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Adaptive hybrid PSO–APF algorithm for advanced path planning in next-generation autonomous robots
Full text linkThe field of autonomous robotics is progressing rapidly, with research moving toward developing systems capable of moving without direct human control and learning without human intervention. One of the problems requiring an efficient and sustainable solution is ensuring the smooth and safe navigation of robots between obstacles. In this study, a new path planning approach is developed, integrating particle swarm optimization (PSO) and artificial potential field (APF) algorithms to assist the mobile robot in navigating an area with static and dynamic obstacles. The robot moves independently while routing dynamically and avoiding obstacles. To evaluate its adaptive ability to a changing environment, we continuously calculate the shortest distance between two points and dynamically adjust the path to avoid obstacles during replanning, path recalculation, and robot position adjustment to ensure efficient and safe navigation. Different scenarios are tested to evaluate our approach, including different environmental conditions and obstacle configurations. Experimental results show that our method reduces the path length by 18%, the obstacle avoidance efficiency by 90%, and the success rate by 85% in dynamic environments. In addition, PSO-APF reduces computation time, demonstrating better capacity and efficiency
What are the practical and ethical considerations of assessing in an age of AI? How can we harness what is happening with Generative AI to leverage the development of more creative and engaging assessments?
Full text linkThis project builds on Evan’s (2022) Equity, Agency and Transparency (EAT) framework and its extension by Waring and Evans (2024), integrating London Metropolitan University’s current Assessment Principles and Perkins et al.’s (2024) Artificial Intelligence Assessment Scale (AIAS). It explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can be ethically and effectively incorporated into higher education assessment to enhance learner agency, inclusivity, and authenticity. AI-driven tools offer opportunities to personalise feedback, reduce administrative burdens, and foster deeper engagement and creativity in learning (Sağın et al., 2023; Wood & Moss, 2024). Alongside these benefits, institutions are experimenting with authentic assessment formats, such as oral presentations, reflective journals, and real-world problem-solving tasks, that strengthen academic integrity and contextual application of knowledge (QAA, 2023a; Xia et al., 2024). Findings from a student survey indicate strong awareness of AI tools (100%), but limited understanding of their underlying mechanics (38%), highlighting the urgent need for AI literacy as part of digital pedagogy. By aligning AI integration with principles of equity, transparency, and social justice, this study proposes an inclusive framework for AI-aware assessment that prepares students for future workforce realities while maintaining rigour, fairness, and trust in higher education
Designing an inclusive toolkit to empower Early Career Academics in their educational practice
Full text linkEarly career academics (ECAs) face substantial pressures in establishing their academic careers, often prioritising research outputs over teaching. While much focus has been placed on supporting ECAs’ research-related development, less attention has been given to enhancing their teaching practices, particularly in supporting student writing. The expertise required to teach and support student writing only compounds the difficulty of this situation, especially if learning development support is not available to students. This presentation reported on the findings of a SEDA-funded project that responded to calls to equip ECAs with the skills needed to foster confidence and self-efficacy across multiple academic activities (Dore and Richards, 2022). The project contributes to ongoing discussions about the role of ECAs in supporting student learning alongside learning development while ensuring their own professional development and wellbeing. Focusing specifically on writing support within the context of generative AI – a growing challenge in higher education – we have been working on developing a practical toolkit for ECAs to better support students in academic writing while addressing issues of AI integrity. Exploring ECAs’ needs and perspectives through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions has informed our understanding of what such a toolkit might look like and how generalisable and transferable it might be. During the session, we shared our observations, designs and hopes for this toolkit, which aims to assist ECAs in balancing student support with their own wellbeing, thereby protecting them from overwork and enhancing their teaching practice
Diverse voices, shared vision: EDI narratives and the future of higher education
