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Scintillation and total electron content (TEC) are the two major examples of the top-side ionospheric parameters that are recorded differently by most Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. The new GPS sensor created by the Atmospheric and Space Technology Research Associates (ASTRA), Cornell University, and the University of Texas, Austin have capability to record scintillation and TEC fluctuations simultaneously. Hence, the Connected Autonomous Space Environment Sensor (CASES) from ASTRA is a software-defined GPS receiver with the dual frequency of L1 C/A and L2C codes for space-weather monitoring and can be remotely programmed via an internet source. The receiver employs numerous novel techniques that make it suitable for space-weather studies compared to other nearby GPS receivers, such as different methods for eliminating local clock effects, an advanced triggering mechanism for determining scintillation onset, data buffering to permit observation of the prelude to scintillation, and data-bit prediction and wipe-off for robust tracking. Moreover, the CASES hardware is made up of a custom-built dual frequency, a digital signal processor board, and a “single board computer” with an ARM microcontroller. We have used the CASES GPS receiver newly installed at Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria, to investigate the TEC and the rate of the TEC index (ROTI) around the equatorial region. Measurements of the TEC and ROTI showed similar variation trends in monthly, seasonal, and annual periods when compared to TEC and ROTI measurements from a nearby station, BJCO at Cotonou, Benin Republic. The newly installed GPS receiver looks promising for scientific use as it is the only one operational in Nigeria at the moment.

Construction laborers perform multiple labor intensive and physically demanding tasks, which exposes them to the risk of work related musculoskeletal disorders. When construction laborers sustain these injuries, they are typically reassigned to other tasks. The body motion involved in carrying out the assigned task should have limited use of the affected body part(s). This has implications on the productivity and health of a reassigned laborer. Traditional approach to reassigning laborers are subjective and ignores the effect of the tasks on the affected body part. To address this limitation, an ergonomic analysis framework is proposed to quantify the risk factors associated with body parts during the execution of construction tasks, so as to enable the reassignment of construction laborers to tasks that will impose the least strain on the affected body part. Preliminary results are provided to demonstrate feasibility.