tennis simulation

There are virtual versions of popular sports such as golf, football and baseball. There is a company called ‘Chosen Events’ that posses this technology for temporary installations.

It works by having the technology start with a set of four high-speed machine vision cameras: taking 2000 pictures each and every second with pinpoint shot accuracy, the patented Micro Sight camera technology can determine the exact trajectory, direction, speed and spin of any object. A combination of  high performance CCD chips, LED technology and leading edge optics help track the object from any location.

The games involve the player throwing a ball at a goal on the screen. they are given 3-5 attempts and the on-screen data records the distances, speed, number of shots and goals scored. The camera technology seamlessly maps the ball onto the screen image and is measured over a distance to give highly accurate ball trajectory – even spin is detected. There is also an option to adjust the difficulty settings to accommodate those of different skill types.

The simulation is housed in a bespoke designed polished quad truss frame with black covering, Allowing it to be used both indoors and outdoors. The simulations have digital stadium hoardings that can also be branded.

Dimensions: Standard simulator occupies an area of 4m width x 4m depth x 3m height.

Dimensions: Compact simulator occupies an area of 3.7m width x 3.7m depth x 2.7m height.

Power: 1 x twin 13-amp socket (3kw). If powered via a generator, rather than a mains supply, this must be earth-bonded.

Source: https://www.chosenevents.co.uk/event-types/?1456_act_Multi-Sports-Simulators

Materials research

Wood

Plywood – A manufactured board made from layers of solid timber veneer thats usually 3 millimeters thick. this method makes it incredibly strong but also light in weight and resists cracking,bending, warping, and shrinking. But they’re not suitable for many joints.

Cedar – A wood that is a natural moth repellent that is lightweight, durable and stable.It is also resistant to warping and cracking. It is commonly used to create  wood shingles in roofs and interior panelings.

Birch Plywood – a popular fine-grained wood, it comes with a nice smooth pale finish to add a touch of elegance to the finished product. It’s also durable and doesn’t have any jagged edges.

Metal

Cast Iron – an alloy of Iron containing varying amounts of carbon,silicon and manganese. there are four different types of cast iron: White, Grey, Ductile and Malleable iron which have their different physical and chemical properties. It’s mainly used for pots and pans as the surface distributes the heat evenly. It can also be used for outdoor finishes and settings such as bench legs and iron tables.

Aluminium  – a light and corrosion resistant material. It is heavily utilized for stamped and cast furniture, mainly molded chairs,  in order to take advantage of its qualities.

Stainless Steel – a metal with high tensile strength, which allows it to be applied using hollow tubes. It is used in many hinges and supports of furniture.

Gold leaf – Gold that’s been hammered into thin sheets. It’s available in a variety of karats and shades

Glass

Float Glass – a basic type of glass that has a high degree of light transmission and is available in a variety of sizes, thickness and colours and opacities. It is also a starting material used to create laminated, toughened or coated glass.

Toughened glass – a type of glass created using the thermal tempering process. Making it have structural durability, thermal strength and highly resistant to breakages. Though it cannot be recut after it has been toughened.

Tinted glass – glass with colour added to create a tint made by altering the chemical formulation of the glass and the colour and density change with the glass. This gives it UV protection ,the colour is durable and while it maintains it’s transparency, the brightness from the outward view is reduced which prevents passers by from seeing inside.  

Laminate flooring is a multi-layer synthetic flooring.Its designed to look like wood or stone when its actually a large photograph covered in a clear ‘wear layer’ Its fast and easy to install as well as easy to clean

https://www.timbertown.com/why-using-lightweight-woods-is-perfect-for-some-projects/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_furniture

 

 

Concept Stores

What is a concept store?

a concept store is a shop that sells a carefully curated and unique products that link in to the store’s overall theme. They often evoke a lifestyle and appeal to a specific target audience using handpicked products from different brands and designers. These stores are focused on discovery and experience, relying on the shop design and products to tell a story by having it change regularly. Many even offer extra experimental elements such as additional space for hosting events within the store or have a cafe space to help build a community around the store.

Sonos’s concept store

This is from a high tech hi-fi Brand called Sonos, the concept is designed with user experience in mind and aims to offer total immersion for an optimal listening experience by offering several soundscapes through miniature houses that replicate different rooms in a house. This allows visitors to try out all of Sonos products and find out which setups best suit their needs.

