Interaction Techniques using Head Mounted Displays and Handheld Devices for Outdoor Augmented Reality

Depending upon their nature, Outdoor AR applications can be deployed on head mounted displays (HMD) like Google glass or handheld Displays (HHD) like smartphones. This master’s thesis investigates novel gesture-based interaction techniques and applications for a HMD-HHD hybrid system that account for advantages presented by each platform. Prior research in HMD-HHD hybrid systems and gestures used in VR and surface computing were taken into account while designing the applications and interaction techniques. A prototype system combining a HMD and HHD was developed and four applications were created for the system. For evaluating the gestures, an application that compared four of the proposed gestures for selection tasks was developed. The results showed a significant difference between the different gestures and that the choice of gesture for selection tasks using a hybrid system depended upon application requirements like speed and accuracy

Анализ работоспособности экстракционной колонны

Исследованы причины отклонений работы экстракционного оборудования от регламентных норм, проанализированы дефекты в процессе эксплуатации исследуемого оборудования. Определены характеристики часто повторяющихся дефектов при работе комбинированной экстракционной колонны оригинальной конструкции. Классифицированы отклонения, определены коэффициенты конкордации, установлены основные факторы, влияющие на процесс экстракции. Создан алгоритм диагностики работы оборудования. Рассчитан уровень дефектности оборудования за исследуемый период времени. Предложена методика статистической обработки данных способом анкетирования по выборке факторов, влияющих на процесс экстракции. Разработан метод диагностики работы экстракторов

Usability Assessment of a Powered Wheelchair Controller: How Impairments Affect Human Computer Interaction Based Tasks

Problem: Designing the user experience is a growing trend in product design; however this trend has not greatly benefited people with impairments and disabilities. There are no practical tools to broadly assist with this issue. There is a need for standardized measures to quantify impairment, a model to predict how designs may perform and a need for data regarding how people with impairments interact with consumer technology. Purpose: To conduct a usability analysis with an industry partner on their powered wheelchair controller using participants with varying impairments. The industry partner was seeking better insight into the benefits of formal user testing. Method: Forty consenting adults were given a score representing their level of impairment using six measures from the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). These measures were identified by the researcher to affect interaction with a device. Performance was measured by time taken to complete tasks, errors made, reported task difficulty and reported controller usability. Results: Performance was reduced in participants with a higher ICF score and age. An ICF score less than or equal to 2 was 117 times more likely to not complete the tasks, greater than or equal to 3 was not able to complete the experiment. Age >50 years took an average 79 seconds longer than <35 years to complete a task and reported greater difficulty, more errors and a lower usability for the controller. Implications: Low to moderate levels of impairment has a significantly negative effect on the usability of common devices. Difficulties were mostly cognitive with participants unable to create an accurate mental model of the system. Participants with lower performance tended to be overly optimistic about their abilities. Mistakes were the greatest source of error followed by lapses and almost no reported or observed slip errors. Original Contribution: The ICF has never been used as a metric for usability testing. This study successfully applied the ICF alongside other measures to prove its validity. Based on the results and current literature the Task Process Model was created to provide a simple and practical way to describe the interaction of people completing a task of basic to moderate complexity

The biological sewage disposal in local treatment facilities of objects of individual residential buildings

Статья посвящена актуальной на сегодняшний день проблеме очистки хозяйственно-бытовых стоков. Рассмотрена перспектива использования метода биологической очистки в локальных очистных сооружениях "ЛОС" объектов индивидуальной жилой застройки. Значительное внимание уделяется исследованию параметров функционирования активного ила и возможности его адаптации к условиям ЛОС конкретного "данного" объекта. Предлагается конструкция ЛОС с высокой степенью устойчивости к залповым "большого количества" сбросам бытовых сточных вод, позволяющая использовать данное сооружение в различных климатических условиях

Тепловое расширение и температуры стеклования аморфных полимеров

Проведено изучение теплового расширения и температур стеклования для модифицированных эпоксидных компаундов горячего и холодного отверждения. На основе полученного экспериментального материала произведено вычисление и сопоставление с экспериментом универсальных параметров уравнения Симха и Бойера. Экспериментальные и расчетные данные согласуются удовлетворительно

Выбор факторов влияния и определение зависимостей производительности валковой дробилки от их параметров

При розробці технології кар'єрного видобутку базальтової сировини виникла необхідність у детальному вивченні впливу різних факторів на продуктивність валкової дробарки, для наступного моделювання процесу й прогнозування її раціональних параметрів. У якості основних факторів, впливаючих на продуктивність дробарки були прийняті наступні: діаметр, довжина й частота обертів валків млина, розмір щілини між валками, крупність куска, що завантажується в дробарку та щільність матеріалу. Кожний з перерахованих вище факторів може бути обраний у якості регулюючої ланки для керування процесом рудопідготовки, а отримані в результаті досліджень характеристики дозволять розробити узагальнену модель процесу.При разработке технологии карьерной добычи базальтового сырья возникла необходимость в детальном изучении влияния различных факторов на производительность валковой дробилки, для последующего моделирования процесса и прогнозирования ее рациональных параметров. В качестве основных факторов оказывающих значительное влияние на производительность дробилки были приняты следующие: диаметр, длина и частота оборотов валков мельницы, размер щели между валками, крупность загружаемого в дробилку куска, плотность дробимого материала. Каждый из вышеперечисленных факторов может быть избран в качестве регулирующего звена для управления процессом рудоподготовки, а полученные в результате исследований характеристики позволят разработать обобщенную модель процесса

