Human Computer Interaction Essay Example

Human Computer Interaction Essay The study of how people interact with computers and to what extent computers are or are not developed for successful interaction with human beings. †¢What is HCI? â€Å"Human-computer interaction is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them† (ACM SIGCHI definition of HCI). †¢Creating usable systems (1) †¢ †¢HCI investigates interaction between †¢Human (1 user, a group, sequence of users) Computer (any computer big or small, process control, embedded, etc) †¢ †¢used to perform various tasks †¢ †¢in particular environments. †¢ †¢ †¢Creating usable systems (2) †¢The human factors †¦ †¢ †¢different users †¢different conceptions or mental models about their interactions †¢different ways of learning, keeping knowledge and skills †¢cultural and national differenc es †¢user preferences change as they gradually master new interfaces †¢Creating usable systems (3) †¢The computer factor †¦ †¢ †¢different devices †¢Smart phones, Touch Screen Kiosks, †¦ †¢different capabilities and limitations Computing power, Input/output devices, †¦ †¢different operating systems †¢user interface technology is changing rapidly †¢it offers new interaction possibilities to which previous research findings may not apply †¢Visual, Tactile, Gesture based, †¦Also read about  Knowledge of PC boot process†¢Creating usable systems (4) †¢What about the interaction? †¢ †¢Communication between user and computer †¢ †¢Direct interaction †¢Dialogue with feedback †¢Control throughout performance of the task †¢ †¢Indirect interaction †¢Batch processing †¢Intelligent sensors controlling the environment †¢Creating usable systems (5) †¢ â € ¢It aims to achieve 1. Usability (Useful, Usable, Used) 2. Safe 3. Effective 4. Efficient 5. Enjoyable system †¢ †¢ †¢Creating usable systems (6) †¢User compatibility †¢Product compatibility `†¢Task compatibility †¢Work flow compatibility †¢Consistency †¢Familiarity †¢Simplicity †¢Control †¢Creating usable systems (7)†¢HCI focuses on user needs by assessing interface design amp; implementation according to usability criteria. ? †¢Makes use of new, novel techniques amp; technologies. †¢ †¢It applies usability design principles to achieve more productive amp; usable systems and more satisfied users. †¢ †¢Creating usable systems (8) †¢EC Directive 90/270/EEC †¢ †¢Requires employers to ensure the following when designing, selecting, commissioning or modifying software: †¢ †¢suitable for the task †¢easy to use †¢where appropriate, adaptable to user’s kno wledge amp; experiences †¢Creating usable systems (9) †¢provides feedback on performance †¢displays information in a format amp; at a pace that is adapted to the user †¢It must conform to the principles of software ergonomics †¢(Ergonomics is the science that deals with the interaction between people/work/environment/psychology.It considers the functions of the human body in the design of tools, equipment, etc. ) †¢Designers amp; employers can no longer afford to ignore the user!! †¢Question †¦ †¢Have you ever used a system that exhibit good HCI with the users? †¢Give a few examples †¦ †¢What systems have you used that exhibit bad HCI with the users? †¢Name a few †¦ and why do you think they were bad? †¢ †¢Historical basis of HCI (1) †¢Second World War †¦ †¢Study of interaction between humans amp; machines in order to produce more effective weapons (Bletchley Park, Enigma, Colossus) †¢ †¢Ergonomic Research Society formed (1949) †¢ Research in Man-Machine Interaction began to spread †¢ †¢Historical basis of HCI (2) †¢Historical basis of HCI (3) †¢Historical basis of HCI (4) †¢Basic Interaction (1) †¢Graphical Objects †¢1963 (MIT) †¢Graphical Objects manipulated by a pointing device (light pen) †¢Objects could be selected, moved, resized, etc. †¢1966 (Imperial College, London) †¢Icons, Gesture Recognition, Dynamic Menus, etc. †¢1970 (XEROX PARC) †¢Object selection and manipulation †¢WYSIWYG †¢ †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Basic Interaction (2) †¢Mouse †¢1965 (Stanford Research Lab [SRI]) †¢Created to be a cheap replacement for light pens †¢1970 †¢Adopted at Xerox PARC †¢First appeared commercially as part of †¢The Xerox Star (1981), †¢The Apple Lisa (1982), †¢The Apple Macintosh (1984). †¢ †¢ †¢Basic Interaction (3) †¢Windows †¢1968 (Stanford Research Lab [SRI]) †¢1969 1974 (Xerox PARC) †¢Smalltalk System †¢1974 (MIT) †¢EMACS Text Editor †¢1981 (Xerox PARC) †¢The Cedar Window Manager †¢1981 Xerox Star †¢1982 Apple Lisa †¢1983 (Carnegie Mellon University funded by IBM)) †¢Andrew window manager †¢1984 Apple Macintosh †¢ †¢The early versions of the Star and Microsoft Windows were tiled, but eventually they supported overlapping windows like the Lisa and Macintosh. †¢ Applications (1)†¢Drawing programs †¢uses a mouse for graphics (1965) †¢uses a tablet (1971) †¢handling of lines and curves (1975) †¢Text Editing †¢first word processor with automatic word wrap, search amp; replace, user-definable macros, scrolling text, amp; commands