Static and dynamic accuracy of an innovative miniaturized wearable platform for short range distance measurements for human movement applications

Magneto-inertial measurement units (MIMU) are a suitable solution to assess human motor performance both indoors and outdoors. However, relevant quantities such as step width and base of support, which play an important role in gait stability, cannot be directly measured using MIMU alone. To overcome this limitation, we developed a wearable platform specifically designed for human movement analysis applications, which integrates a MIMU and an Infrared Time-of-Flight proximity sensor (IR-ToF), allowing for the estimate of inter-object distance. We proposed a thorough testing protocol for evaluating the IR-ToF sensor performances under experimental conditions resembling those encountered during gait. In particular, we tested the sensor performance for different (i) target colors; (ii) sensor-target distances (up to 200 mm) and (iii) sensor-target angles of incidence (AoI) (up to 60°). Both static and dynamic conditions were analyzed. A pendulum, simulating the oscillation of a human leg, was used to generate highly repeatable oscillations with a maximum angular velocity of 6 rad/s. Results showed that the IR-ToF proximity sensor was not sensitive to variations of both distance and target color (except for black). Conversely, a relationship between error magnitude and AoI values was found. For AoI equal to 0°, the IR-ToF sensor performed equally well both in static and dynamic acquisitions with a distance mean absolute error <1.5 mm. Errors increased up to 3.6 mm (static) and 11.9 mm (dynamic) for AoI equal to ±30°, and up to 7.8 mm (static) and 25.6 mm (dynamic) for AoI equal to ±60°. In addition, the wearable platform was used during a preliminary experiment for the estimation of the inter-foot distance on a single healthy subject while walking. In conclusion, the combination of magneto-inertial unit and IR-ToF technology represents a valuable alternative solution in terms of accuracy, sampling frequency, dimension and power consumption, compared to existing technologies

Tailoring porosity and rotational dynamics in a series of octacarboxylate metal-organic frameworks

Modulation and precise control of porosity of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are of critical importance to their materials function. Here we report the first modulation of porosity for a series of isoreticular octacarboxylate MOFs, denoted MFM-180 to MFM-185, via a strategy of selective elongation of metal-organic cages. Owing to the high ligand connectivity, these MOFs show absence of network interpenetration, robust structures and permanent porosity. Interestingly, activated MFM-185a shows a record high BET surface area of 4734 m2 g-1 for an octacarboxylate MOF. These MOFs show remarkable CH4 and CO2 adsorption properties, notably with simultaneously high gravimetric and volumetric deliverable CH4 capacities of 0.24 g g-1 and 163 v/v (298 K, 5-65 bar) recorded for MFM-185a due to selective elongation of tubular cages. Dynamics of molecular rotors in deuterated MFM-180a-d16 and MFM-181a-d16 were investigated by variable-temperature 2H solid state NMR spectroscopy to reveal the reorientation mechanisms within these materials. Analysis of the flipping modes of the mobile phenyl groups on the linkers, their rotational rates and transition temperatures, paves the way to controlling and understanding the role of molecular rotors through organic linker design within porous MOF materials

Is Italy back in the map of global investors?

Since 2021 Italy has experienced a significant growth in inward foreign investment, outpacing other EU economies. Annual inflows of new greenfield foreign direct investment (the construction of brand-new subsidiaries as opposed to acquisitions of existing companies) have grown by 33%. Inward cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) increased by 14%, and inflows of venture capital and private equity by 250% and 50%, respectively. Riccardo Crescenzi and Sebastiano Comotti write that, along with the structural reforms underway, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) has played a key role in the recovery. They recommend a cautious approach to any future re-negotiation of the plan by the Meloni government

A Java vs. C++ performance evaluation: a 3D modeling benchmark

Along the years robotics software and applications have been typically implemented in compiled languages, such as C and C++, rather than interpreted languages, like Java. This choice has been due to their well-known faster behaviors, which meet the high performance requirements of robotics. Nevertheless, several projects that implement robotics functionality in Java can be found in literature and different experiments conduced by computer scientists have proved that the difference between Java and C++ is not so evident. In this paper we report our work on quantifying the difference of performance between Java and C++ and we offer a set of data in order to better understand whether the performance of Java allows to consider it a valid alternative for robotics applications or not. We report about the execution time of a Java implementation of an algorithm originally written in C++ and we compare this data with the performance of the original version. Results show that, using the appropriate optimizations, Java is from 1.09 to 1.51 times slower than C++ under Windows and from 1.21 to 1.91 times under Linux

