Glissements de terrains : l'animation 3D entre l'art visuel, le cinéma et la vidéo

Cette thèse examine le contexte dans lequel l'animation 3D prend place et fonctionne, en découvre les origines et la terminologie et documente ses plus pertinentes applications en regard de mon cheminement artistique en animation. J'examine également comment l'expérience de la limite en art a fait avancer la réflexion. J'ai utilisé de façon très personnelle un logiciel d'animation 3D qui sert dans l'industrie de l'image animée en le détournant de ses utilisations habituelles pour produire des œuvres non figuratives et non narratives visant la création d'installations à écrans multiples. J'ai mis l'emphase sur la synthèse d'image 3D plutôt que sur la synthèse du mouvement qui prédomine au cinéma. Ce travail aux frontières de l'image animée industrielle s'élargit au-delà des notions techniques propres au médium et à son histoire et entraîne l'animation 3D à faire œuvre poétique. Ce type d'expérience esthétique est axé sur la perception sensible du spectateur et sur son déplacement dans l'espace et n'est donc pas « branché » sur l'interactivité. Mes œuvres se positionnent entre la réalité virtuelle et l'industrie cinématographique. Mon approche du logiciel, basée sur l'expérimention et sur la recombinaison des opérations qui y sont programmées, m'a permis de le redéfinir comme un « objet technique » qui nuance l'idée du moule auquel il est souvent associé. Dans cette approche la relation occupe une place centrale pour construire un point de vue « allagmatique » c'est-à-dire où il y a opération d'échange. Simondon appelle « allagmatique » une « théorie générale des échanges et des modifications des états », une « théorie générale des transformations » et même une « théorie des opérations ». Gilles Deleuze et Gilbert Simondon ont guidé ma réflexion dans cette recherche sur la place du logiciel dans le processus de création à l'ordinateur. Cette approche m'a aussi permis de « déconstruire » le logiciel en termes d'environnements pour créer mon concept d'image environnementale. À chaque nouveau chapitre s'insèrent des études de cas et des incursions dans l'histoire pour mieux comprendre mes analyses.\ud _____________________________________________________________________________

Reflections of physiotherapy students in the United Arab Emirates during their clinical placements: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Although Western models of education are being used to establish health professional programs in non-Western countries, little is known about how students in these countries perceive their learning experiences. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the reflections of physiotherapy students from a Middle East culture during their clinical placements and to compare them to reflections of physiotherapy students from a Western culture. METHODS: Subjects were six senior students (3 females, 3 males, mean age 22.6 years) and 15 junior, female students (mean age 20.1 years) in the baccalaureate physiotherapy program at a university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They wrote weekly entries in a journal while in their clinical placements. They described an event, their reaction to it, and how it might affect their future behavior. Two evaluators independently read and coded the content of all the journals, and then worked together to categorize the data and develop themes. A third evaluator, an UAE national, independently read the journals to validate the content analysis. A feedback session with students was used to further validate the data interpretation. The themes were compared to those derived from a similar study of Canadian physiotherapy students. RESULTS: The content of the students' reflections were grouped into 4 themes: professional behavior, awareness of learning, self-development and shift to a patient orientation, and identification and analysis of ethical issues. Although the events were different, students from the UAE considered many of the same issues reflected on by Canadian students. CONCLUSION: Physiotherapy students from a Middle East culture consider many of the same issues as students from a Western culture when asked to reflect on their clinical experience. They reflect on their personal growth, on how they learn in a clinical setting, and on the ethical and professional behaviors of themselves and others

WeeBot: A novel method for infant control of a robotic mobility device

A novel method for controlling a robotic mobility platform, the WeeBot, is presented. The WeeBot permits an infant seated on the robot to control its motion by leaning in the direction of desired movement. The WeeBot hardware and software are discussed and the results of a pilot feasibility study are presented. This study shows that after five training sessions typically developing infants ages six to nine months were able to demonstrate directed movement of the WeeBot. © 2012 IEEE

Development of robotic mobility for infants: Rationale and outcomes

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of a robotic mobility device for infants using alternative control interfaces aimed at promoting early self-initiated mobility, and to assess the effects of a training protocol and robot experience. Design: Observational and pre-post quantitative case studies. Setting: Standardised, research laboratory and day-care centres with toys and individuals familiar to infants. Participants: Children with and without disabilities, aged 5 months to 3 years. Interventions: In each study, infants were seated over a Pioneer™ 3-DX mobile robot. Some infants controlled the directional movement of the robot by weight shifting their body on a Nintendo® Wii™ Balance Board (the WeeBot), while others used a modified joystick. Infants participated in five sessions over 2 to 5 weeks. Sessions consisted of administering a 10-minute training protocol preceded and followed by 2 to 3. minutes of free play. One child with motor impairment used a button switch array and a different experimental design. Main outcome measures: From the videotaped free-play periods, goal-directed behaviours were coded and time in motion was measured. In the training period, a scoring system was developed to measure the infants\u27 driving performance. Results: Preliminary outcomes indicate that infants without disabilities, aged 5 to 10 months, demonstrated significant improvement in driving performance and goal-directed movement using the WeeBot. Infants who used the joystick were less successful on all measures. Results for infants with disabilities using the WeeBot were mixed. Conclusions: Mobile robots offer promise to enhance the development of early self-mobility. Novel types of interfaces, such as the WeeBot, warrant further investigation. © 2012 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Bone mineral density of children with physical disabilities in the United Arab Emirates: A feasibility study