to move, copy, and delete characters, words, or blocks of text (1962) †¢screen editing amp; formatting of arbitrary-sized strings with a lightpen (1967) †¢mouse-based edi ting (1968) †¢first WYSIWYG editor-formatter (1974) †¢Applications (2) †¢Spreadsheets †¢initial spreadsheet was VisiCalc (1977-8) for the Apple II †¢HyperText the idea where documents are linked to related documents (1945) †¢Ted Nelson coined the term hypertext (1965) †¢NLS system was one of the first on-line journals, and it included full linking of articles (1970) †¢HyperCard from Apple (1988) significantly helped to bring the idea to a wide audience†¢Tim Berners-Lee used the hypertext idea to create the World Wide Web in 1990 at the government-funded European Particle Physics Laboratory (CERN) †¢Mosaic, the first popular hypertext browser for the World-Wide Web †¢Eg: Cosmic Book †¢Applications (3) †¢Computer Aided Design (CAD) first CAD systems similar to drawing programs (1963) †¢pioneering work on interactive 3D CAD system (1963) †¢first CAD/CAM (manufacture) system in industry was probably General Motor s DAC-1 (about 1963) †¢ †¢Video Games †¢first graphical video game was probably SpaceWar (1962) †¢the first computer joysticks (1962) †¢early computer adventure game was created (1966) †¢first popular commercial game was Pong (about 1976). †¢Up ;amp; Coming Areas (1) †¢Gesture Recognition †¢first pen-based input device used light-pen gestures (1963) †¢first trainable gesture recognizer (1964) a gesture-based text editor using proof-reading symbols (1969) †¢gesture recognition has been used in commercial CAD systems since the 1970s †¢came to universal notice with the Apple Newton (1992)†¢Multi-Media †¢multiple windows with integrated text and graphics (1968) †¢Interactive Graphical Documents project was the first hypermedia system which used raster graphics and text (1979-1983) †¢Diamond project explored combining multimedia (text, spreadsheets, graphics, speech) (1982) †¢Up ;amp; Coming Areas (2) â € ¢3-D first system 3-D CAD system (1963) †¢first interactive 3-D system used for molecular modelling (1966) †¢the late 60s and early 70s saw the flowering of 3D raster graphics funded by the government †¢the military-industrial flight simulation work of the 60s 70s led the way to making 3-D real-time †¢Virtual Reality †¢original work on VR funded by Air Force (1965-1968) †¢study of force feedback, early research on head-mounted displays and on the DataGlove (1971) †¢Up ;amp; Coming Areas (3) †¢Computer Supported Cooperative Work remote participation of multiple people at various sites (1968)†¢Electronic mail, still the most widespread multi-user software, was enabled by the ARPAnet (1969) †¢and by the Ethernet from Xerox PARC (1973) †¢an early computer conferencing system (1975) †¢Natural language and speech †¢Speech synthesis †¢Speech recognition †¢HCI as a business necessity †¢Can the users be igno red? (Linux, Windows,†¦) †¢NO †¢HCI + Usability engineering are a crucial business necessity †¢Good Interface ;amp; Interaction Design should not †¢Be added after system is built Supporting users is an integral part of the design. To do this one must consider †¦ †¢International Standards in HCI and Ergonomics †¢User population is growing (size, diversity, etc. ) †¢Expanding awareness amongst users of what can be achieved †¢ †¢ †¢Case Study (1) †¢A mechanical syringe was once being developed. An input device had to be created in order to enter the injected dose. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢Design such a device †¦ †¢Case Study (2) †¢A prototype was developed by the manufacturing company and demonstrated to the hospital staff.Happily they quickly noticed the potentially fatal flaw in its interface. †¢Case Study (3) †¢The doses were entered by a numeric keypad: an accidental keypress and the dose could be out by a factor of 10! The production version had individual increment/decrement buttons for each digit . †¢Safety-critical systems (1) †¢Poor designs †¢Very common in †¢Safety †¢Life-critical †¢Which all depend on computer-control †¢We need to understand why †¢Disasters †¢Accidents †¢Frustrations †¢happen? †¢Can you mention some examples? Safety-critical systems (2) †¢Computer failure hits post office Lancashire,  UK   Sep 5, 2006 A VILLAGE post office has been struck by a technical glitch, leaving customers unable to pay bills and collect benefits. Edgworth †¢999 Ambulance Computer Failure Putting Lives at Risk International News Service,  Australia   Aug 23, 2006 LIVES are being put at risk because of a crisis with London Ambulance Services computer-controlled 999 system. †¢US Department of Energy sponsors storage research CTR,  CA   20 hours ago The data storage institute will focus its efforts in three areas: collecting field data about computer failure rates and application behaviors, disseminating †¢ †¢Temporary failure hits Houston 911 center abc13. com,  TX   Sep 8, 2006 system. This past July, the Houston Emergency Center experienced a computer failure which