48440 research outputs found
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Evaluating the Operations and Cost-Effectiveness of the UMass Memorial Health Mobile Integrated Health Program MQP
No full textThe UMass Memorial Health Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) program brings healthcare directly to patients through community-based visits from paramedics, eliminating traditional barriers to care and making healthcare delivery more accessible to a wider range of patients. As the MIH program develops, it seeks to expand further into transitional care and to evaluate its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Our comprehensive analysis assessed both the program's financial impact and operational efficiency through two complementary approaches; cost-effectiveness analysis and operations capacity evaluation, both using data gathered from interviews with all paramedics in the MIH department. We conducted a detailed cost-effectiveness analysis that quantified the costs associated with delivering MIH visits and net saving generated per MIH visit. Using discrete event simulation modeling, we examined the MIH system’s current capacity and efficiency. Our approach allowed us to model various scenarios for program expansion and determine staffing levels. Project findings provide evidence for MIH’s planned expansion
IQP: Study of Home Network Devices
No full textAs smart home devices become increasingly prevalent, concerns about data privacy and consumer awareness continue to grow. This project examines whether smart home users understand the data collection and sharing practices of their devices and whether privacy policies are accessible and transparent. To assess this, we conducted a two-part study: a rubric-based evaluation of privacy policies from 26 smart home device manufacturers and a survey of 107 participants on their privacy concerns and device ownership habits. Our findings reveal that privacy policies vary widely in readability, with some requiring over an hour to read and a college-level proficiency to comprehend. Many companies collect extensive user data, including location and sensory data, often with limited transparency. Additionally, while consumers express privacy concerns, most spend little time reviewing privacy policies, and few actively seek data deletion. This study highlights a significant disconnect between consumer expectations and industry practices. Many users acknowledge privacy risks but do not take proactive steps to mitigate them, while companies present policies in ways that discourage engagement. Our research underscores the need for clearer privacy policies and better consumer education on smart home data practices
Design, Control and Application of Advanced Electric Motors
No full textThis project presents the redesign of an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) by integrating a rotational axis into the machine head, enabling fully automatic object handling. Normally, ASRS designs require human intervention for object placement, limiting automation potential. By incorporating a rotational axis, the improved ASRS can autonomously scoop and store items, reducing labor costs, increasing efficiency, and enhancing accuracy in storage environments. The development process involved conceptual design, prototyping, testing, and automation using an Arduino microprocessor. Multiple iterations of prototypes were tested to achieve a compact and functional design. Challenges such as motor synchronization, machine head alignment, and group collaboration were addressed through iterative improvements. While the project successfully implemented the rotational axis, additional features like a loading magazine and color sensors are left for future development. Aside from technical improvements, this project highlights the ethical and economic considerations of automation, particularly workforce displacement. Industries adopting ASRS can decrease these concerns through retraining programs for affected workers. In conclusion, the redesigned ASRS demonstrates a significant step toward fully automated storage solutions. Future advancements can improve its applications in warehouses, retail, healthcare, e-commerce, and smart cities, optimizing storage efficiency while balancing automation’s impact on the labor market
Somos Monteverde: Growing a Local Farmers Market
No full textThe Monteverde Market, operated by Somos Monteverde (SMV), fosters local entrepreneurship and sustainability in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Challenges hinder achieving self-sustainability and increasing engagement, specifically among tourists. Through interviews, surveys, and literature review, we identified key barriers: limited tourist outreach, language barriers, and vendor fatigue. We developed strategies to enhance the market’s visibility, sustainability, and community impact. We propose adjusting market hours, offering language workshops, and increasing marketing. Positioning the market as a social hub and showcasing sustainability initiatives can attract more visitors. Implementing these strategies can boost SMV’s engagement and long-term self-sustainability
Stock Market Simulation 2506
No full textThis project aims to educate investors on the principles of investing in ways that allow them to grow their wealth as effectively as possible. The project used two different paths of investing, primarily Day Trading and the Buy-and-Hold approach. Two simulations were conducted: one for each trading method. By the end of the simulations, the Day Trading method had a 6.4% return, while the Buy-and-Hold approach had an 8.2% return. The experiences learned in this project will be useful for future investment in the stock market
Birds Facing Phenological Mismatch in Central Massachusetts: How Communities Can Help Fill Ecological Gaps
No full textPhenological mismatch, in which climate change alters the timing of biological events, can reduce food availability for migratory birds. At Turn Back Time in Paxton, Massachusetts, adapted formal surveys identified the Eastern Wood-PeeWee as experiencing mismatch due to earlier insect emergence. Methods included bird surveys, an expert interview, and literature review. A native plant garden to increase insect abundance was proposed alongside educational materials, including an infographic and habitat-specific bird posters, integrating species support with Turn Back Time’s mission
