Accelerometer based gesture recognition robot

Gesture recognition can be termed as an approach in this direction. It is the process by which the gestures made by the user are recognized by the receiver. Gestures are expressive, meaningful body motions involving physical movements of the fingers, hands, arms, head, face, or body with the intent of: conveying meaningful information orinteracting with the environment. They constitute one interesting small subspace of possible human motion. A gesture may also be perceived by the environment as a compression technique for the information to be transmitted elsewhere and subsequently reconstructed by the receiver. Classification hand and arm gestures: Recognition of hand poses, sign languages, and entertainment applications. head and face gestures: Nodding or shaking of head; direction of eye gaze; etc.; body gestures: involvement of full body motion, as in; tracking movements of two people interacting outdoors; analyzing movements of a dancer for generating matching music and graphics; Benefits: A human computer interface can be provided using gestures: Replace mouse and keyboard Pointing gestures Navigate in a virtual environment Pick up and manipulate virtual objects Interact with the 3D worl

A microsimulation study to assess re-design options and bus priority measures for a multi-junction area

Dissertação de mestrado em Industrial EngineeringTraffic congestion in medium-sized cities such as Braga is increasing and have led to worsened travel conditions for the commuters and a rise in pollution levels that lead to life-threatening conditions. Performance indicators, such as travel time, pollutant emissions, vehicle speed, stop times, etc., have worsened over time. This study aims at reducing congestion by simulating alternative designs (infrastructure additions) suggested by the Municipality of Braga and some traffic management strategies. The study area includes the region around Infias roundabout, the two schools Dom Diogo de Sousa and Escola Secundária de Sá de Miranda and the multi-junction that lies connects the highways N101 with highway A11 and the suburbs of Braga. There are two main issues: first is the heavy input to the Infias roundabout and second is that all the traffic flow towards the multi-junction from all directions thus not being able to serve its purpose. To evaluate the conditions, traffic simulation software Aimsun is used. We use microsimulation process that requires accurate study area definition and simulates different types of vehicle behavior that varies during runtime. Data collection involves demand data prediction (estimation of OD matrices) by collecting vehicle flow data by site visits and counts. System model validation is done by verifying the simulation of real-world model with the data collected from site visits. Simulation results suggest that the re-design options led to a significant improvement of most of the performance indicators as compared to the values obtained for the real-world model. Results suggest addition of bridges to facilitate traffic flow from the connected areas towards the open end of the study area. It is recommended that the re-design route must be taken to solve the issue and the implementation of public transport priority plans.O congestionamento do trânsito em cidades de média dimensão, como Braga, está aumentando e levou já, em muitos casos, à deterioração das condições das viagens, ao aumento dos níveis de poluição e dos riscos de acidentes. Os indicadores de desempenho, como tempo de viagem, emissões de poluentes, velocidade do veículo, tempos de paragem em filas, etc., pioraram com o tempo. Este estudo visa reduzir o congestionamento, simulando projetos alternativos (adições de infraestruturas) sugeridos pelo Município de Braga e algumas estratégias alternativas de gestão do tráfego. A área de estudo inclui a região em torno da rotunda de Infias e de duas escolas, Dom Diogo de Sousa e Escola Secundária de Sá de Miranda, e o cruzamento que liga a rodovia N101 à rodovia A11 e os subúrbios de Braga. Existem duas questões principais: a primeira é grande afluxo de veículos na rotunda de Infias, e a segunda é que todo o tráfego flui para uma zona da rede viária composta por múltiplas interseções de fluxos conflituantes. Como resultado, esta rede não consegue servir o seu propósito de servir adequadamente a procura nas horas de pico da manhã e da tarde. Para melhor avaliar as condições atuais, é usado a componente de microssimulação do software de simulação de tráfego Aimsun. O software requer a definição precisa da área de estudo e simula diferentes tipos de comportamento do veículo que variam durante o tempo de execução. A coleta de dados envolve a previsão de dados de procura (estimativa de matrizes OD), recolhendo dados de fluxo de veículos e contagens no local. A validação do modelo de microssimulação é realizada mediante a simulação do modelo representativo da situação atual (com os dados recolhidos in loco). Os resultados da simulação sugerem que as opções de alterar infrastruturalmente a zona de estudo permitirão uma melhoria significativa da maioria dos indicadores de desempenho, em comparação com os valores relativos à situação atual. Em particular, os resultados sugerem que a construção de novas pontes para facilitar significativamente o fluxo de tráfego entre a rotunda de Infias e a extremidade oposta da área de estudo. Recomenda-se que esta estratégia infrastutural seja implementada para resolver, ou, pelo menos, minorar o problema de congestionamento atual and the implementation of public transport priority plans

