Free Essays on Boldrewood

and phrases. Through this language we can glimpse the Irish presence in early European Australia whose 'numbers and noisiness' was frequently mentioned by visitors to the Colony. While the Irish way of speaking English was frowned upon in the Old Country where societal correctness included the use of standard English in speech and print, under the freedom that was early European Australia an Australian vernacular could develop, one which would be representative of the variety that made up that society, and of which the Irish were a considerable number. Although Boldrewood provides a clear divide between his protagonists' English and Irish backgrounds, his choice of language reveals an Irish spirit in the characters and acting as an undergro... Free Essays on Boldrewood Free Essays on Boldrewood Robbery Under Arms is the story of the Marston brothers. Australian born Dick and Jim, and their English-born ex-convict father, Ben. Under Ben's influence the brothers take to the lawless path, following the charismatic Captain Starlight. The novel affords many interesting aspects for literary criticism. These range from the character of Captain Starlight to the role of the 'Terrible Hollow' through to the many and varied dualities in theme and character delineation. This paper will demonstrate that Boldrewood's narrative style is equally important in accounting for the attractiveness and durability of Robbery Under Arms. In particular his choice of key words which happen to be Irish language words bring a new dimension into consideration of the novel, reinforcing as they, and the other non-standard English words of the novel do, the overall theme of Freedom and Constraint. Three keys words in the novel are spree, call and world, of which the first two are Irish language words and the use of the last in phrases owes its origin to that language too. Scattered throughout the novel, in particular in the speech of Dick Marston in his role as the narrator, are other Irish language influenced words and phrases. Through this language we can glimpse the Irish presence in early European Australia whose 'numbers and noisiness' was frequently mentioned by visitors to the Colony. While the Irish way of speaking English was frowned upon in the Old Country where societal correctness included the use of standard English in speech and print, under the freedom that was early European Australia an Australian vernacular could develop, one which would be representative of the variety that made up that society, and of which the Irish were a considerable number. Although Boldrewood provides a clear divide between his protagonists' English and Irish backgrounds, his choice o f language reveals an Irish spirit in the characters and acting as an undergro...

Allomorph Word Forms and Sounds

Allomorph Word Forms and Sounds In phonology, an allomorph is a variant form of a morpheme. (A morpheme is the smallest unit of a language.) For example, the plural in English has three different morphs, making plural an allomorph, because there are alternatives. Not all plurals are formed in the same way; theyre made in English with three different morphs: /s/, /z/, and  [É™z], as in kicks, cats, and sizes, respectively.   For example, when we find a group of different  morphs, all versions of one morpheme, we can use the prefix  allo-  ( one of a closely related set) and describe them as allomorphs of that morpheme. Take the morpheme plural. Note that it can be attached to a number of lexical morphemes to produce structures like cat   plural, bus   plural, sheep   plural, and man   plural. In each of these examples, the actual forms of the morphs that result from the morpheme plural are different. Yet they are all allomorphs of the one morpheme. So, in addition to /s/ and /É™z/, another allomorph of plural in English seems to be a zero-morph because the plural form of  sheep  is actually sheep   ∅. When we look at man   plural, we have a vowel change in the word...as the morph that produces the irregular plural form  men. (George Yule, The Study of Language, 4th ed. Cambridge University Press, 2010) Past Tense Allomorphs Past tense is another morpheme that has multiple morphs and is thus an allomorph. When you form the past tense, you add the sounds /t/, /d/, and /É™d/ to words to put them in past tense, such as in talked, grabbed, and wanted, respectively. Completely arbitrary allomorphs, such as English  went  (go  Ã‚  past tense), are relatively rare in the  lexicon, and occur almost exclusively with a few very frequent words. This unpredictable kind of allomorphy is called  suppletion. (Paul Georg Meyer, Synchronic English Linguistics: An Introduction, 3rd ed. Gunter Narr Verlag, 2005) Pronunciation Can Change Depending on the context, allomorphs can vary in shape and pronunciation without changing meaning, and the formal relation between phonological allomorphs is called an  alternation.  [A]n underlying morpheme can have multiple surface level allomorphs (recall that the prefix allo means other). That is, what we think of as a single unit (a single morpheme) can actually have more than one  pronunciation  (multiple allomorphs)...We can use the following analogy:  phoneme:  allophone   morpheme: allomorph. (Paul W. Justice, Relevant Linguistics: An Introduction to the Structure and Use of English for Teachers, 2nd ed. CSLI, 2004) For example, [t]he  indefinite article  is a good example of a morpheme with more than one allomorph. It is  realized  by the two forms  a  and  an. The sound at the beginning of the following word determines the allomorph that is selected. If the word following the indefinite article begins with a  consonant, the allomorph  a  is selected, but if it begins with a  vowel  the allomorph  an  is used instead... [A]llomorphs of a morpheme are in  complementary distribution. This means that they cannot substitute for each other. Hence, we cannot replace one allomorph of a morpheme by another allomorph of that morpheme and change meaning. (Francis Katamba, English Words: Structure, History, Usage, 2nd ed. Routledge, 2004) More on the Term Itself   The terms adjectival use is  allomorphic. Its etymology derives from the Greek,  Ã‚  other form.

