Welcome to the class blog of COM 315! This course adderssses the specific challenges involved in communicating complex, technical information to both lay and experienced audiences. Throughout the semester, we will be reading several journal articles relating to how presenters can communicate complex ideas in a clear and understanding way. Students are required to reflect on these articles in the blog, as well as apply the readings to real-world instances.

Calendar of Events

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Next round of speeches: Utilizing Hospital Boards

I have been working on my speech and adding more information throughout the past week, and I have been thinking of what I would like to achieve in the next round of speeches. I would like to go into more detail regarding specific topics and expand on their information. This being said, not too much new information is going to be included. Also, I am trying not to utilize too many quotes, but I believe it will be important to include them for credibility. At the same time, I do not want to read off quote after quote. This is my main problem right now. Otherwise, I'm ready to hear all the great speeches revised because they were interesting and well presented.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Plan for Speech 2 Revisions

I gave a speech about WAAS last Wednesday and have been thinking about a few ways to improve the presentation when I give it again next week. The first thing I want to focus on is keeping my rate of speech and volume at a more reasonable level. When I spoke last week I felt like I was having to cram a lot of information into a short amount of time. As a result I had a rushed pace at certain points of my speech.

I also want to find the original source for the classification of WAAS into the space, ground and user segment. I found out about this classification on Wikipedia and thought it was an excellent way to aid in the explaination the WAAS system. I have not found the original source yet but I will continue to search this week. Let me know if you all have any other suggestions or information you would like me to include in the second round of speeches.

John Dale

Monday, September 24, 2007

Microsoft Outine

OUTLINE FOR INFORMATIVE SPEECH

Microsoft Surface Computing, ‘Milan Project’
Nick Capizzani

Purpose: To inform the audience about Microsoft surface computing.

Thesis: Today I will explain what the Milan project is, what it can do, how it works, and where it will be used

I. Introduction

A. Attention Getter How many of you guys have something that uses touch screen technology?
B. Thesis Today I will discuss how Microsoft has refined this technology.
C. Preview Specifically, I will go into the detail behind the Milan project and the features it offers.

Transition First, I will discuss explain what it is.

II. Body

A. General Information
1. This project has been in the works for the passed 5 years.
2. The whole unit is controlled entirely through touch; there's no mouse or keyboard.
3. It allows multiple users to touch the device simultaneously.
4. I believe this is going to change how we do things in the future.
5.

6.

7.


Transition Next, I will examine the features of the Milan.

B. What can it do
1. Users are able to draw, interact with media, and use another new technology called domino tagging, in which a real-life object on the computer's surface is identified and becomes an on-screen object that can be interacted with.
2. For instance, you can take a digital camera that's Wi-Fi enabled, put it down on the tabletop, and the machine recognizes it and downloads the photos. Then, you can interact with them much like actual physical photos—you can pass them around the table, shuffle them into piles to sort them, pull on the corners to zoom in or out. [Visual Aide]
3.
4.
5.

Transition Next I will discuss the inside of the Milan.

C. How it works
1. It uses wireless auto sync and touch screen technology to allow users and devices to interact with files and applications using a flat, tabletop screen.
2. This means it accepts input from multiple fingers and multiple users simultaneously, allowing for complex gestures, including grabbing, stretching, swiveling and sliding virtual objects across the table.
3. The inside consists of CPUs, infrared cameras, a touch screen, and a projector.
4.

5.

Transition Finally, where does Microsoft see a market for this.

D. Where it is being used
1. Currently the price tag is $10,000 per machine.
2. Microsoft plans on selling the device to businesses, restaurants, hotels, and casinos.
3. Microsoft
4. hopes that it will make it way into homes within the next 5 years.

5.


Transition In conclusion,

III. Conclusion

A. Now that you know it out there keep an eye out for this in places you visit and hopefully one day this technology will become custom to us.

References

1. http://www.news.com/Microsoft-hopes-Milan-table-PC-has-magic-touch/2100-1041_3-6186732.html

2. Microsoft Corp. http://www.microsoft.com/surface/
3. http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2138871,00.asp

Syllabus change

Just a few notes about class and where we are heading.

1) Your grade on your first speech can be improved--it is weighted with your second speech.

2) I will be travelling with the debate team this weekend (the only time this semester) so we will need to cancel class on Friday. I will give you that class session as a work period to revise your speeches.

3) Speeches start on 10/1 in the same speaking order (if you went first before, you go first again).

-C

Sunday, September 23, 2007

The New Hydrogen Economy

INTRODUCTION:

Attention getter: As we all know, the prices for gasoline have been on the rise.

According to the Energy Information Administration’s statistics from 2005-2007, if we were to draw a trend line for regular grade gas prices during those years; that line would have a positive slope. We also know that fossil fuels are a major source of energy for this type of fuel. However, there is a limited supply of these fossil fuels on Earth. Since there is no way of recycling fossil fuels, it is only a matter of time before they are no longer available. Well, what are we going to do when we are running low on fossil fuels? We will need another source of energy. More than likely, that source will be hydrogen. Automotive engineers have been experimenting with hydrogen combustion engines already; but have had limited success, until today. Professor Jerry Woodall of Purdue University has come up with a way to created hydrogen with little risk factors while being “economically attractive”.

Preview: I will be discussing this new method by sharing two concepts. First, I will share about the new resource and how it will allow us to safely and instantly make hydrogen. Second, I will introduce ways to recycle this resource back to its high energy state.

BODY:

Transition: The disadvantages of creating hydrogen in the past were due to risks of storage and transportation. According to The Week Magazine on April 7, 2006, in an article called, “The Car of the Future”, “No one has yet figured out how to provide hydrogen to tens of millions of motorists without great risk.” Also, according to an interview with BMW’s Dr. Frank Ochmann at the LA auto show in 2006, “We have one challenge…which is working on hydrogen…is the storage concept.”

I. The advantages of using of this new aluminum-gallium alloy take away those risks; and allows for more efficiency in safety and cost.
A. Aluminum is safe and stable at room temperature and in the air.
1. It obvious in its used for construction and commodity goods.
B. Used aluminum can be recycled, which will play a key role in its cost efficiency.
C. There is almost an unlimited supply
of aluminum, which allows it to be a cheaper element to purchase.
1. This is unlike the use of platinum that was used in the hydrogen making process.
D. Essentially, aluminum is used to store energy and release the hydrogen in water into gas form.
1. According to Woodall, this is allowed to happen by “…dissolving aluminum into liquid gallium.”
2. According to The Science Channel, “…when Jerry added the gallium, it removed the aluminum’s protective shield. So now the oxygen in water can react with all the aluminum, freeing the hydrogen instantly.”
3. So upon adding water to this alloy, the byproduct of this reaction will result in pure hydrogen gas.
4. This will give us the hydrogen to power our vehicles.

Transition: Now that we have taken aluminum out of its high energy state and created aluminum oxide, we need to recycle it back to its high energy state once again.

II. The proposed process for recycling this element allows aluminum to be more resourceful.
A. According to Professor Woodall, long term aluminum recycling will be done by solar powered or wind generated farms.
1. This plant will need to be built next to a
nuclear power plant for its on-site power cost.
2. With the use of these recycling plants, the price of hydrogen will match the price of gasoline.
B. Used aluminum will need to be transported back to these recycling plants.
C. With the use of these recycling plants, the price of hydrogen will match the price of gasoline.
1. The following calculations show how the prices are derived.
D. According to Mobile Magazine, “A pound of aluminum gives forth about two kilowatts of power, meaning that a 350-mile trip in a standard vehicle would require 350 pounds of aluminum and cost about $60. That dollar figure is fairly representative of current gasoline costs for the same distance.”

