An Adaptive and Interactive Educational Game Platform for English Learning Enhancement using AI and Chatbot Techniques

As our world becomes more globalized, learning new languages will be an essential skill to communicate across countries and cultures and as a means to create better opportunities for oneself [4]. This holds especially true for the English language [5]. Since the rise of smartphones, there have been many apps created to teach new languages such as Babbel and Duolingo that have made learning new languages cheap and approachable by allowing users to practice briefly whenever they have a free moment for. This is where we believe those apps fail. These apps do not capture the interest or attention of the user’s for long enough for them to meaningfully learn. Our approach is to make a video game that immerses our player in a world where they get to practice English verbally with NPCs and engage with them in scenarios they may encounter in the real world [6]. Our approach will include using chatbot AI to engage our users in realistic natural conversation while using speech to text technology such that our user will practice speaking English [7].

Climbing parrots achieve pitch stability using forces and free moments produced by axial-appendicular couples

During vertical climbing, the gravitational moment tends to pitch the animal's head away from the climbing surface and this may be countered by 1) applying a correcting torque at a discrete contact point, or 2) applying opposing horizontal forces at separate contact points to produce a free moment. We tested these potential strategies in small parrots with an experimental climbing apparatus imitating the fine branches and vines of their natural habitat. The birds climbed on a vertical ladder with four instrumented rungs that measured three-dimensional force and torque, representing the first measurements of multiple contacts from a climbing bird. The parrots ascend primarily by pulling themselves upward using the beak and feet. They resist the gravitational pitching moment with a free moment produced by horizontal force couples between the beak and feet during the first third of the stride and the tail and feet during the last third of the stride. The reaction torque from individual rungs did not counter, but exacerbated the gravitational pitching moment, which was countered entirely by the free moment. Possible climbing limitations were explored using two different rung radii, each with low and high friction surfaces. Rung torque was limited in the large-radius, low-friction condition, however, rung condition did not significantly influence free moments produced. These findings have implications for our understanding of avian locomotor modules (i.e., coordinated actions of the head-neck, hindlimbs, and tail), the use of force couples in vertical locomotion, and the evolution of associated structures.

Effects of nail softness and stiffness with distance running shoes on ground reaction forces and vertical loading rates in male elite long-distance runners with pronated feet

Background To improve propulsion during running, athletes often wear spike shoes designed for training and/or competition. Running with spike shoes may cause pain and/or injuries. To address this problem, a modified spike shoe was tested. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of running with dual-versus single-stiffness spike running shoes on running mechanics in long-distance runners with pronated feet. Methods Sixteen male elite (national competitive level) runners (5000 or 10,000 m) aged 28.2 ± 2.5 years with pronated feet volunteered to participate in this study. To be included, participants had to have achieved personal best race times over 5- and/or 10-km races under 17 or 34 min during official running competitions. All participants were heel strikers and had a history of 11.2 ± 4.2 years of training. For the assessment of running kinetics, a force plate was imbedded into a walkway. Running kinematics were recorded using a Vicon-motion-capture system. Nike Zoom Rival shoes (Nike, Nike Zoom Rival, USA) were selected and adapted according to spike softness and stiffness. Participants ran at a constant speed of ~4.0 m/s across the walkway with both shoe conditions in randomized order. Six trials were recorded per condition. The main outcomes included peak ground reaction forces and their time-to-peak, average and instantaneous vertical loading rates, free moments, and peak ankle eversion angles. Results Paired t-tests revealed significantly lower lateral (p = 0.021, d = 0.95) and vertical (p = 0.010, d = 1.40) forces at heel contact during running with dual-stiffness spike shoes. Running with dual-stiffness spike shoes resulted in a significantly longer time-to-peak vertical (p = 0.004, d = 1.40) force at heel contact. The analysis revealed significantly lower average (p = 0.005, d = 0.46) and instantaneous (p = 0.021, d = 0.49) loading rates and peak negative free moment amplitudes (p = 0.016, d = 0.81) when running with dual-stiffness spike shoes. Finally, significantly lower peak ankle eversion angles were observed with dual-stiffness spike shoes (p < 0.001, d = 1.29). Conclusions Running in dual- compared with single-stiffness spike distance running shoes resulted in lower loading rates, free moment amplitudes, and peak ankle eversion angles of long-distance runners with pronated feet.

