PalmRC: leveraging the palm surface as an imaginary eyes-free television remote control

User input on television (TV) typically requires a mediator device such as a handheld remote control. While this is a well-established interaction paradigm, a handheld device has serious drawbacks: it can be easily misplaced due to its mobility and in case of a touch screen interface, it also requires additional visual attention. Emerging interaction paradigms such as 3D mid-air gestures using novel depth sensors (e.g. Microsoft Kinect), aim at overcoming these limitations, but are known to be tiring. In this article, we propose to leverage the palm as an interactive surface for TV remote control. We present three user studies which set the base for our four contributions: We (1) qualitatively explore the conceptual design space of the proposed imaginary palm-based remote control in an explorative study, (2) quantitatively investigate the effectiveness and accuracy of such an interface in a controlled experiment, (3) identified user acceptance in a controlled laboratory evaluation comparing PalmRC concept with two most typical existing input modalities, here conventional remote control and touch-based remote control interfaces on smart phones for their user experience, task load, as well as overall preference, and (4) contribute PalmRC, an eyes-free, palm-surface-based TV remote control. Our results show that the palm has the potential to be leveraged for device-less eyes-free TV remote interaction without any third-party mediator device.     

Design and evaluation of an adaptive virtual guide for Web applications

Most applications accessible through the Web suffer from a noticeable lack of support for adapting to the different information needs that different users may have regarding a certain topic. However, completely automatic adaptive support can still be confusing for users who may not understand the reasons for the dynamic change in the behaviour of an application. In this paper, we present a possible solution to provide adaptive support that does not disorient the user. The solution integrates a virtual January 18, assistant that is able to provide adaptive support in an adaptable application. We discuss an example of the application of this approach involving the support of Web visits to virtual museums. We then present the results of an empirical usability test of such an application. Published online: 29 January 2002     

Development and behavioral pattern analysis of a mobile guide system with augmented reality for painting appreciation instruction in an art museum

A mobile guide system that integrates art appreciation instruction with augmented reality (AR) was designed as an auxiliary tool for painting appreciation, and the learning performance of three groups of visiting participants was explored: AR-guided, audio-guided, and nonguided (i.e., without carrying auxiliary devices). The participants were 135 college students, and a quasi-experimental research design was employed. Several learning performance factors of the museum visitors aided with different guided modes were evaluated, including their learning effectiveness, flow experience, the amount of time spent focusing on the paintings, behavioral patterns, and attitude of using the guide systems. The results showed that compared to the audio- and nonguided participants, the AR guide effectively enhanced visitors' learning effectiveness, promoted their flow experience, and extended the amount of time the visitors spent focusing on the paintings. In addition, the visitors' behavioral patterns were dependent upon the guided mode that they used; the visitors who were the most engaged in the gallery experience were those who were using the AR guide. Most of the visitors using the mobile AR-guide system elicited positive responses and acceptance attitudes.     

IP TV中的EPG管理系统的设计与实现

IPTV是计算机网络技术同数字电视技术结合的新型数字电视解决方案。EPG是IPTV中关键的一环。EPG管理系统采用基于XML格式的EPG文件，提供EPG文件的制作、发布和维护等服务。EPG管理系统采用微软.NET体系架构并使用C#语言开发实现。     

远程定位与控制系统的应用研究

SMS短信息服务作为GSM网络的一种基本业务已得到越来越多的系统运营商和系统开发商的重视,以GSM网络作为数据无线传输网络,可以开发出多种前景极其乐观的各类应用。从实际的角度,系统研究短信息在物流企业管理中的应用,并详细讨论短信息应用架构的设计。     

电子剪报系统-EPCutter的设计和实现

介绍了一个剪报资料处理和检索系统EPCutter(Electronic Press Cutter)，它包括3个子系统：剪报资料处理子系统，网上智能代理子系统和全文数据库检索子系统，网上智能代理子系统利用数据挖掘技术和智能自主代理技术，自动从Web上挖掘出用户感兴趣的信息，全文数据库采用了字索引和词索引相结合的索引检索方法，从而大大提高了检索速度，查全率，查准率，此外还提出了一个统计模型，可对剪报来源作出评价以辅助用户决策。     

Information management and organizational processes: an approach through soft systems methodology

Abstract. This paper explores an approach to understanding information provision in organizations which is built around soft systems methodology (SSM). It also, from recent research in both industry and the National Health Service, derives a sense-making framework for work of this kind. A view of the fundamental nature of information systems is presented. This is compatible with SSM, and uses of SSM in information-focused studies are illustrated. These cover the rethinking of the Manufacturing Function in the Shell Group and a number of studies in the NHS concerned with the information implications of current changes. Out of this work, in order to make sense of disparate experiences, a framework is derived which captures three necessary domains (conceptual, organizational, technological) whose interaction defines an organization's response to its information provision.     

