Hand held device users encounter various forms of distraction in their daily lives. Distractions may prevent them from correctly using the hand held device. Usability evaluations are meant to identify issues prior to end-users experiencing them. However the laboratory environment, which usability evaluations are conducted, may not reflect the real-world conditions that devices are used. The experiment involved each participant performing tasks in both a quiet and a noisy environment. The noisy environment emulated part of a real-world experience by adding social noise in the background during the participant's tasks. The goal was to compare how much insight each participant was able to achieve from the data in each of the environments. It was found that task performance accuracy was higher in a quiet environment as opposed to the noisy environment. The mental demands and frustration of participants were found to be higher during the noisy environment evaluation.

This thesis investigates whether the use of hand-held technology affects motivation and learning in science. An innovative mixed methods approach was used to provide new insights into an emerging area of research. First, two pilot observational studies were conducted, which aimed to establish how a school currently uses hand held dataloggers, and gain further insight into how learners respond to this technology. This was followed by a primarily quantitative experiment that was concerned with the role of data ownership and the impact of ‘seams’ on the transformation process of the collected data. The results indicated that a hands-on experience increased confidence among students in explaining their own data, as opposed to data collected by someone else. A third study was designed to compare how student motivation and learning were affected when carrying out the same inquiry task either with or without the support of dataloggers. The results revealed no difference in accuracy or motivation for learning. The final, fourth, study was a longitudinal study designed in collaboration with a secondary science teacher, comparing three conditions: the inclusion of cameras to support student reflection, the inclusion of both cameras and the use of dataloggers to support teaching, and a control condition where the lessons were not changed. This study found that inclusion of dataloggers into modules led to increased assessment scores, while the use of cameras indicated that students are adept at taking relevant photos, and did not suffer from an extensive novelty effect. The results highlighted the importance of using a range of methods and tools for teaching students. The thesis concludes with recommendations and future research ideas, including exploring how data is visualised and the role of physical context. Of key importance is that future work is conducted in collaboration with educators in the wild.

No description available.

In computer-assisted surgery, a computer display provides 3D guidance of tools during surgery. However, current guidance displays have a number of drawbacks. This thesis considers the advantages of a prototype guidance system for drilling tasks. We attached a small LCD screen and video camera to a surgical drill. The screen's point of view was controlled by moving the drill. A user study showed that the tool-mounted LCD screen can provide significantly better positional and angular accuracy than the conventional display. The study also showed that a video camera might not be useful for guidance. / Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2007-09-18 00:31:10.965

Antennas in hand-held radios must be compact and unobtrusive. Electrically small and low-profile antennas experience high input reactance, low input resistance, and low radiation efficiency.Further degradation of radiation efficiency occurs in hand-held radios due to size-reduced ground planes, losses within the plastic device casing, and losses due to coupling with the tissue of the user. These factors may also affect the radiation pattern of the antenna. This discussion reports on antenna designs that are well suited for hand-held radios. The design issues are covered for electrically small antennas and the hand-held environment. A review of Microstrip Antenna (MSA) theory, and the theory of the Inverted-L Antenna (ILA), and variations on the ILA including the Inverted-F Antenna (IFA), Planar Inverted-F Antenna (PIFA), and Dual Inverted-F Antenna (DIFA) is included. Two specific antenna designs are presented: the DIFA and the Proximity-Coupled Rectangular Patch MSA. The radiation patterns and input impedance of the DIFA are calculated numerically and measured empirically. The Proximity-Coupled Rectangular Patch Microstrip Antenna is treated numerically. / Master of Science

