Simultaneous determination of the position, release time and mass release rate of an unknown gas emission source in short-term emissions by inverse problem

This article proposes a protocol for the simultaneous determination of the position, release time and mass release rate of an unknown gas emission source from experimental data in the form of an inverse problem, since these are the main variables in the short duration release of pollutants. Records of pollutant concentration and of measurement time (with their inherent errors) carried out at two measuring stations are the input data for the inverse problem. The actions of the protocol are divided into two well-differentiated stages. In the first, the simulations are started for each iteration, the functionals are calculated to program the next iteration, setting the new values of measurement time and the distance of the emission source in downwind direction with respect to the measuring stations by comparing the simulated and experimental values, and so on until reaching the final solution. In the second, an analogous procedure is followed until the mass rate and the emission source position is obtained. In addition, it has been necessary to define a new coefficient that relates the effect of dispersion in the measurement time, the distance in the downwind direction and the atmospheric stability categories. The reliability of the proposed protocol is checked by means of a problem whose parameters are known a priori. First, the direct problem is solved to obtain the values of contaminant concentration and the measurement time of the stations. These variables are then affected by random errors of up to 2% to provide the input data for the inverse problem. In all the examples shown in this work, solutions have been obtained that can be considered very successful in this field of engineering.The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper

Design and assessment of adaptative hypermdia games for English acquisition in preschool

La creciente popularidad de los juegos hipermedia llega mucho más allá de los límites del entretenimiento e interfieren en muchos ámbitos educativos. El crecimiento de las tecnologías de juegos ha creado nuevos entornos de enseñanza a través de propuestas que combinan el aprendizaje con la diversión y motivan las expectativas que hacen que el uso de juegos digitales sea una tendencia relevante en situaciones de aprendizaje versátil en todos los niveles educativos. Sobre la base de la aplicación de la Shaiex, financiado por el gobierno de Extremadura (España) y desarrollado por el grupo de investigación GexCALL, el objetivo del presente trabajo es doble. En primer lugar, se analizan los pasos y requisitos para el diseño de juegos adaptables para la enseñanza del inglés como lengua extranjera en el nivel preescolar. Explorar las premisas generales para la tarea de adaptación al personalizar el contenido a las necesidades de los niños y sus habilidades, la ejecución del diseño completo se describe en función de su aplicabilidad. En segundo lugar, una evaluación de la adaptación juegos diseñados es realizada, basada en el supuesto de que la selección de experiencias digitales apropiadas al desarrollo para satisfacer las expectativas de los usuarios y maximizar su potencial de aprendizaje deben someterse a una evaluación cuidadosa.The increasing popularity of hypermedia games is reaching far beyond the boundaries of entertainment and edging its way into many educational domains. The growth in game technologies has created new teaching environments through proposals combining learning with fun and motivating expectations which make the use of digital games a relevant trend in versatile learning situations at all educational levels. Based on the implementation of the Shaiex project, funded by the government of Extremadura (Spain) and develop by the research group GexCALL, the aim of this paper is twofold. First, it analyses the steps and requirements for the design of adaptive games for the teaching of English as a foreign language at the preschool level. Exploring the general premises for task adaptation by personalizing content to children’s needs and abilities, the implementation of the whole design is described in light of its applicability. Second, an assessment of the adaptive games designed is conducted, based on the assumption that selecting developmentally appropriate digital experiences to meet users’ expectations and to maximize their learning potential should undergo careful evaluation.peerReviewednotPeerReviewe

Language learning through handheld gaming: a case study of an English course with engineering students

