A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: Betty Smith’s Bestselling Introduction to the Gilded Age and Progressive Era

An analysis of Betty Smith’s bestselling coming-of-age novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn reveals how popular literature can serve as an important introduction to signature issues of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. Industrialization, urbanization, and immigration are highlighted in the novel—as well as attendant problems including poverty, machine politics, child labor, and prejudice and discrimination. Profound ignorance about sexuality and conception abound in a religious culture that made premarital sex and birth control sinful and shameful, with unhappy marriages and unwanted children the result. As poverty and deviant sexuality abound, eugenics is touted as a sensible solution. The novel helps to explain why there was no organized rebellion or revolution when the struggling poor found that the promise of upward mobility was elusive. Characters have differing definitions of the American Dream. Some seek respite in religion, leisure activities, or alcohol. Others find hope in a variety of reform measures, including public health and education, settlement houses, and unions. The novel ends as the technology that made the nation’s industrialization and urbanization possible continues to produce new marvels that will transform the lives of the urban poor, bringing the Gilded Age and Progressive Era to a close

A clinical trial of the Examen and mindfulness within a secular substance use disorder treatment program

The Examen is a 500-year-old Jesuit introspective prayer and reflection. Recent research has indicated that it has utility in psychotherapy. This study implemented the Examen as a secular cognitive–behavioral tool in the first longitudinal clinical trial of the intervention with an addiction treatment population, comparing it directly to a treatment-as-usual mindfulness intervention. The study found that Examen and mindfulness are equivalent in outcomes on depression, anxiety, stress, and substance craving. Further research should continue to investigate the Examen as an alternative to mindfulness for religious and secular populations and the factors responsible for the success of these practices

MeadowMinds: An AI Literacy Game

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in our everyday lives has created a need for educating young people of the fundamentals and capabilities of AI in an engaging and effective manner. MeadowMinds: An AI Literacy Game aims to address this need by creating a game that simplifies complex machine learning (ML) concepts into an accessible 3D world for middle school students. This project follows a structured, agile development approach, incorporating comprehensive user research and feedback. The objectives of this project included transforming ML concepts, such as clustering and embedding in Large Language Models (LLMs), into interactive gameplay. We utilized various technologies, including Unity for game development, Blender, Maya, and UnityProBuilder for 3D modeling, and Figma for design preparation. These technologies were essential in ensuring a robust and user-friendly experience. Internal and external testing methods were employed to refine the game\u27s functionality and educational value. The results of internal and external testing demonstrated that game-based learning enhances AI literacy among the target audience by providing an immersive and engaging learning experience. Key findings include improved user understanding through survey feedback as well as positive feedback on usability and educational content. Challenges such as technical constraints and data privacy regulation compliance were encountered and addressed. “MeadowMinds” successfully offers an innovative and interactive learning tool set to bridge the gaps in AI education in our current society. Future project recommendations include extensive external testing with the target audience in educational settings. Another positive addition would be adjustable levels and additional AI topics. This project underscores the potential of game-based learning in fostering AI literacy and preparing the next generation for a technologically advanced future

The Journey to Desensitization: A Mobile App for Oral Immunotherapy Patients

Millions of individuals in the United States confront the daily challenges of food allergies, with the threat of potentially life-threatening reactions ever-present. Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) emerges as a beacon of hope in this landscape, gradually desensitizing patients to their allergens. This groundbreaking treatment, contrasting avoidance strategies, promises a life with fewer restrictions. However, it is a journey fraught with complexities, requiring rigorous adherence to protocols, emotional fortitude, and frequent medical supervision for patients. This thesis centers on the creation of an iPhone application tailored to OIT patients, leveraging Apple’s privacy and security features. The app integrates seamlessly with the Apple Health app, providing a platform for dose tracking, symptom logging, and the visualization of long-term trends. As a comprehensive resource, it educates users about anaphylaxis and OIT. This project seeks to address the unmet needs of OIT patients, offering vital support, guidance, and resources, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for those grappling with food allergies

E-Scooter Black Box

The burgeoning market for shared e-scooters is significantly hampered by the short lifespan of commercial e-scooters, which currently average just three months due to rough handling by users. To address this challenge, our project aims to extend the lifespan of shared e-scooters through an innovative onboard solution that discourages detrimental riding behaviors. Our solution integrates a portable sensor hub from STMicroelectronics to capture ride data, which is then processed and sent via a user’s iOS app to a Google Firebase backend. A machine learning model running in the cloud analyzes the data to extract valuable metrics. These metrics are displayed on a dedicated web application, enabling ride-sharing companies to monitor and influence user behavior effectively. By providing these insights, our solution not only promotes the longevity of the e-scooters but also enhances the operational feasibility for service providers, with the potential to transform the economic landscape of urban ride-sharing

9-Axis Motion Tracking to Aid Therapeutic Recovery via Visualization, Analysis and Progress Monitoring

