泛在设备抽象接口在智能家居中的应用

目前泛在设备接口不统一,并且大都不具备互感知和互操作能力。本文通过接口抽象技术提供设备间的统一操作接口,从固件层上解决了泛在设备间的互感知和互操作问题,并成功应用到智能家居系统中。该系统具有较强的扩展性和可靠性,应用成本较低。     

Using ubiquitous computing in interactive mobile marketing

Unique features of handheld devices, including their mobility, personalization and location-awareness engender new types of applications for mobile commerce, such as mobile advertising. Mobile marketing and advertising applications deliver promotional information to consumers based on their preferences and location. In this paper, we present SMMART, a context-aware, adaptive and personalized m-commerce application designed to deliver targeted promotions to the users of mobile devices about the products they like while guarding the users’ identity and protecting them from any unsolicited messages. Promotions distributed by SMMART are personalized by performing intelligent matching of the user’s shopping interests to current promotions available at a retail site. SMMART can adapt to changing preferences of its user by inconspicuously monitoring his or her shopping habits. We describe a fully functional prototype of SMMART built for Pocket PCs running Windows CE with .NET Compact Framework. This paper also presents a study demonstrating end-user usability and economic viability of SMMART.     

Analysis and assessment of a knowledge based smart city architecture providing service APIs

The main technical issues regarding smart city solutions are related to data gathering, aggregation, reasoning, data analytics, access, and service delivering via Smart City APIs (Application Program Interfaces). Different kinds of Smart City APIs enable smart city services and applications, while their effectiveness depends on the architectural solutions to pass from data to services for city users and operators, exploiting data analytics, and presenting services via APIs.Therefore, there is a strong activity on defining smart city architectures to cope with this complexity, putting in place a significant range of different kinds of services and processes. In this paper, the work performed in the context of Sii-Mobility smart city project on defining a smart city architecture addressing a wide range of processes and data is presented. To this end, comparisons of the state of the art solutions of smart city architectures for data aggregation and for Smart City API are presented by putting in evidence the usage semantic ontologies and knowledge base in the data aggregation in the production of smart services. The solution proposed aggregate and re-conciliate data (open and private, static and real time) by using reasoning/smart algorithms for enabling sophisticated service delivering via Smart City API. The work presented has been developed in the context of the Sii-Mobility national smart city project on mobility and transport integrated with smart city services with the aim of reaching a more sustainable mobility and transport systems. Sii-Mobility is grounded on Km4City ontology and tools for smart city data aggregation, analytics support and service production exploiting smart city API. To this end, Sii-Mobility/Km4City APIs have been compared to the state of the art solutions. Moreover, the proposed architecture has been assessed in terms of performance, computational and network costs in terms of measures that can be easily performed on private cloud on premise. The computational costs and workloads of the data ingestion and data analytics processes have been assessed to identify suitable measures to estimate needed resources. Finally, the API consumption related data in the recent period are presented.     

A middleware framework for application-aware and user-specific energy optimization in smart mobile devices

Mobile battery-operated devices are becoming an essential instrument for business, communication, and social interaction. In addition to the demand for an acceptable level of performance and a comprehensive set of features, users often desire extended battery lifetime. In fact, limited battery lifetime is one of the biggest obstacles facing the current utility and future growth of increasingly sophisticated “smart” mobile devices. This paper proposes a novel application-aware and user-interaction aware energy optimization middleware framework (AURA) for pervasive mobile devices. AURA optimizes CPU and screen backlight energy consumption while maintaining a minimum acceptable level of performance. The proposed framework employs a novel Bayesian application classifier and management strategies based on Markov Decision Processes and Q-Learning to achieve energy savings. Real-world user evaluation studies on Google Android based HTC Dream and Google Nexus One smartphones running the AURA framework demonstrate promising results, with up to 29% energy savings compared to the baseline device manager, and up to 5×savings over prior work on CPU and backlight energy co-optimization.     