To investigate the feasibility of measuring the bone mineral density (BMD) of Emirati children with physical disabilities. Ten boys and 7 girls, 4 years 2 months to 18 years 4 months (Mean: 10 years), 12 with cerebralpalsy and 5 with Down syndrome were studied. A Child Information Profile was developed Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure the BMD of the lumbar spine and hips. Peripheral quantitative ultrasound (pQUS) was used to obtain the estimated BMD of the subjects\u27 non-dominant heel. Methods varied in effectiveness. Recruitment and nutritional data return were limited. Not all subjects could be measured through sonography because of technical issues. Dynamometry could not be performed on subjects with low cognitive abilities. Anthropometric and DXA measurements were well tolerated by all subjects. The subjects had lower BMD than the values reported in Western studies. The results indicated that it would not be particularly feasible to conduct a large-scale study under these conditions. Recommendations are provided

L’ajout d’insuline dans les sacs de nutrition parentérale est-elle une pratique rationnelle?

Résumé L’ajout d’insuline lors de perfusion de solution denutrition parentérale est une pratique très répandue. De nombreux établissements ont des protocoles permettant l’ajout de ce médicament directement dans la solution nutritive sous le prétexte qu’elle simplifie l’administration de la médication, diminue les coûts reliés à l’installation d’une deuxième voie veineuse et qu’elle évite les omissions. Or, il semble que cette pratique entraîne de nombreux problèmes qui la rendent non recommandable. L’adsorption sur les parois du sac et des tubulures peut entraîner des fluctuations dans les quantités d’insuline administrées aux patients et le fait de sous doser légèrement la quantité d’insuline à ajouteraux sacs de nutrition parentérale pour éviter les hypoglycémies et le gaspillage, n’élimine pas la nécessité d’avoir recours à une échelle d’ajustement sous cutané. Les nombreuses modifications dans la quantité d’insuline à ajouter aux sacs en cours de traitement peuvent entraîner des pertes et limiter la récupération des sacs. Il semble donc plus facile, économique et sécuritaire en définitive d’opter pour une perfusion d’insuline indépendantede la nutrition parentérale pour administrer ce médicament aux patients sous thérapie nutritive intraveineuse.AbstractAddition of insulin in parental nutrition bags: a rational practice? The addition of insulin during the perfusion of parenteral nutrition solution is a widespread practice. Many hospitals have protocols allowing the addition of insulin directly in the nutritive solution under the pretext that it simplifies the administration of the medication, reduces the costs associated with the installation of a second venous route and prevents omissions. Therefore, that practice seems to bring many problems which make it inappropriate. The adsorption on the walls of tubings and container may bring fluctuations in the amounts of insulin administered to patients. Reducing slightly the dose of insulin to add to the containers of parenteral nutrition to avoid hypoglycemias and waste, will not eliminate the need to resort to a subcutaneous adjustment scale. The numerous modifications in the amount of insulin to add to the bags during the treatment may bring losses and limit the recovery of the bags. The insulin infusion seems to be easier, economic and safe when it is independent of the parenteral nutrition in order to administer this medication to patients by intravenous nutrition therapy

A comparison of the efficacy of weight-shift vs. joystick control of a robotic mobility device by infants ages 5 to 10 months

The onset of crawling in infants contributes to cognitive, perceptual, social, and emotional development. Conversely, infants with motor impairment that delays or prevents autonomous mobility often have associated developmental delays. Evidence suggests that providing mobility may have positive developmental outcomes, however powered wheelchairs may not be recommended for very young children, due to safety concerns and the child’s level of cognitive maturity. The WeeBot is a mobility device controlled by infant weight shifting while seated; infants as young as 5 months have learned to use it. This study compares the efficacy of using the WeeBot vs. using the traditional manual joystick to control a robotic mobility device. Participants were 20 typically developing infants between 5 and 10 months who had not yet achieved independent mobility. A quasi-experimental two-group design was used: The first 10 participants recruited used the WeeBot (weight-shift); the next 10 used the joystick. Results showed that infants learned to use weight-shift control more easily and more skilfully than did infants using the joystick. The ability of infants to use the WeeBot suggests that an intuitive alternative control might allow very early powered mobility for children with disabilities, which might have implications for various aspects of their development