The War That Never Ends(Veterans)

The War that Never Ends- Soldiers suffering with Post Traumatic stress disorder The impact of deployment and especially war-zone experiences on the well-being of military personnel and veterans continues to receive growing attention. The military operation in Iraq and Afghanistan continues to raise important questions about the effect of the experience on the mental health of members of the military services who have been deployed there (Hoge et al. ,2004). Combat exposure has been linked to an array of negative health consequences, most notably posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).According to the DSM-IV-TR, PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can develop in a person after a traumatic experience in which â€Å"the person [has] experienced, witnessed, or [been] confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of [one]self or others. According to the Surgeon General, of those individuals experiencing ext reme traumatic events, nine percent develop PTSD. Approximately 50% of those cases will return to a normal mental health state in less than a year.After one year, women were twice as likely to continue with symptoms of traumatic stress. Sometimes dubbed emotional mental health disorders such as acute stress, depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common by products of military combat (Soldiers’ Mental Health, 2007). During the current U. S. -led war on terrorism a campaign initiated following Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against U. S. – tens of thousands of soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq have been diagnosed with such conditions (Soldiers’ Mental Health, 2007). While some military veterans seek medical treatment after they return to the U.S. , many do not, beginning what often becomes a life long battle with mental illness (Soldiers’ Mental Health, 2007). Furthermore, the individual's â€Å"response involved intense fear, h elplessness, or horror. † The individual must also experience at least one symptom of intensive recollections, at least three symptoms of avoidance/numbing, and at least two symptoms of hyper arousal. Symptoms of hyper-arousal include sleep problems, irritability, concentration problems, hyper-vigilance, and exaggerated startle response. All symptoms must be present for one month or longer.In order for PTSD to be diagnosed as a disorder, â€Å"clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of fractioning† must be present. PTSD received official recognition and a separate diagnostic heading with the DSM-III publication in 1980. However, the symptoms of PTSD have been recognized for centuries. During the Civil War, generals noted that the troops were suffering from â€Å"irritable heart† or â€Å"effort syndrome,† in World War I the diagnosis was â€Å"shell shock,† and in World War II it was called â⠂¬Å"battle fatigue† or â€Å"combat exhaustion.In modem engagements such as Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), symptoms of PTSD are denoted â€Å"acute stress,† perhaps in an effort to reduce stigma among deployed troops. Whatever its appellation, it is deemed a â€Å"signature wound† of the Iraq and Afghanistan engagement veterans. Therefore, military personnel are among the most at-risk populations for exposure to traumatic events and the development of PTSD. Ethnic minority Veterans may be more likely to disclose problems or engage in treatment when paired with a clinician of the same race (Loo, 2007).Despite study differences, the trend suggests that being an ethnic minority may cause one to be more â€Å"at risk† for PTSD (Loo, 2007). The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study found differences among Hispanic, African American, and White Vietnam theater Veterans in terms of readjustment after military service (L oo, 2007). Both Hispanic and African American male Vietnam theater Veterans had higher rates of PTSD than Whites (Loo, 2007). Rates of current PTSD in the 1990 study were 28% among Hispanics, 21% among African Americans, and 14% among Whites (Loo, 2007).African Americans had greater exposure to war stresses and had more predisposing factors than Whites, which appeared to account for their higher rate of PTSD (Loo, 2007). The difference in rates of PTSD between Hispanics and Whites remained even after controlling for the fact that Hispanics had greater exposure to war stresses (Loo, 2007). Rates of PTSD among American Indian Vietnam Veterans ranged from 22% to 25% (depending on the tribe) (Loo, 2007). American Indians were exposed to greater war zone stresses (e. g. atrocities, violence, and combat) than Whites, including psychological conflict resulting from identification with the enemy (Loo, 2007). Differences in PTSD rates between American Indians and Whites disappeared after con trolling for the greater war zone stresses experienced by American Indians (Loo, 2007). Unfortunately, there continues to be an ongoing supply of combat- traumatized soldiers to study. As noted by Coleman (2006), war is a disease that kills and maims, not just by tearing apart soldiers’ bodies, but also by ravaging their minds.As the United States continues a military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is also coming to grips with one of the products of war at home: a new generation of troubled veterans. Hoge, Auchterlonie, and Milliken (2006) emphasize that research with active duty personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan suggests that this new generation of veterans has high levels of PTSD and related mental health symptoms. Studies are demonstrating that troops who serve in current conflicts are experiencing PTSD and other mental health problems on a scale not seen since the war in Vietnam (Robinson, 2004).PTSD prevalence is widely disputed in medical literature, particularly its predominance among military personnel. However, â€Å"approximately 8% of the [general] population meets criteria for PTSD during their lifetime. PTSD Stressors in the general public are often the result of a traumatic event (violent crime, accident, etc. ). With regard to military personnel, the range of estimates is wide—†PTSD is the most prevalent mental health disorder among deployed service members, and affects roughly 5 to 15% of service members, depending on who is assessed and when they are assessed. From October 2001 to April 2008, approximately 1. 4 million U. S. troops had been deployed in OEF/OIF engagements. As of October 2009, more than 2 million men and women had shouldered the deployments, with 793,000 of them deploying more than once. Nearly 40% of OEF/OIF veterans had multiple deployments, and multiple â€Å"combat† exposures. Even at the low end, a 5% incidence of PTSD among deployed veterans would equal 100,000 OEF/OIF veterans with PTSD. However, this 5% is questionable on broader assessment, and most likely an underestimate. Using Veterans Affairs (VA) data, 23% of OEF/OIF veterans seen at the VA received a preliminary diagnosis of possible PTSD.Further analysis of the same data shows that only half of these PTSD patients had approved PTSD claims. Therefore, about 50% of OEF/OIF veteran patients receiving treatment for PTSD from the VA were not receiving compensation, and hence are likely undercounted as victims of PTSD. In addition, since approximately 40% of service members are still active on active duty, considering active duty military PTSD cases is also instinctive. Surveys of deployed Army soldiers and Marines show between 14% and 17% met screening criteria for PTSD while they were deployed between 2003 and 2006.This data lends additional support to the proposition that the estimate of 5% prevalence of PTSD is empirically low. The United States has incurred massive human and financial expenditures through i ts involvement in Iraq. It is estimated that total spending on the Iraq war will cost the United States up to $3 trillion to fund current military operations along with the expenses of paying the long-term disability costs of injured military personnel, death benefits sent to the families of those killed in Iraq, and interest fees paid by the United States Treasury to borrow money to fund current expenditures (Bilmes ; Stiglitz, 2008).The National Center for PTSD embraces the customary treatment strategy for PTSD as being symptom logically based. As such, individuals diagnosed with depression and anxiety receives pharmacologic treatment, in addition to the use of cognitive behavior therapy to help individuals with cognitive deficits (Summerall, 2008). Cognitive behavior therapy usually includes education regarding the stress response and relaxation techniques in efforts to enable the individual to exercise control over the extreme physical reaction to PTSD triggers and engage comple tely in therapy, overcoming avoidance symptoms.Case management, psychosocial rehabilitation, pharmacotherapy, and psychotherapy are all viable components and options regarding treatment and care provision for individuals who have incurred PTSD (Kennedy et al. , 2007). When it comes to medication management, special attention should be paid to possible drug interactions in individuals diagnosed with PTSD. These individuals may be taking medications for various symptoms such as pain, insomnia, and dizziness, in addition to surgery-associated anesthesia and antibiotics.Fluid changes resulting from procedural treatment of burns, amputations, wounds or internal organ injuries can dramatically affect the action and interaction of drugs. Moreover, individuals with PTSD may be hypersensitive to medicinal effects and corresponding side effect. Medications have proved helpful to treat depression, seizures, and agitation among persons with PTSD (Perna, Rouselle, ; Brennan, 2003).However, antip sychotic medications should be used with caution given their potential to increase negative neurobehavioral symptoms (Rosenthal ; Ricker, 2000). Impaired recall and attentiveness resulting from PTSD can also complicate medication management, as an individual may have difficulty accurately following dosage recommendations (Kennedy et al. , 2007). Furthermore, New Treatment Modalities recognize the need to meet the unique needs of military personnel with PTSD, the United States Government is exploring a variety of new treatment models.For example, the Office of Naval Research funded a $4 million project in 2005 to study the efficacy of virtual reality treatments for PTSD, which is being tested in universities and military installations across the United States (Bergfeld, 2006). This treatment involves the person experiencing virtual reality situations (i. e. , guiding them through a military compound in Fallujah or going on patrol through homes of Iraq citizens). The therapist monitor s the veteran’s responses (e. g. , breathing, sweating) and then teaches the veteran how to remain calm and composed through the use of meditation.The hope is that that the client can generalize this skill to prospective high stress situations in the real world (Bergfeld), ultimately leading to a reduction in the occurrence of PTSD symptoms. PTSD can make somebody hard to be with; living with someone who is easily startled, has nightmares, and often avoids social situations can take a toll on the most caring family (U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2010). Family member may feel hurt, alienate, or discouraged because your loved one has not been able to overcome the effects of the trauma (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2010). Social support is extremely important for preventing and helping with PTSD, it is important for family members to take care of themselves both for their own good and t help the person dealing with PTSD (U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2010). Veterans with PTSD and their families can access several other resources associated with rehabilitative assistance. Active duty service members and their families are eligible to utilize health care services through Tricare, or Triwest depending on geographic region.Services are available on base from military providers, as well as through private care providers who require a co-payment. Also available to active duty members is Military OneSource, which provides a maximum of six free counseling sessions for service members and their families. Military OneSource has licensed counselors available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and also serves as informational resources, addressing topics such as relocation and finances (Fairweather ; Garcia, 2007). Veterans with PTSD often have other types of problems (U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2010).They might have other stress, medical or mental health problems. Sometimes PTSD is overlooked when other problems seem very pressing (U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2010). In Addition, a number of community organizations have been established to assist veterans and their families with adjustments to daily living brought about by combat incurred injuries such as PTSD. Swords to Plowshares, Veterans for America, and Veterans and Families exemplify groups that offer a wide range of information, resources and services (Fairweather ; Garcia, 2007).The Marine Corps Community Services, The Coming Home Project, Operation First Response are some of the Internet-based health, family, employment and education, and benefit, advocacy, and general resources to meet the needs of veterans with PTSD and their families compiled from research (Fairweather and Garcia (2007, Yeoman, 2008). According to the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the VA provides nearly 200 specialized PTSD treatment programs referral is usually needed (U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2010).Each PTSD program offers education, evaluation, and treatment, some of the program services include: One to one mental assessment and testing, medicines, one to one psychotherapy and also family therapy, and group therapy which covers topics such as anger and stress, combat support, partners or groups for Veterans of special conflicts (U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs, 2010). The VA also offers specialized outpatient PTSD programs (SOPPs) and specialized intensive PTSD programs (SIPPs).Congress has in fact passed some notable legislation aimed directly at improving mental health care and quality of life for combat veterans (Wilcox-Fogel, 2012). The  Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010  provides financial support for family members of injured veterans who are now responsible for caring for their loved ones who have returned with lifelong disabilities (Wilcox-Fogel, 2012). The VOW to Hire Heroes Act  provides tax credits for businesses hiring veterans and is an important step in working to lower the al armingly high veteran’s unemployment rate (Wilcox-Fogel, 2012).The  COMBAT PTSD Act  has died in two previous sessions of Congress and remains in committee in the current legislative session (Wilcox-Fogel, 2012). As it stands today, a veteran must be deemed to have had â€Å"combat with the enemy† to be entitled to compensation for mental health conditions (Wilcox-Fogel, 2012). What constitutes â€Å"combat with the enemy† is extremely vague, making it difficult for some veterans suffering from PTSD to have their injury recognized by the VA (Wilcox-Fogel, 2012).The COMBAT PTSD Act would broaden the definition to include all veterans who served in a theater of combat operation during a time of war (Wilcox-Fogel, 2012). Civilian clinics and their physicians, who are responsible for treating combat stress-related injuries for the  millions of veterans  who receive care outside of the VA system, would benefit greatly from additional training (Wilcox-Fogel, 2 012). The inclusion of cognitive behavioral therapy in treatments covered by TRICARE for veterans diagnosed with TBI would improve the affordability of crucial rehabilitative care for thousands of veterans (Wilcox-Fogel, 2012).Reference Page Loo, C. (2007) PTSD Among Ethnic Minority Veterans retrieved from www. ptds. va. gov â€Å"Soldiers' Mental Health. †Ã‚  Issues ; Controversies On File:  n. pag. Issues ; Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 11 May 2007. Web. 6 Nov. 2012. http://www. 2facts. com/article/i1200260 U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs (2010) PTSD Programs in the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs. U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs Retrieved from www. ptsd. va. gov Wilcox-Fogel, N. (2012) Despite combat PTSD Act, congress is falling short in providing for veterans with PTSD retrieved from www. policymic. com