A test-driven approach to code search and its application to the reuse of auxiliary functionality

Context

Software developers spend considerable effort implementing auxiliary functionality used by the main features of a system (e.g., compressing/decompressing files, encryption/decription of data, scaling/rotating images). With the increasing amount of open source code available on the Internet, time and effort can be saved by reusing these utilities through informal practices of code search and reuse. However, when this type of reuse is performed in an ad hoc manner, it can be tedious and error-prone: code results have to be manually inspected and integrated into the workspace.

Objective

In this paper we introduce and evaluate the use of test cases as an interface for automating code search and reuse. We call our approach Test-Driven Code Search (TDCS). Test cases serve two purposes: (1) they define the behavior of the desired functionality to be searched; and (2) they test the matching results for suitability in the local context. We also describe CodeGenie, an Eclipse plugin we have developed that performs TDCS using a code search engine called Sourcerer.

Method

Our evaluation consists of two studies: an applicability study with 34 different features that were searched using CodeGenie; and a performance study comparing CodeGenie, Google Code Search, and a manual approach.

Results

Both studies present evidence of the applicability and good performance of TDCS in the reuse of auxiliary functionality.

Conclusion

This paper presents an approach to source code search and its application to the reuse of auxiliary functionality. Our exploratory evaluation shows promising results, which motivates the use and further investigation of TDCS.     

Puzzle: A mobile application development environment using a jigsaw metaphor

ObjectiveCreate a visual mobile end user development framework, named Puzzle, which allows end users without IT background to create, modify and execute applications, and provides support for interaction with smart things, phone functions and web services.MethodsDesign of an intuitive visual metaphor and associated interaction techniques for supporting end user development in mobile devices with iterative empirical validation.ResultsOur results show that the jigsaw is an intuitive metaphor for development in a mobile environment and our interaction techniques required a limited cognitive effort to use and learn the framework. Integration of different modalities and usage of smart things was relevant for users.ConclusionPuzzle has addressed the main objective. The framework further contributes to the research on mobile end user development in order to create an incentive for users to go beyond consuming content and applications to start creating their own applications.PracticeUsage of a mobile end user development environment has the potential to create a shift from the conventional few-to-many distribution model of software to a many-to-many distribution model. Users will be able to create applications that fit their requirements and share their achievements with peers.ImplicationsThis study has indicated that the Puzzle visual environment has the potential to enable users to easily create applications and stimulate exploration of innovative scenarios through smartphones.     

Wireless and mobile technologies to enhance teaching and learning

Abstract This research aims to build a Wireless Technology Enhanced Classroom (WiTEC) that supports everyday activities unobtrusively and seamlessly in classroom contexts. This paper describes the integration of wireless LAN, wireless mobile learning devices, an electronic whiteboard, an interactive classroom server, and a resource and class management server to build the WiTEC. This contains a number of features that can support class members in various types of teaching and learning activities. Project-based learning is taken as a scenario to elaborate how teachers and students can engage in teaching and learning via WiTEC. Finally, a number of suggestions are discussed for further study.     

Using profile information to assist classic code optimizations

This paper describes the design and implementation of an optimizing compiler that automatically generates profile information to assist classic code optimizations. This compiler contains two new components, an execution profiler and a profile-based code optimizer, which are not commonly found in traditional optimizing compilers. The execution profiler inserts probes into the input program, executes the input program for several inputs, accumulates profile information and supplies this information to the optimizer. The profile-based code optimizer uses the profile information to expose new optimization opportunities that are not visible to traditional global optimization methods. Experimental results show that the profile-based code optimizer significantly improves the performance of production C programs that have already been optimized by a high-quality global code optimizer.     

From scenarios to code: An air traffic control case study

There has been much recent interest in synthesis algorithms that generate finite state machines from scenarios of intended system behavior. One of the uses of such algorithms is in the transition from requirements scenarios to design. Despite much theoretical work on the nature of these algorithms, there has been very little work on applying the algorithms to practical applications. In this paper, we apply the Whittle & Schumann synthesis algorithm [32] to a component of an air traffic advisory system under development at NASA Ames Research Center. We not only apply the algorithm to generate state machine designs from scenarios but also show how to generate code from the generated state machines using existing commercial code generation tools. The results demonstrate the possibility of generating application code directly from scenarios of system behavior.     

