This study investigates the effectiveness of various robot actions in facilitating human-robot interactions across different spatial regions. The research focuses on a social robot, 'Lily,' designed to engage visitors at a smart home entrance. By employing human attention shift and interaction success analysis, we examine the impact of specific robot actions, including head movements and verbal cues, in different proximity zones (central, near peripheral, and peripheral regions). Our findings suggest that dynamic, multimodal actions, particularly those involving body rotation and verbal cues (Action F), are most effective in peripheral regions, where human engagement is typically lower. In contrast, simpler actions, such as head movements with verbal behaviors (Action D), proved more successful in central regions with closer human proximity. The study highlights the importance of adapting robot behaviors based on spatial positioning to optimize engagement and communication effectiveness These insights offer valuable guidance for designing robots that can dynamically adjust their interactions based on real-time spatial context, improving Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) in public and domestic environments.Keywords: Human–Robot Interaction, Social Robotics, Spatial Proxemics, Multimodal Interaction, Attention Shift Analysis, Adaptive Robot Behavior
The transition of traditional food patterns has led to an escalation of non-communicable diseases which has become a burden across the globe. Hence, healthier dietary alternatives are necessary for the rectification of the nutritional status of the people. This study intends to develop a nutritionally superior whole grain cereal-based composite flour supplemented with sustainable plant sources. Whole wheat flour, rice flour, finger millet flour, cowpea flour, black cumin seed powder and Sesbania grandiflora leaves powder were blended according to the Taguchi L8 orthogonal array. The best formula was initially selected through sensory evaluation, and further optimisation was conducted according to the trial and error approach to achieve a standard formula with improved organoleptic properties. Sensory data were analyzed using non-parametric tests, specifically the Friedman and Wilcoxon tests, to compare sensory characteristics at a 95% confidence level. The composite with whole wheat flour, rice flour, finger millet flour, cowpea flour, black cumin seed powder and Sesbania grandiflora leaves powder at 50:38:5:5:0.75:0.25 ratio was selected as the highest organoleptically accepted formula. Nutritional profile of the standard formula was evaluated using standard AOAC methods. Proximate compositions represented as moisture (8.96 ± 0.11%), carbohydrate (75.17 ± 0.17 %), ash (1.24 ± 0.02 %), protein (11.16 ± 0.01 %), total fat (2.47 ± 0.13%), free fat (1.45 ± 0.07%), and fibre (1.00 ± 0.00%). The formulated composite flour can be introduced as an appropriate dietary intervention in terms of nutritional and organoleptic properties.Keywords: Composite Flour, Non-communicable diseases, Whole wheat flour, Supplementation, Sustainable
Cancer has become a major health problem globally, and the trend of developing metal-based anticancer agents has evolved due to the greater cytotoxicity displayed by the metal complexes studied recently, including platinum and other transition metals. Different groups of anticancer drugs are employed in a clinical setting to treat different types of cancers. Platinum complexes, particularly cisplatin, is mostly utilized to treat various cancers worldwide. Nitrogen donors such as diethylenetriamine, dipicolylamine, ethylenediamine, etc. have been widely employed in the synthesis of many of the ligands which in turn are used to synthesize the relevant metal complexes possessing various biological properties. Furthermore, sulfonamide group and derivatives of sulfonamide have been incorporated into these metal complexes due to the variety of pharmacological properties it possesses, such as antibacterial, anti-carbonic anhydrase, antiprotease activities, etc. Most of these novel sulfonamide derivatives possess in vivo and in vitro anticancer activities. Platinum complexes bearing sulfonamide groups that have been studied recently have demonstrated significant anticancer activity in vitro. The therapeutic application of these platinum complexes will depend on pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and safety profile data obtained through the clinical trials. Most of the platinum complexes used in oncotherapy contain amines as ligands in their general formula. More research is needed for the development of the field by identifying the opportunities present in various aspects to discover more metal-based compounds to curb cancer worldwide. Keywords: Anticancer, Dipicolylamine, N donor ligands, Sulfonamides, Pt complexes
