Virtual Reality - What It Is And How It Works Essays (2941 words)

Virtual Reality - What it is and How it Works Imagine being able to point into the sky and fly. Or perhaps walk through space and connect molecules together. These are some of the dreams that have come with the invention of virtual reality. With the introduction of computers, numerous applications have been enhanced or created. The newest technology that is being tapped is that of artificial reality, or "virtual reality" (VR). When Morton Heilig first got a patent for his "Sensorama Simulator" in 1962, he had no idea that 30 years later people would still be trying to simulate reality and that they would be doing it so effectively. Jaron Lanier first coined the phrase "virtual reality" around 1989, and it has stuck ever since. Unfortunately, this catchy name has caused people to dream up incredible uses for this technology including using it as a sort of drug. This became evident when, among other people, Timothy Leary became interested in VR. This has also worried some of the researchers who are trying to create very real applications for medical, space, physical, chemical, and entertainment uses among other things. In order to create this alternate reality, however, you need to find ways to create the illusion of reality with a piece of machinery known as the computer. This is done with several computer-user interfaces used to simulate the senses. Among these, are stereoscopic glasses to make the simulated world look real, a 3D auditory display to give depth to sound, sensor lined gloves to simulate tactile feedback, and head-trackers to follow the orientation of the head. Since the technology is fairly young, these interfaces have not been perfected, making for a somewhat cartoonish simulated reality. Stereoscopic vision is probably the most important feature of VR because in real life, people rely mainly on vision to get places and do things. The eyes are approximately 6.5 centimeters apart, and allow you to have a full-colour, three-dimensional view of the world. Stereoscopy, in itself, is not a very new idea, but the new twist is trying to generate completely new images in real- time. In 1933, Sir Charles Wheatstone invented the first stereoscope with the same basic principle being used in today's head-mounted displays. Presenting different views to each eye gives the illusion of three dimensions. The glasses that are used today work by using what is called an "electronic shutter". The lenses of the glasses interleave?h)0*0*0*the left-eye and right-eye views every thirtieth of a second. The shutters selectively block and admit views of the screen in sync with the interleaving, allowing the proper views to go into each eye. The problem with this method though is that you have to wear special glasses. Most VR researchers use complicated headsets, but it is possible to create stereoscopic three-dimensional images without them. One such way is through the use of lenticular lenses. These lenses, known since Herman Ives experimented with them in 1930, allow one to take two images, cut them into thin vertical slices and interleave them in precise order (also called multiplexing) and put cylinder shaped lenses in front of them so that when you look into them directly, the images correspond with each eye. This illusion of depth is based on what is called binocular parallax. Another problem that is solved is that which occurs when one turns their head. Nearby objects appear to move more than distant objects. This is called motion parallax. Lenticular screens can show users the proper stereo images when moving their heads well when a head- motion sensor is used to adjust the effect. Sound is another important part of daily life, and thus must be simulated well in order to create artificial reality. Many scientists including Dr. Elizabeth Wenzel, a researcher at NASA, are convinced the 3D audio will be useful for scientific visualization and space applications in the ways the 3D video is somewhat limited. She has come up with an interesting use for virtual sound that would allow an astronaut to hear the state of their oxygen, or have an acoustical beacon that directs one to a trouble spot on a satellite. The "Convolvotron" is one such device that simulates the location of up to four audio channels with a sort of imaginary sphere surrounding the listener. This device takes into account that each person has specialized auditory signal processing, and personalizes what each person hears. Using a position sensor from Polhemus, another VR research company, it is possible to move the position of sound by simply moving a small cube around in your hand. The key to the Convolvotron is something called the "Head- Related Transfer Function (HRTF)", which is a

