This paper presents work-in-progress regarding the definition and deployment of a pilot case study, which aims at supporting lifelong learning through the use of Blockchain technology. This pilot case study uses Blockchain technology in order to provide lifelong learners with transparent and immutable educational accreditation in the form of Smart Blockchain Badges. Additionally, within this pilot case study lifelong learners are provided with personalised recommendations that help them reach their personal and professional learning goals. This paper presents the latest findings from piloting Smart Blockchain Badges with stakeholders from the education community in the context of this pilot case study.
This paper investigates Universal Design (UD) through the idea of designing for situated abilities, rather than focusing on designing for disabled users. This shift in perspective from disabilities to abilities is explored through the design of a domestic robot that integrates into our homes, in a familiar way. We explore the concept of designing for situated abilities through a proof-of-concept robotic wooden table, the T-ABLE, as an alternative design for domestic robots. Finally, the paper identifies four dimensions of situated abilities. Keywords-robotic wooden table; design; Universal Design; situated ability; elderly.
This work is partially found by the Conselleria de Educacion, Cultura y Deporte with the Subvenciones para la contratacion de personal investigador en fase postdoctoral, grant number APOSTD/2019/04, by European Union through the ERANETMED (Euromediterranean Cooperation through ERANET joint activities and beyond) project ERANETMED3-227 SMARTWATIR, and by the European Union with the Fondo Europeo Agricola de Desarrollo Rural (FEADER) - Europa invierte en zonas rurales, the MAPAMA, and Comunidad de Madrid with the IMIDRA, under the mark of the PDR-CM 2014-2020 project number PDR18-XEROCESPED.
—This paper explores the relatively new phenomenon of citizen participation in the Smart City context. We present a case study comparative analysis of three participatory approaches implemented in three European Smart Cities. Each of those operational perspectives is studied in view of the theoretical concepts conveyed by the scientific state of the art, this way highlighting similarities and gaps between theory and practice. The results are focused on (i) the various existing interpretations of the “citizen participation” and the “Smart City” definitions, on (ii) the different selection processes applied in all three cases to recruit the participating citizens and on (iii) the benefits and drawbacks associated with the implementation of participative processes in a Smart City. The article closes with a discussion about key elements to keep in mind when implementing a bottom-up participative approach in the context of a Smart City. Eventually, the confrontation between theoretical and practical perspectives results in a revisited version of Arstein’s ladder of citizen participation, adapted to the Smart City context.
—This paper presents an application of the contextual user experience (cUX) pattern approach for refining a study concept involving biometric image data. The study was concerned with the acquisition, inspection, and quality evaluation of Near Infrared (NIR) iris biometry images. After creating the initial draft of the study setup and during the design of the detailed study procedure, a number of questions arose, e.g., how to deal with the environmental light during image acquisition, which material to use for 3D printing, how to solve the problem of picking the right questionnaire, how to record high quality videos with mobile phones or even the differences between certain image formats. In order to capture and make these solutions more easily accessible, we used an adapted cUX pattern approach to provide the found solutions in the form of seven study design patterns. under Display Aspect Ratio: DAR defines the ratio of the width to height of a video file. The ration 16:9 is commonly known as Widescreen. (cid:15) Frame Rate: The Frame rate, expressed as frames per second or fps, is the rate at which consecutive frames (i.e., images) are displayed during video playback. In this example, the video has 30.72 frames that are displayed every second. (cid:15) tbr, tbn and tbc: These three values are three different timestamps FFmpeg / FFprobe provides. This command defines which input file should be used. It is possible to point the full path. In this case, the video is in the same folder and named “video.mp4”. -qscale:v is responsible for the quality of the extracted image. For .jpeg images, it is possible to use values between 2 and 31. The higher the number, the higher the .jpeg compression and, therefore, worse image quality. For best results, values between 2 and 5 should be used. This part defines the frame rate. In our case, we are using 25.0 frames per second, i.e., one frame every 1/25 seconds. This part can be divided in thee parts. “Frontal” is the name of the image, whereas the “%4d” part is a 4-digit automatically in-cremented number with leading zeros. In the case that multiple images are extracted from a video, this may come in handy. The final part is the file format “.jpg”. In this example, “.jpg” image format is used to encode the extracted images.
In this paper, we argue that the technology design needs to take a more holistic perspective, beyond opportunities offered by the technology development alone. This is especially important when developing technologies for complex contexts, such as healthcare, and for users who are at risk. Furthermore, we present a sense-making process, informed by tools and methods from social science, complex systems design and design thinking, and intended for human-computer interaction designers and researchers to broaden their understanding of entanglement of technology, users, and the design context. This is particularly important when working in a new application area, where one is not an expert. We illustrate our approach by exploring if and how digital tools could support youth with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as a Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), to better cope with everyday challenges. Informed by previous research related to our field of inquiry, we combine ethnographic research, Actor-Network Theory adapted for design, and Giga-mapping (a complex systems design technique). We find that this combination of methods and techniques supports deeper reflections over the domain complexities, and makes it easier to avoid designing technologies for adolescents with ME/CFS that do not offer real support in day-to-day living. Keywords-complex systems; sense-making; ME/CFS; ANT; healthcare; design thinking.
