Comfort Of Device Research Articles

Emotional Preferred Type of Smart Phone Based on the Quality Factor

This study analyzed the previous studies that the user perceived quality of design factors. As a result, the most representative factors and functional classification is divided into nonfunctional factors showed that. In the level of human behavior, needs can be distinguished between functional aspects factor and motivator factor. When we access to the level of user's expectation, fundamental factor, performance level, and interest level were represented as the main three levels. Also, this study analyzed the sensitivity quality factors that are important in choosing smart-phone using PQ method of Q methodology. It was possible to find representative types such as sensibility focusing type, use-convenience focusing type and stability focusing type by the analysis. The discriminative sensibility focusing type thinks personality expression and social pride as important and this type prefers differentiation from others. The sensibility quality causes of sensibility focusing type are uniqueness, fun, curiosity, surprise, fashion, attracting others’ view, ostentation and emotional attachment. The use-convenience focusing type prefers convenience cumulated by personal experience. This type thinks the sensibility quality causes such as comfort, freedom, expandability and control of device as important. The stability focusing type prefers familiarity by use experience, attachment by intimacy and harmony with personal image as important. This type thinks the sensibility quality causes such as experience, habits, intimacy, conciseness and fun as important.

Maxillary distraction complications in cleft patients

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) patients often present with a class III malocclusion in connection with a three dimensional maxillary hypoplasia. Twenty-five to 60% of these patients need maxillary advancement. Two solutions are possible: orthognathic surgery and maxillary distraction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the complications of maxillary distraction in CLP patients. Data was collected from the records of patients treated in our surgery unit between 2000 and 2007. Among the eight patients (four male and four female), five presented with a bilateral CLP, two with a unilateral CLP, and one with a unilateral cleft lip associated to a soft palate cleft. The average age at surgery was 17 years. All underwent a Le Fort I osteotomy with a pterygomaxillary disjunction. An external distractor was used for the first two patients and an internal distractor for the six following patients. After a seven-day latency, activation was implemented at a rate of 1mm twice a day. The average period of consolidation was four months. Maxillary advancement ranged between 7 and 19mm, with an average of 12.6mm. The average follow-up was four years. Complications were noted in seven patients: one intra-operative hemorrhage, one avulsion of a tooth anchored at the pterygoid process during osteotomy, three cases of device dysfunction, two cases of significant pain during activation, one loosening of the orthodontic arch in an external system, two cases of labial ulceration, and one maxillary sinusitis due to migration of a wisdom tooth. Complications of maxillary distraction in CLP patients were very frequent. Most were related to the device and did not interfere with the final result. This must be taken into account when indicating distraction and choosing the device. Two types of complications can occur during distraction: those related to the osteotomy and those related to the device. The complications related to the osteotomy are linked to the cicatricial ground of previous surgery. They are not specific to distraction. The comfort of the internal device is undeniable, but the design of some models must be reviewed to improve their tolerance.

Thromboprophylaxis in Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy: Efficacy and Patient Compliance of a Dual Modality

Objectives:The risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) in urologic patients undergoing major surgery without thromboprophylaxis is high (up to 40%). The aims were to study the acceptability rate of and overall patient satisfaction with an automatic sequential leg compression system and the short-term effectiveness of a combined VTE prevention modality. Methods: One-hundred and eighty-four consecutive patients undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy were postoperatively treated with enoxaparine and intermittent pneumatic compression of the thigh. By completing a questionnaire, the patients were prospectively studied to evaluate the comfort and tolerability of a compression device (SCD Response Compression System; Covidien, Gosport, UK). The patients were monitored for complications and development of VTE for up to 4 weeks postoperatively. The device used ensures customized and effective compression therapy matching the patient’s individual vascular refill by sequential, gradient, circumferential microprocessor-controlled compression cycles. Results: No clinically evident VTE, critical bleeding or postoperative death occurred during the study period. Drain output was associated with transfusion requirement (p < 0.001), obesity (p < 0.02) and longer operation duration (p < 0.001). The sequential compression devices were well tolerated by 63% of the patients, in that the sleeves were judged as being pleasant (72%) and nonoppressive (79%). Patients reported bothersome insomnia (23%) and noise (44%), and early removal was required in 3%. Conclusions: Combined mechanical and pharmacological thromboprophylaxis was highly effective, well tolerated, and safe. The device tested showed a high comfort and tolerability profile. The use of combined modalities for VTE prophylaxis is justified in patients at very high risk of VTE, such as those undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy.