Native american Resistance essays

Native american Resistance essays This essay is going to be about the Native American Resistance. The main idea is the Americans are looking and taking more land and they continue encountering indians and Fighting wars with them to own their land. The sources of conflict between the Native Americans and the U.S. are the American Revolution broke the power of the Iroquois in the North and beaten the Cherokee in the South. The Americans wanted more land but the Miami, Delaware, Shawnee, and other Native Americans groups came together to fight America Expansion. The Americans also wanted to fight the Native Americans because the Native Americans Fought with the British during the Revolutionary war and Because the Native Americans had a different culture.The Mayor source of conflict is in 1795, Tecumseh refused to participate in the talks that led to the Treaty of Greenville. Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa disagreed with the U.S. purchasing land, so which made Henry Harison march north from Vincennes to Prophetstown to fight. Most of the conflicts change the relationship between the U.S. and the Native Americans. They made a Treaty of Greenville, in which it relinguished the Southern two thirds of Ohio. The Treaty also forced them to accept that the Ohio River was no longer permanent boundary between their lands. It also changed the Native Americans to accept white culture. in 1799, Handsome Lake called for a rebirth of seneca culture that would blend Native American Custom with those of the white Americans. The best method of conflict resolution for the Native Americans is blending their cultures with the Whites. Having two different cultures would be very hard for the Native Americans and the whites. For Example they would be living in different ways. Also having different beliefs which forms mayor problems. In conclusion, I have explain to you about the Native American Resistance. Their Sources of conflict, conflicts changing their relationship, and telling you the ...

Analyze the ways in which controversy over the extension of slavery Research Paper

Analyze the ways in which controversy over the extension of slavery into western territories contributed to the coming of the Ci - Research Paper Example In fact, slavery was already in rapid decline in the Border States and cities, because they could not compete with free labor. In the 1850s, tensions between revived by the same problem that produced dating back to the Missouri Compromise of 1820: slavery in the territories. Northerners and southerners in fact came to define "Manifest Destiny" in different ways, undermining nationalism as a unifying force. The Compromise of 1850 relating to the acquisition of territory after the Mexican-American War. It includes a provision for the execution of fugitive slave who led a series of small local events in the North, which has expressed concern about slavery. Most people think of the compromise amendment was finished as a regional problem, but Stephen A. Douglas again in 1854, and the name of democracy. Douglas proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Bill aims to open a huge new range of high quality, clearing and settlement. As an American of Chicago, Chicago was particularly interested in the track link in Kansas and Nebraska, but it was a moot point. More importantly, Douglas was a firm believer in democracy at the grassroots level that the actual settlers have the right to decide on slavery, not politicians from other states. Finally, the popular reaction has come, but the leaders had the spark. Chase Appeal of Independent Democrats "did much to educate the public. In New York, William H. Seward finally took charge of organizing a demonstration against the Nebraska bill, since none had arisen spontaneously. Press as National period, the New York Tribune, and local magazines free of soil, condemned the bill. Convinced that Northern society was better than the south and more convinced than ever a threat to the efforts of the South to expand the slave power of its current borders, the north has been a global approach, which has a risk of conflict, but conflict required power of the Republican Party. Republican Party - a people's campaign, emotional release of "free country" is the border - took over the White House after only six years of existence. The Republican Party was born of the controversy over the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Once the Northern reaction against the Kansas-Nebraska Act took place, its leaders have acted to promote a different political reorganization. Henry Wilson said the death Whig Party and vowed to oppose any attempt to revive it. Horace Greeley Tribune has called for the formation of a new party of the North, and Benjamin Wade, Chase, Charles Sumner and others have talked about the union of all opponents of the law of Nebraska. Tribune Gamaliel Bailey was involved in calling a caucus of anti-slavery Whig and Democratic Party members of Congress in May. Meeting in a church in Ripon, Wisconsin, congregations, February 28, 1854 some thirty opponents of the law of Nebraska called for organizing a new political party and suggested that "Republican" would be the most appropriate name ( to link their cause with the Declaration of Independen ce). rights activists, the mind has played a leading role in creating the Republican Party in most northern states during the summer of the 1854th While conservatives and moderates were content to call for the restoration of the Compromise Missouri or prohibition of slavery extension,

