BRAILLE EXPERIENCE ON UNMODIFIED SMARTPHONES

Braille is a set of 3-by-2 tactile patterns that have a one-to-one mapping with the English alphabet utilized by the visually impaired to read and write. Techniques of this disclosure enable a computing device, such as a smartphone, tablet, wearable device (e.g., smart watch), laptop, etc., to activate particular patterns of haptic motors of the computing device that correspond to each character. The computing device may digitally encode the text shown on the display into braille dots using an on-device character recognition system. When the user raster-scans their finger over different pixels of the screen, the computing device determines the particular braille dots at the location of the user’s finger and activates a pattern of haptic motors corresponding to the particular pattern of braille dots at the location of the user’s finger. In this way, the user may perceive a haptic pattern that corresponds to the pattern of the braille dots that the user is “touching” on a computing device without requiring physical morphing the display and without requiring physical modification of the computing device

UNOCCLUDED GESTURES INPUT USING A SECONDARY TOUCH SCREEN

This publication describes systems and techniques for a computing device that includes multiple touch screens that enables a user to cause the computing device to update the graphical user interface (GUI) being outputted by a first touch screen of the computing device by providing gesture input at a second touch screen of the computing device. For example, a mobile computing device, such as a foldable smartphone, may include two touch screens that can be folded up to 360 degrees so that the two touch screens face away from each other in a back-to-back position. When such a mobile computing device is being used by a user, a first touch screen may face towards the user while a second touch screen may face away from the user. As the first touch screen of the mobile computing device outputs content that is viewable by the user, the user may interact with the second touch screen of the mobile computing device, such as by providing or performing touch input (e.g., gesture input) at the second touch screen to cause the mobile computing device to change, modify, or update the content outputted by the first touch screen. For example, the user may perform a gesture input at the second touch screen that causes the mobile computing device to zoom in and/or out of content displayed at the first touch screen. By enabling the user to interact with the second touch screen of the mobile computing device to change, modify, or update the content outputted by the first touch screen of the mobile computing device, the mobile computing device allows the user to interact with the computing device via touch-based input without the user’s finger occluding the user’s view of content being outputted by the first touch screen of the computing device

The Development of an Antagonistic SMA Actuation Technology for the Active Cancellation of Human Tremor.

Human Tremor is an unintentional bodily motion that affects muscle control among both healthy individuals and those with movement disorders, occasionally to severe detriment. While assistive devices avoid the risk of side effects from pharmacological or surgical treatments, most devices are impractical for daily use due to limitations inherent in conventional actuators. The goal of this research is to address these limitations by developing an antagonistic Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuation technology, enabling a new class of active tremor cancellation devices. This is accomplished through the construction of a model and body of empirical support that provides the necessary design insight and predictive power for an antagonistic actuator that ensures stable amplitude and high frequency motion with low power draw. Actuation frequency and power draw were improved while balancing their competing effects through the development of: 1) a method that accurately measures the convective coefficient of SMA to enhance actuator design, 2) a growth process for carbon nanotube cooling fins to enhance cooling in a fixed medium, and 3) an understanding of the antagonistic architecture to produce increased frequency in a controllable manner. To enable applications requiring predictability for positioning and complex control, a thermodynamic model for antagonistic SMA was derived to account for inertial, slack, boiling, friction, and convective effects. Using the model, a series of simulation studies provided design insight on the effect of operating environment, driving signal, and environmental conditions so that the generic actuation system can be utilized in a wide variety of applications beyond tremor cancellation. If high forces are required in such applications, stability issues can arise, which were addressed in experimental shakedown research that broadens the high-stress SMA design space. The technology enabled by this dissertation was demonstrated in a working Active Cancellation of Tremor (ACT) prototype that produced 71% RMS cancellation of human tremor. The cancellation results show significant improvement over the current state of the art by providing intuitive, lightweight, compact hand-held tremor cancellation that is a promising solution to numerous assistive applications in medical, military, and manufacturing sectors.Ph.D.Mechanical EngineeringUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76010/1/apathak_1.pd

Comparative Thermoluminescence Study of Rare Earth (Eu3+,Dy3+) and Transition Metal Mn2+ with Aluminate Host

The synthesis and characterization of Eu3+ Dy3+ and Mn2+ doped CaYAl3O7 phosphor with fixed 1 mol% concentrations  are reported herewith  to study the kinetic and  Thermoluminescence (TL) properties. The TL glow curve exhibit a  peak centered around ~350°C ,for all three dopants. The  Mn2+ ion  is exhibits intensive peak to other dopants. . Determine the activation energy and kinetic parameters of these material  using Chen’s formula. These results are supported by corresponding X-ray diffraction measurements which exhibit crystalline nature. These comparative analysis   suggest the possibility of utilizing this material in futuristic dosimeter application as well as in solid state lighting devices. Keywords: Thermoluminescence ,Phosphor, Dosimete

Preparation and evaluation of mucoadhesive microspheres of repaglinide for treatment of diabetes mellitus type II

