The social consumption of information and communication technologies (ICTs): insights from research on the appropriation and consumption of new ICTs in the domestic environment

This paper reviews some of the research on the use and consumption of technology in the domestic space that may not be familiar to members of the usability and design community, especially those traditionally focused on design for the workplace. The paper also introduces original research findings and conclusions from a qualitative study of the adoption and use of new ICTs conducted in a number of households and workplaces in the late 1990s, a time when many new ICT products and services were becoming available, and more traditional media and communication products were becoming widespread in homes. The paper does not make recommendations about the type of products and services to be developed, nor those that may be successful, although it is quite possible to draw this type of conclusion from it. Instead it looks at some rather broader trends in the way that we engage with technologies, rejecting and adopting them, and the importance of our domestic space and social networks to the way we will engage with future technologies aimed at the home space. Electronic Publication     

网络环境下动态分布内容的自组织语义整合框架

随着网络和多媒体技术的发展,新型网络技术不断出现,并通过互联网络不断融合,使得网络更加泛在化、开放和动态化.目前,网络中动态分布的内容爆炸式增长与用户个性化需求之间的矛盾也日益突出.因此,基于开放的网络环境下海量的内容,如何提供个性化、智能的内容服务,已成为研究界和工业界共同关注的问题.基于开放、动态的网络环境,以个性化的语义整合服务为核心目标,将语义技术与网络通信机制相结合,提出了动态分布内容自组织语义整合的网络结构和关键技术的实现机制,包括关系路由模型、自组织语义整合技术框架和实现流程,以支持在网络环境下针对动态分布的内容构建个性化和智能的语义整合应用,并且为动态分布内容的语义整合系统提供工程设计方案和技术实现方法.     

匿名通信系统隐藏服务定位技术研究综述

匿名通信系统诞生之初是为了保护通信实体身份的匿名性和网络中通信内容的隐私性、完整性,但随着匿名通信系统的广泛使用,其匿名性不断增强,在隐藏服务技术的支持下,匿名通信系统被不法分子滥用的情况愈演愈烈,在匿名通信系统隐藏服务技术支持下的暗网平台已然成为了"法外之地".站在网络监管部门的立场上,对匿名通信系统,尤其是匿名通信...     

A comprehensive review of the application characteristics and traffic requirements of a smart grid communications network

A robust communication infrastructure is the touchstone of a smart grid that differentiates it from the conventional electrical grid by transforming it into an intelligent and adaptive energy delivery network. To cope with the rising penetration of renewable energy sources and expected widespread adoption of electric vehicles, the future smart grid needs to implement efficient monitoring and control technologies to improve its operational efficiency. However, the legacy communication infrastructures in the existing grid are quite insufficient, if not incapable of meeting the diverse communication requirements of the smart grid. Therefore, utilities from all over the world are now facing the key challenge of finding the most appropriate technology that can satisfy their future communication needs. In order to properly assess the vast landscape of available communication technologies, architectures and protocols, it is very important to acquire detailed knowledge about the current and prospective applications of the smart grid. With a view to addressing this critical issue, this paper offers an in depth review on the application characteristics and traffic requirements of several emerging smart grid applications and highlights some of the key research challenges present in this arena.     

Computer-mediated communication in computer-assisted language learning: implications for culture-centered design

This study explores the research development pertaining to computer-mediated communication (CMC) in the field of computer-assisted language learning (CALL). The basic premise of this study is that language and consequently communication are essential elements of culture; thus, deep understanding of the role of technology in facilitating communication in online environments can deepen our understanding of the notion of culture and contribute to the specification of a universal design approach in culture-centered design. The authors applied a six-stage approach for conducting a systematic review of the research development in CALL between January 2009 and September 2010. This approach resulted in the development of the CALL map which consisted of 11 themes with which CALL researchers are concerned. This study focuses on CMC, a category which maintains its popularity for more than a decade, thus sustaining itself as a major area in the field. The review brings to the forefront key themes and findings of research in these areas, as well as core concepts emerging from the literature. The study discusses empirical findings and delineates how CMC can enhance language learning, concluding with possible future directions and implications for research and practice.     

A novel communication system approach for a Smart City based on the human nervous system

The massive introduction of internet, architect of the Internet of Thingsparadigm, was expected to facilitate the spread of people out of the urban spaces. However, the reality is that increasingly people are moving to cities, which generates many challenges for the cities of tomorrow. In this context, the Smart Cityconcept emerges, where Information and Communication Technologies have a key role. This situation has revealed an important issue that needs to be addressed: the lack of an ubiquitous communication architecture able to deal with the expected requirements of a SC. To this end, a wide review of the existing communication frameworks and city services have been performed, which showed that existing proposals are classical fixed ad-hocsolutions for very specific problems with no resilience and common thread. By rethinking the nature of cities and considering them as living organisms, it is possible to relate the nervous systems with the communication architecture of a city. Therefore, this work proposes a novel communication architecture, ubiquitous and resilient, inspired in the human nervous system by the definition of Smart Gateways, able to satisfy the needs of a real SCand adaptable to the growing and specific requirements of every single city. Additionally, the research also includes the simulation of the communication channel with different technologies.     

