Growing Up In a Small Town essays

Growing Up In a Small Town essays Growing up in a small town out in the country, an hour away from any city, riding my horse was what I did with my friends, or alone. I started riding horses when I was 7 years old, and my parents bought me my first horse when I was 11. From the ages of 7-27 years old, I owned and rode horses. I would ride in the woods, along the rivers and railroad tracks, through town, it didnt matter to me, I just went. My best friend and I would even tie our horses outside the town store on the bike rack and go inside, old school style. I did rides at birthday parties for little kids, I taught friends and family how to ride, I even got into 4H and did gaming for a while; I absolutely loved barrel racing, and I got pretty good too. To not have a horse now or to even be around them anymore is very hard, and I feel as if a part of me is missing, theres just a slight void there. I was 26, my husband and I had been married for 6.5 years and we finally had our first child that weve been trying to have for nearly 5 years. I felt I had to choose between my son and my horse, and that wasnt fair to any of us. My son was around Dexter since he was 2-3 months old; he was going to the barn with me every day, watched me ride, groom him, and then feed him, and he loved it all! I believe the feeling was mutual between the two of them because my son would put his hand up Dexters nose, and all he would do is either lick or sniff him. Dexters ears were always up and perky whenever my son made any noise, and Dexter would want to go check on him, as if it were his own colt. It was very comical to watch actually; a newborn baby and a 16.3 Thoroughbred horse bonding, it was amazing to see. My son was 9 months old when I decided to sell Dexter, and now he is 3 years 9 months and he loves horses. This makes me very happy and excited for our future, because I have a goa l to have another horse when my son is 5-6 years old,...

Porsche Branding Study Essays

Porsche Branding Study Essays Porsche Branding Study Paper Porsche Branding Study Paper Porches was completely acquired by another giant automobile company, Volkswagen GAG in July 2012 and resold 10% of its holding back to the founding family, giving them full control. Porches owns 50. 73% of the voting rights in Volkswagen GAG. Besides selling its own sportscast, Porches also provides automotive financial services, engineering services and consultation services to other automobile companies. The companys revenue has reached ?13. 9 billion with ?2. 44 billion Operating income in 2012. Porchs slogan There is no substitute demonstrates how proud they are about the exclusiveness of the brand. Currently, this company has more than 17,500 employees worldwide. The Marketing STEP Process, (Primp. 2013) The market segmentation, targeting and positioning (STEP) process is a way to define the market, create market segments, and select target customers which guide the company to develop and implement appropriate marketing mix. 1) Segmenting Consumer Markets Demographic segmentation divides the market into groups based on variables such as gender, age, income and geographical locations etc. Porches s a luxury automobile brand, its target customers are middle aged single male, mainly 35-55 years old with high average annual gross income: who are willing to spend money on high-ended and expensive consumer goods. Lately, Porches has extended its product line to the Sport Utility Vehicle (SUB) market which TA regrets the high income family group; as well as the luxury saloon/sedan targeting the business car market. Cryptographic segmentation which divides buyer into different groups based on social class, lifestyle and personality traits. Luxury sportscast are not daily necessities. People willing to ay for a Porches sportscast tend to use it as a tool to reflect their wealthy and superior social status. This is one of the reasons why Porches always advocates on its high quality engines, designs, engineering and assembled materials. 2) Target Marketing Target market consists of a set Of buyers who share common needs or characteristics that company decides to serve segmented by above criteria mentioned in 1). Designated marketing strategies have been developed to apply on different target segments. 3) Positioning Positioning statement: Offering high-ended sports car at a comparatively seasonable price among similar market players. Position Map of the vehicle market As we all know, Porches Company positioned itself as manufacturer providing High Price, High Quality sports cars. It is actually categorizing the brand with outstanding and exclusive product attributes. The price range of the Porches vehicles vary from HECK$800,OHO to depending on the types and models. It is interesting that among the high-end sportscast brands, Porches has a very special pricing strategy. Porches Company is actually positioning itself in the high-end sportscast division, but selling its cars at a imperatively reasonable price among similar market players like: Ferreira, Mistreat, Budgets, Zoned and etc. These brands are offering even more expensive sports cars when compared with the Porches Company. By putting itself in this position, Porches has successfully entered the targeted market in an easier way and allow consumers to purchase the sportscast at an affordable price. Besides, there is an interesting fact that the Porches Company is also offering Powered cars on their official website. You could search the used Porches cars through their official website by location and mind if there are any suitable used Porches cars for the customers. This move could help Porches to infiltrate its products into the general public more efficiently. The Marketing Mix, ups Marketing mix is the most flooded word in the marketing field and it is a useful tool to look at how a business is positioned to reap the benefits of marketing. A Marketing mix is mainly described by four units; including product, price, place and promotion. These units support each other and work together to maximize the benefits of Marketing. 1. Product Porches Company mainly focuses on providing specialized, high-end sports icicles. Product Variety Porches categorized its sportscast into several product lines as follow. Firstly, the Booster roadster series (the 91 1); the flagship model established its reputation in the Daytona Racing in the mid-sass and won major world championship sports car races. Secondly, the Cayman series which is a hard top car model similar to the Booster but offering in a lower price. Thirdly, the mid-size luxury Sport Utility Vehicle (SUB), the Cayenne. Lastly, the high performance luxury saloon/sedan (the Ephemera). Product Durability It is reported that for 70% of the cars produced by Porches are now still inning on the road which means the German precise engineering provided an extra long running life. Besides, the Pre-owned cars selling in their official website shows Porches has 100% confidence on its used car. Product uniqueness In terms of automobile design, a OR (rear-engine, rear-wheel drive) layout is a very unique technique. It is very rare for car manufacturers to place the engine at the back of the car, but this unique design turns out to give a physically smaller, lighter, less complex and more efficient deteriorative. This unique deteriorative is a distinctive selling proposition for Porches sportscast to fraternity from its competitors as there are nearly no car manufacturer offering such kind of chassis design. 