The Impact of a Character Posture Model on the Communication of Affect in an Immersive Virtual Environment

This paper presents the quantitative and qualitative findings from an experiment designed to evaluate a developing model of affective postures for full-body virtual characters in immersive virtual environments (IVEs). Forty-nine participants were each requested to explore a virtual environment by asking two virtual characters for instructions. The participants used a CAVE-like system to explore the environment. Participant responses and their impression of the virtual characters were evaluated through a wide variety of both quantitative and qualitative methods. Combining a controlled experimental approach with various data-collection methods provided a number of advantages such as providing a reason to the quantitative results. The quantitative results indicate that posture plays an important role in the communication of affect by virtual characters. The qualitative findings indicated that participants attribute a variety of psychological states to the behavioral cues displayed by virtual characters. In addition, participants tended to interpret the social context portrayed by the virtual characters in a holistic manner. This suggests that one aspect of the virtual scene colors the perception of the whole social context portrayed by the virtual characters. We conclude by discussing the importance of designing holistically congruent virtual characters especially in immersive settings

Improved Device for Passive Foot Dorsiflexion for Prevention of DVT

Postoperative patients are often too fatigued to walk around and often lay in bed for extended periods of time. This could lead to the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT is a condition where blood accumulates in the veins instead of being pushed back to the heart. This can cause the formation of blood clots that can eventually lead to pulmonary embolism resulting in death. DVT is a condition that affects about 900,000 people in the United States. Since it is such a prevalent condition, it is important to develop methods of prevention for this condition. The aim of this project is to construct a device that will prevent DVT using dorsiflexion of the foot. Currently, the major solution for this problem in postoperative patients is having the patient move around sooner. However, some patients are unable to do this, so this device will be especially influential for these patients. A current medical solution for this problem is the use of anticoagulants which prevent the formation of blood clots by thinning the blood and allowing for better flow. However, this solution is not always feasible with every patient. Another solution for DVT is the use of massagers that are activated when the muscle does not contract enough. The aim of the massager is to physically get the blood moving back towards the heart. The aim of this project was to create a device that dorsiflexes the foot thereby creating the muscle contraction required. The functional prototype includes a motor and a pulley system that help in raising a platform to create the dorsiflexion. The device implements the use of a microcontroller and a circuit in order to have automatic movement. The total cost for the prototype was around $400. However, this cost could be significantly reduced. A major cost was the cost of construction by the metal shop, reducing this cost could lower the total cost to about$300 or less. This device can be really beneficial in hospitals and also has applications outside of the hospital in residential settings. There is definitely great commercial potential for this product because it is a better alternative to the current solutions.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/capstone/1073/thumbnail.jp

Entwicklung und Optimierung von mikro- und nanopartikulären Katalysatoren mit Perowskitstruktur für den Einsatz in Zink-Luft-Batterien

Zur Stromproduktion werden zunehmend erneuerbare Energiequellen genutzt. Als Speichermöglichkeit für die diskontinuierlich anfallende elektrische Energie gehört unter den Bat-teriesystemen die Zink-Luft-Batterie zu den vielversprechendsten Kandidaten. In dieser Arbeit liegt der Fokus auf der Entwicklung von Sauerstoffreduktionskatalysatoren auf Perowskit-Basis, die eine kostengünstige Alternative zu den etablierten Edelmetall-Katalysatoren darstellen. Geeignete Syntheserouten, Element- und Stöchiometrie-Variationen der Perowskit-Zusammensetzung sowie Kohlenstoffträgermaterialien werden bezüglich der Performance der damit hergestellten Elektroden untersucht und mit einem Silber-Referenzkatalysator verglichen. Dazu werden TEM-, XRD- und RDE-Messungen durchgeführt und analysiert. Für einen Praxistest beim Projektpartner wird zur Bemusterung ein Synthese-Upscaling realisiert. Zur Überprüfung der Bifunktionalität werden die besten Katalysatoren zusätzlich auf Aktivität für die Sauerstoffentwicklung hin untersucht. Es werden erfolgreich Perowskit-Katalysatoren mit ähnlich guter Sauerstoffreduktion wie die Referenz hergestellt und die Katalyse der Rückreaktion wird ebenfalls belegt. Schließlich wird die Bildung von metallischen Abscheidungen an den Stromableitern der Batterie mittels diverser elektronenmikroskopischer Methoden untersucht. Dabei wird elementares Zink eindeutig identifiziert und es wird ein Reaktionsmechanismus als Ursache für die stromlose Abscheidung vorgeschlagen.Renewable sources of energy are increasingly used to produce electricity. As an option for the storage of the discontinuous accruing electrical energy, the zinc-air battery is one of the most promising candidates among battery systems. In this work the focus is on the development of oxygen reduction catalysts with perovskite crystal structure, which present a cost-effective alternative to the established noble metal catalysts. Suitable synthesis routes, element and stoichiometry variations of the perovskite composition and different carbon carrier materials are investigated regarding the performance of the electrodes produced with this materials and the results are compared with a reference silver catalyst. Therefore TEM, XRD and RDE measurements are performed and analysed. For a realistic practice test at a project partner, a synthesis upscaling is realized for the sampling with sufficient amounts. To investigate the bifunctionality, the activity for the oxygen evolution is additionally examined with the best catalysts. Perovskite catalysts with similar oxygen reduction activity as the reference are successfully produced and the catalysis of the reverse reaction is also confirmed. Finally, the formation of metallic deposits on the battery current collectors is investigated by means of various electron microscopy methods. Elemental zinc is clearly identified and a reaction mechanism is proposed as the cause for the currentless deposition

