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Inverse kinematics solution for a six-degree-of-freedom upper limb rehabilitation robot using deep learning models
Get PDFThe inverse kinematics problem in serially manipulated upper limb rehabilitation robots implies the usage of the end-effector position to obtain the joint rotation angles. In contrast to the forward kinematics, there are no systematic approaches for solving the inverse kinematics problem. Furthermore, for some morphology of the upper limb rehabilitation robots, the inverse kinematics problem is particularly challenging to solve. Conventional methods to solve the inverse kinematics problem reported in the literature are computationally expensive. In the present work, we propose a deep learning-based model to acquire the joint angles for a given end-effector position. The proposed approach exhibits high efficacy in determining the joint angles for various target positions and can accurately predict the end-effector positions once trained, improving the ability of the upper limb rehabilitation robot to adapt to varying patient needs. Due to its improved capability and effectiveness to track positions, the proposed algorithm lays the foundation for the development of efficient controllers in future.</p
The spatial analysis of multimorbidity in Thai Cohort Study
No full textBackground: This study used Thai Cohort Study (TCS) data to investigate the spatial and sociodemographic determinants of multimorbidity (two or more chronic conditions coexistence on one person) prevalence in Thailand in 2013. Methods: Crude and age-adjusted prevalence were calculated for each province. Hotspot analysis was conducted to identify regions with statistically significant hotspots and cold spots, including areas without significant clustering. Then, ordinal logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic background variables that predict hotpots. Results: The highest age-adjusted provincial level prevalence of multimorbidity was in Sing Buri (18.26%). Sak Lek District in Phichit Province also had the highest age-adjusted district level prevalence of multimorbidity at 37.13%. The cold spots region in crude and age-adjusted prevalence of multimorbidity were clustered in Southern Thailand. Forty-eight districts were identified as hotspots in both crude and age-adjusted multimorbidity prevalence, 19 of which are in Bangkok (the capital). Population density (person/km 2, odd ratio, provincial level: OR:1.00, 95% CI: 1.00–1.01; district level: OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00–1.01), Aging index (provincial level: OR:1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.04; district level: OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00–1.01), and average educational years (provincial level: OR:1.92, 95% CI: 1.07–3.48; district level: OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.02–2.26) were greater in hot spots areas. Conclusion: This study shows that the prevalence of multimorbidity in Thailand is positively correlated with the degree of development of the region. Spatial cluster analysis provides new evidence for policymakers to design tailored interventions to target multimorbidity and allocate health resources to areas of unmet need.</p
The Fear of Losing National and Institutional Face:Exploring Australia’s Resistance to World Heritage in Danger Listing
No full textThe World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger are prominent examples of listing mechanisms, which have been described as apparatuses in which the reputation of States can rise or fall. As an historically-significant player within the World Heritage regime, Australia has both embraced World Heritage as a tool for global conservation, whilst, at the same time, engaged in protracted political and diplomatic campaigning against In Danger listings for its own sites. In this paper we critically explore and theorise Australia’s resistance to the List of World Heritage in Danger through the concept of ‘face’, addressing how one State Party’s fear of losing face became deeply intertwined with regime’s need to save its institutional face, and foreshadowing broader phenomena of such resistance in the World Heritage regime
The comprehensibility and feasibility of the modified brief pain inventory and fear of pain questionnaire adapted for children and young people with cerebral palsy
No full textPurpose: To test the comprehensibility and feasibility of the modified brief pain inventory (mBPI) and Fear of Pain Questionnaire for Children short-form (FOPQ-C-SF) adapted for children and young people with cerebral palsy (CP), with diverse cognitive and communication abilities. Improving assessment of pain interference (mBPI) and pain-related fear (FOPQ-C-SF) in CP can enhance quality of life by increasing access to under-utilised interventions targeting pain-related physical disability and mental health. Methods: A convergent mixed methods approach was used. Twenty-two people (5–30 years) with CP completed the adapted mBPI and FOPQ-C-SF in a cognitive interview, administered by pen/paper or TalkingMats®, an evidence-based visual communication framework. Cognitive interviewing approaches were adapted