The study examines how explainable AI (XAI), and transparency can increase trust and facilitate the adoption of AI technologies within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These businesses face significant challenges in integrating AI due to limited technical expertise and resources. The purpose of the study is to explore how XAI could bridge the gap between complex AI models and human understanding, thereby enhancing trust and operational efficiency.   The research methodology includes a case study with a literature review and expert interviews. The literature review provides background and context for the research question, while the expert interviews gather insights from employees in various roles and with different levels of experience within the participating SMEs. This approach offers a comprehensive understanding of the current state of AI adoption and the perceived importance of XAI and transparency.   The results indicate a significant knowledge gap among SME employees regarding AI technologies, with many expressing a lack of familiarity and trust. However, there is strong consensus on the importance of transparency and explainability in AI systems. Participants noted that XAI could significantly improve trust and acceptance of AI technologies by making AI decisions more understandable and transparent. Specific benefits identified include better decision support, increased operational efficiency, and enhanced customer confidence.   The study concludes that XAI and transparency are crucial for building trust and facilitating the adoption of AI technologies in SMEs. By making AI systems more comprehensible, XAI addresses the challenges posed by limited technical expertise and promotes broader acceptance of AI. The research emphasizes the need for continuous education and clear communication strategies to improve AI understanding among stakeholders within SMEs.   To enhance transparency and user trust in AI systems, SMEs should prioritize the integration of XAI frameworks. It is essential to develop user-centered tools that provide clear explanations of AI decisions and to invest in ongoing education and training programs. Additionally, a company culture that values transparency and ethical AI practices would further support the successful adoption of AI technologies. The study contributes to the ongoing discourse on AI adoption in SMEs by providing empirical evidence on the role of XAI in building trust and improving transparency. It offers practical recommendations for SMEs to effectively leverage AI technologies while ensuring ethical and transparent AI practices in line with regulatory requirements and societal expectations. / Studien undersöker hur förklarbar AI (XAI) och transparens kan öka förtroendet och underlätta införandet av AI-teknologier inom små och medelstora företag (SME). Dessa företag står inför betydande utmaningar vid integrationen av AI på grund av begränsad teknisk expertis och resurser. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur XAI kan överbrygga klyftan mellan komplexa AI-modeller och mänsklig förståelse, vilket i sin tur främjar förtroende och operationell effektivitet.   Forskningsmetodiken inkluderar en fallstudie med en litteraturöversikt och expertintervjuer. Litteraturöversikten ger bakgrund och kontext till forskningsfrågan, medan expertintervjuerna samlar insikter från anställda i olika roller och med olika erfarenhetsnivåer i de deltagande SMEs. Detta tillvägagångssätt gav en omfattande förståelse av det nuvarande tillståndet för AI adoption och den upplevda vikten av XAI och transparens.   Resultaten visar på en betydande kunskapslucka bland SME-anställda när det gäller AI teknologier, med många som uttrycker en brist på bekantskap och förtroende. Det råder dock stark enighet om vikten av transparens och förklarbarhet i AI-system. Deltagarna angav att XAI avsevärt kunde förbättra förtroendet och acceptansen av AI-teknologier genom att göra AI beslut mer förståeliga och transparenta. Specifika fördelar som identifierades inkluderar bättre beslutsstöd, ökad operationell effektivitet och ökat kundförtroende.   Studien drar slutsatsen att XAI och transparens är avgörande för att skapa förtroende och underlätta införandet av AI-teknologier i SME. Genom att göra AI-system mer förståeliga adresserar XAI utmaningarna med begränsad teknisk expertis och främjar en bredare acceptans av AI. Forskningen understryker behovet av kontinuerlig utbildning och tydliga kommunikationsstrategier för att förbättra AI-förståelsen bland intressenter inom SME.   För att öka transparensen och användarförtroendet i AI-system bör SME prioritera integrationen av XAI-ramverk. Det är viktigt att utveckla användarcentrerade verktyg som ger tydliga förklaringar av AI-beslut och att investera i kontinuerliga utbildnings- och träningsprogram. Dessutom kommer en organisationskultur som värderar transparens och etiska AI-praktiker ytterligare stödja det framgångsrika införandet av AI-teknologier. Studien bidrar till den pågående diskursen om AI-adoption i SME genom att tillhandahålla empiriska bevis på rollenav XAI i att bygga förtroende och förbättra transparens. Den erbjuder praktiska rekommendationer för SME att effektivt utnyttja AI-teknologier, och säkerställa etiska och transparenta AI-praktiker som är i linje med regulatoriska krav och samhälleliga förväntningar.

