Tablet Users Research Articles

The Influence of Ipad and Tablet Computers on the Enhancement of Oral and Listening Proficiency among Young Students

Educational technology integration rises as schools rethink American school ideology and practices. Technology may be used in schools to develop modern education, but iPad integration in basic math’s teaching has to be understood. In response to these challenges, this in-depth case study examined how iPads as personalised learning aids affect third graders' arithmetic performance and attitudes using nearly experimental qualitative as well as quantitative information. How did NPS School use iPads in a third- grade mathematics classroom as well as how did it influence elementary school students' math skills and attitudes? Subquestions helped fully and comprehensively evaluate the practice problem. How do iPads and textbooks compare in third-grade arithmetic? How do tablet users see math’s differently from traditional students? These study questions were answered by two third-grade math classrooms. Standard education and iPad-integrated teaching were given to two groups. iPads were the only group difference. Content, lesson design, evaluations, inventories, & instructors were identical. Student learning and attitudes were assessed using both pre- and post-tests or an ATMI. The instructor & coordinating administrator were questioned for further information. Researchers also looked at teacher lesson plans to see how iPads were used. This study discovered quantitative-qualitative gaps. Although the post-test and ATMI were not statistically significant, the interviews with the participating adults suggested that students who utilised iPads for teaching had better involvement, attitudes, and productivity.

Evaluation of the Effects of Punica granatum Flower Tablets on Pain and Healing of Minor Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

The purpose of this study was to determine the therapeutic effect of the Punica granatum (PG) flower on recurrent aphthous stomatitis in comparison with corticosteroid therapy. This cross-over randomized clinical trial was conductedon the patients who had been referred to Shiraz Dental School for their RAS in 2021. All the participants used both P. granatum flower tablets and Triadent a month apart for wash-out time and all compared themselves. In the experimental group, 30 patients received pomegranate flower tablets, three tablets daily, for 6 days. In the control group, oral paste Triadent has been prescribed three times a day for 6 days. The visual analog scale (VAS) and the size of RAS were evaluated on Days 0-6. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 21. The Wilcoxon test was used. The mean age of participants was 27.8 ± 14.77 years old. In this study, 15 patients (50%) were men and 15 patients (50%) were women. The mean value of VAS after using prescribed treatment in both evaluated groups on all days was significantly different such that the VAS values were lower for PG flower tablets than Triadent (p value < 0.05). The size of oral lesions in participants who used PG flower tablets was significantly less than those who used Triadent on all evaluation days (p value < 0.05) except on Day 1 (p value = 0.29). The descending slope of VAS from Days 1 to 6 for both Triadent and PG flower tablet users was significant and noticeable. (p value < 0.05). According to the result of this study, both P. granatum flower tablet and Triadent are useful in reducing the size, period of healing, and VAS of patients with RAS, but the PG flower tablet is more effective.

Piloting electronic informed consenting in a pneumococcal human infection study in Blantyre, Malawi

Background Electronic consent can potentially improve accuracy, workflow, and overall patient experience in clinical research but has not been used in Malawi, owing to uncertainty about data security and technical support. Objectives We explored the feasibility of using electronic consent (e-consent) in an ongoing human infection study in Blantyre Malawi. We dual-consented participants by both electronic and paper methods to assess the feasibility of electronic consent, and then compared benefits and challenges of the two methods. Methods The approved paper consent forms were digitized using Open Data Kit (ODK). Following participant information giving by the research staff, healthy literate adult participants with no audio-visual impairments completed a self-administered e-consent and provided an electronic signature. Signed e-consent forms were uploaded to a secure study server. While the participants were in clinic, the signed electronic consent form was printed as a copy for the participant. The feasibility, advantages and disadvantages including data safety consideration for e-consenting were evaluated by exploring issues surrounding use of e-consenting versus paper-based consenting. Consent forms were analysed by research staff for errors such as overwriting and legibility. Results We piloted 109 participants to e-consenting. It was found to be user friendly, had 0% (n 0/109) errors compared to 43.1% (n 47/109) in paper based methods along with enhanced data safety. The challenges included difficult digitization of ethics stamped documents, volunteer unfamiliarity with tablet user interface and its requirement for a working internet and printer. Conclusion E-consenting was feasible but required additional resource investment. Benefits included error minimization and data security.

