10 results match your criteria: "University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (UQAC)[Affiliation]"

This paper comprehensively examines three structural steel grades' microstructural features and mechanical properties, evaluating their suitability for shipbuilding applications. The steels analyzed include quench and tempered (Q and T) steel, thermomechanical controlled processed (TMCP) steel, and hot rolled (HR) steel. A microstructural characterization was performed using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD).

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In most industrialized countries, power transformers built several decades ago are approaching the end of their operational lifespan. The ongoing energy transition, focused on developing 100% renewable energy sources and accelerating global transportation electrification, further exacerbates these assets. Combined with rising electricity demand, there is an increasing risk of critical transformers' degradation acceleration.

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Power Transformers OLTC Condition Monitoring Based on Feature Extraction from Vibro-Acoustic Signals: Main Peaks and Euclidean Distance.

Sensors (Basel)

August 2023

Research Chair on the Aging of Power Network Infrastructure (ViAHT), Department of Applied Sciences (DSA), University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (UQAC), Saguenay, QC G7H 2B1, Canada.

The detection of On-Load Tap-Changer (OLTC) faults at an early stage plays a significant role in the maintenance of power transformers, which is the most strategic component of the power network substations. Among the OLTC fault detection methods, vibro-acoustic signal analysis is known as a performant approach with the ability to detect many faults of different types. Extracting the characteristic features from the measured vibro-acoustic signal envelopes is a promising approach to precisely diagnose OLTC faults.

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Immediate Effect of Lumbosacral Orthosis and Abdominal Drawing-In Maneuver on Postural Control in Adults With Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain.

J Manipulative Physiol Ther

December 2022

Department of Health Sciences, Intersectoral Center in Sustainable Health, BioNR Research Laboratory, University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (UQAC), Saguenay, Quebec, Canada; Physical Therapy Program, University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (UQAC), Saguenay, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Health and Social Services Center of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (CIUSSS SLSJ), Specialized Geriatrics Services-Bay Hospital, Saguenay, Quebec, Canada; Doctoral and Master Programs in Human Movement and Rehabilitation, Evangélica University of Goiás, Anapolis, Goiás, Brazil. Electronic address:

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the immediate effects of lumbosacral orthosis and the abdominal drawing-in maneuver on the trunk postural control of adults with chronic low back pain compared with asymptomatic controls during 1-legged and semi-tandem stances.

Methods: An experimental and comparative study (cross-sectional design) was conducted in a laboratory setting. Twenty adults with chronic low back pain and 20 asymptomatic controls randomly performed 2 postural balance tasks over a force platform, considering 3 experimental conditions: (1) natural posture (baseline-control), (2) lumbosacral orthosis, and (3) abdominal drawing-in maneuver.

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On the icephobicity of damage-tolerant superhydrophobic bulk nanocomposites.

Soft Matter

January 2022

Department of Applied Sciences, University of Québec at Chicoutimi (UQAC), 555, boul. de l'université, Chicoutimi, Québec, G7H 2B1, Canada.

To address the increase in demand for superhydrophobic and icephobic surfaces with greater mechanical robustness, we fabricated damage-tolerant, abrasion-insensitive, and icephobic superhydrophobic bulk nanocomposites using a facile, cost-effective, industrially applicable, and environmentally benign strategy. We prepared nanocomposites composed of high-temperature vulcanized silicone rubber through the highly controlled incorporation of nanosized fumed silica and microsized aluminum trihydrate particles. The produced nanocomposites did not require additional processing, such as sand abrasion or plasma treatment, to acquire their superhydrophobic properties.

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Dimensional reduction of balance parameters in risk of falling evaluation using a minimal number of force-sensitive resistors.

Int J Occup Saf Ergon

March 2022

Otis Laboratory of Automation and Robotic interaction (LAR.i), Department of Applied Sciences, University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (UQAC), Chicoutimi, Qc., Canada.

As the instrumented insole is available for a wide commercial range in the retail trade, this study aims to reduce its overall cost using fewer sensors by carrying out an effective risk of falling evaluation. We compared the effect of reducing balance parameters using four and three force-sensing resistors (FSRs) of an instrumented insole. Data were previously collected among elderly participants during a Timed Up and Go (TUG) test.

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Introduction: Several researchers have demonstrated the positive benefits of auditory and visual cueing in the gait improvements among individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, few studies have evaluated the role of vibrotactile cueing when compared to auditory and visual cueing. This paper compares how these stimuli affect the risk of falling while walking on six types of soil (concrete, sand, parquet, broken stone, two types of carpet).

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Wearable Devices for Classification of Inadequate Posture at Work Using Neural Networks.

Sensors (Basel)

September 2017

Department of Software and IT Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS), 1100 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada.

Inadequate postures adopted by an operator at work are among the most important risk factors in Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs). Although several studies have focused on inadequate posture, there is limited information on its identification in a work context. The aim of this study is to automatically differentiate between adequate and inadequate postures using two wearable devices (helmet and instrumented insole) with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and force sensors.

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Background: Our daily activities imply displacements on various types of soil. For persons with gait disorder or losing functional autonomy, walking on some types of soil could be challenging because of the risk of falling it represents.

Methods: In this paper, we present, in a first part, the use of an enactive shoe for an automatic differentiation of several types of soil.

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Alumina is an inorganic material, which is widely used in ceramics, catalysts, catalyst supports, ion exchange and other fields. The micromorphology of alumina determines its application in high tech and value-added industry and its development prospects. This paper gives an overview of the liquid phase synthetic method of alumina preparation, combined with the mechanism of its action.

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