Active force control of 3-RRR planar parallel manipulator

This paper presents a new and novel method to control a 3-RRR (revolute-revolute-revolute) planar parallel manipulator using an active force control (AFC) strategy. A traditional proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller was first designed and developed to demonstrate the basic and stable response of the manipulator in performing trajectory tracking tasks. Later, the AFC section was incorporated into the control scheme in cascade form by adding it in series with the PID controller (PID+AFC), its primary aim of which is to improve the overall system dynamic performance particularly when the manipulator is subjected to different loading conditions. Results clearly illustrate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed AFC-based scheme in rejecting the disturbances compared to the traditional PID controller

Ergonomic Consideration of the Effect of Flour Dust on Peak Expiratory Flow Rate of Bakers in Abeokuta, Ogun State

Flour dusts are one of the most harmful chemicals in the bakery industries which could lead to serious heart and lung diseases. This study investigated the effect of flour dust on Peak Expiratory Flow Rate of male bakers in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria with the relationship to the anthropometrical parameters. A total of One hundred Eighty (180) male participants were investigated, where ninety (90) participants were bakers and ninety (90) individuals as control group. The Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and anthropometrical parameters of the participant were measured using mini-Wright peak flow meter (PFM 20, OMRON) and Detecto PD300MDHR (Cardinal Scale manufacturing company, USA) column scale with digital height rod was used to measure body mass [kg] and height (cm) respectively. The PEFR and anthropometrical parameters of the bakers and control groups were analysed using descriptive statistics and T-test with SPSS. The results showed that lower PEFR, 182.67 ± 16.34 L/min existed in bakers compared to 287.67 ± 17.02 L/min in the control study. The result also showed that a significant correlation exist between body mass, height and age (P < 0.01), PEFR, height (P < 0.05) and years of exposure (P < 0.01) of the bakers respectively. Furthermore, the results also showed that workers in the dusting and mixing of flour are at a risk of developing related pulmonary function impairment such as asthma. The study concluded that there is need to develop an effective intervention strategy, treatment seeking behaviour through awareness programs to prevent lung impairment diseases among the bakery workers

Fabrication of Polymeric Multimode Waveguides and Devices in SU-8 Photoresist Using Selective Polymerization.

Large cross section multimode waveguides have been realized in SU-8 using selective polymerization. SU-8 is a negative photoresist, which has shown good optical properties and it is mechanically and chemically stable. The fabricated waveguides have very smooth sidewalls and exhibit low optical losses. The fabrication method is simple and potentially very cost effective. N x N and 1 x N multimode power splitters have been realized using this fabrication technology

Starfruit classification based on linear hue computation

In this paper, a classification process to group starfruit into six maturity indices is proposed based on 1- dimensional color feature called hue, which is extracted from the starfruit image. As the original hue is quantified from the nonlinear transformation of the 3-dimensional Red, Green and Blue color, this paper proposes a linear hue transformation computation based on the 2 colors of Red and Green. The proposed hue computation leads to a reduced computational burden, less computational complexity and better class discriminant capability. The hue is then applied as the input for the maturity classification process. The classification process is based on the hypothesis that for each of the maturity index, certain area of the starfruit surface is supposed to have distinctive value of the hue. In this work, the said starfruit surface area is set as 70% of the total area and based on 600 samples, the proposed technique results in 93% classification accuracy

Low-cost multimode waveguide couplers for multimode fiber-based local area networks

Novel, ultra-compact multimode fiber-matched integrated optical 1×2, 1×3 and 2×2 couplers with low excess losses and large tolerances have been designed and simulated using a fully three-dimensional beam propagation metho

Measurement of single event upsets in the ALICE-TPC front-end electronics

The Time Projection Chamber of the ALICE experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider features highly integrated on-detector read-out electronics. It is following the general trend of high energy physics experiments by placing the front-end electronics as close to the detector as possible -- only some 10 cm away from its active volume. Being located close to the beams and the interaction region, the electronics is subject to a moderate radiation load, which allowed us to use commercial off-the-shelf components. However, they needed to be selected and qualified carefully for radiation hardness and means had to be taken to protect their functionality against soft errors, i.e. single event upsets. Here we report on the first measurements of LHC induced radiation effects on ALICE front-end electronics and on how they attest to expectations

