Innovative activity in rural areas: the importance of local and regional characteristics

Innovation, supported by a developed and active entrepreneurial system, long has been recognized as critical to regional economic competitiveness. Innovation also plays an essential role for rural economic development as these regions respond to the challenges of competing in the global economy. Barkley and Henry identify assets that contribute to nonmetro innovation “hot spots.”Community development ; Research and development ; Patents

Configuration control of seven-degree-of-freedom arms

A seven degree of freedom robot arm with a six degree of freedom end effector is controlled by a processor employing a 6 by 7 Jacobian matrix for defining location and orientation of the end effector in terms of the rotation angles of the joints, a 1 (or more) by 7 Jacobian matrix for defining 1 (or more) user specified kinematic functions constraining location or movement of selected portions of the arm in terms of the joint angles, the processor combining the two Jacobian matrices to produce an augmented 7 (or more) by 7 Jacobian matrix, the processor effecting control by computing in accordance with forward kinematics from the augmented 7 by 7 Jacobian matrix and from the seven joint angles of the arm a set of seven desired joint angles for transmittal to the joint servo loops of the arm. One of the kinematic functions constraints the orientation of the elbow plane of the arm. Another one of the kinematic functions minimizes a sum of gravitational torques on the joints. Still another kinematic function constrains the location of the arm to perform collision avoidance. Generically, one kinematic function minimizes a sum of selected mechanical parameters of at least some of the joints associated with weighting coefficients which may be changed during arm movement. The mechanical parameters may be velocity errors or gravity torques associated with individual joints

Innovative Activity in Rural Areas: The Role of Local and Regional Characteristics

Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Vanadium(V) oxo and imido calix[8]arene complexes: synthesis, structural studies, and ethylene homo/copolymerisation capability

Interaction of p-tert-butylcalix[8]areneH₈ (L⁸H₈) with in-situ generated [NaVO(Ot-Bu)₄] (from VOCl₃ and four equivalents of NaOtBu) afforded the dark brown complex [Na(NCMe)₅][(VO)₂L⁸H]·4MeCN (1·4MeCN), in which the calix[8]arene adopts a saddle-shaped conformation. Increasing (to four equivalents per L⁸) the amount of [NaVO(Ot-Bu)₄] present in the reaction, led to the formation of the yellow octa-vanadyl complex {[(Na(VO)₄L⁸)(Na(NCMe))₃] [Na(NCMe)₆}₂·10MeCN (2·10MeCN), in which the calix[8]arene adopts a pleated loop conformation. In the presence of adventitious oxygen, reaction of four equivalents of [VO(Ot-Bu)₃] (generated from VOCl₃ and 3KOtBu) with L⁸H₈ afforded the alkali-metal free green complex [(VO)₄L⁸(μ³-O)₂] (3); the solvates 3·3MeCN and 3·3CH₂Cl₂ have been isolated. In both solvates, the L⁸ ligand adopts a shallow saddle-shaped conformation, supporting a core comprising of a (VO)₄O₄ ladder. In the case of lithium, in order to obtain crystalline material, it was found necessary to reverse the order of addition such that lithium tert-butoxide was added to L⁸H₈, and then subsequently treated (at –78 ⁰C) with two equivalents of VOCl₃; crystallization from tetrahydrofuran (THF) afforded {(VO₂)₂Li₆[L⁸](thf)₂(OtBu)₂(Et₂O)₂}·Et₂O (4·Et₂O). In the structure of 4·Et₂O, vanadium, lithium and oxygen form a central lattern-type cage, which is capped top and bottom by an Li₂O₂2 diamond; the calix[8]arene is in a ‘down, down, out, out, down, down’ conformation. When the ‘same reaction’ was extracted into acetonitrile (MeCN), the salt complex [Li(NCMe)₄][(VO)₂L⁸H]·8MeCN (5.8MeCN) was formed. In 5·8MeCN, the [Li(NCMe)₄] cations reside between the anions in the clefts of L⁸H, the latter adopting a saddle-shaped conformation. Use of the imido precursors [V(Nt-Bu)(Ot-Bu)₃] and [V(Np-tolyl)(Ot-Bu)₃] and L⁸H₈, afforded, via an imido exchange, the salt [t-BuNH₃]{[V(p-tolylN)]₂L⁸H}·3½MeCN (6·3½MeCN). The molecular structures of 1 to 6 are reported; data collections for complexes 2·10MeCN, 3·3MeCN and 3·3CH₂Cl₂ required the use of synchrotron radiation. Complexes 1, 3 and 4 have been screened as pre-catalysts for the polymerization of ethylene in the presence of a variety of co-catalysts (with and without a re-activator) at various temperatures and for the co-polymerization of ethylene with propylene; results are compared versus the benchmark catalyst VO(OEt)Cl₂. In some cases, activities as high as 136,000 g/mmol.v.h were achievable, whilst it also proved possible to obtain higher molecular weight polymers (in comparible yields) versus the use of VO(OEt)Cl₂. In the case of the co-polymerization, the incorporation of propylene was 7.1 – 10.9 mol% (cf 10 mol% for VO(OEt)Cl₂), though catalytic activities were lower versus VO(OEt)Cl₂

A floor sensor system for gait recognition

This paper describes the development of a prototype floor sensor as a gait recognition system. This could eventually find deployment as a standalone system (eg. a burglar alarm system) or as part of a multimodal biometric system. The new sensor consists of 1536 individual sensors arranged in a 3 m by 0.5 m rectangular strip with an individual sensor area of 3 cm2. The sensor floor operates at a sample rate of 22 Hz. The sensor itself uses a simple design inspired by computer keyboards and is made from low cost, off the shelf materials. Application of the sensor floor to a small database of 15 individuals was performed. Three features were extracted : stride length, stride cadence, and time on toe to time on heel ratio. Two of these measures have been used in video based gait recognition while the third is new to this analysis. These features proved sufficient to achieve an 80 % recognition rate

An Index to Measure Health Status

In this study we developed a health status index using the commonly recorded health measures by doctors and hospitals. This health status index has a minimum possible value of 7 (the least healthy) and a maximum value of 21 (the healthiest). Using the NHANES data, we explored the relationship of this health status index and nutrient intakes, lifestyle, and demographics of the respondent. Regression results showed that as the age of the respondent, being non-Hispanic black, participants of food stamp programs, high percent of calories that came from fat intakes, high percent of calories in beverages that came from soft drinks, smoking, and on special diets are negatively related to the value of the health status index (i.e., the person became less healthy); household income, college education, eating breakfast, and the amount of exercise are positively related value of the health status index (the person became healthier). These results indicate that the health status index developed in this study had the desired properties.health index, HNANES, nutrients, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,