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Development of an Intuitive Glove-based Human Interface for Robotic Applications
No full textThis paper focuses on developing an innovative glove that enables users to control robots through natural hand gestures. The primary goal is to simplify human-robot interaction, allowing individuals to communicate with robots without extensive training or technical knowledge. The glove has three types of sensors: an ultrasonic sensor for measuring distances, flex sensors for tracking finger movements, and a GY-521 accelerometer for monitoring the hand's position and motion. By integrating these technologies, the glove translates simple hand gestures into precise commands for robotic systems, making it a powerful tool for various applications. To ensure the glove's effectiveness, the project began with a thorough review of existing research in human-robot interaction. This literature review helped identify the best features and methods to incorporate into the glove's design. The development process involved designing the glove, creating a prototype, and rigorously testing it to confirm that all sensors functioned correctly and that the glove was comfortable to wear. During the testing phase, each sensor was evaluated individually and combined with the others. The aim was to verify that they accurately captured data in real time and worked together seamlessly. The expected outcomes include the glove's ability to effectively recognize hand movements, detect objects, and allow users to control robots with ease. This project attempts to bridge the gap between human actions and robotic responses, making technology more accessible and user-friendly. In summary, the glove-based control system has the potential to transform how individuals interact with robots. By utilizing simple hand gestures, users can perform complex tasks more effortlessly, which could be particularly beneficial in fields such as healthcare, manufacturing, and assistive technology. The research aims to pave the way for more effective and engaging robotic systems that cater to a wide range of needs, enhancing how people live and work alongside technology
Boldly Applying Historical Ways of Knowing to the Study of Nascent Islam in RE
Full text linkAn examination of Religious Education (RE) textbooks reveals that when pupils are taught about the history of Makkah, the life of Muhammad, the Quran, and the emergence of Islam, the content is often presented as a straightforward narrative based on Islamic tradition. This approach typically lacks critical engagement and overlooks alternative scholarly perspectives. Notably, historians such as Patricia Crone and Michael Cook in the 1970s, and more recently Tom Holland, have raised significant questions about the historical reliability of these traditional accounts. Their work suggests that the origins of Islam are more complex and contested than commonly portrayed.
This paper argues that a Religion and Worldviews approach to RE should encourage the use of historical ways of knowing—including critical historical methods, tools of analysis, and engagement with diverse scholarly viewpoints. It contends that pupils should be equipped to interrogate sources, assess evidence, and understand the nature of historical inquiry as applied to religious narratives.
Through an analysis of current RE textbooks and a review of critical scholarship, this paper highlights the lack of criticality in existing materials. It proposes that educators can and should boldly introduce pupils to these historical methods, fostering a more informed, nuanced, and academically rigorous understanding of the early development of Islam
Evaluating the use of electromyography in UK and European gait laboratories for the assessment of cerebral palsy and other neurological and musculoskeletal conditions
Full text linkBackground: Electromyography (EMG) can estimate the magnitude and timing of muscle activation during walking in those with gait disorders. Despite the potential of EMG use in assessment and clinical decision-making, there are reports of declining use of EMG within gait laboratories. Technical and educational barriers to EMG usage in clinics in Italy were recently suggested. Research question: What is the current EMG practice and associated knowledge and barriers to EMG usage in UK and European clinical gait labs? Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted online with 16 participants recruited from 13 gait laboratories across the UK and wider Europe, 11 participants used EMG routinely in clinical service and five did not. Participants held various professions including physiotherapists, clinical scientists, a lab manager, biomechanist, orthopaedic surgeon and a biomedical engineer. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: EMG training was often completed in-house informally by colleagues. Findings show EMG was currently used for assessing muscle activation timings, spasticity, co-contraction in patients and often used as a confirmatory tool. Challenges of using EMG included: justifying the effort, distinguishing true deviations from the norm, capacity to collect good quality data and feasibility with a given patient. Significance: The challenge of interpreting EMG signals, patient readiness and time requirements were consistent between the gait labs reflecting previous reports from Italy. There were also large variations in types of EMG training and education in agreement with previous findings. In contrast to previous findings, cost was not considered important within this study. Conclusion: For EMG to be more widely and routinely used, the perceived effort of staff and patients would need to be justified by a clear link to the treatment planning and decision-making through further published evidence and trainin
The Invention and Reinventions of Methodism
No full textThis book focuses on the transformative journey of Methodism and tackles a profound question: How did a radical revival movement evolve into an established mainstream Church? With a global family of around 80 million, Methodism and its holiness offshoots have come a long way since their origins as a fervent revival within the Church of England in the late 1730s.
