Physical Realm Research Articles

Integration of Iot and NDT for real Time Monitoring System

For the findings of non-destructive testing on buildings have only been provided in specific cases. To facilitate all-encompassing quality control throughout the construction's entire lifespan, it might be ideal to integrate the different findings, track their evolution across duration, and apply them when performing on-the-spot maintenance duties. Under the context of building information modelling (BIM), opportunities are established throughout this achievement, enabling the integration of non-destructive testing findings through digital building models. An inventive augmented reality (AR) visualization technique is shown as an illustration of the combined use of planned and measured results. An augmented reality application is being put into place that overlays the camera picture of a tablet looking at a piece of concrete using images captured by radar and ultrasonic sensors of the sample's interior (actual data) and the three-dimensional design layout of the integrated pieces (target data). The geometric relationship between the inner images and the camera image remains intact whenever the device turns or shifts. Therefore, the device's display provides a view inside the concrete structure's interior. The procedures required to prepare and evaluate the findings of non-destructive testing have been collected, and potential markers for linking the physical and digital realms have been explored. The objective is to assess the state, enable model-based examination, and upkeep operations instantly within the framework by enhancing the preparation of data as well as evaluation outcomes with extra data and displaying the findings in their actual situations.

The interaction between online and offline Islamophobia and anti‐mosque campaigns: The literature review with a case study from an anti‐mosque social media page

AbstractIn the aftermath of the war on terror, mosques have become targets for hate groups, leveraging online platforms to amplify global anti‐mosque campaigns. These groups link local protestors with international hate networks, fuelling both online and offline (i.e., onsite) anti‐mosque campaigns. Thoroughly reviewing the literature addressing the interaction between online and offline Islamophobia and introducing an anti‐mosque social media page instilling the public with online and offline anti‐mosque hate, this article suggests a strong interaction between online and offline Islamophobia. In the provided case study from the Stop Mosque Bendigo (SMB), purposeful sampling was used to collect postings before and after the Christchurch Mosque attacks to analyse the evolution of online anti‐mosque campaigns in tandem with real‐life hate cases. The literature and the case study reveal the interaction between local and global, digital, and physical realms, as well as the convergence of everyday racism with extremist far‐right ideologies like the Great Replacement theory. Relying on the present literature and indicative findings, the article advocates for systematic investigations to uncover the direct connection between online hate and physical attacks and urges closer monitoring and accountability for those online platforms and social media pages apparently contributing to onsite hate‐driven actions.

Exploring User Experience and Usability in a Metaverse Learning Environment for Students: A Usability Study of the Artificial Intelligence, Innovation, and Society (AIIS)

The metaverse, a rapidly evolving research area, is a virtual, interconnected universe that seamlessly integrates digital and physical realms, facilitating immersive experiences, social interaction, and economic activities across various fields, including computer science, business, and education. Despite its potential to transform current pedagogies and learning experiences through engaging, interactive, and fascinating educational techniques, research is limited in exploring its application, usability, and user experience, particularly for Thai undergraduate students in learning computer engineering courses. In response, we designed and developed an innovative metaverse-based learning system called the AIIS collaborative learning interface, tailored to European undergraduate students. While the original intent of AIIS was to cater to medical students, in this study, our objective was to assess its usability and applicability for computer science and engineering students, specifically focusing on the Asian demographic. After an initial pilot with European students in their local context, the research was extended to Thailand, where 21 Thai undergraduate students evaluated the platform’s usability. The observations from this study indicate that AIIS provides a dynamic, user-friendly learning environment. Nevertheless, the evaluation process unveiled some usability flaws that offer informative directions for future enhancements. Drawing from our observations, we formulated usability guidelines to guide designers and developers toward crafting more efficient metaverse systems, particularly those intended for educational use. Our results also underline the considerable promise that metaverse technologies hold for advancing higher education globally.

Synergy Between AI and Robotics: A Comprehensive Integration

The emergence of artificial intelligence is mostly linked to software-driven robotic systems, including mobile robots, unmanned aerial aircraft, and, to a growing extent, semi-autonomous automobiles. Nevertheless, the significant disparity between the algorithmic realm and the physical realm hinders current systems from achieving the desired outcome of creating intelligent and user-friendly robots that can effectively engage with and manipulate our human-centric environment. The nascent field of machine intelligence (MI), which combines robotics and artificial intelligence, strives to develop reliable and embodiment-aware artificial intelligence systems. These systems possess self-awareness and an understanding of their environment, enabling them to adapt to the interacting body they are operating. The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics into control, perception, and machine-learning systems is necessary for the realization of fully autonomous intelligent systems in our everyday existence. This review provides an overview of the historical development of machine intelligence, tracing its origins to the twelfth century. It then proceeds to examine the present state of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), discussing significant systems and contemporary research directions. Additionally, the article outlines the remaining challenges in these fields and speculates on the potential future of human-machine interactions that has yet to be realized.

