Imagining Artificial Intelligence Applications with People with Visual Disabilities Using Tactile Ideation

There has been a surge in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies co-opted by or designed for people with visual disabilities. Researchers and engineers have pushed technical boundaries in areas such as computer vision, natural language processing, location inference, and wearable computing. But what do people with visual disabilities imagine as their own technological future? To explore this question, we developed and carried out tactile ideation workshops with participants in the UK and India. Our participants generated a large and diverse set of ideas, most focusing on ways to meet needs related to social interaction. In some cases, this was a matter of recognizing people. In other cases, they wanted to be able to participate in social situations without foregrounding their disability. It was striking that this finding was consistent across UK and India despite substantial cultural and infrastructural differences. In this paper, we describe a new technique for working with people with visual disabilities to imagine new technologies that are tuned to their needs and aspirations. Based on our experience with these workshops, we provide a set of social dimensions to consider in the design of new AI technologies: social participation, social navigation, social maintenance, and social independence. We offer these social dimensions as a starting point to forefront users' social needs and desires as a more deliberate consideration for assistive technology design

National Educators' Workshop: Update 1991. Standard Experiments in Engineering Materials Science and Technology

Given here is a collection of experiments presented and demonstrated at the National Educators' Workshop: Update 91, held at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory on November 12-14, 1991. The experiments related to the nature and properties of engineering materials and provided information to assist in teaching about materials in the education community

Design and Modeling of Fiber Optical Current Sensor Based on Magnetostriction

A novel fiber optical current sensor (FOCS) which is based on a giant magnetostrictive material, Terfenol-D (T-D) is modeled and prototyped. Several experiments have been conducted to validate the expected results. Magnetostriction is defined as the change in dimensions of a material under the influence of an external magnetic field. The cause of the change in length is due to the rotation and re-orientation of the small magnetic domains in the magnetostrictive material. The magnetostriction of Terfenol-D is modeled and investigated using several software packages. Here, a magnetostriction-based FOCS using a Terfenol-D/epoxy composite is investigated. Particularly, the FOCS is based on applying magnetostrictive composite material to transform an external magnetic field into a corresponding mechanical strain caused by the magnetostriction of the composite. The composite is incorporated in the FOCS for increased durability, flexibility in shape, extended frequency response, and tensile strength compared to monolithic materials. Coupling Terfenol-D with a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is an excellent method of magnetic field sensing. It consists of an FBG embedded in the composite that converts magnetostrictive strain into frequency chirp of the optical signal in proportion to a magnetic field. This will form a sensor that is compact, lightweight, and immune from electromagnetic interference. For electromagnetic interference mitigation and optimal signal condition, an FBG, which can be easily integrated with an optical fiber network and reflect a narrow band of wavelengths based on grating periods, is used to encode strain information onto an optical signal. This FOCS has potential in detecting power systems faults due to its advantages over the conventional current transformers. Experiments have been performed to investigate the effect of direct current (DC) and alternate current (AC) on the response of the FOCS. Consistent results that indicate its reliability have been obtained. The experiment results matched the predicted response. The effect of the temperature on the response of the FOCS also has been investigated. Finally, future research directions are presented for the enhancement of the FOCS technology

Generating And Measuring Prescribed Levels Of Cohesion In Soil Simulants In Support Of Extraterrestrial Terramechanics Research

