Hand control of bipedal balance in quiet standing: implementations for lower extremity exoskeleton

Maintaining stable posture is important for humans, even though it is challenging because of our bipedal structure. One of the main balance related disorders is paraplegia due to spinal cord injury. People with a complete spinal cord injury have motor and sensory impairment that greatly reduces the ability to move their lower extremities. In recent years, lower extremity exoskeletons that apply torques generated by motors to the joints of the person have helped to them stand and walk. This research is a part of an extended project to build a new exoskeleton for use by individuals with paraplegia due to motor complete spinal cord injury. The goal of the project is to develop a device with an intuitive control mechanism capable of generating real time gait and balance. Commercial exoskeletons have achieved great steps regarding restoring ambulation. On the other hand, most of them do not actively support bipedal balance. In addition, commercially available exoskeletons except the REX need crutches to balance for people with motor complete paraplegia. The NJIT TREKKER, our laboratory’s research exoskeleton, suggests a novel, human-robot interface strategy that allows users to completely control and feel the trajectories of their exoskeleton-assisted feet, and be able to walk with considerably greater independence. The first study to develop TREKKER was performed before where a trekking pole was attached to each foot of a biped robot. Subjects controlled the trajectory of the foot of the biped by applying small forces to the trekking poles. The study proved that hands can produce trajectories similar to human foot trajectories when provided with haptic and visual feedback. If the hands and arms are effective surrogates for expressing ambulation, can they also be surrogates for natural balance in quiet standing? This is the main question that this dissertation answers. Importantly, this dissertation considers the ability of the arms and hands to make rapid adjustments to the center of pressure (COP) that will follow the center of mass (COM) and allow the person to retain balance to achieve this aim a perturbing system was constructed to study human body response to perturbations. Special shoes with small blocks attached to their soles were designed to study the capability of human body to adapt to base of support (BOS) reduction, and two special platforms with shoes on Pivots and two trekking poles attached to them were designed to study the effectiveness of using trekking poles. The pivots were used to eliminate the use of ankle strategy to retain balance by non-disabled subjects. In this study, subjects were asked to stand in front of the perturbing system and within the motion capture system’s field of view, then they were perturbed with at seven different forces with and without visual feedback in three different experiments: using regular shoes, the shoes with small blocks attached to their soles, and the shoes with pivots and trekking poles. Biomechanical parameters were studied to assess balance in A/P plane in each of the three experiments. The results suggest that the use of trekking poles is a viable approach to maintain balance during quiet standing. The main conclusion of this study is that using trekking poles is a good approach to maintain balance in quiet standing and as a response to small perturbations. Statistical analysis of SI, error signal peaks, and correlations comparing Pivots experiment to Regular experiment support this hypothesis. In addition, the high correlation coefficients between COM and COP of quiet standing on Pivots and in Pivots experiment with perturbations, and the high correlation coefficients of the correlation between COP and the trekking poles trajectories indicates that the trekking poles are working as a surrogate to the ankle joint. It is concluded that using the trekking poles, though the response to perturbations does not match the biological response, is good enough to maintain balance in quiet standing and perturbed quiet standing especially for small perturbations

Financial constraints, capital structure and dividend policy: Evidence from Jordan

