Large Conference Room Research Articles

Automated Generation of Room Usage Semantics from Point Cloud Data

Room usage semantics in models of large indoor environments such as public buildings and business complex are critical in many practical applications, such as health and safety regulations, compliance, and emergency response. Existing models such as IndoorGML have very limited semantic information at room level, and it remains difficult to capture semantic knowledge of rooms in an efficient way. In this paper, we formulate the task of generating rooms usage semantics as a special case of room classification problems. Although methods for room classification tasks have been developed in the field of social robotics studies and indoor maps, they do not deal with room usage and occupancy aspects of semantics, and they ignore the value of furniture objects in understanding room usage. We propose a method for generating room usage semantics based on the spatial configuration of room objects (e.g., furniture, walls, windows, doors). This method uses deep learning architecture to support a room usage classifier that can learn spatial configuration features directly from semantically labelled point cloud (SLPC) data that represent room scenes with furniture objects in place. We experimentally assessed the capacity of our method in classifying rooms in office buildings using the Stanford 3D (S3DIS) dataset. The results showed that our method was able to achieve an overall accuracy of 91% on top-level room categories (e.g., offices, conference rooms, lounges, storage) and above 97% accuracy in recognizing offices and conference rooms. We further show that our classifier can distinguish fine-grained categories of of offices and conference rooms such as shared offices, single-occupancy offices, large conference rooms, and small conference rooms, with comparable intelligence to human coders. In general, our method performs better on rooms with a richer variety of objects than on rooms with few or no furniture objects.

Cardiovascular, self-report, and behavioral stress reactivity to the group-based Trier Social Stress Test with pandemic-related protocol adaptations

Research using stress induction protocols such as the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and the TSST for groups (TSST-G) during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been challenging. While institutional review boards have provided guidance on returning to face-to-face research using COVID-19 adaptations (e.g., masking, social distancing), whether these adaptations influence the effectiveness of social-evaluative stress induction remains unknown. We conducted a secondary data analysis from a randomized controlled trial to establish whether using COVID-19 adaptations (i.e., masking, social distancing, and using a single large conference room for the duration of the experiment) to the TSST-G protocol was able to reliably induce stress across cardiovascular, self-report, and behavioral indices of stress. Young adults (N = 53) underwent the TSST-G with COVID-19 adaptations. We measured systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), self-reported, and behavioral responses to the TSST-G, and all variables indicated successful stress induction. Increases in SBP (18 mmHg) and DBP (14 mmHg) were similar in magnitude as those in standard in-person TSST protocols. Increases in HR (9 beats per minute) were smaller in magnitude than standard in-person TSST protocols, but slightly larger than increases documented in remote TSST protocols. The cardiovascular, self-report, and behavioral indices of stress reactivity provide confidence in the effectiveness of TSST-G with COVID-19 adaptations to reliably induce stress. In-person TSST protocols with COVID-19 adaptations represent an alternate option to remote TSST protocols for stress induction researchers to use during times when masking or social distancing are necessary.

Everybody Copes: An Interprofessional Workshop on Stress, Coping, and Helping Primary Care Patients Manage Medical Stressors.

The value of psychological principles has become apparent in medical settings, especially with the rise of patient-centered care. We aimed to provide a curriculum informing medical providers about the theoretical basis and clinical utility of the social-cognitive model of stress and coping. This workshop was delivered to an interprofessional team of faculty and trainees. Our initial pedagogical approach was to relate the concepts of cognitive appraisals and coping strategies to participants' own stress responses. We then used didactic presentation and small-group activities to explore ways to promote adaptive coping with patients to improve health outcomes. Learners participated in a mindfulness exercise, conceptualized coping strategies given a hypothetical case scenario, and, in small groups, role-played a patient encounter to construct an effective coping repertoire for the patient. Participants completed a prework self-assessment and workshop evaluation form. The 2.5-hour workshop had 48 participants from five professions (medicine, education, physician assistant, pharmacology, psychology). We received 35 evaluations (73% response rate). Learners reported increased real-world skills (M = 8.0 out of 10) and feeling better prepared for working in interprofessional settings (M = 7.6 out of 10). Qualitative feedback suggested that participants recognized the importance of individual differences in coping with stress and felt they could categorize strategies into emotion- or problem-focused coping. This workshop provided participants with basic knowledge about the social-cognitive model of stress and coping and allowed them to practice newly learned skills in a role-play as an interprofessional medical care team.

