Biomechanical Modeling of Knee for Specific Patients with Chronic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

In this study we modeled a patient specific 3D knee after anterior cruicate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The purpose of the ACL reconstruction is to achieve stability in the entire range of motion of the knee and the establishment of the normal gait pattern. We present a new reconstruction technique that generates patient-specific 3D knee models from patient's magnetic resonant images (MRIs). The motion of the ACL reconstruction patients is measured by OptiTrack system with six infrared cameras. Finite element model of bones, cartilage and meniscus is used for determination stress and strain distribution at different body postures during gait analysis. It was observed that the maximum effective von Mises stress distribution up to 8 MPa occurred during 30% of the gait cycle on the meniscus. The biomechanical model of the knee joint during gait analysis can provide insight into the underlying mechanisms of knee function after ACL reconstruction

On the use of semantic technologies to support education, mobility and employability

The technological development that has taken place over recent years has affected the way that the Web is exploited by users. In fact, a user is no longer seen as a mere observer; instead, he or she actively takes part in the production of new knowledge, which is then made available to other users. In this scenario, which is characterized by ever-growing information, new approaches (e.g., based on semantic technologies) for processing large amounts of content must be developed. Other sectors, including education and learning, as well as job seeking and hiring activities, could benefit from the exploitation of tools that can be developed within the Semantic Web initiative. As a consequence of the use of semantic technologies, learners could find more efficient training paths that provide them with their missing areas of competence and training institutes could analyze and modify existing qualifications according to a market's requirements, while companies could effectively identify the best candidates for a given job, not only within national boundaries but also worldwide. This study aims to present an overview of recent research in the field of semantic technologies applied to education and job-seeking contexts. Issues that are related to students' and workers' mobility, job seeking and hiring and the improvement of qualification offers will be analyzed and compared, by distinguishing three fields of research: knowledge base creation, the development of strategies for the integration of heterogeneous systems and the definition of inference rules, and the identification of methodologies for the visualization of qualification outcomes and curricul

Application of response surface methodology and fuzzy logic based system for determining metal cutting temperature

The heat produced in metal cutting process has negative influence on the cutting tool and the machined part in many aspects. This paper deals with measurement of cutting temperature during single-point dry machining of the AISI 4140 steel, using an infrared camera. Various combinations of cutting parameters, i.e. cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut lead to different values of the measured cutting temperature. Analysis of the measured data should explain the trends in temperature changes depending on changes in the cutting regimes. Furthermore, the temperature data is modelled using response surface methodology and fuzzy logic. The models obtained should determine the influence of cutting regimes on cutting temperature. The main objective is the reduction of cutting temperature, i.e. enabling metal cutting process in optimum conditions

Virtual consultant in welding - Creation of the content server

In situations where the end users have no domain experts, a virtual consultant in a form of a software surrounding based on updated internet technologies may often show to them the procedure to follow in a given situation in a way in which the particular problem can be solved, as well as the alternative approaches to the welding activities. The paper presents current status of the expert system titled "electronic consulting in welding" which has been developed under the Eureka E!3595 project. The first part assumes creation of a so-called content server as a web application used to represent, store, update and distribute the knowledge and multimedia resources from the domain of welding. Two main units of the content server consider questions received from the end users and provide weldability assessment and computation of welding parameters (at the moment, for two welding procedures). Detailed overview of the later unit is given including description of the constitutive modules - from data input to generation of reports and optimization of computed parameters

Virtual consultant in welding - Creation of the content server

In situations where the end users have no domain experts, a virtual consultant in a form of a software surrounding based on updated internet technologies may often show to them the procedure to follow in a given situation in a way in which the particular problem can be solved, as well as the alternative approaches to the welding activities. The paper presents current status of the expert system titled "electronic consulting in welding" which has been developed under the Eureka E!3595 project. The first part assumes creation of a so-called content server as a web application used to represent, store, update and distribute the knowledge and multimedia resources from the domain of welding. Two main units of the content server consider questions received from the end users and provide weldability assessment and computation of welding parameters (at the moment, for two welding procedures). Detailed overview of the later unit is given including description of the constitutive modules - from data input to generation of reports and optimization of computed parameters