How Far Would You Agree That ”Animal Farm” Is, As Orwell Himself Described It, A ‘Fairy Story.’

Five down. A word that is used in dermatology. 6 letters. That's a tough one†¦what's dermatology? Itches†¦that doesn't fit. Scratch†¦I don't know. I was pondering whether I should go over to that old man who was leaning against the fence. He had been there, in the same position, smiling and nodding at me for the last half an hour. Perhaps I should tell him to get a life? I sighed; I was so bored. Perhaps this is what waiting does to you? Why was I doing this stupid crossword? I should be on the train now, on my way back to Cardiff; there I would be getting drunk out of my mind. What was I going to say to Rob? â€Å"Sorry mate, couldn't come to your stag do, the train came late?† What a lame excuse. When would that stupid train come? The guard over there was looking happy, probably because he was enjoying watching all us commuters suffer. Perhaps I should show him what it's like, missing out on pints of free beer, strippers AND my best mate's stag do. Paranoia had set upon me. I had already started to think everyone was out to get me, and perhaps I was right? No, I hastily corrected myself, they don't even know me. Why on earth was I paranoid? I mean, I used to take this journey everyday when I was a kid†¦but things change. I was far more aware of everything now. At my feet, lay my briefcase; normally my portfolio would lie there, with all its sketches depicting life. For a brief second, I wished I could go back in time, and no longer feel the intensity of adulthood: having to work to survive, owning a house etc. I closed my eyes wearily. The train still hadn't come. Frustrated, my instincts told me to just wait, but, ignoring them, I marched over to the guard, and demanded to know when the train would arrive. He gave no verbal answer, and simply gestured at the electronic board above his head. He then walked off, presumably to help some old dear carry her luggage. Not. The notice board told me that my train would be delayed indefinitely. Estimated time of arrival was at least 4 hours away, if not more. I slumped back down onto the red plastic, cheap station seating, and resigned myself to a long wait. I got out my mobile, and began to text Rob, apologising for not being there. My text contained many words of crude language. As I began to text, I stopped. I remembered that I was at a station; where better to observe human life? Here, I could capture normal life, without having to draw forced behaviour. I looked across the crowded arcade. Businessmen, old people, women with severe hair-dos, punks, anarchists, goths, Asians, Africans†¦ no one out of the ordinary. I didn't know quite what I was looking for, but I knew they would stand out. Just as I looked past the Sainsbury's outlet, a woman burst in through the door from the high street, almost colliding with the ‘Welcome to Paddington' sign. She was drenched to the bone, although I didn't know how; it wasn't even raining. She had a peculiar look on her face, one of worry and exhaustion, yet somehow triumphant. She ran towards the platform, skidding several times, and ran straight to the guard. I could see her lips moving, but all I could hear was the crackly interference on the intercom. The guard walked off while she was still talking, and she was left standing there, alone. I had never seen such a unique woman in my life. She had auburn hair, naturally highlighted in streaks with a dull ginger colour, bright green eyes almost like a cat, which were opened wide as if she was annoyed†¦ Her eyebrows lowered as I saw her eyes scan across the timetable. What train was she waiting for? I told myself I wouldn't get involved. She was beautiful, but I already had a girlfriend: a kind generous one at that. No, I didn't love this woman, but was just enthralled by her. As she sat down, drips of water ran off her hair onto her top. She sat herself down on the adjacent bench to mine, and reached for her handbag. Her hand delved deep inside, and things went flying everywhere. Tissues scattered themselves all over her skirt, leaving bits of white fluff, which contrasted horribly with her blue and burgundy-striped skirt. A lipstick gracefully went sailing out of the bag, flew through the air, until it landed back on the platform. It then slid itself underneath the barrier, on the very edge of the platform. The woman flung more things out of the bag; the Vaseline came out, the lid fell off, and the contains went everywhere; a purse hit an old woman sitting near her who then started mumbling; photos of children and other people; tickets for buses and trains; receipts for petrol, shopping and clothes; a calculator fell out and made a crack sound; a film, mint wrappers, pens†¦anything you can name was in there. Unfortunately, still more things came out. A mirror went flying through the air, straight towards an old man. He looked up just before it struck him, and caught it. I presume he then made a comment about 9 years bad luck as he handed it back, though I couldn't hear him, as the intercom was going on about cheap luggage cases at G&R Cases. Finally, she pulled out, with relish a mobile phone and a hairbrush. She began to brush her hair vigorously using the mirror. She placed it back in, then looked around in horror, at the scene of destruction that she had created. Annoyed (it seemed), she went around this part of the station, picking everything back up. I wanted to help, but I dared not; something was rooting me to the ground. Fear. The woman finally replaced the lipstick back in her handbag, and looked around. Seeing the shops, she walked off towards them. I followed. As I walked towards the commercial side of the station, I made up a cover story. If she noticed I was following and asked me, I would say either a) I thought you were someone else, or b) I need to get some apples†¦wait, but why would I need to go to all the same shops as her? I decided I would only use option a) if asked. She walked into Boots, and I followed. Why was I following her? I had no idea, but this woman interested me. Under the pretence of looking for a toothbrush, I watched her buy some Nurofen, shaving cream, Lynx deodorant, and a razor. Why did she need that? It was ‘guy' stuff. Finally, she meandered over to the cosmetics area, where she dithered over buying a plum-coloured shade of finger paint stuff. What was it called again? Oh yeah, nail varnish. After about 45 minutes in there, she paid up using her card, and left. ***** During the next 11/2 hours, she went to the luggage shop, Woolworths where she purchased a large bag of pick ‘n' mix, Sainsbury's to buy some pasta, and a florist. After coming out of the last shop with a bouquet of irises, she went back to the red plastic bench, and sat down. I waited for a while, and then followed suit. On my way back to the bench, I looked up at the notice board. Two hours before the train arrived. The woman seemed to be getting nervous. She was straightening her skirt, getting rid of every little crease or dent. She sat there, looking agitated for a while. She sneezed suddenly, and looked around, cringing apologetically. Then a train pulled up into the station. This was the 19:56 train pulling in, and she stood up, and ran towards the barrier. People filed out, and the noise level in my head slowly grew, but I could not make sense of it. All I could hear was endless jumble; babbling, talking, but one conversation indistinguishable from another. I could hear this in the background, but in the foreground there was silence, spare her breathing. A friendly old lady was trying to question me, but I could neither see nor hear her clearly. I was looking at her, but yet not seeing her. It was the same with the rest of the passengers: they had no features in my head. All I could see were faces, with one face standing out: the woman's. Her face had features: exquisite ones, which appeared perfect to me. Everyone else was the same, blank, just going. Her face told a story, one that I was trying to learn. I had become very overwhelmed by this woman. I watched her stand by the rail, lean over, clasping her hands with the rail between them. She stood on the lowest bar, held the bar with both hands and swung. She then leaned completely over the bar, got off it, and just held it with one hand. As the stragglers among the passengers filed out, the train emptied, and her face began to express anguish. As the doors on the one side closed, and the boarding passengers got on, she looked distraught. She ran from one direction to another, trying to find a way to get to the other side of the bar, trying to find a guard. But there was no one to help her. As the train departed, confusion came upon her face. She then slowly sat back down on her seat, and, with a look of determination, looked like no one could make her move. The train left, and the station became emptier. Most people had got on the last train, which had left for Greenwich. My train, however, was still conspicuous by its absence. I should now be at the club with Rob and the rest of his mates, getting more and more drunk by the moment. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the woman getting out her mobile. It was quite an old model for a person her age: I thought she would have a 3310 at least, since she looked about 23. But no, she had a Sony, with a pullout aerial and tiny screen. She was hitting the keys at a moderate speed, obviously texting. I could just about make out the words ‘Where are you' from where I was sitting. Then she hit one button hard, and sat back. I heard a faint beep; obviously the message had been sent. The time kept ticking away on the big blue electric clock. The second hand seemed to almost be slowing down, though I doubted that. The timetable kept saying that my train would arrive in one minute less time than last minute, until it said my train would arrive in 45 minutes. However, by that pint, I dared not raise my hopes, as it had said that so many times before I no longer believed it. Time seemed to almost be coming to a standstill, when I heard a sharp horn go, and another train slowly came round the corner into the main station. The woman ran towards the bar again, a fresh look of happiness on her face, but in the corner lay a hint of dread? I wasn't sure. Her irises in her hand, she stood on the rail, leaning over. Her free hand had nothing to do: it darted from the rail to her pocket to her skirt, and then it held the irises, then back to the bar. The passengers again stopped leaving, and the train was once again emptied. Through the windows a few silhouettes remained, so she looked like she still had a bit of hope. The final three passengers came out, and she fled from the bar, flinging down the irises onto the floor. From my seat, I could see her head held between her hands, and her chest was heaving gently: was she sobbing? She rummaged in her bag for a tissue, and, after wiping her tears away, gently picked up the irises from the ground, and held them in her arms. An old woman, who had seen the plight of the woman and her irises both of which had begun to wilt forlornly, walked over to her, started talking to her about the plight of the rails nowadays (I was now within earshot) and gave her a vase of water for the irises. As she left, the woman began to smile again, seeing the flowers perk up. After two more trains had come and gone, the woman's spirits had fallen almost irretrievably low and various texts, I saw her call someone, possibly the person who she was waiting for. She was muttering ‘Pick up, damn you, pick up', and when the answer phone came on, she almost burst into tears. She left a heartrending message, and I saw her visbly choke back tears a few times. Then she hung up, and waited. The woman's skirt was now crumpled, her top tearstained, the flowers dying, but hope of the person arriving kept a brave smile on her face. However, the smile was not for me, actually, it seemed almost everyone but. She didn't seem to even notice I existed. Then I heard a message on the intercom: ‘We are very sorry for any delays, but the 19:56 train and the 17:56 trains have been combined. They will shortly be arriving. We are sorry for any inconvenience. Please forward any complaints to the Railtrack Office in Cornwall. Thank you for your patience.' Finally! My train was actually going to arrive! What's more, in only a few minutes! But one thing almost scared me: it had combined with the woman's train. Was it coincidence? Or sheer chance†¦ However, I had no chance to ponder this question as the train pulled in at that moment. The woman ran over to the rail, as I queued to get aboard. From my place in the queue, I was at a good vantage point to see whom the woman was going to reunite with, and the happy event itself. A man got off the train, and the woman was waving at him madly. However, he looked around hurriedly, didn't appear to see her, and beckoned another woman off the train. At that point, my woman started to look confused, as if feeling why hadn't he seen her? She was almost at the point of climbing over the rail. The man who had got off the train, and woman with him grabbed each other, and kissed passionately. My woman looked aghast, shocked, and distraught all at once. She then took a sharp intake of breath. The man looked round and saw my woman looking distraught. The woman looked around, and caught my glance. For an instantaneous second we understood each other, then it stopped. I heard him trying to explain, but it was all for nothing. As I boarded the train, I saw the irises hit him in the face, the shopping hit the other woman, and my woman walked off into the darkness, in the direction of the oncoming trains. However, I had no time to find out what happened next, and the train slowly began to accelerate away. I realised that I had been staring at her unashamedly for the last 4 hours, and I felt I knew her; but all she knew of me was a second. The last thing I heard before the sound of the train blocked out everything else was a screech: was it a scream, or simply the doors closing? I realised I would never know, and concentrated on looking forward to the journey: who knows what might happen?