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common form of diabetes constituting 90% of the diabetic population. The number of patients with diabetes in India is currently around 40.9 million and is expected to rise to 101 million by 2030.Majority of the conventional formulations available have some drawbacks and less bioavailability, to overcome their deficiency an attempt was made to formulate mucoadhesive of Repaglinide for the treatment of Diabetes mellitus type II ,Prepared formulations were subjected for different evaluation parameters like Particle Size Analysis, Production Yield, Bulk Density, Tapped Density and Compressibility Index, Swelling Index, Mucoadhesivity study, Entrapment efficiency, Differential Scanning calorimeter and in vitro drug release study. Best formulation was chosen who passed all the evaluation parameters

Transformation strain based method for characterization of convective heat transfer from shape memory alloy wires

While shape memory alloys (SMAs) have many actuation benefits, their frequencies are commonly restricted by slow cooling times caused by limitations in convective heat transfer. To increase the cooling speed and at the same time reduce excess power consumption from overheating, it is critical to understand the heat transfer from SMA wires. This requires accurate surface temperature measurement under a fixed input power, which is difficult to obtain using traditional methods because of the nature of SMAs (thin wires, large strains, heat activation, ambient environment, etc). This paper introduces a non-invasive technique for calculating the convective coefficient for SMAs by employing the temperature-induced transformation strain of SMAs to estimate the surface temperature. This method was experimentally validated for measurement of the convective coefficient in air where infrared cameras can operate, and then used to indirectly measure the convective coefficient across a range of commonly utilized SMA wire diameters and ambient media where traditional methods are limited. Formulated empirical correlations to the collected data provide a mathematical relationship to calculate the convective coefficient in material models which serve as better estimates of convection, and may be used for optimization of SMA actuators for increased frequency performance while ensuring that power draw is minimized.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/85423/1/sms10_3_035005.pd

Preparation and evaluation of mucoadhasive microspheres of Propranolol HCl for nasal delivery

In the recent decades, the interest in intranasal route for drug delivery is increased as the nasal mucosa offers numerous benefits such as rapid systemic drug absorption and fast onset of action. Additionally, intranasal absorption avoids the hepatic presystemic metabolism and enhances drug bioavailability in comparison to that obtained after oral administration. Also, it offers patient ease being non invasive, offers favourable tolerability profile and it is also pharmaceutically economic as dont require sterilization. Propranolol HCl is the most commonly used ? blocker drug for the prophylaxis of migraine. The problem with the oral route is low bioavailability (26%) due to pre-systemic metabolism. So, the aim of the work is to formulate and evaluate mucoadhesive microsphere of Propranolol HCl to increase its bioavailability and reduce its dose. Mucoadhesive microspheres increase the residence time of the drug by gel formation mechanism and hence improve bioavailability as compared to powder and liquid formulations. The prepared formulation was evaluated for particle size, shape and morphology, mucoadhesive strength, micrometric properties, in vitro drug diffusion study, entrapment efficiency and stability studies

Formulation and Evaluation of Modified release Bilayer Tablet of Paracetamol and Diclofenac sodium

The main objective of this research work is to develop a stable formulation of a NASAID drugs an immediate release layer of Paracetamol and sustain release layer of Diclofenac sodium are combine to the bilayer and evaluate their pre-compression and post-compression parameters A bilayer tablet comprises first layer formulated for instant release of the paracetamol from a dissolving tablet and a second layer formulated for sustain release Diclofenac sodium from a bilayer tablet The formulation was initiated with preparing granules of both the drug individually by wet granulation method and then then they were compressed to prepare bilayer tablet. The compressed bilayer tablets were evaluated for weight variation, thickness, hardness, friability, in-vitro drug release using USP dissolution apparatus and interaction study by DSC. The optimized Formulation table of formulations F5 formulation was found to be acceptable because it release drug up to 82.11 % of drug release for bilayer Tablet and this batch passed all the evaluation parameters

Effect of super-optimal levels of fertilizers on soil enzymatic activities during growth stages of wheat crop on an Inceptisol

A field experiment was conducted during 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 to investigate the effect of optimal (100% NPK) to super-optimal doses (200% NPK) of mineral fertilizers on soil enzymes such as dehydrogenase (DHA), acid phosphatase (Ac-PA), alkaline phosphatase (Alk-PA), fluorescien diacetate hydrolysis (FDA), urease and nitrate reductase (NRA) at three physiological stages (CRI, anthesis and maturity) of wheat crop on an Inceptisol. Dehydrogenase activity was reduced by 28-37% when fertilizer application was at super-optimal dose (200% NPK), whereas, urease and NRA responded positively in the range of 43-44% and 213-231% respectively. Alk-PAwas 7.3-7.9% higher in treatments receiving 125% NPK as compared to control (100% NPK); whereas, Ac-PA declines in the plots receiving 175 and 200% of recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) as compared to 150% NPK levels. Addition of 175% RDF increased the FDA to the tune of 46-53% as compared to 100% NPK. A significant (P?0.05) positive interaction between fertilizer treatments and physiological stages of wheat growth was observed on soil enzyme activities (except urease and NRA) being highest at the anthesis stage of wheat. Correlation matrix analysis showed that DHA was correlated with the studied enzyme activities except Ac-PA and FDA; whereas, strong correlation was observed between urease and NRA (r=0.981, P=0.01). This study provides theoretical and practical base for avoiding super optimal application of fertilisers which hinders the enzyme activities and vis-a-vis sustainable nutrient enrichment under rhizosphere