CONCLUSION:

Review Statement: So, in this speech, I have informed you about resource of aluminum-gallium, and how it is safer and faster in the hydrogen making process. I also told you about how the aluminum can be recycled to allow reuse of the energy source. By doing this, hydrogen will be able to replace fossil fuels while still maintaining an attractive price.

Memorable closing: Who knows, maybe someday your own children will be refueling with this new technology.


SOURCES:

Energy Information Administration. Official Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government. U.S. Retail Gas Prices. 14 March 2005. 14 September 2007.

Woodall, Jerry. Making of Hydrogen from Aluminum. 1 June 2007. 7 September 2007.

Ira, Flatow. Interview. Scientists Seek New Ways to Generate Hydrogen. Natl. Public Radio. Washington, D.C. 1 June 2007.

Turbo. Interview. L.A. Auto Show 2006: BMW Hydrogen 7. The Science Channel. Las Angeles. 2006.

Beck, Glenn. “T.B. Traveler Raises Security Concerns; Man Locked Up for Having T.B.; Is Hillary Pitching Socialism?; Who Will Replace Rosie on "The View?”. CNN.com. 21 May 2007 .

NewMax, SciIT News, and Mobile Magazine. Nukes news and views. 17 May 2007. 20 September 2007. .

RNP Speech for tomorrow

Attention Getter: How many of you have been going on vacation or traveling back to school on an airplane and thought, how does the airplane and the pilot know exactly where they are going? I am here today to talk to all of you about Require Navigation Performance, more commonly know as RNP.

Preview: Ever since air transportation began, airlines, pilots and air traffic controllers have been working on ways to increase the efficiency of flying. Many improvements were aimed at helping improve delays and save money for the airlines. The problem was, the new ideas were not utilizing the technology in many of today’s aircraft. Finally, RNP came along that helps planes fly more directly by utilizing built in technology.

Transition #1: For you to better understand this, I will go into more detail about the background, implementation and the benefits RNP has made over the past few years.

I. Background of RNP Required Navigation Performance (RNP) is defined by International Civil Aviation Organization as "navigation performance necessary for operation within a defined airspace". RNP is a method of implementing routes and flight paths into today’s airspace. Basically, the airplane must have the right equipment and that equipment must monitor and provide an alert to pilots if the airplane is not adhering to standards.. Most aircraft are directed by air traffic controllers using point-to-point navigation. This approach often results in an inefficient flight path that ignores the built-in technological capability of modern airliners. RNP is a way for pilots to navigate between waypoints in the sky, independent of ground-based navigational aids.To understand RNP operation it is equally as important to understand Area Navigation or RNAV. RNAV and RNP both rely on GPS. RNAV is a method of navigation that enables aircraft to fly on any desired flight paths within the coverage of reference navigation aids (NAVAIDS). Routes and procedures using RNAV provide improved access and flexibility through point-to-point navigation and are not restricted to the location of ground-based NAVAIDS. RNP operations are RNAV operations with navigation monitoring. Aircraft can be equipped with RNP through a Flight Management System or a GPS. This allows the aircraft to safely operate on routes with less separation than previously required.

Transition #2: If you are wondering where and how this became so utilized, I will now talk to you about the history and implementation of RNP

II. History and implementation of RNP

Alaska Airlines was the first to use RNP in Juneau a decade ago. These procedures were developed by Alaska Airlines and certified by the FAA to help the airline service “terrain-challenged airports in remote areas.” According to gpsworld.com. Its success in Alaska spread to the continental 48 states where the FAA began implementing RNP at some of the nation’s busiest airportsThe near-term period (2006-2010) focuses on taking advantage of the already installed technology in aircraft by making new arrival and departure procedures at busy airports such as Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport and JFK. The mid-term period (2011-15), anticipates many of America's 100 busiest airports will have RNAV approaches and departures, and a number of U.S. airports will have RNP procedures where their higher precision adds benefits. FAA planners see as many as 300 RNAV and 50 RNP approaches being added per year in that timeframe, and RNP operations becoming a standard procedure at high altitudeThey hope by 2025, RNAV would be required everywhere and RNP would be mandated in busy airspace. The rule-making process for these changes will hopefully begin in 2008.

Transition #3: Now that you know the long term goals of RNP, lets look at a few benefits to the program staying on track.

III. Benefits of RNP
1. safety and productivity benefits a. reduced radio communications, lowering chances to adhere to a wrong clearance or not here part of a clearance b. reduced workloads for the pilots to monitor the approach more thoroughly i. replaces more unreliable, non precision approaches
2. flight profile benefitsa. continuous climbs and descents for the airplanesi. more stabilized descents and approaches, resulting less rejected landings and missed approaches
3. route tracking benefitsa. time benefits, shorter flight timesb. environmental benefitsc. predictability and situational awareness
4. efficiency benefitsa. shorter time, better climb/descent segments result in lower fuel burni. According the FAA, the RNP approaches can save airlines 50$ per minute. b. improved pace of departures and arrivalsi. at LGA and JFK there is an average total delays of more than 28,000 minutes per year, resulting in a loss of almost 4 millions dollars yearly according the Port Authority of NY and NJc. increased capacity of airspaceConclusion: Hopefully this speech has intrigued some of into the world of aviation and increased your respect for the luxury most take for granted.

Review Statement: I hope you are now somewhat familiar with RNP, its implementation and its benefits. Memorable Closing: Next time you are at the airport and your flight arrives 5 minutes early, it is probably due to the success of RNP.


Works Cited
“GPS Insights.” Questex. 22 September 2007. <http://tl.gpsworld.com/gpstl/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=371152>

“New Performance in the Skies.” Mitre Corporation. 03 September 2003. 19 September 2007. http://www.mitre.org/news/digest/aviation/09_03/a_nrp.html

“Required Navigation Performance.” Federal Aviation Administration. 21 September 2007. http://www.faa.gov/ats/ato/rnp.htm

“RNP in Today’s Airspace.” Boeing Corporation. 21 September 2007. Jeppesen. Instrument Commercial Text. New York: 2006.

“Required Navigation Performance.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 03 September 2007. 22 September 2007.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Vertical Farming Speech