Interactive and diagnostic uses of management control systems in IS projects: Antecedents and their impact on performance

We attempted to determine how formal management control systems (MCS) are used by project managers in IS development (ISD) contexts. This involved investigating the antecedents of two types of project MCS use (interactive and diagnostic), and their direct and moderated impact on project performance. PLS analysis of data collected in a survey of 93 projects indicated that project managers’ level of discretion positively affected their level of interactive use of project MCS but did not influence their diagnostic use. Our findings also showed that interactive use of MCS enhanced performance when task uncertainty (task novelty and complexity) of an ISD was high, but worsened it when task uncertainty was low. Finally, diagnostic use of MCS apparently increased project performance when an ISD task uncertainty was low, but did not reduce it when task uncertainty was high. Overall, these results were stable across different size projects.     

中国遥感软件研制进展与发展方向——以像素专家PIE为例

随着航天航空遥感技术的飞速发展，立体式、多层次、多视角、全方位和全天候对地观测的时代已然到来。如何激活数据价值，更好地服务行业应用，满足快速增长的遥感应用需求，成为遥感企业面临的迫切课题。遥感图像处理软件作为遥感数据与行业应用的桥梁，在遥感产业化过程中发挥着不可替代的作用。本文概述了国内外遥感卫星数据和遥感软件发展历程，通过中国国产遥感图像处理软件——像素专家（pixel information expert，PIE）阐述了国产遥感软件的研制进展、典型应用和未来技术发展方向。PIE软件具有多源遥感载荷全方位支持、全谱段要素信息智能提取、多行业全业务链深度融合、海量遥感数据快速处理和自主产权程序完全可控等5大核心能力。未来将加强与大数据、云计算和人工智能等技术前沿领域的交叉融合，提升遥感数据分析处理、知识挖掘与决策支持能力，实现遥感数据的按需获取快速传输和专题信息聚焦服务。     

OTTER: The design and development of an intelligent underwater robot

Recent advances in sensing and intelligent control technologies open a whole new dimension in underwater autonomy. However, before truly-capable, autonomous underwater robots can be created for subsea intervention and exploration, many research issues must be first investigated and developed experimentally on testbed platforms.OTTER is an underwater robot designed to be used as a testbed for autonomous technologies. Both OTTER's hardware and software systems are configured to support simultaneous development and testing of different concepts for underwater robotic by independent researchers. A general control-software framework enables common access to all subsystems and avoids the duplication of basic robotic functionality jointly required by all projects. Additionally, the new autonomous technologies enabled by the results of individual research are mutually compatible and can be easily integrated into a single robotic system. Examples of new technologies demonstrated on the OTTER underwater robot include control from a real-time vision-sensing system, coordinated arm/vehicle control, and control from 3D graphical user interfaces.     

Supporting managers' internal control evaluations: an expert system and experimental results

Internal control issues are of significance to entities to assure the accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of the financial reports. Although management is responsible for maintaining an effective internal control system, the literature contains no example of a system devised to aid managers detecting internal control weaknesses. This type of system might prove to be highly beneficial. Nonetheless, it is not obvious that this system would yield positive results because managers may not be willing or feel comfortable using it. This study reports on the development of such system, plus empirical testing of its value and managers' perceptions on its usefulness.     

Knowledge discovery in digital libraries of electronic theses and dissertations: an NDLTD case study

Many scholarly writings today are available in electronic formats. With universities around the world choosing to make digital versions of their dissertations, theses, project reports, and related files and data sets available online, an overwhelming amount of information is becoming available on almost any particular topic. How will users decide which dissertation, or subsection of a dissertation, to read to get the required information on a particular topic? What kind of services can such digital libraries provide to make knowledge discovery easier? In this paper, we investigate these issues, using as a case study the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD), a rapidly growing collection that already has about 800,000 Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) from universities around the world. We propose the design for a scalable, Web Services based tool KDWebS (Knowledge Discovery System based on Web Services), to facilitate automated knowledge discovery in NDLTD. We also provide some preliminary proof of concept results to demonstrate the efficacy of the approach.     

Robust iterative learning control for multi-phase batch processes: an average dwell-time method with 2D convergence indexes

In order to cope with system disturbances in multi-phase batch processes with different dimensions, a hybrid robust control scheme of iterative learning control combined with feedback control is proposed in this paper. First, with a hybrid iterative learning control law designed by introducing the state error, the tracking error and the extended information, the multi-phase batch process is converted into a two-dimensional Fornasini–Marchesini (2D-FM) switched system with different dimensions. Second, a switching signal is designed using the average dwell-time method integrated with the related switching conditions to give sufficient conditions ensuring stable running for the system. Finally, the minimum running time of the subsystems and the control law gains are calculated by solving the linear matrix inequalities. Meanwhile, a compound 2D controller with robust performance is obtained, which includes a robust extended feedback control for ensuring the steady-state tracking error to converge rapidly. The application on an injection molding process displays the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed strategy.     