Utility values and electronic device use in low-vision people attending rehabilitation services: Data from a nation-wide registry in Italy.

To estimate utility values associated with visual loss using EuroQol (EQ-5D) questionnaire, the impact of low-vision (LV) device use on utilities and the contribution of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) score in patients attending vision rehabilitation (VR) services enrolled in the Italian Device & Aids Register (D.A.Re). This is a multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional study. D.A.Re. collects general and clinical information, vision-specific variables, use of electronic devices and quality of life questionnaires. A total of 442 patients (75.0±16.6 years, 275 female) were included, 88 (19.9%) used specialised electronic LV devices, and 116 (26.2%) used smartphones and tablets. Users of smartphones and tablets were younger than non-users (67.5 vs. 77.6 years, p<0.001), but overall, their age ranged between 20 and 93. Stronger associations were found between vision-specific variables and IADL score compared to EQ-5D score. In multivariable age-adjusted models, the utility value of using smartphones and tablets on EQ-5D score was 0.12 (p<0.01), slightly larger than that of 1.0 logMAR difference (-0.09, p<0.01) or visual field damage within 10° of fixation (-0.10, p<0.01). Use of portable low-vision electronic devices and being employed or student (vs. retired) was also associated with better utility values (0.12 and 0.15, respectively, p<0.05). Visual loss is associated with loss of utilities in Italian patients attending VR services, whereas special-purpose electronic aids, and smartphone and tablet use are associated with better utility values. We found that IADL may be more sensitive to visual loss than EQ-5D and could be a valid health-related quality of life outcome in trials on VR.

Swipe, tap, read? Unveiling the effects of Touchscreen devices on Emergent Literacy Development in preschoolers

Emergent literacy skills are vital for children’s reading and writing development. While touchscreen devices have been linked to enhanced emergent literacy in developed countries, their impact in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with limited access to quality apps, is underexplored. Thailand, classified as an upper-middle-income country, presents a unique context with its specific challenges in educational technology, which have not been extensively studied. This study examined the relationship between touchscreen device usage and emergent literacy development in Thai preschool children. Using a cross-sectional design, we analyzed data from 317 Thai children aged 5–6 years, assessing their emergent literacy skills and examining the association with touchscreen device usage through logistic regression analysis. Our findings showed that 79.5% of participants engaged with touchscreen devices, and there was an observed trend suggesting that exclusive tablet users might exhibit enhanced phonological awareness, letter naming, and rapid automatized naming skills. However, these potential improvements did not reach statistical significance when primary caregiver characteristics were taken into account. Our findings highlight the complexity of this relationship and underscore the need for further research to elucidate the potential influences of application quality and screen time engagement on emergent literacy, particularly in LMICs.

Feasibility of a digital cognitive screening test to detect cognitive impairment

AbstractBackgroundAssessment of cognitive functioning is important for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Current cognitive screening tests are not often administered due to time limitations and the availability of trained staff. We developed the Rhode Island Cognitive Assessment Tool (RIMCAT), a self administered tablet‐based test with special attention given to creating an age‐friendly interface. The objective of this project was to collect feasibility data on the instrument.Method50 participants (Healthy Controls [HC] n = 33; Cognitively Impaired [CI]; diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia n = 17) were administered the RIMCAT with a proctor who documented any difficulty with a test component and provided necessary verbal prompts. Participants also completed a survey about their experience. The RIMCAT includes measures of orientation, attention, language, verbal and visual memory, computation, and executive functioning. Data were analyzed using frequencies, descriptive statistics, and independent sample t‐tests.ResultParticipants were 98% white, 76% female, had a mean age of 71.28 (SD = 8.63), and were well‐educated (M = 15.88; SD = 2.34). They were regular users of smartphones (83%), computers (85%), and tablets (61%). The HC group (M = 2.06; SD = 1.90) required significantly fewer prompts during the RIMCAT administration compared to the CI group (M = 4.82, SD = 3.57), p &lt; .001. Two CI individuals were unable to complete the measure despite verbal prompting. The verbal memory task was the most technologically challenging, with comparable rates of prompting in both groups. Common problems included difficulty with input methods (keyboard and microphone entry), button use, and comprehension of instructions. Survey responses however, revealed that 80% or more participants rated instruction and image clarity, video and voice quality, and button usage as very good or excellent.ConclusionResults demonstrated initial feasibility of the RIMCAT for individuals with and without cognitive impairment. Design features were rated highly and most individuals completed the measure with minimal prompting, although CI individuals needed significantly more prompts. Therefore, future research will continue to refine the RIMCAT using participatory design and feedback to increase the likelihood of successful self‐administration for older adults with varying levels of cognition.

