461 research outputs found
High precision hybrid RF and ultrasonic chirp-based ranging for low-power IoT nodes
Hybrid acoustic-RF systems offer excellent ranging accuracy, yet they typically come at a power consumption that is too high to meet the energy constraints of mobile IoT nodes. We combine pulse compression and synchronized wake-ups to achieve a ranging solution that limits the active time of the nodes to 1 ms. Hence, an ultra low-power consumption of 9.015 µW for a single measurement is achieved. The operation time is estimated on 8.5 years on a CR2032 coin cell battery at a 1 Hz update rate, which is over 250 times larger than state-of-the-art RF-based positioning systems. Measurements based on a proof-of-concept hardware platform show median distance error values below 10 cm. Both simulations and measurements demonstrate that the accuracy is reduced at low signal-to-noise ratios and when reflections occur. We introduce three methods that enhance the distance measurements at a low extra processing power cost. Hence, we validate in realistic environments that the centimeter accuracy can be obtained within the energy budget of mobile devices and IoT nodes. The proposed hybrid signal ranging system can be extended to perform accurate, low-power indoor positioning
Acculturation and Bicultural Efficacy Effects on Chinese American Immigrants’ Diabetes and Health Management
The primary goal of this study was to examine effects of bicultural efficacy, or perceived confidence in dealing with bicultural acculturation stressors, on type 2 diabetes management and health for first-generation, Cantonese-speaking, Chinese American immigrants (N=162) recruited for a larger community-based diabetes intervention study (Chesla et al., 2013). The current study also tested whether a new Bicultural Efficacy in Health Management (BEFF-HM) scale is a more robust predictor of diabetes and health outcomes than proxy (years in the U.S.) and general acculturation measures. Hierarchical regression analyses of cross-sectional data revealed that high BEFF-HM was significantly related to positive outcomes on five of six diabetes and health measures as hypothesized after accounting for participant characteristics, proxy and general acculturation measures, and social support. Proxy and general acculturation measures failed to predict any study outcome supporting our secondary hypothesis that BEFF-HM is a better predictor of Chinese American immigrants’ diabetes and health management. An immigrant-focused research approach advances understanding of acculturation and bicultural efficacy effects on health by identifying key acculturation domains for study
The Relationship Between Diabetes Distress and Clinical Depression With Glycemic Control Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
ObjectiveTo clarify previous findings that diabetes distress is related to glycemic control and self-management whereas measures of depression are not, using both binary and continuous measures of depression.Research design and methodsFour hundred and sixty-three type 2 patients completed measures of diabetes distress (Diabetes Distress Scale [DDS]) and clinical depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 8 [PHQ8]). PHQ8 was employed as either a binary (>or=10) or continuous variable. Dependent variables were A1C, diet, physical activity (PA), and medication adherence (MA).ResultsThe inclusion of a binary or continuous PHQ8 score yielded no differences in any equation. DDS was significantly associated with A1C and PA, whereas PHQ8 was not; both DDS and PHQ8 were significantly and independently associated with diet and MA.ConclusionsThe lack of association between depression and glycemic control is not due to the use of a binary measure of depression. Findings further clarify the significant association between distress and A1C
How to achieve robustness against scaling in a real-time digital watermarking system for broadcast monitoring
In the European Esprit project VIVA (Visual Identity Verification Auditor) a real-time digital watermarking system for broadcast monitoring has been investigated and implemented. On top of the usual requirements for watermarks, the VIVA watermarking system has to satisfy an additional number of constraints. One of the most important constraints in a broadcast environment is the robustness of the watermark against scaling. This paper describes how robustness against scaling is achieved in the VIVA project. Furthermore, a real-time implementation of the algorithms is discussed. Experimental results prove the effectiveness of the algorithms
How to achieve robustness against scaling in a real-time digital watermarking system for broadcast monitoring
In the European Esprit project VIVA (Visual Identity Verification Auditor) a real-time digital watermarking system for broadcast monitoring has been investigated and implemented. On top of the usual requirements for watermarks, the VIVA watermarking system has to satisfy an additional number of constraints. One of the most important constraints in a broadcast environment is the robustness of the watermark against scaling. This paper describes how robustness against scaling is achieved in the VIVA project. Furthermore, a real-time implementation of the algorithms is discussed. Experimental results prove the effectiveness of the algorithms