Safety perception in patients with advanced idiopathic Parkinson's disease - a qualitative study.

A fundamental cornerstone of quality of healthcare is patient safety, which many people with life-limiting illnesses feel is being compromised. Perceptions of impaired safety are associated with the occurrence of psychological distress and healthcare utilization. However, little is known about how people with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD) perceive their own safety toward the end of life. The aim of our study was therefore to investigate factors that influence the perception of safety of patients with advanced iPD. We conducted semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of 21 patients with advanced iPD. Participants were recruited at the neurology department of a tertiary care hospital in Germany between August 2021 and June 2022. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. iPD-patients reported relevant impairment of their safety. While most participants expressed safety concerns based on the manifestation of disease, our analysis identified enablers and barriers to establishing safety in patients with advanced iPD, in 10 additional domains: relationship to the disease, informedness, self-perception, utilization of support and care structures, healthcare professionals and structures, treatment, social interaction, social security, spirituality, and environment. This study provides new insights into safety perceptions of patients with advanced iPD, which extend well beyond the physical realm. The findings suggest that clinicians and policy makers should consider a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to assessing and improving patients' safety taking into account the enablers and barriers identified in this study.

GestureFlow: Intutive Multimedia Interactor

Gesture Flow: Intutive Multimedia Control is a project aimed at revolutionizing the way users interact with digital media. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies and innovative design principles, this project introduces a media player that incorporates intuitive interactions and augments the user's senses. By merging the physical and digital realms, the Intutive Multimedia Interactor Media Player provides an immersive and seamless media experience. The key objective of this project is to enhance user engagement and convenience while consuming digital media content. The Intutive Multimedia Interactor Media Player utilizes advanced gesture recognition through image processing techniques to enable users to control media playback and access content effortlessly. Users can, pause, play, forward, rewind, adjust volume, and perform other playback functions using specific hand gestures.

A Comparative Study of the Effects of Yoga, Naturopathy, and Conventional Medical Treatment in Managing Low Back Pain

Yoga, regarded as an art, science, and philosophy, encompasses various dimensions of human existence, including the physical, mental, and spiritual realms. Its potential for enhancing life's purpose and nobility is noteworthy. Patient expectations in the context of treatment outcomes, particularly for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies, remain inadequately explored. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of three distinct interventions—Yoga, Naturopathy, and Conventional medical management—in alleviating pain, reducing disability, enhancing spinal mobility, and improving the quality of life in individuals with low back pain. Ninety participants were recruited based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly divided into three groups. The first group (group 1) received Yoga intervention, the second group (group 2) received Naturopathy treatments, and the third group served as the control (conventional medications). Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Flexion Test-Finger to Floor Test (FTFT) results, and Quality of Life (QOL) were assessed at baseline and after a 10-day intervention period for all groups. Overall comparisons between the groups, utilizing ANOVA, revealed marked differences in pain severity, disability index, daily functional capacity, and Quality of Life (QoL) improvements following respective interventions. Substantial improvements were also noted within the yoga and naturopathic medicine groups across multiple variables.

An Overview of Privacy Dimensions on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

The rapid advancements in technology have given rise to groundbreaking solutions and practical applications in the field of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). These advancements have had a profound impact on the structures of numerous industrial organizations. The IIoT, a seamless integration of the physical and digital realms with minimal human intervention, has ushered in radical changes in the economy and modern business practices. At the heart of the IIoT lies its ability to gather and analyze vast volumes of data, which is then harnessed by artificial intelligence systems to perform intelligent tasks such as optimizing networked units’ performance, identifying and correcting errors, and implementing proactive maintenance measures. However, implementing IIoT systems is fraught with difficulties, notably in terms of security and privacy. IIoT implementations are susceptible to sophisticated security attacks at various levels of networking and communication architecture. The complex and often heterogeneous nature of these systems makes it difficult to ensure availability, confidentiality, and integrity, raising concerns about mistrust in network operations, privacy breaches, and potential loss of critical, personal, and sensitive information of the network's end-users. To address these issues, this study aims to investigate the privacy requirements of an IIoT ecosystem as outlined by industry standards. It provides a comprehensive overview of the IIoT, its advantages, disadvantages, challenges, and the imperative need for industrial privacy. The research methodology encompasses a thorough literature review to gather existing knowledge and insights on the subject. Additionally, it explores how the IIoT is transforming the manufacturing industry and enhancing industrial processes, incorporating case studies and real-world examples to illustrate its practical applications and impact. Also, the research endeavors to offer actionable recommendations on implementing privacy-enhancing measures and establishing a secure IIoT ecosystem.

