An Inverse Kinematic Approach Using Groebner Basis Theory Applied to Gait Cycle Analysis

Kinematics of the human body was researched for the purposes of this study. The force protection issues of today was the motivation to research pattern recognition in the human gait cycle to identify individuals carrying a concealed load on their body. The goal of this research was to identify gait signatures of human subjects and distinguish between subjects carrying a concealed load to subjects without load. Thus, this research was focused on studying the human gait cycle as well as methods used in identifying gait signatures. The main focus herein is concerned with the movement of the lower extremities, in particular, the placement of the foot and how the joint angles area affected with carrying extra load on the body. A method of Inverse Kinematics (IK) using Groebner Basis (GB) Theory is developed to a model of the lower extremities to determine all the solutions of the joint angles, given the position and orientation of the foot. The human gait cycle was captured and analyzed using a VICON Motion capture system. This research highlights the results obtained from applying the method of IK, using GB, to the lower limbs of a human gait cycle to extract and identify gait signatures

A Contingency Model Of Dss Success: An Empirical Investigation

The importance of contingent relationships between variables influencing MIS implementations has often been emphasized. This study tests ten propositions regarding the contingent relationships influencing the implementation of a certain class of information systems, generally called Decision Support Systems (DSS). These propositions are derived from a contingency framework that groups the variables relevant to DSS implementations into four categories. These are the characteristics of: the decision maker/user, the DSS, the decision environment, and the implementation process. It is posited that the successful implementation of DSS depends not only on the direct effects of variables in each category, but also on the overall fit between these variables. DSS implementation success is defined as high user satisfaction and system usage.;Based on the proposed framework, ten propositions regarding specific contingent or fit relationships between variable pairs from the four categories of the framework are suggested. Defined as multiplicative effects between the variable pairs concerned, the propositions were tested in a field survey of DSS in 9 organizations from the insurance, banking, and utility industries.;The results of the study indicate that multiplicative effects do not account for a significant portion of the observed variance in the three dependent variables, over and above the portion accounted for by the main effects. The results also show that the main effect variable, DSS flexibility, accounts for nearly half the observed variance in user information satisfaction. These results and the fact that a relatively high proportion of the variance in the three dependent variables was accounted by the main effect variables DSS flexibility, decision maker/user willingness to change, and involvement in implementation, leads to the conclusion that, for DSS implementations, multiplicative effects are unimportant. On the other hand, DSS flexibility appears as a primary consideration to keep in mind in implementing DSS

When Being is Not a Burden: Naomi Ayala and the Re-Embodying Poetics of Neo-Riqueña Discourse

The article offers poetry criticism on the poems Perfection and Crickets, by Puerto Rican poet Naomi Ayala. It is inferred that the poems of Ayala address various issues concerning genderized racialism against Puerto Ricans. The representations of mind and body fracturing in the poems are explained which reflect the internalization of U.S. colonial rhetoric

Challenges and opportunities of the last mile for the base of the pyramid: the case of Brazil

The last mile in distribution offers many challenges for organizations to access the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) market. This paper analyses how companies in Brazil are managing to effectively serve these markets. Small retailers located in these regions have developed very strong emotional bonds with their clients, becoming fierce competitors to large global retailers. We have identified that the companies which perform well in these markets, either small local enterprises or large global corporations, have developed business models incorporated the following 3 dimensions: efficient execution, close relationship with retailers and BoP communities, and an ingrained BoP DNA culture. Rethinking distribution is important not only to reduce BoP consumers’ vulnerability with a decrease of the poverty penalty, but also to offer in a more efficient manner access to basic needs such as health, education and financial services.La distribution au dernier kilomètre offre aux entreprises de nombreuses opportunités pour accéder au marché de la Base de la pyramide (BoP). Cet article analyse la méthode de gestion mise en place par les entreprises brésiliennes pour desservir efficacement ces marchés. Les petits détaillants ont développé des liens émotionnels très forts avec leurs clients et sont ainsi devenus des concurrents sérieux pour les gros enseignes internationales. Nous avons constaté que les entreprises performantes sur ces marchés, qu'il s'agisse de petites entreprises locales ou de grandes entreprises internationales, ont élaboré des modèles commerciaux qui incorporent les 3 dimensions suivantes : exécution efficace, relations étroites avec les détaillants et les communautés BoP, et une culture BoP bien ancrée. Repenser la distribution est important non seulement pour réduire la vulnérabilité des consommateurs BoP avec une diminution de la pénalité de pauvreté, mais aussi pour donner accès, de manière plus efficace, aux besoins de base : santé, éducation et services financiers.En distribución, el último tramo presenta numerosos desafíos para las organizaciones que desean acceder al mercado situado en la base de la pirámide (BoP, del inglés Base of the Pyramid). El presente artículo analiza el modo en que las empresas brasileñas están gestionando el servicio efectivo a estos mercados. Los pequeños comerciantes ubicados en estas regiones han desarrollado vínculos afectivos muy fuertes con sus clientes, que los convierten en fieros competidores para los grandes distribuidores globales. Hemos comprobado que las compañías con un buen rendimiento en estos mercados, ya sean empresas locales o grandes corporaciones mundiales, han desarrollados modelos de negocio que incorporan las tres dimensiones siguientes: ejecución eficiente, estrecha relación con los minoristas y las comunidades BoP, y una cultura BoP firmemente arraigada en su ADN. Replantear la distribución no solo resulta importante para reducir la vulnerabilidad de los consumidores BoP con la reducción de la penalización por pobreza, sino también para ofrecer una vía de acceso más eficiente a necesidades básicas como la sanidad, la educación y los servicios financieros