2. Price The price of a product is a large determinant of how the market responds to the product. The key factor affecting the pricing strategy of Porches is the production cost; the company will be forced to cover the cost in order to make revenue. Competition pricing Porches sets lower price for the products when compared with its direct competitors, this allows them to capture larger market share. The vehicle prices Of the Porches Company ranged from WHISKS,OHO to By offering sportscast with similar specifications, this is definitely a very compatible price range in the market. Even at a relatively lower price, Porches still guaranteed to provide top quality vehicles and maintain its elite market status. Premium Pricing The high product prices can already tell the exclusiveness of Porches products. Consumer generally believed that a premium priced product equals to high quality. It is easy to understand that a HECK$800,OHO European Porches sportscast must be better than a HECK$200,OHO Korean Handy car. 3. Place It refers to the channel of distribution, and how reachable it is to their customers. The intermediaries offer the manufacturer greater efficiency in making goods available to target markets. Distributorship Porches Company is a world wide automobile manufacturer, they sell cars all around the globe, include: North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia. Just like most of the automobile company, Porches makes sales through local distributors. Until 2012, there are more than 900 distributors across the world offering Porches vehicles. Shop Environment Most of the Porches distributors are located in the central business district or he prime area of the cities. This helps the company to reach the targeted customers more precise and accurately. For example Porches Hong Kong showroom locates at a very eye catching position along Gloucester Road, Wan Chi. Character oaf brand is not solely represented by the products, but also its presenting images. Borschs distributor showrooms are decorated with modern designs and spacious environment to demonstrate Porches spottiness, performance and luxury characteristics. 4. Promotion The German firm spent massive investment in promoting its brand to create awareness among the targeted customers.. Event Sponsorship Porches sponsored different kinds of motorists competitions such as the El Mans, Rally, Formula One, Indy Cars and some amateur racing. And the key success flagship model sportscast, the Porches 911, established its reputation in the Daytona Racing in the mid-sass and won major world championship sports car races. This model has been classified as Porchs most successful sportscast and more than 820,000 units had been sold until 2013. Comparative advertising is a usual method adopted by Porches. The Company used a lot of printed advertisements, they placed these printed advertisement in famous Mens magazines with masculine and stylish tone expressing their exclusiveness, sportiveness and benefits of owing a Porches car. Besides printed advertisements, Porches also made some television commercials when there is new product launch. The T PVC deliver lifestyle and slice of life messages. Customer Relations Porches has introduced the Porches Club globally; it is a community for Porches enthusiasts across different counties and cities. They conduct Porches-related events including club racing, morning drive activities, and drivers education activities. Besides Porches Club, the company also holds jugular Porches Driving Experience Day, which allows the general public to reach the Porches Sport Driving School and experience driving pleasure with their cars. By engaging targeted customers in the above activities, Porches successfully created a bonding with its customers, enhancing stronger brand loyalty. Celebrities endorsement In 2013, Porches has signed the 26-year-old world class female tennis player Maria Sharecrop as its spokesperson. Porches GAG CEO Matthias Mueller expressed that Maria Sharecrop is an exceptional athlete combining top performance in her sports with elegance and power which perfectly fits the mage of Porches. And the charming appearance of Sharecrop can definitely attract Porchs target customers middle aged male. Customer Based Brand Equity (Keller, 2003) As lenience Porches, the brand name itself already represents high performance sportscast, almost all civilized people in the world aware of this brand. However, people will not think of this brand very frequently because Porches vehicles are very high involvement products. It requires a very long consumption consideration period before making a purchase decision. Performance Comparing to its competitors, Porches is actually providing superb cars with lassie but fashionable design. Their sportscast satisfied all basic needs of customers with reliable and durable technical performance but at the same time with a comparatively lower price among its competitors. Imagery General public generally agreed that Porches is a grand master class brand; it is not available in ordinary car dealers showroom showing its exclusiveness. Besides, the Made in German represents high quality and precise. Judgments Considering its quality and credibility, Porches is well-known of its precise, excellent engineering and assembling techniques. The superiority of the rand is also one of the considerations in this area, the unique product design and compatible pricing become advantages that their competitors cannot offer. Feeling Regarding the feeling, Porches sportscast give their users fun, excitement, social approval and self-respect. The sophisticated Porches Company always means the elite status, premium vehicle and a symbol of wealthy. Resonance Concerning the resonance in users point of view, Porches did very well to build customer relationship. For example, there are many Porches enthusiasts who are keen in collecting Porchs sportscast, holding local riving event and build private Porches lovers communities. Not only the enthusiasts will participate in the above activities, ordinary drivers are also willing to share their feeling and experience with other Porches owners. Besides, official Porches club has regular newsletter to strengthen the bonding between Porches car owners and the brand. The Prism of Identity Seafarer (1992) Brand identity could be represented by a six-sided prism diagrammatically. Each market condition gives raise to concepts and methods to adapt to such conditions. When products werent so abundant, one simply resorted to an old Unique Selling Proposition. After the era of image, positioning, and brand personality, we have entered into the brand identity era. Porches Company is now ranked 78th in the Conferee Ranking The Brands Top 100 Positions. Ranking The Brands. Com collects all brand rankings published worldwide and can find the position of the brand. It is compiled on the basis of all the rankings, the position of a brand in the list is determined by the number of rankings in which it appears and takes into account its position in each ranking. Reasonably Priced Porches (left advertisement) In this advertisement, it states Look at it this way, its either an expensive portrays or a very reasonable racer. Porches is actually differentiating itself in a unique position, a high ended sport car, but one can also consider it as a very reasonable priced racer. It shows that both the product quality and pricing of Porches fall between sportscast and racer. Example of Comparative Advertising (right advertisement) In this print advertisement, it expresses the meaning of owning a Porches is different from a Ionians or a Mediumistic vehicle, no matter on performance of the car or the social approval aspect. In the left advertisement, it states that the ours of El Mans car racing exults and Porchs racers conquered most Top 1 0 places except the 8th runner-up. Theres no tougher endurance race than El Mans. stated in the lower part of the advertisement. Expressing that the extra durability and the powerful Of Porches engineering.