ViGather: Inclusive Virtual Conferencing with a Joint Experience Across Traditional Screen Devices and Mixed Reality Headsets

Teleconferencing is poised to become one of the most frequent use cases of immersive platforms, since it supports high levels of presence and embodiment in collaborative settings. On desktop and mobile platforms, teleconferencing solutions are already among the most popular apps and accumulate significant usage time---not least due to the pandemic or as a desirable substitute for air travel or commuting. In this paper, we present ViGather, an immersive teleconferencing system that integrates users of all platform types into a joint experience via equal representation and a first-person experience. ViGather renders all participants as embodied avatars in one shared scene to establish co-presence and elicit natural behavior during collocated conversations, including nonverbal communication cues such as eye contact between participants as well as body language such as turning one's body to another person or using hand gestures to emphasize parts of a conversation during the virtual hangout. Since each user embodies an avatar and experiences situated meetings from an egocentric perspective no matter the device they join from, ViGather alleviates potential concerns about self-perception and appearance while mitigating potential 'Zoom fatigue', as users' self-views are not shown. For participants in Mixed Reality, our system leverages the rich sensing and reconstruction capabilities of today's headsets. For users of tablets, laptops, or PCs, ViGather reconstructs the user's pose from the device's front-facing camera, estimates eye contact with other participants, and relates these non-verbal cues to immediate avatar animations in the shared scene. Our evaluation compared participants' behavior and impressions while videoconferencing in groups of four inside ViGather with those in Meta Horizon as a baseline for a social VR setting. Participants who participated on traditional screen devices (e.g., laptops and desktops) using ViGather reported a significantly higher sense of physical, spatial, and self-presence than when using Horizon, while all perceived similar levels of active social presence when using Virtual Reality headsets. Our follow-up study confirmed the importance of representing users on traditional screen devices as reconstructed avatars for perceiving self-presence.

Comparison of neck muscle strength, range of motion, and craniovertebral angle among Malaysian young adults using different electronic devices

&lt;b&gt;Aim: &lt;/b&gt;Prolonged use of electronic devices (EDs) and adopting poor posture during ED usage might lead to musculoskeletal disorders among young adults and adolescents. Hence, this study compares neck muscle strength, range of motion (ROM), and craniovertebral angle (CVA) among Malaysian young adults using different EDs.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Methods: &lt;/b&gt;A cross-sectional study using a quantitative study design was applied to compare neck muscle strength, ROM, and CVA between laptop and tablet users of Malaysian young adults. The population of this study covers young adults residing in Selangor, Malaysia. Among them, 30 laptop users and 30 tablet users were selected using the selection criteria and criterion-based sampling method. The data analysis was carried out with SPSS 20.0 at a 5% level of significance.&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; There was no significant difference between the laptop and tablet users concerning neck muscle strength and CVA. However, a significant difference was observed only in the neck extension ROM between laptop and tablet users. The mean neck extension ROM is lower in tablet users than in their counterparts. The mean CVA of laptop and tablet users was less than 50 degrees, indicating severe FHP. Most laptop users (73.3%) were categorized into severe FHP than tablet users (53.3%).&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; The mean neck extension ROM is lower in tablet users than in laptop users. Most laptop users had severe FHP than tablet users. Hence, Malaysian young adults should adhere to the appropriate duration of ED usage, ergonomics while using ED. and postural correction exercises to prevent and reduce musculoskeletal problems.