Natural fiber composites are a sustainable alternative to traditional synthetic options. The study aimsto investigate the potential of Corypha umbraculifera fibers as an unorthodox reinforcing filler for biodegradable polymer matrices. Chemical, thermal, density, mechanical, crystallographic, and morphological characterizations of the Corypha umbraculifera fibers were determined. The cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and moisture contents of the fibers were obtained as 66.37, 20.51, 6.25 and 9.80%, respectively. The peak at 3331 cm⁻¹ in the FTIR spectrum indicate the presence prominent O–H stretching vibrations of the cellulose. The crystallinity index and the crystallite size of the fibers were obtained as 43.60% and 3.89 nm, respectively. The fiber has 178.02 ± 28.60 tensile strength, 39.14 ± 5.97 Young’s modulus, and 2.73±0.37% maximum breaking elongation. Microfibril angle was obtained as 18.32 ± 1.28°, influencing fiber axial strength. Degradation temperature of the fibers was determined as 323.3℃, suggesting suitability for high-temperature applications. Porous fiber morphology leads to a density value of around 0.52 g/cm3 indicating suitability for applications requiring lightweight composites. The green composite prepared by incorporating this Corypha umbraculifera fiber into poly lactic acid polymer matrix displayed a significant 17.5% increase for tensile strength at 5wt% fiber loading whereas 68.28% increase was observed for flexural strength at 2.5wt% fiber loading indicating the viability of synthesizing biodegradable composites with enhanced mechanical properties. Upon thorough examination of the characteristics in this study, it was established that fibers extracted from Corypha umbraculifera offer a promising and environmentally friendly choice as a reinforcement material for polymer- based composites.Keywords: Corypha umbraculifera, Fiber, Cellulose, Palm, Poly Lactic Acid
In the era of wearable technology, integrating machine learning into performance arts opens new dimensions for user interaction and creativity. This project presents the development of Smart Dance Shoes that utilize motion sensors and machine learning algorithms to deliver real-time RGB light synchronization based on dance movements. The system is built using the ESP32-S3 microcontroller and the MPU-6050 sensor, which capture accelerometer and gyroscope data from the dancer’s movements. These data inputs are processed through a machine learning model developed on Edge Impulse, which classifies different dance gestures such as jumps, spins, and steps and triggers corresponding lighting effects to enhance visual performance. The hardware is designed to be lightweight, portable, and user-friendly, making it suitable for dancers, performers, and fitness enthusiasts. Key components include RGB LED neon strips, a 3.7V LiPo battery, and Bluetooth integration for wireless customization. Testing covered unit, integration, and performance evaluations to ensure stability, low latency, and energy efficiency. Future improvements include multi-shoe synchronization, music-responsive lighting, and advanced models such as LSTM. This project demonstrates the potential of intelligent wearables in enhancing interactive and immersive experiences in performing arts.Keywords: Wearable technology, Machine learning, Motion recognition, RGB lighting, Smart dance
Deepfake technology relies on advanced theoretical concepts of machine learning and deep learning. Machine-generated fake images can present fictional content as real, often by reenacting or swapping faces using artificial neural networks. The human eye cannot easily distinguish between real and fake faces created by deepfake technology. Therefore, people face numerous difficulties due to the lack of an accurate deepfake detection method. The challenge here is to implement a reliable method for detection of deepfakes due to their rapid spread and the ease of generating deepfakes. In this paper, our objective was to analyze the Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) based- existing deepfake detection methods to classify input images as fake (0) or real (1). For our experiment, we employed three different convolutional neural network architectures: 1) 2D CNN, 2) DenseNet-121, and 3) VGGFace-16. We compared their performance and further explored the use of grayscale images and data augmentation techniques with the DenseNet-121 architecture. We used Accuracy, F1-score, Recall, and Average Precision metrics to assess our models and ensure the effectiveness of their performance. We used the two most known publicly available datasets (“140K Real and Fake Faces” dataset and “Real and Fake Face detection” dataset), containing both real and synthetic face images. Our study concluded that the implemented DenseNet-121 architecture showed the best performance with an accuracy of 0.96 and F1-score of 0.96. Although the VGGFace-16 model demonstrated comparable accuracy (0.89), it is computationally very expensive and requires a sophisticated processor in training augmented data. The performance of the custom CNN model (accuracy - 0.90) was comparable to that achieved by the VGGFace-16 model. Our study indicates that existing CNN- based deepfake detection methods may no longer be fully effective due to advancements in current deepfake datasets.Keywords: Machine learning, Deepfakes, Convolutional neural networks, Deep learning, Deepfake image detection
