The Measure Activity on One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is a tool on the XO, the $200 computer now in production, that allows kids to indulge in “learning by doing”.

It provides an interface for the kids to connect with the physical world and an opportunity to view and understand through a visual and statistical representation of the physical phenomena.

Using the Measure Activity on the XO, one can:

  1. Connect sensors (light, heat, magnetic field etc) and view their signal. Thus it is possible to view and study physical phenomena
  2. Input voltages and signals into the XO laptop and use it as an oscilloscope and
  3. Log data at a specified interval and store and retrieve waveforms

The complete index to this wiki article on the OLPC is:
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Home Energy Performance with the EnergySmart Home Scale
Illustration of the EnergySmart Home Scale

US DOE — The E-Scale is an easy-to-understand metric that helps home buyers and home owners evaluate how many “miles per gallon” their homes get - helping them to make smart energy decisions when purchasing or updating a home. It is designed to provide clear, objective answers to basic questions:

* How much energy does this home consume?
* How does it compare to a code home?
* How close is it to the “ultimate” - a net zero energy home?

The E-Scale is placed by participating builders on the power panels of homes that meet the Builders Challenge goal of a 70 or better on the E-Scale, showing energy performance achieved for each individual home or model. Participating builders and partner organizations may also:

* Co-brand the E-Scale label with their logos and program or product names
* Augment the rating with estimates of annual energy dollar savings - which can help homebuyers get better mortgage terms
* Include estimates of carbon dioxide reductions associated with the energy savings.

The E-Scale is based on the well-established Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index, developed by RESNET, the Residential Energy Services Network.

For more information on the technical rating system behind the E-Scale, visit the Residential Energy Services Network.



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Bio Engineering/ME C117: Structural Aspects of Biomaterials - Professor Lisa Pruitt, University of California at Berkeley.

This is an 82 minute overview of the entire course that spans 25 video segments on YouTube. If you wish to view the entire set of courses or download them, go to the YouTube site to obtain them.

This course provides an overview of medical devices, FDA regulatory issues, biocompatibility and sterilization technology. It examines biomechanical properties: isotropy/anisotropy, stiffness, bending stresses, contact stresses, multiaxial loading, plasticity, fatigue, fracture, wear, corrosion, design issues.

Also covered: Orthopedics, Dental, Cardiovascular, and Soft Tissue Reconstruction

There are more videos from UC Berkeley on YouTube, in fact they have their own section both on YouTube and Google Video as part of the unique arrangements that Google and the University have made.

The University of California at Berkeley is one of the pioneers in distribution of educational materials over the Web in the forms of both videos and podcasts. The latter are listed on and freely downloaded from Apple’s iTunes website.

Although primarily intended for students to review or supplement actual classroom experience, they are open to the public for enrichment and learning.



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m11.jpg
We just learned about this great web site,Universe Scale done by Nikon from a visit to The Smug Baldy Speaks (Thanks, Smuggie)

It uses excellent, advanced graphics to explain about distance and size is a very unique way.

SI units are used and illustrated in this presentation that can become almost hypnotic, if you focus on the calming sound track too much.

A great way to get to understand and remember the various terms used in measurement of length.

TEMPERATURES.COM, INC. publishes information about measurement devices and measurement on its websites. The sites have articles, directories and news to foster competent measurements & analysis in industry & science. Sites are free. Submissions by visitors are encouraged and reviewed. Sites as of August 2007 are: lehos tecHeadlines, measureNEWS, About Temperature Sensors, TempSensor Directories, TempSensorNEWS, Measurement Databases, (MeasurementBlog.com)MeasurementMedia.com and MeasurementDevices.com



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Dynamic MSA in maintaining measurement system integrityMeasurement System Analysis (MSA) as a dynamic, rather than static, beastie is discussed in a new online article entitled:Dynamic Analysis Offers a Better MSA Management Alternative on Semiconductor International, A Reed publication, by author Phillip H. Williams from Freescale Semiconductor.

Among its answers to the question: “How often must we repeat our measurement system analysis?”, is Dynamic MSA and, “..the key to performing a dynamic MSA is to have SPC properly implemented for the subject measurement system. In practice, this should be done regardless of MSA intent — to guarantee the stability of the measurement system.”

We think it is well worth a read.

Enjoy!

TEMPERATURES.COM, INC. publishes information about measurement devices and measurement on its websites. The sites have articles, directories and news to foster competent measurements & analysis in industry & science. Sites are free. Submissions by visitors are encouraged and reviewed. Sites as of August 2007 are: lehos tecHeadlines, measureNEWS, About Temperature Sensors, TempSensor Directories, TempSensorNEWS, Measurement Databases, (MeasurementBlog.com)MeasurementMedia.com and MeasurementDevices.com



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Reference: Best Practices from The Snell Group, January 31, 2008“Remember, it is important for thermographers to take an annual vision exam. At a minimum it should include a Jaeger Eye Test, to see if you can read small print, as well as a color-blind test such as the widely accepted Ishihara Color Deficiency.

“If you are a male, especially, you may have some type of color deficiency. Having a color vision deficiency does not mean you must give up thermography.

“What it does is help you better understand what color palette to use and where you need to be careful when interpreting color thermograms.”



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Gainesville FL, USA — Analytical Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Principles is a transparent reality simulation of analytical Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). This simulation does not directly address MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging).

The simulation illustrates the concepts of spin vector, precession, shielding and chemical shift (the shift in resonant frequency due to nearby electrons). This simulation was implemented for an online forensic science course offered by the University of Florida. (Requires require the Macromedia Shockwave Plugin. It can be downloaded here.)

Reference: Lizdas D, Tebbett I, Lampotang S, (2005): Simulation of Analytical Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Principles. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from University of Florida (UF) Department of Anesthesiology Virtual Anesthesia Machine Web site: vam.anest.ufl.edu/forensic/nmr.html

This is but one simulation that is part of the “Simulation Portfolio” created on the UF Department of Anesthesiology Virtual Anesthesia Machine Web site.

There are 14 Free, Public Simulations including this one and others like: Virtual Fabius GS - A VAM-like Simulation of the Drager Fabius GS Anesthesia Workstation, One-Compartment Hydraulic Analog (Deterministic), Altitude Oxygen Calculator and Collision with Variable Velocities and Coefficient of Restitution of Two Particles (For Physics Students).



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