Assessment of advanced behaviours for assistive robotic wheelchairs

University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.Research demonstrates that use of appropriate Assistive Technology (AT) is associated with increased independence and reduced need for ongoing care and support. Powered mobility devices (PMDs) such as power wheelchairs and scooters are proving to be useful pieces of assistive technology. This study focuses on developing and assessing the validity of a stand-alone sensor package and algorithms to help the assessment by an Occupational Therapists (OT) whether a person has the capacity to safely and efficiently operate a powered mobility device such as a wheelchair in their daily activities. This is accomplished by analysing data computed from a standalone sensor package fitted on a wheelchair platform. The proposed solution consists of a suite of sensors capable of inferring navigational features from the platform it is attached to (e.g. trajectories, map of surroundings, speeds, distance to doors, etc). The study aims to compare and contrast objective data derived from a PMD mounted sensor package with subjective data obtained using a standard Occupational Therapy assessment. The research work demonstrated that accurate, reliable objective data from a sensor package can be used to augment the Occupational Therapists subjective assessment. Furthermore, the task-specific parameters that may provide the most relevant user information for the assessment are automatically revealed through a machine learning approach. Machine learning automated assessment classification tests, with data attained from multiple runs of able clients simulating varying degrees of erraticness in their driving skills while they performed the assessment tasks, have indicated success rates in the order of 85%

Теренско истражување во Радовишко поле

Студентите од Факултетот за музичка уметност од Штип, катедрата по етнокореологија имаа прилика неколку дена да истражуваат во етничките предели Радовишко Поле и Радовишки Шоплук. Истажувањата се вршеа во неколку села и тоа: Ињево, Дедино, Ораовица, Козбунар, Јаргулица, Шаинташ, Ново село и тн. Тема на истаржувањата беа народните ора, народните песни, народните инструменти и народните носии. Собраните материјали депонирани се на факултетот и претставуваат база за понатамошни истражувања од областа на етнокореологијата

Development of a novel evidence-based automated powered mobility device competency assessment

This paper describes the outcomes of a clinical study to assess the validity of a stand-alone sensor package and algorithms to aid the assessment by an occupational therapist (OT) whether a person has the capacity to safely and effectively operate a powered mobility device such as a wheelchair in their daily activities. The proposed solution consists of a suite of sensors capable of inferring navigational characteristics from the platform it is attached to (e.g. trajectories, map of surroundings, speeds, distance to doors, etc). Such information presents occupational therapists with the ability to augment their own observations and assessments with correlated, quantitative, evidence-based data acquired with the sensor array. Furthermore, OT reviews can take place at the therapist's discretion as the data from the trials is logged. Results from a clinical evaluation of the proposed approach, taking as reference the commonly-used Power-Mobility Indoor Driving Assessment (PIDA) assessment, were conducted at the premises of the Prince of Wales (PoW) Hospital in Sydney by four users, showing consistency with the OT scores, and setting the scene to a larger study with wider targeted participation. © 2013 IEEE

An automated mechanism to characterize wheelchair user performance

This paper proposes a mechanism to derive quantitative descriptions of wheelchair usage as a tool to aid Occupational Therapist with their performance assesment of mobility platform users. This is accomplished by analysing data computed from a standalone sensor package fitted on an wheelchair platform. This work builds upon previous propositions where parameters that could assist in the assessment were recommended to the authors by a qualified occupational therapist (OT). In the current scheme however the task-specific parameters that may provide the most relevant user information for the assessment are automatically revealed through a machine learning approach. Data mining techniques are used to reveal the most informative parameters, and results from three typical classifiers are presented based on learnings from manual labelling of the training data. Trials conducted by healthy volunteers gave classifications with an 81% success rate using a Random Forest classifier, a promising outcome that sets the scene for a potential clinical trial with a larger user pool

A practical implementation of Robust Evolving Cloud-based Controller with normalized data space for heat-exchanger plant

The RECCo control algorithm, presented in this article, is based on the fuzzy rule-based (FRB) system named ANYA which has non-parametric antecedent part. It starts with zero fuzzy rules (clouds) in the rule base and evolves its structure while performing the control of the plant. For the consequent part of RECCo PID-type controller is used and the parameters are adapted in an online manner. The RECCo does not require any off-line training or any type of model of the controlled process (e.g. differential equations). Moreover, in this article we propose a normalization of the cloud (data) space and an improved adaptation law of the controller. Due to the normalization some of the evolving parameters can be fixed while the new adaptation law improves the performance of the controller in the starting phase of the process control. To assess the performance of the RECCo algorithm, firstly a comparison study with classical PID controller was performed on a model of a plate heat-exchanger (PHE). Tuning the PID parameters was done using three different techniques (Ziegler–Nichols, Cohen–Coon and pole placement). Furthermore, a practical implementation of the RECCo controller for a real PHE plant is presented. The PHE system has nonlinear static characteristic and a time delay. Additionally, the real sensor's and actuator's limitations represent a serious problem from the control point of view. Besides this, the RECCo control algorithm autonomously learns and evolves the structure and adapts its parameters in an online unsupervised manner

