Technology 2001: The Second National Technology Transfer Conference and Exposition, volume 1

Papers from the technical sessions of the Technology 2001 Conference and Exposition are presented. The technical sessions featured discussions of advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, computer graphics and simulation, communications, data and information management, electronics, electro-optics, environmental technology, life sciences, materials science, medical advances, robotics, software engineering, and test and measurement

Realisierung nutzeradaptiven Interaktionsverhaltens für mobile Assistenzroboter

Im Zentrum dieser Dissertation steht die soziale Assistenzrobotik. In den letzten Jahren hat die Bedeutung dieses Teilgebietes der mobilen Robotik stark zugenommen und zusammen mit der Diversifizierung robotischer Fähigkeiten hat sich die Nutzergruppe hin zur breiten Masse mit potentiellen technischen Laien gewandelt. Aus dieser Situation heraus erwachsen an die Interaktionsfähigkeiten sozialer Assistenzroboter umfangreiche Anforderungen. Insbesondere stehen in dieser Arbeit die Multimodalität der Interaktion und die Anpassungsfähigkeiten an den konkreten Nutzer im Vordergrund. Am Beispiel eines Serviceroboters für die häusliche Gesundheitsassistenz, wie er in einem vom Autor mit bearbeiteten Forschungsprojekt realisiert wurde, wird zunächst der Analyse- und Entwurfsprozess für dessen Umsetzung geschildert. Im Anschluss daran wird gezeigt, wie sich aus der Systemspezifikation eine mehrschichtige Systemarchitektur ableiten lässt, welche auch auf andere Robotikanwendungen übertragbar ist. Der Fokus liegt dabei auf der modularen Realisierung einer Ablauf- und Dialogsteuerung. Um dem System eine Persönlichkeit zu geben und ein im Langzeiteinsatz akzeptierbares Dialogverhalten zu generieren, wurde ein frame-basierter Dialogmanager konzipiert und umgesetzt. Dabei wurden Aspekte wie Modularität durch ein App-Konzept, leichte Erweiterbarkeit und die Möglichkeit, nutzeradaptive Dialoge zu realisieren, berücksichtigt. Im Kern des vorgestellten Dialogsystems kommt eine gänzlich neue Methode der probabilistischen online-Planung von Dialogsequenzen zum Einsatz. Ein eigens konzipiertes Realweltexperiment konnte zeigen, dass es mit diesem System möglich ist, anhand von systeminternen aber auch nutzergetriebenen Bewertungen, das Dialogverhalten im Rahmen von durch den Designer vorgegebenen Freiheiten zur Laufzeit zu optimieren. Die Gestaltung des robotischen Gesundheitsassistenten wurde durch weitere Teilsysteme abgerundet. Unter diesen spielen verschiedene taktile Sensoriken und ein Emotionsmodell eine entscheidende Rolle für die Realisierung eines liebenswerten Begleiters. Letztendlich konnte in sehr erfolgreichen teils mehrtägigen Nutzerstudien mit Senioren die Praktikabilität des entwickelten Interaktionskonzepts und der Systemarchitektur nachgewiesen werden.The central topic of this thesis concerns social service robotics. In recent years this branch of mobile robotics in general has seen increasing interest. Due to increasing capabilities and growing fields of application of such robots, the group of potential users has changed. Unexperienced users raise extensive requirements regarding the interaction capabilities of such robots. The multi-modality of human-robot dialog and its adaptivity regarding user's preferences and needs are in the focus of this thesis. First, the analysis and specification process for such a system is explained by means of an example, which is a service robot for health assistance in home environments, as it has been developed in a research project at which the author participated. Following this, it is shown how a multi-layer system architecture is derived from that specification, which is applicable to other robotic applications as well. Though the main focus is on a modular realization for the control structures and the dialog handling. In order to enable a long term acceptability of such a system and to give it a personality, a frame-based dialog manager has been designed and is explained in detail. Aspects of interest there are modularity by means of an app-concept, extendablility, and adaptivity of the interaction skills regarding users' qirks and demands. In the core of the presented dialog system, there is a unique planning mechanism based on probabilistic reasoning in a factor graph model of the dialog going on. In a real world experiment it could be shown that this online learning concept is able to optimize dialog behavior regarding system internal as well as user driven reward signals. During the implementation of the health assistant robot further system components have been developed in order to realize a likeable companion. Among them, there are two kinds of tactile sensors and an emotion model, which are presented in this thesis as well. Finally, very successful real world user trials of the health assistant robot involving 9 elderly people are described to show that the presented concepts for system architecture and dialog modelling are viable

Seventh Annual Workshop on Space Operations Applications and Research (SOAR 1993), volume 2

