34028 research outputs found
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New Naturalism in Practice: Energy, Light and Aesthetic Agency in Reflector-Led Cinematography
No full textThis presentation shares findings from ongoing PhD research examining the carbon impacts of cinematography, with a particular focus on studio lighting practices. While much sustainability discourse in film production centres on transport, set construction and waste, far less attention has been paid to image capture itself—specifically the environmental cost of lighting.Drawing on the concept of New Naturalism, this research asks whether lighting can be reimagined as a site of ecological responsibility without compromising aesthetic quality. The study moves beyond guidelines and intentions, instead adopting a controlled experimental approach: identical subjects, camera, lens, framing and exposure targets were maintained while lighting strategies were systematically varied.Four lighting configurations were tested, including traditional three-point tungsten setups and reflector-led LED systems. The reflector-led approach uses a minimal number of fixtures—often a single LED source—bounced and shaped through graded reflectors to create key, fill and backlight. Across dark, mid and light skin tones, false-colour exposure analysis and graded image comparison demonstrated comparable exposure distribution, consistent skin rendering and natural contrast roll-off.Energy analysis revealed approximately a 70% reduction in power consumption when moving from a three-fixture 150W tungsten configuration to a single 40W LED with reflectors. When scaled to larger productions, such reductions suggest meaningful carbon impact mitigation without aesthetic degradation.The research contributes:A controlled comparative framework for testing sustainable lightingQuantified energy reduction dataDemonstrated aesthetic viability across multiple skin tonesA practice-led evidence base for sustainable cinematographyThe central argument is simple: every lighting decision is already an ethical decision—we just do not always acknowledge it. This work proposes reflector-led cinematography not as compromise, but as creative constraint capable of sustaining both image quality and environmental responsibility.</p
RaPenduLa: An Educational Video Platform for Mechanical Oscillations
No full textThe Raspberry Pi Pendulum Laboratory (RaPenduLa) presented in this paper is a 3D-printed video platform featuring a camera module connected to a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W to record and then analyse the oscillations of various types of pendulum. The platform can analyse oscillatory phenomena using a low-cost experimental setup with 3D-printed components and a Raspberry Pi. With a universal 3D mounting mechanism, it supports experiments with different conventional, magnetic, and inverted spring pendulums. A Python program for video tracking and motion analysis utilising OpenCV analyses the recorded videos to extract the two-dimensional trajectory of a coloured marker attached to the pendulum tip. This device can be used in undergraduate physics and engineering labs to introduce the physics of pendulums and oscillatory motion in general. The program integrates video processing and data visualisation to extract and analyse the pendulum trajectory, employing noise filtering and principal component analysis methods. It can provide a simple experimental setup to enhance the comprehension of classical mechanics while promoting hands-on learning, programming, and data analysis. By explicitly combining computational tools with low-cost experimental hardware, the platform also supports the development of critical thinking and experimental skills, reinforcing its value in modern physics education. By bridging physics experiments with contemporary computational tools, this approach provides an accessible and interdisciplinary resource for students.</p
The harmonic-dominant signals in animal communication involve the use of new resonant frequencies
No full textAcoustic signals in animals are classically produced using source-filter mechanisms. Many species are capable of producing high-frequency sounds characterised by dominant harmonic frequencies. These signals emerged following an evolutionary phenomenon known as “harmonic-hopping”. The study of the source-filter mechanism of Eneopterinae crickets suggests that emergence of harmonic-dominant signals is linked to changes in the physical properties of the filter. To test this hypothesis, we used laser Doppler vibrometry and finite element modelling to characterise the vibro-acoustic behaviour of the sound-producing forewings of two species of Eneopterinae crickets. Our results suggest that the forewing venation plays a key constraining role distinguishing the two species’ respective vibro-acoustic behaviours. Our results also highlight the role of the membrane deformation and the damping properties of the forewings in the sound-producing mechanism of these crickets. We suggest that harmonic-hopping may be associated with the emergence of new resonant frequencies in the forewings of Eneopterinae crickets.</p
Introducing the Multifaceted Journeys of Making Britain and Academia Home
No full textThis chapter introduces the edited collection of multifaceted and multi-vocal migratory and academic journeys of Central and Eastern European women academics, and the ways in which they navigate place-making and develop a sense of belonging in Britain and in academia. It explains the origins of the book and discusses each contribution within the three thematic parts that comprise the book.</p
Do lyrics and familiarity of music listened to at night affect sleep quality and insomnia?
