Pascal Laferriere | University of Ottawa | Université d'Ottawa (original) (raw)

Papers by Pascal Laferriere

Research paper thumbnail of Comparison of different vehicle backup-alarm types with regards to worker safety

Research paper thumbnail of Safety of Workers Behind Heavy Vehicles - Assessment of Three Types of Reverse Alarm

The Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), established in... more The Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), established in Québec since 1980, is a scientific research organization well-known for the quality of its work and the expertise of its personnel.

Research paper thumbnail of Safe Close-Proximity and Physical Human-Robot Interaction Using Industrial Robots

2015 12th Conference on Computer and Robot Vision, 2015

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Instrumented compliant wrist for dexterous robotic interaction

2014 IEEE International Symposium on Robotic and Sensors Environments (ROSE) Proceedings, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Comparison of sound propagation and perception of three types of backup alarms with regards to worker safety

Noise and Health, 2013

A technology of backup alarms based on the use of a broadband signal has recently gained populari... more A technology of backup alarms based on the use of a broadband signal has recently gained popularity in many countries. In this study, the performance of this broadband technology is compared to that of a conventional tonal alarm and a multi-tone alarm from a worker-safety standpoint. Field measurements of sound pressure level patterns behind heavy vehicles were performed in real work environments and psychoacoustic measurements (sound detection thresholds, equal loudness, perceived urgency and sound localization) were carried out in the laboratory with human subjects. Compared with the conventional tonal alarm, the broadband alarm generates a much more uniform sound field behind vehicles, is easier to localize in space and is judged slighter louder at representative alarm levels. Slight advantages were found with the tonal alarm for sound detection and for perceived urgency at low levels, but these benefits observed in laboratory conditions would not overcome the detrimental effects associated with the large and abrupt variations in sound pressure levels (up to 15-20 dB within short distances) observed in the field behind vehicles for this alarm, which are significantly higher than those obtained with the broadband alarm. Performance with the multi-tone alarm generally fell between that of the tonal and broadband alarms on most measures.

Research paper thumbnail of Surface electromyographic signals using a dry electrode

… and Measurement, IEEE …, 2011

For many electromyography (EMG) applications, a suitable dry electrode would simplify practical i... more For many electromyography (EMG) applications, a suitable dry electrode would simplify practical implementation of an EMG recording system. Wearable mobility monitoring is an example of such a system. Therefore, surface EMG signals, from Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT) flexible dry electrodes and Orbital Research electrodes, were compared to signals from conventional Ag/AgCl electrodes. EMG measurements were performed on the right tibialis anterior for a range of different activities, such as light twitches, isometric contractions, jumping, and walking. Signal feature comparisons, skin preparation effects (i.e., cleaning with isopropyl alcohol), and impedance-noise analyses were performed. Results showed that both dry electrodes had comparable sensitivity to the standard Ag/AgCl electrodes for detecting small unloaded muscle contractions and large loaded contractions. Results also showed that noise content and impedance are weakly correlated and skin preparation methods did not have a positive effect on skin/electrode impedance.

Research paper thumbnail of Comparison of different vehicle backup-alarm types with regards to worker safety

Research paper thumbnail of Safety of Workers Behind Heavy Vehicles - Assessment of Three Types of Reverse Alarm

The Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), established in... more The Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), established in Québec since 1980, is a scientific research organization well-known for the quality of its work and the expertise of its personnel.

Research paper thumbnail of Safe Close-Proximity and Physical Human-Robot Interaction Using Industrial Robots

2015 12th Conference on Computer and Robot Vision, 2015

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Instrumented compliant wrist for dexterous robotic interaction

2014 IEEE International Symposium on Robotic and Sensors Environments (ROSE) Proceedings, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Comparison of sound propagation and perception of three types of backup alarms with regards to worker safety

Noise and Health, 2013

A technology of backup alarms based on the use of a broadband signal has recently gained populari... more A technology of backup alarms based on the use of a broadband signal has recently gained popularity in many countries. In this study, the performance of this broadband technology is compared to that of a conventional tonal alarm and a multi-tone alarm from a worker-safety standpoint. Field measurements of sound pressure level patterns behind heavy vehicles were performed in real work environments and psychoacoustic measurements (sound detection thresholds, equal loudness, perceived urgency and sound localization) were carried out in the laboratory with human subjects. Compared with the conventional tonal alarm, the broadband alarm generates a much more uniform sound field behind vehicles, is easier to localize in space and is judged slighter louder at representative alarm levels. Slight advantages were found with the tonal alarm for sound detection and for perceived urgency at low levels, but these benefits observed in laboratory conditions would not overcome the detrimental effects associated with the large and abrupt variations in sound pressure levels (up to 15-20 dB within short distances) observed in the field behind vehicles for this alarm, which are significantly higher than those obtained with the broadband alarm. Performance with the multi-tone alarm generally fell between that of the tonal and broadband alarms on most measures.

Research paper thumbnail of Surface electromyographic signals using a dry electrode

… and Measurement, IEEE …, 2011

For many electromyography (EMG) applications, a suitable dry electrode would simplify practical i... more For many electromyography (EMG) applications, a suitable dry electrode would simplify practical implementation of an EMG recording system. Wearable mobility monitoring is an example of such a system. Therefore, surface EMG signals, from Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT) flexible dry electrodes and Orbital Research electrodes, were compared to signals from conventional Ag/AgCl electrodes. EMG measurements were performed on the right tibialis anterior for a range of different activities, such as light twitches, isometric contractions, jumping, and walking. Signal feature comparisons, skin preparation effects (i.e., cleaning with isopropyl alcohol), and impedance-noise analyses were performed. Results showed that both dry electrodes had comparable sensitivity to the standard Ag/AgCl electrodes for detecting small unloaded muscle contractions and large loaded contractions. Results also showed that noise content and impedance are weakly correlated and skin preparation methods did not have a positive effect on skin/electrode impedance.