The implementation of e-tutoring in secondary schools: A diffusion study

While technology use is becoming ever more ubiquitous in society, there are times when even the most useful of technologies faces non-adoption for a variety of contextual reasons. Educational institutions are increasingly relying on online academic support services such as e-tutoring to balance rising demands for public accountability over standardized testing with decreasing budgets. This study explores the context of an e-tutoring service that has experienced a relatively low adoption rate in a school district in Eastern Ontario, Canada. The study proposes a model, based on the results of a mixed-methods diffusion study, for the effective implementation of the service; results indicate that this model is significantly correlated with the adoption of e-tutoring. Implications for the integration of educational technologies in secondary education, especially in relation to e-tutoring, are discussed.     

Analysis of emerging technology adoption for the digital content market

The digital content market is undergoing an evolution in networking and digitalization technologies, offering diverse information and services. Due to the characteristics of these emerging technologies, the digital content market is growing rapidly and traditional content providers face service transformation decisions. While a majority of the previous technology adoption studies have focused on the viewpoints of users and customers, cost reduction, or electronic channel related technologies, in this research we analyze the emerging technology adoption decisions of competing firms for providing new content services from a strategic perspective. Utilizing game theoretical models, we examine the effects of market environments (technology cost, channel cannibalization, brand power, brand extension, information asymmetry and market uncertainty) on firms’ adoption decisions. This research contributes a number of unique and interesting implications for the issues of emerging technology adoption for new content service provision.     

Probing user values in the home environment within a technology driven Smart Home project

Smart Home technology looks set to become an increasingly common feature of domestic life. However commercial desire for technical innovation rather than explicit user needs are often the driving force behind the development of Smart Home products and services. This study adapts the Cultural Probe approach developed by Gaver et al. [2] to collect primarily visual data about what people value within their home environment. Whereas Cultural Probes are predominantly used to build empathy with users when designing product concepts, this approach attempted to provide similarly fun and engaging prompts for data collection when the design process and project context required more structured consideration of user needs. This paper presents the method developed, project findings and recommendations on how the method should be applied.     

CORBA/SOAP互操作技术的研究及实现

将现存的中间件技术如CORBA与新兴的Web服务实现互操作可实现新的、增值的服务。其中需要解决的两个关键技术就是如何自动高效地将CORBA对象的IDL描述转换为Web服务的WSDL描述以及Web客户如何能在不改变原有程序模式的情况下访问CORBA服务。对这两个关键技术进行了研究和实现。     

一种基于智能家居的用户行为预测方法

随着移动通信技术、物联网技术和传感器技术等的快速发展,智能家居行业发展迅速。由于人们生活水平的提高,对智能家居可以提供的智能服务需求正在增加。然而,现有的智能家居系统只能根据预设的控制方法和规则简单地重复运行,并且根据用户的日常生活习惯,不能随时提供满足其个性化需求的服务。试图为智能家居提供个性化服务,使智能家居的服务能够更加灵活、智能和人性化,报告了智能家居和关联规则挖掘的研究现状,对提高Apriori算法的效率进行了研究,设计了原型系统中的数据采集和预处理,网关以及行为识别和预测3个功能模块的总体实现方案。实验结果表明,采用关联规则数据挖掘的方法可以预测智能家居环境下用户未来的行为,同时基于散列技术的Apriori算法提高了智能家居下用户行为预测过程中的效率。     

Laser and Photonic Systems Integration: Emerging Innovations and Framework for Research and Education

The purpose of this article is to review the key emerging innovations in laser and photonics systems as well as their design and integration, focusing on challenges and opportunities for solutions of societal challenges. Developments, their significance, and frontier challenges are explained in advanced manufacturing, biomedicine and healthcare, and communication. Systems, networks, and integration issues and challenges are then discussed, and an integration framework for networking laser‐ and photonic‐based services and products is proposed. The article concludes with implications and an agenda for education, research and development, and policy needs, with a focus on human, society, science, and technology integration. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Exploring ambient and artistic visualization for residential energy use feedback

Providing effective feedback on resource consumption in the home is a key challenge of environmental conservation efforts. One promising approach for providing feedback about residential energy consumption is the use of ambient and artistic visualizations. Pervasive computing technologies enable the integration of such feedback into the home in the form of distributed point-of-consumption feedback devices to support decision-making in everyday activities. However, introducing these devices into the home requires sensitivity to the domestic context. In this paper we describe three abstract visualizations and suggest four design requirements that this type of device must meet to be effective: pragmatic, aesthetic, ambient, and ecological. We report on the findings from a mixed methods user study that explores the viability of using ambient and artistic feedback in the home based on these requirements. Our findings suggest that this approach is a viable way to provide resource use feedback and that both the aesthetics of the representation and the context of use are important elements that must be considered in this design space.     

