Aquatic and terrestrial animals have different swimming performances and mechanical efficiencies based on their different swimming methods. To explore propulsion in swimming frogs, this study calculated mechanical efficiencies based on data describing aquatic and terrestrial webbed-foot shapes and swimming patterns. First, a simplified frog model and dynamic equation were established, and hydro...

Atmospheric air is made up of nitrogen (71%), oxygen (28%) and other gasses (1%) including ozone which is altered by processes related to altitude, temperature and air pollution.1,2 Ozone (O3) is a gas with a characteristic, penetrating odour that is present in small amounts in atmospheric air. Ozone molecules are composed of three oxygen atoms and present naturally in the upper layer of atmosp...

R eflexology or foot massage has long been part of Chinese tradition and culture. It is believed that foot massage can not only maintain and promote health but also cure a variety of ailments. Foot massage is considered a form of relaxation and, to some extent, a luxury. With improved economy, foot massage has become widely popular in China, especially in coastal cities that have benefited from...

"Kate" is a thin, attractive 50-year-old perimenopausal woman who considers herself "basically healthy" but feels she needs help with stress management in her life. She is educated, married, and the mother of 4 children ranging in age from 11 to 22 years. In addition to managing her household, she has a full-time job as an administrative assistant and also works a part-time job from home. She s...

Focusing on an infrared camera and a near-infrared radar, we have developed a system for new amusements which we can operate by gesture input toward a screen or moving our bodies in front of a screen projected on a wall. The infrared camera is used for operations performed by means of gestures, and the near-infrared radar is used for operations performed by larger movement of a human body by de...

This paper describes a hybrid mobility system that combines the advantages of both legged and wheeled locomotion. The legs of the hybrid mobility system permit it to surmount obstacles and navigate difficult terrain, while the wheels allow efficient locomotion on prepared surfaces and provide a reliable passive mechanism for supporting the weight of the vehicle. We address the modeling, analysi...

The present paper elaborates on specific techniques to improve the performance of a technical system that was designed and implemented by the IST-art.live project to offer multimedia authors the capacity of designing immersive interactive narratives involving real people into their own universe of pictures, graphics and associated designs. The resulting mixed-reality environments allow for the ...

Pes planus is the loss of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot. It can be flexible or rigid and it results in relative flattening of the plantar surface. The condition may be lifelong, or acquired through time, inflammation or other musculoskeletal problems. Treatment is generally only needed if the condition is new, painful or progressing, or when there is a fixed deformity or other associ...

This paper offers an OT analysis of strong prosodic positions in contemporary French and claims that a specific type of trochee (a modified version of the French foot proposed by Selkirk 1978) still regulates a large (schwa-related) portion of the word-internal phonology. To account for the behavior of French schwa, three goals must be attained: 1) prosodization: correctly define foot domain an...