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To provide an approach to design the optimal open type magnetic circuit of permanent magnet producing uniform field.

The Biot‐Savart's law and evolution strategy are used for the initial design of permanent magnet configuration. In order to improve the uniformity, the ON/OFF method, which is the topology optimization method, is used for determining the shape of magnetic material which is set around the permanent magnet.

The optimal topology of permanent magnet and shape of magnetic material around it, which can produce nearly uniform field of about 0.15T, is obtained. The obtained uniformity is 3,583 ppm. More work for improving the uniformity is necessary.

A new approach for obtaining the optimal shape of open type magnetic circuit which may be used for magnetic resonance imaging is carried out.

The purpose of this paper is to propose methods for fast incremental indexing with effective and efficient query processing in XML element retrieval. The effectiveness of a search system becomes lower if document updates are not handled when these occur frequently on the Web. The search accuracy is also reduced if drastic changes in document statistics are not managed. However, existing studies of XML element retrieval do not consider document updates, although these studies have attained both effectiveness and efficiency in query processing. Thus, the authors add a function for handling document updates to the existing techniques for XML element retrieval.

Though it will be important to enable fast updates of indices, preliminary experiments have shown that a simple incremental update approach has two problems: some kinds of statistics are inaccurate, and it takes a long time to update indices. Therefore, two methods are proposed: one to approximate term weights accurately with a small number of documents, even for dynamically changing statistics; and the other to eliminate unnecessary update targets.

Experimental results show that this proposed system can update indices up to 32 per cent faster than the simple incremental updates while the search accuracy improved by 4 per cent compared with the simple approach. The proposed methods can also be fast and accurate in query processing, even if document statistics change drastically.

The paper shows that there could be a more practical XML element search engine, which can access the latest XML documents accurately and efficiently.

This paper aims to report on a pilot research project designed to explore if new mobile augmented reality (AR) technologies have the potential to enhance the learning of clinical skills in the lab.

An exploratory action-research-based pilot study was undertaken to explore an initial proof-of-concept design in using AR resources to supplement clinical skills lab teaching. A convenience non-probability sample of 72 undergraduate nursing students tested these resources during lab sessions, and participated in post-exposure surveys and focus groups to help evaluate them. This pilot design aimed to test logistics and gather information prior to further developmental work.

Key similarities emerged between the survey and focus group findings regarding the technical issues and support for student learning. Students clearly expressed a comfort with the technology, and both students and faculty identified the ability to access resources to support self-directed learning and review of skills as positive attributes of using AR. However, technical issues such as slow response times and incompatible smartphones interfered with resource access and frustrated some students, potentially having a negative impact on their learning. Students gave positive feedback regarding the value of mobile access and having AR resources available “at the bedside” where they were practicing.

This empirical pilot study was limited to a small number of participants in a single location. However, a deeper understanding of the potential value of AR in clinical health professional education, and best practices in implementing these new technologies, was achieved.

This study provides a valuable practical contribution, as the approach for AR resource development described can be readily replicated by teachers with limited technical skills. The practical limitations of AR technologies discovered by use in real-world settings will provide developers and educators with valuable information as they begin to explore the use of AR in the lab and beyond.

AR represents a rapidly developing field, with increasing social impact. This study provides some initial ideas that will help inform future uptake of AR in wider educational settings, beyond health professional education.

This study represents original work in the field, and specifically, an original implementation of AR in an educational context.