Participatory Arts-based Game Design: Mela, a Serious Game to Address SGBV in Ethiopia

The emerging body of work on participatory game design (PGD) highlights the significance of working with end-users’ voices as the starting point. This is particularly critical in serious games that seek to impact social change in areas such as sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). This article, which is based on fieldwork with 16 college instructors in four agricultural colleges in rural Ethiopia, draws together concepts of participatory visual methods (particularly cellphilming), PGD and a game universe perspective to offer an engaging and interactive approach to the design of serious games. We refer to this as ‘Participatory Arts-based Game Design’ (PAGD), an approach that was used to create Mela, a serious game to address SGBV in Ethiopian agriculture colleges. Exploring Mela game’s participatory and engaging design process, this article offers a framework for serious game development to address critical social change issues that go beyond the game itself. It has the potential to not only place the end-users at the centre but to recognize the critical role of engagement and immersivity in a field oriented towards impact and sustainability

Fast spectral solutions of the double-gyre problem in a turbulent flow regime

Several semi-analytical models are considered for a double-gyre problem in a turbulent flow regime for which a reference fully numerical eddy-resolving solution is obtained. The semi-analytical models correspond to solving the depth-averaged Navier–Stokes equations using the spectral Galerkin approach. The robustness of the linear and Smagorinsky eddy-viscosity models for turbulent diffusion approximation is investigated. To capture essential properties of the double-gyre configuration, such as the integral kinetic energy, the integral angular momentum, and the jet mean-flow distribution, an improved semi-analytical model is suggested that is inspired by the idea of scale decomposition between the jet and the surrounding flow

Significance of the compliance of the joints on the dynamic slip resistance of a bioinspired hoof

Robust mechanisms for slip resistance are an open challenge in legged locomotion. Animals such as goats show impressive ability to resist slippage on cliffs. It is not fully known what attributes in their body determine this ability. Studying the slip resistance dynamics of the goat may offer insight toward the biologically inspired design of robotic hooves. This article tests how the embodiment of the hoof contributes to solving the problem of slip resistance. We ran numerical simulations and experiments using a passive robotic goat hoof for different compliance levels of its three joints. We established that compliant yaw and pitch and stiff roll can increase the energy required to slide the hoof by ≈ 20% compared to the baseline (stiff hoof). Compliant roll and pitch allow the robotic hoof to adapt to the irregularities of the terrain. This produces an antilock braking system-like behavior of the robotic hoof for slip resistance. Therefore, the pastern and coffin joints have a substantial effect on the slip resistance of the robotic hoof, while the fetlock joint has the lowest contribution. These shed insights into how robotic hooves can be used to autonomously improve slip resistance

Online Optimal Neuro-Fuzzy Flux Controller for DTC Based Induction Motor Drives

In this paper a fast flux search controller based on the Neuro-fuzzy systems is proposed to achieve the best efficiency of a direct torque controlled induction motor at light load. In this method the reference flux value is determined through a minimization algorithm with stator current as objective function. This paper discusses and demonstrates the application of Neurofuzzy filtering to stator current estimation. Simulation and experimental results are presented to show the fast response of proposed controller

Bioaccumulation of copper nanoparticle in gill, liver, intestine and muscle of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) juvenile

Copper (Cu) is an essential element required by all living organisms, since at least 30 enzymes are known to use Cu as a cofactor. Cu is also toxic in excess and liver and gills are known to be target organs for it. In the present study, 240 Siberian sturgeon juvenile (with initial weight 29.2 ± 3.1 g and initial length 21.8 ± 1.4 cm) were randomly distributed in 12 fiberglass tanks at 4 different copper nanoparticle (Cu-NPs) treatments with 3 replicates. Treatments included control (T0 = no added Cu-NPs), 50 (T50), 100 (T100), 200 (T200) µg.l -1 Cu-NPs (mean primary particle size of 2 - 6 nm) in a semi-static waterborne exposure regime. Water exchanged were 20% daily with redosing after each change. The experimental period lasted 28 days, 14 days exposure to Cu-NPs and 14 days as recovery time. Fish liver, gill, intestine and muscle were sampled at days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28. Samples were weighed, dried (100 ◦C for 48 h) then digested in concentrated nitric acid in a water bath, cooled, and analyzed for Cu concentration in the tissues with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscope. Most of the Cu-NPs were accumulated in the intestine, gill, liver and muscle. The accumulation of NPs in tissues was increased in all treatments from day 7 through 14. In the recovery period, Cu-NPs in tissues decreased but it was still higher than the control treatment. The current findings indicate that preventing the entry of Cu-NPs into the aquatic environment would seem to be essential

Control Space Reduction and Real-Time Accurate Modeling of Continuum Manipulators Using Ritz and Ritz-Galerkin Methods

To address the challenges with real-time accurate modeling of multi-segment continuum manipulators in the presence of significant external and body loads, we introduce a novel series solution for variable-curvature Cosserat rod static and Lagrangian dynamic method. By combining a modified Lagrange polynomial series solution, based on experimental observations, with Ritz and Ritz-Galerkin methods, the infinite modeling state space of a continuum manipulator is minimized to geometrical position of a handful of physical points (in our case two). As a result, a unified easy to implement vector formalism is proposed for the nonlinear impedance and configuration control. We showed that by considering the mechanical effects of highly elastic axial deformation, the model accuracy is increased up to 6%. The proposed model predicts experimental results with 6-8% (4-6 [mm]) mean error for the Ritz-Galerkin method in static cases and 16-20% (12-14 [mm]) mean error for the Ritz method in dynamic cases, in planar and general 3D motions. Comparing to five different models in the literature, our approximate solution is shown to be more accurate with the smallest possible number of modeling states and suitable for real-time modeling, observation and control applications

Risk-Based Decision Support Model for the Optimal Operation of a Smart Energy Distribution Company for Enabling Emerging Resources

In this paper, a risk-based decision support model is developed for a smart energy distribution company, enabling emerging resources like renewable energy sources, electric vehicles and demand response programs in a holistic approach. Because of the inherent uncertainties of these emerging resources, the conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) method is adopted to restrict the distribution company’s risk. A risk aversion parameter sensitivity analysis is also provided on the optimal operation of the smart energy distribution company. The proposed model is thoroughly tested on a 15-bus distribution grid system, and the numerical results prove the effectiveness of the model in risk management