Assessment Of For And As Learning Essay Example for Free

Assessment Of For And As Learning Essay Assessment of learning refers to strategies designed to confirm what students know, demonstrate whether or not they have met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized programs, or to certify proficiency and make decisions about students’ future programs or placements. It is designed to provide evidence of achievement to parents, other educators, the students themselves, and sometimes to outside groups (e. g. , employers, other educational institutions). Assessment of learning is the assessment that becomes public and results in statements or symbols about how well students are learning. It often contributes to pivotal decisions that will affect students’ futures. It is important, then, that the underlying logic and measurement of assessment of learning be credible and defensible. Teachers’ Roles in Assessment of Learning Because the consequences of assessment of learning are often far-reaching and affect students seriously, teachers have the responsibility of reporting student learning accurately and fairly, based on evidence obtained from a variety of contexts and applications. Effective assessment of learning requires that teachers provide  ?a rationale for undertaking a particular assessment of learning at a particular point in time ?clear descriptions of the intended learning ?processes that make it possible for students to demonstrate their competence and skill ?a range of alternative mechanisms for assessing the same outcomes ?public and defensible reference points for making judgments ? Transparent approaches to interpretation ?descriptions of the assessment process ?strategies for recourse in the event of disagreement about the decisions With the help of their teachers, students can look forward to assessment of learning tasks as  occasions to show their competence, as well as the depth and breadth of their learning. ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING Assessment for learning focuses on engaging students in classroom assessment in support of their own learning and informing teachers about what to do next to help students to progress. Assessment for learning is assessment for improvement not assessment for accountability as can be the case with summative assessments (Stiggins, 2002). The keys to Assessment for Learning (AFL) is to use a variety of assessment tools and methods in order to provide ongoing evidence to students, teachers and parents that demonstrates how  well each student is mastering the identified outcomes. This evidence is used to provide descriptive feedback to the students and to enable the teacher to differentiate the instruction to meet the needs of individual students or groups. ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING VS. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Gregory, Cameron, and Davies (1997) outline some distinct differences between Assessment for Learning and Assessment of Learning. Educators are using these terms to help distinguish between the teacher’s role as a learning coach versus the teacher’s role of judging the extent of a student’s achievement in relation to an established standard. This assessment is considered summative and is done at the end. 1. Assessment for learning is the big deal, while assessment of learning is the done deal. 2. Assessment for learning is formative, while assessment of learning is summative. 3. Assessment for learning is supportive, while assessment of learning measures. 4. Assessment for learning uses descriptions, while assessment of learning uses scores. 5. Assessment for learning happens day by day, moment by moment, while assessment of learning happens at the end. The assertion is that neither one is better than the other, but both need to be used within a  students learning so that the student is able to understand not only the work that is being asked of them, but also how their own learning occurs. Assessment for learning is intended to be both diagnostic and formative to help students improve their learning. Four critical questions that the teacher must ask when planning for assessment for learning: WHY AM I ASSESSING? If the intent of assessment is to enhance student learning teachers use assessment for learning to uncover what students believe to be true and to learn more about the connections students are making, their prior knowledge, preconceptions, gaps, and learning styles. This information is used to inform and differntiate instruction to build on what students already know and to challenge students when their are problems inhibiting progression to the next stages of learning. Teachers use this information to provide their students with descriptive feedback that will further their learning and not as a sumamtive assessment or to report a grade. WHAT AM I ASSESSING? Assessment for learning requires ongoing assessment of the outcomes that comprise the intended learning. In most cases these are the curriculum outcomes. Teachers create assessments that will  expose students’ thinking and skills in relation to the intended learning, and the common preconceptions. WHAT ASSESSMENT METHOD SHOULD I USE? When planning assessment for learning, the teacher must think about what assessment is designed to expose, and must decide which assessment approaches are most likely to give detailed information about what each student is thinking and learning. The methods need to incorporate a variety of ways for students to demonstrate their learning. For example, having students complete tasks orally or through visual representation allow those who are struggling  with reading or writing to demonstrate their learning. HOW CAN I USE THE INFORMA%ON? The information collected in assessment for learning is used to report to the student and by offering descriptive, on time feedback and to provide the teacher with information to allow for changes in instruction for individual students or groups of students. ASSESSMENT AS LEARNING Assessment as learning occurs when students are their own assessors. Students monitor their own learning, ask questions and use a range of strategies to decide what they know and can do, and  how to use assessment for new learning. Assessment as learning: ?encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning ?requires students to ask questions about their learning ?involves teachers and students creating learning goals to encourage growth and development ?provides ways for students to use formal and informal feedback and self-assessment to help them understand the next steps in learning ?encourages peer assessment, self-assessment and reflection. ROLES This assessment model supports the view of today’s learners as actively involved in the learning process. Students are educated on the purpose of assignments and the outcomes they are trying to achieve. Hence the teacher and the student both have critical roles in understanding learning outcomes and modifying learning in Assessment as Learning. Teacher Ensuring assessment methods are appropriate and the purpose is clear to students ensures quality and fair assessment practices as per the Principles for Fair Student Assessment in Canada (1993). Beyond choosing the learning outcomes to be covered, the activities to follow and the assessment methods, in Assessment as Learning, the teacher engages the students in this process. In Assessment as Learning, the teacher is a guide, â€Å"Giving them [students] the tools to undertake their own learning wisely and well. † (WNCP, p. 42) Students learn to monitor their own learning and make adaptations as required. In addition to monitoring learning and guiding instruction through assessment for learning, the teacher is assessing the students’ ability to assess themselves as they learn how to assess their own learning. Teachers can follow the following model in order to practice Assessment as Learning in their classroom: (adapted from WNCP, p. 42-43) 1. Discuss the learning outcomes with the students. 2. Create criteria with the students for the various tasks that need to be completed and/or skills that need to be learned or mastered 3. Provide feedback to students as they learn and ask them guiding questions to help them monitor their own learning 4. Help them set goals to extend or support their learning as needed in order to meet or fully meet the expectations 5. Provide reference points and examples for the learning outcomes Teachers are also responsible for ensuring that students have a learning environment in which they feel comfortable and safe to learn as well as have ample time to practise what is being  taught. Student Beyond completing the tasks assigned to them by their teacher, students move from the passive learner to an active owner of their own learning. Initially, with teacher guidance and tools, students learn to monitor if they have understood the learning outcome being explored and the metacognitive process. Once the metacognitive skills have been acquired, students can independently adjust their learning accordingly and demonstrate the â€Å"self-reflection, self- monitoring and self-adjustment. † (WNCP, 2006, p. 85) Extensive and relevant modeling in the questions below can help students reach this point: 1. What is the purpose of learning these concepts and skills? 2. What do I know about this topic? 3. What strategies do I know that will help me learn this? 4. Am I understanding these concepts? 5. What are the criteria for improving my work? 6. Have I accomplished the goals I set for myself? What is self-assessment? According to Boud (1995), all assessment including self-assessment comprises two main elements: making decisions about the standards of performance expected and then making judgments about the quality of the performance in relation to these standards. When self-assessment is introduced, it should ideally involve students in both of these aspects. Andrade and Du (2007) provide a helpful definition of self-assessment that focuses on the formative learning that it can promote: Self-assessment is a process of formative assessment during which students reflect on and evaluate the quality of their work and their learning, judge the degree to which they reflect explicitly stated goals or criteria, identify strengths and weaknesses in their work, and revise accordingly (2007, p. 160). EXAMPLES OF SELF-ASSESSMENT Self-assessment can take many forms, including: ?writing conferences ?discussion (whole-class or small-group) ?reflection logs ?weekly self-evaluations ?self-assessment checklists and inventories ?teacher-student interviews These types of self-assessment share a common theme: they ask students to review their work to determine what they have learned and what areas of confusion still exist. Although each method differs slightly, all should include enough time for students to consider thoughtfully and evaluate their progress. When students understand the criteria for good work before they begin a literacy activity, they are more likely to meet those criteria. The key to this understanding is to make the criteria clear. As students evaluate their work, you may want them to set up their own criteria for good work. Help them with the clarity of their criteria as they assess their own work. Students’ observations and reflections can also provide valuable feedback for refining your instructional plan. As your students answer questions about their learning and the strategies they use, think about their responses to find out what they are really learning and to see if they are learning what you are teaching them. K-W-L (KNOW, WANT TO KNOW, LEARNED) CHART. K-W-L (Ogle, 1986) is an instructional reading strategy that is used to guide students through a text. Students begin by brainstorming everything they Know about a topic. This information is recorded in the K column of a K-W-L chart. Students then generate a list of questions about what they Want to Know about the topic. These questions are listed in the W column of the chart. During or after reading, students answer the questions that are in the W column. This new information that they have Learned is recorded in the L column of the K-W-L chart. Purpose The K-W-L strategy serves several purposes: Elicits students’ prior knowledge of the topic of the text. ?Sets a purpose for reading. ?Helps students to monitor their comprehension. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Donna Ogle asserts that KWL helps students become better readers of expository text and helps teachers to be more interactive in their teaching (Ogle, 1987). KWL charts help students to be active thinkers while they read (Carr & Ogle, 1987), giving them specific things to look for and having them reflect on what they learned when they are finished reading. In learning, metacognition involves the active monitoring and conscious control and regulation  of cognitive processes. It involves thinking about thinking, self-awareness, and self-regulation (Flavell, 1979). The metacognitive strategy of self-questioning is used to ensure that students comprehend the text. When students set their own purposes for reading, they are more motivated and active as readers. Each student has a schema, or a framework for how they view the world. Accessing a student’s prior knowledge is the first step in integrating new concepts into their existing schema. KWL charts help activate background knowledge and provide an opportunity for students to set their own learning objectives. Assessment Of For And As Learning. (2016, Sep 26).

