Jumat, 25 Juni 2010

Cantilevered Roller Coaster Kinematics Test

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Kamis, 24 Juni 2010

A Taste of Things to Come...

Lower chasis for the Cantilevered Coaster concept, designed in Catia V5 and rendered with 3D Via. Read More...

Kamis, 17 Juni 2010

ASTM Committee F24 on Amusement Rides and Devices


I am sending in my application today to join the ASTM Committee F24 on Amusement Rides and Devices. ASTM International (which stands for American Society for Testing and Materials) is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world- a trusted source for technical standards for materials, products, systems, and services. The F24 Committee was formed in 1978. F24 meets twice a year, usually in February and October, with approximately 100 members from around the world attending two or three days of technical meetings. The Committee, with current membership of approximately 500 members, currently has jurisdiction of 17 standards, published in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 15.07. These standards have and continue to play a preeminent role in all aspects important to amusement rides and devices.

Membership fee is $70 per year. You get a free volume of one of their standards so I figure at the very least I am just buying another textbook, as well as putting it on my resume. At the most, I hope to meet many individuals involved in the amusement industry and maybe even help set some of the standards!

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Selasa, 15 Juni 2010

Cara Efektif Turunkan Beran Badan 5 kg

Agar makin cepat mendapat proporsi bentuk tubuh ideal yang diinginkan, ajaklah teman saat berolahraga atau berdiet. Manfaat melakukannya secara berkelompok lebih berhasil daripada jika Anda melakukannya seorang diri.

Hasil penelitian terbaru terhadap 3000 wanita mengungkap lebih dari setengah wanita mengakui berhasil menurunkan berat badan hingga lima kilo saat berdiet sehat bersama pasangan selama sebulan. Tetapi, seperlima yang melakukannya sendiri hanya mampu menurunkan setengah kilo.

Tujuh dari sepuluh wanita mengatakan memperoleh hasil olahraga lebih efektif bersama teman daripada sendiri. Sebanyak 61 persen mengatakan hampir mustahil mengumpulkan energi untuk latihan sendiri. Namun, proporsi olahraga yang sama seperti berenang dan jogging bersama teman atau pasangan membuat olahraga lebih berhasil.

Sian Lewis, wakil perusahaan asuransi yang melakukan survei mengatakan olahraga bersama menumbuhkan antusiasme yang tidak ditemukan saat orang melakukannya sendiri.

"Lebih mudah bersantai daripada berolahraga jika Anda hanya sendiri. Tetapi, teman adalah motivator terbaik untuk menjaga kesehatan dan berat badan tetap ideal," katanya seperti dikutip dari Daily Mail.


Namun, tidak semua hal yang dilakukan bersama bernilai positif. Wanita cenderung saling bersaing dalam hal fashion dan saat membeli pakaian. Sepertiga wanita selalu membeli baju sendiri atau riasan untuk olahraga daripada bersama teman. "Wanita selalu ingin terlihat cantik di pusat kebugaran, cafe, atau di tempat kerja. Mereka tak ingin disaingi dan mau terlihat glamor di mana saja."
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Dismenorhae: Nyeri Saat Haid

Suatu proses yang normal jika seorang wanita mengalami haid atau menstruasi. Hal ini terjadi karena adanya peluruhan dinding (endometrium) yang disertai dengan pendarahan dan biasanya terjadi rutin setiap bulan kecuali pada masa kehamilan.

Pada sebagian wanita, biasanya akan mengalami masa yang menyiksa yaitu proses haid yang disertai dengan nyeri atau rasa sakit. Sebenarnya normal bila seorang wanita merasa nyeri, hanya terkadang seorang wanita merasakan nyeri haid yang sangat hebat sampai mengganggu aktivitasnya. Nyeri haid pada taraf yang berat ini sering disebut dengan dismenorhae.

Gejala mungkin mulai mucul 1-2 hari sebelum menstruasi, puncaknya pada hari pertama aliran, dan mereda pada hari itu atau selama beberapa hari. Rasa sakit biasanya digambarkan sebagai tumpul, sakit, kram dan sering menjalar hingga punggung bawah.