Atypical Behaviors Reflection Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Atypical Behaviors Reflection - Movie Review Example This fetish is perceived to be very weird because balloons are associated with children and, accordingly, people who literally love balloons can be treated as pedophiles (Nikolaj Rantala). Foot fetish is one of a kind of fetish where people are attracted by some body parts (Ryohey Sasagawa). This fetish is treated as abnormality because people rarely pay attention to feet when it comes to romantic relationships or attractions. They are more likely to seek people with certain color or hair or eyes. The Love Dolls video by National Geographic deals with one more abnormal sexual behavior where men almost fall in love with human-like love dolls. Men give names to their dolls, take care of them and treat them like people. All these fetishes look strange to me because they really challenge traditional understanding of sexuality. I grew up in a traditional family with totally conventional beliefs about sex and relationships. Balloon and love dolls fetishes look really strange because I simply cannot understand why people feel sexually aroused by things like dolls or balloons. Overall, perception of sexual abnormalities heavily depends on the person who judges what is normal and what is

British Petroleum Sustainability in Project Management Essay

British Petroleum Sustainability in Project Management - Essay Example It would be crucial to depict that sustainability, in business, generally refers to the approach of minimizing the unfavorable impacts caused by the operations of the business to the local or the global environment, the community, the society and the people altogether (Deloitte, 2010). Correspondingly, during the management of any project, gaining sustainability is quite mandatory as it works towards the welfare of the business in the long-run. In order to get a comprehensive understanding to this notion, the discussion of the paper will consider the example of BP Plc and its approach towards attaining maximum sustainability when managing projects. The primary aim of this particular study is to determine the approach of BP Plc in attaining sustainability in its worldwide operations through effective project management. The paper will also analyze the data gathered with the assistance of a sustainability framework that would be developed from the review of various literatures and jour nals. Literature Review Importance of Sustainability in Business It is apparent from the above discussion that sustainability is quite a vital component in various areas of the business of the companies irrespective of the industry they are operating in. It will not be ambiguous to depict that in order to ensure the long term survival of the business; companies need emphasize on enhancing their performances regarding sustainability. Businesses in the contemporary scenario need to deal with various challenges that are quite distinct and separated from the day to day activities of the organization. One such challenge for businesses today is dealing with the aspect of sustainability within various operational areas. Contextually, Clayton & Radcliffe (1996) argued that organizations in the modern scenario face challenges in terms of social and environmental issues that have hardly bothered the companies operated in the past. There is an extreme pressure from the government and other ext ernal non-profit bodies that instructs business units to conduct their business in a way that hampers the environment and the society to the minimum level. In many of the large organizations now-a-days, operations of the business largely focuses toward fulfilling the needs of the customers without harming the interests of the environment and the society altogether (Clayton & Radcliffe, 1996). Again in similar regard, in Fordham University (2013), it was depicted that sustainability in various operational areas of business lays a strong foundation for maximum profitability with regard to the long term operations of the business. According to the report, a sustainable business acquires the capability to deliver innovative products and services to the customers, promote accountability of the business and address the welfare of the shareholders and stakeholders of the business (Fordham University, 2013). In precise, it can be stated that sustainability in business can be regarded as a c ornerstone for the success of the same.

Quality of Software in Project Management Research Paper

Quality of Software in Project Management - Research Paper Example At the present, our lives are governed by complex and large size systems with more and more complicated software, as a result the safety, security, and consistency of these systems has turned out to be a main concern. Additionally, as the size and complexity of software in current systems grow, it has more imperfection, which harmfully affects the safety, security, and consistency of the systems. Normally, software is divided into two elements: These elements can be internal and external quality features. External quality features are those parts of a product that face its users, where internal quality features are those that do not interact with the users. However, the quality is conformance to product requirements and should be free. In this scenario, the job of software quality assurance is to ensure that the standards, processes, and procedures are correct for the project as well as are appropriately implemented. In fact, SQA and SQC are processes defined within CMMI, and come un der the support process area. However, in CMMI SQA/SQC is defined as process and product quality assurance (SQA, 2011; Sangeetha, SenthilKumar, Arumugam, & Akila, 2010). Basically, the quality assurance is a confusing subject. In fact, software quality cannot be defined for the reason that there is no single absolute and complete definition of its lexicon. However, research shows two methods to accomplish quality software systems.