Queen Elizabeth I Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Queen Elizabeth I - Research Paper Example But not many people really know that much about her, regardless of how recognizable she might be. However, Queen Elizabeth I was much more than a just a leader and inspiration, as well as, patron of the fine arts. She was, also, in many ways, a woman well ahead of her time. She defied, both, the expectations of her â€Å"weaker† genders’ ability to lead and the societal and biological conventions expected of her gender. History King Henry VIII is remembered as the British King who grew quite round and had a rather large number of wives; several of whom he had executed. Henry’s first wife, a devout Catholic, gave him his eldest child, Mary. He had this marriage annulled, which ended, both, his married relationship but, also, the relationship of England with the Catholic Church. His second marriage, to Anne Boleyn, produced his second daughter, Elizabeth, born on September 7, 1533. Anne Boleyn, sadly, was beheaded on her husband’s order for the crime of adul tery, when Elizabeth was only two years old. In a solely political move, Henry had both of his daughters legally eliminated from consideration as his heirs; he did this, most likely, to make room for a male heir. It was Henry’s wife, Jane Seymour, who finally produced him his only male heir, Edward, in 1537. Edward would take the throne with his father’s death in 1547, however, he ruled for only 6 years before his own young life ended in 1553. Edward had named, his cousin, Lady Jane Grey, to be his heir. Mary, whose legitimacy to take the throne had been reinstated, disagreed with her half brother’s choice. She, ultimately, took the throne, from Lady Jane Gray, within nine days of her taking power. Mary became Queen; her primary agenda became to stamp out the Protestantism, which her father had promoted during his reign, and reinstate Catholicism as the national religion of England. (Wilde) Until this point, Elizabeth’s life was rather typical of any Prot estant child of English nobility. She received a good education; she excelled in the areas of music and languages. When Mary took the throne, Elizabeth has supported her half-sister’s decision. However, Protestant plots against Mary, encouraging the placement of Elizabeth on the throne, resulted in Elizabeth being, technically, arrested. She was released quickly, having had no involvement in any such plots. However, It has been thought that Mary remained suspicious of Elizabeth until her death in 1558.(Wilde) Elizabeth’s life changed rapidly as she became Queen Elizabeth I, sovereign of England and Ireland; the beginning of what would be a, nearly, 45 year rule.(Prichard 618) Discussion Thrust into the crown, Elizabeth immediately inherited all of Mary’s problems as she took the throne. The two most paramount concerns were the religious division of England and the current war with France. In one of her first actions as Queen was to put an end to the religious tu rmoil; during her time as Queen, Mary, had burned Protestant churches and executed 300 Protestants as heretics. Elizabeth quickly passed the â€Å"Act of Supremacy,† which reestablished the Church of England and the â€Å"Act of Uniformity,† which established the formatting of a universal prayer book.(Wilde) She ended the war with France and imprisoned, her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, for conspiracy against her and attempts upon her life. Mary, Queen of Scotland, also, had a blood connection to the throne and supporters that

Philosophy Historiography Marquis De Sade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philosophy Historiography Marquis De Sade - Essay Example Again, their necessity is being suggested and needed for a person to form a true sense of self and separation from others. In the example of Vlad Dracula, the terrible vampire who used to suck the blood of its victims at night, all three notions of power, pleasure and violence are combined. Dracula is devoid of sympathy, love, caring feelings, but is filled with a strict sense of self. He embodies egoism and selfishness, clearly separating himself from his victims in his being superior to them. Another example in this subject is that of the witch hunts. A few centuries ago, people started fearing people (especially women) who tended to exhibit unusual features, abilities or powers. They could be healers, women who know a rare profession or one that impressed or baffled others. Whatever the case was, these women were denounced as others, witches, evil women that desire to cause harm and evil deeds to others. Everyone who did not fit the normal standards was at risk to be deemed as such, and at a certain time, things got incredibly out of control, as hundreds and thousands of people were cast off and killed due to their different "self", for their being "other", as the community defined it. These and other crazes in the 16th and 17th centuries (but also in other centuries) illustrate that there was a fear of others, of strangers, of people with capabilities that exceed the norm. In other words, a collective sense of self for the community was defined, and anyone who did not live up to those standards and protocols faced a terrible punishment, which was usually death. Here we see the use of violence and power the majority has over the minority, the individuals. We can see that religion has had its part in these matters. First, religion often deals with the issues of power, violence and pleasure. Generally, Christianity (as

Louis Vuitton Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Louis Vuitton - Assignment Example 1). This love is not about to die anytime soon, as the corporation is still making sales and profits in the region. Louis Vuitton’s success in the Japanese market In the world, Japan is considered as being the most concentrated source of revenue, especially when it comes to luxury goods. In some cases, it has been mentioned as the market paradise for luxury brands. In Japan, the success of Louis Vuitton became possible as a result of the region’s consumer behaviour. As a result of the group-oriented culture, countless Japanese folks feel the need to possess luxury brands. This can be considered as a way for them to make a fashion statement (Feroul & Paul 2010, p. 6). Fashion consciousness among people in the region, especially women, seemed like a way of social expression that could not be matched by any city that was considered developed, for example; New York or Paris. The social and cultural consistency in Japan assisted the multinational corporation to explain the a ttachment people in Japan have to luxury brands. In Japan, looks are highly important especially among the middle class, which means that most of the people involved in the purchase of products always go for quality and sophistication (Feroul & Paul 2010, p. 8). ... Opportunities and challenges faced in Japan There are opportunities that arise with the market in Japan. One of the most crucial opportunities would be the mergers of different corporations/brands/people that are already well-known in different regions in Japan (Feroul & Paul 2010, p. 11). In doing so, the corporation may likely venture into different territory in terms of products, which enable it to make more money. One of the major challenges that the multinational corporation faces is its overdependence of the Japanese market. Relying too much on the Japanese market makes the corporation forget about other markets that are already familiar with their products, for example; America, and emerging markets such as India. Also, counterfeiting is a challenge for almost every luxury brand present in the world. For Louis Vuitton, the fashion label was synonymous with status. This means that only a few people get to be part of the luxury experience. Counterfeiting makes this impossible fo r the corporation (Feroul & Paul 2010, p. 12). Specifics of the Japanese fashion luxury market Japan represents the largest and most sought after market for luxury brands. Louis Vuitton, a brand synonymous with style and a lavish repertoire, claims to have its biggest share in the region as compared to any other region. The affordability of most of the brands is a factor in the Japanese market that plays a tremendous role in its growth. It is imperative that quality be one of the main concepts behind these brands, because consumers want something they can feel close to, and at the same time, feel like they are equal to some of the famous people they admire (Feroul & Paul 2010, p. 8). Luxury brand consumption in Japan seems like a compulsory action among most individuals. The jewellery and