Sri Lanka has a very ancient geological history that begins in the Precambrian, when it formed part of the Gondwana supercontinent. It was connected to India, Madagascar, Antarctica, and Africa, sharing the same crustal evolution. When Gondwana began to break apart around 180 million years ago, Sri Lanka drifted with the Indian plate to reach its present position in the Indian Ocean. The present work analyzes the subsurface structure beneath the Mahakandarawa (MALK) broadband seismic station using teleseismic P-wave conversions. A combination of converted wave analysis and H-κ stacking was applied to determine both Moho depth and the velocity ratio of compressional to shear waves. The approach indicates a crustal thickness of nearly 37.8 km with a velocity ratio of 1.73, giving a Poisson’s ratio close to 0.25. Such values are typical of silica-rich, felsic material rather than mafic compositions. When compared with previous studies from neighboring Gondwanan fragments such as southern India and Madagascar, which report Moho depths of ~36–39 km and similar felsic crustal compositions, the results from MALK show strong consistency. This agreement reinforces Sri Lanka’s geological affinity with East Gondwana and provides new regional constraints on its tectonic evolution, particularly regarding the preservation of ancient felsic crust across separated continental blocks.Keywords: Teleseismic Receiver Function, Gondwana, Sri Lanka, Crustal Structure, H-κ stacking
Postprandial hyperglycaemia and high oxidative stress increase the risk of developing non- communicable diseases and complications. Polyphenolic compounds present in herbal leaves, can control the postprandial blood glucose while increasing the antioxidant capacity. In this study the effects of selected herbal beverages [Coccinia grandis (KT), Murraya koenigii (AT), Hemidesmus indicus (IT), and Scoparia dulcis (WT)] on postprandial blood glucose (PPBG), total phenolic content (TPC), in-vitro antioxidant capacity (AOC), and in-vivo antioxidant effect were assessed. To assess the effects on PPBG, blood glucose levels were analyzed in healthy human volunteers (n=15) at every 30 minutes over 2 hours, after consumption of above beverages (2 g leaf powder brewed in 125 mL for 2 minutes) or hot water (control-CT) or green tea (standard-ST) with a standard meal, on separate days. TPC and in-vitro AOC of two beverages (KT and WT) with the highest PPBG control were analyzed by Folin-Ciocalteu method [expressed in Gallic acid Eq/g (GAE/g)] and ABTS free radical scavenging assay [expressed in TroloxEq/g] respectively. In-vivo AOC of healthy individuals (n=13) was assessed in serum immediately before and one hour after consumption of the beverages. Compared to CT, significantly low PPBG levels were observed in KT, WT, and ST (p<0.05). The highest TPC was in ST (107.5±5.7GAE/g) followed by WT (18.7±0.8GAE/g). In-vitro AOC was significantly high (p<0.05) in ST (7.3±0.3TroloxEq/g) compared to WT (0.6±0.04TroloxEq/g) and KT (0.2±0.03TroloxEq/g). In-vivo AOC increment after one hour from consumption of KT (0.013 ±0.119TroloxEq/g) was comparable to ST (0.005±0.063TroloxEq/g), while WT (-0.066 ±0.071TroloxEq/g) elicited no AOC increment after one hour from consumption. Hence, it can be concluded that WT and KT possess considerable PPBG controlling effects.Keywords: Herbal tea beverages; Postprandial blood glucose; Antioxidant capacity
Energy independence and sustainability can be reached through tandem solar cells in extraterrestrial and terrestrial environments in the future. In this study, three advanced tandem solar cell models are configured numerically and assessed using SCAPS-1D (Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator) software, analyzed their key performance parameters under AM 0 (space sunlight) and AM1.5G (Earth sunlight) spectra by varying temperature range from extreme to normal while optimizing the main absorber layer thickness and interface properties. Selecting radiation-tolerant absorber layers such as ZnTe, CIGS, GaAs, and Perovskite are crucial. An organic-inorganic hybrid 2D-3D perovskite cell is selected for the top cell with CIGS/Si and CIGS/GaAs and as a bottom cell with ZnTe, considering the environmental adaptability. Among the built three tandem cell models, Perovskite (SnOx/PCBM/2D- MAPI/3D-MAPI/PEDOT)–CIGS/GaAs cell exhibited the best overall performance. Simulations carried out at 323K and 358K showed efficiencies of 31.8% and 29.8% under AM1.5G, and 29.3% and 27.4% under AM 0, respectively. These results highlight the superior efficiency and thermal resilience of the Perovskite CIGS/GaAs tandem architecture, highlighting its’ potential in contributing to designing resilient, stable high performance power generation solar cells for both terrestrial and space applications despite extreme conditions, making it a promising pathway for next-generation photovoltaics. Keywords: Tandem Solar cell; Radiation; Extraterrestrial; Perovskite; Temperature