Corrosion protection mechanisms of carbon steel by an epoxy resin containing indole-3 butyric acid modified clay

This work is an extension of studies into the mechanisms of corrosion protection of mild steel by an epoxy resin containing organically modified clay (Hang et al. [1]; Truc et al. [2]). In a previous study (Truc et al. [2]), it was shown that indole-3 butyric acid (IBA)-modified clay improved the corrosion performance of epoxy. In the present study, it was shown that the IBA is an anodic inhibitor and its efficiency was about 93%. Exfoliation and dispersion of the IBA-modified clay in the epoxy coating were checked by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The improvement of the corrosion performance of the epoxy coating containing IBA-modified clay by comparison with pure epoxy coating was confirmed for a low film thickness (10 μm). Local electrochemical impedance measurements performed on scratched samples revealed the inhibitive action of IBA at the carbon steel/coating interface. It was shown that the inhibitor release from the IBA-modified clay was favoured for high pH values. Thus, in neutral media, the corrosion process which induces a local increase of pH will increase the self-healing performance

Robust evolving cloud-based controller in normalized data space for heat-exchanger plant

This paper presents an improved version and a modification of Robust Evolving Cloud-based Controller (RECCo). The first modification is normalization of data space in RECCo. As a consequence, some of the evolving and adaptation parameters become independent of the range of the process output signal. Thus the controller tuning is simplified which makes the approach more appealing for the use in practical applications. The data space normalization is general and is used with Euclidean norm, but other distance metrics could also be used. Beside the normalization new adaptation scheme of the controller gain is proposed which improves the control performance in the case of a negative initial error in starting phase of the evolving process. At the end, different simulation scenarios are tested and analyzed for further practical implementation of the Cloud-based controller into real environments. For that reason a detail simulation study of a plate heat exchanger is performed and different scenarios were analyzed

Analysis of adaptation law of the robust evolving cloud-based controller

In this paper we propose a performance analysis of the robust evolving cloud-based controller (RECCo) according to the different initial scenarios. RECCo is a controller based on fuzzy rule-based (FRB) systems with non-parametric antecedent part and PID type consequent part. Moreover, the controller structure (the fuzzy rules and the membership function) is created in online manner from the data stream. The advantage of the RECCo controller is that do not require any a priory knowledge of the controlled system. The algorithm starts with zero fuzzy rules (zero data clouds) and evolves/learns during the process control. Also the PID parameters of the controller are initialed with zeros and are adapted in online manner. According to the zero initialization of the parameters the new adaptation law is proposed in this article to solve the problems in the starting phase of the process control. Several initial scenarios were theoretically propagated and experimentally tested on the model of a heat-exchanger plant. These experiments prove that the proposed adaptation law improve the performance of the RECCo control algorithm in the starting phase

The Effect of PPARβ/δ Activation on Soleus Contractile and Metabolic Function in the Rodent Model of Barth Syndrome

Barth syndrome is a rare and incurable X-linked genetic disease that impairs the production of tafazzin (Taz) protein. Taz catalyzes the transacylation reaction of monolysocardiolipin (MLCL) in the final step of cardiolipin (CL) remodeling to produce biologically relevant tetralinolylcardiolipin (TLCL). CL is an integral phospholipid that is responsible for maintaining mitochondrial form and function. Mutations to the gene that encodes for Taz (TAZ) result in missing or decreased Taz enzymatic activity which lowers the quantity and quality of CL. This leads to mitochondrial dysfunction which produces the hallmark symptoms of Barth syndrome, namely cardiomyopathy, neutropenia (low white blood cells), and exercise intolerance stemming from skeletal muscle weakness. We have recently demonstrated that 8 weeks of supplemental linoleic acid treatment improves rates of contraction and relaxation of soleus in a rodent model of Barth syndrome, the Taz knockdown (KD) mouse. Interestingly, supplemental linoleic acid did not impact CL content or side chain composition. Thus, the mechanism underlying the improvements in contractile function are currently unknown, however, we hypothesize that these improvements may be a result of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) β/δ activation via supplemental linoleic acid. PPARβ/δ is a transcriptional regulator that, when activated, increases mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative capacity. Previous research has demonstrated that the activation of PPARβ/δ improves skeletal muscle function in wildtype mice (Chen et al., 2015; Narkar et al., 2008; Y.-X. Wang et al., 2004). Given that PPARβ/δ can be activated by free fatty acids, it is plausible that the improvements to contractile kinetics may be mediated through PPARβ/δ activation by linoleic acid. Thus, the purpose of this project is to investigate the role of PPARβ/δ in improving contractile kinetics in TazKD mice through increased mitochondrial biogenesis and improved oxidative metabolism