This study was made to find the effects of noise on the human body, to measure sound levels that exist in school power laboratories, and to design and evaluate the effectiveness of two noise control devices. An accurately calibrated testing device was used to measure sound levels in an attempt to determine if excessive noise exists in school power laboratories and to find the extent to which such noise can be reduced by shielding or enclosing the engine test area. It was found that noise has undesirable physical and psychological effects on the human organism. Sixty-two and one-half per cent of the engines tested registered sound levels above 90 dBA; even so, simple, inexpensive noise control devices do control the noise levels generated in the school power laboratories.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Vamos falar sobre uma favela chamada Favela do Aço. Localizada na periferiada cidade do Rio de Janeiro, chega à academia a partir do meu contato com alguns moradores locais, cujas filhas participavam de um projeto executado pela Secretaria Municipal da Assistência Social. Duas características chamam a atenção na realidade dessa comunidade: o grande quantitativo de moradores em situação de rua podem ser encontrados na zona sul da cidade, e um dispositivo político inaugurado pela Secretaria chamado Pólo de Vigilância da Exclusão. Partimos da hipótese de que o Pólo de Vigilância da Exclusão foi um dispositivo político pensado como uma forma de barrar os moradores da favela de circular pelas ruas da zona sul da cidade, já que, uma vez incluídos em projetos sociais da prefeitura e mapeados por estes técnicos, o retorno para a rua pode significar a perda de projetos de transferência de renda, como o bolsa família ou outros projetos sociais.Nessa dissertação, buscamos, com a interlocução com o Serviço Social, trazer a perspectiva histórica das políticas sociais instituídas em nosso país, onde pudemos perceber a manutenção de algumas práticas construídas dentro de parâmetros sociais conservadores. Outras discussões também são contempladas nesse trabalho, onde convocamos a Sociologia, presentificada por Loïc Wacqüant, em sua análise a respeito da segregação social e a guetificação e a Filosofia, na figura de Foucault, com suas ponderações sobre os mecanismos de controle da sociedade. É nesse espírito que convido e desejo a todos uma boa leitura. / Lets talk about a slum called Slum of Steel. Located in the suburbia of the city of Rio de Janeiro, it gets to the Academy through my contact with some of the local habitants, whose daughters participated in a project done by the citys Secretary of Social Assistance. Two features call our attention about the reality of this community: the large amount of habitants living on the streets may be found in the south zone of the town, and also a politic appliance inaugurated by the Secretary named Pole of Vigilance and Exclusion. We depart from the hypothesis which the Pole of Vigilance and Exclusion has been a politic appliance thought as a way to stop slums habitants from walking by the south zone streets of the town, because, once they are included in social projects by the prefecture and also mapped by these technicians, returning to the streets might mean the loss of such money transference, such as Bolsa Família and other projects as well. In this dissertation, we search, with the exchange with Social Service, bring historical perspective of instituted social politics in our country, where we could notice the maintenance of some built-up practices within conservative social parametres. Other discussions are also contemplated in this work, where we convoke Sociology personified by Loïc Wacqüant, in his analysis towards social segregation and gethification and Philosophy, in the image of Foucault, from his concerns about controlling society mechanisms. It is in this spirit that I invite and wish you all a good read.

Haptic devices allow a human to interact physically with a remote or virtual environment by providing tactile feedback to the user. In general haptic devices can be classified in two groups according to the energetic nature of their actuators. Devices using electric motors, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders or other similar actuators that can add energy to the system are considered "active." Devices using brakes, clutches or other passive actuators are considered "passive" haptic devices. The research presented here focuses on the use of passive haptic devices used during teleoperation, the remote control of a "slave" device by the haptic "master" device. An actuation scheme as well as three different control methods is developed for providing the user with haptic feedback. As a final step, the effectiveness of the controllers is compared to that of a commercially available active haptic device. Twenty subjects provide data that shows the usefulness of the passive device in three typical teleoperation tasks.

M. Tech. Electrical Engineering. / Discusses how to develop the kinematic and dynamic model and the controller for the 2-DOf motion platform used in an augmented reality environment for wheelchair driving. This comes as a motivation to help to train disabled and elderly people to drive wheelchairs.. With accurate inverse dynamic model, it is possible to achieve high performance control algorithms of robots and direct dynamic model is required for their simulation. The other part of this research was to model and control the roller for the feedback of the wheelchair wheels.

