Challenging Situations Research Articles

Supporting athletes during a challenging situation: recommendations from a global insight of COVID-19 home-based training experience.

For athletes, overcoming obstacles in challenging situations like pandemic home training is crucial. Strategies and approaches in this context are not well-documented. Our study aims to investigate such a scenario from a performance standpoint, based on a major global crisis: the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. This cross-sectional study surveyed athletes without disabilities using online questionnaires (35 languages) from May to July 2020. Questions included aspects of alternative routines, training monitoring, recovery, sleep patterns, injury occurrence/prevention based on structured answers, and an open-ended question on lockdown training experiences. Of the 11,762 athletes from 142 countries, 63% were male, including at World-Class, International, National, State and Recreational levels. During lockdown, 25% athletes used innovative or modern ways to maintain or improve fitness e.g., virtual reality and tracking devices (favoring World-Class level, 30%). Many athletes, regardless of gender (43%) watched video competitions to improve/maintain their mental skills and performance [World-Class (47%) and International (51%)]. Contact frequency between athletes and their coaches was mainly at least once a week (36%), more among higher-level (World-Class/International) than lower-level athletes (27 vs. 16%). Higher-level athletes (≥ 54%) monitored training load and were assisted by their coaches (21%). During lockdown, stretching (67%) was considered one of the primary means of recovery, especially for higher-level athletes (> 70%). Compared to pre-lockdown, about two-thirds of athletes reported "normal" or "improved" sleep quality and quantity, suggesting a low sleep quality pre-lockdown. On average, 40% utilized injury prevention exercises (at least) once a week [World-Class (51%) and International (39%)]. Most injury occurrences during lockdown involved the knee (18%), ankle (16%), and back (9%). Four key themes emerged regarding lockdown experiences: remote training adaptation (e.g., shifting training focus), training creativity (e.g., using household items), performance enhancement opportunities (e.g., refocusing neglected aspects), and mental and motivation challenges. Both male and female athletes, particularly those of higher levels, displayed some adaptalibity during the COVID-19 lockdown, employing innovative approaches and technology for training. Many athletes implemented load monitoring, recovery, and attentive of injury prevention, while optimizing their sleep quality and quantity. Athletes demonstrated their abilities to navigate challenges, and utilized different coping strategies in response to the lockdown's constraints.

Reciprocal relationships between positive expectancies and positive emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-lagged panel study

Introduction Previous research highlighted the importance of investigating distinct protective factors that predict the experience of positive emotions during stressful situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In this longitudinal study, we specifically focused on positive expectancies towards the future (optimism, response expectancy, and response hope) in relation to the experience of positive emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our primary objectives were to identify the best predictors for experiencing short-term and long-term positive emotions and investigate their interrelationships. Methods Data from 271 participants (average age = 29.2 years, 84.7% female) were analyzed using four cross-lagged models. Results Results showed that response expectancy was the best predictor for experiencing positive emotions in the short term, while optimism was the best predictor for experiencing positive emotions in the long term. Additionally, through further exploratory analysis, multiple bidirectional relationships were identified between positive expectancies and positive emotions. Discussion Our results highlight the significant role played by positive expectancies in predicting the experience of positive emotions. Specifically, dispositional optimism emerged as a stronger predictor of longer-term positive emotions, whereas response expectancy proved to be a better predictor of shorter-term positive emotions. Thus, interventions targeting positive expectancies have the potential to enhance emotional functioning in individuals during challenging situations like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supportive communication between apprentices and supervisors: development of a digital role play game

PurposeThis paper describes the development of a digital role play game (RPG) designed to help construction apprentices to better communicate with their supervisors about issues with the potential to impact on their physical and psychological health and safety.Design/methodology/approachA participatory approach was adopted to utilise the knowledge and insights of the target users to inform the digital RPG development. Apprentices and supervisors were interviewed to identify characteristics of effective supervisor-apprentice communication, which became the RPG’s learning objectives. The scenarios constructed in the RPG were drawn from lived experiences shared by the apprentices in the interviews. During the development process, consultations were conducted with an advisory committee comprising of apprentices and supervisors to improve the realism of the RPG scenarios.FindingsThree scenarios were developed for the RPG. In each scenario, players are asked to make decisions at various interaction points about how the characters should respond to the unfolding and challenging situations. Scripts were developed for the game, which were acted out and motion captured to animate digital MetaHuman characters embedded in a virtual construction site. Two example situations are introduced in this paper to illustrate the development process.Originality/valueTo our knowledge, the RPG introduced is one of the first applications of digital game-based training in the construction industry. The adoption of a participatory design approach ensures that the game content relates to real-world experiences. The digital RPG is highly interactive and engaging in nature and presents a novel approach to developing “soft” skills in construction.