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.The economic reforms in Jordan during the last two decades have highlighted and promoted the role that non-financial firms play within the Jordanian economy. The ability of firms to play this role is in major part determined by the structure of the financial system in which they operate, and in particular whether this financial system is able to make capital available efficiently to those firms that need it. Whether this is the case can be investigated by analysing the impact of firm characteristics on some of the most important financial decisions taken by these firms, and how these decisions are influenced by the presence of market imperfections. The thesis examines the relation between the financing and investment decisions, where the effect of financial constraints on the firm’s investment decision is investigated. In particular, this thesis focuses on how financial constraints affect different firms by investigating the extent to which the reliance on internal cash flow is affected by firm characteristics such as size, age, dividend payout ratio, and market listing. We find that Jordanian firms are financially constrained, but that these constraints do not appear to be related to firm characteristics. Further, results show that Jordanian firms use debt rather than equity to finance their investment. The second empirical chapter focuses on the main determinants of firms’ capital structure. Here the results show that Jordanian firms follow the pecking order theory, where profitability and liquidity have a negative impact on the level of debt. Size and market to book value have a positive impact, supporting the view that there are significant constraints on debt financing since indicators of the financial health of the firms affect their capital structure ratio. There is also evidence that ownership structure affects the firm’s access to debt. The final empirical chapter examines the impact of firm characteristics on dividend policy, and shows that profitability and market to book value have a positive impact on dividend policy, implying that firms with better access to capital or credit pay dividends. This implies that firms retain earnings in order to ensure that they have sufficient capital to invest, confirming the initial result that Jordanian firms are financially constrained. There is also evidence of the impact of ownership structure, consistent with the predictions of agency cost theory, while institutional investors appear to follow the prudent-man restrictions, being positively associated with firms that pay dividends. This thesis confirms the presence of market imperfections that have a significant influence on the financial decisions taken by Jordanian firms. The consistent evidence of the importance of retained earnings shows that these firms face substantial constraints in terms of their access to external funds, despite the reforms to the Jordanian financial system over the last two decades.This study is funded by Mutah University, Jordan

Implementation of the dynamic balancing approach of a rotating composite hollow shaft

Balancing is essential in rotating machinery, which is widely employed in many technical sectors, particularly in high-speed rotor-bearing systems. The mass balancing method of the hollow shaft manufactured of composite materials is investigated in this study over the whole speed range of the rotor. The main goal of the balancing technique is to generate a smooth-running machine by removing the commonality imbalance mass through the use of compensating mass unbalance. As a result, MATLAB code is created to produce a functioning mathematical model of the rotor-bearing system. The unbalanced rotor-bearing system finite element model is proposed to set the balancing mass of the composite hollow shaft at a selected speed rotor that allows minimizing the vibration response amplitude of the rotor as much as possible with minimal impact on the rest of the imbalance response within the speed range of the interest. As a consequence, this study validates the process for distributing imbalance in modelling balancing to balance the flexible hollow shaft with an unbalanced mass throughout the complete speed range of the shaft. The balance of the hollow shaft at the critical speed was observed in this approach, and the vibration amplitude was determined by adding extra mass at a specific angl

Computer aided evaluation of learning management systems

AbstractLearning management systems (LMSs) are software applications that comprise a suite of tools for learning and online teaching. There are many commercial and open source LMSs that can be found on the web. Because there are many LMS systems in the market place, one of the problems facing a user is how to choose a system that can meet the requirements. This paper is about a computer program developed at the Near East University for the evaluation of learning management systems. The developed system, named EW-LMS, is web-based and can easily be used over the internet anywhere and at any time. The system provides a web-based decision support system that may help administrators and instructors to choose the most suitable LMS system for their needs and requirements. This evaluation system was designed using the MS-Visual Studio .NET together with a MS-SQL Server based database

Foregrounding citizen imaginaries: Exploring just energy futures through a citizens' assembly in Lebanon

Energy injustice is driven by structural inequalities that are evident in differential electricity provision, access and affordability that harm different groups in different ways. When an uprising began in Lebanon in 2019, the issue of energy justice emerged as a prominent grievance. We experimented with a combined democratic-justice approach to energy future-making through a Citizens' Assembly (CA) on energy justice. We emerged with four imaginaries based on the discourses and narratives expounded on during the deliberation sessions of the CA. The citizens’ dystopic imaginary sits alongside a state-centric petro-masculine imaginary. The empirical findings from the CA demonstrate that to move society towards a just transition, the politics of energy can subsume sustainability and the 'ecological fix' imaginary. Justice principles require to add more urgent priorities like better access and affordability for all. The CA experiment demonstrates how critical political moments can make way for more radical and alternative visions of sustainable energy futures but also how competing imaginaries can complicate questions of sustainability when a justice approach is used

The Impact of Social Media Marketing on the Success of Small-Sized Enterprises in Jordan

