Vision-related fitness to drive mobility scooters: A practical driving test.

PubMed

Cordes, Christina; Heutink, Joost; Tucha, Oliver M; Brookhuis, Karel A; Brouwer, Wiebo H; Melis-Dankers, Bart J M

2017-03-06

To investigate practical fitness to drive mobility scooters, comparing visually impaired participants with healthy controls. Between-subjects design. Forty-six visually impaired (13 with very low visual acuity, 10 with low visual acuity, 11 with peripheral field defects, 12 with multiple visual impairment) and 35 normal-sighted controls. Participants completed a practical mobility scooter test-drive, which was recorded on video. Two independent occupational therapists specialized in orientation and mobility evaluated the videos systematically. Approximately 90% of the visually impaired participants passed the driving test. On average, participants with visual impairments performed worse than normal-sighted controls, but were judged sufficiently safe. In particular, difficulties were observed in participants with peripheral visual field defects and those with a combination of low visual acuity and visual field defects. People with visual impairment are, in practice, fit to drive mobility scooters; thus visual impairment on its own should not be viewed as a determinant of safety to drive mobility scooters. However, special attention should be paid to individuals with visual field defects with or without a combined low visual acuity. The use of an individual practical fitness-to-drive test is advised.

The Longitudinal Impact of Cognitive Speed of Processing Training on Driving Mobility

PubMed Central

Edwards, Jerri D.; Myers, Charlsie; Ross, Lesley A.; Roenker, Daniel L.; Cissell, Gayla M.; McLaughlin, Alexis M.; Ball, Karlene K.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To examine how cognitive speed of processing training affects driving mobility across a 3-year period among older drivers. Design and Methods: Older drivers with poor Useful Field of View (UFOV) test performance (indicating greater risk for subsequent at-fault crashes and mobility declines) were randomly assigned to either a speed of processing training or a social and computer contact control group. Driving mobility of these 2 groups was compared with a group of older adults who did not score poorly on the UFOV test (reference group) across a 3-year period. Results: Older drivers with poor UFOV test scores who did not receive training experienced greater mobility declines as evidenced by decreased driving exposure and space and increased driving difficulty at 3 years. Those at risk for mobility decline who received training did not differ across the 3-year period from older adults in the reference group with regard to driving exposure, space, and most aspects of driving difficulty. Implications: Cognitive speed of processing training can not only improve cognitive performance but also protect against mobility declines among older drivers. Scientifically proven cognitive training regimens have the potential to enhance the everyday lives of older adults. PMID:19491362

Analysis of the individual factors affecting mobile phone use while driving in France: socio-demographic characteristics, car and phone use in professional and private contexts.

PubMed

Brusque, Corinne; Alauzet, Aline

2008-01-01

In France, as in many other countries, phoning while driving is legally restricted because of its negative impact on driving performance which increases accident risk. Nevertheless, it is still a frequently observed practice and one which has not been analyzed in detail. This study attempts to identify the profiles of those who use mobile phones while at the wheel and determine the forms taken by this use. A representative sample of 1973 French people was interviewed by phone on their driving practices and mobile phone use in everyday life and their mobile phone use while driving. Logistics regressions have been conducted to highlight the explanatory factors of phoning while driving. Strong differences between males and females have been shown. For the male population, age is the main explanatory factor of phoning while driving, followed by phone use for work-related reasons and extensive mobile phone use in everyday life. For females, high mileage and intensive use of mobile phone are the only two explanatory factors. We defined the intensive phone use at the wheel group as drivers who receive or send at least five or more calls per day while driving. There is no socio-demographic variable related to this practice. Car and phone uses in everyday life are the only explanatory factors for this intensive mobile use of the phone at the wheel.

Extent and variations in mobile phone use among drivers of heavy vehicles in Denmark.

PubMed

Troglauer, Thomas; Hels, Tove; Christens, Peter Falck

2006-01-01

A substantial body of research has shown that use of mobile phones while driving can impair driving performance and increase the risk of being involved in accidents. Similarly, mobile phone use seems to be an increasing activity thus representing a relevant traffic safety issue. This paper investigates the extent and variations in mobile phone use among drivers of heavy vehicles in Denmark. The data was collected through written questionnaires and had a response rate of 58%. It was found that more than 99% of the drivers used mobile phones while driving. Despite a prohibition of hand-held mobile phone use while driving 31% of the drivers reported to do so. Analysis of the variations in usage found a positive significant relationship between driving hours and phone use. A negative linear effect was found between age and phone use. Similarly, a positive significant association was found between the number of stops and the amount of phone use. 0.5% reported that their use of mobile phones had contributed to an accident, while 6% had experienced their mobile phone use causing a dangerous situation. However, 66% reported experiencing dangerous situations because of others road users' mobile phone use. Various implications of the findings are discussed particularly in relation to the drivers with high exposure.

Analysis of Korean Students' International Mobility by 2-D Model: Driving Force Factor and Directional Factor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Elisa L.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study is to understand the dynamics of Korean students' international mobility to study abroad by using the 2-D Model. The first D, "the driving force factor," explains how and what components of the dissatisfaction with domestic higher education perceived by Korean students drives students' outward mobility to seek…

Effectiveness of a Driving Intervention on Safe Community Mobility for Returning Combat Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

Simulator drive  development  underway.  Key personnel appointed  and  meet regularly to advance study aims.  Effectiveness of a Driving Intervention on  Safe ...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0032 TITLE: Effectiveness of a Driving Intervention on Safe Community Mobility for Returning Combat Veterans...is a follow-on to prior DOD funded work “Efficacy of a Driving Intervention Program on Safe Community Mobility for Combat Veterans”. Funding for the

Consensus statements on occupational therapy education and professional development related to driving and community mobility.

PubMed

Stav, Wendy B

2014-04-01

Professional and postprofessional education for occupational therapy practitioners in the area of driving and community mobility has been inconsistent and not sufficient to meet the growing community mobility needs of the aging population. This article reviews the current expectations of entry-level occupational therapy education, the postprofessional credentialing opportunities, and the professional development path for occupational therapy practitioners. Finally, consensus statements are presented to move both entry-level and professional education forward in the area of driving and community mobility.

Transportation and Aging: An Updated Research Agenda to Advance Safe Mobility among Older Adults Transitioning From Driving to Non-driving.

PubMed

Dickerson, Anne E; Molnar, Lisa J; Bédard, Michel; Eby, David W; Berg-Weger, Marla; Choi, Moon; Grigg, Jenai; Horowitz, Amy; Meuser, Thomas; Myers, Anita; O'Connor, Melissa; Silverstein, Nina M

2017-07-29

Engagement in civic, social, and community life plays an important role in health, well-being, and quality of life, and requires individuals to be mobile in their environment. In this article, we review what is currently known about 2 areas relevant to safe mobility for older drivers and identify future research in these areas. Using a framework for transportation and safe mobility, 2 key areas were selected for review: the process of transitioning to non-driving and the maintenance of mobility after driving has ceased. This article serves as a companion to another article that used the same approach to explore safe mobility issues for older adults who are still driving. We found that although there has been progress in supporting transitioning process to non-driving and improving mobility options for older adults following driving cessation, many knowledge gaps still exist. We identified several research topics that would benefit from continued scientific inquiry. In addition, several themes emerged from the review, including the need for: multidisciplinary, community-wide solutions; large-scale, longitudinal studies; improved education and training for older adults and the variety of stakeholders involved in older adult transportation; and the need for programs and interventions that are flexible and responsive to individual needs and situational differences. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Driver assistance system for passive multi-trailer vehicles with haptic steering limitations on the leading unit.

PubMed

Morales, Jesús; Mandow, Anthony; Martínez, Jorge L; Reina, Antonio J; García-Cerezo, Alfonso

2013-04-03

Driving vehicles with one or more passive trailers has difficulties in both forward and backward motion due to inter-unit collisions, jackknife, and lack of visibility. Consequently, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for multi-trailer combinations can be beneficial to accident avoidance as well as to driver comfort. The ADAS proposed in this paper aims to prevent unsafe steering commands by means of a haptic handwheel. Furthermore, when driving in reverse, the steering-wheel and pedals can be used as if the vehicle was driven from the back of the last trailer with visual aid from a rear-view camera. This solution, which can be implemented in drive-by-wire vehicles with hitch angle sensors, profits from two methods previously developed by the authors: safe steering by applying a curvature limitation to the leading unit, and a virtual tractor concept for backward motion that includes the complex case of set-point propagation through on-axle hitches. The paper addresses system requirements and provides implementation details to tele-operate two different off- and on-axle combinations of a tracked mobile robot pulling and pushing two dissimilar trailers.

Driver Assistance System for Passive Multi-Trailer Vehicles with Haptic Steering Limitations on the Leading Unit

PubMed Central

Morales, Jesús; Mandow, Anthony; Martínez, Jorge L.; Reina, Antonio J.; García-Cerezo, Alfonso

2013-01-01

Driving vehicles with one or more passive trailers has difficulties in both forward and backward motion due to inter-unit collisions, jackknife, and lack of visibility. Consequently, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for multi-trailer combinations can be beneficial to accident avoidance as well as to driver comfort. The ADAS proposed in this paper aims to prevent unsafe steering commands by means of a haptic handwheel. Furthermore, when driving in reverse, the steering-wheel and pedals can be used as if the vehicle was driven from the back of the last trailer with visual aid from a rear-view camera. This solution, which can be implemented in drive-by-wire vehicles with hitch angle sensors, profits from two methods previously developed by the authors: safe steering by applying a curvature limitation to the leading unit, and a virtual tractor concept for backward motion that includes the complex case of set-point propagation through on-axle hitches. The paper addresses system requirements and provides implementation details to tele-operate two different off- and on-axle combinations of a tracked mobile robot pulling and pushing two dissimilar trailers. PMID:23552102

The Transfer of Cognitive Speed of Processing Training to Older Adults’ Driving Mobility Across 5 Years

PubMed Central

Edwards, Jerri D.; O’Connor, Melissa L.; Ball, Karlene K.; Wadley, Virginia G.; Vance, David E.

2016-01-01

Objectives. Multilevel models assessed the effects of cognitive speed of processing training (SPT) on older adults’ self-reported driving using intention-to-treat (ITT, randomization to training or control conditions) and dosage (treatment-received via number of training sessions) analyses across 5 years. Method. Participants randomized to SPT (n = 598) were compared with those randomized to either the no-contact control (n = 598) or memory training, which served as an active control (n = 610). Driving mobility (frequency, exposure, and space) was assessed over time. Results. No significant effects were found within the ITT analyses. However, number of SPT sessions did affect driving mobility outcomes. In the full sample (N = 1,806), higher SPT doses were associated with maintained driving frequency as compared with both control groups, but no effects were found for driving exposure or space. Subsample analyses (n = 315) revealed that persons at-risk for mobility declines (i.e., poor initial processing speed) who received additional booster SPT sessions reported greater maintenance of both driving frequency and exposure over time as compared with the no-contact and active control groups. Discussion. These results and prior research indicate that cognitive SPT transfers to prolonged driving mobility among older adults. Future research should investigate the mechanisms behind transfer effects to real-world activities, such as driving. PMID:25878053

Alcohol-impaired driving and its consequences in the United States: the past 25 years.

PubMed

Williams, Allan F

2006-01-01

Progress in dealing with the alcohol-impaired driving problem in the United States during the past 25 years is addressed. Trends in various measures of the problem were tracked and a thorough review of the relevant literature conducted. In the 1980s and continuing into the early 1990s, major decreases occurred in alcohol-impaired driving and its consequences. The contribution of alcohol to fatal crashes dropped by 35-40% during this period. Two primary reasons for the decline appear to be the emergence of citizen activist groups that mobilized public support and attention to the problem, and the proliferation of effective laws. Since about 1995 the alcohol-impaired driving problem has stabilized at a reduced but still quite high level. Highway safety organizations and citizen activist groups have continued to highlight the problem, but its status as a social issue has diminished. We basically know what the primary target groups are, and we know measures that would work to reduce the problem if implemented more fully. We know that political leadership, state task forces, and media advocacy are important ingredients in addressing the problem. It is likely that a resurgence in citizen activism will be necessary to foster these elements and refocus the nation on the unfinished battle against alcohol-impaired driving. Alcohol-impaired driving is still a major problem that needs continuing attention.

Decrease of dynamic loads in mobile energy means

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polivaev, O. I.; Gorban, L. K.; Vorohobin, A. V.; Vedrinsky, O. S.

2018-03-01

The increase in the productivity of machine and tractor units is possible due to the increase in operating speeds, this leads to the emergence of increased dynamic loads in the system “engine-transmission-propulsion unit-soil”, which worsens the performance of machine-tractor aggregates. To reduce fluctuations in the “engine-transmission” system, special vibration dampers are used, which installed in close proximity to the engine and protect well the transmission from uneven engine operation; however, such dampers practically do not eliminate the oscillations of external loads. Reducing dynamic loads on the transmission and the mobile power engine (MPE) is an important issue directly related to improving the performance, reliability and durability of the tractor, as well as reducing the slippage of the drive wheels. In order to reduce effectively dynamic loads on the transmission and on the MPE, it is necessary to introduce resilient damping elements closer to the sources of oscillations, namely, to the driving wheels. At the same time, the elastic-damping element should provide accumulation of vibration energy caused by external influences and have a large energy capacity. The installation of an elastic-damping element in the final link of the tractor transmission ensures a reduction in the magnitude of external influences, thereby protecting the engine and transmission from large dynamic loads, and allows one to reduce the slippage of the propellers, which has a positive effect on the traction and energy characteristics of the tractor. Traction tests of the LTP-55 tractor on a concrete road showed that the use of an elasto-damping drive makes it possible to increase the maximum tractive power from 33.5 to 35.3 kW and to reduce the slipping of propellers by 12-30%, the specific fuel consumption by 6-10%. When driving on stubble, the use of an elastic-damping drive increases the maximum tractive power from 25 to 26 kW, reduces the skidding of propellers by 10-28%, and the specific fuel consumption by 10-12.5%.

The Transfer of Cognitive Speed of Processing Training to Older Adults' Driving Mobility Across 5 Years.

PubMed

Ross, Lesley A; Edwards, Jerri D; O'Connor, Melissa L; Ball, Karlene K; Wadley, Virginia G; Vance, David E

2016-01-01

Multilevel models assessed the effects of cognitive speed of processing training (SPT) on older adults' self-reported driving using intention-to-treat (ITT, randomization to training or control conditions) and dosage (treatment-received via number of training sessions) analyses across 5 years. Participants randomized to SPT (n = 598) were compared with those randomized to either the no-contact control (n = 598) or memory training, which served as an active control (n = 610). Driving mobility (frequency, exposure, and space) was assessed over time. No significant effects were found within the ITT analyses. However, number of SPT sessions did affect driving mobility outcomes. In the full sample (N = 1,806), higher SPT doses were associated with maintained driving frequency as compared with both control groups, but no effects were found for driving exposure or space. Subsample analyses (n = 315) revealed that persons at-risk for mobility declines (i.e., poor initial processing speed) who received additional booster SPT sessions reported greater maintenance of both driving frequency and exposure over time as compared with the no-contact and active control groups. These results and prior research indicate that cognitive SPT transfers to prolonged driving mobility among older adults. Future research should investigate the mechanisms behind transfer effects to real-world activities, such as driving. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Shapiro spikes and negative mobility for skyrmion motion on quasi-one-dimensional periodic substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reichhardt, Charles; Olson Reichhardt, Cynthia Jane

2017-01-12

Using a simple numerical model of skyrmions in a two-dimensional system interacting with a quasi-one-dimensional periodic substrate under combined dc and ac drives where the dc drive is applied perpendicular to the substrate periodicity, we show that a rich variety of novel phase-locking dynamics can occur due to the influence of the Magnus term on the skyrmion dynamics. Instead of Shapiro steps, the velocity response in the direction of the dc drive exhibits a series of spikes, including extended dc drive intervals over which the skyrmions move in the direction opposite to the dc drive, producing negative mobility. Also, theremore » are specific dc drive values at which the skyrmions move exactly perpendicular to the dc drive direction, giving a condition of absolute transverse mobility.« less

On the asynchronously continuous control of mobile robot movement by motor cortical spiking activity.

PubMed

Xu, Zhiming; So, Rosa Q; Toe, Kyaw Kyar; Ang, Kai Keng; Guan, Cuntai

2014-01-01

This paper presents an asynchronously intracortical brain-computer interface (BCI) which allows the subject to continuously drive a mobile robot. This system has a great implication for disabled patients to move around. By carefully designing a multiclass support vector machine (SVM), the subject's self-paced instantaneous movement intents are continuously decoded to control the mobile robot. In particular, we studied the stability of the neural representation of the movement directions. Experimental results on the nonhuman primate showed that the overt movement directions were stably represented in ensemble of recorded units, and our SVM classifier could successfully decode such movements continuously along the desired movement path. However, the neural representation of the stop state for the self-paced control was not stably represented and could drift.

Driving Outcomes among Older Adults: A Systematic Review on Racial and Ethnic Differences over 20 Years.

PubMed

Babulal, Ganesh M; Williams, Monique M; Stout, Sarah H; Roe, Catherine M

2018-03-01

The population of older adults (aged 65 years and older) in the United States will become more racially and ethnically diverse in the next three decades. Additionally, the growth of the aging population will come with an expansion in the number of older drivers and an increased prevalence of chronic neurological conditions. A major gap in the aging literature is an almost exclusive focus on homogenous, non-Hispanic white samples of older adults. It is unclear if this extends to the driving literature. A systematic review of SCOPUS, PubMed, CINAHL Plus, and Web of Science examined articles on driving and racial/ethnic differences among older adults. Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria and their results indicate that racial and ethnic minorities face a greater risk for driving reduction, mobility restriction, and driving cessation. The majority of studies compared African Americans to non-Hispanic whites but only examined race as a covariate. Only four studies explicitly examined racial/ethnic differences. Future research in aging and driving research needs to be more inclusive and actively involve different racial/ethnic groups in study design and analysis.

Cheap or Robust? The practical realization of self-driving wheelchair technology.

PubMed

Burhanpurkar, Maya; Labbe, Mathieu; Guan, Charlie; Michaud, Francois; Kelly, Jonathan

2017-07-01

To date, self-driving experimental wheelchair technologies have been either inexpensive or robust, but not both. Yet, in order to achieve real-world acceptance, both qualities are fundamentally essential. We present a unique approach to achieve inexpensive and robust autonomous and semi-autonomous assistive navigation for existing fielded wheelchairs, of which there are approximately 5 million units in Canada and United States alone. Our prototype wheelchair platform is capable of localization and mapping, as well as robust obstacle avoidance, using only a commodity RGB-D sensor and wheel odometry. As a specific example of the navigation capabilities, we focus on the single most common navigation problem: the traversal of narrow doorways in arbitrary environments. The software we have developed is generalizable to corridor following, desk docking, and other navigation tasks that are either extremely difficult or impossible for people with upper-body mobility impairments.

Effectiveness of a Driving Intervention on Safe Community Mobility for Returning Combat Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-01

study is a follow-on to prior DOD funded work “Efficacy of a Driving Intervention Program on Safe Community Mobility for Combat Veterans”. Funding for...lack of control groups, suggest that a simu- lator-based OT-DI can provide a safe environment for testing and training of CV to reduce dangerous...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0032 TITLE: Effectiveness of a Driving Intervention on Safe Community Mobility for Returning Combat Veterans

75 FR 66420 - ITS Joint Program Office; IntelliDriveSM

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-28

... issues; details of the IntelliDrive program's open data environment and its open source mobility... host a free two-day public workshop to discuss the IntelliDrive\\SM\\ Real-Time Data Capture and... communicate with stakeholders interested in the data capture and dynamic mobility components of the Intelli...

49 CFR 392.82 - Using a hand-held mobile telephone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...) Definitions. For the purpose of this section only, driving means operating a commercial motor vehicle on a... SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATIONS DRIVING OF.... (a)(1) No driver shall use a hand-held mobile telephone while driving a CMV. (2) No motor carrier...

49 CFR 392.82 - Using a hand-held mobile telephone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...) Definitions. For the purpose of this section only, driving means operating a commercial motor vehicle on a... SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATIONS DRIVING OF.... (a)(1) No driver shall use a hand-held mobile telephone while driving a CMV. (2) No motor carrier...

49 CFR 392.82 - Using a hand-held mobile telephone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...) Definitions. For the purpose of this section only, driving means operating a commercial motor vehicle on a... SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATIONS DRIVING OF.... (a)(1) No driver shall use a hand-held mobile telephone while driving a CMV. (2) No motor carrier...

Phone use and crashes while driving: A representative survey of drivers in two Australian states.

PubMed

McEvoy, Suzanne P; Stevenson, Mark R; Woodward, Mark

To explore the use and effects of using mobile phones while driving. Cross-sectional survey. New South Wales and Western Australia, 20 October to 7 November 2003. 1347 licensed drivers aged 18 to 65 years. Data were weighted to reflect the corresponding driving population in each state. Mobile phone use while driving (hand-held, hands-free and text messaging); adverse effects of use. While driving, an estimated 57.3% +/- 1.5% of drivers have ever used a mobile phone and 12.4% +/- 1.0% have written text messages. Men, younger drivers and metropolitan residents were more likely to use a phone while driving and to report a higher frequency of use. Enforcement of hand-held phone restrictions was perceived to be low (69.0% +/- 1.5%) and an estimated 39.4% +/- 2.1% of people who phone while driving use a hand-held phone. Half of all drivers (50.1% +/- 1.6%) did not agree with extending the ban to include hands-free phones. Among drivers aged 18-65 years in NSW and WA, an estimated 45 800 +/- 16 466 (0.9% +/- 0.3%) have ever had a crash while using a mobile phone and, in the past year, 146 762 +/- 26 856 (3.0% +/- 0.6%) have had to take evasive action to avoid a crash because of their phone use. Phone use while driving is prevalent and can result in adverse consequences, including crashes. Despite legislation, a significant proportion of drivers continue to use hand-held mobile phones while driving. Enhanced enforcement is needed.

TMAP - A Versatile Mobile Robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Joel A.; Simmons, Richard K.

1989-03-01

TMAP, the Teleoperated Mobile All-purpose Platform, provides the Army with a low cost, light weight, flexibly designed, modularly expandable platform for support of maneuver forces and light infantry units. The highly mobile, four wheel drive, diesel-hydraulic platform is controllable at distances of up to 4km from a portable operator control unit using either fiber optic or RF control links. The Martin Marietta TMAP system is based on a hierarchical task decomposition Real-time Control System architecture that readily supports interchange of mission packages and provides the capability for simple incorporation of supervisory control concepts leading to increased system autonomy and resulting force multiplication. TMAP has been designed to support a variety of missions including target designation, anti-armor, anti-air, countermine, and reconnaissance/surveillance. As a target designation system TMAP will provide the soldier with increased survivability and effectiveness by providing substantial combat standoff, and the firepower effectiveness of several manual designator operators. Force-on-force analysis of simulated TMAP engagements indicate that TMAP should provide significant force multiplication for the Army in Air-Land Battle 2000.

Training toddlers seated on mobile robots to drive indoors amidst obstacles.

PubMed

Chen, Xi; Ragonesi, Christina; Galloway, James C; Agrawal, Sunil K

2011-06-01

Mobility is a causal factor in development. Children with mobility impairments may rely upon power mobility for independence and thus require advanced driving skills to function independently. Our previous studies show that while infants can learn to drive directly to a goal using conventional joysticks in several months of training, they are unable in this timeframe to acquire the advanced skill to avoid obstacles while driving. Without adequate driving training, children are unable to explore the environment safely, the consequences of which may in turn increase their risk for developmental delay. The goal of this research therefore is to train children seated on mobile robots to purposefully and safely drive indoors. In this paper, we present results where ten typically-developing toddlers are trained to drive a robot within an obstacle course. We also report a case study with a toddler with spina-bifida who cannot independently walk. Using algorithms based on artificial potential fields to avoid obstacles, we create force field on the joystick that trains the children to navigate while avoiding obstacles. In this "assist-as-needed" approach, if the child steers the joystick outside a force tunnel centered on the desired direction, the driver experiences a bias force on the hand. Our results suggest that the use of a force-feedback joystick may yield faster learning than the use of a conventional joystick.

Error Estimation and Compensation in Reduced Dynamic Models of Large Space Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-23

PROCUREMENT INSTRUMENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ORGANIZATION (if aplicable ) AFWAL I FIBRA F33615-84-C-3219 8c. ADDRESS (City, Stateand ZIP Code) ?0 SOURCE...10 Modes of the Full Model 15 5 Comparison of Various Reduced Models 18 6 Driving Point Mobilities , Wing Tip (Z55) 19 7 Driving Point Mobilities , Wing...Root Trailing Edge (Z19) 20 8 AMI Improvement 23 9 Frequency Domain Solution, Driving Point Mobilities , Wing Tip (Z55), RM1I 25 10 Frequency Domain

Gaps and Pathways Project: driving pathways by diagnosis sheets.

PubMed

Touchinsky, Susan; Chew, Felicia; Davis, Elin Schold

2014-04-01

This paper describes the development and use of information sheets for occupational therapy practitioners to use as guides for evaluation and intervention planning to address their client's driving and community mobility needs. Called Driving Pathways by Diagnosis Sheets, the information assists therapists with direction to connect impairment to driving risk and incorporate intervention to client goals and priorities related to driving and community mobility. An example of one of the sheets for the diagnosis of arthritis is highlighted and implications for use are discussed.

Large-Scale Physical Models of Thermal Remediation of DNAPL Source Zones in Aquitards

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-01

pressure at the bottom of the tank. The higher pressure is reflected in higher measured water levels in external gauges . Figure 63: 3D Cross...than atmospheric. This higher pressure can raise the apparent water level in a sight gauge or external overflow and can even drive more fluid through...the water table. All met or exceeded their goals. Typical turnkey unit costs (including design, permitting, fabrication, mobilization, drilling

AgRISTARS. Supporting research: MARS x-band scatterometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ulaby, F. T. (Principal Investigator); Gabel, P. F., Jr.; Brunfeldt, D. R.

1981-01-01

The design, construction, and data collection procedures of the mobile agricultural radar sensor (MARS) x band scatterometer are described. This system is an inexpensive, highly mobile, truck mounted FM-CW radar operating at a center frequency of 10.2 GHz. The antennas, which allow for VV and VH polarizations, are configured in a side looking mode that allows for drive by data collection. This configuration shortens fieldwork time considerably while increasing statistical confidence in the data. Both internal calibration, via a delay line, and external calibration with a Luneberg lens are used to calibrate the instrument in terms of sigma(o). The radar scattering cross section per unit area, sigma(o), is found using the radar equation.

Using Mobile Devices to Connect Teachers and Museum Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delen, Ibrahim; Krajcik, Joseph

2017-06-01

The use of mobile devices is increasing rapidly as a potential tool for science teaching. In this study, five educators (three middle school teachers and two museum educators) used a mobile application that supported the development of a driving question. Previous studies have noted that teachers make little effort to connect learning experiences between classrooms and museums, and few studies have focused on creating connections between teachers and museum educators. In this study, teachers and museum educators created an investigation together by designing a driving question in conjunction with the research group before field trips. During field trips, students collected their own data using iPods or iPads to take pictures or record videos of the exhibits. When students returned to the school, they used the museum data with their peers as they tried to answer the driving question. After completing the field trips, five educators were interviewed to investigate their experiences with designing driving questions and using mobile devices. Besides supporting students in data collection during the field trip, using mobile devices helped teachers to get the museum back to the classroom. Designing the driving question supported museum educators and teachers to plan the field trip collaboratively.

The Longitudinal Impact of Cognitive Speed of Processing Training on Driving Mobility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Jerri D.; Myers, Charlsie; Ross, Lesley A.; Roenker, Daniel L.; Cissell, Gayla M.; McLaughlin, Alexis M.; Ball, Karlene K.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To examine how cognitive speed of processing training affects driving mobility across a 3-year period among older drivers. Design and Methods: Older drivers with poor Useful Field of View (UFOV) test performance (indicating greater risk for subsequent at-fault crashes and mobility declines) were randomly assigned to either a speed of…

Digital watermarking opportunities enabled by mobile media proliferation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modro, Sierra; Sharma, Ravi K.

2009-02-01

Consumer usages of mobile devices and electronic media are changing. Mobile devices now include increased computational capabilities, mobile broadband access, better integrated sensors, and higher resolution screens. These enhanced features are driving increased consumption of media such as images, maps, e-books, audio, video, and games. As users become more accustomed to using mobile devices for media, opportunities arise for new digital watermarking usage models. For example, transient media, like images being displayed on screens, could be watermarked to provide a link between mobile devices. Applications based on these emerging usage models utilizing watermarking can provide richer user experiences and drive increased media consumption. We describe the enabling factors and highlight a few of the usage models and new opportunities. We also outline how the new opportunities are driving further innovation in watermarking technologies. We discuss challenges in market adoption of applications based on these usage models.

Distracted Driving, A Major Preventable Cause of Motor Vehicle Collisions: "Just Hang Up and Drive".

PubMed

Kahn, Christopher A; Cisneros, Victor; Lotfipour, Shahram; Imani, Ghasem; Chakravarthy, Bharath

2015-12-01

For years, public health experts have been concerned about the effect of cell phone use on motor vehicle collisions, part of a phenomenon known as "distracted driving." The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) article "Mobile Device Use While Driving - United States and Seven European Countries 2011" highlights the international nature of these concerns. Recent (2011) estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are that 10% of fatal crashes and 17% of injury crashes were reported as distraction-affected. Of 3,331 people killed in 2011 on roadways in the U.S. as a result of driver distraction, 385 died in a crash where at least one driver was using a cell phone. For drivers 15-19 years old involved in a fatal crash, 21% of the distracted drivers were distracted by the use of cell phones. Efforts to reduce cell phone use while driving could reduce the prevalence of automobile crashes related to distracted driving. The MMWR report shows that there is much ground to cover with distracted driving. Emergency physicians frequently see the devastating effects of distracted driving on a daily basis and should take a more active role on sharing the information with patients, administrators, legislators, friends and family.

The Impact of Weather on Mobility and Participation in Older US Adults

PubMed Central

Yan, Ting; Keusch, Florian; Gallagher, Nancy Ambrose

2015-01-01

Objectives. We examined the impact of weather on the daily lives of US adults to understand which populations are most vulnerable to various weather conditions. Methods. Data came from a 2013 supplement to the University of Michigan–Thomson Reuters Surveys of Consumers, a nationally representative telephone survey of 502 adults in the contiguous United States. We used logistic regressions to assess the odds of mobility difficulty and participation restriction during different weather conditions, as well as age group differences. Results. Ice was most likely to change the way respondents got around (reported by 47%). In icy conditions, participants had difficulty leaving home (40%) and driving (35%). Facing ice, older adults (≥ 65 years) had twice the odds of having great difficulty leaving home (odds ratio [OR] = 2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12, 4.42) and curtailing work or volunteer activities (OR = 2.01; 95% CI = 1.01, 4.06), and 3 times the odds of difficulty driving (OR = 3.33; 95% CI = 1.62, 6.86) as younger respondents. We also found significant differences in mobility and participation by gender and region of residence. Conclusions. Weather can affect social isolation, health, well-being, and mortality among older US adults. PMID:25973825

Mobility and safety issues in drivers with dementia.

PubMed

Carr, David B; O'Neill, Desmond

2015-10-01

Although automobiles remain the mobility method of choice for older adults, late-life cognitive impairment and progressive dementia will eventually impair the ability to meet transport needs of many. There is, however, no commonly utilized method of assessing dementia severity in relation to driving, no consensus on the specific types of assessments that should be applied to older drivers with cognitive impairment, and no gold standard for determining driving fitness or approaching loss of mobility and subsequent counseling. Yet, clinicians are often called upon by patients, their families, health professionals, and driver licensing authorities to assess their patients' fitness-to-drive and to make recommendations about driving privileges. We summarize the literature on dementia and driving, discuss evidenced-based assessments of fitness-to-drive, and outline the important ethical and legal concerns. We address the role of physician assessment, referral to neuropsychology, functional screens, dementia severity tools, driving evaluation clinics, and driver licensing authority referrals that may assist clinicians with an evaluation. Finally, we discuss mobility counseling (e.g. exploration of transportation alternatives) since health professionals need to address this important issue for older adults who lose the ability to drive. The application of a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to the older driver with cognitive impairment will have the best opportunity to enhance our patients' social connectedness and quality of life, while meeting their psychological and medical needs and maintaining personal and public safety.

Walk and roll robot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Andrew (Inventor); Punnoose, Andrew (Inventor); Strausser, Katherine (Inventor); Parikh, Neil (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A mobile robotic unit features a main body, a plurality of legs for supporting the main body on and moving the main body in forward and reverse directions about a base surface, and a drive assembly. According to an exemplary embodiment each leg includes a respective pivotal hip joint, a pivotal knee joint, and a wheeled foot adapted to roll along the base surface. Also according to an exemplary embodiments the drive assembly includes a motor operatively associated with the hip and knee joints and the wheeled foot for independently driving pivotal movement of the hip joint and the knee joint and rolling motion of the wheeled foot. The hip joint may include a ball-and-socket-type joint interconnecting top portion of the leg to the main body, such that the hip joint is adapted to pivot said leg in a direction transverse to a forward-and-reverse direction.

Bulk Superconductors in Mobile Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werfel, F. N.; Delor, U. Floegel-; Rothfeld, R.; Riedel, T.; Wippich, D.; Goebel, B.; Schirrmeister, P.

We investigate and review concepts of multi - seeded REBCO bulk superconductors in mobile application. ATZ's compact HTS bulk magnets can trap routinely 1 T@77 K. Except of magnetization, flux creep and hysteresis, industrial - like properties as compactness, power density, and robustness are of major device interest if mobility and light-weight construction is in focus. For mobile application in levitated trains or demonstrator magnets we examine the performance of on-board cryogenics either by LN2 or cryo-cooler application. The mechanical, electric and thermodynamical requirements of compact vacuum cryostats for Maglev train operation were studied systematically. More than 30 units are manufactured and tested. The attractive load to weight ratio is more than 10 and favours group module device constructions up to 5 t load on permanent magnet (PM) track. A transportable and compact YBCO bulk magnet cooled with in-situ 4 Watt Stirling cryo-cooler for 50 - 80 K operation is investigated. Low cooling power and effective HTS cold mass drives the system construction to a minimum - thermal loss and light-weight design.

Differential-Drive Mobile Robot Control Design based-on Linear Feedback Control Law

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurmaini, Siti; Dewi, Kemala; Tutuko, Bambang

2017-04-01

This paper deals with the problem of how to control differential driven mobile robot with simple control law. When mobile robot moves from one position to another to achieve a position destination, it always produce some errors. Therefore, a mobile robot requires a certain control law to drive the robot’s movement to the position destination with a smallest possible error. In this paper, in order to reduce position error, a linear feedback control is proposed with pole placement approach to regulate the polynoms desired. The presented work leads to an improved understanding of differential-drive mobile robot (DDMR)-based kinematics equation, which will assist to design of suitable controllers for DDMR movement. The result show by using the linier feedback control method with pole placement approach the position error is reduced and fast convergence is achieved.

[Driving and dementia : An issue for general practice?!

PubMed

Leve, Verena; Ilse, Katharina; Ufert, Marie; Wilm, Stefan; Pentzek, Michael

2017-05-01

With most forms of dementia, the risk of road traffic accidents increases with disease progression. Addressing the issue of fitness to drive at an early stage can help to reduce driving-related risks and simultaneously preserve mobility. General practitioners (GPs) are central contact persons for dementia patients and their relatives in medical and psychosocial matters, and also play a key role in addressing the issue of driving safety. Identification of relevant aspects of managing fitness to drive in dementia, as well as of support requirements for German general practice. Seven focus groups with dementia patients, family caregivers and GPs were conducted in order to define the different requirements for counselling in the general practice setting. The transcribed discussions were analysed by a multiprofessional research team using content analysis. For people with dementia, declining mobility and driving cessation is related to a loss of autonomy. Addressing fitness to drive in dementia is thus a subject of conflict and uncertainty for both family caregivers and GPs. The difficulties include the assessment of fitness to drive in the general practice setting, concerns about compromising the patient-physician relationship by raising the issue of driving fitness, as well as uncertainties about the GP's own role. GPs consider the involvement of caregivers to be important to successfully address the topic of driving safety and organise alternative transport. Support is required in the form of criteria defining the time point at which fitness to drive should be assessed, information on compensation possibilities and mobility alternatives. Resource-oriented and patient-centred development of management strategies for limited mobility is needed in general practice. Finding the correct balance between documentation, adequately informing the patient and establishing patient-centred strategies represents a challenge.

Testing thermal gradient driving force for grain boundary migration using molecular dynamics simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bai, Xian-Ming; Zhang, Yongfeng; Tonks, Michael R.

2015-02-01

Strong thermal gradients in low-thermal-conductivity ceramics may drive extended defects, such as grain boundaries and voids, to migrate in preferential directions. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations are conducted to study thermal gradient driven grain boundary migration and to verify a previously proposed thermal gradient driving force equation, using uranium dioxide as a model system. It is found that a thermal gradient drives grain boundaries to migrate up the gradient and the migration velocity increases under a constant gradient owing to the increase in mobility with temperature. Different grain boundaries migrate at very different rates due to their different intrinsicmore » mobilities. The extracted mobilities from the thermal gradient driven simulations are compared with those calculated from two other well-established methods and good agreement between the three different methods is found, demonstrating that the theoretical equation of the thermal gradient driving force is valid, although a correction of one input parameter should be made. The discrepancy in the grain boundary mobilities between modeling and experiments is also discussed.« less

Optimal design of active EMC filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chand, B.; Kut, T.; Dickmann, S.

2013-07-01

A recent trend in automotive industry is adding electrical drive systems to conventional drives. The electrification allows an expansion of energy sources and provides great opportunities for environmental friendly mobility. The electrical powertrain and its components can also cause disturbances which couple into nearby electronic control units and communication cables. Therefore the communication can be degraded or even permanently disrupted. To minimize these interferences, different approaches are possible. One possibility is to use EMC filters. However, the diversity of filters is very large and the determination of an appropriate filter for each application is time-consuming. Therefore, the filter design is determined by using a simulation tool including an effective optimization algorithm. This method leads to improvements in terms of weight, volume and cost.

Distracted Driving, A Major Preventable Cause of Motor Vehicle Collisions: “Just Hang Up and Drive”

PubMed Central

Kahn, Christopher A.; Cisneros, Victor; Lotfipour, Shahram; Imani, Ghasem; Chakravarthy, Bharath

2015-01-01

For years, public health experts have been concerned about the effect of cell phone use on motor vehicle collisions, part of a phenomenon known as “distracted driving.” The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) article “Mobile Device Use While Driving - United States and Seven European Countries 2011” highlights the international nature of these concerns. Recent (2011) estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are that 10% of fatal crashes and 17% of injury crashes were reported as distraction-affected. Of 3,331 people killed in 2011 on roadways in the U.S. as a result of driver distraction, 385 died in a crash where at least one driver was using a cell phone. For drivers 15–19 years old involved in a fatal crash, 21% of the distracted drivers were distracted by the use of cell phones. Efforts to reduce cell phone use while driving could reduce the prevalence of automobile crashes related to distracted driving. The MMWR report shows that there is much ground to cover with distracted driving. Emergency physicians frequently see the devastating effects of distracted driving on a daily basis and should take a more active role on sharing the information with patients, administrators, legislators, friends and family. PMID:26759649

A Survey of the Elderly in Regional Cities on their Attitudes toward Driving and Giving Up Driving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nihei, Misato; Kamata, Minoru

Elderly drivers are increasing every year in Japan. However, physical depression caused by aging is also a cause of traffic accidents and they will all have to give up driving one day. The aim of this study is to clarify the effects of car dependency and the impact of having to stop driving among the elderly. And to propose alternative transportation options for elderly after having surrendered their driver's licenses. We carried out a questionnaire survey and a focus group interview. During this study, we sent 1338 questionnaires to people over 60 years old in regional cities that included areas with convenient access and inconvenient access to public transit. From our survey, we found that, over half of the elderly drive every day, the older people lower drive frequency. License holder of elderly with feelings of decreased motor skills awareness a decrease in driving ability. Moreover it is clarified that issue of alternative mobility are "mobility devices to maintain social and personal relationships" and "mobility devices as an extension of walking" and "use the existing public transport environment".

The Quality and Accuracy of Mobile Apps to Prevent Driving After Drinking Alcohol.

PubMed

Wilson, Hollie; Stoyanov, Stoyan R; Gandabhai, Shailen; Baldwin, Alexander

2016-08-08

Driving after the consumption of alcohol represents a significant problem globally. Individual prevention countermeasures such as personalized mobile app aimed at preventing such behavior are widespread, but there is little research on their accuracy and evidence base. There has been no known assessment investigating the quality of such apps. This study aimed to determine the quality and accuracy of apps for drink driving prevention by conducting a review and evaluation of relevant mobile apps. A systematic app search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. App quality was assessed using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Apps providing blood alcohol calculators (hereafter "calculators") were reviewed against current alcohol advice for accuracy. A total of 58 apps (30 iOS and 28 Android) met inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Drink driving prevention apps had significantly lower engagement and overall quality scores than alcohol management apps. Most calculators provided conservative blood alcohol content (BAC) time until sober calculations. None of the apps had been evaluated to determine their efficacy in changing either drinking or driving behaviors. This novel study demonstrates that most drink driving prevention apps are not engaging and lack accuracy. They could be improved by increasing engagement features, such as gamification. Further research should examine the context and motivations for using apps to prevent driving after drinking in at-risk populations. Development of drink driving prevention apps should incorporate evidence-based information and guidance, lacking in current apps.

The Quality and Accuracy of Mobile Apps to Prevent Driving After Drinking Alcohol

PubMed Central

Stoyanov, Stoyan R; Gandabhai, Shailen; Baldwin, Alexander

2016-01-01

Background Driving after the consumption of alcohol represents a significant problem globally. Individual prevention countermeasures such as personalized mobile apps aimed at preventing such behavior are widespread, but there is little research on their accuracy and evidence base. There has been no known assessment investigating the quality of such apps. Objective This study aimed to determine the quality and accuracy of apps for drink driving prevention by conducting a review and evaluation of relevant mobile apps. Methods A systematic app search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. App quality was assessed using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Apps providing blood alcohol calculators (hereafter “calculators”) were reviewed against current alcohol advice for accuracy. Results A total of 58 apps (30 iOS and 28 Android) met inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Drink driving prevention apps had significantly lower engagement and overall quality scores than alcohol management apps. Most calculators provided conservative blood alcohol content (BAC) time until sober calculations. None of the apps had been evaluated to determine their efficacy in changing either drinking or driving behaviors. Conclusions This novel study demonstrates that most drink driving prevention apps are not engaging and lack accuracy. They could be improved by increasing engagement features, such as gamification. Further research should examine the context and motivations for using apps to prevent driving after drinking in at-risk populations. Development of drink driving prevention apps should incorporate evidence-based information and guidance, lacking in current apps. PMID:27502956

Mild Cognitive Impairment and driving: Does in-vehicle distraction affect driving performance?

PubMed

Beratis, Ion N; Pavlou, Dimosthenis; Papadimitriou, Eleonora; Andronas, Nikolaos; Kontaxopoulou, Dionysia; Fragkiadaki, Stella; Yannis, George; Papageorgiou, Sokratis G

2017-06-01

In-vehicle distraction is considered to be an important cause of road accidents. Drivers with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), because of their attenuated cognitive resources, may be vulnerable to the effects of distraction; however, previous relevant research is lacking. The main objective of the current study was to explore the effect of in-vehicle distraction on the driving performance of MCI patients, by assessing their reaction time at unexpected incidents and accident probability. Thirteen patients with MCI (age: 64.5±7.2) and 12 cognitively intact individuals (age: 60.0±7.7), all active drivers were introduced in the study. The driving simulator experiment included three distraction conditions: (a) undistracted driving, (b) conversing with passenger and (c) conversing through a hand-held mobile phone. The mixed ANOVA models revealed a greater effect of distraction on MCI patients. Specifically, the use of mobile phone induced a more pronounced impact on reaction time and accident probability in the group of patients, as compared to healthy controls. On the other hand, in the driving condition "conversing with passenger" the interaction effects regarding reaction time and accident probability were not significant. Notably, the aforementioned findings concerning the MCI patients in the case of the mobile phone were observed despite the effort of the drivers to apply a compensatory strategy by reducing significantly their speed in this driving condition. Overall, the current findings indicate, for the first time, that a common driving practice, such as the use of mobile phone, may have a detrimental impact on the driving performance of individuals with MCI. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Distracted Walking, Bicycling, and Driving: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Mobile Technology and Youth Crash Risk.

PubMed

Stavrinos, Despina; Pope, Caitlin N; Shen, Jiabin; Schwebel, David C

2018-01-01

This article examined the impact of mobile technology on young pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers. A systematic search yielded 41 articles meeting inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed, published before February 1, 2016, behavioral outcome related to pedestrian, bicycling, or driving in the presence of mobile technology use, youth sample. Eleven studies were meta-analyzed to evaluate increased risk for crash/near-crash while distracted. Risk of bias and quality of research were assessed. Across methodologies, developmental stages, and type of distracting task, mobile technology use impairs youth safety on the road. Quality of evidence was low (pedestrian) to moderate (driving). Findings are discussed from the perspective of cognitive and visual distractions. Policy and behavioral efforts should continue to reduce mobile technology use in transportation settings. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

A universal self-charging system driven by random biomechanical energy for sustainable operation of mobile electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Simiao; Wang, Xiaofeng; Yi, Fang; Zhou, Yu Sheng; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-12-01

Human biomechanical energy is characterized by fluctuating amplitudes and variable low frequency, and an effective utilization of such energy cannot be achieved by classical energy-harvesting technologies. Here we report a high-efficient self-charging power system for sustainable operation of mobile electronics exploiting exclusively human biomechanical energy, which consists of a high-output triboelectric nanogenerator, a power management circuit to convert the random a.c. energy to d.c. electricity at 60% efficiency, and an energy storage device. With palm tapping as the only energy source, this power unit provides a continuous d.c. electricity of 1.044 mW (7.34 W m-3) in a regulated and managed manner. This self-charging unit can be universally applied as a standard `infinite-lifetime' power source for continuously driving numerous conventional electronics, such as thermometers, electrocardiograph system, pedometers, wearable watches, scientific calculators and wireless radio-frequency communication system, which indicates the immediate and broad applications in personal sensor systems and internet of things.

