Additive Manufacturing of Biobased Material Used in Electrical Insulation: Comparative Studies on Various Printing Technologies.

In the power industry, various electrically insulating materials are used to ensure proper mechanical, thermal, and dielectric performance over decades of equipment operation. In power transformers, cellulose is the predominant material in manufacturing various insulation components. Most of these products are manufactured by wet-molding technology.

Quantification of the Mechanical Properties in the Human-Exoskeleton Upper Arm Interface During Overhead Work Postures in Healthy Young Adults.

Exoskeletons transfer loads to the human body via physical human-exoskeleton interfaces (pHEI). However, the human-exoskeleton interaction remains poorly understood, and the mechanical properties of the pHEI are not well characterized. Therefore, we present a novel methodology to precisely characterize pHEI interaction stiffnesses under various loading conditions.

Data-informed reconstruction of a bipennate muscle's aponeurosis and its fibre distribution for performing continuum-mechanical simulations.

Alternatives to Diffusion-Tensor-Imaging tractography methods for determining fibre orientation fields in skeletal muscle include Laplacian flow simulations. Such methods require flux boundary conditions (BCs) at the tendons and/or along the inner aponeuroses, which can significantly influence the gradients of the resulting Laplacian flow. Herein, we propose a novel method based on solving the 3D steady-state thermal heat equations to determine the fibre architecture in a bi-pennate muscle, specifically the m.

Individual stress reactivity predicts alcohol craving and alcohol consumption in alcohol use disorder in experimental and real-life settings.

Stress- and alcohol cues trigger alcohol craving and alcohol consumption in alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, their interactions on a physiological and psychological level and their effects on daily alcohol craving and alcohol use in real-life situations are not understood yet. We conducted a randomized-controlled experimental study to compare the effects of psychosocial stress against physical stress and a control intervention, each followed by an alcohol cue-exposure, on alcohol craving, subjective stress and saliva cortisol levels (main outcomes) in N = 121 individuals with AUD and collected data on daily alcohol use and craving during a 1-year ambulatory assessment phase.

A New Method and Set of Parameters for Evaluating the Cushioning Effect of Shoe Heels, Revealing the Inadvertent Design of Running Shoes.

According to standards, the heel soles of running shoes are currently tested with an energy absorption of 5 J. This study offers an alternative method to improve the measurement of cushioning properties. The new method uses the ratio of absorbed energy to applied force and determines the maximum of this ratio (optimum or shoulder point) and the associated optimal force, energy, and displacement.

Mechanical and Thermo-Regulative Investigations on Additively Manufactured Backpack Pads.

Backpacks play a pivotal role in facilitating the transportation of essential items, particularly within the realm of physical activities. In demanding physical environments such as mountain sports, effective thermoregulation, pressure absorption, and distribution become paramount due to the repetitive interaction between the athlete's back and the corresponding area of the backpack. Given that the backpack pads serve as a crucial component of this system, acting as the intermediary layer between the human body and the backpack itself, this study delves into the mechanical and thermoregulatory properties of these components.

Strengthening the WHO Emergency Care Systems Framework: insights from an integrated, patient-centered approach in the Copenhagen Emergency Medical Services system-a qualitative system analysis.

Background: The World Health Organization Emergency Care Systems Framework (WHO ECSF) was designed to offer guidance in establishing and developing effective Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems. However, evolving disease patterns, changing community needs, and a rising demand for emergency care services, highlight the need for more integrated and patient-centered EMS systems. This evolution should be mirrored in the WHO ECSF.

High Speed Sintering of Polyamide 12: From Powder to Part Properties.

High Speed Sintering (HSS) is an additive manufacturing process with great potential to produce complex, high-quality polymer parts on an industrial scale. However, little information is currently available on the characteristics of the powder materials used and the part properties that can be achieved. This is also the case for the standard material polyamide 12 (PA 12) and the first commercially available HSS machine, the VX200 HSS.

Gender Differences in the Dynamics and Kinematics of Running and Their Dependence on Footwear.

