Friday, January 31, 2020

Hybrid electric vehicle Essay Example for Free

Hybrid electric vehicle Essay 1) Who is the target market for each of the following cars? What do you think motivates them to purchase these cars? A)Toyota Prius B)Toyota Prado The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric car which is one of the first of its kind to be mass produced and marketed. The unique feature of the Prius is its Hybrid Synergy Drive which makes use of both the traditional petrol driven engine and an electric motor. This electric motor allows the Prius to switch off its petrol engine when stationary; and recharge the electric motor using the kinetic energy produced when braking. This not only conserves a lot of energy and petrol, and also allows for a smoother drive in the city areas which tend to have greater road congestion. Toyota’s largest target market would be educated working adults in developed urbanised countries especially in the West where there is a subculture of environmental concerns and issues which are relatively more active compared with the rest of the world. Thus the educated working class in these countries would be attracted to the Prius’ energy and fuel savings, and automatic battery recharging which would not only be a lot more environmentally friendly, but would ensure a more smoothly-powered ride to work in a congested city morning. Furthermore, the affordability of the Prius as compared to other Toyota vehicles coupled with even greater cost savings on fuel – cuts fuel consumption by 40% is an added incentive for these environmentally conscious consumers as they might worry that specially designed green technology might be expensive One of the factors that could motivate these consumers to purchase the Prius is lifestyle. These consumers would be largely influenced by social needs which would in turn shape their own beliefs and attitudes. With the constant reminders of depleting energy resources and global warming in society today, people’s attitudes are changing as they become more willing to adopt new approaches to conserve energy – an environmentally friendly car for the purpose of travelling. Furthermore, as the target market’s lifestyle patterns would be to get to work efficiently and economically, they would want a car that is affordable. Hence these are the factors motivating them to purchase the Toyota Prius. 1b) The Toyota Prado is one of Toyota’s newest SUVs with a four wheel drive and a powerful engine that aims to give its driver an edge above the usual car. The main strengths of the Prado aside from its power is the spaciousness inside and also the stability of the vehicle. The main target market of the Prado would be the sports and outdoors inclined consumers. These buyers will be looking for a car that has enough space and gadgets to transport large sports equipment like bicycles, scuba-gear, surfing†¦ among others. Lifestyle is an influential factor in the buyer’s choice of car. An upper/middle working class executive might choose the Prius for its sleekness and elegance, whereas a buyer who spends much of his time in the outdoors would choose the Prado. The 4 wheel drive that is powered by a strong engine is a significant advantage for buyers who frequently travel on rough terrain. Also the enhanced control and traction that the Prado provides would allow for a smoother ride for the buyer on such ground. Another factor that could motivate these buyers is their own personalities or self-concepts. While some buyers might not be that involved in the outdoors or be so sports-inclined, they might want to portray a more rugged and masculine side of themselves. An example would be in Singapore where there is hardly any road conditions that require the all-terrain drive of a 4 wheel drive vehicle; however, SUVs are a common sight. These could be the manifestations of a psychological need of some buyers who feel a connection with the ‘tough’ and sporty image that a Prado would give. In conclusion, I can see how Toyota has successfully chosen its target markets and analysed their motivations to help them develop different types of cars to cater to each market. This would allow them to appeal to a greater share of the consumer pie, and hence might allow them to gain greater market share.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Science :: essays research papers

The research gives a glimpse of the possibilities for training animals by sending cues and rewards directly to their brains, says Sanjiv Talwar of the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. In the May 2 Nature, he and his colleagues predict their accomplishment could inspire novel approaches to land mine detection or search-and-rescue missions. The project grew out of research to develop new types of prostheses for paralyzed people that will use electric impulses sent directly to and from the brain. In 1999, coauthor John Chapin and his colleagues at the medical center demonstrated that signals from a rat's brain could move a robotic arm. Talwar says that the January 2001 earthquake in Bhuj, India, and the September terrorist attacks inspired the researchers to use elements of their prosthesis work to create remote-control rats that might eventually navigate in collapsed buildings. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency funds the research. The team fitted five rats with electrodes in their brains and backpacks containing electronics. For cues, the researchers sent electric signals to brain regions that process impulses from whiskers. For rewards, the researchers stimulated a pleasure center known as the medial forebrain bundle. The researchers put each rat in a maze and, as the animal approached a turning point, stimulated its brain to mimic a whisker touch on one side. When a rat turned in the direction of the virtual touch, the researchers buzzed the brain's pleasure center. These signals to the pleasure center seemed to spur a rat to go forward, even when the path required climbing steps or hopping off a ledge. "He learns, 'If I keep moving, I feel these bursts of transcendental happiness,'" Talwar says. "The rats figure it out in 5 or 10 minutes." The researchers explored the capabilities of this system by steering the rats over a jumble of concrete, across a brightly lit arena that rats would normally avoid, and even up a tree. The rats move far more nimbly than robots can, says Talwar. The team envisions rescue animals sending back signals that indicate they've reached their goal. Robin Murphy, who develops search-and-rescue robots at the University of South Florida in Tampa, says that the wired rat may be useful in experiments, but "it does not appear to be appropriate for search and rescue." Murphy cautions that many practical questions remain, such as how people could guide a rat when it's out of sight and whether virtual rewards can keep it on task amidst distractions.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Disadvantages fast food Essay

