Using proprietary software, we examine thoroughly the planarity of the emitted wave front within a specified amplitude cutoff and phase incoherence. Analysis of the angular dependence of the frequency response yields invaluable directivity information about the detector under study: a necessary component toward accurate optoacoustic image reconstruction and quantitative tomography. The laser ultrasonic source we developed is the main feature of our directivity measurement setup. Due to its simplicity, it can easily be adapted to various calibration devices. This paper focuses on the development and characterization of the flatness and the bandwidth of our wideband ultrasonic source.

Soil imaging in the field and laboratory has greatly advanced our understanding of plant root systems. Soil fungi function as important plant symbionts and decomposers of complex organic material in soil environments. For fungal hyphae, however, the application of soil imaging remains scarce, limiting our understanding of hyphal systems in soil. This scarce application is partly due to the challenging development of a soil imaging device for hyphae: technical requirements to resolve fine hyphae (2-5 μm in diameter) are high, while the device cost must be low to facilitate sufficient deployment that can capture the high spatial heterogeneity of hyphal dynamics in soil. This protocol describes the do-it-yourself assembly and application of a low-cost high-resolution imaging device for observing hyphae in soil. The assembly of the open-source imaging device relies on many 3D-printed parts, reducing material costs to ca. 930 USD. The application of the imaging device yields soil profile images with a resolution of up to 0.52 μm px-1 (49000 dpi) within an observable volume of 70 × 210 × 1.5 mm. By repeatedly imaging a soil profile using the presented techniques, changes in the amount, distribution, and morphology of hyphae in soil can be observed and quantified.

<p>Stroke causes significant damage to the brain and affects 15 million people annually worldwide. Symptoms commonly affect one or both limbs on one side of the body, limiting ability to perform daily activities. The preferential use of the less affected limb for performing everyday activities in the form of compensatory movement is a common phenomenon after a stroke and can lead to a “learned nonuse” of the affected arm and hand. This learned behaviour can be overcome by applying a physical restraint on the less affected arm to initiate use of the affected one. Stroke interventions that use physical restraint are criticised for being labour intensive and expensive and having a limited focus on the home environment of the stroke survivor. This study aimed to design everyday objects that restrain movement to initiate the use of the affected arm and hand. It was undertaken from a pragmatist theoretical perspective, using a human-centred design approach to develop an understanding of the users’ needs and create design solutions that addressed the observed problem. A qualitative multimethod approach helped understanding of how the restraining effect needs to be delivered to initiate use of the affected arm, and which everyday objects are key in daily activities post-stroke. The research through design methodology was employed for developing expansive and serial design prototypes to test how the restraint could be incorporated into a design prototype. The prototypes were evaluated with health professionals and chronic stroke survivors to validate the intended initiation of use. Findings of this study indicate that the development of learned nonuse is multifactorial and occurs over time. The current use of restraint in clinical practice focuses on reminding the survivor to use the affected arm and hand rather than physically restraining its use. It was emphasised by the therapists that a behaviour change is a crucial element in overcoming learned nonuse in the long-term. The evaluation of the design prototypes indicated that the design of the object needs to take into consideration the conceptual model the user has of the object and the interaction needs to be feasible to perform for the stroke survivor. Five different design strategies were developed to restrain movement and elicit an initiation of use. The restraining effect that is evoked by the design strategies can vary between the different users. Additionally, the object needs to provide sufficient feedforward to initiate the use of the affected arm and hand, increase self-efficacy beliefs, provide a repetitive and increasingly challenging movement, provide feedback and sensory input to secure engagement in the process. A behaviour change is an essential element to overcome the learned nonuse in the long-term. A behaviour contract was, therefore, incorporated in the form of the design components to facilitate such a change. At this stage it is unclear which strategy offers the greatest potential to evoke an initiation of use and if the behaviour contract contributes to overcoming the learned nonuse. Further studies are needed to increase the restraining effect and usability of the design prototypes and validate the long-term impact.</p>

The use of haptic peripherals to mediate spatial information to visually impaired users is a problem which has recently been examined thoroughly, however the main issue of almost all current approaches is the use of custom made peripheral devices, the high cost of which renders their massive deployment infeasible. We have focused on using low-cost haptic devices to allow visually impaired users to navigate in and inspect a virtual environment. In this paper we describe our approach to navigation in virtual environments by using force feedback joystick and haptic mouse. We also employ the spatial sound to enhance the information perception. We discuss two different navigation modes of avatar in the virtual environment (joystick and mouse based) and several information mediation techniques. Numerous tests have also been performed. Results show that the efficiency and usability of our solution is comparable with tactile exploration of physical paper models of an environment.KeywordsVirtual EnvironmentForce FeedbackHaptic DevicePeripheral DeviceHuman Auditory SystemThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

In this paper we present a software framework which supports the construction and evaluation of mixed-fidelity prototypes for mobile devices. The framework is available for desktop and mobile devices and allows designers and users to 1) test the prototypes on actual devices; 2) gather usage information, both passively and actively supporting contextual and ubiquitous evaluation; 3) convey common prototyping procedures with effective data gathering methods that can be used on ubiquitous scenarios; 4) support in-situ prototyping and participatory design on-the-go. We address the framework's features and its contributions to the evaluation of applications for mobile devices and the field of mobile interaction design, presenting real-life case studies and achieved results.

