[pt] O sucesso de diversas tarefas de teleoperacao depende muito da habilidade do operador e de sua capacidade de perceber o ambiente de trabalho. A realimentacao visual em muitos casos nao e suficiente, por exemplo quando a qualidade da imagem do ambiente de trabalho e baixa, quando ocorrem oclusoes na visualizacao, ou quando a tarefa envolve forcas de contato associadas a folgas pequenas visualmente imperceptıveis. Para compensar essas deficiencias, os dispositivos hapticos surgem como uma alternativa a realimentacao visual, ao interagir com o usuario atraves do tato, produzindo uma sensacao de forca. Esta dissertacao apresenta o desenvolvimento e modelagem de um sistema de interface haptica de cinco graus de liberdade para a teleoperacao de robos manipuladores, com foco naqueles que realizam trabalhos em ambientes perigosos ou hostis ao ser humano. A interface e desenvolvida a partir do acoplamento de dois dispositivos hapticos comerciais Novint Falcon, de tres graus de liberdade cada. O sistema resultante do acoplamento e modelado como um manipulador paralelo, capaz de fornecer ao operador, realimentacao de forca 3D (em tres direcoes) e realimentacao de torque em duas direcoes. Para demonstrar a eficiencia do sistema haptico desenvolvido, um ambiente virtual e implementado com o auxılio de tecnicas de computacao grafica e bibliotecas como OpenGL, ODE e Chai3D. Os modelos cinematico e dinamico de um manipulador serial Schilling Titan IV, de seis graus de liberdade, sao implementados no ambiente virtual, incluindo sua interacao com objetos (virtuais) do ambiente de teleoperacao. Controladores nao lineares sao implementados no manipulador serial virtual, incluindo controle de torque computado, robusto, e por modos deslizantes. / [en] The success of many teleoperation tasks depends heavily on the skills of the operator and his ability to perceive the work environment. Visual feedback, in many cases, is not sufficient e.g. when the image quality of the work environment is low, occlusions occur in the display, or when the task involves contact forces associated with visually unnoticeable small clearances. To compensate for these shortcomings, haptic devices emerge as an alternative to visual feedback, in which touch interaction with the user produces force-feedback. This thesis presents the development and modeling of a haptic interface system of five degrees of freedom for the teleoperation of robot manipulators, focusing on those that work in hazardous or hostile environments for humans. The interface is developed from the coupling of two commercial haptic devices Novint Falcon, with three degrees of freedom each. The system resulting from the coupled devices is modeled as a parallel manipulator capable of providing the operator with 3D force feedback (in three dimensions) and torque feedback in two directions. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed haptic system, a virtual environment is implemented with the aid of computer graphics techniques and libraries such as OpenGL, ODE and Chai3D. The kinematic and dynamic models of a serial manipulator Schilling Titan IV, with six degrees of freedom, are implemented in the virtual environment, including its interaction with virtual objects for the evaluation of typical teleoperation tasks. Nonlinear controllers are implemented in the virtual serial manipulator, including computed torque and sliding mode control.