Sources

https://www.insider-trends.com/what-is-a-concept-store/

https://blog.econocom.com/en/blog/guided-tour-of-the-nrf-2017s-concept-stores/

a visit from CAST

CAST is an expert team of jewellery designers and makers that don’t exist in a studio or workshop but at hotels,restaurants and bars where the participants are given a kit containing a handful of tools and a sample of jewelers wax to carve out a custom shaped ring, pendant, cuff links, earrings and other types of jewellery. The finished piece is then sent back to CAST where they take it to their casting workshop to cast the piece into solid gold, silver or platinum, hand finish it then send it back to the client usually within 3 weeks.

cof

cof

The other day Cast visited to give a presentation and explain what they want from those who have chosen this client for the next project. They had also brought some kits along to show us what the packaging looked like and what the kits contained. They also displayed some finished pieces and some rings that had already  been carved but not cast.

I was allowed to have a go with the tools and make a shape out of the wax. First, I tried to shape the wax into a bunch of crystals on top of the ring but the wax turned out to be harder than I thought and instead used the file that came with the kit to make some cat ears instead. This was the end result of this experience with using CAST’s Jewellery making kit after my hands got tired.

The file was easily the best tool out of the kit since it got into the wax very easily while the two thin silver tools I barely had a chance to use while I struggled with the craft knife because my hands shake a lot and wound up with a minor cut as a result.

Mattress Materials

Materials Used in Mattresses

Foam – soft material which helps with temperature regulation and pressure point relief. there are different types of foam which include memory foam, gel memory foam, polyurethane foam and viscoelastic foam (rebounded foam)

Polyester batting – used as a filling in pillow top mattress and mattress covers.

Wool – not used as a standalone material for mattress padding and instead serves as extra padding and temperature regulation and extra padding.

Cotton – a breathable material that is used both inside and outside the mattress.

Adhesives – used as a way to bond layers, materials and seams together. Quilting is often combined with adhesives to strengthen the bonds.

Flame Retardants – found in all mattresses as a legal requirement.

Steel Coils –  either formed as open coils or individually wrapped coils, they are a key structural component that are the firm support as the base of the mattress.

Mattress Types

Memory Foam – Consists of polyurethane and additional chemicals to increase its viscosity and density. The foam bubbles are open and create a matrix through which air can move and allow the foam to soften in reaction to body heat, allowing it to mold into the body shape within a matter of minutes. newer foams return to their original shape quicker. They also don’t have coils in them.

Innerspring Mattress – the most numerous and the most popular due to their affordability. They also support a variety of sleepers including stomach sleepers, people with back pain, and overweight individuals. However, they have the tendency to sag, short lifespans, noisiness and lack of motion isolation.

Hybrid Mattress – these mattresses combine two or more support systems such as memory foam and the innerspring system. making them a great way to experience the pressure of reliving benefits of memory foam while retaining the feel of an innerspring mattress.

 

 

Bird Flight Patterns

Common Bird fight patterns

1. Direct Flight – birds fly in a straight level path while continuously flapping their wings. Species that use this includes: Ducks, Herons, Shorebirds and Blackbirds
2. Flap and Glide – the bird takes a break from flying and glide instead. Species that do this include: Ravens, Owls and Hawkes
3. Glide – birds glide without flapping. Birds that do this are Swifts and Swallows.
4. Hawking – involves flying out and up from a perch and then back again in circular motion. it used by birds like flycatchers and warblers to hunt for insects “on the wing”
5. Hovering – the bird appears as if its hovering in one spot. this is mainly used by hummingbirds because they do this at will due to a unique flexible shoulder joint that enables the bird to create lift during the up and down stroke. Kestrels, Kingfishers, and Storm-prestels are capable of hovering briefly.
6. Static Soaring – Hawkes and Vultures fly in circles and soar on their long broad wings.
7. Straight-Line-Formation – Pelicans, Flamingoes, Cormorants, and cranes fly in a straight line in formation while low over the water.
8. Undulating Flight – a rollercoaster style flight pattern where birds flap their wings during the rising phase then glides as it descends. this style is used by Woodpeckers and Finches.
9. V Formation – a flock of birds arranged in a V pattern. each bird is slightly higher than the other and takes advantage of the lift generated by the wingtip vortex of the bird in front of it. the lead bird and outside positions are the most difficult physically so the birds often switch positions. these are used by migratory birds such as Geese, Ducks and Swans.
10. Zigzag – Snipes and Grouse fly up and down in a triangular path. Its mainly used to elude predators.