Human Pacman: a mobile,wide-area entertainment system based on physical,social, and ubiquitous computing

Human Pacman is a novel interactive entertainment system that ventures to embed the natural physical world seamlessly with a fantasy virtual playground by capitalizing on mobile computing, wireless LAN, ubiquitous computing, and motion-tracking technologies. Our human Pacman research is a physical role-playing augmented-reality computer fantasy together with real human–social and mobile gaming. It emphasizes collaboration and competition between players in a wide outdoor physical area which allows natural wide-area human–physical movements. Pacmen and Ghosts are now real human players in the real world, experiencing mixed computer graphics fantasy–reality provided by using the wearable computers. Virtual cookies and actual tangible physical objects are incorporated into the game play to provide novel experiences of seamless transitions between real and virtual worlds. We believe human Pacman is pioneering a new form of gaming that anchors on physicality, mobility, social interaction, and ubiquitous computing.

Using electronic textiles to implement an acoustic beamforming array: A case study

Highly-automated textile manufacturing equipment has the potential for integrating electronic components into fabric in a low-cost process. These electronic textiles (or e-textiles) have a wide range of potential applications in wearable computing and large-area applications, including medical monitoring, assistance to the disabled, and distributed sensor networks. This paper discusses the design and implementation of a large-scale e-textile that functions as an acoustic beamforming array. The paper conveys the implementation experience and gives results gathered from the prototype. Further, the primary implementation issues and guidelines for future development are identified.     

Tuning and hybrid parallelization of a genetic-based multi-point statistics simulation code

One of the main difficulties using multi-point statistical (MPS) simulation based on annealing techniques or genetic algorithms concerns the excessive amount of time and memory that must be spent in order to achieve convergence. In this work we propose code optimizations and parallelization schemes over a genetic-based MPS code with the aim of speeding up the execution time. The code optimizations involve the reduction of cache misses in the array accesses, avoid branching instructions and increase the locality of the accessed data. The hybrid parallelization scheme involves a fine-grain parallelization of loops using a shared-memory programming model (OpenMP) and a coarse-grain distribution of load among several computational nodes using a distributed-memory programming model (MPI). Convergence, execution time and speed-up results are presented using 2D training images of sizes 100 × 100 × 1 and 1000 × 1000 × 1 on a distributed-shared memory supercomputing facility.     

A General Probability Formula of the Number of Location Areas＇ Boundaries Crossed by a Mobile Between Two Successive Call Arrivals

Mobility management is a challenging topic in mobile computing environment. Studying the situation of mobiles crossing the boundaries of location areas is significant for evaluating the costs and performances of various location management strategies. Hitherto, several formulae were derived to describe the probability of the number of location areas‘ boundaries crossed by a mobile. Some of them were widely used in analyzing the costs and performances of mobility management strategies. Utilizing the density evolution method of vector Markov processes, we propose a general probability formula of the number of location areas‘ boundaries crossed by a mobile between two successive calls. Fortunately, several widely-used formulae are special cases of the proposed formula.     

Using tracked mobile sensors to make maps of environmental effects

We present the results of a study of environmental carbon monoxide pollution that uses a set of tracked, mobile pollution sensors. The motivating concept is that we will be able to map pollution and other properties of the real world at a fine scale if we can deploy a large set of sensors with members of the general public who would carry them as they go about their normal everyday activities. To prove the viability of this concept we have to demonstrate that data gathered in an ad hoc manner is reliable enough in order to allow us to build interesting geo-temporal maps. We present a trial using a small number of global positioning system-tracked CO sensors. From analysis of raw GPS logs we find some well-known spatial and temporal properties of CO. Further, by processing the GPS logs we can find fine-grained variations in pollution readings such as when crossing roads. We then discuss the space of possibilities that may be enabled by tracking sensors around the urban environment—both in getting at personal experience of properties of the environment and in making summative maps to predict future conditions. Although we present a study of CO, the techniques will be applicable to other environmental properties such as radio signal strength, noise, temperature, humidity and so on.     