knocked out the automated dispatch system. †¢Warning on need for super reserves The Australian,  Australia   Sep 10, 2006 must maintain 4 per cent of assets in liquid form to meet any immediate needs, rising from banking and operational risks, such as computer failure or staff †¢Book on IT debacles urges caution Stuff. co. nz,  New Zealand   Aug 27, 2006 That is the central theme of Dangerous Enthusiasms – E-Government, Computer Failure and Information System Development, a 160-page book just published by †¢Search is on for escaped McMinn inmates Chattanooga Times Free Press,   USA   Sep 8, 2006 A computer failure that left 225 inmates under supervision of just four corrections officers may have contributed to the 4:59 pm | Computers delay Charlotte flights Charlotte Observer,  NC   Sep 6, 2006 two dozen US Airways Express flights going in and out of Charlotte were canceled Wednesday after a thunderstorm in Ohio led to a computer failure that affected †¢ Homes facing night without water BBC News,  UK   Aug 20, 2006 and Powys. The Pant storage tank ran dry after the water firm was not alerted to the problem because of a computer failure. She †¢Safety-critical systems (3)†¢Air-traffic control †¢Aircraft crash due to problems pilot had to interpret information on cockpit display †¢ †¢Manned spacecraft On June 4, 1996, the maiden flight of the European Ariane 5 launcher crashed about 40 seconds after takeoff. Media reports indicated that the amount lost was half a billion dollars. The error came from a piece of the software that was not needed during the crash!! †¢ †¢Safety-critical systems (4) †¢Nuclear power plant (The Meltdown at Three Mile Island 1979) †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"As alarms rang and warning lights flashed, the operators did not realize that the plant was experiencing a loss-of-coolant accident. They took a series of actions that made conditions worse by simply reducing the flow of coolant through the core. †¢Medical Institutions †¢Break down in the scheduling system led to delays in reaching seriously ill patients. (UK) †¢Disaster examples †¢1988 †¢USS Vincennes shot down an Iran Air A300 Airbus with 290 people aboard†¢Aegis weapon system had †¢Sophisticated software to identify potential threats †¢BUT †¢Was unable to provide up-to-date altitude information on its large display (this could be read from other screens) †¢In the confusion, the Airbus which leveled off at 12,500 feet was taken to be an F-14 fighter descending to attack! †¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœUser Hostile’ example Poor HCI can lead to User Hostile systems rather than User Friendly ones †¦ †¢ †¢John has a stereo system with a matched set of components made by the same manufacturer: a receiver, a CD player, and a cassette deck, stacked in that order. They all have the on/off button on the left side. Every time John goes to turn off all three components, he presses the top left button on the receiver, which turns it off; then he presses the top left button on the CD player, which turns it off; then, naturally, he presses the top left button on the cassette deck which pops open the cassette door. It’s obvious †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¢It seems obvious that the manufacturer could have improved the interface †¢putting all three buttons in the same location †¢ †¢But it clearly wasnt obvious to the systems designers!! †¢ †¢Most actions used to accomplish tasks with an interface are quite obvious to people who know them, including, of course, the software designer. But the actions are often not obvious to the first-time user. †¢Another example †¦ †¢Imagine a first-time user of a computer 1. he has been shown how to login to the system 2. has done some work 3. is now finished with the computer for the day ? Experienced computer users will find it obvious that a logout command is needed. †¢ †¢But it may not occur to first-time users that a special action is required to end the session. †¢People dont log out of typewriters or televisions or video games, so why should they log out of computers? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Learning to predict problems like these by taking the users point of view is a skill that requires practice. †¢Who studies HCI? (1) †¢Multi-discipline field †¦ †¢ †¢Who studies HCI? (2) †¢Conclusion (1) †¢HCI studies †¢ †¢Interaction between users amp; computer systems †¢ †¢In order to build systems which are: Usable †¢Safe †¢Efficient †¢Effective †¢Enjoyable †¢Conclusion (2) †¢Important points to keep in mind †¦ †¢ 1. You need a lot of common sense 2. You must be ready to accept criticism 3. Think ‘user’ 4. Try it out (They know what they want! ) 5. Involve the users 6. Iterate †¢ †¢ †¢Exercise †¢If we take a toaster †¢Describe: †¢the users the machine seems to be designed for; †¢the tasks and subtasks the machine was evidently designed to support; †¢the interface part of the machine; †¢the part of the machine that is NOT the interface. †¢ †¢What about an electric drill