Taxis are an essential component of the transportation system in most urban centers. The ability to optimize the efficiency of routing represents an opportunity to increase revenue for taxi drivers. Vacant taxis on the road waste fuel, represent uncompensated time for the taxi driver and create unnecessary carbon emissions while also generating additional traffic in the city. In this paper, we utilize Markov Decision Processes to optimize the revenue of taxi drivers through better routing. We present a case study utilizing real-world New York City Taxi data with several experimental evaluations of our model. We achieve approximately 10% improvement in efficiency using data from the month of January, representing the best scenario for an arbitrary taxi driver in that particular period of time. These results also provide a better understanding of how optimization strategies may differ during different times of the day. In the second half of the paper, we present a dynamic fleet management model that can handle random load arrivals with multiple vehicles in Manhattan in a period of 30 minutes. The fleet management problem decomposes into a sequence of time-indexed min-cost network flow subproblems that naturally yield integer solutions. These two methods may have important implications in the field of self-driving vehicles.
This paper demonstrates how neural networks can be applied to model and predict the functional behaviour of disordered nano-particle and nano-tube networks. In recently published experimental work, nano-particle and nano-tube networks show promising functionality for future reconfigurable devices, without a predefined design. The nano-material has been treated as a black-box, and the principle of evolution-in-materio, involving genetic algorithms, has been used to find appropriate configuration voltages to enable the target functionality. In order to support future experiments and the development of useful devices based on disordered nano-materials, we developed simulation tools for predicting candidate functionalities. One of these tools is based on a physical model, but the one described and analysed in this paper is based on an artificial neural network model. The advantage of this newly presented approach is that, after training the neural network to match either the real material or its physical model, it can be configured using gradient descent instead of a black-box optimisation, speeding up the search for functionality. The neural networks do not simulate the physical properties, but rather approximate the nano material’s transfer functions. The functions found using this new technique were verified back on the nano material’s physical model and on a real material network. It can be concluded from the reported experiments with these neural network models that they model the simulated nano-material quite accurately. The differentiable, neural network-based material model is used to find logic gates, as a proof of principle. This shows that the new approach has great potential for partly replacing costly and time consuming experiments with the real nano-material. Therefore, this approach has a high relevance for future computing, either as an alternative to digital computing or as an alternative way of producing multifunctional reconfigurable devices.
When companies engage in innovation, the appropriate selection of projects to invest resource in is paramount. In order to do this effectively, they need to research appropriate opportunities to create sufficient understanding. The various opportunities available need to be rationalised to match with the resource available. There are several rationalisation methods available, including Portfolio Management, Scoring Methods and Decision Support Systems. However, there are few that combine to be utilised by Small and Medium Sized Enterprises effectively. This work adds to the field of Small and Medium Sized Enterprise Decision Support by proposing an approach combining opportunity investigation, review and recommendation such that the most appropriate candidate innovation can be selected and taken forwards for development.
—Many domains employ the concept of modularity as a key aspect during their design. While the use of modularity characteristics is believed to enable several beneficial effects, such as evolvability, the actual realization of this evolvability or flexibility remains difficult. This paper analyzes a set of modular structures, which can be identified within transportation vehicles and logistic architectures. We employ Normalized Systems Theory (NST), a theory on how to create evolvable modular structures, as our theoretical basis to analyze these transportation and logistic structures in terms of the flexibility and adaptability they do (not) enable. For these structures, multiple design alternatives exist of which the theory can clearly highlight the respective benefits and drawbacks. This paper is an extended version of an earlier conference proceeding and demonstrates that NST is useful to analyze transport related modular structures at different levels of granularity. Additionally, we reflect upon the modularity characteristics of a recent logistics initiative called “The Physical Internet”.
— SUMMIT is a mobile app that aims to gamify the experience of walkers and hikers and benefit the local communities through which they perambulate. It encourages physical activity through gamification of the user experience by adding additional elements of social fun and motivation to walking and hiking activities. It rewards users for their physical effort by offering access to local resources, hence increasing awareness and appreciation of the local assets and heritage and contributing to the local economy. The evaluation results show that both businesses and walkers were very receptive to the idea. A modified version of SUMMIT, the Science Safari App was implemented in a zoo setting and its potential implications are discussed.
Automatic trigger speed for vehicle activated signs using Adaptive Neuro fuzzy system and Random Forest