Visualizations of Digital Interaction in Daily Life

We inquire into how visual signage may make aspects of ubiquitous computing technologies visible and how digital tools and platforms impact that visual design and semiosis. We explore how visual interfaces have been designed and mediated within a design-research project that looked at technologies for mediating between digital media and the physical environment. Referring to visual and media theory, and to social semiotics, we problematize the role of interfaces and interaction with respect to advertising, services, and signage in urban settings. We link our interpretation to critical reflection on designed symbols that express potentials and implications of an emerging technology. This is elaborated as pointing towards a kind of research-by-design practice that we call “discursive design.”     

普适医疗信息管理与服务的关键技术与挑战

随着区域医疗、移动医疗、转化医学等新兴技术的应用和发展,电子病历、电子健康档案及转化基因等数据都呈现出爆炸式增长.为了将医疗服务信任问题渗透到人与医疗信息系统可信交互中,提供以个性化、一体化、协同化与知识化为特征的现代医疗服务,必须有效管理和分析这些海量数据资源,达到医疗信息与服务普适共享、广大民众普遍受惠的目的.文中以社会计算为背景,提出一种面向现代医疗服务模式的普适医疗信息管理与服务体系PMIMSS,讨论了普适医疗面临的关键技术问题,包括医疗信息共享与集成、医疗知识发现与服务、医疗服务质量评价、个性化医疗服务推荐,以及基于人与医疗信息系统交互的可信机制等,并总结了当前的研究现状和进展,详细分析了存在的挑战性问题,提出了未来的研究方向.     

Construction automation and robotics for high-rise buildings over the past decades: A comprehensive review

Automation and robotics technology is expected to improve the productivity of the construction industry as well as to solve problems such as labor shortage and safety risks, especially for high-rise buildings. Substantial research efforts have been devoted to the field over the past decades, while the application rate at the construction sites is still limited. Although various reviews have summarized the research topics and future trends in this field, few research efforts have been made on a consideration of both academic research and practical application in the industry. Focusing on high-rise building construction, this study explores the development of both academic research and practical application of automation and robotics based on literature and market review. Scientometric and critical literature reviews were conducted to identify and analyze the development of key research areas based on academic publications from the 1980s to present. In the meantime, the development of basic technologies was summarized. The market review surveyed on existing products and developers of construction automation and robotics. By comparing the results of the literature review and market review, four development patterns of academic research and product application were identified, i.e., simultaneous development led by the same party, development at a similar pace with the two sides taking the lead in different aspects, academic research providing basic technologies for product development, and available technologies in academic research with no products found. Then three gaps in this field, i.e., the gap between academic research and products, the gap between products and application, and the gap between the construction industry and the robotics industry, were discussed with corresponding suggestions to narrow the gaps, followed by an outlook for future directions. This study contributes to the knowledge body by identifying and analyzing the key research areas and the development gaps systematically.     

Action-oriented classification of families' information and communication actions: exploring mothers' viewpoints

Action-oriented service and technology development begins with the idea that people use technologies to reach their action goals. Consequently, we should investigate user needs and how they can be satisfied, and adapt services and technologies to the natural course of actions. Here, we focus on family communication and investigate mobile communication service types for families. For this study 10 mothers were interviewed; we investigated the nature of their everyday information and communication needs and the different knowledge and information transfer actions that were discovered in their families. Qualitative analysis of these interviews was used to generate a taxonomy, which, in turn, can help in providing enhanced individual services and family-centred design models.     

Review of information extraction technologies and applications

Information extraction (IE) is an important and growing field, in part because of the development of ubiquitous social media networking millions of people and producing huge collections of textual information. Mined information is being used in a wide array of application areas from targeted marketing of products to intelligence gathering for military and security needs. IE has its roots in artificial intelligence fields including machine learning, logic and search algorithms, computational linguistics, and pattern recognition. This review summarizes the history of IE, surveys the various uses of IE, identifies current technological accomplishments and challenges, and explores the role that neural and adaptive computing might play in future research. A goal for this review is also to encourage practitioners of neural and adaptive computing to look for interesting applications in the important emerging area of IE.