MKTG 4050- The Marketing of Osteoporosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MKTG 4050- The Marketing of Osteoporosis - Essay Example asers) that there is efficacy in taking these products as shown from the improved health condition that alleviates pain and suffering from osteoporosis. From the point of view of manufacturers, for instance, the critical positioning or selection process to be decided on would include price of the product, efficacy, propensities for side-effects (safety), and availability (or ease of access) and the overall satisfaction to be derived from the drug. If one were to manufacture the most effective drug for osteoporosis, given the product feature characteristics and the value positioning noted above, the most important value that one would focus on is efficacy, or the ability of the drug to provide the desired effect (as promised) at the most immediate time frame, with the least side-effects. Focusing on this product feature would ensure that the customers would be satisfied with the drug, and would essentially purchase it despite applying premium strategies in price or place, as needed. Meaning, even if one would position the brand to be a little higher priced and to be offered in locations that are far or limited, customers would still seek to purchase this product due to the effectiveness of alleviating pain and improving the health condition of patients with osteoporosis, when compared to other drugs. Lessons to Learn From Traditional B2B Marketing." 11 January 2010. Slide Share, Inc. 9 October 2012

Discussion based on Abhijit Banejee and Esther Duflo's readings Assignment

Discussion based on Abhijit Banejee and Esther Duflo's readings - Assignment Example Living under such harsh conditions make it difficult to have access to the basis necessities of live, which puts a question mark on their ability to survive. The available evidence on this is not complete in many ways. However, some new researches have recently added a sufficient amount data on this huge part of the global population, which provide enough information to form an understanding on how the poor people live their lives. The assigned report details of a survey that was conducted in 13 different countries (Banerjee and Duflo). In addition, they have added two surveys, which were conducted in India (Udaipur District), which is one of the poorest districts of India. It is understood that there is a strong association between poverty and malnutrition. The poor has few real choices to make. Their earning is barely enough to fulfill their basic needs and therefore, they are majorly underfed and weak. The authors also highlight that one of the major reasons for the poor to spend the lowest on their food is that they often give more importance to other obligations or activities rather than for acquiring food. The study by authors indicates that the poor spend a lot on alcohol and tobacco in different countries such as Papua, New Guinea, and India. According to the survey, Udaipur tops the list of being on the poorest districts of India, which spends highest on festivals. People feel an obligation to spend a large amount of their budget on occasions like weddings, funerals, and other religious festivals. They choose to spend more on non-food items and festivals than on food. Moreover, the extremely poor rarely spend on entertainment. Another interest ing finding from the study reflects that these people do not seem to be as hungry as one may expect. It is a common understanding that the poor will always search for ways to fulfill their food needs in the least expensive way.

How Facebook Changed the World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

How Facebook Changed the World - Essay Example This enabled a serious information flow to the population and creating awareness on their social human rights due to the economic crisis (Smyth 67). The world was changed because of this propagation and political leadership removed them from their positions. In analysis of the documentary, young people facilitated the unfolding events in the Arab spring through the social media. Young people had a notion that the old political rulers had failed in their responsibility and through their failure, poor economic state of their respective countries was experienced. Lack of employment for the young adults was a major impetus for change that gave their momentum for the social movement (Scott 23). Dictatorship and violation of human rights was among their concern, which also included corrupt leadership. The extreme poverty and educated youth with no jobs were dissatisfied in the Arab countries. This caused major information flow through the modern information technology. Facebook was effectively used in championing young people’s rights and urging the whole population to come out and demonstrate against poor leadership so that the political leaders could resign from their positions. The youth and the general population were not able to tolerate further deteriorating economy, caused by poor leadership. They had the need to champion the citizens to restore democracy and good leadership with no corruption to help in stimulating the economy. The social media through facebook was the main instigator, which was used as a tool in this Arab spring. The role of social media is demonstrated in the whole world on how effective it is because it has its own unique power. People are able to connect to one another and share their concerns, thus more mobilization takes place in the process. The information through social media also enabled the world to get updated on the events as they unfolded. The world was able to understand the concern of the Arab population

Role of stake holders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Role of stake holders - Essay Example The first stage was introduced by the philanthropy, then social activism that focused on the protection of the environment. Then again, enactments with respect to the rights of consumers were created that resultantly compelled the change of the corporate practices and humored them to engage in conducts that would make them more agreeable in social, legal and client fulfillment setups(Williams, Siegel and Wright, 2006). The phase that followed in the development of CSR, in the corporate world, rested with the retention of social role which was to be aligned with the profit-taking practices of organizations’ owners. It is important to note that over the years organizational stakeholders, both internal and external, have played a critical role when it comes to the development as well as implementation of CSR. Stakeholders may have a negative or positive influence in CSR. Therefore, in order to understand the role of stakeholders within CSR this paper will look at the influence that both secondary and primary stakeholders of Barclays’ Bank in the U.K have in relation to the bank’s CSR approach. As a way of undertaking stakeholder role, the paper will look at the stakeholder’s theory of CSR with an aim of understanding the role that stakeholders are supposed to play in the bank’s CSR strategy development and implementation. Finally, the paper will look at the role that different stakeholders of the bank play in its CSR. Barclay is a multinational bank that is British-owned. It provides financial and banking services to its clients. The organization’s headquarter is in London. It is an all-inclusive bank with operations in retail, investment and wholesale banking. The bank is also involved in wealth administration, home loan provision and offers Master card services. It has operations in excess of 50 nations and regions and has customers approximated at about 48 million customers.

Swot Analysis for Pizza Connection Essay Example for Free

Swot Analysis for Pizza Connection Essay Pizza Connection demonstrates numerous strengths within the organization when meeting with the owner, Dave Collier. Mr. Collier explained to our firm that they have been successful and at the same time benefiting from the rise in popularity of pizza that swept across the country during the past few years. He also stated that, with this rise in popularity of pizza, his company took advantage of the trend and created the franchisers home office to coordinate national and regional marketing which also included advertising support. In addition, Mr. Collier knows the market well and is willing to do whatever it takes to take advantage of the opportunity that may lay outside the company. Moreover, Dave Collier also explained to our firm that, because of the coordinated national and regional marketing strategy, it will also give a boost with the internal process within the organization. Mr. Collier also provided a strong product development support. With this strong product development support, there will be a new line of specialty pizzas that will expand Pizza Connections market appeal. This is a very strong aspect to our firm because it shows that Pizza Connection is willing and ready to make the best changes for the company. Weakness When there is strength, there is also weakness. During our meeting with Mr. Collier, he told us that he noticed a decline in sales. Over the past few months, the number of customers has declined steadily. He further explained to us that he believes that customer demands have changed. To be more in-depth, he believes that providing high-quality pizza at a reasonable price was no longer enough. Instead, providing speed, convenience, and alternative dining options is the key. Our firm then realized that these were some of the areas that they lack in: 1. ) Dine-in customers; Pizza Connections were not providing dine-in patrons with fast enjoyable food. Customers now want to get-in, be seated, provide with fast high quality service, and get out quickly. 2. ) Phone-in customers; Pizza Connections lacks in making sure that customer food is ready to be picked up. 3. ) Carry-out customer; lack of providing speed and convenience to customer when ordering and receiving there food. Another weakness that came to light in our meeting with Mr. Collier was that there was a lack of space in the restaurant to do parties. Parties are a growing trend with little league baseball teams, youth soccer teams, and birthdays all have been part of this growing demand for party space in restaurants. Our firm has to find a solution for this because this is a community involvement problem. If the community starts to complain, then slowly but surely Pizza Connections will be out of business for good. Our firm wants to make sure that our clients in the surrounding community are pleased with the organization and the services they provide. Opportunities After carefully analyzing Pizza Connection weaknesses, we have sought out some opportunities that they can take advantage of as of right now. Some of the opportunities that our firm believes can bring in more profit for the company are to address the Dine-in, carry-out, and phone-in situation, and make it better. These are the essential internal opportunities that they can take advantage of immediately. Mirror off your competitors strategies like Pizza Hut or Unos. Also, another opportunity that can pursue that a lot of other company havent yet, is used the World Wide Web (WWW). With that, Customers can place order online instead of using the phone and give exact time when they are going to pick up there merchandise. This becomes more convenient for your customers and the business as a whole. Some other opportunities that our firm noticed which Pizza Connection can do is to start delivering and creating more specials for the products they sell. Most pizza venues deliver to the customer which makes it more convenient for the consumers. Pizza Connection has to expand the operation now to be considered a threat in the market. Also, Pizza Connection can recognize most of the little league team that come in to the restaurant on a regular basis and sponsor them. This will give the teams who are recognized a sense of local celebrity status and more publicity that we believe will be beneficial to Pizza Connections success in the long run. Threats Finally, Mr. Collier explained to us the threats that they are dealing with at the current time. Besides the changing of the market demands, competition for the consumers dining dollar increased significantly in the geographic area where Mr. Colliers restaurant served. The number of dining establishments in the area has more than tripled during the last two years. Numerous of Dine-in, and Drive in, has given Mr. Collier a strong threat which make him and our firm wonder if things can get back to normal. Pizza Connection has many threats to deal with but our firm will come up with a solution to solve these problems.