Resilience to Physical and Emotional Stress

Resilience is the ability of an individual to successfully adapt to stressful and challenging situations. However, resilience encompasses not only the way we react to a specific stressful situation but also how we cope with accompanying physical, psychological, and social challenges. A resilient person is not immune to failures, losses, and the effects of stress. It is the way a person responds after the initial shock that stands out and distinguishes resilient individuals from others. The aim of this study is to examine differences in resilience and quality of life among early and middle-aged participants, as well as the relationship between these variables. We aim to determine the importance of self-efficacy, perseverance, social support, internal locus of control, and coping and adaptation strategies for preserving the physical and mental health of individuals under the impact of stressful life events.

The Digital Bridge Project

The events in Ukraine in 2022 had a devastating effect on its population.  The authors of this paper considered whether it would be possible to strengthen both Ukrainian and other young people’s cognitive resilience in the face of different forms of conflict if they were put into contact with students in other countries. One potential means for building this resilience that could be explored in a classroom setting was the provision of a platform through which to compare perspectives with fellow students of other nationalities while gaining exposure to and practical experience with a set of cognitive tools for understanding and addressing challenging situations.  The Digital Bridge Project (DPB) was designed to improve these students’ English and critical analysis skills through direct exchange with their counterparts in other parts of the world via five online interviews in which they explored decision-making tools proposed by a variety of authors. The following case study describes how the Project was conducted. Three Ukrainian universities and the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Iserlohn, Germany participated in this study. The results of the Project indicate that it is a model that can be applied effectively in a variety of subject areas. The authors recommend that schools and universities wishing to emulate the model discussed here should adapt the format to their specific needs. The results of the student surveys from both countries involved indicate that the method can empower students to address a wide range of disruptive forces in business and society with tools that are part of a 21st century skill set for both enhancing managerial decision-making and encouraging participatory democracy.

Learning to Live Together. A Key Educational Challenge of our Time

The commitment of learning to live together / with others is considered a key educational challenge of our time. A challenge that we cannot exempt ourselves from because it is an indispensable task for all, without exception. On the basis of contributions by some international organizations - in particular, UNESCO and the Council of Europe - the author focuses on the need to educate people to live together in the culture of human rights. The author presents UNESCO's permanent program Education for All as a way of living together, and considers the inclusive education, the quality education, the integral education and education to solidarity as a way forward for the future, and the intercultural education as a strategy of living together. The author concludes by highlighting that these perspectives, and so the same Education for All, must be set on the path of learning to love in order to succeed, addressing the most vulnerable segments of society, including refugees affected by war, natural disasters and poverty. This emerges as a global challenge today and a consideration absent in the already examined prospects which seems a rare consideration outside the Catholic circles. Confronted with the present circumstances, which include not only wars and organized violence but also a monumental climate catastrophe, it is now crucial to rediscover the profound essence of education and the pedagogical contemplation that enlightens educational endeavors, befitting human dignity. Undoubtedly, the prospects involve instilling the principles of living together through early childhood education, practicing democratic values, fostering serene coexistence, peace, and solidarity, while respecting and promoting the fundamental rights of all human beings. Despite the challenging situations witnessed globally, this vision may seem like an unattainable utopia, but it remains a crucial goal for the future.

Developing medical simulations for opioid overdose response training: A qualitative analysis of narratives from responders to overdoses.

Medical simulation offers a controlled environment for studying challenging clinical care situations that are difficult to observe directly. Overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) programs aim to train potential rescuers in responding to opioid overdoses, but assessing rescuer performance in real-life situations before emergency medical services arrive is exceedingly complex. There is an opportunity to incorporate individuals with firsthand experience in treating out-of-hospital overdoses into the development of simulation scenarios. Realistic overdose simulations could provide OEND programs with valuable tools to effectively teach hands-on skills and support context-sensitive training regimens. In this research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 individuals experienced in responding to opioid overdoses including emergency department physicians, first responders, OEND program instructors, and peer recovery specialists. Two coders conducted qualitative content analysis using open and axial thematic coding to identify nuances associated with illicit and prescription opioid overdoses. The results are presented as narrative findings complemented by summaries of the frequency of themes across the interviews. Over 20 hours of audio recording were transcribed verbatim and then coded. During the open and axial thematic coding process several primary themes, along with subthemes, were identified, highlighting the distinctions between illicit and prescription opioid overdoses. Distinct contextual details, such as locations, clinical presentations, the environment surrounding the patient, and bystanders' behavior, were used to create four example simulations of out-of-hospital overdoses. The narrative findings in this qualitative study offer context-sensitive information for developing out-of-hospital overdose scenarios applicable to simulation training. These insights can serve as a valuable resource, aiding instructors and researchers in systematically creating evidence-based scenarios for both training and research purposes.