Previous studies on gender differences in running biomechanics have predominantly been limited to joint angles and have not investigated a potential influence of footwear condition. This study shall contribute to closing this gap. Lower body biomechanics of 37 recreational runners (19 f, 18 m) were analysed for eight footwear and two running speed conditions.

Advanced Dynamic Centre of Pressure Diagnostics with Smart Insoles: Comparison of Diabetic and Healthy Persons for Diagnosing Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.

Although diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) has a very high prevalence among people with diabetes, gait analysis using cyclograms is very limited, and cyclogram research, in general, is limited to standard measures available in software packages. In this study, cyclograms (movements of the centre of pressure, COP, on and between the plantar surfaces) of diabetics and healthy individuals recorded with a smart insole were compared in terms of geometry and balance index, BI. The latter was calculated as the summed product of standard deviations of cyclogram markers, i.

Identification of Spin Bowling Deliveries with an Advanced Smart Cricket Ball.

The type of throw of a spin bowler can be analysed in the laboratory using a motion analysis system. However, there is still no method to determine the type of throw using other means and less effort. To solve this problem, we revised the traditional classification of spin bowling throws and analysed whether spin bowling throws are separate entities or continuous concepts.

Application of Sensor Technology in Wheelchair Sports for Real-Time Data Collection during Training and Competition and for Assessment of Performance Parameters: A Systematic Review and Future Directions.

This review reports on the use of sensors in wheelchair sports to monitor and analyze performance during match and training time. With rapid advancements in electronics and related technologies, understanding performance metrics in wheelchair sports is essential. We reviewed nine studies using various sensor types, including electric motors, inertial measurement units, miniaturized data loggers with magnetic reed switches, and smartphones with inbuilt accelerometers and gyroscopes, operating at frequencies from 8 Hz to 1200 Hz.

Calculation of the Point of Application (Centre of Pressure) of Force and Torque Imparted on a Spherical Object from Gyroscope Sensor Data, Using Sports Balls as Practical Examples.

This study investigates the determination of the centre of pressure (COP) on spherical sports objects such as cricket balls and footballs using gyroscope data from Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs). Conventional pressure sensors are not suitable for capturing the tangential forces responsible for torque generation. This research presents a novel method to calculate the COP solely from gyroscope data and avoids the complexity of isolating user-induced accelerations from IMU data.

Current State, Needs, and Opportunities for Wearable Robots in Military Medical Rehabilitation and Force Protection.

Despite advances in wearable robots across various fields, there is no consensus definition or design framework for the application of this technology in rehabilitation or musculoskeletal (MSK) injury prevention. This paper aims to define wearable robots and explore their applications and challenges for military rehabilitation and force protection for MSK injury prevention. We conducted a modified Delphi method, including a steering group and 14 panelists with 10+ years of expertise in wearable robots.

EEG motor imagery decoding: a framework for comparative analysis with channel attention mechanisms.

The objective of this study is to investigate the application of various channel attention mechanisms within the domain of brain-computer interface (BCI) for motor imagery decoding. Channel attention mechanisms can be seen as a powerful evolution of spatial filters traditionally used for motor imagery decoding. This study systematically compares such mechanisms by integrating them into a lightweight architecture framework to evaluate their impact.

Determining a musculoskeletal system's pre-stretched state using continuum-mechanical forward modelling and joint range optimization.

The subject-specific range of motion (RoM) of a musculoskeletal joint system is balanced by pre-tension levels of individual muscles, which affects their contraction capability. Such an inherent pre-tension or pre-stretch of muscles is not measureable with in vivo experiments. Using a 3D continuum mechanical forward simulation approach for motion analysis of the musculoskeletal system of the forearm with 3 flexor and 2 extensor muscles, we developed an optimization process to determine the muscle fibre pre-stretches for an initial arm position, which is given human dataset.

Single Cell Isolation from Surgically Resected Tissue Via Mechanical Dissociation Using TissueGrinder.