Sparse attack reconstruction for cyber–physical systems via descriptor reduced-order observer

Cyber attacks seriously threaten the security of Cyber–Physical Systems (CPSs) which are composed of cyber and physical realms. From the perspectives of control and system engineering, attacks will causally sabotage the performances of controlled (physical) plants with substantial damage. This paper focuses on the issue of secure estimation for CPSs under malicious false data injection (FDI) attacks implemented on sensor and actuator components synchronously. Initially, by establishing an adaptive counteraction searching strategy, the combinational entry mode of FDI attacks can be well located. Followed by which, a descriptor reduced-order switched observer from the lens of decoupling technique is crafted for reconstructing system states and sparse FDI attacks. The resulting secure estimation scheme can potentially avoid the sliding surface switching downside compared to the existing ones. Then, the sufficient conditions on ensuring the convergence of estimated errors and determining the adaptive switching counteraction logic are meticulously derived. Eventually, both the applicability and the superiority of our theoretical derivation are verified by the case study.

A study to assess the quality of life among patients with high grade non-muscle invasive carcinoma urinary bladder receiving immunotherapy

Background: Urinary bladder lesions are a great health concern as it lies among the top ten most common cancers in the world. These range from benign, harmless lesions that do not recur to life-threatening tumors. The present study was undertaken to assess the quality of life among patients with high-grade non-muscle invasive carcinoma of the urinary bladder receiving immunotherapy. Methods: A hospital-based experimental study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery of Sri Guru Ramdas Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Amritsar from April 2021 to July 2022. To examine the Quality of Life of 60 patients before and after immunotherapy, the WHOQOL-BREF tool was employed. The participants were followed for a total of six months, with two follow-ups carried out at intervals of three months each. Results: The pre-test physical scores (20.70±8.66) were substantially lower than the other domains. At three and six months, the psychological scores were 21.93±8.51 and 49.37±12.27 respectively, while social scores were 23.93±12.16 and 49.15±24.09 correspondingly. Environment scores (p=0.45) showed no significant difference between groups after BCG treatment. Conclusions: It was vivid that the negative effects of NMIBC on QOL are most pronounced in the physical realm. Quality of life for those with high-grade NMIBC who had BCG treatment improved significantly across all dimensions except the environment. The quality of life of high-grade NMIBC patients was not affected by any of the socio-demographic characteristics except for education and occupational status.

Mind-brain identity theory confirmed?

Presented here is a novel graphical, structural, and functional model of the embodied mind. Despite strictly adhering to a physicalistic and reductionist approach, this model successfully resolves the apparent contradiction between the thesis regarding the causal closure of the physical realm and the widely held common-sense belief that the mental realm can influence physical behavior. Furthermore, it substantiates the theory of mind-brain identity while shedding light on its neural foundation. Consciousness, viewed as an epiphenomenon in certain respects, simultaneously possesses causal potency. These two aspects operate concurrently through distinct brain processes. Within the paper, particular emphasis is placed on the significance of qualia and emotions, accompanied by an explanation of their phenomenal nature grounded in the perceptual theory of emotions. The proposed model elucidates how autonomous agents can deliberate on various action scenarios and consciously select the most optimal ones for themselves, considering their knowledge of the world, motivations, preferences, and emotions.

The colonial legacy of herbaria.

Herbarium collections shape our understanding of Earth's flora and are crucial for addressing global change issues. Their formation, however, is not free from sociopolitical issues of immediate relevance. Despite increasing efforts addressing issues of representation and colonialism in natural history collections, herbaria have received comparatively less attention. While it has been noted that the majority of plant specimens are housed in the Global North, the extent and magnitude of this disparity have not been quantified. Here we examine the colonial legacy of botanical collections, analysing 85,621,930 specimen records and assessing survey responses from 92 herbarium collections across 39 countries. We find an inverse relationship between where plant diversity exists in nature and where it is housed in herbaria. Such disparities persist across physical and digital realms despite overt colonialism ending over half a century ago. We emphasize the need for acknowledging the colonial history of herbarium collections and implementing a more equitable global paradigm for their collection, curation and use.

