An Artificial Sweating System for Sweat Sensor Testing Applications

This research proposes a completely automated, computer-controlled fluid mixing and dispensing system, which is suitable for testing sweat sensing devices, as an alternative to requiring human trials during the development phase of a sweat sensor device. An arm mold was designed and implemented with dragon skin and pores to simulate sweating action. The relay controlled mixing tanks allow for the different concentration of fluid solutions at various rates of fluid dispensing through pores. The onboard single board computer controls a dozen electronic relays and it switches and presents an easy to use graphical user interface to allow end users to conduct the experiments with ease and not require further programming. With the recent advances in sweat sensors, this platform offers a unique way of testing sensing devices during development, allowing for researchers to focus on their design parameters one at a time before actual validation through human trials are conducted. The current device can provide sweat rates from 1 µL/min to 500 µL/min. Furthermore, concentrations of 10 mM up to 200 mM of salt concentrations were able to be repeatedly produced. In an ANOVA test with salt concentrations varying from 40–60 mM, a p-value of 0.365 shows that the concentration does not have any effect on the flow rate. Similarly, a p-value of 0.329 and 0.167 for different relative humidity and temperature shows that the system does not present a statistical difference. Lastly, when the interactions among all the factors were considered, a p-value of 0.416 clearly presents that the system performance is insensitive to different factors, thus validating the system reliability

Dallas with balls: televized sport, soap opera and male and female pleasures

Two of the most popular of television genres, soap opera and sports coverage have been very much differentiated along gender lines in terms of their audiences. Soap opera has been regarded very much as a 'gynocentric' genre with a large female viewing audience while the audiences for television sport have been predominantly male. Gender differentiation between the genres has had implications for the popular image of each. Soap opera has been perceived as inferior; as mere fantasy and escapism for women while television sports has been perceived as a legitimate, even edifying experience for men. In this article the authors challenge the view that soap opera and television sport are radically different and argue that they are, in fact, very similar in a number of significant ways. They suggest that both genres invoke similar structures of feeling and sensibility in their respective audiences and that television sport is a 'male soap opera'. They consider the ways in which the viewing context of each genre is related to domestic life and leisure, the ways in which the textual structure and conventions of each genre invoke emotional identification, and finally, the ways in which both genres re-affirm gender identities

Qualitative Research on Work-Family in the Management Field: A Review

Despite a proliferation of work-family literature over the past three decades, studies employing quantitative methodologies significantly outweigh those adopting qualitative approaches. In this paper, we intend to explore the state of qualitative work-family research in the management field and provide a comprehensive profile of the 152 studies included in this review. We synthesize the findings of qualitative work-family studies and provide six themes including parenthood, gender differences, cultural differences, family-friendly policies and non-traditional work arrangements, coping strategies, and under-studied populations. We also describe how findings of qualitative work-family studies compare to that of quantitative studies. The review highlights seven conclusions in the current qualitative literature: a limited number of qualitative endeavours, findings worth further attention, convergent foci, the loose use of work-family terminology, the neglect of a variety of qualitative research approaches, quantitative attitudes towards qualitative research, and insufficient reporting of research methods. In addition, implications for future researchers are discussed

A Custom Computer-Controlled Fluid Mixing and Dispensing System for Sweat Sensor Testing Applications

We propose a completely automatized, computer-controlled fluid mixing and dispensing system that is suitable for testing sweat sensing devices. The design is based on Raspberry Pi that controls almost a dozen electronic relays and switches. Easy to use graphical user interface allows end users conduct the tests without any technical problems. A dragon skin based arm mold was also prototyped with pores to simulate a close to real-life arm prototype that sweats. Relay controlled mixing tanks allow different concentration of fluid solutions at various rates of fluid dispensing through pores. With the recent advances in sweat sensors, this platform offers a unique way of testing developed sensing devices before human tests both in development and before testing phases

Artropolis 90 : Lineages & Linkages

Varney documents the processes of organizing and mounting an exhibition of over 200 contemporary British Columbia artists. Includes artist's statements