INTRO:
Attention Getter: Over half of the human population lives vertically in cities. This means that, for the majority, we humans are protected against the elements, yet we subject our precious food-bearing plants to the rigors of the “great outdoors” and can do no more than hope for good weather. However, now more often than not, due to a rapidly changing climate regime, that is not the case. Massive floods, protracted droughts, class 4-5 hurricanes, and severe monsoons take their toll each year, destroying millions of tons of valuable crops. Don’t our harvestable plants deserve the same level of comfort and protection that we now enjoy? (4) Well Dickson Despommier, an environmental science professor at Columbia University, believes so and has come up with a solution. He proposes a multi-story building with glass walls that generates fruits, vegetables, grains, clean energy, and purified water. In a June 19, 2007 article from BBC News, Despommier calls his vision of the future “Vertical Farming.” According to a September 11, 2007 article from CNNMoney.com, “Vertical Farming will do for agriculture what skyscrapers did for office space.”
Preview Statement: Since vertical farming could be the future of agriculture, I think it’s important that you know about the design of the building, and how the building works.
BODY:
I. So first I’ll explain the design of the building.
a. Number one: The solar panel rotates to follow the sun and would drive the interior cooling system, which is used most when the sun’s heat is greatest. (1)
b. Number two: The wind spire is an alternative to solar power. Conventional windmills are too large for cities so the wind spire uses smaller blades to turn air upward, like a screw. (1)
c. Number three: The glass panels have a clear coating of titanium oxide that collects pollutants and prevents rain from beading; the rain slides down the glass, maximizing light and cleaning the pollutants. Then the runoff is collected in troughs for filtration.(1)
d. Number four: The control room regulates the vertical farm environment allowing year-round, 24-hour crop cultivation. (1)
e. Number five: The architecture was inspired by the Capitol Records building in Hollywood. The circular design uses space most efficiently and allows maximum light into the center.(1)
f. Number six: The vertical farm could grow fruits, vegetables, grains, and even fish and poultry. (1)
Transition: Now that you know the general design of the building, let’s break it down even further to see how everything works.
II. First we’ll look at the water systems.
a. Number one: The evapotranspiration system is located inside the ceiling of each floor, its pipes collect moisture, which can be bottled and sold. (1)
b. Number two: The pipes work like a cold bottle of Coke that sweats on a hot day: Super cool fluid attracts plant water vapors, which are then collected as they drip off. Despommier estimates that one vertical farm could capture 60 million gallons of water a year. (1)
c. Number three: The black-water treatment system takes wastewater from the city’s sewage system, desludges it, filters it through non-edible barrier plants, and again through zebra mussels, which according to a July 2007 article in Popular Science, are the best filtering organisms out there. This system yields gray water, which isn’t drinkable but can be used for irrigation. (3)
III. Now we’ll move on to the fields.
a. Number four: The crop picker monitors fruits and vegetables with an electronic eye. Current technology, called a Reflectometer, uses color detection to test ripeness. (1)
b. Number five: In the field, maximization of space is critical, so there are two layers of crops and some hanging tomatoes. If small crops are planted, there might be up to ten layers per floor. (1)
c. Number six: The pool collects runoff from irrigation and sends it through pipes to a filtration system. (1)
d. Number seven: The feeder is a dual-purpose mechanism that directs programmed amounts of water and light to individual crops. (1)
IV. The next slide shows the Pellet Power System.
a. Number eight: The Pellet Power System is another source of power for the vertical farm; it turns non-edible plant matter, like corn husks for example, into fuel. (1)
b. Number nine to eleven: Plant waste is processed into powder (9), and then condensed into clean-burning fuel pellets (10), which become steam power (11). (1)
c. As stated in an April 9, 2007 article in the New York Magazine, “A vertical farm could be self-sustaining and even produce a net output of clean water and energy.” (1)
Transition: So now you know the general design of the vertical farm and how everything inside it functions.
CONCLUSION: The credit goes to Dickson Despommier who began developing this concept 8 years ago. He estimates that it will take a group of agricultural economists, architects, engineers, agronomists, and urban planners five to ten years to figure out how to marry high-tech agricultural practices with the latest sustainable building technology.(1)
Memorable Statement: So hopefully within the next decade we will finally give our food the comfort and protection it deserves.




Works Cited
Chamberlain, Lisa. "Skyfarming." New York News & Features. 9 Apr. 2007. 14 Sept. 2007 .
Cooke, Jeremy. "Vertical Farming in the Big Apple." BBC News. 19 June 2007. 14 Sept. 2007 .
"The Vertical Farmer." July 2007. 14 Sept. 2007 .
"The Vertical Farm Project." 2007. 14 Sept. 2007 .
"Vertical Farm Designs." 2007. 14 Sept. 2007 .
Woolley, Hillary. "Farming Goes Vertical." CNNMoney.Com. 11 Sept. 2007. 14 Sept. 2007 .

Thursday, September 20, 2007

802.11 Speech

Wikipedia??

Fortunately, several of you are using good quality citations in your speeches. We have talked "around" the Wikipedia issue in class but we haven't really discussed it in depth. While I realize that Wikipedia is a useful source for finding out some basic information, we should be aware of its limitations.

Sorin Matei, Professor of Communication at Purdue, researches Wikipedia and its usage. He has posted a link on limitations of Wikipedia that I think we all might find interesting.

You can read his WIKI link here:

How to use Wikipedia

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Great Speeches

I have really enjoyed the speeches I have heard thus far. All the topics have been interesting as well as insightful. Hope the rest of the speeches this semesters are as good.

Dragon Skin Speech Outline

Introduction:

Imagine yourself on the battlefield in Iraq. You’re on patrol when all of a sudden your squad is ambushed. Your squad mate to your left goes down with a shot to the back. He had removed the steel plate in his vest because it weighed too much the man to the right goes down from penis an amour piercing round straight through the plate in the front. You run for it as the rest of the squad runs. You make it to safety and take your vest off. You notice that you were hit several times in the back, but there is not even a bruise on you. That’s because you were wearing the future of body armor. You were wearing Dragon Skin.

Body:

1) First I would like to explain what Dragon skin is
a) Dragon Skin is composed of discs arranged like “scales” on a “dragon”. This is best compared to the medieval chain mail worn by knights.
b) According to David Crane, these discs are composed of an advanced ceramic or titanium composite matrixes and laminates that can incorporate other materials. There's even a lighter-weight metal than titanium that Pinnacle Armor is now combining with ceramic that they will not disclose, which offer's a superior level of performance-to-weight ratio over titanium.
c) The overlapping “scale” effect of the protective disks also allows for a dispersion of the force caused by the impact of the high speed bullet says the inventor of the Dragon Skin, Murray Neil.
2) Second I will tell you why Dragon skin is superior to the current Interceptor vest.
a) According to Magee, the Army’s Interceptor uses four rigid plates to stop the most lethal bullets, leaving some vital organs unprotected.
b) Along with this the Dragon Skin offers flexibility with even greater protection of the vital organs in the torso.
3) Finally I’ll explain why Dragon Skin has not been fully implemented into the US armed forces.
a) According to Ret. Gen. Brown in an Army test the Dragon skin had full penetration on 13 of 48 shots which is a catastrophic failure. (msnbc.com)
b) However, this experiment was a closed Army experiment with no outside attendees. Nevins Rupert claims that the experiment was sabotaged because the armor was not produced by an armed forces “company”. (msnbc.com)
Conclusion:
In conclusion, I hope this has brought an understanding of the future of body armor even if the government doesn’t agree because it’s not their invention. I’d like to leave you with this thought, what if it was your parent, your sibling, or what if it was even your spouse in the war zone, wouldn’t you want them to have the best protection out there?
Works Cited:
Crane, David. "Dragon Skin Flexible Scalar Body Armor Defeats Rifle Threats." Defense Review.com. 27 May 2004. 16 Sep. 2007 .
Crane, David . "THE BEST: Dragon Skin ." Military.com. 2005. 16 Sep. 2007 .
Neal, Murray. Interview. "Dragon Skin Body Armor." CNN. 28 Jan. 2006. 16 Sep. 2007 .
Brown, Mark, Jim Magee, and Nevin Rupert. Interview. "NBC News Investigative Unit." NBC News. NBC. 20 May 2007. 16 Sep. 2007 .
"The Amazing Dragon Skin Body Armor,." The Protectors. FutureWeapons. Discovery Channel. 16 Sep. 2007 .
SOV™ Flexible Body Armor. 1998. Pinnacle Armor. 13 Sep. 2007 .