<div>Online gendered collectivities like the Manosphere (an online collection of blogs, forums, and chat spaces devoted to shedding light on perceived social misandry) have provided opportune spaces for regressive forms of gendered organizing to occur. These spaces offer individuals an online network of safe spaces dedicated to antifeminism, misogyny, and pick-up artistry. While Manosphere networks have gained attention with their connections to the emerging Alt-Right activism online, these spaces have been legitimized in and throughout specific social networking platforms. For instance, sites like Reddit (dubbed the ‘Internet Culture Laboratory’) have become known as a hotbed of misogynist behaviors fostered and shared on comment threads and its subcommunities (known as subreddits).</div><div><br></div><div>Whereas previous scholarship pertaining to the Manosphere and The Red Pill have described the larger technocultural spaces that contribute to an increasingly toxic online world, less studied is how these organizations are organized—particularly with a focus on gendered organizing. SubReddits may adopt and take organizational forms wherein organizing occurs primarily through communicative engagement between users in the spaces (e.g., sharing posts, commenting on posts, and supporting some ideas over others through Reddit’s ‘upvote’ currency system). Over time, spaces like The Red Pill are networked, enacted, and organized. With an aim of understanding how organizational identity is organized and enacted on The Red Pill’s subreddit, this study analyzed the Top 100 posts of all time (over 35,000 comments and roughly 6,000 pages of text data) from The Red Pill to understand how conversations and content enacted a masculine organizational identity.</div><div><br></div><div>Using a multi-level analysis, this dissertation examines members’ text-based engagement, the social network, and types of roles influencers adopt to construct an organizational identity for r/TheRedPill. Using the comment threads from the Top 100 posts of all time, text mining and semantic networks were generated to understand how members of r/TheRedPill construct meanings and concepts focused on the organizational identity of the space. Second, using social network analyses, this dissertation illustrated the networks of influence of central users within r/TheRedPill. With a goal of understanding the roles that central users adopted, the dissertation adopted an online observation of the space to create a typology of leadership roles within r/TheRedPill. The findings uncovered three distinct contradictory themes focused on masculinity, sexual activity, and backlash that were central to organizing in The Red Pill. In addition to these three themes, the social network analysis and observation revealed distinct roles that influencers adopted to promote the organizational identity of r/TheRedPill.</div><div><br></div><div>Theoretically, the dissertation contributes to the Communicative Constitution of Organizing online by showcasing how the interconnections between conversations around gender, sexual activity, and backlash ‘scale up’ to construct a gendered organizational identity. Methodologically, this dissertation utilizes multiple levels of analysis to investigate online organizational activity. Pragmatically, these findings help provide a rich portrait of alternative forms of gendered organizing that occurs online. Future directions include examining the broader Red Pill network on Reddit, as well as examining contrastive spaces (e.g., r/TheBluePill or r/ThePurplePill) to investigate how members’ discursive engagement organizes and constitutes organizational activity as a response to r/TheRedPill.</div>

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 2017 / During the Plio-Pleistocene, the Earth experienced a period of gradual cooling, leading to a decrease in atmospheric temperature and increased seasonality. This resulted in the aridification of large parts of Africa, and this is believed to have encouraged human evolution and innovation. Palaeoenvironmental analyses using sediment deposits as palaeoclimate proxies in the Cradle of Humankind have been used to understand the timing and intensity of this aridification by determining how changes in environmental conditions and seasonal cycles affected the South African landscape. These changes are recorded within the carbon and oxygen isotopic signatures of speleothems, which have precipitated within the Sterkfontein Caves system. The aim of this study is to understand the degree to which modern speleothems represent the modern climate and environment, and thereby deduce the reliability of speleothem deposits in the Sterkfontein Caves system as palaeoclimate proxies. Samples of modern speleothems were collected from different chambers of the Sterkfontein Caves, along with the collection of modern drip water samples bi-weekly over a period of 14 months. Oxygen and carbon stable light isotope analyses of these modern speleothem and drip water samples were used to obtain modern temperature, precipitation and vegetation data. These data were then compared to modern climatic and environmental records for atmospheric temperatures and precipitation from weather stations around the Sterkfontein Caves area. The δ13C trends produced from the modern speleothem samples reflected the current vegetation distribution in terms of C4 and C3 vegetation very well, while the temperatures calculated from the δ18O values of the modern speleothem and drip water samples displayed variations related to kinetic fractionation