El siglo XXI es la generación de Digital Game-Based Learning, una generación que creció con las tecnologías y contribuyendo a la prevalencia de los juegos digitales [Chuang et al., 10]. Así, el uso de consolas portátiles (Nintendo DS o SONY PSP) para el entretenimiento en todas las edades ha aumentado dramáticamente, al igual que la disponibilidad de los juegos que satisfagan necesidades específicas, las necesidades o preferencias de los usuarios. Aunque este campo de aplicaciones no está exenta de limitaciones, tales como la conectividad, la facilidad de uso y limitaciones técnicas [Moisés, 08; Hussain y Adeeb, 09], el aprendizaje móvil está ahora en el programa a todos los niveles de la educación [Cheon et al., 12; Frohberg et al., 2009; Suki y Suki, 07]. En este estudio analizamos cómo Nintendo utiliza tecnología móvil para enseñar vocabulario, gramática, pronunciación, escritura y habilidades de escucha puede ayudar a mejorar el entorno de aprendizaje y los resultados en inglés para estudiantes de ingeniería. La doble investigación apunta a (1) evaluar la satisfacción del estudiante con la tecnología móvil y (2) medir el aprendizaje del estudiante con Nintendo DS. A la luz de estas hipótesis, los resultados muestran cómo la introducción de dispositivos móviles puede aumentar el interés de los alumnos y la motivación en el proceso de aprendizaje, fomentar la integración de actividades y aumentar el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes.The 21st century is the generation of Digital Game-Based Learning, a generation growing up with technologies and contributing to the prevalence of digital games [Chuang et al., 10]. Thus, the use of mobile consoles (Nintendo DS or SONY PSP) for entertainment at all ages has increased dramatically, as has the availability of games that meet specific needs, requirements or users preferences. Though this field of applications is not exempt from constraints such as connectivity, usability and technical limitations [Moses, 08; Hussain and Adeeb, 09], mobile learning is now on the agenda at all levels of education [Cheon et al., 12; Frohberg et al., 09; Suki and Suki, 07]. In this study we analyze how Nintendo mobile technology used to teach vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, writing and listening skills can help to improve the learning environment and the results in English for Engineering students. The two-fold investigation aims to (1) evaluate the student’s satisfaction with mobile technology and (2) measure student learning with Nintendo DS. In the light of these hypotheses, the results show how the introduction of mobile devices can increase students’ interest and motivation in the learning process, fostering the integration of activities and increasing the academic performance of students.peerReviewe

Multimedia games for fun and learning English in preschool

Basado en la suposición de que el software educativo se aborda en la escuela primaria, los alumnos deben incluir un conjunto de características para alentar su creatividad y el desarrollo y diseño adecuado de segundo idioma. Los juegos hipermedia adaptativos para los niños de escuela primaria pueden representar una amplia gama de retos, tanto para los profesores de lengua como para los especialistas en Informática. Factores tales como el contexto educativo, las habilidades cognitivas, lingüísticas, conceptuales y las limitaciones psicomotoras y restricciones hacen que esto sea un desafío para los profesionales. Esto significa que deben tratar su contenido lingüístico y adaptar las consultas a la tecnología. Sobre la base de los resultados del análisis factorial múltiple, este trabajo pretende, en primer lugar, demostrar que el diseño de tareas hipermedias puede ser aplicado de forma óptima siguiendo las fases anteriores de recopilación de datos sobre los temas preferidos. En este sentido, la estrategia de preguntas para la creación de un sistema hipermedia nos lleva a analizar factores de aprendizaje a fin de hacer frente a las posibles demandas lingüísticas, conceptuales y tecnológicas en el entorno del aprendizaje de los niños. Resultados generales en las fases preliminares del estudio muestran la necesidad de dirigir la ruta de aprendizaje hacia una adaptación eficaz en las habilidades cognitivas de los niños. Los resultados permiten elaborar un conjunto de tareas hipermedias que proporcionan la adaptación de la información presentada a los estudiantes de acuerdo a sus objetivos, intereses y/o conocimientos.Based on the assumption that educational software addressing Primary school learners must comprise a set of features to encourage children’s creativity and development, the appropriate design of second language hypermedia adaptive games for Primary School children can pose a wide range of challenges both for the language teacher and computer specialist alike. Factors such as the educational context, cognitive abilities, linguistic constraints, conceptual and psychomotor restrictions, and so on, contribute to challenging professionals. This means they must deal with linguistic, content and technology adaptation queries. Based on the results from multi-factorial analysis, this paper aims firstly to demonstrate that the design of hypermedia tasks can be optimally implemented by following previous phases of data collection on preferred items. In this sense, the questioning approach for the creation of a hypermedia system has led us to analyze learning factors in order to deal with the possible linguistic, conceptual and technological demands in the children’s learning environment. General results in the preliminary phases of the study show the need to steer the learning path towards an effective adaptation to children’s cognitive abilities. These are the findings from which we have devised a set of hypermedia tasks which provide the adaptation of the information presented to the student according to individual objectives, interests and/or knowledge.peerReviewe

Language learning through handheld gaming: a case study of an English course with engineering students