The accumulation of petrochemical packaging materials has led to environmental pollution. It is vital to address this issue by meeting the high demand for bio-based food packaging materials in the global market, thereby promoting sustainability within the food system. Starch has become an ideal raw material for the manufacturing of biodegradable packaging. The main objective of the study was to develop a pH sensitive intelligent packaging material with banana flour, corn starch, glycerin (10:2.5:2) in to different ratios of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% (v/v) Butterfly pea flower extract and observe any detectable hue alteration in the pH range of one to twelve. According to the colorimeter readings, 0% (v/v), 5% (v/v), and 10% (v/v) showed red and yellow color tone, while 15% (v/v) and 20% (v/v) showed green color and blue color tone with respective a* and b* values. Moisture percentage, density, light transmittance, and water resistance decreased while thickness, light absorbance, and water vapour permeability increased with increasing Butterfly pea flower extract (BPFE) ratio. Films with 15% and 20% BPFE ratio showed visually perceptible color changes with pH range of one to twelve inclusive, and 20% (v/v) film showed high potential to be used as intelligent packaging.Keywords: Intelligent packaging, pH sensitive, Anthocyanin, Butterfly pea flower, Banana flour
Non-renewable fossil fuels dominate energy use globally, prompting a shift to renewable biofuels and utilizing underused agricultural residues. This study aimed to evaluate effective agricultural waste materials for biofuel production and to optimize cultivation conditions to improve yield. Among the tested agricultural wastes (arecanut husk, arecanut leaf, rice husk and corn husk) fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, corn husk produced significantly higher bioalcohol yields. Utilizing corn husk in fermentation media (4 g/L yeast extract, 8g/L KH2PO4, 0.6 g/L (NH4)2SO4, 0.3 g/L peptone, 0.6 g/L MgSO4.7H2O) with baker's yeast (25 g/L) at 30 ± 2 °C, 100 rpm for 24 hours yielded 0.3% ethanol. Sequential optimization increased yields significantly. Extending fermentation to three days raised ethanol production by 1.6 times (0.5%). Hydrolyzing corn husk with 1M H2SO4 improved bioalcohol yields compared to other agents. Optimizing media pH to 7.0 further enhanced production. Increasing corn husk substrate to 40g/100ml boosted ethanol content from 0.7% to 1.1%. Higher yeast inoculum (75 g/L) elevated bioalcohol yield to 1.2%, compared to non-optimized conditions (25 g/L). The findings reveal that corn husk can serve as a valuable raw material for bioalcohol synthesis, emphasizing the importance of process optimization to maximize yield.Keywords: Agricultural waste, Bioalcohol, Corn husk, Fermentation optimization, Lignocellulosic biomass, Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a group of infectious diseases that affect over 1.5 billion people worldwide, predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions. These infections are caused by vector-borne pathogens, soil-transmitted helminths, and non-tuberculous mycobacteria. NTDs are largely concentrated in resource limited countries with inadequate sanitation, water, and healthcare. The global burden of NTDs, estimated at 56.6 million Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), is comparable to that of HIV/AIDS. Despite efforts from the World Health Organization (WHO) to control NTDs, challenges persist in treatment and control strategies, particularly due to the absence of effective vaccines and the complexity of existing frequently administered therapies. Longacting antimicrobial formulations (LAFs) have emerged as a promising solution for improving therapeutic outcomes by providing sustained duration of drug action, enhancing patient compliance, and treatment outcomes. These formulations are being developed for several NTDs, including Leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and Onchocerciasis. Innovations in drug delivery technologies, such as injectable depot formulations, liposomal approaches, biodegradable and non-biodegradable devices, have proven effective in other disease areas and are being applied to NTDs. Despite significant progress made, several scientific, economic, implementation and regulatory challenges exist. This review explores the potential future role of LAFs for NTD treatment and how collaborative global efforts could potentially improve access to these innovative therapies.