The Influence of Essentialst Attitudes Portrayed in the Modern Day Sitcom on the Views and Beliefs of Modern Society Essay Example for Free

The Influence of Essentialst Attitudes Portrayed in the Modern Day Sitcom on the Views and Beliefs of Modern Society Essay The Influence of Essentialst Attitudes Portrayed in the Modern Day Sitcom on the Views and Beliefs of Modern Society. Throughout its long history, the sitcom has been commonly understood to define the cultural norms of modern society through such comedy techniques as satire and irony. Like modern society, certain characteristics of the sitcom have evolved over time, while others have remained consistent. The evolution of the sitcom coincides with the generational shift in attitudes of society towards certain beliefs and values. So, it would seem that there must be some sort of correlation between the evolution of the sitcom and that of society, as if one is the cause of the other. * * While this can be safely said about the effect of society in shaping the structure of the sitcom, whether the modern sitcom has a significant effect on the views and beliefs of society is debatable. This essay will demonstration that, although the modern version of this genre contains essentialist themes and characters, it does not promote essentialism and therefore does not negatively influence society. From the fifties to the eighties, sitcoms have adhered to a rigid structure involving a live studio audience and certain unchanging characteristics that would define the genre. They also conveyed a very apparent moral code. In the 90’s, Seinfeld’s seemingly non-existent moral code would see it labeled by some as â€Å"apolitical or nihilisticâ€Å" (Gencarella 2005,390). However, even if these aspersions were true, it would not necessarily follow that the audience would agree with these moral values and thus accept them as normal behavior. In any case, Gencarella (2005) argues that, although the four main characters do show an extent of self-interest, their moral behavior does not reflect the teachings of the show. Issues of race, gender and politics are still addressed but are presented in a different way than they were ten to forty years ago. * The ingredients of a successful sit-com consistently involve strong, sometimes iconic characters, which often represent stereotypes. Recent sitcoms have challenged and broadened the idea of traditional stereotypes. For example, Gencarella (2005,394) argues that the four main characters of Seinfeld represent four distinct political stereotypes: the individualist, the hierarchical, the egalitarian, and the fatalist. The way these political stereotypes interact with each other and their community have no doubt contributed to the comicality and thus the success of the show. * Unlike the 2005 sit-com The Office (American version), Seinfeld does not consistently display essentialist traits in its characters. It conveys essentialist themes through satirical situations involving essentialism. This is none more evident than the following example (â€Å"The Yada Yada†), which Gencarella (2005,398) also uses to describe the egalitarian nature of Kramer: * Jerry: Those people can be so touchy. * Kramer:â€Å"Those people. † Listen to yourself. * Jerry: What? * Kramer: You think that dentists are so different from me and you? * They come to this country just like everybody else in search of a dream! * Jerry: Kramer, he’s just a dentist. * Kramer:Yeah, and you’re an anti-dentite! * Jerry: I am not an anti-dentite! * Kramer:You’re a rabid anti-dentite! Oh, it starts with a few jokes and some slurs – â€Å"Hey denty! † Next thing you know you’re saying they should have their own schools! * Jerry: They do have their own schools! Jerry Seinfeld is clearly representing an essentialist point of view towards dentists. The absurdity of the situation, however, entails that this essentialist view is not being endorsed; rather it is being exposed in a ludicrous fashion. It shows the absurdity of prejudice and racism. This draws comparisons, as Detweiler (2012,730) explains, to Randy Newman’s defense of his controversial song Short People. The song criticises short people in an essentialist manner, describing them as having small voices and little beady eyes. Randy Newman explains, â€Å"that by choosing an object of prejudice so absurd, he might expose the absurdity of all prejudice†¦Ã¢â‚¬  * In the case of The Office (American version), Michael Scott is blatantly and shockingly racist, sexist and prejudice. The perception that the audience recognizes this view as essentialist, which is the basis of its humor, reinforces the idea that the text does not endorse this kind of behavior. As Detweiler (2012,730) describes, this is further broadcast by the occasional ironic facial expressions, to camera, of Michaels Scott’s colleague, Jim Halpert. Through the clever use of irony it sets an example of how not to act. * Due to the satirical and ironic nature of the sit-com, the question of whether the inclusion of stereotypes and essentialist views warrant a critique as a conclusively essentialist text depends solely on the audience’s interpretation of the text. The writer’s intention here is irrelevant.

Design Of Calipers For Post Polio Paralytic Patients Engineering Essay

Design Of Calipers For Post Polio Paralytic Patients Engineering Essay ABSTRACT Over 13 million in India people suffer from various locomotor disabilities, of which 4 million have been afflicted by polio. Polio destroys the nervous system and causes paralysis of the limbs. An orthosis or brace is required to provide support to compensate for the weakened muscles, maintain proper positioning and stability of the affected joints, restore weight-bearing capabilities to the affected legs and allow the patient to walk without the risk of falls and further fractures. The objective of this project is to develop a design for adjustable polio braces, taking into consideration hinge movement at the knee. The current designs of KAFO are made of Stainless Steel, Aluminium, Thermoplastics, Reinforced Carbon fibers etc. While Aluminium is light-weight, it does not provide the required stiffness for the caliper design; Stainless Steel is corrosion resistant and has great yield strength but is heavy. Hence material analysis is done to chose a material with density between that of Aluminium and Stainless Steel, but with high ultimate strength and high fatigue endurance limit. Also the currently available designs do not incorporate flexible movement at the knee thus discomforting the patient during travel etc. The proposed design is done using CAD tools. A pilot prototype is made in PVC and field-tested to determine if adjustments can be easily performed by the patient. Based on feedback from the field-testing, the final model was