The Irish Historical Background Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12000 words - 3

The Irish Historical Background - Essay Example Maria Edgeworth had her own weaknesses and opportunities as a person but she overrode her weaknesses and did not flatter herself in her opportunities but looked to herself and what she could make of herself as a person and succeeded in that quest. One of the weaknesses Maria had to deal with was her stature and appearance. ‘Small in stature she was never short on grace and wit’ (Merriman, 2005). Maria Edgeworth did not allow low self-esteem take the better part of her for how she appeared or looked. She believed her true personality was in her abilities and what she could do and not how she looked. Maria Edgeworth was also not lucky with parenting as she had to go through the hands of four mothers in her short youthful days. Her own mother was not loved and was neglect. ‘It was in their house that her neglected and unloved mother—always a kind and excellent, though a very sad woman—died’ (Edgeworth, WikiSource, 2008). Maria, however, loved all her stepmothers and treated them nothing less than her biological mother. ‘Kept by Mrs. Lataffiere, to whom she always felt much indebted, though her stepmother,’ (Edgeworth, WikiSource, 2008). Another weakness Maria Edgeworth had to b attle was an eye problem she had. ‘Her eyes became so painfully inflamed that she was unable to use them’ (Merriman, 2005). This problem was with her in her childhood but little Maria did not let that stop her from pursuing her academic dreams. Records from Edgeworth’s unpublished family memoir has it that when she came to do the exercises set to her class at Mrs. Daviss, she found them so easy that she wrote out the whole quarters exercises at once, "keeping them strung together in her desk, and, while the other girls were labouring at their tasks, she had all that time for reading what she pleased to herself, and, when the French master came round for the exercises, had only to unstring hers, and present it." (Lawless, 1905)

Source evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Source evaluation - Essay Example This source is reliable, considering that it has drawn its content and conclusions from other scientific studies. This being the case, the source presents a well-balanced argument from both sides, backed by the relevant scientific data collected by the scientific studies. The conclusions and arguments of the source have been drawn from a data set comprising of responses from questionnaires sent to over 7,000 doctors, which was compared to responses obtained from 3500 professionals working in different fields (Chen, n.p.). Thus, while there is the element of the doctors being prone to long working hours, the major influential factor in the doctor’s burnout, was their immediate involvement in front-line access to care (Chen, n.p.). The source therefore does not present any form of bias. The source presents a well-balanced argument, considering that it draws its argument from scientifically conducted studies, as opposed to mere observation regarding the lack of competency of the doctors. The balanced argument in the source is presented through the presentation of the problem on the one hand, and the explanation of the causes of the problem, on the other hand. Therefore, while the source argues for the existence of doctor’s burnout problem, it gives the relevant explanation, that the causes of such burnout could range from the limited time that the doctors are allowed to be with the patients, to the prescription restrictions offered by the health insurance companies (Chen, n.p.). Further causes could be the lack of sufficient empathy from the doctors, to increased rate of errors, which may be caused by involvement in other administrative tasks. Further, to balance the argument that doctors are increasingly demonstrating signs of classic burnout; the source draws backing from a real life situation, where there is an increase in the number of the Americans who are seeking medical services without being insured.

