Kinetic Sculpture in Theatre and Live Entertainment

Technology dominates contemporary “theatre,” but the theatre is often the last industry to see innovations. Instead, the technical field operates on leftovers from entertainment, visual art, or industrial settings. The technological differences between these areas begin to blur; the differences lay only in their execution and intention. Some companies such as Cirque du Soliel, Diavolo, and Chunky Move blend technology and performance until the two become indivisible. This technology is being developed in an effort to lessen boundaries and create new opportunities that could not otherwise happen onstage. Through this thesis I will develop a basic understanding of the machinery and software platforms used to create kinetic rain sculpture, it’s uses in visual art versus industrial settings, and how this can manifest in live theatre. A case study of Chunky Move’s piece Connected examines what happens when machinery is subtracted and integrated with human artists; how it can elevate and transcend beyond the performer. I will also examine how these elements interact between performers, choreographers and technicians; and how each are educated, trained and integrated with technology throughout the rehearsal process. Then I will use my understanding of kinetic rain’s mechanics to predict new ways this system can be used as a scenic element and for stage action

Land use affects the soil C sequestration in alpine environment, NE Italy

Soil carbon sequestration is strongly affected by soil properties, climate, and anthropogenic activities. Assessing these drivers is key to understanding the effect of land use on soil organic matter stabilization. We evaluated land use and soil depth influencing patterns of soil organic matter stabilization in three types of soil profiles located under the same pedogenetic matrix and alpine conditions but with different vegetation cover. The stock in soil organic carbon in the mean 0–20 cm layer increased from prairie (31.9 t ha−1) to prairie in natural reforestation (42 t ha−1) to forest (120 t ha−1), corresponding to increments of 1.3-fold prairie, for prairie in natural reforestation, and of 3.8-fold prairie for forest. The forest showed the highest humic carbon (21.7 g kg−1), which was 2.8 times greater than the prairie in natural reforestation and 4 times higher than the prairie. 13C-NMR spectroscopic measurements suggested a different C pattern. The prairie in natural reforestation and the prairie were characterized by a higher content in O,N-alkyl C with respect to the forest. Alkyl C and aromatic C in the prairie in natural reforestation and prairie did not show relevant differences while they decreased with respect to the forest. Carboxyl and phenolic C groups were markedly higher in forest and prairie than prairie in natural reforestation. Alkyl C, carboxyl C, and phenolic C prevailed in the Ah horizons whereas aromatic C and O,N-alkyl C were dominant in the B horizons. Overall, the marked distribution of O,N-alkyl C and alkyl C in humic substances (HS) indicates a low degree of humification. Nevertheless, in forest, the relatively high presence of aromatic C designated HS endowed with a relatively high humification degree. Thus, our results might suggest that in the alpine environment of NE Italy differences in soil organic matter (SOM) stocks and characteristics are affected by land use and anthropic activities

Biped Robots With Compliant Joints for Walking and Running Performance Growing

This paper deals with the problem of compliance in biped robots locomotion. After a first literature review, we designed and simulated a 3D virtual model of a biped robot conceived with the same link dimensions (and weights) of a standard man. In all simulation, the same input to the robot actuators are proposed, modifying only the compliance of the attached links. We first validated the model and then compared results increasing and reducing compliance on hip, knee and ankle joints. The very good results underline how the robot performances may be increased including the compliant element in the knee. In particular, we noted how including a proper value of the compliance in the knee, power and torque of the actuators may be reduced increasing robot speed

Anàlisi dels resultats i consideracions per l'aplicació a l'assignatura d'habilitats socials i comunicatives

Presentació de resultats de la prova de rúbrica d'avaluació CPA de l'assignatura d'Habilitats Socials i Comunicatives del Grau de Treball Socia

Influence of Compliant Joints in Four-Legged Robots

Legged animals are capable of rapid movements, are efficient from the energy point of view, and are able to adapt their gaits to environmental conditions. Motions like walking, trotting, galloping, and jumping, are difficult to evaluate and replicate due to their being consequences of complex interactions of different systems (such as the musculoskeletal system and the central and peripheral nervous systems, including also the influence of the environment). In this paper, we analyzed the behavior of a four-legged robot constituted by one active DOF in each leg (using commercial servomotors) and one passive DOF in each knee and in the spine (using springs). Our objective was to increase the motion performances of the robot by varying the stiffness of the springs. The results obtained from the simulation underline how the stiffness of the spine influences the performance of the robot by increasing the speed and reducing the energy required by the servomotors

Three-dimensional virtual bone bank system workflow for structural bone allograft selection: a technical report

Structural bone allograft has been used in bone defect reconstruction during the last fifty years with acceptable results. However, allograft selection methods were based on 2-dimensional templates using X-rays.Thanks to preoperative planning platforms, three dimensional (3D) CT-derived bone models were used to define size and shape comparison between host and donor. The purpose of this study was to describe the workflow of this virtual technique in order to explain how to choose the best allograft using a virtualbone bank system. We measured all bones in a 3D virtual environment determining the best match. The use of a virtual bone banksystem has allowed optimizing the allograft selection in a bone bank, providing more information to the surgeons before surgery.In conclusion, 3D preoperative planning in a virtual environment for allograft selection is an important and helpful tool in order to achieve a good match between host and donor.Fil: Ritacco, Lucas. Hospital Italiano; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Farfalli, Germán Luis. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Milano, Federico Edgardo. Hospital Italiano; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ayerza, Miguel Ángel. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Muscolo, Domingo L.. Hospital Italiano; Argentina. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Aponte Tinao, Luis. Hospital Italiano; Argentin