Sexxie.tv mengundang anda untuk mengikuti seminar online dengan topik, “Dismenorhae: Nyeri Saat Haid", Kamis, 17 Juni 2010, pukul 14.00-15.00 WIB, bersama Dr Stella Melisa Thomas, seorang dokter umum, lulusan dari Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta. Dia juga merupakan Koordinator Kelompok Medis di FlyFreeForHealth.

Siapkan perangkat komputer, koneksi internet dan speaker untuk mengikuti presentasi dari Dr Stella mengenai topik menarik ini. Anda pun dapat bebas memberikan pertanyaan yang akan langsung di jawab, gratis!

Daftar sekarang melalui SMS. Ketik SW0310 ke +65 98473224 untuk mendapatkan undangan menghadiri webinar ini yang akan dikirimkan ke email anda. Klik link yang ada di undangan, ikuti langkah-langkah selanjutnya, dan anda akan dengan mudah memasuki ruang webinar.
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Alga Dapat Menghambat Kanker

Sejak lama alga atau ganggang laut dikenal sebagai makanan penuh nutrisi. Tidak hanya bergizi, tetapi tanaman penghuni lautan itu ternyata juga penuh khasiat melawan penyakit. Belakangan, sejumlah penelitian mengarah pada penggunaan ganggang guna menghambat kanker.

Penanganan kanker dengan pembedahan, kemoterapi, dan radioterapi hingga saat ini belum memuaskan. Kemoterapi, misalnya, tidak hanya menyerang sel kanker, tetapi juga sel sehat sehingga si sakit menderita. Adapun pembedahan dan radioterapi terbatas pada kanker yang hanya menyerang organ tertentu dan belum menyebar (metastatis).

Bahan kemopreventif sering dikatakan bertindak sebagai agen antitumor dan kebanyakan dari sumber alami: dari sayuran, buah, dan tumbuhan lain. Belakangan, alga disebut-sebut berkhasiat terhadap kanker. Alga berpotensi mencegah kanker berkembang lantaran kandungan antioksidannya, senyawa fikosianin, dan aktivitas protein peroxisome proliferator activated receptor/PPARs. PPARs merupakan kelompok protein reseptor yang bekerja dalam metabolisme sel, antara lain metabolisme karbohidrat, lipida, protein, serta pembelahan sel.

Profesor Ih-Jen Su dari Divisi Penelitian Klinis National Health Research Institutes Tainan, Taiwan, menguji coba Chlorella sorokiniana Cryptomonadales pada sel kanker kulit.

Pada penyelidikan awal, dia menggunakan eksperimen pada kulit tikus yang dicemari karsinogen kimia 7,12-dimetilbenzantrasen (DMBA). Delapan tikus percobaan dibagi ke dalam dua kelompok. Satu kelompok diberi olesan ekstrak Cryptomonadales dan kelompok lainnya tidak.

Ekstrak Cryptomonadales efektif menghambat tumor kulit yang disebabkan DMBA pada tikus di tahap awal kanker (inisiasi). Aplikasi ekstrak itu mengurangi pertumbuhan kulit papiloma. PPARs aktif bekerja dalam percobaan itu.

”Cara kerja Chlorella sorokiniana Cryptomonadales ialah secara sistemik membangun kekuatan tubuh untuk melawan berbagai gangguan,” ujar Prof Wang Shun Te dalam kunjungannya ke Indonesia beberapa waktu lalu. Guru besar Pingtung Technology University di Taiwan itu meninggalkan kampus guna meriset ganggang. Dia menemukan dan mengembangkan Chlorella sorokiniana Cryptomonadales selama 30 tahun. Produk yang dikembangkan Wang telah ada di beberapa negara, termasuk di Indonesia.