Brevity of human life Essays

Brevity of human life Essays Brevity of human life Paper Brevity of human life Paper Many of the writers in this anthology use poetry to examine the idea of the brevity of human life, but they treat this idea in very different ways. The brevity of life is a theme often explored, not only through poetry, but in day to day life. For many years people have been engaging with the idea that life is simply too short to waste, that each mans life is but a breath and in fact pales in comparison to the wonder of nature. A fine example of a poem which considers the succinctness of life is Andrew Marvells To His Coy Mistress. This poem straight away engages with the theme; time, and examines the brevity of human life with an argument to seize the day. The poem is written to his lover in an attempt to show her that life is too short to waste and to convince her to give up her long preserved virginity. The poem is divided into three verses: in the first verse, the poet uses hyperbole to enact the proposition that literary lovers should waste time conversing and in admiring each other in exotic surroundings; Thou by the Indian Ganges side shouldst rubies find, this, juxtaposed with Humber, in his banal hometown of Yorkshire, highlights that the narrative is in fact intended to be humorous and should not be taken wholly seriously, which is reinforced by the regular rhythm and rhyme. Marvells hyperboles gradually escalate throughout the first verse, climaxing in extravagant claims that he will love her ten years before the flood, effectively revealing to the reader that he strongly believes that time should not, and will not, limit his ability to love and be loved, and, as his hyperboles increase, so does his vegetable love. The second stanza shifts from a blazon approach to the carpe diem argument. There is a clear sense of urgency; he feels that time is constantly running out, which is signified by his lack of hyperbole, instead opting for more quick paced, uncontrived statements such as thy beauty shall no more be found, reinforcing this constant idea that each day wasted is simply one day closer to death; that they should not waste their time engaging in mere conversation, keeping her long preserved virginity when time is not on their side. Again, the image of time is present here; And yonder all before us lie Deserts of vast eternity, but rather than an idyllic life, it is a negative, lifeless eternity, this rejection of the afterlife widely represents the increasing religious scepticism at the time. The final stanza reverts back to the theme of the first, only this time referring to the incomprehensible movements of heaven, which, according to Marvell, can be changed by him and his lover, intent that they need not fall victims to the predator that is time, but instead hunt it down like amorous birds of prey. This stanza introduces the first real example of passion; And while thy willing soul transpires At every pore with instant fires, with his speech becoming much more positive and the threats of the second stanza seem to disappear, further adding to this urgent, almost frenzied, attitude; desperately trying to convince his lover that if they unite they can break through the gates of time; devouring time rather than let it devour them. The poem is written in rhyming couplets throughout, which is a key feature of the poem as it further emphasises Marvells urgency throughout the poem; trying to convince the woman he loves that, although they cannot make the sun stand still, they can indeed still make him run. Despite Marvells obvious disdain for the inevitable fact that time will eventually overcome them, he turns this around and instead uses the concept of time to praise and flatter her; A hundred years should go to praise Thine eyes, and on thy forehead gaze, Two hundred to adore each breast, But thirty thousand to the rest; An age at least to every part, And the last age should show your heart. On the surface, To His Coy Mistress could be construed as a shallow poem about a man simply trying to seduce his mistress, however, the underlying message is made clear through Marvells witty parody of conventional structure, combined with his hyperbole and imagery, that he is convincing his lover that life is short, and it is better to enjoy each day as it comes rather than let yourself fall victim to time.

Handling the Different Creative Thinking Obstacles in Life Personal Statement

Handling the Different Creative Thinking Obstacles in Life Successfully - Personal Statement Example I realized this particular matter when I joined several group activities that required me to utilize creative thinking as a major skill that would display the fact that I am indeed learning from all the lessons that I receive from school. Being in an educational group, the author of this paper particularly felt the need to be a major contributor to the progress of the major discussions of the class as well as to the success of every activity that is being managed by the educator. It could be observed that through this grouping, the author learns how to improve the way that he listens, how he observes and how he interacts as well as participate within the group discussions. It could be noted that it is through this that the author learns how to establish camaraderie with his group mates and thus be able to be of good use and contributor to the progress of the entire class. Learning has been a great part of this particular progress on the part of the author. It is undeniable that being a part of this group made the author a more reliable individual in terms of group project implementations. Aside from this, it is undeniable that the author too has understood the importance of team work. Humans are significantly made with personal and innate characteristics in them that are completely different and apart from the others. This idea is mainly because of the certain fact that human beings have their own characteristics of uniqueness and individuality. Thus, human beings become existent in their own personal sense with their own identity differing them from others at some point in their innate qualities. In same manner, cultures and social values are also created and develop with likeness to the concept of individuality and uniqueness since they are created by human beings themselves. Social groups of relative similarities functioned and develop them own system of values and accordance making them united in their own concept and apart from the other social groups. Thus with this concept, cultural diversity has predominantly existed as how society themselves strive and develop to the point of their current state. However, this innate and basically natural concept in the society has been always a massive hindrance for the establishment of social unity and uniformity especially on the principal level of a team. Since the team-building concept's main agenda is the establishment of a uniting factor and bond among its members, their own personal and cultural diversity has always been a challenge for the said aim. Common problems and challenges such as uniqueness in the dominant language, dissimilarities with social norms and acceptable principles, differences concerning perception and opinions, and others often become a problem in the team-building aspect. In general, diversity produces stratification and division thus unification is being hindered. Indeed, cultural diversity in the aspect of team building is one of its main weaknesses. However, cultural diversity in a certain team can also serves as its potential strength producing advantages apart from its common