Central nervous system tumours among users of vaginal oestradiol tablets: a nationwide population-based study.

It is currently unknown whether cumulative use of vaginal oestradiol is associated with development of meningioma and glioma. We conducted a nested case-control study within a nationwide cohort of Danish women followed from 2000 to 2018. The cohort consisted of 590,676 women aged 50-60 years at study start, without prior cancer diagnosis or use of systemic hormone therapy. Information on cumulative dose, duration, and intensity of vaginal oestradiol tablet use was assessed from filled prescriptions. Conditional logistic regression provided adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for the association between vaginal oestradiol use and diagnosis of meningioma or glioma. We identified 1,108 women with meningioma and 835 with glioma. Of these, 19.8% and 14.0% used vaginal oestradiol tablets, respectively. The HRs with ever use of vaginal oestradiol tablets was 1.14 (95% CI, 0.97-1.34) for meningioma and 0.90 (0.73-1.11) for glioma. The corresponding HRs for new users exclusively were 1.18 (0.99-1.40) for meningioma and 0.89 (0.71-1.13) for glioma. Intensity of vaginal oestradiol tablet use according to duration and user status yielded slightly elevated HRs for meningioma without an apparent dose-response pattern, while HRs of glioma were generally below unity. Among new users, the HR with high intensity of current or recent vaginal oestradiol tablet use for 2+ years was 1.66 (1.09-2.55) for meningioma and 0.77 (0.41-1.44) for glioma. Use of vaginal oestradiol tablets was associated with a slightly increased incidence of meningioma but not of glioma. Owing to the observational nature of the study, residual bias cannot be ruled out. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

New Zealand early childhood services: Reasons for use or non-use of tablet computers

With the increasing use of tablets in early childhood education (ECE) services internationally, a sequential explanatory mixed-method doctoral study was undertaken to explore their use in New Zealand. The study surveyed four major service types: education and care, home-based, kindergarten, and playcentre. Qualitative data from one tablet user service and one tablet non-user service from each type were then collected. The findings revealed three main reasons for not using tablets: educational philosophy, funding, and company or service policy. The three main purposes for using tablets were for documentation and assessment, playing music, and using these devices for creative purposes. A collective case study identified that two non-users shifted from completely not using tablets to using them for specific purposes, suggesting that tablet computer adoption in ECE is not binary. The data suggest that teachers and educators play a key role in deciding when and how to use tablets in ECE services. Tablet computer use was not limited to a dichotomy of use and non-use; rather their use in New Zealand’s ECE services was spread along a spectrum that ranged from limited, to specialised, to comprehensive use. This study suggests that access to and use of tablet computers is not fixed but varies according to services’ goals and educational philosophies.

Examining the relationship between parents' digital parenting self-efficacy and digital parenting attitudes.

Digital resources have begun to be used frequently by both children and parents. Digital resources, which are used very frequently, have entered our lives more and more with the pandemic with the development of technology. Children are now regular users of smartphones and tablets, so children's early digital interactions have brought new concepts into parent-child relationships and the role of the parent. It is thought that it will be important to re-examine the self-efficacy and attitudes of digital parents in this regard and the factors affecting the family-child relationship. Digital parenting is explained as parental efforts and practices aiming at understanding, supporting, and regulating children's activities in digital environments. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the correlation between parents' digital parenting self-efficacy and digital parenting attitudes. The study group of this research consists of 434 parents whose children attend primary school living in different provinces of Turkey. In the research, "Demographic Information Form" and "Digital Parenting Self-Efficacy Scale" and, "Digital Parenting Attitude Scale" were used as data collection tools. Frequency, percentage, standard deviation, correlation, regression, multiple regression, and two-way analysis of variance statistical techniques were used in the analysis of the data. As a result of the research, it was concluded that the digital parenting self-efficacy and digital parenting attitude have a moderate correlation and some of the variables are important predictors on the digital parenting self-efficacy.