WRITTEN CRITIQUE OF SCHOLARLY ARTICLE Research Paper

WRITTEN CRITIQUE OF SCHOLARLY ARTICLE - Research Paper Example This section provides sufficient summary of various aspects included within the study. The methodology, results and conclusions have been effectively summarized within the abstract. These summaries remain fundamental in enabling other individuals making reference to the article to understand its relevance even before perusing through the details contained inside. The abstract also contains a summary of the keywords that have been included within the research. These words are essential in seeking to enable individuals to understand the contents. The research was conducted by eleven researchers most of whom have been involved in numerous academic institutional departments. As individuals who are actively involved in the educational sector, they have the right qualifications to be able to undertake a probe of such nature. The author affiliations have been provided, and this is essential in increasing reader confidence in the results of the research. The article containing these research findings was published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, which is a peer-reviewed medical journal with an impact factor of 3.169 as of 2012. The credibility of the authors and the impact factors of the journal, in which the article was published become basic elements that enhance the confidence of the findings established by the investigators. The theoretical framework has not been clearly described. Despite the importance of this framework in research studies, the lack of the conceptual framework within this research does not change the significance of the study. The study focuses on seeking to establish the effectiveness of tobacco tactics intervention, and background information has been provided regarding the topics being reviewed. The background information plays a significant role in informing other researchers on various aspects, which have been included. Though not clearly outlined, the various aspects of the framework are

Automatic Fire Alarm System (A-FAS) Design

Automatic Fire Alarm System (A-FAS) Design ABSTRACT The safety of the environment and individuals is monitored and maintained by the important role fire alarm systems play. Although, the usability of many of the existing fire alarm systems is known by the users, however, they are produced with high cost thus not reasonable for the low-income users. The main objective of this project is to design a prototype of an automatic fire alarm system (A-FAS) with low cost. The A-FAS designed in this project contains two systems, the detection system and the alarm system. The detection system operates as the fire detector and consists of a smoke detector, heat detector and an emergency switch as a manual call point. This paper discusses the design and implementation of a microcontroller based fire alarm system. The detectors are placed in different zones and any signal from any detector at any zone will activate the alarm system. The alarm system consists of LEDs, LCD notification, buzzer and text message notifications. Furthermore, the system i s fitted with sensors at different zones to identify the presence of individuals, this feature aids the monitoring process of the system. The entire system is controlled by a microcontroller which is programmed using Arduino compiler. Upon completion of the prototype, the A-FAS detects smoke or any rise in temperature sensed by the detectors. Finally, when any of the sensors are triggered, the buzzer operates and the system sends a text message to the saved number. With the development of A-FAS, the safety of individuals and surroundings will be increased as the low cost of the system will promote users of all income levels to have one at their place or home. INTRODUCTION An overheated electrical appliance, a burning splinter or a burning cigarette or just about any of these can trigger a fire. Moreover, the presence of nylon settings and a sofa set which emanate poisonous gases if on fire, will render people helpless in a couple of minutes, before even realizing what is happening. ADT Security Service and the Chubb Alarm are the well-recognized companies that deal with security systems and have been the innovative leaders in security systems. The products offered by these companies vary from intruder alarms to highly sophisticated fire alarm systems. Furthermore, the systems built by these companies are high in cost and require a scheduled maintenance to be carried out by the companys specified authorities. Based upon the current existing high cost fire alarm systems that are available in the market, an automatic fire alarm system with low cost has been developed. The A-FAS consists of two subsystems; detection system and alarm system. The A-FAS detection system has smoke detecting capabilities as it incorporates an optical smoke detector. Moreover, it is interfaced with heat detector and an emergency switch. The system features counting capabilities based on infrared sensors to ease the determination of individuals in case of emergency. The A-FAS alarm system is associated with the detection system to ease the process of alarming