A universal self-charging system driven by random biomechanical energy for sustainable operation of mobile electronics.

PubMed

Niu, Simiao; Wang, Xiaofeng; Yi, Fang; Zhou, Yu Sheng; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-12-11

Human biomechanical energy is characterized by fluctuating amplitudes and variable low frequency, and an effective utilization of such energy cannot be achieved by classical energy-harvesting technologies. Here we report a high-efficient self-charging power system for sustainable operation of mobile electronics exploiting exclusively human biomechanical energy, which consists of a high-output triboelectric nanogenerator, a power management circuit to convert the random a.c. energy to d.c. electricity at 60% efficiency, and an energy storage device. With palm tapping as the only energy source, this power unit provides a continuous d.c. electricity of 1.044 mW (7.34 W m(-3)) in a regulated and managed manner. This self-charging unit can be universally applied as a standard 'infinite-lifetime' power source for continuously driving numerous conventional electronics, such as thermometers, electrocardiograph system, pedometers, wearable watches, scientific calculators and wireless radio-frequency communication system, which indicates the immediate and broad applications in personal sensor systems and internet of things.

How do older adult drivers self-regulate? Characteristics of self-regulation classes defined by latent class analysis.

PubMed

Bergen, Gwen; West, Bethany A; Luo, Feijun; Bird, Donna C; Freund, Katherine; Fortinsky, Richard H; Staplin, Loren

2017-06-01

Motor-vehicle crashes were the second leading cause of injury death for adults aged 65-84years in 2014. Some older drivers choose to self-regulate their driving to maintain mobility while reducing driving risk, yet the process remains poorly understood. Data from 729 older adults (aged ≥60years) who joined an older adult ride service program between April 1, 2010 and November 8, 2013 were analyzed to define and describe classes of driving self-regulation. Latent class analysis was employed to characterize older adult driving self-regulation classes using driving frequency and avoidance of seven driving situations. Logistic regression was used to explore associations between characteristics affecting mobility and self-regulation class. Three classes were identified (low, medium, and high self-regulation). High self-regulating participants reported the highest proportion of always avoiding seven risky driving situations and the lowest driving frequency followed by medium and low self-regulators. Those who were female, aged 80years or older, visually impaired, assistive device users, and those with special health needs were more likely to be high self-regulating compared with low self-regulating. Avoidance of certain driving situations and weekly driving frequency are valid indicators for describing driving self-regulation classes in older adults. Understanding the unique characteristics and mobility limitations of each class can guide optimal transportation strategies for older adults. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The role of driver rehabilitation in extending the driving lifetimes and enhancing the mobility of older adults.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

This study explored the role and impact of driver rehabilitation for older adults on extending : driving lifetimes and enhancing mobility. Specifically, the focus was on the effects of driver : rehabilitation on older adults abilities to continue ...

A parametric duration model of the reaction times of drivers distracted by mobile phone conversations.

PubMed

Haque, Md Mazharul; Washington, Simon

2014-01-01

The use of mobile phones while driving is more prevalent among young drivers-a less experienced cohort with elevated crash risk. The objective of this study was to examine and better understand the reaction times of young drivers to a traffic event originating in their peripheral vision whilst engaged in a mobile phone conversation. The CARRS-Q advanced driving simulator was used to test a sample of young drivers on various simulated driving tasks, including an event that originated within the driver's peripheral vision, whereby a pedestrian enters a zebra crossing from a sidewalk. Thirty-two licensed drivers drove the simulator in three phone conditions: baseline (no phone conversation), hands-free and handheld. In addition to driving the simulator each participant completed questionnaires related to driver demographics, driving history, usage of mobile phones while driving, and general mobile phone usage history. The participants were 21-26 years old and split evenly by gender. Drivers' reaction times to a pedestrian in the zebra crossing were modelled using a parametric accelerated failure time (AFT) duration model with a Weibull distribution. Also tested where two different model specifications to account for the structured heterogeneity arising from the repeated measures experimental design. The Weibull AFT model with gamma heterogeneity was found to be the best fitting model and identified four significant variables influencing the reaction times, including phone condition, driver's age, license type (provisional license holder or not), and self-reported frequency of usage of handheld phones while driving. The reaction times of drivers were more than 40% longer in the distracted condition compared to baseline (not distracted). Moreover, the impairment of reaction times due to mobile phone conversations was almost double for provisional compared to open license holders. A reduction in the ability to detect traffic events in the periphery whilst distracted presents a significant and measurable safety concern that will undoubtedly persist unless mitigated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mobility and Aging: New Directions for Public Health Action

PubMed Central

Guralnik, Jack M.; Jackson, Richard J.; Marottoli, Richard A.; Phelan, Elizabeth A.; Prohaska, Thomas R.

2012-01-01

Optimal mobility, defined as relative ease and freedom of movement in all of its forms, is central to healthy aging. Mobility is a significant consideration for research, practice, and policy in aging and public health. We examined the public health burdens of mobility disability, with a particular focus on leading public health interventions to enhance walking and driving, and the challenges and opportunities for public health action. We propose an integrated mobility agenda, which draws on the lived experience of older adults. New strategies for research, practice, and policy are needed to move beyond categorical promotion programs in walking and driving to establish a comprehensive program to enhance safe mobility in all its forms. PMID:22698013

Consensus statements for screening and assessment tools.

PubMed

Bédard, Michel; Dickerson, Anne E

2014-04-01

Occupational therapists, both generalists and specialists, have a critical role in providing services to senior drivers. These services include evaluating fitness-to-drive, developing interventions to support community mobility, and facilitating the transition from driving to non-driving when necessary for personal and community safety. The evaluation component and decision-making process about fitness-to-drive are highly dependent on the use of screening and assessment tools. The purpose of this paper is to briefly present the rationale and context for 12 consensus statements about the usefulness and appropriateness of screening and assessment tools to determine fitness-to-drive, within the occupational therapy clinical setting, and their implications on community mobility.

A comparison of the effect of mobile phone use and alcohol consumption on driving simulation performance.

PubMed

Leung, Sumie; Croft, Rodney J; Jackson, Melinda L; Howard, Mark E; McKenzie, Raymond J

2012-01-01

The present study compared the effects of a variety of mobile phone usage conditions to different levels of alcohol intoxication on simulated driving performance and psychomotor vigilance. Twelve healthy volunteers participated in a crossover design in which each participant completed a simulated driving task on 2 days, separated by a 1-week washout period. On the mobile phone day, participants performed the simulated driving task under each of 4 conditions: no phone usage, a hands-free naturalistic conversation, a hands-free cognitively demanding conversation, and texting. On the alcohol day, participants performed the simulated driving task at four different blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels: 0.00, 0.04, 0.07, and 0.10. Driving performance was assessed by variables including time within target speed range, time spent speeding, braking reaction time, speed deviation, and lateral lane position deviation. In the BAC 0.07 and 0.10 alcohol conditions, participants spent less time in the target speed range and more time speeding and took longer to brake in the BAC 0.04, 0.07, and 0.10 than in the BAC 0.00 condition. In the mobile phone condition, participants took longer to brake in the natural hands-free conversation, cognitively demanding hands-free conversation and texting conditions and spent less time in the target speed range and more time speeding in the cognitively demanding, hands-free conversation, and texting conditions. When comparing the 2 conditions, the naturalistic conversation was comparable to the legally permissible BAC level (0.04), and the cognitively demanding and texting conversations were similar to the BAC 0.07 to 0.10 results. The findings of the current laboratory study suggest that very simple conversations on a mobile phone may not represent a significant driving risk (compared to legally permissible BAC levels), whereas cognitively demanding, hands-free conversation, and particularly texting represent significant risks to driving.

KSC-04PD-2157

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Workers maneuver the giant sprocket (left) and attached gear (right) into position on the Crawler- Transporter. The drive sprocket turns the belt on the CT. The sprocket is mated to the gear that attaches to the drive motor. The CT travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt shoes, for a combined weight of 957,600 pounds. The CT carries the Space Shuttle atop its Mobile Launcher Platform, adding another 12 million pounds, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. NASA and United Space Alliance (USA) CT system engineers and USA technicians are repairing the sprockets and rollers on each belt before new shoes are installed. Replacement of the sprockets, gears and shoes is part of the most extensive maintenance work performed on the CT in its history.

An Evaluation of Relative Damage to the Powertrain System in Tracked Vehicles

PubMed Central

Lee, Sang-Ho; Lee, Jeong-Hwan; Goo, Sang-Hwa; Cho, Yong-Cheol; Cho, Ho-Young

2009-01-01

The objective of this study was to improve the reliability of the endurance test for the powertrain system of military tracked vehicles. The measurement system that measures the driving duty applied to the powertrain system caused by mobility on roads consists of eight analog channels and two pulse channels, including the propeller shaft output torques for the left and right sides. The data obtained from this measurement system can be used to introduce a new technology that produces the output torque of a torque converter and that can be applied to analyze the revolution counting for the endurance and road mobility in the front unit and represent the relative fatigue damages analysis technique and its results according to the driven roads through a cumulative fatigue method. PMID:22573990

Motorized mobility scooters – The use of training/intervention and technology for improving driving skills in aging adults - A Mini-Review

PubMed Central

Toosizadeh, Nima; Bunting, Matthew; Howe, Carol; Mohler, Jane; Sprinkle, Jonathan; Najafi, Bijan

2014-01-01

Background Motorized mobility scooters (MMS) have become the most acceptable powered assistive device for those with impaired mobility, who have sufficient upper body strength and dexterity, and postural stability. Although several benefits have been attributed to MMS usage, there are likewise risks of use, including injuries and even deaths. Objective The aim of the current review was to summarize results from clinical studies regarding the enhancement of MMS driver safety with a primary focus on improving driving skills/performance using clinical approaches. We addressed three main objectives: 1) to identify and summarize any available evidence (strong, moderate, or weak evidence based on the quality of studies) regarding improved driving skills/performance following training/intervention; 2) to identify types of driving skills/performance that might be improved by training/intervention; and 3) to identify the use of technology in improving MMS performance or training procedure. Methods Articles were searched for in the following medical and engineering electronic databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, EI Compendix, IEEE Explore, and REHABDATA. Inclusion criteria included: aging adults or those with ambulatory problems; intervention or targeted training; and clinical trial. Outcomes included: MMS skills/performance. Results Six articles met the inclusion criteria and are analyzed in this review. Four of the six articles contained training approaches for MMS drivers including skill trainings using real MMS inside and outside (i.e., in community) and in a 3D virtual environment. The other two studies contain infrastructural assessments (i.e., the minimum space required for safe maneuverability of MMS users) and additional mobility assistance tools to improve maneuverability and to enhance driving performance. Conclusions Results from the current review showed improved driving skills/performance by training, infrastructural assessments, and incorporating mobility assistance tools. MMS driving skills that can be improved through driver training include: weaving, negotiating with and avoiding pedestrian interference, simultaneous reading of signs and obstacle avoidance in path, level driving, forward and reverse driving, figure 8s, turning in place, crossing left slope, maneuvering down a 2-inch curb, and driving up and down inclines. However, several limitations exist in the available literature regarding evidence of improved driving skills/performance following training/intervention, such as small sample sizes, lack of control groups and statistical analysis. PMID:24481257

Drive reconfiguration mechanism for tracked robotic vehicle

DOEpatents

Willis, W. David

2000-01-01

Drive reconfiguration apparatus for changing the configuration of a drive unit with respect to a vehicle body may comprise a guide system associated with the vehicle body and the drive unit which allows the drive unit to rotate about a center of rotation that is located at about a point where the drive unit contacts the surface being traversed. An actuator mounted to the vehicle body and connected to the drive unit rotates the drive unit about the center of rotation between a first position and a second position.

49 CFR 177.804 - Compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... require texting while driving. (c) Prohibition against the use of hand-held mobile telephones. In... those regulations apply. (b) Prohibition against texting. In accordance with § 392.80 of the FMCSRs a... 42 CFR part 73 may not engage in, allow, or require use of a hand-held mobile telephone while driving...

Distracted driving: mobile phone use while driving in three Mexican cities.

PubMed

Vera-López, Juan Daniel; Pérez-Núñez, Ricardo; Híjar, Martha; Hidalgo-Solórzano, Elisa; Lunnen, Jeffrey C; Chandran, Aruna; Hyder, Adnan A

2013-08-01

Mexico has a significant road traffic injury and mortality burden, and several states/municipalities have begun passing legislation restricting mobile phone use while driving (MPUWD). Little information is available about the prevalence of MPUWD in Mexico. This study measures the prevalence of mobile phone talking and texting among drivers in three cities, and identifies associated demographic and environmental factors. Two rounds of roadside observations from a group of randomly selected automobile drivers were conducted during 2011-2012 in Guadalajara-Zapopan, León and Cuernavaca. The overall prevalence of MPUWD was 10.78%; it was highest in Guadalajara-Zapopan (13.93%, 95% CI 12.87 to 15.05), lowest in Cuernavaca (7.42%, 95% CI 6.29 to 8.67), and remained stable over two rounds of observations, except for León, where the prevalence increased from 5.27% to 10.37% (p=0.000). Driving alone on major roads in non-taxi cars during the weekdays was associated with MPUWD. Results highlight the importance of studying the risk of mobile phone use, and designing and evaluating specific preventive interventions to address this problem in Mexico.

Impact of mobile phone use on car-following behaviour of young drivers.

PubMed

Saifuzzaman, Mohammad; Haque, Md Mazharul; Zheng, Zuduo; Washington, Simon

2015-09-01

Multitasking, such as the concurrent use of a mobile phone and operating a motor vehicle, is a significant distraction that impairs driving performance and is becoming a leading cause of motor vehicle crashes. This study investigates the impact of mobile phone conversations on car-following behaviour. The CARRS-Q Advanced Driving Simulator was used to test a group of young Australian drivers aged 18-26 years on a car-following task in three randomised phone conditions: baseline (no phone conversation), hands-free and handheld. Repeated measure ANOVA was applied to examine the effect of mobile phone distraction on selected car-following variables such as driving speed, spacing, and time headway. Overall, drivers tended to select slower driving speeds, larger vehicle spacings, and longer time headways when they were engaged in either hands-free or handheld phone conversations, suggesting possible risk compensatory behaviour. In addition, phone conversations while driving influenced car-following behaviour such that variability was increased in driving speeds, vehicle spacings, and acceleration and decelerations. To further investigate car-following behaviour of distracted drivers, driver time headways were modelled using Generalized Estimation Equation (GEE). After controlling for various exogenous factors, the model predicts an increase of 0.33s in time headway when a driver is engaged in hands-free phone conversation and a 0.75s increase for handheld phone conversation. The findings will improve the collective understanding of distraction on driving performance, in particular car following behaviour which is most critical in the determination of rear-end crashes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student motorcyclists' mobile phone use while driving in Vientiane, Laos.

PubMed

Phommachanh, Sysavanh; Ichikawa, Masao; Nakahara, Shinji; Mayxay, Mayfong; Kimura, Akio

2017-06-01

To investigate mobile phone use while driving among student motorcyclists in Laos, we conducted a school-based questionnaire survey in central Vientiane in May 2014. Of the 883 high school students who reported to drive motorcycles at least once a week, 40% have ever used phones while driving motorcycles in both sexes. Those phone users had longer driving exposures than non-users, with about half engaging in phone use while driving at least 2 days a week and 70% engaging for 1 min or longer on an average day. They reported not just talking on the phone while driving but operating the phone such as dialling and text-messaging. In some instances, phone use was reportedly involved in their past crash experiences. To formulate a sound policy on this emerging distracting behaviour among motorcyclists, its contribution to the occurrence of overall crashes among motorcyclists should be investigated.

Why Do Drivers Use Mobile Phones While Driving? The Contribution of Compensatory Beliefs.

PubMed

Zhou, Ronggang; Yu, Mengli; Wang, Xinyi

2016-01-01

The current study is the first to investigate the contribution of compensatory beliefs (i.e., the belief that the negative effects of an unsafe behavior can be "neutralized" by engaging in another safe behavior; e.g., "I can use a mobile phone now because I will slow down ") on drivers' mobile phone use while driving. The effects of drivers' personal characteristics on compensatory beliefs, mobile phone use and self-regulatory behaviors were also examined. A series of questions were administered to drivers, which included (1) personal measures, (2) scales that measured compensatory beliefs generally in substance use and with regard to driving safety, and (3) questions to measure drivers' previous primary mobile phone usage and corresponding self-regulatory actions. Overall, drivers reported a low likelihood of compensatory beliefs, prior mobile phone use, and a strong frequency of self-regulatory behaviors. Respondents who had a higher tendency toward compensatory beliefs reported more incidents or crash involvement caused by making or answering calls and sending or reading messages. The findings provide strong support for the contribution of compensatory beliefs in predicting mobile phone usage in the context of driving. Compensatory beliefs can explain 41% and 43% of the variance in the active activities of making calls and texting/sending messages compared with 18% and 31% of the variance in the passive activities of answering calls and reading messages. Among the regression models for predicting self-regulatory behaviors at the tactical or operational level, compensatory beliefs emerge as significant predictors only in predicting shorter conversations while on a call. The findings and limitations of the current study are discussed.

Technologies, Multitasking, and Driving: Attending to and Preparing for a Mobile Phone Conversation in a Car

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haddington, Pentti; Rauniomaa, Mirka

2011-01-01

This article investigates mobile phone calls initiated or received by drivers and passengers in cars and focuses on the participants' actions before the telephone conversation proper. Drawing on video-recorded data of real driving situations, and building on conversation analysis and multimodal interaction analysis, this article discusses how…

Supporting safe driving with arthritis: developing a driving toolkit for clinical practice and consumer use.

PubMed

Vrkljan, Brenda H; Cranney, Ann; Worswick, Julia; O'Donnell, Siobhan; Li, Linda C; Gélinas, Isabelle; Byszewski, Anna; Man-Son-Hing, Malcolm; Marshall, Shawn

2010-01-01

We conducted a series of focus groups to explore the information needs of clinicians and consumers related to arthritis and driving. An open coding analysis identified common themes across both consumer and clinician-based focus groups that underscored the importance of addressing driving-related concerns and the challenges associated with assessing safety. The results revealed that although driving is critical for maintaining independence and community mobility, drivers with arthritis experience several problems that can affect safe operation of a motor vehicle. Findings from this study are part of a broader research initiative that will inform the development of the Arthritis and Driving toolkit. This toolkit outlines strategies to support safe mobility for people with arthritis and will be an important resource in the coming years given the aging population.

Energy storage at the threshold: Smart mobility and the grid of the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crabtree, George

2018-01-01

Energy storage is poised to drive transformations in transportation and the electricity grid that personalize access to mobility and energy services, not unlike the transformation of smart phones that personalized access to people and information. Storage will work with other emerging technologies such as electric vehicles, ride-sharing, self-driving and connected cars in transportation and with renewable generation, distributed energy resources and smart energy management on the grid to create mobility and electricity as services matched to customer needs replacing the conventional one-size-fits-all approach. This survey outlines the prospects, challenges and impacts of the coming mobility and electricity transformations.

A drive system to add standing mobility to a manual standing wheelchair.

PubMed

Nickel, Eric; Hansen, Andrew; Pearlman, Jonathan; Goldish, Gary

2016-05-16

Current manual standing wheelchairs are not mobile in the standing position. The addition of standing mobility may lead to improved health and function for the user and may increase utilization of standing wheelchairs. In this project, a chain drive system was fitted to a manual standing wheelchair, adding mobility in the standing position. The hand rims are accessible from both seated and standing positions. The prototype uses 16-inch drive wheels in front with casters in the rear. Additional anterior casters are elevated when seated for navigating obstacles and then descend when standing to create a six-wheeled base with extended anterior support. Stability testing shows the center of pressure remains within the base of support when leaning to the sides or front in both seated and standing positions. Four veterans with spinal cord injury provided feedback on the design and reported that mobility during standing was very important or extremely important to them. The veterans liked the perceived stability and mobility of the prototype and provided feedback for future refinements. For example, reducing the overall width (width from hand rim to hand rim) and weight could make this system more functional for users.

KSC-04PD-2140

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. A worker watches as the giant-sized gear (left side) and sprocket (right side) is moved. It will be installed on a Crawler-Tranporter (CT). The drive sprocket turns the belt on the CT. The sprocket is mated to the gear that attaches to the drive motor. The CT travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt shoes, for a combined weight of 957,600 pounds. The CT carries the Space Shuttle atop its Mobile Launcher Platform, adding another 12 million pounds, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. NASA and United Space Alliance (USA) CT system engineers and USA technicians are repairing the sprockets and rollers on each belt before new shoes are installed. Replacement of the sprockets, gears and shoes is part of the most extensive maintenance work performed on the CT in its history.

KSC-04PD-2142

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Workers maneuver the giant-sized sprocket (left side) and gear (right side) for installation on the Crawler-Transporter behind it. The drive sprocket turns the belt on the CT. The sprocket is mated to the gear that attaches to the drive motor. The CT travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt shoes, for a combined weight of 957,600 pounds. The CT carries the Space Shuttle atop its Mobile Launcher Platform, adding another 12 million pounds, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. NASA and United Space Alliance (USA) CT system engineers and USA technicians are repairing the sprockets and rollers on each belt before new shoes are installed. Replacement of the sprockets, gears and shoes is part of the most extensive maintenance work performed on the CT in its history.

KSC-04PD-2155

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Workers get ready to install the giant-sized sprocket (left side) and gear (right side) on the Crawler-Transporter at left. The drive sprocket turns the belt on the CT. The sprocket is mated to the gear that attaches to the drive motor. The CT travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt shoes, for a combined weight of 957,600 pounds. The CT carries the Space Shuttle atop its Mobile Launcher Platform, adding another 12 million pounds, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. NASA and United Space Alliance (USA) CT system engineers and USA technicians are repairing the sprockets and rollers on each belt before new shoes are installed. Replacement of the sprockets, gears and shoes is part of the most extensive maintenance work performed on the CT in its history.

KSC-04PD-2143

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Workers get ready to install the giant-sized sprocket (left side) and gear (right side) on the Crawler-Transporter behind it.The drive sprocket turns the belt on the CT. The sprocket is mated to the gear that attaches to the drive motor. The CT travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt shoes, for a combined weight of 957,600 pounds. The CT carries the Space Shuttle atop its Mobile Launcher Platform, adding another 12 million pounds, from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. NASA and United Space Alliance (USA) CT system engineers and USA technicians are repairing the sprockets and rollers on each belt before new shoes are installed. Replacement of the sprockets, gears and shoes is part of the most extensive maintenance work performed on the CT in its history.

A universal self-charging system driven by random biomechanical energy for sustainable operation of mobile electronics

PubMed Central

Niu, Simiao; Wang, Xiaofeng; Yi, Fang; Zhou, Yu Sheng; Wang, Zhong Lin

2015-01-01

Human biomechanical energy is characterized by fluctuating amplitudes and variable low frequency, and an effective utilization of such energy cannot be achieved by classical energy-harvesting technologies. Here we report a high-efficient self-charging power system for sustainable operation of mobile electronics exploiting exclusively human biomechanical energy, which consists of a high-output triboelectric nanogenerator, a power management circuit to convert the random a.c. energy to d.c. electricity at 60% efficiency, and an energy storage device. With palm tapping as the only energy source, this power unit provides a continuous d.c. electricity of 1.044 mW (7.34 W m−3) in a regulated and managed manner. This self-charging unit can be universally applied as a standard ‘infinite-lifetime' power source for continuously driving numerous conventional electronics, such as thermometers, electrocardiograph system, pedometers, wearable watches, scientific calculators and wireless radio-frequency communication system, which indicates the immediate and broad applications in personal sensor systems and internet of things. PMID:26656252

An Empirical Study of Factors Driving the Adoption of Mobile Learning in Omani Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarrab, Mohamed; Al Shibli, Ibtisam; Badursha, Nabeela

2016-01-01

Mobile learning (M-learning) provides a new learning channel in which learners can access content and just in time information as required irrespective of the time and location. Even though M-learning is fast evolving in many regions of the world, research addressing the driving factors of M-learning adoption is in short supply. This article…

Why Do Drivers Use Mobile Phones While Driving? The Contribution of Compensatory Beliefs

PubMed Central

Zhou, Ronggang; Yu, Mengli; Wang, Xinyi

2016-01-01

The current study is the first to investigate the contribution of compensatory beliefs (i.e., the belief that the negative effects of an unsafe behavior can be "neutralized" by engaging in another safe behavior; e.g., "I can use a mobile phone now because I will slow down ") on drivers’ mobile phone use while driving. The effects of drivers’ personal characteristics on compensatory beliefs, mobile phone use and self-regulatory behaviors were also examined. A series of questions were administered to drivers, which included (1) personal measures, (2) scales that measured compensatory beliefs generally in substance use and with regard to driving safety, and (3) questions to measure drivers’ previous primary mobile phone usage and corresponding self-regulatory actions. Overall, drivers reported a low likelihood of compensatory beliefs, prior mobile phone use, and a strong frequency of self-regulatory behaviors. Respondents who had a higher tendency toward compensatory beliefs reported more incidents or crash involvement caused by making or answering calls and sending or reading messages. The findings provide strong support for the contribution of compensatory beliefs in predicting mobile phone usage in the context of driving. Compensatory beliefs can explain 41% and 43% of the variance in the active activities of making calls and texting/sending messages compared with 18% and 31% of the variance in the passive activities of answering calls and reading messages. Among the regression models for predicting self-regulatory behaviors at the tactical or operational level, compensatory beliefs emerge as significant predictors only in predicting shorter conversations while on a call. The findings and limitations of the current study are discussed. PMID:27494524

Innovative Power Wheelchair Control Interface: A Proof-of-Concept Study

PubMed Central

Romero, Sergio; Prather, Emily; Ramroop, Marisa; Slaibe, Emmy; Christensen, Matthew

2016-01-01

Some people without independent mobility are candidates for powered mobility but are unable to use a traditional power wheelchair joystick. This proof-of-concept study tested and further developed an innovative method of driving power wheelchairs for people whose impairments prevent them from operating commercial wheelchair controls. Our concept, Self-referenced Personal Orthotic Omni-purpose Control Interface (SPOOCI), is distinguished by referencing the control sensor not to the wheelchair frame but instead to the adjacent proximal lower-extremity segment via a custom-formed orthosis. Using a descriptive case-series design, we compared the pre–post functional power wheelchair driving skill data of 4 participants, measured by the Power Mobility Program, using descriptive analyses. The intervention consisted of standard-care power wheelchair training during 12 outpatient occupational or physical therapy sessions. All 4 participants who completed the 12-wk intervention improved their functional power wheelchair driving skills using SPOOCI, but only 3 were deemed safe to continue with power wheelchair driving. PMID:26943118

Attitudes of Greek Drivers with Focus on Mobile Phone Use While Driving.

PubMed

Yannis, George; Theofilatos, Athanasios; Marinou, Paraskevi

2015-01-01

This article investigates the attitudes and behavior of Greek drivers with specific focus on mobile phone use while driving. The research is based on the data of the pan-European SARTRE 4 survey, which was conducted on a representative sample of Greek drivers in 2011. Analysis of the drivers' behavior was carried out by the statistical methods of factor and cluster analysis. According to the results of factor analysis, Greek drivers' responses in the selected questions were summarized into 4 factors, describing road behavior and accident involvement probability as well as their views on issues concerning other drivers' road behaviors, fatigued driving, enforcement of road safety, and mobile phone use while driving. The results of cluster analysis indicated 5 different groups of Greek drivers--the moderate, the optimistic, the conservative, the risky, and the reasonably cautious--and the characteristics of each group where identified. These results may be useful for the appropriate design of targeted road safety campaigns and other countermeasures.

Wheeled mobility device transportation safety in fixed route and demand-responsive public transit vehicles within the United States.

PubMed

Frost, Karen L; van Roosmalen, Linda; Bertocci, Gina; Cross, Douglas J

2012-01-01

An overview of the current status of wheelchair transportation safety in fixed route and demand-responsive, non-rail, public transportation vehicles within the US is presented. A description of each mode of transportation is provided, followed by a discussion of the primary issues affecting safety, accessibility, and usability. Technologies such as lifts, ramps, securement systems, and occupant restraint systems, along with regulations and voluntary industry standards have been implemented with the intent of improving safety and accessibility for individuals who travel while seated in their wheeled mobility device (e.g., wheelchair or scooter). However, across both fixed route and demand-responsive transit systems a myriad of factors such as nonuse and misuse of safety systems, oversized wheeled mobility devices, vehicle space constraints, and inadequate vehicle operator training may place wheeled mobility device (WhMD) users at risk of injury even under non-impact driving conditions. Since WhMD-related incidents also often occur during the boarding and alighting process, the frequency of these events, along with factors associated with these events are described for each transit mode. Recommendations for improving WhMD transportation are discussed given the current state of

Mobility systems activity for lunar rovers at MSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, C. S., Jr.; Nola, F. J.

1971-01-01

The Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) mobility system is described. Special emphasis is given to the redundancy aspects and to the selection of the drive motors. A summary chart of the performance on the lunar surface during the Apollo 15 flight is included. An appendix gives details on some development work on high efficiency drive systems and compares these systems to the selected system.

Negative differential mobility and trapping in active matter systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichhardt, C.; Reichhardt, C. J. O.

2018-01-01

Using simulations, we examine the average velocity as a function of applied drift force for active matter particles moving through a random obstacle array. We find that for low drift force, there is an initial flow regime where the mobility increases linearly with drive, while for higher drift forces a regime of negative differential mobility appears in which the velocity decreases with increasing drive due to the trapping of active particles behind obstacles. A fully clogged regime exists at very high drift forces when all the particles are permanently trapped behind obstacles. We find for increasing activity that the overall mobility is nonmonotonic, with an enhancement of the mobility for small levels of activity and a decrease in mobility for large activity levels. We show how these effects evolve as a function of disk and obstacle density, active run length, drift force, and motor force.

CRISPR-Cas systems target a diverse collection of invasive mobile genetic elements in human microbiomes

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Bacteria and archaea develop immunity against invading genomes by incorporating pieces of the invaders' sequences, called spacers, into a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) locus between repeats, forming arrays of repeat-spacer units. When spacers are expressed, they direct CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins to silence complementary invading DNA. In order to characterize the invaders of human microbiomes, we use spacers from CRISPR arrays that we had previously assembled from shotgun metagenomic datasets, and identify contigs that contain these spacers' targets. Results We discover 95,000 contigs that are putative invasive mobile genetic elements, some targeted by hundreds of CRISPR spacers. We find that oral sites in healthy human populations have a much greater variety of mobile genetic elements than stool samples. Mobile genetic elements carry genes encoding diverse functions: only 7% of the mobile genetic elements are similar to known phages or plasmids, although a much greater proportion contain phage- or plasmid-related genes. A small number of contigs share similarity with known integrative and conjugative elements, providing the first examples of CRISPR defenses against this class of element. We provide detailed analyses of a few large mobile genetic elements of various types, and a relative abundance analysis of mobile genetic elements and putative hosts, exploring the dynamic activities of mobile genetic elements in human microbiomes. A joint analysis of mobile genetic elements and CRISPRs shows that protospacer-adjacent motifs drive their interaction network; however, some CRISPR-Cas systems target mobile genetic elements lacking motifs. Conclusions We identify a large collection of invasive mobile genetic elements in human microbiomes, an important resource for further study of the interaction between the CRISPR-Cas immune system and invaders. PMID:23628424

A Framework for Developing Mobile Location Based Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

B into the application running on her mobile device. The mobile application contacts the appropriate service provided by T- mobile which calculates...the optimal route between points A and B. The mobile application then displays driving directions to point B in a fashion similar to one found in car...navigation systems. The mobile application requires a Bluetooth GPS receiver to be connected to the mobile device to determine its current position

Realizing the Promises of Mobile Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Ellen D.

2008-01-01

This article considers the current status of mobile learning and discusses a number of trends that are driving toward enterprise mobility, a state of technological readiness where users have full access to resources regardless of physical location. Enterprise mobility is discussed as one of several key considerations at the core of a successful…

Social influences among young drivers on talking on the mobile phone while driving.

PubMed

Riquelme, Hernan E; Al-Sammak, Fawaz Saleh; Rios, Rosa E

2010-04-01

This study set out to measure the influence of injunctive, subjective, verbal, and behavioral norms on talking on a mobile phone while driving. In particular it examines social influences that have been neglected in past research, namely, injunctive norms and explicit verbal and behavioral norms communicated by law enforcers with regard to using a mobile phone when driving. All four types of social norms have rarely been used in studies of this social phenomenon, except for occasional exceptions drawing on Ajzen's theory of planned behavior, which addresses only one: subjective norms. Regression analysis of data collected from young drivers from 217 questionnaires is used to predict the intention of motorists to continue talking on their mobile phones while driving. Selective interaction effects, the purpose of the call, and injunctive and subjective norms were included. The results show that the explicit verbal and behavioral law enforcement norms, the subjective norms, and the interaction of the injunctive norm with the purpose of the call are significant predictors of the unlawful behavior. The results taken together seem to imply that social marketing is likely to encounter difficulty in changing behavior because the subjective norm (what others think I should do) coupled with the lack of enforcement (verbal norms) play important roles in maintaining the unlawful behavior. Moreover, the perception that talking on the mobile phone while driving is acceptable behavior (injunctive norm) in conjunction with the purpose of the call create further challenges to social marketers. The results have implications on policy makers and enforcers. Law enforcers should do their job to prevent the wrong behavior in the first place. In addition, campaigns may be directed to convince the target audience about the false norms and use persuasive communication to emphasize the potential costs of maintaining the unlawful behavior.

Mobile remote manipulator vehicle system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bush, Harold G. (Inventor); Mikulas, Martin M., Jr. (Inventor); Wallsom, Richard E. (Inventor); Jensen, J. Kermit (Inventor)

1987-01-01

A mobile remote manipulator system is disclosed for assembly, repair and logistics transport on, around and about a space station square bay truss structure. The vehicle is supported by a square track arrangement supported by guide pins integral with the space station truss structure and located at each truss node. Propulsion is provided by a central push-pull drive mechanism that extends out from the vehicle one full structural bay over the truss and locks drive rods into the guide pins. The draw bar is now retracted and the mobile remote manipulator system is pulled onto the next adjacent structural bay. Thus, translation of the vehicle is inchworm style. The drive bar can be locked onto two guide pins while the extendable draw bar is within the vehicle and then push the vehicle away one bay providing bidirectional push-pull drive. The track switches allow the vehicle to travel in two orthogonal directions over the truss structure which coupled with the bidirectional drive, allow movement in four directions on one plane. The top layer of this trilayered vehicle is a logistics platform. This platform is capable of 369 degees of rotation and will have two astronaut foot restraint platforms and a space crane integral.

Continued Driving and Time to Transition to Nondriver Status through Error-Specific Driving Restrictions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freund, Barbara; Petrakos, Davithoula

2008-01-01

We developed driving restrictions that are linked to specific driving errors, allowing cognitively impaired individuals to continue to independently meet mobility needs while minimizing risk to themselves and others. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the efficacy and duration expectancy of these restrictions in promoting safe continued…

The design of mobile robot control system for the aged and the disabled

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiang, Wang; Lei, Shi; Xiang, Gao; Jin, Zhang

2017-01-01

This paper designs a control system of mobile robot for the aged and the disabled, which consists of two main parts: human-computer interaction and drive control module. The data of the two parts is transferred via universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter. In the former part, the speed and direction information of the mobile robot is obtained by hall joystick. In the latter part, the electronic differential algorithm is developed to implement the robot mobile function by driving two-wheel motors. In order to improve the comfort of the robot when speed or direction is changed, the least squares algorithm is used to optimize the speed characteristic curves of the two motors. Experimental results have verified the effectiveness of the designed system.

Safe mobility for elderly drivers--considerations based on expert and self-assessment.

PubMed

Broberg, Thomas; Dukic Willstrand, Tania

2014-05-01

To further understand the needs of the growing population of elderly drivers and create solutions for safe mobility it is important to understand the driving scenarios and aspects in day to day traffic that may be of challenge for this group. More so, individual differences in how drivers perceive their own driving ability may have an effect on how individuals limit their mobility and/or increase their exposure to risk situations, with a potential negative effect on safety. In this study two sets of assessments have been used in order to identify scenarios and aspects needing consideration in creating safe mobility for elderly drivers; an expert assessment using on-road driving together with assessments through semi structured in-depth interviews. This combination also enables categorisation of the drivers, comparing their own perception of their driving performance with the expert assessment based on actual on-road driving. Four different categories of drivers were identified: adequate (positive), over, under and adequate (negative) estimators. A number of important aspects were identified in the study. Adapting speed to the situation and driving too fast, especially on straight roads in the city, is one aspect. Seeking the attention of other road users at intersections and roundabouts is another important consideration identified. Awareness of difficulties related to speed adaptation and attention was low amongst all the driver categories. However, a difference in attitude was seen in the categories with a more humble and acceptant attitude amongst the adequate and under estimator groups, as compared to the over estimators suggesting that the aspect of attitudes is another important factor for consideration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mobile Business Retailing: Driving Experiential Learning on Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischbach, Sarah; Guerrero, Veronica

2018-01-01

Engaging students in the classroom is a struggle all faculty face especially in the age of modern technology. This article proposes a novel approach to engage and motivate students through the mobile business "on wheels" marketing concept. The growth in mobile business retailing (e.g., food trucks, mobile dog groomers, etc.) is an…

Mobile Learning on the Basis of the Cloud Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makarchuk, Tatyana

2017-01-01

Spreading of interactive applications for mobile devices became one of the trends of IT development in 2015-2017. In higher education mobile applications are being used to advance the productivity of professors and students, which raises the overall quality of education. In the article SkyDrive, GoogleDisk mobile applications' features for group…

Seat belt and mobile phone use among vehicle drivers in the city of Doha, Qatar: an observational study.

PubMed

Mahfoud, Ziyad R; Cheema, Sohaila; Alrouh, Hekmat; Al-Thani, Mohammed Hamad; Al-Thani, Al Anoud Mohammed; Mamtani, Ravinder

2015-09-22

In Qatar traffic injuries and fatalities are of serious concern. Mobile phone use whilst driving has been associated with increased risk of vehicular collisions and injuries. Seat belt use has been demonstrated to save lives and reduce the severity of road traffic injuries. Whereas previously published studies may have looked at all front passengers, this study aims to obtain reliable estimates of the prevalence of seat belt and mobile phone use among vehicle drivers in the city of Doha, Qatar. Additionally, we aim to investigate the association of these behaviors with other variables namely gender, time of the day and type of vehicle. An observational study on 2,011 vehicles was conducted in 2013. Data were collected at ten sites within Doha city over a two-week period. Two trained observers surveyed each car and recorded observations on a data collection form adapted from a form used in a 2012 Oklahoma observational study. Associations were assessed using the Chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test. A p-value of .05 or less was considered statistically significant. Overall, 1,463 (72.7 %) drivers were found using a seat belt (95 % CI: 70.8-74.7 %) and 150 (7.5 %) their mobile phones (95 % CI: 6.3-8.6 %) during the observation period. Mobile phone use was significantly associated with not using a seat belt and driving a sport utility vehicle. Significantly lower rates of seat belt use were observed in the early morning and late afternoon. No gender differences were observed. Seatbelt use in Doha was found to be similar to countries in the region but lower than those in western countries. Also, studies from other high-income locations, reported lower rates of mobile phone use while driving than in Doha. Despite road traffic crashes being one of the leading causes of death in Qatar, three out of 10 drivers in Doha, Qatar, do not use a seat belt and about one in 12 use a mobile phone while driving. More efforts, in the form of awareness campaigns and increased law enforcement, are needed to improve compliance with laws requiring seat belt use and prohibiting mobile phone use while driving.

SOUTH CAROLINA GUIDE AND MINIMUM SPECIFICATIONS FOR MOBILE CLASSROOM UNITS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Carolina State Education Finance Commission, Columbia. Office of Schoolhouse Planning.

THIS GUIDE OF REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED STANDARDS FOR MOBILE CLASSROOM UNITS IS INTENDED TO--(1) PROVIDE A GUIDE TO LOCAL SCHOOL AUTHORITIES TO ASSIST THEM IN DETERMINING THE FEASIBILITY OF MOBILE UNITS, (2) SET MINIMUM SAFETY AND UTILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR MOBILE UNITS, (3) ASSURE LOCAL SCHOOL AUTHORITIES OF A MOBILE UNIT MEETING THE ABOVE…

Preferred modes of travel among older adults: what factors affect the choice to walk instead of drive?

PubMed

Naumann, Rebecca B; Dellinger, Ann M; Anderson, Melissa L; Bonomi, Amy E; Rivara, Frederick P; Thompson, Robert S

2009-10-01

There are many factors that influence older adults' travel choices. This paper explores the associations between mode of travel choice for a short trip and older adults' personal characteristics. This study included 406 drivers over the age of 64 who were enrolled in a large integrated health plan in the United States between 1991 and 2001. Bivariate analyses and generalized linear modeling were used to examine associations between choosing to walk or drive and respondents' self-reported general health, physical and functional abilities, and confidence in walking and driving. Having more confidence in their ability to walk versus drive increased an older adult's likelihood of walking to make a short trip by about 20% (PR=1.22; 95% CI: 1.06-1.40), and walking for exercise increased the likelihood by about 50% (PR=1.53; 95% CI=1.22-1.91). Reporting fair or poor health decreased the likelihood of walking, as did cutting down on the amount of driving due to a physical problem. Factors affecting a person's decision to walk for exercise may not be the same as those that influence their decision to walk as a mode of travel. It is important to understand the barriers to walking for exercise and walking for travel to develop strategies to help older adults meet both their exercise and mobility needs. Increasing walking over driving among older adults may require programs that increase confidence in walking and encourage walking for exercise.

Special Considerations in Distracted Driving with Teens

PubMed Central

Durbin, Dennis R; McGehee, Daniel V; Fisher, Donald; McCartt, Anne

2014-01-01

Novice teen drivers have long been known to have an increased risk of crashing, as well as increased tendencies toward unsafe and risky driving behaviors. Teens are unique as drivers for several reasons, many of which have implications specifically in the area of distracted driving. This paper reviews several of these features, including the widespread prevalence of mobile device use by teens, their lack of driving experience, the influence of peer passengers as a source of distraction, the role of parents in influencing teens’ attitudes and behaviors relevant to distracted driving and the impact of laws designed to prevent mobile device use by teen drivers. Recommendations for future research include understanding how engagement in a variety of secondary tasks by teen drivers affects their driving performance or crash risk; understanding the respective roles of parents, peers and technology in influencing teen driver behavior; and evaluating the impact of public policy on mitigating teen crash risk related to driver distraction. PMID:24776228

Why drivers use cell phones and support legislation to restrict this practice.

PubMed

Sanbonmatsu, David M; Strayer, David L; Behrends, Arwen A; Ward, Nathan; Watson, Jason M

2016-07-01

The use of cell phones while driving is ubiquitous, particularly in countries where the practice is legal. However, surveys indicate that most drivers favor legislation to limit the use of mobile devices during the operation of a vehicle. A study was conducted to understand this inconsistency between what drivers do and what they advocate for others. Participants completed a survey about their driving attitudes, abilities, and behaviors. Following previous research, drivers reported using cell phones for benefits such as getting work done. The hypocrisy of using cell phones while advocating restrictions appears to stem from differences in the perceived safety risks of self vs. others' use of cell phones. Many if not most drivers believe they can drive safely while using mobile devices. However, they lack confidence in others' ability to drive safely while distracted and believe that others' use of cell phones is dangerous. The threat to public safety of others' usage of mobile devices was one of the strongest independent predictors of support for legislation to restrict cell phone use. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

46 CFR 11.468 - Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units... Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units. Officer endorsements for service on mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) authorize service on units of any gross tons upon ocean waters while on...

46 CFR 11.468 - Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units... Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units. Officer endorsements for service on mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) authorize service on units of any gross tons upon ocean waters while on...

46 CFR 11.468 - Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units... Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units. Officer endorsements for service on mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) authorize service on units of any gross tons upon ocean waters while on...

46 CFR 11.468 - Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units... Officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units. Officer endorsements for service on mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) authorize service on units of any gross tons upon ocean waters while on...

Development and application of a mobile laboratory for measuring emissions from diesel engines. 1. Regulated gaseous emissions.

PubMed

Cocker, David R; Shah, Sandip D; Johnson, Kent; Miller, J Wayne; Norbeck, Joseph M

2004-04-01

Information about in-use emissions from diesel engines remains a critical issue for inventory development and policy design. Toward that end, we have developed and verified the first mobile laboratory that measures on-road or real-world emissions from engines at the quality level specified in the U.S. Congress Code of Federal Regulations. This unique mobile laboratory provides information on integrated and modal regulated gaseous emission rates and integrated emission rates for speciated volatile and semivolatile organic compounds and particulate matter during real-world operation. Total emissions are captured and collected from the HDD vehicle that is pulling the mobile laboratory. While primarily intended to accumulate data from HDD vehicles, it may also be used to measure emission rates from stationary diesel sources such as back-up generators. This paper describes the development of the mobile laboratory, its measurement capabilities, and the verification process and provides the first data on total capture gaseous on-road emission measurements following the California Air Resources Board (ARB) 4-mode driving cycle, the hot urban dynamometer driving schedule (UDDS), the modified 5-mode cycle, and a 53.2-mi highway chase experiment. NOx mass emission rates (g mi(-1)) for the ARB 4-mode driving cycle, the hot UDDS driving cycle, and the chase experimentwerefoundto exceed current emission factor estimates for the engine type tested by approximately 50%. It was determined that congested traffic flow as well as "off-Federal Test Procedure cycle" emissions can lead to significant increases in per mile NOx emission rates for HDD vehicles.