The Code Silver Exercise: a low-cost simulation alternative to prepare hospitals for an active shooter event

Mass-shooting incidents have been increasing in recent years and Code Silver—the hospital response to a person with a weapon such as an active shooter in many Provinces or States in North America—is quickly shifting from a theoretical safety measure to a realistic scenario for which hospitals must prepare their staff. A Code Silver Exercise (CSE) involving an independent mental practice exercise with written responses to scenarios and questions, followed by a facilitated debrief with all participants, was conceptualized and trialled for feasibility and efficacy. The CSE was piloted as a quality improvement and emergency preparedness initiative in three different settings including in situ within a hospital Emergency Department or Intensive Care Unit, offsite in a large conference room workshop, and online via virtual platform. These sessions took place in 4 different cities in Canada and included 3 academic teaching hospitals. Participants of the in situ and virtual CSE completed pre- and post-simulation surveys which showed improved understanding of Code Silver protocols following participation.The CSE is a reproducible simulation alternative, designed to operationalize a Code Silver policy at a large healthcare institution in a sustainable way. This training model can be administered in multiple settings in-person (in situ or offsite), and virtually, making it versatile and easily accessible for participants. This exercise enables participants to mentally rehearse practical responses to an active shooter in their unique work environments and to discuss ethical and medical-legal implications of their responses during a facilitated debrief with fellow healthcare providers. Implementation of a CSE for training in hospitals may help staff to create a mental schema prior to an active shooter event, and thus indirectly improve the chances of survivability in the event of a real active shooter situation.

Using Videos to Teach Medical Learners How to Address Common Breastfeeding Problems.

IntroductionThough breast milk is the recommended first food, only 84% of mothers try breastfeeding, and 19% of those babies are supplemented with formula by the second day of life. Mothers often fall short of their breastfeeding goals, which has been traced in part to primary care physicians’ discomfort and lack of confidence in assisting breastfeeding mothers. A video-based educational intervention was developed to enhance learner comfort and confidence in supporting breastfeeding.MethodsPrior to watching the videos, two separate groups of learners (25 primary care residents and 40 medical students) were given two assessments to assess their baseline knowledge and self-perceived comfort and confidence with breastfeeding based on the American Academy of Pediatrics residency breastfeeding curriculum. We gave the learners a checklist to guide their observations while watching the videos. The learners repeated the assessments after watching the videos.ResultsStudents who participated showed a statistically significant increase in breastfeeding knowledge and self-perceived comfort and confidence in assisting mothers with common breastfeeding problems. Additionally, residents increased their knowledge and confidence, but not their comfort with breastfeeding.DiscussionThe videos seem to have been most helpful in assisting learners with confidence with helping breastfeeding mothers and knowledge of breastfeeding. The videos also improved student comfort but were less effective in increasing residents’ comfort as residents generally self-rated their comfort level as high preceding the video curriculum. These videos provide an effective way to begin sensitizing learners to the importance of breastfeeding, common challenges, and potential solutions for new mothers.

Investigation of loose wood chips and sawdust as alternative sustainable sound absorber materials

This work deals with an experimental investigation of the acoustic absorption of two kinds of materials, i.e. chips, and sawdust of red, and beechwood. For this purpose, several particle sizes classes, and thicknesses were tested in the impedance tube in the frequency range [50–1400] Hz. The results show that the classes of (0.31 mm−0.63 mm), (0.63 mm−1.25 mm), and (1.25 mm−2.5 mm) give a better absorption coefficient, while the classes equal or higher than (5 mm−8 mm) as well as the class (0.16 mm–0.315 mm) are the least efficient ones. Also, one of the best particle sizes, namely (1.25 mm-2.5 mm) from redwood was packaged in a piece of fabric and then used as an alternative absorbent panel to simulate the intelligibility parameters of a large conference room of 1220 m3 in the interval [50–6000] Hz. The influence of the fabric on the absorption coefficient was examined first, and then the measurements of the absorption coefficient have been extended up to 6000 Hz by calculation after estimating the all 8 non-acoustical parameters involved in the Johnson-Champoux-Allard-Pride-Lafarge (JCAPL) model.The comparison between the intelligibility parameters obtained with our panels, and those which we simulated using commercial perforated panels, shows that they are almost the same. Consequently, the proposed alternative solution allowed us to reduce the project’s budget compared to the situation where the classic perforated wood panels were utilized.

