Enhancing the Performance of Propagation Model-Based Positioning Algorithms

Object localization in wireless networks through Received Signal Strength (RSS) measurements requires a precise estimation of the signal attenuation model in order to produce meaningful results. The popular lognormal channel model, widely adopted to describe the signal strength attenuation as a function of the distance between nodes, turns out to be too simplistic when applied to a real scenario. In this paper, we analyze two possible improvements to this model: on one hand, we build a different channel model for each reference node in the network, with the aim of tackling the anisotropy of the environment. On the other hand, we explicitly append to the lognormal model a term to account for walls attenuation. A thorough experimental testbed demonstrates the potentials of the two approaches, with the second one being especially useful to counteract the effect of the limited sensitivity of practical wireless receivers

Mapping IS6110 in high-copy number Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains shows specific insertion points in the Beijing genotype

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing strains are characterized by a large number of IS6110 copies, suggesting the potential implication of this element in the virulence and capacity for rapid dissemination characteristic of this family. This work studies the insetion points of IS6110 in high-copy clinical isolates specifically focusing on the Beijing genotype. Results: In the present work we mapped the insertion points of IS6110 in all the Beijing strains available in the literature and in the DNA sequence databases. We generated a representative primer collection of the IS6110 locations, which was used to analyse 61 high-copy clinical isolates. A total of 440 points of insertion were identified and analysis of their flanking regions determined the exact location, the direct repeats (DRs), the orientation and the distance to neighboring genes of each copy of IS6110. We identified specific points of insertion in Beijing strains that enabled us to obtain a dendrogram that groups the Beijing genotype. Conclusions: This work presents a detailed analysis of locations of IS6110 in high-copy clinical isolates, showing points of insertion present with high frequency in the Beijing family and absent in other strains. Keywords: IS6110, Insertion points, M. tuberculosis, Beijing genotype

Analysis of key aspects to manage Wireless Sensor Networks in Ambient Assisted Living environments

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) based on ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 will be key enablers of non-invasive, highly sensitive infrastructures to support the provision of future ambient assisted living services. This paper addresses the main design concerns and requirements when conceiving ambient care systems (ACS), frameworks to provide remote monitoring, emergency detection, activity logging and personal notifications dispatching services. In particular, the paper describes the design of an ACS built on top of a WSN composed of Crossbow's MICAz devices, external sensors and PDAs enabled with ZigBee technology. The middleware is integrated in an OSGi framework that processes the acquired information to provide ambient services and also enables smart network control. From our experience, we consider that in a future, the combination of ZigBee technology together with a service oriented architecture may be a versatile approach to AAL services offering, both from the technical and business points of view

Aspectos médico-legales de las agresiones al personal sanitario y su consideración como delito de atentado

Producción CientíficaEn los últimos años venimos asistiendo a una proliferación de casos judiciales de profesionales sanitarios que, con ocasión de la prestación de la asistencia sanitaria con agredidos o maltratados de palabra o físicamente por pacientes descontentos. Las agresiones a los profesionales de los servicios sanitarios, por pacientes o sus familiares y acompañantes, es otra de las manifestaciones de una intolerancia creciente. Y no sólo en nuestro medio si no también en países de nuestro entorno. En este trabajo, destacamos la importancia que ha tenido el reconocimiento, por parte del Tribunal Supremo, de la consideración de “delito de atentado” como modalidad agravada de las agresiones contra los profesionales sanitarios, con una primera sentencia dictada el 4 de diciembre 2007. Sin embargo, aún falta una resolución en el mismo sentido de este tribunal para que se cree jurisprudencia. La importancia reside en que con esta calificación los agresores se enfrentan a penas de cárcel, mayores indemnizaciones y el agresor tendrá antecedentes penales, por lo que será más ejemplarizante y tendrá un positivo efecto disuasorio

Using contex-awarenes to foster active lifestyles

This paper describes a context-aware mobile application which aims at adaptively motivating its users to assume active lifestyles. The application is built on a model which combines ‘motion patterns’ with ‘activity profiles’, in order to evaluate the user’s real level of activity and decide which actions to take to give advice or provide feedback. In particular, a ‘move-to-uncover’ wallpaper puzzle interface is employed as motivating interface; at the same time, context-aware notifications are triggered when low activity levels are detected. In order to accelerate the application’s design and development cycle, a mobile service oriented framework – CASanDRA Mobile - has been used and improved. CASanDRA Mobile provides standard features to facilitate context acquisition, fusion and reasoning in mobile devices, making easier access to sensors and context-aware applications cohabitatio

Enhancing Activity Recognition by Fusing Inertial and Biometric Information

Activity recognition is an active research field nowadays, as it enables the development of highly adaptive applications, e.g. in the field of personal health. In this paper, a light high-level fusion algorithm to detect the activity that an individual is performing is presented. The algorithm relies on data gathered from accelerometers placed on different parts of the body, and on biometric sensors. Inertial sensors allow detecting activity by analyzing signal features such as amplitude or peaks. In addition, there is a relationship between the activity intensity and biometric response, which can be considered together with acceleration data to improve the accuracy of activity detection. The proposed algorithm is designed to work with minimum computational cost, being ready to run in a mobile device as part of a context-aware application. In order to enable different user scenarios, the algorithm offers best-effort activity estimation: its quality of estimation depends on the position and number of the available inertial sensors, and also on the presence of biometric information