Determinants of Cloud Computing Adoption: A Comparative Study

Background: This study investigates the determinants that influence the user\u27s behavioral intention to use cloud computing in adopter and non-adopter firms. The research model is based on the theory of the Valence Framework of Behavioral Beliefs and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The present study examined the factors of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived ubiquity, perceived benefits, perceived costs and perceived risks in determining behavioral intention to use cloud computing for the adopter and non-adopter firms. Method: Data were collected using a questionnaire-based survey method. The valid responses received were 458. The sample size of adopters and non-adopter of cloud computing were 239 and 219, respectively. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used for data analysis. Data analysis was done separately for both samples of the adopter and non-adopter firms The results showed that, for adopters firms, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, ubiquity, perceived benefits, and perceived risks were found to have a significant and direct influence on behavioral intention to use cloud computing. For non-adopters, perceived usefulness, perceived ubiquity, perceived benefits, perceived costs, and perceived risks were found to have a significant and direct influence on behavioral intention to use cloud computing. A comparison testing was also performed by examining the difference in the strength of path coefficients between adopters and non-adopters firms. Results: The findings showed that the impact of favorable factors of perceived ubiquity and perceived benefits were found relatively more significant in the case of adopter firms than negative factors. Likewise, the impact of negative factors of perceived risks and perceived costs were found relatively more significant in the case of non-adopter firms. Conclusions: The major contribution of this study is that it contributes to the understanding of progressive changes in the impact of behavioral beliefs and cognitive factors on behavioral intention to use cloud computing in adopter and non-adopter firms. This study also provides managers\u27 practical understandings for cloud computing adoption during each phase of the adoption process. Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/pajais/vol11/iss3/3

Atrial fibrillation and sleep apnoea : a review of the mechanical interplay

Atrial fibrillation, a chaotic and irregular arrhythmia, is occasionally encountered in clinical practice alongside sleep apnoea, a form of sleep-disordered breathing. The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the link remain ambiguous. Together, these two conditions seem to be mutually reinforcing and significantly interfere with an individual’s quality of life. Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia faced by clinicians worldwide, whilst sleep apnoea is becoming increasingly prevalent. It is important for medical students to be clinically aware of the relationship between the two as therapeutic rehabilitation of one may reduce the severity of the other and improve overall prognosis in patients who suffer from both. Further research is needed to explore the synergistic relationship between atrial fibrillation and sleep apnoea and the likelihood of one complicating into the other. However, it is important to be aware of this link as it is often missed in practice, leading to deterioration of symptoms and patient anxiety

Assessment of Shopping Mall Customers’ Experience through Criteria of Attractiveness in Tier-II and Tier-III Cities of India: An Exploratory Study

The present research attempts to develop a theoretical framework for the assessment of shopping mall customer experience dimensions. It further classifies the variables associated with retail experiences that may attract customers in Tier-II and Tier- III cities towards the malls. Exhaustive literature review and expert opinion approaches have been used to explore the evaluation criteria for the assessment of the mall experience. ISM is used to develop a structural model that represents relationships among variables at different levels along with driving and dependence relationships in the structural model. The result highlights that factors like customer value orientation, tenant mix, employees, facilities management are the most significant benchmarking criteria for customers’ assessment of their mall experience in the present study. To achieve profitable operations in these cities, retailer’s need to acquaint themselves with the expectations of customers in order to attract their attention. This indicates that it is imperative for mall managers to identify how consumers benchmark different parameters while evaluating a mall experience. Understanding the importance of such parameters will allow malls to be built according to some standard specifications that can meet a consumer’s threshold for appeal and attractiveness. The study adds to the existing literature of assessing shopping experience in Tier-II and Tier-III cities’ malls through a structural model. The most and the least dominant factors found in this study will help mall managers to develop strategies to enhance the customer shopping experience in malls

Heat Energy Recovery System

Energy demands in today’s world have increased and the main area of concerns is that approximately 90% of world’s oil reserves are expected to be depleted within two generations. We are trying to build a technological system where the by-product of conventional fuel i.e., exhaust heat of fuel, will be converted into another form so that it can further be used again. Mainly, recovery of heat energy is our prime motive. According to our motive, we are going to recover the heat of the hot exhaust gases from chimneys of factories which usually dissipate into the atmosphere and thus that exhaust heat left unused. So, we are making a water storing tank i.e., water jacket that will surround the chimney through which heat from hot exhaust gases will come in contact with water present in water jacket. Through the process of conduction, heat transfer will take place. Therefore, due to heat, the temperature of the water will increase to a very high extent, and hot water can be used in boilers as a pre-heater for household or commercial purposes. Furthermore, global warming will also be controlled if we start implementing this technology at a huge scale. Citation: KOHLI, U., Mishra, V., and Singh Kotwal, S. (2018). Heat Energy Recovery System. Trends in Renewable Energy, 4, 56-63. DOI: 10.17737/tre.2018.4.3.005

Development of a smart grid for the proposed 33 KV ring main Distribution System in NIT Rourkela

The non-reliability of fossil fuels has forced the world to use energy efficiently. These days, it is being stressed to use the electrical power smartly so that energy does not go waste. And hence comes the concept of a Smart Grid. So it becomes necessary for reputed places of academics to develop the prototype of the same in their campus. National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela intends to set up a 33KV Ring Main Distribution System including 33/0.433 KV substations in its campus. The present 11KV line will be discarded and replaced by the 33KV system. The main driving force behind this step by the management is to accommodate the stupendously increased power requirement of the institute. The above mentioned plan also includes, set up of Data Acquisition System (DAS) that intends to monitor the electrical equipment in the substations. This is being done not only to increase the accountability and reliability of the distribution system but also to encourage academic research in the distribution automation domain. All in all, an excellent step towards make the Grid, Smart. In this project work the focus is laid on getting load flow solution of the 33KV ring main system. Here the authors use a specialized algorithm for distribution network with high R/X value to obtain the load flow solution. Then using artificial neural networks computation, algorithms are implemented to do the load forecasting and dynamic tariff setting. At the end a Web Portal, the NITR e-Power Monitoring System is developed that will be an excellent interface to the public in general and will help the students of the institute to know their grid well. In short a conscious effort is put to make the grid more interactive