 

Source: https://pqspb.org/bpqpoq/10-bird-flight-patterns-to-know/

What birds eat

Birds have many types of diets that vary depending on the birds species and nutritional needs. It can also vary based on the season. The best way to attract birds is by observing what they eat

The type of foods birds naturally eat include:

• Insects
• seeds, grass and plant material
• pollen
• fruit and berries
• nectar
• rodents and other small animals

Its also possible to offer them kitchen scraps such as fruit, vegetables, cheese and bread. However they have less nutritional value than wild bird foods so they should only be offered as occasional treats.

Tips for attracting birds:

• offer both natural and supplemental foods to attract a variety of birds.
• clean bird feeders regularly. this includes ground feeding stations and the areas underneath the feeding areas to eliminate buildups of seed hulls or feces which could lead to contamination or disease spreading.
• use baffles to make the feeding stations squirrel-proof
• add water sources, nests and appropriate shelters to make your space more suitable survival space for the birds. this will also make them less likely to leave.

source: https://www.thespruce.com/attract-birds-with-food-386394

Birds in Sheffield

Birds found in the Sheffield/Rotherham area:

Barn owl, Black-Headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Blackcap, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit,  Collard Dove, Coot, Curlew, Dipper, Dunnock, Goldcresst, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Hen Harrier, Herring gull, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Linnet, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Mallard, Mandarin Duck, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Robin, Skylark, Snipe, Starling, Tree Sparrow, Waxwing, Wheatear, Wood Warbler

Total = 40

Locations:

Ponds/Wetland/Coastal: Canada Goose, Coot, Dipper, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Mallard, Mandarin Duck, Moorhen, Snipe

Total = 9

Woodlands/Parks/Farmland: Barn Owl, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collard Dove, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Robin, Skylark, Tree Sparrow, Wood Warbler

Total = 21

Widespread*: Black-Headed Gull, Curlew, Hen Harrier, Herring Gull, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Starling, Waxwing, Wheatear

Total = 10

*includes city areas as there is no singular type of bird that can only be found in cities.

 

Materials List

Wood

 

Plywood is a type of wood that can be used in making cat trees. there are different kinds of plywood these include: 3-ply and 5-ply which are sheets based on how many layers of plywood were used and these are used in decorative internal uses and multi-ply which is plywood composed of many layers to be used in heavyweight construction. This material is also resistant to water, moisture and high temperatures. Manufacturers include: Yorkshire Plywood Ltd and Avon Plywood Ltd.

MDF is another wood used in making cat furniture. it is a strong and cheap material that can be cut, drilled, machined and filed without damaging its surface. Manufacturers include: Skirting UK and W.Howard Ltd

Solid wood is another wood used for making cat furniture. Its an environmentally friendly and durable wood.

Fabric

Nylon is a synthetic man-made material that can be produced in either sheet or fibre form. its produced by using a complex process that creates the material’s strong polymers first then binds them together to create the strong fibre. The material is a natural heat sensitive, strong, lightweight and durable material it is also has a low absorbency rate and can take on dye extremely well. They can be also used in a continuous filament form or be chopped into shorter lengths and spun into threads. Manufactures include: Direct Plastics Ltd and G&B Fissaggi UK

Sisal is a straw like plant fibre. its a course, inflexible fibre that has the ability to stretch, dyes well and is water resistant. Its also a coarse material, harder than straw and can be cleaned with a damp cloth. It is recommended natural sisal with 8mm diameter for cat trees as thin sisal is easy to be caught off.

Sheepskin (also known as lambskin) is skin off a sheep but unlike leather, sheepskin is tanned with the fleece intact to make fur. Its used in soft wool-lined clothing or coverings, and invalid rugs and pelts. It has good Insulating properties as its a natural insulator and is resistant to flame and static electricity.  Manufacturers include: Westmorland Sheepskins, Real Sheepskin Association and City Sheepskin.

Faux fur is any material that is made from cellulose or synthetic fibres designed to resemble fur. its increased in popularity over the years due to animal right activists that claim its an animal-friendly alternative to fur clothing. its a material thats not easily deformed and its used in making cat trees. However cat hair does stick to it which makes the material need regular cleans. Manufacturers Include: Sommers Plastic Prod. co. inc, Concept III Textiles International and D&N Textiles Inc.