A fusion component for location management in mobile

When indoors, several positioning technologies and systems may coexist (e.g. WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, HF-RFID or bidi codes serving as beacons, cellular networks, etc.); each of them delivering its location estimates with a given accuracy at a given computational cost. In this paper, we describe a Mobile Fusion Component (MFC) -prepared to run in a mobile device- which aims at optimizing the selection of the available positioning systems by handling Quality-of-Location (QoL). The objective of the MFC is to offer the (best) location <JK@D8K@FE N?@:? =LC=@CCJ K?< :FEJLD<I 8GGC@:8K@FEJj +F& E<<;J 8K K?< J8D< K@D< K?8K minimizes resource consumption in the mobile device. Additionally, the MFC will provide seamless hand-off among location technologies and allow the user to establish his own privacy level for location data sharing. The MFC is part of a service-oriented mobile =I8D<NFIB N?@:? F==<IJ iContext Acquisition Services anD Reasoning Algorithmsj (CASanDRA Mobile) to accelerate the development of context-aware applications

Psychosocial needs of Spanish schoolchildren with visual impairment: a mixed methods research

Este estudio presenta un análisis de las necesidades psicosociales de un grupo de escolares españoles que padecen problemas visuales. La investigación utiliza metodología mixta aplicada en una muestra de 26 menores que acuden con sus progenitores a una consulta de oftalmología pediátrica con y sin problemas visuales. Se realizan entrevistas a los niños, adolescentes y/o progenitores sobre las repercusiones de su problema visual en el ámbito educativo, en la realización de actividades de ocio y tiempo libre y en la interacción con sus iguales, además de los sentimientos que les produce su problema visual. A los datos obtenidos se aplican análisis descriptivos, de medias, de varianza y pruebas de independencia entre variables, mediante las pruebas de chi-cuadrado de Pearson (χ²) y de U de Mann-Whitney. Los resultados encontrados indican que el grupo de escolares con problemas visuales graves tienen mayores dificultades que los que no los tienen en el bienestar físico y emocional, en el rendimiento escolar y en la interacción con los otros. Estos resultados sugieren la importancia de programar intervenciones integrales y conjuntas de carácter sanitario y socioeducativo que incidan en la mejora en cada una de las áreas de necesidad.This study investigates the psychosocial needs of a group of schoolchildren with visual impairments. Based on a CUAN+CUAL mixed methods, it analyzed 26 children, with and without visual impairment, who attended a paediatric ophthalmology consultation with their parents. Several descriptive, mean and variance tests of independence between variables were performed using Pearson’s Chi-square (χ²) and Mann-Whitney U tests. The interviews conducted with the children and/or parents on the impact of their visual impairment on education, leisure activities and peer interaction, as well as the feelings derived from the impairment, underwent discourse analysis. Results show that schoolchildren with severe visual impairments experience greater difficulties regarding physical and emotional well-being, school performance, and peer interaction when compared with those without. These findings suggest the importance of developing comprehensive and joint health and socio-educational interventions to improve these areas

Análisis ético y médico-legal de la eutanasia en la unión europea

En esta comunicación estudiamos la legalización de la eutanasia en Europa, tenemos múltiples diferencias dependiendo de unos países a otros: en España a día de hoy podemos decir que ni la eutanasia ni el suicidio asistido o eutanásico están legalizados, y su práctica tiene responsabilidad penal, Holanda fue el primer país del mundo en legalizar la eutanasia y suicidio asistido desde el año 2002, al igual que en Bélgica que además es el primer país del mundo en legalizar la práctica de la eutanasia infantil sin límite de edad, también en Luxemburgo se legaliza la eutanasia desde el año 2009 y en Suiza está legalizado el suicidio asistido incluso para personas que no residen en Suiza. En Alemania el suicidio asistido no está penalizado, en Francia existe una Ley Leonetti del año 2005 Ley sobre Enfermos Terminales, en Italia al igual que en Portugal existe una Ley sobre el testamento biológico o vital. Y el reino Unido que es el país fundador de los cuidados paliativos, es uno de los lugares más firmes contra el suicidio asistido. En la gran mayoría de los estados americanos en 34 está prohibido el suicidio asistido solamente está legalizado en tres estados americanos: Estado de Oregón desde el año 1997, Estado de Washington desde el año 2008 y en el Estado de Montana desde el año 2009. Pensamos que se debe apostar por políticas que aunque sean menos económicas fomenten el desarrollo de los cuidados paliativos (“Care not killing”) para paliar el dolor y el sufrimiento: dignificar la vida y no la muerte.In this paper we study the legalization of euthanasia in Europe, we have many differences depending on each country: Currently in Spain we can say that neither euthanasia nor assisted suicide are legalized , and its practice can be held criminally liable. Holland was the first country to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide in 2002 , as in Belgium which is also the first country to legalize the practice of euthanasia on children of any age , and euthanasia was also legalized in Luxembourg in2009 and assisted suicide is legal in in Switzerland even for non-residents. Assisted suicide is penalised in Germany, in France there exists a Leonetti Law Act for terminally patients from 2005, in Italy as well as in Portugal there is a law on the biological or living will . And the UK country, which is the founding country of palliative care , is one of the strongest places now against assisted suicide. In the vast majority of American states ( in 34 specifically) assisted suicide is prohibited , being legal in only three of its states . Oregon State in1997 , State of Washington in 2008 and in the State of Montana in 2009. We think that we should invest in policies which, even though they are less economical, they can as well promote the development of palliative care ( " care not killing" ) to help with pain and suffering : bring dignity to life and not to death