individuals in the event of fire. The alarm system consists of LED and LCD notifications displaying the location of the fire. A buzzer is also incorporated in the system. The system sends text message alerts as it incorporates a GSM module. Finally, the main part of the A-FAS that controls the entire operation is the microcontroller. This thesis describes the design and operation of a microcontroller based fire alarm system that could contribute to saving lives and reduce property losses with low cost. Aim The main purpose of this project is to design and prototype an automatic fire alarm system (A-FAS) with effective and competitive usage and can be produced at a low cost. This system is designed to be easy to operate by any user and is user friendly. The A-FAS is also been designed using minimum hardware at the lower level of processing. The system is not restricted to the mentioned inputs and outputs, however, can be altered per customer needs without having to design a new system. Problem Identification The complexity of the existing fire alarm system in the market nowadays is too high in terms of design and structure. Due to the complexity of the system, regular preventive maintenance is required to be carried out to make sure that the system is operating well. Moreover, the scheduled maintenance adds to the cost of the using the system. Therefore, the proposed fire alarm system is designed with a low cost and can be used by any user for safety purposes. Project Objectives There are several objectives that are required to be accomplished in developing the A-FAS to determine the purpose and the direction of this project. This project aims to achieve the following objectives: To design a low-cost microcontroller based fire alarm system. To develop a prototype of the fire alarm system using smoke detector, heat detector, emergency switch and infrared sensors as inputs to the system. Moreover, using LEDs, LCD display, buzzer and text messages as outputs to the system. To develop a prototype with the capability of customizing the system to meet with the customer requirements with regards to the inputs and outputs, without having to redesign a new system. To develop an automatic fire alarm system to safeguard the user and their surroundings, while being user friendly to accommodate the need of the masses. Project Scope To achieve the above objectives, the project needs to be implemented as below: The heart of the fire alarm system is to be a microcontroller to control the entire operations involved. The fire alarm system is to count the number of individuals present in the locations where the infrared modules are installed. Capable of displaying the source of the alarm on the LCD display. Capable of sending SMS notifications via GSM module interfaced in the system. Project limitation Since the project is interfaced with a GSM module that needs a SIM card to send SMS notifications and thus the system is limited to the amount of credit available on the SIM. Moreover, the system includes infrared sensors that are used to count the number of people entering and exiting the zone and thus to make the system more sensitive and receive only the infrared radiation from the correct source, the infrared modules need to be placed with a minimum distance of 2 meters. Furthermore, to receive live data from the sensors to produce visual output to the user in terms of if any sensor is disconnected from the system, the system is required to have personalized sensors. System Overview Figure 1.1 defines the inputs and outputs interfaced to the microcontroller device. The A-FAS has the features of interfacing additional inputs and outputs based on customer needs. Color Type of sensor Infrared sensors Smoke detector Hear detector Emergency switch The A-FAS works in a loop checking all the input sources and acting accordingly. The smoke detector, hear detector and the emergency switch transmit a signal to the microcontroller once triggered, this notifies the microcontroller to hazard the surroundings via the output devices. A keypad is added in the system to allow the user to interface and monitor the system. The Atmega2560 microcontroller acts as the heart of the Fire Alarm System which controls the entire system. The signals being received from the sensors are being compared by the Atmega2560 to either hazard the surroundings for the existence of fire or to hazard the surroundings for the presence of a fault in the system. Moreover, the system can alert the surroundings via a buzzer and LED notifications as well as SMS notifications once the Atmega2560 microcontroller receives signals that there is fire present in one of the zones. Thesis structure This thesis is divided into six chapters. The first chapter explains the problem statement, objectives, scopes and limitations of the project. The second chapter in this thesis is the projects literature review, which is based on the detection components of the A-FAS, the ATmega2560 and a comparison between microcontrollers and microprocessors. Moreover, this chapter contains summary of several available inventories software available in todays market and previous projects developed by engineers. Furthermore, chapter three describes