El siglo XXI es la generación de Digital Game-Based Learning, una generación que creció con las tecnologías y contribuyendo a la prevalencia de los juegos digitales [Chuang et al., 10]. Así, el uso de consolas portátiles (Nintendo DS o SONY PSP) para el entretenimiento en todas las edades ha aumentado dramáticamente, al igual que la disponibilidad de los juegos que satisfagan necesidades específicas, las necesidades o preferencias de los usuarios. Aunque este campo de aplicaciones no está exenta de limitaciones, tales como la conectividad, la facilidad de uso y limitaciones técnicas [Moisés, 08; Hussain y Adeeb, 09], el aprendizaje móvil está ahora en el programa a todos los niveles de la educación [Cheon et al., 12; Frohberg et al., 2009; Suki y Suki, 07]. En este estudio analizamos cómo Nintendo utiliza tecnología móvil para enseñar vocabulario, gramática, pronunciación, escritura y habilidades de escucha puede ayudar a mejorar el entorno de aprendizaje y los resultados en inglés para estudiantes de ingeniería. La doble investigación apunta a (1) evaluar la satisfacción del estudiante con la tecnología móvil y (2) medir el aprendizaje del estudiante con Nintendo DS. A la luz de estas hipótesis, los resultados muestran cómo la introducción de dispositivos móviles puede aumentar el interés de los alumnos y la motivación en el proceso de aprendizaje, fomentar la integración de actividades y aumentar el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes.The 21st century is the generation of Digital Game-Based Learning, a generation growing up with technologies and contributing to the prevalence of digital games [Chuang et al., 10]. Thus, the use of mobile consoles (Nintendo DS or SONY PSP) for entertainment at all ages has increased dramatically, as has the availability of games that meet specific needs, requirements or users preferences. Though this field of applications is not exempt from constraints such as connectivity, usability and technical limitations [Moses, 08; Hussain and Adeeb, 09], mobile learning is now on the agenda at all levels of education [Cheon et al., 12; Frohberg et al., 09; Suki and Suki, 07]. In this study we analyze how Nintendo mobile technology used to teach vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, writing and listening skills can help to improve the learning environment and the results in English for Engineering students. The two-fold investigation aims to (1) evaluate the student’s satisfaction with mobile technology and (2) measure student learning with Nintendo DS. In the light of these hypotheses, the results show how the introduction of mobile devices can increase students’ interest and motivation in the learning process, fostering the integration of activities and increasing the academic performance of students.peerReviewe

EVA: Endoscopic Video Analysis of the surgical scene for the assessment of MIS psychomotor skills

The present work covers the first validation efforts of the EVA Tracking System for the assessment of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) psychomotor skills. Instrument movements were recorded for 42 surgeons (4 expert, 22 residents, 16 novice medical students) and analyzed for a box trainer peg transfer task. Construct validation was established for 7/9 motion analysis parameters (MAPs). Concurrent validation was determined for 8/9 MAPs against the TrEndo Tracking System. Finally, automatic determination of surgical proficiency based on the MAPs was sought by 3 different approaches to supervised classification (LDA, SVM, ANFIS), with accuracy results of 61.9%, 83.3% and 80.9% respectively. Results not only reflect on the validation of EVA for skills? assessment, but also on the relevance of motion analysis of instruments in the determination of surgical competence

Methods and Tools for Objective Assessment of Psychomotor Skills in Laparoscopic Surgery

Training and assessment paradigms for laparoscopic surgical skills are evolving from traditional mentor–trainee tutorship towards structured, more objective and safer programs. Accreditation of surgeons requires reaching a consensus on metrics and tasks used to assess surgeons’ psychomotor skills. Ongoing development of tracking systems and software solutions has allowed for the expansion of novel training and assessment means in laparoscopy. The current challenge is to adapt and include these systems within training programs, and to exploit their possibilities for evaluation purposes. This paper describes the state of the art in research on measuring and assessing psychomotor laparoscopic skills. It gives an overview on tracking systems as well as on metrics and advanced statistical and machine learning techniques employed for evaluation purposes. The later ones have a potential to be used as an aid in deciding on the surgical competence level, which is an important aspect when accreditation of the surgeons in particular, and patient safety in general, are considered. The prospective of these methods and tools make them complementary means for surgical assessment of motor skills, especially in the early stages of training. Successful examples such as the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery should help drive a paradigm change to structured curricula based on objective parameters. These may improve the accreditation of new surgeons, as well as optimize their already overloaded training schedules

Procedimiento automático para el calibrado de cámaras: Estudio comparativo de la distorsión en diferentes combinaciones de cámaras y ópticas laparoscópicas

En este trabajo se propone un método de calibración automático para el cálculo y corrección de la distorsión en imágenes producida por las lentes de los sistemas de captura. Este procedimiento ha sido empleado como herramienta para analizar la distorsión provocada por diversos sistemas de cámara y óptica laparoscópica, de modo que podamos determinar el sistema que proporciona una imagen más fiable al cirujano