Penerapan Metode Mind Mapping dalam Cerita Legenda “Batu Karang Igomu” Suku Meyah sebagai Alternatif Peningkatan Kemampuan Membaca Pemahaman

This paper aims to reveal the application of mind mapping method proposed by Buzan (2008) in which mind mapping can help students in many ways such as: to plan, to communicate, to be creative, to solve problem, to focus, to organize and to finish thought, to remember well, to learn more quickly and efficiently and to train the whole picture of the story.The fact illustrates that the level of reading ability has declined. The decline is also balanced by a decreasing in the level of students\u27 understanding on reading text which is being read. To that end, the selection of the legend of Papua folklore “Rock Igomu” coming from Meyah in Manokwari, as a learning medium to improve the ability of reading comprehension can be based on the primary assumption that the context of everyday lives of students or learners has been familiar and fused with the legend. In addition, the selection of this legend can increase students\u27 or learners\u27 treasure of knowledge or cognition as Papuanchildren who are the next generation and the heir of the story

Exploring COBIT processes for ITG in Saudi organizations : an empirical study

Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT) has become one of the most important guidelines for information technology governance (ITG), which provides organizations with a useful tool to start evaluating their own ITG systems. COBIT introduces an ITG framework and supporting toolset that allows IT managers to bridge the gap between control requirements, technical issues and business risks. The objective of this study is to investigate the formality, auditing, responsibility and accountability of implementing COBIT processes for ITG in Saudi organizations. An empirical survey, using a self-administered questionnaire, was conducted to achieve these objectives. Five hundred questionnaires were distributed to a sample of Saudi organizations in a selected number of Saudi cities. One hundred and twenty seven valid questionnaires – representing a 25.4 percent response rate –were collected and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. While the results of the study reveal that the majority of respondents reported that implementing ITG COBIT processes and domains is the responsibility of IT departments in Saudi organizations, most of the respondents reported that the COBIT processes and domains are neither audited nor formally conducted in their organizations. From a practical standpoint, managers and practitioners alike stand to gain from the findings of this study. The study provides useful information for senior management, IT managers, accountants, auditors, and academics to understand the implementation phase and the impact of COBIT on ITG in Saudi organizations.Los Objetivos de Control para la información y tecnologías afines (COBIT) se han convertido en uno de las pautas más importantes para la dirección de la tecnología de la información (ITG), lo que proporciona a las organizaciones con una herramienta útil para evaluar sus propios sistemas de informática. COBIT introduce un marco ITG y un conjunto de herramientas de apoyo que permite a los administradores informáticos a salvar la situación entre los requisitos de control, asuntos técnicos y riesgos empresariales. El objetivo de este estudio es investigar la formalidad, la auditoría, la responsabilidad y la rendición de cuentas de implementar los procesos COBIT para ITG en organizaciones saudíes. Una encuesta empírica, con el uso de un cuestionario auto-administrado, se llevó a cabo para conseguir esto. Quinientos cuestionarios se distribuyeron a una muestra de dichas organizaciones en un número seleccionado de ciudades saudíes. Se reunieron ciento veintisiete cuestionarios válidos – representando un 24’5% en cuanto a la tasa de respuesta -, los cuales fueron analizados con la versión 16 del Paquete Estadístico para las Ciencias Sociales (SPSS). Mientras los resultados del estudio revelaron que la mayoría de los participantes declararon que la aplicación los procesos ITG COBIT, y los dominios es responsabilidad de los departamentos informáticos de estas organizaciones, la mayor parte de los participantes reclamaron que dichos procesos y dominios no son auditados ni formalmente llevados a cabo en sus organizaciones. Desde una perspectiva práctica, tanto los directores como los profesionales pueden beneficiarse de los hallazgos de este estudio. Este mismo aporta información útil para la alta dirección, los administradores informáticos, los contables, los auditores, y los académicos para que entiendan la fase de aplicación, y el impacto de COBIT en ITG en las organizaciones saudíes