Designing a LiDAR topographic navigation system: A novel approach to aid the visually impaired
The WHO reports 2.2 billion people internationally have a form of visual impairment, with Perkins School of Blind adding that 4 to 8 percent (8.8 - 17.6 million people) solely rely on a white cane for navigation. In an interview by Stephen Yin for NPR, visually impaired interviewees claimed that a white cane was ineffective as it failed to detect moving obstacles (ex. bikes), aerial obstacles (ex. falling objects), and it became physically demanding after a prolonged period. This problem can be solved with a headset that integrates LiDAR technology and haptic feedback to provide a real-time assessment of their environment. Theoretically, the device will determine how far an object is from the user and place it into one of three conditionals based on distance (0- 290mm, 310-500mm, 510-1200mm). As the user gets closer to the object, the haptic will vibrate more frequently. The device has 11 LIDAR sensors, beetle processors, and ERM motors so that when the LiDAR detects an object, the device will send a haptic signal in that area. It not only identifies the existence of an object but it tells the user its relative position with a latency period of approximately 2 milliseconds. When testing the device, a simulated walking environment was made. Ten obstacles were included: five below the waist (72”, 28”, 35” and 8.5” tall sticks) and five above the waist (paper suspended 6”, 10”, 48” and 28” from the ceiling). The white cane detected 4.1 obstacles, whereas the device detected 7.3 on average. The LiDAR navigation system is 178% more effective at detecting objects comparatively. Visually impaired individuals no longer must rely on the white cane; rather, using this device, they can detect small, moving, and aerial objects at a much faster, and more accurate speed.
Evaluation of a fiber optic distributed temperature measurement system for a geothermal energy
As part of the European project GEOTHERMICA - ERA NET and in order to assess the capacity of heat storage in Switzerland, the Centre d'Hydrogéologie et de Géothermie de l'Université de Neuchâtel (CHYN) is taking part in the HEATSTORE project, launched in 2018. The latter is expected to lead to commercial heat storage projects in the near future in Geneva and Bern, in fractured aquifers. The evaluation of the geological characteristics of these aquifers is essential to understand the thermal energy transport processes of fractured aquifers. For this, it is necessary to be able to measure the temperature distribution along boreholes. Thus, the study focuses on the evaluation of a distributed temperature system (DTS) and its optical fiber in order to determine its operation, limits and potential for use in geothermal energy. Laboratory and field tests have been carried out that the water temperature deviation measurements, with a scan time of 30 s, are reliable at less than 0.5°C at +/-5 m over 500 m of fiber. For absolute temperature values, however, a bath and a reference probe must be used to recalculate the absolute temperature to within 0.5°C. The acquired data are essential for a broader understanding of the locations of fractured and karstified aquifers at Concise, allowing the system to be used to better understand the potential for water storage at a depth of 45°C at 35 m.
Synthesize Sodium Sesquicarbonate and Increase Yield
In order to recycle disposable diapers, we investigated the conditions where sodium sesquicarbonate (Chemical formula Na2CO3・ NaHCO3・ 2H2O hereinafter called sesqui) precipitates selectively from sodium carbonate and the conditions for high yield. For the selective precipitation of sesqui, we defined the time required for the reaction solution to pass through the sesqui precipitation area in the Na2CO3-NaHCO3-H2O phase diagram (45°C) as Δ t. As a result, we revealed that Δt is involved in the selective precipitation of sesqui, and that we can synthesize sesqui without the expensive addition of L-Arginine as used in a previous research. Also, we proposed the “Stay method”, in which the supply of CO2 is stopped for 30 minutes to the lengthen the Δ t, and found that we could synthesize sesqui selectively even under conditions in which sodium bicarbonate is likely to be precipitated as well. Regarding the high yield of sesqui, the yield was greatly improved by the common ion effect of Na by adding NaOH to the reaction solution, sesqui synthesis by repeated reactions with CO2, and sesqui recovery by adding the anti-solvent ethanol, reaching a sesqui conversion rate of 95%. This means 109 g of sesqui can be synthesized from 100 g of Na2CO3. Moreover, we confirmed that these synthesized samples have almost the same detergency as commercial sesqui. We did a test calculation to reveal the usefulness of this research. First, if diaper recycling technology is put into practical use and all used diaper waste in Saijo City can be recycled, a reduction of 534 t/year of used diaper waste can be expected. This corresponds to a 2.3% reduction in Saijo City's waste output. From the ash that would ultimately remain after being recycled, we expect up to 35.3 t/year of synthesized sesqui using our experimental method. In addition, a CO2 reduction of 8.2 t/year is possible in the process, which is about equivalent to the volume of one gymnasium.