Conversion of a Conference Room into a Low-Acuity Inpatient Medical Unit: A Creative Response to Influenza-Related Surge

The 2017-2018 influenza season was associated with high demand for both emergency department (ED) care and inpatient acute care for influenza-like illness (ILI). This high demand resulted in increased numbers of inpatients and ED patients, including prolonged ED length of stay. A large, urban, academic medical center in a cold-weather region was limited in its ability to expand its footprint to create de novo locations of care, such as temporary outbuildings or tents. As such, a large conference room was rapidly converted and placed in service as a temporary inpatient unit for adults requiring inpatient admission. LOGISTICS AND IMPLEMENTATION: The logistical, infection prevention, safety, information technology, staffing, and other concerns of creating a clinical environment during a high demand scenario is challenging. However, the lessons learned in this study are reproducible despite the complexity of this issue. CONCLUSION: This is believed to be the first published account of successful conversion of a nonclinical area to an operational clinical unit in response to a surge in demand for hospital care and admission. This may be a valid option for hospitals of all sizes as part of a surge or disaster plan.

Medical Education and the Minority Tax

I sat down at the large conference room table surrounded by the other medical students, some of whom I recognized from earlier stops on the residency interview trail. As they continued their conversations, I looked around, realizing I was once again the only interviewee who is black. I kept gazing around the room, only to find more faces staring back that did not look like me. Hanging grandly from the walls were faces, painted in watercolor, framed in bronze, and undoubtedly of really important men … really important white men.

Performance Degradation Due to Multipath Noise for Narrowband OFDM Systems: Channel-Based Analysis and Experimental Determination

The performance of OFDM systems over a multipath channel can strongly degrade due to the propagation delay spread. The distortion of the received signal over the fast Fourier transform window is referred to as multipath noise. This work aims to analytically determine the performance loss due to multipath noise as a function of OFDM and channel parameters for narrowband OFDM systems. First, it is investigated whether it is possible to describe the multipath noise, varying over different OFDM packets due to the temporal variation of the channel, by an effective noise factor F <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">delay</sub> , from which the loss factor is directly determined. Second, the theory of room electromagnetics is applied to develop a closed-form expression for F <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">delay</sub> as a function of the OFDM and reverberation parameters. This analytical method is validated with excellent agreement. Finally, the loss factor is determined for IEEE 802.11 based on channel measurements in two large conference rooms, providing values up to 19 dB for an 800 ns cyclic prefix length.

A Central Air Conditioning System Design for Hotel in Guangzhou

The primary mission of this design is the air conditioning design of a hotel in Guangzhou city. The calculation of cooling load &amp; heat load, division of the air conditioning system and the determination of the scheme, the design of the duct and water system, and the design of the smoke prevention and extraction system are all included. According to the related standard and considering the energy saving and comfort requirements, the air conditioning system are determined through the economic and technological comparison. Primary return air system is used for open office area and dining hall; fan-coil units with fresh air system is adopted for the guest rooms of the hotel; and the VRV system is adopted for the large conference room. The new air in restaurant rooms and the large conference room is handled by full-heat type fresh air exchanger; new air in guest room is handled by air conditioning units.

CO2-Based Demand Controlled Ventilation for Variable Air Volume Systems Serving Multiple Zones

My research team and I have been working on a research project, which finishes in August 2013. This project was the first awarded research project for which I served as the Principle Investigator during the beginning of my career. It holds a unique position in my heart and I would like to take this opportunity to share the significances and the main findings of this project with you. Demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) is a ventilation control strategy that provides automatic reduction of outdoor air (OA) intake below designed rates when the actual occupancy of spaces served by the system is less than the designed occupancy. American Society for Heating, Refrigeration, Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90.1 [1] requires installation of DCV for densely occupied spaces and that the DCV system should comply with ASHRAE Standard 62.1 [2]. Many engineers have applied DCV in large office buildings, lecture rooms or conference rooms. However, there are many complexities and issues in applying DCV in multiple zones (MZs) with a recirculating heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. Until the completion of this project, there was no recommended DCV control method for MZs in ASHRAE Standard 62.1 for design engineers to adopt or apply. Therefore, this research project was conducted to: (1) develop the fundamental equations for CO2-based DCV; (2) propose a CO2-based DCV for MZ HVAC systems and (3) evaluate the proposed DCV control strategies with energy simulation and airflow simulation. First of all, the validity of assumptions underlying CO2based DCV was validated. The literature review concluded that: (1) since the CO2 generation rate and odour generation rate are proportional,CO2 concentration can be adopted as a signifier of human odours in a space; (2) the bioeffluent generation rate is proportional to the number of occupants and their activity levels and (3) even though this research projectdoesnot include researching the types andaccuracyof CO2 sensors, we are aware of the facts thatmany commercial CO2 sensors that have been installed in the field have errors greater than 75ppm [3]. Therefore, more research work and development to optimize the CO2 sensors and to improve accuracy and reliability would be highly recommended. There are three control logics proposed and developed in this research project. They are:

Linear array of photodiodes to track a human speaker for video recording

Communication and collaboration using stored digital media has garnered more interest by many areas of business, government and education in recent years. This is due primarily to improvements in the quality of cameras and speed of computers. An advantage of digital media is that it can serve as an effective alternative when physical interaction is not possible. Video recordings that allow for viewers to discern a presenter's facial features, lips and hand motions are more effective than videos that do not. To attain this, one must maintain a video capture in which the speaker occupies a significant portion of the captured pixels. However, camera operators are costly, and often do an imperfect job of tracking presenters in unrehearsed situations. This creates motivation for a robust, automated system that directs a video camera to follow a presenter as he or she walks anywhere in the front of a lecture hall or large conference room. Such a system is presented.The system consists of a commercial, off-the-shelf pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) color video camera, a necklace of infrared LEDs and a linear photodiode array detector. Electronic output from the photodiode array is processed to generate the location of the LED necklace, which is worn by a human speaker. The computer controls the video camera movements to record video of the speaker. The speaker's vertical position and depth are assumed to remain relatively constant– the video camera is sent only panning (horizontal) movement commands. The LED necklace is flashed at 70Hz at a 50% duty cycle to provide noise-filtering capability. The benefit to using a photodiode array versus a standard video camera is its higher frame rate (4kHz vs. 60Hz). The higher frame rate allows for the filtering of infrared noise such as sunlight and indoor lighting–a capability absent from other tracking technologies. The system has been tested in a large lecture hall and is shown to be effective.

Development of a dual‐lamp projector with higher brightness

AbstractStationary projectors mainly used in system applications have recently gained a wider application range, including general presentations in halls and large conference rooms and being used, for example, in digital signage and for monitoring purposes. Consequently, they are required to meet new market demands for durability, reliability, and flexibility in installation in addition to their conventional basic performance such as especially high brightness. To achieve especially high brightness, a new optical system with two lamps is proposed; the profile of the cover glass that prevents the glass from scattering is made aspherical, the profile of the beam‐combining mirror is improved with its position optimized, and the size of the incident plane of the integrator rod is made larger (1.1 times).These measures resulted in an optical system of an even higher efficiency with 7000 lm, which is the highest in its class (according to a June 2010 investigation). Also, the arrangement of two parallel lamps completely eliminated the effect of heat passing from one lamp to the other, which helped secure durability, reliability, and flexibility in installation. Furthermore, the combined use of the unique non‐telecentric optical system, adopted from the conventional single‐lamp model, helps maintain the class‐highest contrast ratio.1,2

Path loss model and prediction of range, power and throughput for 802.11n in large conference rooms

In this paper, a path loss (PL) model for IEEE 802.11n in large conference rooms is proposed. The PL can be described accurately by a one-slope model with PL exponents varying from 1.2 to 1.7. The influence of humans (during a meeting) on the PL model is investigated. It was found that the PL exponent increases towards 2 in the presence of humans. Further, the effect of frequency (2.4/5GHz), antenna configuration (SISO vs. MIMO 2×2), bandwidth (20 vs. 40MHz) and transmit power on the required number of access points for wireless conferencing, total radiated power consumption and maximum throughput is investigated. This is done by link budget calculation, based on our proposed PL model as well as the IEEE 802.11 TGn channel model. In this evaluation, it was found that the two PL models predict some essentially different effects concerning throughput and radiated power.