designed using Titanium scr aps. ABOUT THE COMPANY M/s. AAROPNA PROTESI PRIVATE LTD. is a medical implants surgical instruments manufacturing and trading company. Our choice of this company was based on its expertise in developing biomedical instruments and implants and its association as a subsidiary of its parent company parent M/s. TITANIUM TANTALUM PRODUCTS LTD, which is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company dealing in various Titanium Products for the past 29 years. The objective of the company is to establish the necessary world-class infrastructure for design, develop, manufacture, package, trade market the Orthopaedic, Neurosurgical, Orthodontic, Dental and other similar reconstructive / replacement implants and its surgical instruments in Titanium alloys and other advanced Biomaterial. Aaropna Protesi Private Ltd. deals with designing of medical implants through biomechanical laws and the development, customization and optimization of medical implants and instruments using technology of CAD-CAM Solutions. It trades in world-class imported medical implants, surgical instruments, tools other surgical accessories in India. It has more than two decades of experience in handling Titanium, Tantalum, Zirconium and Niobium through its parent company. INTRODUCTION 1.1 WHAT IS POLIOMYELITIS? Poliomyelitis, often known as polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route. [1] In about 1% of cases the virus enters the central nervous system, preferentially infecting and destroying motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness and acute flaccid paralysis. Different types of paralysis may occur, depending on the nerves involved; spinal polio is the most common form, characterized by asymmetric paralysis that most often involves the legs. [2] The term poliomyelitis is used to identify the disease caused by any of the three distinct variations of poliovirus. Two basic patterns of polio infection are described: a minor illness which does not involve the central nervous system (CNS), sometimes called abortive poliomyelitis, and a major illness involving the CNS, which may be paralytic or non-paralytic. [1] In most people with a normal immune system, a poliovirus infection is asymptomatic. The virus enters the central nervous system in about 3% of infections. Most patients with CNS involvement develop non-paralytic aseptic meningitis, with symptoms of headache, neck, back, abdominal and extremity pain, fever, vomiting, lethargy and irritability. [2][3] Approximately 1 in 1000 to 1 in 200 cases progress to paralytic disease, in which the muscles become weak, floppy and poorly controlled, and finally completely paralyzed; this condition is known as acute flaccid paralysis. [4] In many countries, polio or poliomyelitis was for many years the most common cause of physical disability in children.[1] Currently through vaccination programs, Polio has been eliminated in most countries, a size-able percentage of people are still affected by the crippling disease in India, Nepal, Nigeria and Afghanistan. Often the paralysis will gradually disappear, partly or completely. Any paralysis left after 7 months, however is usually permanent and certain secondary problems may develop, especially if precautions are not taken to prevent them. These problems are further disabilities or complications that can appear after, and because of, the original disability. Contracture of joints is one commonly encountered secondary problem. In this there is a shortening of muscles and tendons so that the full range of limb movement is prevented. [5] Fig. 1.1 Typical contractures in polio Other common deformities can cause deformities including over stretched joints and dislocations. Fig. 1.2 Deformities caused by polio 1.2 EVALUATING A PATIENTS NEED FOR AIDS AND PROCEDURES Step1: Observe the patient carefully and notice which parts of the body seem strong, and which seem weak. Differences between one side of the body and the other are identified such as differences in the length or thickness of the legs. Other deformities, unusual gait, tilt to one side, supporting limbs, position of hips, shoulder and curve of back are also observed. These early observations will help you know what parts of the body you most need to check for strength and range of motion. [5] Step2: This is the physical examination. It should usually include: Range-of-motion testing, especially where there might be contractures. Muscle testing, especially of muscles that may be weak. Also test muscles that need to be strong to make up for weak ones (such as arm and shoulder strength for crutch use). Check for deformities: contractures; dislocations (hip, knee, foot, shoulder and elbow); difference in leg length; tilt of hips and curve or abnormal shape of the back. Step3: After the physical exam, again observe how the patient moves or walks. The particular way of moving and walking is related with the physical findings (such as weakness of certain muscles, contractures, and leg length). Step4: Based on observations and tests, a study is done to understand what assistance might help the patient. Different aspects of the aid must be considered such as: benefit, cost, comfort, appearance, availability of materials, and whether the patient is comfortable. Step5: Once the assist device has been decided, the necessary measurements are taken to make the brace or aid. When making it, once again it is wise to put it together temporarily so that adjustments can be made before it is rivet, glue, or nail it into its final form. Step6: Have the patient try the brace or aid for a few days to get used to it and to see how well it works. If there is discomfort or any problems, alternate improvements or necessary adjustments should be made. 1.3 DESCRIPTION OF A CALIPER Braces or calipers are aids that help hold legs or other parts of the body in useful positions. They usually serve either one or both of the purposes given below: To provide support, strength/firmness to a weak joint (or joints). To help prevent or correct the deformity. ORTHOTIC DEVICE: An orthosis or orthotic is an orthopedic device that supports or corrects the function of a limb or the torso [6]. An orthopaedic brace or orthotic is an orthopaedic device used to: Control, guide, limit and/or immobilize an extremity, joint or body segment for a particular reason To restrict movement in a given direction To assist movement generally To reduce weight bearing forces for a particular purpose To aid rehabilitation from fractures after the removal of a cast To otherwise correct the shape and/or function of the body, to provide easier movement capability or reduce pain. [6] LOWER LIMB ORTHOSIS: A lower-limb orthotic is an external device that is attached to the lower limb as a whole or limb segment in order to improve its function by providing support, reducing pain through transferring load to another area or correcting flexible deformities. NOMENCLATURE FOR CALIPERS Calipers are named after the joints that they replace the function of. The following are the acronyms used: Ankle Foot Orthosis (A.F.O.) Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis (K.A.F.O.) Hip Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis (H.K.A.F.O.) ANKLE FOOT ORTHOSIS (A.F.O.s): Ankle foot orthoses are orthotic devices encompassing the  ankle  joint and all (or part) of the  foot. AFOs are externally applied and intended to control position and motion of the ankle, compensate for weakness, or correct deformities. [6]   Fig. 1.3 Ankle Foot Orthosis KNEE ANKLE FOOT ORTHOSIS (K.A.F.O.): A knee-ankle-foot orthosis provides flexion, extension and mediolateral stabilization of the knee; may provide free or locked knee motion, or adjustable range of motion [7]. A knee-ankle-foot orthotic is typically designed to enable patients suffering from weakness or lack of control of the knee joint to walk safely. It is also used as an independent walking device for a walking-impaired person whose lower limb is paralyzed or whose muscle function is lost due to his spinal cord injury, diseases (such as polio), cerebrovascular disorder, external wounds and so forth. It is comprised of a main hinge assembly, an ankle assembly, a foot plate; a lower leg housing member; an upper leg housing member and supporting structure. Fig. 1.4 Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis HIP KNEE ANKLE FOOT ORTHOSIS (H.K.A.F.O) HKAFO is basically a KAFO with addition of hip joint and pelvic section which  provide control to selected hip motions.   The motions included at the hip are front to back, side to side, and rotation. In the HKAFO there is a minimized risk of the hip  moving out of proper position or dislocating. In this type of caliper, the  hip and lower spine is stabilized in cases where the patient is weak or paralyzed. Fig. 1.5 Hip Knee Ankle Foot Orthosis The average weight of stainless steel calipers are given below. Table 1.1 Weight of conventional stainless steel calipers TYPE OF CALIPER WEIGHT (kg) A.F.O. 1.100 K.A.F.O. 1.600 H.K.A.F.O. 2.250 2. LITREATURE SURVEY Literatures on existing Calipers and design In the literature survey, various designs of existing calipers have been proposed. The patients comfort level, flexibility, cost-effectiveness and weight form the most important basis for the design of the caliper. Some of the recently published works are as follows: Table 2.1: Literature Survey SL.NO TITLE AUTHOR TECHNICAL DETAILS CONCLUSIONS/ LIMITATIONS 1. Anatomical Models of Diarthroidal Joints: Rigid Multibody Systems and Deformable Structures JH Heggard Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering- Volume 2, 2003 Mathematical methods to model diarthroidal joints. Modelling of the joints is necessary to be able to understand the difficulty faced in movement by a post-polio paralytic patient. The various forces and stresses acting on the joints were studied in order to understand various basic movements and to help in the design of calipers. 2. Bioengineering Analysis of Force Actions Transmitted by the Knee Joint JK Marrisson Biomedical Engineering, 5: 164-178, 1988 Determining forces acting on the knee joint as the caliper to be designed is a K.A.F.O(Knee-Ankle-Foot-Orthosis) caliper. Forces on knee joint during locomotion 3. Orthopaedic Prosthesis and Joint Implants Shan Fengwang, Lichun L, Michael J. Yaszemski Biomedical Engineering, 2: 1984 Study of Titanium and its properties such as biocompatibility, light weightedness, density, youngs modulus to check for its use in the manufacture of calipers Use of titanium in biomedical applications and how this could be extended to the manufacture of calipers and reduce the discomfort and weight of the same. 2.1 WORKFLOW Start Caliper Classification Similar Products Analysis Commercial Intelligence Material Selection Manufacturing Process Recognition of Tools and Machineries Development Design of Product Modelling Analysis Fabrication of Prototype Model Fabrication of Prototype Model Testing Verification I/P=O/P Stop Root cause analysis for failure Recognition of Caliper and its Application Fig. 2.1 Workflow 3. SELECTON OF MATERIAL For the design of a caliper, a material is chosen based on its physical properties such as tensile strength, elastic modulus, yield stress, etc. The choice of material is based on a comparative analysis of these factors. Ideally, a material should be chosen such that the caliper is: Comfortable Lightweight, yet strong Easy to handle Cost-effective Durable As attractive as possible Easy to manufacture [8] 3.1 MATERIALS CURRENTLY USED FOR PRODUCTION OF CALIPERS: Braces are made from various types of materials-plastic, elastic, metal, or a combination of similar materials.  At present calipers are of two types: Metallic made from Aluminum, Stainless steel Non-metallic- made from polypropylene, reinforced carbon Advantages of metallic calipers over non-metallic calipers: Less expensive to manufacture: Metallic calipers are cheaper to produce because those manufactured using poly-propylene require specialized moulds to shape the polymer. The biggest expense in making plastic braces is the plaster bandage used for casting a mold of the leg. Easier to customize for each patient: As the height and contours of each patient differs, the metal rods are easier to customize than plastic calipers. They are quick and easy to make They are more durable than plastic calipers. If used with sandals or clogs, in hot weather they are cooler than plastic. 3.2 TITANIUM AS AN ALTERNATIVE MATERIAL: 3.2.1 GENERAL PROPERTIES OF TITANIUM Titanium is a chemical element, metallic in nature whose chemical symbol is Ti , atomic number 22 and atomic weight 47.90. Ti is a transition metal silver in color It has the following properties: low density high tensile strength corrosion-resistant There are two allotropic forms and five naturally occurring isotopes of this element, 46Ti through 50Ti, with 48Ti being the most abundant (73.8%). [8] It is the ninth-most abundant element in the Earths crust (0.63% by mass) and the seventh-most abundant metal. [8] Titanium and its alloys possess suitable mechanical properties such as strength, bend strength and fatigue resistance to be used in load-bearing biomedical applications such as orthopaedics and dentistry. Titanium is a reactive metal. In air, water, or arbitrary electrolytes an oxide layer is formed on the surface of the material. This oxide belongs to one of the most resistant compounds in the mineral world. As the oxide layer is a dense film it protects the metal from chemical attack which is of importance in an aggressive biological environment. Within the human body, titanium is inert as the oxide layer which is formed is in contact with the biological tissue, is hardly soluble and in particular no ions are released that could react with other molecules. [9] There are 22 grades of commercially available alloyed and unalloyed titanium. Based on the application, a suitable grade is chosen. 