Pharmaceutical residues in aquatic environments are common, and studies detailing their environmental fate has been given prominence in recent years. Since some pharmaceutical residues (environmentally persistent and stable drugs) are not eliminated using conventional wastewater treatments, research on the integrated methods is needed. Photocatalysis, ozonation, electrocoagulation, oxidation, adsorption, and biological treatments (phytoremediation, bioremediation) are generally used at waste water treatment plants. The most important environmental problem facing humanity is the increasing contamination of freshwater resources globally with hundreds of recalcitrant pharma micropollutants. In recent years, it has been acknowledged that research on the prevalence and destiny of pharmaceutical residues in aquatic habitats is vital. Detection of the drugs and finding solution for their removal from contaminated sites can be achieved with the optimization of biotic (microorganisms, algae, plant) and abiotic factors (light, pH, temperature, and carbon source). This mini review gives insight on the use of enzymes for the sensing of the drugs, enzyme assisted detoxification mechanism in plants as well as microorganisms. The biotic-abiotic coupled system and in site remediation processes are also discussed.Keywords: Drugs, Enzymes, Remediation, Toxicity, Phytoremediation, Wetland
Among the blood glucose assessing parameters, fasting blood sugar (FBS) plays a key role in screening, diagnosis, management and monitoring of diabetes mellitus. Diet is a crucial factor which alters the FBS and especially the dinner foods might interfere with the FBS the next day. Our objective was to assess the effect on FBS and TAG of healthy individuals with the consumption of common Sri Lankan dinner foods (rice and curry, fried rice, kottu and soup with bread). A randomized crossover experimental study was conducted with 13 healthy individuals (age :22-26 years, BMI :18 – 23kg/m2 , FBS <110mg/dl, TAG < 150mg/dl), selected by simple random sampling. Participants were provided with four dinner foods (portion size= 300g) 1) rice and curry (838kcal), 2) fried rice (932 kcal), 3) kottu (937kcal) and 4) soup with bread (422kcal) on four different days keeping a 3-4 day gap between test days. Participants were requested to fast for 8-10 hours and FBS and TAG levels were assessed the next day morning using glucose oxidase assay kit, and TAG colorimetric assay kit respectively. Data were analysed using repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test and the presence of significant differences were determined at 95% confidence interval. Obtained results show that rice and curry meal showed significantly lower (p<0.05) mean FBS (65 mg/dL) compared to all other foods. Compared to kottu and fried rice, a significantly lower FBS value was obtained for soup meal (p<0.005) while there was no significant difference (p=0.666) between kottu and fried rice. TAG levels did not show any statistical significance among meals. The present pilot study concluded that the rice and curry meal for dinner has the lowest effect on FBS. Even within the normoglycemic range, fried rice and kottu taken for dinner significantly elevate the FBS levels compared to a soup meal or a rice and curry meal. None of the tested meals for dinner significantly changed the TAG.Keywords: Dinner food, Fasting blood sugar, Triacylglycerol
Adapting to sustainable materials is now prevalent in many industries, including the tire industry. Several biomaterials have been utilized at various stages of tire development for their sustainability. This endeavor highlights the utilization of soy flour (SF) for partial replacement of petroleum-based carbon black (CB) in tire tread compounds. SF had an average moisture percentage of 6.74%. SF successfully replaces 10 phr of CB without major loss in physical properties. It exhibits a tensile strength of 19.59 MPa, an elongation at break of 588.43%, a 300% modulus of 5.14 MPa, a Shore A hardness of 51, a specific gravity of 1.093, and a resilience of 54%. Additionally, SF shows an abrasion value of 277.74 mm³, a tear strength of 34.36 N/mm, and an adhesion strength of 7.60 N/mm. Further, SF displayed properties comparable to the control with a silane coupling agent, and calcium sulfate dihydrate (CSD). However, SF with CSD led to a higher abrasion loss (approximately 60% improvement over the control), which indicated a less favorable interaction between SF and NR. Despite this difference, all formulations demonstrated acceptable performance in aging and blooming tests. Therefore, it can be clearly concluded that SF together with a silane coupling agent could easily replace 10 phr of CB, serving as sustainable filler in the tire manufacturing industry.Keywords: Eco-friendly, Filler, Tire tread, Soya flour, Carbon black
