457 research outputs found
Cognitive support for older people from multimedia options
No full textIf older users of multimedia displays could select among presentation options, would they choose display combinations that supported their performance? After three short touch-screen tasks which measured the perceptual and cognitive abilities of 50 older adults, they answered questions about a route on an online map that could be accompanied by written and/or spoken text. Half the participants saw animated routes; and they were less accurate answering questions than those who saw static routes but this did not affect people’s multimedia choices which, although diverse, were systematic. Spoken text was more often selected by people who had lower scores on the spatial working memory task, than by the older adults with higher scores. This suggests that older people with cognitive limitations recognise ways in which multimedia information can be supportive
The Reflective Entrepreneur
No full textIn a world where entrepreneurial success often seems deceptively accessible, it is not always clear what makes a person entrepreneurial. In this book, Dimo Dimov offers a reflective insight into the entrepreneurial journey, striking up a conversation about entrepreneurship in order to challenge and untangle existing preconceptions. A discussion of challenges and tensions such as idea versus opportunity, genius versus lunatic, and skill versus luck forms the foundation of the book, while the second part offers actions and considerations which can help the reader to seek opportunities in a fractious environment. The final part of the text focuses on the collective spirit in entrepreneurship, arising from the interplay between participation and outcomes. The author brings a succinct diversity to the field, making this book essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students on entrepreneurship courses, as well as scholars, researchers, and practitioners looking for a new perspective on entrepreneurship
The Reflective Entrepreneur
No full textIn a world where entrepreneurial success often seems deceptively accessible, it is not always clear what makes a person entrepreneurial. In this book, Dimo Dimov offers a reflective insight into the entrepreneurial journey, striking up a conversation about entrepreneurship in order to challenge and untangle existing preconceptions. A discussion of challenges and tensions such as idea versus opportunity, genius versus lunatic, and skill versus luck forms the foundation of the book, while the second part offers actions and considerations which can help the reader to seek opportunities in a fractious environment. The final part of the text focuses on the collective spirit in entrepreneurship, arising from the interplay between participation and outcomes. The author brings a succinct diversity to the field, making this book essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students on entrepreneurship courses, as well as scholars, researchers, and practitioners looking for a new perspective on entrepreneurship
Micromiling of coarse-grained and ultrafine-grained Cu99.9E: Effects of material microstructure on machining conditions and surface quality
No full textThis paper investigates the machining response of metallurgically and mechanically modified materials, in particular, coarse-grained (CG) Cu99.9E, with an average grain size of 30 µm and ultrafine-grained (UFG) Cu99.9E, with an average grain size of 200 nm, produced by Equal- Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP). A novel high-precision method for assessing the homogeneity of the material microstructure is proposed based on Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) measurements of the coefficient of friction at the atomic scale, enabling the prediction of the minimum chip thickness of the individual grains inside the bulk. The investigation has shown that by refining the material microstructure, the minimum chip thickness has been reduced and a high surface finish can be achieved. Also, the homogeneity of the material microstructure and the resulting surface quality have been improved
Novel process chain for fabrication of Ni shims
No full textThis paper presents a novel process chain for fabrication of replication masters for micro injection molding, hot embossing and roll to roll imprinting. The advantages and limitations of the component technologies in the proposed process chain are analyzed and their sequence in a process chain for producing both 2.5D and 3D nano- and micro- structures is justified. In order to fabricate Ni shims incorporating different length scale features, the proposed master-making route relies on using different technologies for micro structuring and sub-micron and nano patterning in their optimal processing windows. In particular, the capabilities of photolithography as a micro structuring technology are combined with those of FIB machining to add sub-micron and nano features on micro patterned fused silica templates. Then, by applying UV nano imprinting such templates were validated and the nano and micro structures were consistently replicated in one step. Finally, the transfer of such imprints into Ni shims was also successfully accomplished with only 10% deviations from the target dimensions
Lab-on-a-contact lens platforms fabricated by multi-axis femtosecond laser ablation
No full textContact lens sensing platforms have drawn interest in the last decade for the possibility of providing a sterile, fully integrated ocular screening technology. However, designing scalable and rapid contact lens processing methods while keeping a high resolution is still an unsolved challenge. In this article, femtosecond laser writing is employed as a rapid and precise procedure to engrave microfluidic networks into commercial contact lenses. Functional microfluidic components such as flow valves, resistors, multi-inlet geometries, and splitters are produced using a bespoke seven-axis femtosecond laser system, yielding a resolution of 80 µm. The ablation process and the tear flow within microfluidic structures is evaluated both experimentally and computationally using finite element modeling. Flow velocity drops of the 8.3%, 20.8%, and 29% were observed in valves with enlargements of the 100%, 200%, and 300%, respectively. Resistors yielded flow rate drops of 20.8%, 33%, and 50% in the small, medium, and large configurations, respectively. Two applications were introduced, namely a tear volume sensor and a tear uric acid sensor (sensitivity 16 mg L−1), which are both painless alternatives to current methods and provide reduced contamination risks of tear samples.</p
Web-service architecture for tools supporting life-long e-Learning platforms
No full textDimov, A., & Stefanov, K. (2008). Web-service architecture for tools supporting life-long e-Learning platforms. In R. Koper, K. Stefanov & D. Dicheva (Eds.), Proceedings of the 5th International TENCompetence Open Workshop "Stimulating Personal Development and Knowledge Sharing" (pp. 67-71). October, 30-31, 2008, Sofia, Bulgaria: TENCompetence Workshop. [For the whole proceedings please see also http://hdl.handle.net/1820/1961 ]It is widely recognized that modern European society needs adequate means for lifelong adapted access to facilities that support the creation, storage, use and exchange of formal and informal knowledge and learning resources. A key factor to achieve this is the adoption of Information and communication technologies and the work presented here reports on an approach involving the latest concepts of software engineering into lifelong learning solutions. The paper presents a reusable and extensible service-oriented architecture that supports implementation of different tools that support life-long eLearning platforms.The work on this publication has been sponsored by the TENCompetence Integrated Project that is funded by the European Commission's 6th Framework Programme, priority IST/Technology Enhanced Learning. Contract 027087 [http://www.tencompetence.org
Agricultural Academy
No full textabstract DIMOV, K., R. KALEV, M. TZANKOVA and P. PENCHEV, 2012. Fatty-acid composition of the lipids in m. longisimus dorsi of bovine and buffalo calves and buffalo cows. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., To study the fatty-acid profile of the lipids in meat, eight buffalo and eight bovine calves were assigned in two groups subjected to the same diet for a period of one year. At the end of the period, five animals of each group and five buffalo cows were slaughtered and test samples from m. longisimus dorsi taken. The results showed higher percentage of dry matter, crude fats, and crude protein in the buffalo meat (claves and cows) in comparison with the bovine calves. Compared to the bovine calves and the buffalo cows, the meat of the bubaline calves was found to have lower portion of the saturated fatty acids, with higher percentage of stearic acid and lower of palmitic and myristic. The buffalo calves have shown to produce meat with most favorable (n-6)/(n-3) ratio (7.00) compared to the bovine calves and the buffalo cows, the differences concerning the total fraction of polyunsaturated fatty acids among groups being negligible
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