Obamacare , AKA the Affordable Care Act Research Paper - 1

Obamacare , AKA the Affordable Care Act - Research Paper Example However, this new health reform has been protested against by many as it may raise costs for pharmacies and businesses, a penalty will apply to those who do not buy coverage, and some low-wage workers would still find it unaffordable (ObamaCare Facts; Amadeo; Tozzi 2013). Basically, Obamacare has made it compulsory for all those Americans without a health insurance to get one. An important thing to note is that Obamacare does not replace Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance- it is a separate reform, although it has expanded Medicare. The law requires business companies to provide their employees with premiums, which will be less than 9.5 percent of the employees’ incomes. However, this only applies to businesses with less than fifty employees. The larger companies will receive tax credits in order to help its employees pay premiums. Obamacare also allows children to be put on their parents’ health insurance plans up to the age of twenty six. In addition, insurance companies are not allowed to deny insurance to individuals who are already suffering from a health problem. Those individuals who do not buy these premiums or health insurance will be subject to a new penalty of $95 or one percent of income, which will come in effect from 2 014-this penalty will keep increasing every year. Another part of Obamacare is the national menu labeling law, which requires restaurant chains with more than twenty branches to post calorie counts for each standard menu item (ObamaCare Facts; Amadeo; Shen 2013). Ever since President Obama introduced this health care reform, more than a hundred million Americans have already benefitted from it. According to statistics posted by the official White House site, about fifty million Americans are covered for preventive services, and approximately thirty three million Americans with Medicare use a free preventive service. This is because Obamacare has eliminated any additional cost, such as