Achieving a real-time online monitoring system for conservation culturomics.

Environmental monitoring is increasingly shifting toward a set of systems that describe changes in real time. In ecology specifically, a series of challenges have prevented the rollout of real-time monitoring for features such as biodiversity change or ecosystem service provision. Conservation culturomics, a field concerned with interactions between people and nature, is well placed to demonstrate how monitoring might move toward a network of real-time platforms, given its existence exclusively in the digital realm. We examined a set of considerations associated with the development of real-time monitoring platforms for conservation culturomics and introduce a near real-time platform for the Species Awareness Index, a global index of changing biodiversity awareness derived from the rate of change in page views for species on Wikipedia. This platform will update automatically each month, operating in near real time (https://joemillard.shinyapps.io/Real_time_SAI/). There are plans to make the underlying data queryable via an application programing interface independent of the platform. The real-time Species Awareness Index will represent the first real-time and entirely automated conservation culturomic platform and one of the first real-time platforms in the discipline of ecology. Real-time monitoring for culturomics can provide insight into human-nature interactions as they play out in the physical realm and provide a framework for the development of real-time monitoring in ecology. Real-time monitoring metrics can be processed on private virtual machines and hosted on publicly available cloud services. Conservation now needs an online, real-time observatory that can evolve with the structure of the web.

Scientific realism and quantum theory: on the status of the ‘unobservables’

ABSTRACT Scientific realism does not view theoretical terms as mere instruments of experimental predictions; it grants referential status to natural kind terms with 'epistemic access' and view scientific theories and terms as corresponding to physical phenomena and entities which exist independently of observation, and as thereby being the source of objective -approximate and not absolute- knowledge of the physical realm. As a result, scientific realism is accused of ontologising the unobservables. Against this charge, scientific realism posits the idea of the dialectical relation between theoretical terms referring to the unobservables and scientific methods. The second argument made by realism is the ‘no miracle’ thesis. These arguments stand challenged by the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics. The aim of the paper is to examine the relevance of the two arguments of scientific realism in countering the idea that the existence of quantum states in the microphysical world renders realism obsolete.

Losing and Finding Braj: Commodification and Entrepreneurship in the Sacred Land of Krishna

Braj is a sacred place revered by Bengali Vaishnavas, followers of the bhakti sect of Vaishnavism, one of four branches of Hindu devotion. Followers of the sect worship the God Krishna, who it is believed manifested in Braj and carried out many divine feats and activities that are imprinted onto the land. Braj today is dotted with thousands of holy shrines, temples and natural places connected to Krishna. Devotees connect to Krishna through the landscape of Braj; it is where the transcendental and the physical realms meet. Braj has been transformed in a multitude of ways with the influx of money from Western sources, commercial enterprises and developers that wish to modernize and commercialize it for the new religious consumer. New infrastructure, condo developments and other changes illustrate both the challenge and the promise of modernity. This paper examines how these transformations are impacting the region of Braj.

Analisis Kritis Fenomena Cancel Culture dan Ancaman terhadap Kebebasan Berekspresi

The digital platform grows rapidly and is no less important than the physical realm where people building all life necessities in both realms. In addition, the internet and social media are also places for voice and expression. In the midst of freedom of expression in the digital world, a new phenomenon known as the cancel culture, has emerged. This culture makes people, organizations and products rejected in the online presence which has also affected their phyisical reality. A massive cancellation culture can destroy a person's reputation and are often no longer accepted in both digital and real world. This study aims to analyze the impact of the culture on freedom of expression. This study departs from the philosophical framework of ontology, epistemology, axiology and the theory of freedom of expression developed by Thomas Scanlon. Employing a qualitative approach as well as a critical discussion of the topic being carried out, data was collected through literature studies from various journal articles and online news regarding cancel culture and freedom of expression. The results of the analysis show that cancel culture can threaten freedom of expression in both phyisical and digital realms.

Projecting Architecture

This research deals with the tangible perception of space, on paper and in physical form. It explores the translation of the real into the perceived and imagined environment. Through modelling and drawing, intangible spaces in the physical realm are elaborated with geometric features to project new spatial discoveries.

