Implementation of explosion safety regulations in design of a mobile robot for coal mines

The article focuses on specific challenges of the design of a reconnaissance mobile robotic system aimed for inspection in underground coal mine areas after a catastrophic event. Systems that are designated for these conditions must meet specific standards and regulations. In this paper is discussed primarily the main conception of meeting explosion safety regulations of European Union 2014/34/EU (also called ATEX-from French "Appareils destines a etre utilises en ATmospheres Explosives") for Group I (equipment intended for use in underground mines) and Category M1 (equipment designed for operation in the presence of an explosive atmosphere). An example of a practical solution is described on main subsystems of the mobile robot TeleRescuera teleoperated robot with autonomy functions, a sensory subsystem with multiple cameras, three-dimensional (3D) mapping and sensors for measurement of gas concentration, airflow, relative humidity, and temperatures. Explosion safety is ensured according to the Technical Report CLC/TR 60079-33 "s" by two main independent protections-mechanical protection (flameproof enclosure) and electrical protection (automatic methane detector that disconnects power when methane breaches the enclosure and gets inside the robot body).Web of Science811art. no. 230

Evaluation of thermometers for ear temperature measurement at the wards in a university hospital

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia BiomédicaSince mercury thermometers were banned due to environmental concerns, hospitals started to use electronic thermometers for measuring body temperature. Body temperature can be measured from different body parts, although the least invasive and quickest is preferred and therefore eardrum measurements are frequently taken. However, lately the staff feels that the taken measurements are not accurate. A new purchasing agreement for the purchase of these devices renders a good opportunity to study further the use of these devices at the wards of the university hospital, study their maintenance process, identify what performance is essential for the clinical usage, the parameters that are essential to measure and also identify ear thermometers in the market that can be used for comparative study. Temperature measurements were taken with the help of an infrared ear thermometer, Covidien Genius2, in its calibration blackbody device at the R&D department of the Huddinge Hospital in order to verify accuracy claims. This data were compared against other studies and measurements of other infrared ear thermometers devices, the Braun ThermoScan Pro 4000 and also a digital contact thermometer, Welch Allyn Suretemp Plus, applied to different body sites. Informal meetings also took place in order to get more information about the devices and to know where they were used and repaired. It was found that Genius2 measured temperature accurately when compared with a blackbody radiator. Regarding the Braun, it showed an accurate estimate of core temperature in comparison to invasive pulmonary artery catheter thermometry. Electronic tympanic thermometers proved to be a good replacement for conventional methods of thermometry. However, preventive maintenance should occur more often, since the devices are very fragile. Tympanic thermometers are generally very accurate instruments. Most likely, problems are not related to the thermometers themselves, they are possibly the result of an inadequate understanding of the limitations of ear thermometry

Fun weight

Treball desenvolupat dins el marc del programa 'European Project Semester' i l'"International Design Project Semester".The main objective of the Fun Weight project was to decrease the level of anxiety from children during preoperative treatment, while the gathering of measurements essential for further hospitalization takes place. This assignment has been conducted by an international and multidisciplinary team whose members were from fields of: Product Design, Electronics and Information Communication Technologies, Mechanical Engineering and Information Technology. The project was interesting and constructive due to tight cooperation with the Hospital de Sant Joan de Deu in Barcelona which was the main stakeholder of this project. Methodology of the project consisted of in advance strictly defined steps, which were: researching, designing of the interactive game, designing/development of the application, prototyping of the application, prototyping of the interactive game and testing. However the development of the interactive game and the application have been performed simultaneously. The outcome of this project has reached its end at the 17th of June and concluded following three elements: electronical prototype of the interactive game, three dimensional model of the game and the mobile application for retrieving measurements and communicating with the interactive game. The stage of testing was divided into three independent sections: testing of the application usability, testing of the application functionality and evaluation of actual anxiety decreasing. As a result of application usability test, an average rate of ease of the interface has been obtained at the level of 2 what states for easy to use. Functionality tests have been performed with application of the Angel Sensor in function of the measuring device. In spite of problems encountered during the use of that sensor, basic functionalities of the application have been confirmed. Due to the shortage of the time, evaluation of decrease of anxiety level has not yet been conducted

The 3 C’s of Consideration for COVID-19 Workplace Fever Detection Device Selection: Context, Calibration & Cost

COVID-19 screening protocols have become normal practice for employees entering workplaces around the world. However, workplace screening programs that include temperature detection via infrared thermometers or thermal detection cameras often violate many technical specifications for the correct use of these devices. Therefore, this article aims to provide practical guidance for non-thermal imaging specialists responsible for selecting thermal detection devices for workplace screening protocols. Focusing on three critical points of consideration, including the context of use, calibration of equipment, and cost of purchase and maintenance, readers are presented with a framework to guide their decision-making. This framework not only prioritizes the health and wellbeing of employees by ensuring the context of use is appropriate but balances the cost of calibration, purchasing and additional supporting supplies. Further, the presented framework extends beyond the COVID-19 pandemic and can be easily adapted to implement any new workplace technology

Wireless communication, identification and sensing technologies enabling integrated logistics: a study in the harbor environment

In the last decade, integrated logistics has become an important challenge in the development of wireless communication, identification and sensing technology, due to the growing complexity of logistics processes and the increasing demand for adapting systems to new requirements. The advancement of wireless technology provides a wide range of options for the maritime container terminals. Electronic devices employed in container terminals reduce the manual effort, facilitating timely information flow and enhancing control and quality of service and decision made. In this paper, we examine the technology that can be used to support integration in harbor's logistics. In the literature, most systems have been developed to address specific needs of particular harbors, but a systematic study is missing. The purpose is to provide an overview to the reader about which technology of integrated logistics can be implemented and what remains to be addressed in the future

A Power Line Inspector Device

The goal of this project is to create a functional power line inspection device which could replace the old inspection method of using helicopters. This microchip based robotic device is able to ride along a conductor and send video feed, encoder readouts, and temperature measurements to the user. The user operating system consists of an LCD screen, two potentiometers for motor control, and a screen to display video feed. Achieved specifications include a battery lifetime of 1 hour and 45 minutes, distance measurements within 1 inch, and temperature accuracy within 2 °C. This thesis includes a brief discussion on previous methods and robots, theory of operation, design summaries, and a compilation of the final results