Fast food is pretty controversial. It has some advantages like saving time and money, but also some drawbacks, most of them related with one’s health condition. The popularity of fast food is on the rise in more and more countries of the world. Many people consider it a convenient source of food especially given the fact that the modern man is always in a hurry. This type of food is prepared and served very quickly and it can be excellent for busy people or for single persons who don’t have time or desire to cook. Even though it certainly comes with a bunch of advantages, there are also disadvantages of fast food which need to be considered carefully. Undoubtedly, the main advantage of fast food is the fact that it saves time. Home cooked meals don’t only require the actual time for preparing the food, but also time spent shopping and washing the dishes. Such problems simply don’t exist when going for fast food. This is also an excellent choice for people who don’t like or don’t know to cook or for single people who don’t feel like cooking for one. Fast food is definitely cheaper, especially for people who live on their own. When cooking for a single person, you almost always end up with more food than necessary. Fast food on the other hand comes at a lower price than home cooked meals. Even though the main disadvantages of fast food are health related, people on a diet can also find good options in the menu of most fast food chains. There are salads to choose from and whole wheat breads. Some fried products also have boiled alternatives. When it comes to drinks, one can skip the sugary ones and go for fresh juices or low fat milk. Fortunately, fast food is not very rich in desserts, so there is no temptation. People can also customize their orders and exclude unhealthy ingredients like mayonnaise for inst ance. Fast food opponents argue that there are many disadvantages of fast food for the health condition of the consumer. This type of food is richer in salt, fats, oils and artificial substances than home cooked meals. This increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, obesity is on the rise and it is strongly connected with the popularity of fast food. While the body definitely needs salt and fats, the amount of these ingredients in fast food is too high. Additionally, the cooking method of fast food usually implies frying which destroys most nutrients. The adverse effects of the fats, sugars, chemicals and salt in fast food are definitely enhanced by a  sedentary lifestyle. In most of the cases the people who eat lots of calories from fast food don’t burn these calories because they don’t exercise enough. The result is that the extra calories transform in fat and lead to obesity. Disadvantages of fast food are not only related with the health condition. If fast food is cheaper for a single person, things change when an entire family consumes such food regularly. Enemies of fast food also come up with the argument that eating ready to serve food reduces the quality time that a family can spend together cooking and eating. Ordering and eating in a fast food restaurant is very quick and people don’t take the time to enjoy food and to chat while eating. While there are undeniable benefits of fast food, there are also aspects which should worry regular consumers. As always, moderation is needed in consuming this type of food. Occasional visits at a fast food restaurant are not as harmful, especially if they are combined with plenty of physical activity. However, a sedentary lifestyle and constant consumption of fast food can lead to health problems. More than 13,000 McDonald’s restaurants in the United States itself, and over 8000 KFCs in 80 countries, only goes to reflect the popularity of fast food all over the world. Food that is prepared and served quickly is termed as ‘fast food’. Such type of food suits perfectly into the fast paced life of a working individual. There is nothing more than ready-made food that a hard-working professional living in the city away from family could ask for. However, those who are against fast food highlight the adverse effect that it has on our health. Despite all the debate about the advantages and disadvantages that fast food has, the industry is flourishing. Is fast food good or bad? The most evident advantage of fast food is that it saves time. In today’s fast-paced life, there is nothing better than getting a ready meal. No matter how much the chefs praise the benefits of fresh food, at the end of a hard-working day, when one returns home all tired and hungry, a pizza or a burger can be godsend. Besides the time an individual has to spend in the kitchen, cooking a meal also requires one to make a trip to the supermarket to buy the ingredients for the dish. Then there is the added effort and time consumed in washing and peeling the vegetables. All this  makes eating fast food score more preferably over cooking a meal for a busy individual. Besides time, cost saving gives fast food an edge over the meal prepared in the kitchen. If one lives alone, then it is cheaper to buy a meal at the supermarket instead