A survey of glove-based input

Clumsy intermediary devices constrain our interaction with computers and their applications. Glove-based input devices let us apply our manual dexterity to the task. We provide a basis for understanding the field by describing key hand-tracking technologies and applications using glove-based input. The bulk of development in glove-based input has taken place very recently, and not all of it is easily accessible in the literature. We present a cross-section of the field to date. Hand-tracking devices may use the following technologies: position tracking, optical tracking, marker systems, silhouette analysis, magnetic tracking or acoustic tracking. Actual glove technologies on the market include: Sayre glove, MIT LED glove, Digital Data Entry Glove, DataGlove, Dexterous HandMaster, Power Glove, CyberGlove and Space Glove. Various applications of glove technologies include projects into the pursuit of natural interfaces, systems for understanding signed languages, teleoperation and robotic control, computer-based puppetry, and musical performance     

Myopathy with ragged red fibres following renal transplantation: possible role of cyclosporin-induced hypomagnesaemia

A 65-year-old man developed a painless proximal myopathy 7 years after commencing cyclosporin therapy following a successful cadaveric renal transplant. Muscle histology showed ragged red fibres and biochemical studies suggested mitochondrial dysfunction. The possible pathogenesis of this mitochondrial myopathy, particularly its relationship to cyclosporin-induced hypomagnesaemia, is discussed.     

Retinal morphology and visual pigment levels in 6- and 12-month-old rhesus monkeys fed a taurine-free human infant formula

Rhesus monkey infants were raised from birth until 6 or 12 months of age on a taurine-free soy protein-based human infant formula or on the same formula supplemented with taurine. An additional group received taurine-free formula until 6 months and then the supplemented diet from 6 until 12 months. The densities of rod and cone visual pigments were measured by fundus reflectometry at 6 and 12 months, and retinal morphology was then examined by light and electron microscopy. The densities of rhodopsin, measured in the near periphery after a white bleach, and of cone pigment, measured in the macula after a red bleach, were significantly reduced in the taurine-deprived monkeys at 6 months but not at 12 months. The retinas of 6-month-old taurine-deprived infants showed degenerative morphological changes in photoreceptors, particularly in cones in the foveal region, which were somewhat less severe than those seen in a previous study at 3 months of age. The prevalence and degree of these abnormalities continued to decrease with age in taurine-deprived animals, but changes persisted in some animals at 12 months. Recovery was more complete in monkeys reversed to the supplemented diet from 6 to 12 months. Thus, monkey infants are dependent on dietary taurine to maintain normal retinal structure until at least 6 months of age; the effects of taurine deprivation regress spontaneously but incompletely by 12 months.     

A Feasibility Analysis and Prospects for Commercial Use of Clays from the Shulepovskoe Deposit in Ryazan Region

An analysis of the physicochemical properties of clays from the Shulepovskoe deposit is made and the conclusion is drawn that these clays can find use as a bonding agent in the production of chamotte materials by the refractory industry in the Moscow Woodlands Zone.     

The operation of rotary kilns with boiler-utilizers and electric filters

Summary Cellular heat exchangers built into the furnace enabled the specific fuel consumption to be reduced and the output of the rotary furnace to be increased, but there was an accompanying increase in dust removal.Boiler-utilizers are an effective means of reducing the temperature of flue gases and of increasing the thermal efficiency of the furnace. The wear of the boiler pipes is very low.Experience with boiler-utilizers showed that it is possible to operate them normally even when the flue gases contain a lot of dust.To obtain highly effective and steady working conditions in existing and newly erected electric filters, it is necessary for the Magnesit plant to investigate the composition and physical parameters of the flue gases and the properties of the magnesite dust, and to develop an optimum working cycle for the electric filters.     

Electrical Sensitization Studies in the Initiation of Liquid Propellant 1846

Ignition of LGP1846(an aqueous mixture of ammonium and hydroxyl ammonium nitrates) was induced electrically in a laboratory cell to determine whether electrode damage from igniting arcs can be reduced by conditioning the propellant electrically immediately prior to ignition. The conditioning profiles included DC and pulsing potentials from 40 to 900 volt over periods of 0.2 to 2 milliseconds prior to delivery of the initiating pulse. Analysis of pulse ignitions(no conditioning) indicate that a large sorption of energy was required with arc formation for the most reliable ignition behavior. Low potential currents were found to be limited by the propellant when using a small anodic electrode area. Reversing the polarity allowed larger conditioning charge flows, but the subsequent ignition energies were not found to be reduced in spite of this improvement. Conditioning was found to decrease the probability of vigorous reaction in some cases. Several electrode materials were studied; one composition was found to be superior in resistance to arc damage.