3.2.2 COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STAINLESS STEEL, ALUMINIUM AND TITANIUM Metals used for the purpose of designing calipers are required to have both high static and cycle-dependent properties. Tensile yield and ultimate strength, modulus of elasticity, and fatigue endurance limit are the principal metallic strength attributes that must be determined. Wear resistance is also an important criterion for all biomaterials. Excessive wear can lead to premature mechanical failure of the replacement component. Table 3.1. Comparative study of the physical properties of the different materials PHYSICAL PROPERTIES MATERIALS Stainless steel Aluminium Titanium Density (g ·cmà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢3) 9.0 2.70 4.51 Ultimate strength (MPa) 860 455 900 Yield strength (MPa) 520 400 830 Yield stress (MPa) 210-350 40-50 240-370 Youngs modulus (GPa) 205 70 110-125 Linear coefficient of thermal expansion ( °F-1) 7.810-6 12.910-6. 5.010-6 Density: Density of a material is defined as the concentration of matter as measured by the mass per unit volume. A higher density indicates a higher mass for a particular volume. Titanium has density between stainless steel and aluminium indicating that for the same volume of material, titanium is lighter than stainless steel but heavier than aluminium. Ultimate strength: Ultimate strength, also known as tensile strength, is defined as the maximum stress a material can withstand before necking. Ultimate strength should be desirably, high for a material. Titanium has ultimate strength higher than stainless steel and twice as high as aluminium indicating that it can withstand greater tensile stress i.e. it can withstand more stress before necking. Fig.3.1 Stress-Strain curve Yield Strength: Yield strength is defined as the property of a material to resist deformation. For a good material, the yield strength should be high. The yield strength for titanium is almost twice as high as stainless steel and aluminium indicating that it can withstand more stress without deforming permanently. Yield Stress: Yield stress is defined as the minimum amount of stress which when applied to the body causes permanent deformation. Even if the applied stress is removed at this point, the object does not return to its original dimensions. The yield stress of titanium is almost equal to stainless steel but more than 6 times than that of aluminium. Youngs Modulus: Youngs modulus is the ratio between stress applied and resulting strain. It is used as a measure of change in linear dimensions upon application of tensile stress. If this ratio is large, it indicates that the material can withstand stress better with less deformation. The Youngs Modulus of titanium is higher than aluminium but lesser than that of stainless steel. The modulus is an important concern in the orthopedic application of biomaterials because: Bone has a modulus on the order of 17 GPa. The discrepancy between the modulus of bone and that of the alloys used to support structural loads means that the metallic devices implanted in the body take a disproportionate share of the load applied as stress. According to Wolffs Law, bone adapts to applied stress. Because alloys cause stress shielding one result of the adaptation is that the bone associated with the implant does not become or remain as strong as it would in the absence of an implant. [12] Linear Coefficient of Expansion: Linear coefficient of expansion is defined as the increase in length per degree rise in temperature. If a metal is alternately subjected to heating and cooling cycles, it should maintain a certain tolerance of dimensions i.e. a low coefficient of thermal expansion is desirable. The linear coefficient of expansion of titanium is much lesser than both stainless steel and aluminium indicating that the change in the dimensions of the object with change in temperature is less, which is desirable. 3.2.3 GRADES OF TITANIUM There are 22 grades of commercially available alloyed and unalloyed titanium. [10] Referenced standards: ASTM- American Standards for Testing Materials This standard is issued under the fixed designation B 338 as revised on November 2003. [15] ASTM Specification for commercially pure titanium: F-67 Table 3.2 Grades of titanium GRADE COMPOSITION Grade 1 Unalloyed titanium Grade 2 Unalloyed titanium Grade 3 Unalloyed titanium Grade 7 Unalloyed titanium plus 0.12 to 0.25 % palladium Grade 9 Titanium alloy (3 % aluminum, 2.5 % vanadium) Grade 11 Unalloyed titanium plus 0.12 to 0.25 % palladium Grade 12 Titanium alloy (0.3 % molybdenum, 0.8 % nickel) Grade 13 Titanium alloy (0.5 % nickel, 0.05 % ruthenium) Grade 14 Titanium alloy (0.5 % nickel, 0.05 % ruthenium) Grade 15 Titanium alloy (0.5 % nickel, 0.05 % ruthenium) Grade 16 Unalloyed titanium plus 0.04 to 0.08 % palladium Grade 17 Unalloyed titanium plus 0.04 to 0.08 % palladium Grade 18 Titanium alloy (3 % aluminum, 2.5 % vanadium) plus 0.04 to 0.08 % palladium Grade 26 Unalloyed titanium plus 0.08 to 0.14 % ruthenium Grade 27 Unalloyed titanium plus 0.08 to 0.14 % ruthenium Grade 28 Titanium alloy (3 % aluminum, 2.5 % vanadium) plus 0.08 to 0.14 % ruthenium Grade 30 Titanium alloy (0.3 % cobalt, 0.05 % palladium) Grade 31 Titanium alloy (0.3 % cobalt, 0.05 % palladium) Grade 33 Titanium alloy (0.4 % nickel, 0.015 % palladium, 0.025 % ruthenium, 0.15 % chromium) Grade 34 Titanium alloy (0.4 % nickel, 0.015 % palladium, 0.025 % ruthenium, 0.15 % chromium) Grade 35 Titanium alloy (4.5 % aluminum, 2 % molybdenum, 1.6 % vanadium, 0.5 % iron, 0.3 % silicon) Grade 36 Titanium alloy (45 % niobium) From the comparative study, the following conclusions were drawn: The yield stress, yield strength and ultimate strength are much higher for titanium. Hence it serves as a suitable material for calipers as it has to withstand the stress applied by the body weight and external forces. Lower stiffness of titanium with respect to stainless steel reduces the severity of stress-shielding. The density of titanium is lesser than stainless steel; therefore the calipers would be much lighter than those made of stainless steel, almost by half. As linear coefficient of thermal expansion is lesser for titanium, the caliper dimensions would not change much with change in temperature. Titanium is more corrosion resistant than stainless steel. Stainless steel relies on chromium to render it passive to corrosion. Titanium however develops passivity on its own from the stable oxide film that forms on its surface. Unalloyed titanium grade 2 has higher ductility and is hence, cast, formed, joined, and machined with relative ease as compared to the alloyed grades.   