In this paper we analyze the non-coercive ways in which researchers can use knowledge about the decision-making tendencies of potential participants in order to motivate them to consent to research enrollment. We identify which modes of influence preserve respect for participants’ autonomy and which disrespect autonomy, and apply the umbrella term of manipulation to the latter. We then apply our analysis to a series of cases adapted from the experiences of clinical researchers in order to develop a framework for thinking (...) through the ethics of manipulating people into research participation. All manipulation disrespects autonomy and is therefore pro tanto wrong. However, only deceptive manipulation invalidates the consent that results from it. Use of the other forms of manipulation can be permissible, but only if the outcome of using manipulation is sufficiently good and if the research cannot be carried out using ethically preferable means to obtain consent. (shrink)

Research studies increasingly use genomic sequencing to draw inferences based on comparisons between the genetic data of a set of purportedly related individuals. As use of this method progresses, it will become much more common to discover that the assumed biological relationships between the individuals are mistaken. Consequently, researchers will have to grapple with decisions about whether to return incidental findings of misattributed parentage on a much larger scale than ever before. In this paper we provide an extended argument for (...) the view that the default position for researchers ought to be the non-disclosure of misattributed parentage. (shrink)

Suspicious Activity Detection System is a real-time monitoring and analysis tool developed using Python with Tkinter, OpenCV, and Image AI libraries. The system integrates a modern graphical user interface (GUI) to facilitate video processing, frame generation, and suspicious activity detection from both live camera feeds and prerecorded CCTV footage. Leveraging the DenseNet121 deep learning model for image classification, the system processes video frames to identify potential suspicious activities, employing temporal consistency and confidence thresholding to enhance detection accuracy. Key features include (...) live feed toggling, video recording with timestamped storage, and automated frame extraction, with suspicious frames flagged and saved for further review. The GUI, styled with a sleek dark theme and gradient aesthetics, provides intuitive controls and dual text areas for logging frame generation and detection results. Advanced visualization overlays detection metrics on frames, while the system ensures robust error handling and resource cleanup. Designed for security applications, this tool demonstrates a scalable approach to real-time video analysis, balancing usability and performance. Future enhancements could include multicamera support and expanded activity classification capabilities. (shrink)

The Smart Crop Monitoring System integrates IoT hardware and AI-driven software to facilitate intelligent irrigation and crop disease prediction. Sensors like soil moisture, rain, temperature, and humidity feed realtime data to an ESP32 microcontroller. Based on this, motors control water and fertilizer supply. On the software side, a CNN-based leaf disease detection model trained on real datasets analyzes plant images and recommends remedies. These insights are relayed to the ESP32, which automates the response. The system supports sustainable farming by reducing (...) manual effort, minimizing resource use, and enhancing productivity. (shrink)

This book tries to collate the different ideas of socialistic thought contained in the vast corpus of Swami Vivekananda's writings and speeches. His humanism led to numerous social activities with the idea that God is present in human beings. He said that education was the solution to all social problems.

In this book the author has equated Swaraj with Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘self-rule’, Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s ‘birthright for freedom’, Aurobindo’s ‘Sanatana Dharma’, Raja Rammohun Roy’s ‘individual liberty’, Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘humanity’, and Swami Vivekananda’s ‘love of the motherland’.