Formal report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Formal report - Assignment Example This study was limited to the evaluation of the effectiveness of Ace distributors’ salespeople. This study was also restricted to dealers operating in three major retail areas, including New York, Chicago, and Dallas. These dealers were selected randomly, and included those from the five leading brands of television in the country, including Todd Manufacturing Company; Apco, Incorporated: Davis Manufacturing Company; and Barr Industries, Incorporated, and Ace Manufacturing. This study may be limited through the insufficient time for doing the work. The scope of this study was wide; hence sufficient time was required for accurate completion of the study. In addition, the topic of study was wide; hence the aspect of subjectivity might have been introduced in the study, and some areas in the scope of the study might have been left out. Furthermore, this study adopted the use of questionnaires as the main data collection instrument in conducting the survey. Since questionnaires must generally be brief, areas that may have influenced effectiveness of distributors’ salespeople may not have been included in the questionnaire. The main goal of this report is to show the effectiveness of Ace distributors’ salespeople. It has become important for the company to launch investigations into the effectiveness of the salespeople, owing to the poor performance of the company in the last three years. Prior to these last three years, the company Ace Manufacturing ranked the top in all the five leading home television brands in the country. However, in the last three years, the performance of this company has dropped, as it currently ranks at position three. The sales activities of a company are key to its performance in the market. On the other hand, the salespeople involved with a company’s sales of products have a direct

Macroeconomic theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Macroeconomic theory - Essay Example One consistent theme that emerges from current research is that the growth of real income and the overall macroeconomic stability - both internal and external - are mutually interdependent and both form an integral part of an adequate, consistently sustained process of economic development. The simple policy rules that follow are: This paper will attempt to address the second question, i.e. what distinguishes the countries that followed the optimal policy mix and hence succeeded from those which did not. Perhaps it is useful at this juncture to refer to the experience of the successful countries of Asia. Clearly the vast majority of developing economies have failed to lift their economic growth and living standard compared with a small group of Asian economies which excelled. In little over two decades the dynamic Asian economies were able to catch up their former colonial masters while others stagnated. Two distinguishing economic features of these successful economies stand out: The neo-classical economists... Two distinguishing economic features of these successful economies stand out: * openness or "neutral" trade regime; and * active government intervention. The neo-classical economists (e.g. Balassa, 1968; Bhagwati, 1978; Krueger, 1978; Little, 1979) emphasize the role of openness. On the other hand, there is a body of literature (e.g. Amsden, 1989; Lee, 1992; Sach, 1987; Wade, 1990) which emphasizes the role active government intervention played in achieving late industrialization. While both have some elements of truth, over-emphasis of one or the other misses important issues. For example, the neo-classical economists are at unease with the co-existence of high import protection with export orientation, and active government non-price interventions with market-oriented policies in some of these economies. On the other hand, the "statists" explanation of why in these economies state interventions did not go fatally wrong as in other developing countries depends crucially on the state being "strong". More fundamentally, though, they cannot explain how a "strong" state emerges, and why some strong dictators (e.g. Marcos or Idi Amin) did not maintain macroeconomic stability and wrecked their economies. One important shortcoming of both explanations is an inadequate focus on institutions. None of these approaches takes into account the formal and informal constraints and rigidities in which policy making occurs. This chapter reflects on institutional frameworks that are likely to induce optimal macroeconomic policy response by the government. Institutions and organizations Nobel Laureate economist, Douglas North (1990, p. 4) defines institutions as "any form of