4. DESIGN OF CALIPER 4.1 DESIGN OF EXISTING CALIPERS 4.2 DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED DESIGN Software that was used for the development of caliper design: Autodesk Inventor Professional 2009. 4.2.1 ABOUT AUTODESK INVENTOR PROFESSIONAL 2009 Autodesk Inventor Professional 2009 helps you design, visualize and stimulate the end product desired digitally. It not only includes the 3D mechanical design and CAD productivity, but also the essential tooling of various parts of the end product required such as plastic, that lends itself to manufacturing, and also facilitating in validation of the product digitally, sparing the need to test with physical prototypes.    With the integration of motion simulation and stress analysis tools in Autodesk Inventor Professional 2009, marketing a product becomes a much easier. Effective prediction on how the product will work in real-time conditions can be done and also automation of important aspects of the design such as the injection molds for plastic parts help greatly in minimizing errors to a good extent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An intuitive design environment of Autodesk Inventor Professional 2009 helps in the development of initial sketches and models of different parts. Also, this software helps by automating the basic geometrical sketches to actual prototypes making using of materials such as plastic, steel frames, tubes etc. This therefore reduces the geometry burden and the time required to make necessary changes and bring about innovation in the product, thereby reducing the time it takes to reach the market. Validation, in earlier times, was a very time consuming and expensive process involving skilled specialists but Autodesk Inventor Professional 2009 has made the entire process very simple and simulation expertise is not required now. Simulation and optimization of designs digitally has become very easy due to this software. Simple user interface helps in part by part design and integration. Stress analysis can also be performed to evaluate areas of stress concentration and hence helps in distribution of the same by slight design modifications. Improved Design: Auto Desk Inventor 2009 supports all major drawing formats like DWG and some of the improved features compared to its previous versions include: Design views in high speed Saves a lot of time. Viewing of drawings and annotation takes very less time when compared to the previous versions. Betterment in error handling High level of intelligence to give suggestions regarding geometrical issues. Faster startup time Launch time is much faster when compared to previous versions. Part by part design view Immediate definition and change in any part including dimensions and coloring and suitable assembly instantly. New Standards for 3D Modeling Ease of Use Autodesk Inventor 2009 helps focusing on the problem rather than trying to gain expertise over using the software as such, owing to its advanced user interface and features, making complex dialog boxes redundant. Inventor Fusion Simple tools to explore new shapes and easy on the spot modification of model from any source. Improved design feature creation Better control over the geometry of the design with productivity uncompromised. Assembly design features [20] Assembly Snap tool Interference analysis and contact detection Assembly configurations Large assembly performance Frame Generator Weldments Content Center Design Doctor Direct manipulation It is an important feature of Autodesk Inventor Professional 2009 which helps in uninterrupted design workflow. Being able to control all the commands exactly at the point needed gives more room for free sketching, quicker assembly and better accuracy. Sustainable Design Material selection can now be done considering environmental effects and cost effectiveness. Using Autodesk, it is now possible to access environmental information on materials required for fabrication and make prudent decisions based on careful analysis. 4.2.2 ENGINEERING DRAWINGS OF THE CALIPER During the modeling, different parameters were measured which included Diameter of the mid- thigh Diameter of distal end of the thigh Distance between mid- thigh and distal end of the thigh Diameter of proximal end of the calf Distance between distal end of the thigh and proximal end of the calf Diameter of the distal end of the calf Distance between proximal and distal end of the calf Diameter of ankle Length of the foot Breadth of the toes Breadth of mid-foot Based on these parameters, the design of the calipers was developed using Autodesk Professional Inventor 2009 The drawing was modeled in parts and later assembled into the complete caliper as shown in the drawings. All dimensions are in mm Fig 4.1 Engineering drawing of KAFO All dimensions are in mm Fig 4.2 Engineering drawing of upper leg supporting structure (thigh) All dimensions are in mmFig 4.3 Engineering drawing of lower leg supporting structure (Calf) All dimensions are in mm Fig.4.4 Engineering drawing of the ankle and foot supporting structure All dimensions are in mm Fig 4.5 Engineering drawing of Ti-Strip1 All dimensions are in mm Fig 4.6 Engineering drawing of Ti-Strip 2 All dimensions are in mm Fig 4.7 Engineering drawing of Ti-Bend Strip Fig 4.8 Engineering drawing of the Male Clamp Fig 4.9 Engineering Drawing of Female Clamp Hence, by using Autodesk Inventor Professional 2009, the design for a caliper was developed. The different parts of the caliper were developed individually and later assembled to form a complete model. These diagrams are used as a basis for the development of the prototype. The major changes that were incorporated in the design were at the knee joint: Male and Female Clamp were used to replicate the hinge joint at the knee. In order to assist in easy bending of the caliper while sitting, a rivet was introduced which when unscrewed, will faclitate flexion at the knee. This is primarily useful while sitting and travelling as the caliper need not be completely removed. 5. DEVELOPMENT OF PROTOTYPE The development of prototype was conducted in essentially three steps: Development of PVC prototype Identification of problems and corresponding corrections made Development of titanium protoype 5.1 MANUFACTURING PROCESS There are five major steps in manufacturing the Polyvinylchloride prototype. They have been listed and enumerated below: Marking This is the foremost step in manufacturing. It is also known as Material Planning. Knowing the required dimensions is a prerequisite. Once the dimensions for every part of