This thesis presents an analysis of air quality control initiatives in the GVRD. Starting with an examination of deteriorating regional air quality, oxides of nitrogen emissions (NOx), are the focus (as a precursor to ground level ozone.) The research demonstrates that if the status quo is maintained, episodes of ground level ozone will get worse and the effects will be far reaching and expensive. The Greater Vancouver Regional District's Air Quality Management Plan is reviewed, with emphasis on analysis and evaluation of emission reduction strategies. Emission Reduction Measures (ERMs) are various methods of reducing air pollution (including scrubbers on smoke stacks, transportation demand management, alternative fuels and motor vehicle inspection/maintenance programs.) Emission Reduction Measures are viewed as the tools that must be implemented to solve air quality problems. Environmentally, the most desirable solution would be to implement all ERMs. However, factors such as cost effectiveness and social, financial, political and customer service impacts must be considered and the best measures should be implemented first. The best solutions are those that meet as many objectives as possible while causing the least amount of negative impacts on the economy, society, government and the environment. Finding optimal solutions is a task that requires formalization of common sense. Analytical frameworks such as the cost/benefit analysis, decision analysis and the multiple account/objective analysis are considered as potential tools to help "make sense" of the complexity of air quality policy decisions. The intent is to provide useful and readily understandable information to decision makers. The Multiple Account Analysis (as used by The Crown Corporations Secretariat) is applied to an assortment of Emission Reduction Measures to help identify the "best" order for implementation. This method provides results that compare accounts of importance (such as cost effectiveness and emission reduction potential) and presents decision makers with quality information highlighting tradeoffs and preferences. In the scope of this paper, four ERMs are analyzed across accounts and the results presented in a matrix. The AirCare Program appears as the best choice for effective reduction of oxides of nitrogen when compared to alternative fuels, vanpooling and the Burrard thermal generating plant rebuild.

No description available.

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Vamos falar sobre uma favela chamada Favela do Aço. Localizada na periferiada cidade do Rio de Janeiro, chega à academia a partir do meu contato com alguns moradores locais, cujas filhas participavam de um projeto executado pela Secretaria Municipal da Assistência Social. Duas características chamam a atenção na realidade dessa comunidade: o grande quantitativo de moradores em situação de rua podem ser encontrados na zona sul da cidade, e um dispositivo político inaugurado pela Secretaria chamado Pólo de Vigilância da Exclusão. Partimos da hipótese de que o Pólo de Vigilância da Exclusão foi um dispositivo político pensado como uma forma de barrar os moradores da favela de circular pelas ruas da zona sul da cidade, já que, uma vez incluídos em projetos sociais da prefeitura e mapeados por estes técnicos, o retorno para a rua pode significar a perda de projetos de transferência de renda, como o bolsa família ou outros projetos sociais.Nessa dissertação, buscamos, com a interlocução com o Serviço Social, trazer a perspectiva histórica das políticas sociais instituídas em nosso país, onde pudemos perceber a manutenção de algumas práticas construídas dentro de parâmetros sociais conservadores. Outras discussões também são contempladas nesse trabalho, onde convocamos a Sociologia, presentificada por Loïc Wacqüant, em sua análise a respeito da segregação social e a guetificação e a Filosofia, na figura de Foucault, com suas ponderações sobre os mecanismos de controle da sociedade. É nesse espírito que convido e desejo a todos uma boa leitura. / Lets talk about a slum called Slum of Steel. Located in the suburbia of the city of Rio de Janeiro, it gets to the Academy through my contact with some of the local habitants, whose daughters participated in a project done by the citys Secretary of Social Assistance. Two features call our attention about the reality of this community: the large amount of habitants living on the streets may be found in the south zone of the town, and also a politic appliance inaugurated by the Secretary named Pole of Vigilance and Exclusion. We depart from the hypothesis which the Pole of Vigilance and Exclusion has been a politic appliance thought as a way to stop slums habitants from walking by the south zone streets of the town, because, once they are included in social projects by the prefecture and also mapped by these technicians, returning to the streets might mean the loss of such money transference, such as Bolsa Família and other projects as well. In this dissertation, we search, with the exchange with Social Service, bring historical perspective of instituted social politics in our country, where we could notice the maintenance of some built-up practices within conservative social parametres. Other discussions are also contemplated in this work, where we convoke Sociology personified by Loïc Wacqüant, in his analysis towards social segregation and gethification and Philosophy, in the image of Foucault, from his concerns about controlling society mechanisms. It is in this spirit that I invite and wish you all a good read.