Effect of tablet tilt positioning on ergonomic risks and respiratory function

The static posture associated with continuous tablet use can lead to musculoskeletal disorders of the neck and upper extremities as well as respiratory function disorders. We hypothesized that 0-degree tablet placement (flat on a table) would affect ergonomic risks and respiratory function. Eighteen undergraduate students were divided into two groups (n = 9 per group). In the first group, the tablet was placed at a 0-degree angle, whereas in the second group, it was placed at a 40- to 55-degree angle on a student learning chair. The tablet was used continuously for 2 h for writing and internet use. Rapid upper-limb assessment (RULA), craniovertebral angle, and respiratory function were assessed. There was no significant difference in respiratory function, including forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC, between the groups (p = 0.09) or within groups. However, there was a statistically significant between-group difference in RULA (p = 0.001), with the 0-degree group having a greater ergonomic risk. There were also significant within-group differences between pre- and posttest. The CV angle differed significantly between groups (p = 0.03), whereby the 0-degree group had poor posture, as well as within the 0-degree group (p = 0.039), though not within the 40- to 55-degree group (p = 0.067). Undergraduate students who place their tablets at a 0-degree angle face increased ergonomic risks and higher potential for developing musculoskeletal disorders and poor posture. Thus, elevating the tablet and instituting rest intervals may prevent or decrease the ergonomic risks among tablet users.

An Analysis of Competition Strategies of Note-taking App Market based on Hotelling Model Theory

Responses to COVID-19 have speeded the adoption of digital technologies by several years, resulting in flourishing Note-taking software markets. This paper studies the competition between the two most popular note-taking apps with horizontal differentiations for tablet users: Notability and GoodNotes 5. A modified Hotelling model is used where firms' persuasive advertisements will affect consumers' preferences, hence implicitly changing their location and their overall travel costs. A two-stage process is considered during firm competition when building up models. In the first stage, firms decide on the levels of advertisement of their products in the first stage, then set different prices to maximize profits. By solving this modified model and analyzing the equilibrium profits, the result shows that advertising leads to the same price tactics for the two firms. However, due to the existence of advertising strategies, firms have to bear the cost of this extra advertising competition. Therefore, both firms in the end will receive lower levels of profits compared to the standard model. Indicating that persuasive advertisement has caused Pareto inefficiency, leading to deadweight loss and reduced profit gains for the two firms.

Cloud Computing Image Processing Application in Athlete Training High-Resolution Image Detection

The rapid development of Internet of things mobile application technology and artificial intelligence technology has given birth to a lot of services that can meet the needs of modern life, such as augmented reality technology, face recognition services, and language recognition and translation, which are often applied to various fields, and some other aspects of information communication and processing services. It has been used on various mobile phone, computer, or tablet user clients. Terminal equipment is subject to the ultralow latency and low energy consumption requirements of the above-mentioned applications. Therefore, the gap between resource-demanding application services and resource-limited mobile devices will bring great problems to the current and future development of IoT mobile applications. Based on the local image features of depth images, this paper designs an image detection method for athletes' motion posture. First, according to the characteristics of the local image, the depth image of the athlete obtained through Kinect is converted into bone point data. Next, a 3-stage exploration algorithm is used to perform block matching calculations on the athlete's bone point image to predict the athlete's movement posture. At the same time, using the characteristics of the Euclidean distance of the bone point image, the movement behavior is recognized. According to the experimental results, for some external environmental factors, such as sun illumination and other factors, the image detection method designed in this paper can effectively avoid their interference and influence and show the movement posture of athletes, showing excellent accuracy and robustness in predicting the movement posture of athletes and action recognition. This method can simplify a series of calibration tasks in the initial stage of 3D video surveillance and infer the posture of the observation target and recognize it in real time. The one that has good application values has specific reference values for the same job.

