Force Sensing Resistors (FSRs) are manufactured from a blend of conductive nanoparticles dispersed in an insulating polymer matrix. FSRs exhibit large amounts of hysteresis and drift error, but currently, a great effort is placed on improving their performance through different techniques applied during sensor manufacturing. In this article, a novel technique for improving the performance of FSRs is presented; the method can be applied to already-manufactured sensors, which is a clear benefit of the proposed procedure. The method is based on driving the sensors with a modified-astable 555 oscillator, in which the oscillation frequency is set from the sensor's capacitance and resistance. Considering that the sensor's capacitance and resistance have opposite signs in the drift characteristic, the driving circuit provides self-compensated force measurements over extended periods of time. The feasibility of the driving circuit to reduce hysteresis and to avoid sensitivity degradation is also tested. In order to obtain representative results, the experimental measurements from this study were performed over eight FlexiForce A201-25 sensors.
Background: In Ecuador, the neonatal mortality rate has increased from 4.1 to 6.0 per 1000 live births between 2014 and 2019. We aimed to develop and validate a health risk assessment tool for predicting neonatal mortality and to reach a nationwide consensus on stratified management. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all neonatal deaths registered by the Ministry of Public Health between 2014 and 2017 in Ecuador. We developed a health risk assessment tool by using the information of deceased neonates between 2014 and 2016, and subsequently validated it using the information of deceased neonates in 2017. Several perinatal predictors were tested. The score was qualitatively refined by ~70 healthcare professionals in five Ecuadorian cities, and it was transformed into a web-based calculator with stratified suggestions of care. Results: Survival estimates differed significantly across the risk bands. The resulting Score Bebé® is available at https://scorebebe.com/ and includes stratified suggestions for care.
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