Smart Home Mirror

An augmented reality (AR) mirror can allow a reflection of a user to be augmented with additional visual data. An AR mirror may allow a user to view his or her reflection and have the reflection modified using one or more stored or accessed digital images and/or one or more stored or accessed video streams. Such an arrangement can allow for the user’s reflection to be overlaid or otherwise modified by a still or video image of a particular clothing article. For instance, the user can view himself in the mirror to see how he would look if he wore a particular shirt. The AR mirror may inform the user whether an article of clothing fits, does not fit, or no longer fits the user, such as due to the user gaining or losing weight. The AR mirror may be able to coordinate ordering of the article of clothing in a size that does fit the user

Smart Home Mirror

An augmented reality (AR) mirror can allow a reflection of a user to be augmented with additional visual data. An AR mirror may allow a user to view his or her reflection and have the reflection modified using one or more stored or accessed digital images and/or one or more stored or accessed video streams. Such an arrangement can allow for the user’s reflection to be overlaid or otherwise modified by a still or video image of a particular clothing article. For instance, the user can view himself in the mirror to see how he would look if he wore a particular shirt. The AR mirror may inform the user whether an article of clothing fits, does not fit, or no longer fits the user, such as due to the user gaining or losing weight. The AR mirror may be able to coordinate ordering of the article of clothing in a size that does fit the user

Comparison of the observer, single-frame video and computer vision hand activity levels.

Observer, manual single-frame video, and automated computer vision measures of the Hand Activity Level (HAL) were compared. HAL can be measured three ways: (1) observer rating (HALO), (2) calculated from single-frame multimedia video task analysis for measuring frequency (F) and duty cycle (D) (HALF), or (3) from automated computer vision (HALC). This study analysed videos collected from three prospective cohort studies to ascertain HALO, HALF, and HALC for 419 industrial videos. Although the differences for the three methods were relatively small on average (<1), they were statistically significant (p < .001). A difference between the HALC and HALF ratings within ±1 point on the HAL scale was the most consistent, where more than two thirds (68%) of all the cases were within that range and had a linear regression through the mean coefficient of 1.03 (R2 = 0.89). The results suggest that the computer vision methodology yields comparable results as single-frame video analysis.Practitioner summary: The ACGIH Hand Activity Level (HAL) was obtained for 419 industrial tasks using three methods: observation, calculated using single-frame video analysis and computer vision. The computer vision methodology produced results that were comparable to single-frame video analysis

Impact of Booster Breaks and Computer Prompts on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Among Desk-Based Workers: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction The 15-minute work break provides an opportunity to promote health, yet few studies have examined this part of the workday. We studied physical activity and sedentary behavior among office workers and compared the results of the Booster Break program with those of a second intervention and a control group to determine whether the Booster Break program improved physical and behavioral health outcomes. Methods We conducted a 3-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial at 4 worksites in Texas from 2010 through 2013 to compare a group-based, structured Booster Break program to an individual-based computer-prompt intervention and a usual-break control group; we analyzed physiologic, behavioral, and employee measures such as work social support, quality of life, and perceived stress. We also identified consistent and inconsistent attendees of the Booster Break sessions. Results We obtained data from 175 participants (mean age, 43 y; 67% racial/ethnic minority). Compared with the other groups, the consistent Booster Break attendees had greater weekly pedometer counts (P \u3c .001), significant decreases in sedentary behavior and self-reported leisure-time physical activity (P \u3c .001), and a significant increase in triglyceride concentrations (P = .02) (levels remained within the normal range). Usual-break participants significantly increased their body mass index, whereas Booster Break participants maintained body mass index status during the 6 months. Overall, Booster Break participants were 6.8 and 4.3 times more likely to have decreases in BMI and weekend sedentary time, respectively, than usual-break participants. Conclusion Findings varied among the 3 study groups; however, results indicate the potential for consistent attendees of the Booster Break intervention to achieve significant, positive changes related to physical activity, sedentary behavior, and body mass index

Shoulder kinematics during cyclic overhead work are affected by a passive arm support exoskeleton

Purpose: We investigated the influence of passive arm-support exoskeleton (ASE) with different levels of torque (50, 75, and 100%) on upper arm osteokinematics. Methods: Twenty participants completed a cyclic overhead drilling task with and without ASE. Task duration, joint angles, and angular acceleration peaks were analyzed during ascent and descent phases of the dominant upper arm. Results: Maximum ASE torque was associated with decreased peak acceleration during ascent (32.2%; SD 17.8; p < 0.001) and descent phases (38.8%; SD 17.8; p < 0.001). Task duration remained consistent. Increased torque led to a more flexed (7.2°; SD 5.5; p > 0.001) and internally rotated arm posture (17.6°; SD 12.1; p < 0.001), with minimal changes in arm abduction. Conclusion: The small arm accelerations and changes in osteokinematics we observed, support the use of this ASE, even while performing overhead cyclic tasks with the highest level of support