Analysis & Design of Flyover by using Staad. Pro v8i

As the population is growing, urbanization is caused which results in increasing of traffic with usage in more number of vehicles for different means of transport.As stated above the growth of population and the usage of vehicles for their different means will automatically result in increase in flow of vehicles which is called as traffic. To overcome the issue of traffic getting jammed (which means having obstacles for free moment or flow at a particular place), there are many different ways implemented to overcome it. When coming to Highways one of the efficient ways of overcoming it is construction of a flyover.Here in this project we are going to a design a flyover at Morampudi Junction located in Rajahmundry Andhra Pradesh along the National Highway 216A as a proposal in order to overcome the issue of traffic jam and also to reduce the rate of accidents occurring at the junction. By considering all the data collected conducting different examinations I am going to design and analyze the flyover using software STAAD.Pro V8i to study Bending Moment, Shear Force, Nodal Displacement values by considering various types of loads considered are Dead Loads, Live Loads, Wind Loads, Vehicle Load which are taken from Indian Standard Codes IS – 456, IS – 800 & IRC: 6 - 2016.

Free moment induced by oblique transverse tarsal joint: investigation by constructive approach

The human foot provides numerous functions that let humans deal with various environments. Recently, study of the structure of the human foot and adjustment of an appropriate reaction force and vertical free moment during bipedal locomotion has gained attention. However, little is known about the mechanical (morphological) contribution of the foot structure to the reaction force and free moment. It is difficult to conduct a comparative experiment to investigate the contribution systematically by using conventional methods with human and cadaver foot experiments. This study focuses on the oblique transverse tarsal joint (TTJ) of the human foot, whose mechanical structure can generate appropriate free moments. We conduct comparative experiments with a rigid foot, a non-oblique joint foot (i.e. mimicking only the flexion/extension of the midfoot), and an oblique joint foot. Axial loading and walking experiments were conducted with these feet. The axial loading experiment demonstrated that the oblique foot generated free moment in the direction of internal rotation, as observed in the human foot. The walking experiment showed that the magnitude of the free moment generated with the oblique foot is significantly lower than that with the rigid foot during the stance phase. Using this constructive approach, the present study demonstrated that the oblique axis of the TTJ can mechanically generate free moments. This capacity might affect the transverse motion of bipedal walking.

Roller Massage Prior to Running Does Not Affect Gait Mechanics in Well-Trained Runners

Context: Understanding if roller massage prior to a run can mitigate fatigue-related decrements in muscle force production during prolonged running is important because of the association between fatigue and running-related injury. Objective: The authors investigated whether a bout of roller massage prior to running would (1) mitigate fatigue-related increases in vertical average load rate and free moment of the ground reaction force of running and (2) mitigate decreases in maximal countermovement jump height. Design: Repeated-measures study. Setting: Laboratory. Participants: A total of 14 recreational endurance athletes (11 men and 3 women) volunteered for the study. Interventions: A 12.5-minute foam roller protocol for the lower extremities and a fatiguing 30-minute treadmill run. Main Outcome Measures: Vertical average load rate, free moment, and maximal jump height before (PRE) and after (POST) the fatiguing treadmill run on separate experimental days: once where participants sat quietly prior to the fatiguing run (REST) and another where the foam roller protocol was performed prior to the run (ROLL). Results: A 2-way multiple analysis of variance found no significant differences in vertical average load rate, free moment, and jump height between PRE/POST times in both REST/ROLL conditions. Conclusions: The authors concluded that recreational endurance athletes maintain running mechanics and jump performance after a fatiguing run regardless of prerun roller massage and may not rely on prerun roller massage as a form of injury prevention.

Fabrication of MoS2-deposited TiO2 hollow microspheres and their enhanced photocatalytic application in the generation of hydrogen

Abstract MoS2-deposited TiO2 hollow spheres were synthesized successfully under mild temperature and autogenous pressure. The hydrothermal technique was adopted for the synthesis of the TiO2 hollow microsphere, followed by a photodeposition technique for the deposition of MoS2. The physical and chemical nature of the samples was characterized using X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, XPS and UV–vis spectroscopy. In an aqueous medium under the influence of light, the characterized samples were used in the production of hydrogen via photocatalysis. The increase in the formation of hydrogen content during photocatalysis confirms the successful generation and the benefits of the photogenerated carriers. With an increase in the MoS2 content, there is an incredible change in the photocatalytic performance. The resultant is due to the free moment of the holes and electrons and lessening in charge recombination centres formed as a result of the nano-heterojunction linking between MoS2 and TiO2. A more significant photocatalytic production of hydrogen was achieved using 50 MST sample i.e. 106 μmol−1 g−1 beyond which it tends to decrease with an increase in MoS2 content. Graphic abstract