Novel method of capturing static and dynamic anthropometric data for home design

This paper presents a novel method for capturing and measuring both static and dynamic anthropometric data of people. These data can be then used for barrier-free home design based on a concept of ergonomic design with motion. This new approach utilized a 3D motion capture system as a tool to simultaneously obtain anthropometric information based on body motion analyses. This paper reports the experimental system design, data collection and analysis techniques on body motions

Development of the Web Users Self-Efficacy scale (WUSE)

The aim of this research was to develop a scale that could evaluate an individuals confidence in using the Internet. Web-based resources are becoming increasingly important within higher education and it is therefore vital that students and staff feel confident and competent in the access, provision, and utilisation of these resources. The scale developed here represents an extension of previous research (Cassidy & Eachus, 2002) that developed a measure of self-efficacy in the context of computer use. An iterative approach was used in the development of the Web User Self-Efficacy scale (WUSE) and the participants were recruited from the student body of a large University in the North West of the United Kingdom, and globally via a web site set up for this purpose. Initial findings suggest that the scale has acceptable standards of reliability and validity though work is continuing to refine the scale and improve the psychometric properties of the tool

The Origin of OB Runaway Stars

About 20% of all massive stars in the Milky Way have unusually high velocities, the origin of which has puzzled astronomers for half a century. We argue that these velocities originate from strong gravitational interactions between single stars and binaries in the centers of star clusters. The ejecting binary forms naturally during the collapse of a young (\aplt 1\,Myr) star cluster. This model replicates the key characteristics of OB runaways in our galaxy and it explains the \apgt 100\,\Msun\, runaway stars around young star clusters, e.g. R136 and Westerlund~2. The high proportion and the distributions in mass and velocity of runaways in the Milky Way is reproduced if the majority of massive stars are born in dense and relatively low-mass (5000-10000 \Msun) clusters.Comment: to appear in Scienc

Creating and validating self-efficacy scales for students

Purpose: student radiographers must possess certain abilities to progress in their training; these can be assessed in various ways. Bandura’s social cognitive theory identifies self-efficacy as a key psychological construct with regard to how people adapt to environments where new skills are developed. Use of this construct is common in health care literature but little has been noted within radiographic literature. The authors sought to develop a self-efficacy scale for student radiographers. Method: the scale was developed following a standard format. An initial pool of 80 items was generated and psychometric analysis was used to reduce this to 68 items. Radiography students drawn from 7 universities were participants (N=198) in validating the scale. Results: the psychometric properties of the scale were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA), factor analysis and item analysis. ANOVA demonstrated an acceptable level of known group validity: first-year, second-year, and third-year students all scored significantly differently (P=.035) from one another. Factor analysis identified the most significant factor as confidence in image appraisal. The scale was refined using item and factor analysis to produce the final 25-item scale. Conclusion This is the first published domain-specific self-efficacy scale validated specifically for student radiographers. In its current format it may have pedagogical utility. The authors currently are extending the work to add to the scale’s validity and embedding it into student training to assess its predictive value

Numerical analysis of nonlinear soliton propagation phenomena using the fuzzy mesh analysis technique

A novel numerical technique, the fuzzy mesh analysis technique, is developed to study the nonlinear propagation phenomena of solitons in an optical fiber. The main advantage of this technique is the variation of mesh size with the shape of soliton pulses along the propagation distance such that: 1) the calculation efficiency can be enhanced and 2) the number of sampling points can be greatly reduced. It is shown that the fuzzy mesh analysis technique is capable of analyzing the propagation phenomena of high-power solitons, pulse compression, and soliton interaction in an efficient manner.published_or_final_versio

Bino Dark Matter and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis in the Constrained E6SSM with Massless Inert Singlinos

We discuss a new variant of the E6 inspired supersymmetric standard model (E6SSM) in which the two inert singlinos are exactly massless and the dark matter candidate has a dominant bino component. A successful relic density is achieved via a novel mechanism in which the bino scatters inelastically into heavier inert Higgsinos during the time of thermal freeze-out. The two massless inert singlinos contribute to the effective number of neutrino species at the time of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, where the precise contribution depends on the mass of the Z' which keeps them in equilibrium. For example for mZ' > 1300 GeV we find Neff \approx 3.2, where the smallness of the additional contribution is due to entropy dilution. We study a few benchmark points in the constrained E6SSM with massless inert singlinos to illustrate this new scenario.Comment: 24 pages, revised for publication in JHE

A Consumer-Centric Open Innovation Framework for Food and Packaging Manufacturing

This article has been archived following written permission from IGI Global.Closed innovation approaches have been employed for many years in the food industry. But, this sector recently perceives its end-user to be wary of radically new products and changes in consumption patterns. However, new product development involves not only the product itself but also the entire manufacturing and distribution network. In this paper, we present a new ICT based framework that embraces open innovation to place customers in the product development loop but at the same time assesses and eventually coordinates the entire manufacturing and supply chain. The aim is to design new food products that consumers will buy and at the same time ensure that these products will reach the consumer in time and at adequate quantity. On the product development side, our framework enables new food products that offer an integrated sensory experience of food and packaging, which encompass customization, healthy eating, and sustainability