Creative AI in the music field has in recent years begun stepping out of the confines of academia and seen increased adoption among musicians thanks to developers launching consumer products powered by AI. These new tools are opening up new possibilities in music-making, but their increased use and development prompts inquiry regarding their sustainability. While studies have been conducted on the sustainability of training AI models, the sustainability of the usage of Creative AI remains largely unexplored. To amend this, this paper studies the energy consumption of using four music-related browser-based Creative AI tools. The four tools are Tone Transfer, Piano Scribe, MidiMe and Performance RNN, all developed by Google Magenta. The energy consumption of the tools was found by measuring the power provided to the computer. This was done by connecting a smart plug between the computer’s power cord and the wall socket. We found that Tone Transfer consumed the most energy per use with an average energy consumption of 392 J. MidiMe consumed the least energy per use with 138 J. All the tools consumed less energy per use than leaving the computer running in steady-state for 70 seconds. With this study, we have shown that the usage of music-related Creative AI tools does not represent a threat to sustainability goals. Our findings indicate that the tools studied in this paper manage to be efficient, while being both powerful and useful. This disputes the notion that there is a trade-off between performance and efficiency in the design of AI tools. We postulate that when developing tools for local use by consumers, developers are bound by limitations that force them to design efficient tools. / Kreativ AI inom musikområdet har under de senaste åren börjat ta sig ut ur den akademiska världens ramar och anammats i högre grad bland musiker. Detta tack vare att utvecklare börjat lanserat konsumentprodukter som drivs av AI. Dessa nya verktyg öppnar upp för nya möjligheter inom musikskapande, men deras ökade användning och utveckling föranleder undersökningar om deras hållbarhet. Även om studier har gjorts gällande hållbarheten av att träna AI-modeller, är hållbarheten av användningen av Kreativ AI fortfarande till stor del outforskat. För att ändra detta studerar vi i denna artikel energiförbrukningen av att använda fyra musikrelaterade webbläsarbaserade Kreativa AI-verktyg. De fyra verktygen är Tone Transfer, Piano Scribe, MidiMe och Performance RNN, alla utvecklade av Google Magenta. Verktygens energiförbrukning hittades genom att mäta effekten till datorn. Detta gjordes genom att ansluta en smart kontakt mellan datorns nätsladd och vägguttaget. Vi fann att Tone Transfer förbrukade mest energi per användning med en genomsnittlig energiförbrukning på 392 J. MidiMe förbrukade minst energi per användning med 138 J. Alla verktyg förbrukade mindre energi per användning än vad som konsumeras av att låta datorn vara igång i steady-state i 70 sekunder. Med denna studie har vi visat att användningen av musikrelaterade Kreativa AI-verktyg inte utgör ett hot mot hållbarhetsmål. Våra resultat tyder på att verktygen som studerats i denna artikel lyckas vara effektiva, samtidigt som de är både kraftfulla och användbara. Detta ifrågasätter uppfattningen om att det finns en avvägning mellan prestanda och effektivitet i utformningen av AI-verktyg. Vi anser att när utvecklare utvecklar verktyg för lokal användning av konsumenter är utvecklare bundna av begränsningar som tvingar dem att designa effektiva verktyg.