the phases involved in the development of the A-FAS. There are four phases involved in the production of the fire alarm system which include the research phase, the designing phase, development phase and the analysis phase. Chapter four of this thesis discusses the system design process involved and the hardware and software development. Moreover, chapter five explains the results of the system development of the A-FAS and its analysis based on the system operation and functions. Finally, chapter six concludes the project and the recommendation suggestions for the continuity of the project and future work. The sixth chapter aids to the continuity of the project by other individuals interested as they can refer to it to develop the system. CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW As mentioned earlier in the previous chapter, cost factor plays a very important role in this project. Subsequently, to design a system with the objectives mentioned above requires research and studies that are described in this chapter. This chapter will include three subtopics, previous case study on fire alarm systems, hardware and software studies. Fire Alarm System: Related Work According to Bao Minzhong, Jianmei, Niihau Xiao and Wang [1], the function of the fire alarm system is to detect fire at an early stage providing sufficient time to produce high reliable judgment results. If the fire alarm system nosedives to notify the user in the presence of fire for the user to take appropriate measures, the system fails as alarm systems should cause the operator to respond. Moreover, Brown Campbell [2] suggested that for a system not to fail, it must require positive feedback from the operator. Nur Abd Aziz [3] proposed a fire alarm system consisting of three sensors, thermistor hear sensor, infrared sensors and infrared smoke sensors. The thermistor heat sensor was used to detect the rate at which temperature rises and high temperatures. The infrared sensors were used for intruder alarms to detect the presence or any motion, acting as a burglar alarm system. The infrared smoke sensors were used to identify fire in its early stages or smoldering. In the presence of fire, the water sprinklers are automatically switched on and the burglary alarm is activated. The known catalysts for fire is smoke, flame and heat but only smoke and smoke sensors have been applied and emphasized. Furthermore, when a fire occurs, the highly sensitive motion sensors will respond to normal environmental vibration which could be caused by moving cars or planes overhead. Furthermore, Chew and Ing Ming [4] proposed a similar system consisting of smoke detector, heat detector and a burglar alarm. In the event of smoke or a rise in the temperature, the system sends a signal to the microcontroller which in return operates a buzzer. Moreover, the microcontroller operates an auto redialing telephone programmed with specific number. This system. Moreover, the system is implemented with photo-electric sensor and inductive proximity switches. The photo-electric sensor is activated when transmitter cannot send light to the receiver. The inductive proximity switch is normally used for metal detection and activates when a metal is detected in the system. Once any of the sensors is activated, the microcontroller will sound the buzzer and flash LEDs. Chew and Ing Ming categorized the system proposed for industrial purposed. The complexity of this system contributes to the inability of installing such system at homes or offices. Detection components of the Fire alarm system Sensors are types of transducers that responds to a type of energy by producing another type of energy signal, usually electric [5]. Some of the sensors available include acoustic, biological, chemical and electromagnetic. These are used in many applications and are heavily used in the medicine industry and robotics as a source of detection components. The detection components of the A-FAS consist of smoke sensors, heat sensors and infrared sensors. Smoke Sensors Smoke detectors are devices designed to detect a fire while it is in its early stages or smoldering, duplicating the sense of smell. These devices have gained a wide usage in the residential and life safety applications. There is no debate that smoke detectors is the single most effective method of reducing fire damages and death. 90% to 95% of fire deaths occur in residential buildings (NZFS, 1993), targeting this will help accomplish the most cost-effective results. Studies of various types of smoke detectors, in particular photoelectric and ionization smoke detectors, illustrates that, one type of detector will be expected to perform better than the other, depending on the source of the smoke. Natarianni (1993) concludes that in flaming wood crib fires, the ionization smoke detectors activate before the photoelectric detectors. This conclusion is from simulated fires in hospital patient rooms. However, most importantly, both detectors activated before threatening the patients life. Moreover, a series of full-scale tests of smoke detectors installed in corridors and bedrooms of residential areas was conducted by Kennedy et al (1978). They concluded that inadequate warning in