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

WAAS Speech Outline (Wed 9-18-07)

Informative Speech 1

Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)

John Dale

Introduction:


(Slide 1)
(Slide 2)

Attention Getter: Imagine you are stuck in a traffic jam and suddenly need
assistance for one of your older family members who is
having a heart attack in the back seat. Unless you know
your exact position it could take a lot of time for
emergency assistance to find you. Even if your car is
equipped with current GPS enabled On Star system, your
position will only be pinpointed to within 35 feet or a
total of around 30 cars. If you have the new wide area
augmentation system (WAAS) available on your GPS,
authorities would be able to locate the exact position of
your individual car and assist you quickly. This could
save vital time and could be the difference between life
and death for your family member.

Preview Statement: In this presentation I will start off by describing how
WAAS works and conclude by showing some applications of
this system in the aviation industry and in automobiles.

Transition: GPS technology has become an everyday element of our lives. It
is used in some of the cars or aircraft we travel on and in the
GPS guided tractor that plants the food we eat. WAAS builds off
of the current GPS system by using its satellite network but
incorporates some key differences.

(Slide 3)

Body:

I. The description of the WAAS system in the “Wide Area Augmentation”
Wikipedia article does a good job of describing the system as consisting
of a space segment, a ground segment and a user segment.

A. The space segment consists of satellites orbiting the earth.

1. The FAA Airman’s Information Manual states that the GPS
constellation consists of 24 satellites.

2. According to the FAA website a minimum of four satellites
are needed to be in view in order to establish a 3D
location but five are required to ensure RAIM or the
integrity of the signals.

3. One way the WAAS system differs from the GPS system is
that it does not require RAIM but instead incorporates
two geostationary satellites located above the equator
that receive signals from the ground segment of the
system.

B. The ground segment of the system consists of reference and master
stations located throughout the United States.

(http://www.freeflightsystems.com/waas_howitworks.htm then Slide 4)

1. According to the Garmin GPS manufacturer’s website, WAAS
incorporates the use of 25 ground reference stations
across the United States that monitor GPS satellite data.

2. The ground reference stations (WRS) then send their
signals to Wide Area Master Stations (WMS) which make
corrections to the signals.

3. The Wide Area Master Stations send a signal to the
Ground Uplink Stations (GUS) which transmits the
information to the geostationary satellites over the
equator.

C. The geostationary satellites send the corrected signal to the
receivers in the aircraft and vehicles that make up the user
segment of the system.

(Slide 5)

1. According to the FAA website the WAAS information is
broadcast on the same frequency as the GPS signals.

2. Interpreting the WAAS information requires a WAAS
receiver and a compatible antenna.

3. According to Garmin and Magellan websites, their
original GPS units cannot be upgraded to include WAAS
capabilities.

Transition: Now that we know how the WAAS system works lets look at how this
system can be used.

II. The increased reliability and accuracy of WAAS provides benefits for
both aircraft and ground vehicles.

A. The FAA website states that WAAS is capable of providing
vertical and horizontal guidance to aircraft within 3 – 6
feet in comparison to the GPS unit which only provided
horizontal guidance within 35 – 40 feet.

1. The FAA’s Instrument Procedures Handbook states
that the accuracy of the WAAS system allows
aircraft to utilize its vertical guidance
capabilities on approaches down to 200 feet above
the runway with only ½ statute mile visibility.

2. These improvements in performance will provide many
benefits to the aviation industry as shown on this slide.

(Slide 6)

B. The FAA states on their website that they have been contacted by
both General Motors and Daimler Chrysler regarding implementing
WAAS capabilities into their upcoming automobiles.

1. GM has mentioned implementing WAAS capabilities into
their 2008 models' On Star systems.

2. Daimler Chrysler also contacted the FAA about using the
WAAS system for their future intelligent cars which would
require the increased navigational accuracy provided by
WAAS.

Review Statement and Closing:

(Slide 7)

Review Statement: I have now presented how the WAAS system works and how it
can be used in aviation and ground vehicles.

Closing: Be on the lookout for this technology as it is implemented in the
transportation infrastructure. Your life could be in its hands in
the near future.

Works Cited

“About GPS.” Garmin. 17 September 2007. <http://www8.garmin.com/aboutGPS/ waas.html>.

“GNSS – Frequently Asked Questions – WAAS.” Federal Aviation Administration. 13 June 2007. 17 September 2007. <http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/ service_units/techops/navservices/gnss/faq/waas/>.

“Product Comparison Results.” Magellan. 17 September 2007. <http://www.magellangps.com/ProductFinder/comparison_results.asp? PRODUCT_LIST=1881,1880,1872,1873,1874>.

United States Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration. Federal Aviation Regulations/Aeronautical Information Manual 2007. Newcastle: Aviation Supplies and Academics, 2007.

United States Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration. Instrument ProceduresHandbook. Washington: GPO, 2004.

“WAAS Factsheet.” Free Flight Systems. 17 September 2007. <http://www.freeflightsystems.com/waas_factsheet.htm>.

“Wide Area Augmentation System.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 10 September 2007. 17 September 2007. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Wide_Area_Augmentation_System>.

High Dive (my speech for 9-19-07)

High Dive - (I use a power point as my visual aid throughout my entire presentation.)

  1. Introduction
    1. Attention grabber

i. Ever since the beginning of time men and woman alike have wanted to fly, to be like the birds. We have developed greater and wilder ways to scare ourselves from learning how to fly airplanes to skydiving. Is it done for the adrenaline rush, a rush that can’t be put into words unless you have experienced it yourself? Well now there is a new extreme sport, one far more daring than the rest, the “high dive.”

    1. Relativity

i. The “high dive” is accomplished by shooting up on an open rocket 60 miles above the Earth and free falling safely back to your feet on the ground. It can be done for sport or even someday used as a more safe way for astronauts to come back to earth.

    1. Preview statement

i. Today we’ll first fly through (literally in a couple minutes) the men behind the idea, then discuss the suit needed to complete such a feat, and wrap up with how the dive itself would play out.

  1. The men behind the idea are Rick Tomlinson and Jonathon Clark.
    1. They are quite the “odd couple.”

i. Rick Tomlinson is a long time civilian space booster who helped found “Space Frontier Foundation” and “X Price Foundation.” He is an entrepreneur with an anti-corporate attitude. He has bashed NASA several times, but hopes that this death defying feat will capture a younger audience and make space more appealing. He says he is “the bad boy of rock in the space field.”

ii. Jonathon Clark is at the other end of the spectrum. He is a clean cut, much more quite man, with a lengthy resume. Clark is a certified neurologist, 26-year Navy veteran who did parachute training with the Special Forces, and former NASA flight surgeon. His wife, Laurel Clark, was an astronaut who perished on the Columbia disaster in 2003. So for Clark building a space-diving suit is a personal mission to help prevent future mishaps.

    1. Reasoning

i. By 2009 they hope to have accomplished a 60 mile dive. Eventually, their ultimate goal in a drop from 150 miles, literally turning the diver into a human meteor. They hope this could function as the most extreme sport in history or as a more practical use for astronauts to return to Earth when re-entry goes wrong.