The Bacterial Mobile Resistome Transfer Network Connecting the Animal and Human Microbiomes

PubMed Central

Hu, Yongfei; Yang, Xi; Li, Jing; Lv, Na; Liu, Fei; Wu, Jun; Lin, Ivan Y. C.; Wu, Na; Gao, George F.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Horizontally acquired antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in bacteria are highly mobile and have been ranked as principal risk resistance determinants. However, the transfer network of the mobile resistome and the forces driving mobile ARG transfer are largely unknown. Here, we present the whole profile of the mobile resistome in 23,425 bacterial genomes and explore the effects of phylogeny and ecology on the recent transfer (≥99% nucleotide identity) of mobile ARGs. We found that mobile ARGs are mainly present in four bacterial phyla and are significantly enriched in Proteobacteria. The recent mobile ARG transfer network, which comprises 703 bacterial species and 16,859 species pairs, is shaped by the bacterial phylogeny, while an ecological barrier also exists, especially when interrogating bacteria colonizing different human body sites. Phylogeny is still a driving force for the transfer of mobile ARGs between farm animals and the human gut, and, interestingly, the mobile ARGs that are shared between the human and animal gut microbiomes are also harbored by diverse human pathogens. Taking these results together, we suggest that phylogeny and ecology are complementary in shaping the bacterial mobile resistome and exert synergistic effects on the development of antibiotic resistance in human pathogens. IMPORTANCE The development of antibiotic resistance threatens our modern medical achievements. The dissemination of antibiotic resistance can be largely attributed to the transfer of bacterial mobile antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Revealing the transfer network of these genes in bacteria and the forces driving the gene flow is of great importance for controlling and predicting the emergence of antibiotic resistance in the clinic. Here, by analyzing tens of thousands of bacterial genomes and millions of human and animal gut bacterial genes, we reveal that the transfer of mobile ARGs is mainly controlled by bacterial phylogeny but under ecological constraints. We also found that dozens of ARGs are transferred between the human and animal gut and human pathogens. This work demonstrates the whole profile of mobile ARGs and their transfer network in bacteria and provides further insight into the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance in nature. PMID:27613679

The Bacterial Mobile Resistome Transfer Network Connecting the Animal and Human Microbiomes.

PubMed

Hu, Yongfei; Yang, Xi; Li, Jing; Lv, Na; Liu, Fei; Wu, Jun; Lin, Ivan Y C; Wu, Na; Weimer, Bart C; Gao, George F; Liu, Yulan; Zhu, Baoli

2016-11-15

Horizontally acquired antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in bacteria are highly mobile and have been ranked as principal risk resistance determinants. However, the transfer network of the mobile resistome and the forces driving mobile ARG transfer are largely unknown. Here, we present the whole profile of the mobile resistome in 23,425 bacterial genomes and explore the effects of phylogeny and ecology on the recent transfer (≥99% nucleotide identity) of mobile ARGs. We found that mobile ARGs are mainly present in four bacterial phyla and are significantly enriched in Proteobacteria The recent mobile ARG transfer network, which comprises 703 bacterial species and 16,859 species pairs, is shaped by the bacterial phylogeny, while an ecological barrier also exists, especially when interrogating bacteria colonizing different human body sites. Phylogeny is still a driving force for the transfer of mobile ARGs between farm animals and the human gut, and, interestingly, the mobile ARGs that are shared between the human and animal gut microbiomes are also harbored by diverse human pathogens. Taking these results together, we suggest that phylogeny and ecology are complementary in shaping the bacterial mobile resistome and exert synergistic effects on the development of antibiotic resistance in human pathogens. The development of antibiotic resistance threatens our modern medical achievements. The dissemination of antibiotic resistance can be largely attributed to the transfer of bacterial mobile antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Revealing the transfer network of these genes in bacteria and the forces driving the gene flow is of great importance for controlling and predicting the emergence of antibiotic resistance in the clinic. Here, by analyzing tens of thousands of bacterial genomes and millions of human and animal gut bacterial genes, we reveal that the transfer of mobile ARGs is mainly controlled by bacterial phylogeny but under ecological constraints. We also found that dozens of ARGs are transferred between the human and animal gut and human pathogens. This work demonstrates the whole profile of mobile ARGs and their transfer network in bacteria and provides further insight into the evolution and spread of antibiotic resistance in nature. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Phoning while driving I: a review of epidemiological, psychological, behavioural and physiological studies.

PubMed

Collet, C; Guillot, A; Petit, C

2010-05-01

The impact of cell (mobile) phone use on driving performance has been widely questioned for 20 years. This paper reviews the literature to evaluate the extent to which phoning may impact behaviour with a risk to affect safety. After analysing epidemiological studies that give an overview of cell phone use, this paper examines the experimental results and focuses on variables showing that driving is impacted by holding a mobile-phone conversation. Information processing (e.g. reaction time and detection rate of cues related to driving information) and variables associated with vehicle control (e.g. lane-keeping, headway and vehicle speed) seem the most relevant. Although less studied than behavioural indices, physiological data give information about the supplementary potential strain that the driver may undergo under dual-task conditions. This first part of the review highlights common findings, questionable results and differences among studies, which originate from specific experimental designs with particular dependent variables, i.e. self-report, behavioural and physiological indicators. Finally, how drivers try to compensate for the additional load brought by phone use is described. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: The two papers review the influence of mobile-phone use on driving performance. While there is ample evidence that this dual task is likely to increase the risk of car crash, the review analyses the variables eliciting detrimental conditions and, conversely, those that may preserve acceptable conditions for safety, close to usual driving. The decision of answering or initiating a cell phone call while driving depends upon the complex interaction among several variables, including driving conditions and driver's own characteristics. In addition, this decision remains under driver's awareness of being able or not to manage the two tasks simultaneously.

COLLOID MOBILIZATION AND TRANSPORT IN CONTAMINANT PLUMES: FILED EXPERIMENTS, LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS, AND MODELING

EPA Science Inventory

The major hypothesis driving this research, that the transport of colloids in a contaminant plume is limited by the advance of the chemical agent causing colloid mobilization, was tested by (1) examining the dependence of colloid transport and mobilization on chemical perturbatio...

The Mobile Educational Trailer Unit in Outdoor Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rillo, Thomas J.

The concept of achieving mobility for outdoor teaching using a small mobile educational unit and the techniques of facilitating the mobility of equipment and supplies are discussed in this article. A small trailer unit can be used to enrich the learning experiences of students. Since the mobile educational unit is adaptable, it can be used as a…

Continued driving and time to transition to nondriver status through error-specific driving restrictions.

PubMed

Freund, Barbara; Petrakos, Davithoula

2008-01-01

We developed driving restrictions that are linked to specific driving errors, allowing cognitively impaired individuals to continue to independently meet mobility needs while minimizing risk to themselves and others. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the efficacy and duration expectancy of these restrictions in promoting safe continued driving. We followed 47 drivers age 60 years and older for 18 months, evaluating driving performance at 6-month intervals. Results demonstrated restricted drivers had safety profiles similar to safe drivers and gained additional driving time to transition to nondrivers.

Schooling Mobile Phones: Assumptions about Proximal Benefits, the Challenges of Shifting Meanings, and the Politics of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Philip, Thomas M.; Garcia, Antero

2015-01-01

Mobile devices are increasingly upheld as powerful tools for learning and school reform. In this article, we prioritize youth voices to critically examine assumptions about student interest in mobile devices that often drive the incorporation of new technologies into schools. By demonstrating how the very meaning of mobile phones shift as they are…

Changes in self-regulatory driving among older drivers over time.

PubMed

Braitman, Keli A; Williams, Allan F

2011-12-01

The primary goal of the study was to identify to what extent older people modify their driving, what influences them to do so, and how self-regulatory behavior changes over time in relation to changes in perceived impairments and lifestyle characteristics. Participants 65 and older (n = 2650) were recruited while renewing their driver's licenses in Connecticut, Kentucky, and Rhode Island and were interviewed by telephone about current driving patterns, recent changes in driving, functional abilities related to driving (i.e., vision, memory, physical mobility, diagnosed medical conditions), crash involvements, and lifestyle characteristics. Participants were called annually to participate in follow-up telephone interviews; 2057 completed a second interview, 1698 completed 3 interviews, and 1437 completed all 4 interviews. Stepwise regression analyses examined how changes in impairments and life events (i.e., retiring, becoming widowed or divorced) related to changes in the number of miles driven during a typical week and in the number of driving situations avoided. Based on information provided in the initial survey, participants who completed all 4 surveys were slightly younger, more likely to be married, slightly less impaired in terms of physical mobility and medical conditions, and drove more weekly miles and avoided fewer driving situations compared with those who dropped out. Participants who completed all 4 interviews reported driving an average of 94 miles per week in year 1 compared with 78 miles in year 4. Reported impairments generally were low to moderate and changed little. Analyses comparing years 1 and 4 indicated that drivers drove 35 fewer miles per week if they retired or lost their job and 61 fewer miles if they moved from a retirement home to a private home or assisted living. They drove 25 more miles per week on average if they became widowed or divorced. Small increases in the number of driving situations avoided were associated with increasing impairments in memory and mobility. Lifestyle changes such as becoming widowed or divorced or retiring were associated with changes in mileages. Older drivers with worsening memory and physical mobility regulated their driving to some extent by avoiding more driving situations, confirming the hypothesis that some older drivers do take steps to compensate for increases in some perceived impairments. However, during the 3-year study period, reported changes were not large, perhaps because older drivers with larger changes were among those who dropped out (46% of those who took the first survey).

The Nokia Story of Using Action Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ropponen, Timo

2008-01-01

Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. A truly global business, Nokia makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business mobility through these devices. Nokia…

Method of producing drive fluid in situ in tar sands formations

DOEpatents

Mudunuri, Ramesh Raju; Jaiswal, Namit; Vinegar, Harold J.; Karanikas, John Michael

2010-03-23

Methods of treating a tar sands formation are described herein. Methods for treating a tar sands may include providing heat to at least part of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from one or more heaters located in the formation. The heat may be allowed to transfer from the heaters to at least a portion of the formation such that a drive fluid is produced in situ in the formation. The drive fluid may move at least some mobilized, visbroken, and/or pyrolyzed hydrocarbons from a first portion of the formation to a second portion of the formation. At least some of the mobilized, visbroken, and/or pyrolyzed hydrocarbons may be produced from the formation.

Pixel structures to compensate nonuniform threshold voltage and mobility of polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors using subthreshold current for large-size active matrix organic light-emitting diode displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Na, Jun-Seok; Kwon, Oh-Kyong

2014-01-01

We propose pixel structures for large-size and high-resolution active matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) displays using a polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin-film transistor (TFT) backplane. The proposed pixel structures compensate the variations of the threshold voltage and mobility of the driving TFT using the subthreshold current. The simulated results show that the emission current error of the proposed pixel structure B ranges from -2.25 to 2.02 least significant bit (LSB) when the variations of the threshold voltage and mobility of the driving TFT are ±0.5 V and ±10%, respectively.

46 CFR 111.105-33 - Mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Mobile offshore drilling units. 111.105-33 Section 111... ELECTRIC SYSTEMS-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Hazardous Locations § 111.105-33 Mobile offshore drilling units. (a) Applicability. This section applies to each mobile offshore drilling unit. (b) Definitions. As used in this...

46 CFR 111.105-33 - Mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Mobile offshore drilling units. 111.105-33 Section 111... ELECTRIC SYSTEMS-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Hazardous Locations § 111.105-33 Mobile offshore drilling units. (a) Applicability. This section applies to each mobile offshore drilling unit. (b) Definitions. As used in this...

46 CFR 111.105-33 - Mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Mobile offshore drilling units. 111.105-33 Section 111... ELECTRIC SYSTEMS-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Hazardous Locations § 111.105-33 Mobile offshore drilling units. (a) Applicability. This section applies to each mobile offshore drilling unit. (b) Definitions. As used in this...

46 CFR 111.105-33 - Mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Mobile offshore drilling units. 111.105-33 Section 111... ELECTRIC SYSTEMS-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Hazardous Locations § 111.105-33 Mobile offshore drilling units. (a) Applicability. This section applies to each mobile offshore drilling unit. (b) Definitions. As used in this...

46 CFR 15.520 - Mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Mobile offshore drilling units. 15.520 Section 15.520... REQUIREMENTS Manning Requirements; Inspected Vessels § 15.520 Mobile offshore drilling units. (a) The requirements in this section for mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) supplement other requirements in this...

76 FR 39885 - Risk-Based Targeting of Foreign Flagged Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-07

... Foreign Flagged Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs) AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Notice of... 11-06, Risk-Based Targeting of Foreign Flagged Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs). This policy... applicable regulations, every foreign-flagged mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) must undergo a Coast Guard...

46 CFR 111.105-33 - Mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Mobile offshore drilling units. 111.105-33 Section 111... ELECTRIC SYSTEMS-GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Hazardous Locations § 111.105-33 Mobile offshore drilling units. (a) Applicability. This section applies to each mobile offshore drilling unit. (b) Definitions. As used in this...

46 CFR 15.520 - Mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Mobile offshore drilling units. 15.520 Section 15.520... REQUIREMENTS Manning Requirements; Inspected Vessels § 15.520 Mobile offshore drilling units. (a) The requirements in this section for mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) supplement other requirements in this...

46 CFR 15.520 - Mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Mobile offshore drilling units. 15.520 Section 15.520... REQUIREMENTS Manning Requirements; Inspected Vessels § 15.520 Mobile offshore drilling units. (a) The requirements in this section for mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) supplement other requirements in this...

46 CFR 15.520 - Mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Mobile offshore drilling units. 15.520 Section 15.520... REQUIREMENTS Manning Requirements; Inspected Vessels § 15.520 Mobile offshore drilling units. (a) The requirements in this section for mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) supplement other requirements in this...

Keeping fit and fit to drive : an experimental intervention to explore the impact of physical exercise on older adults' driving.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-06-01

With the aging of the population has come increased attention to the importance of helping older : adults retain their mobility. For many older adults, driving is central to their senses of identity : and autonomy, and some research has shown that dr...

From Pressure to Path: Barometer-based Vehicle Tracking

PubMed Central

Ho, Bo-Jhang; Martin, Paul; Swaminathan, Prashanth; Srivastava, Mani

2017-01-01

Pervasive mobile devices have enabled countless context-and location-based applications that facilitate navigation, life-logging, and more. As we build the next generation of smart cities, it is important to leverage the rich sensing modalities that these numerous devices have to offer. This work demonstrates how mobile devices can be used to accurately track driving patterns based solely on pressure data collected from the device’s barometer. Specifically, by correlating pressure time-series data against topographic elevation data and road maps for a given region, a centralized computer can estimate the likely paths through which individual users have driven, providing an exceptionally low-power method for measuring driving patterns of a given individual or for analyzing group behavior across multiple users. This work also brings to bear a more nefarious side effect of pressure-based path estimation: a mobile application can, without consent and without notifying the user, use pressure data to accurately detect an individual’s driving behavior, compromising both user privacy and security. We further analyze the ability to predict driving trajectories in terms of the variance in barometer pressure and geographical elevation, demonstrating cases in which more than 80% of paths can be accurately predicted. PMID:29503981

From Pressure to Path: Barometer-based Vehicle Tracking.

PubMed

Ho, Bo-Jhang; Martin, Paul; Swaminathan, Prashanth; Srivastava, Mani

2015-11-01

Pervasive mobile devices have enabled countless context-and location-based applications that facilitate navigation, life-logging, and more. As we build the next generation of smart cities, it is important to leverage the rich sensing modalities that these numerous devices have to offer. This work demonstrates how mobile devices can be used to accurately track driving patterns based solely on pressure data collected from the device's barometer. Specifically, by correlating pressure time-series data against topographic elevation data and road maps for a given region, a centralized computer can estimate the likely paths through which individual users have driven, providing an exceptionally low-power method for measuring driving patterns of a given individual or for analyzing group behavior across multiple users. This work also brings to bear a more nefarious side effect of pressure-based path estimation: a mobile application can, without consent and without notifying the user, use pressure data to accurately detect an individual's driving behavior, compromising both user privacy and security. We further analyze the ability to predict driving trajectories in terms of the variance in barometer pressure and geographical elevation, demonstrating cases in which more than 80% of paths can be accurately predicted.

Traction sheave elevator, hoisting unit and machine space

DOEpatents

Hakala, Harri; Mustalahti, Jorma; Aulanko, Esko

2000-01-01

Traction sheave elevator consisting of an elevator car moving along elevator guide rails, a counterweight moving along counterweight guide rails, a set of hoisting ropes (3) on which the elevator car and counterweight are suspended, and a drive machine unit (6) driving a traction sheave (7) acting on the hoisting ropes (3) and placed in the elevator shaft. The drive machine unit (6) is of a flat construction. A wall of the elevator shaft is provided with a machine space with its open side facing towards the shaft, the essential parts of the drive machine unit (6) being placed in the space. The hoisting unit (9) of the traction sheave elevator consists of a substantially discoidal drive machine unit (6) and an instrument panel (8) mounted on the frame (20) of the hoisting unit.

How Culture Influences the "Social" in Social Media: Socializing and Advertising on Smartphones in India and the United States.

PubMed

Muralidharan, Sidharth; La Ferle, Carrie; Sung, Yongjun

2015-06-01

The importance of the mobile phone is evidenced by predictions that there will be 1.76 billion smartphone users worldwide at the start of 2015. A country that is spearheading this movement toward the digital era is India. To illustrate this, India is expected to surpass the United States in 2015 and record the second highest smartphone sales globally. Despite the rising penetration and adoption of smartphones, there is limited advertising research that sheds light on the Indian smartphone user. The current study aims to fill that void by cross-culturally comparing a national online panel of smartphone users from India (n=158) with users from the United States (n=114). Findings reveal that entertainment impacts Indians' attitudes toward smartphone advertising while informativeness is stronger for the American sample. Collectivism was found to be the driving force behind socializing activities on social networking sites for Indian consumers. Implications are discussed.

The Influence of the Transportation Environment on Driving Reduction and Cessation.

PubMed

Vivoda, Jonathon M; Heeringa, Steven G; Schulz, Amy J; Grengs, Joe; Connell, Cathleen M

2017-10-01

Driving is by far the most common mode of transportation in the United States, but driving ability is known to decline as people experience age-related functional declines. Some older adults respond to such declines by self-limiting their driving to situations with a low perceived risk of crashing, and many people eventually stop driving completely. Previous research has largely focused on individual and interpersonal predictors of driving reduction and cessation (DRC). The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of the transportation environment on DRC. Data were combined from the Health and Retirement Study, the Urban Mobility Scorecard, and StreetMap North America (GIS data). Longitudinal survival analysis techniques were used to analyze seven waves of data spanning a 12-year period. As roadway density and congestion increased in the environment, the odds of DRC also increased, even after controlling for individual and interpersonal predictors. Other predictors of DRC included demographics, relationship status, health, and household size. The current study identified an association between the transportation environment and DRC. Future research is needed to determine whether a causal link can be established. If so, modifications to the physical environment (e.g., creating livable communities with goods and services in close proximity) could reduce driving distances in order to improve older drivers' ability to remain engaged in life. In addition, older individuals who wish to age in place should consider how their local transportation environment may affect their quality of life. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Driving while using a smartphone-based mobility application: Evaluating the impact of three multi-choice user interfaces on visual-manual distraction.

PubMed

Louveton, N; McCall, R; Koenig, V; Avanesov, T; Engel, T

2016-05-01

Innovative in-car applications provided on smartphones can deliver real-time alternative mobility choices and subsequently generate visual-manual demand. Prior studies have found that multi-touch gestures such as kinetic scrolling are problematic in this respect. In this study we evaluate three prototype tasks which can be found in common mobile interaction use-cases. In a repeated-measures design, 29 participants interacted with the prototypes in a car-following task within a driving simulator environment. Task completion, driving performance and eye gaze have been analysed. We found that the slider widget used in the filtering task was too demanding and led to poor performance, while kinetic scrolling generated a comparable amount of visual distraction despite it requiring a lower degree of finger pointing accuracy. We discuss how to improve continuous list browsing in a dual-task context. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Training Toddlers Seated on Mobile Robots to Steer Using Force-Feedback Joystick.

PubMed

Agrawal, S K; Xi Chen; Ragonesi, C; Galloway, J C

2012-01-01

The broader goal of our research is to train infants with special needs to safely and purposefully drive a mobile robot to explore the environment. The hypothesis is that these impaired infants will benefit from mobility in their early years and attain childhood milestones, similar to their healthy peers. In this paper, we present an algorithm and training method using a force-feedback joystick with an "assist-as-needed" paradigm for driving training. In this "assist-as-needed" approach, if the child steers the joystick outside a force tunnel centered on the desired direction, the driver experiences a bias force on the hand. We show results with a group study on typically developing toddlers that such a haptic guidance algorithm is superior to training with a conventional joystick. We also provide a case study on two special needs children, under three years old, who learn to make sharp turns during driving, when trained over a five-day period with the force-feedback joystick using the algorithm.

Australian road rules

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-02-01

*These are national-level rules. Australian Road Rules - 2009 Version, Part 18, Division 1, Rule 300 "Use of Mobile Phones" describes restrictions of mobile phone use while driving. The rule basically states that drivers cannot make or receive calls ...

COLLOID MOBILIZATION AND TRANSPORT IN CONTAMINANT PLUMES: FIELD EXPERIMENTS, LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS, AND MODELING (EPA/600/S-99/001)

EPA Science Inventory

The major hypothesis driving this research, that the transport of colloids in a contaminant plume is limited by the advance of the chemical agent causing colloid mobilization, was tested by (1) examining the dependence of colloid transport and mobilization on chemical perturbatio...

Using Mobile Devices to Connect Teachers and Museum Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delen, Ibrahim; Krajcik, Joseph

2017-01-01

The use of mobile devices is increasing rapidly as a potential tool for science teaching. In this study, five educators (three middle school teachers and two museum educators) used a mobile application that supported the development of a driving question. Previous studies have noted that teachers make little effort to connect learning experiences…

Applicability of the Remote Mobile Emplacement Package (RMEP) design as a mobility aid for proposed post-84 Mars missions, phase O

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The results of study to determine the applicability of the Remote Mobile Emplacement Package (RMEP) design concept as a mobility aid for the proposed post-'84 Mars missions are presented. The RMEP wheel and mobility subsystem parameters: wheel tire size, weight, stowed volume, and environmental effects; obstacle negotiation; reliability and wear; motor and drive train; and electrical power demand were reviewed. Results indicated that: (1) the basic RMEP wheel design would be satisfactory, with additional attention to heating, side loading, tread wear and ultraviolet radiation protection; (2) motor and drive train power requirements on Mars would be less than on Earth; and (3) the mobility electrical power requirements would be small enough to offer the option of operating the Mars mini rover untethered. Payload power required for certain sampling functions would preclude the use of battery power for these missions. Hazard avoidance and reverse direction maneuvers are discussed. Limited examination of vehicle payload integration and thermal design was made, pending establishment of a baseline vehicle/payload design.

Mobile luminance data collection system user manual.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-04-01

While nighttime driving volumes are lower than daytime, the percentage of crashes with respect to volume is higher, so it is critical that transportation agencies do everything economically possible to improve nighttime driving safety. One crucial pa...

Effectiveness of a Mobile Mammography Program.

PubMed

Stanley, Elizabeth; Lewis, Madelene C; Irshad, Abid; Ackerman, Susan; Collins, Heather; Pavic, Dag; Leddy, Rebecca J

2017-12-01

Mobile mammography units have increasingly been used to address patient health care disparities; however, there are limited data comparing mobile units to stationary sites. This study aims to evaluate the characteristics of women who underwent mammography screening in a mobile unit versus those who underwent mammography screening at a cancer center. In this retrospective study, we analyzed all screening mammography examinations performed in a mobile unit in 2014 (n = 1433 examinations). For comparison, we randomized and reviewed an equivalent number of screening mammography examinations performed at our cancer center in 2014 (n = 1434 examinations). BI-RADS assessment, adherence to follow-up, biopsies performed, cancer detection rate, and sociodemographic variables were recorded. An independent-samples t test was conducted to identify potential differences in age between cancer center patients and mobile unit patients. Chi-square analyses were used to test for associations between location and factors such as health insurance, race, marital status, geographic area, adherence to screening guidelines, recall rate, adherence to follow-up, and cancer detection rates. Patients visiting our cancer center (mean = 57.74 years; SD = 10.55) were significantly older than those visiting the mobile unit (mean = 52.58 years; SD = 8.19; p < 0.001). There was a significant association between location and health insurance status (χ 2 = 610.92; p < 0.001) with more uninsured patients undergoing screening in the mobile van (cancer center = 3.70%, mobile unit = 38.73%). There was a significant association between screening location and patient race (χ 2 = 118.75, p < 0.001), with more white patients being screened at the cancer center (cancer center = 47.28%, mobile unit = 33.30%), more black patients being screened in the mobile van (cancer center = 49.30%, mobile unit = 54.15%), and more Hispanic patients being screened in the mobile van (cancer center = 1.05%, mobile unit = 6.77%). There was a significant association between location and patient marital status (χ 2 = 135.61, p < 0.001), with more married patients screened at the cancer center (cancer center = 49.16%, mobile unit = 38.31%), more single patients screened in the mobile van (cancer center = 25.17%, mobile unit = 34.47%), and more widowed patients being screened at the cancer center (cancer center = 8.09%, mobile unit = 4.47%). There was a significant association between location and geographic area (χ 2 = 33.33, p < 0.001), with both locations reaching more urban than rural patients (cancer center = 79.99%, mobile unit = 70.62%). There was a significant association between location and adherence to screening guidelines (χ 2 = 179.60, p < 0.001), with patients screened at the cancer center being more compliant (cancer center = 56.90%, mobile unit = 34.47%). Finally, there was a significant association between location and recall rate (χ 2 = 4.06, p < 0.001). The cancer center had a lower recall rate (13.32%) than the mobile van (15.98%). Of those patients with BI-RADS 0, there was a significant association between location and adherence to follow-up (χ 2 = 22.75, p < 0.001) with patients using the mobile unit less likely to return for additional imaging (cancer center = 2.65%, mobile unit = 17.03%). Significant differences were found among patients visiting the cancer center versus the mobile mammography van. The cancer center's population is older and more adherent to guidelines, whereas the mobile mammography population exhibited greater racial and marital diversity, higher recall rate, and lack of adherence to follow-up recommendations. By identifying these characteristics, we can develop programs and materials that meet these populations' needs and behaviors, ultimately increasing mammography screening and follow-up rates among underserved populations.

Data Acquisition, Analysis and Transmission Platform for a Pay-As-You-Drive System

PubMed Central

Boquete, Luciano; Rodríguez-Ascariz, José Manuel; Barea, Rafael; Cantos, Joaquín; Miguel-Jiménez, Juan Manuel; Ortega, Sergio

2010-01-01

This paper presents a platform used to acquire, analyse and transmit data from a vehicle to a Control Centre as part of a Pay-As-You-Drive system. The aim is to monitor vehicle usage (how much, when, where and how) and, based on this information, assess the associated risk and set an appropriate insurance premium. To determine vehicle usage, the system analyses the driver’s respect for speed limits, driving style (aggressive or non-aggressive), mobile telephone use and the number of vehicle passengers. An electronic system on board the vehicle acquires these data, processes them and transmits them by mobile telephone (GPRS/UMTS) to a Control Centre, at which the insurance company assesses the risk associated with vehicles monitored by the system. The system provides insurance companies and their customers with an enhanced service and could potentially increase responsible driving habits and reduce the number of road accidents. PMID:22219668

Data acquisition, analysis and transmission platform for a Pay-As-You-Drive system.

PubMed

Boquete, Luciano; Rodríguez-Ascariz, José Manuel; Barea, Rafael; Cantos, Joaquín; Miguel-Jiménez, Juan Manuel; Ortega, Sergio

2010-01-01

This paper presents a platform used to acquire, analyse and transmit data from a vehicle to a Control Centre as part of a Pay-As-You-Drive system. The aim is to monitor vehicle usage (how much, when, where and how) and, based on this information, assess the associated risk and set an appropriate insurance premium. To determine vehicle usage, the system analyses the driver's respect for speed limits, driving style (aggressive or non-aggressive), mobile telephone use and the number of vehicle passengers. An electronic system on board the vehicle acquires these data, processes them and transmits them by mobile telephone (GPRS/UMTS) to a Control Centre, at which the insurance company assesses the risk associated with vehicles monitored by the system. The system provides insurance companies and their customers with an enhanced service and could potentially increase responsible driving habits and reduce the number of road accidents.

Using Mobile Laser Scanning Data for Features Extraction of High Accuracy Driving Maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Bisheng; Liu, Yuan; Liang, Fuxun; Dong, Zhen

2016-06-01

High Accuracy Driving Maps (HADMs) are the core component of Intelligent Drive Assistant Systems (IDAS), which can effectively reduce the traffic accidents due to human error and provide more comfortable driving experiences. Vehicle-based mobile laser scanning (MLS) systems provide an efficient solution to rapidly capture three-dimensional (3D) point clouds of road environments with high flexibility and precision. This paper proposes a novel method to extract road features (e.g., road surfaces, road boundaries, road markings, buildings, guardrails, street lamps, traffic signs, roadside-trees, power lines, vehicles and so on) for HADMs in highway environment. Quantitative evaluations show that the proposed algorithm attains an average precision and recall in terms of 90.6% and 91.2% in extracting road features. Results demonstrate the efficiencies and feasibilities of the proposed method for extraction of road features for HADMs.

Traffic safety in the U.S.: re-examining major opportunities.

PubMed

Sivak, Michael; Luoma, Juha; Flannagan, Michael J; Bingham, C Raymond; Eby, David W; Shope, Jean T

2007-01-01

This article examines five major road-safety risk factors: exceeding posted speed limits, not using safety belts, driving while intoxicated, nighttime driving, and young drivers. The importance of each of these factors is documented, known effective countermeasures (both policy and technology based) are discussed, and impediments to the implementation of these countermeasures in the United States are examined. Based on current understanding of the five major risk factors, and of the available countermeasures, there appear to be a variety of opportunities to make substantial gains in road safety using existing knowledge. The limited implementation of a variety of known countermeasures therefore appears to be inconsistent with high-level, strategic goals to improve road safety. Consequently, a recommendation is made to comprehensively re-examine the balance between the countermeasures discussed in this article and economic, mobility, and privacy concerns. IMPACT ON PUBLIC SAFETY: Such a re-examination is likely to result in broad support for these countermeasures, with a consequent major improvement in road safety.

46 CFR 2.10-130 - Fees for examination of foreign mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Fees for examination of foreign mobile offshore drilling... drilling units. Each foreign mobile offshore drilling unit must pay: (a) For examination for the issuance... Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units, a fee of $1,830. (b) For examination for the issuance of a...

46 CFR 2.10-130 - Fees for examination of foreign mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Fees for examination of foreign mobile offshore drilling... drilling units. Each foreign mobile offshore drilling unit must pay: (a) For examination for the issuance... Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units, a fee of $1,830. (b) For examination for the issuance of a...

46 CFR 2.10-130 - Fees for examination of foreign mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Fees for examination of foreign mobile offshore drilling... drilling units. Each foreign mobile offshore drilling unit must pay: (a) For examination for the issuance... Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units, a fee of $1,830. (b) For examination for the issuance of a...

46 CFR 2.10-130 - Fees for examination of foreign mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Fees for examination of foreign mobile offshore drilling... drilling units. Each foreign mobile offshore drilling unit must pay: (a) For examination for the issuance... Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units, a fee of $1,830. (b) For examination for the issuance of a...

46 CFR 2.10-130 - Fees for examination of foreign mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Fees for examination of foreign mobile offshore drilling... drilling units. Each foreign mobile offshore drilling unit must pay: (a) For examination for the issuance... Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units, a fee of $1,830. (b) For examination for the issuance of a...

Combined EDL-Mobility Planning for Planetary Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuwata, Yoshiaki; Balaram, Bob

2011-01-01

This paper presents an analysis framework for planetary missions that have coupled mobility and EDL (Entry-Descent-Landing) systems. Traditional systems engineering approaches to mobility missions such as MERs (Mars Exploration Rovers) and MSL (Mars Science Laboratory) independently study the EDL system and the mobility system, and does not perform explicit trade-off between them or risk minimization of the overall system. A major challenge is that EDL operation is inherently uncertain and its analysis results such as landing footprint are described using PDF (Probability Density Function). The proposed approach first builds a mobility cost-to-go map that encodes the driving cost of any point on the map to a science target location. The cost could include variety of metrics such as traverse distance, time, wheel rotation on soft soil, and closeness to hazards. It then convolves the mobility cost-to-go map with the landing PDF given by the EDL system, which provides a histogram of driving cost, which can be used to evaluate the overall risk of the mission. By capturing the coupling between EDL and mobility explicitly, this analysis framework enables quantitative tradeoff between EDL and mobility system performance, as well as the characterization of risks in a statistical way. The simulation results are presented with a realistic Mars terrain data

Compositional and gate tuning of the interfacial conductivity in LaAlO3/LaTiO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosoda, Masayuki; Bell, Christopher; Hikita, Yasuyuki; Hwang, Harold Y.

2013-03-01

We investigate the effect of LaTiO3 insertion at the interface between LaAlO3 and TiO2 terminated {100} SrTiO3 for a series of LaAlO3 and LaTiO3 thicknesses. A clear increase of the carrier density was observed while the Hall mobility was largely unchanged. In structures with LaAlO3 thickness ˜3 unit cells, close to the critical thickness for conductivity, as little as 0.25 unit cells of LaTiO3 drives an insulator-to-metal transition. These samples show a strong dependence of the conductivity on voltage with electrostatic back-gating, which can be understood in a two-carrier picture, and dominated by the change in carrier density at the interface.

Integrated Unit Deployments: Rethinking Air National Guard Fighter Mobilizations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

INTEGRATED UNIT DEPLOYMENTS: RETHINKING AIR NATIONAL GUARD FIGHTER MOBILIZATIONS BY MAJOR ANDREW P. JACOB A THESIS...This study comprises an analysis of the mobilization and deployment of Air National Guard fighter aircraft units in a search for an efficient and... mobilization . This thesis suggests that Integrated Unit Deployments will provide the balance between Air National Guard overseas deployments and

Fees, Flows and Imaginaries: Exploring the Destination Choices Arising from Intra-National Student Mobility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Findlay, Allan; Packwood, Helen; McCollum, David; Nightingale, Glenna; Tindal, Scott

2018-01-01

Are intra-national student flows driven by the same forces as international student mobility? This paper addresses this question by analysing cross-border student mobility in the UK. The paper identifies four principles that one might expect to drive the destination choices of students from Scotland enrolling in English universities. Following a…

Patients' experiences of receiving chemotherapy in outpatient clinic and/or onboard a unique nurse-led mobile chemotherapy unit: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Mitchell, T

2013-07-01

There is a drive in the UK to revise chemotherapy provision for people living in rural communities. Using a different model of treatment delivery might impact positively upon the experience of receiving chemotherapy. In 2007 the first nurse-led mobile chemotherapy unit (MCU) in the UK was launched in the South West of England with the intention of providing treatment closer to home. The aim of the research was to explore experiences of people with cancer who received chemotherapy treatment in outpatient clinic and/or onboard the MCU using an interpretive phenomenological approach. Interviews were conducted with 20 people and data were interpreted using thematic analysis. The cancer and chemotherapy journey was described as being undertaken by the participant and their significant other. Available car parking and travelling impacted upon quality of life, as did the environment and accessibility of nurses to discuss issues with participants. The most important, distinguishing feature between receiving chemotherapy in outpatient clinic and the MCU was the amount of time spent waiting. Having treatment on the MCU was perceived to be less formal and therefore less stressful. Participants reported significant savings in time spent travelling, waiting and having treatment, expenditure on fuel and companion costs. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

U.S. Freight: Economy in Motion 1998

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-01-01

MOBILE is a computer model developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for estimating emissions of air pollutants by motor vehicles. Using information on the types and ages of vehicles and on local driving conditions, MOBILE estimates...

Older drivers' "high per-mile crash involvement": the implications for licensing authorities.

PubMed

Eberhard, John

2008-08-01

Determine what role motor vehicle administrators have in dealing with older drivers based on their crash risk and mobility needs. This article reviews both the recent crash, injury, and exposure trends from the National Household Travel Survey and other sources to help motor vehicle administrators set priorities in meeting the safety and mobility needs of older persons. Older drivers have a higher crash risk per mile driven. The "risk" of dying in a crash is more likely attributable to the frailty of older drivers than the risks associated with the functional limitations that accompany aging. The research literature indicates that older drivers are not a risk to other road user age groups but primarily to themselves. Furthermore, recent fatality data indicate that the death rates for older persons, particularly those over 80 years of age, have been declining over the last 10 years. These results differ from recent fatality trend projections that predicted a significant increase in traffic fatalities associated with an aging driver population. Drivers over 80 are more likely to have a crash on a per licensed driver basis. There is new evidence, however, that only older drivers who drive infrequently are at increased risk. These drivers drive relatively short distances on local streets with complex traffic situations. Most of these drivers are also likely to be experiencing multiple functional limitations. Since those who stop driving reduce their mobility by over one half, motor vehicle administrators need to work more closely with the state departments of aging and transportation providers to help ensure mobility options for those who can no longer drive. Older driver motor vehicle crashes are not a significant threat to other road users in vehicles or as pedestrians. It is the older drivers and their vehicle occupants who are at higher risk of dying when in a crash. Current evidence is that the drivers who pose the greatest risks are the teenage grandchildren of this older generation. Therefore, motor vehicle administrators can support their stand against increasing the licensing requirements of older drivers. When dealing with the older driver population they need to weigh the consequences of having someone stop driving and assist other responsible agencies in fostering sustained mobility for those who stop driving.

Development of an advanced mobile base for personal mobility and manipulation appliance generation II robotic wheelchair.

PubMed

Wang, Hongwu; Candiotti, Jorge; Shino, Motoki; Chung, Cheng-Shiu; Grindle, Garrett G; Ding, Dan; Cooper, Rory A

2013-07-01

This paper describes the development of a mobile base for the Personal Mobility and Manipulation Appliance Generation II (PerMMA Gen II robotic wheelchair), an obstacle-climbing wheelchair able to move in structured and unstructured environments, and to climb over curbs as high as 8 inches. The mechanical, electrical, and software systems of the mobile base are presented in detail, and similar devices such as the iBOT mobility system, TopChair, and 6X6 Explorer are described. The mobile base of PerMMA Gen II has two operating modes: "advanced driving mode" on flat and uneven terrain, and "automatic climbing mode" during stair climbing. The different operating modes are triggered either by local and dynamic conditions or by external commands from users. A step-climbing sequence, up to 0.2 m, is under development and to be evaluated via simulation. The mathematical model of the mobile base is introduced. A feedback and a feed-forward controller have been developed to maintain the posture of the passenger when driving over uneven surfaces or slopes. The effectiveness of the controller has been evaluated by simulation using the open dynamics engine tool. Future work for PerMMA Gen II mobile base is implementation of the simulation and control on a real system and evaluation of the system via further experimental tests.

Development of an advanced mobile base for personal mobility and manipulation appliance generation II robotic wheelchair

PubMed Central

Wang, Hongwu; Candiotti, Jorge; Shino, Motoki; Chung, Cheng-Shiu; Grindle, Garrett G.; Ding, Dan; Cooper, Rory A.

2013-01-01

Background This paper describes the development of a mobile base for the Personal Mobility and Manipulation Appliance Generation II (PerMMA Gen II robotic wheelchair), an obstacle-climbing wheelchair able to move in structured and unstructured environments, and to climb over curbs as high as 8 inches. The mechanical, electrical, and software systems of the mobile base are presented in detail, and similar devices such as the iBOT mobility system, TopChair, and 6X6 Explorer are described. Findings The mobile base of PerMMA Gen II has two operating modes: “advanced driving mode” on flat and uneven terrain, and “automatic climbing mode” during stair climbing. The different operating modes are triggered either by local and dynamic conditions or by external commands from users. A step-climbing sequence, up to 0.2 m, is under development and to be evaluated via simulation. The mathematical model of the mobile base is introduced. A feedback and a feed-forward controller have been developed to maintain the posture of the passenger when driving over uneven surfaces or slopes. The effectiveness of the controller has been evaluated by simulation using the open dynamics engine tool. Conclusion Future work for PerMMA Gen II mobile base is implementation of the simulation and control on a real system and evaluation of the system via further experimental tests. PMID:23820149

An investigation of older driver freeway needs and capabilities : summary report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-11-01

Limited-access highways and the Interstate highway system have been largely responsible for greatly increasing the mobility and safety enjoyed by the American driving population. However, as the driving population ages, it is not known if the require...

Signal processing and control challenges for smart vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hui; Braun, Simon G.

2017-03-01

Smart phones have changed not only the mobile phone market but also our society during the past few years. Could the next potential intelligent device may be the vehicle? Judging by the visibility, in all media, of the numerous attempts to develop autonomous vehicles, this is certainly one of the logical outcomes. Smart vehicles would be equipped with an advanced operating system such that the vehicles could communicate with others, optimize the operation to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, enhance safety, or even become self-driving. These combined new features of vehicles require instrumentation and hardware developments, fast signal processing/fusion, decision making and online optimization. Meanwhile, the inevitable increasing system complexity would certainly challenges the control unit design.

Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults Who Do Not Drive: Association With Mobility Resources and Perceived Transportation Barriers

PubMed Central

Choi, Namkee G.; DiNitto, Diana M.

2016-01-01

Purpose of the Study: To examine alternative means of mobility that nondriving older adults rely on and their impact on well-being. Design and Methods: Data from the 2011 (T1, N = 6,680) and 2012 (T2, N = 5,413) interview waves of the National Health and Aging Trends Study were used to examine sample characteristics by driving status, use of alternative mobility resources, and perceived transportation-related barriers among ex-drivers and nondrivers, and their association with depressive symptoms. Results: A majority of nondrivers relied on their informal support system and/or paid assistance to drive them to places. About half reported walking/using a wheelchair or scooter. A significant proportion of never drivers also used public transportation and van/shuttle services, whereas a smaller proportion of ex-drivers used them. Nondrivers who walked for transport had lower depressive symptoms than those who did not walk at either T1 or T2, and perception of transportation barriers to visiting friends/family was associated with higher depressive symptoms at T1 only. Implications: Older adults’ mobility needs should be met through increasing walkability, public and paratransit transportation, supplemental senior transportation, and increasing informal caregivers-transportation providers’ ability to aid older adults. PMID:25601389

The mobile hospital technology industry: focus on the computerized tomography scanner.

PubMed

Hartley, D; Moscovice, I

1996-01-01

This study of firms offering mobile hospital technology to rural hospitals in eight northwestern states found that several permanently parked computerized tomography (CT) units were found where mobile routes had atrophied due to the purchase of fixed units by former mobile CT hospital clients. Based on a criterion of 140 scans per month per unit as a threshold of profitable production, units owned by larger firms (those that operate five or more units) were more likely to be profitable than units owned by smaller firms (71% versus 20%, P = 0.03). A substantial number of rural hospitals lose money on mobile CT due to low Medicare reimbursement. In some areas, mobile hospital technology is a highly competitive industry. Evidence was found that several firms compete in some geographic areas and that some firms have lost hospital clients to competing vendors.

7. Historic American Buildings Survey E. W. Russell, Photographer, September ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

7. Historic American Buildings Survey E. W. Russell, Photographer, September 2, 1936 GATE TO DRIVE ON FRANKLIN STREET (EAST SIDE), WILLIAM H. KETCHUM - 400 GOVERNMENT STREET - William H. Ketchum House & Gates (Ironwork), 400 Government Street, Mobile, Mobile County, AL

An Optimization Framework for Driver Feedback Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malikopoulos, Andreas; Aguilar, Juan P.

2013-01-01

Modern vehicles have sophisticated electronic control units that can control engine operation with discretion to balance fuel economy, emissions, and power. These control units are designed for specific driving conditions (e.g., different speed profiles for highway and city driving). However, individual driving styles are different and rarely match the specific driving conditions for which the units were designed. In the research reported here, we investigate driving-style factors that have a major impact on fuel economy and construct an optimization framework to optimize individual driving styles with respect to these driving factors. In this context, we construct a set of polynomialmore » metamodels to reflect the responses produced in fuel economy by changing the driving factors. Then, we compare the optimized driving styles to the original driving styles and evaluate the effectiveness of the optimization framework. Finally, we use this proposed framework to develop a real-time feedback system, including visual instructions, to enable drivers to alter their driving styles in response to actual driving conditions to improve fuel efficiency.« less

Effect of spine motion on mobility in quadruped running

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Dongliang; Liu, Qi; Dong, Litao; Wang, Hong; Zhang, Qun

2014-11-01

Most of current running quadruped robots have similar construction: a stiff body and four compliant legs. Many researches have indicated that the stiff body without spine motion is a main factor in limitation of robots' mobility. Therefore, investigating spine motion is very important to build robots with better mobility. A planar quadruped robot is designed based on cheetahs' morphology. There is a spinal driving joint in the body of the robot. When the spinal driving joint acts, the robot has spine motion; otherwise, the robot has not spine motion. Six group prototype experiments with the robot are carried out to study the effect of spine motion on mobility. In each group, there are two comparative experiments: the spinal driving joint acts in one experiment but does not in the other experiment. The results of the prototype experiments indicate that the average speeds of the robot with spine motion are 8.7%-15.9% larger than those of the robot without spine motion. Furthermore, a simplified sagittal plane model of quadruped mammals is introduced. The simplified model also has a spinal driving joint. Using a similar process as the prototype experiments, six group simulation experiments with the simplified model are conducted. The results of the simulation experiments show that the maximum rear leg horizontal thrusts of the simplified mode with spine motion are 68.2%-71.3% larger than those of the simplified mode without spine motion. Hence, it is found that spine motion can increase the average running speed and the intrinsic reason of speed increase is the improvement of the maximum rear leg horizontal thrust.

