National University of Ireland, Maynooth
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Peripheral Creator Cultures in India, Ireland, and Turkey
No full textDrawing on Indian, Irish, and Turkish YouTube creators’ perceptions of their work, this article focuses on peripheral creator work cultures to broaden the understanding of creator labor precarity. We situate creator labor within not only the platform architectures but also within the geographical specificities of media production, distribution, and consumption. In doing so, we demonstrate that peripheral creators face distinctive struggles for visibility and survival in screen industries that emerge from their heterogeneous sociocultural and linguistic contexts. Based on the interviews with creators and streaming service executives conducted between 2017 and 2023, the findings reveal that creators’ choice of language and place of practice distinctly affects their global reach, visibility, and their ability to sustain a career in screen industries
Grid integration aspects of wave energy
No full textTraditional fossil fuel power plants release substantial amounts of greenhouse gases,
primarily contributing to anthropogenic climate change. Integrating renewable energy
sources into the energy supply systems is crucial to mitigate these environmental
challenges. One untapped renewable energy source is wave energy, which can contribute
to the transition towards a 100% renewable future.
Initially, this thesis presents a case for the potential value of adding wave energy to the
electric grid by analysing the complementarity of the wave resource with other renewable
energy modalities (wind, tidal and solar) and load requirements in the Island of Ireland.
The analysis shows that wave energy has a role to play in the future Irish supply mix.
Wave energy, like other renewable energy resources, presents a considerable challenge
for integrating it into the power grid due to its intermittent, and relatively unpredictable
nature. Wave energy grid integration entails several issues, including managing power
output variability, effective control of the wave energy device and power converters,
and optimal storage requirements. Additionally, an added complexity in wave energy
grid integration lies in implementing reactive wave energy converter (WEC) control,
which requires bi-directional power flow between the device and grid sides.
In general, many grid integration studies involving wave energy have deficiencies, such
as simplified hydrodynamic and power converter models, simplified passive damping
hydrodynamic control and relatively rudimentary PI power converter control. It is
imperative to address the issues mentioned above to enhance the integration of wave
energy into power grids, maximising power capture and the economic benefit of wave
energy. To this end, this thesis presents a wave-to-grid (W2G) control framework for a
direct-drive wave energy conversion system, including control-oriented models for each
component in the powertrain and high-performance controllers for both device and
grid sides, to achieve a range of control objectives. A short-term ultra-capacitor-based
storage system supports both device-side (hydrodynamic control support) and grid-side
(grid support during faults and power quality improvement) functionalities.
Additionally, the negative (reactive) power peaks are analysed by recognising the
importance of reactive power requirements of reactive hydrodynamic WEC control and
its implications for the powertrain equipment. As a result, this thesis provides analytical
and simulation results regarding the excessive reactive power peaks requirements of
hydrodynamic WEC control and offers recommendations on how to deal with them
Cisalpine Celtic varia III
No full textThe article collects notes on the readings, analyses and etymologies of forms in
three Cisalpine Celtic inscriptions (MI·24 kituaretos, VA·20 ṣnaśịọụịṭoṣ, TI·43
]ọni : kuimpaḷui? : pạlạ), argues for the interpretation of TI·29 ]ạniui : p[ and TI·31
]aḷạ[ as parts of the same inscription, and discusses graffiti and inscriptions on
Golasecca beakers
Keltische (und rätische?) Personennamen in der vorrömischen Onomastik der Schweiz
No full textDer vorliegende Artikel gibt einen Überblick über das in vernakulären Inschriften der
Eisenzeit bezeugte Personennamengut der Schweiz mit Fokus auf die cisalpin-keltischen Inschriften der Südschweiz und diskutiert zwei mit diesem Material in Zusammenhang stehende Themen: die mögliche Präsenz sprachlich rätischer Elemente, und
die mutmaßlichen Unterschiede zwischen lepontischer und gallischer Personennamenbildung.
1 Ausgeklammert bleiben vorrömisches Namenmaterial in römischen Inschriften sowie Götter- und Ortsnamen. Ebenfalls beiseite bleiben müssen aus Platzgründen
die auf Schweizer Boden gefundenen vorrömischen Münzlegenden
Artificial Intelligence The Human Autonomy and Ethical Considerations of Advancing Intelligent Systems and Machines
No full textIn the modern era, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) concept existed since Alan Turing conceived Machine Learning in 1935.1 AI, as a term, came into more common and public discourse in early 2023, when Elon Musk, industry leaders and others called for more regulation. This marked a turning point for more public discussion. Popular views range from, AI bringing enormous benefits, to AI representing an existential threat for mankind. Understanding the dichotomy between AI’s promise and its perils is vital for humankind, human dignity, autonomy and freedom. As a technology AI disrupts society and its norms. While acknowledging the benefits; there are moral and ethical issues, along with serious threats. To bring an understanding of AI itself, human intelligence and consciousness; as well as computer-based intelligence and consciousness must be considered. The moral standings of humans and AI must be evaluated and assessed if they are or could be equal. Should AI become superior to human intelligence, “Strong AI,” humans may become subservient to it, then fundamental human rights questions arise. Humans and AI companies maintain that they will always be in full control of Weak and Strong AI, however the reality might suggest the contrary, if the underlying ways of human life are altered. In its current iteration, Weak AI has and will continue to irreversibly change people’s behaviours, humans become reliant on AI to the degree of being unable to conduct ordinary aspects of everyday life in its absence. While multiple problems exist in the world, AI further harms human autonomy and is socially disruptive. ‘Big Data’, the ‘Internet of Things’ and ‘always connected’ systems, are part of AI and are driven by AI. Its power lies not just with these technologies, but also with the algorithms’ subliminal effects. The relatively limited number of Big-tech companies sway governments, using their enormous economic and political clout. This thesis sets out to demonstrate how, while Weak AI may not be a true existential threat to mankind; there are nevertheless serious moral and
ethical risks and dangers that overshadow its unquestionable benefits. However, strong governments can resolve these dilemmas
P300-Based Neurofeedback and Adaptive Task Difficulty Using Iterative Learning Control: A Novel Approach to Cognitive Training in Healthy Adults.