The Biomass Power Plants Environmental Sciences Essay

The Biomass Power Plants Environmental Sciences Essay Biomass is claimed to be the fourth largest energy resource in the world after oil, coal and gas and biomass power plants are becoming one of the most promising alternatives to the established power generation technologies based on fossil fuels. Biomass is defined as any organic material derived from plants, available on a sustainable basis. Generally identified as feedstocks, these materials include: wood, from forestry trimmings or wood processing systems; energy crops, which are crops grown exclusively for energy purposes; agricultural residues; municipal waste such as waste paper, cardboard or food waste; and also animal waste from farms and animal processing industries. The production of electricity from biomass is described as a carbon neutral technology because the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere when plant material is burnt or decomposed during the electricity generation process, is then absorbed again by new growing plant material. This process maintains the atmospheric CO2 levels and is known as carbon cycle. There are currently two main processes used in power plants for the production of electricity from biomass: and they are direct combustion and gasification [2]. Direct combustion is essentially the incineration of dry biomass in the presence of air to produce heat. Gasification is the thermo-chemical transformation of biomass into a combustible gas which is called syngas (synthesis gas) and is a combination of principally carbon monoxide and hydrogen. This process occurs at high temperature (700Â °C to 1000Â °C) in the presence of a limited amount of oxygen [3]. The heat produced by direct biomass combustion can be used to generate electricity using a steam turbine in the same way as in a coal-fired power plant. The biomass material is collected, taken to the power station and then burnt in the boiler. The heat from burning the biomass is used to boil water which generates steam that rotates the turbines. The turbines are connected to generators where the mechanical energy is converted to electrical energy. Plants designed for working just with biomass are called dedicated biomass power plants. However, biomass combustion can be combined with coal combustion in existing coal-fired power plants. This process is called co-firing and is one of the most profitable ways of transforming biomass into electricity because it makes use of the infrastructure of the coal plant and therefore it reduces the total investment. Co-firing power plants can be designed under three concepts: direct, where biomass and coal are mixed and burnt in the same boiler; indirect, where biomass is first gasified before the combustion with coal in the boiler; or parallel, where biomass and coal are burnt in separate boilers and the processes are connected on the steam side [4]. In efficiency calculations, the scale of operation is a very important factor. In systems producing from 10MW to 50 MW, the efficiency is in the range of 18% to 33% [5]. The maximum efficiencies could reach about 45% in large scale plants producing more than 100 MW [6][7]. In co-firing plants, efficiency of 39% can be reached [8]. Biomass gasification process can be couple with a conventional combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant to produce electricity. Biomass feedstock is first dried and then injected into the gasifier. The resulting biogas is purified in a cleaning system and from there the procedure is the same as in a natural gas power plant [9]. To produce from 10 kW to 10 MW, biogas produced in the gasification process can also be used in combustion engines with efficiency of 30% 35% [10]. At larger scales (>20 MW), where gasification-based systems are coupled with combined cycle gas turbines the efficiency increases up to about 45% [11]. There are two others processes which can be used to produce electricity from biomass but they are not commercially developed: pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion. Pyrolysis is a thermo-chemical decomposition of organic material at high temperatures (325Â °C to 500Â °C) similar to gasification but in this case there is no presence of oxygen. This process generates combustible gas and liquid products that could be used in power generation units or upgraded to transport fuel [12]. A carbon-rich residue called biochar is also produced from pyrolysis, and one of the important aspects of biochar is that it is a natural fertiliser that can be used to improve soils quality, which can potentially increase energy crop productivity. The second one, anaerobic digestion, is a natural biochemical process in which the biomass material is broken down by microorganisms in a environment with no air, to produce biogas, which is mainly a mixture of around 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide. This process can be applied to wet biomass, municipal or animal waste to produce power generation on site [13]. There are a number of technologies that support the different methods for converting biomass material into electricity, which include: drying, pelletisation, briquetting, cleaning and lately carbon capture and storage. Drying is fundamental because in order to increase the energy density of biomass feedstocks, their moisture content needs to be reduced ( Pelletisation and briquetting are technologies to compact feedstocks mechanically, very useful for their transportation and management. Pelletisation is used for example to compress low quality wood, and agricultural residues are compacted through briquetting process [14]. The gas obtained from gasification contains impurities and particulates that need to be removed before using it in power plants, because these contaminants can cause erosion and corrosion in the gas turbine components, and decrease the strength of the system. Conventional methods for removing contaminants from biogas are typically based on physical cleaning processes at low temperatures ( Combining biomass power plants with carbon capture and storage processes (BECCS) to provide negatives emissions [15] is a new approach. When the CO2 emitted during biomass electricity generation is captured and stored, new growing plant material will absorb CO2 from the atmosphere reducing the current high level concentrations. The key advantage of power generation from biomass is that it is based on a CO2 neutral process and it can be a clean and reliable power source if sufficient feedstocks are available. It is also a way to utilise waste materials that otherwise would represent environmental risks. Biomass electricity deployment has also a significant social and economic impact because it can create employment in the agricultural and forestry sector, benefiting rural communities and in general developing countries which economies are based on agriculture [16]. The expansion of biomass power generation faces several challenges such as high costs, low conversion efficiency and availability of biomass material [17]. As any new technology, biomass power generation currently requires financial support which make it less commercially competitive compared to fossil fuel based electricity. Biomass electricity production will depend also on technology improvements in order to increase efficiencies at small and large scale. Major concerns are associated to biomass production (intensive farming, biodiversity conservation) and competition for land with food production. Energy from biomass has been used since fire was discovered from the combustion of wood, and before the industrial revolution wood was used for all of our energy needs. However In 1890 coal began to displace wood used in steam power generation. During the 1980s decades, high prices of oil and the instability caused by the dependence on foreign fossil fuels created new interest in biomass energy in several countries, especially in North America. A large biomass power industry rapidly developed in California, who had 850 MW of installed biomass power capacity by 1985. Due to concerns about greenhouse gases emissions and global warming, governments took a greater interest in using biomass as a renewable and clean alternative to produce electricity. Currently most biomass electricity generation is based on direct combustion in dedicated and co-firing steam power plants. Electricity supply from biomass has augmented gradually since 2000, and in 2010 biomass provided 1.5% of world electricity production approximately. Although biomass power generation is still stronger in developed countries, China and Brazil are also becoming important electricity producers in particular from agricultural residues thanks to support programmes. The models established in these China and Brazil could become a viable way to encourage electricity generation from biomass in other developing countries with similar conditions [18]. According to the International Energy Agency [19], world electricity generation from biomass will multiply by more than 10 times from around 280 TWh in 2010 to 3100 TWh in 2050 and could provide around 7.5% of world electricity generation. China will become the major producer of bioenergy electricity with 920 TWh, above OECD Americas (520 TWh) and OEDC Europe (370 TWh) which will also increase their generation levels.