smoldering fires were often produced by ionization detectors. Subsequently, reducing the time available for escape once activated and the escape routes may be smoked-logged. Photoelectric smoke detectors contain a light emitting device, most commonly a light-emitting diode(LED), a smoke chamber and a photosensitive device that produced a monitored current from receiving light directly from the light source. The intensity of tech light reaching the photosensitive device is reduced by the smoke that enters the chamber. A drop in the intensity below a certain level causes a drop in the current produced by the photosensitive device, which is detected by the sensor control circuitry. Dropping the current below a preset threshold results in triggering the smoke alarm. Table 2.1 summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of photoelectric smoke detectors. The complete specification of the smoke detector used in the A-FAS can be obtained in Appendix A. Table 2.1: Advantages disadvantages of photoelectric smoke detector [6]. Advantages Disadvantages Sensitive to visual particles of smoke. Provide early warning. Detects smoldering low heat fires. Detects presence of smoke, not toxicity. Can be installed in any of the following typical locations: Office areas Clean rooms Atriums and corridors Sleeping rooms Storage closets Early contamination by dust causing reduced sensitivity. Must be cleaned on a regular basis. Has a potential for high false alarm rate, however, lower than the ionization smoke detectors. Heat Sensors A heat sensor detects abnormal rate of temperature rise or high temperatures. There are numbers of various heat detectors available in the market, which include: Thermistor. Thermocouple. Resistance temperature device. Diode based temperature sensor. There are certain features to consider while choosing the best heat sensor for any use. These features are summarized in table 2.2. Table 2.2 Features of various heat sensors [7]. Thermocouple RTD THERMISTOR SEMICONDUCTOR High accuracy and repeatability. Fair linearity Poor linearity Linearity: 1oC Accuracy: 1oC Needs cold junction compensation Requires excitation Requires excitation Requires excitation Widest Range: -148oC to +2300 oC Widest Range: -200oC to +850 oC Widest Range: 0 oC to +100 oC Widest Range: -55oC to +150 oC Low voltage output Low cost High sensitivity 10mV/K,20mV/K Typical output The LM35 temperature sensor are precision integrated circuit temperature sensors, which will be used to develop the A-FAS. This sensor is fully rated from -55 Â °C to +150 Â °C and with the linear scale factor of 10mV/Â °C. It operates from 4 to 30 V, has less than 60 ÂÂ µA drain current and has low self-heating (0.08 Â °C in still air). The control circuitry or the interfacing of LM35 is easy due to the low output impedance, linear output and precise inherent calibration. The LM35 series is available in hermetic TO transistor packages, while the LM35C, LM35CA and LM35D are available in TO-92 transistor package. The LM35D is also available in an 8-lead surface-mount small outline package and a plastic TO-220 package. [8] (Reprinted from datasheet of LM35 [8].) The LM35 can function as a basic centigrade temperature sensor sense temperature between +2 oC and +150 oC and can function as a full -range centigrade temperature sensor sensing temperature between -55 oC to +150 oC. Figure 2.1 illustrates the circuitry for using the sensor for both functions, where +Vs is the voltage supplied to the sensor. Adjusting the output voltage of the sensor enables the temperature to be obtained in degree centigrade. Infrared Sensors: There are many sensors available for obstacle detection such as infrared sensors, ultrasonic sensors, camera and laser based sensor system (LIDAR). In this thesis, infrared sensors are used to accomplish the task of counting the numbers of individuals in the placed installed. Low cost with accuracy is one of the main objectives of this project, hence infrared sensors were selected for the design. These sensors are widely used for measuring distances and obstacle detection and have faster response time than ultrasonic sensors [10]. Moreover, power consumption of the infrared sensors is lower than that of ultrasonic sensors [11]. Infrared sensors are categorized as diffuse reflection sensors and retro-reflective sensors. The latter is mainly used in harsh environment conditions and has a larger detection range than the diffuse reflective sensors [12]. Infrared sensors utilize a light sensor to detect a selective light wavelength in the spectrum. When an object obstructs the sensor, the light from the LED is broken by the object and the signal is not received by the receiver. ATmega2560 Microcontroller As defined by James L. Atonakos [13], microcontrollers are souped-up microprocessors with built-in features such as RAM, ROM, A/D, Interval timers and parallel input and output ports. Atmega2560 (figure 2.2), is a powerful flash microcontroller that contains many features in a 100-pin package. The datasheet of the ATmega2560 is attached in Appendix B. The definition of a flash microcontroller is that it can be programmed and erased instantly without the usage of ultra-violet light. The