ELT Teachers’ and Learners’ Perceptions of Online Core Language Courses during Pandemic

In 2020, the global sanitary crisis of COVID-19 prompted us to search for strategies to keep communicating in all areas of society. The education domain had to adapt and quickly made a significant shift towards digital interactions to facilitate instructional delivery for teaching and learning. This qualitative case study aimed at exploring the perceptions and most challenging facts associated with an Online education model applied to core courses in an ELT program at a Colombian university. Data from surveys interviews and focus groups applied to 115 learners and 20 teachers suggested that despite the benefits regarding authentic materials for language learners, constraints related to learners connectivity, teachers-students interaction, social presence, motivation, evaluation, and the delivery of feedback were the most challenging situations. The overview portrayed in this study will facilitate comprehension of the learning and teaching issues presented during Covid 19 pandemic and will raise awareness of new perspectives for further online instruction.

The Effect of Consumer Perception and Image Restoration Strategy on Organization-Public Relationship (A Case Study of Mcdonald’s Indonesia Facing Boycott of Pro-Israel Products)

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate how organizations can navigate public perception and repair their image during challenging situations. with the aim to examine the effect of consumer perception and the role of McDonald's Indonesia's image restoration strategies through media coverage on organization-public relationships. Theoretical Framework: In this topic, the main concepts and theories that underpin the research are presented. Study case stand out, providing a solid basis for understanding the context of the investigation.   Method: This study adopts a quantitative approach, involving the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data to measure and generalize findings from the research sample across various perspectives to attest hypotheses. The research aims to explore the impact of consumer perceptions of McDonald's Indonesia on the organization-public relationship through image restoration strategies following the boycott of pro-Israel products.   Results and Discussion: The results obtained revealed indicate a significant positive effect of consumer perception on the organization-public relationship conducted by McDonald’s Indonesia. Additionally, three image restoration strategies—evade responsibility, reduce the offensiveness, and corrective action—participate in effecting organization-public relationships.   Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, providing insights into how the results can be applied or influence practices in the field of Crisis Communication and Public Relations. These implications could encompass how McDonald's Indonesia, facing a boycott due to a political situation,  attempts to repair its public image. It analyzes the role of consumer perception and different communication strategies in this context.   Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by Examines consumer perception in a specific cultural context , Analyzes the effectiveness of image restoration strategies, and Focuses on a specific consumer group. The relevance and value of this research are evidenced by contributes to the field of crisis communication and public relations by examining consumer perception and image restoration strategies in a specific cultural context with a particular consumer group.

Gezamenlijke reflectie over ethische twijfel met CURA: een laagdrempelig instrument voor moreel beraad

Joint reflection on moral doubts with CURA: a low-threshold clinical ethics support instrument Healthcare providers frequently encounter morally challenging situations. Clinical ethics support helps them to navigate in these complex situations by fostering reflection and generating new insights and courses of action. CURA is an instrument developed to provide low-threshold support in situations that evoke moral doubt. This article presents a case study to illustrate how CURA works and to underline the benefits it can bring to healthcare providers. The case involves a woman with Alzheimer’s disease exhibiting restlessness at night, disrupting the sleep of other clients of the residential care center. The night shift nurses want the situation to be resolved, for instance through measures such as fixation. The dementia case manager, however, advocates for an approach that meets her values and the needs of all participants. This case discussion highlights the significance of joint reflection with clinical ethics support: provide good care through generating new courses of action together and reduce moral distress by sharing moral doubts. CURA is one of the methods that can be used to achieve these goals.