Concealing their communication: exploring psychosocial predictors of young drivers' intentions and engagement in concealed texting.

PubMed

Gauld, Cassandra S; Lewis, Ioni; White, Katherine M

2014-01-01

Making a conscious effort to hide the fact that you are texting while driving (i.e., concealed texting) is a deliberate and risky behaviour involving attention diverted away from the road. As the most frequent users of text messaging services and mobile phones while driving, young people appear at heightened risk of crashing from engaging in this behaviour. This study investigated the phenomenon of concealed texting while driving, and utilised an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) including the additional predictors of moral norm, mobile phone involvement, and anticipated regret to predict young drivers' intentions and subsequent behaviour. Participants (n=171) were aged 17-25 years, owned a mobile phone, and had a current driver's licence. Participants completed a questionnaire measuring their intention to conceal texting while driving, and a follow-up questionnaire a week later to report their behavioural engagement. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed overall support for the predictive utility of the TPB with the standard constructs accounting for 69% of variance in drivers' intentions, and the extended predictors contributing an additional 6% of variance in intentions over and above the standard constructs. Attitude, subjective norm, PBC, moral norm, and mobile phone involvement emerged as significant predictors of intentions; and intention was the only significant predictor of drivers' self-reported behaviour. These constructs can provide insight into key focal points for countermeasures including advertising and other public education strategies aimed at influencing young drivers to reconsider their engagement in this risky behaviour. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

33 CFR 147.T08-849 - DEEPWATER HORIZON Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Safety Zone.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... DEEPWATER HORIZON Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Safety Zone. (a) Location. All areas within 500 meters (1640... area surrounds the DEEPWATER HORIZON, a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), that sank in the... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false DEEPWATER HORIZON Mobile Offshore...

Interventions to Maintain Mobility: What Works?

PubMed Central

Ross, Lesley A.; Schmidt, Erica L.; Ball, Karlene

2012-01-01

Mobility, in broad terms, includes everything from the ability to move within your immediate environment (e.g., get out of bed) to the ability to drive across the country. Mobility is essential to maintaining independence and wellbeing, particularly for older adults. This is highlighted by the large number of interventions developed for older adults with the goal of maintaining such mobility. The current paper reviews the state of the science with respect to mobility interventions. Inclusion criteria for the review were: (1) articles must have been peer-reviewed; (2) interventions were evaluated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT); (3) studies included a mobility outcome such as lifespace, driving, or walking ability, (4) studies included a sample of healthy community-dwelling older adults (e.g., not investigations of disease conditions); and (5) studies reported enough empirical data and detail such that results could potentially be replicated. Three main types of interventions were identified: cognitive training, educational interventions, and exercise interventions. A detailed summary and evaluation of each type of intervention, and the current evidence regarding its effectiveness in maintaining mobility, are discussed. Several interventions show clear evidence of effectiveness, and thus are prime areas for translation of results to the older population. Needs and issues for future intervention research are also detailed. PMID:23083492

A pneumatic cylinder driving polyhedron mobile mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Wan; Kim, Sung-Chan; Yao, Yan-An

2012-03-01

A novel pneumatic cylinder driving polyhedron mobile mechanism is proposed in this paper. The mechanism is comprised of 5 tetrahedrons which includes a pneumatic cylinder in each edge. It locomotes by rolling and the rolling principle refers to the center of mass (CM) of the mechanism moved out of the supporting area and let it tip over through the controlling of the motion sequence of these cylinders. Firstly, the mathematical model is built to analysis the relation between the configuration and the CM of the mechanism. Then, a binary control strategy is developed to simplify and improve the control of this mobile mechanism. After that, dynamic simulation is performed to testify the analytical validity and feasibility of the rolling gaits. At last, a prototype is fabricated to achieve the rolling successfully to demonstrate the proposed concept.

Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD): study design and methods.

PubMed

Li, Guohua; Eby, David W; Santos, Robert; Mielenz, Thelma J; Molnar, Lisa J; Strogatz, David; Betz, Marian E; DiGuiseppi, Carolyn; Ryan, Lindsay H; Jones, Vanya; Pitts, Samantha I; Hill, Linda L; DiMaggio, Charles J; LeBlanc, David; Andrews, Howard F

2017-12-01

As an important indicator of mobility, driving confers a host of social and health benefits to older adults. Despite the importance of safe mobility as the population ages, longitudinal data are lacking about the natural history and determinants of driving safety in older adults. The Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) project is a multisite prospective cohort study designed to generate empirical data for understanding the role of medical, behavioral, environmental and technological factors in driving safety during the process of aging. A total of 2990 active drivers aged 65-79 years at baseline have been recruited through primary care clinics or health care systems in five study sites located in California, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, and New York. Consented participants were assessed at baseline with standardized research protocols and instruments, including vehicle inspection, functional performance tests, and "brown-bag review" of medications. The primary vehicle of each participant was instrumented with a small data collection device that records detailed driving data whenever the vehicle is operating and detects when a participant is driving. Annual follow-up is being conducted for up to three years with a telephone questionnaire at 12 and 36 months and in-person assessment at 24 months. Medical records are reviewed annually to collect information on clinical diagnoses and healthcare utilization. Driving records, including crashes and violations, are collected annually from state motor vehicle departments. Pilot testing was conducted on 56 volunteers during March-May 2015. Recruitment and enrollment were completed between July 2015 and March 2017. Results of the LongROAD project will generate much-needed evidence for formulating public policy and developing intervention programs to maintain safe mobility while ensuring well-being for older adults.

Virtual reality for mobility devices: training applications and clinical results: a review.

PubMed

Erren-Wolters, Catelijne Victorien; van Dijk, Henk; de Kort, Alexander C; Ijzerman, Maarten J; Jannink, Michiel J

2007-06-01

Virtual reality technology is an emerging technology that possibly can address the problems encountered in training (elderly) people to handle a mobility device. The objective of this review was to study different virtual reality training applications as well as their clinical implication for patients with mobility problems. Computerized literature searches were performed using the MEDLINE, Cochrane, CIRRIE and REHABDATA databases. This resulted in eight peer reviewed journal articles. The included studies could be divided into three categories, on the basis of their study objective. Five studies were related to training driving skills, two to physical exercise training and one to leisure activity. This review suggests that virtual reality is a potentially useful means to improve the use of a mobility device, in training one's driving skills, for keeping up the physical condition and also in a way of leisure time activity. Although this field of research appears to be in its early stages, the included studies pointed out a promising transfer of training in a virtual environment to the real-life use of mobility devices.

Effects of road infrastructure and traffic complexity in speed adaptation behaviour of distracted drivers.

PubMed

Oviedo-Trespalacios, Oscar; Haque, Md Mazharul; King, Mark; Washington, Simon

2017-04-01

The use of mobile phones while driving remains a major human factors issue in the transport system. A significant safety concern is that driving while distracted by a mobile phone potentially modifies the driving speed leading to conflicts with other road users and consequently increases crash risk. However, the lack of systematic knowledge of the mechanisms involved in speed adaptation of distracted drivers constrains the explanation and modelling of the extent of this phenomenon. The objective of this study was to investigate speed adaptation of distracted drivers under varying road infrastructure and traffic complexity conditions. The CARRS-Q Advanced Driving Simulator was used to test participants on a simulated road with different traffic conditions, such as free flow traffic along straight roads, driving in urbanized areas, and driving in heavy traffic along suburban roads. Thirty-two licensed young drivers drove the simulator under three phone conditions: baseline (no phone conversation), hands-free and handheld phone conversations. To understand the relationships between distraction, road infrastructure and traffic complexity, speed adaptation calculated as the deviation of driving speed from the posted speed limit was modelled using a decision tree. The identified groups of road infrastructure and traffic characteristics from the decision tree were then modelled with a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) with repeated measures to develop inferences about speed adaptation behaviour of distracted drivers. The GLMM also included driver characteristics and secondary task demands as predictors of speed adaptation. Results indicated that complex road environments like urbanization, car-following situations along suburban roads, and curved road alignment significantly influenced speed adaptation behaviour. Distracted drivers selected a lower speed while driving along a curved road or during car-following situations, but speed adaptation was negligible in the presence of high visual cutter, indicating the prioritization of the driving task over the secondary task. Additionally, drivers who scored high on self-reported safe attitudes towards mobile phone usage, and who reported prior involvement in a road traffic crash, selected a lower driving speed in the distracted condition than in the baseline. The results aid in understanding how driving task demands influence speed adaptation of distracted drivers under various road infrastructure and traffic complexity conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The development, factor structure and psychometric properties of driving self-regulation scales for older adults: Has self-regulation evolved in the last 15 years?

PubMed

Wong, Ides Y; Smith, Simon S; Sullivan, Karen A

2015-07-01

The term driving self-regulation is typically used to describe the practice of drivers who avoid driving in situations that they regard as unsafe because of perceived physical impairment. Older adults report using this strategy to improve safety while retaining mobility. Self-regulation is typically assessed using the driving avoidance items from the driving habits questionnaire (DHQ) and the driver mobility questionnaire (DMQ-A). However, the psychometric properties of these measures are not well understood. Using data from 277 older drivers, exploratory factor analysis was used to test the homogeneity of three driving self-regulation scales: the DHQ, DMQ-A, and an extended DMQ-A. Good internal consistency for each of the scales was identified (all αs≥.9). A one factor solution was identified for two of the measures (DHQ, DMQ-A) and a two factor solution accounting for over 70% of the score variance was identified for the third measure. The two factors assessed situations that may be avoided while driving because of the "external" (e.g., weather-related) or "internal" (e.g., passenger-related) driving environments, respectively. The findings suggest that the interpretation of an overall summated scale score, or single-item interpretations, may not be appropriate. Instead, driving self-regulation may be a multifaceted construct comprised of distinct dimensions that have not been identified previously but can be reliably measured. These data have implications for our understanding of driving self-regulation by older adults and the way in which this behavior is measured. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Road sign recognition during computer testing versus driving simulator performance for stroke and stroke+aphasia groups.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-07-01

Driving is essential to maintaining independence. For most Americans preserving personal mobility is a : key element to retaining jobs, friends, activities and the basic necessities to maintain a household. This : is particularly true for older peopl...

The effect of increased mobility on morbidity in the neurointensive care unit.

PubMed

Titsworth, W Lee; Hester, Jeannette; Correia, Tom; Reed, Richard; Guin, Peggy; Archibald, Lennox; Layon, A Joseph; Mocco, J

2012-06-01

The detrimental effects of immobility on intensive care unit (ICU) patients are well established. Limited studies involving medical ICUs have demonstrated the safety and benefit of mobility protocols. Currently no study has investigated the role of increased mobility in the neurointensive care unit population. This study was a single-institution prospective intervention trial to investigate the effectiveness of increased mobility among neurointensive care unit patients. All patients admitted to the neurointensive care unit of a tertiary care center over a 16-month period (April 2010 through July 2011) were evaluated. The study consisted of a 10-month (8025 patient days) preintervention observation period followed by a 6-month (4455 patient days) postintervention period. The intervention was a comprehensive mobility initiative utilizing the Progressive Upright Mobility Protocol (PUMP) Plus. Implementation of the PUMP Plus increased mobility among neurointensive care unit patients by 300% (p < 0.0001). Initiation of this protocol also correlated with a reduction in neurointensive care unit length of stay (LOS; p < 0.004), hospital LOS (p < 0.004), hospital-acquired infections (p < 0.05), and ventilator-associated pneumonias (p < 0.001), and decreased the number of patient days in restraints (p < 0.05). Additionally, increased mobility did not lead to increases in adverse events as measured by falls or inadvertent line disconnections. Among neurointensive care unit patients, increased mobility can be achieved quickly and safely with associated reductions in LOS and hospital-acquired infections using the PUMP Plus program.

Oil well pump drive

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sanford, G.A.

1980-02-12

An oil well pump drive is disclosed including a drive unit that is hydraulically actuated by a double-acting hydraulic cylinder to reciprocate vertically. An endless chain is entrained over vertically spaced sprockets carried by the unit, with one flight of the chain anchored against vertical movement and the other flight is secured to the pump polish rod so that the vertical motion imparted to the polish rod is double that hydraulically imparted to the drive unit. The polish rod load on the chain is opposed by a counterweight connected thereto by a chain extending over an elevated pulley. The outputmore » of the hydraulic pump supplying the hydraulic cylinder is cam controlled so that the motion of the drive unit is smoothly decelerated and accelerated as the unit approaches and moves from the upper and lower limits of its movement.« less

Impact of mobile intensive care unit use on total ischemic time and clinical outcomes in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients - real-world data from the Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli Survey.

PubMed

Koifman, Edward; Beigel, Roy; Iakobishvili, Zaza; Shlomo, Nir; Biton, Yitschak; Sabbag, Avi; Asher, Elad; Atar, Shaul; Gottlieb, Shmuel; Alcalai, Ronny; Zahger, Doron; Segev, Amit; Goldenberg, Ilan; Strugo, Rafael; Matetzky, Shlomi

2017-01-01

Ischemic time has prognostic importance in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients. Mobile intensive care unit use can reduce components of total ischemic time by appropriate triage of ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients. Data from the Acute Coronary Survey in Israel registry 2000-2010 were analyzed to evaluate factors associated with mobile intensive care unit use and its impact on total ischemic time and patient outcomes. The study comprised 5474 ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients enrolled in the Acute Coronary Survey in Israel registry, of whom 46% ( n=2538) arrived via mobile intensive care units. There was a significant increase in rates of mobile intensive care unit utilization from 36% in 2000 to over 50% in 2010 ( p<0.001). Independent predictors of mobile intensive care unit use were Killip>1 (odds ratio=1.32, p<0.001), the presence of cardiac arrest (odds ratio=1.44, p=0.02), and a systolic blood pressure <100 mm Hg (odds ratio=2.01, p<0.001) at presentation. Patients arriving via mobile intensive care units benefitted from increased rates of primary reperfusion therapy (odds ratio=1.58, p<0.001). Among ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing primary reperfusion, those arriving by mobile intensive care unit benefitted from shorter median total ischemic time compared with non-mobile intensive care unit patients (175 (interquartile range 120-262) vs 195 (interquartile range 130-333) min, respectively ( p<0.001)). Upon a multivariate analysis, mobile intensive care unit use was the most important predictor in achieving door-to-balloon time <90 min (odds ratio=2.56, p<0.001) and door-to-needle time <30 min (odds ratio=2.96, p<0.001). One-year mortality rates were 10.7% in both groups (log-rank p-value=0.98), however inverse propensity weight model, adjusted for significant differences between both groups, revealed a significant reduction in one-year mortality in favor of the mobile intensive care unit group (odds ratio=0.79, 95% confidence interval (0.66-0.94), p=0.01). Among patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, the utilization of mobile intensive care units is associated with increased rates of primary reperfusion, a reduction in the time interval to reperfusion, and a reduction in one-year adjusted mortality.

Evaluation of a Smartphone Platform as a Wireless Interface Between Tongue Drive System and Electric-Powered Wheelchairs

PubMed Central

Kim, Jeonghee; Huo, Xueliang; Minocha, Julia; Holbrook, Jaimee; Laumann, Anne; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2013-01-01

Tongue drive system (TDS) is a new wireless assistive technology (AT) for the mobility impaired population. It provides users with the ability to drive powered wheelchairs (PWC) and access computers using their unconstrained tongue motion. Migration of the TDS processing unit and user interface platform from a bulky personal computer to a smartphone (iPhone) has significantly facilitated its usage by turning it into a true wireless and wearable AT. After implementation of the necessary interfacing hardware and software to allow the smartphone to act as a bridge between the TDS and PWC, the wheelchair navigation performance and associated learning was evaluated in nine able-bodied subjects in five sessions over a 5-week period. Subjects wore magnetic tongue studs over the duration of the study and drove the PWC in an obstacle course with their tongue using three different navigation strategies; namely unlatched, latched, and semiproportional. Qualitative aspects of using the TDS–iPhone–PWC interface were also evaluated via a five-point Likert scale questionnaire. Subjects showed more than 20% improvement in the overall completion time between the first and second sessions, and maintained a modest improvement of ~9% per session over the following three sessions. PMID:22531737

Common drive to the upper airway muscle genioglossus during inspiratory loading

PubMed Central

Woods, Michael J.; Nicholas, Christian L.; Semmler, John G.; Chan, Julia K. M.; Jordan, Amy S.

2015-01-01

Common drive is thought to constitute a central mechanism by which the efficiency of a motor neuron pool is increased. This study tested the hypothesis that common drive to the upper airway muscle genioglossus (GG) would increase with increased respiratory drive in response to an inspiratory load. Respiration, GG electromyographic (EMG) activity, single-motor unit activity, and coherence in the 0–5 Hz range between pairs of GG motor units were assessed for the 30 s before an inspiratory load, the first and second 30 s of the load, and the 30 s after the load. Twelve of twenty young, healthy male subjects provided usable data, yielding 77 pairs of motor units: 2 Inspiratory Phasic, 39 Inspiratory Tonic, 15 Expiratory Tonic, and 21 Tonic. Respiratory and GG inspiratory activity significantly increased during the loads and returned to preload levels during the postload periods (all showed significant quadratic functions over load trials, P < 0.05). As hypothesized, common drive increased during the load in inspiratory modulated motor units to a greater extent than in expiratory/tonic motor units (significant load × discharge pattern interaction, P < 0.05). Furthermore, this effect persisted during the postload period. In conclusion, common drive to inspiratory modulated motor units was elevated in response to increased respiratory drive. The postload elevation in common drive was suggestive of a poststimulus activation effect. PMID:26378207

33 CFR 146.203 - Requirements for U.S. and undocumented MODUs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... SECURITY (CONTINUED) OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF ACTIVITIES OPERATIONS Mobile Offshore Drilling Units § 146.203 Requirements for U.S. and undocumented MODUs. Each mobile offshore drilling unit documented under the laws of the United States and each mobile offshore drilling unit that is not documented under the laws of any...

10 CFR 35.2647 - Records of additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... remote afterloader units. 35.2647 Section 35.2647 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION MEDICAL USE OF BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Records § 35.2647 Records of additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units. (a) A licensee shall retain a record of each check for mobile remote afterloader units...

10 CFR 35.2647 - Records of additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... remote afterloader units. 35.2647 Section 35.2647 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION MEDICAL USE OF BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Records § 35.2647 Records of additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units. (a) A licensee shall retain a record of each check for mobile remote afterloader units...

10 CFR 35.2647 - Records of additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... remote afterloader units. 35.2647 Section 35.2647 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION MEDICAL USE OF BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Records § 35.2647 Records of additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units. (a) A licensee shall retain a record of each check for mobile remote afterloader units...

10 CFR 35.2647 - Records of additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... remote afterloader units. 35.2647 Section 35.2647 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION MEDICAL USE OF BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Records § 35.2647 Records of additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units. (a) A licensee shall retain a record of each check for mobile remote afterloader units...

10 CFR 35.2647 - Records of additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... remote afterloader units. 35.2647 Section 35.2647 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION MEDICAL USE OF BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Records § 35.2647 Records of additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units. (a) A licensee shall retain a record of each check for mobile remote afterloader units...

Older drivers and cataract: driving habits and crash risk.

PubMed

Owsley, C; Stalvey, B; Wells, J; Sloane, M E

1999-04-01

Cataract is a leading cause of vision impairment in older adults, affecting almost half of those over age 75 years. Driving is a highly visual task and, as with other age groups, older adults rely on the personal automobile for travel. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of cataract in driving. Older adults (aged 55-85 years) with cataract (n = 279) and those without cataract (n = 105) who were legally licensed to drive were recruited from eye clinics to participate in a driving habits interview to assess driving status, exposure, difficulty, and "space" (the distance of driving excursions from home base). Crash data over the prior 5 years were procured from state records. Visual functional tests documented the severity of vision impairment. Compared to those without cataract, older drivers with cataract were approximately two times more likely to report reductions in days driven and number of destinations per week, driving slower than the general traffic flow, and preferring someone else to drive. Those with cataract were five times more likely to have received advice about limiting their driving. Those with cataract were four times more likely to report difficulty with challenging driving situations, and those reporting driving difficulty were two times more likely to reduce their driving exposure. Drivers with cataract were 2.5 times more likely to have a history of at-fault crash involvement in the prior 5 years (adjusted for miles driven/week and days driven/week). These associations remained even after adjustments for the confounding effects of advanced age, impaired general health, mental status deficit, or depression. Older drivers with cataract experience a restriction in their driving mobility and a decrease in their safety on the road. These findings serve as a baseline for our ongoing study evaluating whether improvements in vision following cataract surgery expand driving mobility and improve driver safety.

The Westinghouse Series 1000 Mobile Phone: Technology and applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connelly, Brian

1993-01-01

Mobile satellite communications will be popularized by the North American Mobile Satellite (MSAT) system. The success of the overall system is dependent upon the quality of the mobile units. Westinghouse is designing our unit, the Series 1000 Mobile Phone, with the user in mind. The architecture and technology aim at providing optimum performance at a low per unit cost. The features and functions of the Series 1000 Mobile Phone have been defined by potential MSAT users. The latter portion of this paper deals with who those users may be.

Mobile Technologies for Learning: Exploring Critical Mobile Learning Literacies as Enabler of Graduateness in a South African Research-Led University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosman, J. P.; Strydom, Sonja

2016-01-01

At Stellenbosch University there is a drive to integrate the development of graduate attributes and the use of emerging technologies in the curriculum. With the aim of discovering the role of emerging mobile technologies in learning a qualitative research project was undertaken with a senior-student cohort. An inductive thematic analysis was done…

Sustainable Mobility Initiative | Transportation Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

optimize mobility and significantly reduce related energy consumption. This concept of an intelligent measures to explore these technologies' effects on transportation energy use, emissions, and overall system . Efficient driving with smoother starts, stops, and accelerations to reduce energy consumption and

Improving the effectiveness of nighttime temporary traffic control warning devices, volume 2 : evaluation of nighttime mobile warning lights.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-11-01

Vehicle-mounted warning lights for nighttime mobile highway operations provide critical protection to workers and the driving : public. Alerting the traveling public of the approaching work activity and providing guidance is vital to maintaining safe...

Problematic Smartphone Use: Investigating Contemporary Experiences Using a Convergent Design

PubMed Central

Harkin, Lydia

2018-01-01

Internet-enabled smartphones are increasingly ubiquitous in the Western world. Research suggests a number of problems can result from mobile phone overuse, including dependence, dangerous and prohibited use. For over a decade, this has been measured by the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire (PMPU-Q). Given the rapid developments in mobile technologies, changes of use patterns and possible problematic and addictive use, the aim of the present study was to investigate and validate an updated contemporary version of the PMPU-Q (PMPU-Q-R). A mixed methods convergent design was employed, including a psychometric survey (N = 512) alongside qualitative focus groups (N = 21), to elicit experiences and perceptions of problematic smartphone use. The results suggest the PMPU-Q-R factor structure can be updated to include smartphone dependence, dangerous driving, and antisocial smartphone use factors. Theories of problematic mobile phone use require consideration of the ubiquity and indispensability of smartphones in the present day and age, particularly regarding use whilst driving and in social interactions. PMID:29337883

Problematic Smartphone Use: Investigating Contemporary Experiences Using a Convergent Design.

PubMed

Kuss, Daria J; Harkin, Lydia; Kanjo, Eiman; Billieux, Joel

2018-01-16

Internet-enabled smartphones are increasingly ubiquitous in the Western world. Research suggests a number of problems can result from mobile phone overuse, including dependence, dangerous and prohibited use. For over a decade, this has been measured by the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire (PMPU-Q). Given the rapid developments in mobile technologies, changes of use patterns and possible problematic and addictive use, the aim of the present study was to investigate and validate an updated contemporary version of the PMPU-Q (PMPU-Q-R). A mixed methods convergent design was employed, including a psychometric survey ( N = 512) alongside qualitative focus groups ( N = 21), to elicit experiences and perceptions of problematic smartphone use. The results suggest the PMPU-Q-R factor structure can be updated to include smartphone dependence, dangerous driving, and antisocial smartphone use factors. Theories of problematic mobile phone use require consideration of the ubiquity and indispensability of smartphones in the present day and age, particularly regarding use whilst driving and in social interactions.

Safety belt and mobile phone usage in vehicles in Barcelona (Spain).

PubMed

Martínez-Sánchez, Jose M; Curto, Ariadna; Fu, Marcela; Martínez, Cristina; Sureda, Xisca; Ballbè, Montse; Fernández, Esteve

2014-01-01

To describe the prevalence and correlates of safety belt and mobile phone usage in vehicles in the city of Barcelona (Spain). We performed a study using direct observation with a cross-sectional design. We selected 2,442 private cars, commercial vehicles, and taxis from all districts of Barcelona. The prevalence of people not wearing safety belt was 10.5% among drivers, 4.6% among front seat passengers, and 32.2% among some of the rear passengers. It was higher among the passengers than among the drivers, regardless of the type of the vehicle. The prevalence of mobile phone usage while driving during a moment of the trip was 3.8%. Our study shows noticeably high prevalence of people not wearing safety belt in the rear seats. Moreover, four out of one hundred drivers still use the mobile phone while driving during a moment of the trip. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Field quantification of physical exposures of police officers in vehicle operation.

PubMed

McKinnon, Colin D; Callaghan, Jack P; Dickerson, Clark R

2011-01-01

Mobile police officers perform many of their daily duties in their vehicles. Combined workspace inflexibility and prolonged driving create potential musculoskeletal injury risks. Limited research exists that quantitatively describes postural and load exposures associated with mobile police work. The purpose of this study was to characterize officer activity during a typical workday and identify opportunities for ergonomic intervention. Digital video of traffic officers (N = 10) was used to classify postures according to work activity. Cumulative time in 10 activities was calculated, and a time-history of driver activity documented. Most (55.5 ± 13.4%) time was out of the vehicle, and 22.3 ± 10.5% was spent in single-arm driving. On paper documentation and mobile data terminal use were identified as in-car activities that may benefit from targeted interventions. The primary contribution of this study is characterization of daily mobile police activity and the identification of possible intervention strategies to mitigate physical exposure levels.

Stability of a secondary-type recovery process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, S.C.

1970-04-21

To provide good mobility control and to protect the components of the micellar dispersion displacing fluid from ''leaching'' into the drive fluid (water), the front portion of the drive fluid contained a mobility reducing agent, an electrolyte, and a semipolar organic compound. Berea sandstone cores (20.2 percent porosity, 336 md permeability) were saturated with water from Henry lease in Illinois (18,000 ppM TDS), flooded with sweet black crude oil (7 cp at 72/sup 0/F) from the Henry lease, and waterflooded with Henry lease water. A recovery of 93.9 percent of original oil in place was obtained by a micellar dispersionmore » followed by the mobility buffer. The micellar dispersion contained ammonium petroleum sulfonate, crude column overhead (a heavy naptha), isopropanol, p-nonyl phenol, water and sodium hydroxide. No. 530 Pusher, water from the Palestine water reservoir in Palestine, Illinois (450 ppM TDS), 50 ppM ammonium thiocyanate, n-butanol, and isopropyl alcohol (to facilitate the solubilization of the polymer) were in the mobility buffer.« less

Stability of a secondary-type recovery process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, S.C.

1970-07-14

To provide good mobility control and to protect the components of the micellar dispersion displacing fluid from ''leaching'' into the drive fluid (water), the front portion of the drive fluid contained a mobility reducing agent, an electrolyte, and a semipolar organic compound. Berea sandstone cores (20.2 percent porosity, 336 md permeability) were saturated with water from Henry lease in Illinois (18,000 ppM TDS), flooded with sweet black crude oil (7 cp at 72/sup 0/F) from the Henry lease, and waterflooded with Henry lease water. A recovery of 93.9 percent of original oil in place was obtained by a micellar dispersionmore » followed by the mobility buffer. The micellar dispersion contained ammonium petroleum sulfonate, crude column overhead (a heavy naptha), isopropanol, p-nonyl phenol, water and sodium hydroxide. No. 530 Pusher, water from the Palestine water reservoir in Palestine, Illinois (450 ppM TDS), 50 ppM ammonium thiocyanate, n-butanol, and isopropyl alcohol (to facilitate the solubilization of the polymer) were in the mobility buffer.« less

32 CFR 636.2 - Program objectives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... provisions of AR 190-22 and AR 210-10. This part is not applicable to vehicle safety inspections and spot... is defined as any mobile object capable of transporting objects or people (e.g., automobile, truck... member's installation driving privilege for cause (e.g., continued minor driving infractions, numerous...

32 CFR 636.2 - Program objectives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... provisions of AR 190-22 and AR 210-10. This part is not applicable to vehicle safety inspections and spot... is defined as any mobile object capable of transporting objects or people (e.g., automobile, truck... member's installation driving privilege for cause (e.g., continued minor driving infractions, numerous...

32 CFR 636.2 - Program objectives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... provisions of AR 190-22 and AR 210-10. This part is not applicable to vehicle safety inspections and spot... is defined as any mobile object capable of transporting objects or people (e.g., automobile, truck... member's installation driving privilege for cause (e.g., continued minor driving infractions, numerous...

32 CFR 636.2 - Program objectives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... provisions of AR 190-22 and AR 210-10. This part is not applicable to vehicle safety inspections and spot... is defined as any mobile object capable of transporting objects or people (e.g., automobile, truck... member's installation driving privilege for cause (e.g., continued minor driving infractions, numerous...

32 CFR 636.2 - Program objectives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... provisions of AR 190-22 and AR 210-10. This part is not applicable to vehicle safety inspections and spot... is defined as any mobile object capable of transporting objects or people (e.g., automobile, truck... member's installation driving privilege for cause (e.g., continued minor driving infractions, numerous...

Student Mobility. Information Capsule. Volume 0608

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blazer, Christie

2007-01-01

Mobility, rather than stability, has become the norm for students in schools across the United States. The student mobility rate is now higher in the United States than in any other industrialized country. This Information Capsule discusses the reasons for student mobility and the characteristics of highly mobile students and families. Research…

Sliding GAIT Algorithm for the All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer (ATHLETE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, Julie; Biesiadecki, Jeffrey

2012-01-01

The design of a surface robotic system typically involves a trade between the traverse speed of a wheeled rover and the terrain-negotiating capabilities of a multi-legged walker. The ATHLETE mobility system, with both articulated limbs and wheels, is uniquely capable of both driving and walking, and has the flexibility to employ additional hybrid mobility modes. This paper introduces the Sliding Gait, an intermediate mobility algorithm faster than walking with better terrain-handling capabilities than wheeled mobility.

The pattern of the electromagnetic field emitted by mobile phones in motor vehicle driving simulators.

PubMed

Politański, Piotr; Bortkiewicz, Alicja; Zmyślony, Marek

2013-06-01

The paper reports the results of the determinations of UMTS EMF distributions in the driver’s cab of motor vehicle simulators. The results will serve as the basis for future research on the influence of EMF emitted by mobile phones on driver physiology. Two motor vehicle driving simulators were monitored, while an EMF source was placed at the driver's head or on the dashboard of the motor vehicle driving simulator. For every applied configuration, the maximal electric field strength was measured, as were the values at 16 points corresponding to chosen locations on a driver's or passenger's body. When the power was set for the maximum (49 mW), a value of 27 V/m was measured in the vicinity of the driver's head when the phone was close to the head. With the same power, when the phone was placed on the dashboard, the measured maximum was 15.2 V/m in the vicinity of the driver's foot. Similar results were obtained for the passenger. Significant perturbations in EMF distribution and an increase in electric field strength values in the mo-tor vehicle driving simulator were also observed in comparison to free space measurements, and the electric field strength was up to 3 times higher inside the simulator. This study can act as the basis of future studies concerning the influence of the EMF emitted by mobile phones on the physiology of the driver. Additionally, the authors postulate that it is advisable to keep mobile phones at a distance from the head, i.e. use, whenever possible, hands-free kits to reduce EMF exposure, both for drivers and passengers.

Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults Who Do Not Drive: Association With Mobility Resources and Perceived Transportation Barriers.

PubMed

Choi, Namkee G; DiNitto, Diana M

2016-06-01

To examine alternative means of mobility that nondriving older adults rely on and their impact on well-being. Data from the 2011 (T1, N = 6,680) and 2012 (T2, N = 5,413) interview waves of the National Health and Aging Trends Study were used to examine sample characteristics by driving status, use of alternative mobility resources, and perceived transportation-related barriers among ex-drivers and nondrivers, and their association with depressive symptoms. A majority of nondrivers relied on their informal support system and/or paid assistance to drive them to places. About half reported walking/using a wheelchair or scooter. A significant proportion of never drivers also used public transportation and van/shuttle services, whereas a smaller proportion of ex-drivers used them. Nondrivers who walked for transport had lower depressive symptoms than those who did not walk at either T1 or T2, and perception of transportation barriers to visiting friends/family was associated with higher depressive symptoms at T1 only. Older adults' mobility needs should be met through increasing walkability, public and paratransit transportation, supplemental senior transportation, and increasing informal caregivers-transportation providers' ability to aid older adults. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A roadside study of observable driver distractions.

PubMed

Sullman, Mark J M; Prat, Francesc; Tasci, Duygu Kuzu

2015-01-01

This study investigated the prevalence of observable distractions while driving and the effect of drivers' characteristics and time-related variables on their prevalence. Using roadside observation, 2 independent observers collected data at 4 randomly selected locations in St. Albans, UK. Of the 10,984 drivers observed, 16.8% were engaged in a secondary task, with talking to passengers being the most common distraction (8.8%), followed by smoking (1.9%) and talking on a hands-free mobile phone (1.7%). An additional 1.0% were observed talking on a handheld phone, and the rest of the distractions (e.g., texting, drinking) were recorded in less than 1% of the drivers observed. Gender-related differences were found for a number of different distractions (i.e., talking to passengers, drinking, and handheld mobile phone conversations), but age emerged as a significant predictor for most secondary tasks, including talking to passengers, smoking, hands-free mobile phone use, handheld mobile phone use, texting/keying numbers, drinking, and engagement in any type of distraction (all distractions combined). The overall pattern for age was that middle-aged and older drivers were less likely to be distracted than younger drivers. This work provides further evidence of the relatively high rate of distracted driving in the UK. The findings clearly indicate that younger drivers are more likely to drive distracted, which probably contributes to their higher crash rates.

Methanogenesis-induced pH–Eh shifts drives aqueous metal(loid) mobility in sulfide mineral systems under CO2 enriched conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harvey, Omar R.; Qafoku, Nikolla; Cantrell, Kirk J.

2016-01-15

Accounting for microbially-mediated CO2 transformation is pivotal to assessing geochemical implications for elevated CO2 in subsurface environments. A series of batch-reactor experiments were conducted to decipher links between autotrophic methanogenesis, CO2 dynamics and aqueous Fe, As and Pb concentrations in the presence of sulfide minerals. Microbially-mediated solubility-trapping followed by pseudo-first order reduction of HCO3- to CH4 (k’ = 0.28-0.59 d-1) accounted for 95% of the CO2 loss from methanogenic experiments. Bicarbonate-to-methane reduction was pivotal in the mitigation of CO2-induced acidity (~1 pH unit) and enhancement of reducing conditions (Eh change from -0.215 to -0.332V ). Methanogenesis-associated shifts in pH-Eh valuesmore » showed no significant effect on aqueous Pb but favored, 1) increased aqueous As as a result of microbially-mediated dissolution of arsenopyrite and 2) decreased aqueous Fe due to mineral-trapping of CO2-mobilized Fe as Fe-carbonate. Its order of occurrence (and magnitude), relative to solubility- and mineral-trapping, highlighted the potential for autotrophic methanogenesis to modulate both carbon sequestration and contaminant mobility in CO2-impacted subsurface environments.« less

Driving in Parkinson's disease: mobility, accidents, and sudden onset of sleep at the wheel.

PubMed

Meindorfner, Charlotte; Körner, Yvonne; Möller, Jens Carsten; Stiasny-Kolster, Karin; Oertel, Wolfgang Hermann; Krüger, Hans-Peter

2005-07-01

Only few studies have addressed driving ability in Parkinson's disease (PD) to date. However, studies investigating accident proneness of PD patients are urgently needed in the light of motor disability in PD and--particularly--the report of "sleep attacks" at the wheel. We sent a questionnaire about sudden onset of sleep (SOS) and driving behavior to 12,000 PD patients. Subsequently, of 6,620 complete data sets, 361 patients were interviewed by phone. A total of 82% of those 6,620 patients held a driving license, and 60% of them still participated in traffic. Of the patients holding a driving license, 15% had been involved in and 11% had caused at least one accident during the past 5 years. The risk of causing accidents was significantly increased for patients who felt moderately impaired by PD, had an increased Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score, and had experienced SOS while driving. Sleep attacks at the wheel usually occurred in easy driving situations and resulted in typical fatigue-related accidents. Those having retired from driving had a more advanced (subjective) disease severity, higher age, more frequently female gender, an increased ESS score, and a longer disease duration. The study revealed SOS and daytime sleepiness as critical factors for traffic safety in addition to motor disabilities of PD patients. The results suggest that real sleep attacks without any prior sleepiness are rare. However, our data underline the importance of mobility for patients and the need for further studies addressing the ability to drive in PD. Copyright 2005 Movement Disorder Society.

Roles of Gag-RNA interactions in HIV-1 virus assembly deciphered by single-molecule localization microscopy.

PubMed

Yang, Yantao; Qu, Na; Tan, Jie; Rushdi, Muaz N; Krueger, Christopher J; Chen, Antony K

2018-06-11

During HIV-1 assembly, the retroviral structural protein Gag forms an immature capsid, containing thousands of Gag molecules, at the plasma membrane (PM). Interactions between Gag nucleocapsid (NC) and viral RNA (vRNA) are thought to drive assembly, but the exact roles of these interactions have remained poorly understood. Since previous studies have shown that Gag dimer- or trimer-forming mutants (Gag ZiL ) lacking an NC domain can form immature capsids independent of RNA binding, it is often hypothesized that vRNA drives Gag assembly by inducing Gag to form low-ordered multimers, but is dispensable for subsequent assembly. In this study, we examined the role of vRNA in HIV-1 assembly by characterizing the distribution and mobility of Gag and Gag NC mutants at the PM using photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) and single-particle tracking PALM (spt-PALM). We showed that both Gag and Gag ZiL assembly involve a similar basic assembly unit, as expected. Unexpectedly, the two proteins underwent different subsequent assembly pathways, with Gag cluster density increasing asymptotically, while Gag ZiL cluster density increased linearly. Additionally, the directed movement of Gag, but not Gag ZiL , was maintained at a constant speed, suggesting that the two proteins experience different external driving forces. Assembly was abolished when Gag was rendered monomeric by NC deletion. Collectively, these results suggest that, beyond inducing Gag to form low-ordered multimer basic assembly units, vRNA is essential in scaffolding and maintaining the stability of the subsequent assembly process. This finding should advance the current understanding of HIV-1 and, potentially, other retroviruses. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Identifying beliefs underlying pre-drivers' intentions to take risks: An application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

PubMed

Rowe, Richard; Andrews, Elizabeth; Harris, Peter R; Armitage, Christopher J; McKenna, Frank P; Norman, Paul

2016-04-01

Novice motorists are at high crash risk during the first few months of driving. Risky behaviours such as speeding and driving while distracted are well-documented contributors to crash risk during this period. To reduce this public health burden, effective road safety interventions need to target the pre-driving period. We use the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to identify the pre-driver beliefs underlying intentions to drive over the speed limit (N=77), and while over the legal alcohol limit (N=72), talking on a hand-held mobile phone (N=77) and feeling very tired (N=68). The TPB explained between 41% and 69% of the variance in intentions to perform these behaviours. Attitudes were strong predictors of intentions for all behaviours. Subjective norms and perceived behavioural control were significant, though weaker, independent predictors of speeding and mobile phone use. Behavioural beliefs underlying these attitudes could be separated into those reflecting perceived disadvantages (e.g., speeding increases my risk of crash) and advantages (e.g., speeding gives me a thrill). Interventions that can make these beliefs safer in pre-drivers may reduce crash risk once independent driving has begun. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Weekend Drive: Source for an Interdisciplinary Teaching Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, George

Ideas for an elementary level interdisciplinary teaching unit which were generated from a drive taken in the plains country of eastern New Mexico are presented. The purpose is to show what could be included in a unit on the immediate environment. In social studies classes, students can read a map of the area of the drive. An interest in history…

[Mobile Health Units: An Analysis of Concepts and Implementation Requirements in Rural Regions.

PubMed

Hämel, K; Kutzner, J; Vorderwülbecke, J

2017-12-01

Access to health services in rural regions represents a challenge. The development of care models that respond to health service shortages and pay particular attention to the increasing health care needs of the elderly is an important concern. A model that has been implemented in other countries is that of mobile health units. But until now, there is no overview of their possible objectives, functions and implementation requirements. This paper is based on a literature analysis and an internet research on mobile health units in rural regions. Mobile health units aim to avoid regional undersupply and address particularly vulnerable population groups. In the literature, mobile health units are described with a focus on specific illnesses, as well as those that provide comprehensive, partly multi-professional primary care that is close to patients' homes. The implementation of mobile health units is demanding; the key challenges are (a) alignment to the needs of the regional population, (b) user-oriented access and promotion of awareness and acceptance of mobile health units by the local population, and (c) network building within existing care structures to ensure continuity of care for patients. To fulfill these requirements, a community-oriented program development and implementation is important. Mobile health units could represent an interesting model for the provision of health care in rural regions in Germany. International experiences are an important starting point and should be taken into account for the further development of models in Germany. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Adams-Based Rover Terramechanics and Mobility Simulator - ARTEMIS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trease, Brian P.; Lindeman, Randel A.; Arvidson, Raymond E.; Bennett, Keith; VanDyke, Lauren P.; Zhou, Feng; Iagnemma, Karl; Senatore, Carmine

2013-01-01

The Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs), Spirit and Opportunity, far exceeded their original drive distance expectations and have traveled, at the time of this reporting, a combined 29 kilometers across the surface of Mars. The Rover Sequencing and Visualization Program (RSVP), the current program used to plan drives for MERs, is only a kinematic simulator of rover movement. Therefore, rover response to various terrains and soil types cannot be modeled. Although sandbox experiments attempt to model rover-terrain interaction, these experiments are time-intensive and costly, and they cannot be used within the tactical timeline of rover driving. Imaging techniques and hazard avoidance features on MER help to prevent the rover from traveling over dangerous terrains, but mobility issues have shown that these methods are not always sufficient. ARTEMIS, a dynamic modeling tool for MER, allows planned drives to be simulated before commands are sent to the rover. The deformable soils component of this model allows rover-terrain interactions to be simulated to determine if a particular drive path would take the rover over terrain that would induce hazardous levels of slip or sink. When used in the rover drive planning process, dynamic modeling reduces the likelihood of future mobility issues because high-risk areas could be identified before drive commands are sent to the rover, and drives planned over these areas could be rerouted. The ARTEMIS software consists of several components. These include a preprocessor, Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), Adams rover model, wheel and soil parameter files, MSC Adams GUI (commercial), MSC Adams dynamics solver (commercial), terramechanics subroutines (FORTRAN), a contact detection engine, a soil modification engine, and output DEMs of deformed soil. The preprocessor is used to define the terrain (from a DEM) and define the soil parameters for the terrain file. The Adams rover model is placed in this terrain. Wheel and soil parameter files can be altered in the respective text files. The rover model and terrain are viewed in Adams View, the GUI for ARTEMIS. The Adams dynamics solver calls terramechanics subroutines in FORTRAN containing the Bekker-Wong equations.

It cannot be all about safety: the benefits of prolonged mobility.

PubMed

Oxley, Jennifer; Whelan, Michelle

2008-08-01

While there is much emphasis on managing the safety of older road users, there is limited understanding and recognition of the significance of mobility and transportation needs, mobility changes in later life, and the impact of reduced mobility on quality of life. Moreover, there is little information about the measures that can be taken to increase or at least maintain mobility in older age. A systematic literature review was undertaken to address the issues associated with the transportation and mobility needs of older road users. Articles and publications were selected for relevance and research strength and strategies and measures aimed to manage the safe mobility of older road users were reviewed. The review provides clear evidence that, for older adults who cease driving, quality of life is reduced and that there are a number of adverse consequences of poor mobility. The misconceptions regarding the risks that older drivers pose on the road and how their safe mobility should be managed are discussed, particularly the implications of current licensing procedures on mobility. Evidence is also presented showing there are subgroups of older adults who are more likely to suffer more pronounced mobility consequences including women and financially disadvantaged groups. Moreover, "best-practice" strategies for maintaining at least some level of mobility for older adults are highlighted in four broad categories: safer road users, safer vehicles, safer roads and infrastructure, and provision of new and innovative alternative transport options that are specifically tailored to older adults. Provision of safe travel options that allow easy access to services and amenities is a vital factor in maintaining mobility amongst older road users. An understanding that continued mobility means access to a private vehicle, either as a driver (for as long as possible as it is safe to drive) or as a passenger, and easy and practical access to other forms of transport is essential in the management of health, well-being, and the safe mobility of older road users.

46 CFR 15.520 - Mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs). 15.520 Section... MANNING REQUIREMENTS Manning Requirements; Inspected Vessels § 15.520 Mobile offshore drilling units... endorsement on an MMC as offshore installation manager (OIM), barge supervisor (BS), or ballast control...

77 FR 62247 - Dynamic Positioning Operations Guidance for Vessels Other Than Mobile Offshore Drilling Units...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-12

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [Docket No. USCG-2011-1106] Dynamic Positioning... ``Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Dynamic Positioning Guidance''. The notice recommended owners and operators of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs) follow Marine Technology Society (MTS) Dynamic Positioning...

TREATABILITY STUDY BULLETIN: MOBILE VOLUME REDUCTION UNIT AT THE SAND CREEK SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

The Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory (RREL) Releases Control Branch (RCB) has developed a pilot-scale Mobile Volume Reduction Unit (VRU) to determine the feasibility of soil washing for the remediation of contaminated soils. This mobile unit, mounted on two trailers, can pro...