Full text linkEquity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) are essential values in higher education, influencing policy and practice in transformative ways. As institutions strive for inclusive and equitable environments, understanding the personal and nuanced experiences of those engaged in EDI work is essential. The ALDinHE EDI Working Group initiated a project exploring how EDI is conceptualised by individuals within their specific roles in higher education through reflective autoethnographies. This presentation examined the diverse perspectives, challenges and aspirations shaping EDI work in academic settings. The central question was: what does EDI mean to you in the context of your role? This acknowledges that EDI is not a uniform concept but is shaped by personal, professional and institutional factors. Contributors reflected on transformative experiences, motivations, and ongoing challenges. Personal revelations often deepen engagement with EDI, while frustrations – such as institutional resistance, limited resources or systemic barriers (Scott, 2020) – highlight the need for meaningful changes. The paper also explored the aspirations of LD practitioners who integrate EDI into their practices, reflecting on the desired changes and long-term goals for a more inclusive and equitable higher education landscape. However, these aspirations are often tempered by uncertainties, especially when discussing EDI in environments where such topics can provoke defensiveness or misunderstanding. Therefore, the presentation offered a reflective and strategic resource, providing a platform for authentic dialogue and fostering mutual understanding. By sharing personal narratives, the EDI Working Group aims to contribute to the discourse on EDI, helping individuals and institutions navigate the complexities of creating inclusive academic communities
'I kiss the screen, but it is not the same' - grandparenting in geographically dispersed families
Full text linkTaking the perspective of grandparents living in the origin country, our article is innovative in examining a range of ties within social networks, not only transnational ones but also family ties in‐country with both close‐by and geographically dispersed relatives. We analyse focus group discussions with Polish grandparents whose grandchildren live in different locations. Thus, we are looking at transnational ties as part of interlocking personal networks spanning distances, including internal migration. By comparing grandparents’ interactions with those who are near and far, we advance understanding of how distance impacts feelings of closeness and bonding between generations. This networks lens reveals how varied communication practices and contact patterns affect emotional wellbeing of ageing (grand)parents at origin. Although technology helps maintain contact, especially transnationally, it does not offer a multisensory experience—a limitation which becomes evident when compared with in‐person childcare and family socialising
Kremlin media wars: censorship and control since the invasion of Ukraine
No full textThis unique volume brings together academics of Russian journalism and media with journalists and editors who reported or continue to report on the country, to explore and reflect on the changing landscape for journalists in Russia or covering Russia, and the increasing control exerted by the government on independent journalists.
Combining rigorous academic research with reflective practitioner essays, the volume investigates the future of reporting in Russia and the implications for the future of the country. It offers an understanding of the experience of independent journalists and media outlets in Russia, as well as other individuals who experience censorship (academics, activists), and examines how the current situation in Russia and people’s experiences of censorship can inform both our theoretical understandings of censorship and information control, in the context of the twenty‑first‑century digital technologies and the policymaking both inside and outside of Russia.
Offering important insight into what is happening within Russia’s borders, this volume will appeal to researchers and students of journalism, political science, international relations, propaganda and censorship, mass media, as well as journalists and policymakers
‘Recover together, recover stronger’: an exploratory literature review on the recovery challenges of creative SMEs following the COVID-19 pandemic and proposed future recommendations
Full text linkPurpose:
The rise of the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled researchers and industry professionals to reinvent their strategies for basic economic understanding. Two years after the outbreak of the pandemic, businesses are now trying to adapt to the impact it has brought, hoping to receive support as it was in the past. However, before this feat can be accomplished, it is imperative to understand the recovery hurdles created by the pandemic. This research aims to fill the literature gaps by examining the challenges during recovery within the creative small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) industry, as there are few relevant studies that focus on this field.
Design/Methodology/Approach:
Through a methodical bibliometric literature review and network analysis, the paper intends to critically explore relevant recovery challenges within the field while providing answers to the appropriate research questions. A total of 43 articles were selected for an in-depth review. Using the analysis from the selected articles as a guide, a framework was developed to address the recovery challenges alongside the recommended propositions.
Findings:
The findings from this paper suggest that a lack of synergy among four major categories (governmental, supply chain, organizational and stakeholders) contributes to recovery challenges within the field of research.