  1. The highest skydive to date was set in August 1960 by a U.S. Air Force captain named Joseph Kittenger you jumped from 102, 800ft from a balloon. The suit Tomlinson and Clark need to build for their dive contains a lot of the same equipment as Kittenger’s suit.
    1. The actual engineering of the suit will be done by Tomas Sviteck, a NASA consultant. He will be assisted by Bill Stone, noted aquatic-dive and life-support specialist, who will create the internal breathing and life support aspects, and Chris Gilman, founder of a special-effects company Global Effects, who will design the pressure suit.
    2. This suit will be made from scratch, due to the extreme heat changes, pressure changes, and oxygen that must be provided to the diver, there is no other suit like it. (insert picture of suit with descriptions)
  2. For sport or safety, whatever the case may be, the dive would be the same.
    1. You more or less sit in a chair and ride a rocket up to 60 miles. After you have composed yourself you leap off and soar toward the Earth at an astounding 2,500mph. By this point your suit has heated to over +400degF. Your drogue chute deploys for stability because at these speeds you would literally rip apart. When you reach the thick lower atmosphere you feel a tough 4.4Gs as you slow to a terminal velocity of 120mph. Finally at 3,000ft you pull your chute and glide safely to Earth. This entire thrill ride would last about ten minutes.
    2. (show chart to illustrate)
  3. Conclusion.
    1. Tomlinson and Clark’s “high dive” could turn out to be the greatest sport known to man and a safe backup for astronauts’ re-entry. It’s no easy task though designing a suit that can withstand the issues that the dive would ensue. We may be using new technology to complete such a feat, but turning an idea into reality was no different ages ago. I want to leave with one quote from Leonardo da Vinci that I feel capture the way I feel about the excitement of such a project. “For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.” (Leonardo da Vinci)

Weed, Speed. (2007). Aviation and Space: High Dive. Popular Science. Retrieved September 10, 2007, from http://www.popsci.com/popsci/aviationspace/3c082d2daa463110vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd/3.html.

David, Leonard. (2001). Space Parachuting: Skydiving from the Edge. Retrieved September 10, 2007, from http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_diving_010608-1.html.

(2005). The Bends: Decompression Syndromes. Retrieved September 10, 2007, from http://www.emedicinehealth.com/decompression_syndromes_the_bends/article_em.htm.

(2007). G-force. Retrieved September 10, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-force.

Weed, Speed. (2007, July). The Future of Re-entry. Popular Science Magazine, 53-57.

(2007). Space Frontier Foundation. Retrieved September 11, 2007, from http://www.space-frontier.org/.

The Maglev Train System



Introduction:
(First slide on screen) By a show of hands, how many of you have ridden the Top-Thrill Dragster at Cedar point?... (Slide #2). It turns out that the same technology this thrill ride uses it to propel it to 120 mph in approxiately four seconds is being used for transportation in the form of train systems. (slide #3) It’s called the maglev train or magnetic levitation train. (slide #4) I’d like to tell you more about this efficient mode of transportation by explaining how this new technology works, why it’s sometimes a better alternative to flying, and what it can mean for long-distance travel in the future.

1. According to wikipedia.org, magnetic levitation transportation is defined as “a form of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles (especially trains) using electromagnetic force.”
- There are motors located beneath the track rather than part of the train.
- This cuts down on overall weight of the train.
- Huge magnets are on the track sidewalls for lateral guidance, and magnets beneath for propulsion.
- The magnets create a push pull sequence by reversing polarity.
- According to an article in the Toronto Star written by Peter Calamai, “the force of powerful magnets suspends these trains in the air above a rail, eliminating friction from moving parts.”
- Each section is activated in sequence meaning the only time the motor is on for a particular section is when the train is directly above it
-this means a severe decrease in weight and a more efficient and environmentally friendly train propulsion system.
Transition: I will now tell you a little more about it’s direct advantages over other forms of high-speed travel; the airlines in particular.

2. Maglev trains are cleaner and more time efficient for the shorter hauls.
- These engines create much less emissions than the average airliner (insert
statistic)
- In an article in Sunday Mail written by Brian Lironi, Brian says this about a proposed maglev, “The maglev carries the same number of passengers as three Glasgow to Edinburgh diesel trains but produces less than a third of the carbon dioxide emissions.”
- Nearly a direct line route to destination and no waiting for many other trains to depart at the same time.
- Weather is the number one reason for delay for the average airliner.
- The average waiting time for trains are much shorter.
- On July 27 2007, Roger Collis of The New York Times Media Group states, “What counts most with rail travel is the quality of uninterrupted time from the moment you board to the time you arrive: a train station's 10-minute average check-in time for business travelers includes going through security.
Transition: Because these trains have the capability to compete with the airlines, lets look at the future imlications to having this form of transportation available.

3. The maglev train can compete with the airlines because it travels at speeds upwards of 310 mph.
- According to Howstuffworks.com, “Developers say that maglev trains will eventually link cities that are up to 1,000 miles Apart”
- Experts believe that a maglev train will be built between Paris and Rome, and at these speeds, one could make this trip in two hours.
- On May 30 of 2007, Chinadaily.com stating said this about a maglev train line proposal between Shanhai and Hangzhou, “If it is built the line will stretch some 108 miles and will carry trains running at speeds of up to 280 mph between the two cities.”
- With routes between the most popular destination and the biggest cities, this means airlines will be in direct competition with maglev trains.
- This drives down costs of tickets and will force the airlines to be more efficient.
- Also, wait times dramatically decrease because of the high volume of people on the train relative to the average airliner.

Conclusion:
Final transition to conclusion: “In closing, you now know the basic concept of the maglev system, why this technology can be a better alternative to airliners, and what it can mean for the future of high-speed travel.”
- They work by levitating the train above the track and propelling with a push-pull magnetic technique.
- The environmental advantages are substantial and they are much quieter
- With tracks built to high-travel destinations, another level of competition will be brought on to an inefficient airliner system.
Closing statement: “So next time you decide to ride a rollercoaster 420 feet into the air, just remember that sombody else is using that same technology to go to work.”


Works Cited

“Maglev train.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 17 September 2007
18 September 2007.

“How Maglev Trains Work.” Howstuffworks.com 1 September 2007
18 September 2007. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/maglev-train1.htm>

Calamai, Peter. “Discovery Raises Hopes for Levitating Trains.” Toronto Star 31 May 2007:
A16. LexisNexis. 18 September 2007. Path: Search; “understanding maglev trains” #5.

Collis, Roger. “European high-speed trains: At times, faster than air.” The International Herald
Tribune 27 July 2007: p.20. LexisNexis. 18 September 2007. Path: Search; “average maglev ticket cost” #5.

“Debate Continues Over Proposed Maglev Train Route.” Chinadaily.com 30 May 2007.
LexisNexis. 18 September 2007. Path: Search; “understanding maglev trains” #1.

Lironi, Brian. “The Train Now Floating at Platform One Will Go From Glasgow to Edinburgh
in15 Minutes.” Sunday Mail 17 June 2007: FEATURES p. 40. LexisNexis. 18 September 2007. Path: Search; “environmentally friendly maglev” #2 of 7.

Monday, September 17, 2007

speech topic

I will be presenting a technology that will allow the automotive industry to move away from fossil fuels before they become too scarce. This new technology is a new breakthrough in the hydrogen fueling system for engines. I will be presenting this new, safer, and cheaper way of producing hydrogen, and how this will positively affect our economy and atmosphere.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Speech/Debate Competition

On Friday I was able to attend part of the speech/debate competition held at Purdue. The particular event I observed was a debate about whether the African Union or the United States should provide primary military support to resolve the situation in the Darfur region of Sudan. The teams consisted of two members each who were given topics/sides then 20 minutes to compose their argument. It was amazing to see how quickly the team members had to think and communicate on the fly. They were constantly having to compose counter arguments and needed to know a lot about the topic if they expected to defend their stances effectively. I felt that this competition gave me a good idea of what it means to speak extemporaneously. The participants were constantly adapting their presentation in order to inform and persuade the others in an effective manner. I hope to be able to 'read' the audience in a similar fashion as I prepare for and give my presentations this semester and in the future.