Atmega2560 is an 8-bit microcontroller with a powerful execution of instructions in a single clock cycle leading to the achievement of 1 MIPS per MHz, allowing the designer to optimize power consumption vs processing speed [14]. The internal architecture of the microcontroller is shown in figure 2.3. The central processing unit (CPU) is the brain of the microcontroller that controls the execution of the program, therefore able to access memories, handle interrupts and perform calculations. The microcontroller unit (MCU) consists of 256K bytes of in-system flash, 4K bytes EEPROM and 8K bytes of SRAM, which are used for memory. Other features include [14]: 86 programmable input and output ports. Ultra-low power consumption in active and power down mode. flexible timer/counters with compare modes and internal and external interrupts. Code protection facility, which is one of the best in the industry. Comparison between microcontroller and microprocessor The fact that microcontrollers may have one or two operational codes for moving data from external memory to the CPU, whereas, microprocessors have many operational codes, is the best way to exemplify the contrast between microcontrollers and microprocessors. Microcontrollers have many types of bit handling instructions, however, microprocessors have one or two. In conclusion, the microcontroller is concerned with rapid movement of bits within the chip, whereas, microprocessors are concerned with rapid movement of codes and data from external addresses to the chip. Microcontrollers can function as a computer with the addition of no external digital parts, however, microprocessors must have many digital parts to be operational [15]. OrCAD Figure 2.4 shows the OrCAD software used for circuit designing, testing and circuit analyzing. Generally, OrCAD is a software used to produce printed circuit board (PCB) layouts. The circuit was drawn onto the PCB board using OrCAD Capture, where footprints for each component was researched. The design rule check ensures that there are no errors present in the circuit. Arduino IDE The Arduino IDE (Integrated development environment) is a platform application from ATmega microcontrollers. Figure 2.5 shows the Arduino version used to compiling the program. Arduino IDE is used for writing, debugging, and optimizing ATmega microcontroller applications for firmware product design. Arduino programs are written in C or C++ and the software comes with a library called wiring which makes may common outputs and inputs operations much easier. Fire alarm systems available in the market There are several types of fire alarm system available in the market today. The various fire alarm systems from different developers vary in terms of implementation and functionality. Research has been carried out to investigate the technology and features used to develop each of the systems and compared them with the proposed A-FAS system. Table 2.3 concludes the results on the research, [16] [17]. Table 2.3 Manufacturers products Specifications SECURE 6000 INTELLIGUARD 2900 Developer Chubb Alarm ADT Fire and Security Fire monitoring Available Available Security monitoring system Available Available Service and maintenance Provided Provided Main features Sounding the alarm at first sign of smoke Combination of interior motion, door and window. Controlled via a remote control Plugs into telephone line to provide back to back monitoring system. Connected to signal fire condition to ADT customer monitoring center. Computer assisted reporting. Expandable used microprocessor to offer extensive flexibility. Reduce false alarm since the system can locate the origin of the alarm. Cost $2,055 $1,800 CHAPTER III Methodology This methodology chapter describes the planning and research involved in the development of the entire A-FAS system. The progress of this project was due to the division of the work in four phases; research phase, designing phase, development phase and the analysis phase. Introduction The fire alarm system described in this thesis is divided in to two sections, which are the hardware and the software sections. These sections play a vital role in the effectivity and the functionalities of the system. In order to start developing the project, there are few procedures that must be considered. Thus, earlier planning is important in designing and developing the A-FAS. The related phases have been illustrated in figure 3.1. Research phase The first phase of this methodology deals with the systems literature studies, research and analysis. Problem identification is included in the research phase. Moreover, the system objectives are determined by observations and theoretical information obtained from internet sources, journals, books and magazines. During this phase, the system requirements are determined, which include the hardware and software interfacing. Furthermore, the research and analysis conducted on the existing systems available in todays market is included in the research phase, as well as reviews on previous projects developed by organizations or individuals. A few problems have been identified based on the current research that has been done, which include: Burglar alarms are combined