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From Digital Twins to Immersive Manufacturing: XR and Gesture‐Based Control for Enhancing Human–Robot Collaboration
No full textDigital twins (DTs) and immersive extended reality (XR) interfaces offer new opportunities for intuitive, human‐centred interaction in smart manufacturing. However, implementations often lack rigorous validation, quantitative performance analysis and assessment of scalability and robustness, especially in small‐scale or resource‐constrained manufacturing settings. This work proposes a modular metaverse framework integrating ROS2, Unity and Meta Quest devices to develop interactive, bidirectional DTs enhanced with gesture‐based and mixed reality (MR) control. The framework is demonstrated through a lab‐scale case study combining a robotic Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) system and a collaborative robot‐based laser‐cleaning station, showing broad applicability across industrial robotics. To evaluate usability, a preliminary user study with 17 participants was conducted, comparing a standard teach pendant with the proposed XR interface for a tool‐inspection task. Results show an 80% reduction in programming time and significant decreases in perceived workload. Measured end‐to‐end gesture‐to‐action latency ranged from 430 to 450 ms, representing suitable timeframe for high‐level interaction and task initiation. The study provides empirical user‐centred evidence for metaverse‐enabled interaction and discusses scalability, latency and industrial constraints. Aligned with the human‐centric intelligence principles of Industry 5.0, the proposed approach improves accessibility, operator well‐being and adaptability, contributing towards more inclusive and robust smart manufacturing systems
Assessing and managing pain in a primary care setting
No full textPain is experienced by most people throughout the lifespan; it is complex, highly personal and subjective, with physical, psychological and social factors informing the pain experience. Pain can manifest in acute or chronic forms, depending on whether it is associated with damage to the individual or damage to the nervous system, and is often described in terms of function and capacity. Effective pain management can improve a person's quality of life and reduce the impact of this experience on their independence and capacity to contribute to society as a whole. General practice nurses play a key role in supporting people living with long-term conditions that may contribute to developing pain in the community. They can identify and offer support, direct these individuals to other members of the multidisciplinary team or advise referral to chronic pain services. This article considers the nature of pain, pain assessment and management, the importance of recognition and the role of the practice nurse in assessing and managing pain using an holistic approach
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in children and neonates
No full textCPD calculations skills article for independent prescribers based on GORD case
A note on incremental stability of externally positive Lurie systems
Full text linkThe Kalman conjecture is shown to be true for Lurie systems in which the linear part is externally positive and the nonlinear element satisfies a generalised incremental gain bound. It is shown further that the system satisfies a range of both traditional and incremental stability properties. Multivariable systems are treated in the same framework as single-input-single output systems, giving the results a wider scope than those normally covered by the Kalman conjecture. Some numerical examples illustrate the utility of the results
Optimizing (1-x) BiFeO3-xCaTiO3 Perovskites: A Pathway to Efficient Flexible Energy Storage
Full text linkNew advanced functional material manufacturing and electrode design are the keys to developing the next generation of smart energy storage devices. This study explores the electrochemical performances of (1-x) BiFeO3-xCaTiO3 (x = 0.4, 0.5, 0.6) (BFO-CTO) perovskite for flexible electrochemical capacitors (ECs). BFO-CTO are synthesized via solid-state reaction, ensuring phase purity, while electrodes are printed on a flexible graphene sheet. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the mixture of metallic bismuth (Bi(0)) and Bi2O3 (Bi3+), enhancing charge through redox activity and conductivity. The 60BFO-40CTO composition exhibited a crystalline perovskite structure with high conductivity (14.03 kS.m−1) and hydrophilic properties (contact angle 40.3°). This resulted in a high electrochemically active surface area of 1.059 x10−3 cm2 and a specific capacitance of 2.79 mF.cm−2 in the symmetric EC. The asymmetric BF6CT4-G-EC, configuration achieved approximately an 80% increase in capacitance compared to the symmetric counterpart. It retained ≈90% of its initial capacitance after 6000 cycles, and maintained ≈72% capacity after 3000 cycles under 40° bending. These results highlight the potential of BFO-CTO perovskites as high-performance electrode materials for flexible energy storage applications
The nexus between local food tourism events and social sustainability: Future prospects and priorities