The mysterious goings on surrounding Dr Jekyll and the evil Mr Hyde Essay Example for Free

The mysterious goings on surrounding Dr Jekyll and the evil Mr Hyde Essay Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is set in Victorian times, where the well-respected lawyer Utterson investigates the mysterious goings on surrounding his good friend Dr Jekyll and the evil Mr Hyde. The book was written in 1886 and therefore contains many theories around in Victorian times such as physiognomy. This is when people believed physical appearance could define a criminal type character. This is evident throughout the book due to the description of Hyde and also of more civilised characters. The idea of original sin is perhaps watered down in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by introducing the idea of drugs to bring out evil characteristics in one person. The setting of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is set in Victorian London. Stevenson uses clear descriptions of misty nights and a night under the face of the fogged city moon, which give an impression of evil and mystery to the story long before it has truly begun. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is at one point mentioned as very cool and a little damp, and full of premature twilight. This is a first hand example of the split personality coming through, the darkness showing through too early, damp, a total opposite to the respectable setting of Victorian London. Many people in Victorian times believed in the theory of physiognomy, however, Golding also makes some symbolic use of appearances. In Lord of the Flies Jack and Ralph first met when the conch is blown. Jack leading the choir is described as tall, thin and bony: his hair was red His face was crumpled and freckled, and ugly without silliness this gives the idea that Jack looks evil. His red hair and black overalls can be associated with the colour of the devil and the colour of death / destructions. The use of physiognomy in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is very obvious, especially in the descriptions of Hyde. Many different characters give across description of Hyde as a little man who was stumping along and to further demonstrate Hyde as an evil character, he is often described using reference to animals, as in the line Hyde shrank back with a hissing intake of breath. Although often Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde seems to be a light-hearted tale of mystery and intrigue, Stevenson takes great pains to show that the evil Mr. Hyde is very deadly. There is certainly nothing comical about the trampling of the little girl on the street corner. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde does not use much biblical reference, although very much like Adam Eve who ate the forbidden fruit to gain knowledge, Lanyons desire for knowledge used his hardship resulting in his death, that I must die and yet I shall die incredulous. Stevenson also did not introduce much allegory although the themes portrayed in the novel can be related to modern times. The obvious parallel to issues nowadays is the use of drugs. Stevenson uses the drugs to all Dr Jekyll to change into Mr Hyde, and his dependency on Hyde may be compared to a drug addiction. The line I could stop whenever I want is used in Jekylls defence but in reality (like many addicts) they are not in control. The elements of symbolism in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde also seem to be much smaller than in Lord of the Flies. The home and laboratory of Dr Jekyll are on opposite sides of the spectrum. His home is seen as respectable and upright. This is shown in the lines the hall, when they entered it, was brightly lighted up; the fire was built high. His laboratory in comparison is described to be rundown and filthy. Both Dr Jekylls home and laboratory are joined together, but look like very separate buildings. This represents the characters of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, who stemmed from the same person but have completely different appearances. The windows to Dr Jekylls laboratory are enclosed with iron bars. These bars mean Jekyll is literally and symbolically imprisoned. The iron bars literally enclose the windows and the Victorian community confine Dr Jekyll to only revealing his respectable side. Yet Stevensons story doesnt have a happy ending. Jekyll is able to admit that after a few months of experimenting with Hyde, eventually the little mans demands became increasingly extreme, seeking more and more power. Soon Jekyll has no control over Hyde, who appears by himself whenever Jekyll dozes off to sleep. He admits, I was slowly losing hold of my original and better self, and becoming slowly incorporated with my second and worse. Finally Hyde causes Jekyll to commit the ultimate act of self-destruction: suicide. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde contains both the 1st and 3rd person, which gives both an overview of events and more in-depth personal thoughts into the main story. The two types are narration are shown in the overall narration of the story which is in 3rd person, and in Lanyon and Jekylls letters, where the type of narration turns to 1st person, I saw what I saw, I heard what I heard. The use of two types of narration could be related to their being two characters who were at one time connected (Jekyll and Hyde). Both books have major relevance in contemporary times, and can be linked to recent events. Similar to Lord of the Flies and the actions of the boys, in the news lately stories have been published about young boys brutally murdering others. A prime example is the Jamie Bulgar case where two young boys murdered a two year old. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, can be related to scientific attempts, such as cloning and genetic engineering, as they have yet unknown consequences, just as Dr Jekyll did not understand how the drugs he took would affect him. Also hypocrisy is a part of contemporary life. Many people behave in one way in public but another elsewhere. This is also brought out in the novel as Dr Jekyll was forced by civilisation to act differently in public and this caused him to experiment with drugs, (therefore separating his two sides making it easy to act respectively at all times. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Lord of the flies have similar themes although written in two largely different times. They also relate closely to current themes suggesting that some ideas are consistent over time. The themes of good and evil and the relation to original sin are demonstrated within both novels suggesting that each individual has the opportunity to be both good and evil. This is best in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde as the same person splits his personalities, which allows it to be both good and fully evil at different times. In Lord of the Flies this is shown in a different way, by using children as the main characters. In this way, it uses the readers preconception that children are innocent and are not born evil, but can become so.