Designing a television (TV) application for older adults presents specific challenges, especially when the issue is an application that aims to support volunteer activities which will benefit older adults. This article describes the design process and evaluation of an interactive high visual-fidelity prototype of an application for a TV set-top box, which aims to allow older adults to request, in a simple and quick way, help from a group of volunteers, in specific tasks such as small household maintenance. Concerning the user interface design, a set of specific guidelines were considered and applied in the development of a high visual-fidelity prototype. The result of this process was later evaluated in heuristic evaluation sessions and user testing. The former were supported by a list of heuristics, drawn from other lists used in recent research and adapted to the context of the study. The latter were conducted with potential users that tried to accomplish some tasks on the prototype. In a context in which several studies show that television is a highly privileged platform to provide information to the older adults population due to its high degree of use in this group, this project may present important contributions to better understand some of the challenges that are associated with the design and early evaluation of TV applications whose target audience is older adults and some good practices that should be followed to achieve a product that is easy and enjoyable for this public to use.

This paper presents the design, development and initial evaluation of an intelligent virtual museum prototype based on a new type of Cyber-Physical-Social Eco-System (CPSeS) framework aiming to merge the real with virtual worlds interchangeably using AI, XR and Robots. Whereas virtual environments have become prominent tools in many domains, offering shared and interactive virtual worlds, the proposed prototype incorporates multi-user and interactive functionalities together with a new agent, namely, a physical robot and its digital twin. The physical robot is located and acts in a real environment whilst its avatar (further referred to as its digital twin) lives in the virtual world. The users are able to see and explore both worlds simultaneously through the ‘eyes’ of the robot. Together with multi-user infrastructure and communication capabilities, the environment also involves additional agents guiding the user in the virtual world, and an educational game, aiming at developing a CPSeS capable of blending the real with digital worlds, and to be influenced by its users, real and artificial agents and elements. The user-based qualitative evaluation of the proposed system was favourable but also constructive providing the research team with valuable observations on its performance.

Children with hearing loss are children who have difficulty learning because they have limited language and communication. This limitation hinders them when they study. They need special methods, special media, and special teachers in learning. SLB B karnnamanohara students have difficulty in learning Muslim prayers (sholat and daily prayers). Almost all grade 2 elementary students cannot pronounce Muslim prayers. They need learning resources that are interesting and according to their needs. Muslim prayer guide mobile application that matches the characteristics of children with special needs. The aim of this study wasto build a multimedia mobile application for Muslim prayer guides for children with hearing loss. This application is called M- Shollu.. The method in this study consists of eight stages: data collection, data analysis, create storyboard, prototype design, prototype evaluation, create multimedia, multimedia evaluation, and user experience evaluation. This research has succeeded in designing and developing a multimedia mobile application for Muslim prayer guides for children with hearing loss (M-Sholuu). The evaluation was carried out by multimedia experts and SLB teachers from Carnamanara. The results of M-Sholuu's evaluation were 4.42, out of 5. The multimedia evaluation results carried out by multimedia experts were 4.17 on a scale of 5. The results of multimedia evaluations by Karnnamanohara SLBB teachers were 4.25 on a scale of 5. The user experience evaluation results were 4 , 52 on a scale of 5.

The Decision Support System (DSS) is a computer-based information system that generates various alternative decisions to assist in addressing structured and unstructured problems. At STMIK Syaikh Zainuddin NW Anjani, the selection of study programs is still done manually, where prospective students are directly asked to choose which study program they wish to enter without any data processing based on their abilities and skills first. This approach can have negative consequences, as once they begin their studies in the chosen program, they may struggle to keep up due to misalignment with their skills, interests, and abilities, leading many to regret their choice and even decide to switch programs or transfer to another university; some may even attend less frequently. Therefore, there is a need for a system/application that can provide recommendations for study programs that align with their talents, interests, and capabilities. The Decision Support System for Selecting Study Programs for New Students at STMIK Syaikh Zainuddin NW Anjani uses the Profile Matching Method and the Prototype Method for software development, which begins with requirements gathering, prototype design, prototype evaluation, system coding, system testing, system evaluation, and system implementation. This decision support system calculates the exam scores taken by new students and successfully provides suitable recommendations based on their exam results. This application can also directly print the results of the calculations and recommendations for study programs for new students; they can also directly print the results of their tests.

Children with hearing loss are children who experience learning difficulties. They have limited vocabulary and language in communication that hampers the learning process. They need a special way of learning and are usually educated in special schools. Level 2 elementary students at SLB B Karnnamanohara have difficulty learning prayer and daily prayer. Almost all elementary level 2 students cannot pronounce daily prayers and prayers. They need interesting learning resources and according to their characteristics. This study aims to design multimedia mobile application of prayer and daily prayers guides for children with hearing loss. The research method consists of five stages: data collection, data analysis, storyboard making, prototype design, and prototype evaluation. This research has been designed to multimedia mobile applications of prayer and prayers guides for children hearing impairments according to the needs of users who have different characteristics with users in general. The results showed that the prototype design of the multimedia mobile application prayer and prayer daily guides for children with hearing loss had met the needs of users with evaluation values of 4.42 from a scale of 5.