This document contains papers presented at the Space Operations, Applications and Research Symposium (SOAR) Symposium hosted by NASA/Johnson Space Center (JSC) and cosponsored by NASA/JSC and U.S. Air Force Materiel Command. SOAR included NASA and USAF programmatic overviews, plenary session, panel discussions, panel sessions, and exhibits. It invited technical papers in support of U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Department of Energy, NASA, and USAF programs in the following areas: robotics and telepresence, automation and intelligent systems, human factors, life support, and space maintenance and servicing. SOAR was concerned with Government-sponsored research and development relevant to aerospace operations

P04.41 Exploring reasons for and outcomes of second stage caesarean section and assisted vaginal birth in selected hospitals in Kenya

Objective: Obstetric vacuum devices for assisted vaginal birth (AVB) can avoid the need for unnecessary second-stage caesarean sections (SSCS), associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Despite emergency obstetric training since 2019, AVB was rarely performed. This study sought to better understand missed opportunities and reasons for non-performance of AVB in Kenya. Method: A mixed-methods design incorporated a review of randomly selected SSCS and AVB case notes, and key informant interviews with healthcare providers, from 8 purposively selected, high-volume hospitals in Kenya. The reviews were carried out by four experienced obstetricians (3 Kenyan, 1 British). The interviews were semi-structured and conducted online and analysed using a thematic approach. Results: Six AVB and 66 SSCS cases were reviewed. Nine percent of SSCS could have been AVB, and 58% reviewers were unable to determine appropriateness due to poor record keeping. Perinatal mortality was 9%, and 11% of infants and 9% of mothers experienced complications following SSCS. Twenty interviews, with obstetricians, midwives and medical officers, explored themes of previous experience, confidence, and adequacy of training relating to AVB. Reasons for non-performance included lack of equipment and staff. Conclusion: Increases in appropriate use of AVB could save the lives of infants and mothers and reduce ongoing morbidity. In order to achieve this, the varied reasons for non-performance of AVB need to be systematically addressed at local, regional and national levels

P14.02 An electronic behaviour diary: Monitoring the effects of advanced obstetric surgical skills training

Objective: Training should lead to improvements in the quality of clinical care delivery. It is essential to follow up participants after a training intervention to monitor changes in behaviour associated with adoption of lessons learned into clinical practice. We introduced an electronic diary to facilitate monitoring whilst minimising effort for participants. Method: An electronic diary was created using a freely available on-line platform. Following a training intervention on advanced obstetric surgical skills, obstetric residents from Kenya were invited to pilot completing the diary after their labour ward shifts. Entries were anonymised. Participants were asked to enumerate the times they utilised specific skills, or to state why they had been unable to do so, using tick box options. Reflections on skills used were entered using free comments. Results: All participants reported changed behaviours, for example, improved surgical knot-tying, safer needle handling, separate closure of uterine incision angles and techniques for delivery of the impacted fetal head. 6 reported conducting vaginal breech birth and 6 performed vacuum-assisted birth. All reported improvements in use of the safe surgical checklist, obtaining consent and respectful maternity care. 7 had participated in newborn resuscitation. Reflections suggested participants experienced improved levels of confidence and satisfaction when implementing new skills. Conclusion: This pilot study has demonstrated the feasibility of monitoring clinical behaviour change following training using an electronic platform. Monitoring the effect of training is essential to prove that training results in improvements to clinical practice. We plan to roll out this intervention following future training interventions

P14.01 An example of too much too soon? A review of caesarean sections performed in the first stage of labour in Kenya

Objective: Caesarean Section (CS) has potential short and long-term complications and is associated with excess maternal death. Decisions to perform (CS) are frequently made by inexperienced and unsupported non-specialist doctors, sometimes resulting in inappropriate decision-making and surgery. Our study assesses decision-making for CS in the first stage of labour in Kenya. Method: A panel of one UK and six Kenyan expert obstetricians reviewed clinical data extracted from 87 case-notes, that were randomly selected from a series obtained from seven referral hospitals in five Kenyan counties over six months in 2020. Following a preliminary review of the data and email discussion, an online panel was convened to discuss outstanding cases where consensus was yet to be reached. Agreement was reached by the panel in all but 5 cases. Results: In 41.3% cases, CS was considered appropriate, including 8% where CS was performed too late. The decision to delivery interval exceeded 2 h in 58.6% cases, including 16 cases of non-reassuring fetal status. In 10.3% it was considered that due to delay, further reassessment should have occurred. In 9.1% the CS was done too soon. There was insufficient information available to make a full assessment in 21.8% of cases. In 11.5% the CS was inappropriate. Conclusion: This review demonstrates that unnecessary caesarean sections are being performed, while some with appropriate indications are subject to delays. There is need for improved support for decision-making, coupled with improved record-keeping, improved quality of fetal monitoring during labour and more timely surgery when necessary