Designing a Parking Environment Accessible for Adult Tricycles in Lyon
No full textLyon, France is rapidly expanding its cycling infrastructure, yet it often overlooks the needs of individuals who use adaptive tricycles. In collaboration with La Ville à Vélo, we were tasked with designing a parking environment, which includes both the bicycle rack and the surrounding area, that is accessible to people who use tricycles. To inform our design, we conducted a comprehensive observation study to assess the accessibility of existing bike racks, alongside interviews with tricycle users, rack designers, and a Métropole official who all provided valuable inputs for our final design. The result is a thoughtfully designed parking system that enhances accessibility while aligning with the goals of the Métropole
Bridges of Venice
No full textThe intricate pathways formed by the canals and streets of the Historic City of Venice, Italy, offer distinct insight into the need for accessibility advancements. Venice, being a walking city without cars or any other transportation methods, has specific needs when it comes to travel. People visiting the city often come with luggage, small children, and unique mobility needs. To address this, we examined the current state of accessibility around the city, specifically across bridges. To assess accessibility in Venice, we conducted fieldwork involving visits to every bridge, collecting measurements such as step width, distance from last step to wall, and ramp lengths. This allowed us to draw conclusions about accessibility in Venice and develop recommendations for future Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) teams at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The goal of this project is to provide the City of Venice with accessible data and findings to support decision-making around urban mobility. Accessibility enables people, including those with disabilities, to participate fully in society and engage with the city in the same ways as able-bodied individuals. This is especially important in the City of Venice, where crossing from one island to another is essential. Bridges are the primary means of travelling from one island to another, and because of this, bridges are an essential part of accessibility in Venice. In order to make a more accessible version of Venice, Bridges first need to be examined under a closer lens
Visual Contact Detection for In-Hand Manipulation
No full textIn-hand manipulation involves changing the pose of an object within a hand without the need to put it down and regrasp it. While this is a common skill for humans, such as picking up a cell phone and shifting its position to view the screen, in-hand manipulation remains a significant challenge for robots. This project proposes using visual pose-tracking tools to accurately estimate the position of the object in hand, enabling closed-loop control of in-hand manipulation for robotic systems. We develop an algorithm to account for the physical constraints present during in-hand manipulation, increasing the accuracy of the estimation. Specifically, we account for the knowledge that the surface of the object must be in contact with the robotic hand, but not intersecting it, while the object is grasped. We then conduct several experiments to determine optimal heuristics for our estimation algorithm, prioritizing solutions that are closest to the original predicted pose of the object. Using this baseline, we move on to testing our method on manipulation tasks using a real robotic gripper. Finally, we evaluate the performance of this algorithm against the standard pose estimation method
AI-Enabled Bioresponsive Clinical Decision Support Systems for Chronic Pain: User-Centered Approach
No full textThe advancement of eye-tracking technologies has enabled the development of systems capable of detecting attention and cognitive states objectively and in real time. Biometric technologies that capture psychological measures, such as eye movements (EMs), have allowed user experience (UX) research to expand toward building smart bioresponsive tools. One area that may benefit from these advancements is chronic pain, where self-report methods are often limited in capturing the complex phenomenon of chronic pain experience in both research and practice. This has established a need for objective biomarkers that can support pain assessment. Pain literature suggests the use of EMs as potential biomarkers, as they reflect pain-related attentional patterns. This dissertation adopts a bioresponsive, UX research approach to explore the efficacy of using EMs to detect pain experience in individuals with and without chronic pain. A proof-of-concept AI tool was developed to detect chronic pain using only EMs from individuals with and without chronic pain, achieving an accuracy of 81%, thereby demonstrating the robustness of EMs as a potential biomarker for pain. To successfully evolve this proof of concept into a fully developed and effective Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) for chronic pain treatment and management, it is essential to understand the needs of the healthcare professionals who will use the system. As a first step, traditional UX research methods were employed to conduct interviews with healthcare professionals involved in the treatment and management of chronic pain. Based on this research, six user personas, four representing doctors and two representing nurses, were developed to serve as a foundational guideline for the design of an initial CDSS prototype. The findings of this dissertation contribute to both UX research and pain science by presenting a comprehensive methodology for using eye movements (EMs) as input signals to an AI tool capable of detecting differences in attentional patterns toward pain-related stimuli. It also contributes to clinical practice by outlining design guidelines for developing an initial prototype of such an AI-based CDSS, grounded in the needs and workflows of healthcare professionals