A method of measuring fingertip loading during keyboard use

A single keycap on a standard alphanumeric computer keyboard was instrumented with a piezoelectric load cell and the fingertip motion was recorded with a high-speed video motion analysis system. Contact force histories between the fingertip and the keycap were recorded while four subjects typed a standard text for five minutes. Each keystroke force history is characterized by three distinct phases: (I) keyswitch compression, (II) finger impact and (III) fingertip pulp compression and release. Each keystroke force history contained two relative maxima, one in phase II and one in phase III. The subject mean peak forces ranged from 1.6 to 5.3 N and the subject mean peak fingertip velocities ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 m/s. Motion analyses and force measurements suggest a ballistic model of finger motion during typing.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/31426/1/0000344.pd

A physicochemical roadmap of yeast replicative aging

Cellular aging is a multifactorial process that is characterized by a decline in homeostatic capacity, best described at the molecular level. Physicochemical properties such as pH and macromolecular crowding, are essential to all molecular processes in cells and require maintenance. Whether a drift in physicochemical properties contributes to the overall decline of homeostasis in aging is not known. Here we show that the cytosol of yeast cells acidifies modestly in early aging and sharply after senescence. Using a macromolecular crowding sensor optimized for long-term FRET measurements, we show the macromolecular crowding changes less in longer-lived cells in contrast to shorter-lived cells. While the average pH and crowding levels change only modestly with aging, we observe drastic changes in organellar volume, leading to crowding on the µm scale, which we term organellar crowding. Our measurements provide an initial framework of physicochemical parameters of replicatively-aged yeast cells

A physicochemical perspective of aging from single-cell analysis of pH, macromolecular and organellar crowding in yeast

Cellular aging is a multifactorial process that is characterized by a decline in homeostatic capacity, best described at the molecular level. Physicochemical properties such as pH and macromolecular crowding are essential to all molecular processes in cells and require maintenance. Whether a drift in physicochemical properties contributes to the overall decline of homeostasis in aging is not known. Here we show that the cytosol of yeast cells acidifies modestly in early aging and sharply after senescence. Using a macromolecular crowding sensor optimized for long-term FRET measurements, we show that crowding is rather stable and that the stability of crowding is a stronger predictor for lifespan than the absolute crowding levels. Additionally, in aged cells we observe drastic changes in organellar volume, leading to crowding on the µm scale, which we term organellar crowding. Our measurements provide an initial framework of physicochemical parameters of replicatively aged yeast cells

A physicochemical perspective of aging from single-cell analysis of ph, macromolecular and organellar crowding in yeast

Cellular aging is a multifactorial process that is characterized by a decline in homeostatic capacity, best described at the molecular level. Physicochemical properties such as pH and macromolecular crowding are essential to all molecular processes in cells and require maintenance. Whether a drift in physicochemical properties contributes to the overall decline of homeostasis in aging is not known. Here we show that the cytosol of yeast cells acidifies modestly in early aging and sharply after senescence. Using a macromolecular crowding sensor optimized for long-term FRET measurements, we show that crowding is rather stable and that the stability of crowding is a stronger predictor for lifespan than the absolute crowding levels. Additionally, in aged cells we observe drastic changes in organellar volume, leading to crowding on the µm scale, which we term organellar crowding. Our measurements provide an initial framework of physicochemical parameters of replicatively aged yeast cells. © 2020, eLife Sciences Publications Ltd. All rights reserved

Prevalence and incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome in US working populations: pooled analysis of six prospective studies

OBJECTIVES: Most studies of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) incidence and prevalence among workers have been limited by small sample sizes or restricted to a small subset of jobs. We established a common CTS case definition and then pooled CTS prevalence and incidence data across six prospective studies of musculoskeletal outcomes to measure CTS frequency and allow better studies of etiology. METHODS: Six research groups collected prospective data at >50 workplaces including symptoms characteristic of CTS and electrodiagnostic studies (EDS) of the median and ulnar nerves across the dominant wrist. While study designs and the timing of data collection varied across groups, we were able to create a common CTS case definition incorporating both symptoms and EDS results from data that were collected in all studies. RESULTS: At the time of enrollment, 7.8% of 4321 subjects met our case definition and were considered prevalent cases of CTS. During 8833 person-years of follow-up, an additional 204 subjects met the CTS case definition for an overall incidence rate of 2.3 CTS cases per 100 person-years. CONCLUSIONS: Both prevalent and incident CTS were common in data pooled across multiple studies and sites. The large number of incident cases in this prospective study provides adequate power for future exposure– response analyses to identify work- and non-work-related risk factors for CTS. The prospective nature allows determination of the temporal relations necessary for causal inference