Users’ subjective evaluation of electronic vision enhancement systems

The aims of this study were (1) to elicit the users' responses to four electronic head-mounted devices (Jordy, Flipperport, Maxport and NuVision) and (2) to correlate users' opinion with performance. Ten patients with early onset macular disease (EOMD) and 10 with age-related macular disease (AMD) used these electronic vision enhancement systems (EVESs) for a variety of visual tasks. A questionnaire designed in-house and a modified VF-14 were used to evaluate the responses. Following initial experience of the devices in the laboratory, every patient took home two of the four devices for 1 week each. Responses were re-evaluated after this period of home loan. No single EVES stood out as the strong preference for all aspects evaluated. In the laboratory-based appraisal, Flipperport typically received the best overall ratings and highest score for image quality and ability to magnify, but after home loan there was no significant difference between devices. Comfort of device, although important, was not predictive of rating once magnification had been taken into account. For actual performance, a threshold effect was seen whereby ratings increased as reading speed improved up to 60 words per minute. Newly diagnosed patients responded most positively to EVESs, but otherwise users' opinion could not be predicted by age, gender, diagnosis or previous CCTV experience. User feedback is essential in our quest to understand the benefits and shortcoming of EVESs. Such information should help guide both prescribing and future development of low vision devices.

A comparative study of the audiological outcomes with Retro-X (semi-implantable hearing aid system) and conventional open fitting hearing aids

The objective of this study was to compare the results of hearing augmentation with the Retro-X semi-implantable hearing aid to a conventional non-implantable open canal hearing aid using the same software technology (Titan-X, auric Hearing Systems, HiKaNo.:13.20.03.0047). Nineteen subjects (20 ears) with mild to moderate high-frequency sensory-neural hearing loss were included in this clinical study. All the subjects were first fitted with a conventional open canal hearing aid (Titan-X). After a period of 4-6 weeks audiological evaluations were performed using standardized speech tests in quiet and noise. Subjective evaluation was performed with the help of standardized questionnaires. After this phase the patients received the semi-implantable Retro-X device under local anaesthesia and 4 weeks later were fitted with a hearing module with the same software technology as the conventional Titan-X hearing aid. Four weeks following the first fitting the same audiological evaluations were performed under similar conditions and the patients were evaluated again using the same questionnaires in order to compare the results of the Retro-X semi-implantable system with the conventional open canal hearing aid. Audiological evaluations revealed better results with the semi-implantable Retro-X in the adaptive speech in noise test; however, the results of the monosyllabic word test in quiet were similar for the Retro-X and conventional open canal hearing aid. The patients subjectively preferred the improved wearing comfort of the semi-implantable device. The Retro-X semi-implantable hearing aid provides better speech perception in noise and higher wearing comfort in comparison to the conventional open canal hearing aids. Considering the simple implantation procedure under local anaesthesia with low complication rate, Retro-X is an alternative to the conventional open canal hearing aids in patients with mild to moderate high frequency sensory-neural hearing loss.

Expert opinions on success factors for upper-limb prostheses

The goal of this study was to gather the opinions of prosthetics experts on the most important factors for the successful use of upper-limb (UL) prostheses, compare them with those of prosthesis users, and ultimately direct research efforts in this field. UL prosthetics experts were asked to compare the importance of the comfort, function, and cosmesis of a prosthetic device for a transhumeral amputee. Categories were subdivided into weight, socket-interface comfort, power, agility, color, and shape. The majority of those who responded viewed comfort as the most important factor for a unilateral amputee and considered socket-interface comfort to be more important than weight. Function was considered to be the most important factor for a bilateral amputee, with agility considered more important than power. Cosmesis was consistently reported as being less important than comfort and function, and shape was considered more important than color.