This is a comparative study examining the influence of a small-scale dementia unit and a traditional dementia unit on behaviors of the residents. The small-scale unit and the traditional unit were selected through two...This is a comparative study examining the influence of a small-scale dementia unit and a traditional dementia unit on behaviors of the residents. The small-scale unit and the traditional unit were selected through two phases in Vancouver, Canada. Seven residents from each facility completed the study. Physical environmental assessments were performed using two tools： PEAP （professional environmental assessment protocol） and TESS-NH （therapeutic environment screening survey for nursing homes）. For the assessment of residents＇ behaviors, three assessment tools were used： MOSES （multidimensional observation scale for elderly subjects）, MDS （minimum data set） and DCM （dementia care mapping）. The study found that the residents living in a small-scale environment were more engaged in activities and more likely to respond in understanding their fellow residents. Residents living in a traditional long-term care exhibited fewer signs of social interaction. The findings suggest that a small-scale homelike environment could positively influence people with dementia to be more engaged in social exchanges and activities, and consequently help in reducing their withdrawn behavior.展开更多
We are developing a nursing-care robot for physical care tasks. The concept of this robot is to promote the cared persons by the robot to activate their own motion ability as long as possible. This may lead to the imp...We are developing a nursing-care robot for physical care tasks. The concept of this robot is to promote the cared persons by the robot to activate their own motion ability as long as possible. This may lead to the improvement of the cared person＇s movement volition and movement abilities. In order to realize safe and human friendly robot care tasks, full body manipulation is an important technology, for which it is necessary to estimate the subject＇s center of gravity from the contact positions and forces with the robot＇s two arms. In this paper, we estimate the center of gravity of object based on the contact point and the contact force estimated by force sensor on both robot arms. The position of gravity center is important to realize care tasks stably. We performed experiments and simulations for the single point contact and dual points contact cases using a cylindrical object. As a result, it is found that although some errors were recognized in the experiments compared with the simulations, the relations between the contact positions and such errors were observed. Such experimental error mainly comes from the difference of shape between the real robot and the model of the robot in simulation.展开更多
With the increasing use of PPCPs （pharmaceuticals and personal care products）, the impact caused by the accumulation of PPCPs on the environment has become increasingly serious and has attracted considerable attenti...With the increasing use of PPCPs （pharmaceuticals and personal care products）, the impact caused by the accumulation of PPCPs on the environment has become increasingly serious and has attracted considerable attention. In the last 10 years, major studies on PPCPs have focused on the sources and analytical testing of concentrations in the environment. Afterward, studies have shifted to the transfer and transformation of PCPPs in the environment and to the environmental risk assessment of PPCPs. Studies on PPCPs in the underground environment have mainly focused on their adsorption, desorption, transfer, and transformation in the aeration and saturation zones. The main methods applied in these studies include indoor simulation experiments and outdoor sampling and testing. These studies have mainly considered one dimension, and most of them have concentrated only on the aeration or saturation zone. Therefore, the main developing directions of studies on PPCPs are the comprehensive study of the transfer and transform process from source to sink in the underground environment and the establishment of an effective and efficient PPCP detection system,展开更多
文摘This is a comparative study examining the influence of a small-scale dementia unit and a traditional dementia unit on behaviors of the residents. The small-scale unit and the traditional unit were selected through two phases in Vancouver, Canada. Seven residents from each facility completed the study. Physical environmental assessments were performed using two tools： PEAP （professional environmental assessment protocol） and TESS-NH （therapeutic environment screening survey for nursing homes）. For the assessment of residents＇ behaviors, three assessment tools were used： MOSES （multidimensional observation scale for elderly subjects）, MDS （minimum data set） and DCM （dementia care mapping）. The study found that the residents living in a small-scale environment were more engaged in activities and more likely to respond in understanding their fellow residents. Residents living in a traditional long-term care exhibited fewer signs of social interaction. The findings suggest that a small-scale homelike environment could positively influence people with dementia to be more engaged in social exchanges and activities, and consequently help in reducing their withdrawn behavior.
文摘We are developing a nursing-care robot for physical care tasks. The concept of this robot is to promote the cared persons by the robot to activate their own motion ability as long as possible. This may lead to the improvement of the cared person＇s movement volition and movement abilities. In order to realize safe and human friendly robot care tasks, full body manipulation is an important technology, for which it is necessary to estimate the subject＇s center of gravity from the contact positions and forces with the robot＇s two arms. In this paper, we estimate the center of gravity of object based on the contact point and the contact force estimated by force sensor on both robot arms. The position of gravity center is important to realize care tasks stably. We performed experiments and simulations for the single point contact and dual points contact cases using a cylindrical object. As a result, it is found that although some errors were recognized in the experiments compared with the simulations, the relations between the contact positions and such errors were observed. Such experimental error mainly comes from the difference of shape between the real robot and the model of the robot in simulation.
文摘With the increasing use of PPCPs （pharmaceuticals and personal care products）, the impact caused by the accumulation of PPCPs on the environment has become increasingly serious and has attracted considerable attention. In the last 10 years, major studies on PPCPs have focused on the sources and analytical testing of concentrations in the environment. Afterward, studies have shifted to the transfer and transformation of PCPPs in the environment and to the environmental risk assessment of PPCPs. Studies on PPCPs in the underground environment have mainly focused on their adsorption, desorption, transfer, and transformation in the aeration and saturation zones. The main methods applied in these studies include indoor simulation experiments and outdoor sampling and testing. These studies have mainly considered one dimension, and most of them have concentrated only on the aeration or saturation zone. Therefore, the main developing directions of studies on PPCPs are the comprehensive study of the transfer and transform process from source to sink in the underground environment and the establishment of an effective and efficient PPCP detection system,