Scientists have been well aware of the complexity of Martian and lunar regoliths. There are vast unexplored areas on both, the Moon and Mars, as well as uncertainties in our understanding of the physicochemical properties of their regoliths. Lunar and Martian regoliths differ from terrestrial soils in that they appear granular, but are expected to contain some cohesion. As such, cohesion in regolith poses challenges for future space operations, more specifically for landing, settlement, and mobility purposes. The ability to induce prescribed levels of cohesion in regolith simulants and reliably measure it would allow scientists to evaluate space technology limitations under different operational scenarios on Earth prior to a mission. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to (1) develop methods to induce prescribed levels of cohesion in dry granular media, and (2) evaluate accessible and reliable testing methods to measure cohesion. We developed and evaluated several methods to induce cohesion in two types of dry sand, F-75 silica sand and generic play sand. The methods to induce cohesion included play sand mixed with sugar-water, polymeric sand, and nanocellulose fibers, as well as F-75 sand mixed with polydimethylsiloxane, polyvinyl acetate, crystalline silica, agar, zero-valent iron, adhesive spray, and sand surface modification using a plasma gun. Each method was assessed for advantages and disadvantages, and laboratory specimens produced using the most promising methods were tested at different compositions and densities to measure cohesion. The laboratory methods used to measure the cohesion included direct shear test, simple direct shear test, and vertical cut test. The results from these tests were then compared to tensile strength tests, using a split box test. In addition, these tests were also performed on lunar simulants JSC-1A and GRC-3 at different densities. The direct shear apparatus was available, but the other three devices were fabricated as part of this work. Based on the research results, simple methods to potentially induce low levels of cohesion in dry granular media are suggested along with suitability of laboratory methods to measure the added cohesion

First Year Report: Institute of Making, UCL, 2013-14

An account of the activities and impact of the UCL Institute of Making over the period 2013-14

Shear induced orientation in polymer-clay solutions and their influence on the structure in multilayered films

The influence of shear on viscoelastic solutions of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and clay (Cloisite, CNA) was investigated by rheology and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) under shear. These measurements determined the shear-induced orientation of the clay and the polymer as well as their relaxation behavior after cessation of shear. Comparison of PEO-CNA solutions (~100 nm diameter platelets) to previously studied PEO-Laponite gels (~30 nm diameter platelets) found that the orientation of CNA platelets occurs at much lower shear rates. Additionally, the relaxation times were much longer for CNA platelets than for Laponite platelets. From these solutions and gels, multilayered nanocomposite films were prepared. Shear-induced orientation of polymer-clay solutions is important to the organization of the clay platelets in the films. The structure was determined by scattering and microscopy techniques. Experimental evidence suggests that clay platelets align within multilayers with their surface normal perpendicular to the spread direction. The unusual orientation of the multilayers persists on multiple length scales from nanometer to micrometer. As part of an independent research project a series of PEO-Kaolinite (~1.5 µm diameter platelets) solutions and films were studied and compared to the results mentioned above. Initial rheological studies of the PEO-Kaolinite solutions showed shear thinning behavior and possible flow irregularities. Preliminary investigation of the films made from the solutions suggests that shear orientation is preserved within the film. Continued optimization of the PEO-Kaolinite solutions leading to improved exfoliation of the platelets will result in a novel class of materials with unique properties

ICS Materials. Towards a re-Interpretation of material qualities through interactive, connected, and smart materials.

The domain of materials for design is changing under the influence of an increased technological advancement, miniaturization and democratization. Materials are becoming connected, augmented, computational, interactive, active, responsive, and dynamic. These are ICS Materials, an acronym that stands for Interactive, Connected and Smart. While labs around the world are experimenting with these new materials, there is the need to reflect on their potentials and impact on design. This paper is a first step in this direction: to interpret and describe the qualities of ICS materials, considering their experiential pattern, their expressive sensorial dimension, and their aesthetic of interaction. Through case studies, we analyse and classify these emerging ICS Materials and identified common characteristics, and challenges, e.g. the ability to change over time or their programmability by the designers and users. On that basis, we argue there is the need to reframe and redesign existing models to describe ICS materials, making their qualities emerge

A practice-led inquiry into the nature of digital jewellery: craft explorations and dialogical engagement with people