Toward a Typological Theory of Information System Project Team Management Styles

Drawing from research in information systems (IS) and project management, the contingency perspective research stream and from empirical observations, the present paper investigates the effect of the fit between information system project team management (ISPTM) styles and four IS project risk profiles, i.e. challenging, diplomatic, technical and easy (cookie cutter), on IS project performance. Following recommended survey development approaches, distribution practices and general conduct of survey research, questionnaire data was obtained from182 IS project managers in Canada and the United States. The results show that IS project managers adapt their ISPTM to the context specificities and that, for each IS project risk profile, there are significant differences between ISPTM styles deployed in successful and less successful IS projects

The Effect of Self-management Systems on Coping with Stress and Anxiety in Chronic Patients

Self-management programs have been introduced in order to help chronic patients better manage their symptoms, treatments, and the physical, as well as the psychosocial consequences and lifestyle changes inherent in living with a chronic condition. As many chronic patients tend to also suffer from mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, coping resources and constructive coping strat-egies can also help them improve their psychological health, which in turn can help them improve their quality of life. Information technologies can provide useful opportunities for improving the self-management support that are provided to chronic illnesses such as asthma, especially when they can be integrated with patients’ ongoing medical care and by enabling the patients to also better cope with mental health issues. The present paper describes an exploratory study that studied 17 asthma patients who used a self-management system and examined if and how the system also helped them cope with the negative emotions evoked by their disease. Adopting a coping theory perspective, the paper identi-fied several coping responses that the studied self-management system seemed to support, and developing future self-management systems so that they can also support these coping responses can be useful for improving the health of chronically ill patients

Effective use of patient-centric health information systems: The influence

Effective use of patient-centric health information systems: The influence of patient emotion

The Influence of Analyst Communication in IS Projects

Information system (IS) researchers have long noted that IS analysts need to understand users’ needs if they are to design better systems and improve project outcomes. While researchers agree that analyst communication activities are an important prerequisite for such an understanding, little is known about the nature of different communication behaviors IS analysts can undertake to learn about users’ system needs and the impact of such behaviors on IS projects. To address this gap, this paper draws from the learning literature to articulate the information transmission activities IS analysts can undertake and the content of the information they can transmit when learning about users’ organizational tasks and information needs. The influence of analyst communication activities on the generation of valid information regarding user needs, analyst learning, and IS project outcomes are then investigated via a case study of two IS projects. The analysis of the two cases suggests that analysts who encourage the use of concrete examples, testing, and validation, and who solicit feedback about users’ business processes are likely to better understand users’ tasks, and in turn design systems that better meet users’ task needs than analysts who do not

Technology Desirability

Continuous-use, a key post-adoption behavior, has been typically explored based on adoption theories, portraying individuals as rational actors whose decisions are driven by intentions. Yet, continuous-use may not always be shaped by conscious rationality as emotions have been suggested to directly influence post-adoption and to overcome the formation of conscious intentions. The present paper takes a non-rational view of continuous-use and examines how it can be shaped by emotional involvement and value commitment. Building on previous work in Psychology, Marketing and Economic psychology, the present paper introduces the concept of IT Desirability, and argues for its central role, along with IT Loyalty, in explaining and predicting continuous-use. IT Desirability reflects the passionate relationship individuals experience with IT and is hypothesized to significantly influence their future IT-related decisions. The non-rational perspective suggested here complements existing rational models and provides a new lens for exploring individual mental processes capable of shaping continuous-use