Dark knights: Exploring resilience and hidden workarounds in commercial aviation through mixed methods

In this study, the duality of adaptive capacity in aviation safety is examined, where the need for resilience of frontline workers conflicts with the expectations and assumptions of upstream entities, leading to system brittleness. We explore three critical categories: responsibilization, the application of practical wisdom in navigating challenging situations, and the unrecognized sacrifices that accompany adaptation. A qualitative research design is used, using three focus groups consisting of pilots in a European airline, the airline’s safety department, and the respective civil aviation authority. The study's findings reveal i. significant organizational constraint and pressure on pilots, resulting in workarounds, personal playbooks, and exhaustion, ii. a culture of apathy, cynicism, and secrecy, contributing to a disconnect between the idealized and practical aspects of work (work-as-imagined versus work-as-done), iii. an oversimplification of complex issues and attributing problems to individual factors rather than systemic factors, iv. normalizing the risk of saturation by pushing the boundaries of safe performance, and v. the current prescriptive training approach may increase risk by not accounting for adaptations that are necessary in the frontline work environment. Recognizing both the technical and social complexities of aviation, the study calls for a reimagined framework away from a prescriptive training approach, as it may increase risk by not accounting for adaptations that are necessary in the frontline work environment. In summary, the study presents a nuanced view of aviation as a complex system, where the push for adaptivity is challenged by ethical dilemmas and trade-offs. Left unresolved, this conflict may hinder aviation safety.

Does long segment subarachnoido-subarachnoid shunt prevent posttraumatic and postinfectious spinal arachnoid cyst recurrence?: technical note and case series

Syringomyelia associated with extensive spinal adhesive arachnoiditis (SAA) can be defined as a rare but progressive disease with potentially devastating clinical consequences. Diagnosis can be challenging due to the absence of specific clinical findings, confusion with other pathologies, and late imaging modalities. The treatment strategy for syringomyelia associated with extensive SAA should include direct drainage of the syringomyelia, and dissection of the adhesive arachnoid with expansive duraplasty. Hence, several approaches have been reported for arachnoid dissection and decompression of the subarachnoid space. The high risk of recurrence after the operation is one of the most challenging situations. First two cases were operated previously, and the cyst walls were removed and anastomosed to the intact subarachnoid space at the upper and lower ends by each other. However, in both cases, the cyst recurred after a short time and they were anastomosed again in our clinic. A subarachnoid-subarachnoid shunt was placed with a multi-hole silicone tube extending to the proximal and distal intact subarachnoid spaces and passing through the cyst removal area. In our third case, the shunt system we described was applied directly, and satisfactory results were obtained in the clinical follow-up of the patient. It has been demonstrated that subarachnoido-subarachnoid shunt is a very satisfactory treatment option for this type of pathology, which is difficult to follow and treat.

Rama’s Orange Peel Emotional Intelligence

Purpose: We homosapians are natural to emotions. We all have different personalities, different wants, needs, and different ways of showing emotion. Yes, it is a natural tendency of every individual to express, show, or to have emotions. Today organizations for a long period who believe that the success of a person at the workplace depends only on the level of intelligence is a false statement, instead, organizations believe that they need a very important soft skill called emotional intelligence to achieve organizational goals. This research paper is a thought-provoking blend of management, science, and mythology. The researcher elucidates how Rama’s EQ and his positive psychology explain EI. The outcome of the research assists Rama’s orange peel emotional intelligence for individual personalities to discover them as well as to understand insights into how to navigate challenging situations & emotions in everyday life & workplace. Objectives: The researchers have established the undermentioned primary objectives and the present study investigates 3 broad research questions: (1) To examine the positive psychology of Rama. (2) To evaluate Rama’s contemporary principles of emotional intelligence. (3) To identify Rama’s orange peel emotional intelligence. Methodology: The study is based on both secondary & primary evidence. Hypotheses are stated for the various variables selected and scrutinized to prove or disprove the same without any errors. Findings/Result: The study found Ramayana with many characters mirrors the range of human emotions & correlates positive psychology, and contemporary principles of EI. Modern organizations are highly evaporating, and dynamic and demand higher productivity. Tasks cannot simply be accomplished individually or by working with others in fixed ways. For all these, the one and only answer to cope with the pressure cooker situations that are the reality of the workplace is a right mixture of head and heart (Emotional Intelligence) & the new wellness trend Rama’s orange peel emotional intelligence. Research Limitations: Innovative technologies and rapid changes in the business environment have created corporate managers undesirable traits like anxiety, fear, worries, stress, and strain in the lifestyles of individuals. Opening the doors of Head & Heart (Emotional Intelligence) through Rama’s orange peel emotional intelligence can reframe and transform the limitations. In the current research, an attempt is made by the researchers to comprehend the research gap in the area hence a conceptual idea is proposed and the research goes further to advance significance to discover the degree of relationship to interpret characters from Ramayana to explain Rama’s orange peel emotional intelligence. Originality/Value: So with compelling changes in the present dynamic, scientific, and business environment the paper throws light on what the corporate world looks like from managers is a new strategies that are followed at the workplace and different yardsticks that are used to judge people because they not only judge how smart you are, what is your experience or what is your educational qualification but also how well you are able to tackle yourself and others through Rama’s orange peel emotional intelligence. Paper Type: The study is based on both secondary & primary evidence. There are many characters in the Ramayana, with each one having good and bad qualities. Many characters are alike in intelligence but differ in their ethical characteristics. Hence, researchers have put their effort into giving intelligence ratings as well as ethical ratings to the major characters in the research. However, this is not a definitive list.