In the widely explored area of wearable technology research, the theoretical work on digital jewellery has been largely done outside the art and craft context. Taking a jewellery perspective, this research focus on atypical personal interactions with digital technology in order to address questions associated with digital devices and potentially open up our expectations of the digital as a material within jewellery practice. Principally this thesis investigates he question “How can we design digital jewellery that are highly experiential and personally meaningful to the wearer?” This thesis addresses the need for jewellers to assert their relevance in the current debates around digital culture and the meaning associated with wearing digital devices. This practice-led research project investigates the role of digital jewellery to support self in transition in order to progress these debates. For this research, I created research methods to support participatory engagements. Following the values of experience-centred design, I designed exemplars of digital jewellery. Microcosmos, Topoi, Travelling with the Sea and Togetherness: Anthos and Chronos Brooches are examples of digital jewellery that have resulted from this research. These concepts were inspired by the lives of three participants and myself who frequently travel back to our native countries but who live permanently in the UK and who experience feelings of being in-between. Within the participatory engagements, novel design methods have been created for this particular research context. The method of Staged Atmosphere introduces the performative aspects of design probes in the context of a plane and the method of Dialogical Sketching offers a sensitive way to explore aspects of self in non-descriptive and imaginative ways with participants. These methods practised in this research contribute to design by enriching the role of creative practice to offer highly dialogical and sensitive to the research methodologies. My approach to designing digital jewellery has resulted in the development of a framework for understanding and conceptualising digital jewellery. The framework discusses the poetic qualities of the jewellery pieces by unfolding the narratives associated with their form, function and interaction. The framework contributes to discussions around how jewellery practices and digital technologies can suggest experientially rich interactions for people

Heat pulse measurement techniques for soil water flux, soil water content, and soil volumetric heat capacity

Improving stewardship of soil and water resources often requires forming greater understanding of soil processes. To form such understanding, advances in techniques for measuring soil properties and processes are needed. The purpose of this research was to evaluate and improve heat pulse techniques for measuring soil water flux (Jw), soil water content (theta), and soil volumetric heat capacity (C). A new mathematical analysis was developed revealing a simple linear relationship between Jw and the natural logarithm of the ratio of the temperature increases downstream and upstream from a line heat source. In laboratory experiments the standard deviation of repeated measures of Jw was 46% lower using the new analysis procedure versus a previous more cumbersome procedure. Linear relationships (r2 \u3e 0.99) existed between Jw measured using the heat pulse technique and Jw measured at the outlet of the soil columns for Jw ranging from 0.1 to 40 cm h-1. The heat pulse sensors were found to be 25 to 75% less sensitive to Jw than predicted by the standard heat transfer model. A reduced convection model that accurately accounted for the measured data was proposed. The emerging dual-probe heatpulse (DPHP) technique for measuring theta was evaluated under field conditions. Soil water content measured by the DPHP sensors (thetaDPHP ) was on average 0.040 m3 m-3 larger than theta measured by soil sampling (thetaSS). Linear regressions of thetaDPHP versus theta SS yielded r2 values \u3e0.84 and slopes of 0.75. Errors in -SS were a possible cause of these low slopes. A simple matching point procedure was introduced which reduced the average difference between thetaDPHP and theta SS and reduced the average standard deviation of theta DPHP from 0.063 to 0.026 m3 m -3. The heat pulse technique for determining C was also evaluated under field conditions. Heat pulse sensors permitted C measurements with a frequency capable of fully describing the temporal variations in C. Heat pulse measurements of C and independent estimates agreed to within 8% on average. The results of this research indicate that heat pulse sensors are versatile tools for scientists to use in obtaining measurements of important soil properties and processes

Site evaluation, design, operation, and installation of home sewage systems in Iowa

The demand for on-site waste treatment systems for dwellings not served by sewer systems continues to grow in Iowa. On-site systems, when properly designed and maintained, provide a viable means of treating septic tank effluent. A research project was initiated at Iowa State University to provide information for solving problems associated with design, location, and maintenance of on-site systems in Iowa. This publication is designed to report the results of the interdisciplinary research and provide information for sanitarians, extension personnel, and contractors on waste treatment systems.https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/specialreports/1083/thumbnail.jp