Stability and Acceptability of Intermediate Moisture Textured Vegetable Protein

This study was designed to develop a shelf stable and acceptable intermediate moisture product using dry extruded textured vegetable protein chunks as the food base. The water activity of the protein chunks was adjusted to 0.85 and 0.80 by cooking in solutions of sorbitol, sodium chloride, propylene glycol, sucrose and potassium sorbate. The effects of calcium lactate and a lower pH on the properties of the protein product were determined. Products prepared at 0.85 Aw consisted of four treatments: 1) without calcium lactate, pH 7.0; 2) without calcium lactate, pH 5.5; 3) with calcium lactate, pH 7.0, and 4) with calcium lactate, pH 5.5. One the products at 0.80 Aw, only two treatments were tested: 1) without calcium lactate, pH 7.0 and 2) without calcium lactate, pH 5.5. The samples were packed in sterile air-tight jars and held at 27.6o C for sixty days. Storage stability was studied by determining the microbial, physical, and chemical characteristics of the product at ten-day intervals. Overall acceptability was evaluated on the freshly prepared product by the hedonic-preference test. Samples were prepared at water activities of 0.80 and 0.70 and deep-fried before sensory evaluation. A difference-preference test was also conducted to evaluate sensory attributes on texture, moistness, and flavor. Products at 0.85 Aw were susceptible to mold growth. The bacterial growth curve was fairly rapid during the early storage period and the microbial flora was predominantly Pseudomonas spp. When water activity was lowered to 0.80, mold growth was completely inhibited and bacterial growth was greatly hindered. Pseudomonas spp. was in the majority at the initial stage; however, members of the Family Achromobactereceae soon outgrew the Pseudomonas spp. and dominated throughout the remaining storage period. Calcium lactate lowered significantly the water activity, moisture content and pH of the intermediate moisture product. No significant change in color was observed; however, there was an increase in firmness. The lowering of pH to 5.5 caused a decrease in water activity and moisture content of the product with target Aw of 0.85. Shear resistance was significantly increased. Color of the protein chunks was lighter at pH 5.5 than at pH 7.0. Similar trends on water activity, moisture content, firmness and color were observed in products lowered to 0.80 Aw; however, no significant difference was established between the two pH levels. There was an overall increase in water activity of the intermediate moisture product at both levels of water activity as storage time increased. However, moisture content decreased in products at 0.85 Aw while it increased at 0.80 Aw. In samples at 0.85 Aw, a gradual decrease in pH was observed during storage. The stored product had a slightly higher shear value than the fresh product while its color was not changed. Results of the preference test indicated that deep-fried textured vegetable protein chunks were an acceptable product. It had a predominant sweet taste and a slightly detectable bitter and burning aftertaste; however, these effects were more pronounced in samples at Aw of 0.70 than at 0.80. Protein chunks at 0.80 Aw were rated slightly tougher and drier than those at 0.70 Aw

Use of FBG optical sensors for structural health monitoring: Practical application

This paper describes the development of FBG Optical sensors for their practical application on structural health monitoring. The sensors were installed on the Tsing Ma Bridge for a trial run. The results using FBG sensors were in excellent agreement with those acquired by the bridge WASHMS

Development of System Modules for Children’s Games with Vision and Music-Based Interactive Real-Time Feedback Modules - A Design-Based Research Approach

Most past research on young children’s attention focused on the design of multimedia games based on visual stimulation. In contrast, few studies have been on the development of teaching tools focusing on auditory stimulation. This study aims to develop a real-time interactive digital game with music and eye tracking for young children. The Design-Based Research (DBR) approach was adopted. Melodic tunes and lyrics composed by the researcher constitute the auditory stimulation, paired with visual images, in a game emphasizing interactivity between game content and players. Discussions were held between the various members of the developing team, during which the game developers and domain experts proposed suggestions to the researcher, who then continuously fine-tuned the game in line with the research objective. Our preliminary findings suggested that DBR, which emphasizes child-centered design, provides a novel and innovative approach to digital game design

Woody: Roborodentia 2011 Robot

Woody is a fully autonomous robot built and designed for the 2011 Cal Poly Roborodentia competition. Woody’s goal is to score the most points in the competition by navigating the competition field, efficiently collecting ping pong balls from the racks, and shooting the balls into the goal accurately. There was no specific budget set for the project, but costs were kept low by using tools from the Computer Engineering Capstone Lab, inexpensive materials such as wood, and reusable parts from robots from previous Roborodentia competitions

Rethinking Measures of Attitude Toward Technology in Technology Education

Technology curriculums encompass an interdisciplinary approach that integrates science, engineering, the arts, and mathematics, along with a design-oriented learning process. Given the rapid advancement of technology and the challenging environment, technology education has the potential to enhance students' positive outlook on technology. The objectives of this study are to gather existing student attitude scales for technology education, analyse the cognitive, affective, behavioural, and environmental components of these scales, and describe the assessment format and its application. This study referenced established research procedures and instructions, used keywords to research and examine the literature, and collected literature on relevant scales. Afterwards, a coding framework was developed based on the theoretical structure of this study for the research content analysis. Last, descriptive data and critical analysis information were reported. The results of this study can offer a comprehensive component structure for the development of attitude scales in technology education. Furthermore, they will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of how research in technology education investigates students' attitudes