Modelling operator control work across traffic management domains: implications for interaction design

AbstractTraffic management in aviation, shipping, and rail transport shows similarities and dissimilarities in the work process. For example, they share the temporal aspect, but different levels of urgency in the control work set different requirements on monitoring, decisions, and actions. However, few studies have been presented that model and compare the different domains in terms of temporal decision-making. The Joint Control Framework (JCF) is an approach to analyse and temporally model operators’ control processes from a cognitive systems engineering perspective. In this study, we have used JCF to map, and compare, cognitive joints, such as perceptions, decisions, and actions, in temporally challenging control situations in air traffic control, maritime vessel traffic service, and train traffic management. Data was collected collaboratively with traffic operators, focusing on (1) identifying challenging traffic situations and (2) jointly modelling the temporal decision-making patterns of these situations using simplified JCF. Post-analysis was done by breaking down the results into different processes and comparing domains to ascertain how operators maintain control. An intermediate level of activity—between general monitoring and work with specific vehicles—was identified: processes-in-focus. A shared problem arises in the shift between general monitoring and the processes-in-focus. All processes-in-focus comprise cognitive joint cycles of perceptions, decisions, and actions. However, depending on the framing of processes-in-focus, the patterns of joints, such as temporal extension and complexity, differ. In the remainder of the article, implications for the interaction design, in particular the potential for human–AI/automation teaming with higher levels of automation and cognitive autonomy, are discussed.

Simple Methods for Improving the Forensic Classification between Computer-Graphics Images and Natural Images

From the information forensics point of view, it is important to correctly classify between natural images (outputs of digital cameras) and computer-graphics images (outputs of advanced graphics rendering engines), so as to know the source of the images and the authenticity of the scenes described in the images. It is challenging to achieve good classification performance when the forensic classifier is tested on computer-graphics images generated by unknown rendering engines and when we have a limited number of training samples. In this paper, we propose two simple yet effective methods to improve the classification performance under such challenging situations, respectively based on data augmentation and the combination of local and global prediction results. Compared with existing methods, our methods are conceptually simple and computationally efficient, while achieving satisfying classification accuracy. Experimental results on datasets comprising computer-graphics images generated by four popular and advanced graphics rendering engines demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

Absolute delay calibration by analytical fitting of attosecond streaking measurements

An accurate temporal characterization of both pump and probe pulses is essential for the correct interpretation of any pump-probe experiment. This is particularly true for attosecond spectroscopy, where the pulses are too short to be directly measured with electronic devices. However, when measuring the absolute timing between a light waveform and the related photoinduced physical phenomenon, such characterization does not suffice. Here, we introduce a new method called rACE (refined Analytical Chirp Evaluation), which retrieves both pump and probe pulses while establishing a direct relation between the reconstructed time axis and the experimental delay. This feature is particularly relevant for the extraction of absolute time delays, a growing field in attosecond spectroscopy. In this work, we prove the robustness of rACE with simulated datasets involving the effect of pulse chirp, distinctive target attributes, and non-isolated attosecond pulses, which normally constitute challenging situations for standard methods. For all the cases reported here, rACE achieves a precise absolute delay calibration with an accuracy better than the atomic unit of time. Its successful application to attosecond experimental measurements makes it a fundamental tool for attaining sub-cycle absolute temporal resolution, enabling new investigations of lightwave-driven ultrafast phenomena.