to optimise participation and expression for diverse cognitive and communication abilities. Quantitative data were analysed to report tool administration times, overall completion rates and communication effectiveness. Qualitative data were analysed by content analysis to determine further changes required to the tools. Results: Median administration times were 6.2 min (IQR = 5.3–7.6) for mBPI and 4.1 min (IQR = 2.7–4.9) for FOPQ-C-SF. All completed the mBPI. Three did not complete the FOPQ-C-SF due to fatigue, challenging behaviour and parent recommendation. Ten minor changes were identified. Conclusion: The adapted mBPI and FOPQ-C-SF are likely comprehensible and feasible for children and young people with CP, including those with diverse cognitive and communication abilities. It is likely most children and young people with CP can effectively communicate responses to both tools. The adapted tools will now undergo further psychometric testing, prior to becoming freely available for clinical and research use.</p
The effect of combined compression and tactile stimulation on ankle somatosensation in a lunar gravity lower limb load analog
No full textAnkle somatosensation appears to be negatively affected when in simulated hypogravity (gravity, 1 > g < 0). Developing countermeasures to reduce this negative effect is necessary for sensorimotor control as astronauts prepare to explore the Moon. Head-elevated supine lying has been found to be an effective method in simulating the physiological impact of hypogravity by reducing the weight-bearing capacity through the lower limbs. This study investigated whether wearing a combined compression sock with plantar textured sole (compression-tactile sock) is associated with enhanced somatosensory acuity of the lower limbs in a simulated hypogravity environment. Ankle somatosensory acuity was assessed on 55 healthy participants between the ages of 18 and 65 years (female subjects 28, male subjects 27; mean age 41 years ±14). The active movement extent discrimination assessment (AMEDA) was used to assess somatosensory acuity on participants’ non-dominant foot under four conditions: (1) upright standing in barefoot; (2) upright standing wearing compression-tactile socks; (3) simulated hypogravity (head-elevated supine position) in barefoot; and (4) simulated hypogravity (head-elevated supine position) wearing compression-tactile socks. Analysis was conducted for (i) the whole participant group, (ii) high (above-average) performers, (iii) medium (average) performers, and (iv) low (below average) performers. It was hypothesized that low performers would experience the greatest gains when wearing the sock, compared to those in barefoot. When assessing the group as a whole, AMEDA scores were significantly reduced in the simulated hypogravity (head-elevated supine) conditions when compared to upright standing conditions (p < 0.001; 3% decline when barefoot; 2.9% decline when wearing the socks). Wearing compression-tactile socks had no effect on AMEDA scores when compared to barefoot (p = 0.173). When analyzed by the performance group, somatosensory acuity was enhanced in the compression-tactile sock condition, when compared to barefoot (upright, p = 0.009, 4.7% increase; head-elevated supine, p = 0.022, 3% increase) in the low performers only. In the medium and high-performer groups, there was no difference between the compression-tactile sock conditions and barefoot conditions (p > 0.05 for all). Compression-tactile socks may be associated with enhanced somatosensory acuity in upright standing and simulated hypogravity for individuals with below-average somatosensory acuity. Further research is warranted to assess the effect of compression-tactile socks in an actual hypogravity environment to determine whether the compression-tactile socks can maintain one’s somatosensory acuity.</p
Understanding the Language of Virtual Interaction:Communities, Knowledge, and Authority
No full textSince the advent of Web 2.0, the interaction of user-generated content on participatory platforms has democratized content creation and reshaped communication, identity, authority, and knowledge across various fields, from health to politics, amid the post-truth phenomena. This timely book provides essential insights into the transformative effects of the evolving digital landscape. It gives a comprehensive analysis of how areas such as health, politics, and language ideology have been influenced by digital communication, and explores how online spaces have amplified minority voices, promoting inclusion and representation, while also addressing the backlash that challenges human rights associated with Internet use and the free exchange of information. The book also examines the intersection of law and digital crime, revealing the legal challenges posed by the online world. As our understanding of identity, knowledge, and authority increasingly intersects with Generative AI, it also discusses the impact of intelligent tools and the challenges they present
Albo’s ‘Blight on the Hill’ is blinding the MSM
