Eamonn McQuade

Evaluation of waist-mounted tri-axial accelerometer based fall-detection algorithms during scripted and continuous unscripted activities.

It is estimated that by 2050 more than one in five people will be aged 65 or over. In this age group, falls are one of the most serious life-threatening events that can occur. Their automatic detection would help reduce the time of arrival of medical attention, thus reducing the mortality rate and in turn promoting independent living. This study evaluated a variety of existing and novel fall-detection algorithms for a waist-mounted accelerometer based system. In total, 21 algorithms of varying degrees of complexity were tested against a comprehensive data-set recorded from 10 young healthy volunteers performing 240 falls and 120 activities of daily living (ADL) and 10 elderly healthy volunteers performing 240 scripted ADL and 52.4 waking hours of continuous unscripted normal ADL. Results show that using an algorithm that employs thresholds in velocity, impact and posture (velocity+impact+posture) achieves 100% specificity and sensitivity with a false-positive rate of less than 1 false-positive (0.6 false-positives) per day of waking hours. This algorithm is the most suitable method of fall-detection, when tested using continuous unscripted activities performed by elderly healthy volunteers, which is the target environment for a fall-detection device.

Assessment of waist-worn tri-axial accelerometer based fall-detection algorithms using continuous unsupervised activities

This study aims to evaluate a variety of existing and novel fall detection algorithms, for a waist mounted accelerometer based system. Algorithms were tested against a comprehensive data-set recorded from 10 young healthy subjects performing 240 falls and 120 activities of daily living and 10 elderly healthy subjects performing 240 scripted and 52.4 hours of continuous unscripted normal activities.

Will you miss me when I'm gone?: A study of the potential loss of company knowledge and expertise as employees retire

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on a research project, the aim of which was to identify the potential loss of company knowledge and expertise as experienced and expert employees retire.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology used in this research was based on interviewing experienced and expert people who had retired or were approaching retirement: An application of expert interviewing. The interviews were conducted in five countries, across a number of sectors and involving a range of company sizes. The work of the research team was guided by an advisory panel of people with significant, senior level industrial experience.Findings – In addition to the potential loss of technical product and process knowledge and expertise, there is a loss of expertise in interpersonal communication skill both in the company and in communication with companies and people who are suppliers and customers, in knowing the company culture and the way things are done and in the loss of maturity and stabil...

Individuals and their employability

Purpose – This paper aims to describe a research project that is addressing the employability of individuals in the higher‐cost Irish economy.Design/methodology/approach – The Programme for University‐Industry Interface (PUII) uses a community‐of‐practice methodology combined with academic research.Findings – A number of emerging enterprise models have been identified, competencies for next generation employability have been articulated and potential responses to these new opportunities for the further and higher education sectors have been discussed.Practical implications – The implications of this work and the follow‐on may influence the way the education sector responds to the needs of learners in industry.Originality/value – The paper contributes insights into the nature of enterprise models and competencies that may be required to sustain future employability of individuals in industry.

Temperature control using integer-cycle binary rate modulation of the AC mains

This paper describes a unique and novel method of maintaining the temperature of an oven when the power is dispatched in an integral AC cycle pulse modulated manner. The pulse rate is performed by a microprocessor implemented binary rate multiplier, allowing for minimal ripple in the oven temperature. Conditions for stability of the overall system are examined and the time response of the system is estimated from a model of the plant, controller and binary rate dispatch algorithm. >

Systolic architectures for decoding Reed-Solomon codes

A systolic implementation of a Reed-Solomon decoder is presented which with minor modification is suitable for BCH and Goppa codes. The various operations involved in decoding such codes were analyzed and the results are described. Systolic array architectures are derived for the various steps including the syndrome calculation, key equation solution and error evaluation. Since the throughput of the decoder is effectively determined by the speed of the multipliers, various multiplier architectures are discussed briefly. The architectures presented improve upon previous designs. The result is highly regular and modular, and thus it is more suitable for VLSI implementation.<<ETX>>

Binary rate modulation, its application and stability in control systems

This paper describes a set of piecewise constant waveforms which, when used as the method of dispatch of power to a first-order system, offers distinct advantages over other piecewise constant signal methods. The waveforms are similar to those which are produced by binary rate multipliers and the technique is called ‘Binary Rate Modulation’. The stability of the resulting discrete closed loop system is investigated using a circle criterion adaptation, applied to a multiple nonlinearity, with a multiple pulse output in each nonlinearity and by a proposed ultimate linear technique. The gains for asymptotic stability and limit cycling are found from the techniques. Results in accordance with the predicted values are obtained from observed system responses. The two stability techniques can be easily applied to systems using pulse width or pulse frequency modulation output drives to first-order systems.

Investment in Information and Communication Technologies in the Irish Education Sector

Irelands economy has experienced phenomenal growth over the last ten years, in particular in the ICT sector. With todays rising global competition, Ireland faces the challenge of sustaining this growth, particularly in the software sector. A core component of this challenge is to produce a steady stream of qualified graduates in the ICT area. Funded by the Irish government, Lero—the Irish Software Engineering Research Centre has begun two educational initiatives to address this issue: the establishment of the Lero Graduate School in Software Engineering (LGSSE) and the Lero Education and Outreach Programme. This paper describes both initiatives in detail and their uniqueness in the Irish context.

An Investigation of the Frequency and Amplitude of Sampled Signals Using Fourier Series

An investigation of the frequency and amplitude of sampled signals using Fourier series A sinusoid is sampled above and below the Nyquist rate and using a simple Fourier series technique, the impulse response is reconstructed to show the frequency and amplitude of the resulting sideband signals. From this information the frequency spectrum of bandwide signals, when sampled, is developed. Recovery of signals above and under the Nyquist rate is then investigated.