The existance of theory electronics propinquity and ICT competency among nurses staff: A Malaysian case study

This research has been exploring the existence of the theory electronic propinquity by using the facilities of modern technology such as the computer and internet in the communication process.This research also looking examines the Information Technology competency among the hospital staff such as nurses.Electronic Propinquity theory is one of the theories under the Media and Communications theory developed by Korzenny in 1978. Although this theory has been used extensively, studies concerning the advantages of using information technology in management communication in hospital management are not as common.The results of this study also attempt to update Korzenny’s theory to the present generation.This study uses a Qualitative methods approach on 22 respondents. This study was conducted at the four government hospitals in Malaysia: Selayang’s Hospital, Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Putrajaya Hospital. These hospitals are chosen because they are the first four hospitals in Malaysia using full computerised technology in management. Furthermore, they were also recommended by the Ministry of Health in Malaysia.Basically, the questions in the survey form are based on the elements contained in the theory of electronic propinquity.The result of the study found that, the staff is aware of the existence of Electronic theory Propinquity when using communication technology and the level of IT competency is high among staff Nurses

The Influence of Teleoperator Stiffness and Damping on Object Discrimination

Human task performance using teleoperator systems depends on the physical and controlled parameters of the system. Two teleoperated grasping tasks—size and stiffness discrimination—were studied to investigate how changes in system parameters influence human capabilities. The device characteristics altered were teleoperator stiffness (size and stiffness discrimination) and teleoperator damping (size discrimination only). It was found that neither teleoperator stiffness nor teleoperator damping influenced size discrimination. Also, teleoperator stiffness did not influence stiffness discrimination. Furthermore, teleoperated performance was compared with direct interaction using bare hands or with the fingers in a bracket. Size discrimination performance was equivalent for these three conditions, but stiffness discrimination performance was lower for teleoperation than for direct interaction.Precision and Microsystems EngineeringMechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineerin

Energy efficient walking with central pattern generators: From passive dynamic walking to biologically inspired control

Like human walking, passive dynamic walking—i.e. walking down a slope with no actuation except gravity—is energy efficient by exploiting the natural dynamics. In the animal world, neural oscillators termed central pattern generators (CPGs) provide the basic rhythm for muscular activity in locomotion. We present a CPG model, which automatically tunes into the resonance frequency of the passive dynamics of a bipedal walker, i.e. the CPG model exhibits resonance tuning behavior. Each leg is coupled to its own CPG, controlling the hip moment of force. Resonance tuning above the endogenous frequency of the CPG—i.e. the CPG’s eigenfrequency—is achieved by feedback of both limb angles to their corresponding CPG, while integration of the limb angles provides resonance tuning at and below the endogenous frequency of the CPG. Feedback of the angular velocity of both limbs to their corresponding CPG compensates for the time delay in the loop coupling each limb to its CPG. The resonance tuning behavior of the CPG model allows the gait velocity to be controlled by a single parameter, while retaining the energy efficiency of passive dynamic walking.Biomechanical EngineeringMechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineerin

The Lightweight Delft Cylinder Hand, the First Multi-Articulating Hand That Meets the Basic User Requirements

Rejection rates of upper limb prostheses are high (23-45%). Amputees indicate that the highest design priority should be reduction of the mass of the prosthetic device. Despite all efforts, the mass of the new prosthetic hands is 35-73% higher than that of older hands. Furthermore current hands are thicker than a human hand, they operate slower and do not provide proprioceptive force and position feedback. This study presents the Delft Cylinder Hand, a body powered prosthetic hand which mass is 55-68% lower than that of the lightest current prosthetic hands, operates faster, has an anthropomorphic shape, and provides proprioceptive force and position feedback. The hand has articulating fingers, actuated by miniature hydraulic cylinders. The articulating fingers adapt itself to the shape of the grasped object. Its functional scores are similar to that of current prosthetic devices. The hand has a higher mechanical performance than current body powered hands. It requires 49-162% less energy from the user and it can deliver a higher maximum pinch force (30-60 N).BMEMechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineerin

Quantification of Error Sources with Inertial Measurement Units in Sports

Background: Inertial measurement units (IMUs) offer the possibility to capture the lower body motions of players of outdoor team sports. However, various sources of error are present when using IMUs: the definition of the body frames, the soft tissue artefact (STA) and the orientation filter. Methods to minimize these errors are currently being used without knowing their exact influence on the various sources of errors. The goal of this study was to present a method to quantify each of the sources of error of an IMU separately. Methods: An optoelectronic system was used as a gold standard. Rigid marker clusters (RMCs) were designed to construct a rigid connection between the IMU and four markers. This allowed for the separate quantification of each of the sources of error. Ten subjects performed nine different football-specific movements, varying both in the type of movement, and in movement intensity. Results: The error of the definition of the body frames (11.3–18.7 deg RMSD), the STA (3.8–9.1 deg RMSD) and the error of the orientation filter (3.0–12.7 deg RMSD) were all quantified separately for each body segment. Conclusions: The error sources of IMU-based motion analysis were quantified separately. This allows future studies to quantify and optimize the effects of error reduction techniques.Biomechatronics & Human-Machine Contro