Scenarios of Use for Sociable Mobile TV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chorianopoulos, Konstantinos

Mobile TVs have been available for many years, without ever becoming very popular. Moreover, the first wave of research has been mostly concerned with technology and standards, which are necessary to ensure interoperability and market acceptance. Although, there has been a significant body of computer-supported co-operative work (CSCW) and mobile human-computer interaction (HCI) research findings, there is limited investigation in the context of leisure activities, such as TV. In this article, we propose three concepts that drive the main paths for research and practice in mobile and social TV: (1) Mobile TV as a content format, (2) Mobile TV as user behavior, and (3) Mobile TV as interaction terminal. Finally, we provide particular directions to be considered in further research in social and mobile TV.

Who's calling? Social networks and mobile phone use among motorcyclists.

PubMed

De Gruyter, Chris; Truong, Long T; Nguyen, Hang T T

2017-06-01

Mobile phone use while riding a motorcycle poses a key safety risk, particularly among younger people who have been found to be more susceptible to distracted driving. While previous research has examined the influence of social networks on mobile phone use while driving a car, no research has explored this association in the context of motorcycle use. Using a survey of university students in Vietnam, this research explores the association between social networks and mobile phone use among motorcyclists and the links this has to reported crashes/falls. Results show that the majority of students are most likely to use a mobile phone to communicate with a friend while riding, either through talking (56.5%) or text messaging (62.0%). However, respondents who frequently talk to a girlfriend/boyfriend or spouse while riding were more likely to experience a crash/fall than those who frequently talk with others while riding (e.g. parent, brother/sister). In addition, those who frequently text message a friend while riding were more likely to experience a crash/fall than those who frequently text message others while riding. The results highlight a clear association between social networks and mobile phone use while riding a motorcycle. Developing a culture of societal norms, where mobile phone use while riding a motorcycle is considered socially unacceptable, will help to reduce the prevalence and ultimate crash risk associated with mobile phone use while riding. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Land mobile satellite communication system. Volume 2: Traffic analysis and market demand for the land mobile communications system in the European scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnebianca, C.; Pavesi, B.; Tuozzi, A.; Capone, R.

1986-06-01

The socioeconomic desirability in terms of market demand, technical economic feasibility, and price-performance for a Land Mobile Communication system ground based and/or satellite aided, able to satisfy the request of the traffic demand, foreseable in the 1995-2005 time frame, for the Western European countries was assessed. The criterion of economic value of the mobile system is considered as the driving element. The presence of gaps in the terrestrial system and reasonable traffic extrapolations suggest a very attractive role for a land mobile satellite communications mission.

Mobile Learning for All

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bestwick, Angel; Campbell, John R.

2010-01-01

Parents and educational professionals are asking the question, "Are schools preparing students for their future lives?" Mobile technologies such as smart phones, iPods, GPS systems, iPads, and a constant stream of information drive much of people's world and work. The use of such technologies increases with each passing day. But how often do…

Novel Straight Road Driving Control of Power Assisted Wheelchair Based on Disturbance Estimation of Right and Left Wheels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seki, Hirokazu; Sugimoto, Takeaki; Tadakuma, Susumu

This paper describes a novel straight road driving control scheme of power assisted wheelchair. Power assisted wheelchair which assists the driving force by electric motors is expected to be widely used as a mobility support system for elderly people and disabled people. The straight driving can be prevented by the road conditions such as branches, grass and carpets because the right and left wheels drive independently. This paper proposes a straight road driving control system based on the disturbance torque estimation. The proposed system estimates the difference of the driving torque by disturbance torque observer and compensates to one side of the wheels. Some practical driving experiments on various road conditions show the effectiveness of the proposed control system.

TRAVELING EDUCATIONAL UNITS, A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE USE OF TRAVELING OR MOBILE EDUCATIONAL UNITS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN APPALACHIA.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

WHEELER, C. HERBERT, JR.

THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING TRAVELING OR MOBILE UNITS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN THE APPALACHIA REGION. IT EXAMINED THE LITERATURE WRITTEN IN THE LAST TEN YEARS ON EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS USING SOME FORM OF MOBILE FACILITY. FROM THIS LITERATURE A LIST OF PLANNED MOBILE PROJECTS WAS COMPILED AND…

Modelling and Simulation in the Design Process of Armored Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

trackway conditions is a demanding optimization task. Basically, a high level of ride comfort requires soft suspension tuning, whereas driving safety relies...The maximum off-road speed is generally limited by traction, input torque, driving safety and ride comfort. When obstacles are to be negotiated, the...wheel travel was defined during the mobility simulation runs. Figure 14: Ramp 1.5m at 40 kph; virtual and physical prototype Driving safety and ride

Power mobility with collision avoidance for older adults: user, caregiver, and prescriber perspectives.

PubMed

Wang, Rosalie H; Korotchenko, Alexandra; Hurd Clarke, Laura; Mortenson, W Ben; Mihailidis, Alex

2013-01-01

Collision avoidance technology has the capacity to facilitate safer mobility among older power mobility users with physical, sensory, and cognitive impairments, thus enabling independence for more users. Little is known about consumers' perceptions of collision avoidance. This article draws on interviews (29 users, 5 caregivers, and 10 prescribers) to examine views on design and utilization of this technology. Data analysis identified three themes: "useful situations or contexts," "technology design issues and real-life application," and "appropriateness of collision avoidance technology for a variety of users." Findings support ongoing development of collision avoidance for older adult users. The majority of participants supported the technology and felt that it might benefit current users and users with visual impairments, but might be unsuitable for people with significant cognitive impairments. Some participants voiced concerns regarding the risk for injury with power mobility use and some identified situations where collision avoidance might be beneficial (driving backward, avoiding dynamic obstacles, negotiating outdoor barriers, and learning power mobility use). Design issues include the need for context awareness, reliability, and user interface specifications. User desire to maintain driving autonomy supports development of collaboratively controlled systems. This research lays the groundwork for future development by illustrating consumer requirements for this technology.

Driving, dementia and Australian physicians: primum non nocere?

PubMed

Carmody, J; Traynor, V; Iverson, D; Marchetti, E

2013-06-01

Older Australians are increasingly reliant on automobiles as their sole form of transport. As our population is ageing and the prevalence of dementia is increasing, it is anticipated that the number of drivers with dementia will rise over time. Much of the literature relating to driving and dementia focuses on safety rather than mobility. The objective of this paper is to highlight several topical ethical issues that pertain to Australian drivers with dementia. It is recommended that future research, policy and practice should centre on the crucial mobility and transport needs of our senior citizens. © 2013 The Authors; Internal Medicine Journal © 2013 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Kinematic evaluation of mobile robotic platforms for overground gait neurorehabilitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alias, N. Akmal; Huq, M. Saiful; Ibrahim, B. S. K. K.; Omar, Rosli

2017-09-01

Gait assistive devices offer a great solution to the walking re-education which reduce patients theoretical limit by aiding the anatomical joints to be in line with the rehabilitation session. Overground gait training, which is differs significantly from body-weight supported treadmill training in many aspects, essentially consists of a mobile robotic base to support the subject securely (usually with overhead harness) while its motion and orientation is controlled seamlessly to facilitate subjects free movement. In this study, efforts have been made for evaluation of both holonomic and nonholonomic drives, the outcome of which may constitute the primarily results to the effective approach in designing a robotic platform for the mobile rehabilitation robot. The sets of kinematic equations are derived using typical geometries of two different drives. The results indicate that omnidirectional mecanum wheel platform is capable for more sophisticated discipline. Although the differential drive platform happens to be more simple and easy to construct, but it is less desirable as it has limited number of motions applicable to the system. The omnidirectional robot consisting of mecanum wheels, which is classified as holonomic is potentially the best solution in terms of its capability to move in arbitrary direction without concerning the changing of wheel's direction.

46 CFR 11.540 - Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units. 11.540 Section 11.540 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MERCHANT MARINE... § 11.540 Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units. Endorsements as chief engineer...

46 CFR 11.540 - Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units. 11.540 Section 11.540 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MERCHANT MARINE... § 11.540 Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units. Endorsements as chief engineer...

46 CFR 11.540 - Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units. 11.540 Section 11.540 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MERCHANT MARINE... § 11.540 Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units. Endorsements as chief engineer...

46 CFR 11.540 - Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units. 11.540 Section 11.540 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MERCHANT MARINE... § 11.540 Endorsements for engineers of mobile offshore drilling units. Endorsements as chief engineer...

TREATABILITY STUDY BULLETIN: MOBILE VOLUME REDUCTION UNIT AT THE ESCAMBIA SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

The RREL has developed a pilot-scale Mobile Volume Reduction Unit (VRU) to determine the feasibility of soil washing for the remediation of contaminated soils. This mobile unit, mounted on two trailers, can process 100 lb/hr of soil feed. Soil washing is a cost effective technolo...

MOBILE-izing Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Care: A Pilot Study Using A Mobile Health Unit in Chicago

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stefansson, Lilja S.; Webb, M. Elizabeth; Hebert, Luciana E.; Masinter, Lisa; Gilliam, Melissa L.

2018-01-01

Background: Adolescents experience numerous barriers to obtaining sexual and reproductive health care (SRHC). Mobile Health Units (MHUs) can remove some barriers by traveling to the community. This pilot study developed Mobile SRHC through an iterative process on an existing MHU and evaluated it among adolescents and providers. Methods: Mobile…

Emergence of gamma motor activity in an artificial neural network model of the corticospinal system.

PubMed

Grandjean, Bernard; Maier, Marc A

2017-02-01

Muscle spindle discharge during active movement is a function of mechanical and neural parameters. Muscle length changes (and their derivatives) represent its primary mechanical, fusimotor drive its neural component. However, neither the action nor the function of fusimotor and in particular of γ-drive, have been clearly established, since γ-motor activity during voluntary, non-locomotor movements remains largely unknown. Here, using a computational approach, we explored whether γ-drive emerges in an artificial neural network model of the corticospinal system linked to a biomechanical antagonist wrist simulator. The wrist simulator included length-sensitive and γ-drive-dependent type Ia and type II muscle spindle activity. Network activity and connectivity were derived by a gradient descent algorithm to generate reciprocal, known target α-motor unit activity during wrist flexion-extension (F/E) movements. Two tasks were simulated: an alternating F/E task and a slow F/E tracking task. Emergence of γ-motor activity in the alternating F/E network was a function of α-motor unit drive: if muscle afferent (together with supraspinal) input was required for driving α-motor units, then γ-drive emerged in the form of α-γ coactivation, as predicted by empirical studies. In the slow F/E tracking network, γ-drive emerged in the form of α-γ dissociation and provided critical, bidirectional muscle afferent activity to the cortical network, containing known bidirectional target units. The model thus demonstrates the complementary aspects of spindle output and hence γ-drive: i) muscle spindle activity as a driving force of α-motor unit activity, and ii) afferent activity providing continuous sensory information, both of which crucially depend on γ-drive.

BeBot: A Modular Mobile Miniature Robot Platform Supporting Hardware Reconfiguration and Multi-standard Communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbrechtsmeier, Stefan; Witkowski, Ulf; Rückert, Ulrich

Mobile robots become more and more important in current research and education. Especially small ’on the table’ experiments attract interest, because they need no additional or special laboratory equipments. In this context platforms are desirable which are small, simple to access and relatively easy to program. An additional powerful information processing unit is advantageous to simplify the implementation of algorithm and the porting of software from desktop computers to the robot platform. In this paper we present a new versatile miniature robot that can be ideally used for research and education. The small size of the robot of about 9 cm edge length, its robust drive and its modular structure make the robot a general device for single and multi-robot experiments executed ’on the table’. For programming and evaluation the robot can be wirelessly connected via Bluetooth or WiFi. The operating system of the robot is based on the standard Linux kernel and the GNU C standard library. A player/stage model eases software development and testing.

Hardware platform for multiple mobile robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parzhuber, Otto; Dolinsky, D.

2004-12-01

This work is concerned with software and communications architectures that might facilitate the operation of several mobile robots. The vehicles should be remotely piloted or tele-operated via a wireless link between the operator and the vehicles. The wireless link will carry control commands from the operator to the vehicle, telemetry data from the vehicle back to the operator and frequently also a real-time video stream from an on board camera. For autonomous driving the link will carry commands and data between the vehicles. For this purpose we have developed a hardware platform which consists of a powerful microprocessor, different sensors, stereo- camera and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) for communication. The adoption of IEEE802.11 standard for the physical and access layer protocols allow a straightforward integration with the internet protocols TCP/IP. For the inspection of the environment the robots are equipped with a wide variety of sensors like ultrasonic, infrared proximity sensors and a small inertial measurement unit. Stereo cameras give the feasibility of the detection of obstacles, measurement of distance and creation of a map of the room.

Mobilizing mobile medical units for hurricane relief: the United States Public Health Service and Broward County Health Department response to hurricane Wilma, Broward County, Florida.

PubMed

Taylor, Melanie M; Stokes, William S; Bajuscak, Ronald; Serdula, Mary; Siegel, Karen L; Griffin, Brian; Keiser, Jeffrey; Agate, Lisa; Kite-Powell, Aaron; Roach, David; Humbert, Nancy; Brusuelas, Kristin; Shekar, Sam S

2007-01-01

To describe the outcomes of a collaborative response of federal, state, county, and local agencies in conducting syndromic surveillance and delivering medical care to persons affected by the storm through the use of mobile medical units. Nine mobile medical vans were staffed with medical personnel to deliver care in communities affected by the storm. Individual patient encounter information was collected. A total of 14,033 housing units were approached and checked for occupants. Of residents with whom contact was made, approximately 10 percent required medical assessment in their homes; 3,218 clients were medically evaluated on the mobile medical vans. Sixty-two percent of clients were female. The most common presenting complaints included normal health maintenance (59%), upper respiratory tract illness (10%), and other illness (10%). Injuries occurred in 9 percent. A total of 1,531 doses of medications were dispensed from the mobile medical units during the response. Mobile medical units provided an efficient means to conduct syndromic surveillance and to reach populations in need of medical care who were unable to access fixed local medical facilities.

Identifying and assessing strategies for evaluating the impact of mobile eye health units on health outcomes.

PubMed

Fu, Shiwan; Turner, Angus; Tan, Irene; Muir, Josephine

2017-12-01

To identify and assess strategies for evaluating the impact of mobile eye health units on health outcomes. Systematic literature review. Worldwide. Peer-reviewed journal articles that included the use of a mobile eye health unit. Journal articles were included if outcome measures reflected an assessment of the impact of a mobile eye health unit on health outcomes. Six studies were identified with mobile services offering diabetic retinopathy screening (three studies), optometric services (two studies) and orthoptic services (one study). This review identified and assessed strategies in existing literature used to evaluate the impact of mobile eye health units on health outcomes. Studies included in this review used patient outcomes (i.e. disease detection, vision impairment, treatment compliance) and/or service delivery outcomes (i.e. cost per attendance, hospital transport use, inappropriate referrals, time from diabetic retinopathy photography to treatment) to evaluate the impact of mobile eye health units. Limitations include difficulty proving causation of specific outcome measures and the overall shortage of impact evaluation studies. Variation in geographical location, service population and nature of eye care providers limits broad application. © 2017 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

Development of a compact wearable pneumatic drive unit for a ventricular assist device.

PubMed

Homma, Akihiko; Taenaka, Yoshiyuki; Tatsumi, Eisuke; Akagawa, Eiki; Lee, Hwansung; Nishinaka, Tomohiro; Takewa, Yoshiaki; Mizuno, Toshihide; Tsukiya, Tomonori; Kakuta, Yukihide; Katagiri, Nobumasa; Shimosaki, Isao; Hamada, Shigeru; Mukaibayashi, Hiroshi; Iwaoka, Wataru

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a compact wearable pneumatic drive unit for a ventricular assist device (VAD). This newly developed drive unit, 20 x 8.5 x 20 cm in size and weighing approximately 1.8 kg, consists of a brushless DC motor, noncircular gears, a crankshaft, a cylinder-piston, and air pressure regulation valves. The driving air pressure is generated by the reciprocating motion of the piston and is controlled by the air pressure regulation valves. The systolic ratio is determined by the noncircular gears, and so is fixed for a given configuration. As a result of an overflow-type mock circulation test, a drive unit with a 44% systolic ratio connected to a Toyobo VAD blood pump with a 70-ml stroke volume achieved a pump output of more than 7 l/min at 100 bpm against a 120 mmHg afterload. Long-term animal tests were also performed using drive units with systolic ratios of 45% and 53% in two Holstein calves weighing 62 kg and 74 kg; the tests were terminated on days 30 and 39, respectively, without any malfunction. The mean aortic pressure, bypass flow, and power consumption for the first calf were maintained at 90 x 13 mmHg, 3.9 x 0.9 l/min, and 12 x 1 W, and those for the second calf were maintained at 88 x 13 mmHg, 5.0 x 0.5 l/min, and 16 x 2 W, respectively. These results indicate that the newly developed drive unit may be used as a wearable pneumatic drive unit for the Toyobo VAD blood pump.

Comparison of radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure levels in different everyday microenvironments in an international context.

PubMed

Sagar, Sanjay; Adem, Seid M; Struchen, Benjamin; Loughran, Sarah P; Brunjes, Michael E; Arangua, Lisa; Dalvie, Mohamed Aqiel; Croft, Rodney J; Jerrett, Michael; Moskowitz, Joel M; Kuo, Tony; Röösli, Martin

2018-05-01

The aim of this study was to quantify RF-EMF exposure applying a tested protocol of RF-EMF exposure measurements using portable devices with a high sampling rate in different microenvironments of Switzerland, Ethiopia, Nepal, South Africa, Australia and the United States of America. We used portable measurement devices for assessing RF-EMF exposure in 94 outdoor microenvironments and 18 public transport vehicles. The measurements were taken either by walking with a backpack with the devices at the height of the head and a distance of 20-30 cm from the body, or driving a car with the devices mounted on its roof, which was 170-180 cm above the ground. The measurements were taken for about 30 min while walking and about 15-20 min while driving in each microenvironment, with a sampling rate of once every 4 s (ExpoM-RF) and 5 s (EME Spy 201). Mean total RF-EMF exposure in various outdoor microenvironments varied between 0.23 V/m (non-central residential area in Switzerland) and 1.85 V/m (university area in Australia), and across modes of public transport between 0.32 V/m (bus in rural area in Switzerland) and 0.86 V/m (Auto rickshaw in urban area in Nepal). For most outdoor areas the major exposure contribution was from mobile phone base stations. Otherwise broadcasting was dominant. Uplink from mobile phone handsets was generally very small, except in Swiss trains and some Swiss buses. This study demonstrates high RF-EMF variability between the 94 selected microenvironments from all over the world. Exposure levels tended to increase with increasing urbanity. In most microenvironments downlink from mobile phone base stations is the most relevant contributor. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbiological contamination of mobile phones of clinicians in intensive care units and neonatal care units in public hospitals in Kuwait.

PubMed

Heyba, Mohammed; Ismaiel, Mohammad; Alotaibi, Abdulrahman; Mahmoud, Mohamed; Baqer, Hussain; Safar, Ali; Al-Sweih, Noura; Al-Taiar, Abdullah

2015-10-15

The objective of this study was to explore the prevalence of microbiological contamination of mobile phones that belong to clinicians in intensive care units (ICUs), pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), and neonatal care units (NCUs) in all public secondary care hospitals in Kuwait. The study also aimed to describe mobile phones disinfection practices as well as factors associated with mobile phone contamination. This is a cross-sectional study that included all clinicians with mobile phones in ICUs, PICUs, and NCUs in all secondary care hospitals in Kuwait. Samples for culture were collected from mobile phones and transported for microbiological identification using standard laboratory methods. Self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data on mobile phones disinfection practices. Out of 213 mobile phones, 157 (73.7 %, 95 % CI [67.2-79.5 %]) were colonized. Coagulase-negative staphylococci followed by Micrococcus were predominantly isolated from the mobile phones; 62.9 % and 28.6 % of all mobile phones, respectively. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Gram-negative bacteria were identified in 1.4 % and 7.0 % of the mobile phones, respectively. Sixty-eight clinicians (33.5 %) reported that they disinfected their mobile phones, with the majority disinfecting their mobile phones only when they get dirty. The only factor that was significantly associated with mobile phone contamination was whether a clinician has ever disinfected his/her mobile phone; adjusted odds ratio 2.42 (95 % CI [1.08-5.41], p-value = 0.031). The prevalence of mobile phone contamination is high in ICUs, PICUs, and NCUs in public secondary care hospitals in Kuwait. Although some of the isolated organisms can be considered non-pathogenic, various reports described their potential harm particularly among patients in ICU and NCU settings. Isolation of MRSA and Gram-negative bacteria from mobile phones of clinicians treating patients in high-risk healthcare settings is of a major concern, and calls for efforts to consider guidelines for mobile phone disinfection.

77 FR 71607 - Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) Electrical Equipment Certification Guidance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-03

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [Docket No. USCG-2012-0839] Mobile Offshore Drilling... hazardous areas on foreign-flagged Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs) that have never operated, but... International Maritime Organization (IMO) Code for the Construction and Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling...

Training a Network of Electronic Neurons for Control of a Mobile Robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vromen, T. G. M.; Steur, E.; Nijmeijer, H.

An adaptive training procedure is developed for a network of electronic neurons, which controls a mobile robot driving around in an unknown environment while avoiding obstacles. The neuronal network controls the angular velocity of the wheels of the robot based on the sensor readings. The nodes in the neuronal network controller are clusters of neurons rather than single neurons. The adaptive training procedure ensures that the input-output behavior of the clusters is identical, even though the constituting neurons are nonidentical and have, in isolation, nonidentical responses to the same input. In particular, we let the neurons interact via a diffusive coupling, and the proposed training procedure modifies the diffusion interaction weights such that the neurons behave synchronously with a predefined response. The working principle of the training procedure is experimentally validated and results of an experiment with a mobile robot that is completely autonomously driving in an unknown environment with obstacles are presented.

Coordinated Control of Slip Ratio for Wheeled Mobile Robots Climbing Loose Sloped Terrain

PubMed Central

Li, Zhengcai; Wang, Yang

2014-01-01

A challenging problem faced by wheeled mobile robots (WMRs) such as planetary rovers traversing loose sloped terrain is the inevitable longitudinal slip suffered by the wheels, which often leads to their deviation from the predetermined trajectory, reduced drive efficiency, and possible failures. This study investigates this problem using terramechanics analysis of the wheel-soil interaction. First, a slope-based wheel-soil interaction terramechanics model is built, and an online slip coordinated algorithm is designed based on the goal of optimal drive efficiency. An equation of state is established using the coordinated slip as the desired input and the actual slip as a state variable. To improve the robustness and adaptability of the control system, an adaptive neural network is designed. Analytical results and those of a simulation using Vortex demonstrate the significantly improved mobile performance of the WMR using the proposed control system. PMID:25276849

Coordinated control of slip ratio for wheeled mobile robots climbing loose sloped terrain.

PubMed

Li, Zhengcai; Wang, Yang

2014-01-01

A challenging problem faced by wheeled mobile robots (WMRs) such as planetary rovers traversing loose sloped terrain is the inevitable longitudinal slip suffered by the wheels, which often leads to their deviation from the predetermined trajectory, reduced drive efficiency, and possible failures. This study investigates this problem using terramechanics analysis of the wheel-soil interaction. First, a slope-based wheel-soil interaction terramechanics model is built, and an online slip coordinated algorithm is designed based on the goal of optimal drive efficiency. An equation of state is established using the coordinated slip as the desired input and the actual slip as a state variable. To improve the robustness and adaptability of the control system, an adaptive neural network is designed. Analytical results and those of a simulation using Vortex demonstrate the significantly improved mobile performance of the WMR using the proposed control system.

School and Intermediate License Drive-Cam Study [Mobile .MP4 (480x320/29.97fps/21.7MB)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-07-05

This project builds on two successful rural and urban teen driving studies that have been completed in rural Iowa and urban Minneapolis. The study will recruit 60 new drivers from five rural high schools in Eastern Iowa. During the three-year study d...

77 FR 52043 - Privacy Act of 1974; Proposed Exempt New System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-28

... study. 6. After NIH makes a finding of research misconduct and has informed ORI of the finding... Internet traffic to and from federal computer networks to prevent malicious computer code from reaching the... portable/ mobile devices including, but not limited to: Laptops, PDAs, USB drives, portable hard drives...

Ratchet Effects, Negative Mobility, and Phase Locking for Skyrmions on Periodic Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichhardt, Charles; Ray, Dipanjan; Olson Reichhardt, Cynthia

We examine the dynamics of skyrmions interacting with 1D and 2D periodic substrates in the presence of dc and ac drives. We find that the Magnus term strongly affects the skyrmion dynamics and that new kinds of phenomena can occur which are absent for overdamped ac and dc driven particles interacting with similar substrates. We show that it is possible to realize a Magnus induced ratchet for skyrmions interacting with an asymmetric potential, where the application of an ac drive can produce quantized dc motion of the skyrmions even when the ac force is perpendicular to the substrate asymmetry direction. For symmetric substrates it is also possible to achieve a negative mobility effect where the net skyrmion motion runs counter to an applied dc drive. Here, as a function of increasing dc drive, the velocity-force curves show a series of locking phases that have different features from the classic Shapiro steps found in overdamped systems. In the phase locking and ratcheting states, the skyrmions undergo intricate 2D orbits induced by the Magnus term.

Quality of life technology: the state of personal transportation.

PubMed

van Roosmalen, Linda; Paquin, Gregory J; Steinfeld, Aaron M

2010-02-01

Motor vehicles are a technology that has been embedded in the built environment since the early 1900s. Personal transportation is important for the quality of life of individuals who have disabilities because it gives a feeling of freedom and enables individuals who have mobility impairments to participate in the community. This article describes the evaluation of individuals and their cognitive, sensory, and physical abilities that are important for (safe) driving. A case is made for independent mobility for individuals who have disabilities and elderly individuals by first giving an overview of the functional, cognitive, and sensory abilities that are critical for driving. Second, the types of vehicle modifications and state-of-the-art controls that are available and on the horizon are described and the way in which these technologies are selected to meet driver needs is explained. Requirements for driver safety systems for drivers who remain in their wheelchairs are then discussed. Finally, emerging and innovative driving enhancement systems, such as obstacle avoidance and navigation, are discussed, as are their benefits in helping drivers who have disabilities and elderly drivers to experience safe and independent driving.

29. SOUTH SWING SPAN, SHOWING REPRESENTATIVE REDUCTION GEAR/MOTOR DRIVE UNIT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

29. SOUTH SWING SPAN, SHOWING REPRESENTATIVE REDUCTION GEAR/MOTOR DRIVE UNIT (CENTER) AND WEDGE MOTOR UNIT (RIGHT). - George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge, Spanning York River at U.S. Route 17, Yorktown, York County, VA

46 CFR 11.540 - Endorsements as engineers of mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Endorsements as engineers of mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs). 11.540 Section 11.540 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY MERCHANT... Engineer Officer Endorsements § 11.540 Endorsements as engineers of mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs...

A patient mobility framework that travels: European and United States-Mexican comparisons.

PubMed

Laugesen, Miriam J; Vargas-Bustamante, Arturo

2010-10-01

To develop a framework that parsimoniously explains divergent patient mobility in the United States and Europe. Review of studies of patient mobility; data from the 2007 Flash Eurobarometer and the 2001 California Health Interview Survey was analyzed; and we reviewed government policies and documents in the United States and Europe. Four types of patient mobility are defined: primary, complementary, duplicative, and institutionalized. Primary exit occurs when people without comprehensive insurance travel because they cannot afford to pay for health insurance or directly finance care, as in the United States and Mexico. Second, people will exit to buy complementary services not covered, or partially covered by domestic health insurance, in both the United States and Europe. Third, in Europe, patient mobility for duplicative services provides faster or better quality treatment. Finally, governments and insurers can encourage institutionalized exit through expanded delivery options and financing. Institutionalized exit is developing in Europe, but uncoordinated and geographically limited in the United States. This parsimonious framework explains patient mobility by considering domestic health system characteristics relating to cost and quality. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Setting up a mobile dental practice within your present office structure.

PubMed

Morreale, James P; Dimitry, Susan; Morreale, Mark; Fattore, Isabella

2005-02-01

Different service models have emerged in Canada and the United States to address the issue of senior citizens' lack of access to comprehensive dental care. Over the past decade, one such model, the use of mobile dental service units, has emerged as a practical strategy. This article describes a mobile unit, operated as an adjunct to the general practitioner's office and relying mainly on existing office resources, both human and capital, to deliver services at long-term care institutions. The essential components of a profitable geriatric mobile unit are described, including education, equipment, marketing research and development, and human resource management. Issues related to patient consent and operating expenditures are also discussed. Data from one practitioner's mobile dental unit, in Hamilton, Ontario, are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and profitability of this approach.

Interrater Reliability of the Power Mobility Road Test in the Virtual Reality-Based Simulator-2.

PubMed

Kamaraj, Deepan C; Dicianno, Brad E; Mahajan, Harshal P; Buhari, Alhaji M; Cooper, Rory A

2016-07-01

To assess interrater reliability of the Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT) when administered through the Virtual Reality-based SIMulator-version 2 (VRSIM-2). Within-subjects repeated-measures design. Participants interacted with VRSIM-2 through 2 display options (desktop monitor vs immersive virtual reality screens) using 2 control interfaces (roller system vs conventional movement-sensing joystick), providing 4 different driving scenarios (driving conditions 1-4). Participants performed 3 virtual driving sessions for each of the 2 display screens and 1 session through a real-world driving course (driving condition 5). The virtual PMRT was conducted in a simulated indoor office space, and an equivalent course was charted in an open space for the real-world assessment. After every change in driving condition, participants completed a self-reported workload assessment questionnaire, the Task Load Index, developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. A convenience sample of electric-powered wheelchair (EPW) athletes (N=21) recruited at the 31st National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Not applicable. Total composite PMRT score. The PMRT had high interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]>.75) between the 2 raters in all 5 driving conditions. Post hoc analyses revealed that the reliability analyses had >80% power to detect high ICCs in driving conditions 1 and 4. The PMRT has high interrater reliability in conditions 1 and 4 and could be used to assess EPW driving performance virtually in VRSIM-2. However, further psychometric assessment is necessary to assess the feasibility of administering the PMRT using the different interfaces of VRSIM-2. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transdiaphragmatic pressure and neural respiratory drive measured during inspiratory muscle training in stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Wu, Weiliang; Zhang, Xianming; Lin, Lin; Ou, Yonger; Li, Xiaoying; Guan, Lili; Guo, Bingpeng; Zhou, Luqian; Chen, Rongchang

2017-01-01

Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is a rehabilitation therapy for stable patients with COPD. However, its therapeutic effect remains undefined due to the unclear nature of diaphragmatic mobilization during IMT. Diaphragmatic mobilization, represented by transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi), and neural respiratory drive, expressed as the corrected root mean square (RMS) of the diaphragmatic electromyogram (EMGdi), both provide vital information to select the proper IMT device and loads in COPD, therefore contributing to the curative effect of IMT. Pdi and RMS of EMGdi (RMSdi%) were measured and compared during inspiratory resistive training and threshold load training in stable patients with COPD. Pdi and neural respiratory drive were measured continuously during inspiratory resistive training and threshold load training in 12 stable patients with COPD (forced expiratory volume in 1 s ± SD was 26.1%±10.2% predicted). Pdi was significantly higher during high-intensity threshold load training (91.46±17.24 cmH 2 O) than during inspiratory resistive training (27.24±6.13 cmH 2 O) in stable patients with COPD, with P <0.01 for each. Significant difference was also found in RMSdi% between high-intensity threshold load training and inspiratory resistive training (69.98%±16.78% vs 17.26%±14.65%, P <0.01). We concluded that threshold load training shows greater mobilization of Pdi and neural respiratory drive than inspiratory resistive training in stable patients with COPD.

Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A). Performance Verification Report: Antenna Drive Subsystem METSAT AMSU-A2 (PN:1331200-2, SN:108)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haapala, C.

1999-01-01

This is the Performance Verification Report, Antenna Drive Subassembly, Antenna Drive Subsystem, METSAT AMSU-A2 (P/N 1331200-2, SN: 108), for the Integrated Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A).

Statement from FCC Spokesperson Tammy Sun on Letter from NTIA Addressing Harmful Interference Testing Conclusions Pertaining to LightSquared and Global Positioning Systems

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-02-14

To drive economic growth, job creation, and to promote competition, the FCC has been focused on : freeing up spectrum for mobile broadband. This includes our efforts to remove regulatory barriers that : preclude the use of spectrum for mobile serv...

Using Web Metric Software to Drive: Mobile Website Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tidal, Junior

2011-01-01

Many libraries have developed mobile versions of their websites. In order to understand their users, web developers have conducted both usability tests and focus groups, yet analytical software and web server logs can also be used to better understand users. Using data collected from these tools, the Ursula C. Schwerin Library has made informed…

Portable Applications in Mobile Education. Technical Evaluation Report 57

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baggaley, Jon

2006-01-01

Portable software applications can be carried on a convenient storage medium such as a USB drive, and offer numerous benefits to mobile teachers and learner. The article illustrates the growing field of "portable apps" in reviews of seven contrasting products. These represent the major categories of document editing, email maintenance,…

A Mobile Online/CD-ROM Workstation for Demos and Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Carol; Friend, Linda

1991-01-01

Describes a mobile workstation that was developed at Penn State University to provide library instruction and demonstrations of online and CD-ROM searching. Use of the workstation for classroom instruction and staff training is discussed; and designing the workstation to include a computer, overhead projector, modem, CD-ROM drive, and printer is…

Regional, Continental, and Global Mobility to an Emerging Economy: The Case of South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jenny J.; Sehoole, Chika

2015-01-01

This study examined mobility within the understudied region of southern Africa and particularly, the factors that drive and shape educational migration toward South Africa as a regional, continental, and global destination. Based on a survey administered to international students across seven South African universities, the findings revealed…

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-02-12

A test engineer drives a Mobility Test Article (MTA) during a test of a Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) concept through the mountains of Arizona. The data provided by the MTA helped in designing the LRV, developed under the direction of MSFC. The LRV was designed to allow Apollo astronauts a greater range of mobility during lunar exploration missions.

Cognitive impairment and driving safety.

PubMed

Eby, David W; Molnar, Lisa J

2012-11-01

As the populations of many countries continue to age, cognitive impairment will likely become more common. Individuals with cognitive impairment pose special challenges for families, health professionals, driving safety professionals, and the larger community, particularly if these older adults depend on driving as their primary means of community mobility. It is vital that we continue to extend our knowledge about the driving behavior of individuals' with cognitive impairment, as well as try to develop effective means of screening and assessing these individuals for fitness to drive and help facilitate their transition to non-driving when appropriate. This special issue is intended to provide researchers and practitioners an opportunity to present the most recent research findings on driving-related issues among older adults with cognitive impairment. The issue contains 11 original contributions from seven countries. The topics covered by these papers are: crash risks; screening, assessment, and fitness to drive; driving performance using a driving simulator; and driving behaviors and driving-related decisions of people with cognitive impairments. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[Driving and health at work].

PubMed

Giorgio, Marie-Thérèse

2015-09-01

The role of the occupational physician is to prevent occupational accidents and diseases. Therefore, he is the one to decide if a worker is fit to drive in the context of his professional activity, including in cases where no specific driving license is required (e.g. forklift truck, mobile crane). This decision is an important one, as two thirds of fatal occupational accidents occur on the road. The decision is made on the basis of both a medical examination and the regulation, which indicates all contraindications to driving. The physician's responsibility is involved, as is the employer's, as he must ensure that his employee is fit to drive and possesses a valid driving license at all times. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

75 FR 51943 - Safety Zone; DEEPWATER HORIZON at Mississippi Canyon 252 Outer Continental Shelf MODU in the Gulf...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-24

... the DEEPWATER HORIZON, a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), at Mississippi Canyon 252, in the Outer... the DEEPWATER HORIZON, a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), which is currently set to expire on... response to the sinking of the DEEPWATER HORIZON, a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), near Mississippi...

Developing and Implementing a Mobile Conservation Education Unit for Rural Primary School Children in Lao PDR

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansel, Troy; Phimmavong, Somvang; Phengsopha, Kaisone; Phompila, Chitana; Homduangpachan, Khiaosaphan

2010-01-01

In this article, the authors examine the implementation and success of a mobile conservation education unit targeting primary schools in central Lao PDR (People's Democratic Republic). The mobile unit conducted 3-hour interactive programs for school children focused on the importance of wildlife and biodiversity around the primary schools in rural…

47 CFR 90.421 - Operation of mobile station units not under the control of the licensee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PRIVATE LAND MOBILE RADIO SERVICES Operating Requirements § 90... unauthorized operation of such units not under its control. (a) Public Safety Pool. (1) Mobile units licensed in the Public Safety Pool may be installed in any vehicle which in an emergency would require...

76 FR 75508 - United States Navy Restricted Area, SUPSHIP Bath Maine Detachment Mobile at AUSTAL, USA, Mobile...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-02

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers 33 CFR Part 334 United States Navy Restricted Area, SUPSHIP Bath Maine Detachment Mobile at AUSTAL, USA, Mobile, AL; Restricted Area... craft, except those vessels under the supervision or contract to local military or Naval authority...

Income Inequality and Intergenerational Income Mobility in the United States

PubMed Central

Bloome, Deirdre

2015-01-01

Is there a relationship between family income inequality and income mobility across generations in the United States? As family income inequality rose in the United States, parental resources available for improving children’s health, education, and care diverged. The amount and rate of divergence also varied across US states. Researchers and policy analysts have expressed concern that relatively high inequality might be accompanied by relatively low mobility, tightening the connection between individuals’ incomes during childhood and adulthood. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, and various government sources, this paper exploits state and cohort variation to estimate the relationship between inequality and mobility. Results provide very little support for the hypothesis that inequality shapes mobility in the United States. The inequality children experienced during youth had no robust association with their economic mobility as adults. Formal analysis reveals that offsetting effects could underlie this result. In theory, mobility-enhancing forces may counterbalance mobility-reducing effects. In practice, the results suggest that in the US context, the intergenerational transmission of income may not be very responsive to changes in inequality. PMID:26388653

Research and development of electric vehicles for clean transportation.

PubMed

Wada, Masayoshi

2009-01-01

This article presents the research and development of an electric vehicle (EV) in Department of Human-Robotics Saitama Institute of Technology, Japan. Electric mobile systems developed in our laboratory include a converted electric automobile, electric wheelchair and personal mobile robot. These mobile systems contribute to realize clean transportation since energy sources and devices from all vehicles, i.e., batteries and electric motors, does not deteriorate the environment. To drive motors for vehicle traveling, robotic technologies were applied.

The prevalence of mobile phone use among motorcyclists in three Mexican cities.

PubMed

Pérez-Núñez, Ricardo; Hidalgo-Solórzano, Elisa; Vera-López, Juan Daniel; Lunnen, Jeffrey C; Chandran, Aruna; Híjar, Martha; Hyder, Adnan A

2014-01-01

To quantify the prevalence of mobile phone use among motorcyclists in 3 Mexican cities and to identify associated factors. Two rounds of roadside observations were conducted in Guadalajara-Zapopan, León, and Cuernavaca from December 2011 to May 2012. Observation sites were selected randomly and all motorcyclists circulating at those sites were recorded. Motorcyclists observed talking into a phone (either handheld or hands-free) or texting were recorded as using a mobile phone while driving. A total of 4244 motorcyclists were observed. The overall prevalence of mobile phone use was 0.64 percent (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.42-0.92); it was highest in Guadalajara-Zapopan (1.03%; 95% CI: 0.61-1.63) and among motorcyclists not using a helmet (1.45% versus 0.4%; P = .000) and those riding on 1-lane roads (1.6% versus 0.8% on 2-lane roads and 0.5% in 3- to 5-lane roads; P = .046). To our knowledge this is the first study that reports the prevalence of mobile phone use while driving among motorcyclists. The observed prevalence is higher than the prevalence stated in a previous report from China on electric bicycle riders. This risk factor should be monitored in the future given the growing popularity of motorcycles and the availability of mobile devices. Current legislation should be enforced to avoid potential injuries and deaths attributable to this risk factor.

Power Mobility with Collision Avoidance for Older Adults: User, Caregiver and Prescriber Perspectives

PubMed Central

Wang, Rosalie H; Korotchenko, Alexandra; Clarke, Laura Hurd; Ben Mortenson, W; Mihailidis, Alex

2017-01-01

Collision avoidance technology has the capacity to facilitate safer mobility among older power mobility users with physical, sensory and cognitive impairments, thus enabling independence for more potential users. However, little is known about consumers’ perceptions of collision avoidance. This article draws on interviews with 29 users, five caregivers, and 10 prescribers to examine views on the design and utilization of this technology. Data analysis identified three themes: “useful situations or contexts”, “technology design issues and real life application”, and “appropriateness of collision avoidance technology for a variety of users”. Findings support the ongoing development of collision avoidance for older adult users. The majority of participants were supportive of the technology, and felt that it might benefit current power mobility users and users with visual impairments, but might be unsuitable for people with significant cognitive impairments. Some participants voiced concerns regarding the risk for injury with power mobility use and some identified situations where collision avoidance might be beneficial (driving backwards, avoiding dynamic obstacles, negotiating outdoor barriers, and learning power mobility use). Design issues include the need for context awareness, reliability, and user interface specifications. Furthermore, user desire to maintain driving autonomy indicates the need to develop collaboratively-controlled systems. This research lays the groundwork for future development by identifying and illustrating consumer needs for this technology. PMID:24458968

Should I Text or Call Here? A Situation-Based Analysis of Drivers' Perceived Likelihood of Engaging in Mobile Phone Multitasking.

PubMed

Oviedo-Trespalacios, Oscar; Haque, Md Mazharul; King, Mark; Washington, Simon

2018-05-29

This study investigated how situational characteristics typically encountered in the transport system influence drivers' perceived likelihood of engaging in mobile phone multitasking. The impacts of mobile phone tasks, perceived environmental complexity/risk, and drivers' individual differences were evaluated as relevant individual predictors within the behavioral adaptation framework. An innovative questionnaire, which includes randomized textual and visual scenarios, was administered to collect data from a sample of 447 drivers in South East Queensland-Australia (66% females; n = 296). The likelihood of engaging in a mobile phone task across various scenarios was modeled by a random parameters ordered probit model. Results indicated that drivers who are female, are frequent users of phones for texting/answering calls, have less favorable attitudes towards safety, and are highly disinhibited were more likely to report stronger intentions of engaging in mobile phone multitasking. However, more years with a valid driving license, self-efficacy toward self-regulation in demanding traffic conditions and police enforcement, texting tasks, and demanding traffic conditions were negatively related to self-reported likelihood of mobile phone multitasking. The unobserved heterogeneity warned of riskier groups among female drivers and participants who need a lot of convincing to believe that multitasking while driving is dangerous. This research concludes that behavioral adaptation theory is a robust framework explaining self-regulation of distracted drivers. © 2018 Society for Risk Analysis.

STTR Phase 1 Final Technical Report for Project Entitled "Developing a Mobile Torrefaction Machine"

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

James, Joseph J.

The goal of this project, sponsored by Agri-Tech Producers, LLC (ATP), the small business grantee, was to determine if the torrefaction technology, developed by North Carolina State University (NCSU), which ATP has licensed, could be feasibly deployed in a mobile unit. The study adds to the area investigated, by having ATP’s STTR Phase I team give thoughtful consideration to how to use NCSU’s technology in a mobile unit. The findings by ATP’s team were that NCSU’s technology would best perform in units 30’ by 80’ (See Spec Sheet for the Torre-Tech 5.0 Unit in the Appendix) and the technical effectivenessmore » and economic feasibility investigation suggested that such units were not easily, efficiently or safely utilized in a forest or farm setting. (Note rendering of possible mobile system in the Appendix) Therefore, the findings by ATP’s team were that NCSU’s technology could not feasibly be deployed as a mobile unit.« less

Agile and dexterous robot for inspection and EOD operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handelman, David A.; Franken, Gordon H.; Komsuoglu, Haldun

2010-04-01

The All-Terrain Biped (ATB) robot is an unmanned ground vehicle with arms, legs and wheels designed to drive, crawl, walk and manipulate objects for inspection and explosive ordnance disposal tasks. This paper summarizes on-going development of the ATB platform. Control technology for semi-autonomous legged mobility and dual-arm dexterity is described as well as preliminary simulation and hardware test results. Performance goals include driving on flat terrain, crawling on steep terrain, walking on stairs, opening doors and grasping objects. Anticipated benefits of the adaptive mobility and dexterity of the ATB platform include increased robot agility and autonomy for EOD operations, reduced operator workload and reduced operator training and skill requirements.

Optimization of Driving Styles for Fuel Economy Improvement

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malikopoulos, Andreas; Aguilar, Juan P.

2012-01-01

Modern vehicles have sophisticated electronic control units, particularly to control engine operation with respect to a balance between fuel economy, emissions, and power. These control units are designed for specific driving conditions and testing. However, each individual driving style is different and rarely meets those driving conditions. In the research reported here we investigate those driving style factors that have a major impact on fuel economy. An optimization framework is proposed with the aim of optimizing driving styles with respect to these driving factors. A set of polynomial metamodels are constructed to reflect the responses produced by changes of themore » driving factors. Then we compare the optimized driving styles to the original ones and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the optimization formulation.« less

Prolonged mechanical ventilation in Canadian intensive care units: a national survey.