Mixtures of the two minerals huntite and hydromagnesite have been successfully used as a fire retardant additive in polymers for many years. The onset of decomposition of hydromagnesite is at a higher temperature than that of aluminium hydroxide but lower than that of magnesium hydroxide, the two most commonly used mineral fire retardants. This makes it an ideal addition to the range of materials available to polymer compounders for improving fire retardant properties. In comparison to the better known mineral fire retardants there has been little published research on the fire retardant properties of huntite and hydromagnesite. What has been published has often been commercially orientated and the limited quantity of scientific literature does not fully explain the fire retardant mechanism of these blends of minerals, often dismissing huntite as having no useful fire retardant action other than diluting the solid phase fuel. Standard thermal analysis techniques (thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infra-red analysis) have been used to characterise the thermal decomposition of huntite and hydromagnesite from a source in Turkey. This has lead to an understanding of the decomposition mechanism of the minerals in terms of mass loss, enthalpy of decomposition, and evolved gases between room temperature and 1000°C. Hydromagnesite endothermically decomposes between about 220°C and 500°C, initially releasing water followed by carbon dioxide. The rate of heating and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can influence the mechanism of carbon dioxide release. Huntite endothermically decomposes between about 450°C and 800°C releasing carbon dioxide in two stages. The use of the cone calorimeter to study the rate of heat release during combustion of ethylene vinyl acetate based polymer compounds has lead to an understanding of how both huntite and hydromagnesite affect the burning processes at different stages of the fire. By varying the ratio of the two minerals, hydromagnesite has been shown to increase the time to ignition and reduce the initial peak in rate of heat release, while huntite has been shown to reduce the rate of heat release later in the fire. It has been shown that huntite is far from being an inactive diluent filler. The endothermic decomposition of huntite in the later stages of the fire reduces the heat reaching underlying polymer and continues to dilute the flame with inert carbon dioxide. The platy huntite particles have been shown to align themselves in such a way that they can hinder the escape of volatiles from the decomposing polymer and also physically reinforce the inorganic ash residue.

Dysphagia, a common clinical corollary following stroke, may contribute to aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, and dehydration which may significantly impair patient rehabilitation. Survey Aim: Establish current clinical practice regarding nurse dysphagia screening. Method: A cross-sectional regional postal survey was undertaken with 60 nurses and 45 Speech and Language Therapists. Results: Nurses were taught to use water swallow screening tools but, in reality, used a variety of testing materials. Conclusion: This demonstrated the need for a clinically useful bedside swallow screening tool. Pilot Study Aim: Develop and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a new BEdside Swallow Screening Tool (BESST), for use by nurses with acute stroke patients. Method: A literature search was undertaken to inform the BESST. Face validity was established using an iterative process of semi-structured interviews with eight specialist SLTs and eight nurses. The tool was piloted on 12 purposefully selected stroke patients by comparing the management options chosen by two nurses using the BESST with those of the Specialist SLT using their bedside assessment (gold standard). Results: The BESST demonstrated excellent sensitivity (100%) but specificity demonstrated by both nurses was poor (< 45% for both). Conclusion: A larger validation study of a modified BEEST would be appropriate. Main Study Aim: Establish the diagnostic accuracy and utility of the BESST. Method: Ratings by nurses using the BESST were compared with experienced SLT bedside assessment in 124 consecutively admitted stroke patients. Results: The BESST demonstrated good agreement between nurses (81%) and within nurses (87% nurse 1, 86% nurse 2), 93% sensitivity, 82% specificity; 71% positive iii predictive value, 95% negative predictive value; and overall efficiency was 84%. The BESST dictated the same management as the SLT in 75% of cases, and safely allowed 92% of patients modified oral intake when compared to the water swallow screening tool. Conclusion: The BESST has potential use in clinical practice, but further research is needed.

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The ability to impart topspin to the ball when playing forehand and backhand groundstrokes can give a tennis player a tactical advantage in a rally. Recent developments in racket technology and tactical approaches to the game have increased the prevalence of topspin strokes. However, there is a limited scientific knowledge base for players and coaches to draw upon when seeking to improve this aspect of the game. Many of the kinematic analyses into tennis groundstrokes were conducted more than ten years ago, with measurement techniques that may not have accurately measured the anatomical rotations important for generating racket velocity. It has only recently been possible to measure the spin rate of a ball, and this has not been investigated in relation to the kinematics of a player. This study aimed to make an important contribution to the knowledge of tennis professionals by establishing which kinematic variables are related to the production of high ball spin rates resulting from topspin strokes. In order to achieve this aim, consideration was given to the accurate measurement of the joint rotations of the player in all planes of movement and the quantification of the ball spin rate. This information was used to answer three further questions; what are the kinematic differences between flat and topspin groundstrokes, how do these differences relate to the spin rate of the ball and how do these findings relate to individual players? Joint rotations were calculated based on three-dimensional data captured from twenty participants playing flat and topspin forehand and backhand strokes. The resulting ball spin rate was captured using a high-speed camera. The participants produced larger ball spin rates when playing the topspin strokes, indicating that they were able to produce spin if required. Analysis of the joint rotations revealed that there were adaptations in the stroke in order to achieve the higher spin rates. The adaptations were not uniform among participants, but did produce similar alterations in racket trajectory, inclination and velocity for the topspin strokes. It was these measures that were found to be the strongest predictors of ball spin rates, accounting for over 60 % of the variation in ball spin rate in the forehand stroke and over 70% in the backhand. Case study analyses confirmed the importance of the optimal racket kinematics at impact and provided models of technique throughout the forward swing of each stroke. This study has made a contribution to the knowledge of generating topspin in the tennis groundstrokes by establishing the parameters that predict high spin rates and applying them to analyses of individual players. In doing so, this investigation has also demonstrated methodology that is capable of accurately measuring the joint rotations associated with tennis strokes, and suggested a method by which the spin rate of the ball can be calculated.