No full textDifficulty getting to sleep is a frequent problem in society with a range of consequences for both physical and mental health. Listening to music before sleep has been shown to provide the potential to help improve sleep quality. However, the familiarity of the music and the presence of lyrics have the potential to alter the effectiveness of pre-sleep music, but remain largely unexplored to date. 169 participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: familiar music with lyrics, familiar music without lyrics, unfamiliar music with lyrics, and unfamiliar music without lyrics. In each condition participants were required to listen to this music for seven consecutive nights while they fell asleep. At the beginning and the end of the study, participants completed two self-report questionaries that measured their quality of sleep (PSQI) and insomnia (ISI). As expected, sleep quality and insomnia severity generally improved after seven days of listening to music. Findings suggest that familiar music improved sleep quality (but not insomnia) more without lyrics, while unfamiliar music improves sleep quality more if lyrics are present. These findings contribute to an enhanced understanding of how to use music for aiding sleep in a more effective way.</p
DanteggiareAI: Blast
No full textThe second edition of this project is brought to you with the input of AI text and image generation. I can claim no real creative input, aside from the initial idea, and the random choice of ‘authors’ (my apologies to those who’s names I’ve used, it was meant out of respect, as I find their writings interesting).As with the previous edition, all ‘authors’ and ‘authors texts’ are entirely fictional inventions, and any similarities to authors, living or dead, is purely algorithmic.The book is a series of variations on the first Canto of Dante's Inferno, reinterpreted through the lens of an AI prompted to write in different 'voices'.</p
A Manifesto For the Death
No full textA Manifesto For The Death Of Education is an A3 Risograph printed artists' book which responds to the current crisis in UKHE, and the Orwellian DoubleSpeak used to justify decision making within the sector.</p
The role of ore and host rock mineralogy in the beneficiation of a VMS deposit: Insights from Rävliden North, northern Sweden
No full textThis paper investigates how ore mineralogy, host rock composition, and textural variability control grinding behaviour and flotation performance in volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits, using the Rävliden North Zn–Cu–Pb–Ag deposit in northern Sweden as a detailed case study. Through integrated process mineralogy—combining QEMSCAN® analysis with element-to-mineral conversion based on bulk geochemical data—the study identifies distinct ore and host-rock sub-types and links them directly to differences in comminution response, mineral liberation, and flotation efficiency.The results demonstrate that sphalerite-rich, fine-grained ores exhibit improved grindability and liberation, leading to enhanced flotation performance, whereas chalcopyrite-rich, vein-dominated ores are harder to grind due to silicate-rich gangue but perform better in Cu–Pb flotation. The study further shows how gangue mineralogy (e.g. quartz, micas, amphiboles, carbonates) influences ore hardness and circuit behaviour, and how blending strategies can be used to mitigate processing challenges and improve concentrate quality.In addition, the paper tracks the behaviour of precious, critical, and deleterious elements during beneficiation, highlighting their association with fine-grained Ag-, Sb-, Bi-, and Te-bearing minerals that report to both target and non-target concentrates. Overall, the work underscores the value of process mineralogy in optimising beneficiation strategies, managing complex polymetallic ores, and maximising by-product recovery.</p
Navigating Institutional and Capability Barriers in Agentic Artificial Intelligence Adoption: Evidence from Small and Medium Enterprises in Bangladesh
No full textThis study examines the barriers to and innovative solutions for the adoption of Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AAI) among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh. AAI, an advanced and transformative evolution of generative AI, promises significant enhancements in knowledge sharing, autonomy, and overall organisational performance. However, its integration into developing economies, particularly Bangladesh, remains underexplored. Drawing on institutional and dynamic capability theories, this research examines how contextual, structural, and capability-related factors shape the adoption of AAI within SMEs. Employing a qualitative research design, the study conducted 14 semi-structured interviews with a diverse array of participants, including SME owners, technology experts, and government officials in the bustling city of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Through thematic analysis, significant barriers and solutions were identified, bolstered by rigorous methods such as triangulation, peer debriefing, and member checking to ensure the credibility and authenticity of the findings.The thematic analysis identified eight critical barriers to AAI adoption: slow internet speeds, limited technological knowledge and skills, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient government support, ongoing political instability, prohibitive adoption costs, and a lack of a robust legal framework. To counteract these challenges, participants proposed a comprehensive set of solutions: the development of awareness and educational programs, the enhancement of technological infrastructure, the improvement of internet connectivity, the establishment of supportive legal and policy frameworks, the provision of financial incentives, the fostering of collaborative public–private partnerships, and the integration of AAI education into academic curricula. These findings highlight that the adoption of AAI is influenced not only by the readiness of individual firms but also significantly shaped by the maturity of institutional and ecosystem factors.This research is among the pioneering studies to empirically investigate AAI adoption among SMEs in a developing-economy context. By interweaving institutional and dynamic capability theories, this study makes a valuable contribution to the expanding literature on intelligent systems. It offers a comprehensive framework that connects the dots between institutional context, organisational capability, and knowledge management, ultimately facilitating a deeper understanding of AAI adoption in emerging markets.</p
Trends in toxicological findings and drug seizures of MDMA in New Zealand from 2010 to 2022
No full text3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or “ecstasy”, is a commonly used drug worldwide, including in New Zealand, where 4.8% of the population aged 15 years or over reported using it in a 2023/24 survey. This study provides additional insights on MDMA prevalence data in New Zealand by reporting toxicology data from Coronial and driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) cases positive for MDMA between 2010 and 2022. Presented alongside are data from MDMA drug seizures (tablets, powders/crystals, and capsules) submitted by NZ Police or Customs during the same period. Of the 131 MDMA-positive Coronial cases, 73 were quantified in peripheral post-mortem blood (mean: 0.88 mg/L, range: 0.01–9.30 mg/L). Of the 193 DUID cases positive for MDMA, 186 were quantified in blood (mean: 0.23 mg/L, range: 0.01–7.30 mg/L). MDA was also quantified in peripheral blood in 33 Coronial cases (mean: 0.06 mg/L, range: 0.01–0.20 mg/L) and 79 DUID cases (mean: 0.03 mg/L, range: 0.01–0.21 mg/L). In both types of MDMA-positive cases, 85% or more were positive for other drugs and/or alcohol, with the most commonly co-used substances being cannabis and alcohol. The demographics of MDMA users were comparable to those reported in previous studies. The prevalence of MDMA in drivers (1.8%) is similar to that reported in previous studies. There were 138 drug seizures with an average purity of 71% (range: 17–101%), with capsules showing the highest overall purity. We envisage the data in this paper being used by forensic toxicologists, law enforcement and drug policy makers.</p