Once perceived as controversial and charismatic, early Methodists, led by John and Charles Wesley, preached salvation to unruly crowds, often facing fierce opposition. Despite its turbulent beginnings, the Wesleys skilfully kept the movement anchored to its Anglican roots, preventing it from fracturing entirely. This allowed Methodism to evolve into an established church while maintaining its distinct identity. The volume delves into the enduring legacy
of early Methodism, exploring its theological influences and developments over time. With its identity wrapped up in dual focus on mission and holiness, Methodism’s impact on global Christianity is profound. From the Holiness movement to the rise of Pentecostalism, its early radical and charismatic practices still resonate in the Church today. Featuring essays from leading Wesleyan scholars, this book is valuable for anyone interested in the dynamic
history and lasting influence of the Methodist tradition
What Trump Gets Wrong About the US and the Panama Canal
Full text linkHistorical realty behind Inaugural Day references to Panam
Systems of difference equations, symmetries and integrability conditions
No full textWe consider a class of systems of difference equations defined on an elementary quadrilateral of the lattice, define their eliminable and dynamical variables, and demonstrate their use. Using the existence of infinite hierarchies of symmetries as integrability criterion, we derive necessary integrability conditions and employ them in the construction of the lowest order symmetries of a given system. These considerations are demonstrated with the help of three systems from the class of systems under consideration
National Economic Vulnerabilities, Performative Effects, and the Framing of International Credit Rating Agencies in Irish Political Discourse
Full text linkInternational credit rating agencies, through assessing sovereign creditworthiness, can affect countries’ borrowing conditions on international capital markets, particularly at times of economic crisis. Governments, in turn, may align decisions, actions, and policies to the agencies’ rating criteria to gain favourable access to international financing to fund budget deficits. This article draws on a Frames Analysis of Oireachtas speeches to examine the embedding of rating agencies in Irish political discourse at three points of national economic vulnerability: the financial crisis, Brexit, and the Covid-19 pandemic. The study suggests that Irish governments and oppositions privileged the agencies’ discourse and perspectives in their parliamentary framing practices, principally around accountability and legitimation, but also in seeking external (international) validation of Ireland’s economic conditions and political capital. The article argues that Oireachtas discourse reflected the agencies’ potential to act performatively on Irish political actors, influencing the behaviours of governments and oppositions as well as state institutions with public finance and national debt responsibilities
HAPS Reference Architecture Series: HAPS Advantages in an Era of Satellite Connectivity
Full text linkHAPS offer an economical way to support a range of use cases, including greenfield connectivity in areas where there are no terrestrial networks and filling in gaps in cellular coverage. (These gaps are known as “white spots” and offer additional challenges by being typically small and geographically non-contiguous areas.) HAPS can typically provide connectivity of between 50 and 100 Mbps per beam, with a peak of 200 Mbps. As a result, each beam can support ~2,000 concurrent voice calls. HAPS can support automotive-related, public safety and agricultural use cases, as well as other commercial services. Automotive use cases include emergency calls, the remote unlocking of shared cars, the provision of safety-related traffic information, such as road hazard warnings, vehicle software updates and in-car entertainment. HAPS can also connect various environmental
sensors to provide early warnings of natural disasters, while agricultural use cases include crops and soil health monitoring, geo-fencing (to detect movement into and out of the farm) and livestock tracking.
In the aftermath of a disaster, HAPS can help affected communities overcome terrestrial communication blackouts. By enabling swift and efficient communication, HAPS can enhance
situational awareness, support search and rescue efforts and aid in the recovery and rebuilding process.
HAPS can also extend coverage out to sea, supporting tourism and recreation, offshore energy, mineral extraction, shipping and other parts of the marine economy
Moving Beyond Personal Teaching Theories: Creating Collaborative Praxis Models through Action Research
No full textThis paper proposes an approach for teachers to create their own praxis models that are rigorous and credible using their personal teaching theories. Using an expert elicitation method through an action research approach, we illustrate the development of a praxis model for student engagement. This method uses teachers who research their praxis both formally or informally and are engaged in the scholarship of learning and teaching. Traditional conceptual teaching models have limited consideration of the lived experience within a teacher’s context. Hence these models may not always apply or be adaptable to the variety of teachers’ contexts as these developed praxis models
Dwarfism in Disability Studies
No full textThis entry presents a broad overview of how dwarfism has been constructed in relation to various understandings of disability. With the advent of the social model of disability, dwarfism is a condition that should fit comfortably within Disability Studies, yet it has limited status within the disability community. Dwarfism’s identity as a disability is often contested, based on the understanding that people with the condition are ‘just small’. This is evident by the attitudes of people with dwarfism, as well as wider society. However, people with dwarfism experience numerous social and spatial barriers within the built environment. This entry provides a broad overview of research focusing on the different constructions of dwarfism as a disability, providing an insight into the contentious placement of body extremes within Disability Studies