A Platform Independent Architecture for Virtual Characters and Avatars.

Poster abstrac

Determination of Letrozole in Tablet Formulations by Reversed Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Purpose: To develop a simple, rapid, accurate and cost-effective reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for letrozole in bulk and in tablets. Methods: Development of a method for the determination of letrozole, an anti-cancer drug, by RPHPLC was undertaken using a new mobile phase of acetonitrile:water (50:50, v/v). The eluent was monitored at 265 nm. Results: The optimized conditions developed showed a linear response from 160 to 240 μg/mL, with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.999. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification ( LOQ) were 136 and 160 μg/mL, respectively. The assay values for the two branded letrozole tablets tested were 99.2 and 100.2 %, respectively with % relative standard deviation (RSD) of 0.781 and 0.568, respectively. The bench top stability data of the drug in the mobile phase indicate that the drug was stable in the mobile phase for 24 h. Recovery data were good. Placebo study for specificity and interference of common excipients showed that the method was specific and free from interfering substances. Conclusion: Therefore, the fully validated method developed was sensitive enough to carry out routine analysis of letrozole in tablet formulations with regard to its run time, simplicity of sample preparation and accuracy.Key words: Letrozole, Assay, HPLC, Validation, Tablet formulation

Polymeric Gas-Separation Membranes for Petroleum Refining

Polymeric gas-separation membranes were commercialized 30 years ago. The interest on these systems is increasing because of the simplicity of concept and low-energy consumption. In the refinery, gas separation is needed in many processes such as natural gas treatment, carbon dioxide capture, hydrogen purification, and hydrocarbons separations. In these processes, the membranes have proven to be a potential candidate to replace the current conventional methods of amine scrubbing, pressure swing adsorption, and cryogenic distillation. In this paper, applications of polymeric membranes in the refinery are discussed by reviewing current materials and commercialized units. Economical evaluation of these membranes in comparison to traditional processes is also indicated

Social VR: A new medium for remote communication and collaboration

We are facing increasingly pressure on reducing travel and working remotely. Tools that support effective remote communication and collaboration are much needed. Social Virtual Reality (VR) is an emerging medium, which invites multiple users to join a collaborative virtual environment (VE) and has the potential to support remote communication in a natural and immersive way. We successfully organized a CHI 2020 Social VR workshop virtually on Mozilla Hubs, which invited researchers and practitioners to have a fruitful discussion over user representations and ethics, evaluation methods, and interaction techniques for social VR as an emerging immersive remote communication tool. In this CHI 2021 virtual workshop, we would like to organize it again on Mozilla Hubs, continuing the discussion about proxemics, social cues and VE designs, which were identified as important aspects for social VR communication in our CHI 2020 workshop

Social VR: A new medium for remote communication and collaboration

There is a growing need for effective remote communication, which has many positive societal impacts, such as reducing environmental pollution and travel costs, supporting rich collaboration by remotely connecting talented people. Social Virtual Reality (VR) invites multiple users to join a collaborative virtual environment, which creates new opportunities for remote communication. The goal of social VR is not to completely replicate reality, but to facilitate and extend the existing communication channels of the physical world. Apart from the benefits provided by social VR, privacy concerns and ethical risks are raised when the boundary between the real and the virtual world is blurred. This workshop is intended to spur discussions regarding technology, evaluation protocols, application areas, research ethics and legal regulations for social VR as an emerging immersive remote communication tool