Power Maximisation of Wind Energy Using Wind Speed Sensors on Stewart Island.

This paper evaluates the feasibility of using wind power for power supply to coastal communities isolated from the main supply grid. The case study is Stewart Island, where the cost of electricity provided by a central diesel power station is higher than the grid network in New Zealand. The Princeton Ocean Model (POM) conducted by MetOcean Solutions Limited (MSL) is used to find Foveaux as an optimized site for generating wind power. Global Wind Atlas is used to plot the wind rose of current wind patterns in New Zealand. In the next step, wind speed data from each site are imported from the NASA database to WRPLOT view software and Homer Pro to find wind frequency distribution and output power in the area. The maximum annual power can be seen in WSW (32,299 kW hours/year), SW (20,111 kW hours/year) and W (15,622 kW hour/year) directions, respectively.

Analysis and Implementation of Human Mobility Behavior Using Similarity Analysis Based on Co-Occurrence Matrix.

The fast expansion of ICT (information and communications technology) has provided rich sources of data for the analysis, modeling, and interpretation of human mobility patterns. Many researchers have already introduced behavior-aware protocols for a better understanding of architecture and realistic modeling of behavioral characteristics, similarities, and aggregation of mobile users. We are introducing the similarity analytical framework for the mobile encountering analysis to allow for more direct integration between the physical world and cyber-based systems. In this research, we propose a method for finding the similarity behavior of users' mobility patterns based on location and time. This research was conducted to develop a technique for producing co-occurrence matrices of users based on their similar behaviors to determine their encounters. Our approach, named SAA (similarity analysis approach), makes use of the device info i.e., IP (internet protocol) and MAC (media access control) address, providing an in-depth analysis of similarity behaviors on a daily basis. We analyzed the similarity distributions of users on different days of the week for different locations based on their real movements. The results show similar characteristics of users with common mobility behaviors based on location and time to showcase the efficacy. The results show that the proposed SAA approach is 33% more accurate in terms of recognizing the user's similarity as compared to the existing similarity approach.

Robotic devices for paediatric rehabilitation: a review of design features.

Children with physical disabilities often have limited performance in daily activities, hindering their physical development, social development and mental health. Therefore, rehabilitation is essential to mitigate the adverse effects of the different causes of physical disabilities and improve independence and quality of life. In the last decade, robotic rehabilitation has shown the potential to augment traditional physical rehabilitation. However, to date, most robotic rehabilitation devices are designed for adult patients who differ in their needs compared to paediatric patients, limiting the devices' potential because the paediatric patients' needs are not adequately considered. With this in mind, the current work reviews the existing literature on robotic rehabilitation for children with physical disabilities, intending to summarise how the rehabilitation robots could fulfil children's needs and inspire researchers to develop new devices. A literature search was conducted utilising the Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus databases. Based on the inclusion-exclusion criteria, 206 publications were included, and 58 robotic devices used by children with a physical disability were identified. Different design factors and the treated conditions using robotic technology were compared. Through the analyses, it was identified that weight, safety, operability and motivation were crucial factors to the successful design of devices for children. The majority of the current devices were used for lower limb rehabilitation. Neurological disorders, in particular cerebral palsy, were the most common conditions for which devices were designed. By far, the most common actuator was the electric motor. Usually, the devices present more than one training strategy being the assistive strategy the most used. The admittance/impedance method is the most popular to interface the robot with the children. Currently, there is a trend on developing exoskeletons, as they can assist children with daily life activities outside of the rehabilitation setting, propitiating a wider adoption of the technology. With this shift in focus, it appears likely that new technologies to actuate the system (e.g. serial elastic actuators) and to detect the intention (e.g. physiological signals) of children as they go about their daily activities will be required.

Influencing lumbar posture through real-time biofeedback and its effects on the kinematics and kinetics of a repetitive lifting task.

BACKGROUND: Repetitive, flexed lumbar postures are a risk factor associated with low back injuries. Young, novice workers involved in manual handling also appear at increased risk of injury. The evidence for the effectiveness of postural biofeedback as an intervention approach is lacking, particularly for repetitive, fatiguing tasks. RESEARCH QUESTION: How does real-time lumbosacral (LS) postural biofeedback modify the kinematics and kinetics of repetitive lifting and the risk of low back injury? METHODS: Thirty-four participants were randomly allocated to two groups: biofeedback (BF) and non-biofeedback (NBF). Participants repetitively lifted a 13 kg box at 10 lifts per minute for up to 20 min. Real-time biofeedback of LS posture occurred when flexion exceeded 80% maximum. Three-dimensional motion analysis and ground reaction forces enabled estimates of joint kinematics and kinetics. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was measured throughout. RESULTS: The BF group adopted significantly less peak lumbosacral flexion (LSF) over the 20 min when compared to the NBF group, which resulted in a significant reduction in LS passive resistance forces. This was accompanied by increased peak hip and knee joint angular velocities in the BF group. Lower limb moments did not significantly differ between groups. Feedback provided to participants diminished beyond 10 min and subjective perceptions of physical exertion were lower in the BF group. SIGNIFICANCE: Biofeedback of lumbosacral posture enabled participants to make changes in LSF that appear beneficial in reducing the risk of low back injury during repetitive lifting. Accompanying behavioural adaptations did not negatively impact on physical exertion or lower limb joint moments. Biofeedback of LS posture offers a potential preventative and treatment adjunct to educate handlers about their lifting posture. This could be particularly important for young, inexperienced workers employed in repetitive manual handling who appear at increased risk of back injury.