Factors Which Are Affecting Health

Factors Which Are Affecting Health The social determinants of health consists of various factors that determine health and wellbeing, for instance, socio-economic factors, genders, cultures and education (McMurray, 2010). Some groups of people are healthier than others. There is a relation between income and health, as well as they are strong predictors of health. People with low economic status have poor education, unemployment, job insecurity bad working conditions and lower class jobs (Marmot, Foege, Mocumbi Satcher, 2008). It affects the access of healthy environments and appropriate medical care facilities (Dew Matheson, 2008). In New Zealand, there is a significant disparity in health between the Maori and non-Maori people of Aotearoa New Zealand. Maori people and pacific people are highly vulnerable to ill health and disabilities. Maori mortality rates are approximately double as compared with European New Zealanders rate (Dew Davis, 2005). However, many surveys found that Maori have similar or lower rates of hospitalization than other New Zealanders in spite of their higher demand of treatment. This shows that financial conditions affect not only production but also consumption of health care. (Ministry of Health, 2002). The poor health status of Maori may due to poor economic circumstances. Maori people aged between 45 years and 64 years are more likely to die than others in this same age in New Zealand (Dew Matheson, 2008). Inequality in life expectancy and the risk of death rate are significant health inequality. The gap in life expectancy between Maori and non-Maori increased to 10 years. The early death rate in Maori population is mainly related to occupational class. More Maori people are doing unskilled works than others and it can cause higher risk of early death (Dew Matheson, 2008). Nursing services should be organised according to demands of whanau rather than the needs of providers. Nurses must recognise, understand and remove financial, cultural, geographical, physical barriers for reducing inequalities in health. Economic barriers are unsafe working conditions with little jobs, unemployment, inadequate housing, crime, high disparities in income and wealth. Participation and encouraging them with proper support at all levels of the health and disability sector can improve their status. Maori participation should be ensured in planning, development and delivery of health and disability services (King Turia, 2002). Therefore, they must get appropriate and effective nursing care. Moreover, Maori should be ensured with development and workforce enhancement. Nursing services should be culturally appropriate. Maori health models should be used for caring Maori. Build and recognize values of Maori models of health and traditional healing, for example, massage, herb al remedies and spiritual care. They want services that reflect Maori cultural values. Nurses must provide workplace education, health promotion and clinical services to keep the work place and its employers safe and healthy. They need high levels of communication skills, understanding of interpersonal and government standards and legislation. Plunket nurses provide family parenting support in community (McMurry, 2010). Treaty of Waitangi protects the rights of responsibilities of Maori. Therefore, it reduces in equalities in health in New Zealand ( McMurray, 2010). The government introduces strategies to decrease inequality in health status. They are New Zealand Health Strategy as well as Health and Disability Strategy. This strategy makes sure accessible and appropriate care services for people from lower socio- economic group including Maori. It helps to identify and provide care according to their health needs. The Ministry of Health provides nutritional guidelines and policies for New Zealanders to address nutritional needs. Maori and Pacific people are the groups, who have the poorest health status in New Zealand. Improving the quality of health education programs focused at Maori can improve their status. Encourage the Maori health providers to participate in health section and organization of smoking cessation programs. Increase mental health services for Maori. People with poor health often find to get a good job. Health status determines socio-economic position. The main disability services are income support, disability allowance, acc idental compensation, antidiscrimination legislation as well as education and support services for people with disabilities, chronic illness and mental health illness living in the community (King Turia 2002).The government and the Ministry of Health provide key priority to reduce health disparity among Maori. Encourage Maori health providers to build Maori models of health. The New Zealand Disability Strategy pointed out the demand to remove the barriers like discrimination among Maori with disabilities. Improve the number of trained Maori clinicians, health professionals, managers, community and voluntary worker and researchers in order to strengthen the health and disability sector. Improving the skills of the Maori health and disability workforce can reduce inequality in health. Publicly funded hospitals and primary health care organisations have started to identify and meet the needs of Maori. Now many hospitals have Maori and whanau units, as a result they get better care and culturally safe treatment. District health boards are working with primary health care and it plays a significant role in reducing health inequalities (King, 2002). Smoking is significantly prevalent among Maori in New Zealand. Many Maori women die early due to smoking related to illness at greater than others. There is no decrease in the smoking percentage among Maori for the last five years. There are many psychological factors that are associated with smoking. Depression and anxiety are closely related with smoking. Depression can cause smoking, whereas, addiction of smoking can lead to depression. Parental influence is another causative factor for smoking. If parents are smokers, children will be more vulnerable to smoking. Researchers found that, these children have four fold risks than other children. Suicidal tendencies, low self esteem, poor body image, low socio-economic status, and lack of academic performance at school as well as poor quality of life are also influencing factors for smoking. The psycho-social conditions of adolescents and their behaviour decisions can cause depression and risk taking behaviours (McMurry, 2010). In New Zealand, 42% smokers are Maori. These indigenous people with low levels of education, employment and home ownership are more vulnerable to smoking. People who have prolonged mental stress are also having a high risk of smoking. Many youngsters start to smoke as an experiment. Finally they gets addicted to these substances. Smoking can cause severe health problems like lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, pneumonia and asthma. Passive smokers are also more vulnerable to lung cancer. When women smoke during pregnancy, it can lead to intra uterine death and deliver a baby with low birth weight (MOH, 2008). In conclusion, Maori have poorest health status in New Zealand. The socio- economic determinants of health are responsible for health equalities. Home ownership and property ownership are low in Maori than others. Therefore, salary is the main source of income for them. Labour market is a significant income for them. The low income negatively influences their health. The government introduced New Zealand Health Strategy to reduce inequality. This essay discussed about current nursing practice taking initiation to reduce this disparity. Moreover, Risk taking behaviour such as smoking causes many problems and psychological factors related with smoking.