effects, rendering these data less useful in reflecting the current atmospheric temperatures. The δ18O values of the drip water samples, along with the measured drip rate reflected current precipitation seasonality, taking into account groundwater residence time and recharge rate. The conditions within the cave conducive to formation of the speleothems was well reflected by the pH and electro-conductivity values produced from the drip water samples. These values also provided further insight into the exterior climatic conditions. Overall, the carbon and oxygen stable light isotope data revealed patterns present in the modern speleothem and drip water samples, which could be further related to changes in local climate during the precipitation of these modern speleothems from drip water sources. This, to a certain degree, provides evidence of the reliability of speleothems in the Sterkfontein Caves system as suitable palaeoclimate proxies with regards to vegetation and precipitation interpretations, over a longer term scale and at higher sampling resolution. / MT 2018

Background: Risky play is defined as thrilling and challenging forms of play that have the potential for physical injury and has been linked to development and health benefits for children in the early years such as risk-assessment skills, increased physical activity (PA) and well-being, and promoting social competencies and resilience. Currently, in a Western context, children’s opportunities for risky play is decreasing. At the same time, childhood inactivity and coinciding health concerns, as well as adolescent mental health issues such as anxiety, are on the rise. Risky play may serve as an antidote to some current health problems for children. Purpose: This research aimed to increase understanding of affordances (environmental factors that intersect with and influence human behaviors) for risky play. Social and physical environmental factors have been found to influence children’s affordances for risky play. The study was designed to identify some of the social factors and environmental features that may provide children with greater opportunity for risky play. Alongside researching affordances for children’s risky play, this research also inquired into children’s emotional and behavioural expressions during risky play, and how children’s engagement in risky play impacts PA. Methodology: Research was conducted with children ages 3 to 4 years, at a kindergarten in Levanger Norway. A mixed-methods approach was employed. Methods of data collection and analysis consisted of coding and statistical analysis of focused-video observations, as well as thematic analysis of field notes and semi-structured interviews. Findings/conclusions: Findings include the identification of themes pertaining to social factors that may influence children’s opportunity for risky play, including childhood assumptions, practitioner and parent attitudes towards risk, and pedagogical practice. This research generated a taxonomy of environmental features affording risky play, as well as findings that suggest risky play is positively correlated with levels of PA and outdoor settings. / Graduate

O presente trabalho teve o objetivo testar os efeitos da complexidade do substrato e do tipo de mesohabitat (remanso e corredeira) sobre a riqueza, a abundância e a composição de Chironomidae (Diptera) em riachos. O experimento foi realizado em 12 riachos do Brasil Central, onde em cada mesohabitat (remanso e corredeira) foram colocadas duas bandejas de plástico, uma contendo substrato com alta complexidade e outra contendo substrato com baixa complexidade. Estes substratos permaneceram no riacho durante 20 dias. Os efeitos da complexidade do substrato e dos mesohabitats não foram significativos nem sobre a riqueza padronizada nem sobre a abundância, por outro lado, o efeito do mesohabitat foi significativo sobre a composição faunística. O primeiro eixo da DCA (33% da variabilidade) separou claramente a fauna de remansos da de corredeiras. A análise de espécies indicadoras mostrou que Chironomus sp., Ablabesmyia sp.1, Ablabesmyia sp.2, Djalmabatista sp., Fittkauimyia sp., Labrundinia sp. indicaram o remanso, e Paratendipes sp., Polypedilum sp.2, Pentaneura sp., Rheotanytarsus sp.1, Corynoneura sp.2, Cricotopus sp.2, Lopescladius sp., Nanocladius sp.2, Parametriocnemus sp. e Thienemanniella sp. indicaram a corredeira. / The present study had the aim to test the effects of the substrate complexity and of the mesohabitat (pools and riffles) on the richness, abundance and composition of Chironomidae (Diptera) in streams. The experiment took place in 12 streams of Central Brazil. In each stream, two plastic trays were put in each one of the two studied mesohabitats (pool and riffle), one with higher complexity substrate and one with lower complexity substrate. These substrates were kept in the streams for 20 days. The effects of substrate complexity and of mesohabitat were not significative neither on the standarized richness nor on the abundance. On the other hand, the effect of mesohabitat was significative on the faunistic composition. The first axis of DCA (33% of variability) separated cleanly the fauna in pools from those in riffles. The indicator species analysis showed that Chironomus sp., Ablabesmyia sp.1, Ablabesmyia sp.2, Djalmabatista sp., Fittkauimyia sp., Labrundinia sp. indicated pools, and Paratendipes sp., Polypedilum sp.2, Pentaneura sp., Rheotanytarsus sp.1, Corynoneura sp.2, Cricotopus sp.2, Lopescladius sp., Nanocladius sp.2, Parametriocnemus sp. and Thienemanniella sp. indicated riffles.