Evaluation of the activities of some antioxidant enzymes and lipid profile in the women using contraceptives

Contraception provides a means through which conception can be regulated by interfering with the normal process of ovulation, fertilization and implantation. Few public health interventions are as effective as family planning programs at reducing the mortality and morbidity of mothers and infants and have such a breadth of positive impacts. : This research focus on evaluation of the lipid profiles and activities of antioxidant enzymes in women using contraceptives, which are the main line of defense against free radicals. : One hundred and Eighty (180) women were recruited from Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti and divided into 6 groups based on the method of contraceptives used. Group 1 served as control (women using natural planning), Group 2 (women using oral pills), Group 3 (women using intra uterine device), Group 4 (women using implant), Group 5(women using injection) and Group 6 (women using condom). Parameters including Body mass index (BMI) and the lipid profiles (Total Cholesterol (TC), High density lipoprotein (HDL), Low density lipoprotein (LDL) and Triglycerides (TG) were estimated in the plasma of all the test groups. The results showed significant increase in the BMI of women using pills, IUD, Implant and Injection (p&amp;#60;0.05). Significant decrease were observed in the Total cholesterol of Injection, IUD and Tablet users (p&amp;#60;0.05), significant decrease were observed in HDL of women using Tablet and Implant. : There was no significant decrease in the plasma level of women with the age range of 38-48 and activity of antioxidant enzymes, a significant increase in the Body mass index of these women (p&amp;#60;0.05) and slight increase in the weight of women using hormonal contraceptive when compared with the natural family planning method which served as the control. It can be said that lipid profile and antioxidant enzymes were implicated with the use of contraception, depending on the method used.

An Efficient Reversible Digital Oil Painting Technique for Smartphone and Tablet Users

With the increase in mobility in technology, artists are looking for ways to create paintings using their tablets and smartphones while on the move. Digital oil painting is a revolutionary technique where an artist uses digital paintbrush to simulate the traditional bristle paintbrush of a painting to get an oil paint image. In this article, we propose a novel realistic technique for reversible digital oil painting to accelerate the users to (re)paint an oil paint image to convey the surrounding atmosphere, express their emotions and feelings, or showcase a time of day or type of weather through that painting. Realism is all about accuracy. To repaint, the original image is retrieved from the existing oil paint image by reversing the pixels to its original value. We derive a mathematical expression to determine the probability of a pixel, with a set of neighbor pixels, being oil painted to get an oil paint image of the desired quality, which reduces the time and space complexities of the technique. We also develop prototypes on Android, Windows, and Ubuntu operating systems that successfully implement the proposed technique.

Evaluating the impact of writing surface and configuration on muscle activation level during a handwriting task: An exploratory study.

Tablets are ubiquitous in workplaces and schools. However, there have been limited studies investigating the effect tablets have on the body during digital writing activities. This study investigated the biomechanical impact of writing interface design (paper, whiteboard, and tablet) and orientation (horizontal, 45°, and vertical) on tablet users. Fourteen adults (7 male, 7 female) participated in a study during which they performed simple writing tasks. Surface electromyography (sEMG) sensors were used to measure upper extremity muscle activation. Results indicate that the effects of writing surface type were most pronounced in forearm muscle activation. Specifically, in the extensor carpi radialis (ECR), where muscle activity was lower on the tablet PC surface. The effects of writing configuration were prominent in the shoulder and forearm. The activation of the flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) and trapezius muscles was significantly lower in the 45° configuration. An exception to the efficacy of this configuration was the anterior deltoid muscle, which exhibited the lowest muscle activity in the horizontal orientation. Tablet surface and the 45° configuration resulted in the lowest muscle activation levels. Future studies should include longer experiment duration to investigate the effects of continuous writing.

Crossing the digital divide: a veteran affairs program to distribute video-enabled devices to patients in a supportive housing program.