John Dale

Friday, September 14, 2007

SPEECHES

I enjoyed the feedback that my fellow classmates provided me with. It was a good format and provided me with a couple things that I need to work on for the next speech. It also pinpointed strengths and weaknesses within the presentation. I think the critiques are helpful within this assignment.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Quad processor outline

Introduction:
As you are all aware, today, the world revolves around computers. It’s a competitive world. People are competing against people for jobs, and the same applies for computers. Graphics, RAM, and hard drive space are some common bench marks for choosing a computer, but one of the most popular choices when making a computer selection is the processor. These days faster seems better, and more is better. It is because of this, I decided to find out if the new quad processor from Intel really is bigger and better.
To adequately understand what makes the quad processor what it is, I first need to tell you about what a processor actually does, and then tell you what separates the quad processor from other processors.

Body:
I. First, I will discuss what it is processors do.
a. The first action is Fetch.
b. The second action is Decode.
c. The third action is Execute.
d. The final action is Writeback.
Transition: Now that you are experts on the operation of processors, I will tell you about how the quad processor works differently than other processors.
II. Now, I will discuss what makes the quad processor different from other processors.
a. Intel’s description of the processor
b. There are more processors.
i. Having more processors means it can have better performance while running multiple programs.
ii. The proximity of the multiple processors makes processing faster.
c. Quad processor has twice the performance and over 3 times the performance per watt than dual core chips.
Conclusion:
And now that you have a better understanding of how a processor works, and also some of what separates the quad processor from the competition, it is my hope that you can make a more educated decision about processors.

Works Cited:
Lynch, Martin. “Intel Overshadows AMD with Quad Core Processor”. Vnunet.com. Retrieved 12 September 2007 from http://www.vnunet.com/crn/news/2198659/intel-overshadows-amd-quad-core-3467197
Multi-Core processors. Wikipedia.org. Retrieved 12 September 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quad-core
Computer Processors. Wikipedia.org. Retrieved 12 September 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_processor
Quad Processor. Intel.com Retrieved 12 September 2007 from http://www.intel.com/products/processor/core2quad/index.htm
Intel Quad core chips arriving in 2006. News.com. Retrieved 12 September 2007 from http://www.news.com/2100-1006_3-6096192.html

Holography Speech Outline

Holography Speech

Intro: Remember on movies like Star Wars, Star Trek, Back to the Future and other sci-fi futuristic movies, there exists technology for a display advanced enough to where the objects being displayed seem to jump out of the screen at you? Well that technology is known as holography, and I am going to spend some time today getting you up to speed on the history, the present state, and future of this technology.

I. The History of Holography
A. What is Holography?
1. “Holography is the science of producing holograms; it is an advanced form of photography that allows an image to be recorded in three dimensions.”
2. Invented in 1947 by Hungarian physicist Dennis Gabor, holography didn’t really take off until 1960 when the laser was invented
B. Common types of holography
1. 2D/3D (common on consumer products)
2. Concealed images (typically used on official documents to show validity)

Transition: That’s enough of the boring stuff, lets move on and talk about where holographic technology is currently.

II. Holographic displays are no longer reserved for science fiction movies and dreams.

A. Holographic video technology has come a long way in the past decade.

1. Many different avenues are being explored, each harboring their own unique advantages and disadvantages
2. The cost of the technology is also decreasing as time passes, making it easier to be developed and produced.

B. A few kinds of well-known holograph technologies

1. There is 360-degree three dimensional holographic video technology produced by a team at the University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies (show video)
i. Advantages are that it has few moving parts, and that it can display any video signal.
ii. Disadvantages are that it has a low video resolution due to the way it functions

2. IO2 technology has created a two dimensional system that projects the video into seemingly, “thin air”. (show video)
i. Advantages are that it has the capability of displaying a 360-degree image.
ii. Disadvantages are that it has lots of high speed moving parts, and is still in its infant stages.

Transition: Holographic technology has come a long way in the past 60 years, and will continue to become more common and widespread. Lets take a look at some of the possible uses.

III. There are lots of real world applications for a technology like this.

A. Hospitals
1. MRI scans could be viewed in lifesize three dimensional models, rather than on a small two dimensional computer screen.
2. Surgeries could be performed in a holographic environment, while a robot would perform the actual surgery with more precision.

B. Entertainment
1. The video game industy is obviously a big possibility for this technology, increasing the level at which the player would be immersed in the gameplay.
2. Movies and television shows being shown in holographic environment would also be a good move for the industry.
3. Holographic video solutions are becoming cheap enough that the average Joe could afford one for a couple hundred dollars

C. Training
1. Interactive holographic training could be used in training individuals for hazardous jobs, without actually putting them in harms way.
2. The military could greatly benefit from holographic training modules for training personnel on advanced equipment before put in the drivers seat.

Conclusion: Holographic video displays could change the way we interact with the digital side of the world that we live in. The future of holography is sure to be full of surprises and more challenges to be overcome. The vision that has been cast by filmmakers, however, is on the horizon, and approaching quickly.

Works Cited

1. , . Holography - Wikipedia, the free encyclope. 13 Sep. 2007. . -1 2007. .

2. , . Rendering for an Interactive 360 Degree Light Field Disp. 31 Aug. 2007. . 13 Sep. 2007. .

3. , . Heliodisplay/ Interactive Free-Space Disp. 20 Feb. 2007. IO2Technology. 13 Sep. 2007. .

4. , . INTEGRAF--Medical Applications of Hologra. .

5. , . Practical Holographic Vi. Technology Review. .

6. , . /www8.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw/cda/dept37389/files/228328..
ROI wiring

Introduction


ROI wiring is probably a new concept for everyone sitting here to day, but (attn getter) from the high tensile iron lines of the telegraph age to high voltage aluminum superconductors, our lives are wrapped up in wires. Ribbonized, Organized, Integrated wiring (ROI) is here to simplify it.

transition: Airplanes are no exception to the wiring mantra of the 21st century

Body

I. ROI and how its made vs. what its replacing.
A. Standard wiring harnesses
a. Composite of whats available and easy to use.
1. Individual sizes and gauges vary greatly
2. Substitutes may be used in and still maintain airworthiness
b. Bulky, labor intensive and hard to keep uniform (picture)
1. Certain wires/cables can not be routed together
2. Area may not allow for all cables to be safely routed
B. ROI harnesses and materials
a. ROI wires are mil spec and braided in ribbons (picture)
b. ROI incorporates advanced ideas concepts

Transition: Lets take the decision out of the mechanics hands so that all future harnesses will become easier to trouble shoot and maintain.

II. Why ROI is better
A. Characteristics
a. EEE performance and advances
1. Cross talk and interference problems
2. Uniform cross section and trouble shooting
B. Ease of use
a. Coding of the wires and pins
1. Each wire has a color, letter, and number
2. All circle connectors will be have standard input holes that will match standard ribbon layouts (picture)
b. Wired according to destination as apposed to systems
1. Airplanes are normally wired system to system, large amounts of wire wasted
2. Cross talk eliminated can save wire and time

Review: Ribbonized, Organized, Integrated wiring is a new concept here to simplify our wiring processes in airplanes.


http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0UBT/is_39_13/ai_55909847/pg_2 12 11 September 2007

I'm having serious problems with the works cited they are PDF files from a contact at Raytheon.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Important notes about today's round of speeches

Just a few notes about today's round of speeches.