PubMed

Rose, Louise; Fowler, Robert A; Fan, Eddy; Fraser, Ian; Leasa, David; Mawdsley, Cathy; Pedersen, Cheryl; Rubenfeld, Gordon

2015-02-01

We sought to describe prevalence and care practices for patients experiencing prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV), defined as ventilation for 21 or more consecutive days and medical stability. We provided the survey to eligible units via secure Web link to a nominated unit champion from April to November 2012. Weekly telephone and e-mail reminders were sent for 6 weeks. Response rate was 215 (90%) of 238 units identifying 308 patients requiring PMV on the survey day occupying 11% of all Canadian ventilator-capable beds. Most units (81%) used individualized plans for both weaning and mobilization. Weaning and mobilization protocols were available in 48% and 38% of units, respectively. Of those units with protocols, only 25% reported weaning guidance specific to PMV, and 11% reported mobilization content for PMV. Only 30% of units used specialized mobility equipment. Most units referred to speech language pathologists (88%); use of communication technology was infrequent (11%). Only 29% routinely referred to psychiatry/psychology, and 17% had formal discharge follow-up services. Prolonged mechanical ventilation patients occupied 11% of Canadian acute care ventilator bed capacity. Most units preferred an individualized approach to weaning and mobilization with considerable variation in weaning methods, protocol availability, access to specialized rehabilitation equipment, communication technology, psychiatry, and discharge follow-up. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU): Proven hardware for Satellite Servicing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

A general technical description of the extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) is given. The description provides a basis for understanding EMU mobility capabilities and the environments a payload is exposed to in the vicinity of an EMU.

75 FR 26091 - Safety Zone; Riser for DEEPWATER HORIZON at Mississippi Canyon 252 Outer Continental Shelf MODU...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-11

... establishing a safety zone around the riser for the DEEPWATER HORIZON, a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU... Mexico in response to the sinking of the DEEPWATER HORIZON, a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), which.... 147.T08-849 to read as follows: Sec. 147.T08-849 DEEPWATER HORIZON Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit...

Generic Dynamic Environment Perception Using Smart Mobile Devices.

PubMed

Danescu, Radu; Itu, Razvan; Petrovai, Andra

2016-10-17

The driving environment is complex and dynamic, and the attention of the driver is continuously challenged, therefore computer based assistance achieved by processing image and sensor data may increase traffic safety. While active sensors and stereovision have the advantage of obtaining 3D data directly, monocular vision is easy to set up, and can benefit from the increasing computational power of smart mobile devices, and from the fact that almost all of them come with an embedded camera. Several driving assistance application are available for mobile devices, but they are mostly targeted for simple scenarios and a limited range of obstacle shapes and poses. This paper presents a technique for generic, shape independent real-time obstacle detection for mobile devices, based on a dynamic, free form 3D representation of the environment: the particle based occupancy grid. Images acquired in real time from the smart mobile device's camera are processed by removing the perspective effect and segmenting the resulted bird-eye view image to identify candidate obstacle areas, which are then used to update the occupancy grid. The occupancy grid tracked cells are grouped into obstacles depicted as cuboids having position, size, orientation and speed. The easy to set up system is able to reliably detect most obstacles in urban traffic, and its measurement accuracy is comparable to a stereovision system.

Streamlining Data for Cross-Platform Web Delivery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Sean; Battles, Jason; Vacek, Rachel

2013-01-01

Smartphone users expect the presentation of Web sites on their mobile browsers to look and feel like native applications. With the pressure on library Web developers to produce app-like mobile sites, there is often a rush to get a site up without considering the importance of reusing or even restructuring the data driving the Web sites. An…

Mobile Learning and the Visual Web, Oh My! Nutrition Education in the 21st Century

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuster, Ellen

2012-01-01

Technology is rapidly changing how our program participants learn in school and for their personal improvement. Extension educators who deliver nutrition program will want to be aware of the technology trends that are driving these changes. Blended learning, mobile learning, the visual Web, and the gamification of health are approaches to consider…

75 FR 20863 - Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Clean Air Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-21

... given that on April 16, 2010, a proposed Consent Decree in United States v. Mobil Oil Guam, Inc., and Mobil Oil Mariana Islands, Inc., Civil Action No. 10-00006, was lodged with the United States District... Defendants Mobil Oil Guam, Inc., and Mobil Oil Mariana Islands, Inc., resolves allegations by the U.S...

nanos-Driven expression of piggyBac transposase induces mobilization of a synthetic autonomous transposon in the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles stephensi.

PubMed

Macias, Vanessa M; Jimenez, Alyssa J; Burini-Kojin, Bianca; Pledger, David; Jasinskiene, Nijole; Phong, Celine Hien; Chu, Karen; Fazekas, Aniko; Martin, Kelcie; Marinotti, Osvaldo; James, Anthony A

2017-08-01

Transposons are a class of selfish DNA elements that can mobilize within a genome. If mobilization is accompanied by an increase in copy number (replicative transposition), the transposon may sweep through a population until it is fixed in all of its interbreeding members. This introgression has been proposed as the basis for drive systems to move genes with desirable phenotypes into target species. One such application would be to use them to move a gene conferring resistance to malaria parasites throughout a population of vector mosquitos. We assessed the feasibility of using the piggyBac transposon as a gene-drive mechanism to distribute anti-malarial transgenes in populations of the malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi. We designed synthetic gene constructs that express the piggyBac transposase in the female germline using the control DNA of the An. stephensi nanos orthologous gene linked to marker genes to monitor inheritance. Two remobilization events were observed with a frequency of one every 23 generations, a rate far below what would be useful to drive anti-pathogen transgenes into wild mosquito populations. We discuss the possibility of optimizing this system and the impetus to do so. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Progress report on a multi-service family planning mobile unit September, 1981.

PubMed

1981-12-01

In 1979, the National Family Planning Program's (NFPP) multiservice mobile unit pilot project was implemented to deliver a full complement of clinical and nonclinical family planning services to remote Thai villages by transporting nurses, physicians, and supplies by van. 15 provinces with the lowest family planning achievement in 1978 were selected to participate in the project for 1 year; one refused. Funding was allocated for mobile unit trips and promotional billboards. Implementation at the time of data analysis averaged 9.8 province-months, sufficient to reveal trends in project achievement. 9579 new acceptors were reported after 805 mobile trips in the 14 provinces, an average of 12 new acceptors/trip. New acceptor recruitment costs were estimated at $6.20/client. Based on Thai data for continuation rates, an estimated 18,238 couples years of protection (CYP) were achieved by the mobile unit. In comparison to other family planning services' mobile units, the multiservice unit had the lowest operating costs, but the most expensive cost/CYP. The effectiveness of the promotional billboards was assessed by comparing acceptor rates in provinces with and without billboards. Overall, the provinces with billboards showed less of an increase in new acceptors. When months of project implementation are controlled, a positive effect of the billboards is suggested. While demonstrating that all modern contraception can be delivered via mobile units to remote villages, there is inadequate acceptance of the highly effective family planning methods to justify the cost of transporting staff and equipment.

Horizontal transfer and gene conversion as an important driving force in shaping the landscape of mitochondrial introns.

PubMed

Wu, Baojun; Hao, Weilong

2014-04-16

Group I introns are highly dynamic and mobile, featuring extensive presence-absence variation and widespread horizontal transfer. Group I introns can invade intron-lacking alleles via intron homing powered by their own encoded homing endonuclease gene (HEG) after horizontal transfer or via reverse splicing through an RNA intermediate. After successful invasion, the intron and HEG are subject to degeneration and sequential loss. It remains unclear whether these mechanisms can fully address the high dynamics and mobility of group I introns. Here, we found that HEGs undergo a fast gain-and-loss turnover comparable with introns in the yeast mitochondrial 21S-rRNA gene, which is unexpected, as the intron and HEG are generally believed to move together as a unit. We further observed extensively mosaic sequences in both the introns and HEGs, and evidence of gene conversion between HEG-containing and HEG-lacking introns. Our findings suggest horizontal transfer and gene conversion can accelerate HEG/intron degeneration and loss, or rescue and propagate HEG/introns, and ultimately result in high HEG/intron turnover rate. Given that up to 25% of the yeast mitochondrial genome is composed of introns and most mitochondrial introns are group I introns, horizontal transfer and gene conversion could have served as an important mechanism in introducing mitochondrial intron diversity, promoting intron mobility and consequently shaping mitochondrial genome architecture.

Thermal-inertial ratchet effects: negative mobility, resonant activation, noise-enhanced stability, and noise-weakened stability.

PubMed

Li, Jing-hui; Łuczka, Jerzy

2010-10-01

Transport properties of a Brownian particle in thermal-inertial ratchets subject to an external time-oscillatory drive and a constant bias force are investigated. Since the phenomena of negative mobility, resonant activation and noise-enhance stability were reported before, in the present paper, we report some additional aspects of negative mobility, resonant activation and noise-enhance stability, such as the ingredients for the appearances of these phenomena, multiple resonant activation peaks, current reversals, noise-weakened stability, and so on.

Fuzzy Inference Based Obstacle Avoidance Control of Electric Powered Wheelchair Considering Driving Risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiso, Atsushi; Murakami, Hiroki; Seki, Hirokazu

This paper describes a novel obstacle avoidance control scheme of electric powered wheelchairs for realizing the safe driving in various environments. The “electric powered wheelchair” which generates the driving force by electric motors is expected to be widely used as a mobility support system for elderly people and disabled people; however, the driving performance must be further improved because the number of driving accidents caused by elderly operator's narrow sight and joystick operation errors is increasing. This paper proposes a novel obstacle avoidance control scheme based on fuzzy algorithm to prevent driving accidents. The proposed control system determines the driving direction by fuzzy algorithm based on the information of the joystick operation and distance to obstacles measured by ultrasonic sensors. Fuzzy rules to determine the driving direction are designed surely to avoid passers-by and walls considering the human's intent and driving environments. Some driving experiments on the practical situations show the effectiveness of the proposed control system.

Laser-direct-drive program: Promise, challenge, and path forward

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campbell, E. M.; Goncharov, V. N.; Sangster, T. C.

Along with laser-indirect (x-ray)-drive and magnetic-drive target concepts, laser direct drive is a viable approach to achieving ignition and gain with inertial confinement fusion. In the United States, a national program has been established to demonstrate and understand the physics of laser direct drive. The program utilizes the Omega Laser Facility to conduct implosion and coupling physics at the nominally 30-kJ scale and laser–plasma interaction and coupling physics at the MJ scale at the National Ignition Facility. This paper will discuss the motivation and challenges for laser direct drive and the broad-based program presently underway in the United States.

Laser-direct-drive program: Promise, challenge, and path forward

DOE PAGES

Campbell, E. M.; Goncharov, V. N.; Sangster, T. C.; ...

2017-03-19

Along with laser-indirect (x-ray)-drive and magnetic-drive target concepts, laser direct drive is a viable approach to achieving ignition and gain with inertial confinement fusion. In the United States, a national program has been established to demonstrate and understand the physics of laser direct drive. The program utilizes the Omega Laser Facility to conduct implosion and coupling physics at the nominally 30-kJ scale and laser–plasma interaction and coupling physics at the MJ scale at the National Ignition Facility. This paper will discuss the motivation and challenges for laser direct drive and the broad-based program presently underway in the United States.

A Closed-Loop Proportional-Integral (PI) Control Software for Fully Mechanically Controlled Automated Electron Microscopic Tomography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

REN, GANG; LIU, JINXIN; LI, HONGCHANG

A closed-loop proportional-integral (PI) control software is provided for fully mechanically controlled automated electron microscopic tomography. The software is developed based on Gatan DigitalMicrograph, and is compatible with Zeiss LIBRA 120 transmission electron microscope. However, it can be expanded to other TEM instrument with modification. The software consists of a graphical user interface, a digital PI controller, an image analyzing unit, and other drive units (i.e.: image acquire unit and goniometer drive unit). During a tomography data collection process, the image analyzing unit analyzes both the accumulated shift and defocus value of the latest acquired image, and provides the resultsmore » to the digital PI controller. The digital PI control compares the results with the preset values and determines the optimum adjustments of the goniometer. The goniometer drive unit adjusts the spatial position of the specimen according to the instructions given by the digital PI controller for the next tilt angle and image acquisition. The goniometer drive unit achieves high precision positioning by using a backlash elimination method. The major benefits of the software are: 1) the goniometer drive unit keeps pre-aligned/optimized beam conditions unchanged and achieves position tracking solely through mechanical control; 2) the image analyzing unit relies on only historical data and therefore does not require additional images/exposures; 3) the PI controller enables the system to dynamically track the imaging target with extremely low system error.« less

Associations Between Driving Performance and Engaging in Secondary Tasks: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Ferdinand, Alva O.

2014-01-01

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature examining the relationship between driving performance and engaging in secondary tasks. We extracted data from abstracts of 206 empirical articles published between 1968 and 2012 and developed a logistic regression model to identify correlates of a detrimental relationship between secondary tasks and driving performance. Of 350 analyses, 80% reported finding a detrimental relationship. Studies using experimental designs were 37% less likely to report a detrimental relationship (P = .014). Studies examining mobile phone use while driving were 16% more likely to find such a relationship (P = .009). Quasi-experiments can better determine the effects of secondary tasks on driving performance and consequently serve to inform policymakers interested in reducing distracted driving and increasing roadway safety. PMID:24432925

Driving difficulties in Parkinson's disease

PubMed Central

Rizzo, Matthew; Uc, Ergun Y; Dawson, Jeffrey; Anderson, Steven; Rodnitzky, Robert

2011-01-01

Safe driving requires the coordination of attention, perception, memory, motor and executive functions (including decision-making) and self-awareness. PD and other disorders may impair these abilities. Because age or medical diagnosis alone is often an unreliable criterion for licensure, decisions on fitness to drive should be based on empirical observations of performance. Linkages between cognitive abilities measured by neuropsychological tasks, and driving behavior assessed using driving simulators, and natural and naturalistic observations in instrumented vehicles, can help standardize the assessment of fitness-to-drive. By understanding the patterns of driver safety errors that cause crashes, it may be possible to design interventions to reduce these errors and injuries and increase mobility. This includes driver performance monitoring devices, collision alerting and warning systems, road design, and graded licensure strategies. PMID:20187237

World's First 24/7 Mobile Stroke Unit: Initial 6-Month Experience at Mercy Health in Toledo, Ohio.

PubMed

Lin, Eugene; Calderon, Victoria; Goins-Whitmore, Julie; Bansal, Vibhav; Zaidat, Osama

2018-01-01

As the fourth mobile stroke unit (MSU) in the nation, and the first 24/7 unit worldwide, we review our initial experience with the Mercy Health MSU and institutional protocols implemented to facilitate rapid treatment of acute stroke patients and field triage for patients suffering other time-sensitive, acute neurologic emergencies in Lucas County, Ohio, and the greater Toledo metropolitan area. Data was prospectively collected for all patients transported and treated by the MSU during the first 6 months of service. Data was abstracted from documentation of on-scene emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, critical care nurses, and onboard physicians, who participated through telemedicine. The MSU was dispatched 248 times and transported 105 patients after on-scene examination with imaging. Intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) was administered to 10 patients; 8 patients underwent successful endovascular therapy after a large vessel occlusion was identified using CT performed within the MSU without post treatment symptomatic hemorrhage. Moreover, 14 patients were treated with IV anti-epileptics for status epilepticus, and 19 patients received IV anti-hypertensive agents for malignant hypertension. MSU alarm to on-scene times and treatment times were 34.7 min (25-49) and 50.6 min (44.4-56.8), respectively. The world's first 24/7 MSU has been successfully implemented with IV-tPA administration rates and times comparable to other MSUs nation-wide, while demonstrating rapid triage and treatment in the field for neurologic emergencies, including status epilepticus. With the rising number of MSUs worldwide, further data will drive standardized protocols that can be adopted nationwide by EMS.

Using Mobile Health Clinics to Reach College Students: A National Demonstration Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fennell, Reginald; Escue, Christopher

2013-01-01

Background: The mobile health unit (MHU) was a grant-funded national initiative to explore the utilization of a mobile clinic to provide health promotion and clinical services for college students in the United States. Purpose: In 2010 and 2011, a 38-foot mobile clinic tested the feasibility of utilizing the clinic to deliver health promotion and…

49 CFR 177.804 - Compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... grade crossings in § 392.12 of this title; (2) May not engage in, allow, or require texting while driving, in accordance with § 392.80 of this title; and (3) May not engage in, allow, or require the use of a hand-held mobile telephone while driving, in accordance with § 392.82 of this title. [78 FR...

Combining axial and radial nanowire heterostructures: radial Esaki diodes and tunnel field-effect transistors.

PubMed

Dey, Anil W; Svensson, Johannes; Ek, Martin; Lind, Erik; Thelander, Claes; Wernersson, Lars-Erik

2013-01-01

The ever-growing demand on high-performance electronics has generated transistors with very impressive figures of merit (Radosavljevic et al., IEEE Int. Devices Meeting 2009, 1-4 and Cho et al., IEEE Int. Devices Meeting 2011, 15.1.1-15.1.4). The continued scaling of the supply voltage of field-effect transistors, such as tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs), requires the implementation of advanced transistor architectures including FinFETs and nanowire devices. Moreover, integration of novel materials with high electron mobilities, such as III-V semiconductors and graphene, are also being considered to further enhance the device properties (del Alamo, Nature 2011, 479, 317-323, and Liao et al., Nature 2010, 467, 305-308). In nanowire devices, boosting the drive current at a fixed supply voltage or maintaining a constant drive current at a reduced supply voltage may be achieved by increasing the cross-sectional area of a device, however at the cost of deteriorated electrostatics. A gate-all-around nanowire device architecture is the most favorable electrostatic configuration to suppress short channel effects; however, the arrangement of arrays of parallel vertical nanowires to address the drive current predicament will require additional chip area. The use of a core-shell nanowire with a radial heterojunction in a transistor architecture provides an attractive means to address the drive current issue without compromising neither chip area nor device electrostatics. In addition to design advantages of a radial transistor architecture, we in this work illustrate the benefit in terms of drive current per unit chip area and compare the experimental data for axial GaSb/InAs Esaki diodes and TFETs to their radial counterparts and normalize the electrical data to the largest cross-sectional area of the nanowire, i.e. the occupied chip area, assuming a vertical device geometry. Our data on lateral devices show that radial Esaki diodes deliver almost 7 times higher peak current, Jpeak = 2310 kA/cm(2), than the maximum peak current of axial GaSb/InAs(Sb) Esaki diodes per unit chip area. The radial TFETs also deliver high peak current densities Jpeak = 1210 kA/cm(2), while their axial counterparts at most carry Jpeak = 77 kA/cm(2), normalized to the largest cross-sectional area of the nanowire.

10 CFR 35.647 - Additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units. 35.647 Section 35.647 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION MEDICAL USE OF BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Photon Emitting Remote Afterloader Units, Teletherapy Units, and Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery...

10 CFR 35.647 - Additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units. 35.647 Section 35.647 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION MEDICAL USE OF BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Photon Emitting Remote Afterloader Units, Teletherapy Units, and Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery...

10 CFR 35.647 - Additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units. 35.647 Section 35.647 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION MEDICAL USE OF BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Photon Emitting Remote Afterloader Units, Teletherapy Units, and Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery...

10 CFR 35.647 - Additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Additional technical requirements for mobile remote afterloader units. 35.647 Section 35.647 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION MEDICAL USE OF BYPRODUCT MATERIAL Photon Emitting Remote Afterloader Units, Teletherapy Units, and Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery...

Lumbar postures, seat interface pressures and discomfort responses to a novel thoracic support for police officers during prolonged simulated driving exposures.

PubMed

Gruevski, Kristina M; Holmes, Michael W R; Gooyers, Chad E; Dickerson, Clark R; Callaghan, Jack P

2016-01-01

A high prevalence of low back pain has been reported among professional drivers, including mobile police officers. The purpose of this investigation was to develop and evaluate a novel thoracic support designed for mobile police officers. Fourteen participants (7 male, 7 female) attended two 120-min driving simulations using a Crown Victoria Interceptor seat and the same seat equipped with a surface mounted thoracic support. Time-varying spine postures, seat pressures and ratings of discomfort were measured. Averaged discomfort values were low (less than 10 mm of a possible 100 mm) for both seating conditions. The postures in the thoracic support condition were more similar to non-occupational driving without occupational equipment than the Crown Victoria seating condition. The reduction in pressure area at the low back with the thoracic support has the potential to reduce discomfort reporting in officers compared to a standard vehicle package. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

A mobility program for an inpatient acute care medical unit.

PubMed

Wood, Winnie; Tschannen, Dana; Trotsky, Alyssa; Grunawalt, Julie; Adams, Danyell; Chang, Robert; Kendziora, Sandra; Diccion-MacDonald, Stephanie

2014-10-01

For many patients, hospitalization brings prolonged periods of bed rest, which are associated with such adverse health outcomes as increased length of stay, increased risk of falls, functional decline, and extended-care facility placement. Most studies of progressive or early mobility protocols designed to minimize these adverse effects have been geared toward specific patient populations and conducted by multidisciplinary teams in either ICUs or surgical units. Very few mobility programs have been developed for and implemented on acute care medical units. This evidence-based quality improvement project describes how a mobility program, devised for and put to use on a general medical unit in a large Midwestern academic health care system, improved patient outcomes.

76 FR 2254 - Notice of Arrival on the Outer Continental Shelf

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-13

... of arrival for floating facilities, mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs), and vessels planning to... Ship Security Certificate. MMS Minerals Management Service. MODU Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit. NAICS... rule outlines the procedures that owners or operators of floating facilities, mobile offshore drilling...

33 CFR 143.210 - Letter of compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF ACTIVITIES DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Mobile Offshore Drilling Units § 143.210 Letter of compliance. (a) The Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection, determines whether a mobile offshore... of a foreign mobile offshore drilling unit requiring a letter of compliance examination must pay the...

Fast neutron counting in a mobile, trailer-based search platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayward, Jason P.; Sparger, John; Fabris, Lorenzo; Newby, Robert J.

2017-12-01

Trailer-based search platforms for detection of radiological and nuclear threats are often based upon coded aperture gamma-ray imaging, because this method can be rendered insensitive to local variations in gamma background while still localizing the source well. Since gamma source emissions are rather easily shielded, in this work we consider the addition of fast neutron counting to a mobile platform for detection of sources containing Pu. A proof-of-concept system capable of combined gamma and neutron coded-aperture imaging was built inside of a trailer and used to detect a 252Cf source while driving along a roadway. Neutron detector types employed included EJ-309 in a detector plane and EJ-299-33 in a front mask plane. While the 252Cf gamma emissions were not readily detectable while driving by at 16.9 m standoff, the neutron emissions can be detected while moving. Mobile detection performance for this system and a scaled-up system design are presented, along with implications for threat sensing.

The Role of Education in Mobile Livelihoods: Social and Geographical Routes of Young Nepalese Migrants in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valentin, Karen

2012-01-01

This article focuses on the relationship between migration and education as aspects of wider livelihood strategies among Nepalese migrants in India. It argues that physical and social mobility are inextricably linked and looks at education (both formal and informal) as a driving force in migration. Combining a broad notion of education with a…

Networks of International Student Mobility: Enlargement and Consolidation of the European Transnational Education Space?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vögtle, Eva Maria; Windzio, Michael

2016-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the impact of membership in the Bologna Process on patterns and driving forces of cross-national student mobility. Student exchange flows are analyzed for almost all Bologna Process member states and non-Bologna OECD members over a ten-year period (from 2000 to 2010). We apply a social network approach focusing on…

Journalism 2.0: Exploring the Impact of Mobile and Social Media on Journalism Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cochrane, Thomas; Sissons, Helen; Mulrennan, Danni; Pamatatau, Richard

2013-01-01

This paper explores the impact of social media upon journalism education from two perspectives: both from the pedagogical changes Web 2.0 and mobile devices enable, and within the context of the changes in journalism that social media use are driving. A participatory action research approach was adopted, beginning with the establishment of a…

Low driving voltage simplified tandem organic light-emitting devices by using exciplex-forming hosts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Dong-Ying; Cui, Lin-Song; Zhang, Ying-Jie; Liao, Liang-Sheng; Aziz, Hany

2014-10-01

Tandem organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs), i.e., OLEDs containing multiple electroluminescence (EL) units that are vertically stacked, are attracting significant interest because of their ability to realize high current efficiency and long operational lifetime. However, stacking multiple EL units in tandem OLEDs increases driving voltage and complicates fabrication process relative to their standard single unit counterparts. In this paper, we demonstrate low driving voltage tandem OLEDs via utilizing exciplex-forming hosts in the EL units instead of conventional host materials. The use of exciplex-forming hosts reduces the charge injection barriers and the trapping of charges on guest molecules, resulting in the lower driving voltage. The use of exciplex-forming hosts also allows using fewer layers, hence simpler EL configuration which is beneficial for reducing the fabrication complexity of tandem OLEDs.

Planned LMSS propagation experiment using ACTS: Preliminary antenna pointing results during mobile operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowland, John R.; Goldhirsh, Julius; Vogel, Wolfhard J.; Torrence, Geoffrey W.

1991-01-01

An overview and a status description of the planned LMSS mobile K band experiment with ACTS is presented. As a precursor to the ACTS mobile measurements at 20.185 GHz, measurements at 19.77 GHz employing the Olympus satellite were originally planned. However, because of the demise of Olympus in June of 1991, the efforts described here are focused towards the ACTS measurements. In particular, we describe the design and testing results of a gyro controlled mobile-antenna pointing system. Preliminary pointing measurements during mobile operations indicate that the present system is suitable for measurements employing a 15 cm aperture (beamwidth at approximately 7 deg) receiving antenna operating with ACTS in the high gain transponder mode. This should enable measurements with pattern losses smaller than plus or minus 1 dB over more than 95 percent of the driving distance. Measurements with the present mount system employing a 60 cm aperture (beamwidth at approximately 1.7 deg) results in pattern losses smaller than plus or minus 3 dB for 70 percent of the driving distance. Acceptable propagation measurements may still be made with this system by employing developed software to flag out bad data points due to extreme pointing errors. The receiver system including associated computer control software has been designed and assembled. Plans are underway to integrate the antenna mount with the receiver on the University of Texas mobile receiving van and repeat the pointing tests on highways employing a recently designed radome system.

Use of Mobile Devices: A Case Study with Children from Kuwait and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dashti, Fatimah A.; Yateem, Azizah K.

2018-01-01

This study explored children's usage and understandings about mobile devices. The study included 112 children aged 3-5 years, of whom 53 children lived in Kuwait and 59 children lived in the United States. The children were interviewed about their access to and usage of mobile devices, about how they learned to use mobile devices, and the actions…

Novel Straight and Circular Road Driving Control of Electric Power Assisted Wheelchair Based on Fuzzy Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seki, Hirokazu; Tadakuma, Susumu

This paper describes a novel straight and circular road driving control scheme for electric power assisted wheelchairs. “Electric power assisted wheelchair” which assists the driving force by electric motors is expected to be widely used as a mobility support system for elderly people and disabled people, however, the performance of the straight and circular road driving must be further improved because the two wheels drive independently. This paper proposes a novel driving control scheme based on fuzzy algorithm to realize the stable and reliable driving on straight and circular roads. The suitable assisted torque of the right and left wheels is determined by fuzzy algorithm based on the posture angular velocity of the wheelchair and the human input torque proportion of the right and left wheels. Some experiments on the practical roads show the effectiveness of the proposed control system.

Meeting the challenges of installing a mobile robotic system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decorte, Celeste

1994-01-01

The challenges of integrating a mobile robotic system into an application environment are many. Most problems inherent to installing the mobile robotic system fall into one of three categories: (1) the physical environment - location(s) where, and conditions under which, the mobile robotic system will work; (2) the technological environment - external equipment with which the mobile robotic system will interact; and (3) the human environment - personnel who will operate and interact with the mobile robotic system. The successful integration of a mobile robotic system into these three types of application environment requires more than a good pair of pliers. The tools for this job include: careful planning, accurate measurement data (as-built drawings), complete technical data of systems to be interfaced, sufficient time and attention of key personnel for training on how to operate and program the robot, on-site access during installation, and a thorough understanding and appreciation - by all concerned - of the mobile robotic system's role in the security mission at the site, as well as the machine's capabilities and limitations. Patience, luck, and a sense of humor are also useful tools to keep handy during a mobile robotic system installation. This paper will discuss some specific examples of problems in each of three categories, and explore approaches to solving these problems. The discussion will draw from the author's experience with on-site installations of mobile robotic systems in various applications. Most of the information discussed in this paper has come directly from knowledge learned during installations of Cybermotion's SR2 security robots. A large part of the discussion will apply to any vehicle with a drive system, collision avoidance, and navigation sensors, which is, of course, what makes a vehicle autonomous. And it is with these sensors and a drive system that the installer must become familiar in order to foresee potential trouble areas in the physical, technical, and human environment.

Common drive unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, R. C.; Fink, R. A.; Moore, E. A.

1987-01-01

The Common Drive Unit (CDU) is a high reliability rotary actuator with many versatile applications in mechanism designs. The CDU incorporates a set of redundant motor-brake assemblies driving a single output shaft through differential. Tachometers provide speed information in the AC version. Operation of both motors, as compared to the operation of one motor, will yield the same output torque with twice the output speed.

SSD Market Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, G.

The unparalleled cost and form factor advantages of NAND flash memory has driven 35 mm photographic film, floppy disks and one-inch hard drives to extinction. Due to its compelling price/performance characteristics, NAND Flash memory is now expanding its reach into the once-exclusive domain of hard disk drives and DRAM in the form of Solid State Drives (SSDs). Driven by the proliferation of thin and light mobile devices and the need for near-instantaneous accessing and sharing of content through the cloud, SSDs are expected to become a permanent fixture in the computing infrastructure.

Universal predictability of mobility patterns in cities

PubMed Central

Yan, Xiao-Yong; Zhao, Chen; Fan, Ying; Di, Zengru; Wang, Wen-Xu

2014-01-01

Despite the long history of modelling human mobility, we continue to lack a highly accurate approach with low data requirements for predicting mobility patterns in cities. Here, we present a population-weighted opportunities model without any adjustable parameters to capture the underlying driving force accounting for human mobility patterns at the city scale. We use various mobility data collected from a number of cities with different characteristics to demonstrate the predictive power of our model. We find that insofar as the spatial distribution of population is available, our model offers universal prediction of mobility patterns in good agreement with real observations, including distance distribution, destination travel constraints and flux. By contrast, the models that succeed in modelling mobility patterns in countries are not applicable in cities, which suggests that there is a diversity of human mobility at different spatial scales. Our model has potential applications in many fields relevant to mobility behaviour in cities, without relying on previous mobility measurements. PMID:25232053

The AMSC mobile satellite system: Design summary and comparative analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noreen, Gary K.

1989-01-01

Mobile satellite communications will be provided in the United States by the American Mobile Satellite Consortium (AMSC). Telesat Mobile, Inc. (TMI) and AMSC are jointly developing MSAT, the first regional Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) system. MSAT will provide diverse mobile communications services - including voice, data and position location - to mobiles on land, water, and in the air throughout North America. Described here are the institutional relationships between AMSC, TMI and other organizations participating in MSAT, including the Canadian Department of Communications and NASA. The regulatory status of MSAT in the United States and international allocations to MSS are reviewed. The baseline design is described.

47 CFR 90.305 - Location of stations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... stations. (a) The transmitter site(s) for base station(s), including mobile relay stations, shall be.... (b) Mobile units shall be operated within 48 km. (30 mi.) of their associated base station or...). (c) Control stations must be located within the area of operation of the mobile units. (d) Base and...

46 CFR 11.468 - National officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... National Deck Officer Endorsements § 11.468 National officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling... 46 Shipping 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false National officer endorsements for mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs). 11.468 Section 11.468 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY...

47 CFR 90.525 - Administration of interoperability channels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... RADIO SERVICES PRIVATE LAND MOBILE RADIO SERVICES Regulations Governing the Licensing and Use of... meeting the requirements of § 90.523 may operate mobile or portable units on the Interoperability channels... Commission provided it holds a part 90 license. All persons operating mobile or portable units under this...

33 CFR 143.200 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... CONTINENTAL SHELF ACTIVITIES DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Mobile Offshore Drilling Units § 143.200 Applicability. This subpart applies to mobile offshore drilling units when engaged in OCS activities. ...

LMSS drive simulator for multipath propagation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vishakantaiah, Praveen; Vogel, Wolfhard J.

1989-01-01

A three-dimensional drive simulator for the prediction of Land Mobile Satellite Service (LMSS) multipath propagation was developed. It is based on simple physical and geometrical rules and can be used to evaluate effects of scatterer numbers and positions, receiving antenna pattern, and satellite frequency and position. It is shown that scatterers close to the receiver have the most effect and that directive antennas suppress multipath interference.

76 FR 5834 - International Business Machines Corporation, Global Technology Services Business Unit, Integrated...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-02

... Expense Team, Payroll, Travel and Mobility Services Team, Working From Various States In the United States... Unit, Integrated Technology Services, Cost and Expense Team, working from various states in the United... reports that workers of the Payroll, Travel, and Mobility Services Team were part of the International...

Requirements for a mobile communications satellite system. Volume 2: Technical report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horstein, M.

1983-01-01

Three types of satellite aided mobile communications are considered for users in areas not served by (terrestrial) cellular radio systems. In system 1, mobile units are provided a direct satellite link to a gateway station, which serves as the interface to the terrestrial toll network. In system 2, a terrestrial radio link similar to those in cellular systems connects the mobile unit to a translator station; each translator relays the traffic from mobile units in its vicinity, via satellite, to the regional gateway. It is not feasible for system 2 to provide obiquitous coverage. Therefore, system 3 is introduced, in which the small percentage of users not within range of a translator are provided a direct satellite link as in system 1.

Generic Dynamic Environment Perception Using Smart Mobile Devices

PubMed Central

Danescu, Radu; Itu, Razvan; Petrovai, Andra

2016-01-01

The driving environment is complex and dynamic, and the attention of the driver is continuously challenged, therefore computer based assistance achieved by processing image and sensor data may increase traffic safety. While active sensors and stereovision have the advantage of obtaining 3D data directly, monocular vision is easy to set up, and can benefit from the increasing computational power of smart mobile devices, and from the fact that almost all of them come with an embedded camera. Several driving assistance application are available for mobile devices, but they are mostly targeted for simple scenarios and a limited range of obstacle shapes and poses. This paper presents a technique for generic, shape independent real-time obstacle detection for mobile devices, based on a dynamic, free form 3D representation of the environment: the particle based occupancy grid. Images acquired in real time from the smart mobile device’s camera are processed by removing the perspective effect and segmenting the resulted bird-eye view image to identify candidate obstacle areas, which are then used to update the occupancy grid. The occupancy grid tracked cells are grouped into obstacles depicted as cuboids having position, size, orientation and speed. The easy to set up system is able to reliably detect most obstacles in urban traffic, and its measurement accuracy is comparable to a stereovision system. PMID:27763501

30 CFR 75.1103-4 - Automatic fire sensor and warning device systems; installation; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... downwind of each belt drive unit, each tailpiece transfer point, and each belt take-up. If the belt drive, tailpiece, and/or take-up for a single transfer point are installed together in the same air course, and the... downwind of each belt drive unit, each tailpiece transfer point, and each belt take-up; (ii) Not more than...

30 CFR 75.1103-4 - Automatic fire sensor and warning device systems; installation; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... downwind of each belt drive unit, each tailpiece transfer point, and each belt take-up. If the belt drive, tailpiece, and/or take-up for a single transfer point are installed together in the same air course, and the... downwind of each belt drive unit, each tailpiece transfer point, and each belt take-up; (ii) Not more than...

30 CFR 75.1103-4 - Automatic fire sensor and warning device systems; installation; minimum requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... downwind of each belt drive unit, each tailpiece transfer point, and each belt take-up. If the belt drive, tailpiece, and/or take-up for a single transfer point are installed together in the same air course, and the... downwind of each belt drive unit, each tailpiece transfer point, and each belt take-up; (ii) Not more than...

Land mobile satellite communication system. Volume 3: Annexes to volume 2: Particular aspects of market analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnebianca, C.; Pavesi, B.; Tuozzi, A.; Capone, R.

1986-06-01

The socioeconomic desirability in terms of market demand, technical economic feasibility, and price-performance for a Land Mobile Communication system ground based and/or satellite aided, able to satisfy the request of the traffic demand, foreseeable in the 1995 to 2005 time frame, for the Western European countries was assessed. The criterion of economic value of the mobile system is considered as the driving element. Data on traffic; socioeconomic factors; economic factors; and radiotelephony, paging, and dispatch subscription and value for money trends are presented.

Mobile Healthcare for Automatic Driving Sleep-Onset Detection Using Wavelet-Based EEG and Respiration Signals

PubMed Central

Lee, Boon-Giin; Lee, Boon-Leng; Chung, Wan-Young

2014-01-01

Driving drowsiness is a major cause of traffic accidents worldwide and has drawn the attention of researchers in recent decades. This paper presents an application for in-vehicle non-intrusive mobile-device-based automatic detection of driver sleep-onset in real time. The proposed application classifies the driving mental fatigue condition by analyzing the electroencephalogram (EEG) and respiration signals of a driver in the time and frequency domains. Our concept is heavily reliant on mobile technology, particularly remote physiological monitoring using Bluetooth. Respiratory events are gathered, and eight-channel EEG readings are captured from the frontal, central, and parietal (Fpz-Cz, Pz-Oz) regions. EEGs are preprocessed with a Butterworth bandpass filter, and features are subsequently extracted from the filtered EEG signals by employing the wavelet-packet-transform (WPT) method to categorize the signals into four frequency bands: α, β, θ, and δ. A mutual information (MI) technique selects the most descriptive features for further classification. The reduction in the number of prominent features improves the sleep-onset classification speed in the support vector machine (SVM) and results in a high sleep-onset recognition rate. Test results reveal that the combined use of the EEG and respiration signals results in 98.6% recognition accuracy. Our proposed application explores the possibility of processing long-term multi-channel signals. PMID:25264954

Overcoming nursing barriers to intensive care unit early mobilisation: A quality improvement project.

PubMed

Hunter, Oluwatobi O; George, Elisabeth L; Ren, Dianxu; Morgan, Douglas; Rosenzweig, Margaret; Klinefelter Tuite, Patricia

2017-06-01

To increase adherence with intensive care unit mobility by developing and implementing a mobility training program that addresses nursing barriers to early mobilisation. An intensive care unit mobility training program was developed, implemented and evaluated with a pre-test, immediate post-test and eight-week post-test. Patient mobility was tracked before and after training. A ten bed cardiac intensive care unit. The training program's efficacy was measured by comparing pre-test, immediate post-test and 8-week post-test scores. Patient mobilisation rates before and after training were compared. Protocol compliance was measured in the post training group. Nursing knowledge increased from pre-test to immediate post-test (p<0.0001) and pre-test to 8-week post-test (p<0.0001). Mean test scores decreased by seven points from immediate post-test (80±12) to 8-week post-test (73±14). Fear significantly decreased from pre-test to immediate post-test (p=0.03), but not from pre-test to 8-week post-test (p=0.06) or immediate post-test to 8-week post-test (p=0.46). Post training patient mobility rates increased although not significantly (p=0.07). Post training protocol compliance was 78%. The project successfully increased adherence with intensive care unit mobility and indicates that a training program could improve adoption of early mobility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Faculty Usage of Social Media and Mobile Devices: Analysis of Advantages and Concerns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roebuck, Deborah Britt; Siha, Samia; Bell, Reginald L.

2013-01-01

This study seeks to understand the perceptions of professors using social media (also called Web 2.0 tools) in the classroom, what kinds of mobile devices are used to access the social media used, and what drives individuals to use them. In addition, it seeks to identify the advantages and concerns faculty has with the use of social media for…

KSC-2014-3026

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-20

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Logos affixed to the mobile service tower at Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California represent the principal players in the launch campaign underway at the pad. From the top are the logos for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2 and the United Launch Alliance, or ULA. Launch of NASA's OCO-2 satellite aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

Sound power and vibration levels for two different piano soundboards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Squicciarini, Giacomo; Valiente, Pablo Miranda; Thompson, David J.

2016-09-01

This paper compares the sound power and vibration levels for two different soundboards for upright pianos. One of them is made of laminated spruce and the other of solid spruce (tone-wood). These differ also in the number of ribs and manufacturing procedure. The methodology used is defined in two major steps: (i) acoustic power due to a unit force is obtained reciprocally by measuring the acceleration response of the piano soundboards when excited by acoustic waves in reverberant field; (ii) impact tests are adopted to measure driving point and spatially-averaged mean-square transfer mobility. The results show that, in the midhigh frequency range, the soundboard made of solid spruce has a greater vibrational and acoustic response than the laminated soundboard. The effect of string tension is also addressed, showing that is only relevant at low frequencies.

KSC-2014-3084

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, is illuminated on Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California following rollback of the mobile service tower. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-3071

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, is illuminated on Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California following rollback of the mobile service tower. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

KSC-2014-3081

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California rolls away from the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-3068

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California rolls away from the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

Extraction of Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen from Seawater by an Electrochemical Acidification Cell. Part 3. Scaled-up Mobile Unit Studies (Calendar Year 2011)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-30

Electrochemical Acidification Cell Part III: Scaled-up Mobile Unit Studies (Calendar Year 2011) May 30, 2012 Approved for public release; distribution is...Hydrogen from Seawater by an Electrochemical Acidification Cell Part III: Scaled-up Mobile Unit Studies (Calendar Year 2011) Heather D. Willauer, Dennis R...Unclassified Unlimited Unclassified Unlimited Unclassified Unlimited 41 Heather D. Willauer (202) 767-2673 Electrochemical acidification cell Carbon

77 FR 42653 - United States Navy Restricted Area, SUPSHIP Gulf Coast Detachment Mobile at AUSTAL, USA, Mobile...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-20

... restricted area established around the AUSTAL, USA shipbuilding facility located in Mobile, Alabama. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, United States Navy (USN), Gulf Coast (SUPSHIP Gulf Coast..., 2011, replacing the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and Repair, USN, Bath (SUPSHIP Bath). The...

European Mobility of United Kingdom Educated Graduates. Who Stays, Who Goes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behle, Heike

2014-01-01

Official figures from the Home Office show an increase in mobility of the highly-skilled from the United Kingdom (UK) to other European countries. This paper analyses the social composition of intra-European mobile graduates from the UK in the context of recent political developments (Bologna-Process, European Higher Education Area). Using…

46 CFR 174.035 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... SPECIFIC VESSEL TYPES Special Rules Pertaining to Mobile Offshore Drilling Units § 174.035 Definitions. (a... IA of this chapter: (1) Column stabilized unit. (2) Mobile offshore drilling unit. (3) Self-elevating... loaded or arranged for drilling, field transit, or ocean transit. (4) Severe storm condition means a...

46 CFR 174.035 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... SPECIFIC VESSEL TYPES Special Rules Pertaining to Mobile Offshore Drilling Units § 174.035 Definitions. (a... IA of this chapter: (1) Column stabilized unit. (2) Mobile offshore drilling unit. (3) Self-elevating... loaded or arranged for drilling, field transit, or ocean transit. (4) Severe storm condition means a...

46 CFR 174.030 - Specific applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... PERTAINING TO SPECIFIC VESSEL TYPES Special Rules Pertaining to Mobile Offshore Drilling Units § 174.030 Specific applicability. Each mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) inspected under Subchapter IA of this...

46 CFR 174.030 - Specific applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... PERTAINING TO SPECIFIC VESSEL TYPES Special Rules Pertaining to Mobile Offshore Drilling Units § 174.030 Specific applicability. Each mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) inspected under Subchapter IA of this...

Mobile HIV screening in Cape Town, South Africa: clinical impact, cost and cost-effectiveness.

PubMed

Bassett, Ingrid V; Govindasamy, Darshini; Erlwanger, Alison S; Hyle, Emily P; Kranzer, Katharina; van Schaik, Nienke; Noubary, Farzad; Paltiel, A David; Wood, Robin; Walensky, Rochelle P; Losina, Elena; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Freedberg, Kenneth A

2014-01-01

Mobile HIV screening may facilitate early HIV diagnosis. Our objective was to examine the cost-effectiveness of adding a mobile screening unit to current medical facility-based HIV testing in Cape Town, South Africa. We used the Cost Effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications International (CEPAC-I) computer simulation model to evaluate two HIV screening strategies in Cape Town: 1) medical facility-based testing (the current standard of care) and 2) addition of a mobile HIV-testing unit intervention in the same community. Baseline input parameters were derived from a Cape Town-based mobile unit that tested 18,870 individuals over 2 years: prevalence of previously undiagnosed HIV (6.6%), mean CD4 count at diagnosis (males 423/µL, females 516/µL), CD4 count-dependent linkage to care rates (males 31%-58%, females 49%-58%), mobile unit intervention cost (includes acquisition, operation and HIV test costs, $29.30 per negative result and $31.30 per positive result). We conducted extensive sensitivity analyses to evaluate input uncertainty. Model outcomes included site of HIV diagnosis, life expectancy, medical costs, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the intervention compared to medical facility-based testing. We considered the intervention to be "very cost-effective" when the ICER was less than South Africa's annual per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ($8,200 in 2012). We projected that, with medical facility-based testing, the discounted (undiscounted) HIV-infected population life expectancy was 132.2 (197.7) months; this increased to 140.7 (211.7) months with the addition of the mobile unit. The ICER for the mobile unit was $2,400/year of life saved (YLS). Results were most sensitive to the previously undiagnosed HIV prevalence, linkage to care rates, and frequency of HIV testing at medical facilities. The addition of mobile HIV screening to current testing programs can improve survival and be very cost-effective in South Africa and other resource-limited settings, and should be a priority.

Child and Adolescent Use of Mobile Phones: An Unparalleled Complex Developmental Phenomenon.