Sangat lengkap Nutrisi yang terkandung di dalam ganggang sangat lengkap. Chlorella mengandung 60 persen protein, karbohidrat, asam lemak esensial, fikosianin, klorofil, RNA, DNA, beragam vitamin, dan mineral. Sel Chlorella sangat stabil dan tidak akan berubah bentuk. Cryptomonadales, menurut Wang, merupakan mutu terbaik dari jenis Chlorella sorokiniana.

Sejumlah peneliti dari Fakulti Perubatan Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia juga tertarik meneliti khasiat ganggang.

Mereka mengkaji antioksidan dan antitumor Chlorella vulgaris terhadap kanker hepar dalam kajian in vivo dan in vitro. Penelitian itu menggunakan tikus Wistar jantan yang dipaparkan kanker hepar. Hasil penelitian dimuat dalam Sains Malaysiana pada tahun 2009.

Hasil penelitian menunjukkan, kemampuan Chlorella vulgaris menurunkan kadar proliferasi serta memengaruhi apoptosis sel kelenjar kanker hati (hepar) yang dibuktikan dengan pemaparan protein proapoptosis. Mekanisme kemopreventif Chlorella vulgaris antara lain dengan memengaruhi apoptosis melalui protein penindas tumor.

Hasil studi itu menyebutkan, apoptosis atau kematian sel secara terancang merupakan salah satu komponen penting dalam meningkatkan homeostasis, yakni kemampuan tubuh mengatur lingkungan internal tetap stabil dan berfungsi di bawah perubahan yang terjadi. Tidak hanya untuk fungsi normal tubuh, tetapi juga respons tubuh terhadap patologi seperti kanker. Apoptosis amat diperlukan untuk menyingkirkan sel termutasi yang mengalami kerusakan DNA guna mengurangi pembentukan lesi praneoplasia seperti yang berlaku pada kanker hepar. Apoptosis sangat diperlukan untuk memusnahkan sel kanker dan mengembalikan proses pertumbuhan sel tubuh ke tahap yang lebih normal.

Di samping itu, dengan kandungan antioksidan yang tinggi, Chlorella mampu mencegah terjadinya inflamasi atau peradangan akibat radikal bebas. Chlorella vulgaris menunjukkan aktivitas antioksidan yang tinggi.

Dokter Yekti H Effendi S Ked dari Departemen Gizi Masyarakat Institut Pertanian Bogor mengatakan, ganggang hijau meningkatkan imunitas nonspesifik dan spesifik. Asam nukleat pada ganggang hijau berperan membentuk daya tahan tubuh terhadap berbagai penyakit.

Penelitian bersama sejumlah peneliti dari Rumah Sakit Karya Bhakti Bogor, Perhimpunan Dokter Spesialis Penyakit Dalam (PAPDI) cabang Bogor, dan Fakultas Ekologi Manusia Institut Pertanian Bogor, juga Yekti beberapa waktu lalu menyimpulkan bahwa asupan Chlorella mempercepat kesembuhan penderita demam berdarah dengue.

Yekti mengatakan, orang dewasa perlu sekitar 20 gram per hari. Sejauh ini, tidak ada efek samping mengonsumsi makanan itu sepanjang produk tidak tercemar atau terpapar bahan berbahaya lain.
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Senin, 14 Juni 2010

Who is Will Koch? Forever Remembered

Who is Will Koch? He is probably the closest person to Walt Disney I will ever get. A little more than twelve hours after returning from another amazing trip to Holiday World, I read the stunning news that the president and owner, Will Koch, had passed away. The news was completely shocking and surreal to me. I just saw him in the park on Saturday, checking out the operations on his newest creation, Wildebeest, and making sure all the guests in line were staying hydrated and cool. Now he is gone.

Saying hi to Will in the park was like an attraction all on its own. He was the Walt Disney of our time. Holiday World has the best public relations and customer service of any park I've ever been to, and that comes straight from the top.

I saw Will's mom, Pat, outside the front entrance on Saturday and Sunday morning and to hear that she was in the exact same place on Monday morning after all this, wow, just wow. There are a few videos of her online and they are different to watch. Very emotional.