of cooking it at home. Also certain fast foods like fries and burgers come pretty cheap. Fast food does raise health concerns. However, if careful, you can find some options on the menu of a fast food restaurant t hat could be healthier. Salads are a smart choice. Go for bread products that are made from wheat bread. Opt for lean meat. If you could choose between the fried and boiled options, order the boiled preparation. Avoid ordering carbonic drinks when you are thirsty. Go for fruit juices, low-fat milk, diet soda. Is there anything better than plain water to quench your thirst? These days, nutrition information of the food served (and ingredients used) is displayed in the menu card. You could always resort to the ‘make to order’ option that certain fast food outlets offer, where you could restrict the use of ingredients that are not healthy. As dessert does not play an important role in the fast food meal menu, you can keep yourself away from delicious and tempting sugary dishes. Usually, fast food is higher in soya, fat, sugar, oil, fried meat, salt, cheese, mayonnaise and obviously calories. The greatest disadvantage of fast food is the adverse effect that it has on one’s health. It is a fact that fast food is more unhealthy than home-cooked meals, as it contains higher amounts of unwanted nutrients like salt, fat and various types of additives (artificial chemicals). It may contain harmful bacteria too. Frying destroys most of the essential nutrients from the food. Very small amounts of vegetables and fruits are normally present in fast food. Moreover, ‘serving larger portions’ when most people don’t need extra portions has led to several health problems. We require a small amount of salt to maintain the health of the cells and tissues. Fast food being rich in salt, adversely affects the heart health and the overall health of an individual. Such type of food is an important contributor to obesity in the American population. Obesity is on the rise, and a direct link is being cited between fast food and obesity in children. Given the sedentary lifestyle that we lead today, the excess fats and calories that we take in with fast food is not used up completely. The result is that these accumulate in our body as fat deposits that cause complications like cardiovascular diseases and other related diseases of the  heart. With obesity come other problems like high blood pressure and diseases of the joints. It is like a chain reaction set off by fast food and carried forward by our unhealthy lifestyle. In fact, a recent study has shown that people who live within walking distance of a fast food restaurant are at 13% higher risk of suffering from strokes than those who live a considerable distance away. The greater the number of people at a meal in a fast food restaurant, the larger is the bill. Eating at fast food outlets is economical only for a single person. Going out to a fast food eating joint with family once in a while won’t matter much. However, frequent visits to such restaurants with one’s family can become quite an expensive affair, besides being unhealthy. Fast foods joints are also being seen as a factor that is making a number of families spend less and less time together. Family meal time is something that is considered as an opportunity for all the members to come together and share their experiences. However, the fast food centre is quickly eating into this quality time. This is especially true about youngsters for whom a fast food centre is a good place to hang out with friends and peers. Fast food is an invention of the modern times. Ready-made food being served fast and right in front of us is like a blessing after a hard day’s work. However, like everything, it has its own pros and cons. Citing a few points about the advantages of fast food does not mean that I am denying its drawbacks. It is a fact that high amounts of fats and salt in fast food are raising concerns about their adverse effect on health. However, by making some smart choices while placing the order and also resorting to an active lifestyle, we can definitely minimize the drawbacks of fast food.

Monday, January 6, 2020

Effective Communication Paper - 728 Words

Effective Communication Paper Communication is important for any kind of environment. The technique, which has been effective and ineffective at the same time, is the team approach and feedback. These techniques are good because this will allow a person to receive feedback and improve in any areas that an individual needs to improve. This can be useful in health care work because of how some health care workers are already doing self-assessments. Self-assessments are important because this will allow the team to improve and, allow the team to brainstorm any ideas together by improving together. The most effective technique for sharing information and ideas would be the team approach and feedback. For the most part the team approach has†¦show more content†¦Knowing that a person can receive negative feedback can make a person not want to function that well as a team. 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