8,688 research outputs found
Development and preliminary evaluation of a novel low cost VR-based upper limb stroke rehabilitation platform using Wii technology.
Abstract Purpose: This paper proposes a novel system (using the Nintendo Wii remote) that offers customised, non-immersive, virtual reality-based, upper-limb stroke rehabilitation and reports on promising preliminary findings with stroke survivors. Method: The system novelty lies in the high accuracy of the full kinematic tracking of the upper limb movement in real-time, offering strong personal connection between the stroke survivor and a virtual character when executing therapist prescribed adjustable exercises/games. It allows the therapist to monitor patient performance and to individually calibrate the system in terms of range of movement, speed and duration. Results: The system was tested for acceptability with three stroke survivors with differing levels of disability. Participants reported an overwhelming connection with the system and avatar. A two-week, single case study with a long-term stroke survivor showed positive changes in all four outcome measures employed, with the participant reporting better wrist control and greater functional use. Activities, which were deemed too challenging or too easy were associated with lower scores of enjoyment/motivation, highlighting the need for activities to be individually calibrated. Conclusions: Given the preliminary findings, it would be beneficial to extend the case study in terms of duration and participants and to conduct an acceptability and feasibility study with community dwelling survivors. Implications for Rehabilitation Low-cost, off-the-shelf game sensors, such as the Nintendo Wii remote, are acceptable by stroke survivors as an add-on to upper limb stroke rehabilitation but have to be bespoked to provide high-fidelity and real-time kinematic tracking of the arm movement. Providing therapists with real-time and remote monitoring of the quality of the movement and not just the amount of practice, is imperative and most critical for getting a better understanding of each patient and administering the right amount and type of exercise. The ability to translate therapeutic arm movement into individually calibrated exercises and games, allows accommodation of the wide range of movement difficulties seen after stroke and the ability to adjust these activities (in terms of speed, range of movement and duration) will aid motivation and adherence - key issues in rehabilitation. With increasing pressures on resources and the move to more community-based rehabilitation, the proposed system has the potential for promoting the intensity of practice necessary for recovery in both community and acute settings.The National Health Service (NHS) London Regional Innovation Fund
A guide to implant dentistry part 1: treatment planning
“This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Dental Update, copyright © MA Healthcare, after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/pdf/110.12968/denu.2019.46.5.412
Lifetimes of antiferromagnetic magnons in two and three dimensions: experiment, theory, and numerics
A high-resolution neutron spectroscopic technique is used to measure
momentum-resolved magnon lifetimes in the prototypical two- and
three-dimensional antiferromagnets Rb2MnF4 and MnF2, over the full Brillouin
zone and a wide range of temperatures. We rederived theories of the lifetime
resulting from magnon-magnon scattering, thereby broadening their applicability
beyond asymptotically small regions of wavevector and temperature.
Corresponding computations, combined with a small contribution reflecting
collisions with domain boundaries, yield excellent quantitative agreement with
the data.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Wettability versus roughness of engineering surfaces
Wetting of real engineering surfaces occurs in many industrial applications (liquid coating, lubrication, printing, painting, ...). Forced and natural wetting can be beneficial in many cases, providing lubrication and therefore reducing friction and wear. However the wettability of surfaces can be strongly affected by surface roughness. This influence can be very significant for static and dynamic wetting [1]. In this paper authors experimentally investigate the roughness influence on contact angle measurements and propose a simple model combining Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter theories with simple 2D roughness profile analysis. The modelling approach is applied to real homogeneous anisotropic surfaces, manufactured on a wide range of engineering materials including aluminium alloy, iron alloy, copper, ceramic, plastic (poly-methylmethacrylate: PMMA) and titanium alloy
Sedimentation-consolidation of a double porosity material
This paper studies the sedimentation-consolidation of a double porosity
material, such as lumpy clay. Large displacements and finite strains are
accounted for in a multidimensional setting. Fundamental equations are derived
using a phenomenological approach and non-equilibrium thermodynamics, as set
out by Coussy [Coussy, Poromechanics, Wiley, Chichester, 2004]. These equations
particularise to three non-linear partial differential equations in one
dimensional context. Numerical implementation in a finite element code is
currently being undertaken
Scaling and Universality in City Space Syntax: between Zipf and Matthew
We report about universality of rank-integration distributions of open spaces
in city space syntax similar to the famous rank-size distributions of cities
(Zipf's law). We also demonstrate that the degree of choice an open space
represents for other spaces directly linked to it in a city follows a power law
statistic. Universal statistical behavior of space syntax measures uncovers the
universality of the city creation mechanism. We suggest that the observed
universality may help to establish the international definition of a city as a
specific land use pattern.Comment: 24 pages, 5 *.eps figure
Seeking the Real Adam Smith and Milton Friedman
In this paper we will analyze the relationship between free market principles and ethics through an exploration of how too many business managers often approach the ideas of Adam Smith and Milton Friedman. In doing so, we aim to provide a thoughtful foundation for future discussions of how we ought to navigate this intersection. We briefly examine questions such as: What is the relationship between the “best” economy in terms of efficiency and the common good for society? Is pursuing one’s individual economic advantage the same as promoting the general interest? As we analyze and discuss these questions, specifically in the context of Smith and Friedman, we also make some alternative normative assertions, grounded in social welfare, about adopting a broader societal perspective for the purpose of business
The electronic structure of the heavy fermion metal
The electronic structure of the first reported heavy fermion compound without
f-electrons LiV_2O_4 was studied by an ab-initio calculation method. In the
result of the trigonal splitting and d-d Coulomb interaction one electron of
the configuration of V ion is localized and the rest partially fills
a relatively broad conduction band. The effective Anderson impurity model was
solved by Non-Crossing-Approximation method, leading to an estimation for the
single-site Kondo energy scale T_K. Then, we show how the so-called exhaustion
phenomenon of Nozi\`eres for the Kondo lattice leads to a remarkable decrease
of the heavy-fermion (or coherence) energy scale (D
is the typical bandwidth), comparable to the experimental result.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX; 3 figures in format .eps. submitted to PR
Scaling Analysis of Improved Actions for Pure SU(3) Gauge Theory
We have explored the behaviour of some improved actions based on a
nonperturbative renormalization group (RG) analysis in coupling space. We
calculate the RG flow in two-coupling space (\boneone,\bonetwo) and examine
the restoration of rotational invariance and the scaling of physical quantities
.Comment: LATTICE98(improvement
Kondo effect in a Luttinger liquid: nonuniversality of the Wilson ratio
Using a precise coset Ising-Bose representation, we show how backscattering
of electrons off a magnetic impurity destabilizes the two-channel Kondo fixed
point and drives the system to a new fixed point, in agreement with previous
results. In addition, we verify the scaling proposed by Furusaki and Nagaosa
and prove that the other possible critical fixed point, namely the local Fermi
liquid class, is not completely universal when backscattering is included
because the Wilson ratio is not well-defined in the spinon basis.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX; to appear in Physical Review
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