Mobile Robotic Arm Motivation Computer Science Essay

Mobile Robotic Arm Motivation Computer Science Essay Robotics is technology that deals with the design, construction and operation of  robots  that are used in numerous applications is called robotics. It has become an unstoppable force in the development of modern machinery as they make life easier. It is an interesting topic to dwell in as it is the future of mankind. Although we know them as recent inventions, the idea of automated or controlled machines has fascinated humans. With this fascination it motivated me to work on this project, building and programming a mobile robotic arm. It is my hunger to learn and attain knowledge that drives me towards this field of study for my project. C:UsersDanDesktopImages21042010(002).jpg Figure 1.1.1 : Mobile Robotic Arm 1.2 Introduction to Robotics Robotics is an interesting topic of research. Basically it is an engineering field that is concerned with research and creation of robots for various applications. Robots are machines that consist of electronic and mechanical parts such as gears and cogs put together for performing tasks in place of humans. They can be programmed to perform a whole range of tasks with ease. They are most desired for certain functions because they never tire, they can endure harsh physical conditions that is possibly life threatening and they never get bored or distracted from repetitious work. The number of robots has begun to increase in numbers everywhere as they make human labour almost non-existent with their efficiency and throughput. They can work with the simplest of materials to the most dangerous such as radioactive materials. They can be found more commonly in industrial use from production lines of factories to harvesting of fruits in orchards. In domestic use, from vacuum cleaning to lawn mowing where these domestic tasks have become boring for a human to undertake and would rather leave it to robots. In the more modern military use, robots play an important role to reduce human casualties from dangerous jobs such as bomb defusal and not forgetting space exploration where it might not be possible for humans to explore and for collecting terrain sample from foreign planets. For exploring enemy territories unmanned aerial vehicles are used from which these pilotless drones can search terrains for hostiles and fire on targets. Robots are meant to complete tasks that it is programmed to do. Programs can always be altered to suit the task at hand. As robots become more advanced they gain more features such as sensors and artificial intelligence as they become more human like. Examples of sensors include motion sensors, temperature sensors, light and many more various types. For example, in pathfinder robots we usually find a motion sensor which aids a robot in avoiding obstacles. In other applications for example in a water tank when the water has reached a certain level the sensor enables the robot to stop the flow of water. It can be used in industrial applications such as gripping objects from conveyor belts or it can be used in a more advanced role such as bomb defusal, where it would be dangerous for a human to interact. With camera attachments, humans can control these machines from a safe distance while completing the task at hand in a safe and efficient manner. In the medical field where a more delicate touch is required, a robotic arm can perform tiny incisions for a less invasive method. With a robotic arm jobs can be done with ease and efficiency and thus eliminate human errors and the costs that come with those errors. http://www.engr.colostate.edu/~dga/mech324/handouts/linkage_stuff/Mars_rover.png Figure 1.2.1 : Mars Rover 1.3 Objectives The aim of this project is to build a robotic arm for the purpose of lifting and moving small objects. It is just like a human arm with joints to facilitate movement. The end attachment features a gripper which is able to grab and hold objects and also a probe light in order to work in low light scenarios. The arm is controlled via wired remote. It is rested on a mobile base which is fitted with 2 rear wheels and 2 robot castors at the front. This allows the robot to move to the desired location where the object is. The objectives of this project are: To understand and develop core knowledge in robotics. To apply the knowledge of robotics and design a prototype. To implement the designs and build an actual prototype. Figure 1.3.1 : Project Layout End Insert Instruction Codes into PIC Test Prototype Evaluate Coding in relation to hardware design Write Codes Discuss Movement Concept Propose Objectives1.4 Design Stage Figure 1.4.1 : Design Flow Chart This simple flowchart can explain the overall process involved in this project. After the objectives have been proposed the robot movement and motion concept is discussed and after that the codes are written. It is downloaded into the microcontroller for testing. If testing fails we return to the code stage and evaluate the coding. The process reaches the end after testing passes. Chapter 2: Robot Overview 2.1 Hardware Design This aim of this project is to design a mobile robotic arm. The arm part consists of two joints which enable 2 degree of movement and at the end of the top joint is a gripper which enables objects to be gripped by the attachment. The base has two wheels at the back and at the front two robot castors which has ball bearings underneath. This project involves two parts which is hardware and software. However both parts are intricately connected and it is hard to actually separate them completely. This report will focus more on the software aspect. There will be some minor hardware introduction as understanding of the hardware is required to work with the software. Here is the component list for the hardware: Component Amount Microcontroller PIC18F4520 1 Motor Driver SN754410 1 4.7k Ohm Resistor 1 1uF Capacitor 4 0.33uF Capacitor 1 0.1uF Capacitor 1 L7805 Voltage Regulator 1 20MHz Oscillator 1 9 Volt Battery 1 C40R Servo Motor 3 C55R Servo Motor 1 Servo Holder 4 Servo U Bracket 2 SPG10 Geared Motor 2 42mm Wheels 2 Robot Castors 2 Table 2.1.1 : Hardware Components To write the software one must be familiar with the hardware functionality, configuration and settings. The hardware of significant importance would be the microcontroller as the program is stored there. It sends the signal to the pins where other devices are connected. One of those devices is the servo motor. It is what controls the arm and base. Actual control of the servos is by buttons. Those buttons are connected to the microcontroller and is able to control the servo thru programming of the microcontroller. It is done by generating and manipulating PWM signals which will be discussed later. PROJECT BOARD 20.0 cm 24.0 cm 10.0 cm 25.6 cmTOP PROFILE.jpg Figure 2.1.1 : Robot Layout 2.2 Software Design After the purpose and specifications are determined it is time to plan and design the software. Most modern robots are controlled by sophisticated software. Creation and modification of the software is crucial to make machines work the way we want it to. There are many ways a machine can be programmed. The software is usually stored in the heart of the machine which is either a microprocessor or a microcontroller depending on what the machine does and how it works. That device is the brains of the robot as all the instructions are stored there. The software is the link for the user to the hardware as the program relays the instructions to the robot in machine code. The user writes the program in computer language which will then be converted into machine code by the compiler. There are many computer languages available to write programs such assembly, C, Pascal, BASIC and FORTH. For this project the microcontroller that is used is Microchips PIC18F4520. The language used to program the microcontroller is C. C is a simple and procedural language and it has influenced many later languages such Java. It is generally variable and function based. Values are stored in variables for easy access and it is structured by defining and calling functions to perform tasks. C allows precise control of the input and output. The input and output can be easily directed to the microcontroller terminals. The IDE (integrated development environment) that is used for this project is MPLAB which is a 32bit program used for the software development of this project along with the MPLAB C18 compiler add-on to allow the codes to be written in C . This is the screenshot of the development environment: C:UsersDanDesktopFYP ReportimagesUntitled.jpg Figure 2.2.1: MPLAB IDE The general idea of writing the program is to control the pins of the microcontroller. The robot arm mechanism and the base mechanism will be separated for easier explanation. The arm is made up of the 1st stage, 2nd stage, the left gripper and the right gripper. Control of the servos is by generating PWM signals which will be discussed in detail in chapter 4. By manipulation of these PWM signals we can control the servo movement to a certain angle with great precision. For the DC motors in the base, it is controlled via motor controller. By manipulating logic combinations we will be able to control the movement and direction of the base. Infinite loop to check for button press A button is pressed Necessary routine or function is called to move servo/ DC motor End Figure 2.2.2 : General Software Flowchart This is a general flowchart to represent the program flow. A while loop with an infinite condition is used to continuously check if a button has been pressed. If a button is pressed it will call the necessary function to run the specific device whether it is the servo or the DC motor. Chapter 3: Hardware Information 3.1 Microcontroller This project makes use of Microchip Technologys PIC18F4520 microcontroller. Lets discuss in detail what is a microcontroller and how it makes this project work. Notice that a microcontroller is chosen instead of a microprocessor for this project for a number of reasons. To make the choice, one must know the difference between a microcontroller and a microprocessor in terms of functionality and application. Both are typically a small computer in the form of an integrated circuit which contains things like registers, memory, I/O, interrupts and timers. They vary in terms of number of I/O, registers, clock speed and memory size. Microcontrollers are usually for cases that involve a lot of input output devices in contrast to a microprocessor which is usually used for heavy data applications. So that means microcontrollers dominate the robotics and automation industry. Lets examine closely what it looks like and the detailed features for this particular microcontroller, the PIC18F4520. Its versatility, robust nature and features contributed to the choosing of this IC. The detailed features along with its operation can be found in the datasheet for the microcontroller. C:UsersDanDesktopFYP ReportimagesPIC18F4520IP.jpg Figure 3.1.1 : PIC18F4250 Parameter Name   Value   Program Memory Type   Flash   Program Memory (KB)   32   CPU Speed (MIPS)   10   RAM Bytes   1,536   Data EEPROM (bytes)   256   Digital Communication Peripherals   1-A/E/USART, 1-MSSP(SPI/I2C)   Capture/Compare/PWM Peripherals   1 CCP, 1 ECCP   Timers   1 x 8-bit, 3 x 16-bit   ADC   13 ch, 10-bit   Comparators   2   Temperature Range (C)   -40 to 125   Operating Voltage Range (V)   2 to 5.5   Pin Count   40 Table 3.1.1 : PIC18F4250 Specifications Peripheral Highlights: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ High-current sink/source 25 mA/25 mA à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Three programmable external interrupts à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Four input change interrupts à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Up to 2 Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) modules, one with Auto-Shutdown (28-pin devices) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Enhanced Capture/Compare/PWM (ECCP) module (40/44-pin devices only): One, two or four PWM outputs Selectable polarity Programmable dead time Auto-Shutdown and Auto-Restart à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Master Synchronous Serial Port (MSSP) module supporting 3-wire SPIà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ (all 4 modes) and I2Cà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ Master and Slave Modes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Enhanced Addressable USART module: Supports RS-485, RS-232 and LIN 1.2 RS-232 operation using internal oscillator block (no external crystal required) Auto-Wake-up on Start bit Auto-Baud Detect à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 10-bit, up to 13-channel Analog-to-Digital Converter module (A/D): Auto-acquisition capability Conversion available during Sleep à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Dual analog comparators with input multiplexing) Power Managed Modes: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Run: CPU on, peripherals on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Idle: CPU off, peripherals on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sleep: CPU off, peripherals off à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Idle mode currents down to 5.8 ÃŽÂ ¼A typical à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sleep mode current down to 0.1 ÃŽÂ ¼A typical à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Timer1 Oscillator: 1.8 ÃŽÂ ¼A, 32 kHz, 2V à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Watchdog Timer: 2.1 ÃŽÂ ¼A à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Two-Speed Oscillator Start-up Flexible Oscillator Structure: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Four Crystal modes, up to 40 MHz à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 4X Phase Lock Loop (available for crystal and internal oscillators) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Two External RC modes, up to 4 MHz à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Two External Clock modes, up to 40 MHz à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Internal oscillator block: 8 user selectable frequencies, from 31 kHz to 8 MHz Provides a complete range of clock speeds from 31 kHz to 32 MHz when used with PLL User tuneable to compensate for frequency drift à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Secondary oscillator using Timer1 @ 32 kHz à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fail-Safe Clock Monitor: Allows for safe shutdown if peripheral clock stops Special Microcontroller