with the fire alarms in the same system, leading to confusion and inability to identify the source of the alarm by the user. The systems available are designed for specific purposes, providing the user with no options of customization of the fire alarm inputs and outputs. The cost of the systems is too high for low income individuals to secure their lives and properties by purchasing one. Websites and documentations were the source of reviews on analysis activities conducted in this phase. The system planning and development scheduling were then determined in this phase which suited the chosen development methodology. Upon completion of this phase, the system scopes, specifications and Gantt chart were produced. Designing Phase The second phase of the system development is the designing phase. The main objective of this phase is to translate or transform the requirements and analysis obtained from the research phase into design specifications for system implementation and construction. This phase involves a vital task for the success of the automatic fire alarm system, which is the hardware design of the system. Designing of the A-FAS hardware system The A-FAS hardware design involves detection components and the microcontroller. The detections components which are the smoke detector, heat detector, infrared sensors and an emergency switch are connected to the microcontroller. The latter is the control unit identifying the source and location of the fire if any of the input detection devices is triggered. A text message will be sent and a buzzer will be activated for individuals to evacuate the premises. Smoke sensors The system has been implanted using a Mercure photoelectric smoke detector. The system has the capability of being interfaced with most of the market available smoke detectors. However, to interface the smoke detector to the microcontroller, the smoke detector circuit is required to be altered. The smoke detector then sends a signal to the microcontroller in the event of emergency. The photoelectric smoke detector used in this project is very effective and highly recommended by users, with a low cost. These devices offer high power dissipation capability and are ideally suited for hostile environments. Heat sensors The LM35 temperature sensor has an output voltage which is linearly proportional to temperature in centigrade, thus the sensor is suitable for the project. The sensor draws very small amount of current which makes it very low self-heating. Figure 3.2 describes th

The Happiness of Others :: Happiness Essays

Written by Dr. Sam Vaknin Is there any necessary connection between our actions and the happiness of others? Disregarding for a moment the murkiness of the definitions of "actions" in philosophical literature - two types of answers were hitherto provided. Sentient Beings (referred to, in this essay, as "Humans" or "persons") seem either to limit each other - or to enhance each other's actions. Mutual limitation is, for instance, evident in game theory. It deals with decision outcomes when all the rational "players" are fully aware of both the outcomes of their actions and of what they prefer these outcomes to be. They are also fully informed about the other players: they know that they are rational, too, for instance. This, of course, is a very farfetched idealization. A state of unbounded information is nowhere and never to be found. Still, in most cases, the players settle down to one of the Nash equilibria solutions. Their actions are constrained by the existence of the others. The "Hidden Hand" of Adam Smith (which, among other things, benignly and optimally regulates the market and the price mechanisms) - is also a "mutually limiting" model. Numerous single participants strive to maximize their (economic and financial) outcomes - and end up merely optimizing them. The reason lies in the existence of others within the "market". Again, they are constrained by other people’s motivations, priorities ands, above all, actions. All the consequentialist theories of ethics deal with mutual enhancement. This is especially true of the Utilitarian variety. Acts (whether judged individually or in conformity to a set of rules) are moral, if their outcome increases utility (also known as happiness or pleasure). They are morally obligatory if they maximize utility and no alternative course of action can do so. Other versions talk about an "increase" in utility rather than its maximization. Still, the principle is simple: for an act to be judged "moral, ethical, virtuous, or good" - it must influence others in a way which will "enhance" and increase their happiness. The flaws in all the above answers are evident and have been explored at length in the literature. The assumptions are dubious (fully informed participants, rationality in decision making and in prioritizing the outcomes, etc.). All the answers are instrumental and quantitative: they strive to offer a moral measuring rod. An "increase" entails the measurement of two states: before and after the act. Moreover, it demands full knowledge of the world and a type of knowledge so intimate, so private - that it is not even sure that the players themselves have conscious access to it.