Health Care Delivery Systems Essay

Healthcare delivery systems refer to the organization of resources, institutions, and people intended to provide healthcare services to particular populations. Health systems vary substantially across the world. In fact, the organizational structures and history is unique in each country. Some states have distributed health system planning amongst market stakeholders. On the contrary, other countries have concentrated energy among religious organizations, governments, trade unions and other united institutions to provide organized health care services customized to target populations. The objective of this essay is comparing similarities and differences between various international health care systems across the globe. One of the major health care delivery programs in the United States includes group health insurance plans. The health system emerged during World War II. The employers began offering employee benefits in the form of affordable healthcare services to attract the limite d labor supply. Since then, many healthcare reforms implemented in the United States from the 1970s has enhanced this philosophy (Yih, 2010). Currently, US has over 1200 insurance companies that give group health insurance programs. The objective of group insurance plans is providing employees with affordable, high quality and efficient healthcare services (Cooper & Taylor, 1994). The Medicare program is another healthcare delivery system intended for retirees above sixty-five years. The service differs from group health insurance plan in that the beneficiaries are unemployed, and the government pays for the individuals’ treatment cost. For younger and poorer American citizens below sixty-five years, the government has established Medicaid healthcare delivery system to offer free medical services. Eligible candidates for the Medicaid program include poor individuals that cannot afford the service and  non-beneficiaries of subsidized healthcare systems such as the group insurance (Cooper & Taylor, 1994). In addition to these methods, the US has a variety of other healthcare systems intended for the uninsured. The p rograms include the Veterans Administration, military and Native Americans among others. These programs are extremely complex since they have varied the reimbursement, underwriting, benefit and eligibility (McCarthy & Schafermeyer, 2007). Canada uses a healthcare delivery program called â€Å"Single payer system.† The intention of establishing the system is ensuring healthcare equality among all the citizens. The coverage of the plan is universal and comprehensive. The provincial governments provide funds for the compulsory medical care using tax money (McCarthy & Schafermeyer, 2007). However, the federal government contributes and controls some of the money the provincial administrations contribute to the citizens’ healthcare plans. Patients are independent to choose their preferred healthcare provider. Majority of the physicians in Canada have private practices that they charge a fee based on services they provide. Many hospitals are not-for-profit institutions that are managed by trustee boards. The modern healthcare delivery system in Canada began in Sa skatchewan in the 1950s and then spread to the entire nation by 1966 (Baribault & Cloyd, 1999). Japan provides medical services to every citizen using employer-financed insurance plan. The aim of using employer-based program is controlling the cost of healthcare expenses. The result of the plan is a substantially healthy nation at one of the most affordable healthcare cost in the world (Yih, 2010). The country has a variety of insurance programs that are funded using various obligatory deductions, patient co-payments, and taxes. Patients have the liberty of choosing their preferred healthcare providers (McCarthy & Schafermeyer, 2007). On the other hand, healthcare delivery providers are compensated using a national rate and formula negotiated by a panel composed of citizens, insurers, and providers. The government has set a price limit to control price increase of policies at a given time. The main benefit of the restricted policy price is equitable access and affordable healthcare program (Baribault & Cloyd, 1999). Japan established its present healthcare program in 1922 as the government believed that a healthy nation was necessary to maintain the nation productive and affluent. Initially, Japan intended the program to serve manual laborers, but the country amended its  constitution after World War II to make the program compulsory to everyone (Cooper & Taylor, 1994). American healthcare delivery system differs from that in Canada and Japan in that the government has not set healthcare systems’ price limit. As a result, the healthcare cost varies from one provider to the other. The economic law of demand and supply also determines the cost of healthcare services, which makes American medical care programs among the most expensive in the world. In the United States, several doctors are directly employed in public hospitals while many healthcare professionals in Canada have private practices (Baribault & Cloyd, 1999). On the contrary, health care delivery systems in Japan, Canada, and the USA have similarities such as liberty to choose from several healthcare providers. In addition, insurance programs play an essential role in providing affordable healthcare plans to every citizen. Each country also offers fully sponsored or subsidized healthcare services to the extremely poor, army veterans and other specialized group that may not afford to make regular contributions towards the healthcare services (Baribault & Cloyd, 1999). Employers are supposed to deduct some cash from their employees’ salary, and provide either a hundred or two hundred percent match to the deduction, to pay for healthcare insurance (Cooper & Taylor, 1994). In my view, I would recommend sickness fund healthcare system as it has proven functional in countries such as Germany. Germany’s trade guilds established the initial health system in 1883 that the government applied as a model to create the country’s â€Å"sickness funds†. The objective of the system is financing, paying and providing healthcare services. It integrates decision-making and decentralized power with efficient bargaining power that occurs at local, federal and state levels. Germans have solidarity and believe that everyone is entitled to access quality medical services irrespective of their capability to pay, income or employment. Similarly, if other countries in the world can adopt such a healthcare system, everybody would have access to q uality healthcare services. Patients covered by the program can access affordable health care services universally (Cooper & Taylor, 1994). Some of the services that sickness fund covers include drugs and dental care services. It also provides young mothers’ grants, money for purchasing eyeglasses and compensation wages when individuals are sick. Since sickness funds do not offer healthcare coverage for some issues,  individuals can purchase health insurance plans for the uncovered services. Everybody in Germany is supposed to be a member of a sickness fund, except the wealthy persons that can afford private health insurance. I believe the world’s population would have access to quality health care services required for maintaining healthy nations (Baribault & Cloyd, 1999). References Cooper E. & Taylor L. (1994). Comparing Health Care Systems: What makes sense for the US? Context Institute. Web, retrieved on January 18, 2015 from http://www.context.org/iclib/ic39/cooptalr/ Baribault, M. & Cloyd, C. (1999). Health Care Systems: Three International Comparisons. Ethics of Development in Global Environment. McCarthy, R. L., & Schafermeyer, K. W. (2007). Introduction to health care delivery: A primer for pharmacists. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett. Yih, Y. (2010). Handbook of Healthcare Delivery Systems. CRC Press.