PubMed

Yan, Zheng

2018-01-01

This article addresses why children's use of mobile phones is an unparalleled complex developmental phenomenon in hopes of providing a broad context for this special section. It first outlines mobile phones as a sophisticated personalized and multifunction technology. Then it presents mobile phone use by children as an unparalleled complex developmental phenomenon on the basis of its four behavioral elements, two mobile cultures, and two developmental processes. It further illustrates the existing knowledge about children's mobile phones use that has been accumulated over the past 23 years and highlights 12 most studied topics, especially distracted driving and radiation exposure. It concludes with three types of scientific contributions made by the 12 articles in the special section. © 2017 The Author. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Rover Wheel-Actuated Tool Interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matthews, Janet; Ahmad, Norman; Wilcox, Brian

2007-01-01

A report describes an interface for utilizing some of the mobility features of a mobile robot for general-purpose manipulation of tools and other objects. The robot in question, now undergoing conceptual development for use on the Moon, is the All-Terrain Hex-Limbed Extra-Terrestrial Explorer (ATHLETE) rover, which is designed to roll over gentle terrain or walk over rough or steep terrain. Each leg of the robot is a six-degree-of-freedom general purpose manipulator tipped by a wheel with a motor drive. The tool interface includes a square cross-section peg, equivalent to a conventional socket-wrench drive, that rotates with the wheel. The tool interface also includes a clamp that holds a tool on the peg, and a pair of fold-out cameras that provides close-up stereoscopic images of the tool and its vicinity. The field of view of the imagers is actuated by the clamp mechanism and is specific to each tool. The motor drive can power any of a variety of tools, including rotating tools for helical fasteners, drills, and such clamping tools as pliers. With the addition of a flexible coupling, it could also power another tool or remote manipulator at a short distance. The socket drive can provide very high torque and power because it is driven by the wheel motor.

Hydromechanical transmission

DOEpatents

Orshansky, Jr. deceased, Elias; Weseloh, William E.

1978-01-01

A power transmission having three planetary assemblies, each having its own carrier and its own planet, sun, and ring gears. A speed-varying module is connected in driving relation to the input shaft and in driving relationship to the three sun gears, all of which are connected together. The speed-varying means may comprise a pair of hydraulic units hydraulically interconnected so that one serves as a pump while the other serves as a motor and vice versa, one of the units having a variable stroke and being connected in driving relation to the input shaft, the other unit, which may have a fixed stroke, being connected in driving relation to the sun gears. The input shaft also drives the carrier of the third planetary assembly. A brake grounds the first carrier in the first range and in reverse and causes drive to be delivered to the output through the first ring gear in a hydrostatic mode. The carrier of the third planetary assembly drives the ring gear of the second planetary assembly, and a first clutching means connects the second carrier with the output in a second range, the brake for grounding the first carrier then being released. A second clutching means enables the third ring gear to drive the output shaft in a third range.

An objective assessment of safety to drive in an upper limb cast.

PubMed

Stevenson, H L; Peterson, N; Talbot, C; Dalal, S; Watts, A C; Trail, I A

2013-03-01

Patients managed with upper limb cast immobilization often seek advice about driving. There is very little published data to assist in decision making, and advice given varies between healthcare professionals. There are no specific guidelines available from the UK Drivers and Vehicles Licensing Agency, police, or insurance companies. Evidence-based guidelines would enable clinicians to standardize the advice given to patients. Six individuals (three male, three female; mean age 36 years, range 27-43 years) were assessed by a mobility occupational therapist and driving standards agency examiner while completing a formal driving test in six different types of upper limb casts (above-elbow, below-elbow neutral, and below-elbow cast incorporating the thumb [Bennett's cast]) on both left and right sides. Of the 36 tests, participants passed 31 tests, suggesting that most people were able to safely drive with upper limb cast immobilization. However, driving in a left above-elbow cast was considered unsafe.

Driving Control for Electric Power Assisted Wheelchair Based on Regenerative Brake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seki, Hirokazu; Takahashi, Kazuki; Tadakuma, Susumu

This paper describes a novel safety driving control scheme for electric power assisted wheelchairs based on the regenerative braking system. “Electric power assisted wheelchair” which assists the driving force by electric motors is expected to be widely used as a mobility support system for elderly people and disabled people, however, the safe and secure driving performance especially on downhill roads must be further improved because electric power assisted wheelchairs have no braking devices. The proposed control system automatically switches the driving mode, from “assisting mode” to “braking mode”, based on the wheelchair's velocity and the declined angle and smoothly suppresses the wheelchair's acceleration based on variable duty ratio control in order to realize the safety driving and to improve the ride quality. Some experiments on the practical roads and subjective evaluation show the effectiveness of the proposed control system.

New Driving Scheme to Improve Hysteresis Characteristics of Organic Thin Film Transistor-Driven Active-Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode Display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Toshihiro; Nakajima, Yoshiki; Takei, Tatsuya; Fujisaki, Yoshihide; Fukagawa, Hirohiko; Suzuki, Mitsunori; Motomura, Genichi; Sato, Hiroto; Tokito, Shizuo; Fujikake, Hideo

2011-02-01

A new driving scheme for an active-matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display was developed to prevent the picture quality degradation caused by the hysteresis characteristics of organic thin film transistors (OTFTs). In this driving scheme, the gate electrode voltage of a driving-OTFT is directly controlled through the storage capacitor so that the operating point for the driving-OTFT is on the same hysteresis curve for every pixel after signal data are stored in the storage capacitor. Although the number of OTFTs in each pixel for the AMOLED display is restricted because OTFT size should be large enough to drive organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) due to their small carrier mobility, it can improve the picture quality for an OTFT-driven flexible OLED display with the basic two transistor-one capacitor circuitry.

Mobile Devices: Driving Us to Distraction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwin, Bryan

2015-01-01

In this article, Bryan Goodwin delves into the reason behind addictive use of smartphones, tablets, netbooks, and e-readers, and considers whether introducing them into classrooms will help or hinder learning.

Subtidal circulation patterns in a shallow, highly stratified estuary: Mobile Bay, Alabama

USGS Publications Warehouse

Noble, M.A.; Schroeder, W.W.; Wiseman, W.J.; Ryan, H.F.; Gelfenbaum, G.

1996-01-01

Mobile Bay is a wide (25-50 km), shallow (3 m), highly stratified estuary on the Gulf coast of the United States. In May 1991 a series of instruments that measure near-surface and near-bed current, temperature, salinity, and middepth pressure were deployed for a year-long study of the bay. A full set of measurements were obtained at one site in the lower bay; all but current measurements were obtained at a midbay site. These observations show that the subtidal currents in the lower bay are highly sheared, despite the shallow depth of the estuary. The sheared flow patterns are partly caused by differential forcing from wind stress and river discharge. Two wind-driven flow patterns actually exist in lower Mobile Bay. A barotropic response develops when the difference between near-surface and near-bottom salinity is less than 5 parts per thousand. For stronger salinity gradients the wind-driven currents are larger and the response resembles a baroclinic flow pattern. Currents driven by river flows are sheared and also have a nonlinear response pattern. Only near-surface currents are driven seaward by discharges below 3000 m3/s. At higher discharge rates, surface current variability uncouples from the river flow and the increased discharge rates drive near-bed current seaward. This change in the river-forced flow pattern may be associated with a hydraulic jump in the mouth of the estuary. Copyright 1996 by the American Geophysical Union.

75 FR 32273 - Safety Zone; DEEPWATER HORIZON at Mississippi Canyon 252 Outer Continental Shelf MODU in the Gulf...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-08

... establishing a continued safety zone around the riser for the DEEPWATER HORIZON, a Mobile Offshore Drilling... sinking of the DEEPWATER HORIZON, a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), near Mississippi Canyon 252 with... read as follows: Sec. 147.T08-849 DEEPWATER HORIZON Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Safety Zone. (a...

76 FR 18782 - Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-05

... Decree in United States v. Exxon Mobil Corporation, et al., C.A. No. 4:11-cv-01037 (S.D. Tex.), was... as defendants Exxon Mobil Corporation, Ashland, Inc., Eurecat U.S. Incorporated, Akzo Nobel, Inc... Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, and should refer to United States v. Exxon Mobil Corporation, et al...

School Hopscotch: A Comprehensive Review of K-12 Student Mobility in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welsh, Richard O.

2017-01-01

This article provides an integrative review of the extant literature on K-12 student mobility in the United States. Student mobility is a widespread phenomenon with significant policy implications. Changing schools is most prevalent among minority and low-income students in urban school districts. There is an ongoing debate about whether student…

Early mobilization in the critical care unit: A review of adult and pediatric literature.

PubMed

Cameron, Saoirse; Ball, Ian; Cepinskas, Gediminas; Choong, Karen; Doherty, Timothy J; Ellis, Christopher G; Martin, Claudio M; Mele, Tina S; Sharpe, Michael; Shoemaker, J Kevin; Fraser, Douglas D

2015-08-01

Early mobilization of critically ill patients is beneficial, suggesting that it should be incorporated into daily clinical practice. Early passive, active, and combined progressive mobilizations can be safely initiated in intensive care units (ICUs). Adult patients receiving early mobilization have fewer ventilator-dependent days, shorter ICU and hospital stays, and better functional outcomes. Pediatric ICU data are limited, but recent studies also suggest that early mobilization is achievable without increasing patient risk. In this review, we provide a current and comprehensive appraisal of ICU mobilization techniques in both adult and pediatric critically ill patients. Contraindications and perceived barriers to early mobilization, including cost and health care provider views, are identified. Methods of overcoming barriers to early mobilization and enhancing sustainability of mobilization programs are discussed. Optimization of patient outcomes will require further studies on mobilization timing and intensity, particularly within specific ICU populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In situ heat treatment of a tar sands formation after drive process treatment

DOEpatents

Vinegar, Harold J.; Stanecki, John

2010-09-21

A method for treating a tar sands formation includes providing a drive fluid to a hydrocarbon containing layer of the tar sands formation to mobilize at least some hydrocarbons in the layer. At least some first hydrocarbons from the layer are produced. Heat is provided to the layer from one or more heaters located in the formation. At least some second hydrocarbons are produced from the layer of the formation. The second hydrocarbons include at least some hydrocarbons that are upgraded compared to the first hydrocarbons produced by using the drive fluid.

Stages of driving behavior change within the Transtheoretical Model (TM).

PubMed

Kowalski, Kristina; Jeznach, Anna; Tuokko, Holly Anna

2014-09-01

Many older adults voluntarily restrict their driving or stop driving of their own accord. Driving behavior change may occur in stages, as predicted by the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (TM). This study explored the process of older driver behavior change within the TM framework using interviews/focus groups with drivers and former drivers aged 71-94 years. Within those groups of drivers, driving behavior was divided into two classes: those who changed their driving with age and those who did not. Those who changed their driving as they aged included people gradually imposing restrictions ("gradual restrictors") and those making plans in anticipation of stopping driving ("preparers"). Participants who did not change their driving included those who employed lifelong driving restrictions ("consistent") and those who made no changes ("non-changers"). Preliminary support for TM within the driving context was found; however, further exploration of driving behavior change within this framework is warranted. It is important to continue to investigate the factors that might influence driving behavior in older adults. By promoting self-regulation in individuals, it may be possible to help older adults continue to drive, thereby improving older adult's mobility and quality of life. Copyright © 2014 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Power And Propulsion Systems For Mobile Robotic Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Layuan, Li; Haiming, Zou

1987-02-01

Choosing the best power and propulsion systems for mobile robotic land vehicle applications requires consideration of technologies. The electric power requirements for onboard electronic and auxiliary equipment include 110/220 volt 60 Hz ac power as well as low voltage dc power. Weight and power are saved by either direct dc power distribution, or high frequency (20 kHz) ac power distribution. Vehicle control functions are performed electronically but steering, braking and traction power may be distributed electrically, mechanically or by fluid (hydraulic) means. Electric drive is practical, even for small vehicles, provided that advanced electric motors are used. Such electric motors have demonstrated power densities of 3.1 kilowatts per kilogram with devices in the 15 kilowatt range. Electric motors have a lower torque, but higher power density as compared to hydraulic or mechanical transmission systems. Power density being comparable, electric drives were selected to best meet the other requirements for robotic vehicles. Two robotic vehicle propulsion system designs are described to illustrate the implementation of electric drive over a vehicle size range of 250-7500 kilograms.

Origami Wheel Transformer: A Variable-Diameter Wheel Drive Robot Using an Origami Structure.

PubMed

Lee, Dae-Young; Kim, Sa-Reum; Kim, Ji-Suk; Park, Jae-Jun; Cho, Kyu-Jin

2017-06-01

A wheel drive mechanism is simple, stable, and efficient, but its mobility in unstructured terrain is seriously limited. Using a deformable wheel is one of the ways to increase the mobility of a wheel drive robot. By changing the radius of its wheels, the robot becomes able to pass over not only high steps but also narrow gaps. In this article, we propose a novel design for a variable-diameter wheel using an origami-based soft robotics design approach. By simply folding a patterned sheet into a wheel shape, a variable-diameter wheel was built without requiring lots of mechanical parts and a complex assembly process. The wheel's diameter can change from 30 to 68 mm, and it is light in weight at about 9.7 g. Although composed of soft materials (fabrics and films), the wheel can bear more than 400 times its weight. The robot was able to change the wheel's radius in response to terrain conditions, allowing it to pass over a 50-mm gap when the wheel is shrunk and a 50-mm step when the wheel is enlarged.

An observational study of driving distractions on urban roads in Spain.

PubMed

Prat, F; Planes, M; Gras, M E; Sullman, M J M

2015-01-01

The present research investigated the prevalence of driver engagement in secondary tasks and whether there were any differences by age and gender, as well as day of the week and time of the day. Two independent researchers observed 6578 drivers at nine randomly selected urban locations in Girona, Spain. Nearly 20% of the drivers observed were engaged in some type of secondary task, with the most common being: conversing with a passenger (11.1%), smoking (3.7%) and talking on a handheld mobile phone (1.3%). Surprisingly there were no differences by gender, but there were age-related differences with younger drivers being more frequently observed engaged in a number of different types of secondary tasks while driving (i.e. drinking, talking on a handheld mobile phone, and texting or keying numbers). Logistic regression showed that younger drivers, and to a lesser extent middle-age drivers, were significantly more likely to be observed engaged in a technological distraction than older drivers. Conversely, non-technological distractions were significantly predicted by day of the week, time of the day and location. A substantial number of the drivers observed in this study were putting themselves at an increased risk of becoming involved in a crash by engaging in non-driving related tasks at the same time as driving. Furthermore, the higher crash rate among young drivers may be partially accounted for by their more frequent engagement in some types of secondary tasks while driving. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

7. TOP SURFACES OF FOUR HYDRAULIC UNITS TO DRIVE COMPRESSORS. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

7. TOP SURFACES OF FOUR HYDRAULIC UNITS TO DRIVE COMPRESSORS. Looking southeast along rear of building. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Helium Compression Plant, Test Area 1-115, intersection of Altair & Saturn Boulevards, Boron, Kern County, CA

Blood Frequently Asked Questions

MedlinePlus

... women who have ever engaged in sex for money or drugs Anyone who has had hepatitis since ... places where blood donations can be made. Bloodmobiles (mobile blood drives on specially constructed buses) travel to ...

A Low Cost Mobile Robot Based on Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) Control System and Odometer for Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haq, R.; Prayitno, H.; Dzulkiflih; Sucahyo, I.; Rahmawati, E.

2018-03-01

In this article, the development of a low cost mobile robot based on PID controller and odometer for education is presented. PID controller and odometer is applied for controlling mobile robot position. Two-dimensional position vector in cartesian coordinate system have been inserted to robot controller as an initial and final position. Mobile robot has been made based on differential drive and sensor magnetic rotary encoder which measured robot position from a number of wheel rotation. Odometry methode use data from actuator movements for predicting change of position over time. The mobile robot is examined to get final position with three different heading angle 30°, 45° and 60° by applying various value of KP, KD and KI constant.

Security Protection on Trust Delegated Data in Public Mobile Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weerasinghe, Dasun; Rajarajan, Muttukrishnan; Rakocevic, Veselin

This paper provides detailed solutions for trust delegation and security protection for medical records in public mobile communication networks. The solutions presented in this paper enable the development of software for mobile devices that can be used by emergency medical units in urgent need of sensitive personal information about unconscious patients. In today's world, technical improvements in mobile communication systems mean that users can expect to have access to data at any time regardless of their location. This paper presents a token-based procedure for the data security at a mobile device and delegation of trust between a requesting mobile unit and secure medical data storage. The data security at the mobile device is enabled using identity based key generation methodology.

All-wheel drive and winter-weather safety.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-03-01

It is frequently stated that people living in northern states, the so called Snowbelt of the United : States, benefit with respect to safety from driving all-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicles as : opposed to front or rear-wheel drive only. This stud...

Traction drive automatic transmission for gas turbine engine driveline

DOEpatents

Carriere, Donald L.

1984-01-01

A transaxle driveline for a wheeled vehicle has a high speed turbine engine and a torque splitting gearset that includes a traction drive unit and a torque converter on a common axis transversely arranged with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The drive wheels of the vehicle are mounted on a shaft parallel to the turbine shaft and carry a final drive gearset for driving the axle shafts. A second embodiment of the final drive gearing produces an overdrive ratio between the output of the first gearset and the axle shafts. A continuously variable range of speed ratios is produced by varying the position of the drive rollers of the traction unit. After starting the vehicle from rest, the transmission is set for operation in the high speed range by engaging a first lockup clutch that joins the torque converter impeller to the turbine for operation as a hydraulic coupling.

33 CFR 143.205 - Requirements for U.S. and undocumented MODUs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... SECURITY (CONTINUED) OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF ACTIVITIES DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Mobile Offshore Drilling Units § 143.205 Requirements for U.S. and undocumented MODUs. Each mobile offshore drilling unit that is...

Optimized mobile retroreflectivity unit data processing algorithms.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-04-01

The University of North Florida, in collaboration with the FDOT, was tasked to establish precise line-stripe evaluation methods using the Mobile Retroreflectivity Unit (MRU). Initial implementation of the manufacturers software resulted in measure...

Fractionation and mobility of Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn in the road dust retained on noise barriers along expressway - a potential tool for determining the effects of driving conditions on speciation of emitted particulate metals.

PubMed

Świetilik, Ryszard; Trojanowska, Marzena; Strzelecka, Monika; Bocho-Janiszewska, Anita

2015-01-01

Road dust (RD) retained on noise barriers was used as a monitor of emission of traffic-related metals from expressway. By using SEM/EDX analysis it has been revealed that the main components of this particulate were irregular fine aggregates and tire debris with a ragged porous structure and with inclusions derived from the road surface. The results of chemical fractionation showed that driving conditions influence strongly a distribution pattern of Cu, whereas the atmospheric corrosion process affects a distribution pattern of Zn. The distribution pattern of Cu originating only from vehicle braking emission was “isolated” from the distribution pattern of road traffic copper. The predicted comparative mobilities of the emitted metals form the order: Zn > Cu ≈ Mn > Pb > Fe. The high mobility of zinc (K = 0.61)may create a current inhalation hazard and may be a source of future environmental hazard in the areas adjacent to heavily trafficked roads.

Mobile dental units: leasing or buying? A dollar-cost analysis.

PubMed

Arevalo, Oscar; Saman, Daniel M; Bonaime, Alice; Skelton, Judy

2010-01-01

The decision to acquire a mobile dental unit is based on a standard capital budgeting analysis. The next step is to determine whether to obtain the use of the mobile dental unit by borrowing and purchasing or by leasing. As a financing mechanism, leases are simply another way of borrowing money to pay for the asset. To compare lease vs. debt as financial vehicles to acquiring a mobile dental unit. An estimate for a new mobile unit was obtained. Lease and loan proposals from financial lenders were collected. A cost of capital rate was chosen for comparison. Cash flows associated with borrowing and leasing vs. buying were determined fortwo different scenarios: for profit (FP) vs. not-for-profit (NFP), at 5 years. A dollar-cost analysis was utilized to determine the option with the lowest capitalized value. There was a net advantage to buying vs. leasing for both for FP and NFP organizations. Due to tax advantages, owning and leasing were substantially less expensive for FP than for NFP. Slight decreases in the monthly lease payments would make leasing competitive to the buying approach. Exploring alternative financing vehicles may allow dental programs to expand their services through the acquisition of a mobile unit. Though programs generally own assets, it is the use of the asset which is important rather than the ownership. Dental programs can find leasing an attractive alternative by offering access to capital with cash-flow advantages.

Assessment of mammographic film processor performance in a hospital and mobile screening unit.

PubMed

Murray, J G; Dowsett, D J; Laird, O; Ennis, J T

1992-12-01

In contrast to the majority of mammographic breast screening programmes, film processing at this centre occurs on site in both hospital and mobile trailer units. Initial (1989) quality control (QC) sensitometric tests revealed a large variation in film processor performance in the mobile unit. The clinical significance of these variations was assessed and acceptance limits for processor performance determined. Abnormal mammograms were used as reference material and copied using high definition 35 mm film over a range of exposure settings. The copies were than matched with QC film density variation from the mobile unit. All films were subsequently ranked for spatial and contrast resolution. Optimal values for processing time of 2 min (equivalent to film transit time 3 min and developer time 46 s) and temperature of 36 degrees C were obtained. The widespread anomaly of reporting film transit time as processing time is highlighted. Use of mammogram copies as a means of measuring the influence of film processor variation is advocated. Careful monitoring of the mobile unit film processor performance has produced stable quality comparable with the hospital based unit. The advantages of on site film processing are outlined. The addition of a sensitometric step wedge to all mammography film stock as a means of assessing image quality is recommended.

The driving forces of land change in the Northern Piedmont of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Auch, Roger F.; Napton, Darrell E.; Kambly, Steven; Moreland, Thomas R.; Sayler, Kristi L.

2012-01-01

Driving forces facilitate or inhibit land-use/land-cover change. Human driving forces include political, economic, cultural, and social attributes that often change across time and space. Remotely sensed imagery provides regional land-change data for the Northern Piedmont, an ecoregion of the United States that continued to urbanize after 1970 through conversion of agricultural and forest land covers to developed uses. Eight major driving forces facilitated most of the land conversion; other drivers inhibited or slowed change. A synergistic web of drivers may be more important in understanding land change than individual drivers by themselves.

Drive Control Scheme of Electric Power Assisted Wheelchair Based on Neural Network Learning of Human Wheelchair Operation Characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanohata, Naoki; Seki, Hirokazu

This paper describes a novel drive control scheme of electric power assisted wheelchairs based on neural network learning of human wheelchair operation characteristics. “Electric power assisted wheelchair” which enhances the drive force of the operator by employing electric motors is expected to be widely used as a mobility support system for elderly and disabled people. However, some handicapped people with paralysis of the muscles of one side of the body cannot maneuver the wheelchair as desired because of the difference in the right and left input force. Therefore, this study proposes a neural network learning system of such human wheelchair operation characteristics and a drive control scheme with variable distribution and assistance ratios. Some driving experiments will be performed to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed control system.

Compact, low profile antennas for MSAT and mini-M and Std-M land mobile satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strickland, P. C.

1995-01-01

CAL Corporation has developed a new class of low profile radiating elements for use in planar phased array antennas. These new elements have been used in the design of a low cost, compact, low profile antenna unit for MSAT and INMARSAT Mini-M land mobile satellite communications. The antenna unit which measures roughly 32 cm in diameter by 5 cm deep incorporates a compact LNA and diplexer unit as well as a complete, low cost, beam steering system. CAL has also developed a low profile antenna unit for INMARSAT-M land mobile satellite communications. A number of these units, which utilize a microstrip patch array design, were put into service in 1994.

Surf-zone Underwater Robotic Demonstration Platform

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

dynamically advantageous shape for a robotic system. To address locomotive factors ARA completed a research and technical study based on an Archimedes ...effective hull shape. To study mobility and traction a propulsion system based on an Archimedes screw drive was used. A drive design based on an... Archimedes screw was chosen because of its ability to operate in various mediums with varying flow rates. A test bed was designed and assembled in order to

75 FR 74674 - Updates to Vessel Inspection Fees

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-01

... Certificate of Inspection and foreign tankships and mobile offshore drilling units required to maintain a... offshore drilling units trading in U.S. ports. Subpart 2.10 also sets forth fees for inspections conducted...: Length not greater than 200 feet 1,435 More than 200 feet 2,550 Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs...

Demonstration of skull bones mobility using optical methods: practical importance in medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharov, Alexander V.; Okushko, Vladimir R.; Vturin, Sergey A.; Moseychuk, Vladimir V.; Petrov, Aleksey A.; Suetenkov, Dmitry E.

2014-01-01

Unprompted skull bones mobility not related to breathing, heart beating and other physiological reactions, using installation of original construction with control of physiological parameters by biofeedback hardware-software complex BOS-lab and BOS-pulse appliance (COMSIB, Novosibirsk, Russia) has been confirmed. Teeth eruption occurs through odontiasis canals, emerging from the funiculus. The main driving force for promoting a tooth into odontiasis canal during eruption is the unprompted skull bones mobility. A simple optical installation was made for the visualization of skull bones mobility during the investigation of the median palatine and incisors sutures. Early detection of failures of unprompted skull bones mobility and its normalization can lead to prevention of impact teeth, malocclusion, extrudocclusion and other anomalies and deformations of teeth, teeth rows, TMJ and skull. The skull bones mobility should be considered during the early preventive treatment and therapy of the consequences of injuries and malfunction of the maxillofacial area.

A moving paradox: a binational view of obesity and residential mobility.

PubMed

Glick, Jennifer E; Yabiku, Scott T

2015-04-01

This paper takes a unique approach to the study of immigrant and native health differentials by addressing the role of internal as well as international mobility and considering the binational context in which such moves occur. The analyses take advantage of a unique dataset of urban residents in Mexico and the United States to compare Mexican origin immigrants and US-born Spanish-speaking residents in one urban setting in the United States and residents in a similar urban setting in Mexico. The binational approach allows for the test of standard indicators used to proxy acculturation (duration of residence in the United States, household language use) and measures of residential mobility among Mexican-Americans, Mexican immigrants and residents in Mexico. The results confirm a lower prevalence of obesity among Mexicans in Mexico and recent immigrants to the United States when compared to longer residents in the United States. However, for Mexican urban residents, more residential moves are associated with less obesity, while more residential mobility is associated with higher obesity in the urban sample in the United States.

47 CFR 95.23 - Mobile station description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Mobile station description. 95.23 Section 95.23... SERVICES General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) § 95.23 Mobile station description. (a) A mobile station is... mobile station unit may transmit from any point within or over any areas where radio services are...

A randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of an individual, education-based safe transport program for drivers aged 75 years and older

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background There are concerns over safety of older drivers due to increased crash involvement and vulnerability to injury. However, loss of driving privileges can dramatically reduce independence and quality of life for older members of the community. The aim of this trial is to examine the effectiveness of a safe transport program for drivers aged 75 years and older at reducing driving exposure but maintaining mobility. Methods and design A randomised trial will be conducted, involving 380 drivers aged 75 years and older, resident in urban and semi-rural areas of North-West Sydney. The intervention is an education program based on the Knowledge Enhances Your Safety (KEYS) program, adapted for the Australian context. Driving experience will be measured objectively using an in-vehicle monitoring device which includes a global positioning system (GPS) to assess driving exposure and an accelerometer to detect rapid deceleration events. Participation will be assessed using the Keele Assessment of Participation (KAP). Data will be analysed on an intention-to-treat basis; the primary outcomes include driving exposure, rapid deceleration events and scores for KAP. Secondary outcomes include self-reported measures of driving, socialisation, uptake of alternative forms of transport, depressive symptoms and mood. A detailed process evaluation will be conducted, including examination of the delivery of the program and uptake of alternative forms of transport. A subgroup analysis is planned for drivers with reduced function as characterized by established cut-off scores on the Drivesafe assessment tool. Discussion This randomised trial is powered to provide an objective assessment of the efficacy of an individually tailored education and alternative transportation program to promote safety of older drivers but maintain mobility. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000543886. PMID:23379593

Adolescent and adult drivers' mobile phone use while driving with different interlocutors.

PubMed

Mirman, Jessica H; Durbin, Dennis R; Lee, Yi-Ching; Seifert, Sara J

2017-07-01

We examined the frequency of adolescents' and their parents' mobile phone use while driving (MPUWD) in the context of their peer and parent-child interlocutors (i.e., communication partners), considering individual differences in perceived risk and symptoms of technology addiction. Ninety-four participants (47 parent-adolescent dyads) completed a survey battery measuring their symptoms of technology addiction, perceived risk of MPUWD, and MPUWD with family members and with their peers as assessed via the proportion of trips when drivers used a mobile phone to communicate. For both adolescents and their parents across both types of interlocutors (parent-child, peer), stronger risk perceptions were associated with less MPUWD, and stronger symptoms of technology addiction were associated with more MPUWD. A three-way interaction among technology addiction, interlocutor (parent-child, peer), and driver (parent, adolescent) was observed. For adolescents, the association between technology addiction and MPUWD was significantly stronger for MPUWD with their peers than it was for their MPUWD with their parents; this association was not observed for parents. Parents engaged in MPUWD with their children as frequently as adolescents engaged in MPUWD with their peers. Symptoms of technology addiction play a stronger role for adolescents' MPUWD with their peers than it does for adolescents' MPUWD with their parents. These and other driver-by-interlocutor interactions should be considered in future research on distracted driving and in prevention efforts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transmission control unit drive based on the AUTOSAR standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Xiucai; Qin, Zhen

2018-03-01

It is a trend of automotive electronics industry in the future that automotive electronics embedded system development based on the AUTOSAR standard. AUTOSAR automotive architecture standard has proposed the transmission control unit (TCU) development architecture and designed its interfaces and configurations in detail. This essay has discussed that how to drive the TCU based on AUTOSAR standard architecture. The results show that driving the TCU with the AUTOSAR system improves reliability and shortens development cycles.

47 CFR 32.5003 - Cellular mobile revenue.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cellular mobile revenue. 32.5003 Section 32... mobile revenue. This account shall include message revenue derived from cellular mobile telecommunications systems connected to the public switched network placed between mobile units and other stations...

Transmission with a first-stage hydrostatic mode and two hydromechanical stages

DOEpatents

Orshansky, Jr., deceased, Elias; Weseloh, William E.

1979-01-01

A power transmission having two planetary assemblies, each having at least one carrier with planet gears, at least one sun gear, and at least one ring gear. A speed-varying module is connected in driving relation to the input shaft and in driving relationship to the sun gear or gears of the first planetary assembly. The speed-varying means may comprise a pair of hydraulic units hydraulically interconnected so that one serves as a pump while the other serves as a motor and vice versa, one of the units having a variable stroke and being connected in driving relation to the input shaft, the other unit, which may have a fixed stroke, being connected in driving relation to the sun gear. The input shaft is also connectable by a first clutch to a carrier of the first planetary assembly and by a second clutch to a sun gear of the second planetary assembly. A brake grounds the first carrier in the first range and in reverse and causes drive to be delivered to the output through a ring gear of the first planetary assembly in a hydrostatic mode. The carrier of the second planetary assembly being connected in driving relationship to that ring gear, and in all ranges these two elements transmit the drive to the output shaft.

MOBILE ON-SITE RECYCLING OF METALWORKING FLUIDS

EPA Science Inventory

This evaluation addresses the product quality, waste reduction, and economic issues involved in recycling metalworking fluids through a mobile recycling unit. The specific recycling unit evaluated is based on the technology of filtration, pasteurization, and centrifugation. Metal...

Fostering repeat donations in Ghana.

PubMed

Owusu-Ofori, S; Asenso-Mensah, K; Boateng, P; Sarkodie, F; Allain, J-P

2010-01-01

Most African countries are challenged in recruiting and retaining voluntary blood donors by cost and other complexities and in establishing and implementing national blood policies. The availability of replacement donors who are a cheaper source of blood has not enhanced repeat voluntary donor initiatives. An overview of activities for recruiting and retaining voluntary blood donors was carried out. Donor records from mobile sessions were reviewed from 2002 to 2008. A total of 71,701 blood donations; 45,515 (63.5%) being voluntary donations with 11,680 (25%) repeat donations were collected during the study period. Donations from schools and colleges contributed a steady 60% of total voluntary whilst radio station blood drives increased contribution from 10 to 27%. Though Muslim population is less than 20%, blood collection was above the 30-donation cost-effectiveness threshold with a repeat donation trend reaching 60%. In contrast Christian worshippers provided <25 unit/session and 30% repeat donations. Repeat donation trends amongst school donors and radio blood drives were 20% and 70% respectively. Repeat donations rates have been variable amongst different blood donor groups in Kumasi, Ghana. The impact of community leaders in propagating altruism cannot be overemphasized. Programs aiming at motivating replacement donors to be repeat donors should be developed and assessed. Copyright 2009 The International Association for Biologicals. All rights reserved.

Use of Mobile Devices for English Language Learner Students in the United States: A Research Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ok, Min Wook; Ratliffe, Katherine T.

2018-01-01

Mobile devices have become widely used in K-12 education settings for teaching diverse students. We comprehensively reviewed 11 studies published between 2005 and 2016 that examined the use of mobile devices for teaching K-12th grade English language learner students in the United States. We also examined the methodological quality of the studies.…

Economists, capitalists, and the making of globalization: North American free trade in comparative-historical perspective.

PubMed

Fairbrother, Malcolm

2014-03-01

Why did globalization happen? Current explanations point to a variety of conditions under which states have made the free market policy changes driving international economic integration since the 1980s. Such accounts disagree, however, about the key actors involved. This article provides a reconciliation, showing how two different combinations of actors, and two different political economic pathways, have led to globalization in recent decades. In developed countries, mobilization by business has been central; elsewhere, technocrats both constrained and empowered by international finance have pursued globalization more independently of business. In both contexts, economists' technical authority has helped legitimate liberalization, despite the limited diffusion of their ideas. The article validates and elaborates this model using a comparative-historical study of how the United States, Canada, and Mexico proposed, negotiated, and ratified agreements for free trade in North America.

KSC-2014-3073

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The mobile service tower has been rolled back from the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, one of the final steps leading up to launch. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

KSC-2014-3086

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Nightfall on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California follows the rollback of the mobile service tower for launch of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-3085

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The mobile service tower has been rolled back from the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, one of the final steps leading up to launch. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-3067

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California begins to roll back from the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket with NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, aboard. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

KSC-2014-3080

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California begins to roll back from the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket with NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, aboard. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-3083

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Final preparations are underway for the launch of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket, following rollback of the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-3012

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-20

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In the mobile service tower at Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the payload fairing for NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, satellite is being prepared for encapsulation atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Launch is scheduled for 2:56 a.m. PDT 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://oco.jpl.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Mark Mackley

KSC-2014-3087

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, awaits loading of its cryogenic propellants following rollback of the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-3075

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Nightfall on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California follows the rollback of the mobile service tower for launch of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

KSC-2014-3069

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, is ready for launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket following rollback of the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

KSC-2014-3076

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California is illuminated following the rollback of the mobile service tower, preparing the way for launch of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

KSC-2014-3088

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California is illuminated following the rollback of the mobile service tower, preparing the way for launch of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-3072

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – The United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, is ready for launch over the flame trench on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California following rollback of the mobile service tower. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

KSC-2014-3079

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Preparations are underway to roll the mobile service tower away from the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, at Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-3082

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, stands ready for launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket following rollback of the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-3078

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Logos affixed to the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket in the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California identify the major participants in the upcoming launch. The rocket will be carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, to orbit. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2014-3070

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Final preparations are underway for the launch of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket, following rollback of the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

KSC-2014-3074

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-30

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, awaits loading of its cryogenic propellants following rollback of the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2. Launch is scheduled for 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://www.nasa.gov/oco2. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

Volume and porosity thermal regulation in lipid mesophases by coupling mobile ligands to soft membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parolini, Lucia; Mognetti, Bortolo M.; Kotar, Jurij; Eiser, Erika; Cicuta, Pietro; di Michele, Lorenzo

2015-01-01

Short DNA linkers are increasingly being exploited for driving-specific self-assembly of Brownian objects. DNA-functionalized colloids can assemble into ordered or amorphous materials with tailored morphology. Recently, the same approach has been applied to compliant units, including emulsion droplets and lipid vesicles. The liquid structure of these substrates introduces new degrees of freedom: the tethers can diffuse and rearrange, radically changing the physics of the interactions. Unlike droplets, vesicles are extremely deformable and DNA-mediated adhesion causes significant shape adjustments. We investigate experimentally the thermal response of pairs and networks of DNA-tethered liposomes and observe two intriguing and possibly useful collective properties: negative thermal expansion and tuneable porosity of the liposome networks. A model providing a thorough understanding of this unexpected phenomenon is developed, explaining the emergent properties out of the interplay between the temperature-dependent deformability of the vesicles and the DNA-mediated adhesive forces.

Volume and porosity thermal regulation in lipid mesophases by coupling mobile ligands to soft membranes

PubMed Central

Parolini, Lucia; Mognetti, Bortolo M.; Kotar, Jurij; Eiser, Erika; Cicuta, Pietro; Di Michele, Lorenzo

2015-01-01

Short DNA linkers are increasingly being exploited for driving-specific self-assembly of Brownian objects. DNA-functionalized colloids can assemble into ordered or amorphous materials with tailored morphology. Recently, the same approach has been applied to compliant units, including emulsion droplets and lipid vesicles. The liquid structure of these substrates introduces new degrees of freedom: the tethers can diffuse and rearrange, radically changing the physics of the interactions. Unlike droplets, vesicles are extremely deformable and DNA-mediated adhesion causes significant shape adjustments. We investigate experimentally the thermal response of pairs and networks of DNA-tethered liposomes and observe two intriguing and possibly useful collective properties: negative thermal expansion and tuneable porosity of the liposome networks. A model providing a thorough understanding of this unexpected phenomenon is developed, explaining the emergent properties out of the interplay between the temperature-dependent deformability of the vesicles and the DNA-mediated adhesive forces. PMID:25565580

Facilitating the implementation of evidence- based practice through contextual support and nursing leadership.

PubMed

Kueny, Angela; Shever, Leah L; Lehan Mackin, Melissa; Titler, Marita G

2015-01-01

Nurse managers (NMs) play an important role promoting evidence-based practice (EBP) on clinical units within hospitals. However, there is a dearth of research focused on NM perspectives about institutional contextual factors to support the goal of EBP on the clinical unit. The purpose of this article is to identify contextual factors described by NMs to drive change and facilitate EBP at the unit level, comparing and contrasting these perspectives across nursing units. This study employed a qualitative descriptive design using interviews with nine NMs who were participating in a large effectiveness study. To stratify the sample, NMs were selected from nursing units designated as high or low performing based on implementation of EBP interventions, scores on the Meyer and Goes research use scale, and fall rates. Descriptive content analysis was used to identify themes that reflect the complex nature of infrastructure described by NMs and contextual influences that supported or hindered their promotion of EBP on the clinical unit. NMs perceived workplace culture, structure, and resources as facilitators or barriers to empowering nurses under their supervision to use EBP and drive change. A workplace culture that provides clear communication of EBP goals or regulatory changes, direct contact with CEOs, and clear expectations supported NMs in their promotion of EBP on their units. High-performing unit NMs described a structure that included nursing-specific committees, allowing nurses to drive change and EBP from within the unit. NMs from high-performing units were more likely to articulate internal resources, such as quality-monitoring departments, as critical to the implementation of EBP on their units. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of institutional contextual factors that can be used to support NMs in their efforts to drive EBP changes at the unit level.

Mobility decline in patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit

PubMed Central

de Jesus, Fábio Santos; Paim, Daniel de Macedo; Brito, Juliana de Oliveira; Barros, Idiel de Araujo; Nogueira, Thiago Barbosa; Martinez, Bruno Prata; Pires, Thiago Queiroz

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate the variation in mobility during hospitalization in an intensive care unit and its association with hospital mortality. Methods This prospective study was conducted in an intensive care unit. The inclusion criteria included patients admitted with an independence score of ≥ 4 for both bed-chair transfer and locomotion, with the score based on the Functional Independence Measure. Patients with cardiac arrest and/or those who died during hospitalization were excluded. To measure the loss of mobility, the value obtained at discharge was calculated and subtracted from the value obtained on admission, which was then divided by the admission score and recorded as a percentage. Results The comparison of these two variables indicated that the loss of mobility during hospitalization was 14.3% (p < 0.001). Loss of mobility was greater in patients hospitalized for more than 48 hours in the intensive care unit (p < 0.02) and in patients who used vasopressor drugs (p = 0.041). However, the comparison between subjects aged 60 years or older and those younger than 60 years indicated no significant differences in the loss of mobility (p = 0.332), reason for hospitalization (p = 0.265), SAPS 3 score (p = 0.224), use of mechanical ventilation (p = 0.117), or hospital mortality (p = 0.063). Conclusion There was loss of mobility during hospitalization in the intensive care unit. This loss was greater in patients who were hospitalized for more than 48 hours and in those who used vasopressors; however, the causal and prognostic factors associated with this decline need to be elucidated. PMID:27410406

Mobility and volatility: What is behind the rising income inequality in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Huixuan; Li, Yao

2018-02-01

Inequality of family incomes in the United States has increased significantly in the past four decades. This is largely interpreted as a result of unequal mobility, e.g., the rich can get richer at a faster pace than the rest of the population. However, using nationally representative data and the Fokker-Planck equation, our study shows that income mobility in the United States has remained stable. Instead, we find another factor - income volatility, which measures the instability of incomes - has increased considerably and caused the surge of income inequality. In addition, the rising volatility is associated with the plummeting of income-growth opportunity, creating the feeling that the American Dream is in decline. Volatility has often been overlooked in previous studies on inequality, partially because mobility and volatility are usually studied separately. By contrast, the Fokker-Planck equation takes both mobility and volatility into consideration, making it a more comprehensive model.

CLOSE UP OF THE RECESSED MAIN ENTRY OF THE UNIT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

CLOSE UP OF THE RECESSED MAIN ENTRY OF THE UNIT - Camp H.M. Smith and Navy Public Works Center Manana Title VII (Capehart) Housing, U-Shaped Two-Bedroom Single-Family Type 6, Birch Circle, Elm Drive, Elm Circle, and Date Drive, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

VIEW OF RECESSED FRONT ENTRY SHOWING DECORATIVE CONCRETE MASONRY UNIT ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF RECESSED FRONT ENTRY SHOWING DECORATIVE CONCRETE MASONRY UNIT WALL. VIEW FACING NORTHWEST - Camp H.M. Smith and Navy Public Works Center Manana Title VII (Capehart) Housing, Four-Bedroom, Single-Family Type 10, Birch Circle, Elm Drive, Elm Circle, and Date Drive, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

Distraction produces over-additive increases in the degree to which alcohol impairs driving performance

PubMed Central

Van Dyke, Nicholas A.; Fillmore, Mark T.

2015-01-01

Rationale Research indicates that alcohol intoxication and increased demands on drivers’ attention from distractions (e.g. passengers and cell phones) contribute to poor driving performance and increased rates of traffic accidents and fatalities. Objectives The present study examined the separate and combined effects of alcohol and distraction on simulated driving performance at blood alcohol concentrations (BrACs) below the legal driving limit in the United States (i.e. 0.08%). Methods Fifty healthy adult drivers (36 men and 14 women) were tested in a driving simulator following a 0.65 g/kg dose of alcohol and a placebo. Drivers completed two drive tests; a distracted drive, which included a two-choice detection task, and an undistracted control drive. Multiple indicators of driving performance, such as drive speed, within-lane deviation, steering rate, and lane exceedances were measured. Results Alcohol and distraction each impaired measures of driving performance. Moreover, the magnitude of alcohol impairment was increased by at least two-fold when tested under the distracting versus the undistracted condition. Conclusions The findings highlight the need for a clearer understanding of how common distractions impact intoxicated drivers, especially at BrACs that are currently legal for driving in the United States. PMID:26349918

33 CFR 146.202 - Notice of arrival or relocation of MODUs on the OCS.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF ACTIVITIES OPERATIONS Mobile Offshore Drilling Units § 146.202 Notice of arrival or relocation of MODUs on the OCS. (a) The owner of any mobile offshore drilling unit engaged in OCS activities shall, 14 days before arrival of the unit on the OCS or as...

Mobile Phones Democratize and Cultivate Next-Generation Imaging, Diagnostics and Measurement Tools

PubMed Central

Ozcan, Aydogan

2014-01-01

In this article, I discuss some of the emerging applications and the future opportunities and challenges created by the use of mobile phones and their embedded components for the development of next-generation imaging, sensing, diagnostics and measurement tools. The massive volume of mobile phone users, which has now reached ~7 billion, drives the rapid improvements of the hardware, software and high-end imaging and sensing technologies embedded in our phones, transforming the mobile phone into a cost-effective and yet extremely powerful platform to run e.g., biomedical tests and perform scientific measurements that would normally require advanced laboratory instruments. This rapidly evolving and continuing trend will help us transform how medicine, engineering and sciences are practiced and taught globally. PMID:24647550

Commercializing light-duty plug-in/plug-out hydrogen-fuel-cell vehicles: "Mobile electricity" technologies, early California household markets, and innovation management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Brett David

Starting from the premise that new consumer value must drive hydrogen-fuel-cell-vehicle (H2FCV) commercialization, a group of opportunities collectively called "Mobile Electricity" (Me-) is characterized. Me- redefines H2 FCVs as innovative products able to provide home recharging and mobile power, for example for tools, mobile activities, emergencies, and electric-grid-support services. To characterize such opportunities, this study first integrates and extends previous analyses of H2FCVs, plug-in hybrids, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) power. It uses a new model to estimate zero-emission-power vs. zero-emission-driving tradeoffs, costs, and grid-support revenues for various electric-drive vehicle types and levels of infrastructure service. Next, the initial market potential for Me- enabled vehicles, such as H2FCVs and plug-in hybrids, is estimated by eliminating unlikely households from consideration for early adoption. 5.2 million of 33.9 million Californians in the 2000 Census live in households pre-adapted to Me-, 3.9 million if natural gas is required for home refueling. The possible sales base represented by this population is discussed. Several differences in demographic and other characteristics between the target market and the population as a whole are highlighted, and two issues related to the design of H2FCVs and their supporting infrastructure are discussed: vehicle range and home hydrogen refueling. These findings argue for continued investigation of this and similar target segments-which represent more efficient research populations for subsequent study by product designers and other decision-makers wishing to understand the early market dynamics facing Me- innovations. Next, Me-H2FCV commercialization issues are raised from the perspectives of innovation, product development, and strategic marketing. Starting with today's internalcombustion hybrids, this discussion suggests a way to move beyond the battery vs. fuel-cell zero-sum game and towards the development of integrated plug-in/plug-out hybrid platforms. H2FCVs are described as one possible extension of this Me- product platform for the supply of clean, high-power, and profitable Me- services as the technologies and markets mature. Finally, the major findings of this study are summarized and directions for future work discussed. Together, the parts of this Me- innovation assessment reveal an initially expensive and limited but compelling (and possibly necessary) set of opportunities to help drive H2FCV and other electric-drive-vehicle commercialization.