One Tooth, Two Tooth, Green Tooth, Bluetooth, Part I

One Tooth, Two Tooth, Green Tooth, Bluetooth, Part I

News and Reports: Staff Relocate to SNS Site

In June 2004, the Spallation Neutron Source staff relocated to the Central Laboratory &Office (CLO) Building at the construction site on Chestnut Ridge at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The CLO contains 23,000 m2 of space for more than 400 staff and users. In addition to office space, the CLO will contain large shop areas, conference and training rooms, a receiving department, the central control room, and large spaces for laboratories-all dedicated to the scientific mission of the SNS. Complete occupancy will occur in fall 2004.

Long-Span Double Tees Enhance Spacious Convention Facilities in Chateau on the Lake

A major requirement in the design of the Chateau on the Lake - a $35 million hotel and convention center in Branson, Missouri -was the need for a nearly 130 ft (40 m) clear span for ballroom and exhibit space and large conference rooms, as well as parking space for a below-ground garage. The solution was provided by an all-precast/prestressed concrete structural shell together with a two-span double tee floor over below-floor parking, and a 128 ft (39 m) double roof clear span using 8 x 4 ft (2.44 x 1.22 m) double tees. Design and logistic challenges were met successfully with a fast-track schedule that incorporated the fabrication of more than 1800 precast/ prestressed components for a combined hotel and convention area of 350,000 sq ft (32550 m 2 ). This article presents the design, production, transportation and erection highlights of the project.

Workshop for Continued Discussion of the Local Bubble

AbstractAt the end of the regularly scheduled conference, the organizers made available a large sunny conference room for the remaining participants to continue discussion. The main topics were the structure of the Local Bubble and the properties of the Galactic X-ray halo. Here we try to summarize the main points of those discussions.

The Edge of Things

I felt the cold sweat on my forehead and tore off a piece of toilet paper, wiping it away with short, hard strokes. Most of all, though, I felt relief-shivering, beautiful, all-encompassing-the relief that comes from the sudden cessation of pain. It didn't last long but gave me time to read some of the grafitti on the door. Then the nausea began building up again. It reminded me of why I was there and fear returned, seeping into my cavities, slowly filling them with its substance. Finally I was able to relax in the safety of that little stall, shut off from the outside world. I lit up a cigarette and, after being sure that I'd gotten rid of everything, worked up the confidence to leave the men's room. I still had an hour or so. Looking around for something to do, I saw a sign indicating that there was a cafeteria downstairs. Deciding nervously that I needed to check my notes still once again, I went downstairs, around a bend, and joined the cafeteria line. It was mostly patronized by secretaries and working-class people. I got my coffee and found a seat off to one side, but there weren't many people there. My notes soon bored me. I knew it all anyway, so I let my mind wander into passageways whose door had been jarred open by tension. I stood there, at the top of the Washington Monument. On one side was the White House, on another the Pentagon. I was overwhelmed by the immensity of my task. Who would be so bold, so foolish, as to attack the white society right here in their capital city? What was there that was Indian out there? Maybe they were right! I should just go home. Transfixed, I waited until everyone else had left the viewing platform. Then, just as the elevator was about to disgorge a new group of tourists, I picked up my notes and raced down the stairs. Suddenly, I was in the Bureau of Indian Affairs building. Then quickly I moved into a large conference room where I stood in front of an irate mob of white professors and academicians, their faces distorted by ugly grimaces, their fists held in the air menacingly, and their throats giving rise to obscene and hateful declarations. Just then someone started shooting at me. I ducked behind the solid oak podium, my notes flying everywhere. Lips tightened, eyes narrowed, hardened, I began firing back with a pistol. The noise was terrible, screams, and sounds of bullets hitting nearby. Then, in the general turmoil, a woman of color I had seen before somewhere came up to me and said, C'mon brother, it's time to go. You gotta get outa here! As she led me through a morass of rooms, hallways, doors, and alleys that we passed through in quick

My life at the Journal, 1961-1993.

In 1961, when Dr. Joseph Garland met with me and his other two associate editors for our weekly review of manuscripts submitted to the Journal, the meeting took place in a small office in space shared with the Massachusetts Medical Society and the Boston Medical Library. Decisions were made by the four of us, and accepted manuscripts were soon on their way to our talented copy editor, Robert O'leary. Now, more than 30 years later, weekly meetings with the editor-in-chief continue, but they take place in a large conference room at the Countway Library of Medicine and include 17 participants. . . .