Passive dynamic walking model with upper body

Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineerin

A mechanism to compensate undesired stiffness in joints of prosthetic hands

Background: Cosmetic gloves that cover a prosthetic hand have a parasitic positive stiffness that counteracts the flexion of a finger joint. Objectives: Reducing the required input torque to move a finger of a prosthetic hand by compensating the parasitic stiffness of the cosmetic glove. Study design: Experimental, test bench. Methods: The parasitic positive stiffness and the required input torques of a polyvinyl chloride glove and a silicone glove were measured when flexing a metacarpophalangeal finger joint for 90°. To compensate this positive stiffness, an adjustable compensation mechanism with a negative stiffness was designed and built. A MATLAB model was created to predict the optimal settings of the mechanism, based on the measured stiffness, in order to minimize the required input torque of the total system. The mechanism was tested in its optimal setting with an applied glove. Results: The mechanism reduced the required input torque by 58% for the polyvinyl chloride glove and by 52% for the silicone glove. The total energy dissipation of the joint did not change significantly. Conclusions: This study shows that the undesired positive stiffness in the joint can be compensated with a relatively simple negative stiffness mechanism, which fits inside a finger of a standard cosmetic glove. Clinical relevance This study presents a mechanism that compensates the undesired stiffness of cosmetic gloves on prosthetic hands. As a result, it requires less input force, torque and energy to move the fingers. Application of this mechanism in body-powered hands will reduce the control effort of the user.BioMedical EngineeringMechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineerin

Analysis of isometric cervical strength with a nonlinear musculoskeletal model with 48 degrees of freedom

Background: Musculoskeletal models served to analyze head–neck motion and injury during automotive impact. Although muscle activation is known to affect the kinematic response, a model with properly validated muscle contributions does not exist to date. The goal of this study was to enhance a musculoskeletal neck model and to validate passive properties, muscle moment arms, maximum isometric strength, and muscle activity. Methods: A dynamic nonlinear musculoskeletal model of the cervical spine with 48 degrees of freedom was extended with 129 bilateral muscle segments. The stiffness of the passive ligamentous spine was validated in flexion/extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation. Instantaneous joint centers of rotation were validated in flexion/extension, and muscle moment arms were validated in flexion/extension and lateral bending. A linearized static model was derived to predict isometric strength and muscle activation in horizontal head force and axial rotation tasks. Results: The ligamentous spine stiffness, instantaneous joint centers of rotation, muscle moment arms, cervical isometric strength, and muscle activation patterns were in general agreement with biomechanical data. Taking into account equilibrium of all neck joints, isometric strength was strongly reduced in flexion (46 %) and axial rotation (81 %) compared to a simplified solution only considering equilibrium around T1–C7, while effects were marginal in extension (3 %). Conclusions: For the first time, isometric strength and muscle activation patterns were accurately predicted using a neck model with full joint motion freedom. This study demonstrates that model strength will be overestimated particularly in flexion and axial rotation if only muscular moment generation at T1–C7 is taken into account and equilibrium in other neck joints is disregarded.Biomechanical EngineeringMechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineerin

Influence of biomechanical models on joint kinematics and kinetics in baseball pitching

In baseball pitching, biomechanical parameters have been linked to ball velocity and potential injury risk. However, although the features of a biomechanical model have a significant influence on the kinematics and kinetics of a motion, this influence have not been assessed for pitching. The aim of this study was to evaluate the choice of the trunk and shoulder features, by comparing two models using the same input. The models differed in thoraco-humeral joint definition (moving or fixed with the thorax), joint centre estimation, values of the inertial parameters and computational framework. One professional pitcher participated in the study. We found that the different features of the biomechanical models have a substantial influence on the kinematics and kinetics of the pitchers. With a fixed thoraco-humeral joint the peak average thorax angular velocity was delayed and underestimated by 17% and the shoulder internal rotation velocity was overestimated by 7%. The use of a thoraco-humeral joint fixed to the thorax will lead to an overestimation of the rotational power at the shoulder and will neglect the power produced by the forward and upward translation of the shoulder girdle. These findings have direct implications for the interpretation of shoulder muscle contributions to the pitch.Biomechatronics & Human-Machine ControlBiomechanical Engineerin

Shoulder joint velocity during fastball pitching in baseball

The purpose of this study was to assess the rotation and translation velocity of the shoulder complex during fastball pitching in baseball. 8 pitchers from the Dutch AAA team performed each 3 fastball pitches. Their motion was recorded by an opto-electronic device. Kinematic computation was performed using the quaternion algebra. The results showed that the endo-rotation, depression and backward rotation velocity of the humerus at ball release are initiated by a translation of the scapular girdle in the forward and upward direction before ball release.Biomechatronics & Human-Machine ControlBiomechanical Engineerin