No full textThe rising prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia
and Parkinson’s disease poses a critical challenge as the global population
continues to age. Enhancing cognitive reserve through cognitive
training, particularly via neurofeedback (NFB), has become a
promising strategy to counteract cognitive decline. This thesis presents
a comprehensive study on the development and evaluation of a novel
NFB training system designed to enhance attention in healthy adults.
The system leverages event-related potentials (ERPs) and iterative
learning control (ILC) to dynamically personalise task difficulty, thereby
optimising training efficiency and engagement.
The research is underpinned by extensive data collection, involving
a large-scale clinical trial with a significant sample size of healthy
adult participants. The trial rigorously tested the system efficacy, providing
robust evidence of its effectiveness. Participants were divided
into groups, with one group receiving ILC-adapted training and others
following traditional or random difficulty protocols. The results
demonstrate that the ILC group not only completed the training more
rapidly but also achieved substantial improvements in attention, validated
by both behavioural metrics and neurophysiological markers.
Further investigations within this thesis address the system practicality,
including studies on reducing the number of EEG electrodes to
improve usability. The potential transferability of attentional improvements
to motor skill acquisition in surgical training is also explored,
revealing insights that guide future research in this domain.
In conclusion, this thesis contributes significantly to the field of
cognitive training by showcasing the potential of ERP-based NFB systems
in enhancing attention through large-scale, real-world clinical
trials. The findings open new avenues for applying such systems
in broader cognitive training and rehabilitation contexts, with recommendations
for future studies to explore long-term impacts and
cross-domain applicability
Data-driven profiles of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder using objective and ecological measures of attention, distractibility, and hyperactivity
No full textIn the past two decades, the traditional nosology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been criticized for having insufficient discriminant validity. In line with current trends, in the present study, we combined a data-driven approach with the advantages of virtual reality aiming to identify novel behavioral profiles of ADHD based on ecological and performance-based measures of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. One hundred and ten Spanish-speaking participants (6–16 years) with ADHD (medication-naïve, n = 57) and typically developing participants (n = 53) completed AULA, a continuous performance test embedded in virtual reality. We performed hybrid hierarchical k-means clustering methods over the whole sample on the normalized t-scores of AULA main indices. A five-cluster structure was the most optimal solution. We did not replicate ADHD subtypes. Instead, we identified two clusters sharing clinical scores on attention indices, susceptibility to distraction, and head motor activity, but with opposing scores on mean reaction time and commission errors; two clusters with good performance; and one cluster with average scores but increased response variability and slow RT. DSM-5 subtypes cut across cluster profiles. Our results suggest that latency of response and response inhibition could serve to distinguish among ADHD subpopulations and guide neuropsychological interventions. Motor activity, in contrast, seems to be a common feature among ADHD subgroups. This study highlights the poor feasibility of categorical systems to parse ADHD heterogeneity and the added value of data-driven approaches and VR-based assessments to obtain an accurate characterization of cognitive functioning in individuals with and without ADHD
Optimisation and control of tidal range power plants operation: Is there scope for further improvement?
No full textTidal barrage power plants utilise the tidal range variation to generate clean electricity. Although there are
several operating tidal barrage schemes around the globe, there is still potential to expand the installed capacity.
Given their inherent storage and the high predictability of the tides, tidal barrages can be operated with more
flexibility than many other renewables. This means that the control objective of a barrage operation can vary
from energy maximisation to constant power output, or demand-matching objectives. The operation of a barrage
also influences its impact on the environment and economic activity of the site where it is located, which is a
major cause for the slow deployment of such power plants. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive
and critical analysis of the different strategies considered to date to optimise the operation of tidal barrages, with
a focus on an in-depth analysis of the optimisation schemes employed, the barrage models utilised, and op
portunities for further improvement
Control co-design for wave energy farms: Optimisation of array layout and mooring configuration in a realistic wave climate
No full textThis paper presents a novel Control Co-Design (CCD) methodology aimed at economically optimising the
layout of wave energy converter (WEC) arrays. CCD ensures the synergy of optimised WEC and array
parameters with the final control strategy, resulting in a comprehensive and efficient design of the array.
By integrating a spectral-based control strategy into the array layout design, this study pursues the twin
objectives of maximising energy absorption while reducing costs. To prove the performance of the proposed
CCD methodology, an application case is proposed where the inter-device distance, alignment, and mooring
configuration of a five-device array, considering realistic wave scenarios, are optimised. Energy capture and
system cost evaluations are conducted, with results emphasising the significance of incorporating advanced
control strategies in the design phase to improve energy absorption and reduce costs. With the application
case, the study demonstrates that the optimal layout of a WEC array considering economic factors may differ
from the optimal from purely technical factors, such as energy absorption, in the analysed cas