Features: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ C compiler optimized architecture: Optional extended instruction set designed to optimize re-entrant code à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 100,000 erase/write cycle Enhanced Flash program memory typical à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 1,000,000 erase/write cycle Data EEPROM memory typical à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Flash/Data EEPROM Retention: 100 years typical à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Self-programmable under software control à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Priority levels for interrupts à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 8 x 8 Single-Cycle Hardware Multiplier à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Extended Watchdog Timer (WDT): Programmable period from 4 ms to 131s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Single-supply 5V In-Circuit Serial Programmingà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ (ICSPà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢) via two pins à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In-Circuit Debug (ICD) via two pins à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Wide operating voltage range: 2.0V to 5.5V à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Programmable 16-level High/Low-Voltage Detection (HLVD) module: Supports interrupt on High/Low-Voltage Detection à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Programmable Brown-out Reset (BOR With software enable option Here is a list of pins and how they are connected in the circuit. Pin Name Pin Number (PDIP) Functions MCLR 1 Reset RA1 3 Servo PWM Input RA2 4 Servo PWM Input RA3 5 Servo PWM Input RA4 6 Servo PWM Input VDD 11 +5V VSS 12 Grounded OSC1 13 Oscillator Crystal/External Clock Input OSC2 14 Oscillator Crystal/External Clock Input RC0 15 IN2 of Motor Driver RC1 16 IN1 of Motor Driver RC3 18 IN4 of Motor Driver RD0 19 IN3 of Motor Driver VSS 31 Grounded VDD 32 +5V RB0 33 Motor Push Button RB1 34 Motor Push Button RB2 35 Motor Push Button RB3 36 Motor Push Button RB4 37 Servo Arm Push Button RB5 38 Servo Arm Push Button RB6 39 Servo Arm Push Button RB7 40 Servo Arm Push Button Table 3.1.2 : Pin Connections C:UsersDanialDesktopFull Schem.JPG Figure 3.1.2 : Full Schematics 3.2 Motor Driver Figure 3.2.1 : SN754410 Motor Driver The SN754410NE is a quadruple half-H driver. The SN754410 can operate a pair of DC motors at the same time. It gives the robot bidirectional movements. It carries the peak output currents up to 1 ampere at a voltage range of 4.5 to 36V. The SN754410 has a minimum logic voltage of 4.5V and a maximum logic voltage of 5.5V. This driver is made to operate from a -400C to 850C. Drivers are enabled in pairs. Driver 1 and driver 2 are enabled by 1,2EN. Driver 3 and driver 4 are enabled by 3,4EN. When the input is low, the drivers are disabled and the outputs are off. If the input is high, the drivers are enabled and the outputs are on. Figure 3.2.2 : SN754410 Motor Driver Pinout Pin 1 (1,2EN) enables/ disables the motor Pin 2 (1A) is a logic pin for the motor Pin 3 (1Y) is for Motor A Pin 4, 5 are for grounding Pin 6 (2Y) is for Motor A Pin 7 (2A) connected to the motor Pin 8 (VCC2) connected to source for motor power Pin 9 (3,4EN) enables/ disables the motor Pin 10 (3A) connected to the motor Pin 11 (3Y) is for Motor B Pin 12, 13 are for grounding Pin 14 (4Y) is for Motor B Pin 15 (4A) connected to the motor INPUTS OUTPUT Y H = High Level L = Low Level X = Do Not Matter XX = OFF A EN H H H L H L X L XX Table 3.2.1 : SN754410 Function Table C:UsersDanialDesktopMotor.JPG Figure 3.2.3 : Motor Schematics 3.3 DC Motor This project will use the SPG10 Geared Motor that has 1.3 kg/cm torque. This motor is light enough to not weigh down the robot and only weighs 10 grams. It runs at 45 rpm. Figure 3.3.1 : SPG10 Motor C:UsersDanDesktopImages23042010(001).jpg Figure 3.3.2 : Motor Wheel 3.4 Servo Motor A servo is a mechanism used in robotic control systems. It is a mechanism that the user can set and forget. This is because of its ability to make corrections to return to its preset state if any changes occur. This is thanks to feedback operations. A servo is a casing that contains a DC motor, some gears with an output shaft, a variable resister that is connected to the output shaft, and a control board. The sensor mechanism allows the control circuit to monitor the current. The motor, through a series of gears, turns the output. The control circuit calculates the difference from the intended position from the current position the shaft is in. This makes the motor turn to its new position. If the control circuit senses that the position is accurate, it brings to a halt the motor. There are three connections to a servo; the power line, the ground line and finally the control signal. The servo needs to be told when to move and wont do so even if power is provided directly. The servo utilizes pulse width modulation (PWM) stream to indicate its position. Specification Servo Motor Model At 5 Volts Speed (s/60o) 0.19 Torque (Kg.cm) 6.00 Signal To Control Angle TTL PWM PWM At Min Angle (ms) 0.54 PWM At Max Angle (ms) 2.40 Operating Voltage (VDC) 4.8-6.0 Operating Frequency (Hz) 50.0 Moving Range(degree) 0-180 Wiring (Black/Brown Wire) Ground Wiring (Red Wire) 4.8-6.0 Volts Wiring (Orange/Other Wire) PWM Signal Table 3.4.1 : Servo Specifications C:UsersDanialDesktopUntitled.jpg Figure 3.4.1 : Servo Motor C:UsersDanialDesktopServo.JPG Figure 3.4.2 : Servo Schematic Chapter 4: Software Coding 4.1 PWM Generation PWM is simply the short form for pulse-width modulation. It is an efficient way to provide intermediate amounts of electrical power between fully on and fully off. This means PWM signals are digital, because at any instant given instant of time, the full DC supply is either fully on or fully off. PWM is employed in a wide variety of applications, ranging from measurement and communications to power control and conversion. Many microcontrollers include on-chip PWM controllers, like the one which is used this project, which makes this easy for controlling the servos for this project. One of the advantages of PWM is that the signal remains digital all the way from the processor to the controlled system and no digital-to-analog conversion is necessary. By keeping the signal digital, noise effects are minimized. Noise can only affect a digital signal if it is strong enough to change logic 1 to logic 0, or vice versa. PWM is the basis of controlling the servos in this project. Lets examine some basic theory. C:UsersDanDesktopFYP Reportimagespwm.gif Figure 4.1.1 : PWM Square Wave The diagram above shows a PWM signal that changes between 0 and 5 volts which is equivalent as digital logic 0 and 1. Notice that the waves are symmetrical. The uptime and downtime is 10ms when added together we get the period which is 20ms. Now that the basics are out of the way, lets look at how a normal servo signal input looks like. C:UsersDanDesktopFYP Reportimagespwm_servo.gif Figure 4.1.2 : PWM Wave Note that the servo runs at 50Hz frequency and therefore the period is 20ms. The uptime is what determines the angle of which the servo motor moves to. In simple words, we can tell the servo where to move with great precision. These are some examples for 180 ° servos. t = 0.9ms T = 20ms Angle = 0 ° t = 1.5ms T = 20ms Angle = 90 ° t = 2.1ms T = 20ms Angle = 180 ° The next step is to create these PWM signals using the PIC microcontroller. The PWMs is in this switch statement: switch(count){ //Choose which servo to modify case 1: PORTA = 0x02; // First Stage WriteTimer1( servo3 ); break; case 2: PORTA = 0x04; // Left Gripper WriteTimer1( servo1 ); break; case 3: PORTA = 0x08; //Right Gripper WriteTimer1( servo0 ); break; case 4: PORTA = 0x10; // Second Stage WriteTimer1( servo2 ); break; } Figure 4.1.3 : Switch Statement The operations for the timers are split in to 4 possible cases of how to generate PWM signal to the pins to power the servos. This is what the statement does:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  //INTERRUPT CONTROL #pragma code InterruptVectorHigh=0x08 void InterruptVectorHigh (void) { _asm  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  //assembly code starts goto InterruptHandlerHigh   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  //interrupt control _endasm  Ã‚  Ã‚  //assembly code ends } #pragma code #pragma interrupt InterruptHandlerHigh   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  //end interrupt controlCase 1 turns PortA1 On and resets the timer1.   Case 2 turns PortA1 Off, PortA2 on and resets the timer1. Case 3 turns PortA2 Off, PortA3 on and resets the timer1. Case 4 turns PortA3 Off, PortA4 on and resets the timer1. Figure 4.1.4 : Interrupt Handler The switch statement is nested in the interrupt handler function. The interrupt handler handles the timer operations. The interrupt control runs assembly code and then calls the go-to function which is InterruptHandlerHigh. The interrupt controller is set at high priority 0x08. Once the interrupt control is correctly implemented interrupts is sent to the interrupt handler where we can do whatever operation necessary depending on the type of interrupt.   4.2 Arm Control void move(int one,int two,int three,int four, int five) { if(one) servo0 = one; // Right Gripper if(two) servo1 = two; // Left Gripper if(three) servo2 = three; // Second Stage Link if(four) servo3 = four; // First Stage Link }A move function is declared to make things easier when linking with buttons. The arguments of the move function are the respective position the servo moves to when it is called upon. Figure 4.2.1 : Move Function After the move function is declared it can be called when the specific button is pressed. //Arm Control if(PORTBbits.RB7==1) move(0xF03B,0xF477,0,0,0); //GRIP! if(PORTBbits.RB6==1) move(0,0,(servo2-0x0250),(servo3+0x0100),0); //MOVE AWAY if(PORTBbits.RB5==1) move(0,0,(servo2+0x0250),(servo3-0x0100),0); //MOVE TOWARDS if(PORTBbits.RB4==1) move(0xFA77,0xEE07,0,0,0); //UNGRIP! Figure 4.2.2 : Arm Button Check There are 4 buttons that control the movement of the arm. PortB pin 0: Close the gripper PortB pin 1: Move arm away PortB pin 2: Move arm towards PortB pin 3: Open the gripper C:UsersVictorDesktopImagesClose Gripper.jpg Figure 4.2.3 : Close Gripper This picture depicts a closed gripper state that is triggered by the button. The following figure is how the robotic arm will look when it is triggered to open both grippers. C:UsersDanDesktop22042010(007).jpg Figure 4.2.3 : Open Gripper 4.3 Base Control The only thing that needs to be controlled in the base is the 2 DC geared motors. It is linked with the microcontroller through the H-bridge. The motors rotational direction is determined by a combinational logic code as seen in the data sheet of the motor driver. It is the same with the servo, when a button is pressed certain commands will be executed. //Base Control if(PORTBbits.RB3==1) { //Forward control PORTCbits.RC1=1; PORTCbits.RC0=0; PORTDbits.RD0=1; PORTCbits.RC3=0; } if(PORTBbits.RB2==1) { //Reverse control PORTCbits.RC1=0; PORTCbits.RC0=1; PORTDbits.RD0=0; PORTCbits.RC3=1; } Figure 4.3.1 : Base Button Check (Forward/Reverse) if(PORTBbits.RB1==1) { //Left control PORTCbits.RC1=0; PORTCbits.RC0=1; PORTDbits.RD0=1; PORTCbits.RC3=0; } if(PORTBbits.RB0) { //Right Control PORTCbits.RC1=1; PORTCbits.RC0=0; PORTDbits.RD0=0; PORTCbits.RC3=1; } Figure 4.3.2 : Base Button Check (Left/Right) There are 4 buttons that control the movement of the base. PortB pin 4: Forward PortB pin 5: Reverse PortB pin 6: Move right PortB pin 7: Move left 4.4 Simulation C:UsersDanDesktopUntitled.jpg Figure 4.4.1 : Watch Simulation The MPLAB software allows a minimal amount of simulation to show that the program is written correctly. Due to software limitation on the PIC18F4520 it is unable to correctly show port activities. However it does show variable activity like in the figure by using the watch feature in the MPLAB. This screenshot shows the stepping when reaching the OpenTimer1 function. A separate window opens to show the function and it will continue to step through the function until it is done. C:UsersDanDesktopUntitled1.jpg Figure 4.4.2 : Program Stepping The stepping continues while opening the necessary functions in a separate window and steps though it until it is done. It reaches the while loop and it keeps looping as it waits for a button to be pressed. Figure 4.4.3 shows the final stage of the program stepping. C:UsersDanDesktopUntitled3.jpg Figure 4.4.3 : Final Stepping Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendation 5.1 Summary This project has further expanded my interest and knowledge in the field of robotics. A project that is very hands on like this helps with the development of certain skills that would certainly help when I go on to become a professional engineer. The most important skill would be planning the stages of the project. To conclude, this project involved two phases which is the hardware design and software design. This report covered the software aspect in detail. In the early stages of this project different methods was planned for the outcome. At the start, the use of a PLC (programmable logic controller) was planned. However it proved to be infeasible in terms of cost and size. In the end it was decided that a PIC microcontroller was to be use as it is easier to implement with respect to the project and provides a great deal of functionality. The programming was made easier with the addition of the C compiler thus enabling the use of a higher level language which is C. With the use of a language of higher level it would be easier to implement features that were not possible using the PLC. 5.2 Recommendations In this project, certain improvements can be made in order to make things work more efficiently. For example, the quick movements seen in the arm is because of the incrementer seen in the codes and lack true control software. By revising the software and introducing more control oriented design it is possible to fine tune the speed. Instead of the 2 robot castors that make up the front motion it could be replaced with wheels and a servo in between them to make the movement and control similar to remote controlled cars. The wired controller could be replaced with a wireless RF controller to allow more freedom to the user. The body work could be improved by using sturdier and lightweight materials such as aluminium. Some sensors could be added to enhance the normal usage of the arm.