This thesis presents an analysis of air quality control initiatives in the GVRD. Starting with an examination of deteriorating regional air quality, oxides of nitrogen emissions (NOx), are the focus (as a precursor to ground level ozone.) The research demonstrates that if the status quo is maintained, episodes of ground level ozone will get worse and the effects will be far reaching and expensive. The Greater Vancouver Regional District's Air Quality Management Plan is reviewed, with emphasis on analysis and evaluation of emission reduction strategies. Emission Reduction Measures (ERMs) are various methods of reducing air pollution (including scrubbers on smoke stacks, transportation demand management, alternative fuels and motor vehicle inspection/maintenance programs.) Emission Reduction Measures are viewed as the tools that must be implemented to solve air quality problems. Environmentally, the most desirable solution would be to implement all ERMs. However, factors such as cost effectiveness and social, financial, political and customer service impacts must be considered and the best measures should be implemented first. The best solutions are those that meet as many objectives as possible while causing the least amount of negative impacts on the economy, society, government and the environment. Finding optimal solutions is a task that requires formalization of common sense. Analytical frameworks such as the cost/benefit analysis, decision analysis and the multiple account/objective analysis are considered as potential tools to help "make sense" of the complexity of air quality policy decisions. The intent is to provide useful and readily understandable information to decision makers. The Multiple Account Analysis (as used by The Crown Corporations Secretariat) is applied to an assortment of Emission Reduction Measures to help identify the "best" order for implementation. This method provides results that compare accounts of importance (such as cost effectiveness and emission reduction potential) and presents decision makers with quality information highlighting tradeoffs and preferences. In the scope of this paper, four ERMs are analyzed across accounts and the results presented in a matrix. The AirCare Program appears as the best choice for effective reduction of oxides of nitrogen when compared to alternative fuels, vanpooling and the Burrard thermal generating plant rebuild. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

According to the current governmental regulations, all diesel buses will be replaced in the United States and the European market within the next ten years. There are over 60,000 buses in the United States and each year over 3,000 new buses of approximately 40 feet in length are purchased. The bus market has a growth rate of four to five percent per year over the last two years. The improvements in technology offered by United States companies prove unsatisfactory in terms of bus performance and the emissions of new buses. The energy crisis in the United States and concern over the health hazards of the diesel fuel exhaust gases and particulates, alternative fuel vehicles are in great demand in the transit market world wide.

Reduced-speed school zones greatly improve the safety of young children commuting to and from school and provide larger gaps in traffic for children to cross the street. The main focus of this study was to determine effective methods for increasing speed compliance in reduced-speed school zones. This objective was accomplished through an in-depth literature review, a public opinion survey of Utah drivers, and an evaluation of the effects of speed monitoring displays (SMDs) in school zones. The main focus of the literature review was to determine how to increase and maintain speed limit compliance within school zones. Information about the following topics with respect to school zones was researched and compiled: traffic control devices, SMDs, law enforcement, and other speed influences. A public survey was developed and implemented to evaluate the feelings and concerns of Utah drivers with respect to school-zone safety and school-zone traffic control devices. The survey was conducted in various locations throughout the state of Utah and proved to be an effective tool. The majority of those surveyed felt there was a need to improve school-zone safety in Utah. An evaluation of SMDs in four school zones throughout the state was performed. The results concluded that the SMDs analyzed in this study proved to increase speed compliance in most cases. In some cases, the SMDs maintained their effectiveness at increasing speed compliance over time; on the other hand, others lost some of their effectiveness over time, possibly due to higher percentages of commuter traffic. For the most part, speed compliance increased as manifested by the decrease in mean speed, standard deviation, 10 mph pace range, and the percentage of vehicles exceeding the 20 mph school-zone speed limit. In summary, the results of this study suggest that a combination of effective traffic control devices, public education, and appropriate law enforcement are all necessary to improve speed-limit compliance in school zones.