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AbstractWe study the algorithmic complexity of the cooperative card game Hanabi. A feature of Hanabi is that players can see other players’ cards, but not their own, and exchange information through hints. Even in the model with one player who has full information about the deck, Hanabi remains NP-hard. We found the minimal parameters of the game that preserve NP-hardness. If these parameters are further reduced, the game turns out to be solvable in polynomial time.

The “Historical Game Journey (HGJ) Project,” which aims to transfer cultural heritage to children through gamification, plans to deploy kiosk stations named “Information and Communication Station (ICOS)” at historical sites. Within the ICOS, there is an “Automatic Card Dispenser (ACD)” providing information cards about the historical buildings, and it constitutes a significant cost item in the project budget. In this study, with the aim of saving costs and staying within the budget, the ACD is intended to be developed instead of being purchased as a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) product. The aim of the study is to design and develop an ACD prototype that optimally meets functional requirements and offers greater cost efficiency, specifically for implementation within the ICOS system. In this context, three alternative ACDs -with similar technologies and software but different operating principles- were designed using the Design Thinking approach, and the most suitable one was selected using the Weighted Evaluation Criteria System (WECS) method. In this way, the cost ratio of the ACD within the project budget was reduced from 21.8% to 2.42%. The developed ACD can be used practically in applications such as card games, educational kiosks and ticket vending machines used in parking lots, public transportation, highways etc. with simple adaptations.

Background The card game Anticip’action was developed to foster Advance Care Planning (ACP) culture in medical and community settings. Available in a mobile (smartphone app) and paper formats, this conversation tool helps users to clarify and express their fears, hopes and life priorities, and to carry out actions in line with them. Aims The goals of this study were to evaluate in a community setting, the effect of presenting Anticip’action on attitude towards ACP, self-perceived preparedness in case of a health crisis, and action readiness, as well as to collect users’ evaluation of the game, and their preference to use the game in mobile or paper formats. Methods Participants attended a 90-minute public event on the topic of advance directives, received information about ACP, filled questionnaire 1 (Q1), were introduced to the game, filled Q2, took the game home, and returned Q3 6–8 weeks later. Data collection included retention rates; pre-post responses on self-perceived preparedness in case of a health crisis, attitude towards ACP, and readiness to take related actions (analyzed using paired t-test on mean 1–5 Likert scores); proportions of anticipatory actions (planned or done) reported in Q3; average endorsement and perceived impact of the game ( uMars , 1–5 Likert scores); proportions of reported intention and actual use of the game. Results Of the 124 attendees, 118 (mean age 75) completed Q1 & Q2, and 32 returned Q3. Mean baseline levels of attitude, self-perceived preparedness and readiness were uncommonly high (from 2.87 to 4.56). Discovering the game did not significantly impact these values. However, in Q3 ( N  = 32), 72% of respondents reported intending to take one or several specific anticipatory actions, and 22% had accomplished at least one since discovering the game. Anticip’action obtained high mean endorsement scores (Q2 = 3.67, Q3 = 3.9) and was evaluated as highly impactful for fostering anticipation (Q2 = 4.19, Q3 = 4.17). At home, participants generally preferred using the paper version. Conclusions Anticip’action , especially in its paper format, is highly endorsed by a senior population with an existing interest in ACP and appears to effectively support the implementation of anticipatory actions. These findings need to be confirmed in larger and more diverse populations. Registration The study was preregistered on the OSF platform ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/PN8HS ) on 01.12.2023.

With the breakthrough of AlphaGo, human-computer gaming AI has ushered in a big explosion, attracting more and more researchers all over the world. As a recognized standard for testing artificial intelligence, various human-computer gaming AI systems (AIs) have been developed, such as Libratus, OpenAI Five, and AlphaStar, which beat professional human players. The rapid development of human-computer gaming AIs indicates a big step for decision-making intelligence, and it seems that current techniques can handle very complex human-computer games. So, one natural question arises: What are the possible challenges of current techniques in human-computer gaming and what are the future trends? To answer the above question, in this paper, we survey recent successful game AIs, covering board game AIs, card game AIs, first-person shooting game AIs, and real-time strategy game AIs. Through this survey, we 1) compare the main difficulties among different kinds of games and the corresponding techniques utilized for achieving professional human-level AIs; 2) summarize the mainstream frameworks and techniques that can be properly relied on for developing AIs for complex human-computer games; 3) raise the challenges or drawbacks of current techniques in the successful AIs; and 4) try to point out future trends in human-computer gaming AIs. Finally, we hope that this brief review can provide an introduction for beginners and inspire insight for researchers in the field of AI in human-computer gaming.

Background Spiritual well-being is the fourth dimension of well-being for pediatric cancer patients. A high level of spiritual well-being can protect them from psychological symptoms. Few interventions, however, have been focused on the spiritual dimension among pediatric patients with cancer. This study aimed to examine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an integrated hope techniques and narrative-based card game (HT-NCG) intervention for pediatric cancer patients on spiritual and psychological well-being and quality of life (QoL). Methods A total of 60 Chinese pediatric cancer patients aged 12–17 years were recruited from the pediatric oncology ward of Hunan Children’s Hospital, China. Among them, 30 participants were randomized to the experimental group and received four sessions of the HT-NCG intervention. Another 30 participants were allocated to the control group and received a placebo intervention. Spiritual well-being, hope, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and QoL were assessed at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), and at 1-month (T2) and 3-month (T3) follow-up. Assessors were blinded to the group allocation. The feasibility outcomes and results from generalized estimating equations were reported. Results The feasibility of the HT-NCG intervention was demonstrated by a high recruitment rate (80%), high attendance rates in both groups, and a low attrition rate (20.0%) at 3 months. No adverse events were reported. At the 3-month follow-up, patients in the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in spiritual well-being (T3 Β  = 5.99; 95% CI, 0.27, 11.75; p  = 0.042) and a greater reduction in depressive symptoms (T3 Β  =  − 6.41; 95% CI, − 12.75, − 0.07; p  = 0.047) compared with the control group. Conclusions This study supports that the HT-NCG is a feasible intervention among pediatric patients with cancer. This intervention can effectively improve spiritual well-being and decrease depressive symptoms in this patient population with a sustainable effect to three-month follow-up. The HT-NCG may help address the spiritual needs and improve spiritual well-being of pediatric cancer patients. This short, engaging, and relaxing card game intervention is concise and structured and can be easily disseminated, making it highly applicable in clinical settings. Trial registration This study was registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov (Registration number NCT05639062).