Personal resources for addressing the work demands of Ukrainian oncologists in stressful crisis situations

BackgroundMany work-related stresses are experienced by oncologists. Ukraine is currently undergoing numerous crises, including the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and military conflicts, which represent stressful situations. The aim of this study was to explore the personal resources that Ukrainian oncologists use to cope with work demands in a situation featuring manifold crises. This study identified the ways in which people deal with stressful situations and the roles that they play in shaping the challenging situations that they encounter (work-related behavior) as well as how they cope with stress (stress management).MethodsForty oncologists (18 men and 22 women) working in a clinic in Kharkiv (Ukraine) with an average age of 46.3 ± 13.37 years (ranging from 26 to 74 years) participated in this study. The occupational psychological survey consisted of the Work-Related Behavior and Experience Patterns (German: Arbeitsbezogenes Verhaltens- und Erlebensmuster, AVEM) questionnaire, which was developed by Schaarschmidt and Fischer, and the Differential Stress Inventory (DSI), which was developed by Léfevre and Kubinger.Results65% of oncologists exhibited AVEM risk pattern A or B. No gender differences were observed with regard to the distribution of AVEM patterns. Women obtained significantly higher scores than did men on only one dimension: experience of social support (4.86 vs. 3.44; p = 0.045). When the DSI categories were differentiated by gender, no significant differences were observed. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed a medium-sized correlation between perfection striving and palliative coping (ρ = 0.404).ConclusionsFew gender-based differences in work-related behaviors, experiences, and stress management strategies are evident among oncologists. AVEM risk patterns are more prevalent among Ukrainian oncologists than among comparable occupational groups, and interventions in the context of health management are recommended.

Delayed notes: Responding to two unsettling street encounters in Santiago

AbstractA common fieldwork recommendation is to keep a notebook and to write descriptions and reflections in it as soon as possible after each spell of participant observation. The idea is that we should record the details of the situations we encounter while they are still fresh in our memory. But sometimes, when faced with challenging situations, this may not be the best time to write. In this short article, I reflect on the timing of notetaking and how the more reflective purpose of fieldnotes may require more flexibility about how and when to take notes. Drawing on my PhD focused on pedestrian mobilities in Santiago, Chile, and with reference to two unsettling fieldwork experiences, I examine the merits of delayed and experimental notetaking in pursuit of both personal wellbeing and more insightful entries.

Motivation for becoming a paid caregiver for older people: a case study in Phuket Province, Thailand

ABSTRACT This study aimed to explore the motivations, attitudes, care management strategies and training needs of paid caregivers. Data were collected through 51 semi-structured interviews with paid caregivers and analyzed using thematic analysis. Their motivations included economic stability, the inability to secure other employment, a desire to secure independence through regularly paid employment and a passion and a love of caring. Their role involved being a key communicator of care between medical personnel and relatives, and participants emphasized the importance of paid caregivers being loving, caring, calm, patient, having the ability and willingness to cope with challenging situations. They outlined some specific challenges of the role of caregiving and expressed the importance of gaining recognition for the role as well as the need for bespoke and tailored training to underpin it. This study adds to the growing international literature around the needs of the paid carer workforce and has the potential to inform policy and training around the provision of a better-equipped workforce to meet the growing needs of the aging population.

Precision Aquaculture: A Way Forward for Sustainable Agriculture

The escalating demands for food, fiber, energy, and water due to swift population growth have underscored the necessity for the sustainable utilization of natural resources. The advent of precision farming tools and machinery since the 1990s has markedly enhanced productivity and optimized the employment of inputs in aquaculture. The burgeoning connectivity in rural regions and its improved integration with data from sensor systems, remote sensors, equipment, and smartphones have paved the way for innovative concepts in Digital Aquaculture. Automation is the most effective strategy to manage situations, augment productivity, and reduce manufacturing costs. Biosensors are deployed to control unidentified sensor-based remotely and guided aerial vehicles to apply chemicals or fertilizers while monitoring water quality. A sophisticated aeration system manages the concentration of dissolved oxygen. Another critical aspect is the administration of feeding and automatic biomass estimation. Robotics and automatic feeders are employed in ponds and cages to minimize feed wastage and the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), with these tools being dependent on the behaviour of the organisms and the water condition. Post-harvest, farmers acquire information on biomass estimation to attain optimal yield. The most vital element is the automatic monitoring of the health and welfare management of the organism to detect any challenging situations or early signs of anomalies. An underwater surveillance system, a camera-based visual system, collects data on water quality, organism activity, feeding, cage biofouling, and net cleaning. Automation is poised to shape the future of the aquaculture industry to make the nations agriculture sustainable.