An isotopic and anionic study of the hydrologic connectivity between the Waimakariri River and the Avon River, Christchurch, New Zealand

The Waimakariri-Avon River system is an important component of the Christchurch aquifer system and has been identified as one of, if not the, primary groundwater flow path. The Waimakariri-Avon River system is ideally suited to geochemical tracing of surface water- groundwater interaction and while many past studies have been undertaken to characterise this system, in terms of its geochemistry and physical hydrogeological components, there is still a large amount of uncertainty as to how long it takes for groundwater to flow from the Waimakariri River, through the Waimakariri-Avon River groundwater system, to the springs that feed the Avon River. The primary goals of this thesis were to; 1) Constrain the residence time of groundwater connecting the Waimakariri-Avon River groundwater system using stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes and analysis of anionic concentrations of: chloride, fluoride, nitrate, nitrite, bromide and sulfate, 2) Provide additional evidence of a hydrological connection between the Waimakariri River and the Avon River systems, 3) Present observations of the stable isotopic and anionic response of surface water to rainfall events, 4) Identify stable isotopic and anionic surface water variation along the Waimakariri-Avon River system, and establish the reasons for these. This study presents the use of natural isotopic and anionic tracers to characterise the residence time of the groundwater that flows between the Waimakariri and Avon Rivers, by sampling surface water and meteoric water at sites that are part of the Waimakariri-Avon River system. 375 samples were collected from 10 surface water and 4 rainwater sites distributed across the Waimakariri-Avon River surface water-groundwater flow path between March 5th and August, 2014. Additionally the study provides further stable isotopic evidence of the connection between the Waimakariri and Avon Rivers, as well as presents the variability of surface water chemistry in response to rainfall events. Identification of isotopic and anionic variation along the Waimakariri-Avon River system, by surface water sampling, was also conducted to establish the probable causes of observed variations. This study found that the use of large rainfall events, as natural tracers, was not conclusive in establishing the groundwater residence time of the Waimakariri-Avon River system within the 4.5 month sampling period available. Surface water sampling provided further evidence in support of past studies that have determined an isotopic connection between the Waimakariri River and the Avon River with mean stable isotopic values for the Waimakariri River (-8.85‰ δ18O and-60.65 δD) and Avon River (-8.53‰ δ18O and -58.72 δD) being more similar than those of locally derived meteoric water (-5.48‰ δ18O and -35.13 δD). Observations of surface water chemistry variations thorough time determined and identified clear responses to rainfall events as deviations from baseline values, coinciding with rainfall events. Isotopic variation along the Waimakariri-Avon River system was shown to reflect Waimakariri River derived shallow groundwater with the contributions from rainwater increasing with increased proximity to the Avon River mouth. Anionic profiling of the Waimakariri-Avon River system identified increasing concentrations of chloride, nitrate, sulfate, nitrite and bromide, relative to the Waimakariri River, with increased proximity to the Avon River mouth. Fluoride concentrations were identified in lower concentration, relative to the Waimakariri River, with increased proximity to the Avon River mouth. Fluoride and nitrite concentrations were attributed predominantly, if not entirely, to an atmospheric source as mean concentrations were greater in meteoric waters by a factor of at least 2, compared to surface water samples. Chloride and bromide have been attributed to possible salt water mixing as a result of the interaction of upwelling deeper groundwater with the marine and estuarine sands beneath the upper unconfined aquifer, that act as a confining layer within the Christchurch aquifer system. Nitrate and sulfate concentrations have been attributed to potential fertilizer usage and past land-use impacts. A significant step-change increase in chloride, bromide, nitrate and sulfate concentrations was observed between the surface water sample sites at Avonhead Park and the University of Canterbury. The step-change coincides with the boundary of the upper confining layer within the Christchurch aquifer system, and explains the increases in chloride and bromide concentrations. It also suggests a widely distributed source area as concentrations do not become diluted at the Avon River site, at Hagley Park, , which would be expected from the addition of other tributaries, if they did not have similarly high chloride and bromide concentrations. The area between these two sites has also been identified by Environment Canterbury as potentially impacted by past agricultural land-use practices and may explain the increases in nitrate and sulfate concentrations

Smoke Alarm Ownership in Relation to Socio-Economic Factors

This study focuses on smoke alarm ownership within Christchurch. Two different areas were selected, based on income levels. These two areas, Holmwood and Avon Loop, were then compared to determine if socio-economic factors impact on smoke alarm ownership. This study focused primarily on the relationships between smoke alarm ownership and location, income, education, and home ownership. Other topics discussed include the number of alarms per household, escape plans, people who smoke in the household, heating methods, reasons for non-purchase and other specific relationships that were uncovered during the study. The results between the two areas are significant for various reasons explained in this study