Self-Efficacy, Problem Solving, and Social-Environmental Support Are Associated With Diabetes Self-Management Behaviors
OBJECTIVE — To evaluate associations between psychosocial and social-environmental variables and diabetes self-management, and diabetes control. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS — Baseline data from a type 2 diabetes self-management randomized trial with 463 adults having elevated BMI (M 34.8 kg/m2) were used to investigate relations among demographic, psychosocial, and social-environmental variables; dietary, exercise, and medication-taking behaviors; and biologic outcomes. RESULTS — Self-efficacy, problem solving, and social-environmental support were indepen-dently associated with diet and exercise, increasing the variance accounted for by 23 and 19%, respectively. Only diet contributed to explained variance in BMI ( 0.17, P 0.0003) and self-rated health status ( 0.25, P 0.0001); and only medication-taking behaviors contrib-uted to lipid ratio (total–to–HDL) (0.20, P 0.0001) and A1C (0.21, P 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS — Interventions should focus on enhancing self-efficacy, problem solving, and social-environmental support to improve self-management of diabetes. Diabetes Care 33:751–753, 2010 D iabetes management requires coor-dination between the patient andthe primary care team. Given the lifestyle changes required for self-management success, patient, social, and environmental factors, including health care (1) and community support (2), are increasingly recognized as important. Un-derstanding relations among demo-graphic, psychosocial, and social-environmental variables, and multiple health risk behaviors is critical to devel-oping interventions that will sustain health behavior changes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS — Baseline data were col-lected as part of a patient randomized trial to evaluate the impact of an interactive, multimedia diabetes self-management program relative to “enhanced ” usual car
A multilevel approach to youth physical activity research.
A multilevel approach to youth physical activity research. Exerc. Sport Sci. Rev., Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 95-99, 2004. Social environment factors are hypothesized to interact with individual-level factors to influence youth physical activity. Multilevel analytic approaches are ideal for examining the influence of the social environment on youth physical activity as they allow examination of research questions across multiple contexts and levels (e.g., individual, family, and neighborhood levels)
Interacting with information and robotics systems
The aim of this paper is to present the results obtained during the project 131-CEEX/2006, INTEROB: Interacting by Gestures with Information and Robotics Systems for the time frame 2006-2008. The project focused on natural interaction using gesture recognition technology applied in various applications such as: virtual environments, augmented reality, collaborative working and interaction with robotics systems
Observation of the Baryonic Flavor-Changing Neutral Current Decay Lambda_b -> Lambda mu+ mu-
We report the first observation of the baryonic flavor-changing neutral
current decay Lambda_b -> Lambda mu+ mu- with 24 signal events and a
statistical significance of 5.8 Gaussian standard deviations. This measurement
uses ppbar collisions data sample corresponding to 6.8fb-1 at sqrt{s}=1.96TeV
collected by the CDF II detector at the Tevatron collider. The total and
differential branching ratios for Lambda_b -> Lambda mu+ mu- are measured. We
find B(Lambda_b -> Lambda mu+ mu-) = [1.73+-0.42(stat)+-0.55(syst)] x 10^{-6}.
We also report the first measurement of the differential branching ratio of B_s
-> phi mu+ mu- using 49 signal events. In addition, we report branching ratios
for B+ -> K+ mu+ mu-, B0 -> K0 mu+ mu-, and B -> K*(892) mu+ mu- decays.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 4 tables. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Search for Neutral Higgs Bosons in Events with Multiple Bottom Quarks at the Tevatron
The combination of searches performed by the CDF and D0 collaborations at the
Fermilab Tevatron Collider for neutral Higgs bosons produced in association
with b quarks is reported. The data, corresponding to 2.6 fb-1 of integrated
luminosity at CDF and 5.2 fb-1 at D0, have been collected in final states
containing three or more b jets. Upper limits are set on the cross section
multiplied by the branching ratio varying between 44 pb and 0.7 pb in the Higgs
boson mass range 90 to 300 GeV, assuming production of a narrow scalar boson.
Significant enhancements to the production of Higgs bosons can be found in
theories beyond the standard model, for example in supersymmetry. The results
are interpreted as upper limits in the parameter space of the minimal
supersymmetric standard model in a benchmark scenario favoring this decay mode.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure
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