Plastic

Durat 470 is a solid polyester based material used to make custom surfaces in private and public interiors. It is made from recyclable plastic making the material itself recyclable. The material has a silky warm feeling to it and an interesting impression of depth in its finish. This material is very durable and can be renewed by slight sanding. It’s also resistant to wear, humidity and various chemicals.

PVC (or polyvinyl chloride) is a thermoplastic used in panel edging and foils. However, this plastic is not considered eco-friendly because it is not recyclable or biodegradable and considered a ‘poison plastic’ for children under certain ages.

Polypropylene is a type of plastic with two-dimensional molecular structures. this material can be softened with heat or recycled. its mainly used on plastic objects with hinges as the material can withstand movement. its used to make large storage box furniture with hinges or snap closures as well as blow up furniture such as chairs and sofas. This material is the most common eco-friendly thermoplastic used in furniture making.

Polycarbonate is a material that comes in sheets and can be carved on with woodworking type tools in order to turn it into furniture. It can be easily cut so it can be molded into distinct sectional furniture or decorative attachments to furniture. The material is almost unbreakable when made into furniture and is also recyclable making it a more environmentally sound plastic compared to PVC. Manufactures Include: Polypropylene products and theplasticshop.co.uk

Flooring

Lino (also known as Linoleum) is floor covering made from materials such as solidified linseed oil, pine rosin, ground cork dust, wood flour and mineral fillers such as calcium carbonate. Pigments can also be added to achieve a desired color finish. Lino flooring maintains it’s good looks because the pigments are throughout the thickness of the material and not just on the surface which helps camouflage scratches and requires little maintenance, needing only sweeping and damp mopping.

Laminate flooring is a multi-layer synthetic flooring.Its designed to look like wood or stone when its actually a large photograph covered in a clear ‘wear layer’ Its fast and easy to install as well as easy to clean. Manufactures include: Sheffield Flooring Solutions and Carpetright Sheffield.

Sources: http://www.ctnd.com/top-materials-used-furniture-manufacturing/

http://www.urbanara.co.uk/journal/buying-guide/nylon/

http://www.urbanara.co.uk/journal/buying-guide/sisal/

https://homesteady.com/list-7390006-components-plastic-furniture.html

https://www.greengoodsusa.com/durat-470.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linoleum

http://www.meow-cat.com/2013/02/how-to-build-cat-tree-condo-house.html

http://www.design-technology.org/mdf.htm

Animals and Mental health

Another way to reduce anxiety and stress is through owning a pet, as pets can be a great source for comfort, companionship and motivation for their owners and can help us live mentally healthier lives. Pets are also a great motivation for people with depression, as dogs are good at encouraging owners to get exercise. Stroking, playing and sitting next to a pet can give owners the chance to calm down and relax their minds. Caring for a pet gives peoples day purpose and a sense of achievement, as it helps them feel valuable and needed.

Dog walking can also lead to owners having conversations with other dog owners, this helps them stay socially connected and make them less withdrawn.  Pets are also a great companion for people as they give them a sense of security and someone to share their routine with, Especially for those who are later on in life and live alone.

Pets can help benefit people, especially children, who have Autism or ADHD. As sensory issues are common with those who have Autism and sensory integration activities are used to help them get used to the way something feels against their skin or how it smells or sounds. Dogs and horses have mainly been used for this purpose. Children with autism find it calming to work with animals.

While children with ADHD can benefit from having a pet by taking charge of the jobs such as feeding, walking and bathing a pet as it helps children learn to plan and be responsible. Playing with a pet is also a good way to release and burn excess energy, as they can burn off energy by walking a dog or running around with a cat, making them much more calmer and relaxed later in the day. Pets are also great listeners and will not criticize a child for having too much energy , which can aid in boosting self confidence.

A study with cats protection in 2011 was carried out, which surveyed over 600 cat owners and non cat owners, and they found that 87% of people who owned a cat felt that it had a positive impact on their well-being and 76% said they could cope with life better thanks to their pets.

There’s Science to back this up: physical contact with a cat triggers the production of the hormone oxytocin, which reduces the stress hormone cortisol to make you feel relaxed and happy. As well as oxytocin, playing with a cat can increase the production of dopamine and mood-boosting serotonin, which antidepressants like Prozac work to regulate. While this cannot replace prescribed medication, cats can compliment traditional therapies. Cats have been used successfully in animal-assisted therapies with psychiatric patients with high levels of depression and anxiety.

sources:  https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/p/pets-and-mental-health

https://www.yourcat.co.uk/Your-Cat/purrs-prozac.html