1) Thanks for getting us off to a good start. We heard some good topics today.
2) Don't forget to have a clear preview statement and REVIEW statement (in the intro and conclusion)
3) Our conclusions need to be further developed not just "that's it." We need to work on memorable closings more.
4) Practice, practice practice! Try to think through your descriptions, avoid fillers such as, "stuff like that" etc.

FOR CLARIFICATION, ALL OUTLINES SHOULD BE POSTED PRIOR TO CLASS ON YOUR SPEECH DAY!
This is to ensure you have thought through your speech and you just aren't winging it.

Finally, I almost have all the webcam issues sorted out. I'm afraid I was using the wrong application with the webcam today. I have tested this prior to class! But, it was several weeks ago, and apparently there are two cam apps on my PC. The app I used today wasn't configured for audio, so I essentially have a bunch of well-dressed people going through the motions of speaking. There is also an issue with file sizes, as I had initally estimated file sizes from the mpeg video to be 75-100 MB each. Unfortunately, the app I used today made short 5 minutes speeches an entire GIGABYTE! I'm really very sorry about that you all! And it is unfortunate because I wanted you to have the ability to see your speech--but such is the "burden" of going first. The app I'm using on Friday works (I retested) has audio, records in MPEG, and keeps file sizes down to a minimum.

Because our speakers were the "initiates" I will go a little easier on them...and throw in a few extra points--especially since they won't have the priviledge of viewing their video for the redo speeches. I am going to wipe my drive now of the "bad" AVI files--as it is eating up 4GB of space that I badly need back.

Aerogel Outline

Aerogel Outline

Intro:

Attn Getter: No matter what is being created, people are always trying to make it better. Only very rarely are improvements made that are as dramatic as the advances made with Aerogel.

Quick Facts: Weight, insulation and composition of Aerogel.

Body:

1. How it is made

a. Extraction process and cooking procedure

b. Cost is $1 per cubic cm

2. NASA’s uses

a. Particle Capture

i. Stardust Spacecraft Mission

b. Insulation of space craft

i. Future insulation of space suits

ii. See also Mars Pathfinder Rover

3. Other potential uses

a. Filter water

b. Insulate clothing

i. Anne Parmenter climbs Everest with Aerogel boots

c. Armor

i. Aerogel withstands blast from 1kg of dynamite

Conclusion:

Aerogel is a truly amazing innovation that has the potential to benefit all of humanity in the very near future.

Works Cited:

“Aerogel Photos” http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/photo/aerogel.html 10 September 2007

Aspen Aerogels Inc “Pyrogel” Aspen Aerogels http://www.aerogel.com/products/pdf/Pyrogel_3350_6350_10350_DS.pdf 2007. 10 September 2007

Aspen Aerogels Inc “Spaceloft” Aspen Aerogels http://www.aerogel.com/products/pdf/Spaceloft_3251_6251_9251_DS.pdf 2007. 10 September 2007

Berkley Labs “Thermal Properties of Silica Aerogels” http://fourier.mech.virginia.edu/~microhx/thermalproperties.html 10 September 2007.

Taher, Abul “Scientists hail ‘frozen smoke’ as material that will change the world.” Times Online. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article2284349.ece 19 August 2007. 10 September 2007.

CTX Imaging by Wm Thomas

Introduction

Remember when you were a child and you fell out of the tree in your back yard and broke your arm. Then having to go to the doctor, who made you hold your arm perfectly still in a painful position why they took an x-ray? Or more recently having to wait in an airport as everyone’s bag has to be checked by security each one seemly taking more time then the previous? Now with advancements in CTX imaging its possible to take 3-D x-ray images in motion, making it possible to scan more luggage in the same amount of time or the ability to watch the internal skeletal system of a flying bird in motion.

I. How does it work:

A. It combines the detailed images of the Computed Tomography(CT) Scan with the frame rates of X-ray video.

II. CTX scanning for explosives:

A. First a high power X-Rays scans the luggage which does two things one it causes radioactive decay in some of the elements in the luggage that release photons which get detected and also looks into the luggage and finds areas of interest within the luggage.

B. Then a CT scan is done on the areas of interest to get a density figured out.

C. Finally the CTX machine puts the two things together calculates if the density of the area and the amount of photons released matches any know contraband or explosives.

III. Is it safe:

A. There are many things that would have radioactive decay that expels photons and get detected as false positives but all but a few of the elements are eliminated by other means.

IV. CTX imaging history:

A. CTX imaging first started development in 1994.

B. First device commission by the Federal Aviation Administration for use in explosives detection.

C. As time went on more and more CTX imaging machines were put in more airports, them became smaller able to mounted to a truck, and faster at scanning luggage going from roughly 300 to almost 600 bags an hour, its expanding its search to not only explosives but other contraband like drugs and weapons

Conclusion:

What does this do for us other then make our world more secure? CTX Scanning makes it possible for those that have mental illnesses that don’t allow them to control their muscles or children who are to young to understand the importance of staying still at those times to get their skeletal structure scanned with out sedatives which have possible side affects all their own. It allows researchers look at the biometrics of the moving skeleton not just of humans but of other animals as well. Also help answer questions like how flight evolved in birds. It could also be a valuable tool for orthopedic surgeons, who might use it to plan better treatments for bone-, ligament- and joint-related injuries.

Works Cited

Mika, Eric, (June 2007). A new medical-imaging system brings skeletons to life in 3-D. Popular Science. Retrieved 9/07, from

www.popsci.com/popsci/technology/3346a311ed203110vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html

The Evolution of CTX imaging. Retrieved 9/07, from www.ctximaging.com/

CTX(explosive0detection device), Wikipedia. Retrieved 9/07, from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CTX_9000_DSi

Addy, and Jesus, (June 2007). Creepy Video of Pig's Skull Eating Using CTX Imaging. Gizmodo. Retrieved 9/07, from gizmodo.com/gadgets/exclusive/creepy-video-of-pigs-skull-eating-using-ctx-imaging-271292.php

Kerry W. Habiger, Jerome R. Clifford, R. Bruce Miller, William F. McCullough, (1991). EXDEP/CTX An Explosive Dettection System for Screening Luggage With High Energy X-Rays. Retrieved 9/07, from epaper.kek.jp/p91/PDF/PAC1991_2622.PDF

Bones in Motion: Brown Scientist to Create New 3-D X-ray System. Retrieved 9/07, from www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/2006-07/06-091.html

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Utilization of Picture Boards in Hospitals Final Outline

Liz Gallinatti
COM 315 10:30am
9/13/07
Utilization of Picture Boards In Hospitals

INTRODUCTION:

Imagine that you are vacationing in a foreign country with your family. You are having a good time when all of a sudden, something goes terribly wrong and someone needs medical attention. This can be pretty scary, especially when thinking about the conditions of the hospital and how you are going to communicate your injuries to non-English speaking medical personnel.
In the United States, we are implementing picture boards. Picture boards have been implemented in more than 9 states so far.

Preview Statement: Today we will be discussing the use of picture boards, need for picture boards, and also some of the problems associated with language barriers.

VISUAL AID= POWER POINT PRESENTATION, pictures from CNN.com/health

I. Use of picture boards

A. More than nine state hospital associations now utilize large double-sided panels known as picture boards.
1. Picture boards ease the gap in communication between non-English speakers and medical personnel in hospitals.
2. The patient picks out their language and the correct (federally mandated) translator is notified and brought to aid patient in the communication process.
3. According to CNN.com, pictures are shown on the board relating to patient problems "such as pain, a burn, breathing trouble or a fall-- as well as the part of the body that is affected" (“Picture Boards Bridge Hospital Language Gaps” 2007).