Modelling cybersecurity regulations for automated vehicles

Technological advancements in Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs), particularly the integration of diverse stakeholder groups (communication service providers, road operators, automakers, repairers, CAV consumers, and the general public) and the pursuit of new economic opportunities, have resulted in the emergence of new technical, legal, and social challenges. The most pressing challenge is deterring criminal behaviour in both the physical and cyber realms through the adoption of CAV cybersecurity protocols and regulations. However, the literature lacks a systematic decision tool to analyze the impact of the potential cybersecurity regulations for dynamically interacting stakeholders, and to identify the leverage points to minimise the cyber-risks. To address this knowledge gap, this study uses systems theory to develop a dynamic modelling tool to analyze the indirect consequences of potential CAVs cybersecurity regulations in the medium to long term.It is hypothesized that CAVs Cybersecurity Regulatory Framework (CRF) is the property of the entire ITS stakeholders. The CRF is modelled using the System Dynamic based Stock-and-Flow-Model (SFM) technique. The SFM is founded on five critical pillars: the Cybersecurity Policy Stack, the Hacker's Capability, Logfiles, CAV Adopters, and intelligence-assisted traffic police. It is found that decision-makers should focus on three major leverage points: establishing a CRF grounded on automakers' innovation; sharing risks in eliminating negative externalities associated with underinvestment and knowledge asymmetries in cybersecurity; and capitalising on massive CAV-generated data in CAV operations. The formal integration of intelligence analysts and computer crime investigators to strengthen traffic police capabilities is pivotal. Recommendations for automakers include data-profiteering in CAV design, production, sales, marketing, safety enhancements and enabling consumer data transparency.Furthermore, CAVs-CRF necessitate a balanced approach to the trade-off between: i) data accessibility constraints on CAV automakers and ITS service providers; ii) regulator command and control thresholds; iii) automakers' business investment protection; and iv) consumers' data privacy guard.

Claude Markovits. India and the World: A History of Connections, c. 1750–2000.

Fernand Braudel provided us with a useful way of thinking with the Indian subcontinent as the profession veers away from the narrow concerns of area studies to a more global perspective. He conceived of India in the seventeenth century as a quadrilateral: the southwest integrated by ocean with the Middle East, Europe and beyond; the northwest incorporated into the physical and intellectual realms of Islam through the Mughal and Safavid Empires; the southwest connected through the ocean with Southeast Asia and China; and the northeast, by land, with China and northern Asia. These geographies were never completely disrupted despite arguments about the Indian Ocean having become a British lake and the assiduous attempt of the British to render India as a terrestrially bounded entity. The dialectic of the ocean and land continued as a paracolonial imaginary, exemplified best by Engseng Ho’s marvelous evocation of the flows of trade, religion, and political personnel from the Hadramawt to South and Southeast Asia over a period of a few centuries. India remained connected through flows of capital and coerced labor—including military service and indenture—as much as voluntary migration across the continuous oceans from South America to Southeast Asia. In India and the World, Markovits works with this expansive, connected sense of geography that bridges maritime and terrestrial histories.

A FRAMEWORK FOR CREATING A HYBRID EXPERIENCE FOR NFT ARTWORKS THROUGH 3D PRINTING

Technology has become a fundamental part of our environment, yet the borders between the physical and virtual realms become even more blurred. The introduction of the Metaverse is one of the most recent and notable innovations. It, just as any other technological advances, adapts to evolution in user needs serving as a link between the real and digital realms. While people can buy goods and services with a certain currency in the physical realm, cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are used for transactions in the Metaverse. NFT provides customers a certificate of ownership, which means that their virtual commodities or assets such as lands or objects cannot be replicated. They may also be used to represent social standing, just like tangible goods and services. It has become increasingly common to come across museums displaying artworks or artists who sell their artworks as Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on digital platforms such as Rarible, Mintable or OpenSea. This research discusses the 3D printability of NFTs and proposes a framework in order to create a hybrid experience for 3D printed NFT artworks. The results have shown that 3D printing of NFTs provided users/customers a hybrid experience in both realms, maintaining the artworks’ uniqueness and rarity, proof of ownership, as well as physical copies in hand. Moreover, the artists who were afraid of publicly displaying their artworks for the concern of being copied have created 3D printable designs that enabled them to easily and safely promote their designs to the public.