484 research outputs found
Towards Tactile Sensing of the Epidural Needle into the Spinal Column
The accurate placement of a needle into the spinal column is critical for spinal anesthesia, spinal taps, and other spinal procedures. Currently, the insertion of the needle is guided by visual and palpation feedback, which can be limited in accuracy and reliability. This study presents a novel approach to provide tactile feedback during needle insertion into the spinal column. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of providing feedback during the insertion of a needle into the epidural column. The study uses force-sensing resistor that is placed at the base of the needle. As the needle is inserted into the spinal column, the sensors measure the resistance and force encountered by the needle. These measurements are transmitted to a computer system that processes the data and generates real-time graphical feedback. The system was tested on a phantom model that simulates the spinal column. The results showed that the tactile feedback provided by the system improved the accuracy of needle placement and fewer tries at needle insertion were needed. The proposed tactile feedback system has the potential to improve the accuracy and safety of needle placement during spinal procedures
The Formation of Manufacturing Cells Using Genetic Algorithms
This paper proposes a genetic-based algorithm to handle the multi-criteria optimisation problem associated in the formation of cells in Group Technology (GT). GT or Cellular Manufacturing (CM) is a concept where a manufacturing system is decomposed into subsystems or cells. This is done by grouping a variety of parts with similar shape, dimension or process route. This manufacturing concept allows small batch-type production to gain economic advantages similar to those in mass production and still retain the the flexibility of job-shop production.
In this report, a genetic-based algorithm is developed to solve the cell formation problem. Genetic Algorithm (GA) is an optimisation technique that imitates the survival-of-the-fittest concept. The advantages of applying the GA approach in this problem include producing more than one acceptable solution and using several objective functions.
To overcome the problem of multi-criteria optimisation associated in the formulation of cells, the criteria are prioritised and modelled as multi-objective functions in the algorithm. Consequently, the algorithm is able to find a compromise between goals. Three different objective functions are used: minimising the inter-cell movement, minimising the variation of workload and maximising the similarity of machines within cells
An inhomogeneous alternative to dark energy?
Recently, there have been suggestions that the apparent accelerated expansion
of the universe is not caused by repulsive gravitation due to dark energy, but
is rather a result of inhomogeneities in the distribution of matter. In this
work, we investigate the behaviour of a dust dominated inhomogeneous
Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi universe model, and confront it with various
astrophysical observations. We find that such a model can easily explain the
observed luminosity distance-redshift relation of supernovae without the need
for dark energy, when the inhomogeneity is in the form of an underdense bubble
centered near the observer. With the additional assumption that the universe
outside the bubble is approximately described by a homogeneous Einstein-de
Sitter model, we find that the position of the first CMB peak can be made to
match the WMAP observations. Whether or not it is possible to reproduce the
entire CMB angular power spectrum in an inhomogeneous model without dark
energy, is still an open question.Comment: 8 pages (REVTeX4), 4 figures. v2: Minor changes to text plus added
some references. Accepted for publication in PR
Baryon Binding Energy in Sakai-Sugimoto Model
The binding energy of baryon has been studied in the dual
string theory with a black hole interior. In this picture baryon is constructed
of a brane vertex wrapping on and fundamental strings
connected to it. Here, we calculate the baryon binding energy in Sakai-Sugimoto
model with a in which the supersymmetry is completely
broken. Also we check the dependence of the baryon binding energy. We
believe that this model represents an accurate description of baryons due to
the existence of Chern-Simones coupling with the gauge field on the brane. We
obtain an analytical expression for the baryon binding energy . In that case we
plot the baryon binding energy in terms of radial coordinate. Then by using the
binding energy diagram, we determine the stability range for baryon
configuration. And also the position and energy of the stable equilibrium point
is obtained by the corresponding diagram. Also we plot the baryon binding
energy in terms of temperature and estimate a critical temperature in which the
baryon would be dissociated.Comment: 14 pages, 1 fi
Mercury goes Solid at room temperature at nanoscale and a potential Hg waste storage
While room temperature bulk mercury is liquid, it is solid in its nano-configuration (Ønano-Hg ≤ 2.5 nm). Conjugating the nano-scale size effect and the Laplace driven surface excess pressure, Hg nanoparticles of Ønano-Hg ≤ 2.4 nm embedded in a 2-D turbostratic Boron Nitride (BN) host matrix exhibited a net crystallization at room temperature via the experimentally observed (101) and (003) diffraction Bragg peaks of the solid Hg rhombohedral α-phase. The observed crystallization is correlated to a surface atomic ordering of 7 to 8 reticular atomic plans of the rhombohedral α-phase. Such a novelty of size effect on phase transition phenomena in Hg is conjugated to a potential Hg waste storage technology. Considering the vapor pressure of bulk Hg, Room Temperature (RT) Solid nano-Hg confinement could represent a potential green approach of Hg waste storage derived from modern halogen efficient light technology
Radiogenic and Muon-Induced Backgrounds in the LUX Dark Matter Detector
The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) dark matter experiment aims to detect rare
low-energy interactions from Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). The
radiogenic backgrounds in the LUX detector have been measured and compared with
Monte Carlo simulation. Measurements of LUX high-energy data have provided
direct constraints on all background sources contributing to the background
model. The expected background rate from the background model for the 85.3 day
WIMP search run is
~events~keV~kg~day
in a 118~kg fiducial volume. The observed background rate is
~events~keV~kg~day,
consistent with model projections. The expectation for the radiogenic
background in a subsequent one-year run is presented.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures / 17 images, submitted to Astropart. Phy
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