Nos últimos anos tem havido um aumento no estudo da qualidade do ar interno relacionado aos sistemas de ventilação mecânica e condicionamento do ar. Isso é especialmente fundamental em hospitais, onde a transmissão da contaminação pelo ar é considerada uma das principais causas de aquisição de doenças por pacientes, profissionais de saúde e visitantes. Além disso, essas instituições por abrigarem diversos setores, cada um com uma especificidade e função, exigem diferentes condições de conforto ambiental, sob os aspectos higrotérmico e de qualidade do ar, além do acústico e luminoso. Com o objetivo de avaliar a qualidade o ar, sob os parâmetros de conforto térmico e da concentração de dióxido de carbono em ambientes hospitalares climatizados artificialmente, realizou-se uma investigação de campo em salas de espera e salas de cirurgias de uma amostra de seis edifícios hospitalares na cidade de São Paulo e região metropolitana. Para coleta dos dados foram utilizados instrumentos de monitoramento, portáteis e de elevada precisão, adequados para a realização da pesquisa. Os resultados obtidos a partir da análise desses dados apontaram relevantes problemas relacionados ao conforto e a qualidade do ar. Dentre esses problemas, destacam-se a ausência de controle do diferencial de pressão entre as salas de cirurgias e os corredores; a divergência entre as temperaturas operativas ideais para promoção do conforto térmico para grupos de pessoas com diferentes vestimentas e nível de atividade, ocupando um mesmo ambiente, no caso, as salas de cirurgias; a insuficiência de renovação de ar, especialmente nas salas de espera equipadas com o sistema de climatização do tipo split-system; além da ausência de padronização entre os critérios dos referenciais técnicos mais adotados. Sob esses aspectos, percebeu-se a necessidade de melhoria do conhecimento da interação entre os ocupantes e o ambiente, especialmente naqueles onde o controle se faz necessário para a promoção da saúde. / In recent years has been increased interest in thermal comfort and air quality of indoor environments related to mechanical ventilation systems and air conditioning. This is especially crucial in hospitals where contaminated air transmission is considered a major cause of acquiring disease for patients, health care professionals and visitors. Moreover, these institutions having different sectors, each one with a speciality and function, require different conditions of environmental comfort, in terms of hygrothermal, air quality, acoustic and luminous aspects. In order to evaluate the air quality under the parameters of thermal comfort and carbon dioxide concentration in air conditioning hospital environments, it was carried out a field investigation in waiting rooms and operating rooms in six hospitals in São Paulo and metropolitan region. For data collection were used portable monitoring devices, suitable for research. The results from data analysis indicated significant problems related to thermal comfort and indoor air quality. Among these problems, it can be highlighted the lack of the differential pressure control between the operating rooms and corridors; the divergence among the optimal operative temperatures to provide thermal comfort for different groups of people with different clothing and activity level, occupying the same environment, in this case, the operating rooms; the disregard with the air changes required, especially in waiting rooms equipped with the splitsystem; besides the lack of standardization among the technical references criteria often used. Under these aspects, it is necessary to improve the knowledge of the interaction between the occupants and the environment, especially where the environmental control is decisive to promote the health.