Development of robotic mobility for infants: rationale and outcomes.

PubMed

Larin, Hélène M; Dennis, Carole W; Stansfield, Sharon

2012-09-01

To assess the feasibility of a robotic mobility device for infants using alternative control interfaces aimed at promoting early self-initiated mobility, and to assess the effects of a training protocol and robot experience. Observational and pre-post quantitative case studies. Standardised, research laboratory and day-care centres with toys and individuals familiar to infants. Children with and without disabilities, aged 5 months to 3 years. In each study, infants were seated over a Pioneer™ 3-DX mobile robot. Some infants controlled the directional movement of the robot by weight shifting their body on a Nintendo® Wii™ Balance Board (the WeeBot), while others used a modified joystick. Infants participated in five sessions over 2 to 5 weeks. Sessions consisted of administering a 10-minute training protocol preceded and followed by 2 to 3 minutes of free play. One child with motor impairment used a button switch array and a different experimental design. From the videotaped free-play periods, goal-directed behaviours were coded and time in motion was measured. In the training period, a scoring system was developed to measure the infants' driving performance. Preliminary outcomes indicate that infants without disabilities, aged 5 to 10 months, demonstrated significant improvement in driving performance and goal-directed movement using the WeeBot. Infants who used the joystick were less successful on all measures. Results for infants with disabilities using the WeeBot were mixed. Mobile robots offer promise to enhance the development of early self-mobility. Novel types of interfaces, such as the WeeBot, warrant further investigation. Copyright © 2012 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Verification of Wind Measurement with Mobile Laser Doppler System

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-09-01

The Lockheed Mobile Atmospheric Unit is a laser Doppler velocimeter system designed for the remote measurement of the three components of atmospheric wind. The unit was tested at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Table Mountain Test...

75 FR 29308 - Availability of Compliance Guide for Mobile Slaughter Units

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-25

... guide is intended for owners and managers of a new or existing red meat or poultry mobile slaughter unit... ensure that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce...

A clinical evaluation of a remote mobility monitoring system based on SMS messaging.

PubMed

Dalton, Anthony F; Ní Scanaill, Cliodhna; Carew, Sheila; Lyons, Declan; OLaighin, Gearóid

2007-01-01

The objective of this work was to evaluate the accuracy and viability of a mobility telemonitoring system, based on the short message service (SMS), to monitor the functional mobility of elderly subjects in an unsupervised environment. A clinical trial was conducted consisting of 6 elderly subjects; 3 male, 3 female (mean: 81.7, SD: 5.09). Mobility was monitored using an accelerometer based portable unit worn by each monitored subject for eleven hours. Every 15 minutes the mobility of the subject was summarized and transmitted as an SMS message from the portable unit to a remote server for long term analysis. The activPAL Trio Professional physical activity logger was simultaneously used for comparison with the portable unit. On conclusion of the trial each subject completed a questionnaire detailing their satisfaction with the portable unit and any recommendations for improvements. Overall a percentage difference of 2.31% was found between the activPAL Trio and the portable unit for the detection of sitting. For the combined postures of standing and walking the percentage difference was calculated as 2.9%. A bivariate correlation and regression analysis was performed on the entire data set of one subject. Strong positive correlation's were found for the detection of sitting (r = 0.996) and for the combined postures of standing and walking (r = 0.994). Subjects suggested that a lighter, smaller and wireless unit would be more effective.

Evaluation of a Progressive Mobility Protocol in Postoperative Cardiothoracic Surgical Patients.

PubMed

Floyd, Shawn; Craig, Sarah W; Topley, Darla; Tullmann, Dorothy

2016-01-01

Cardiothoracic surgical patients are at high risk for complications related to immobility, such as increased intensive care and hospital length of stay, intensive care unit readmission, pressure ulcer development, and deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolus. A progressive mobility protocol was started in the thoracic cardiovascular intensive care unit in a rural academic medical center. The purpose of the progressive mobility protocol was to increase mobilization of postoperative patients and decrease complications related to immobility in this unique patient population. A matched-pairs design was used to compare a randomly selected sample of the preintervention group (n = 30) to a matched postintervention group (n = 30). The analysis compared outcomes including intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, intensive care unit readmission occurrence, pressure ulcer prevalence, and deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism prevalence between the 2 groups. Although this comparison does not achieve statistical significance (P < .05) for any of the outcomes measured, it does show clinical significance in a reduction in hospital length of stay, intensive care unit days, in intensive care unit readmission rate, and a decline in pressure ulcer prevalence, which is the overall goal of progressive mobility. This study has implications for nursing, hospital administration, and therapy services with regard to staffing and cost savings related to fewer complications of immobility. Future studies with a larger sample size and other populations are warranted.

Internet Enabled Remote Driving of a Combat Hybrid Electric Power System for Duty Cycle Measurement

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

INTERNET ENABLED REMOTE DRIVING OF A COMBAT HYBRID ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEM FOR DUTY CYCLE MEASUREMENT Jarrett Goodell1 Marc Compere , Ph.D.2...Orlando, FL, April 2006. 2. Compere , M.; M.; Goodell, J.; Simon, M; Smith, W.; Brudnak, M, “Robust Control Techniques Enabling Duty Cycle...2006-01-3077, SAE Power Systems Conference, Nov. 2006. 3. Compere , M.; Simon, M.; Kajs, J.; Pozolo, M., “Tracked Vehicle Mobility Load Emulation for a

A Leapfrog Navigation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Opshaug, Guttorm Ringstad

There are times and places where conventional navigation systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), are unavailable due to anything from temporary signal occultations to lack of navigation system infrastructure altogether. The goal of the Leapfrog Navigation System (LNS) is to provide localized positioning services for such cases. The concept behind leapfrog navigation is to advance a group of navigation units teamwise into an area of interest. In a practical 2-D case, leapfrogging assumes known initial positions of at least two currently stationary navigation units. Two or more mobile units can then start to advance into the area of interest. The positions of the mobiles are constantly being calculated based on cross-range distance measurements to the stationary units, as well as cross-ranges among the mobiles themselves. At some point the mobile units stop, and the stationary units are released to move. This second team of units (now mobile) can then overtake the first team (now stationary) and travel even further towards the common goal of the group. Since there always is one stationary team, the position of any unit can be referenced back to the initial positions. Thus, LNS provides absolute positioning. I developed navigation algorithms needed to solve leapfrog positions based on cross-range measurements. I used statistical tools to predict how position errors would grow as a function of navigation unit geometry, cross-range measurement accuracy and previous position errors. Using this knowledge I predicted that a 4-unit Leapfrog Navigation System using 100 m baselines and 200 m leap distances could travel almost 15 km before accumulating absolute position errors of 10 m (1sigma). Finally, I built a prototype leapfrog navigation system using 4 GPS transceiver ranging units. I placed the 4 units in the vertices a 10m x 10m square, and leapfrogged the group 20 meters forwards, and then back again (40 m total travel). Average horizontal RMS position errors never exceeded 16 cm during these field tests.

Carrier Injection and Transport in Blue Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Device with Oxadiazole Host

PubMed Central

Chiu, Tien-Lung; Lee, Pei-Yu

2012-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the carrier injection and transport characteristics in iridium(III)bis[4,6-(di-fluorophenyl)-pyridinato-N,C2′]picolinate (FIrpic) doped phosphorescent organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) with oxadiazole (OXD) as the bipolar host material of the emitting layer (EML). When doping Firpic inside the OXD, the driving voltage of OLEDs greatly decreases because FIrpic dopants facilitate electron injection and electron transport from the electron-transporting layer (ETL) into the EML. With increasing dopant concentration, the recombination zone shifts toward the anode side, analyzed with electroluminescence (EL) spectra. Besides, EL redshifts were also observed with increasing driving voltage, which means the electron mobility is more sensitive to the electric field than the hole mobility. To further investigate carrier injection and transport characteristics, FIrpic was intentionally undoped at different positions inside the EML. When FIrpic was undoped close to the ETL, driving voltage increased significantly which proves the dopant-assisted-electron-injection characteristic in this OLED. When the undoped layer is near the electron blocking layer, the driving voltage is only slightly increased, but the current efficiency is greatly reduced because the main recombination zone was undoped. However, non-negligible FIrpic emission is still observed which means the recombination zone penetrates inside the EML due to certain hole-transporting characteristics of the OXD. PMID:22837713

Development of a test for recording both visual and auditory reaction times, potentially useful for future studies in patients on opioids therapy

PubMed Central

Miceli, Luca; Bednarova, Rym; Rizzardo, Alessandro; Samogin, Valentina; Della Rocca, Giorgio

2015-01-01

Objective Italian Road Law limits driving while undergoing treatment with certain kinds of medication. Here, we report the results of a test, run as a smartphone application (app), assessing auditory and visual reflexes in a sample of 300 drivers. The scope of the test is to provide both the police force and medication-taking drivers with a tool that can evaluate the individual’s capacity to drive safely. Methods The test is run as an app for Apple iOS and Android mobile operating systems and facilitates four different reaction times to be assessed: simple visual and auditory reaction times and complex visual and auditory reaction times. Reference deciles were created for the test results obtained from a sample of 300 Italian subjects. Results lying within the first three deciles were considered as incompatible with safe driving capabilities. Results Performance is both age-related (r>0.5) and sex-related (female reaction times were significantly slower than those recorded for male subjects, P<0.05). Only 21% of the subjects were able to perform all four tests correctly. Conclusion We developed and fine-tuned a test called Safedrive that measures visual and auditory reaction times through a smartphone mobile device; the scope of the test is two-fold: to provide a clinical tool for the assessment of the driving capacity of individuals taking pain relief medication; to promote the sense of social responsibility in drivers who are on medication and provide these individuals with a means of testing their own capacity to drive safely. PMID:25709406

Development of a test for recording both visual and auditory reaction times, potentially useful for future studies in patients on opioids therapy.

PubMed

Miceli, Luca; Bednarova, Rym; Rizzardo, Alessandro; Samogin, Valentina; Della Rocca, Giorgio

2015-01-01

Italian Road Law limits driving while undergoing treatment with certain kinds of medication. Here, we report the results of a test, run as a smartphone application (app), assessing auditory and visual reflexes in a sample of 300 drivers. The scope of the test is to provide both the police force and medication-taking drivers with a tool that can evaluate the individual's capacity to drive safely. The test is run as an app for Apple iOS and Android mobile operating systems and facilitates four different reaction times to be assessed: simple visual and auditory reaction times and complex visual and auditory reaction times. Reference deciles were created for the test results obtained from a sample of 300 Italian subjects. Results lying within the first three deciles were considered as incompatible with safe driving capabilities. Performance is both age-related (r>0.5) and sex-related (female reaction times were significantly slower than those recorded for male subjects, P<0.05). Only 21% of the subjects were able to perform all four tests correctly. We developed and fine-tuned a test called Safedrive that measures visual and auditory reaction times through a smartphone mobile device; the scope of the test is two-fold: to provide a clinical tool for the assessment of the driving capacity of individuals taking pain relief medication; to promote the sense of social responsibility in drivers who are on medication and provide these individuals with a means of testing their own capacity to drive safely.

Adjustment to loss of the driving role following traumatic brain injury: a qualitative exploration with key stakeholders.

PubMed

Liddle, Jacki; Fleming, Jennifer; McKenna, Kryss; Turpin, Merrill; Whitelaw, Penny; Allen, Shelley

2012-02-01

Community mobility is affected by an interruption to or cessation of driving following traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study aimed to examine loss of the driving role and to explore the outcomes associated with driving cessation from the perspectives of key people involved within the process: people with TBI, their family members and involved health professionals. A qualitative methodology was used, employing semi-structured interviews with 15 individuals with TBI who had experienced driving cessation, 10 family members and 10 health professionals working with this population. This article focuses on two themes, each with three subthemes. Being stuck: needs related to driving cessation had subthemes: (i) an emotional time, (ii) being normal and (iii) participation without driving. The second theme, A better way: suggestions to improve outcomes had subthemes: (i) information, (ii) support and trying it out and (iii) their family member's roles and needs. Driving cessation following TBI is associated with emotional, identity, transport and participation-related needs. An ongoing, individualised approach involving information, support and practical experiences may improve outcomes of driving cessation for people with TBI and their family members. © 2011 The Authors. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2011 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Training the Trainers: Mission Analysis and Support for USAR Training Divisions

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-25

the Department of Defense (DOD),! mobilization expansion is a key factor In Limited Mobilization9 or Graduated Military Responseio theories of...less filled units of their personnel to fill earlier deploying units. After stripping units at random with 19 disastrous morale results it was decided...28 assigned) once all companies In the division are filled. This mission is identified in the unit’s Table of Distribution and Allowance ( TDA ) and

High mobility vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcox, Brian H. (Inventor); Nasif, Annette K. (Inventor)

2001-01-01

A vehicle, for driving over a ground surface, has a body with a left side, a right side, a front and a back. The vehicle includes left and right drive mechanisms. Each mechanism includes first and second traction elements for engaging the ground surface and transmitting a driving force between the vehicle and ground surface. Each mechanism includes first and second arms coupled to the first and second traction elements for relative rotation about first and second axis respectively. Each mechanism includes a rotor having a third axis, the rotor coupled to the body for rotation about the third axis and coupled to the first and second arms for relative rotation about the third axis. The mechanism includes first and second drive motors for driving the first and second traction elements and first and second transmissions, driven by the first and second motors and engaging the rotor. Driving the first and second traction elements simultaneously rotates the rotor relative to the first and second arms, respectively.

47 CFR 90.247 - Mobile repeater stations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... of the mobile unit and an automatic time-delay device that de-activates the transmitter after any... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Mobile repeater stations. 90.247 Section 90.247... MOBILE RADIO SERVICES Non-Voice and Other Specialized Operations § 90.247 Mobile repeater stations. A...

Enhanced Reciprocal Interactions between Molecular Stresses and Optoelectronic Energy Transfers for High Efficiency Long Life Devices Based on Conjugated Polymers

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-15

led to lower PL efficiencies. The latter, however, posed no problems for solar cells aplications . Furthermore, the molecular dipoles composed of...illuminated under the light of the energy falling in the absorption range of the conjugated polymer, the polymer chain mobility decreased...the other hand, increased concomitantly (Figs. 33, 35). The driving force for the molecular flows is the diffusion of the mobile PS chains toward

Controlled Growth of Large-Area Aligned Single-Crystalline Organic Nanoribbon Arrays for Transistors and Light-Emitting Diodes Driving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Wang, Liang; Dai, Gaole; Deng, Wei; Zhang, Xiujuan; Jie, Jiansheng; Zhang, Xiaohong

2017-10-01

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on organic micro-/nanocrystals have been widely reported with charge carrier mobility exceeding 1.0 cm2 V-1 s-1, demonstrating great potential for high-performance, low-cost organic electronic applications. However, fabrication of large-area organic micro-/nanocrystal arrays with consistent crystal growth direction has posed a significant technical challenge. Here, we describe a solution-processed dip-coating technique to grow large-area, aligned 9,10-bis(phenylethynyl) anthracene (BPEA) and 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-PEN) single-crystalline nanoribbon arrays. The method is scalable to a 5 × 10 cm2 wafer substrate, with around 60% of the wafer surface covered by aligned crystals. The quality of crystals can be easily controlled by tuning the dip-coating speed. Furthermore, OFETs based on well-aligned BPEA and TIPS-PEN single-crystalline nanoribbons were constructed. By optimizing channel lengths and using appropriate metallic electrodes, the BPEA and TIPS-PEN-based OFETs showed hole mobility exceeding 2.0 cm2 V-1 s-1 (average mobility 1.2 cm2 V-1 s-1) and 3.0 cm2 V-1 s-1 (average mobility 2.0 cm2 V-1 s-1), respectively. They both have a high on/off ratio ( I on/ I off) > 109. The performance can well satisfy the requirements for light-emitting diodes driving.

Zone of influence for particle number concentrations at signalised traffic intersections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goel, Anju; Kumar, Prashant

2015-12-01

Estimation of zone of influences (ZoI) at signalised traffic intersections (TI) is important to accurately model particle number concentrations (PNCs) and their exposure to public at emission hotspot locations. However, estimates of ZoI for PNCs at different types of TIs are barely known. We carried out mobile measurements inside the car cabin with windows fully open for size-resolved PNCs in the 5-560 nm range on a 6 km long busy round route that had 10 TIs. These included four-way TIs without built-up area (TI4w-nb), four-way TIs with built-up area (TI4w-wb), three-way TIs without built-up area (TI3w-nb) and three-way TIs with built-up area (TI3w-wb). Mobile measurements were made with a fast response differential mobility spectrometer (DMS50). Driving speed and position of the car were recorded every second using a global positioning system (GPS). Positive matrix factorisation (PMF) modelling was applied on the data to quantify the contribution of PNCs released during deceleration, creep-idling, acceleration and cruising to total PNCs at the TIs. The objectives were to address the following questions: (i) how does ZoI vary at different types of TIs in stop- and go-driving conditions?, (ii) what is the effect of different driving conditions on ZoI of a TI?, (iii) how realistically can the PNC profiles be generalised within a ZoI of a TI?, and (iv) what is the share of emissions during different driving conditions towards the total PNCs at a TI? Average length of ZoI in longitudinal direction and along the road was found to be the highest (148 m; 89 to -59 m from the centre of a TI) at a TI3w-wb, followed by TI4w-nb (129 m; 79 to -42 m), TI3w-nb (86 m; 71 to -15 m) and TI4w-wb (79 m; 46 to -33 m) in stop- and go-driving conditions. During multiple stopping driving conditions when a vehicle stops at a TI more than once in a signal cycle due to oversaturation of vehicles, average length of ZoI increased by 55, 22 and 21% at TI4w-nb, TI3w-nb and TI3w-wb, respectively, compared with stop- and go-driving conditions. Within average length of ZoI in stop- and go- driving conditions, PNCs followed a three degree polynomial form at all TIs. Dimensional analysis suggested that coefficients of polynomial equations at both four-way and three-way TIs were mainly influenced by delay time, wind speed and particle number flux. The PMF analysis suggested that deceleration contributed the most to total PNCs at all TIs, except TI4w-wb. Findings of this study are a step forward to understand the contribution of different driving conditions towards the total PNCs and their exposure at the TIs.

30 CFR 250.417 - What must I provide if I plan to use a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... offshore drilling unit (MODU)? 250.417 Section 250.417 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL... plan to use a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)? If you plan to use a MODU, you must provide: (a...

30 CFR 250.417 - What must I provide if I plan to use a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... offshore drilling unit (MODU)? 250.417 Section 250.417 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL... plan to use a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)? If you plan to use a MODU, you must provide: (a...

30 CFR 250.417 - What must I provide if I plan to use a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... offshore drilling unit (MODU)? 250.417 Section 250.417 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Oil and... a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)? If you plan to use a MODU, you must provide: (a) Fitness...

30 CFR 250.417 - What must I provide if I plan to use a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... offshore drilling unit (MODU)? 250.417 Section 250.417 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL... plan to use a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)? If you plan to use a MODU, you must provide: (a...

Variable-Displacement Hydraulic Drive Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, D. J.; Linton, D. J.; Markunas, A.

1986-01-01

Hydraulic power controlled through multiple feedback loops. In hydraulic drive unit, power closely matched to demand, thereby saving energy. Hydraulic flow to and from motor adjusted by motor-control valve connected to wobbler. Wobbler angle determines motor-control-valve position, which in turn determines motor displacement. Concept applicable to machine tools, aircraft controls, and marine controls.

Oregon Driver Education. Alcohol/Drugs and Driving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oregon State Dept. of Education, Salem. Div. of Curriculum and School Improvement.

This curriculum unit contains 10 modules, to be used in 10 driver education class sessions, on driving under the influence of alcohol and/or other drugs (DUI). The unit aims to combat the Oregon DUI problem, especially among 15- to 24-year-olds, with values clarification, awareness of risk factors and personal boundaries, refusal skills, social…

Evaluation of Kentucky's "You Drink and Drive. You Lose" campaign.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-10-01

Kentucky was selected within the Southeast Region of the United States by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to conduct a comprehensive impaired driving campaign entitled "You Drink & Drive. You Lose". The campaign was conducted aroun...

Miniaturized NIR scanning grating spectrometer for use in mobile phones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knobbe, Jens; Pügner, Tino; Grüger, Heinrich

2016-05-01

An extremely miniaturized scanning grating spectrometer at the size of a sugar cube has been developed at Fraunhofer IPMS. To meet the requirements for the integration into a mobile phone a new system approach has been pursued. The key component within the system is a silicon-based deflectable diffraction grating with an integrated driving mechanism. A first sample of the new spectrometer was built and characterized. It was found to have a spectral range from 950 nm to 1900 nm at a resolution of 10 nm. The results show that the performance of the new MEMS spectrometer is in good agreement with the requirements for mobile phone integration.

Driver distraction : eye glance analysis and conversation workload : [research brief].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-11-01

The objective of this project was to: : Assess the risk of performing a secondary task : while driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). : Better understand the relationship of conversation : workload and visual distraction during mobile : ph...

Watching Test Drives in California for Rover Mission to Mars

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-05-11

Michael Malin, left, principal investigator for three science cameras on NASA Curiosity Mars rover, comments to a news reporter during tests with Curiosity mobility-test stand-in, Scarecrow, on Dumont Dunes in California Mojave Desert.

Cryobot: an ice penetrating robotic vehicle for Mars and Europa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmerman, W. F.; Bonitz, R.; Feldman, J.

2001-01-01

This paper describes the science driven requirements for a robotic vehicle, which utilizes gravity, and both passive and active heating systems to drive ice to a liquid phase change state, in order to facilitate mobility.

Active colloids as mobile microelectrodes for unified label-free selective cargo transport.

PubMed

Boymelgreen, Alicia M; Balli, Tov; Miloh, Touvia; Yossifon, Gilad

2018-02-22

Utilization of active colloids to transport both biological and inorganic cargo has been widely examined in the context of applications ranging from targeted drug delivery to sample analysis. In general, carriers are customized to load one specific target via a mechanism distinct from that driving the transport. Here we unify these tasks and extend loading capabilities to include on-demand selection of multiple nano/micro-sized targets without the need for pre-labelling or surface functionalization. An externally applied electric field is singularly used to drive the active cargo carrier and transform it into a mobile floating electrode that can attract (trap) or repel specific targets from its surface by dielectrophoresis, enabling dynamic control of target selection, loading and rate of transport via the electric field parameters. In the future, dynamic selectivity could be combined with directed motion to develop building blocks for bottom-up fabrication in applications such as additive manufacturing and soft robotics.

Driving into the Sunset: Supporting Cognitive Functioning in Older Drivers

PubMed Central

Young, Mark S.; Bunce, David

2011-01-01

The rise in the aging driver population presents society with a significant challenge—how to maintain safety and mobility on the roads. On the one hand, older drivers pose a higher risk of an at-fault accident on a mile-for-mile basis; on the other hand, independent mobility is a significant marker of quality of life in aging. In this paper, we review the respective literatures on cognitive neuropsychology and ergonomics to suggest a previously unexplored synergy between these two fields. We argue that this conceptual overlap can form the basis for future solutions to what has been called “the older driver problem.” Such solutions could be found in a range of emerging driver assistance technologies offered by vehicle manufacturers, which have the potential to compensate for the specific cognitive decrements associated with aging that are related to driving. PMID:21748014

Flexible active-matrix organic light-emitting diode display enabled by MoS2 thin-film transistor.

PubMed

Choi, Minwoo; Park, Yong Ju; Sharma, Bhupendra K; Bae, Sa-Rang; Kim, Soo Young; Ahn, Jong-Hyun

2018-04-01

Atomically thin molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) has been extensively investigated in semiconductor electronics but has not been applied in a backplane circuitry of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. Its applicability as an active drive element is hampered by the large contact resistance at the metal/MoS 2 interface, which hinders the transport of carriers at the dielectric surface, which in turn considerably deteriorates the mobility. Modified switching device architecture is proposed for efficiently exploiting the high- k dielectric Al 2 O 3 layer, which, when integrated in an active matrix, can drive the ultrathin OLED display even in dynamic folding states. The proposed architecture exhibits 28 times increase in mobility compared to a normal back-gated thin-film transistor, and its potential as a wearable display attached to a human wrist is demonstrated.

An electric scooter simulation program for training the driving skills of stroke patients with mobility problems: a pilot study.

PubMed

Jannink, Michiel J A; Erren-Wolters, C Victorien; de Kort, Alexander C; van der Kooij, Herman

2008-12-01

This paper describes an electric scooter simulation program and a first evaluation study in which we explored if it is possible to train the driving skills of future users of electric mobility scooters by means of an electric scooter simulation program in addition to conventional electric scooter training. Within this explorative study,10 stroke survivors were randomly assigned to either the control (n=5) or the electric scooter simulation intervention group (n=5). Participants were assessed twice on the functional evaluating rating scale. During the followup measurement, subjective experiences regarding both forms of electric scooter training were elicited by a questionnaire. After a training period of 5 weeks, both groups improved on the Functional Evaluation Rating Scale. It can be concluded that the patients with stroke were satisfied with the electric scooter simulation training.

Flexible active-matrix organic light-emitting diode display enabled by MoS2 thin-film transistor

PubMed Central

Park, Yong Ju

2018-01-01

Atomically thin molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been extensively investigated in semiconductor electronics but has not been applied in a backplane circuitry of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. Its applicability as an active drive element is hampered by the large contact resistance at the metal/MoS2 interface, which hinders the transport of carriers at the dielectric surface, which in turn considerably deteriorates the mobility. Modified switching device architecture is proposed for efficiently exploiting the high-k dielectric Al2O3 layer, which, when integrated in an active matrix, can drive the ultrathin OLED display even in dynamic folding states. The proposed architecture exhibits 28 times increase in mobility compared to a normal back-gated thin-film transistor, and its potential as a wearable display attached to a human wrist is demonstrated. PMID:29713686

Characterizing functional complaints in patients seeking outpatient low-vision services in the United States.

PubMed

Brown, Jamie C; Goldstein, Judith E; Chan, Tiffany L; Massof, Robert; Ramulu, Pradeep

2014-08-01

To characterize functional complaints of new low-vision rehabilitation patients. Prospective observational study. The Low Vision Rehabilitation Outcomes Study recruited 819 patients between 2008 and 2011 from 28 clinical centers in the United States. New patients referred for low-vision rehabilitation were asked, "What are your chief complaints about your vision?" before their appointment. Full patient statements were transcribed as free text. Two methods assessed whether statements indicated difficulty in each of 13 functional categories: (1) assessment by 2 masked clinicians reading the statement, and (2) a computerized search of the text for specific words or word fragments. Logistic regression models were used to predict the influence of age, gender, and visual acuity on the likelihood of reporting a complaint in each functional category. Prevalence and risk factors for patient concerns within various functional categories. Reading was the most common functional complaint (66.4% of patients). Other functional difficulties expressed by at least 10% of patients included driving (27.8%), using visual assistive equipment (17.5%), mobility (16.3%), performing in-home activities (15.1%), lighting and glare (11.7%), and facial recognition and social interactions (10.3%). Good agreement was noted between the masked clinician graders and the computerized algorithm for categorization of functional complaints (median κ of 0.84 across the 13 categories). Multivariate logistic regression models demonstrated that the likelihood of reading difficulties increased mildly with age (odds ratio, 1.4 per 10-year increment in age; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-1.6), but did not differ with visual acuity (P = 0.09). Additionally, men were more likely to report driving difficulties and difficulties related to lighting, whereas women were more likely to report difficulty with either in-home activities or facial recognition or social interaction (P<0.05 for all). Mobility concerns, defined as walking difficulty and out-of-home activities, showed no relationship to gender, age, or visual acuity. Reading was the most commonly reported difficulty, regardless of the patient's diagnosis. Neither visual acuity nor gender were predictive of reading concerns, although, age showed a small effect. Addressing reading rehabilitation should be a cornerstone of low-vision therapy. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is Reorganization of the Army Under the Unit-of-Action and the Unit-of-Employment Concept Consistent with the Army’s Identity?

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-01

thesis is a critical assessment of those organizational changes . The thesis question asks: Is reorganization of the Army under the unit of action/unit...driving these changes are not well understood. It is a far more daunting task to understand the forces that are driving these organizational changes ...than it is to understand the mechanics of those changes . In a sense, every leader in the Army is a technician; officers in particular are called

Robust, Flexible Motion Control for the Mars Explorer Rovers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maimone, Mark; Biesiadecki, Jeffrey

2007-01-01

The Mobility Flight Software, running on computers aboard the Mars Explorer Rover (MER) robotic vehicles Spirit and Opportunity, affords the robustness and flexibility of control to enable safe and effective operation of these vehicles in traversing natural terrain. It can make the vehicles perform specific maneuvers commanded from Earth, and/or can autonomously administer multiple aspects of mobility, including choice of motion, measurement of actual motion, and even selection of targets to be approached. Motion of a vehicle can be commanded by use of multiple layers of control, ranging from motor control at a low level, direct drive operations (e.g., motion along a circular arc, motion along a straight line, or turn in place) at an intermediate level to goal-position driving (that is, driving to a specified location) at a high level. The software can also perform high-level assessment of terrain and selection of safe paths across the terrain: this involves processing of the digital equivalent of a local traversability map generated from images acquired by stereoscopic pairs of cameras aboard the vehicles. Other functions of the software include interacting with the rest of the MER flight software and performing safety checks.

Vibrotactile display for mobile applications based on dielectric elastomer stack actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matysek, Marc; Lotz, Peter; Flittner, Klaus; Schlaak, Helmut F.

2010-04-01

Dielectric elastomer stack actuators (DESA) offer the possibility to build actuator arrays at very high density. The driving voltage can be defined by the film thickness, ranging from 80 μm down to 5 μm and driving field strength of 30 V/μm. In this paper we present the development of a vibrotactile display based on multilayer technology. The display is used to present several operating conditions of a machine in form of haptic information to a human finger. As an example the design of a mp3-player interface is introduced. To build up an intuitive and user friendly interface several aspects of human haptic perception have to be considered. Using the results of preliminary user tests the interface is designed and an appropriate actuator layout is derived. Controlling these actuators is important because there are many possibilities to present different information, e.g. by varying the driving parameters. A built demonstrator is used to verify the concept: a high recognition rate of more than 90% validates the concept. A characterization of mechanical and electrical parameters proofs the suitability of dielectric elastomer stack actuators for the use in mobile applications.

46 CFR 108.301 - Stability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Stability. 108.301 Section 108.301 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Stability... Mobile Offshore Drilling Units. [CGD 79-023, 48 FR 51008, Nov. 4, 1983] ...

46 CFR 108.301 - Stability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Stability. 108.301 Section 108.301 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Stability... Mobile Offshore Drilling Units. [CGD 79-023, 48 FR 51008, Nov. 4, 1983] ...

46 CFR 108.301 - Stability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Stability. 108.301 Section 108.301 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Stability... Mobile Offshore Drilling Units. [CGD 79-023, 48 FR 51008, Nov. 4, 1983] ...

46 CFR 108.301 - Stability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Stability. 108.301 Section 108.301 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Stability... Mobile Offshore Drilling Units. [CGD 79-023, 48 FR 51008, Nov. 4, 1983] ...

46 CFR 108.301 - Stability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Stability. 108.301 Section 108.301 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Stability... Mobile Offshore Drilling Units. [CGD 79-023, 48 FR 51008, Nov. 4, 1983] ...

77 FR 26562 - Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Dynamic Positioning Guidance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-04

... regarding a draft policy letter on Dynamic Positioning (DP) Systems, Emergency Disconnect Systems, Blowout... Coast Guard, NOSAC issued the report ``Recommendations for Dynamic Positioning System Design and... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [USCG-2011-1106] Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Dynamic...

76 FR 81957 - Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit Guidance Policy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-29

... Purpose Dynamic Positioning Systems (DPSs), Emergency Disconnect Systems (EDSs), Blowout Preventers (BOPs..., ``Dynamically Positioned Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) Critical Systems, Personnel and Training.'' We... association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act, system of records notice regarding...

46 CFR 58.60-1 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING MAIN AND AUXILIARY MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS Industrial Systems and Components on Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU) § 58.60-1 Applicability. This subpart applies to the following industrial systems on board a mobile offshore drilling unit...

46 CFR 58.60-1 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING MAIN AND AUXILIARY MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS Industrial Systems and Components on Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU) § 58.60-1 Applicability. This subpart applies to the following industrial systems on board a mobile offshore drilling unit...

46 CFR 58.60-1 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING MAIN AND AUXILIARY MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS Industrial Systems and Components on Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU) § 58.60-1 Applicability. This subpart applies to the following industrial systems on board a mobile offshore drilling unit...

46 CFR 58.60-1 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING MAIN AND AUXILIARY MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS Industrial Systems and Components on Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU) § 58.60-1 Applicability. This subpart applies to the following industrial systems on board a mobile offshore drilling unit...

46 CFR 58.60-1 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING MAIN AND AUXILIARY MACHINERY AND RELATED SYSTEMS Industrial Systems and Components on Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU) § 58.60-1 Applicability. This subpart applies to the following industrial systems on board a mobile offshore drilling unit...

Astronaut Bonnie Dunbar wearing extravehicular mobility unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Astronaut Bonnie J. Dunbar, wearing an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), is about to be submerged in the weightless environment training facility (WETF) to simulate a contingency extravehicular activity (EVA) for STS 61-A. In this portrait view, Dunbar is not wearing a helmet.

Drive-induced delocalization in the Aubry-André model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ray, S.; Ghosh, A.; Sinha, S.

2018-01-01

Motivated by the recent experiment by Bordia et al. [Nat. Phys. 13, 460 (2017), 10.1038/nphys4020], we study the single particle delocalization phenomena of the Aubry-André (AA) model subjected to periodic drives. In two distinct cases we construct an equivalent classical description to illustrate that the drive-induced delocalization phenomena stems from an instability and the onset of chaos in the underlying dynamics. In the first case we analyze the delocalization and the thermalization in a time modulated AA potential with respect to driving frequency and demonstrate that there exists a threshold value of the amplitude of the drive. In the next example, we show that the periodic modulation of the phase of the hopping amplitude induced by a gauge field leads to an unusual effect on delocalization with a nonmonotonic dependence on the driving frequency. Within a window of such a driving frequency a delocalized Floquet band with a mobility edge appears, exhibiting multifractality in the spectrum as well as in the Floquet eigenfunctions. Finally, we explore the effect of interaction and discuss how the results of the present analysis can be tested experimentally.

Prevention of microbial contamination of the dental unit caused by suction into the turbine drive air lines.

PubMed

Ojajärvi, J

1996-01-01

To determine whether a specially designed antisuction device can prevent the bacterial contamination of the drive air lines of the dental turbine that is caused by suction when the turbine is stopped. A dental unit with and without the antisuction device and three different types of sterilized handpieces were used in the tests. Each turbine was operated in air, then submerged into a bacterial suspension of E. coli and enterococci for 3 seconds, removed, and stopped. This procedure was repeated 10 times. Possible bacterial contamination of the drive air lines was examined by submersing the head of a sterilized handpiece with the turbine running into a nutrient broth for 30 seconds. The broth was incubated at 35 degrees C up to 2 days. After use of the conventional dental unit, bacterial growth of drive air lines was found in 10 of 150 broth samples. After the installation of the antisuction device no bacterial growth was found in any of the 138 samples. The difference in the contamination frequencies is statistically significant (p = 0.011, Fisher's two-sided exact test). The drive air lines of the turbine in the dental unit may become contaminated despite the sterilization of handpieces. The antisuction device installed into the dental unit was found to prevent the contamination. With the exception of possibly immunocompromised patients, the transmission of microbes by exhaust air may be too small to cause infections. However, transmission of oral material between patients should be prevented in dental practice.

Electromagnetic driving units for complex microrobotic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michel, Frank; Ehrfeld, Wolfgang; Berg, Udo; Degen, Reinhard; Schmitz, Felix

1998-10-01

Electromagnetic actuators play an important role in macroscopic robotic systems. In combination with motion transformers, like reducing gear units, angular gears or spindle-screw drives, electromagnetic motors in large product lines ensure the rotational or linear motion of robot driving units and grippers while electromagnets drive valves or part conveyors. In this paper micro actuators and miniaturized motion transformers are introduced which allow a similar development in microrobotics. An electromagnetic motor and a planetary gear box, both with a diameter of 1.9 mm, are already commercially available from the cooperation partner of IMM, the company Dr. Fritz Faulhaber GmbH in Schonaich, Germany. In addition, a motor with a diameter of 2.4 mm is in development. The motors successfully drive an angular gear and a belt drive. A linear stage with a motion range of 7 mm and an overall size as small as 5 X 3.5 X 24 mm3 has been realized involving the motor, a stationary spur gear with zero backlash and a spindle-screw drive. By the use of these commercially available elements complex microrobots can be built up cost-efficiently and rapidly. Furthermore, a batch process has been developed to produce the coils of micro actuator arrays using lithographic techniques with SU-8 resin. In applying these components, the modular construction of complex microrobotic systems becomes feasible.

Trends in Fatalities From Distracted Driving in the United States, 1999 to 2008

PubMed Central

Stimpson, Jim P.

2010-01-01

Objectives. We examined trends in distracted driving fatalities and their relation to cell phone use and texting volume. Methods. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) records data on all road fatalities that occurred on public roads in the United States from 1999 to 2008. We studied trends in distracted driving fatalities, driver and crash characteristics, and trends in cell phone use and texting volume. We used multivariate regression analysis to estimate the relation between state-level distracted driving fatalities and texting volumes. Results. After declining from 1999 to 2005, fatalities from distracted driving increased 28% after 2005, rising from 4572 fatalities to 5870 in 2008. Crashes increasingly involved male drivers driving alone in collisions with roadside obstructions in urban areas. By use of multivariate analyses, we predicted that increasing texting volumes resulted in more than 16 000 additional road fatalities from 2001 to 2007. Conclusions. Distracted driving is a growing public safety hazard. Specifically, the dramatic rise in texting volume since 2005 appeared to be contributing to an alarming rise in distracted driving fatalities. Legislation enacting texting bans should be paired with effective enforcement to deter drivers from using cell phones while driving. PMID:20864709

Trends in fatalities from distracted driving in the United States, 1999 to 2008.

PubMed

Wilson, Fernando A; Stimpson, Jim P

2010-11-01

We examined trends in distracted driving fatalities and their relation to cell phone use and texting volume. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) records data on all road fatalities that occurred on public roads in the United States from 1999 to 2008. We studied trends in distracted driving fatalities, driver and crash characteristics, and trends in cell phone use and texting volume. We used multivariate regression analysis to estimate the relation between state-level distracted driving fatalities and texting volumes. After declining from 1999 to 2005, fatalities from distracted driving increased 28% after 2005, rising from 4572 fatalities to 5870 in 2008. Crashes increasingly involved male drivers driving alone in collisions with roadside obstructions in urban areas. By use of multivariate analyses, we predicted that increasing texting volumes resulted in more than 16,000 additional road fatalities from 2001 to 2007. Distracted driving is a growing public safety hazard. Specifically, the dramatic rise in texting volume since 2005 appeared to be contributing to an alarming rise in distracted driving fatalities. Legislation enacting texting bans should be paired with effective enforcement to deter drivers from using cell phones while driving.

Army Officer Duty Module Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-10-01

14l 3( RELATIVE CRITICALITY OF THIS Not Least (2) (3) The most PART (MOOULE) TO ENTIRE JOB aplicable critical Average Critical critical a. In actual...3 Directs and controls operations of mobile communications O- support unit -36- I. - O-G-5 Establishes and controls mobile area signal center 0-6-6...ENGINEERING O-EE-1 Directs .and controls combat engineer unit O-EE-2 Directs and controls portable bridging O-EE-3 Directs and controls mobile water

Nonlinear mathematical modeling and sensitivity analysis of hydraulic drive unit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Xiangdong; Yu, Bin; Quan, Lingxiao; Ba, Kaixian; Wu, Liujie

2015-09-01

The previous sensitivity analysis researches are not accurate enough and also have the limited reference value, because those mathematical models are relatively simple and the change of the load and the initial displacement changes of the piston are ignored, even experiment verification is not conducted. Therefore, in view of deficiencies above, a nonlinear mathematical model is established in this paper, including dynamic characteristics of servo valve, nonlinear characteristics of pressure-flow, initial displacement of servo cylinder piston and friction nonlinearity. The transfer function block diagram is built for the hydraulic drive unit closed loop position control, as well as the state equations. Through deriving the time-varying coefficient items matrix and time-varying free items matrix of sensitivity equations respectively, the expression of sensitivity equations based on the nonlinear mathematical model are obtained. According to structure parameters of hydraulic drive unit, working parameters, fluid transmission characteristics and measured friction-velocity curves, the simulation analysis of hydraulic drive unit is completed on the MATLAB/Simulink simulation platform with the displacement step 2 mm, 5 mm and 10 mm, respectively. The simulation results indicate that the developed nonlinear mathematical model is sufficient by comparing the characteristic curves of experimental step response and simulation step response under different constant load. Then, the sensitivity function time-history curves of seventeen parameters are obtained, basing on each state vector time-history curve of step response characteristic. The maximum value of displacement variation percentage and the sum of displacement variation absolute values in the sampling time are both taken as sensitivity indexes. The sensitivity indexes values above are calculated and shown visually in histograms under different working conditions, and change rules are analyzed. Then the sensitivity indexes values of four measurable parameters, such as supply pressure, proportional gain, initial position of servo cylinder piston and load force, are verified experimentally on test platform of hydraulic drive unit, and the experimental research shows that the sensitivity analysis results obtained through simulation are approximate to the test results. This research indicates each parameter sensitivity characteristics of hydraulic drive unit, the performance-affected main parameters and secondary parameters are got under different working conditions, which will provide the theoretical foundation for the control compensation and structure optimization of hydraulic drive unit.

Analysis and simulation of wireless signal propagation applying geostatistical interpolation techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolyaie, S.; Yaghooti, M.; Majidi, G.

2011-12-01

This paper is a part of an ongoing research to examine the capability of geostatistical analysis for mobile networks coverage prediction, simulation and tuning. Mobile network coverage predictions are used to find network coverage gaps and areas with poor serviceability. They are essential data for engineering and management in order to make better decision regarding rollout, planning and optimisation of mobile networks.The objective of this research is to evaluate different interpolation techniques in coverage prediction. In method presented here, raw data collected from drive testing a sample of roads in study area is analysed and various continuous surfaces are created using different interpolation methods. Two general interpolation methods are used in this paper with different variables; first, Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) with various powers and number of neighbours and second, ordinary kriging with Gaussian, spherical, circular and exponential semivariogram models with different number of neighbours. For the result comparison, we have used check points coming from the same drive test data. Prediction values for check points are extracted from each surface and the differences with actual value are computed. The output of this research helps finding an optimised and accurate model for coverage prediction.

Using Unconstrained Tongue Motion as an Alternative Control Mechanism for Wheeled Mobility

PubMed Central

Huo, Xueliang; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2015-01-01

Tongue drive system (TDS) is a tongue-operated, minimally invasive, unobtrusive, noncontact, and wireless assistive technology that infers users’ intentions by detecting and classifying their voluntary tongue motions, and translating them to user-defined commands. We have developed customized interface circuitry between an external TDS (eTDS) prototype and a commercial powered wheelchair (PWC) as well as three control strategies to evaluate the tongue motion as an alternative control input for wheeled mobility. We tested the eTDS performance in driving PWCs on 12 able-bodied human subjects, of which 11 were novice. The results showed that all subjects could complete navigation tasks by operating the PWC using their tongue motions. Despite little prior experience, the average time using the eTDS and the tongue was only approximately three times longer than using a joystick and the fingers. Navigation time was strongly dependant on the number of issued commands, which reduced by gaining experience. Particularly, the unintended issued commands (the Midas touch problem) were rare, demonstrating the effectiveness of the tongue tracking and external magnetic field cancellation algorithms as well as the safety of the TDS for wheeled mobility. PMID:19362901

Using unconstrained tongue motion as an alternative control mechanism for wheeled mobility.

PubMed

Huo, Xueliang; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2009-06-01

Tongue drive system (TDS) is a tongue-operated, minimally invasive, unobtrusive, noncontact, and wireless assistive technology that infers users' intentions by detecting and classifying their voluntary tongue motions, and translating them to user-defined commands. We have developed customized interface circuitry between an external TDS (eTDS) prototype and a commercial powered wheelchair (PWC) as well as three control strategies to evaluate the tongue motion as an alternative control input for wheeled mobility. We tested the eTDS performance in driving PWCs on 12 able-bodied human subjects, of which 11 were novice. The results showed that all subjects could complete navigation tasks by operating the PWC using their tongue motions. Despite little prior experience, the average time using the eTDS and the tongue was only approximately three times longer than using a joystick and the fingers. Navigation time was strongly dependant on the number of issued commands, which reduced by gaining experience. Particularly, the unintended issued commands (the Midas touch problem) were rare, demonstrating the effectiveness of the tongue tracking and external magnetic field cancellation algorithms as well as the safety of the TDS for wheeled mobility.

Exploring naturalistic driving data for distracted driving measures : [research project capsule].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-09-01

Distracted driving is a dangerous epidemic that continues to cause deaths and injuries in : automobile crashes throughout the United States. According to the National Highway Tra c : Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3328 people were killed and an es...

76 FR 76023 - National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, 2011

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-06

... enforcement measures and effective substance abuse prevention programs. During National Impaired Driving... legislation, and support successful, evidence-based prevention programs. These ongoing initiatives are... National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, 2011 By the President of the United States of America A...

Assessment of the effectiveness of wrong way driving countermeasures and mitigation methods.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-01

This report describes the methodology and results of tasks performed to evaluate the effectiveness of : wrong way driving countermeasures and mitigation methods. Researchers reviewed the state of the practice : regarding wrong way driving in the Unit...