Procedure and information displays in advanced nuclear control rooms: experimental evaluation of an integrated design

Abstract

In the main control rooms of nuclear power plants, operators frequently have to switch between procedure displays and system information displays. In this study, we proposed an operation-unit-based integrated design, which combines the two displays to facilitate the synthesis of information. We grouped actions that complete a single goal into operation units and showed these operation units on the displays of system states. In addition, we used different levels of visual salience to highlight the current unit and provided a list of execution history records. A laboratory experiment, with 42 students performing a simulated procedure to deal with unexpected high pressuriser level, was conducted to compare this design against an action-based integrated design and the existing separated-displays design. The results indicate that our operation-unit-based integrated design yields the best performance in terms of time and completion rate and helped more participants to detect unexpected system failures.

Practitioner Summary: In current nuclear control rooms, operators frequently have to switch between procedure and system information displays. We developed an integrated design that incorporates procedure information into system displays. A laboratory study showed that the proposed design significantly improved participants’ performance and increased the probability of detecting unexpected system failures.     

基于元数据与角色的煤矿综合信息管理系统权限控制模型设计与实现

分析了现有煤矿信息管理系统中权限控制策略的不足,指出基本的账户控制策略不仅功能简单,且在系统运行过程中无法修改权限,而基于角色的访问控制策略缺少对系统数据的区分,不利于系统的扩展与维护;提出了基于元数据与角色的权限控制模型,通过对用户可访问元数据范围的配置与限制,实现了对用户功能权限和数据权限的管理,并通过元控件实现了权限管理的模块化设计与开发,减少了代码重复率和逻辑复杂度。该模型已应用于多个煤矿综合信息管理系统中,具有很好的灵活性和可操作性。     

Path-based approach to integrated planning and control for robotic systems: A path-based approach provides an analytical integration of robot planning and control. As a result, the task level control can be achieved, and the system is capable of coping with unexpected or uncertain events

Our newly developed event-based planning and control theory is applied to robotic systems. It Introduces a suitable action or motion reference variable other than time, but directly related to the desired and measurable systems output, called event. Here the event is the length of the path tracked by a robot. It enables the construction of an integrated planning and control system where planning becomes a real-time closed-loop process. The path-based integration planning and control scheme is exemplified by a single-arm tracking problem. Time and energy optimal motion plans combined with nonlinear feedback control are derived in closed form. To the best of our knowledge, this closed-form solution was not obtained before. The equivalence of path-based and time-based representations of nonlinear feedback control is shown, and an overall system stability criterion has also been obtained. The application of event-based integrated planning and control provides the robotic systems the capability to cope with unexpected and uncertain events in real time, without the need for replanning. The theoretical results are illustrated and verified by experiments.     

Analysis, design, and development model: a case study of an internet-based system for insert and parameter selection

Abstract. The analysis, design, and development model (ADDM) is based on the systems lifecycle process (SLCP) in which analysts begin to understand external client requirements and internal client specifications as they are designing and developing a complex system. In the ADDM, clients and system analysts (SA) continuously interact as the system is being designed, developed, tested and maintained. In the design phase, system development can be altered when it is most cost‐effective. Depending on the type of environment and SA preference and expertise, various interfaces and software and hardware configurations are created during the SLCP. The SLCP ensures effective standardization and continuous quality improvements throughout development. The model follows modern information technology principles to integrate and monitor SLCP phases. A case is presented that describes an application of the ADDM. This case outlines the architecture of an e‐commerce production system (ECPS). The system has a three‐tier structure consisting of the client interface, Java server page (JSP) and database module. The model assists in designing economic production operations in an industrial setting by allowing a client to retrieve current production data needed for operations through the internet.     

Robust approximate feedback linearisation control for nonlinear systems with uncertain parameters and external disturbance: its application to an electromagnetic levitation system

A robust control scheme with a gain-scaling factor is proposed for an extended class of nonlinear systems. Compared with many previous studies, our considered systems are more generalised by including uncertain parameters, perturbed nonlinearities, and external disturbance. With our control scheme, all states of the controlled system remain bounded. Moreover, it is shown that the ultimate bounds of some system states can be made (arbitrarily) small by adjusting the gain-scaling factor depending on the nonlinearities and external disturbance. The effectiveness of our control scheme is experimentally shown via its application in the control of an electromagnetic levitation system.