O objetivo é investigar a influência da tecnologia e de ambientes midiáticos na qualidade de vida, visando relacionar os níveis de atividade física, o IMC (Índice de Massa Corporal) e os agentes mediadores de informação/interação, produzindo dados para que seja possível desenvolver ações de acordo com os resultados obtidos. Estudo aplicado na cidade de Piracicaba-SP em escolas públicas e particulares, com adolescentes de 15 e 16 anos de ambos os sexos, utilizando-se os questionários IPAQ (International Physical Activity Questionnaire) versão curta, WHOQOL (World Health Organization Quality of Life) versão abreviada, Questionário de Tecnologia, uma avaliação socioeconômica ABEP e de Índice de Massa Corporal. Os resultados foram gerados de comparações entre as categorias de gênero, tipo de escola, níveis de atividade física, IMC e níveis de utilização de instrumentos tecnológicos, analisados por técnicas estatísticas de regressão paramétrica e não-paramétrica, modelo multivariada, testes de comparação múltipla e tecnologia de amostragem para avaliar representatividade. Conclui-se que há, em casos específicos, influências da tecnologia na qualidade de vida em adolescentes, afetando em intensidades diferentes a saúde e cotidiano dos adolescentes em Piracicaba-SP. / The aim is to investigate the influence of technology and media environments on quality of life, in order to relate the levels of physical activity, BMI (Body Mass Index) and the mediating agents of information / interaction, producing data to be able to develop actions according to the results. Applied study in the city of Piracicaba-SP in public and private schools, with adolescents aged 15 to 16 years of both genders, using the IPAQ questionnaires (International Physical Activity Questionnaire) short version, WHOQOL (World Health Organization Quality of Life) abbreviated version, Technology Questionnaire, a social class assessment ABEP and body mass index rating. The results were generated from comparisons between categories of gender, type of school, physical activity levels, BMI and levels of use of technological tools, wich will be analyzed by parametric regression statistics and non-parametric multivariate model, multiple comparison tests and sampling technology to assess representation. The conclusion is that, in specific cases, there are influences of technology on quality of life in adolescents, affecting at different intensities health and daily lives of adolescents in Piracicaba-SP.

Esta dissertação de mestrado apresenta o desenvolvimento de umindicador para quantificar o nível de convergência de tecnologias e procedimentos relativos ao Prontuário Digital de Pacientes (PDP) em instituições de saúde. Apresenta um estudo evolutivo do tradicional prontuário em papel e o prontuário eletrônico de pacientes, considerando as tecnologias, a integração e interoperabilidade, com as modernas tecnologias digitais e de mobilidade. A abrangência de sua utilização extrapola o simples uso na área médica e hospitalar, contribuindo com todos os procedimentos e processos para o segmento de saúde. O trabalho desenvolve um conjunto de métricas considerando componentes como o perfil da instituição de saúde, fatores influenciadores da convergência, os ambientes de saúde aplicáveis, os vários procedimentos e processos de saúde e as funcionalidades de software. Estes cinco componentes do indicador denominado de ICOTECH Indicador de Convergência de Tecnologias e Procedimentos em Prontuário Digital de Pacientes constituem-se por 205 métricas analisadas com mais de 113 variáveis. Estas combinações são quantificadas por meio de algoritmo ICOTECH, comparando-se os valores médios do último período anual, o valor atual e o padrão de mercado conhecido. O resultado representa um indicador inédito ICOTECH calculado por métrica, componente e final permitindo aos tomadores de decisão o estabelecimento de metas a serem atingidas, além de análise de desempenho de competividade em relação aos padrões de mercado. / This dissertation presents the development of an indicator to quantify the level of convergence of technologies and procedures for Patient Digital Health Record (PDP) in health care settings. It presents an evolutionary study of traditional paper records and electronic medical records of patients, considering the technology, integration and interoperability with modern digital technologies and mobility. This work also provides subsidies to decision makers in the optimization of investments and analysis of medical procedures compared to industry standards. Its importance for public health policies, education, improvements in social welfare, scientific research, providing information and optimizing resources is analyzed to the fullest extent of the application of PDP. The scope of its use goes beyond the simple use in the medical and hospital sector, accounting for all procedures and processes for the healthcare segment. While increases its complexity provides more feedback information and data recorded in the PDP. In this sense, the paper develops a set of metrics considering components such as the profile of the health institution, the influencing factors convergence, healthcare environments applicable, the various procedures and health processes and software features. These five components of the indicator called ICOTECH Convergence indicator Technologies and Procedures in Patients Digital medical records are constituted by 205 metrics and analyzed more than 113 variables. These combinations are quantified through ICOTECH algorithm, comparing the average values of the last annual period, the current value and the standard of known market. The result represents a ICOTECH indicator calculated by meter, component and end allowing decision makers to establish goals to be achieved, and competitiveness analysis of performance in relation to industry standards.

