Pranger » ays to analyze building stability

Why hits just don't measure up ECommerce Articles | July 16 Milan Lucic Jersey , 2009
The term hits can be traced back to tradeshow venues, the passing visitors (or traffic) and the interaction between both parties. To gauge a venue's daily progress, managers would refer to each visitor touch-point as a hit.

Way back in March '02 - eons ago - I was at the Naperville Business Expo. I met several interesting people, rapped with the small business community and hunted down those tasty finger foods.

It was a lot of fun.

What I remember most vividly was my lengthy conversation with a Marketing manager outside her venue. She told me about her company's Web site Darnell Nurse Jersey , its new features and how hard her team worked to pull it all together. I was genuinely impressed.

And then she hit me with it.

She told me her Web site had over 84,000 hits and nearly knocked me over with enthusiasm. I was stunned! Not because her hit count was so strong, but because all that hard work deserves a better measurement system.

We chatted a bit longer and in no time she was thinking about a better way to quantify her Web site traffic.

Demystifying the term 'hits' -

Let's take a look at where this term came from, what it really means to a Web site and why it's not so helpful.

The term 'hits' can be traced back to tradeshow venues Tobias Rieder Jersey , the passing visitors (or traffic) and the interaction between both parties. To gauge a venue's daily progress, managers would refer to each visitor touch-point as a hit. These hits represented activities such as conversation with a prospective customer, handing out a brochure, taking a business card Ryan Strome Jersey , collecting survey data, etc.

Hits migrate to the Web -

When analysis software was first developed, 'touch-point' counting was considered the best way to measure Web site traffic. Even though counting hits didn't actually count the number of eyeballs looking at an individual Web page, the marketplace embraced the term and misused it.

Here's what a hit really is...

Similar to tradeshow interaction -- including snacking on a venue's finger foods -- Internet users interact with Web pages. Each time a file is requested from a Web server through a Web browser Adam Larsson Jersey , one hit is registered.

Likewise, when a single Web page holding 9 graphic files is requested, the Web server records 10 hits. (One hit for the Web page, 1 hit for each graphic.)

Is an 84 Kris Russell Jersey ,000 hit count impressive? It could be.

Contrary to popular belief, tracking hits is not the best way to count Web site visitors. The most accurate way is via page impressions, unique visitor sessions or cookies. If you can count visitors accurately, you're on your way to measuring Web site effectiveness.
Smart Building Using Latest Technology


MIT researchers have found ways to analyze building stability. Their new computational model can monitor ambient vibrations and look for possible harm. It is a promising technology that allows engineers and construction workers to analyze the resilience to extreme events and overall health of any building.


Researchers tested their new model on a 21-story MIT鈥檚 Green Building which is made of reinforced concrete. The building was built over 50 years ago Wayne Gretzky Jersey , and it is the tallest structure in Cambridge.
In 2010, MIT installed 36 accelerometers which continuously monitored vibrations on floors, from the foundation to the roof. In order to accurately analyze the ability of the building to respond to vibration, researchers got data from the accelerometers Connor McDavid Jersey , focusing on features that analyze the condition of the building. This allowed researchers to develop a seismic interferometer concept that shows changes in vibration patterns as it travels from the first floor to the last.


Smart Building


Researchers are planning to continue working on the model, experimenting with vibration levels in the lab. They have already developed a 4-meter high copy of the building and added accelerometers. MIT says that they will also test the ability of the building to withstand different tremor stimuli, such as hammer strikes. According to Oral Buyukozturk, a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Leon Draisaitl Jersey , they can get data from the sensors and then analyze the building and its characteristics.
Researchers also say they are going to build a large structure to experiment with and improve their computational model. Once they are done with testing, they will start installing accelerometers in real buildings. In future, it is expected to have them in every building, especially in countries with high seismic activity. This system will be able to make buildings smart and tell us whether they are safe to occupy.