426 research outputs found
A virtual coaching environment for improving golf swing technique
As a proficient golf swing is a key element of success in golf, many golfers make significant effort improving their stroke mechanics. In order to help enhance golfing performance, it is important to identify the performance determining factors within the full golf swing. In addition, explicit instructions on specific features in stroke technique requiring alterations must be imparted to the player in an unambiguous and intuitive manner. However, these two objectives are difficult to achieve due to the subjective nature of traditional coaching techniques and the predominantly implicit knowledge players have of their movements. In this work, we have developed a set of visualisation and analysis tools for use in a virtual golf coaching environment. In this virtual coaching studio, the analysis tools allow for specific areas require improvement in a player's 3D stroke dynamics to be isolated. An interactive 3D virtual coaching environment then allows detailed and unambiguous coaching information to be visually imparted back to the player via the use of two virtual human avatars; the first mimics the movements performed by the player; the second takes the role of a virtual coach, performing ideal stroke movement dynamics. The potential of the coaching tool is highlighted in its use by sports science researchers in the evaluation of competing approaches for calculating the X-Factor, a significant performance determining factor for hitting distance in a golf swing
The case for cloud service trustmarks and assurance-as-a-service
Cloud computing represents a significant economic opportunity for Europe. However, this growth is threatened by adoption barriers largely related to trust. This position paper examines trust and confidence issues in cloud computing and advances a case for addressing them through the implementation of a novel trustmark scheme for cloud service providers. The proposed trustmark would be both active and dynamic featuring multi-modal information about the performance of the underlying cloud service. The trustmarks would be informed by live performance data from the cloud service provider, or ideally an independent third-party accountability and assurance service that would communicate up-to-date information relating to service performance and dependability. By combining assurance measures with a remediation scheme, cloud service providers could both signal dependability to customers and the wider marketplace and provide customers, auditors and regulators with a mechanism for determining accountability in the event of failure or non-compliance. As a result, the trustmarks would convey to consumers of cloud services and other stakeholders that strong assurance and accountability measures are in place for the service in question and thereby address trust and confidence issues in cloud computing
Bid-Centric Cloud Service Provisioning
Bid-centric service descriptions have the potential to offer a new cloud
service provisioning model that promotes portability, diversity of choice and
differentiation between providers. A bid matching model based on requirements
and capabilities is presented that provides the basis for such an approach. In
order to facilitate the bidding process, tenders should be specified as
abstractly as possible so that the solution space is not needlessly restricted.
To this end, we describe how partial TOSCA service descriptions allow for a
range of diverse solutions to be proposed by multiple providers in response to
tenders. Rather than adopting a lowest common denominator approach, true
portability should allow for the relative strengths and differentiating
features of cloud service providers to be applied to bids. With this in mind,
we describe how TOSCA service descriptions could be augmented with additional
information in order to facilitate heterogeneity in proposed solutions, such as
the use of coprocessors and provider-specific services
Magnetic inflation and stellar mass. III. revised parameters for the component stars of NSVS 07394765
We perform a new analysis of the M-dwarf–M-dwarf eclipsing binary system NSVS 07394765 in order to investigate the reported hyper-inflated radius of one of the component stars. Our analysis is based on archival photometry from the Wide Angle Search for Planets, new photometry from the 32 cm Command Module
Observatory telescope in Arizona and the 70 cm telescope at Thacher Observatory in California, and new high-resolution infrared spectra obtained with the Immersion Grating Infrared Spectrograph on the Discovery Channel Telescope. The masses and radii we measure for each component star disagree with previously reported measurements. We show that both stars are early M-type main-sequence stars without evidence for youth or hyper-inflation ( = - ☉ M M + 1 0.661 0.036 0.008 , = - ☉ M M + 2 0.608 0.028 0.003 , = - ☉ + R1 0.599 0.019 R 0.032 , = - ☉ + R2 0.625 0.027 R 0.012 ), and
we update the orbital period and eclipse ephemerides for the system. We suggest that the likely cause of the initial hyper-inflated result is the use of moderate-resolution spectroscopy for precise radial velocity measurements.Published versio
Updating the Role of Rural Supervision: Perspectives from Alaska
Despite the documented importance of professional experiences in teacher preparation, numerous questions persist as to how university supervisors can effectively contribute to rural preservice teachers’ development and to establish lasting collaborations between involved stakeholders (e.g., collaborating teacher, principal, community). This paper provides insight into the challenges and potential for a comprehensive and updated approach to in-person supervision in a rural sociocultural context. Transcriptions of field notes, observation protocols, and conversations from forty supervision travels to remote Alaska villages are examined and interpreted. Results support a fresh, rural-contextual approach to in-person supervision that has the potential to help preservice teachers not only master effective teaching strategies but also support teacher recruitment, retention, and collaboration
Single system image: A survey
Single system image is a computing paradigm where a number of distributed computing resources are aggregated and presented via an interface that maintains the illusion of interaction with a single system. This approach encompasses decades of research using a broad variety of techniques at varying levels of abstraction, from custom hardware and distributed hypervisors to specialized operating system kernels and user-level tools. Existing classification schemes for SSI technologies are reviewed, and an updated classification scheme is proposed. A survey of implementation techniques is provided along with relevant examples. Notable deployments are examined and insights gained from hands-on experience are summarized. Issues affecting the adoption of kernel-level SSI are identified and discussed in the context of technology adoption literature
Contemporary analysis and architecture for a generic cloud-based sensor data management platform.
An increasing volume of data is being generated by sensors and smart devices deployed in different areas, often far from computing facilities such as data centres. These data can be difficult to gather and process using local computing infrastructure. This is due to cost and limited resources. Cloud computing provides scalable resources that are capable of addressing such problems. However, platform-independent methods of gathering and transmitting sensor data to Clouds are not widely available. This paper presents a state-of-the-art analysis of Cloud-based sensor monitoring and data gathering platforms. It discusses their strengths and weaknesses and reviews the current trends in this area. Informed by the analysis, the paper further proposes a generic conceptual architecture for achieving a platform-neutral Cloud-based sensor monitoring and data gathering platform. We also discuss the objectives, design decisions and the implementation considerations for the conceptual architecture.IC
Multi-porous extension of anisotropic poroelasticity : linkage with micromechanics
We thank the Editor, Prof. Ronaldo Borja, Prof. Mark Kachanov, and anonyomus reviewers for careful reading of themanuscript and their insightful comments. This research was supported financially by the NERC grant: “Quantifying theAnisotropy of Poroelasticity in Stressed Rock”, NE/N007826/1 and NE/T00780X/1.Peer reviewe
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