Background: There is lack of measurement methods to evaluate postoperative rehabilitation for people who have undergone orthopedic surgery of the foot at Uppsala University Hospital. One objective method is to measure muscle strength with MicroFET2, which is available at the hospital. Before implementing the method it is necessary to ensure the the reliability of supination and pronation measured with MicroFET2 because there are no studies that have explored this. Pronators and supinators are important muscles for the stability of the foot and to the arch of the foot. Objective: To examine intra-rater reliability of peak strength of pronation and supination of left and right foot using handheld dynamometer (MicroFET2) in adults without leg- or footpain. Methods: The intra-rater reliability was evaluated in 24 adults by test-retest with 7 days between measures. The test were supination and pronation of the left and right foot. Interclass correlation coefficient (ICC 2,1) and standard error of measurement (SEM and SEM%) were calculated. Results: The results from this study showed high intra-rater reliability for both supination and pronation with ICC between 0.73-0.88 for mean of three trials and 0.74-0.89 for highest value of three trials. SEM och SEM% varied between 14.5-24.4 N and 7.7-11.9% at mean of three trials and 14.1-25.6 N and 7.2-11.9% at highest value of three trials. Conclusion: MicroFET2 is a reliable instrument to measure strength in the foot supinator and pronator-muscles in healthy adults. / Bakgrund: Vid Akademiska sjukhuset i Uppsala saknas det ett objektivt sätt att mäta maximal muskelstyrka vid rehabilitering efter fotoperation. En objektiv mätmetod för maximal muskelstyrka är dynamometern MicroFET2 som finns på sjukhuset. För att implementera denna metod behövs säkerställande av reliabiliteten för pro- och supination mätt med MicroFET2 eftersom det saknas studier som undersöker detta. Pronatorer och supinatorer är viktiga muskelgrupper för fotens stabilitet och fotvalv. Syfte: Undersöka intrabedömarreliabilitet vid maximal isometrisk muskelstyrka av höger och vänster fots supinatorer och pronatorer med handhållen dynamometer (MicroFET2) hos vuxna individer utan ben- eller fotsmärta. Metod: Intrabedömarreliabiliteten undersöktes genom test-retestförfarande med 7 dagars intervall på 24 personer. Muskelgrupper som mättes var fotens supinatorer och pronatorer på både höger och vänster fot. Interclass correlation coefficient (ICC 2,1) samt standard error of measurement (SEM och SEM%) beräknades. Resultat: Resultatet från studien visar på hög relativ intrabedömarreliabilitet i både supination och pronation med ICC mellan 0.73-0.88 vid medelvärde av tre försök och mellan 0.74-0.89 vid högsta värde av tre försök. SEM och SEM% varierade mellan 14.5-24.4 N och 7.7-11.9% vid medelvärde av tre försök respektive mellan 14.1-25.6 N och 7.2-11.9% vid högsta värde av tre försök. Slutsats: MicroFET2 är ett reliabelt instrument för att mäta styrka i fotens pronatorer och supinatorer på friska vuxna personer.

No description available.

This thesis presents the design and development of a hand-held electronic reader, designed to decode conductive patterns printed on a paper substrate. Data read from the patterns, by the reader, is used to trigger events in the digital domain. The reader and associated conductive patterns are devices for linking paper documents with the digital world. The patterns are formed by masking conductive-coated paper with a non-conductive, printed lacquer. The reader is a low cost and ergonomic device, capable of transmitting the embedded data from the conductive paper to the computer. The first reader designed and developed was tethered to a computer by data cable, using the USB communication protocol. The second design was developed further, with transmission of data achieved by replacing the cable with short-range Bluetooth wireless technology. Both devices were designed and developed using embedded systems and low cost electronic components. Additional work was undertaken to optimise the device's mechanical structure, ergonomics and integration of hardware. Alongside the development of the reader, test and development work was carried out to optimise the printed media, in materials and design. User trials demonstrated that the complete printed and reading system was functional, with varied rates of success among participants. Further work is required to improve the conductivity of the coated paper, and the accuracy of the decoding algorithm.

The Highveld region of South Africa contributes substantially to the aerosol loading over southern Africa because of its importance as an industrial, mining and farming base. Aerosols affect climate by absorbing or reflecting incoming solar radiation, and by affecting cloud microphysics, cloud albedo and precipitation. The physical and optical properties of industrial/urban aerosols over the Highveld region of South Africa were analysed during a 32-day winter sampling period (21 May to 21 June) in 2002; a 32-day summer sampling period (21 October to 21 November) in 2002, and a second 32-day winter sampling period (19 May to 19 June) in 2003. Synoptic circulation systems were examined in as far as they affect the horizontal transport of aerosols over the Highveld region. Measurements of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from the ground to the top of the atmosphere and aerosol size distribution characteristics over the Highveld region were taken using hand-held hazemeters and a CIMEL sun photometer. The AOT observed over the region during the winter 2002 and 2003 sampling periods and during the summer 2002 sampling period indicated high turbidity. In the 2002 winter sampling period, the AOT530nm ranged between 0.05 to 0.7 with an average of 0.14. In the 2002 summer sampling period, the AOT530nm ranged between 0.05 to 0.6, with an average of 0.24. In the 2003 winter sampling period, the AOT500nm ranged between 0.06 to 0.6, with an average of 0.21. The Ångström exponent value had a wide range, 0.8 to 2.4 in the 2002 winter and summer sampling periods and also in the 2003 winter sampling period, indicating that a range of particle sizes was present over the Highveld region. The Ångström exponent values obtained were derived from the influences of Aeolian dust, coarse-mode industrial particles and, to a small extent, fine-mode biomassburning aerosols. Case studies, based on trajectory analysis and meteorology of the sampling area, were made of the aerosols emanating from the township sites during each of the three sampling periods to observe the build-up and dispersion of aerosols at that time.

No description available.