No full textFood has increasingly taken a central role in events and festivals, and its significance in tourism has been well documented through various social and cultural perspectives. However, our understanding and the available research evidence regarding the substantial roles, contributions, and challenges of food tourism events, particularly in relation to social sustainability, remain limited. To accurately assess the development of research on food tourism events and those through the lens of social sustainability, a bibliometric analysis was conducted on studies published from 1983 to 2025, followed by a systematic literature review. The findings reveal five evolving research themes in the field: (1) food event-based experiences and tourist behavioral dynamics; (2) cultural heritage, authenticity, and embodied experiences; (3) socio-economic systems and stakeholder governance; (4) tourist profiles, motivations, and segmentation; and (5) regenerative practices and sustainability transitions. Future research prospects are explored through the in-depth review of the five progressing research themes
Social Interaction and Dark Tourism in Prison Museums
No full textThis study explores how prison tourism experiences are co-constructed through situated visitor interactions. Penal heritage sites are decommissioned prisons, transformed into immersive educational attractions, drawing upon multiple interpretative practices to engage visitors with historic and contemporary issues of crime and punishment. Using ethnomethodological conversation analysis (EMCA), this research examines how gestures, talk, gaze and bodily position influence how visitors see, interpret, and emotionally negotiate difficult heritage. Findings reveal that visitors co-produce dark tourism experiences and negotiate the perceived darkness of sites through embodied practice. Situating visitors as active social agents, this study provides insights into the co-construction of dark tourism experiences, emphasizing interpretation as an emergent process shaped by interaction rather than predetermined by site design or individual motivation
The Otter Field Survey and Monitoring Handbook
No full textThis book is the comprehensive guide for ecologists undertaking site surveys for Eurasian otters. It describes how to carry out initial field-sign surveys, select sites for camera-trapping, deploy camera-traps and interpret data. The methods described are underpinned by years of research.Field-signs have historically been used as the main approach for surveying otters. This book illustrates what to look for and where to find different types of field-sign. It examines whether field-signs are a good predictor of otter activity and describes the limitations of such surveys. Optimal deployment of camera-traps to monitor otter dens (holts) is presented, together with an account of what type of behaviour and activity levels can be expected when they are used for birthing (natal holts), cub-rearing and casual resting.Illustrations, camera-trap images and descriptions of the animals’ behaviour bring the process to life, supported by the latest scientific evidence for application in site surveys and licence applications.- A practical guide to field-sign surveys in freshwater and coastal habitats, how to search for holts and what field-signs can be used to identify otter presence.- When and how to deploy camera-traps at potential holts; optimising set-up for good data quality, and understanding constraints of the equipment, the site and the species.- Organising camera-trap data to quantify activity patterns.- Interpretation of camera-trap footage; identification of males and females, resting activity and natal activity
Study on the flow past an origami-inspired cylinder at low Reynolds numbers
No full textThis study numerically investigates the three-dimensional wake dynamics of origami-inspired cylinders at low Reynolds numbers. Using parametric modeling, the effects of the fold angle parameter (φ), short-edge orientation angle (β), relative height ratio (h/D), and inflow attack angle (α) on the flow patterns and hydrodynamic forces are systematically analyzed. The results reveal that, compared with a circular cylinder, the origami-inspired configuration exhibits a higher overall Strouhal number (St) and a lower mean drag coefficient when Re > 260, indicating a potential drag-reduction advantage at higher Reynolds numbers. Parametric analysis indicates that the lift coefficient (CL) decreases with increasing φ, while the drag coefficient (CD) peaks at φ = 90°. The β positively regulates lift, and increasing α leads to “U-shaped” variations in both CD and CL. Larger h/D promotes three-dimensional wake transitions. These findings provide new insights into the flow-control potential and aerodynamic optimization of origami-inspired bodies
A Feasibility Study to Practically Implement a High-Performance Circularly Polarised Antenna Array for Point-to-Point Wireless Communication
No full textThis article presents the design, fabrication, and experimental validation of a compact linear series-fed microstrip antenna array with dual circular polarisation (CP) capability. The proposed structure consists of a 4 × 4 slotted circular patch array excited via four microstrip lines using a coplanar proximity coupling technique. Dual-CP operation is achieved through two miniaturised and distinct microstrip power divider networks, enabling the generation of either left-hand or right-hand CP based on the excitation port. To maximise gain and efficiency, the design reduces feedline branching and employs optimised slotted patch elements, resulting in low power loss and high radiation efficiency. The antenna achieves a realised peak gain of 19.4 dBic across 12.2-12.7 GHz and a 3-dB axial ratio bandwidth from 11.9-13.1 GHz. Simulation and measurement results demonstrate excellent agreement. Thanks to its compact size, wide bandwidth, dual-CP functionality, and high gain, the proposed antenna offers a promising solution for point-to-point wireless communication systems. Compared to existing multi- and single-layer microstrip-based CP arrays, this work introduces a simplified feed structure and improved performance, demonstrating clear advancement in antenna array design
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