Originality/Value:
The review also offers clarification in understanding the current and upcoming trends within the creative industry, SMEs, and COVID-19. This paper can thus help researchers, industry practitioners and managers discover and analyse the recovery challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic
Antiviral activity of rhamnolipids nano-micelles against rhinoviruses—in silico docking, molecular dynamic analysis and in-vitro studies
Full text linkHospital-acquired infections (HAIs) previously focused mainly on multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, with less attention on viruses. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of controlling viral infections. Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are among the viruses responsible for HAIs. HRVs are non-enveloped viruses that infect the upper airways after airborne or direct transmission. Due to their lack of a membrane envelope, HRVs exhibit moderate resistance to commonly applied alcoholic disinfectants. Therefore, there is a significant need to develop alternative disinfection and hand sanitation strategies to control HRV infections in healthcare settings without posing a risk to human health. The antimicrobial activity and safety of rhamnolipids and rhamnolipids nano-micelles (RMN) against MDR-bacteria and several viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, were confirmed recently. Also, we previously demonstrated the superior antimicrobial activity of RMN over rhamnolipids. In the current study, molecular docking demonstrated the weak interactions of rhamnolipids with HRV-1A (minor group) compared to HRV-14 (major group), suggesting a superior antiviral activity of rhamnolipids towards major group rhinoviruses. To biologically validate these data, RMN was prepared and characterized, and then antiviral activity against HRV-16 (major group) and HRV-1B (minor group) infection of HeLa cells was assessed. RMN showed a complete inhibition of HRV-16 infection with recovery of 100% of HeLa cell viability. In contrast, only partial inhibition of HRV-1B infection with approximately 50% protection against infection was observed. Therefore, RMN might be recommended as a disinfectant and/or a hand sanitizer component to control the spread of RVs in hospital care settings or elsewhere to reduce the incidence of respiratory infections
Book review: Bruce Prideaux and David Beirman (eds), Handbook on crisis and disaster management in tourism (Edward Elgar, 2024) 430 pages
No full textThis edited book has 25 chapters and is part of the series of Edward Elgar’s research handbooks in Tourism. The authors represent several different countries affected by crises and disasters at the time the book was published, although just under a half were based at Australian or New Zealand universities/institutions. Nevertheless, over a third were working in the USA, there were several based in the UK, and others in Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Ghana and Saudi Arabia, indicating the international perspectives in the book. The objective of the book, according to the editors, is to explore the diversity of the issues, and they decided to bring together ‘a collection that includes theoretical perspectives, case studies, methodologies and a selection of chapters from non- academic authors who have first-hand experience of working in crisis situations' (p. xiv).
The book explores seven themes, according to what is provided by the editors in Chapter 1. As the editors indicate, a number of themes cover more than one chapter; hence, the book is not structured in such a way that the themes are discrete or in the sequence shown below, but instead are spread over several chapters:
• The lifecycle approach to crises and disasters (12 chapters)
• COVID-19 responses (six chapters)
• Academic research-theory building (four chapters)
• Practitioners’ perspectives on crises and disasters (four chapters)
Durability as an index of endurance exercise performance: methodological considerations
Full text linkEndurance athletes routinely complete physiological assessments to predict performance, inform training programmes and monitor subsequent training adaptations. This profiling is typically performed with the athlete in a ‘fresh’ (i.e., rested) condition, but physiological profiling variables deteriorate during prolonged exercise. Durability has been defined as the resilience to the deterioration of physiological variables and performance during or following prolonged exercise. Herein, we review the current approaches to measure durability. The construction of the fatiguing protocol affects durability profiles, with greater relative intensity and duration resulting in more marked deterioration of baseline measures. The design of durability assessments should control for factors that could impact durability measurements, such as nutrition and environmental characteristics, to ensure that outcomes are repeatable and can be compared between athletes or over time in the same athlete. The selection of these parameters should be based on the proposed research question or applied context and take account of the training status of the athlete. Accordingly, this review highlights important considerations to ensure that protocols for profiling durability in research and applied practice are appropriate