Conscious Brain Mind-Controlled Cybonthitic Cyborg Bionic-Leg - V2
Lower limb amputations affect about 28.9 million people worldwide, influencing normal human functions, we are developing a conscious brain mind-controlled Cybonthitic cyborg bionic-leg to provide a professional solution for this problem, which is classified as restricted knee movement, short-term solution, limited pressure bearing, unspecific analog reading of EMG; Because the output voltage measured in nano-volts, resulting in unspecific knee movement. The functionality of these modern gadgets is still limited due to a lack of neuromuscular control (i.e. For movement creation, control relies on human efferent neural signals to peripheral muscles). Electromyographic (EMG) or myoelectric signals are neuromuscular control signals that can be recorded from muscles for our engineering goals. We worked on a sophisticated prosthetic knee design with a 100-degree angle of motion. We also used a specific type of coiled spring to absorb abrupt or unexpected motion force. In addition, we amplified the EMG output from (Nano-Voltage) to (Milli-Voltage) using customized instrumentation amplifiers (operational amplifiers). We used a full-wave rectifier to convert AC to DC, as a consequence of these procedures, sine-wave output voltage measures in millivolts, and the spring constant indicates the most force for every 1cm. Von mises Stress analysis shows bearing as 3000N is the maximum load for the design. Detecting the edge of a stairwell using the first derivative. The benefit of a system that controls the prosthetic limb is activated by the patient’s own EMG impulses, rather than sensors linked to the body.
隱密的發育調節中樞-植物轉錄因子BPC對發育之調控機制 A cryptic hub for development control: Unraveling the regulatory role of plant transcription factor class I BASIC PENTACYSTEINEs in Arabidopsis development
GAGA 序列為生物發育重要順式作用子； BPC (BASIC PENTACYSTEINE) 則為植物特有 GAGA 結合蛋白。已知 bpc 突變體具多效性，其生理時鐘相關之發育有多重缺陷。阿拉伯芥BPC家族中 BPC1, BPC2, BPC3 為第一亞群，且 BPC 群間和群內有重疊與拮抗作用。為探究第一群 BPC 是否調控生理時鐘，本實驗以 3D 影像觀察 bpc1 bpc2、bpc1 bpc2 bpc3 及野生型之晝夜運動，並誘導 BPC 過量表現以檢測時鐘基因反應，發現 bpc 突變體之晝夜運動與時鐘節律皆有缺陷，顯示 BPC 能影響生理時鐘運行。透過一系列對第一群 BPC 突變體與過量表現植株的 RT-qPCR 檢測，可歸結第一群 BPC 是能調控生理時鐘與葉片生長的中心。
Reducibility of Silver ions by the Charcoal: Regarding Mechanisms, Art, and Liquid Waste Management
We elucidated the cause of the phenomenon, in which silver deposits on a bamboo charcoal when the bamboo charcoal is soaked in an AgNO3 water solution. From the experimental results, we considered that the hydrogen which is generated while the bamboo wood is carbonized is chemisorbed as C-H bonds on the surface edge of charcoal (the end of the carbon), and that these hydrogen atoms become hydrogen ions,which then reduce the silver ions and deposit silver. In addition, we created a graph of the mass of deposited silver versus the mass of charcoal, and the graph showed that the mass of deposited silver was strongly correlated with the surface area calculated from the mass of the charcoal. Besides, we showed that charcoal can be used in applications for the treatment of inorganic liquid waste, depositing metals from inorganic liquid waste by bamboo charcoals. Also, the charcoal is used for interior decoration because of its deodorizing effect and beauty. In our study, we create a work of art used silverdeposited charcoal with a motif of Karesansui (Traditional Japanese rock garden).
朽木生花-初探以中藥萃取液對木材染色之防蟲抑菌效果
In our experiment, we used traditional Chinese medicine to dye on cheap wood, in addition to avoiding the impact of chemical paint on human body; After dyeing, the color and texture quality of the wood are improved, which makes cheap wood have higher price and improves the value of wood; At the same time, it can reduce the felling of slow growing precious wood, which has the functions of environmental protection, earth love and carbon saving. The test material was pretreated with hydrogen peroxide and surfactant, and the bleaching effect was obvious. After dyed with different Chinese medicinal, soak in strong acid and alkali solution for 15 minutes, which shows that strong acid and acid treatment is not allowed. On the other hand, after 15 minutes of immersion in detergent, the color difference value is less than 2, and the rubbing fastness is above grade 4. In the bacteriostasis experiment, no fungus grew in the first 3 days, and it did not grow in the 12th day. In the anti-termite experiment, the mortality rate on the fifth day was 65% for Lithospermum and 83.8% for Wolfberry, and the other groups had a good effect of total elimination. While plastic products have a great impact on the environment, wood that is dyed or modified with natural colored dye, its environmental value far exceeds the human visual perception.