Sensing Senses: Tactile Feedback for the Prevention of Decubitus Ulcers

Decubitus ulcers, also known as pressure sores, is a major problem in health care, in particular for patients with spinal cord injuries. These patients cannot feel the discomfort that would urge healthy people to change their posture. We describe a system that uses a sensor mat to detect problematic postures and provides tactile feedback to the user. The results of our preliminary study with healthy subjects show that the tactile feedback is a viable option to spoken feedback. We envision the system being used for rehabilitation games, but also for everyday Decubitus ulcers prevention

Cataclysmic Variables from SDSS I. The First Results

The commissioning year of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey has demonstrated that many cataclysmic variables have been missed in previous surveys with brighter limits. We report the identification of 22 cataclysmic variables, of which 19 are new discoveries and 3 are known systems (SW UMa, BH Lyn and Vir4). A compendium of positions, colors and characteristics of these systems obtained from the SDSS photometry and spectroscopy is presented along with data obtained during follow-up studies with the Apache Point Observatory (APO) and Manastash Ridge Observatory (MRO) telescopes. We have determined orbital periods for 3 of the new systems: two show dwarf nova outbursts, and the third is a likely magnetic system with eclipses of its region of line emission. Based on these results, we expect the completed survey to locate at least 400 new CVs. Most of these will be faint systems with low accretion rates that will provide new constraints on binary evolution models.Comment: 26 pages, 11 figures, 7 tables, accepted for publication in A

To kill a mockingbird robot

Robots are being introduced in our society but their social status is still unclear. A critical issue is if the robot’s exhibition of intelligent life-like behavior leads to the users ’ perception of animacy. The ultimate test for the life-likeness of a robot is to kill it. We therefore conducted an experiment in which the robot’s intelligence and the participants ’ gender were the independent variables and the users ’ destructive behavior of the robot the dependent variables. Several practical and methodological problems compromised the acquired data, but we can conclude that the robot’s intelligence had a significant influence on the users ’ destructive behavior. We discuss the encountered problems and the possible application of this animacy measuring method

Adaptive posture advisory system for spinal cord injury patient during long haul air travel

Today, air travel is popular as a way of transportation for different purpose such as business and tourism. The numbers of air travel passengers are increasing every year. At the same time the flight distance is increased because of better fuel efficiency and technology advancement of airplanes. Sitting is the most common activity during the flight. The US Department of Health advised the disable people to change their sitting posture frequently to relieve sitting pressures at least every 1 hour, and every 15 minutes for normal people. Decubitus is widely recognized as serious complication for a person with spinal cord injury. Motor paralyses affected a person's ability to respond unconsciously to potential noxious stimuli. Decubitus affect the quality of life of spinal cord injury patient. For the spinal cord injury patient who travels with long haul flight, which is more than 5 hours, the decubitus risk will increase. The paper describes the development of an adaptive posture advisory system for spinal cord injury passengers. The aim of the system is to reduce the decubitus risk of the spinal cord injury patient during long haul flight

Adaptive posture advisory system for spinal cord injury patient during long haul air travel

\u3cp\u3eToday, air travel is popular as a way of transportation for different purpose such as business and tourism. The numbers of air travel passengers are increasing every year. At the same time the flight distance is increased because of better fuel efficiency and technology advancement of airplanes. Sitting is the most common activity during the flight. The US Department of Health advised the disable people to change their sitting posture frequently to relieve sitting pressures at least every 1 hour, and every 15 minutes for normal people. Decubitus is widely recognized as serious complication for a person with spinal cord injury. Motor paralyses affected a person's ability to respond unconsciously to potential noxious stimuli. Decubitus affect the quality of life of spinal cord injury patient. For the spinal cord injury patient who travels with long haul flight, which is more than 5 hours, the decubitus risk will increase. The paper describes the development of an adaptive posture advisory system for spinal cord injury passengers. The aim of the system is to reduce the decubitus risk of the spinal cord injury patient during long haul flight.\u3c/p\u3