ObjectiveEvaluate an initiative to distribute video-enabled tablets and cell phones to individuals enrolled in Veterans Health Affairs supportive housing program during the COVID-19 pandemic.Materials and MethodsIn September 2020, individuals in the Veteran Health Affairs (VA) Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program were offered either a video-enabled tablet or cellphone to support their communication and health care engagement needs. We examined sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of device recipients, and compared engagement in in-person, telephone, and video-based visits (categorized as primary care, specialty care, rehabilitation, HUD-VASH, mental health care, and other) for 6 months prior to (March 1, 2020–August 31, 2020) and following (September 1, 2020–July 30, 2021) device receipt.ResultsIn total, 5127 Veterans received either a tablet (n = 4454) or a cellphone (n = 673). Compared to the 6 months prior to device receipt, in the 6 months following receipt, in-person and video engagement increased by an average of 1.4 visits (8%) and 3.4 visits (125%), respectively, while telephone engagement decreased (−5.2 visits; −27%). Both tablet and cellphone recipients had increased in-person visits (+1.3 visits [8%] and +2.1 visits [13%], respectively); while tablet users had a substantially larger increase in video-based engagement (+3.2 visits [+110%] vs. +0.9 [+64%]). Similar trends were noted across all assessed types of care.DiscussionProviding video-enabled devices to Veterans in a supportive housing program may facilitate engagement in health care.Conclusions and RelevanceVA’s device distribution program offers a model for expanding access to health-related technology and telemedicine to individuals in supportive housing programs.

Development of Voice Call Transfer Service between Android Smart Phone and Tablet

Everyone necessitate communication technology in this information era. By use of modern technology, everyone should prefer wireless service without using bundle of wires. Colleges, shopping malls, corporate offices, coffee shops, construction buildings and restaurants provide Wi-Fi service to customers. Wi-Fi service allows data and voice transmissions over connected devices in same network. Proposed paper presents development of voice call transfer service that processes incoming telephone call which uses Wi-Fi as communication medium for voice transmission between smart phone and tablet. The proposed method allows real time communication transferred over wifi using IP between smart phone and tablet at no cost. Wi-Fi enabled smart phone and tablet are connected to the router or wifi access point to provide communication between caller and tablet user. Proposed paper develops cost effective, easy and reliable voice communication over Wi-Fi which provides good and comfort experience to user.

Musculoskeletal symptoms among adult smartphone and tablet device users: a retrospective study

BackgroundPrevious literature suggests the use of smartphones and tablet devices may result in various postural and musculoskeletal disorders, predominantly of the neck and upper extremities. However, factors that contribute to the symptoms have not been adequately explored.MethodsThis study aimed to investigate the prevalence and patterns (e.g. types, sites and temporal distributions) of musculoskeletal symptoms among adult smartphone and tablet device users. It also investigated device usage in terms of usage time, postures adopted during use, operational methods and purposes of device use in order to explain the symptom occurrences. Participants from eastern states of Australia retrospectively reported device usage and symptoms in the preceding two-week period, via an online survey. Data was analysed using Chi-square [χ2] analysis to determine the relationships between categorical variables; Mann-Whitney U tests to compare two groups (e.g. smartphone-only users versus tablet users) where dependant variables were ordinal; independent samples t-tests if dependent variables were continuous and approximated a normal distribution; and Spearman’s correlation analysis to assess the relationships between pairs of continuous or ordinal variables.ResultsOf the 207 participants, 59.9% reported musculoskeletal symptoms during or after device use; for 64.5% of these, symptoms began within the first 30 min (mostly between 15 and 30 min) of commencing usage. No statistically significant differences were observed between smartphone-only users and tablet device users in proportions reporting symptoms during device use (χ2 = .350, N = 207, p = .554). The most prevalent symptom was stiffness. The most prevalent symptom occurred in the neck (18.1% in smartphone-only users and 19.3% in tablet device users). Tablet users who were 18–24 year-old and used their device for more than 30 min in each usage session more often experienced symptoms (82.4% prevalence) than those who used a device for 30 min or less (52.2%) (χ2 = 4.723, N = 63, p = .030).ConclusionThese findings suggest that user age, duration and frequency of usage, and type of device are important factors to consider in the formation of evidence-based guidelines to reduce experiences of musculoskeletal symptoms among smartphone and tablet device users. If usage was capped at < 15 min, the majority of smartphone and tablet device users would avoid symptoms.