Green Day

Green Day is one of the most influential pop punk bands. The band was formed in 1986. They have sold more than 85 million records worldwide.They won many awards and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015. Early Years Billie Joe Armstrong, the lead singer was born on February 17,1972. He was born around a musical atmosphere since his father was a jazz drummer and his mother loved music. Because of his parents, Billie and his siblings were encouraged to play musical instruments.Michael Ryan Pritchard also known as Mike Dirnt was born on May 4, 1972. He was put up for adoption because of his mother's addiction to heroin. Billie and Mike met in middle school. They formed their own band with John Kiffmeyer in 1986. The band was called the Sweet Children. They were 14 year olds at the time. Band Members Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and John Kiffmeyer were the original members of the band. John Kiffmeyer soon left in 1990 to attend college and was replaced by Tre Cool. Billie Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tre Cool are still in the band to this day. Past members were Raj Punjabi, Sean Hughes,Aaron Cometbus, and Dave Henwood. Billie Joe dropped out of high school to devote his entire life for the band. Tre Cool also dropped out of highschool when he was a sophomore and dropped out of community college also. However, Mike Dirnt pushed himself to complete his education. Mike Graduated high school and completed more than one year at community college.Breakthrough Success After their breakout album, Kerplunk record labels were interested in the band. They left Lookout! to get signed at Reprise Records. After getting signed, they worked on their album, Dookie. The album became a big success. Their songs â€Å"Longview†,†Basket Case†,and â€Å"When I Come Around† from Dookie were continuously played on MTV. They sold 10 million albums with Dookie. They were nominated for many awards such as American Music Awards and Grammys.Career Green Day first started playing at DIY 924 Gilman Street club in California. They earned some fame at the club and eventually got signed at Lookout! Records. From there, they released Kerplunk and they got big success after. They decided to leave Lookout! to get signed to Reprise Records. After getting signed, they started record Dookie. Like most of their albums, the album was recorded in a few weeks. Dookie was also a big hit but Green Day started to be criticized by other punk fans. They were put on a list of people who were never allowed to play again at DIY Gilman Street. Their albums after Dookie, Insomniac and Nimrod were good but the band was losing some fame. They released Warning and was criticized by critics because they took a different turn in their music but they weren't ready for American Idiot. American Idiot was a huge hit and they continued to make music. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame After 29 years of playing music together in the band, Green Day was inducted into the hall of fame. They were inducted in the first year they were eligible. On April 18,2015 in Cleveland, Ohio,Fall Out Boy inducted them into the hall of fame. They talked about how Green Day changed them and how they wouldn't be a band without them. Then, Billie Joe thanked his band,friends,family and fans for helping him get through everything. Before the induction they played 2 surprise shows in Cleveland.