Primary cells form the basis of modern-day in vitro research analysis tools. Many conventional procedures for generating single-cell suspensions from solid tissue are neither robust nor reproducible. Here we describe primary cells isolation from surgically resected tumor tissue via enzyme-free mechanical dissociation using TissueGrinder, a novel semi-automated benchtop device.

The Use of Wearable Devices to Measure Sedentary Behavior during COVID-19: Systematic Review and Future Recommendations.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic resulted in approximately 7 million deaths and impacted 767 million individuals globally, primarily through infections. Acknowledging the impactful influence of sedentary behaviors, particularly exacerbated by COVID-19 restrictions, a substantial body of research has emerged, utilizing wearable sensor technologies to assess these behaviors. This comprehensive review aims to establish a framework encompassing recent studies concerning wearable sensor applications to measure sedentary behavior parameters during the COVID-19 pandemic, spanning December 2019 to December 2022.

Identification, Taxonomy and Performance Assessment of Type 1 and Type 2 Spin Bowling Deliveries with a Smart Cricket Ball.

Spin bowling deliveries in cricket, finger spin and wrist spin, are usually (Type 1, T1) performed with forearm supination and pronation, respectively, but can also be executed with opposite movements (Type 2, T2), specifically forearm pronation and supination, respectively. The aim of this study is to identify the differences between T1 and T2 using an advanced smart cricket ball, as well as to assess the dynamics of T1 and T2. With the hand aligned to the ball's coordinate system, the angular velocity vector, specifically the x-, y- and z-components of its unit vector and its yaw and pitch angles, were used to identify time windows where T1 and T2 deliveries were clearly separated.

Development and Production of Artificial Test Swarf to Examine Wear Behavior of Running Engine Components-Part 2: Experimentally Derived Designs.

In subtractive manufacturing processes, swarf, burrs or other residues are produced, which can impair the function of a tribological system (e.g., journal bearings).

Apicomplexan parasites are attenuated by low-energy electron irradiation in an automated microfluidic system and protect against infection with Toxoplasma gondii.

Radiation-attenuated intracellular parasites are promising immunization strategies. The irradiated parasites are able to invade host cells but fail to fully replicate, which allows for the generation of an efficient immune response. Available radiation technologies such as gamma rays require complex shielding constructions and are difficult to be integrated into pharmaceutical production processes.

Time and energy optimal trajectory generation for coverage motion in industrial machines.

The increase in computer numerical control machine efficiency highly contributes to environmental emission reduction and energy-savings. Path and trajectory optimizations are used to improve machine efficiency in a coverage motion such as pocket milling, polishing, inspection, gluing, and additive manufacturing. Several studies have proposed coverage motion optimization in improving machine efficiency for time and energy consumption.

Optimizing NV magnetometry for Magnetoneurography and Magnetomyography applications.

Magnetometers based on color centers in diamond are setting new frontiers for sensing capabilities due to their combined extraordinary performances in sensitivity, bandwidth, dynamic range, and spatial resolution, with stable operability in a wide range of conditions ranging from room to low temperatures. This has allowed for its wide range of applications, from biology and chemical studies to industrial applications. Among the many, sensing of bio-magnetic fields from muscular and neurophysiology has been one of the most attractive applications for NV magnetometry due to its compact and proximal sensing capability.

Effect of a Passive Exosuit on Sit-to-Stand Performance in Geriatric Patients Measured by Body-Worn Sensors-A Pilot Study.

Standing up from a seated position is a prerequisite for any kind of physical mobility but many older persons have problems with the sit-to-stand (STS) transfer. There are several exosuits available for industrial work, which might be adapted to the needs of older persons to support STS transfers. However, objective measures to quantify and evaluate such systems are needed.

Model-Based Biomechanical Exoskeleton Concept Optimization for a Representative Lifting Task in Logistics.

Occupational exoskeletons are a promising solution to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). However, there are no established systems that support heavy lifting to shoulder height. Thus, this work presents a model-based analysis of heavy lifting activities and subsequent exoskeleton concept optimization.