I will greatly miss Will's passionate video explanations of how his rides worked. A fellow coaster enthusiast and engineer, he touched many lives. Today, I find myself asking, how can I be more like Will? How can I help as many people as he has? How can I make as many people smile as he did?

"If you hear thunder today don't worry, it's just heaven's new wooden roller coaster." Read More...

Rabu, 02 Juni 2010

Amusement Park Operations

I should also give some back-fill to those who might not be aware of one aspect of a park's operations. On a day-to-day basis, there are down-time reports generated that cover all of a parks rides and attractions. Any time a ride is non-operational, it gets logged on a report. There are three main reasons a ride/attraction can be coded as down: 

1.weather
2.mechanical
3.operational. 

Weather is what you would expect and is the only "uncontrollable." Operational down-time is anything related to operator errors, guest issues, bio clean up, etc and gets charged against the operations department. Finally, mechanical down-time is just that, anything resulting from a mechanical, electrical, or technical perspective causing a ride to go down and is charged against the maintenance department. Using this information, the park can keep track of trends and issues pertaining to a certain ride/attraction and use it as a pro-active tool to keep the ride up and operating (preventive maintenance). Sometimes it's as simple as retraining employees if a ride has a lot of operationals or it could mean closer examination of systems needs to be monitored by the maintenance department. Read More...

Cool Sites: The Rapids Blog

For more theme parks and entertainment with no worries, just fun visit The Rapids Blog. Read More...

Fun Facts: Disney Hollywood Studios Tower of Terror


The Tower of Terror located at Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM) is probably my all time favorite Disney attraction. Here are some fun facts about the attraction from a mechanical engineering perspective that you may not have read before.

Queue

The library show doors are hydraulically controlled from their own hydraulic supply which is
electrically controlled from the control panel in the library area. The exit doors from the library are pneumatic and are electrically controlled by actuators. There are two sets of sliding wall doors.

Located throughout the boiler room queue are steam leak effects. The system utilizes air water atomization nozzles to simulate leaking steam to create a creepy atmosphere.

The two elevator machinery props are located at the load level between load queue A and B
and load queue C and D. They simulate a failing elevator drive motor.

The Ride

The ride consists of six elevator lifts: four in the back and two main drop towers in the front. Cars from two of the back lifts feed into one of each of the front lifts via a hallway. The back four lifts are named A, B, C, D and the front two lifts are called E and F respectively. If one of the two main lifts is broken the ride's capacity is essentially cut in half (one of the reasons all the other versions of the Tower of Terror throughout the world have three lifts- if one goes down capacity is only cut by a third instead of half).

The ride vehicles are automated, wire guided and powered from battery banks. They crawl from one of the back lifts down a hallway to the other set of lifts. This is called the "fifth dimension." There are five charger stations to convert induced AC power to DC power in order to maintain a steady power supply for the ride vehicles.

Effects

The two sliding screen effects are located on the fifth dimension level and are controlled
pneumatically.

The star field doors are located on the fifth floor. They consist of two doors on E-Lift and two doors on F-Lift where the guests look out on the fifth dimension.

The pneumatically controlled Sparker special effects are used on the Hollywood Tower sign on the outside of the tower building, which looks really cool at night.

The projection equipment includes video, fiber optics and film projectors.

The Horton doors are located in electric equipment room, to the right of the service elevator on the
second floor. They consist of three doors on E-side and three doors on F-side where the guests look out on the park.

The two eyeball effects are located on the fifth dimension level and are controlled pneumatically.

Props and special effects are used throughout the attraction. Most run on 110 V supply and are
powered by local outlets. Other effects include: Ghost figures, E=MC2, Clock, and breeze fans which create a ghostly effect located in the corridor scenes, show area, and elevators. 



I've included a really great diagram of the layout of the Tower of Terror attraction. This is a great illustration of how the cars negotiate from the back to the front set of elevators and back again.  Do you have a specific attraction in mind to learn more about? Comment below to request it. Stay tuned for more!



What Would Walt Do?
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