This paper presents an innovative approach to enhance at-home physical therapy exercises through the development of a wearable motion tracking system. The proposed system utilizes motion tracking bands worn by patients during exercises, specifically focusing on a squat jump for the initial phase of the project. The bands, placed around the ankle and knee, monitor the alignment of the user\u27s motion and transmit data via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to a dedicated webpage. This webpage integrates real-time data analysis, offering immediate feedback to users, enabling them to monitor their form and track progress over time. The collected data is stored in a database, facilitating comprehensive recovery progress monitoring. Traditional physical therapy relies heavily on in-clinic sessions, leaving patients to perform exercises independently at home. The developed Internet of Things (IoT) system aims to address this gap by providing patients with continuous insights into their exercises, ensuring correct execution and optimizing the recovery process. The system\u27s live feedback and accessible interface empower users to self-monitor, reducing the risk of incorrect exercise execution and contributing to more effective rehabilitation. The integration of technology into physical therapy not only enhances patient engagement but also revolutionizes the industry\u27s feedback mechanisms, offering instantaneous and detailed insights for more efficient and personalized rehabilitation

MonteRecycle: An Application for Streamlining Tracking of Recyclables in Uruguay

Recycling is a crucial process that has a positive impact on nature, cleans the environment, and saves time and money. Classifying recyclables by material and recycling these items accordingly helps make our world more environmentally-friendly and a better place to live. In the recycling system in Montevideo, Uruguay, third-party contractors hired by San Vicente transport clients’ recyclables to a central recycling center or to a person that does recycling. In the past, San Vicente has transported recyclables though horse and buggy transportation. However, there has been a push from the city to replace the horses with motorcycles to reduce animal waste. As the first approach, San Vicente used pen and paper for tracking the type, weight, and pickup location of the received materials. Losing the paper on the field due to the nature of the job and rain, lack of a standard template for collecting the data, as well as its lack of error-handling features are some of the downsides of the pen and paper approach. Simplicity of using pen and paper, however, is considered as the pros of this approach. To improve this process, San Vicente tried using Google Forms for collecting information and storing them into spreadsheets which could then later be used by the admins to verify the data and generate monthly reports for their clients. While this approach alleviates the challenges of losing papers, its usability is more complex for the field workers with limited literature, math, and technological skills. To solve this problem, we made a full-stack application that tracks recycling data and reports accurate pickup totals and classification details to clients. We designed and developed MonteRecycle using React Native (for the UI), Postgres (for strong data), React JS (for the admin web application), and Google Cloud (for hosting the Postgres). Additionally, we developed the admin website to display all of the data gathered in the mobile application to the administrator of this recycling process. Our project is successfully implemented, tested, and provided as a downloadable Android APK to San Vicente to be used on the field as their main framework for entering and organizing data as well as generating monthly reports for San Vicente’s clients. Through this project, we learned that change is inevitable in the software development process and that user feedback is the most important feedback we can get to improve our application

Skin Phantom Development for Electrophysiological Wearable Device Testing

This senior design project aimed to develop a skin phantom suitable for testing electrophysiological wearable devices. Our skin phantom consisted of a porous paper PDMS as the epithelial layer, initially paired with agarose gel as the tissue layer, and later with gelatin based on comparative analysis. Through rigorous experimentation and leveraging data from the IT’IS Foundation’s interactive database, we identified that gelatin exhibited superior electrical properties compared to agarose, making it a more effective medium for replicating human tissue. Our work not only validated the use of paper PDMS with both agarose and gelatin but also demonstrated that gelatin\u27s lower impedance enhances the efficiency of electrical signal transmission. The results of this project have potential to make an impact in the field of electrophysiological wearable technology development. We were able to create a skin-tissue phantom that considers electromagnetic properties critical for realistic device testing and tune these properties by changing their fabrication parameters. By showing that paper PDMS works effectively with gelatin, we provided a viable alternative for future skin phantom constructions. This advancement ensures that electrophysiological devices can be tested under conditions that closely mimic real human skin, thereby improving their reliability, performance, and safety in real-world applications

Legislating Morality in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era: Moral Panic and the “White Slave” Case That Changed America

This article is based on the presidential address presented to the Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era at the meeting of the Organization of American Historians in Los Angeles in 2023. Its focus is Maury Diggs and Drew Caminetti, two white men from Sacramento, California, charged with violating the Mann Act (known as the White Slave Trafficking Act) in 1913. The Gilded Age and Progressive Era obsession with white slavery, a phenomenon that has particular resonance in today’s climate, reveals the power of moral panics. Examining the steps, and missteps, that various legal, social, and political entities, including all three branches of government, took in response to Diggs and Caminetti’s actions highlights some of the major social changes gripping the nation. Moral panics can be investigated as crucial historical sites of contestation, revealing efforts to neutralize or turn back the societal changes perceived to be the greatest threat to the prevailing social power structure—in this case foreigners, the new leisure culture, the liberalization of sexual attitudes, and the threat of female independence. Understanding the origins and repercussions of past moral panics can help identify, understand, and possibly defuse future panics