We deal with logical approaches to knowledge acquisition in multi-agent systems. We enhance previous work by considering the inductive card game Eleusis where dynamic knowledge about the behavior of other agents or environment, rather than traditional static knowledge about system states is acquired. Our main contributions are as follows: (1) we formalize the knowledge acquisition process in the infinite version of the Eleusis game with perfect recall (i.e., the agents never forget the acquired information), using the propositional logic of knowledge and branching time Act -CTL-K n , and (2) we formally prove that the Eleusis system with perfect recall is well structured, which in practice enables applying the recently implemented model checking methods for infinite well-structured systems. In addition to the theoretical interest, our work is also motivated by potential application fields, including cryptography.

Magical Mathematicsreveals the secrets of amazing, fun-to-perform card tricks--and the profound mathematical ideas behind them--that will astound even the most accomplished magician. Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham provide easy, step-by-step instructions for each trick, explaining how to set up the effect and offering tips on what to say and do while performing it. Each card trick introduces a new mathematical idea, and varying the tricks in turn takes readers to the very threshold of today's mathematical knowledge. For example, the Gilbreath Principle--a fantastic effect where the cards remain in control despite being shuffled--is found to share an intimate connection with the Mandelbrot set. Other card tricks link to the mathematical secrets of combinatorics, graph theory, number theory, topology, the Riemann hypothesis, and even Fermat's last theorem. Diaconis and Graham are mathematicians as well as skilled performers with decades of professional experience between them. In this book they share a wealth of conjuring lore, including some closely guarded secrets of legendary magicians.Magical Mathematicscovers the mathematics of juggling and shows how theI Chingconnects to the history of probability and magic tricks both old and new. It tells the stories--and reveals the best tricks--of the eccentric and brilliant inventors of mathematical magic.Magical Mathematicsexposes old gambling secrets through the mathematics of shuffling cards, explains the classic street-gambling scam of three-card monte, traces the history of mathematical magic back to the thirteenth century and the oldest mathematical trick--and much more.

Background Public health tools like the Go Wish card game from the US, have been found useful to support people in reflecting on their end-of-life preferences, but a cultural adaptation is essential for their success. In the present study, we explore the necessary cultural adaptations to the Go Wish cards by applying an extensive, systematic, and community-engaging negotiating procedure to facilitate the use of the cards in the general population of Flanders, Belgium. Methods We used an iterative cultural adaptation process with repeated discussions with various community organizations and representatives of minority and religious groups. After that, the cards were evaluated by 12 healthcare professionals in relation to: linguistic equivalence to the original version, applicability, comprehensibility, and relevance per card. Additional testing with potential users preceded final adjustments. Results We found that stakeholders were keen to engage throughout the process of cultural adaptation and we were able to make a range of cultural adaptations for the use of the cards in Flanders. All original statements were rephrased from passive to more active statements. Sixteen out of 36 cards were adjusted to make them more culturally appropriate for use in Flanders, e.g., “to meet with clergy or a chaplain” to “having a spiritual counselor as support.” Three new cards were added: two with statements appropriate to the Belgian patient rights and euthanasia legislation and one extra Wild Card. Potential users ( n  = 33) felt that the cards supported conversations about end-of-life preferences. Conclusion By making community engagement a cornerstone of our adaption process, we developed a card set that potential end-users considered a supportive public health tool for reflecting and discussing end-of-life values and preferences. The described process is particularly valuable for culturally adapt interventions, especially given that community engagement in adapting interventions is essential to creating grounded interventions.

Scholars have been using the wrong card games to analyze Carl von Clausewitz's analogies in On War, which has led to errors in understanding his ideas. This article identifies the games Clausewitz discusses, allowing for a more accurate interpretation of his original meaning for the study of war. Since Clausewitz's ideas underpin strategy development within service education systems, it is critical his ideas are fully understood in context.

The importance of providing mechanisms and tools that effectively support the transition from implicit to explicit representations of Learning Design has been emphasised by previous research in the field of Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL). In addition, the benefits of Game-based learning approaches have been long documented in the educational research literature. The paper presents the design, implementation and evaluation of a card game that aims to support the design process of TEL activities in higher education. The game was tested by a group of 36 students and tutors (n = 36) in higher education during an interactive workshop. Feedback was asked by the participants using an anonymous survey. The results reveal that the participants a) are satisfied with the game process, b) appreciate the groupwork and interaction taking place, and c) believe that they used their communication and collaboration skills. The paper includes the description of the outputs of a group (i.e., the cards selected for their TEL scenario and their actual TEL scenario) to exemplify that it is possible to use the game in order to elicit or diagnose existing LD knowledge from the game participants. The paper concludes on the usefulness of the approach suggested, limitations, and plans for future work.