Human-robot interaction torque estimation methods for a lower limb rehabilitation robotic system with uncertainties

Lower limb rehabilitation robot (LLRR) users, to successfully conduct isotonic exercises, require real-time feedback on the torque they exert on the robot to meet the goal of the treatment. Still, direct torque measuring is expensive, and indirect encoder-based estimation strategies, such as inverse dynamics (ID) and Nonlinear Disturbance Observers (NDO), are sensitive to Body Segment Inertial Parameters (BSIPs) uncertainties. We envision a way to minimize such parametric uncertainties. This paper proposes two human–robot interaction torque estimation methods: the Identified ID-based method (IID) and the Identified NDO-based method (INDO). Evaluating in simulation the proposal to apply, in each rehabilitation session, a sequential two-phase method: (1) An initial calibration phase will use an online parameter estimation to reduce sensitivity to BSIPs uncertainties. (2) The torque estimation phase uses the estimated parameters to obtain a better result. We conducted simulations under signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) = 40 dB and 20% BSIPs uncertainties. In addition, we compared the effectiveness with two of the best methods reported in the literature via simulation. Both proposed methods obtained the best Coefficient of Correlation, Mean Absolute Error, and Root Mean Squared Error compared to the benchmarks. Moreover, the IID and INDO fulfilled more than 72.2% and 88.9% of the requirements, respectively. In contrast, both methods reported in the literature only accomplish 27.8% and 33.3% of the requirements when using simulations under noise and BSIPs uncertainties. Therefore, this paper extends two methods reported in the literature and copes with BSIPs uncertainties without using additional sensors

Organisational maturity and information systems and technology projects in healthcare: the mediation of project management.

Doutoramento em GestãoThe challenges that health organisations face today is to get better organisational performance, reliable information, faster quality services at prices that should be affordable to the entire population. To fulfil this important goal, health organisations require more comprehensive and integrated approaches such as, but not limited to, optimise their available resources, eliminate inefficiencies and achieve the planned benefits from investments in Information Systems and Technology (IS/IT). Healthcare organisations must improve their management practices and internal procedures to answer the increasing demand of managers, health professionals and the public in general, for more and better information. Health organisations adopt a patient-centred care approach and invest massively in IS/IT, hoping that these investments will improve medical care and patient needs. The main objective of our research is to analyse how the Organisational Maturity affect IS/IT Project Success in Healthcare and if that success is enhanced by using Project Management practices. There is evidence that there is a direct relationship between these variables and that Project Management practices can mediate it, helping to increase the effectiveness of IS/IT projects. Furthermore, the application of the Project Management practices can also improve confidence that the results of these investments meet stakeholders’ expectations, both by the benefits accomplishment and by adding a perceived value to organisations. This study develops and validates an instrument to analyse the data collected from a survey to professionals’ perceptions about the IS/IT Project Success in Healthcare organisations. The results confirm that Project Management has a mediating effect on the relationship between Organizational Maturity and success of IS/IT projects and higher levels of Organisational Maturity will generate more successfully IS/IT projects, although the presence of the mediator Project Management can, in specific situations, affect negatively the correlation between Organisational Maturity and IS/IT Project Success.Os desafios que enfrentam atualmente as organizações de saúde estão diretamente relacionados com o fato de ambicionarem um melhor desempenho, mais e melhor informação de saúde, serviços de qualidade mais céleres. a custos acesíveis à maioria da população. Para o total cumprimento deste desiderato as organizações de saúde têm investido em soluções tecnológicas mais abrangentes e integradas de forma a otimizar os recursos disponíveis, eliminar ineficiências e atingir os benefícios plenos dos investimentos em Sistemas e Tecnologias da Informação (SI/TI). As organizações de saúde procuram melhorar as suas práticas de gestão para dar resposta a uma crescente procura de informação de saúde por parte de gestores, profissionais e público em geral. As organizações de saúde adotaram uma abordagem centrada no paciente e realizaram significativos investimentos em SI/TI na expetativa de que estes trouxessem melhorias ao nível assistencial e na satisfação das expetativas dos seus utilizadores. O principal objetivo deste trabalho é analisar como a Maturidade Organizacional afeta o sucesso do projeto em SI/TI em saúde e se esse sucesso é potenciado pela utilização de práticas de gestão de projetos. Há evidências da existência de uma relação direta entre esstas duas variáveis e que as práticas de Gestão de Projetos a podem mediar, ajudando a aumentar a eficácia dos projetos de SI/TI. Além disso, a aplicação das práticas de Gestão de Projetos podem melhorar a confiança nos resultados dos investimentos e atender às expectativas das diferentes partes interessadas, tanto pela realização de benefícios quanto pela criação de valor percebido para as organizações. Este estudo analisa os dados recolhidos de um questionário à perceção dos profissionais sobre o sucesso dos projetos IS/IT nas organizações de saúde. Os resultados obtidos confirmam. Os resultados confirmam que o Gestão de Projetos tem um efeito mediador na relação entre Maturidade Organizacional e Sucesso de Projetos de SI/TI e níveis mais elevados de Maturidade Organizacional gerarão projetos SI/TI mais bem-sucedidos, embora a presença do mediador Gestão de Projetos, possa, em circunstâncias específicas situações, afetar negativamente a correlação entre as duas variáveis.N/

Medical Informatics and Data Analysis

During recent years, the use of advanced data analysis methods has increased in clinical and epidemiological research. This book emphasizes the practical aspects of new data analysis methods, and provides insight into new challenges in biostatistics, epidemiology, health sciences, dentistry, and clinical medicine. This book provides a readable text, giving advice on the reporting of new data analytical methods and data presentation. The book consists of 13 articles. Each article is self-contained and may be read independently according to the needs of the reader. The book is essential reading for postgraduate students as well as researchers from medicine and other sciences where statistical data analysis plays a central role