This paper describes the analysis and design of an assistive device for elderly people under development at the EgyptJapan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST) named E-JUST assistive device (EJAD). Several experiments were carried out using a motion capture system (VICON) and inertial sensors to identify the human posture during the sit-to-stand motion. The EJAD uses only two inertial measurement units (IMUs) fused through an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) algorithm to imitate the real motion of the caregiver. The EJAD consists of two main parts, a robot arm and an active walker. The robot arm is a 2-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) planar manipulator. In addition, a back support with a passive joint is used to support the patient s back. The IMUs on the leg and trunk of the patient are used to compensate for and adapt to the EJAD system motion depending on the obtained patient posture. The ANFIS algorithm is used to train the fuzzy system that converts the IMUs signals to the right posture of the patient. A control scheme is proposed to control the system motion based on practical measurements taken from the experiments. A computer simulation showed a relatively good performance of the EJAD in assisting the patient.
The oilfish, Ruvettus pretiosus Cocco, 1829, is an oceanic, benthopelagic species, found world wide in tropical and warm temperate seas, generally living at depths between 100 and 700 m in the open ocean (Nakamura and Parin 1993). It lives in pairs or solitary and migrates far offshore (Anonymous 1994, Nakamura and Parin 2001, Maguire et al. 2006. It feeds on variety of fish, crustaceans, and squids. The flesh is very oily contains a strong purgative substance that may cause diarrhoea if too much is eaten (Nakamura and Parin 1993).The occurrence of the oilfish in the Mediterranean basin was recorded by Kaya and Bilecenoğlu (1999) at the coast of Turkey. The species was also successively reported from the Italian coast at the Adriatic Sea (Bettoso and Dulčić 1999). In this short note, the first record of the oilfish, R. pretiosus, in Libyan waters is reported herewith.The specimen of R. pretiosus was caught in March 2004, by a commercial bottom trawl, 7 nautical miles off the coast of Benghazi, southern Mediterranean, Libya (32°06´N; 20°03´E; Fig. 1), at the depth of approximately 65 m. The fish was frozen on board by the fisherman. Once in the laboratory, the specimen was photographed (Fig. 2) and identified based on Nakamura and Parin (1993), and is now deposited in Natural Museum of
Moisture performance is an important factor determining the resistance of wood-based building materials against fungal decay. Understanding how material porosity and chemistry affect moisture performance is necessary for their efficient use, as well as for product optimisation. In this study, three complementary techniques (X-ray computed tomography, infrared and low-field NMR spectroscopy) are applied to elucidate the influence of additives, manufacturing process and material structure on the liquid water absorption and desorption behaviour of a selection of wood-based panels, thermally modified wood and wood fibre insulation materials. Hydrophobic properties achieved by thermal treatment or hydrophobic additives such as paraffin and bitumen, had a major influence on water absorption and desorption rates. When hydrophobic additives did not play a role, pore distributions and manufacturing process had a decisive influence on the amount and rate of absorption and desorption. In that case, a higher porosity resulted in a higher water absorption rate. Our results show that there is a clear potential for tailoring materials towards specific moisture performance by better understanding the influence of different material characteristics. This is useful both for achieving desired moisture buffering as well as to increase service life of wood-based materials. From a sustainability perspective, fit-for-purpose moisture performance is often easier to achieve and preferred than wood protection by biocide preservative treatments.
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