Which features of a computer game contribute to the player’s enjoyment of it? How can we automatically generate interesting and satisfying playing experiences for a given game? These are the two key questions addressed in this dissertation. Player satisfaction in computer games depends on a variety of factors; here the focus is on the contribution of the behaviour and strategy of game opponents in predator/prey games. A quantitative metric of the ‘interestingness’ of opponent behaviours is defined based on qualitative considerations of what is enjoyable in such games, and a mathematical formulation grounded in observable data is derived. Using this metric, neural-network opponent controllers are evolved for dynamic game environments where limited inter-agent communication is used to drive spatial coordination of opponent teams. Given the complexity of the predator task, cooperative team behaviours are investigated. Initial candidates are generated using off-line learning procedures operating on minimal neural controllers with the aim of maximising opponent performance. These example controllers are then adapted using on-line (i.e. during play) learning techniques to yield opponents that provide games of high interest. The on-line learning methodology is evaluated using two dissimilar predator/prey games with a number of different computer player strategies. It exhibits generality across the two game test-beds and robustness to changes of player, initial opponent controller selected, and complexity of the game field. The interest metric is also evaluated by comparison with human judgement of game satisfaction in an experimental survey. A statistically significant number of players were asked to rank game experiences with a test-bed game using perceived interestingness and their ranking was compared with that of the proposed interest metric. The results show that the interest metric is consistent with human judgement of game satisfaction. Finally, the generality, limitations and potential of the proposed methodology and techniques are discussed, and other factors affecting the player’s satisfaction, such as the player’s own strategy, are briefly considered. Future directions building on the work described herein are presented and discussed.

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Since the mid-1980s, authorship has become an increasingly prominent component in the promotional, extratextual and critical discourse surrounding independent and indie film. During the same period, independent and indie film has become more lucrative and increasingly drawn attention and investment from Hollywood studios and other vertically and/or horizontally integrated media institutions seeking to further expand their businesses. In a context of sectoral media convergence, therefore, the thesis explores the management of indie-auteurism, defined as a discursive construct conveying authenticity, autonomy, artistry, natural talent, innovation and quality attached to authorial figures associated loosely with American independent or indie film. It explores especially the role played by producers and talent managers, two types of talent intermediaries, in constructing and managing indie-auteurism, the industrial and economic functions it serves, as well as its cultural repercussions. The thesis begins by analysing the Coen brothers' collaboration with various producers to explore the construction and management of indie-auteurism across three periods of contemporary independent film outlined by Yannis Tzioumakis (2013): independent, indie and indiewood. The thesis goes on to expand this periodization, however, by exploring the strategies and operations of two highly diversified talent management and media production companies, Propaganda Films and Anonymous Content, in using indie-auteurism to sell and/or market their film, television, music video and commercial spot projects and productions. In doing so, the thesis helps to develop understandings of independent and indie film in two interrelated ways. First, it sheds light on the role that producers and talent managers, figures who have been under researched in the study of independent film (and in media studies generally), have played in constructing and disseminating indie-auteurism and in shaping independent and indie film. Second, it expands the history of independent and indie film by tracing talent management strategies across media and reconfiguring indie-auteurism within an era of media convergence.