Esta pesquisa investiga relações entre som e espaço, discutindo conceitos referentes à justaposição de entornos sonoros e físicos. Para tanto, a abordagem da pesquisa reside na discussão dessas relações a partir do uso de interfaces sonoras que promovam escuta coletiva em espaços públicos, constituindo entornos híbridos e proporcionando diferentes apreensões do espaço. Tratando-se de uma pesquisa multidisciplinar, o estudo busca aproximar as disciplinas da Arquitetura e Urbanismo e Estudos de Som. A investigação teórica contextualiza e fornece conceitos de ambos campos disciplinares sobre a função do som enquanto elemento do espaço. A partir dos conceitos trabalhados, são realizadas leituras de intervenções sonoras e a análise do experimento da pesquisa, que inclui a realização de uma intervenção. A intervenção consta no relocamento do conjunto de sons do trem para uma praça pública, de forma a dialogar com seu contexto e dinâmicas sociais e históricas, contribuindo para o surgimento de diferentes interpretações e reflexões das pessoas presentes. Dessa forma, reforça-se a importância da associação entre teoria e prática, que se constitui como procedimento fundamental para a investigação sobre o assunto. / This research investigates sound and space relationships, discussing concepts referred to the juxtaposition of sonic and physical environments. So, the research approach lies in the discussion of these relationships based on the use of sound interfaces which promote collective listening in public spaces, producing hybrid environments and promoting different apprehensions of space. As it is a multidisciplinary research, the study seeks to approach Architecture, Urbanism and Sound Studies disciplinary fields. Theoretical investigation contextualizes and provides concepts from both disciplinary fields on the role of sound as an element of space. From the developed concepts, readings on sound interventions are made as well as the analysis on the research\'s experiment, which includes the accomplishment of an intervention. The intervention is based on the relocation of a set of trains sounds to a public square, engaging with its context and social and historical dynamics, contributing to the appearance of different interpretation and thinking on the people present. Thus, the importance of the association between practice and theory is reinforced, which is fundamental for researching this subject.

Considerando as tecnologias digitais de comunicação como parte condicionante do ambiente social contemporâneo, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo realizar um estudo exploratório sobre a sociabilidade no e do ambiente virtual, através do cruzamento entre a experiência narrada e vivida pela pesquisadora nesses ambientes e diferentes teorias sociais. Através da imersão em dois tipos distintos de agrupamento virtual, Second Life e BarCamp, buscou-se encontrar elementos que possibilitassem um diálogo entre a concepção de situação social e como ela se apresenta em ambientes virtuais. Para tanto, procurou-se considerar a discussão acerca da dualidade entre conceitos de real e virtual, que muitas vezes pode invalidar a importância de novos tipos de relações sociais, simplificando sua complexidade e impedindo melhor análise de suas especificidades. / Considering digital technology for communication as a conditioning factor of contemporary social environment, this research is seeking to perform an exploring study about sociability within and from virtual environment, through the intersection between the experiences narrated and lived by the researcher and different social theories. Elements which could enable a dialog between the conception of social situation and how it is displayed in virtual environments were examined through immersion in two distinct types of virtual groups, Second Life and BarCamp. In that direction, the discussion concerning duality of concepts about real and virtual was considered, although that might invalidate the importance of new types of social relationship, oversimplifying its complexity and obstructing better analysis of its specificity.