Search results for "technical"
showing 10 items of 955 documents
Technology and Human Nature
1993
We are currently faced with an almost uncontrolled acceleration in the expansion of various technologies. This enormous expansion influences human beings in different ways. Technology can modify existing capabilities, create new ones, and even eliminate abilities that existed previously. Technology thus has numerous repercussions on human nature.
Technical Note: Prediction Models of Airborne Sound Insulation of Multilayer Materials with Viscoelastic Thin Sheets
2008
The growing introduction of new insulation materials in building acoustics has caused an increase of the importance of the prediction tools. Appropriate simulations allow strictly necessary laboratory measurements to be identified. In this way, costs are reduced. The demands of new legislation has resulted in the appearance of various software designed to facilitate prediction. The prediction models are based on different hypotheses: adaptation of impedances, spatial behaviour of spectral components, statistical energy distribution, the Finite Element Method (FEM), etc. Each of these models and methods offer advantages and contain limitations. In this paper, different models for prediction…
Design for social media engagement: Insights from elderly care assistance
2015
Abstract This paper explores an alternative view of design as an emergent process of engagement and learning, as opposed to the traditional view of systems design as a problem-solving tool. We focus on digitally enabled elderly support networks as an innovative approach to the design of elderly care assistance through social media. Our research project is conducted in the context of an Italian health-care institution and provides the empirical backdrop illustrating the ensemble artefact, the four design principles and the pragmatic outcomes of personalized elderly care interventions. These contributions add both practical and theoretical guidance and learning regarding social-media engageme…
Generalized effective stress concept for saturated active clays
2021
Experimental evidence shows that changes in pore-water chemistry can significantly affect the mechanical behavior of saturated active clays. Despite this evidence, how the chemical composition of the pore water can be considered in effective stress definition is questionable. This paper develops the concept of generalized effective stress for active clays. To this end, physicochemical studies on water–clay mineral interactions are used to clearly define the different types of ions and water present in an active clay. In particular, the presence of both movable and non-movable ions within the liquid water is highlighted. Taking this into account, thermodynamic and geochemistry principles ar…
Virtual reality system for planning minimally invasive neurosurgery
2008
Object The authors report on their experience with a 3D virtual reality system for planning minimally invasive neurosurgical procedures. Methods Between October 2002 and April 2006, the authors used the Dextroscope (Volume Interactions, Ltd.) to plan neurosurgical procedures in 106 patients, including 100 with intracranial and 6 with spinal lesions. The planning was performed 1 to 3 days preoperatively, and in 12 cases, 3D prints of the planning procedure were taken into the operating room. A questionnaire was completed by the neurosurgeon after the planning procedure. Results After a short period of acclimatization, the system proved easy to operate and is currently used routinely for pre…
Autostereoscopic Three-Dimensional Neuronavigation to the Sella: Technical Note.
2017
Background A drawback of conventional neuronavigation is the necessity of focusing on two-dimensional images in 3 planes at the same time to determine one's position in the operating field. A solution would be to merge the images into a single three-dimensional (3D) image that mirrors the actual anatomy. The introduction of holographic glassless 3D monitors paved the way to 3D navigation. We present our experience with 3D neuronavigation as exemplified by navigation to and within the sella. Methods Operative planning was conducted with a navigation system using cranial computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The image data sets were processed by the prototype Clariti 3D system t…
Prospective randomized comparison of short-access mother-baby cholangioscopy versus direct cholangioscopy with ultraslim gastroscopes
2012
Mother-baby technologies, the criterion standard for cholangioscopy, have several limitations. A novel, short-access, mother-baby (SAMBA) system may improve this technique. Direct cholangioscopy (DC) was recently developed as an alternative to mother-baby cholangioscopy.Comparison of success rates with SAMBA and DC.Single-center, randomized, controlled trial.Academic tertiary-care referral center.Sixty patients with suspected cholangiopathies randomized to either SAMBA (n = 30) or DC (n = 30).Cholangioscopy under deep sedation.Technical success rate of diagnostic or therapeutic procedure.A total of 24 and 21 diagnostic procedures were performed in the SAMBA and DC groups, respectively. Ther…
Technical note: a comparison of central and peripheral intraocular pressure using rebound tonometry
2007
Purpose: To compare central and peripheral intraocular pressure (IOP) readings obtained with rebound tonometry.Methods: Intraocular pressure was measured on the right eye of 153 patients (65 males, 88 females), aged from 21 to 85 years (mean +/- S.D., 55.5 +/- 15.2 years) with the ICare rebound tonometer at centre, and 2 mm from the limbus (in the nasal and temporal regions along the 0-180O corneal meridian).Results: Intraocular pressure values obtained with the ICare were 14.9 +/- 2.8; 14.1 +/- 2.5 and 14.5 +/- 2.7 mmHg at centre, nasal and temporal corneal locations, respectively. On average, nasal and temporal IOP readings were 0.75 and 0.37 mmHg lower than the central reading (p 0.05, r…
The influence of organizational factors on road transport safety
2018
Road transport safety is a major concern across Europe due to the human and socio-economic costs associated with work-related traffic accidents. Traditional approaches have adopted regulatory and technical measures to prevent road accidents leaving aside the organizational factors that might contribute to road transport safety. However, contemporary sociotechnical systems theory acknowledges the need to take into account organizational factors. This study adopts a sociotechnical approach and it examines the relationship between a number of organizational factors (organizational learning and training) and road traffic accidents in the organizations under study. Our sample was composed of 107…
Technical Note: Minimal Access Surgery for Cochlear Implantation with MED-EL Devices
2005
<i>Background:</i> Minimally invasive techniques have been described for cochlear implant surgery, but so far this had not been the case for Med-EL devices. <i>Objective:</i> To describe a newly developed minimal access approach for the implantation of Med-EL devices and report our results after up to 1 year of follow-up in 52 patients. <i>Discussion:</i> The use of a minimally invasive approach without raising a flap or extensive drilling of a bony well was feasible in all 52 patients of this series. It shortened the surgical time to an average of 45 min and there were no specific postoperative complications. The average follow-up of 8.4 months was uneve…