The present study aimed to explore the impact of using social media as marketing tool on the success of small-sized enterprises in Jordan. The study’s population consists from all the owners of small restaurants located in Jordan, Amman. As for the sample, it consists of (100) owners who are selected from the population. The questionnaire sheds a light on (e-infrastructure, having a social media page, and human resources).It was found that the owners of small restaurants in Jordan have positive attitudes towards using social media as a marketing tool.  It was found that using social media as a marketing tool has a statistically significant impact on the success of small-sized enterprises in Jordan. It was found that having a social media page has a statistically significant impact on the success of small-sized enterprises. It was found that e-infrastructure and human resources don’t have any statistically significant impact on the success of small-sized enterprises. The researcher recommends developing the e-infrastructure in Jordan. Keywords: E-Marketing, Social Networks, Small-sized enterprises DOI: 10.7176/IKM/9-6-03 Publication date:June 30th 201

Hope: Toward Conceptual Maturity in Nursing

Purpose: to explore the contextual usage of the concept of hope within the discipline of nursing across two different contexts: spinal cord injury and cancer from the patient's perspective. Method: the Pragmatic Utility approach was utilized for surplus clarification and advancement of the concept. Findings: there is no consistency in the way the concept of hope is conceptualized across two contexts, a number of overlapping concepts were found, and the concepts' operationalization is limited. Nursing Implications and Conclusion: despite a considerable attention to the concept of hope, there is no consensus on the definition of hope. Refinement and clarification of the concept of hope will improve nursing practice through providing nurses who deal with patients suffering from chronic illnesses and their families with better understanding and helping them to design strategies to inspire hope across life span. Future studies to enhance the measurement of the concept of hope is needed. Keywords: Cancer, Concept Maturity, Hope, Spinal Cord Injury

Neural Network Approaches for Early Breast Cancer Detection

Research on breast cancer is crucial due to its significant impact on public health, with high mortality rates underscoring the urgency for improved diagnostic methods. Early detection plays a pivotal role in enhancing treatment outcomes and reducing mortality rates. This paper addresses the pressing need for more effective early disease detection methods, particularly focusing on breast cancer diagnosis. It proposes the utilization of neural networking techniques, known for their potential to enhance accuracy and efficiency in cancer diagnosis. The study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of breast cancer detection using neural networking, emphasizing its significance in improving patient outcomes. By showcasing the effectiveness of neural network approaches, the research contributes to advancing early cancer detection efforts, aligning with global health initiatives prioritizing early diagnosis and intervention

Factors affecting bid/no bid decision in the Gaza Strip–contractorsperspectives

To bid or not to bid for a certain project is considered to be a crucial decision for contractors' survival. The objective of this paper is to identify and rank the factors that affect the bid/no bid decision according to their relative importance from the perspective of the local contractors operating in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. A total of seventy-eight factors were identified through a comprehensive literature review to evaluate the most important factors that affect the contractors' decisions to bid or not in the Gaza strip. A survey was conducted on a sample of seventy three contractors classified under the building category, and sixty five of them responded with response rate 89%. The results illustrate that, the financial capability of the contractors, the reputation of the clients, the financial capability of the clients, the financial values of the project, the availability of construction raw materials in the local markets, and the stability of the construction industry were the most critical factors affecting the contractors bid-no bid decisions. This study suggests that contractors and clients should improve their financial systems and capabilities in order to stay in business

Factors affecting the bid/no bid decision in the Palestinian construction industry

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and rank the factors that affect the bid/no bid decision according to their relative importance from the perspective of the contracting parties operating in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Design/methodology/approach – The objectives of this research were investigated through a postal questionnaire, which covered a randomly selected sample of 63 contractors, 29 clients and 13 consultants operating in the construction industry in the Gaza strip. The questionnaire was structured based on related literature, the pilot study and actual factors affecting bidders' decisions to bid or not that arise from special conditions in the Gaza Strip. A total of 78 factors that affect the bid/no bid decision were identified. These factors were then ranked according to their relative importance to contracting parties operating in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Findings – The results illustrate that the financial