Get PDFJacinta Nampijinpa Price says she wants to ‘make Australia great again’. The reaction? ‘They finally said the quiet bit out loud.’Peter Dutton’s son has to save to buy a house and he’s struggling to do so? Dutton is a millionaire, so he ‘is either lying or cruel’.The mainstream media (MSM) is so bored they are looking for anything to pick up on except the reality of our economic situation. Albanese is leading us to his ‘blight on the hill’. It’s not a beacon of social justice; it’s a place where the Greens finally leverage Labor to use the rest of other peoples’ money to implement their socialist ideas.Make no mistake, we are deep in it. If the Coalition do not get over the line on May 3, then we only have ourselves to blame
Housing policy debate mismatched with Australian culture
Get PDFFrom the National Press Club: Housing policy is very tricky to balance effectively. There is no set formula because times and circumstances change. What worked in the Menzies era, when home ownership in Australia was at its highest levels, may not work now. But some things remain the same.We need infrastructure. Not just roads but also potable water, sewerage, telecommunications, energy, shops, schools, hospitals, emergency services, and police.Today’s debate at the Press Club between Labor Minister for Housing and Homelessness Clare O’Neil and her counterpart, Liberal Michael Sukkar, was uninspiring. We were introduced on one hand to a Labor policy based on talking to people in inner cities with no clue about the regions, and a Coalition policy closer to reality but not presented in a way that was convincing
The role of unbalanced segmental duplication in sex chromosome evolution in Australian ridge-tailed goannas
No full textVaranids are known for conserved sex chromosomes, but there are differences in the size of the W chromosome but not in morphology among species representing varying stages of sex chromosome evolution. We tested for homology of the ZW sex chromosome system with size differences in varanids among four species from two lineages in Australia, the Odatria and the Gouldii. We found that while DNA sequences of the sex chromosomes are conserved in the species we tested, we also identified a homologous region on an enlarged autosomal microchromosome that shares sequences with the W chromosome in some isolated populations of V. acanthurus and V. citrinus from the Odatria lineage. The enlarged microchromosome was unpaired in all individuals tested and is likely an unbalanced segmental duplication translocated between chromosome 1, the W, and another microchromosome. This suggests an ancient balanced duplication homologous to the W and the terminal region of the long arm of chromosome 1. The most parsimonious explanation is that the duplicated region likely originated on chromosome 1. We hypothesised in our reconstruction that genes and related DNA sequences associated with the sex-linkage group have likely originated on an autosome. Subsequently, the sequences may have undergone duplication and translocation to the W chromosome, followed by the accumulation of lineage specific repeat elements and amplifications on the W at different rates in various lineages. Lastly, these sequences are likely to have undergone duplication and translocation to another autosomal microchromosome. Given the role of segmental duplications and translocations as important evolutionary drivers of speciation in other taxa, together with the rapid speciation that has occurred in Australian varanids, our findings provide broader insight into the evolutionary pathway leading to rapid chromosomal and genic divergence of species.</p
The estimated cost of preventing extinction and progressing recovery for Australia’s priority threatened species
No full textThe global extinction crisis is intensifying rapidly, driven by habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, invasive species, and disease. This unprecedented loss of species not only threatens ecological integrity but also undermines ecosystem services vital for human survival. In response, many countries have set ambitious conservation targets such as halting species extinctions, yet the necessary financial commitments to achieve this are rarely prescribed. Estimating costs can be achieved using an ensemble of spatially variable species-specific cost models for threat abatement activities. We employ this method to provide a cost assessment to halt extinctions for Australia’s priority terrestrial and freshwater species. We show that it will cost ~AUD15.6 billion/year for 30 y to halt extinctions for these 99 priority species (comparable to 1% of Australia’s GDP). The more ambitious objectives to move priority species down one threat category (~AUD103.7 billion/year) or remove from the threatened species list entirely (~AUD157.7 billion/year) would require considerably more investment. Regardless of what is spent, we found that 16 (16%) priority species could not be removed from the threatened species list due to extensive historical declines and pervasive, ongoing, unmanageable threats, such as climate change. But implementing these efforts could ensure conservation benefits for over 43% of all nationally listed nonmarine threatened species. Adequate funding is crucial for meeting government commitments and requires both government leadership and private sector investment.</p