August 3, 2018 - Skyline Newspaper

By Skyline Newspaper August 3, 2018 7 years 437 words

Children’s Mental Health Prioritized In Kane County With New $200,000 Grant

Kane County, Illinois, has been awarded an amazing $200,000 to be put toward children’s mental health services. This grant was given by the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation, an organization that helps to improve the lives of countless families in Kane County.

Through an expansion of the foundation’s efforts and higher levels of engagement, the county has hired two new members for its health department. With the new members, the health department in Illinois hopes to drop the number of emergency room visits caused by issues with mental health by 5% before 2021.

One individual was hired as the new program manager who will direct the flow of communication between those providing mental health care and treatment and the department. The other is a navigator who works with families coping with mental issues in order to provide assistance and other resources.

These efforts by the department of health in Illinois are vital to improving the lives of children facing illness, both mentally and physically. When nearly 94% of children have received the polio vaccine by 35 months old, similar combative efforts are a necessity for the mental health district.

Countless families in Illinois have been torn apart because they did not have the means to take care of their children. One pair of adoptive parents had to relinquish custody of their child to the state in order to get their son the mental treatment he desperately needed.

“Today, despite a 2015 Illinois law that states families should never have to trade custody for mental health treatment, at least four children a month enter state custody this way, according to data obtained by Side Effects,” reported the Illinois Newsroom.

Mental health in children is often overlooked due to a variety of factors. Insufficient means to care for the children affected is only one part of a much larger issue.

According to a recent study conducted by WalletHub, there are 10 states that are listed among the best for children’s health care, including physical health and mental health. Starting from the best in the state, the list includes; Vermont, D.C., Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and California.

For vaccines and other resources, luckily there are around 12 million trucks, locomotives, and other forms of major transport designed to carry these goods between states.

The Kane County Community Health Improvement Plan seeks to improve resource availability to residents suffering from mental health and substance abuse throughout the state. As of now, the county may be eligible to receive another $2.1 million over the course of the next six years in the event the planning goals are met for the year.

By Skyline Newspaper August 3, 2018 7 years 445 words

In Addition to Seeing, Robots Will Soon Be Able to Feel

Full view here

Torque sensor units are designed to operate in a wide temperature range of negative 452 degrees Fahrenheit to positive 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Though there are plenty of uses for these sensor items, in recent years, robotics have relied tremendously on torque sensors and other innovative technologies. Because while most people image robots like those featured on television shows and cartoons, the vast majority of robots exist in factories, particularly in the automotive industry.

According to Robotics Industry Insights, force and tactile sensors are enabling robots to manipulate objects in less-structured environments with greater accuracy and sensitivity.

Most robots designed for collaborative applications already have built-in force and torque sensing capabilities for safety, especially when working alongside humans. With the exploration of these force and tactile sensors, however, robots are better able to perform dangerous tasks that human workers should avoid.

Soon, thanks to this new sensing technology, robots will actually be able to “feel” what they come in contact with. As the robotics sector continues to innovate, more and more industries will start utilizing these machines than ever before. For instance, the construction industry currently has more than 650,000 employers and over 6 million employees, creating nearly $1 trillion worth of manmade structures each year. Since these powerful robots can now see, feel, and even adapt, they can make it much easier to build all sorts of structures and access otherwise impossible-to-reach areas.

“There aren’t many major manufacturing facilities in the world where you’re not going to find a vision system,” said Ian Stern, Product Manager of Force and Torque Sensors at ATI Industrial Automation Apex. “That’s where force sensing is headed. As we start to automate jobs that require that sense of touch, force sensing will become as prevalent as vision.”

Vision technology has already broken into the robotics industry, and it seems as though robotic touch sensing will soon follow suit.

Additionally, Robotics and Automation adds that Universal Robots is planning on showcasing its brand-new e-Series collaborative robot for the first time in the United States at the IMTS industrial technology event.

The new e-Series sets a new standard for collaborative robotics, adding in a built-in force and torque sensing capability, as well as innovative safety features and improved precision.

“As manufacturers increasingly embrace cobots (computer-controlled robot devices), we see the need to support even more demanding applications with the greater accuracy and tool integration of the e-Series,” added Stuart Shepherd, regional sales director for Universal Robots’ American region.

Whether it’s a smalltime shop or a large construction organization, the future will likely see many more robots across the commercial sector.

“The global cobot market is the fastest-growing segment of industrial automation,” added Shepherd.