Survival Processing Essay -- Sociology

Numerous studies have shown the human mind has a heightened ability to encode information relevant to our survival. During the standard paradigm used for proving a basis for survival processing, participants were instructed to imagine themselves in an unknown grassland without access to basic needs (Kostic, McFarlan, & Cleary, 2012). The subjects were then asked to rate a list of items based on how useful they would be given the survival scenario (Kostic et al., 2012). Following a short delay, the participants were then asked to recall or recognize items, which had previously been presented (Kostic et al., 2012). Based on the findings researchers were able to conclude words pertaining to our survival are better retained then words that are not, even when the survival scenario was changed to various situations such as a bank robbery (Kang, McDermott & Cohen, 2008), a vacation scene (Nairne, & Pandeirada, 2008), or survival in a large city setting (Nairne & Pandeirada, 2010). Although recent research has been able to clearly define what survival processing is there are more aspects, which have been explored and investigated which will be discussed within the confines of this paper. The two main areas that will be focused on are the mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon and some of its limitations; a conclusion will then be drawn on future directions of study within this topic. It could be assumed face perception would fit the criteria of important survival information and thus the advantages of survival processing would also be in effect. Yet a study conducted by Savine, Scullin and Roediger (2011) looked at survival processing in relation to faces to test if this was a limitation of this type of processing. Researchers cond... ... Cognition, 33(2), 263-273. Nairne, J. S., & Pandeirada, J. S. (2008). Adaptive memory: Remembering with a stone-age brain. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 17, 239–243. Nairne, J. S., & Pandeirada, J. S. (2010). Adaptive memory: Ancestral priorities and the mnemonic values of survival processing. Cognitive Psychology, 61(1), 1-22. Savine, A. C., Scullin, M. K., & Roediger, H. (2011). Survival processing of faces. Memory & Cognition, 39(8), 1359-1373. Smeets, T., Otgaar, H., & Raymaekers, L. (2012). Survival processing in times of stress. Psychon Bull Rev, 19, 113-118. Tse, C., & Altarriba, J. (2010). Does survival processing enhance implicit memory?. Memory & Cognition, 38(8), 1110-1121. Weinstein, Y., Bugg, J. M., & Roediger, H. (2008). Can the survival recall advantage be explained by basic memory processes?. Memory & Cognition, 36(5), 913-919.

Licensed Practical Nurse Essay

License Practical Nurse (LPN), work under the directions of registered nurses and doctors. LPN are Certified healthcare professionals that are responsible for helping and providing basic care to patients. They work in a variety of different setting, hospital, care facilities, and nursing homes. To become a LPN you would need a High School Diploma, or a GED. You would have to take your Pre Entrance Examination that would cover your basic subject like your maths, and general skills. Before you start the LPN programs you also would need your Pre Requisite. You must complete a Practical Nurse Program and pass the National Council Licensure of State Board Nursing (NCLEX-PN) exam to be certified and receive your licensure. You must be patients at all times, have good communication skills and flexibility. To interact as a health-care professional, interface with registered nurses and doctors, to perform physical assessments and to work as a team. LPN work 40 plus hours a week, on different shifts, weekends, morning, or nights and Holidays. You have to be able to stand for a long period of time. The average salary for a LPN in New Orleans is$38,115 to $41,681 per years. I reason why i pick LPN to be my next career because i just thought it was the next stepping stone for me, i already have my Clinical Medical Assistant Certificate so i thought i just could work my way up, and to stay in the healthcare/medical field, i will always have something to fallback on just in case i wanted to go back to school for something else, so i can work and attend college. I also like helping people each any every way i can, I think its a good career for me because i have a few experiences and good people skills.

Free Essays on Reasons For College

A college education and degree can open up many doors in a person’s life and career choices. In a person’s life there are many important factors, a college degree is one of them. There are many reasons why a person should attend college. College is a big learning experience for a person. A college degree can help you prepare for a particular area of work and path you will like to choose. Since college degrees are needed in most areas of work without a college degree it’s most likely a person would not be able to pursue a career in that area they are interested in. Most jobs look to see if you have a college career first. College can help expand a person’s knowledge in different areas which may be needed later on in life. Also People that have obtained a college degree are more likely to be employed and receive higher pay than a person without a college degree. College can help a person learn about their strengths, weaknesses and things that interest them in the field of careers and jobs. College can help someone can help someone learn about certain talents they might have not knew they had. It can also show a person what â€Å"the real world† may be like, and a person may have to go through. It can help a person become mature and take on bigger responsibilities in the near future. Another reason for attending college may be to be a role model and to influence family members and friends. If a person has certain goals they would like to achieve in life, college may help them achieve them. College teaches a person how to be ready for life and work. Also by completing college and earning a degree it can give a person pride feeling they have accomplished such a big task. College can also be considered fun for a person. With college people can meet new, different people, and make new friends. A person will have to do a lot of socializing... Free Essays on Reasons For College Free Essays on Reasons For College A college education and degree can open up many doors in a person’s life and career choices. In a person’s life there are many important factors, a college degree is one of them. There are many reasons why a person should attend college. College is a big learning experience for a person. A college degree can help you prepare for a particular area of work and path you will like to choose. Since college degrees are needed in most areas of work without a college degree it’s most likely a person would not be able to pursue a career in that area they are interested in. Most jobs look to see if you have a college career first. College can help expand a person’s knowledge in different areas which may be needed later on in life. Also People that have obtained a college degree are more likely to be employed and receive higher pay than a person without a college degree. College can help a person learn about their strengths, weaknesses and things that interest them in the field of careers and jobs. College can help someone can help someone learn about certain talents they might have not knew they had. It can also show a person what â€Å"the real world† may be like, and a person may have to go through. It can help a person become mature and take on bigger responsibilities in the near future. Another reason for attending college may be to be a role model and to influence family members and friends. If a person has certain goals they would like to achieve in life, college may help them achieve them. College teaches a person how to be ready for life and work. Also by completing college and earning a degree it can give a person pride feeling they have accomplished such a big task. College can also be considered fun for a person. With college people can meet new, different people, and make new friends. A person will have to do a lot of socializing...