Places to stay on the move: Software architectures for mobile user interfaces

Architectural design has an important effect on usability, most notably on temporal properties. This paper investigates software architecture options for mobile user interfaces, in particular those for collaborative systems. One of the new features of mobile systems, as compared with fixed networks, is the connection point to the physical network, the point of presence (PoP), which forms an additional location for code and data. This allows architectures that bring computation closer to the users, hence reducing feedback and feedthrough delays. A consequence of using PoPs is that code and data have to be mobile within the network, leading to potential security problems.     

Design and implementation of a smart system for personalization and accurate selection of mobile services

Wireless mobile services are computing applications that run on handheld wireless devices. Such applications must work within the daunting constraints of the devices, which include memory, processing power, input capabilities, and size of display. It is therefore important that mobile services take into account the user’s context, optimize resource usage, and minimize input effort imposed on the user. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a smart agent-enabled system for personalizing wireless mobile services and advertisements for Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) or Java ME, and Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) enabled devices. We use software agents for context filtering because such autonomous software entities have characteristics that can benefit mobile devices and the wireless environment, and the Composite Capability/Preference Profiles (CC/PP) standard for defining profiles for user preferences and device capabilities. The system incorporates the use of artificial neural networks to adaptively and iteratively learn to select the best available service based on contextual information. The system is evaluated using practical operating scenarios, as well as empirical data and results show an 87% success rate in the selection of the best available service.     

Using a smart textile system for classifying occupational manual material handling tasks: evidence from lab-based simulations

Physical monitoring systems represent potentially powerful assessment devices to detect and describe occupational physical activities. A promising technology for such use is smart textile systems (STSs). Our goal in this exploratory study was to assess the feasibility and accuracy of using two STSs to classify several manual material handling (MMH) tasks. Specifically, commercially-available ‘smart’ socks and a custom ‘smart’ shirt were used individually and in combination. Eleven participants simulated nine separate MMH tasks while wearing the STSs, and task classification accuracy was quantified subsequently using several common models. The shirt and socks, both individually and in combination, could classify the simulated tasks with greater than 97% accuracy. Thus, using STSs appears to have potential utility for discriminating occupational physical tasks in the work environment.

Practitioner summary: A smart textile system could classify diverse MMH tasks with high accuracy. This technology may help in developing future ergonomic exposure assessment systems, with the goal of preventing occupational injuries.     

A cube to learn: a tangible user interface for the design of a learning appliance

In this paper we introduce the design and development of the Learning Cube as a novel tangible learning appliance. Using the common shape of a cube we implemented a general learning platform that supports test based quizzes where questions and answers can be text or image based. Exploiting the physical affordances of the cube and augmenting it with embedded sensors and LCD displays placed on each face, we present different learning appliances as playful learning interfaces for children. Based on the initial observations of the experience with children, we argue that breaking conventions about how a computer has to look like, and providing children with a playful interface is a promising approach to embed and integrate technology into children’s everyday context and activities.     

A component-based approach to build a portable and flexible middleware for metacomputing

The huge amount of computing resources in the Internet makes it possible to build metacomputers for solving large-scale problems. Despite the great availability of software infrastructures for managing such systems, metacomputer programming is often based on models that do not appear to be suitable to run applications on wide-area, unreliable, highly-variable networks of computers. In this paper, we present a customisable, Java-based middleware which provides programmers with a portable and flexible framework to run applications over a hierarchical, virtual network architecture. The middleware is designed according to a component-based approach that enables the execution behaviour of each computing node to be customised in order to satisfy application needs. The paper shows some examples of programming model customisation and demonstrates that flexibility can be achieved without significantly compromising performance.