The estimation of continuous death probability has motivated competitive interest in life assurance practice and mortality literatures with the study's specific goal of estimating the force of mortality with an acceptable level of accuracy. Using the non-parametric interpolation to model human mortality rates has several implications especially in terms of its effectiveness and practical applications in actuarial science, insurance and pension planning. In the context of mortality modeling, the model involves fitting mortality data to interpolation model that captures the forward-looking behavior of mortality rates over time. This model is capable of incorporating the future evolution of mortality rates based on past trends and economic conditions. Initiating Gauss forward interpolation process involves a crucial stage of theoretical work that yields much more valuable outcomes with tremendous practical significance to investigation of mortality behaviour. The objectives of the research are to detect kinks on instantaneous death rate and construct the corresponding mortality rates. From the results obtained, the modal age at death is around 84 for normal humans. Although the methodology has the potential to detect kinks due to random fluctuations or shocks in mortality rates that are difficult to predict deterministically otherwise, computational evidence confirm that the interpolative approach provides more accurate, improved, robust and reasonable lower mortality estimates compared to parametric results in Neil’s. This implies that while mortality rates may follow broad trends, there can be unexpected changes due to external factors like pandemics, economic shifts or healthcare advancements. Keywords: Probability, Estimation, Life assurance, Mortality, Lifetime
Strategic research investment can profoundly change the development path of Low and Lower Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). This editorial examines successful development strategies, theoretical frameworks, and institutional models to create a guide for research investment in these nations. The insights reveal that smart research investments not only produce measurable economic benefits but also cultivate innovation capabilities necessary to avoid "middle-income traps". Countries that implement systematic research strategies, supported by robust policy frameworks, achieve progress in health, agriculture, and manufacturing. Conversely, nations that fail to develop and follow transformative policies and roadmaps risk prolonged technological reliance
Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a long tuberous starch-containing root crop that stands as a significant staple food globally. Its adaptability to various climates has increased its commercial growth. However, challenges such as toxic cyanogenic glucosides and rapid perishability in cassava demand its processing for safety and extended shelf-life. In Sri Lanka, where cassava is widely consumed, surplus production can be a highly prospective revenue. This review summarizes the utilization of cassava flour as a potential alternative for wheat flour emphasizing the Sri Lankan scenario. The cassava flour production process involves cleaning, peeling, slicing, drying, grinding, and sieving. Nutritional composition varies among cultivars, with variations in starch, amylase, fiber, protein, and ash. The cyanogenic levels also depend on the cultivars. Cassava flour emerges as a promising wheat flour substitute due to its abundance, effortless cultivation practices, nutritional profile, and unique functional properties. Furthermore, cassava flour is gluten-free and considered as the most comparable gluten-free substitute to wheat flour in terms of texture and taste. The incorporation of cassava flour into bakery products shows an opportunity to reduce the massive dependence on costly wheat flour imports in developing countries, which improves the country’s revenues. This review focuses on diverse food applications of cassava flour, including cookies rackers, biscuits, and commercial products, highlighting cassava flour's market potential in Sri Lanka amidst the increasing demand for gluten-free products.Keywords: Cassava Flour, Wheat Flour, Substitute, Sri Lanka, Food Products