Feel the Beat essays

Feel the Beat essays Strobe lights flash to a pounding beat. The same beat brings hands flying through the sky and make bodies shake. A video screen plays a scene of a black and white swirl, rippling to the tempo of the music, bending the minds of all who stand still enough to watch. The scene is a rave, one of the many forms of live music that is enjoyed around the world by people of all ages. There is nothing more incredible than being in the moshpit of a Slayer concert, nearly fearing for the lives of the people involved, or watching the scene described above develop and go on for hours upon hours, the kids never getting tired. Live music is a fun and exciting way to release energy, and a great source of income for musicians, and because of that, there is more live music available to kids, especially here in the Bay Area, than ever before. By the time most people are in college, they have experienced some form of live music, some more than others. Some people make it their passion or by becoming involved in the performance of music, are at concerts all the time. There are concerts locally for as little as two dollars, and a recent two day festival in the Coachella Valley charged one-hundred and forty dollars to attend both days. Even more ridiculous was Sir Paul McCartney, who fetched four-hundred big ones for a less than decent seat on his recent stop in Oakland. If a person is content with a small scale performance, live music is available to anyone and everyone. The more outrageous ticket prices are in part due to the monopolization of the venues, ticketing companies, and advertising platforms. A company called Clear Channel, owned by Viacom Entertainment, owns a large number of Bay Area venues, Bay Area billboards, Bay Area radio stations, and works hand in hand with the two largest ticketing companies in th e area, Ticketmaster and Tickets.com. There are few ways around paying whatever Clear Channel asks for their ticke ...

Deaf reading reaction Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Deaf reading reaction - Coursework Example As such, I get to understand the challenges that those with hearing abilities suffer when it comes to acquiring knowledge and skills in various fields. Despite the conventional belief that deaf education could have been developed long ago in the United States, I was surprised to learn from the article that this is not the case. The author states that policy makers in the developed countries are still struggling to come to terms with provision of deaf education â€Å"†¦.in the New World were still struggling to come to terms with views about deaf children and learning† (Lang 13). This is contrary to the general belief that deaf education could be highly developed in most developed countries due to advancement in technology in these countries. The article, moreover, brings out the weaknesses that exist in the current education curriculum. Here, the author says that the curriculum focus has mainly been â€Å"on active learning and articulation across grades† (Lang 16). This hence leaves out the special needs of the deaf. Furthermore, the article offers vital information by evaluating the critical roles played by parents in the provision of deaf education. The child-parent relationship greatly enhances the learning process. More so, the article examines the achievements made, so far, in the provision of deaf education. Apparently, despite all the challenges encountered, so much has been achieved since the realization of the need to offer special education to the deaf. In conclusion, I would recommend policy makers in the education sector to read the article as it provides useful insights on the growth of deaf education. It is also imperative for researchers to use the article as it lays a firm foundation on future studies on deaf

Mongol People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mongol People - Essay Example The culture of the Mongol allows them to marry off their daughters to other clans and the parents were the ones to arrange for the marriage. The parents always ask for gifts before the wedding and during the wedding, the Buddhist seek heavenly protection by reading the scripture (Newworldencyclopedia.org). The Mongolians are also singing communities who like to sing echoing songs. The Mongol people also practice dancing. The saber, Ordos and Andai dances are famous around the world.The Mongol people are governed by their imperial court of dynasty. The rulers inflict punishment on the wrong doers. The punishment was through possession of the herds of the wrong doer and the repossession of the lands they own.The Mongol people are also good at writing and translation skills. Most of the grammar books, dictionaries and translated history books about Mongolia were done by the Mongol people themselves (Newworldencyclopedia.org).ReligionMongolians main religion is Lamaism, the yellow sect o f the Buddhism. Shamanism was the earlier main religion, but recently Lamaism is considered their main religion because it pushed the male Mongols to be monks than the warriors in earlier periods. During the period of conversion to Lamaism, every family is supposed to provide one son to be raised to be a lama.Medicine and health careMongols have been using acupuncture, massages, and herbal medicine to treat most of the diseases among their people. Kublai Khan was born in the year 1912 in Mongolia in the country of china.