Raluca Nita et Freiderikos Valetopoulos (dir.), L’expression des sentiments. De l’analyse linguistique aux applications

« Objet infortuné des vengeances célestes, je m’abhorre encor plus que tu ne me détestes. » (Phèdre (1677), Phèdre, II, 5, J. Racine.) Quoi de plus frissonnant que Phèdre éclatante d’émotions, quoi de plus complexe que de percevoir et comprendre ces émotions qui ne sont que lettres noires sur fond blanc et pourtant bien plus. L’ouvrage proposé par le laboratoire FoReLL, réunissant vingt-et-un articles, questionne les sentiments dans leurs expressions les plus diverses à l’encre noire sur fond..

Attaching DNA to Nanoceria: Regulating Oxidase Activity and Fluorescence Quenching

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Applied Materials and Interfaces copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by publisher. To access the final edited and published work see Pautler, R., Kelly, E. Y., Huang, P.-J. J., Cao, J., Liu, B., & Liu, J. (2013). Attaching DNA to Nanoceria: Regulating Oxidase Activity and Fluorescence Quenching. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 5(15), 6820–6825. https://doi.org/10.1021/am4018863Cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) have recently emerged as a nanozyme with oxidase activity. In this work, we present a few important interfacial properties of nanoceria. First, the surface charge of nanoceria can be controlled not only by adjusting pH but also by adsorption of simple inorganic anions. Adsorption of phosphate and citrate gives negatively charged surface over a broad pH range. Second, nanoceria adsorbs DNA via the DNA phosphate backbone in a sequence-independent manner; DNA adsorption inhibits its oxidase activity. Other anionic polymers display much weaker inhibition effects. Adsorption of simple inorganic phosphate does not have the inhibition effect. Third, nanoceria is a quencher for many fluorophores. These discoveries provide an important understanding for further use of nanoceria in biosensor development, materials science, and nanotechnology.University of Waterloo || Canadian Foundation for Innovation || Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council || Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation |

Desconcierto

Desconcierto surge como un evento artístico musical que excede el formato de concierto de música clásica tradicional. Se trata de un producto artístico original que tiene como objetivo convocar a un público amplio, que abarque tanto a oyentes frecuentes y conocedores de la música clásica, como también a quienes no son parte de este ámbito. El enfoque escénico - teatral de dicho concierto tendrá un desarrollo minuciosamente pensado no sólo en el repertorio músical sino en el espacio - tiempo que construye la obra. El repertorio guitarrístico será el siguiente: Sonata N° 2 de Carlos Guastavino, Suite Contatos de Paulo Bellinati y en formato de Música de Cámara (para violín y guitarra) las obras: Semilla, Malaquita y Peces de Octavio Savinelli.Facultad de Arte

Spectroscopic investigation of Titania-supported gold nanoparticles prepared by a modified deposition/precipitation method for the oxidation of CO

The spectroscopic characterization of a material is a fundamental tool for understanding the structure–activity correlation for catalytic purposes. Regarding supported nanoparticles, this perspective has acquired more relevance in recent years and several techniques have been employed. In this work diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), coupled with CO adsorption, was used to investigate a modified deposition/precipitation method (DP-UC) for the preparation of supported gold nanoparticles with very low metal loading (0.1–0.5 wt %). This promising synthetic route involves the use of urea as basic agent and NaBH4 as chemical reductant in contrast to the traditional high-temperature reduction step. The systematic IR spectroscopic study of the Au loading was combined with CO oxidation catalytic tests. The evaluation of the results was also supported by several other techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, N2 physisorption, and transmission electron microscopy. Particular attention was given to the evaluation of the gold electronic state, surface dispersion, particle size, and the corresponding structure–activity relationship