B. Origin/Distribution
1. They are being administered by US Department of Health and Human Services.
2. Originated 1992 in Florida after Hurricane Andrew, popularity and need grew more after September 11, 2001 attacks.

C. Laurie E. Hansen describes picture file cards and how they are used to
“improve both academic English and conversational skills” and enables “them to communicate scientific knowledge they might have acquired in their native country” (38).

II. Relevance/Need

A. Scientific Facts/Study
1. According to CNN.com, “48 percent of hospitals encounter patients with limited English skills daily" (“Picture Boards Bridge Hospital Language Gaps” 2007).
2. Blanca Angelica Gonzalez, RN of the American Public Health Association wrote of a scientific study in which 68 people were given a survey to determine "sources of social support and barriers to healthcare in a convenience sample of community dwelling older Latinos" (2007).
a. Obstacles
1. Obstacles included cost (73.6%).
2. Transportation (51.5%) was another issue.
3. Unfamiliarity with providers (41.3%) was noted.
4. Language barriers (64.7%) were listed as second to cost.

B. Language Cards being used by Deployed Troops
1. Helpful in foreign countries to communicate
2. Size= Index Card
-Body chart to help ID bad guys
- rank insignias
-cultural references
3. According to Anne Clark of the Knight Ridder Tribune Business News the picture cards “Eliminate “cultural static” such as dialect” and are “universally understood” (2006).


III. Problems associated with language barriers

A. Partida also says that doctors are not prepared for "Rapid growth of the population with limited English proficiency (LEP)…." (566-571).

B. Also, culture is linked into the language and can cause problems.
1. There are problems associated with patient-healthcare relations.
a. English-Spanish translations have different meanings, which can be difficult for translators to relay correct meanings as well.
1. Partida also makes reference to medical misunderstandings: “For example, the newly diagnosed diabetes patient may encounter familiar words such as blood, sugar, diet, and exercise but in a context that may be unfamiliar and possibly confusing” (566-571).

Conclusion:

Today, we have discussed the uses, needs, and problems associated with picture boards being implemented in hospitals in the United States. Utilizing these boards will help to bridge the gap between patients and their healthcare professionals.

Jessica Foster of the Knight Ridder Tribune Business News concurs that:
“Communication is key in the medical field to understanding the patient’s needs and providing instruction about follow-up care” (Foster 2006).
























Works Cited:

Clark, Anne. "Cards help deployed troops bridge language gap. " Knight Ridder Tribune Business News 13 February 2006 1. ABI/INFORM Dateline. ProQuest. Purdue University Libraries, West Lafayette, IN. 12 Sept. 2007 .

Foster, Jessica (29 September). A bridge forged of words: HGTC teaches Spanish skills to foster customer interaction. Knight Ridder Tribune Business News,1. Retrieved September 13, 2007, from ABI/INFORM Dateline database. (Document ID: 1137389311).

Gonzalez, Blanca Angelica BA, RN. “Social support and barriers to healthcare among older Latinos in a rural community.” Social Support and CaregivingThe 135th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 3-7, 2007) of American Public Health Association. 7 September 2007.

Hansen, Laurie E. (2003). Science in any language. Science and Children, 41(3), 35-39. Retrieved September 13, 2007, from Education Module database. (Document ID: 440043621).

Partida, Yolanda. “Language Barriers and the Patient Encounter.” Virtual Mentor
9 (2007): 566-571. 7 September 2007.
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/print/17811.html.

“Picture Boards Bridge Hospital Language Gaps.” CNN.com/Health. 3 Sept. 2007.
7 September 2007 .

Diego's speech outline.

Informative Speech I:

In Vitro Fertilization

Introduction: Hello everyone, my name is Diego Estrada and today I will be talking about one of the most amazing biomedical technologies currently performed in the U.S.

Attention Getter: Do you think that it is legal to create humans in a laboratory?

Preview Statement: According to “The Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago”, In Vitro (IVF) involves taking eggs from the woman, fertilizing them in the laboratory with her partner's sperm and transferring the resulting embryos back to her uterus 3 to 5 days later.

Establish Significance: After trying to get pregnant for more than two years, and going through many different treatments, such as artificial insemination; this was my sister’s final attempt in order to try to get pregnant, and it worked!

Transition to Body:

There are five main steps in order for In Vitro to take place:

1. Hormonal stimulation;

2. Retrieving and storing the eggs;

3. Collecting the sperm from the donor;

4. Insemination of Eggs and Embryo Culture;

5. Transferring Embryos to the Uterus.

Body:

I. Hormonal stimulation:

According to “The Infertility Center of Saint Louis”, the patient must receive daily injections of hormones for months in order to produce more and healthier eggs.

II. Retrieving and storing the eggs:

A. According to the health system of “The University of Alabama” at Birmingham, the physician uses ultrasound images to observe the eggs while he uses a special needle to vacuum them out of the ovaries…

B. Once the eggs are taking out, the three best eggs are used for fertilization immediately, and the remaining eggs are then stored be freezing them with liquid nitrogen. The remaining eggs would be used in the event that the first round of In Vitro fertilization is not successful.

III. Collecting the sperm from the donor:

  1. According to “The Georgia Reproductive Specialists”, A semen sample will be obtained from the partner by masturbation or by testicular biopsy on the day of the egg retrieval.
  2. Then the best sperm will be selected and ready to be used in the In Vitro fertilization.
  3. Abstinence from ejaculation is recommended 2 to 5 days prior to the retrieval of the eggs for better results.

IV. Insemination of Eggs and Embryo Culture:

  1. According to “Revolution-Health”, The eggs and sperm are placed in a glass dish and incubated with careful temperature, atmospheric, and infection control for 48 to 120 hours.
  2. If everything goes well, the egg will have been fertilized by the sperm and therefore become a new Embryo!

V. Transferring Embryos to the Uterus:

  1. According to “Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority”, once the Embryo has divide into 6 to 8 cells, it would be considered to be in its optimal size and ready most likely to continue to grow and therefore it would be chosen to .
  2. The physician then uses a needle to introduce the Embryo into the woman’s uterus, resulting in a normal pregnancy.

Review Statement and Closing: If the whole In Vitro Fertilization process goes well and the Embryo manages to continue growing properly, the now pregnant woman would be able to give birth to her new baby in about eight and a half months later!



Works Cited

Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. (2007). IVF overview and general information about in vitro fertilization. Retrieved September 9, 2007 from: http://www.advancedfertility.com/ivf.htm

Health.uab.edu. (2007). In Vitro Fertilization. Retrieved September 11, 2007 from: http://www.health.uab.edu/13758/

Human Fertilization & Embryology Authority. (2007, August 8). IVF Treatment Lifecycle. Retrieved September 10, 2007 from: http://www.hfea.gov.uk/en/1038.html

IVF.com. (2005). Overview for IVF Patients. Retrieved September 6, 2007 from: http://www.ivf.com/overview.html

Revolution Health. (2007). In Vitro Fertilization for Infertility. Retrieved September 9, 2007 from: http://www.revolutionhealth.com/conditions/reproductive-health/infertility/art/in-vitro?msc=S29962

Silber, J. (2007). IVF In Vitro Fertilization. Retrieved September 09, 2007 from: http://www.infertile.com/treatmnt/treats/ivf.htm