(DE) Construyendo las barreras sociales : nuevos imaginarios sociales

La celebración del año internacional de las personas con discapacidad es un marco idóneo para que las personas con discapacidades y sus familias den una vez más, a conocer sus realidades y seguir reivindicando los recursos y servicios que necesitan, y por los que tantos años han luchando. Esta celebración debería ser también un marco de encuentro entre aquellas personas que tienen algún tipo de discapacidad con las que no las tienen, y de ese modo intentar romper con la barrera social que nos separa y permitir una convivencia plena de todos los ciudadanos; barreras que no sólo deben ser eliminadas en función de que existe un grupo de personas discapacitadas, sino que deberían caer en el conjunto de la sociedad. Desde esta mirada, la creación de fronteras forma parte de la vida cotidiana y se torna como algo ¿natural¿. Creemos que desde el trabajo social, es importante entender que aquello que se nos aparece como natural, en muchas ocasiones no lo es y que forma parte de las construcciones simbólicas de una sociedad. En nuestra aproximación a las diferencias, como trabajadores sociales y como ciudadanos, debemos estar advertidos que corremos el riesgo de acercarnos a este entramado complejo desde la lógica binaria/reduccionista de: capacitado ¿o¿ discapacitado, y el gran reto, entendemos, está en abordar, en con-versar desde la única lógica posible para la eliminación de barreras sociales, que es la de: (RE)CAPACITAR LA DISCAPACIDAD.The celebration to the International Year of the handicapped persons is a good framework to allow the handicapped persons and their families to show, once more, theirs realities and to continue claiming the needed resources and services they have been fighting for during all these years. This celebration would be also a meeting point between handicapped and not handicapped people in order to break with the social barriers separating us and to allow all the citizens to live together: social barriers that should fall in all the society, not only with handicapped people. From this point of view, creating social barriers is part of the quotidian life and frequently it is taken as something natural. We think that from the social work profession it is important to understand that what sometimes seems to be natural, usually it is not as natural but a symbolic construction of society. In our approach to differences as social workers and as citizens, we must be aware of the risk of trying to understand this complex matrix from a binary or reductionist logic of caped or not, and the great challenge is to talk from the only possible logic in order to eliminate the social barriers: (RE)THINK THE DISABILIT

Jatropha Curcas Sludge Valorization

Abstract Jatropha which grows in tropical and subtropical climates across the developing world, is a perennial species that received much attention for its ability to grow on 'marginal land and to produce seeds with high oil percentage. Among the different species of Jatropha, Jatropha curcas is suitable as ornamental plant, raw material for dye, potential feed stock, soil enrichment manure and more importantly for biodiesel production. The mechanical pressing of the Jatropha seeds for oil production results in large amounts of solid residue (seed cake) and sludge that contain oil, water, minerals, proteins, toxic compounds and anti-nutritional factors. The aim of our work was to screen the fertilizing power of Jatropha sludge and its oily and solid fractions for promoting biodiesel circular economy. Our results indicated that seeds of watercress had a better germination performance than lettuce with Jatropha sludge and its fractions. This could depend on the different sensitivity of the two species and/or also to the composition of the sludge and its fractions. The solid fraction had the greatest inhibitory effects on germination of both species. The oily fraction had the less phytotoxic effect on the germination process while only in presence of the total sludge at 25%, seeds of watercress and lettuce showed a germination percentage lower than 50%. Higher concentrations were completely inhibitory. The phytotoxic effects of the sludge and its fractions may be attributed to the combination of high EC and phenol contents. This study revealed that highly diluted Jatropha total sludge may be very useful as good source of nutrients for crop production, cutting short the use of chemical fertilizers

SUAS: A Novel Soft Underwater Artificial Skin with Capacitive Transducers and Hyperelastic Membrane

The paper presents physical modeling, design, simulations, and experimentation on a novel Soft Underwater Artificial Skin (SUAS) used as tactile sensor. The SUAS functions as an electrostatic capacitive sensor, and it is composed of a hyperelastic membrane used as external cover and oil inside it used to compensate the marine pressure. Simulation has been performed studying and modeling the behavior of the external interface of the SUAS in contact with external concentrated loads in marine environment. Experiments on the external and internal components of the SUAS have been done using two different conductive layers in oil. A first prototype has been realized using a 3D printer. The results of the paper underline how the soft materials permit better adhesion of the conductive layer to the transducers of the SUAS obtaining higher capacitance. The results here presented confirmed the first hypotheses presented in a last work and opened new ways in the large-scale underwater tactile sensor design and development. The investigations are performed in collaboration with a national Italian project named MARIS, regarding the possible extension to the underwater field of the technologies developed within the European project ROBOSKIN